Chimera (previously known as "Macro")

[3XXXDDD]

Which Ability template do you prefer?

[Dragoon]

Please use screenshots the next time. Second version is better. (I prefer normal numbers)

[3XXXDDD]

Please use screenshots the next time. Second version is better. (I prefer normal numbers)

Apologies about lack of screen shots, this was from the designers PC. I'll suggest that to him the next time.

Also yeah, I'm sticking with those now. Just function better anyway.

[3XXXDDD]

Bumpy! So recently I got some work on my Templates done (by Matildadad). Here's the general looks so far.

Picking up slight speed, got some templates.

Ability Templates (In 3 different colors) below







The two circles on the left are RACE (Top) and COOL DOWN (Bottom). To refresh on mechanics


1. If a card in Cool Down has their "Blue" Circle in the top Right, you add that card back to your hand
2. You turn every card currently in Cool Down 90 degrees to the right
3. You place the card you played this turn into cool down, with the (1) in the top Right Corner

E.g,

1. You play "Dive"
2. You place "Dive" into Cool-Down
3. Next turn, after you've collected all of your currently Cool-Downed cards, you turn "Dive" 90 degrees to the Right. (The 2 is now in Cool-Down position but you've already passed the collection phase)
4. Turn after, after you've played a Card, you collect the Cool Downed "Dive"
5. Therefore 2 Turns wait excluding the turn you played it.

Now, I know there are a couple of problems with the design. I for one forgot to add in the Ability Speed Circle. I won't be changing this design for a long while to come until I'm entirely sure what the improved version will look like. I simply posted them here to receive any constructive criticism (e.g. Use "Arial" instead of "Impact" text) as opposed to just criticism (Don't do X. Nothing else to say). So with that in mind fire away!

Onto the Character Template






The Icon in the corner is the RACE icon. Going clockwise from the top, the 4 icons represent the Avatar's Dexterity (Bullseye), Vitality (Heart), Evasion (Winged Sandal), Endurance (Shield)

The Designer suggested the idea of having Avatar borders be different for each Avatar as stated above, it is currently Blue for Mermaid, Grey for Harpy, Red for Minotaur).

Lastly but not least Icons in general



Icons (from left to right) Minotaur, Harpy, Mermaid, Mele?, Magic, Ranged, Endurance, Vitality, Evasion, Dexterity.

So yeah, criticism would be much appreciated. I'd really like to know what people's favorite color for the Ability template is.

Also here is bit of a teaser for the refined Harpy Art.

[Typherion]

This is starting to look quite nice!

The only suggestion I have is that the card template could make the cooldown concept even easier to understand if all of the 4 cooldown numbers on the card were connected in some way.

Also, a bit irrelevant now but I just thought of another way you could have implemented the cooldown system:

• Each ability card would have a single cooldown number on it, say from 1 to 5.
• The cooldown zone would be a column or row of card spaces numbered 0 to 5.
• After using an ability, you would place that card in the cooldown zone in the space with the same number as the ability's cooldown number.
• At the end of your turn, you would slide all cards in the cooldown zone down one space.

Cards that had finished sliding down the cooldown zone would then return to your hand.[/li]
[/list]

[Trevor]

Try designing a template with the dimesions shrunken to 200 pixels wide. People have a tendency to design at a large scale, and this makes the ratios skewed when you shrink them to actual card sizes.

[Typherion]

Sorry to bring this up again, but I was doing some more thinking about the cooldown system and it might be relevant for future games, too. The way you have it set up now might make it difficult for players to quickly check how long their cards, and their opponent's cards, will stay on cooldown.

Currently, a player has to go through the following steps every time they want to find out when an ability may be used again:
Check for the relevant ability card in the cooldown zone;
Check for the blue numbered corner on that ability card;
Count the number of turns it will take for the blue corner to reach cooldown.

Here is a representation of the alternative cooldown zone I mentioned.

Under this model, players would be able to easily check when all of their abilities finish cooling down without having to count numbers on each individual card. It lets players quickly see which abilities will be ready before any others that are on cooldown. Also, cards that will complete cooling down at the same time could be stacked in the same slot and slide down the zone together.

Hopefully someone will find this useful.

[3XXXDDD]

I don't think there is anyway to follow that without the use of some outside instruments, which I loathe because it kind of goes against the grain of the game.

That being said, stacking is an interesting idea. 

[Typherion]

Well I guess you could get most of the advantages without using a playmat by simply having players arrange their cooling-down cards from left to right in order of turns remaining. It wouldn't be as precise but it would still give a general idea to make it easier to plan your future turns.

[3XXXDDD]

Introducing two new concepts into the game, the first is the simple "Regeneration phase" at the end of every round which each card restores 1 point of vitality.

The second is a bit more intricate

|Combat Phase Sub-Step: Card Effect Turn Structure|

Each ability has at least one effect and may have up to a total of three. Each effect has a period after it to note when it is finished.

During combat, the ability who wins in the speed gets to activates its first effect first, once it is resolved, priority is passed over to the opponent (Player  who gets to activate his first effect, before passing priority back to his opponent (Player A). This process is repeated until all effects are resolved.

If an ability has no additional effects, priority is still passed. (E.g. Player A may play and resolve an ability with three effects fully regardless of Player B playing an ability with less than three effects)

In short, a card with the abilities

+1 Endurance. Deal 2 Damage.

Is a different card than

Deal 2 Damage. +1 Endurance.

E.g

Player A plays "Deal 2 Damage. No Effect. No Effect."
Player B Plays "+1 Endurance. Deal 2 Damage. No Effect"
(Player B's card activates first)

In this case, Player B gets +1 Endurance before Player A deals 2 Damage, therefore resulting in Player A dealing 1 less damage.

Player A plays "Deal 2 Damage. No Effect. No Effect."
Player B plays "Deal 2 Damage. +1 Endurance. No Effect"
(Player B's card activates first)

B: Deals 2 Damage
A: Deals 2 Damage
B: +1 Endurance (after already being dealt damage from A's card so this has no effect on that battle).

Same effects but different order resulting in a different play.

[3XXXDDD]

This is incredibly close to the final template. (Also the game is now language independent using symbols instead of text).

[Malagar]

sorry, i saw this just now!

Artwork is cool, did you do that? The layout is okay - is it supposed to be square? the border is a bit big, but i see its required for your concept.

Did you check aut "Shift - the single card CCG", they also use cards with information on all edges. maybe this inspires you a bit:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/laboratory/shift-the-single-card-ccg

(the link to ks is the first one that appeared in google search)

[3XXXDDD]

I'm well aware of shift (I made a plugin for it as well as backing its Kickstarter).

The art is a paid piece from dA. I'm not sure if I have the means to invest in more.