Adsulto? -- Collectable Tile Game

[axman]

So here is the game idea I was talking so much about!

The instruction booklet can be downloaded at http://www.axmanonline.com/adsulto.pdf

Sample cards can be seen at the following
unit:http://www.axmanonline.com/adsulto.gif
building:http://www.axmanonline.com/adsulto1.gif
barracks:http://www.axmanonline.com/adsulto2.gif
upgrade:http://www.axmanonline.com/adsulto3.gif
spell:http://www.axmanonline.com/adsulto4.gif
hex:http://www.axmanonline.com/adsulto5.gif
aura:http://www.axmanonline.com/adsulto6.gif

Theme Song
http://www.axmanonline.com/Adsulto.m4a

Sorry about all the links.  the images where too big to put as an attachment. 
Disclaimer:  I do not own any of the rights to the images that I have used.  I simply got them from the internet.  Eventually they will be replaced. (I simply used the images to get a better feel for the layout of the card)  The layout of the cards; however, is my own design. 

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[axman]

if you have any suggestions for the instruction booklet, don't hesitate to post them. 

There are a couple things at the moment I am unsure about.  They include
1) Production Value.  At the moment buildings are the only tiles with a production value.  I "may" change that later.
2) Spell/aura/hex casting.  At the moment there is no placement or targeting rules for spells/auras/hexes.  This may change. 
3) Board size.  I am unsure how big the board should be. 
4) Theme song.  My friend told me it was "creepy"  (direct quote).  Not sure if I should exclude it from the sales pitch :p

[Tokimo]

The font are hard to read.

The hexagon is confusing and distracting.

The 4-1-1, 12-1, whatever at the top is confusing. Just because magic prints two cryptic numbers on the bottom right doesn't mean you should.

Looking at the rules now.

Edit: The copyright should not be at the top, move it to the bottom. The layout in general is kinda scattered. Each card has as many as 8 numbers attached to it which is hard to think about as they're scattered all over the place. Try to organize the 8 numbers into one or two common groups (3 groups for 8 numbers is just overwhelming).

[sneaselx]

This is gonna sound kind of mean, but really, I like the game. I'm not hating on you or anything.
~The song is kind of... corny. It's catchy, but not in the "this is a good song I can't stop humming" way. More like the "why can't I get this song out of my head, it's so annoying!" kind of way. Maybe that's a good thing, maybe not. Maybe it'll be a good sales gimmick.
~The number of card types is... large. Maybe collapse them into ways that are more obvious. Exmp. Auras and Upgrades are the same card, just a different resource symbol. The symbol is enough to mark what resource to use. And barracks and buildings are the same thing as well. Just a simple effect wording should be enough to say that it can't be built on neutral or enemy territory. Card types should be only specified if they are handled by the rules significantly differently. Usually, a card effect is enough.
~The attack/defense symbols have a faint green dotted outline thing. Is that on purpose? It makes it kind of look like they were cut out of another image inexactly, and pasted in. Symbols should be clearly contrasted from the background, and text against the image should be large and easy to read. I really like having the image take up the entire card.
~That brings me to another point... It is a REALLY bad idea to have people punch holes in their cards. They'll lose value, get torn up, get the tiles lost, etc. And you lose part of a nice picture. Maybe have separate high-quality tiles(wood, plastic, or best, metal.) You could then market special "tile cases", and adds a little bit of fanciness to the game. Tiles could even be offered in several types (cardboard for commons, plastic for rares, metal for ultra rares, and fancy engraved teak for ultra-ultra rare.)
~Action points, strength, and range are important. They should not just be a cryptic series of numbers in the corner, even if the rulebook does point them out.
Alright, not criticism.
~I don't really understand the leadership phase, is the blue/green/white parts the territory your talking about? I assume you can only have one tile per hex.
~I like the way you did construction, getting the idea of building things like an RTS, but still keeping it simple.
~And being able to repair armor is nice. It differentiates between armor and life. However, paying the cost of the unit is a little extreme. You might as well just summon a new one. Maybe half price?

[axman]

~The song is kind of... corny. It's catchy, but not in the "this is a good song I can't stop humming" way. More like the "why can't I get this song out of my head, it's so annoying!" kind of way. Maybe that's a good thing, maybe not. Maybe it'll be a good sales gimmick.

I just made the song because I was bored.  saying I should do without it isn't that much of a criticism

~The number of card types is... large. Maybe collapse them into ways that are more obvious. Exmp. Auras and Upgrades are the same card, just a different resource symbol. The symbol is enough to mark what resource to use. And barracks and buildings are the same thing as well. Just a simple effect wording should be enough to say that it can't be built on neutral or enemy territory. Card types should be only specified if they are handled by the rules significantly differently. Usually, a card effect is enough.

The problem with making upgrades and auras the same is upgrades can be placed on units, barracks, or buildings.  Auras can only be placed on units.  (also, there will be spells that say "destroy target aura or hex).  Additionally only one upgrade can be put on a tile, yet auras are not limited to how many can be on a single tile.  Unless you have any suggestion of how to maintain this and condense the card types at the same time

Your suggestion with making buildings and barracks the same is sound though.

~The attack/defense symbols have a faint green dotted outline thing. Is that on purpose? It makes it kind of look like they were cut out of another image inexactly, and pasted in. Symbols should be clearly contrasted from the background, and text against the image should be large and easy to read. I really like having the image take up the entire card.

Thats because they where cut out of another image.... >_<.   I can't draw.  So I resorted to copy and paste for alot of the small details. 

~That brings me to another point... It is a REALLY bad idea to have people punch holes in their cards. They'll lose value, get torn up, get the tiles lost, etc. And you lose part of a nice picture. Maybe have separate high-quality tiles(wood, plastic, or best, metal.) You could then market special "tile cases", and adds a little bit of fanciness to the game. Tiles could even be offered in several types (cardboard for commons, plastic for rares, metal for ultra rares, and fancy engraved teak for ultra-ultra rare.)

The idea is that the "cards" in Adsulto are not cardboard/paper.  They are plastic.  (therefore making a punch out portion of that card more realistic.).  You would simply punch the hexagn back into the card when your done using it.  Similar to how mechwarrior used plastic for its piolits.

~Action points, strength, and range are important. They should not just be a cryptic series of numbers in the corner, even if the rulebook does point them out.

I agree.  But like I stated above, I can't draw.  therefore I was unsure about what graphic to use to establish those stats.

~I don't really understand the leadership phase, is the blue/green/white parts the territory your talking about? I assume you can only have one tile per hex.

Yep.  you can only have one tile per hex.   The blue/green/white parts are the territory I was talking about.  The "zones".

~And being able to repair armor is nice. It differentiates between armor and life. However, paying the cost of the unit is a little extreme. You might as well just summon a new one. Maybe half price?

Agreed.  I'll look into changing that. 

[europeanmatt]

mm. wasn't sure about the name Adsulto until I looked it up  - means "I attack" or somthing like that in latin, right? Cool. also it is an anagram of "do a slut".

the rules seem pretty solid, though I would advise getting the pdf jazzed up a bit with more illustrations and use of colour, so that they look like one of those glossy inserts you get in starter decks for some CCGs.

the theme song is BAD, and I don't mean badass. Sorry to be critical, but have to be honest with this one, the voice doesn't suit the lyrics or style of music, the accompanying synth sounds very cheap, and the way it just plays the same notes and tempo as the vocal part just grinds. It's anti-harmony and quite cheesy. But I have to applaud you for giving it a shot and being ballsy by putting it out there.

[axman]

mm. wasn't sure about the name Adsulto until I looked it up  - means "I attack" or somthing like that in latin, right? Cool. also it is an anagram of "do a slut".

the rules seem pretty solid, though I would advise getting the pdf jazzed up a bit with more illustrations and use of colour, so that they look like one of those glossy inserts you get in starter decks for some CCGs.

the theme song is BAD, and I don't mean badass. Sorry to be critical, but have to be honest with this one, the voice doesn't suit the lyrics or style of music, the accompanying synth sounds very cheap, and the way it just plays the same notes and tempo as the vocal part just grinds. It's anti-harmony and quite cheesy. But I have to applaud you for giving it a shot and being ballsy by putting it out there.

Ya.  Adsulto is latin for "to violently attack someone" 

[axman]

Here is a "new" version of the card design.  I attempted to group the numbers more in one location.
They are grouped as the following:
Movement cost -- Attack Cost
Action Points -- Strength -- Range
(located on the bottom)

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[aardvark]

Heh, made me think pogs.

The manual is pretty good, fix a few typos and such. Honestly, Buffing step isn't that bad, nothing so obvious 'course, instead maybe Buff Phase? Dunno.

Oh, and by the power of positive thinking I command you to change "...and with luck, will become one of the biggest." to "and with time, will become one of the biggest."

I'm gonna hafta agree and say that the thought of punching a hole in a card does not appeal to me a'tall. 'Less I'm trying to make something out of it. Couldn't you just include a pog tile for each card in the pack? Though that would be a bit bulky depending on their construction...

I second the change to repair.

I have to respectfully disagree with the previous posts concerning the numbers. I don't see anything wrong with the way that you initially had made the layout. I don't much care for the numbers being clustered together down in the center, if I glance down quickly to check my movement cost I might glance at something else. A little thing, imo, but I think stats are better kept to 2-3 a set. Or instead change the background color for each stat. AGoT uses red, green and blue for its 3 stats. Easy to see, save for color blindness.

Perhaps make the health and armor icons smaller and place those in the upper left where the other stats used to be and line the others down across the bottom?

[axman]

Heh, made me think pogs.

The manual is pretty good, fix a few typos and such. Honestly, Buffing step isn't that bad, nothing so obvious 'course, instead maybe Buff Phase? Dunno.

Oh, and by the power of positive thinking I command you to change "...and with luck, will become one of the biggest." to "and with time, will become one of the biggest."

I'm gonna hafta agree and say that the thought of punching a hole in a card does not appeal to me a'tall. 'Less I'm trying to make something out of it. Couldn't you just include a pog tile for each card in the pack? Though that would be a bit bulky depending on their construction...

I second the change to repair.

I have to respectfully disagree with the previous posts concerning the numbers. I don't see anything wrong with the way that you initially had made the layout. I don't much care for the numbers being clustered together down in the center, if I glance down quickly to check my movement cost I might glance at something else. A little thing, imo, but I think stats are better kept to 2-3 a set. Or instead change the background color for each stat. AGoT uses red, green and blue for its 3 stats. Easy to see, save for color blindness.

Perhaps make the health and armor icons smaller and place those in the upper left where the other stats used to be and line the others down across the bottom?

How about this design?
By the way: I originally designed the armor and health symbols being on opposite sides for one major reason: to divide the card.  All damage in the game is tracked by damage counters (similarly to pokemon).  It is possible to have damage counters to health, but not armor (and this is especially the case with repair).  The design was basically to make a visual divider for the player, so tokens could easily be visualized what damage that represented for that unit (aka damage to health or damage to armor). 

Also:  including a "pog" for every card in a pack is not that far out of an idea.  I was planning to only include six cards per pack, therefore making this a reality. 

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[aardvark]

I think we're getting somewhere. It looks cleaner, though I still think that a different shade might be better for at least the first two numbers, if not the entire row. There's something about the numbers though that still needs some sort of distinction. A little tweak, nothing major methinks.

If you wanna keep the two separate then my suggestion would be to have the card cost inside the name plate, at the left most side, perhaps?

Or, since you only tell the player to use "something to keep track of resource and damage." it could just as easily be done with pen and paper or different color counters of some sort. On the other hand, going commercial with this you could market health, armor and resource tokens as accessories. Just a thought.

[axman]

I think we're getting somewhere. It looks cleaner, though I still think that a different shade might be better for at least the first two numbers, if not the entire row. There's something about the numbers though that still needs some sort of distinction. A little tweak, nothing major methinks.

If you wanna keep the two separate then my suggestion would be to have the card cost inside the name plate, at the left most side, perhaps?

Or, since you only tell the player to use "something to keep track of resource and damage." it could just as easily be done with pen and paper or different color counters of some sort. On the other hand, going commercial with this you could market health, armor and resource tokens as accessories. Just a thought.

how about this?

Gold = move/attack cost
Green = action points (because it makes you go )
Red = strength... because it does damage. 
Blue = range

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[axman]

This is a new version.

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[axman]

Just so you all know:  I am currently working on a lackey plugin for my game.
In order to make a plugin though, I need to design an entire set.  I'm working on it

Tentatively the set will have 310 cards.  I will let you know when it is finished.  So far I'm done with all of the hexes and auras.  Currently working on designing spells.

[malarious]

You can make Auras and Hexes, a specialized version of a Spell.

Spell
Spell - Hex
Spell - Aura

That would lower the number of "types" to track.  I agree with Barracks and Buildings Merging if the leadership part is a concern, make barrack a special type of building.

As a note in the third paragraph you say 'bored game' instead of board game.

I like the concept and the Hexes System. I could see this being like Final Fantasy Tactics in card form, which would be drool worthy.  I like the mechanics, and the newest version of the card.