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Saving card-game game state between sessions

12 replies [Last post]
Sat, 03/25/2006 - 19:53
TheReluctantGeneral
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Joined: 12/31/1969

I have a technical problem.

The players of my game under development are espected to covene for multiple sessions since the game cannot be played to conclusion in a single evening or session.

My game is entirely card based, but during the course of the game certain cards become 'attached' to other cards. In all such cases one or more 'game cards' will be attached to a single card denoting which players owns those cards, or the other way round. Normally during the game these cards would all be placed face up on the table, so that these associations are clear.

My question is how I can pack this setup away for the night such that play can resume next session with all this important game state saved?

Obvious solutins are:

(1) write it all down with pencil and paper (not acceptable since no other aspect of the game requires record keeping)

(2) have clear card 'sleeves' with the dominant card on top such that associations are preserved.

That's all I came up with. Any other ideas. Please?

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Sat, 03/25/2006 - 20:00
#1
jwarrend
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Joined: 08/03/2008
Saving card-game game state between sessions

There are sheets that contain multiple card protectors; here's one that I found: Card protector sheets.

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Sat, 03/25/2006 - 20:38
#2
Nando
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Re: Saving card-game game state between sessions

TheReluctantGeneral wrote:
during the course of the game certain cards become 'attached' to other cards. In all such cases one or more 'game cards' will be attached to a single card denoting which players owns those cards, or the other way round.
I get the "Theater of War" example you gave in chat, but I don't really understand the "other way round" bit.

As for the rest, seems like sleeves of some sort would be the way to go. If you had ID cards (just colored maybe) that you could use as separators, then you could put the "base" card down, then a player ID card, then all his attached cards, then another ID, then that player's cards, etc. This might be unworkable if there are a potentially large number of base cards that could be in play at any time (i.e. you'd have to have a whole deck of player-color separator cards for each player).

Or really, if stacks can be separated by base cards, and attached cards can be separated by these colored player ID cards, then you could stack all stacks and just put a rubber band around the whole thing. (A special rubber band that doesn't dig in to the card edges of course!)

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Sun, 03/26/2006 - 08:58
#3
seo
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Saving card-game game state between sessions

Colored paper clips of some sort might work too. You should be careful to use clips that don't damage your cards, though.

Seo

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Sun, 03/26/2006 - 09:48
#4
TheReluctantGeneral
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Joined: 12/31/1969
Saving card-game game state between sessions

Thanks for the tips. The multi-card sheets look particularly useful, and combined with id cards as suggested by nando, provides away to neatly store all the state in a single volume.

I guess this is the best solution, but I am still a bit worried that it represents a bit of a weak spot in the game design. One of the less elegant aspects...

Thanks again for the replies.

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Sun, 03/26/2006 - 10:27
#5
larienna
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Joined: 07/28/2008
Saving card-game game state between sessions

You could use a card separator. A card that indicated that all the following cards where in a specific location until another card separator is found.

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Mon, 03/27/2006 - 00:26
#6
cedrick
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Joined: 12/31/1969
Saving card-game game state between sessions

How about a multi-sectioned envelope of some kind? It could be paper and therefore cheap and light.

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Mon, 03/27/2006 - 02:31
#7
Julius
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Joined: 12/31/1969
Saving card-game game state between sessions

What?

Just stack the cards so that the dominant card is face down, and all cards that are attached to it are face-up.

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Mon, 03/27/2006 - 02:54
#8
TheReluctantGeneral
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Joined: 12/31/1969
Saving card-game game state between sessions

Julius - I just came to the same realisation last night! It was the suggestion of separator cards that triggered the thought.

Each set of cards which needs to be kept together is turned the opposite way up to the preceeding set in the deck....

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Mon, 03/27/2006 - 11:09
#9
CardboardAddict
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Joined: 12/31/1969
Saving card-game game state between sessions

That reminds me of selling gem cards in "Queens Necklace". However, your suggestion, ReluctantGen, will only work when there are but few cards involved (otherwise it would take to much time).
Assuming you're "clearing the table" after the third session, when there's still a fourth session coming up: you'd have loads of cards.

You should go completely with Julius's idea: only the top (dominant) card of a group of card placed up, and the rest placed down. Takes less time. Really.

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Tue, 03/28/2006 - 20:26
#10
Hedge-o-Matic
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Saving card-game game state between sessions

Off the top of my head, two solutions seem so obvious that I hesitate to bring them up.

1.) Seal the game site off from normal "household" traffic by the use of "police line - Do not cross" tape, and appropriate signage throughout the house.

2.) Rent an apartment where the game can remain undisturbed between sessions.

See? Simple!

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Wed, 03/29/2006 - 05:54
#11
TheReluctantGeneral
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Saving card-game game state between sessions

Hedge-o-Matic wrote:
Off the top of my head, two solutions seem so obvious that I hesitate to bring them up.

No need for an whole appartment. A 'gaming shed' at the bottom of the garden would do fine.

A friend of mine built a lovely shed recently (albeit to house more shed-like and manly activities than playing card games), which was wired up, insulated, heated and well provided with drawers and workbenches.

Just have to tick a few more items off the wife's wish list first, then maybe I'll broach the subject...

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Wed, 03/29/2006 - 07:25
#12
jedevangelion
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Joined: 12/31/1969
Saving card-game game state between sessions

I've used a digital camera before in cases like this to take a snapshot of the table - or a few, detailing each player's hand. Combined with card storage methodologies detailed above, you're covering all bases there.

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