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Artwork Variety

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GamingNerd
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Joined: 03/26/2012

Not sure if this belongs in Design Theory, so I apologize if this is in the wrong spot, but Publication or Prototyping didn't seem right either.

My game has cards in it, of 6 different suits (though it isn't a card game and they're not used as suits). It's kind of like thinking of Settler of Catan's card (Wood, Wool, etc).

We're going to for a humorous, fun feel for the game. My question is do you think it is worth it (from production cost and artwork cost) to try to have several different drawings on the cards. To keep them easily identifiable we would put a symbol for the suit in the corners (like a regular deck of card).

To me the benefit of this is we can introduce some fun drawings. Instead of playing a 'Staff' card, you have different types of Staff card (Staff of Wonder, Staff of Soggy Boots, Staff of Leaky Goblets (those aren't real I'm just throwing ideas out)). This creates a little variety in the game, and gives players something else to laugh over and have fun with during the game.

However, is it likely to up my production costs dramatically? More so than might be worth it? I'm a very creative, whimsical person, my partner is very number and fact oriented and we can't see eye to eye on this. He says I'm "frivolous" I say he "hates fun".

Does anyone have any experience that might shed some light on this debate for us?

- Andrew

NomadArtisan
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Joined: 12/12/2011
I think you can get away with

I think you can get away with higher variety of art when the game is humorous by nature. The reason for this is that the artwork itself can be of a humorous style, and can be executed much more quickly by artists. Take munchkin for example. Their card artwork is very, very simple and would require less time to produce than most other games on the market.

So I think it comes down to what style of art you both deem acceptable for the game, and how long that style of art takes to render.

Just my two cents.

ConMan
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Joined: 03/22/2012
The short answer is yes, you

The short answer is yes, you can do that. If your "suits" are easily distinguished, then they don't have to take up all of the card space, and if the game is meant to be a little silly then adding character to the cards is a good thing. You may even be able to work the suit into the picture, again as long as it's still clear what suit the card actually is. It's not an original idea, either (but what ever is?) - there are sets of traditional playing cards, known as transformation playing cards, that worked each card's pips into a picture; there's also things like "James Ernest's Completely Renamed Spy Game", where the various cards of each type are generally functionally identical except for a value (or letter in the case of Taunts), but the story comes from the individuality of the cards - compare "Your Spy was defeated by my Clown Car and Ball of Twine! And now, before I kill you, Mr Destiny, what's Wayne Newton *really* like?" to "My lair is 4 and your spy is 3, I play Taunt G".

Avianfoo
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Joined: 01/31/2012
Artwork variety

Usually its the cost of having different artworks made that prohibits a variety.

GamingNerd
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Joined: 03/26/2012
Thanks for the comments,

Thanks for the comments, everyone. I just want the game to have little things that, while they may not be unique or affect the game play, add a little extra to the game from a player perspective. I think that once we figure out how much artwork would cost I can probably lobby a little more for my cause.

But just to drive home my point I went out and bought my co-designer a t-shirt that says "I hate fun" :)

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