How easy RPS-9 is handled

Here is the RPS-9. It's still very confusing to understand. The "mini chart" goes a long way in simplifying the relevant content for your cards.

I made it a little simpler because the "beats" go AROUND the RPS. That means it it MUCH EASIER trying to remember them because it's more or less logical.

The old RPS-9 that I had designed was pretty "random" in how the relationships were being handled. In "Monster Keep" you can remember them rather easy because of the "logical" order!

Most of the time, players are struggling to decide WHICH card to play in order to "attack" his opponent. The "mini chart" shows you ALL relationships that serve that purpose. From "beats" to "attack" to "duels", you pretty much know what will happen if you play a specific card.

In "Monster Keep" you are "reacting" to the three (3) cards put out by your opponent. Each round consists of one (1) player playing three (3) cards face down and then revealing the cards to each of his opponent (one at a time).

The game plays four (4) players (I still need to work on this...)

So when Player #1 reveals his first card, the first opponent has to figure out what card to play to defeat him. Again he may not want to kill that card immediately, he may just want to sufficiently damage the unit such that the second player can defeat it more easily.

Update: Player #1 (with the three cards) earns +2 Victory Points for each unit still alive (so 2x 3 = 6 Victory Points maximum). The other players each earn +1 Victory Point if their unit is still alive.

So there is DEEP strategy at play. Do you use most of your tokens to defeat all your opponents? Do you only attack the cards put out by Player #1 (three cards)? Do you risk taking some damage? Do you use your "beats" card knowing you will not be able to use it against someone else?

For a duel game - it really SOUNDS FUN. But I have not yet playtested it. I will be trying to do so today or tomorrow. Got to design the B&W cards and then print and cut them to see if the game is GOOD...

We shall see...

Although inventive, that will not work - since you will need to reveal your cards to your opponent before deciding which card to use. Also you would need to be constantly lining up cards to know what relationship is accurate.

Your hand only has five (5) cards. Keeping those cards secret from your opponents is very important, since you will either use or draw from these five (5) for your units (if it's your round).

But I understand your idea...

It just would make too much comparison and force players to reveal their hands - making it difficult to play strategically.

Again your idea has merit, it's just not how I "envisioned" players playing the game - "Ok got to see which card is better - need to line up these two or three cards to figure out which one is best..." - doesn't seem very cool...

The idea has "merit". Perhaps it could be applicable to another type of game. One where secrecy is not important. For example a "minis" skirmish type of game where you build a "squadron" and send it out to battle it's opponent.

Since both "squadrons" are known because of their respective "minis", lining up card when two units get into range could work.

So I wouldn't say the idea is not good. Just in my case doesn't work very well. But it a "minis" skirmish type of battle where the units are on the board and visible to both players, using an RPS-9 with your lining up technique could be very interesting!

Update: In a "minis" game, you could know from the "minis" the type of unit that is part of the squadron. But only when you resolve the cards by "matching" do you really know who has the actual advantage.

Your idea about lining up would work in that context. Moreover you could simplify it and use a RPS-5 or RPS-7. Perhaps 5 is a little low - but it still can give a good MIX to a "minis" skirmish game...

Yes I have to admit the game SOUNDS fun. But I really need to playtest it to actually see HOW much so. This is supposed to be a "filler"-type game with a small deck of twelve (12) cards.

What I LIKE about the idea - is the electronic or online component: I want players to build their deck using their cell phones (or Home Internet). It's also the way players can BUY NEW cards! That part really excites me.

Why? Because I can have a small, filler-type game which allows you to build and buy decks online. It's like having a "catalog" for your game according to the cards you enter (each card has a unique 12 digit code).

To me that's really cool. If the F-ken Post Office wasn't so expensive, I could maybe make a business out of this. But the shipping at the moment prevents this from happening. I need a signature - for proof-of-delivery. Otherwise there is no way of knowing if letters (I can ship the cards in very small packages) arrive at their destination.

But I could easily Kickstart the game - with an option: you buy 1 deck ($15), 2 decks ($30) or 3 decks ($45). Then when the website goes live, players can log in, build their deck and I can ship it CUSTOM. Would really be awesome (if the Post Office prices were not astronomical)!

For a filler-type the game has a lot going for it.

However I still need to test the basic fundamentals and see if it is "as you put it" FUN!

I'll keep you posted as to my progress.

Update: It only costs $5.75 to mail within the US for a registered letter. In Canada, going to the US, it costs $25.00! What is wrong with our Postal Service!!!

I agree, $25.00 is crazy. I can see if you are sending a package maybe $15.00. But $25.00 for a letter?!?!

Cheaper $20.00. Don't ask - maybe I am getting the WRONG prices online.

Yes, I am using Chaotic TCG's 12 digit code-style. But I'm only using it to build decks and buy cards. No online playing like Chaotic. Just the deck-building experience online should be cool!

No the cards are predefined - but will appear according to the cards you specify (12 digit codes). It goes something like this:

• 6 Common cards: 3 for primary Clan and 3 for secondary Clan.
• 6 Uncommon cards: 2 for primary, 4 connected to primary Clan.
• 3 Rare cards: at random (per clan - per price...)

This is my *NEW* structure: 15 cards. Works also (like the old 12). But you get a few more cards (3 to be exact). Rare cards vary according to price. You have a choice between "low"/"medium"/"high". Obviously most people would what the "high" cards - but it depends on how much you want to spend in $$$ (low = $4-6, Medium = $6-8 and High = $8-10)!

Something like that.

Instead of wasting money on booster decks with useless mana cards, non-necessary uncommon cards and the wrong rare cards, our system will allow you to target and BUY the card you want.

In a way it's pricier - in another way it's way less expensive than buying boosters and hoping for a specific card. Plus no wasting of cards: you get EXACTLY what you want. No BS.

There are a few mechanics that prevent you from adding only the strongest cards.

A> POT Luck goes to the player with the LOWEST revealed level card.
B> The Deck-Building website should BALANCE out a deck.
C> The notion of "Beats" (a low level card can beat a high level card).

There are RULES about HOW the deck is built. For now it's not overly complicated and can be done manually also. What that means is that you can build a deck knowing the rules without the need for the website.

But the website allows you to BUY more cards and discover newly released cards (*NEW*). So if you have "Fighters using Short Swords", an upgrade may occur and you could get one (1) "Fighter using Long Sword"!

Well we can't Keep (pun intended!) everyone happy! :P

The system is designed such that you have 6 common cards, 6 uncommon cards and 3 rare cards. Common cards cost $1.00, uncommon cards cost $1.50 and rare cards (it depends). If you do the math it cost about $20.00+ to buy a deck. It's pretty affordable.

The website would of course "guide" the buyer. And present HOW to build a deck manually (without the website). Again this is still uncertain, I still need to do MORE playtesting. Including testing the POT Luck at the END of a round.

No worries - all questions are valid. I've done my best to address them!

Let me know if there are other concerns...