So I've reached out to the BGDF Design Community (all you great and innovative designers) to help out with some "Monster Cores". I currently have SEVEN (7) Monsters which is enough to work with ATM.
Since this is prototype #4, I figured I'd introduce RPG stats into the game!
That's right, the a modified version of the D&D stats are NOW part of this new version... I removed the dual RPS-3s because it was complicated to remember that a "+1,000 ATK" or "+1,000 DFS" was to occur.
Now everything has a STAT! Of course I have spent the last two (2) days thinking about how to "refine" this design... And I think I've got a solid foundation to build upon. It's a matter of tweaking things here and there.
Also stats are now single digit numbers: 1 to 6 and +1 to +3.
Much easier to understand by kids (9+) and no decimal or half points. So if you all remember, this is supposed to be my Pokemon "killer"! I really want kids to ENJOY this game and make it "memorable" with real "Johnny" moments.
For those of you who don't know what "Johnny" moments are... It usually entails some big "combos" or "over-powerful" card play which make for sensational play. So far the "cores" are reasonable and "average"... We'll need to see with the "Enhancements" ...! More news to come as I start fleshing out the monsters and their alter-egos.
Comments
RPG stats re-appear
So I'll just give you guys a quick EXAMPLE of the RPG stats for a "core". For this exercise, let me use the "Dragoon":
Dragoon: ATK = 4, DFS = 2. REF = -1, LUC = +1. Total ATK = 3, Total DFS = 3.
Those are his START values... Obviously we see how a player can BOOST these during the course of a match. But this definitely gives you an IDEA about how the game will use STATS to benefit the players and their card combos!
"S E R I A L"
When I said MODIFIED, it's my OWN "version" of the RPG stats. Let me describe them to you, you'll probably know each one of them but not as STATs...
"S" = Strength
"E" = Endurance
"R" = Reflexes
Those three (3) Stats modify the ATK power of a Monster.
"I" = Intelligence
"A" = Attraction
"L" = Luck
Those three (3) Stats modify the DEF power of a Monster.
Some key differences
While I know it might have been easier to just "re-design" the prototype... Prototype #3 had some great elements and was within the constraints of the design. Some of the good things were:
Dynamic monster configuration. a KEY PLUS!
Smaller size deck (less than 40 cards). Another PLUS!
Configuration Points (CPs) for the various enhancements. Very important for the next prototype because I want to introduce a similar control factor.
Making extra "Enhancement" available to purchase and allow more flexible type of configuration. In this next prototype, you will not only be able to buy a "Monster Set", but you can also add common enhancement or specialized ones for one or several of your Monsters (to your deck).
Some of the BAD things in Prototype #3 were:
1> Numbers too high. +1,500 ATK and 2x 3,500 DFS are some examples of mathematics too difficult to track especially if they are in a CASCADE. Numbers will now be between 1 and 6 with bonuses from +1 to +3. So all numbers under 10 (for the time being).
2> Too much randomness from the first two (2) rounds. Both the Monster Round (which used two RPS-3s) and the Stat Round were purely LUCK driven. I've removed the STAT Round and now only left with the Monster Round (Round #1) which is a bit RANDOM... But you can counter-act this round later on.
3> Too many types of cards. There were three (3) types of cards and therefore three (3) Decks. It was hard to manage. Now players CHOOSE their three (3) Monsters and simultaneously reveal ... All initial Monsters have averaged-out stats to six (6) Points.
To Point #3, there will only be ONE (1) type of card and therefore ONLY a deck of thirty (30) cards. Players can configure their Decks off-line during down-time (at home, on break, etc.) And try their deck versus their opponents.
Some key aspects to the design
Repeated here are from Prototype #3 some KEY aspects that I want in the design:
A> I wanted a Battle/Duel/Take-That kind of game.
B> I wanted it to be SIMPLER than Pokemon.
C> I wanted the game to play between 20 and 30 minutes.
D> I wanted a format that could support Deck Construction.
E> I wanted to have a format that could sell from an online store.
F> I did NOT want the game to be "pay-to-win".
So far all of these are still VALID. So my ideas for Prototype #4 don't break the "restrictions" ... I'm still TRYING not to focus on "pay-to-win" strategies ... That's where the Configuration Points (CPs) come from... So that no one Monster is too over-powerful. But still need to see a form of balance with "Johnny" moments...
Right now I've got pretty reasonable cards ... but!
The problem is that the cards are all "averaged-out" and make for some stronger vs. weaker opponents. But overall, there are no real BIG COMBOS. So ATM there aren't any "Johnny" plays that could encourage dramatic moments during the game.
While this is not the "end-of-the-world" scenario... It means that I will need to take a step back once I finish all those "average" cards and ADD combos to cards or special abilities (what kind, I'm not sure just yet...) because there is room for "improvement" once I get a good solid "baseline".
I don't think my current effort will not "disallow" editing and adding "features" to some cards which would make them more "Take-That" or feeling like a NICE combo...
So there will be some room to edit and re-work the cards once I finish out banging the "core" cards.