Author Topic: Help wanted! Card game fans and con junkies, inquire within  (Read 3819 times)

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Offline Radien

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Help wanted! Card game fans and con junkies, inquire within
« on: November 27, 2004, 01:26:28 pm »
For the past year or so I've been thinking about an idea I had: a standalone card game which is modelled after a bunch of fans going convention hopping.

The name of the game would be... "ConDescension." ;)

However, I have attempted to make games before, and let me tell you: doing it right is hard. So getting outside assistance would definitely be useful. I also need more ideas for various con elements to put into the game.

Consequently (har har), I'd like to find a few card game fans to help me out, and a few people who know about cons of ALL types; not just anime (anyone who went to C-Cubed would definitely be welcome).

Here is the idea I have so far:

In the center of the playing space would be several stacks of cards. These are for the actual conventions.  When you flip a new convention card onto one, it will tell what convention is being held there, how difficult/expensive it will be to attend, and what fandoms it will cater to.

At the start of the game, you will get an identity - a "fan" type, i.e. "The Trekkie" or "The Otaku." These will affect what your goals are, and possibly give you a whole deck of your own (haven't decided yet). Your goal is to play cards on convention stacks and then earn them. The card types include such categories as "Swag," "Contest," "Panel," and "Event." They also each have a genre, which determines which cons they can be played at.

The game will involve the deck(s) of cards, cards in your hand, a few stacks on the table, probably an amount of money marked with tokens, and playing pieces to remind the players which con they are currently attending.

Whadda you guys think? :)
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Offline Dustin

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« Reply #1 on: November 27, 2004, 11:37:10 pm »
Now that is an AWESOME idea.

Hmm, I think perhapes it should have some sort of game board, or something (Maybe a fold out paper mat). You know, to log were each person is. Then you can have stuff like random "timed" events, where certain events happen for only a certain amount of time.

Like, a rare item appears, for a certain amount of time, and depending on your fandom, you HAVE to get it for your "Collection".

And, like, you could have a nine sided dice, or something, that you roll to see how many steps you can take to try and get there before other characters.

Also, I think depending on the fandom, they should each have different statistics. Like, say the "Science Fiction" fan could have a better "$" (Money) rating, because they have a good job, or something. The Otaku could have better "C" (Cosplay) rating, and have a better shot at winning costume contests for prizes and items.

I have alot more ideas, but, I wouldn't feel right about sharing them, unless you wanted me to.

If you'd like more help, let me know. This sounds very interesting, and I am very interested in helping you. :D

Offline Radien

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« Reply #2 on: November 29, 2004, 12:02:25 am »
Hey Dustin. Thanks for your interest! :D

Quote from: "Dustin"
Hmm, I think perhapes it should have some sort of game board, or something (Maybe a fold out paper mat). You know, to log were each person is. Then you can have stuff like random "timed" events, where certain events happen for only a certain amount of time.

Yes, you have a point there, but experience playing different card games has taught me that the designer can sometimes manage to capture these with just cards (and maybe a few dice and tokens) if he really knows what he's doing.

For instance, "timed" events can be simulated by controlling the flow of gameplay, so that things happen periodically without players keeping track of time.

One way to do this is to allow events to "stack" on top of one another. So, if you have an item up that you just HAVE to get, your opponent could strategically play another card on top of it if the situation is right. ;) It's also good to use "until your next turn" as a standard measure of time.

Anyway, I'd want non-card game equipment to be used "when necessary." It's nice not having a board; it means you can play the game practically anywhere.

Quote
And, like, you could have a nine sided dice, or something, that you roll to see how many steps you can take to try and get there before other characters.

Nine-sided dice are impossible unless you use pendulum dice. ^^;; Or were you joking?...

Quote
Also, I think depending on the fandom, they should each have different statistics.

Most definitely. :) Have you played Munchkin, or Chez Geek? In those, you have some sort of persona: "class/race" in Munchkin, and "job" in Chez Geek. That persona has advantages and disadvantages listed on the card, but oftentimes you don't notice an advantage or disadvantage until you run into a card that says something like "+3 against Elves" or "equippable only by Dwarves."

Quote
I have alot more ideas, but, I wouldn't feel right about sharing them, unless you wanted me to.

If you'd like more help, let me know. This sounds very interesting, and I am very interested in helping you. :D

Heck, Dustin, you're in, if you want. :D Just being motivated is a big qualification.  Would you like to chat on IM?  My ICQ number is 2810798, and my AIM nick is "RadienAIM". I'm often idle, so don't worry if I don't answer right away.

By the way, what kinds of similar gaming experience do you have?  Personally, I used to play Magic: The Gathering, and I now love playing Steve Jackson games (which include a lot of standalone card games, mainly Munchkin). I've role-played and GMed before, and my favorite board game is Clue: Master Detective.
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Offline Dustin

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« Reply #3 on: November 29, 2004, 12:32:49 am »
Unfortunatly, I only use MSN Messanger (scorpion1438@hotmail.com).

Perhapes, instead of an event board, you just have a certain way of stacking cards?

Like, each person has, in their own deck, cards they think will apply to another players fandom, and they can play this "timed cards", which lasts a predetermined amount of terms, and the players of that fandom have to try and gain whatever item is on the timed card. If they do gain it, they take the players card, and set it in front of them, sideways, so they remember its not their own card.

I was actually honest about the dice, if you did it board game style. Since you're not, feel free to forget about it. :D

I also think there should be fandom specific cards, and each fandom can be represented on the cards by specific backgrounds. Like, Sci-Fi fans would have a space background, while Otaku could have like...hmm, I can't remember the exact term for it, but, basicly, on some anime, when a character does something, a what background appears, with the red in the middle, like on the Japanese flag, but the red is like the sun and has red rays coming off from it. I'm sure you know what I am talking about.

As for fandoms, I definantly think Otaku, Sci-Fi, Gamer, and Fanboy (A loose general term for Comic Book fans) should definantly be represented.

Ahh, my mind is a swirl of ideas. :D

Offline superjaz

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« Reply #4 on: November 30, 2004, 11:26:26 am »
i remeber hearing about this game called monster cards, what you do is each person draws a bunch of cards and each persons stack of cards are faced down (card examples were hula hoop with teeth and bread that just never rose)  the group filps a card (like in war) and its majortie that says the winning card was, mabe a a game of that with inspired anime cards? just somthing that be fun that prep wouldn't take too long
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Offline Radien

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« Reply #5 on: December 03, 2004, 09:48:05 pm »
Dustin:

MSN? Actually... what I REALLY use is Trillian, so I could always create an MSN account to contact you with. :) I'll do that tonight, okay?

Hmm, well, if it's a standalone card game, there is no worry about separating ownership. Even if each player were to use a separate pre-made deck, the card backing could be different, making it easy to determine which belongs to which set.

I'd kinda prefer that an "event" (i.e. "Karaoke Contest") would be available to everybody once it's placed down. I'd take steps to make sure the one who placed it doesn't always win it. How they'll win it, though, is still up in the air.

Did you understand what I said about the dice, though?... I wasn't confused about the board game idea, just that you said "9-sided dice." It's impossible to have a die with 9 sides of equal shape and size.

The idea for the borders is fun, but naturally, card art comes last. It'd be a cool thing to do. I have no idea whether I'd ever have a chance at licensing this idea to a game company, though.

Otaku, Sciffy (what heavy sci-fi fans sometimes call themselves), Gamer, and Comic Book collector are definitely going to be necessities. :) But it doesn't necessarily have to be limited to just five or six types. If fan types are represented with individual cards, we could have all sorts of fan interests! ...Perhaps even separate "Interest" (i.e. "anime") and "Specialty" (i.e. "costuming")? Then you could have one of each. ;)


superjaz:

I'm not sure... that sounds kinda like a different genre of card game. :? I wasn't really wanting to make an anime-themed version of an existing game. Also, the point of "ConDescension" would be to appeal to convention junkies of all kinds. :) Remember GalaxyQuest? I loved that movie, even though I'm not a Trekkie, because I really had to laugh at all the quirks that are shared by conventions of all types. :D
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Offline Dustin

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« Reply #6 on: December 03, 2004, 11:18:31 pm »
Yeah, I think it's gonna be a bit of a hassle to try and work them all in together.

You don't want to limit it to just one group of people.

Unless you made one deck of cards that can be used with ALL of them, and make stuff like "Otaku" and "Gamer" expansions so people could personalize them as they see fit.

Then its just a matter of making sure all of them can interact correctly, and not make certain cards too much stronger than the others, so its an equal playing field, and each player has to use skill combined with strategy to win.

Offline Radien

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« Reply #7 on: December 04, 2004, 12:23:26 am »
Yep yep. Well... actually, you do have a certain amount of leeway with standalone card games, especially if everyone draws from the same deck. Some cards can be stronger than others, but you do have to make sure that a card doesn't always hand the game to whomever happened to draw it from the deck.

Really, Dustin, Have you played Munchkin? If not, please do. :) It manages the amazing feat of being a game of backstabbing where 1. the one being backstabbed by everybody else can still win, and 2. everyone's still friends afterwards. ;)

And in other news, it also deals with race/class pretty well. Their system would probably work even better for a convention game, because it makes more sense to change your fanbase than it does to change your race... O_o;

I signed up for MSN messenger, but I didn't catch ya on. Keep an eye out for me, 'k?  My new account is listed under "radiens@yahoo.com".
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Link (The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess)
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Offline Dustin

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« Reply #8 on: December 04, 2004, 06:41:43 pm »
Quote from: "Radien"
Yep yep. Well... actually, you do have a certain amount of leeway with standalone card games, especially if everyone draws from the same deck. Some cards can be stronger than others, but you do have to make sure that a card doesn't always hand the game to whomever happened to draw it from the deck.

Really, Dustin, Have you played Munchkin? If not, please do. :) It manages the amazing feat of being a game of backstabbing where 1. the one being backstabbed by everybody else can still win, and 2. everyone's still friends afterwards. ;)

And in other news, it also deals with race/class pretty well. Their system would probably work even better for a convention game, because it makes more sense to change your fanbase than it does to change your race... O_o;

I signed up for MSN messenger, but I didn't catch ya on. Keep an eye out for me, 'k?  My new account is listed under "radiens@yahoo.com".

Nope, I have never played Munchkin, sounds fun though.

I added you to MSN, so hopefully I'll catch ya on.