by gnomewerks
Paul G wrote:
A bit of this, a bit of that, etc. etc.
Note: I am a deck-builder designer myself, with two working (but not yet perfectly balanced) games, and I spent years in video game Quality Assurance. I've also paid close attention to what the best game designers in the world believe through blog reading and studying patterns. This is not a topic I know nothing about.
Many Magic decks played 4 Birds of Paradise, to increase the likelihood of drawing one early, when you need it. They only played 2 Akroma, Angel of Wrath, though, as they want to draw it far later into the game.
Deck-builders do not work like this. You draw all your cards every time you go through your deck, and there is no way to influence the order outside of the cards themselves.
Note: I am a deck-builder designer myself, with two working (but not yet perfectly balanced) games, and I spent years in video game Quality Assurance. I've also paid close attention to what the best game designers in the world believe through blog reading and studying patterns. This is not a topic I know nothing about.
Many Magic decks played 4 Birds of Paradise, to increase the likelihood of drawing one early, when you need it. They only played 2 Akroma, Angel of Wrath, though, as they want to draw it far later into the game.
Deck-builders do not work like this. You draw all your cards every time you go through your deck, and there is no way to influence the order outside of the cards themselves.
I'm not trying to throw stones here but, a few words, from a very outside player of DC Deckbuilder (I've played Deckbuilders but only recently (6-8mos was first exposure ever)). I have played DC Deckbuilder and enjoyed it tremendously.
You seem to come off a bit pretentious and then when confronted with any disagreeing person, you try and sound all scientific. Take your intro above and if you will, I'll throw my "credentials" into the ring.
1) You mention being a deck building designer with a not yet perfectly balanced series of games "in the works". I have news for you, it will never be perfectly balanced. Impossible. Better designers and those that have written the books on game theory cannot accomplish this task - I digress..
2) My son plays many video games and have broken many of them. He is essentially as qualified as you are in stating the career of Video Game QA as some sort of badge of validation that you are "qualified to have a superior opinon". Oh yea, I have a Bachelors Degree in Game Design, have friends that have been lead design on AAA video games and some are Art Directors at game studios. I've discussed games and design and theory for years.
3) I was the first player in an entire state to be sponsored to play Magic the Gathering semi-professionally. Even before the official Pro Tour circuit began. I know game theory, card advantage, probabilities, sound game-play, odds, competition, etc. etc.
4) It all has no place in a game like DC Deckbuilder. It is a fun, fast, pick it up and play it sort of game. Even if you lose, the combo possibility of I do this, draw this, add this, add this, now double it, then buy this, then beat this villain, then do this is awesome. Even if you are watching another player do it. That is about as deep as the game needs to looked at. I see nothing wrong with it and yes, I UNDERSTAND the nuances that you seem to indicate you have a wealth of experience with.
I get it, you are passionate about your hobby, what you love to do and what you have studied. To each his own however. The depth, balance and strategy that makes the worlds best poker players maintain an edge, as well as top CCG game players doesn't need to be in every card game. I enjoy sitting with my kids and watching my son ask for Flash because he is cool - AND FAST! I will not shit on his parade by saying - but son, he is truly inferior to Cyborg....