Card-Games
Latest
Lionhead alumni turn to Kickstarter to fund 'Fable' card game
Lionhead Studios may have been shuttered, but that doesn't mean it's the end of the beloved Fable franchise. Flaming Fowl Studios, a studio created from the ashes of Lionhead's closing in March, is looking to revive the series, albeit in a very different format.
The Daily Grind: Would you buy a spinoff game based on an MMO?
It's not really fair to call Hearthstone purely a spinoff of World of Warcraft, since World of Warcraft itself is a spinoff of the original RTS games, but it's close enough for consideration. Nor is it the only game to have an odd sort of related spinoff game; City of Heroes had some HeroClix figures, Star Wars Galaxies had a card game, Final Fantasy XI has had characters show up in a number of crossover video games and card games, and so forth. For some people, the whole point of playing an MMO is that you aren't playing a board game or a card game or whatever else the spinoff focuses upon. But there's also a certain appeal in playing with characters and locations you recognize from the online game you play extensively. So would you buy a spinoff game based off an MMO? Have you done so in the past? If so, what sort of game would you want to play? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Field Journal: Making peace with Vanguard
Vanguard: Saga of Heroes is a weird game. It seems almost purposefully to have been designed to turn away players before they can get a chance to see any of the good in it. Although I've tried it before, I've only recently been able to find some of that good, much to my even more recent dismay. One of those good things I've found is the Diplomacy system. There's nothing revolutionary about it, but it is a solid and interesting minigame that stands apart from anything most MMOs offer. It's more than just a minigame, though; it's integrated with other systems to create a distinct and worthwhile approach to playing the game apart from adventuring. What makes a simple, card-based tug-of-war all that? I'll try to explain.
Blizzard adjusting Rogues in upcoming Hearthstone patch
Hearthstone's upcoming patch is detailed in a new blog post on the game's official website. The update "covers a wealth of bug fixes and quality of life improvements," according to Blizzard. There's also a blurb about class balance, with particular attention paid to Rogues, who will be "adjusted to bring them more in line with the other classes." Crafting, golden cards, and social improvements make the cut too, but you'll need to click through to the links below for all the details.
Blizzard drops details on Hearthstone beta wipe
Blizzard Entertainment's Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft collectible card game is currently in closed beta, and those folks fortunate enough to have a beta key are about to see big changes to their accounts. Today Blizzard outlined plans to completely wipe the progress of all beta participants -- gold, experience, class levels, unlocked cards, and arcane dust quantities will all be reset. This wipe isn't unexpected. Blizzard noted at the beginning of beta that data would be reset at some point during the testing phase. The wipe coincides with what Blizz is calling a "pretty major" beta patch, the details of which will be revealed in the near future. Once the wipe goes through, testers in Hearthstone will be effectively starting the game as new players. For those that spent real money on card packs, Blizzard is reimbursing the value via in-game gold. Those players will be able to purchase the same number of packs and arena tickets without paying a second time, though replacing the exact cards is not a guarantee due to the random nature of the packs. This is the last planned reset for Hearthstone; Blizzard is aiming for a full release before the end of the year so no further progress wipes are expected through beta and launch.
Hearthstone begins closed beta testing
Shuffle the deck of your hopes and dreams because Hearthstone has just started its closed beta testing and sent out the first wave of invites from the applicant pool. To make matters more interesting, Blizzard is not holding an NDA for the duration of the beta process, so expect to hear a lot of feedback from people trying out this online card game as the beta progresses. To get into the beta, you'll need to have a Battle.net account and choose to opt in to the test from there or through the website. Blizzard will be notifying beta participants via email, but cautions players to watch out for scams. The studio said that it will invite more waves of players as needed and confirmed that it will be wiping all collections and progress partway through the beta period. Blizzard does not expect to do another wipe after this one, however.
Hearthstone preps for beta
While it's not quite beta time for Hearthstone, Blizzard's wild and crazy crew (above) announced that it has finished all of the major features that will be present for testing. However, there's still some more work to be done before the team opens the beta valve; bug fixes and infrastructure building are taking priority prior to any large-scale testing. "What that means is that we're not days away from launching the beta, but we're not months away either," the devs wrote. "At the Hearthstone announcement we committed to going into beta testing before the summer was over, and the team has been pulling out all the stops to make that happen." The upcoming beta will begin in North America, but the team assures residents of Europe, Korea, and Taiwan that their time will come shortly thereafter. While the initial influx of testers will be small, Blizzard will continually expand the testing pool until everyone can join in. The team revealed a special gold card that will be given to any testers who spend money in the beta and said that a recent test of cross-platform gaming between a PC and an iPad went smoothly.
Face the trials of the Arena in Hearthstone
If you've played a lot of the Hearthstone beta, odds are you think you're pretty good at the game. If you've read up on it, you might still think you have a solid grasp of the strategy. So maybe you'll want to test your skills in a format that requires a different sort of strategy, something that will put your ability to build a deck on the line. If that's like your sort of game, perhaps you'll look forward to paying the entry fee and stepping into the Arena, a draft-style format that forces players to construct decks on the fly and pit them against similar constructions. After paying the entry fee, either through in-game gold or real cash, players will be presented with three random heroes. Picking one will set you to work building a deck of 30 random cards out of several selections, with each choice being final. Once you start in the arena, you'll try to accumulate as many wins as possible before hitting three losses, earning a more powerful key for better rewards each time you win. The game isn't released yet, but this mode is all the more reason for beta players to keep practicing and aspirants to keep their eyes peeled once it's available for everyone.
Star Ocean: Material Trader is social, card-based RPG
The next Star Ocean game, Star Ocean: Material Trader, will incorporate the series' universe of characters and items into a social-oriented, role-playing card game, according to Siliconera's translation of Gamer's report. Series Producer Yoshinori Yamagishi is working with Circle of Mana developer Hippos Lab, Square-Enix's smartphone division, to lead Material Trader's development. The game will reach iOS and Android devices this year. Players help the game's protagonist Tina by collecting "star shards," tackling quests, gathering experience and hoarding money. Hunting for materials and characters while exploring seems to be essential to boosting odds of success in the game. The series' trademark Item Creation mechanic also returns, allowing players to create and equip powerful accessories to their favorite cards. Those who register before it releases will get a special card of Star Ocean: Till the End of Time's Peppita Rossetti.
Xbox Live features Planets Under Attack, big board, card, and puzzle game sale this week
Yes, the majority of you will probably be playing Halo 4 or Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 on Xbox Live this week. This we know. But just in case you're looking for something else, Major Nelson has a whole list of new content on Xbox Live this week. Perhaps, for example, the new version of Atari's Warlords, available for 800 Microsoft Points. Or one of three new Kinect Sports games, for 240 points each, or an XBLA version of Targem Games' Planets Under Attack, for a full 1200 points.There's a sale on, too: Carcassone, Catan, Magic: The Gathering, Magic 2012, Super Puzzle Fighter HD, and the two Puzzle Quest titles are all half off, for just 400 Microsoft Points each, and Ubisoft's I Am Alive is 33% off, down to 800 Microsoft Points. A downloadable course pack for Tiger 13 is as 50% off, and that's not all. Later on this week, Major Nelson says Microsoft will be hosting an "Xbox Live is 10" sale, which will include discounts on some content, as well as giveaways to some Xbox Live members "who have been with us the longest."We mean, sure, it'll mostly be Halo 4 and Black Ops 2. But just in case, there's some good deals there, too.
Dominion officially coming to the App Store this week
My favorite card game to play with friends right now is called Dominion. It's a game that's set off a "deck-building" craze in the board gaming world, in that you build up a deck to play with as the game goes on. It's inspired quite a few games on the App Store already (including the excellent Ascension), and there has even been an officially-sanctioned fan version of the game previously released. But that fan version disappeared a while ago, and that's because we're finally getting a full, official version of Dominion to play on iOS later on this week. Rio Grande has promised to make a full version of the game for a while, and as of this Thursday, we'll have it. The game looks and sounds great: free play of the base game, and then in-app purchase access to the game's expansions as they're released. You'll be able to play by yourself against bots, online with friends, or even in a new "adventure mode" that turns the game into a single-player title. The new app is essentially a frontend for an HTML 5 version of the game being worked on by a company called Goko, but as long as it's Dominion and it works, no worries, right? We'll find out how faithful this version is when it comes out on Thursday. [via Pocket Tactics]
Magic 2013 now (finally!) available on the iPad
The wait is over: Wizards of the Coast has finally brought an official, real version of Magic: The Gathering over to the iPad. Magic 2013 is now available on the App Store, and while there have been plenty of Magic-style card games before, and even an official Magic tracking app from Wizards, this is the first time that we've been able to actually play the real Magic game with official cards and everything. This version of the game is modeled after the very popular XBLA Duels of the Plainswalkers titles (and in fact, there's a new one of those out today as well), so it doesn't offer full control over your decks. Instead, cards are divided up into decks for you, so you can only customize your decks inside of the offered options. But that's not a huge problem: This is still full-on Magic play, with a single player campaign, three decks, and the option to play Plainchase mode for free, and then lots more via in-app purchase, including more decks, challenge modes, Two-Headed Giant and custom game modes, and even, yes, online multiplayer. It's been a long time coming, but we finally have a nice full version of Magic: The Gathering on iOS. Magic 2013 is a free download, and additional functionality can be purchased inside the app. If you're a Magic player, you've probably already headed to iTunes to grab it.
Unofficial Dominion on iOS now, official version later
I'm a big fan of Ascension, the iOS app that replicates the real-life deck-building card game of the same name. But when it comes to more self-contained deck-building card games where you build a deck as you play, as opposed to collectible card games like Magic: The Gathering, there's really one big name out there, and it's Donald X. Vaccarino's game Dominion. It's a great game that like Magic: The Gathering has been begging for a solid iPad/iOS port ever since Apple's platform first took off. That hope is coming true in more ways than one. There's already a version of Dominion available on iOS for US$1.99, but apparently it's unofficial yet (temporarily) approved. It may be strange to see a paid app that's unofficial and actually uses the art and IP of the game, but apparently Rio Grande is cool with that, because it has an official version coming out as soon as "a few weeks" from now. It's granted temporary licenses to developers to release their own versions of the game as long as those versions are down and gone by the time the official release arrives. Personally I'll probably wait for the official version, especially since it sounds like the wait isn't that long. But it's good to hear that one of the best card games around is coming in virtual form to Apple's tablet. As for Magic: The Gathering? Wizards of the Coast, the ball's in your court. Wizards has said it's releasing a reference app for Magic on iOS, but there are still no plans for an official version of the game itself. Meanwhile, Kard Combat is it.
CPU Wars and c-Jump: the nerdiest card and board games ever
Board games and card games are kind of dorky to begin with. And there are plenty of titles out there that hold a special place in the heart of the nerd (just ask one about Settlers of Catan). But, there is a line, a line which even the nerdiest amongst us might not care to cross. For example, c-Jump -- a board game that teaches the basics of programming. Some of the spaces you'll land on in the course of your journey down the mountain include "goto jump;" and "switch (x) {". Then there's CPU Wars, for the three people out there that think Magic: The Gathering is too mainstream. In this card battle game you pit CPUs from throughout history against each other and attempt to collect all your adversary's processors. You can order c-Jump through ThinkGeek for $25 and pledge cash to CPU Wars over at Kickstarter. You'll find a video of the card game after the break.
Daily iPad App: Seahaven GT
Seahaven GT ($0.99) offers a simple iPad adaptation of Free Cell solitaire. I first encountered Seahaven GT a few years back and thought it was a terrific implementation of a basic card game. It is fun to play and has really satisfying interaction elements. Then a few months ago, I noticed it had disappeared from the App Store. So I pinged Dave Hardin, its developer to see what had happened to it. Turns out that life had interfered with his iOS work and he had pulled the app for the time being. It wasn't until mid-October that crises cleared up and Hardin was able to re-introduce the app back to the store. Now that it's returned, here's your opportunity to pick up the game. It only costs a buck and offers a good value for the money. Seahaven GT is not a particularly shiny adaptation. It doesn't have tons of bells and whistles or any special effects. What it does have is solid game play. I have played this game a lot and it just...works. When you drag cards around, they do what you expect them to. When you double-tap them, they make sensible hops up to the free cells. When you reach the end of a game, the app knows it and provides a pleasing animation / sound effects. There is a lot to be said for apps that are unspectacular, whose joy comes through the actual game play rather than the ornamentation around them. If you're a card game enthusiast, give Seahaven GT a try. I'd love to see Hardin given the opportunity to develop more card games (hint *Spider* hint) if this re-launch takes off.
Yu-Gi-Oh! Decade Duels coming to XBLA this spring
Click on the image and yu-can-go into our gallery The beautiful part about having Yu-Gi-Oh! on your Xbox 360 is that you can still partake in that most guilty of pleasures, but you don't have to wade through the cesspool of people that enjoy that brand of self-deprecation. Konami has announced that Yu-Gi-Oh! Decade Duels is coming to Xbox Live Arcade in Spring 2010 and will feature "the most robust card offering and the opportunity to purchase additional card packs through Xbox Live." There's no word on price right now for the initial game, so we've contacted Konami. We'll let you know what we hear back. %Gallery-90104%
iPad apps: defining experiences from the first wave
There are now over 1,348 approved apps for the iPad. That's on top of the 150,000 iPad-compatible iPhone programs already available in the App Store. When Apple's tablet PC launches, just hours from now, it will have a software library greater than that of any handheld in history -- not counting the occasional UMPC. That said, the vast majority of even those 1,348 iPad apps are not original. They were designed for the iPhone, a device with a comparatively pokey processor and a tiny screen, and most have just been tweaked slightly, upped in price and given an "HD" suffix -- as if that somehow justified the increased cost. Besides, we've seen the amazing potential programs have on iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Windows Mobile and webOS when given access to a touchscreen, always-on data connection, GPS, cloud storage and WiFi -- but where are the apps that truly define iPad? What will take advantage of its extra headroom, new UI paradigms and multitouch real estate? Caught between netbook and smartphone, what does the iPad do that the iPhone cannot? After spending hours digging through the web and new iPad section of the App Store, we believe we have a number of reasonably compelling answers. Update: Now includes Wormhole Remote, TweetDeck, SkyGrid, Touchgrind HD, GoToMeeting, SplitBrowser, iDisplay, Geometry Wars and Drawing Pad.
Massively catches up with SOE Tucson director Dan Kopycienski
Sony Online Entertainment surprised us recently with the announcement that they'd acquired Octopi -- creators of the collectible strategy game PoxNora -- and that the studio would now be known as SOE Tucson. We had some questions about what this acquisition might mean for SOE moving into the future, as well as what changes are on the horizon for PoxNora.Massively caught up with the former president of Octopi, Dan Kopycienski, who is now Director of Development at SOE Tucson. Although SOE Tucson is still very much a studio in transition, he was kind enough to speak with us about where PoxNora is today, and what it may become with the newfound backing of Sony Online Entertainment.
DS Fanboy's DSiWare screen round-up
Thirteen DSiWare titles will be released to Japan's DSi Shop on December 24, so we thought we'd construct a one-stop post where you can gawk at games most of us can't have. Past the jump, you'll find screens for all launch titles, as well as the price and size of each. How would you spend the free 1,000 DSi Points you get with the system? Because we love the series, we'll kick proceedings off with a look at A Little Dr. Mario (500 DSi Ware Points, 29 blocks required): %Gallery-39567%
Bury the Shovelware: Clubhouse Games
For this edition of Bury the Shovelware, we're going to do something a little different. We're going to take a brief stroll through shovelware history and then see how its historical definition relates to one of the DS's most successful titles. A Brief History of Shovelware We've learned quite a bit on our journey to discover what exactly constitutes shovelware. From publisher responsibility to the affects of critical perception, we've covered much ground. One reoccurring issue that we see is the misconception about the word "shovelware" being synonymous with "bad game." In the seemingly unending supply of phrases representing software distinctions, the term shovelware originally had a very specific meaning. It was used to refer to a large amount of games being ported to a single physical media source, usually with the advent of a new format which could hold many times the amount of its predecessors. Let's imagine a game that fits onto a single floppy disk. Since a single CD can hold several hundred times the amount of data that a single floppy disk can, some companies would attempt to make money by consolidating many of these games onto a CD. One might wonder how these collections came to be universally associated with crap games.
