Summoner Wars by Plaid Hat Games

[Nukatha]

Just some general crimes committed by other existing TCG/minis games made that I would very much like your team to avoid:

#1: In 'official' play, such as tournaments, older unit/card sets routinely become 'illegal', forcing the player to buy more to compete on the 'official' ticket as opposed to friendly play.

#2: Routinely release new cards/figures that completely outclass older ones. This is especially notable in games with the limit being 'deck size' as opposed to 'point cost'. It would be like ROTV drake and SOTM drake being of equal point value in a 'Scape game. You would go for SOTM drake every time. This method in card games is lighter than the first, but still effectively requires the player to continually buy new sets if you even want to hope to remain a higher tier player. The Pokémon TCG (especially after WoTC gave ownership to 'The Pokémon Company') is especially guilty of both.

That said, 'themed' tournaments are exempt from that 'banned' rule. If you set up an 'Master Elf Summoner' event, then only permitting users to use an Elf unit is great.

Thankfully, all of us here at least share one game, know the corporate stuff we like/dislike. (One of the more debatable annoyances is announcing a new game as opposed to revealing more information on an upcoming expansion to an existing game, but I digress).

It sounds like you have put many hours into developing this game on paper, much more time balancing it through test matches [The game balance seems similar to that of Warcraft III, with each faction playing very different, yet all playing equal], and still more time getting it onto the production line.

Truth, I was wondering if you have any advice for those of us with game ideas we would like to put out there that are currently excessively long word documents sitting hidden on our hard drives, unknown to even our closest family members and friends.

[truth]

Originally Posted by Nukatha

Just some general crimes committed by other existing TCG/minis games made that I would very much like your team to avoid:

#1: In 'official' play, such as tournaments, older unit/card sets routinely become 'illegal', forcing the player to buy more to compete on the 'official' ticket as opposed to friendly play.

#2: Routinely release new cards/figures that completely outclass older ones. This is especially notable in games with the limit being 'deck size' as opposed to 'point cost'. It would be like ROTV drake and SOTM drake being of equal point value in a 'Scape game. You would go for SOTM drake every time. This method in card games is lighter than the first, but still effectively requires the player to continually buy new sets if you even want to hope to remain a higher tier player. The Pokémon TCG (especially after WoTC gave ownership to 'The Pokémon Company') is especially guilty of both.

That said, 'themed' tournaments are exempt from that 'banned' rule. If you set up an 'Master Elf Summoner' event, then only permitting users to use an Elf unit is great.

Thankfully, all of us here at least share one game, know the corporate stuff we like/dislike. (One of the more debatable annoyances is announcing a new game as opposed to revealing more information on an upcoming expansion to an existing game, but I digress).

It sounds like you have put many hours into developing this game on paper, much more time balancing it through test matches [The game balance seems similar to that of Warcraft III, with each faction playing very different, yet all playing equal], and still more time getting it onto the production line.

Truth, I was wondering if you have any advice for those of us with game ideas we would like to put out there that are currently excessively long word documents sitting hidden on our hard drives, unknown to even our closest family members and friends.

#1 This is something perpetuated by TCG game companies to keep players having to buy new sets, it is also a way to keep overly powerful cards from being abused for long periods after their release. The faction limitations that I've built into this game makes for a far more controlled environment, so that even as the game expands powerful combination can be easily found and carefully monitored in test play and booted if they are problematic. I will not be illegalizing cards. The focus of this game is not deck building like it is in many TCGs. The focus of this game is the actual game play. I dislike games that become 90% about what is in your deck and only 10% about how you play that deck. This game should be closer to 20% about what is in your deck and 80% of how you play that deck.

#2 Summoner Wars has a unique point system. You have to spend Magic Points (which you gain most commonly by destroying enemy units or discarding cards from your hand) to summon units. Each unit has a Summon Cost which determines how many Magic Points must be spent to summon them. This is the balancing system. It is my full intention that a unit with a Summon Cost of 2 that is released with the starter set will be very comparable in its effectiveness with a unit that has Summon Cost of 2 that is released 3 years from now.

Concerning getting a game out... first you can't hide your ideas from your friends and family. You need to start making fully playable prototypes of the game ideas you have. Next, take feedback and your own impressions earnestly. Be able and willing to recognize when you have something that isn't good enough. You may need to scrap some ideas completely, others just need work... but there really is no way to know if you have something until you start getting it played. From there you are talking lots and lots and lots of work to get the game running smoothly, balanced, and fun. You may find out you are good at it and enjoy it, if that is the case the most I can tell you is work hard at finding an avenue to publish if you truly belive in the game that you have. If you find out you don't enjoy it, then it doesn't matter whether you are good or not, just stop doing it, life is too short. Or you may find out that you enjoy it but you aren't all that good at it. Then you've got yourself a hobby, tinker around and you may eventually come up with something you like.

[HSisforcoolkids]

Just wanted to say that even though I've never met you in person, I'm excited for you, truth. I hope everything goes smoothly for you and that your game is really successful.

Maybe one day there will be a summonerwarsers.com with 4600 members and counting.

[Doc_Savage]

Originally Posted by truth

Concerning getting a game out... first you can't hide your ideas from your friends and family. You need to start making fully playable prototypes of the game ideas you have. Next, take feedback and your own impressions earnestly. Be able and willing to recognize when you have something that isn't good enough. You may need to scrap some ideas completely, others just need work... but there really is no way to know if you have something until you start getting it played. From there you are talking lots and lots and lots of work to get the game running smoothly, balanced, and fun. You may find out you are good at it and enjoy it, if that is the case the most I can tell you is work hard at finding an avenue to publish if you truly belive in the game that you have. If you find out you don't enjoy it, then it doesn't matter whether you are good or not, just stop doing it, life is too short. Or you may find out that you enjoy it but you aren't all that good at it. Then you've got yourself a hobby, tinker around and you may eventually come up with something you like.

OK. Anyone that wants to do anything with their lives should read this. Truth has spelled out how to succeed in life. Print this out and save it. This is a great piece of life advice. You can substitute music or writing or astronomy or piloting or film-making and apply it. You succeed by working harder than anyone else and relishing the work because it is your passion.

Truth, these are the words of a leader, a creator, and someone that is finding his own way in life. Bravo.

[truth]

Originally Posted by Doc_Savage

OK. Anyone that wants to do anything with their lives should read this. Truth has spelled out how to succeed in life. Print this out and save it. This is a great piece of life advice. You can substitute music or writing or astronomy or piloting or film-making and apply it. You succeed by working harder than anyone else and relishing the work because it is your passion.

Truth, these are the words of a leader, a creator, and someone that is finding his own way in life. Bravo.

Wow. Thanks Doc.

[brain of morbius]

Well, after reading this whole thread - I am excited for you Truth and for this game to come out. It seems like you have really learned the good and bad from other games and from this community.
I hope to play it at Gencon!

[justjohn]

Let me join in and say that this game is really, really good. I got a chance to play an early version of this last year, and it's a lotta fun. I haven't played the updated version, but talking with Truth, all of the changes that have been made since the ealier version of the game make it even better.

[ZBeeblebrox]

Wow this thread has a Netherspirit and a Just John sighting ...this game has to be awesome. Plus its by Truth! Count me in!

Also, congrats and good luck on this endeavor Truth. I'm sure it will be a success.

[Draconious]

Anyone feel like making 3D models of the Figure art?

I could potentially turn them into plastic/resin figures if so... but they would have to be kind of large to show the detail.

[truth]

Originally Posted by Draconious

Anyone feel like making 3D models of the Figure art?

I could potentially turn them into plastic/resin figures if so... but they would have to be kind of large to show the detail.

That sounds like a cool fan project if you get into the game. But I wouldn't be prepared to do anything on an official level.

[Nukatha]

Thanks for the response Truth, those words are now in the perfectly named truth.doc file on my computer.

Keep up the good work, its great to see someone follow his dream.

[Heroic Monkey]

Good luck with your company, Truth. I'm looking forward to Summoner Wars. I'm liking the details I read so far.