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Penfold3

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Posts posted by Penfold3

  1. Posted

    You are a "self-proclaimed" game designer? What have you designed? What games? Who do you work for?

    And I call them like I see them. Your actions were douchey. How else would one describe the actions of airing personal and professional grievances not with the person involved but on a public forum in the guise of a "critque."

    I didn't say you were a ****** just that your actions were douchey. I mean we all do and say things when we get annoyed that are not particularly reprsentative of our better natures, but is this really good for the community? Hell is this even good for your reputation as a person and a player? What are you trying to accomplish here?

  2. Posted

    A casual perspective - I'm not sure yours really is. I have a player in my group will absolutely include this card in his mi-go deck. The story included in the packs pretty much guarantees it. How can a card that is so obviously rooted in the context of the story (or vis a versa) not be thematic?

    I submit that casual players like to win, but are more concerned about having fun, and for some playing sub-standard cards because they fit the flavor of the deck is fun. If you don't get that then there is nothing I can do to explain it to you. I can point out some design articles though that talk about the need to design for different kinds of players.

    And let me clarify, you were pretty much saying he wasn't doing his job, well. Sure we have cards coming out, but it is obvious that you consider it his job to make cards you like and agree with and appreciate... and really it isn't. I mean we can stretch the idea that he should be designing for the type of player that you are and thereby he should be designing for you, but we all know that with multiple types of players there will always be cards that some player group is going to wish had never been printed, cards that are too powerful, not powerful enough, too based on some esoteric passage from a story, to not based enough on esoteric passages.

    If we take the M:tG psychographs as being true you shouldn't expect to find more than a third of the cards that you connect with on a visceral level (and given the LCG format even that is going to have some flex at any given point). The best card designs will include multiple elements to attract multiple player types, but just as often you can destroy the pop of a card by trying to shoe-horn it into too many roles.

    I mean this is all really creative process 101, just as true in fiction writing, journalism, art, and every other creative job as it is in game design.

    I can ignore the apparent snide comments and condescending tones as byproducts of the internets and lack of face to face communication signals, so no fear, but you airing whatever personal grievances you have with James in the guise of card critique is still pretty douchey. If you have an issue with him take it up with him. If you dislike a card just say so. But a miniture dissertation that calls him out by name as not living up to your personal expectations as designer and the implication that you could do a better job and save this game is really beyond the pale. This is the kind of thing that drives new people away from forums and keeps people from joining the game. That might not have been your intent, but it is certainly not a stretch to see how that could be the end result.

  3. Posted

    A couple of things to consider... this game, and all LCG's largest supporting players are not competitive players. Why should every card printed be the peak of efficiency and imminently useful for tier 1 decks?

    People who are social gamers first actually enjoy playing themed decks that are not min-maxed within an inch of their lives. So cards that allow for interesting or effects that are niche but allow for a little interesting side trip outside of the norm of a theme makes perfect sense. This card thematically fits with the story written. For a lot of people that is all the justification it needs.

    All cards and all asylum packs are designed and printed at the same time. Any thought that things start to peter out at the end because of energy or attention span is simply wrong.

    All that said, while I play with people who are social casual players first, I'm slowly getting back into the game from the CCG days, I am somewhat competitive myself (though this is really not my game for that expression). This is not a card I could see using in a competitive deck. At best you commit to multiple stories with your mi-go's and play this card to gain an additional success token your opponent didn't think you'd be able to grab. Maybe that wins you the story.Maybe that wins you the game. Maybe your opponent from this point on is forced to make harder decisions about what and where to commit. *shrug*

    There isn't a lot (or really any) competitive worth in the card as it stands now. I expect the broader viewer of an experienced designer is going to be that this is not just okay, but desired. I mean if I can see it isn't a stretch that they can also.

    And for the record... calling out the designer and saying he isn't doing his job just because he does it differently than you would is just a douchey thing to do. I'm just saying.

  4. Posted

    Put me down as preferring the individual card rotation policy that is banning. A problem card creating an imbalance in the meta? Ban it. Restricting design space? Ban it. I figure that at this rate we're likely to see less than a handful of cards get banned once a year. I can live with 3 cards a year from the entire card pool getting banned in tournament play, especially if the cards are older ones.

  7. Posted

    Sorry for the thread necromancy, but I was curious what peoples thoughts are now about some of the combos and deck types mentioned here now that Worlds and various national tournaments have come again. Anyone want to revisit there opinion, or anyone want to endorse, refute, or add to what was being discussed here?

  14. Posted

    Know out of Wedlock he wouldn't have been Targaryen, unless formally acknowledge by Rhaegar... who apparently died before being able to do any such thing. His name would have been Snow, Sand, or Waters depending on whether the name is given based on where their mother lives, where they are born, or where their father lives.

  15. Posted

    Well burn has been explained I'll take on control and a couple of others.

    A control deck is one which seeks to reduce the opponents choices, most often this involves reducing their choices of who can participate in challenges, but it also can be used to describe a deck that reduces ones ability to maintain cards in hand or reduces their ability to put cards into play.  A lot of decks have control elements, but the deck itself may not focus on locking down the opponent, just hitting them when and where it matter smost, these are also known as disruptive decks. A deck that seeks to use all out aggression (the best defense is a strong offense) seeking to win by just overwhelming you is called an Aggro deck. A Rush deck is one which seeks to win before you have a chance to really get your deck running. This kind of deck looks for a round 2 win as often as possible and usually closing out the game by round 3. Another deck type is the Delayed Rush which like the Rush seeks to close out the game as fast as possible, but often tries to lull the opponent(s) into a false sense of security. The first couple of rounds often have little aggressive or controlling action as they get the proper pieces in hand or into play, and then in a surprise onslaught grab enough power in two turns to end the game.

  18. Posted

    jhaelen said:

    Penfold said:

    I don't send questions in very often, but when I do Nate Franch has always seemed to respond in a relatively timely manner for Thrones. Who is the designer for CoC?

    Also Nate French - so there we've got the answer why CoC questions are not answered:

     

    Supporting AGoT, being the more successful product line, is taking all his time...

    So, this is yet another hint that CoC really needs is a dedicated lead designer, otherwise things like the wrong templating in the 'Dreamlands' AP cycle are bound to happen. I'm also not happy about CoC cards mirroring cards from the other LCGs. I'd rather the game had its own flavour.

     

    No, I know it is not NAte French. I specifically remember him saying at Gencon that he had turned it over to someone else in the LCG department. I read on Boardgamegeek that "Hata" was in charge. I'm assuming that is James Hata who does Invasion? These two games are nothing a like. Though effects that mirror each other is just going to be a fact of life. I mean they were originally all designed by Eric Lang, and there are only so many effects that can be created. MtG has effects similar to other games, Full Metal Alchemist did, Harry Potter did, AGoT does, that is just something you have to accept. The question is do the effects hold true to the feel of the faction they are in and echo the theme.

  19. Posted

    A soft-ban is not a technical ban, it is players themselves deciding that a card is overpowered or simply to much of a negative play experience to use. So groups of people will simply stop using a card because they are aware of the talentless nature of any advantage gained from the card.

    Magah Birds falls into that category and so does Mindless Interrogation in my mind.

    Whether FFG bans them or hits them with an errata is anyones guess. I'm mostly a Thrones and Arkham Horror player, but  I'm slowly falling in love with CoC. I'm sad to hear that it has been three months with someone sending rules questions in via the link with no response. I don't send questions in very often, but when I do Nate Franch has always seemed to respond in a relatively timely manner for Thrones. Who is the designer for CoC? Maybe they are working on a new FAQ and that is why they haven't responded.

  20. Posted

    I liked it. Loose the filter. The road noise was a bit annoying in the first one but the filter made your voices definitely harder to hear easily than the previous background noise, even after I did some equalizing to normalize it a bit.

    I'd be interested in hearing some of your thoughts about the current ascendency of aggro and rush against control and what control decks you think could take on Bara Rush and Wilding Aggro in a head to head match-up. Also if you don't think there is any control deck that could pull out a win at 50% of the time what do you think is missing?

    ==

    On another note, if you want to stay funny but add more structure create a loose agenda to follow, just topics that you want to make sure you hit and in a rough order. IF you spend a lot of time on one you can always edit it down if you feel it is not informative or funny. If you bring up new stuff and never get to other things, no worry, just include it in your next bit. Also I don't know if you are trying to do everything in a single take with minimal editing, but you may find it easier to just choose a topic, discuss your thoughts on it until you collectively have nothing left to say and then put a pause in and move on to the next topic. Piece the show together in editing removing chaff and any bits that don't fit you can add into the next show.

  21. Posted

    BioShock would be really interesting... I think it may be better a standalone card game though. I just can't see enough diversity and development to fuel a monthly release schedule.

    I would love to see the Dresden Files. I can't even begin to tell you how excited I would be by that.

    The Malazan Empire would be truly amazing. That is such an amazingly rich world and a compelling set of stories... I would jump for joy.

  22. Posted

    BAsically you are asking if they could create an IP as rich as that B5 in characters, intrigue, history, and culture... and the answer is yes. According to the FFG website it started out as Fantasy Flight Publishing, and they have writers on staff and under contract that produce material for other games, I see no reason why they couldn't task a couple of them to create an entire galaxy with detailed histories and cultures. I'm just looking into their non-LCG games (that aren't Arkham Horror, love that game!) and Twilight Imperium already seems to have a lot of that B5 flavor (I wouldn't be surprised to find out the creators were fans of B5). Tannhuser also has a pretty interesting backstory that could be expanded into a very interesting LCG.

    Basically I think that if you are going to go with someone elses IP you need to be sure to recoup all the money spent on negotiations and licensing fees within the time of the contract at a minimum (this is assuming the product also generates enough money to pay for the salaries of all involved in its negotiations and development). I'm not convinced B5 could do that... but it has been a long time since I've been to a sci-fi convention so I don't know how many die-hard fans of it there are who would buy an LCG. Star Wars makes a lot more sense, so does Star Trek.

    Though, I would be doing cartwheels if they did do a B5 anything.

  25. Posted

    I don't want to be a negative nelly or anything, but being a creative type myself my morals require I check... is FFG aware of this and given it their blessing? I know they have shutdown one effort for Warhammer: Invasion on Lackey, but have allowed a modified version of A Game of Thrones to run on OCTGN2 (artwork, no card text until the pack has been out for a certain amount of time).

    Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

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