MArcomage

Based on player feedback, it seems there is a problem with too many cards and too complicated game mechanics for newcomers. So I have an idea how to remedy the situation:

Card level will be added to each card. Only player with same or higher level will be able to use the respective card. Non usable cards will be hidden and therefore not distracting the newcomer.

Of course this creates a problem that players will have different card pool which is unfair. That's why it's important to carefully set the card levels. My idea would be to use only first 10 or 15 user levels which can be gained pretty quickly. During that time, the player should learn most of the game rules and thus will be able to use all cards.

Each time the player gains a new level that would unlock him new cards, he would be informed about it. We would probably add a new deck filter for this purpose as well.

What do you think? Would this be an improvement or not? How many card levels would you suggest and how should they be connected to player's level?

i think it could backfire because of the inequality it provides (as you said). They are going to encounter the more complex cards anyway in games with higher level players. Not being able to benefit in any way once a game is initiated (by stronger cards, bonuses etc.) i think is a condition to keep it even. If something like this is going to be implented i'd be more interested in a button in the deck building selection section that "hides advanced cards" or something like that. Ofcourse it would mean extra job to sort what is what.

I think it would be unfair. And in any case, if something like this was going to be implemented, existing players levels should be reset to 0, for the sake of fairness.

This is something totally different and probably offtopic, but what about introducing a new card rarity level: Mythic?

Instead of resetting everyone to zero, how about limiting the available cards for both players to cards available to the lower-level player? I guess you would have to develop a level one deck to play newbies, etc. Or would that discourage veterans from playing lower-level players at all? And would the experience gained for the lower-level player by beating a much higher-level player still be the same 200+ points?

I feel that everything people have discussed and suggested here is well thought out, but none of it seems as good an idea as just letting new players have access to the full card pool right at the start. Everyone still starts with access to sample decks, correct? So they get to use those and tweak them and see about incorporating cards their opponents are using. To me, this seems like enough. I feel that imposing limitations will just create a divide between new and experienced players.

I belive sample decks are pretty good as they are and if some newbie players start building their on decks they will surely not pick any cards too difficult for them.

I wish most players can learn by trying and failing rather than having to restrict access to some features.

Card level will be added to each card. Only player with same or higher level will be able to use the respective card. Non usable cards will be hidden and therefore not distracting the newcomer.

Well, if you're going to do it like this, then you can just set it as a (optional?) deck editor filter. And that still wouldn't prevent a high-level opponent from using them against you.

I don't think this is a good idea. If there is too much complexity, remove the complexity ._.

I have a better idea I think, why not have experienced players create basic decks, with keywords to be used by newcomers? Only players of lower levels will be able to use those decks (e.g. let's say people below level 10) and we could add descriptions to these decks, in order for people to understand better how each card and keyword works. We don't need to have sophisticated decks, we can just make simple decks. For example, we can make a +Tower deck, a defensive resource accumulation deck, a Mage deck, an Undead deck, a Barbarian deck and a Soldier deck. These are the most simple kinds of decks and keywords around, and therefore the more straightforward.

That way we won't have the problem of card level balancing, and we won't have the problem of people complaining about having to create new decks in order to play against newcomers. Perhaps it would be also nice if we made an instructional video for the basic game mechanics and post it somewhere here. The Help Section is already too big, and although structured, a newcomer would lose his head in there. I myself haven't read half of what is written there.

There's already a, quite abandoned, forum thread about this.