MArcomage

Free multiplayer on-line fantasy card game

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kakerlake on 16:27, 19. Nov, 2009
A idea of a new game mode just popped into my head. How about making a Random Game mode?
For this mode you would have to select a deck with no cards in and it will be automatically filled with random cards, tokens will also be set automatically depending on the keywords that are most in the random deck.

This would even be interesting to play some decks without any order, maybe you will even stumble over some nice new unseen combinations.
Mojko on 17:10, 19. Nov, 2009
I think most of the random deck combinations would be useless, that is why we removed the feature "generate random deck". It's the same approach like in Babylonian library - instead of writing a book, they generate books with random content and then they check if they contains something useful. Not very efficient strategy.
lord Alex on 18:48, 19. Nov, 2009
But I think the idea isn't bad... if you change a bit ^^
I think it would be interesting that the "random-module" chooses one out of 10 decks (a burning, a mage...), this module chooses randomly out of the pool of decks, this decks shouldn't be perfect, but they shouldn't be useless... Then are you able to see, who is able to change his tactic fast, and who not...
Myschly on 21:07, 19. Nov, 2009
I like the idea. It'll be very uneven at times, but something that I'd definitely play a couple of times.
Myschly on 01:30, 20. Dec, 2009
Anything being done on this front? Is it being considered, is it possible, is it already in the works?
dindon on 03:55, 20. Dec, 2009
High five for the Borges reference. Anyways, I think you could probably add some simple smarts to the deck randomization that would make it more fun. Like, it starts picking some cards at random, and each new card exerts certain preferences on future choices. For example, if the first card is an undead card, future cards are more likely to have the undead keyword (and certain cards, like death wave, become more likely, and other cards like retribution become less likely). There's still an element of randomness, but you're less likely to end up with really useless decks. It could also keep track of the average recruit/brick/gem cost, and compensate if any one of them was too low by preferring cards that use that resource. I don't know, maybe this would be too complicated.
You could also use a really naive algorithm that just chooses a certain number of keywords, fills up the deck with as many cards with that keyword (and support cards for that keyword), and fills up the rest randomly. That way you wouldn't have to hand-code information, but the results would probably be more hit-and-miss.
Mojko on 09:10, 20. Dec, 2009
I think deck building is a very important part of this game. Even with superior randomizer implementation, I don't think it's a good idea.
Myschly on 17:04, 20. Dec, 2009
I dunno, I think just straight up random-deck would be fun a couple of times, and a very good way for new players or players stuck in a rut to have their deck-building challenged. This happens very often to me. When I played Magic the Gathering I got into these ruts, and so me and my friends sometimes just took a bunch of random cards and dealt out 100 each, and then made decks with 40 of those.

Great rut-buster, and can be very fun. Also, I think it'd really help beginners to get more secure with the different cards and their effects.
Chrone on 17:32, 20. Dec, 2009
You are both right.
Random deck is poor idea, but myschly's point is interesting too.

Instead, i can offer another way to decrease deck-building effect on gameplay:

Mirror match. Two players choose decks and play normal game, but after it they are forced to play second game using opponent's deck.
What do you think about it?
Myschly on 18:31, 20. Dec, 2009
I like the concept, but isn't this mirror-match?
First game, both players play challengers deck.
Second game, both players play challenged players deck?

Another mode similar to that:
First game, both play their chosen deck.
Second game, decks are swapped.
Chrone on 19:09, 20. Dec, 2009
I thought about both options, but decided that playing same deck isn't so great, so i meant second option.
Progressor on 19:25, 20. Dec, 2009
I do like that Mirror mode concept. That way players can learn from each other.
Mojko on 19:50, 20. Dec, 2009
How about random deck with mirror mode? Both players would have the same deck, that has been randomly generated.
Progressor on 20:08, 20. Dec, 2009
That would be 'The first option'. It would guarantee a fair (but random) game.
As to this idea was formulated originally, I would never play it. But this way Id give it a go.
Progressor on 16:27, 3. May, 2010
Bump