MArcomage

true, but still it's intense to start like that

we could also do it

Tower=40
wall=5
or we could restrict -tower cards by simply using beast cards as Xpoh suggested

I don't think we need to make a mode with starting tower and wall, which is lower then current standard game.

I totally agree with Mojko here. If you want a fast game, you make a fast deck.

http://i46.tinypic.com/2wmmnp2.png

i think a minor tweak in status pics can improve visual representation (removing black rectangles)

Nice work on those status pics.

I want to emphasize again that I think it's better to focus on balancing on normal mode, instead of creating a new mode that potentially shifts the balance. I fear normal balancing might be neglected by simply creating a new game mode.
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"Card A is way to aggressive!"
"Then you should play long game mode."
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Very good point Progressor. Simply adding long game mode however, I think is fitting for those who enjoy longer games. Just like in Heroes of Might and Magic, I almost never played small maps, rarely medium, almost always large or XL.

I think longer games give grounds for more combos and new strategies and more variation. That's why I want it.

i agree with muschly, and might i add that adding various game modes will make the game even more interesting. Like i said, in might and magic taverns you could find various game modes. Playing with a very low tower and high wall would add more to the intensity of the game

Indeed. I like the variation of game constants in old Arcomage. I think it will be a nice addition.

I guess we should not make more game mods.

I think introduction of hidden game mode made the game worse, and i was very doubtful about creating this topic.

Do not try to invent something similar. Create something new instead, please. There are a lot of ways to improve game besides splitting it into pieces.

"I think introduction of hidden game mode made the game worse"

I'm not quite sure how exactly is the game worse than before. Game modes are optional and if you don't want hidden cards / long mode or any other, just play without them. If there is a problem with deck / game slots, the new rating system should help. I chose a polynomial function instead of exponential one for level up, so it shouldn't be very difficult for average player to get some bonus game / decks slots.

Mojko, i meant no offence. Hidden game is somehow interesting, i played it a lot. I did not say it is bad, i meant it made game worse by splitting it into hidden-players and non-hidden players. Besides, i see a players that do not pay attention to my cards even in non-hidden game. So, in my opinion, overall effect of this was negative.

No offense taken ;). It's just that I prefer people to have options to choose from. The decision which game mode to play is their own. I like the variability of the game modes. It's not good if the players gets separated into groups by game modes, since that was not what I had in mind. With bonus game and deck slots, I think that players should be able to support decks / games of all types of game modes.

However, I will be watching closely and if I notice that this separation really divides the players into game mode groups even after the option to have bonus game / deck slots, I will reconsider and maybe I will even disable to game modes. I just think it's worth a try.

You have records of all games with game types?

What Im asking:
How do you test for this separation?

(PS I already spotted some hidden only players.)

I don't have a tool implemented for that yet, but this should be done in the game history / statistics module. Until then I will have to take data direct from database.

I love the different modes. Options ftw. It's like in DotA. There are several different modes.

Standard = Sentinel players can pick Sentinel heroes, same for Scourge.
All pick = Everyone can pick anyone.
All random = Everyone gets a random hero
Single Draft = Everyone gets 3 heroes to choose from
Random draft = Like 20-25 heroes are picked, that everyone chooses from.
etc

I never played Standard or All pick. Because the variation of the other modes bring forth heroes that don't get the same gameplay, and makes people challenge their ideas on what's needed for the team, and how heroes can work together, and what role the heroes themselves play in the team.

Whenever I play All Pick or Standard, it's basically 40 out of 95 that get played. None of the others. I want variation, so that every week you see something new.

I agree, also after some random combinations people will get to like even more some decks, which are not so popular. For example, there is a tendency, where people love playing with Nature, Soldier, Holy and Mage decks, which lead to easy victory. Few are the people who play with Undead or Unliving or even fully Brigand decks. Also more experience can be gained this way (I don't mean the XP counters, but actual experience) since people will understand how different decks function. This will lead to more competing and intense games.

A variety in game modes is helpful, also to oppose Xpoh's remark that people tend to only play with Hidden Decks etc, I'll suggest to divide slots in a way so that people can play any kind of game. E.g. out of 13 slots in total, we can play 7 slots as Hidden, 6 slots as Non-Hidden and an extra 5 slots for friendly games (this is merely an example and not actual numbers I would like it to be, I prefer hidden games as it's more intense and strategic in a way, since you must guess what kind of cards your opponent has in hand by judging the way he's trying to save up particular resources, or by his/hers keywords).
At any rate, various game modes will help establish more fun and exciting ways to play this amazing game, and will also help people seek out new strategies, instead of stucking with old ones.

I do not want to create 5 copies of one deck with minor tweaks for different game mods. It's retarded.
I want to experiment with different decks and find new ways of playing.

Multiple mods will not force anyone to be more original. If you cannot make something more efficient, more interesting and new than "standard" layouts now - you will not able to do it with new mods. So don't bother.

And don't point dota. It is inadequate example.

I think there's a real comparison to be made between what's proposed here (at least my motivations for supporting it) and the different modes in DotA.

Sometimes it just takes a minor tweak to create the breeding grounds for new ideas and concepts.

If your comparison is to be valid, the I conclude that if long game mode would exist, you will no longer play normal mode, as you say:
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I never played Standard or All pick.
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Haha yeah but I meant to compare in the sense that just tweaking the mode a bit makes people think about strategies etc differently, to create variation. I meant it as "evidence" for the argument:

'Create new game-modes, and people will start using cards they didn't use before, finding new strategies and combinations'.