MArcomage

I would like to know why do you play hidden cards mode or why you don't play hidden cards mode. Please share some information.

In short:
I mostly play normal because I like to plan ahead.

I don't play hidden card games, because I feel like it gives me less control over the game, and makes the game a bit more luck-dependent. I like strategizing, and I feel like hidden cards diminish that.

I play both, though I consider them entirely separate experiences with their own deck slots devoted to each. I don't challenge others often, but I accept any challenge made to me and I often join hosted games, so I play both modes so not to limit myself. Whenever I host games, I do so in pairs, one hidden and one standard.

I can't really say which I prefer playing. I will say that I'm rarely disappointed at the end of a standard game, win or lose. In a hidden game, the end could often have been avoided, and win or lose, it often feels less thrilling.

I mostly play Hidden mode because I consider it to be more exhilirating and requires more strategy to the game. You have to guess what cards your opponent has in his deck by observing the tokens. You have to predict which cards are rare or powerful in the opponent's hand and accordingly discard them. Furthermore, it's always fun not knowing what your opponent might throw at you and you have to predict their next move, while if you know the opponent's cards you just device your defense and wait for the attack to come. Lastly, the last addition of Card revealing cards makes it even more interesting. Lighthouse can shift the whole game.

I play non-hidden mode as well, because it has its own beauty, as you don't have to predict the opponent's move, but instead focus on devising ways to beat them faster than they can beat you. Although I'll have to disagree with dindon and say that non-hidden mode is less strategy and more luck than hidden mode, for the above reason. So I don't really prefer this mode but I have no problem playing it when other ppl want to :)

I does make it easier to achieve a tower-building victory. Alternatively, while testing new decks I occasionally get hosed by a tower-attack deck in hidden mode.

Less practically, it makes is easier to achieve Desolator or Collector because your opponent doesn't just surrender before you can get to it.

I play mostly hidden because non-hidden is information overload for me. Perhaps this means I'm not as good a player, but when it's non-hidden, it takes me much longer to figure out exactly which cards I want to play.

I play almost exclusively non-hidden games because there's more strategy involved. If you want to build a deck that talks longer to win, you need some delaying cards (like Intrigue, Elemental storm, Ambush, Brigands, large walls, etc.). Knowing what your opponent has is part of the strategy for most of my decks while hidden games remove it. Hidden games are for decks that do the same thing regardless of the opponent's hand (like blitz, Beasts, and other fast-paced decks). So I feel that they lack strategy.

Now, knowing what your opponent has makes luck a larger factor because you need a particular card to deal with something they have. In hidden games, you blindly play not knowing what's going to hit you next (unless you play revealing cards, but there's no point because they don't aren't good enough in non-hidden games).

I would quote DPsycho and EricHerboso.
I also play both (like DPsycho) having more game options and give more game option in hosted games (hidden and non-hidden) and like EricHerboso sometimes I do not want to think to much and play hidden-game

I try to avoid hidden mode because I think there is not much strategy in that, because a lot of cards were designed with a thought of possibility to counteract them in time, provided you actually knew what you needed to counteract. And whole process feels much more like an arcade game: just build, demolish and pray for luck. Especially hateful is that undead charge card (that, btw, is better in every way than dragoon knights).

Of course, I usually don't decline challenges from new players, which I suppose happen to think that hidden mode is easier for them to pull off %)

I play both because each is valid in it's own right.

With hidden games you can make a plan based on the cards you have knowing full well your opponent cannot predict your movements. With a hidden game, despair over your opponent's card selection is almost nil, so you are freer turn by turn to select the card that suits your needs.

With cards revealed the game changes completely. Imagine playing poker with all cards revealed. The game would be almost pointless. I have played many a cards revealed game in which I scrutinized my opponent's new card, simply hoping that it wasn't a powerful rare or uncommon.

I think that more skill is requred to win hidden games, even thought this seems counter-intuitive.

In hidden mode chaos is the owner of the game. Attack or defend - who knows...Undead cavalry, Vampire or Overpover in enemy hand? I don't know and it scary me a little. Also is hard to plan winning with gentle touch...But sometimes I like chaos :)

I was thinking about changing the hidden cards mode or even disabling it. When I implemented it, I didn't expect that about 65% of all games would be using hidden cards mode. Fortunately, after the last update the statistics changed and now we have only about 50% of hidden cards games, so I don't think mode adjustments are needed.

What I wanted to add was a new keyword - "Far sight". A card with this keyword would reveal some card(s) in opponent hand under some conditions. I have multiple variations of its effect, but I would like to hear some of your opinions first ;-)

Please suggest ideas what the keyword should do and which cards should have the keyword.

It isn't a good idea to disable hidden cards mode when some people love to play this way. Far sight keyword.. hmmm... if it will be worth to use - why not

I don't think hidden cards mode should be disabled. At least for me it's much more fun than non-hidden mode. If someone doesn't want to play hidden mode then they can ignore all hidden games, challenge players with non-hidden mode selected, or just write it in their profile. The same applies for those who do want to play hidden mode.

A keyword would be quite fun though. It could shift the whole game in hidden mode.