Design Reflections (Nov 28 2025)

All the cards in the new card fighting game are done. I’m not gonna release it yet until I do some more testing (which I can do now that my desktop is back) and come up with a name for the game. While making new cards, a bunch of old cards had to change too (mainly with what resources they used and balancing), and I may continue to do that if needed. But also after spending 3 weeks making 40 cards, there are some things I learned.

First is that some ability types (Play, Defend, Attack) are more constrained than others. The first case is that Play is basically a once-ever Defend ability. I can’t make cards that only do something when played because then why do they stay in play? There’s no reason to attack or heal them, since they’ll never do anything. And since Play abilities overlap with Defend in what they can do (since they only happen in the Defend phase), there should be some reason why they aren’t just Defend abilities. This is especially true for cards that have Attack + Defend abilities - why not have it be Defend + Attack? This is all why even though I made sure to have an equal amount of Defend and Attack abilities, I ended up having less Play abilities since they have a higher barrier.

Another thing is that Attack abilities are more constrained than Defend, both in input and output. Both Defend and Attack cards can make you pay with your own resources (cards, actions, swords, shields), but only Defend cards can make you pay with health (from you or your cards). Attack cards aren’t allowed to do that, which means Attack abilities have 2 fewer options when it comes to payments. Another is that Defend abilities have more variety in rewards. Defend abilities can heal you and your cards, or give you more of the previously-mentioned resources. Attack abilities can’t give you any resources, they can only attack the other player and their cards. Making the other player lose resources on their next turn is allowed, but I didn’t end up making any cards that just make them lose resources. This technically isn’t so bad because attacking the other player is how the game ends, but it’s still a bit of a downside because it requires more work to come up with cards that don’t overlap with each other.

There is another downside to making this game. This is a game about units fighting other units, and I’ve already made several of those (Randomly Generated RPG, Fortress Siege). Which means inevitably there are some ideas that have been reused in one way or another (such as dealing damage and gaining health at the same time). And I don’t like reusing ideas, it’s why I try to make new types of games. In fact I even reused some card art, because the things in each of those games have the same obvious flavor of a vampire absorbing health. Anyways what this means is, I should probably take a break from making games where you fight enemies in a turn-based system, because 3 games of that is plenty.

Nevertheless, I am quite happy with how this game turned out. I think it’s better than Fortress Siege, since that game isn’t simultaneous, and I think the concept of Defend/Attack abilities worked out better than the Auras. Basically the only advantage Fortress Siege has is an AI opponent, which I decided not to put in this game since it’s a bit too experimental on top of me trying a new way to handle online games (plus I haven’t tried working on anything like an AI in over 6 months).

I ended up doing a few more updates to old games. Relentless Waves got one new enemy. My initial idea for it is that it shoots multiple spread out bullets that are like straight lines, and to avoid them you’d have to move between the bullets. It worked pretty easily, and I decided to theme it as a snowflake dropping icicles on you. I also made Slow and Steady translatable (it was even easier than All Shapes and Sizes), and improved the code to reduce errors in translations. I think I’ll also translate Chromatacombs, but ran out of time to do it today.

Finally it’s near December again. I don’t know if I want to do a 2025 collection like last year. I feel like that month would’ve been better spent if I just dedicated it to only working on Relentless Waves.