Comments on: Yo mama's so fiddly… http://critical-hits.com/2006/10/06/yo-mamas-so-fiddly/ The Journal of Gamer Culture Sat, 11 Feb 2012 08:43:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Original Sultan http://critical-hits.com/2006/10/06/yo-mamas-so-fiddly/#comment-58641 Original Sultan Wed, 11 Oct 2006 00:58:52 +0000 http://www.critical-hits.com/?p=386#comment-58641 "Anybody remember Decipher’s Star Trek and Star Wars CCGs? Instead of patching their rules, in each set they added in: cards to kill powerful cards, new card types, and new rules. (Of course, this was in addition to the new cards themselves.) That’s the WRONG way to spice up a CCG." Man those games were bad! As The Game pointed out, those CCGs committed a fatal mistake: introducing new core rules to the game. The beauty of Magic was that you used newer cards and played with different decks NOT because the game is now played in a totally different way thanks to rules changes, but instead simply because there are a few more cards to choose from. Part of the reason the Star Wars CCG came out with those new rules, card types, etc. was because the original game was flawed in some way (i.e. originally X-wings and Y-wings were space ships, and therefore could not participate in battles on land; they changed the rules so that those ships could fight in land battles because in real Star Wars those ships could fight in land battles). Another CCG guilty of the introducing new rules mistake was/is Raw Deal... “Anybody remember Decipher’s Star Trek and Star Wars CCGs? Instead of patching their rules, in each set they added in: cards to kill powerful cards, new card types, and new rules. (Of course, this was in addition to the new cards themselves.) That’s the WRONG way to spice up a CCG.”

Man those games were bad! As The Game pointed out, those CCGs committed a fatal mistake: introducing new core rules to the game. The beauty of Magic was that you used newer cards and played with different decks NOT because the game is now played in a totally different way thanks to rules changes, but instead simply because there are a few more cards to choose from. Part of the reason the Star Wars CCG came out with those new rules, card types, etc. was because the original game was flawed in some way (i.e. originally X-wings and Y-wings were space ships, and therefore could not participate in battles on land; they changed the rules so that those ships could fight in land battles because in real Star Wars those ships could fight in land battles).

Another CCG guilty of the introducing new rules mistake was/is Raw Deal…

]]> By: The Game http://critical-hits.com/2006/10/06/yo-mamas-so-fiddly/#comment-58640 The Game Tue, 10 Oct 2006 00:52:48 +0000 http://www.critical-hits.com/?p=386#comment-58640 There are certainly fiddly parts in the core rules of Magic (especially as far as timing goes) but I will say they've made an effort to simplify and clean up the rules since the era that I was playing hardcore. I too quit due to lack of funds and needing funds to stay competetive, but from a game design perspective, they're doing the right thing by adding fresh new rules to the cards themself instead of adding rules to the game. Anybody remember Decipher's Star Trek and Star Wars CCGs? Instead of patching their rules, in each set they added in: cards to kill powerful cards, new card types, and new rules. (Of course, this was in addition to the new cards themselves.) That's the WRONG way to spice up a CCG. D&D3 also reduced fiddliness by virtue of the d20 system: instead of various charts for everything (and ridiculous things like 18/00 strength) they made it roll d20, add some numbers, and compare it to a number. There are certainly fiddly parts in the core rules of Magic (especially as far as timing goes) but I will say they’ve made an effort to simplify and clean up the rules since the era that I was playing hardcore.

I too quit due to lack of funds and needing funds to stay competetive, but from a game design perspective, they’re doing the right thing by adding fresh new rules to the cards themself instead of adding rules to the game.

Anybody remember Decipher’s Star Trek and Star Wars CCGs? Instead of patching their rules, in each set they added in: cards to kill powerful cards, new card types, and new rules. (Of course, this was in addition to the new cards themselves.) That’s the WRONG way to spice up a CCG.

D&D3 also reduced fiddliness by virtue of the d20 system: instead of various charts for everything (and ridiculous things like 18/00 strength) they made it roll d20, add some numbers, and compare it to a number.

]]> By: spankleberry http://critical-hits.com/2006/10/06/yo-mamas-so-fiddly/#comment-58639 spankleberry Mon, 09 Oct 2006 23:30:19 +0000 http://www.critical-hits.com/?p=386#comment-58639 ...welllllll for me actually, that was the turn off for me.. that as each new expansion came out, your cards were subsequently outclassed with the new set of rule fiddles. No, I like its methedology, and I think it's a fun & interesting game, but having to pay to 'keep up' while good business strategem, not great for me, which is why i don't play no more. But I do love the trategy aspect of bending the rules to your advantage, the culminations of combinations! …welllllll for me actually, that was the turn off for me.. that as each new expansion came out, your cards were subsequently outclassed with the new set of rule fiddles. No, I like its methedology, and I think it’s a fun & interesting game, but having to pay to ‘keep up’ while good business strategem, not great for me, which is why i don’t play no more. But I do love the trategy aspect of bending the rules to your advantage, the culminations of combinations!

]]> By: Bartoneus http://critical-hits.com/2006/10/06/yo-mamas-so-fiddly/#comment-58638 Bartoneus Mon, 09 Oct 2006 13:29:58 +0000 http://www.critical-hits.com/?p=386#comment-58638 It seems like Magic is really standing on a precipice of becoming a game about fiddly rules though. So far they've served to keep it fun and interesting with new rules every set, but the game itself has been tired for quite some time with the exception of booster drafts. It seems like Magic is really standing on a precipice of becoming a game about fiddly rules though. So far they’ve served to keep it fun and interesting with new rules every set, but the game itself has been tired for quite some time with the exception of booster drafts.

]]> By: Dave http://critical-hits.com/2006/10/06/yo-mamas-so-fiddly/#comment-58637 Dave Sun, 08 Oct 2006 21:14:20 +0000 http://www.critical-hits.com/?p=386#comment-58637 Thanks, glad you enjoyed it! Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!

]]> By: spankleberry http://critical-hits.com/2006/10/06/yo-mamas-so-fiddly/#comment-58636 spankleberry Sun, 08 Oct 2006 11:59:16 +0000 http://www.critical-hits.com/?p=386#comment-58636 Thank you The Game- that's some importantnt thoughts for Stan & I to consider as we embark on out quest--! keep it coming! Thank you The Game- that’s some importantnt thoughts for Stan & I to consider as we embark on out quest–! keep it coming!

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