Hello and welcome to my first ever (I guess?) game development blog. More specifically, my Otherworlds Card Development blog.

WHAT IS THE REASON FOR THIS?!

Well, I like experimenting in trying something new. This will give you some behind the scenes of my thought process for this potential game and we’ll see what happens. Your thoughts are appreciated and welcomed. :)

Telling A Story

Otherworlds is first and foremost a game all about creating your character and your story, so I want the card game to reflect that as much as possible.

When you play this card game, I want the cards to resonate and have a meaning outside of just numbers and statistics.

That’s how I came up with the resource in the game being based on genres.

Types of Resources
Those that seek to experience new worlds and new opportunities use the adventure resource.
Those that practice magic and or are of the mythical are the fantasy resource.
Those perfecting society and evolving it through means of science use the tech resource.
Those that reach for power or want to turn the story to a tragic ending use the horror resource.
Those deeply rooted in nature and within their spiritual self use the history resource.

Card Types

Creatures: Various races and monsters are creatures. Creatures have two stats: Attack and Defense. Defense doubles as health. Attack lowers Defense by the amount of damage dealt. When Defense is lowered to 0, the creature dies.
Actions: Cards that are played and discarded to give an immediate effect.
Reaction: A type of action card that can be played during any player’s turn. Reactions would be infrequent. Some abilities would be reactions, but most creatures abilities could only be activated during your turn.
Action - Spell: A sub-type of Action cards. Spells can be reactions.
Tales: Cards that stay in play with a lasting effect. Tales usually represent a part of the Otherworlds story.
Equipment: Cards that can be attached to any creature to give them an added effect.

Defining the Resources

Listed below is my current idea for what each resource would specialize in mechanically.
Adventure: Recruit (look at top cards and put a creature from them to your hand), Actions Synergy, Direct Damage, Legends matter, Ready, Single Pump
Fantasy: Spells, Copy, Red Card Draw, Direct Damage, Exhaust, Team Pump, Hand Information
Science: Locations, Equipment, Artifacts, Blue Card Draw, Exile, Resource Ramp, Healing, Counter manipulation, Land Destruction
Horror: Destroy, Discard Pile Benefits, Bounce, Resource Ramp (at a cost), Hand Disruption
History: Beatdown, Locations, Fight, Extra Attacks, Resource Ramp, Equipment destruction

Mechanics

Armor: This creature ignores the first X damage done to it each turn. Commentary: Armor would likely be used sparingly and would almost always be limited to “1” because the effect it has is big.
Evasion: The first time this creature is attacked or targeted by an opponent’s effect each turn, ignore it. Commentary: I was surprised when I saw KeyForge’s “Elusive” mechanic. It was really close to what I wanted for my card game and may ultimately work out better. So, I’ll have to see about that. I like the idea of avoiding actions as well for flavor reasons, but gameplay comes first.
Ranged: This creature doesn’t take damage when attacking a creature without the ranged keyword. Commentary: I want to have range be a thing in this game. I’m not sure if this is the right route, but I think it’s a good start.

Sample Cards

Etaviveec, Nimble Scout (1A)
Legend Creature | Felinx Assassin
Ranged | Evasion
Whenever Etaviveec would die, return him to your hand instead.
Friendly creatures you play cost (1) less.
3/1

Commentary: Etaviveec is the first ever character created by someone else for Otherworlds. Etaviveec was created by Trey Falco. (1A) is his cost, meaning he costs a total of 2 resource Adventure resource. I haven’t completely decided yet if it needs to be both Adventure resource or just one.

Many Will Stand (2A)
Tale - Whenever a creature you control dies, you may reveal the top card of your deck. If that card is a creature that costs equal to or less than the destroyed creature, you may put it into play.

Commentary: This card is designed after the idea that even when a hero dies, no matter how tragic, someone else will take their place and continue the good fight.

Study the Marks (F)
Action - Spell
Look at the top 3 cards of your deck. Put 1 into your hand and the rest on the bottom in any order.
Flavor Text: Sol was always interested in the Zodicar marks, but seeing them in person brought him a whole new level of excitement. What could this mean?”

Commentary: The “marks” refer to important story moments that would be reflected in the art and flavor text of the card. The current flavor text is placeholder.

Well, this marks (see what I did there? ;) the end of my first Otherworlds Card Development blog. Let me know what you think in the comments below and if you want the best of the best content sent from me weekly, become a vscriber here.

As always,
Stay Awesome!
Vincent