Ask the Idea Guru

[OldTrees]

Once again I would like to suggest people read plastiqe's threads. There are a lot of good specific suggestions.

Oh great and enlightened Idea Guru!  Bestow upon me thy vast wisdom, for I am but an unworthy fledgling designee.  Here I recount the 7 noble truths of Elements I have discovered through years of meditation.  Are these assumptions valid?

No, but they betray(reveal) thought and study.

Having a lot of quanta stored up should be good for every Element.

Not necessarily. To gain an advantage one must have opportunity and be able to pay the cost. Having a store of quanta enables the cost to be paid but their would need to be an outlet for that to be worthwhile. In the absence of expensive outlets players use more cheaper outlets and less quanta production. Excessive quanta production is just as problematic as deficient quanta production. The broader the band between deficient and excessive the more variety there is in gameplay. From a design point of view this implies that adding expensive and cheap outlets helps diversify the game if it can be done with no side effects. One of Fractal's main additions to the game is in this area.

No creature left behind, each one should have an ability.

No. Abilities have value. All value should be paid for in the cost. Sometimes you want the creature with the best stats for its cost. A creature without an ability should have better stats for its cost.
Also: Vanilla creatures are useful for expanding the audience to include vanilla only players.

The most expensive cards should be the best cards.

No. The most expensive cards should be the cards with the most powerful effects. However size is not the only important factor when identifying the important cards. Sometimes how soon a card can be played is important. Cards that appear innocent will survive longer.

Instead of always being "better", Upgrades should mean "more".

Upgraded cards get a free 1-2 quanta cost reduction or the equivalent. When the unupped and upgraded cards are comparable the upgraded should be better in the general case. +1 attack +1 cost would qualify as more but would not qualify as an upgrade. -1 attack -2 cost would not qualify as more but would qualify as an upgrade.

To explain myself, when I say "should" I don't mean to say that is how it is, I think changing it that way would make for a better game.  As for the 3 items I claim as OP, maybe lets just agree to disagree.  : )

And I did ask Xeno (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,32442.msg467805#msg467805), and he said a cost of X is fine so n'yah.  : P

1) I understood what you meant by should and responded both about the present and about the future
1 summary sentence per quote:
Stores of quanta being good for all elements is not necessary but is one of many areas that would improve the game.
There should exist some creatures without abilities because some vanilla creatures are valuable to the game as well.
The most expensive cards should get the greatest effect but best does not mean greatest effect.
Upgrades should be balanced against the upgraded cards and the cost required which means they should be better.

2) As further explained in Xeno's thread, cards cannot have an X minimum casting cost. This means the hand GUI would show the card as castable even if it was not. Any card suggestion that uses an X maximum casting cost would need to give reasoning for such a result.

I would like to know your thoughts on my latest hybrid ideas.

I am on vacation right now so my thoughts will be short.
Double Seed http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,35145.msg473198#msg473198
+ Fits mono Life
+ Fits mono Aether
+ It is better as a hybrid than as a pair of mono cards
? But it might be better as a single duo or mono card.

[The_Mormegil]

Insight on Shard of Focus?

[OldTrees]

Insight on Shard of Focus?

Shard of Focus
Cost: 3
Stats: 0|15
0:Destroy target permanent and gain +0|+10
When hp>50 it returns to your hand as a Black Hole card.
Zanz expects it to be OP as is and expects to nerf it.

Synergies to balance
Other PC vs existing PC
PC + BH vs BH
HP reduction through Gravity Pull, Rage Potion or Reverse Time
Fractal BH vs Amber Nymph
Cheap high hp creature for Acceleration vs Voodoo Doll or Armagio

Easy balance variables
Starting HP
HP per PC
Max HP
Casting cost in 
Activation cost in 

Pulverizer:
Cost: 4 + duo activation cost +1 card + 1 turn + weapon + expensive activation cost
Converted cost: 8 +1 card +1 turn + expensive activation cost (2 on creature/3 on permanent)
5 attack is worth 5
Cost of PC: 3 +1 card +1 turn + expensive activation cost
X *  = 1.5  + 1.5 * X * 
Balance of reusable PC:
Casting Cost: 6 or 7.5
+1 card +1 turn + expensive activation cost
Activation Cost: 4.5 or 3

Obviously SoF should cost less than this because it has a limit to PC usage but I have not factored in the increased resilience from the hp either. So the above is a maximum.

Cheap HP
Voodoo Doll is 16hp for 2 + 1 card + Duo ~= 3 +1 card
Armagio is 25 hp for 5 + 1 card
SoF is 15-45hp for 3 (~1 ) +1 card + 0-3 turns
~ 3 + 1 card would be balanced
3 + 1 card ~= 6

PC + BH vs BH
Since the BH of SoF is delayed, I think if the other parts of SoF were balanced, then this would be balanced.

Summary: Shard of Focus is OP as of now. It should cost around 6 with an increased activation cost and/or the stat variables should be manipulated.

[ZephyrPhantom]

Back when I asked for a review of Higurashi (card idea) (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,32272.msg472030#msg472030), you mentioned the following:

The difference between Mono and Duo attack might make it balanced.

Could you clarify this a little? (Just to make sure I've understood this correctly)

[OldTrees]

Back when I asked for a review of Higurashi (card idea) (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,32272.msg472030#msg472030), you mentioned the following:

The difference between Mono and Duo attack might make it balanced.

Could you clarify this a little? (Just to make sure I've understood this correctly)

1|1 attack twice for 3 |3  +1card with low 1|3hp.
Mono it is UP by 1|2 casting cost (8 atk for 9 cost units)
-> Duo with attack buff (Blessing|Chaos Power) it is OP by 1|1 casting cost (8|7 atk [5.5hp upped] for 7|5 cost units)
-snip-
The difference between Mono and Duo attack might make it balanced.

I may be underestimating the anti CC value of the skill.
My cost estimate tends to be an underestimate for Duo 2 card combos.
So I may have underestimated the mono and overestimated the duo 2 card combo thus resulting in it being balanced.

[jacker]

How much this card would cost? http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,35303.new.html#new (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,35303.new.html#new)

[OldTrees]

How much this card would cost? http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,35303.new.html#new (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,35303.new.html#new)

Well it copies a creature so I would start with Parallel Universe as a basis.
It has a delayed effect. [Cost reduction]
The effect might target the less optimal target. [Cost Reduction]
It increases the stats by +2|+2 upgraded. [No cost reduction from upgrading]
It changes the element to Death. [Check for nightfall exploits]
It increases the hp upgraded. [Check for 0hp exploits]
Avoids the Chimera PU exception. [Check for Chimera exploits]
Try 5 |5 +1card but double check for exploits.

[EmeraldTiger]

Feedback for http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,35322.0.html
and http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,35325.0.html please, thank you.

[OldTrees]

Feedback for http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,35322.0.html
and http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,35325.0.html please, thank you.

Wipe requires more explanation in the OP describing:
1) Why flip instead of delay? (Adrenaline does give extra turns)
2) Why does Aether revert the creature to just played status?
3) Why would it possibly switch sides?
4) What does Wipe have to do with parts 1-3?

H... & M...
1) Hasten from Hourglass gives 1 unit of card advantage per  | . Why would H&M give 6|8 units for a mere 1 ?
2) Why is it a  / hybrid card if it has a  activated ability? Would it work better as a mono or a duo card?
3) Why 1 activation per 3|4 turns?

[EmeraldTiger]

Feedback for http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,35322.0.html
and http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,35325.0.html please, thank you.

Wipe requires more explanation in the OP describing:
1) Why flip instead of delay? (Adrenaline does give extra turns) it is different
2) Why does Aether revert the creature to just played status? I did have trouble choosing element. but it is a form of phasing
3) Why would it possibly switch sides? as a downside.
4) What does Wipe have to do with parts 1-3? Idk it was the first thing that came to mind

H... & M...
1) Hasten from Hourglass gives 1 unit of card advantage per  | . Why would H&M give 6|8 units for a mere 1 ?
2) Why is it a  / hybrid card if it has a  activated ability? Would it work better as a mono or a duo card?
3) Why 1 activation per 3|4 turns?

We were thinking that the stealing part is but doing it only while airborne balances it to some degree.

[OldTrees]

Feedback for http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,35325.0.html please, thank you.

H... & M...
1) Hasten from Hourglass gives 1 unit of card advantage per  | . Why would H&M give 6|8 units for a mere 1 ?
2) Why is it a  / hybrid card if it has a  activated ability? Would it work better as a mono or a duo card?
3) Why 1 activation per 3|4 turns?

We were thinking that the stealing part is but doing it only while airborne balances it to some degree.

1) It is airborne every turn after the first. That is insufficient to balance the card.
2) You did not answer this part. Why is it a hybrid card if it requires specifically  quanta to use?
3) You missed part 3. Why 1 activation per 3|4 turns?

[TheManuz]

I was thinking... what do you think of actual game wording?
I feel that there is a general lack of standardization and we could have more clearness by redefining some texts on cards (leaving mechanics untouched).

Do you know if someone already start a similar project?
Do you think it could be a useful thing to do?