Revisited look on card updates

[redium]

I do not think that every new card has to add a new effect or ability to the game.

It would be well enough to cleverly use preexisting mechanics on new cards rather than the developer and play testers spending extra effort on new cards with new coding.  Just for the sake of example, you could take an old ability like vampire and apply it to a new creature.   Or even..



As a community we could use old abilities and effects to balance and tweak the current elements with less hassle! 


I know this topic has been brought up before, but it seems like a reasonable plea to exercise new mechanics for a faster update with new cards.  I can only assume that creating new cards with new features takes a lot more time than making new cards with existing ones.  I am not saying that the game and its mechanics should never advance. I do realize that is a special aspect that highlights both this game and its community, its just that vets and new players alike should be willing to make small sacrifices here and there for the sake of speed.

I hope this makes sense, I know I did not articulate it as well as I planned.  Thanks!


tl/dr:  For the sake of speed some updates we should use existing mechanics to create new cards rather than spending extra time with new coding and testing.

[Pineapple]

If we have too many cards doing the same thing, then, with the 30-card deck limit, we'll have cards that are never used. "Devour" is Otyugh's skill, it's pretty bad that Scarab has both "devour" and a rather nice passive ability, now if we make 10 more cards with a "devour" ability, then "devour" won't be Otyugh's skill anymore, it'll just be "devour."

[redium]

If we have too many cards doing the same thing, then, with the 30-card deck limit, we'll have cards that are never used. "Devour" is Otyugh's skill, it's pretty bad that Scarab has both "devour" and a rather nice passive ability, now if we make 10 more cards with a "devour" ability, then "devour" won't be Otyugh's skill anymore, it'll just be "devour."

I get what you are saying about flooding the game with same abilities, and yeah it would be awful.  I 100% agree with you that over-saturation would dull the game and make certain cards obsolete.  I should have clarified more.

I do not want to overload the game with the same abilities and mechanics over and over.   The card idea (Fused Devourer) was just an example of a new card with an old ability.

I just think that for futures updates (Not every new update and not on a highly frequent basis) it would not be a bad idea to reuse old abilities on new cards for the sake of ease and speed for Zanz, play-testers, and the community if it done effectively and is worth the time decreases it would yield.

[TheManuz]

I agree, and it's also useful to have vanilla creatures too, and it's interesting to put old abilities in new context, where they result in something new.
For example, i think that a gravity creature with grow would be nice, but it also need an high cost, but it also should have high hp.
Something like

Graviton Colossus 7

1 | 15

: Growth

[redium]

TheManuz that would be a solid idea, maybe it grows in density and therefore force, excuse the poor puns.  There are a couple old abilities and mechanics that that have only been used once or twice that could be reused in very clever ways to strengthen certain elements.  Thanks!

A new mid-cost air creature that can gain vampire with one dark quanta, or an expensive water/time/light spell that freezes/stops/pacifies every creature on both fields for stall purposes, etc. 


I know there is a thread going on about "Which elements are complete" http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,30640.0.html (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,30640.0.html), that as one poster put it perfectly:

Where's the line between "all elements are generally all the same" and "all elements are somewhat balanced, unique, have a combination of things no other element has?"

- TuckingFypo.   


That post is really worth looking into and contributing to.  There seems to be a general consensus in that thread, as many others, that some small tuning could be done to individual elements to boost and balance them.  I think the general idea I present in this thread could help this concern as long as it remains aware of TuckingFypo`s point and remains within reason.

[OldTrees]

Gravitation Colossus is massively UP. A cheap-mid cost creature that gains +0|+N [N=2?] per turn as a Passive ability would be more useful and more fitting.


1) New abilities add more to the game than reused abilities. Though specific combinations might be on par with quality new abilities.
2) Zanz knows how to recombine abilities, making such suggestions does not tell him much new information. Though mentioning specific high quality combinations might  highlight ones Zanz was overlooking.


In general I find the Creativity of the members on the CIA board to produce higher quality cards when they use new effects rather than old effects.

[redium]

In general I find the Creativity of the members on the CIA board to produce higher quality cards when they use new effects rather than old effects.

I agree with you and I think that that very same creativity and progressiveness is what makes elements so great. 


My idea is that maybe the sacrifice of a new idea which requires new mechanics and testing every once in a while might be worth the speed or ease a new update, that includes new cards, comes with if using old mechanics. 



Do we always have to have new cards with new abilities?

Would some old abilities and mechanics be worth revisiting if they boosted the game and did not cause over-saturation?

[OldTrees]

In general I find the Creativity of the members on the CIA board to produce higher quality cards when they use new effects rather than old effects.

I agree with you and I think that that very same creativity and progressiveness is what makes elements so great. 


My idea is that maybe the sacrifice of a new idea which requires new mechanics and testing every once in a while might be worth the speed or ease a new update, that includes new cards, comes with if using old mechanics. 



Do we always have to have new cards with new abilities? No.

Would some old abilities and mechanics be worth revisiting if they boosted the game and did not cause over-saturation?Yes.

I believe I already answered those questions. (see the 2nd sentence in each pair of sentences)

If I were Zanz*, I would start adding 1 good old mechanic card per 8 new cards. At least for now since the card pool has grown large enough to support that.

*I am not and do not know the big picture.

[redium]

Sorry about that confusion.

 I meant those questions as a general ask all to the community, but thank you for the second response.  I should have clarified.