Phyrexia vs the Multiverse: Comments

5/20/16

Findings: - Initial batch of playtesting is complete. It's more imporant to see whether the general "flow" of the game works well, before introducing the difficulty balance.

Interesting Findings:

• the approach to this is very different compared to creating duel decks. Here, it seems like the most imporatnt thing to do is to minimize bookkeeping as much as possible. That means these kinds of cards are out:
• tokens: Takes too much time to set up on Cockatrice. Rather jyust use the card.s
• Cards with two or more abilities. Each card should technically just do one thing, since it's very easy to "forget" what a card's secondary ability is.
• Minimize triggers unless explicit.
• +1/+1 and other counters, counter manipulation
• power and toughness manipulation should be kept to a minimum.
• In a word, all cards should be like commons with regard to board and comprehension complexity, while having variable power levels all the way from common to rare.
• Interplay / cascading combos: For instance, a card that draws and plays and causes more cards to draw and causes hand to be reshuffled into library... as much as possible, the cards within a deck should attack different zones (one hand, one land, one creature..)

Good stuff - "one time" effects, or "set and forget" ETBs

Bad stuff

Design notes 5/20

As with everything, the best way to learn how to make something is to iterate rather than start from scratch. It's simply more efficient to learn from other people's mistakes rather than your own. I read Sam's article on how they developed the Hydra deck; I played a bit of horde. I read articles and reviews. Of course, I also played the challenge decks a lot.

I rank the decks Xenagos > Hydra > Horde.

All

• Good: Simple rules.
• Good: Simple cards. Cards have one or two abilities, and are easy to remember. The number of permanent cards in the deck should also be minimized, since you need to remember what they do at a glance. I THINK the number of sorceries can be increased since they're one-ofs you can read, but this hypothesis is still for testing.
• Bad: Variable player power decks. Some player decks are just too strong against the challenge decks, and some cards are too strong against the decks. The solution proposed is to use sealed or draft decks instead, to manage the power level of the deck.
• Interesting: "draw and cast on main phase". Why did they phrase it this way instead of "The enemy untaps and draws as normal, but casts all cards in his hand on the main phase?"
• Interesting: Cards that would go anywhere othe than the battlefield go to graveyard. This is a limitation due to the PAPER nature of the deck. They would naturally have to limit the number of zones. But if we play in Cockatrice, we're not limited by this issue!

Hydra

• Good: Checking winning only at the end step. The heads can only be attacked once. It also has Resistance to Wrath effects.
• Good: "Flip two cards for every head killed". Makes killing the head a pleasant experience. It triggers anticipation from the player.
• Good: Variable difficulty curve (when lucky). Good idea with the "reward" system as life, so that life swing can change as a variable.
• Bad: High variance. Some games ae just short and ends early when the player is lucky, and in some games the Hydra just overruns the player.
• Bad: Non-increasing difficulty curve. A player's MTG deck's power is limited by mana and is thus linearly increasing in power. However, the hydra's challenge level is flat.
• Bad: I understand the need for Neck Tangle and Strike the Weak Spot as ways to limit the hydra overruning hte player, but people didn't like how they were essentially "good cards" for the player. Instead of being obvious that it's a "good card", maybe it should just convert one resource type to another, but lessen the impact in doing so. (e.g. destroy all creatures; player loses 1 life for each).
• Bad: Lack of "interactivity". Yes, he heads

Horde

• Good: Artifacts dictating number of cards drawn and played. Really really good. Must think: Is there another way to create this kind of tension other than by increasing the number of cards drawn? Is there any other way to represent aggressive strength than through permanents?
• Bad: Same as above. Artifacts are a much harder permanent to get rid of than creatures, but a dedidcated artifact destruction deck can easily destroy these totems, negating any challenge from these cards.
• Bad: Linear plan of attack. Once the hero has a few >5 toughness cards set up, or a vigilance lifelinker, the game is pretty much over. The menace cards can try to break stalemates, but it isn't enough.
• Bad: The "everyone has haste and attacks if able." It's much more interesting in the Xenagos deck, where you're not sure there are attackers every turn. Here, once you've stabilized, the slow trickle of minnotaurs just isn't enough.
• Bad: There is an "upper bound" of Hero strength that cannot be broken. Once you have enough cards to continuously attack, you can pretty much "farm" the deck until you win.
• Bad: Intervention of Keranos. Blows up the whole Minotaur deck. The card that gives everyone +2/+0 and blows them up is much more interesting.
• Bad: Lack of interactivity. While the hydra deck felt like a wall you were bashing against, here it's a river bashing against you. The best implementation really is the Xenagos deck, where it feels like an actual player.

Xenagos

• Good: Very good interactivity. It's the only deck among the three where you actually feel like you're fighting against
• Good: Attacking when there are 5 guys. One, it's a a sense of tension (Oh shit he almost has 5 guys). But more importantly, since attacking is random (dependent on cards), it's a great way to REGULATE the number of guys on the battlefield. It's easier to fight 5 guys at a time, than having 10 guys build up on the other side and attack you all at the same time.
• Good: Deathtouch guys. Scales in power.
• Good: Dance of Flame. This enchantment dealsd damage to a player whenever a Reveler attacks. This is a way of INCREASING the power of the Reveler in the long game without modifying the number of cards Xenagos draws each turn.
• Bad: Too storng at the start. Without hero powers, there's a very good chance that Xenagos just steamrolls over the player at turn three or four.
• Interesting: Possible alternate Win con. What if Xenagos instead had "~ can't leave the battlefield unless its library is EMPTY?"

The limitations we want to overcome are:

• Hard to make a reward system if some creatures have rewards and some don't. Have to double heck every time.
• simple ways to scale in power. Deathtouch is one of them.
• There should be a common gameplay method across all five decks, but only one "gimmick" at any time. This would minimize remembering to do stuff.
• Minimize stuff which takes a long time in cockatrice (or even in real life).

Design notes 5/21

On Misison Structure:

• The mission structure should have one consistent gameplay element, but still be distinct enough from each other.
• There should only be ONE "gimmick" in every round. Preferably, the first mission should have no gimmicks.

Interim mission breakdown structure:

1. The Hole in the Sky

• Pre-mission Plot: Giant hole opens in the sky, Phyrexians pour out and start attacking. The plane gathers its first set of defenders and holds back the initial assault.
• Gimmick: NONE. Meant to introduce the core concept of the game.
• Win condition: Deplete the Phyrexian deck.
• Phyrexian deck theme: Just normal cards. Maybe the ones which are corrupted / more humanoid in nature.
• Reward: Gatewatch card, One booster
• Post-mission Plot: Order of the Gatewatch comes in and saves them in the nick of time. Introduced to the gatewatch.

2. Counter-strike

• Pre-mission Plot: Several months later, buffeted by the resources of the gatewatch, the plane's inhabitants are ready to assault Phyrexia's invasion stronghold.
• Gimmick: The Flesh Singularity. A creature that can't leave the battlefield until the Phyrexian library is empty, and grows stronger throughout the mission.
• Win condition: Destroy the Flesh Singularity. (It is only vulnerable once the Phyrexian deck is empty)
• Phyrexian deck theme: Revolves around the flesh Singularity. Names reminiscent of body parts or biological themes.
• Reward: Gatewatch card, one booster
• Post-mission Plot: The Gatewatch explains that Phyrexia has reanimated the Planeswalker Venser, and thus now has access to travel multiple planes. This plane is just one of many; to truly stop Phyrexia, they have to assault Venser's fortress and defeat him.

3. Vault of Mirrors

• Pre-mission Plot: Unfortunately, there is no way the group can hope to stand against Venser at their current state. A plan is formed: Attack a Phyrexian vault and retrieve artifacts of power to aid the resistance.
• Gimmick: Mirari Black. An artifact that allows Phyrexia to cast a spell every time the player casts one.
• Win condition: Deplete the Phyrexian deck, WHILE recovering relics. A RELIC is an artifact in Phyrexia's deck which makes Phyrexia draw more and more cards each turn. The trick is that the player can destroy these relics at any time, but will reduce the reward they get at the end of the mission.
• Phyrexian Deck theme: plays around the word "mirror" - symmetry, clones, equality. Card names have a twisted science-math feel to them.
• Reward: One booster. a powerful artifact depending on how many relics was on the battlefield at the end of the mission. (do we need a Gatewatch card?)
• Post mission plot: Gatewatch explains that to reach Venser, they would have to open a planar portal directly to New Phyrexia, and of course, to expect heavy resistance

4. Gate to New Phyrexia

• Pre-mission Plot: The gatewatch powers up its planar gate. Phyrexia sends its full might of its army against the group.
• Gimmick: Planar Gate. The player starts the game with the "Planar Gate" planeswalker card on the battlefield. The player needs to use the + abilities to win the game, but the - abilities can help defend against Phyrexia.
• Win condition: protect the planar gate, and reach X loyalty. (to test: what if there's a time limit? Have to finish BEFORE the phyrexian deck runs out?)
• Phyrexian deck structure: - (for testing): Phyrexian commanders like Ezuri and Glissa. When they die, they're just shuffled back into the library, so their frequency becomes higher and higher as the deck thins.
• Reward: Gatewatch card. One booster.
• Post-mission Plot: The defenders enter the planar portal, and reach New Phyrexia. They are ready to assault Venser's fortress.

5: Ex Machina

• Pre-mission Plot: Venser launches a hidden ambush at the gate, destroying it and scattering the resistance force throughout the plane. Communications has broken down. The heroes struggle to regroup, all while fending off the stongest magics Phyrexia can throw at them.
• Gimmick: Venser, an immune planeswalker Phyrexia starts the game with. After casting Phyrexia's spells, the player activates one of Venser's abilities. They're all bad of course, sort of a choice-of-damnations type of game.
• Win condition: end the turn with 5 planeswalkers. Venser has friendly planeswalkers hidden in his deck, and join the player when drawn/discarded. Each planeswalker buffs the player a little, BUT also allows Phyrexia to draw an additoonal card each turn.
• Phyrexian deck structure: Aside from the aforementioned planeswalkers, Venser's deck has variations of Magic's scaries tand most iconinc spells. Damnation; Dark Confidants; Obliterators. Corrupted time magic. Venser should also have a way to recycle his graveyard, to extend the length of the mission.
• Reward: You win the campaign
• Post-mission Plot: Yey

Design Notes 5/22

Initial playtest feedback:

• Some sealed decks have an easier time compared to others. Specifically, R/G big fat. Stabilizing with a 6/6 Vigilance or somehting is bad for the challenge decks.
• The hardest design challenge is finding a way to SCALE, without it being obvious that you're doing so. A MTG deck starts with small threats then ends up with big bombs. We need a design solution that handles this in creative ways without being obvious! (Actually, we need five different solutions)
• Need more interactivity. Attacking always feels one way - the challenge deck attacks and the player blocks. I want to try a variation where the player can attack creatures, but any creature that is attacks automatically blocks all the creatures attacking it. Might unfairly reward first strikers, but then again, what doesnt?
• Threat density. I would very much prefer if the challenge deck only drew one card each turn (I want the challenge deck to still 'feel' like a player if possible). However, the threat density of one card might be too low.

Designs that scale in power with the length of the game:

• Deathtouch
• enchantments with aiblities
• Enchantment, "creatures Phyrexia controls get +1/1"
• Enchantment, "phyrexia draws an additional card"
• Enchantment, Similar to Xenagos Dance of Flame: "Whenever a Phyrexian attacks, it deals 1 damage to each player."
• Destroy target creature (obviously)
• "Destroy creature with the highest toughness"
• "Choose 2 [permanent type] you control and destroy the rest
• Sacrifice half your lands
• If the player has 10 or less life, gets +2/+2
• Mass board wipe or damage - will hurt when players have more creatures
• if player has 4 or Less cards in hand...

Counter-attack:

• Hard to balance correct number of Oculisks and Pedolisks. Too low and the threat level is down. Too high and the player gets steamrolled. Surprisingly fun though.

Vault of Mirrors:

• Can't get past the problem of "I get some big fat out and refuse to cast anything else". The kernel is there though.
• This challenge deck is laughably frustrating in the "Phyrexian-Griefer" way. I kept thinking "This really does feel like fighting against an annoying blue deck."
• The "each player draws X cards" cards are hilarious, since you can't really cast too many spells. It's like getting blown apart by an Owling Mine deck or a goddamn Fatigue Rogue in Hearthstone. This is probably the most fun aspect, and flips so many things on its head -- I consider this mission to be potentially the most promising among all of them (after a bit more polishing)

Ex Machina:

• Game goes on too long. Reduce number of reset buttons. Fucking Venser and his time magic.
• Damnation isn't doing its job properly. it should be scary, but I keep lookin gforward to it because it blows up all the other creatures as well. Maybe "Destroy all creatures. Player loses 1 life for each destroyed this way?"
• The way to return planeswalkers from the graveyard to the battlefield is still not intuitive