Making a TCG (Sort of)

Welcome to the beginning of my very first blog series! This post marks the first part in the TCG series.

In this initial entry, I will introduce the reasons behind starting this new project and outline the basic design principles that will guide it.

I hope you'll join me on this journey, and I look forward to sharing insights into my design and thought process along the way.

Quick note: I aim for these blog posts to be readable in about 5 minutes, focusing on a single topic for clarity and ease of understanding.

My family —especially my partner and I— play a lot of board games. I have always wanted to get them more involved with trading card games (TCGs), particularly my partner. She is very good with complex games and doesn’t shy away from challenges, so that isn’t an issue.

However, she isn’t a big fan of games that require direct confrontation with other players; that’s just not her preferred vibe. While she is willing to play some board games that involve direct confrontation, especially those that are not strictly 1 v 1, she prefers games where player interaction arises from more indirect strategies or cooperation.

Some TCGs, such as Altered TCG and Lorcana, touch on one or two of these aspects, but they don’t quite hit the sweet spot.

Additionally, my family typically needs a gradual introduction to more complex games than what most TCGs offer.

I have always been fascinated by card games, ranging from traditional card-based board games to TCGs.

What distinguishes TCGs from traditional ones is the greater level of strategic design and narrative thinking they demand. TCGs require designers to consider future expansions, ensuring that new sets work well with existing ones without disrupting gameplay or the overall narrative. Designers must plan meticulously to avoid narrowing future design possibilities —maintaining a larger design space— while keeping each set concise, well-themed, manageable in scope, and engaging for both new and veteran players. This involves minimizing the number of mechanics in each set to uphold clarity, theme, and balance.

I view designing a TCG as an intriguing exercise that touches on essential areas of game design, which are crucial for any designer's growth and improvement. I am taking this opportunity to engage in that process.

I want to create an interesting resource system that adds strategic depth, is easy to understand, flows smoothly, and does not hinder gameplay.

While Magic's mana system is the most classic and —for the most part— the simplest, I believe it is not the best design. Although the mana flood/screw in Magic can serve as a catch-up and balance tool, it often leaves players feeling frustrated and is not very effective overall.

I have observed several elegant solutions from various games that can be taken as inspiration:

Lorecana & Altered TCG

Most cards in these games decks serve as resources, giving players an interesting strategic choice about which cards to keep, which to play, and which to convert into resources. This helps mitigate the awkwardness of drawing high-cost cards early in the game.

Flesh and Blood

The pitching system gives most cards additional utility and strategic depth in gameplay, prompting players to think carefully about the order in which they pitch cards for future turns. Additionally, it serves as a valuable tool to balance cards through their pitching costs.

One Piece TCG (and other Bandai TCGs)

This game features a multi-use resource system that allows resources to be used both to pay for and to buff cards, creating an engaging fluidity in gameplay. Although simple, it adds more strategic depth.

There are many other interesting resource systems, such as those from Sorcery: Contested Realms or Duel Masters. Still, these examples stand out to me and have inspired me to take on this challenge.

While I will approach this TCG design as if I intend to publish it, that is not my primary goal.

My main objective is to enhance my game design skills through this exercise, and hopefully create something enjoyable to play with my close family and friends. I might consider making it into a cube or a similar format, and although it's very unlikely, maybe it will be good enough to consider for publication in the future.

What are the main design pillars for this project?