Lorcana - yeh. It's ok. I don't think it's really worth playing over any of the other big games right now unless you're new to the genre. Very funny that a vanilla 1 cost 1/1/2 is 13$ right now. Truly one of the games of all time. L:RAW - man this is a weird one. If you like the combo-fest current yugioh style gameplay minus the extra deck it's pretty neat. I couldn't imagine trying to take someone new to TCGs and playing this game. It's COMPLEX. Lots of moving bits. One of the cards that starts on the board (The Guardian) is a 2 per box rarity card when you have 8 non-mixable factions and that doesn't sit right with me. These Guardians also activate at the beginning of the game, often letting you search a specific type of card from your deck and either add it to your hand or just PLAY IT? Every creature with ANY effect also has 1 attack. Everything that has more than 1 attack is vanilla, which seems like a strange and limiting design space. I did have a pretty good time when I jammed the starter decks though Kryptik - "Kryptik is a thing that exists" lmao tru! So weird that duel masters took magic and went "yeah what if we slimmed it down a bit" and then Kryptik went "NO PUT IT BACK!" Shadowverse - have not played, no comment. I know hearthstone style mana in a few other games I played was kind of weird to track physically but it looks like their app has an option to track it. I got nothin...WAIFUS amiright? Star Wars Unlimited - back and forth playstyle definitely feels fresh. Very interactive. I liked this more than Lorcana for sure, I wish they had more of it for us to play at gencon! I sleep until I can have a droid deck though...which is set 3? I might have to wake up and give it a go before then actually, especially if MainDeck™is gonna run a League for it on their DISCORD (link in the video descript....wait it's not there...wait no it is, just go the website first) Altered TCG - was not cool enough to get an invite to see this game, gotta get on that CONTENT GRINDSET! The distro system is very fascinating, and it'll definitely be INTERESTING to see if it functions or not.
Hah, you got me! I missed the discord link in the description of this one. But great to hear your thoughts on them as well, thanks for sharing! Going to pin this comment as it adds a lot of nice context that I agree with, as well as calls me out XD
Wtf Over the past like 3 months I've been penning ideas for a tcg and everything he said about altered was like so close to what I was creating, I'm so excited!!!
I am all in on Star Wars I think. I love the franchise, but what I really love is that they are incorporating a color system that feels very flavorful while not limiting deckbuilding to good vs evil like a lot of previous games. Gameplay looks extremely engaging for the reasons you mentioned. It's both fresh and familiar in a way I dont think many other games are trying to do.
@42Randomise dude, QR codes are basically block chains minus the cryptocurrency. Block chain by definition: a system in which a record of transactions, especially those made in a cryptocurrency, is maintained across computers that are linked in a peer-to-peer network. A QR code tracks your purchases whether you think it does or not. You buy your pack, scan the QR into an app (a peer to peer network database), and now you are participating in a block chain. An NFT as you state is run on a block chain. So you literally proved my point. And if you note, it specifies especially on cryptocurrency, but not exclusively. Block chains aren't new. The concept of NFT is. But this is an NFT.
I wish I had hammered a little more that I really did enjoy playing the game and sought out more games during the weekend! I think I lingered a bit too much on some of my smaller criticisms. It's very fun!
Also it's not a system to have jp be ahead they literally just started first English releases are like a week per set faster so we are on route to catch up if this keeps up
I absolutely love the lore in Kryptik, the first set “genesis” introduced 4 factions and each citizen has just 66 years on Kryptik island to prove their worth to a mysterious cabal called the overlords. Each citizen has its own backstory that changes as new sets are released and each spell card is based on an event that has or will happen on Kryptik island. The second set “wicked prophecy” introduced 2 new factions and second iterations of some citizens. For example there was “Davy” in the first set and “Davy, redeemed scoundrel” in the second. Definitely looking forward to what the writers have come up with for the third set 🤌
The idea of owning your collection permanently and just being able to print cards on demand is really cool. I've mused with a similar idea where you basically have standardized "blank" cards that can become any card you own using some kind of mixed reality device (think Oculus lens mixed with yugioh style duel disks lol) that registers a blank card as one you own during a game. You wouldn't need to worry about your physical cards. Only need to buy new blanks (at a cheap price) if the ones you have get damaged.
Altered sounds pretty cool but it's seemingly trying to do SO many things in so many different ways it's sort of hard for me to wrap my head around. Reminds me of trying to grok Keyforge a little bit. Not only is there a game and gameplay to understand there's this second meta-layer to the whole affair. It sounds like it might a little over my head to have my excited/hyped per se, but it certainly has my attention.
I am backing this at an insane level next year. I can't even imagine what the card you showed, Sakarabru will look like foiled. But if I get this I am foiling it. I'm budgeting $800-$1,200 for this Kickstarter. I'm hoping the GameGenic accessories will be part of the Kickstarter because I am buying 2 sets of Starters, Accessories and how ever many booster boxes I can get. I am eagerly awaiting Game Play videos.
I've been liking Kryptik. Haven't heard of the other game you said it was like. Might want to check it out. Shadowverse Evolve has been around for a bit and I've been enjoying the app. Super pumped to learn about Star Wars Unlimited and Altered. Thanks for sharing.
I agree that Altered is very ambitious. And I am hopeful they have not bitten off more than they can chew. I'm not that worried about the PoD though. That truly is only available to those who have bought and registered cards and want buy extras of cards they own for deck building or those who have foiled a card and want to have it in their deck foil. And of course for those selling their cards to others across the globe. I think that later action is going to take some time. It is not going to be like Magic where everything in a release has been spoiled and a meta is evolving along with a list of the most OP cards that are a must have, has hit the internet. The uniqueness of the game and the cards I think are going to take some time to blossom. Look at Sol Forge as an example. It was a Kickstarter that was a bit delayed by the Pandemic but a number of game stores bought heavily into the Kickstarter and were selling product before the retail release hit the market. I bought into both the after market Kickstarter boosters and the initial Retail release. But that was because I was not aware of the Kickstarter until after it was too late. I am 6 months early on this one and am budgeting heavily to ensure I have everything I want delivered with my Kickstarter. Before the Retail edition hits the shelves. It could be a huge waste of money or it could be like buying into the First Magic set. Only time will tell. I think it is an endeavor worth supporting if for no other reason than to encourage a new paradigm in TCG's.
I think you described Legions really well, I personally really enjoyed it because of how much time I've spent playing Yugioh. 100% if you like yugioh-style combo decks, you will love Legions, but if you don't, you won't
I'm glad it came off that way. It's hard to rank something low on a list yet still explain why it could be someone's number 1 game instead! I can totally see how people would love it and I absolutely hope LRAW finds all the players like yourself to keep succeeding!
I find Yu-Gi-Oh extremely strategical, you need to know your deck well. Looking at the board you have access to your entire deck. So you decide what to search based on the board state. I need some spell and trap removal I'll make alucard. I need some monster removal I will make castell.
My LGS has really been trying to push Kryptik but I haven’t been interested at all and I’ve been struggling to figure out why until I heard your summary! The vibes of the world and setting just don’t mesh with me. I’m cautiously interested in SWU-I have a love/hate relationship with the franchise but the gameplay seemed really fun. But with Altered coming on the horizon and the gameplay having some similarities, I’m definitely interested!
I love SWU. I tried getting into Lorcana but the earlier supply issues kept me away. I still play just to be involved in the community at my local LGS. Once SWU drops I’ll be playing that exclusively. Until Lorcana drops some Gargoyles.
Yes! I enjoyed Ashes more than Destiny (sadly, I really wanted to love Destiny!). But I'm really happy to see it used in multiple card-focused rulesets now!
Helo from Mexico! Congratulations I was going to invest a little bit of money in Lorcana but I understand what you said about the game and will probably build 1 deck but that´s it. Also waiting for SW unlimited evn though I do not like the cards, they need more punch in the design. I already wrote here about this but I strongly recommend that you check a game called Vanquishers, still my favorite TCG of all (Been playing card games for over 20 years) Great cards and an amazing play system, go check them out, cheers!
Got the Luke Skywalker and Darth vader leader cards for free at a board game convention, definitely keeping an eye on it was a lot of fun. Reminded me of Star realms a bit as well
Altered hype~ going to Baltimore for a couple days to join in on that learning / playtest event :) (actually, would it be ok for me/you link that in here? since there may be viewers in the area interested in catching a session)
I agree with you on Lorcana. I won't touch it with a ten foot pole. Forget about the boring gameplay. It has quickly become Scalpers vs. Greedy LGS: The Game. Altered...well...I'm not going to buy it at all. But it will be interesting to watch what happens with it. My personal opinion is that the company is going to do a speed run to bankruptcy or quickly change their stupid digital ownership system. Also agree with you on Legions. I'm burnt out on Yugioh, and these cards look a bit harder to read. I don't like the font choice and they need to be careful with the art underneath to make sure it is readable! I really want to grab some starters for Kriptik to try it out. I did like Duel Masters back in the day (especially digital).
I think Lorcana should have had you draw 2 like Star Wars Unlimited does. Draw cards still feel good and you feel like you always have options. I play Lorcana and I constantly end up topdecking half of the game.
This is one of the more honest straight forward opinions I heard about Shadowverse, thanks! I might be better off keeping that my go to digital TCG.. Would you rate Grand Archive over Shadowverse for investing into.. I just like the anime approach of these type of cards still wondering what to collect.. Just note that I totally do not like the One Piece cards at all, to me they truly just look like some horror type of comic book design, or the new school Pokemon EX in your face type of cards.. I like things more clean, classic Hearstone and Shadowverse alike..
Thanks - I do my best to be honest! And in that vein, Grand Archive is a game that I have a lot of belief in, so you're going to get likely a slightly biased answer from me on that. I think for which is the best investment - considering long term collectability or future potential - here are some differences between the two that are relevant (in different ways): - GA is an American made TCG from a small company, SVE is a Japanese TCG from two larger companies. - GA was a Kickstarted TCG that's survived into standard distribution, with Set 1 1st Edition boxes still holding over double the retail price in value. GA's Alter (unlimited) edition Set 1 boxes are at about 80% MSRP in value, or roughly standard value for most TCGs. SVE's Set 1 booster boxes are down to about half MSRP in value. - SVE is a better known IP than GA, though both are original Anime-themed IPs. - SVE is highly popular in Japan, though is having trouble gaining that same popularity here. It'd be tough for me to accurately predict which investment is better objectively - however, from my conversations with people in the GA company and my experience playing the game and with the community, I'm highly supportive of GA and think it has real possibility to do extremely well in the long term. Bushiroad games tend to have solid collectibibility down the line (early Cardfight!! cards command solid prices now), so I think that's maybe a safer bet but with lower potential returns. If GA ever really hits it big, I think the returns are much higher, but as it's more of an unknown quantity from a small company, there's more risk involved too. It's totally cool if you aren't into One Piece, etc. Solid game, definitely highly collectible, but also not my exact cup of tea. If you were asking ME which of the two I'd pick - well, I already have, and I am big on Grand Archive. I do think the game is better competitively and the company is absolutely top tier. But hopefully all that info will help you make your own, more informed decision!
@@MaindeckGames Great in depth point of view, thank you very much! I thought Dawn of Ashes is the first set of Grand Archive, but now I noticed there is another set called Fractured Crown, which seems not available anymore where I am from.. Somethings went horribly wrong with that print run I was told?! Do you know something about this and how this impact the current and future of the game.. Would you recommend to buy into the Fractured Crown set and or what would you be missing out on?!.. All I see sold and advertised are the Dawn of Ashes cards..
Yep, Dawn of Ashes and Fractured Crown are the two available sets, with Set 3, Alchemical Revolution, releasing in January. Fractured Crown didn't have anything wrong with the print run - in response to feedback from Set 1, the company wanted to adjust how they seeded CSRs (the highest rarity cards) into product in Set 2. They made a few changes, such as dropping the box size to 20 packs, and upping the case size from 6 boxes/case to 18 boxes/case. In doing this, they made it so at least 1 CSR was now guaranteed per case, with a small chance of 2 (about 1/5 cases). This was done with good intentions: to make it so that anyone who purchases enough wouldn't have a chance to miss hitting a collectible, rare card, like they do in Set 1 (watch my livestream 3x case opening for an example XD). However, this backfired slightly, as a huge amount of product got opened to chase those guaranteed CSRs, leading to low value of other cards in the set; and a number of sellers would open cases until they found 1 CSR, and then sell the rest of the boxes which now had a low chance of a CSR. These semi-"soft" boxes then started to reach a low price on the secondary market, as the Rs and SRs were in high supply and the CSRs were hard to find. The company quickly issued a very clever plan to solve all of these issues - The Fractured Crown set redemption, which allows players to bring in Playsets of Fractured Crown to major tournaments and redeem them for exclusive foil promos of one of the best cards in the game - or 3 sets to also get a CSR version of the promo. These redeemed sets will be warehoused and saved to give out at events in the future when Set 2 cards become more valuable as the supply dries up. This plan successfully achieved a lot: It propped up the value of the set as a whole, which brought the box value back up from its drop, and it also set up for the future to allow them to push those cards back into the economy through events if their prices start to go too high (as Set 2 is not going to be reprinted). They also announced that in Set 3, they'll be returning to the print model from Set 1 after seeing how this panned out. Hope that makes sense - if you can find either set, they are totally reasonable to buy into, though of course as Dawn of Ashes is the first set, it's got a lot of key cards that various decks need to exist so it's probably the first one you should grab.
Dang dude, I have been working on a card game for about 10 years as a pet project that uses alternating actions like Star Wars Unlimited. People are finally catching on
I'm excited for Star Wars Unlimited. I might check out the Altered TCG for play style being similarly built to Star Wars as the back and forth is something I've craved from a TCG for a while. There are a few glaring issues however that i have with the "digital ownership" of it. Either this is a low-key scam (which is not unlikely considering there is another NFT/Not NFT tcg coming out) but the singleton memtality of unique cards is actually a BIG red flag. I'm glad you enjoyed the game but it sounded more like you appreciated what they are trying to do to the market. Issue 1, are these digitally owned centralized to an account or server somewhere? If so, your ownership won't last. Your accounts will likely be hacked and cards "sold" to others if not just digitally recreated. Again, depends on how they utilize the digital space with storing cards and how the card token NFT is saved. Yes, this is an NFT you cannot really change it even if you say it is. Which also means in theory you can copy it btw. Issue 2, actually creating a game with uniquely owned cards can be problematic for balancing standpoints even if they are at 1. I have studied cybersecurity and honestly I would caution anyone based on what is being suggested in this video from heavily investing into Altered. Its really neat in concept, but the real world with how these things have gone in the past heavily suggests this will be a bad investment. If there is any info out there to suggest none of the data is in centralized storage or otherwise semi centralized storage, i would be happy to withdraw my concerns.
Two months later and no one has responded to this, but I think you hit on a point that no one is willing to consider while hyping up Altered. Cyber Security and protection are a VERY big concern considering their business model, and your questions need to be addressed.
@gamma626 I appreciate you acknowledging it, at least! But yes, it's shocking how I have seen zero tubers, streamers, content creators, etc. Talk about this topic. They just stop on the point of how consumer friendly it is in theory.
I'm a bit wary of the concept of unique 1/1 cards with unique effects. I don't know to what extent Altered wants to be a big tournament game, but if something that is mechanically unique and only exists as one copy becomes powerful enough to see tournament play, that feels like trouble to me..
Altered sounds like someone trying to do a modern take on the Chaotic TCG. It had ranomized stats on cards a digital play-place and the ability to save your physical collection digitally and trade your digital cards online. Chaotic had a kinda clunky Code system though.
"there is no shipping needed" "you can have your cards printed and shipped to you" ... uhm ok... i don't think it'll work since you have to keep printing till end of times cards of set 1, also the costs for the producer are inherently high. Also, what if i don't scan the card and just sell it on cardmarket? Wouldn't it be better if the company itself was a possible seller? it's weird...
Altered is very different, but they have the logistics totally figured out with Cartamundi. We have more videos covering it if you want to get a feel for more of the details! As of today it's the highest funded TCG of all time on Kickstarter, and with the highest backer count as well so there are certainly people as excited as I am :)
Yes, the back and forth action is more like LoR, while the way attacking and combat works is very reminiscent of Hearthstone (can attack either enemy or their units, damage sticks turn to turn), but with two lanes. Great call on LoR as a reference point for the actions!
Thanks for the countdown! Pretty cool. I'm really stoked about SW Unlimited too. Altered.....uh. Sounds revolutionary. But will it sell? Maybe, maybe not. What I'm hearing: It's not an NFT. Then hearing it described: I'm an NFT. lol. I think I'll pass on this one. But thanks for sharing it!
Thanks! For Altered, the major difference is that it's not using the blockchain. It's more akin to any online game with digital "objects," where they are simply stored on the server. That means it's managed by Equinox entirely, but unlike digital purchases in online games, you still own the physical cards if, for example, the game ends up flopping.
the nice thing about shadowverse is that it's a physical version of something people have played for a while, and there's always the threat of the digital app going away- so having a set of physical cards is a nice sentimental keepsake if nothing else.
I think the way they are doing it is less disastrous than people think at first brush. If you haven't, I recommend listening to our long interview to get the details! But either way, yes, SWU is super exciting!
Yes that is my main concern too. Balance is one problem, but the other would be a "feeling of uniqueness". I played a game where "algorithm" was used to create unique cards but none of them were actually unique at all. And if the player base is big, how can that be sustained? The core gameplay sounds cool for Altered TCG but I feel iffy about everything else.
The entire game was design around the generation of unique cards: 3 stats + 2 mana costs + 2 text zones. All of these parameters provide enough tools to generate truly unique cards. Furthermore, cards can only be played twice per game, which should strongly limit the snowball effect of overly powerful unique cards. And the number of unique cards per deck is limited. I don't know if the game will be successful, but a lot of work has been done to anticipate the issues you mentioned! :)
@@MonkeyMihawk Your points make sense, I also like the restrictions around the "unique cards" but there are other problems too. Aside from what I already mentioned, my other worry is: How will one make the art for those cards? And how will the "unique" cards be incorporated from a narrative standpoint? Are they going to use AI art or hire a ton of artists? Technically, in any TCG, there is enough design space to make 10,000,000+ cards. But only limited specific mixes and matches are made to make the game good from a game balance & narrative perspective. I trust that the designers behind Altered TCG are far more competent and knowledgeable than I am, I will wait and see how they execute this seemingly impossible idea and then make more judgments.
It was never said that the visuals of the cards would be unique, only their effects! And I imagine that many unique cards will lose some of their initial mecanical identity, but I think that's also what makes it exciting: to think that a card we own doesn't look like any other.
Literally never heard of any of these games except Lorcana and Star wars unlimited. I actually play tested for FFG for Star wars unlimited. Sadly, the only thing that matters to me is, is there a player base. So that's gonna be a no to every one of these except Lorcana and probably Star wars but that remains to be seen. FFG has been historically bad when it comes to OP so I won't get my hopes up plus, imo, the LCG was just better in almost every way and just started to come into itself when they shut it down for destiny, which itself was shutdown fairly quickly.
Digital ownership makes no sense, and very much feels like NFTs. The only way to enforce this would be have players have to scan their decks before every sanctioned event to verify that they are the “owner” of that card. I can see it being tedious and puts the burden of ownership on the event organizers. Why not just make a great game without all the extra “digital” overhead. I can also see the creators of a game having a conflict of interest if they have a monopoly on the marketplace. Print expensive cards, have them bought and sold and take a cut from transactions. Sounds pretty schemey to me.
You actually do have to build your decks and register them for events through the app, which is just a streamlined version of the decklist system used in all TCGs. I would be more apprehensive if this weren't coming from a company built by an already established and respected designer in the board game space. There will certainly be hurdles to overcome, but any progression always requires that. We'll absolutely have to wait and see if this is "the real deal" or if it doesn't pan out, but the innovations they are trying are what makes it so exciting.
@@MaindeckGames another worrisome aspect, is this idea of “unique” cards. Functionally unique cards that are not available to everyone are bad idea. The card is either OP and restricted to one player, or they are so toned down competitively that they aren’t quality play pieces. Players should have access to all play pieces, with special treatments for collectors.
Sounds like the game won't really be for you, and that's totally cool! The unique cards will absolutely be quality play pieces, and everyone will have their own that nobody else will have, but you will only be allowed a limited number of Unique cards in a deck. These will be algorithmically created, upgraded versions of cards at common and rare rarity, and the algorithm is being tuned to try to prevent any individual card from being too overpowered compared to the rest. Currently, the game has been tested with Uniques as 3/40 cards in your deck, so they are, on average, not likely to massively swing win ratios in your favor, and more emphasis will still be on archetype choices and good deck building. Because the uniques are upgraded versions of cards you can get at both common and rare rarity (rares being limited to 10 per deck as well), there will be a lot of deck building decision making in which 13 of the 40 cards in your deck you want to "bump up" to the higher rarities. And while every new opponent you face will likely have 3 cards you've never seen before, they are still going to be similar to the base card, so it's nothing entirely out of left field - they may just have a new ability tacked on or a different stat and cost distribution, etc. Still, it's exciting to see what unique cards other people have and to pull ones that only you own! This is really going to be a different beast of a TCG, and just like all of the games in this video, it will be very exciting for some people, and not as exciting for others. :)
@@MaindeckGames Seems a case of "For those who understand, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not understand, no explanation will suffice." In your opening you listed Lorcanna as something that was not for you but that others will probably love. I have heard people rave about the art work on SW Unlimited and I think it is pedestrian at best while I love the Art Work of Altered. We all come to gaming and TCG's with biases and preferences. Rather than hating on something that is clearly not for them, just move on and do not buy in rather than listing all the things they see wrong with it. Many Magic players were and are hating on Lorcanna. My FLGS bought into it at a level they had never invested before and still had a wait list a mile long and limited people to one of each thing available for those who got in at the beginning to allow those who came to it later to get some. And still they ran out and have more people on the waiting list. There is something out there for everyone. I love that a company with a highly experienced captain at the helm is trying something out of the box and between two realties as it were. Succeed or fail they are trying. The irony of the market place is that people can use it to simply sell in person and actuate the trade for free on the app. No cut taken. They are getting a cut from the printer for cards printed as I understand it. And they have negotiated or are negotiating a fair price for cards. I suspect that to simplify things in tournaments you likely create a deck like you do in SolForge and that has a unique identifier which requires you to have both halves of the deck. Given this is qr code driven I could see building a deck with your owned cards and then registering that deck for a tournament and getting a unique qr code printed at the bottom of your printed deck list to use for that tournament and it is checked at the start of each match to ensure you own the rites to the cards and have the correct cards in your deck. Where others see problems and scammers I see creativity, ingenuity and possibilities. I have little faith in my fellow man but have a great deal of hope in humanity! We can look at the world as if everyone is against us or everyone is for us. Neither reality is true, but in one you are very very alone and fearful. I live cautiously but hopefully. Trust but verify for those old enough to have lived through the first Gul War. 🙂
@@MrWarmot Been playing TCG’s competitively since 2019. And over 20+ years, if you count kitchen table play. Your comment is dripping with ignorance, but I get it. It’s a Disney card game, so surely it has to suck, right? Or, at the very least, be a game for kids and non-TCG players. But Lorcana is a really fresh, elegantly designed game. Paired with a strong IP, the only bad thing I can say about the game is it had a rough launch due to the scarcity of product. But those issues have since been alleviated-and the game itself is a ton of fun to play. If you haven’t tried it, I would definitely recommend giving it a go. If you’re being an asshole just to be an asshole though, I can’t help you there.
@@MaindeckGames Opinions aren't exempt from feedback, and the substantiation provided for yours implies that you were not playing Lorcana at a competent level, which is especially rich given the patronizing tone with which you described the game. Didn't sign up for anything because I didn't subscribe, your channel came up when I searched for Altered, and I won't be signing up any time soon!
I was unable to find the time to visit their event space, unfortunately! But I've got Sorcery product in hand and will have it played and have opinions on it soon!
Japanese meta for Shadowverse is definitely not the same as what has developed over here. Same for Magic the gathering, etc. Also, there are multiple archetypes to build within each craft. Also the meta is surprisingly deep for only having one set out over here. Just don't want anyone getting the wrong idea.
I appreciate the added info! Regional metas do tend to develop differently - but still there's something less exciting to me personally about a game with delayed localized releases. I think a few small changes to the mechanics would have made me more excited - such as leader cards having different unique abilities to build around in each craft. Does the game happen to go that route at any point down the line?