Play Hearthstone, kill Spires, and “If you made this card, would you give it that ability instead?” If so, a new roguelike deck builder Card Coder I ask you to test it. Just forget to build a deck. Here you can build custom cards from scratch, combine effects, triggers, targets, and select names and artwork to even create something that can overcome your opponent. I was first teased in January, so I can try out the early demos on Steam right now, but that’s already caught my attention.
All these years were spent playing magic, Hearthstone and many of our best card games. As I’m sitting with a new demo of card coders, the developer professor released it as part of an ongoing “game” showcase on Steam. It is clearly still in its early days and lacks the finest loglique polish, but I am quickly forced to be on the basis of extending beyond card creation to a tactical, freeform combat system.
Building cards is relatively easy. You take a trigger that activates the effect – the easiest thing to do is “when this card plays”. Next, apply the condition or activation cost. You probably need to spend your health to use it. Next, add a selector. The selector determines how to select a target (probably the closest enemy card or the most dangerous enemy card). Finally, whether it is a damage, healing, or more involved effect, your effect will occur.
Allowing the most overwhelming option will automatically determine your card energy cost based on the effect applied. When you’re satisfied, you can name the card and adjust the color shade and add images from pre-prepared pixel art pieces or your own PC choice. Importantly, however, the cards are not merely placed in a grid format, but can instead be placed anywhere on the board, with smart positioning that allows you to exploit weaknesses in your enemy lineup.
Overcoming enemies will earn rewards. You can then go to the shop to unlock more components and build better cards. Merge replicas to enhance additional bonuses and discover unique combinations that create additional effects. You also need to address the modification factors created by the Battlefield location. For example, splash damage is ineffective in space battles, but fighting in ancient temples will soothe all current player cards at the start of the turn.
It’s a game that’s very built for my brain. I grew up with the classic superhero game Freedom Force with meticulous attention from the ground up. Final Fantasy 12 is my favorite of the series’ single-player offerings, and honestly, it is mainly thanks to its Gambit system, which essentially allows you to program the actions of party members. I am the devil of a complex production line sim created by Zachtronics. The card coder still looks early on, but that’s certainly something I look at with interest.
A card coder demo is currently available on Steam. If you’re looking for something creative and different, or just want to practice basic programming skills, you can download it here.
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