![]() project for a TCG, I realized just how utterly different the problem space is from other games. I got my specialty in artificial intelligence in college and when working on my first A.I. programmer in the world for TCG's on our team.Ĭhris: It's literally all I've done for a decade working on TCG versions of some of gaming's biggest IP's including Legends of Norrath, Star Wars Galaxies, Stargate, and Magic: the Gathering Tactics. How were you able to overcome this seemingly insurmountable technical hurdle?Ĭory: Luckily for us, we have Chris who is the most accomplished A.I. good enough to handle a persistent PvE experience with a constantly expanding card pool. We almost felt obligated to make it and we couldn't be happier.įor years I've heard many programmers and game designers say it was almost impossible to create an A.I. At the first brainstorming session two years ago we knew the world was ready for this type of hybrid and we all recognized its potential. Kevin: HEX got started pretty quickly because we could immediately see the promise of building this kind of game. The fact that gamers have put up with so many bad mobile and social card games lately speaks volumes to how desperate they are for a truly great digital TCG experience. Some of that stems from our disappointment with what's been released on mobile and social platforms in the last year or so. Was HEX designed from the start to address this?Ĭory: It really came down to my wanting to play a game like HEX and as a team we really feel that there is a need for this type of game in the digital market. ![]() Over the years I've noticed this growing desire for a robust digital TCG that has enough depth for high-level competitive play, but also more casual solo and co-op modes alongside it. We'll spend months and months just looking at how a single game mode should work and that's an important distinction between what we're doing compared to other developers/publishers that just want to capitalize on the collectable card game craze. ![]() It's obvious that the design teams behind a lot of digital collectable card games on the market don't even know the right questions they need to be asking themselves in order to build a sustainable and balanced game. From the very beginning we set out to avoid the pitfalls that plague the mobile and digital space because we understand that it takes months to properly build and balance card sets and game modes. With so many lackluster digital collectable card games on the market, what is the team at Cryptozoic doing to ensure a rich gameplay experience for the player?Ĭory: MMO and TCG are some of the most overused words in the gaming industry but we believe that being a TCG doesn't just mean putting some fancy art on an oblong square and then monetizing it. Joining in on the conversation were President and CCO Cory Jones, Lead Engineer & Lead Encounter Designer Chris Woods, Lead Systems Designer Kevin Jordan, Lead Designer Ben Stoll, and Lead Developer Dan Clark.īlending a TCG with an MMO sounds like a dizzying task. HEX is enjoying one of the most successful Kickstarter campaigns to date and I sat down with the team to discuss some of the challenges and design philosophies that went into creating the game. The fact that it will have persistent MMO features complete with a vast PvE experience that allows for solo and co-op play is even more impressive. HEX made an immediate splash with the TCG community the moment it was announced and it speaks volumes to the demand for a true digital TCG experience on par with established physical products. Now they're looking to shake up the digital landscape with HEX, the world's first ever MMO-TCG. Since then they've created a number successful deck building games and licensed board games. When I first met the brilliant minds over at Cryptozoic Entertainment a few years ago it was easy to see that they were an insanely passionate and creative bunch with mountains of potential.
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