Since I am boycotting Gwent, until it become playable and viewable, I decided to install Bethesda's CCG game. And what did I see there:
It's four wonderful boards, first of all. That, what I wanted to see in Gwent. Boards are like tables of some types: map, velvet table, clear stone plate and the wooden one. All tables are good lightened, but not very much, what creates a soft, calm atmosphere of a card game. Shadows are good too. Boards are wonderful in all cases. This users' chips are very beautifully and stylishly made too. Cards I like lesser, because they have the same ragged frame as in Gwent. But here it is not so conspicuous, it's quite small. Another thing I don't like here is a color theme: I think it must be dark on light, but not light on dark, which is not good for perception. But, at least all other card elements have straight defined lines, what is very good. And especially I like cards' backs. They are wonderful in comparison to some Gwent's ones, because they are not 3D. 3D-backs are not ok, I think. They are looking abnormal and foreign, cause cards are 2D. That is one of the mistakes of the current Gwent design. TESL backs are very neat and clear, even if they are animated. Cause they all are 2D. Wonderful backs.
What about all other elements: they are all clear and neat too. I lke the overall style (could be better of course, but at least it is well-percepted). And there is too much darkness in some elements, what partially creates the same depressing atmosphere like in Gwent. I don't understand, why almost all games have dark style. It's depressing. It's not good for eyes as someone say, because as some researches show, dark on light is better for reading and it is not so depressing. I think, it's a mistake of almost all games. If u look to the popular HS, it has mostly dark on light text and design.
And it's design is quite simple, but people are playing it much more, then TESL, Gwent, MTGA counted summary and with light text on a dark back. It's a big mistake, I think. No metter, how beautiful is ur game, light on dark is disattractive for most of people, it's depressing and people don't like depression. As I feel, it causes pression on my soul, on my mood. Cause dark things are heavy, it's not surprising.
But, of course, I don't like HS-style gameplay of TESL with mana and face bitting and creature exchange (cause there is only one line of creatures and no rounds). It's boring. I liked Gwent more, when there wasn't so many buff/damage and order mechanics. I like game with tricky mechanics, because it is an essence of cards. But, this is not that theme to talk about gameplay.
So, the main idea of this post is: this, what I want Gwent to be, what it is logical to be: a board game, where cards are cards, not creatures. Cards like creatures is unlucky idea, cause it's cards and cards must lay on the appropriate board. Only there they are looking essential. Battle fields are for creatures, for 3D-figures, not 2D-cards. And the design must not be disgusting. Noone will go to the game every day, if it has muddy, dirty design. TES Legends - this game I want to go everyday, because the style is quite good, but I hate the HS gameplay, so I won't... Just because of gameplay (and may be because of the dark interface too).