Breaking The Habit
A song by Linkin Park otherwise. Recently i saw a Gwent video from a YouTuber with the title "[Gwent] Control Doesn't Exist". Through out the video i was trying to understand were the issue or concern lies and my only conclusion is that Gwent takes a different approach than the standard CCG's, so it breaks the familiarity. As i say in the comments of the video, ultimately, the issue is being uncomfortable because habit is a powerful addiction.
Here we don't see ourselves as a Hero with a limited HP. Here we have 3 rounds, we are compelled to think ahead and strategize accordingly (most of the times). Nevertheless there is a comment i find quite efficient at replying his questions:
We have to consider the fact that the game is in CBT and as in any other CCG, more cards, Leaders, Factions even and mechanics may be presented at some point. CCG's more than any other game genre even are evolving in time, changing the meta in every single implementation of updates. Another big difference is the rewards that Gwent gives just for participating in CBT (very important for folks like me, F2P accounts).
My personal issue is the incentives the game gives to build different decks, to reward you for taking the risk to play cards/decks out of the meta. One of my favorite Youtubers is AdamNadrac because he plays decks that are different. People calling them meme decks and i do not coprehend the term honestly. Gaming is about having fun, not falling into a routine and thinking, "I have to do this!" and such. If you are not having fun you are doing it wrong. If you only have fun by winning you are doing it wrong. But that's just me i guess.
Even in the game's deck builder you could incentivize adversity. At the same spot craft cards, more elaborate and easy to use Filter system too. And ofc. i do hope in the future more cards will give that incentive, punish predictability, reward the risk to try something different. The issue with the game is not the lack of familiarity and archetypes, the issue is the lack of incentives to break the meta consistently. And if you say, "Every CCG has this issue", well, it is time to being comfortable with the unexpected.
Closing, i think the game needs more regular updates. Times like these it feels like everyone has left the building. From having a Dev diary or roadmap for the game, to make quick balances (cards like Milva, just make her ability trigger before Roach fcol.), everything helps to keep the audience interested. Things like having simple surveys send (the Suggestion subforum is ok too) but taking so much time even in CBT feels like neglection almost, at least to some i am sure.
Hope for the best, best regards, cheers to all.
A song by Linkin Park otherwise. Recently i saw a Gwent video from a YouTuber with the title "[Gwent] Control Doesn't Exist". Through out the video i was trying to understand were the issue or concern lies and my only conclusion is that Gwent takes a different approach than the standard CCG's, so it breaks the familiarity. As i say in the comments of the video, ultimately, the issue is being uncomfortable because habit is a powerful addiction.
Here we don't see ourselves as a Hero with a limited HP. Here we have 3 rounds, we are compelled to think ahead and strategize accordingly (most of the times). Nevertheless there is a comment i find quite efficient at replying his questions:
Caio Pelichek Gonçalves
Hi Swim! I'm a game designer, and also a big fan! Now, here's a brick wall of text about control on Gwent (xD)
Although Gwent isn't, to my knowledge, like any other card game out there, it doesn't mean it doesn't have it's own form of a control archetype. Is it better than the mid range strategies out there? Probably not, but there are enough control elements to justify the possibility of playing a straight control deck, even if it isn't good. On your video you just mention a mouthful of them! But let's not forget meta calls like using Manticore Venon for smacking down Henselt's Siege Towers, and also Cyprian Wiley (which I find curious you didn't mention, since I think you made it such a popular card right now) for dealing with Nekkers/Queensguard/Roach. Another thing to consider, is that the way ST's trap cards work contributes for the very fact that control isn't more popular right now, because most control options don't work against them, rendering such strategies fruitless in a ST-heavy environment. Should the 'trap immunity' be re-worked, there would be more room for control to rise and shine.
That being said, you can play the role of a control deck, even if you don't consider your card choices to be control heavy or intended to control at all. For example, after you won round 1 and on round 2 you just want to 'bleed cards' from your opponent, going for card advantage with Ciri, Ocvist and spies, and making they play in sub-optimal conditions for they can't afford passing. For that matter, I had a very sucesful run with Bekker's Twisted Mirror recently just because my opponents thought it was safe to pass early just because I played a big spy, making they think I can't win with only one card, them after they pass BTM come's down and it's a very satisfying GG.
By playing the role of a control deck, you're playing towards that archetype, even if you doesn't feel like that tag belongs on your deck, but let's face it, decks build around leader's like Henselt, Herald, ST in general, weather Monster, they all play in a control fashion. Radovid is just a more clear form of control, most of the time he forces your opponent on playing around him if they can, but same could be said about Dagon - if Dagon was just a Rally, he wouldn't be near as popular, but just the treat of weather makes him much more valuable, making just that control the flow of the game. Even Nilfgaard has a very, very powerful control card in the form of Letho, which if played on the right moment against most of the decks just means your opponent forfeits straight away, because their whole strategy just got banished.
Because the card pool of Gwent is still very limited, and decks try to be the most efficient and only play the minimum amount of cards required, there's not an easy way to build a pure archetype of control that works and effectively wins most of the times, and the same could be said about aggro, hence the feeling of most of the decks being mid range. Still we are just a couple of cards away from pure control (or aggro!) strategies to emerge.
Anyway, sorry for bothering with this one brick wall, but hopefully it just adds to the debate in a positive way! Wish you all who had the patience to ready all that stuff have a great day!
We have to consider the fact that the game is in CBT and as in any other CCG, more cards, Leaders, Factions even and mechanics may be presented at some point. CCG's more than any other game genre even are evolving in time, changing the meta in every single implementation of updates. Another big difference is the rewards that Gwent gives just for participating in CBT (very important for folks like me, F2P accounts).
My personal issue is the incentives the game gives to build different decks, to reward you for taking the risk to play cards/decks out of the meta. One of my favorite Youtubers is AdamNadrac because he plays decks that are different. People calling them meme decks and i do not coprehend the term honestly. Gaming is about having fun, not falling into a routine and thinking, "I have to do this!" and such. If you are not having fun you are doing it wrong. If you only have fun by winning you are doing it wrong. But that's just me i guess.
Even in the game's deck builder you could incentivize adversity. At the same spot craft cards, more elaborate and easy to use Filter system too. And ofc. i do hope in the future more cards will give that incentive, punish predictability, reward the risk to try something different. The issue with the game is not the lack of familiarity and archetypes, the issue is the lack of incentives to break the meta consistently. And if you say, "Every CCG has this issue", well, it is time to being comfortable with the unexpected.
Closing, i think the game needs more regular updates. Times like these it feels like everyone has left the building. From having a Dev diary or roadmap for the game, to make quick balances (cards like Milva, just make her ability trigger before Roach fcol.), everything helps to keep the audience interested. Things like having simple surveys send (the Suggestion subforum is ok too) but taking so much time even in CBT feels like neglection almost, at least to some i am sure.
Hope for the best, best regards, cheers to all.