Dear CD Projekt Red, dear Gwent staff, dear everybody
I'm excited to post this analysis (you can find the .pdf attached to this post) that I finished on the 27th of february regarding HC.
I hope it can be helpful to have many insight on possible directions that the game could implement.
WARNING: this is NOT a negative post/analysis: in here I just point out many mechanics (rules in the game) and dynamics (emergent patterns that arise when mechanics are put in motion;
) that I think are important to adress.
I love to talk about game design, I work in an italian boardgame studio, and analyzing games is my job, so please don't take this as an attack, but rather as an interesting discussion.
I know it is a long analysis - you can find the .pdf attached to this post (35 pages with many pictures), but there is a summary with links to every paragraph in the second page.
If you want, feel free to read the titles and have a look to the specific things you are most interested in.
If then you think I'm saying reasonable things, you can maybe read on and maybe have a discussion; if not, you can close without having lost too much time and effort. Thank you anyway for taking a moment to read.
A couple more disclaimer:
Interestingly enough, the new coming expansion - Crimson Curse, which seems refreshing and I’m looking forward to play - is following some of the guidelines of the analysis, which make me even more incline to show this work, because it means I independently found the same problems CDPR wants to focus on.
Here is an introduction: I feel that with Homecoming the game has become slow, less fun and interesting . My main concerns are the lack of tension and climax and I tried to think about many changes that would make Gwent better.
I want to give a feedback both from a player and a game designer point of view (I am a long date TCG player and I work in a italian boardgame studio), introducing the big
problems I think Gwent should face . In particular, these are my main concerns:
Gwent already took a nice step forward in the right direction with the Mulligan update, other fixes and the new coming expansion, but I hope my thoughts can prove interesting and helpful. I know how much feedback is important in creating a new game, and how many iterations are needed to build a final product.
I really want Gwent to succeed more and that’s why I wrote such a long review in my little spare time! I’m looking forward to see people have unbelievable fun playing Gwent. And to play like that myself even more. With appreciation and love.
I'm excited to post this analysis (you can find the .pdf attached to this post) that I finished on the 27th of february regarding HC.
I hope it can be helpful to have many insight on possible directions that the game could implement.
WARNING: this is NOT a negative post/analysis: in here I just point out many mechanics (rules in the game) and dynamics (emergent patterns that arise when mechanics are put in motion;
Order effect is a mechanic; stacking order effects is a dynamic
I love to talk about game design, I work in an italian boardgame studio, and analyzing games is my job, so please don't take this as an attack, but rather as an interesting discussion.
I know it is a long analysis - you can find the .pdf attached to this post (35 pages with many pictures), but there is a summary with links to every paragraph in the second page.
If you want, feel free to read the titles and have a look to the specific things you are most interested in.
If then you think I'm saying reasonable things, you can maybe read on and maybe have a discussion; if not, you can close without having lost too much time and effort. Thank you anyway for taking a moment to read.
A couple more disclaimer:
Simple: I sent a mail with a presentation and the file to CDPR mail on the 27th of february, but nobody answered (it was expected it: I mean, who would even look to the material of some unknown guy?). I phoned to their headquarter after a week and they told me to send it again... But no further reply even then (waited another week). I asked some guys of the italian Gwent community if they have some contact but they ignored me (I'm not angry, I understand their situation... maybe they thought preventively it was a joke!). Then I asked some of my favourite streamers but they never replied or dismiss it as a joke too. So here I am.. XD
the analysis was completed on the 27th of february before the last artifact updates and before the previews of expansions. But main points are still more than valid
Here is an introduction: I feel that with Homecoming the game has become slow, less fun and interesting . My main concerns are the lack of tension and climax and I tried to think about many changes that would make Gwent better.
I want to give a feedback both from a player and a game designer point of view (I am a long date TCG player and I work in a italian boardgame studio), introducing the big
problems I think Gwent should face . In particular, these are my main concerns:
- Staying true to Gwent core statement (Gwent is a game about armies clashing where the players are commanders and the cards are their forces) by giving to players:
- the feeling to be in the middle of the battle (dynamic boardstate withMulti-turns effects);
- tension and meaningful choices and dilemmas
- Implementing simplicity in the core mechanics:
- Play a card or pass (no other actions); beginner friendly core rules;
- Playtime and Heuristics (for both casual and pro players)
- Deckbuilding, provisions and balancing improvement:
- Renewing gameplay and card design to fit perfectly the core rules of Gwent:
- Implementing Multi-turns effect (Engine, Trigger, Timer) design andgameplay;
- Remove Order effects from the game and translate them into interesting Multi-turns effects (the mere existence of Order effects lead to too many terrible and unfixable dynamics);
- Solve the binary of Removal effects by moving to indirect removal and timer locks; designing cards thinking about how to counter fractions of value;
- Use more the potential of Gwent tools, such as Armor, Shields, Movement, card’s statuses, Resilience, Spy, etc.
Gwent already took a nice step forward in the right direction with the Mulligan update, other fixes and the new coming expansion, but I hope my thoughts can prove interesting and helpful. I know how much feedback is important in creating a new game, and how many iterations are needed to build a final product.
I really want Gwent to succeed more and that’s why I wrote such a long review in my little spare time! I’m looking forward to see people have unbelievable fun playing Gwent. And to play like that myself even more. With appreciation and love.