Yoshida wanted Card Game ideas.

[Claire_Pendragon]

What if you mixed Triple Triad with Magic the Gathering?

Q: will there be mini game like Gold Saucer or Triple Triad

A: for the card game I made one before but it takes a lot of work to make it; for MMORPG players think as rewards so just being it a card game alone wont do it, we have to make sure that part is taken care of. Dev team bring me request that they want to make card game but we're still looking into it.

Yoshida had stated he was interested in implementing a card game, but he was only waiting for the "Right" ideas.

After all, slapping on a basic card game, that's like a simple game of War, will be something we screw around with for the 1st day or so, but after that, it will be ignored.
Much like the Chocobo Racing in FFXI.

Besides rewards, making the game actually fun and challenging, all the while engaging, is something that requires a bit of depth.
All the while, being simple enough to "jump into".

Looking at some of the more complex card games, like Magic the Gathering, Yugi-Oh, or even Pokemon, we notice a pattern to how they play out.



You have 2 sides, where you lay down your cards, where you draw from, and a graveyard.

You defeat enemies, and try to defeat your opponent by hurting their HP. (Life Points, or w/e.)

There are themes to decks, along with play styles, and multiple ways to win.

Do enough damage to your opponents life.
Such as defend/stall/heal until you survive for so many turns, you auto-win.
Have them run out of cards.
Or some sort of doomsday card, that triggers a win, under certain conditions.

So as much as I thought about the most basic card games currently out, and how can you re-arrange the rules, so they seem different... it hit me. (Took 2 points of dmg.)

Square Enix already HAS a card game...
(No duh, we all knew that.)

Triple Triad

Tetra Master

We know why we can NOT use these card games, because they don't have the level of depth other card games do have. (Primarily speaking of the other card games like Magic.)

But here is something those other card games do NOT have... a game of physical placement...

Think of Final Fantasy Tactics, and how it is played on a grid, while having RPG elements.

Now think of a card game, where you draw cards, have resources to limit "lucky draws", but also have to place cards on the field, in key positions.

In triple triad, and Tetra Master, your goal isn't to "kill enemies" or "kill your opponent", but to "take control" of your opponents enemies.

Those are the two features that would be GREAT in the FFXIV card game.


So here is an example of how this would be a bit more.
You have a much larger grid, where you must place EVERY card type.

So if you have "Monsters" with HP and Attack power, you obviously place them down, where they will interact with cards around them, including other monster cards.

But you could also have other cards that go on the field, such as;

Buffs: Face up cards that buff monsters that are within it's range.

(In this picture you can see a buff that gives monsters to its right, above it, and lower left of it, a bonus to attack power.)
Buff effects are always active.

Debuffs: Similar to the Buff card, except these are face down. Your opponent can not see them. And they do not work, until the controller of the card turns it face up. (This can be done at any time.)

The effects of debuffs effect all targets within it's range, including your own cards, but it will not activate (Flip up), unless you chose to do this. (At any time.)
Like the buff, once it is face up, it stays up, and active. (Unless cards in the game undo this, like an Esuna card.)

Resource: In most of the game cards, they use some sort of "Resource" system, to prevent people pulling out the best card too quickly/early.

Basically fill a deck with the best cards, and don't bother putting in anything else, and just hope you draw the best of the best, right away.

In turn, becomes luck based a bit too much. (Good Card games don't let luck rule the game.)

Sadly, this has a "Slow start" feel, which can annoy people, or for those who don't build decks properly, they get tired of holding onto cards they want to use, but can't.

Magic used "Land cards", Pokemon had "Energy cards" and Yugi-Oh actually have very little resource limitations at 1st, but when they realized the imbalance, they eventually relied heavily on sacrificing HP as a resource, along with needing to pull out cards that combine together in a combo, and so forth.

IDK what kind of resource/limitation we would use, but 3 ideas come to mind.

Energy Terminals: Similar to the buff card, you need to place this somewhere, and all cards you place down, must touch an energy terminal card. (doesn't matter what you call the card.)

This feels a bit more restricting than I would like, nor as interesting.

Level up: place level up cards on the field, which effects every card you have, so in short, things build up in power, rather than having "strong cards" that require waiting a large number of turns before they can be used.
You just have all weak cards, that eventually become something strong.

This feels a bit better for the "Control your opponents cards" play style.

Field sections: Sections of the field allow for more powerful cards to be placed down on them.
Think of scrabble, and where certain areas offer more points.
There is no card to represent this, since it's built into the background.
But with this, you can place weak cards on "power spots" to prevent opponents strong cards being placed on them, or simply for other concepts/ideas not mentioned here.

You could mix this with both of the previous for other combinations.



Now... We went over some of the basic concepts to make it a bit different and have more depth, while also with giving it a familiar feel with Triple Triad elements.

The only element I would personally like to add, that Triple Triad allowed, that I have tried in other card games, is;
Chose your starting hand.

I have tried this with Magic, and it was allot of fun. We added other features such as seeing the top 3 card of your deck at all times, and choosing which of them you take from.
We also tried drawing more than 1 card, as having options is more fun, unlike endgame for magic gets boring, as u draw a card, place that card, repeat.

This doesn't always work for every card game. But worth bringing up.

Thank you for reading, and I hope Yoshida will see some of these ideas.

Have fun everyone! (Thumbs up if you like any features, and please, by all means, post any added concepts you would like to mention, or any flaws you see in this. I will be pleased to update this.)

[auritribe]

I think the card game, whatever form it takes, uses the leve cards in some way shape or form. Or expands into the leve system in some way since the leves already look like cards.

[Claire_Pendragon]

Using Leve cards is an interesting idea as well.
Maybe even as "Quest cards"
Giving some sort of theme to each round.
(Or just for all cards.)

One thing I forgot to mention, is how most Card games with Resource cards, tend to be annoying when you continually draw those cards near the end of the game. (When it isn't needed.)

So maybe the system in place to balance out what cards can be played, isn't determined by the draw.
(aka resources based on what turn it is, or something else.)

Also maybe instead of HP, you have something that blends what turn it is, and how many times your monsters have been "Captured".

Like you gain "Turn points" for every passing turn, and for each enemy monster you "Capture" you gain a turn point.
(And lose one for each monster lost.)

Maybe the reverse, you gain points, when your monsters are captured, allowing you to bring out stronger monsters quicker.

Turn3, = 3 points, and your opponent takes 3 of your monsters, you are at a total of 6.
This strong monster has a requirement of "6 points" in order for you to place it on the field.

But be careful, once your "Points" get too high, lets say "50~" you lose the game.
So take over your opponents monsters, to lower your points, and raise theirs.

I have no idea how to balance this, but worth mentioning the "Draw Resource Card" problem that makes allot of card games get boring in moments.

Lastly, "Abilities/Spells" such as Firaga, or Whirlwind.
Depending on the monster type or something, you can use "Abilities" with that monster.

Normally in Triple Triad, once a monster is on the field, it can no longer be placed back down, to attack again.
It only acts the moment it is placed down.

With abilities, you can choose a monster already on the field, and make it attack again, but within the abilities limits.
Firaga does x damage, and in the x direction.

What are the costs? dunno, discard cards? (i like the idea of no graveyard. so maybe not.)
Or add/remove your HP/turn points?

Dunno.

IMO removing "HP" that is commonly in Card Games, for Turn Points, would help it feel a bit more like TT or TM. (Since winning required having more captured monsters.)

[Andrien]

I want to capture monsters and use them as cards lol.

[Era]

I want to capture monsters and use them as cards lol.

Haha, I'm picturing something like the Trickster class in FFTA2, one of the card using classes, throwing a card and capturing a monster pokemon style.

I really like the way the guild leve cards look and how the art on the card depicts the category of quest, but since it does that they'd have to change the picture, but leave the "frame" part...it's almost like a stained glass style painting. If a card game was to be implemented they already have a great "card" layout.

Also, love the signature gif, Andrien. ;p

[Matsume]

For the love of the Twelve let's not put Pokemon and Yu Gi Oh on par with Magic the Gathering... MTG is FAR more complex, and draws from such a rich background based on ancient civilizations, mythology, and religions that it is closer in lore to Final Fantasy than it is with the former mentioned card games...

[Estellios]

Capturing monsters to use as cards like in FF8 and even going to certain locations for terrain/artifact/whatever cards would be pretty sweet. They could even have different levels of enemies produce different cards and have each with their own artwork. Hell, gatherers could get in on it and somehow procure the non-creature cards.

Whatever they decide for the rules I hope they just make them easy to understand and get into. Even a game as deep as MTG at its core its rules are really quite simple to figure out once you get past the "order of actions" that turns go through. The complexity comes from the cards themselves.

[RolandDebreton]

I love some of your ideas!

I'm posting a contest on my LS website trying to stir interest in this. It would be nice to have a leisure activity in game that we could participate in. And something collectible and fun like MtG would be excellent. People will pay good money to play MtG online, if something on par was available in an already enjoyable game, all the better!

[GreyJorildyn]

I would really like to see Triple Triad make a come back. That was my favorite of the card games.

[Nakiamiie]

OP's card game idea is amazing!

+1 vote for it!
I hope it inspires the devs and Yoshi-P.
I really enjoy Magic the Gathering and the SE card games, so combining both is pure genius.
I hope we can see that in FFXIV. Also, it makes for excellent alternative rewards in FFXIV: collecting cards to improve your deck. And playing against other players would be very awesome too.

It will be hard and long to code, especially if it involves NPC fights, but I really think it is worth it. I even suspect some people will register to FFXIV only to play that game and have tournaments! That means lively cities in FFXIV!