Hello everyone,
Last month I talked to you about the struggles and issues inherent in transposing a paper board game to a video game format. This month, it's time to take a closer look at some of the cards in the game, as well as the different ways to get them.
Some explanations on the cards
In Drifter's Tales you have many cards with various and original effects. Each card has its statistics as well as its effects. Each side of a card has a strength (in red) and a defense (in blue), with the number in the center representing the total hit points the card has.
For example, the Cyclops Statue card is not very powerful (one and only one life point, no strength, no defense), but once placed on the board, it grants you gems in order to add some money to your purse.
How to get cards in a story
There are many ways to get cards in a story!
Among these are random encounters that can occur during your game at any time. Each encounter allows you to have one or more new cards in a different way.
For example, the Broken Mirror encounter allows you to obtain the Duplicate card, at the cost of a wait that could be... somewhat fatal.
Then, each story has one or more chests. These chests contain a puzzle to solve and - if you succeed - you will get a random card from a pool of 5 cards.
One of the cards you can get, Replacement, allows you to replace any of your cards on the game board with another.
Other means are at your disposal to get new cards. Many secrets are scattered throughout the game, allowing you to add new cards to your collection. For example, you may meet important characters asking you to take an oath that you must respect. But beware: woe to you if you betray your oath!
Upgrade your cards
At the end of a story, you will also be able to upgrade the base cards of your starting deck to a more powerful version. Thus, the Banshee could be replaced by the Banshee of Mara.
Each of your basic cards will be replaced by this improved version, and your choice will be very important for the fights to come!
The collection
The original game had 35 cards. Although for some players this number could seem limited, I find that it is a sufficient number for a game with a lifespan of a few hours. Reviews of the original game were taken in account, and I added some 50 more cards, increasing the total number of playing cards to 85.
Your collection will have over fifty unlockable cards across all of your saves, and - who knows - you'll discover a secret that I put there.
Next month
Next month, I will tell you about the first private alpha to collect all your feedback! Because - indeed - I really need to playtest this version before going to production. If you are interested in this test, here is the registration link: https://forms.gle/w4GPCauoSgitTibZ6 - your name will be credited at the end of the game!