Quite some time ago GaryGames announced that they were working on a new game named SolForge. At that time I had no idea what this game could become and the only thing I could do is give them some money so they could eventually start developing it. I send them some money. The kickstarter project was in the end successful.
SolForge is a digital collectible card game created by GaryGames team (Stone Blade Entertainment now) and Richard Garfield (most known as the creator of Magic: The Gathering).
The goal of the game is similar to other card games - to reduce opponent's life total to 0 (starting life total is 100 in this case). SolForge is a card game so you start with a deck with certain amount of cards. These cards have different types. There are creatures and spells so far. But a new type will be available soon. Creatures enter play in a line in front of you that has 5 slots. Spells after being played have an immediate one time effect.
Each turn a player has 5 cards available to him or her and can play 2 of them. There is no cost associated to playing cards unless the text on the card says so. You also have to Battle at some point on your turn (that means that it can be the first thing you do or you can wait until you play a card or both cards). At the end of each turn you discard the cards you did not play that turn and draw a new hand of five cards.
Leveling up
The unique mechanic in SolForge is leveling up. This is a mechanic that would be difficult to do in paper but is easy to do in a digital game. Each player starts with a deck that contains only level 1 cards. Whenever you play a card the card levels up (actually it levels up at the end of turn and if the card was played - and left the field - it levels up and is removed from your deck and replaced with higher level version). At certain point in the game you level up. At this point you reshuffle your deck and you can draw Level 2 or 3 cards respectively. This also means that it can happen that you won't draw a certain card from your deck.
Battle means that creatures in lanes (columns) combat. If a creature faces another creature it deals damage to that creature's Health value using its Attack value. The damage taken stays on the creature unless you heal it with some effects or abilities (like Regenerate). If a creature is not opposed it deals damage to the opponent (the attack value being subtracted from the player's life total). Creatures enter the lane on defensive (thus cannot attack, similar to summoning sickness in Magic). At the start of the next turn they can attack (and are thus on the offensive). When Battle button is pressed creatures on the offensive initiate combat. Creatures on defensive defend (deal damage) themselves when they are attacked.
Since this is a collectible card game in which deckbuilding plays a big role we have cards divided into four factions. Each deck can contain up to two faction cards. The factions are: Alloyin - researchers who seek advancement beyond all else, Tempys - barbarians and shamans that revere and harness the elements, Uterran - subterranean people who harness magic of nature, Nekrium - undead necromants from the frozen wastes. Alloyin cards are often defensive and are capable to level cards in other ways. Tempys has cards that can attack immediately, are heavily attack oriented, can deal direct damage etc. Uterran can create tokens, pump creatures, have some big creatures. Nekrium offers spot and global removal, has access to cards that come back from the 'dead' etc.
After playing the game I have to say that it is not as simple as it may seem. I wasn't sure how much impact the level up mechanic would have on the game but after actually playing the game I see that there is much more going on in combat and the way you decide when it happens. Leveling up is powerful but you can do easily without it but then you are probably not going to play Alloyin. It is very important to keep a good board state. Card advantage wins the game (as usual). The game can be pretty quick as battle (taking damage) happens on both your and opponent's turn (100 is not THAT much).
There are also special abilities in the game and this can lead to a very complex game in the upcoming years. I look forward to it as this will make it much more fun.
The game should be released in Summer 2013. I believe that this game will really be good and one of my favorite games as well.
The game is nice. Personally, I believe the key to winning is how to make your creatures last longer than your opponents.
ReplyDeleteOnce your creatures out last your opponents. you are basically leading in life.
The Learning curve is indeed steep. This card game is complex. moreover, it has to be done by a computer. I seriously have no idea how the deck functions with these card leveling mechanical.
Hehe, the game is quite simple actually. It just takes some thinking (for me), I can play on Hard and win games. Some cards are way too powerful. Keeping your creatures on the board for more than one turn is a card advantage. Cards that have effects like 'When this creatures comes in to play it deals 2 damage' also create card advantage. And the best card ever is one with a effect similar to this one 'Whenever you play a level 2 or lower spell this creature deals 6 damage to target creature or player.' (can't get the wording right...but well)
ReplyDeleteWell in 2/3s of your deck you will shuffle your graveyard and library together. So there is a possibility that you will draw one of your leveled up cards. (as you have probably played 7 or 8 cards on level one). So drawing one of those 8 out of 30 cards does not sound that bad....