The Last Homely House

Undying Lands => The Straight Road => The Dream Team => Topic started by: Kralik on January 24, 2011, 05:50:59 PM

Title: Thread for Volunteers and Design Discussion
Post by: Kralik on January 24, 2011, 05:50:59 PM
Would you like to be involved in helping plan new sets?
Designing virtual cards (alternative text-based cards)?
Designing custom cards (using own artistic talents)?

If so, tell us your ideas! I know we have a TON of players who have designed dream cards for years, and I have seen some spectacular custom-made templates. With GCCG, we can make dream sets a reality.

Kralik's initial suggestions:

Important Note: At this time, we will make no graphical cards using Decipher's templates.
Title: Re: Thread for Volunteers and Design Discussion
Post by: hrcho on January 25, 2011, 01:53:16 AM
I volunteer here as well. I have not designed any dream cards yet, but am willing to try and I think I'd be good at it, not to mention I'd enjoy it.

Creative -  I try.
Willing to listen - Yes.
Skilled in the game - I hope 1000+ games played on GCCG count for something ;)
Title: Re: Thread for Volunteers and Design Discussion
Post by: Thranduil on January 25, 2011, 03:37:20 AM
I think we should begin with using virtual cards as a way of proliferating errata—it's quite convenient to have little slips you can print off and put in your decks to show how the card really works. For both official and unofficial errata.

Once it gets established, bring in more ambitious virtual cards, or indeed virtual sets in the end.

Thran
Title: Re: Thread for Volunteers and Design Discussion
Post by: Thranduil on January 25, 2011, 03:38:30 AM
Ah... Also, we should coordinate with the people running tournaments. A great way to publicise the final arrival of new cards (even virtual) would be to hand them out at tournaments.
Title: Re: Thread for Volunteers and Design Discussion
Post by: Ringbearer on January 25, 2011, 03:47:04 AM
I wouldnt mind helping out. I feel that I have an eye for balance issues regarding new cards, and I am an experienced LOTR player.
Title: Re: Thread for Volunteers and Design Discussion
Post by: Witchkingx5 on January 25, 2011, 08:59:53 AM
Even though I don't play LotR so much as before, I consider myself being an experienced player. I could also do my part, as I already made like 3 dream sets of cards like Yu-Gi-Oh, also, I can playtest new cards pretty easily as I have some newbies around me to play with.

So count me in.
Title: Re: Thread for Volunteers and Design Discussion
Post by: Elessar's Socks on January 25, 2011, 10:53:04 AM
At some point, I think what legally can/cannot be done with virtual cards should be written out in detail, just so we're all on the same page. As I remember (correct me if I'm wrong), new licensed material can't be introduced even if they're limited to game text. And if we draw an awesome shield on our own, that looks way too similar to the one Decipher uses, I think that's a no-go as well. Probably follow the example from SWCCG when they had stricter requirements for virtual cards.
Title: Re: Thread for Volunteers and Design Discussion
Post by: Kralik on January 25, 2011, 11:26:22 AM
Hmmm... not sure I follow. What do you mean when you say, "new licensed material" ...?
Title: Re: Thread for Volunteers and Design Discussion
Post by: Elessar's Socks on January 25, 2011, 02:04:17 PM
I'm hoping the SW virtual card guidelines are available somewhere for something more solid. An example of new licensed material would be Morgoth, assuming he's not mentioned in the game. Judging by the keyword-only lore on some virtual cards, lore is probably something to be careful about, too.
Title: Re: Thread for Volunteers and Design Discussion
Post by: Kralik on January 25, 2011, 03:35:05 PM
Ah, if I understand it correctly, I take it you are concerned about use of new LotR/Tolkien term in general? Making cards based on the books without licensing? Though that is what the Chamber of Marzabul has been doing for some time now... :-k
Title: Re: Thread for Volunteers and Design Discussion
Post by: Legolis on January 25, 2011, 05:27:33 PM
I don't know how much I can help but I do have experience in the auto-cad world. It has been a few but I could get it back down or even get a copy to someone who can or has more time. As far as the legalities of it, as long as you are creating it new I would think it is like music. There is only 12 different notes and a million songs.
Title: Re: Thread for Volunteers and Design Discussion
Post by: Legolis on January 25, 2011, 06:16:20 PM
Here is a pic of a real quick template. I can make the cards any shape or size. The inner plate can have any pic or drawing inserted and the bottom can be for any text. I am really rusty on this but over the next couple days will try to do a crash refresh course or something.
Title: Re: Thread for Volunteers and Design Discussion
Post by: Kenddrick on January 26, 2011, 06:17:27 AM
Nice work! I'm in! I'll do anything! :)
Title: Re: Thread for Volunteers and Design Discussion
Post by: Legolis on January 26, 2011, 08:24:59 AM
How about a test image card lol. Was working on attaching images, here is a rough draft.
Title: Re: Thread for Volunteers and Design Discussion
Post by: Legolis on January 26, 2011, 08:56:11 AM
Here is one with some text,
Title: Re: Thread for Volunteers and Design Discussion
Post by: Kralik on January 26, 2011, 09:03:21 AM
AutoCAD is, of course, a great program, but I think you'd want something more along the lines of Photoshop for this sort of thing.
Title: Re: Thread for Volunteers and Design Discussion
Post by: Legolis on January 26, 2011, 09:11:24 AM
I have the full version of photoshop 7, but never really used it to draw with. I will get in there and see if I can do some experimenting. Also like the cad if anyone needs it or photoshop for working on things it can be arranged  The only thing is I am not the best artist in the world so as far as pictures and text that would have to be done by others. Of course if this is going to be something new it will take input from several. Also I guess it would have to be voted on for any final decisions.
Title: Re: Thread for Volunteers and Design Discussion
Post by: jdizzy001 on January 26, 2011, 02:24:52 PM
Ah, if I understand it correctly, I take it you are concerned about use of new LotR/Tolkien term in general? Making cards based on the books without licensing? Though that is what the Chamber of Marzabul has been doing for some time now... :-k

There was no distribution nor images attached to the cards made in Chamber of Marzabul.  The idea of V-Cards is that they get distributed.  Socks brings up a good point about lore too.  You can't start slapping lines from LOTR or The Silma (especially Silma since Tolkein Estate is the sole "individual" with rights to the book) onto V-cards.  Either way, it is nice to hear talk about this.  I'll add input when I can but since I'm getting ready for field training my input would be extremely limited.
Title: Re: Thread for Volunteers and Design Discussion
Post by: Kralik on January 26, 2011, 02:57:56 PM
I am not promoting images, but having dream cards on the forums counts as distribution just as much as packaging them as text files. :-k
Title: Re: Thread for Volunteers and Design Discussion
Post by: Kralik on January 29, 2011, 08:12:37 PM
I'm about ready to open up this subforum to new topics. Any more volunteers before I do? As a side note, it would be a good idea for each subforum to have a Global Moderator rep to help move topics around if need be.
Title: Re: Thread for Volunteers and Design Discussion
Post by: Kralik on January 31, 2011, 03:25:12 PM
For the starting design team, we have: hrcho, Thran, RB and WKx5. All on the team get local moderator privileges. Feel free to start new threads!
Title: Re: Thread for Volunteers and Design Discussion
Post by: hrcho on January 31, 2011, 04:42:19 PM
I see two options ahead of us:

1 - integrate Chamber of Mazarbul into The Dream Team; continue dreaming cards and maybe finding a way to implement them into the game (GCCG)

2 - leave Chamber of Mazarbul where it is and let people post the dreamed cards and sets there and having The Dream Team for discussing and deciding which of those dreamed cards are to actually become "reality".

Effectively, those 2 options are pretty much the same with the sole difference being where The Chamber of Mazarbul will be. Simple aesthetics.
Title: Re: Thread for Volunteers and Design Discussion
Post by: Kralik on January 31, 2011, 05:38:49 PM
I'd say use Chamber of Marzabul for some ideas and inspiration, but it needs to be its own forum. Not all dream cards can/should be made into virtual cards.
Title: Re: Thread for Volunteers and Design Discussion
Post by: Thranduil on February 01, 2011, 03:35:49 AM
I'd say use Chamber of Marzabul for some ideas and inspiration, but it needs to be its own forum. Not all dream cards can/should be made into virtual cards.
Agreed. In fact I think there are important differences between virtual and dream cards, as well as community-"sanctioned" and player-created cards, both of which ought to be maintained.

Thranduil
Title: Re: Thread for Volunteers and Design Discussion
Post by: Ringbearer on February 01, 2011, 03:41:21 AM
I go with nr 2 as well.

And I think 1th its time to evaluate cards "that suck" to give them a virtual version as well. Just have to consider which formats the cards fall in to see how/when we overhaul them. Obvious we dont have to worry about open ;)
Title: Re: Thread for Volunteers and Design Discussion
Post by: Thranduil on February 01, 2011, 03:45:12 AM
I go with nr 2 as well.

And I think 1th its time to evaluate cards "that suck" to give them a virtual version as well. Just have to consider which formats the cards fall in to see how/when we overhaul them. Obvious we dont have to worry about open ;)
Yes indeed we should (http://lotrtcgdb.com/forums/index.php/topic,6247.0.html)!
Title: Re: Thread for Volunteers and Design Discussion
Post by: Legolis on February 01, 2011, 06:33:23 AM
Just kinda curious on a goal here, are we trying to make new cards for a virtual or online game with an intention to one day actually turn them into printed cards?

Or will the dream cards be used strictly for online gaming? If we are trying to make an extension of the original there will be many legal issues to deal with, I would think anyway. If we are trying to start new then we have to work around legal issues such as imagery and text. I think it would be easier to start new then trying to deal with line 163b of some 1600 page legal document.

Much to think about...
Title: Re: Thread for Volunteers and Design Discussion
Post by: Thranduil on February 01, 2011, 08:01:19 AM
Just kinda curious on a goal here, are we trying to make new cards for a virtual or online game with an intention to one day actually turn them into printed cards?

Or will the dream cards be used strictly for online gaming? If we are trying to make an extension of the original there will be many legal issues to deal with, I would think anyway. If we are trying to start new then we have to work around legal issues such as imagery and text. I think it would be easier to start new then trying to deal with line 163b of some 1600 page legal document.

Much to think about...
I'm imagining virtual cards like in SWCCG—pdfs you can download, and print off slips to put into your sleeved decks. I don't know how these might work on a platform like GCCG, but in that case it is probably easier to just add full cards with V texts to the database.

Thran
Title: Re: Thread for Volunteers and Design Discussion
Post by: jdizzy001 on February 01, 2011, 08:31:46 PM
Just kinda curious on a goal here, are we trying to make new cards for a virtual or online game with an intention to one day actually turn them into printed cards?

Or will the dream cards be used strictly for online gaming? If we are trying to make an extension of the original there will be many legal issues to deal with, I would think anyway. If we are trying to start new then we have to work around legal issues such as imagery and text. I think it would be easier to start new then trying to deal with line 163b of some 1600 page legal document.

Much to think about...
I'm imagining virtual cards like in SWCCG—pdfs you can download, and print off slips to put into your sleeved decks. I don't know how these might work on a platform like GCCG, but in that case it is probably easier to just add full cards with V texts to the database.

Thran

This is what I invisioned as well.