Sword Girls

[felix]

It's a TCG with the premise of a school of teenage girls. Essentially each and every single card (including spell cards) is a anime girl. So you know how in the popular TCG's you have different races, well here you have things like: armored girls, maid girls, vampires, tsunderes, lolis, witches, etc. This is a korean game with art from 20 or so artists from both korea and japan.

And it's really god damn good art,

. . . . .

[ingame guide]

Basic mechanics,

• you have a "Character" card, and you can only have 1 and you must have 1 per deck (your life is in this card, when she dies you die)
• spell cards are pretty much the same as everywhere, you cast it does it's thing and it goes to your graveyard; there are no artifacts, as far as I know
• monster cards are called Followers
• your followers have 3 stats: Attack, Defense, and Stamina (listed on cards in this order).
  • Stamina is basically HP, when it reaches 0 the follower dies.
  • Def is essentially subtracted from attack. So if a card has 2 def and 11 stam then an attack of 4 removes only 4 - 2 = 2 stamina
• each card has a SIZE (including spell cards), ranging from 1 to 5 generally.
• even though you have 5 slots on the field, you can only place cards up to a cumulative size of 10.
  • there are many abilities that increase card size
  • there are also abilities that decrease card size
• you can't remove a cards from the field. So if you have 8/10 field and a card of size 3 well tough luck you can't do jack
• the field slots of 1 to 5 will be occupied in that order; and you can't move cards—other then as a consequence of a spell; some spells target specific field slots
• your "Character" has two way to get damaged, and die
  1. when a follower card dies it's SIZE is deducted as damage to the Character
  2. if there are no Followers on the field the enemy Followers will attack the Character directly and the damage they do is equal to their size.
• yes you can also get decked (ie. inability to draw a card because you've used them all = loss)
• there is things like infinite buff stacking, pretty much there is nothing outside of special spells that doesn't just continously stack and stack on itself; and the game is designed around it
• the game doesn't keyhole you into one faction, there are benefits to focusing on one faction but it's very easy to do multi-colored decks as it were
• there's no "resource" system
• there's a really really extensive card upgrading system; outside actual games

Okey, that's almost everything. One last thing you need to know, and what in pretty much every other game that has done it has ticked me off, is that cards act on their own.

Basically,

• you place a spell on the field, but you can't specifically target a unit with it, it's going to target what it wants, or
• you place a follower on the field but it's going to attack what it wants, or
• you have a imba Character ability but you can't just target that pesky overpowered card on the enemy field

Now what I would like to say is that I've played a lot of other game like it but unfortunetly my try-and-drop timings are in the range of 15min to 1h when it comes to this system. It just comes of extremely casual and boring and the inner Magica fanboy in me just screams blasphemy. To be perfectly honest while I enjoy the artstyle and premise I was still skeptical. I wouldn't say I saw it as good, but didn't really see it as that bad either. Arguably the other games I've seen it in have also had a lot of other crappy stuff stuck in them to help make them terrible.

But I've found a interesting series of videos and while I still think RNG is kinda iffy, I have to say I really enjoyed watching in play with some semi-competent decks and the game's "balance" (in particular the SIZE dynamic).

Here's one of the more interesting ones...

It's part of a english dual-comentary inhouse tournament: Day 1 playlist Day 2 playlist

Anyway, enough babling, I'm not sure where you find the korean original but the english port is here: http://www.swordgirlsonline.com/ At the moment it seems to be a sort of CBT where everyone can get in lol

---------

So, what does everyone think of it?

[VDZ]

Interesting concept, but not fun enough with the current card pool. Almost all cards right now are either bland (followers with no effects), too situational (destroy the card in position number 3 if its size is less than three and its attack is higher than four and your opponent has less cards in their hand than you have cumulative size on the field and today is a Sunday), or too exclusive to certain decktypes (send all cards on your field to the grave to boost one of your followers! ...but only if it's a character of <Faction>! (and similar limits)).

I played a game against somebody who took a high-size high-attack high-defense follower, slightly boosted its DEF and greatly boosted its STA, then continued boosting the follower's STA, and after the match we checked out the card pool to see what could be done against such a strategy. Basically, there were three solutions;
1) a faction-exclusive card that does properly kill a creature without any bullshit limits;
2) a whole bunch of cards that randomly might weaken or kill a creature if it's in the right position, if its size is small enough, etc, plus of course the luck requirement of it randomly doing what you want it to do; and
3) cards that specifically lower DEF, which is worthless in any situation that does not involve DEF boosting and is not worth main decking (there is no sideboard in Sword Girls).

Simply put, with the card pool as it is right now, you need to either limit yourself to very specific deck builds or have tons of luck. As someone who finds most joy of TCGs in making your own decks to win in the way you built it for, it simply isn't fun as it is right now.

[Kaioshin Sama]

Wait so this is completely free to play? Is it a client or it's own program that installs?

Also wait a second is that Pedro Cortes from Tomopop and Gundam@MAHQ's Chaos Theatre in that video cause it sure as sounds and acts like him.

[Hooves]

I was hoping that someone would post a thread about this. Recently got into the closed beta for quite a bit when the second closed beta started. So far, the staff is quite active in competing against the members. While the community itself is pretty decent with a good amount of streamers.

@Kaioshin Sama - You don't have to download anything, and this is free to play. All you need to do is sign up and you (maybe it's instant?) get a beta key to activate your account.

@VDZ - Well, it's the second closed beta at the moment. There are a few more cards added to the Korean version of this game which will eventually reach the other versions. It seems they add somewhere around 58-62 cards per episode (season). Which is still in episode 2 of season 1 out of 6 (with a second season as well?).

If they truly keep adding more cards each season, it will certainly have more diverse possibilities for your decks.

It also seems that they are watching the cards and making adjustments that would better fit them. My Senpai Maid which originally had 6 attack, and 12 stamina. Got boosted to 6 attack, 1 defense, and 10 stamina. So it's quite possible they will better fit the cards to their levels.

[Demongod86]

All I have to say is: Alteil was a disaster. It had to resort to increasing powercreep, ridiculous errata, and so forth. Pretty art won't change that.

Will swordgirls be any different? In Asia, games are seen as serious freaking business. Furthermore, as someone that's 25 years old, am I the only one that sort of finds it awkward to just be playing a bunch of lolis?

I mean holy shit, have you seen Madhouse's depiction of Jean Grey or Emma Frost? Utter beauty. Why are all of these card games relegated to depicting little girls? It's disgusting! Same applies to most anime these days. Before all of these shotos, back when anime was dark and gritty, it was awesome. Nowadays? Most of it is kids with magical powers or giant robots saving the world.

Give me a decent, deep game tailored to American playstyles and mannerisms. We're not hardcore grinders, and we can see Skinner Box techniques from a mile away. Give us a game where free players can be the highest rated/best players, without games decided by the decks loaded, and with a community not full of scrubs.

Then I'll think about it.

[Kaioshin Sama]

Originally Posted by Demongod86

All I have to say is: Alteil was a disaster. It had to resort to increasing powercreep, ridiculous errata, and so forth. Pretty art won't change that.

Will swordgirls be any different? In Asia, games are seen as serious freaking business. Furthermore, as someone that's 25 years old, am I the only one that sort of finds it awkward to just be playing a bunch of lolis?

I mean holy shit, have you seen Madhouse's depiction of Jean Grey or Emma Frost? Utter beauty. Why are all of these card games relegated to depicting little girls? It's disgusting! Same applies to most anime these days. Before all of these shotos, back when anime was dark and gritty, it was awesome. Nowadays? Most of it is kids with magical powers or giant robots saving the world.

Give me a decent, deep game tailored to American playstyles and mannerisms. We're not hardcore grinders, and we can see Skinner Box techniques from a mile away. Give us a game where free players can be the highest rated/best players, without games decided by the decks loaded, and with a community not full of scrubs.

Then I'll think about it.

Man most of it was shotos and giant robots saving the day way back when, nowadays it's seeing whether the cute girl is going to where a bikini to the beach or go with the school swimsuit. You seem to have the old school/new school anime dichotomy confused a little.

As for me, eh I'm not terribly bothered by an idea like this as long as the game is good (which according to the OP it isn't yet but that's beside the point), it's more something I'd like to see less of in anime though. There's a huge difference between having to sit passively and watch cute girls do really cute and boring as hell things for 5 minutes to an episode and actively controlling them in a TCG.

[FateAnomaly]

I need a friend for the quest. Anyone care to provide and ID?

[Hooves]

You can just add anyone since it doesn't require a confirmation. But you can add me "Hooves" if you want a specific target.

[VDZ]

Originally Posted by Demongod86

Why are all of these card games relegated to depicting little girls? It's disgusting! Same applies to most anime these days. Before all of these shotos, back when anime was dark and gritty, it was awesome. Nowadays? Most of it is kids with magical powers or giant robots saving the world.

Astro Boy (1963)


Mobile Suit Gundam (1979)


Sailor Moon (1992)

Sorry, but your complaints are true for anime regardless of era.

[Duo Maxwell]

Originally Posted by Demongod86

Furthermore, as someone that's 25 years old, am I the only one that sort of finds it awkward to just be playing a bunch of lolis?

Yes you are.
Your hate for loli is quite a sight.

[felix]

@Hooves @VDZ

Is there a clear list of all the cards? since as I understood it some cards you have to earn though dungeons.

Originally Posted by Kaioshin Sama

Wait so this is completely free to play? Is it a client or it's own program that installs?

Yeah it's just the browser and it's F2P, but nothing is really free. Though if you play it semi-casually then you probably can play it with out ever paying a dime, since it doesn't seem like it's very bullshitty and has a lot of offline stuff like your typical kingdom building browser games.

Originally Posted by Kaioshin Sama

Also wait a second is that Pedro Cortes from Tomopop and Gundam@MAHQ's Chaos Theatre in that video cause it sure as sounds and acts like him.

Probably just a consequence of you not hearing a lot of black people man.

Originally Posted by Kaioshin Sama

As for me, eh I'm not terribly bothered by an idea like this as long as the game is good (which according to the OP it isn't yet but that's beside the point)

I don't know if I would call it good or bad. The fact it uses RNG is probably the only thing that erks me, but like I said I'm kind of accepting of it, since there are quite a few things I like. It's implementation of RNG is also growing on me, I think. I don't have a problem with the whole powerup thing VDZ mentioned. I think it's fine since it counters deck linearity.

Well, you know what they say, beta is beta. And I haven't played that much yet anyway.

Originally Posted by Demongod86

Furthermore, as someone that's 25 years old, am I the only one that sort of finds it awkward to just be playing a bunch of lolis?

Just don't play the loli's? You don't have anything against well endowed 18 year olds too do you?

[Duo Maxwell]

Originally Posted by felix

I don't know if I would call it good or bad. The fact it uses RNG is probably the only thing that erks me, but like I said I'm kind of accepting of it, since there are quite a few things I like. It's implementation of RNG is also growing on me, I think. I don't have a problem with the whole powerup thing VDZ mentioned. I think it's fine since it counters deck linearity.

I'll treat this game as something that I can play in my spare time and having fun then. Going serious for something that has random element is always lead to frustrating experience for me (well, aside from Mahjong, I guess).

But the artwork is what I like the most about this game. I could just go and look at all the lovely card why getting my ass handed.

[felix]

Originally Posted by Duo Maxwell

I'll treat this game as something that I can play in my spare time and having fun then.

Same here.

[edit] Found the a ingame guide. It's a lot more clear. First post updated.

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by Demongod86

All I have to say is: Alteil was a disaster. It had to resort to increasing powercreep, ridiculous errata, and so forth. Pretty art won't change that.

Will swordgirls be any different? In Asia, games are seen as serious freaking business. Furthermore, as someone that's 25 years old, am I the only one that sort of finds it awkward to just be playing a bunch of lolis?

There is nothing wrong to play with lolis you pedophobic heretic. Lolis are meant to be played with!

[Shadow5YA]

The pixiv art is nice to look at, but that doesn't make game worth playng. I played it during CBT and apparently the battle phase is completely automated and randomized. I thought it would be a given that TCGs should allow players to make heir own moves, but apparently I can't even do that.

The only control the player has is collecting the cards and putting them onto the field. After that, the game automatically chooses which enemy card to attack.

[Paranoid Android]

Nice art but I'm not a TCG person.

I would play it if it was a 2d/iso turn based RPG strategy.
I would say I'm loli-phobic but I play touhou .___.", so no I can't say I am.

[RWBladewing]

Originally Posted by Shadow5YA

The only control the player has is collecting the cards and putting them onto the field. After that, the game automatically chooses which enemy card to attack.

I love TCGs and was considering trying this game but this is a real gamebreaker for me. I guess having to account for this kind of randomness actually adds a different layer of strategy but I prefer strategy revolving around trying to beat my opponent rather than trying to force my cards to do what they're supposed to. I don't like what I'm hearing about the cards being too situational or faction specific either as that was my number one complaint about the WoW TCG.

[Duo Maxwell]

Originally Posted by Shadow5YA

The pixiv art is nice to look at, but that doesn't make game worth playng. I played it during CBT and apparently the battle phase is completely automated and randomized. I thought it would be a given that TCGs should allow players to make heir own moves, but apparently I can't even do that.

The only control the player has is collecting the cards and putting them onto the field. After that, the game automatically chooses which enemy card to attack.

Doesn't that actually sounds like the old Tactic Ogre?
Guess I can find some fun in this game.

[Von Himmel]

The only thing that give me problem with this game is the randomness on which our followers are attacking. Not to mention, I still don't understand how spell priorities work..sometimes they work after the enemy but sometime they work right at the beginning of my turn ._.

[VDZ]

Originally Posted by felix

@Hooves @VDZ

Is there a clear list of all the cards? since as I understood it some cards you have to earn though dungeons.

I believe the wiki's card list is mostly complete (although it only lists obtainable cards (so no AI-exclusive Character cards and the like), and not all info on all upgraded characters is listed).

Originally Posted by Shadow5YA

The pixiv art is nice to look at, but that doesn't make game worth playng. I played it during CBT and apparently the battle phase is completely automated and randomized. I thought it would be a given that TCGs should allow players to make heir own moves, but apparently I can't even do that.

The only control the player has is collecting the cards and putting them onto the field. After that, the game automatically chooses which enemy card to attack.

Which isn't that bad a thing by itself. Every round, you can choose what to play and what not to play. While in other TCGs I'm used to dumping as much of my hand as I can with my renewable resources every turn, in Sword Girls I quickly learned that having more things on the field is not necessarily a good thing.



For example, you can complain that a spell gives +2 ATK/+2 STA to two followers chosen at random, or you can make sure you only have the two followers you want to be boosted on the field at the moment the spell activates - playing an extra follower because you have space left on the field is often not the best play.



This can be done correctly, but unfortunately it leads to one of Yu-Gi-Oh's major problems; often it's too dependent on certain specific decktypes. Sword Girls has more cards that require a card of type X to be present or otherwise unlikely condition Y to be true than Yu-Gi-Oh.



I strongly prefer the more free design games like Magic use: the card Clockspinning was clearly designed to be used with the 'Suspend' mechanic, but instead of using it to remove time counters, I use it to put extra charge counters on my Clearwater Goblet. Northern Paladin was clearly designed to fight decks using too many black cards, but I just play it with Distorting Lens, which allows me to make any card I want black.



While Yu-Gi-Oh gives you at least some leeway (hurray for Bad Reaction to Simochi), such things unfortunately seem completely impossible in Sword Girls.