The cryptic video when decoded reveals that High Moon is being developed as an app AND a card game, and will be published/manufactured on www.TheGameCrafter.com.
The wait is over! A card game? What!!?
Why a card game?
There are a few reasons. The app development of High Moon had hit a lot of bumps in the road, so much so that it needed to stop (but will start up again). Indie game development is a difficult career and isn't terribly lucrative when you start. I couldn't keep developing the app for many more months without pay. It just wasn't possible.
Part of the problem with the app development was that the gameplay itself was unrefined, and changed frequently (not unlike any other game's early development). If you've been following us on twitter, indieDB or facebook, you'd have seen the many changes to the art. But more than just the art changing, the core ruleset for the game was also, and its story.
Long story short, I needed to figure out what I was making before I went to actually make it. The card game allows me to do that. Fixes to the rules, art and story are quick and easy (much easier than changing code in a program). I am able to develop the card game version independently, I don't have to rely on anyone else for development to move along. Which is great because no one can hold me back, and I won't be holding anyone back either.
I do rely on the help of Darren Atherton for writing the story/running ideas by him, and many other friends who help test the game and encourage me!
The card version uses art assets from the app, which made the development of the card game extremely fast. It also uses the same gameplay mechanics as the app. The two go hand in hand. So the card game is in fact the "Public Test" of High Moon I've been hinting at here on IndieDB and Twitter.
That being said, the card version is a full fledged game with its own features, separate from the app. No one should think the card game is offering "less" of an experience than the app would provide. I've been playing it for weeks now and it's solid, fun, deep and dare I say, magical? =P
The basic "Elementalist" element set of cards is available to print and play for free for a limited time ( a few weeks). You can download it from www.HighMoonTheGame.com or here on IndieDB. I will be doing live streams and video tutorials on how to play the game (for all those too lazy to read the rule book :P ) one or twice a week.
What's next?
A kickstarter for the card game! Depending on its success, I will aquire a new programmer(s) to finish the app (any programmers reading this that are interested, feel free to contact me). As much as I'd love to make the app regardless, I have a family to feed and will need to move on to new things if I'm unsuccessful at this. I hope no one is dissapointed with the development of High Moon, and I urge all to play the game and see just how fun and clever it really is.
For the most part, all of High Moon's media attention has really been because of the art and look of the game. Well, as pretty as it is, the gameplay itself is High Moon's greatest asset.
Looking forward to hearing from our fans and playing the game with you all! Be sure to check out www.HighMoonTheGame.com for more details about the game!
- Stephen Gibson
:O AWESOME
Thanks ! :D
I have 2 rules questions:
1) if an element is played defensively, and it blocks an offensive element listed on it's shield bar, is the card played that is played defensively discarded, or does it stay in play.
2) If my opponent attacks with earth and I can't block it with my defense/have no defense I roll to see which of my elements become my new defense but...
a) If I have a defense already is it discarded
b) if roll water or ice defense do I gain HP as they become my new defense?
c) if I roll fire defense and I have another card up for defense do I discard the defense then roll to see which element I get back (meaning I might get back the element I just discarded)
d) if forced to play earth as a defense I assume this comes into play after the attack that caused it to be played (ie it doesn't just negate the earth attack.
Sorry for the screed of text. :)
Ooo! Good questions. You should join in on the Google Hangouts happening later this week. I'm gonna show people how the game is played. (i'll post it here, FB and twitter when the times are, but tentatively tomorrow night and friday night)
For but for I'll answer your questions!
1. If your Element Defense blocks/amplifies an opposing players card, your defense (shield) is removed and discarded.
2. A)Earth Offense forces your opponent to play a card immediately as a defense. If they already have a defense, that defense is discarded and the one one takes it's spot. (this does not take up your opponent's turn).
B) Yes, you gain the benefits of the defense.
C) I actually haven't clarified this in the rule book, but yes, you could get back the card that was just discarded.
D) Correct.
If any of my explanations were unclear, please let me know! More than happy to clarify the rules for you.
I like earth as an offense because it throws off your opponent's strategy, forces them to use a card they may not of wanted to use, PLUS most of the time it gives them a "weakness", so if they don't play a new defense card on their turn, they will be weak to one of your Elements .
So just to be clear, the timing is:
1) I attack
2) Activate any attack powers (multiply damage, disable powers, randomly replace opponents defense, etc)
3) check opponents defense to see if you attack is blocked
4) do damage
5) end turn
If so earth might have this occur:
1) attack with earth
2) opponent rolls to see what element becomes their defense and rolls earth
3) my earth offence is now blocked by their new earth defense.
4) my attack does no damage
5) my turn ends.
Or have I got that timing messed up?
A little messed up. The rulebook included with the download lays it out pretty clear I think. So give that a read when you have a chance.
1. Use an element offensively or defensively.
2. Apply any damages / elemental effects to the appropriate player.
3. End Turn.
If you used earth offensively:
1. Opponent takes 1 DMG.
2. Opponent then takes their "active" elements (meaning element that they haven't used yet, that aren't discarded) and shuffles them out of sight, face down.
3. You then pick one of these cards. The one you pick, the opponent must play it as their defense immediately.
4. Your turn is over, and their turn starts.
5. They may play a card offensively or defensively. If they play a card defensively, it will remove their current defense and discard it.
so... if they attack me, and I have air as a defense, I take NO damage but still discard my air defense and randomly assign another element to defend from those I have left... cool.
If you had air as a defense, and they attacked you with an element that it blocks, it would actually reflect that element card back at them, and then get rid of your air defense.
Air OFFENSE forces your opponent to discard a random active element.
There is a run down of what each element does here too: Highmoonthegame.com
I guess my confusion stems from the fact that I'm looking at parts of the card instead of the whole.
Earth attacks fire defense : 1 point of damage then fire is swapped out for another defense. (damage first then effect)
Earth attacks Ice defense : ZERO damage (blocked) then ice is swapped out for another defense
Earth attacks Air : Zero damage (blocked) then ???
a) the earth attack is then played against the original attacker doing (potentially) some damage and forcing that player to swap out their deffence
b) same as a but the player with the AIR defense ALSO swaps out their defense
c) JUST the player with the air defense has to swap out their defense.
Sorry for all of this jabber but I test with some super picky people and they LOVE knowing exactly why stuff happens so they can plan. (I'm like that myself!)
I imagine it's really straight forward, it's just the timing on earth and air and their interactions I have trouble with :D
Yeah those sequence of events are correct!
I'll play out a scenario here just to be clear.
Scenario 1:
Player 1 has an air shield, and so does player 2.
Player 1's Turn: Uses Earth Offense. Blocked/Reflected by Player 2's Air Shield. (after element is reflected, the air shield is discarded).
Earth Offense then reflects BACK at player 2 off of Player 1's Air Shield (player 1's shield is then discarded). Player 2 then take 1 damage, and must play a card randomly as a defense immediately.
Scenario 2:
Player 2 has an Ice Defense up, Player 1 has an Air Defense up. (i'm using the word shield and defense interchangeably).
Player 2's Turn: Uses Earth Offense against Player 1. Earth Offense is reflected back at Player 2, but his Ice Shield blocks it (no damage/effects done, ice shield is then discarded).
Scenario 3: Player 1 has no shield, Player 2 has an Air Shield.
Player 1: Uses Ice Offense on Player 2. Player 2's air shield reflects ice back at player 1, who then takes 1 damage, and loses a turn. In this situation the "lose a turn" effect is nullified as it is already going to be Player 2's turn.
As you play, you'll notice that people generally never attack an Air shield. So most of these situations will never occur.
If an a Element Defense neither blocks nor amplifies your opponents offense card, the shield stays in place. Essentially the element offense ignores the shield.
For instance, if you had an Earth Defense up and they used air offense, it would completely ignore your earth shield and apply damage/effects directly to you.
I'll be making some "how to play" videos starting next week to make sure everything is clear. It can be hard to read through a rulebook and grasp everything. Especially us gamer's being so visual.
Brilliant! got it... thanks for all your responses! :)
I'll also say that I find the first few rounds you play it will be confusing, but everyone I've played with has caught on really quick after a round or two.
Difficult to see how everything plays off each other at first, but then it just clicks and it's really easy to memorize what each card does (as there are only 6 element cards).
Soooo ...I can download them and print them on my own?
You sure can! It's only the basic 6 elements though, not the full game. I'll be doing two Google Hangouts this week to walk people through how to play. The last one (on Saturday) went really well :)
Ok ...interesting beta-testing concept, indeed.
I will look into it.
You better! 0_0
awesome game!
Thank You :)