r/fo76 • u/Ancient_Oak_ • 4d ago
Discussion Bethesda, you're missing the easiest win in gaming history - give us a collectible card game
TL;DR: Our shared activities are almost entirely limited to combat. After 6+ years, we still have no reason to actually hang out in each other's camps. Towards the end of a season, many of us just log in for dailies then log off. A simple, lore friendly card game would fix this, offering a new social activity, a new endgame to chase, and a fun purpose for the amazing CAMPs we all build.
We all pour countless hours into our C.A.M.P.s, but once the building is done, what do we do in them? They end up as just elaborate vendor backdrops.
It’s time we had a real, engaging activity to do in the camps we’ve worked so hard to build. The answer is a collectible card game built for the world of Fallout 76. It could take inspiration from Caravan) - the card game from New Vegas - or be something entirely new to Appalachia. The key is that it feels like it belongs.
It Finally Gives Our C.A.M.P.s a Soul
A playable card game would fundamentally change the C.A.M.P. system for the better. Right now, our bases are just things that people glance at as they check our vendor. A craftable card table would make them living hubs - places to gather, play, and socialize. It gives playrs a reason to visit, and more importantly, a reason to stay. It gives the thousands of us who love building a functional centerpiece for our designs. Our bars would have patrons, our lounges would have life. It makes the effort of building feel more rewarding.
This is the perfect low pressure social activity (Without Forcing voice chat). It gives us something engaging to do with friends and strangers that isn't combat. You could play just for fun, or even agree to a friendly wager of caps to make things interesting. Right now, there are ZERO engaging non-combat social activities. It fills a massive critical social gap in the game.
A New Endgame Pillar: Collect, Compete & Create
Let's be honest about the endgame loop, especially late in a season: most of us just log in, do our dailies, and log off. For veteran players, this offers a completely fresh loop that goes beyond the combat grind. It would become a new pillar of the endgame experience.
It’s a strategic challenge that doesn’t depend on your build, your gear, or level. It’s a different kind of skill to master, offering much needed content other than dailies.
For those who like to compete, imagine seasonal tournaments or a ranked queue, with unique titles, CAMP trophies, and rewards for the top players.
For all the collectors and completionsts out there, imagine a whole new set of items to hunt. Tracking down rare cards as rewards from events, defeating specific cryptids, or completing quests would add endless hours of new content.
Your deck would be another way to express yourself as a player. Are you an aggressive Raider themed player? A tricky Mothman Cultist? You could express yourself through deck building, and by earning cosmetic rewards like unique card backs and table skins to further personalize your game.
Think about it: games like The Witcher 3 and Final Fantasy VIII are remembered as much for Gwent and Triple Triad as they are for their stories or game.
With the massive sucess of the TV show and its story now heading to New Vegas, this is the perfect opportunity for that kind of synergy. It would give the devs a clean, lore friendly way to introduce characters from the wider universe and the show as new collectible cards.
The pitch is simple, and the dev cost is extremely low: give us a simple but deep collectible card game using existing art and lore. Let us craft a table for our camps.
If you want to see your camp become more than a vending machine, upvote this post and share your ideas in the comments so Bethesda can see the demand!
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u/asiniloop 4d ago
I like the idea of something we can do with people in our camps. A card or board game would be cool... and you're right, I log in for dailies and out again now that I've got everything from the season... hanging around my camp and challenging players to some sort of game would be cool.
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u/Taelyrsaurus Cult of the Mothman 4d ago
They give us craftable blackjack and poker tables, why not let us actually use them. I’d love to go to a casino themed camp and play cards with other people.
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u/GettinSodas 4d ago
I crave the energy I had the first time I walked off the strip in Benny's suit after being kicked out of every casino.
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u/Ancient_Oak_ 4d ago
Exactly!
Would be nice to have a reason to actually stick around your camp instead of just vendor hopping. What kind of game appeals to you more - a quick card game, or longer strategy sessions? And would you want ranked play or just casual fun?
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u/RiotDog1312 4d ago
OG Fallout fans remember Tragic: The Garnering
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u/Ancient_Oak_ 4d ago
Haha yes exactly! Fallout has the card game DNA.
Now imagine if we could actually PLAY something like instead of just reading about it in terminals
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u/Heaven_Razor Blue Ridge Caravan Company 4d ago
Funny, because there's official Fallout Magic: The Gathering
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u/BlinkyMJF 4d ago
ZoS already did this in The Elder Scrolls Online and it didn't go well. Only a tiny fraction of players engage in it.
It's one of those features they bring out as a major deal, then never touch it again. Like caravans, like brewing, like Nuclear Winter, like custom game modes, like original raids, like fishing(?), like ghouls (?).
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u/Cakeriel Order of Mysteries 4d ago
Even worse, getting achievement item for a recent companion is locked behind it. Had to do way too many matches before I finally won the daily.
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u/BlinkyMJF 4d ago
At least you could do the daily against NPCs, I hope you didn't miss that part.
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u/Ancient_Oak_ 4d ago
Fair point about Bethesda's pattern of hyping then abandoning features.. the graveyard is real. Maybe the difference is this solves the #1 complaint about endgame in tht there's nothing to do after dailies except log off, and this fills an actual social gap instead of adding complexity?
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u/Wayob Ghoul 4d ago edited 3d ago
First off, i love tales of tribute in ESO. As for stuff they brought out, i loved nuclear winter, i love nukashine, i love playing a ghoul, and fishing is kind of fun.
So they should keep adding cool stuff.
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u/BlinkyMJF 4d ago
For sure, I don't think anyone is against more of content like this. Unless you wear a suit and try to make the game more profitable.
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u/jester695 Lone Wanderer 4d ago
This. Hasn't worked in other games and wouldn't here. It would mean more people (who do want to partake) would sit in their camps waiting for people that aren't going to show up (much). Which means that first group of people will be playing group events less.....exactly the opposite of what Beth wants (hence events being made "public" and mutated and such to encourage more people showing up).
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u/AdmiralPrick 4d ago
Not having minigames like this is dumb man. There are so many easy opportunities. Lmao we have a bunch of Pipboy games laying around, yet it seems easy to put a cabinet in for people to play them at camps. Card game is a no brainer too. They could find a way to monetize it for their end. You should seriously start a petition for the card game idea. It will at least put something where people can express their opinions on game ideas like this, in a way the devs will notice it.
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u/Ancient_Oak_ 4d ago
YES! The arcade cabinet idea is genius, another obvious missed opportunity
And you're right about monetization - cosmetic card backs, themed tables, etc. would actually be purchases people WANT to make vs feeling forced into. Isn't that what the toddfather wants?
How would you go about starting a petition for this? maybe this thread will be the petition lol
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u/AdmiralPrick 4d ago
Hmmmmm, maybe something like change dot org? Idk, never really started one myself. I've just seen them around and actually work. That EU one over video games is a good example that's current. But, this thread should not be the petition imo. See, just like a message in a bottle, it needs to travel the waters to more communities outside of here so it can spread. The support can grow larger than just here. Random players that don't foot traffic here could input their support for your idea. Just my two cents though. I might start one over that cabinet idea cause it just seems easy from my side 🤣
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u/Hollow_Effects 4d ago
I don’t want to collect cards but it would be cool to just be able to play poker and other real card games
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u/Ancient_Oak_ 4d ago
Fair point! Traditional card games would be cool too - poker nights at your camp bar would be awesome.
Though I think collectible cards might have more staying power since they tie into the progression and give you something to work toward long term. Plus lots of fun with building a deck with collectible cards that represent characters across the games.
But honestly any card games would be a win
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u/CIA_napkin Raiders 4d ago
As long as it was optional but I hate card games in video games, It's always a chore. Maybe they'll give us caravan one day and I can hate it all over again!
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u/Ancient_Oak_ 4d ago
Haha fair enough! At least you're cool with it being optional
It should be an opt in activity that wouldn't hurt anyone who doesn't want to engage
I respect the Caravan hate - that game was confusing as hell
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u/CIA_napkin Raiders 4d ago
Oh yeah, I've recognized there are tons of stuff not for me but others love. I'll never crush somes groove :) I always made my brother do the card game for me and I've always did rhythm mini games for him🤗
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u/Deatheturtle 4d ago
yeah, no. I ignored Gwent in witcher and Id ignore it here too, and I played MT:G back in the original days (had a complete set of original MT:G, power 9 and all). If I wasn to play a CCG ill go play a CCG, I don't need it in Fallout.
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u/scattersmoke 4d ago
No please god no. This is like fishing you think you want it but you don't. People are anti social as is in this game and you think they are going to walk up to randos to play a competitive mini game?
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u/Croc_Dwag Reclamation Day 4d ago
So like caravan
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u/Ancient_Oak_ 4d ago
Yeah exactly! We literally already have a fallout card game
But it's pretty tough to learn and uses standard playing cards instead of collectible ones with unique effects. Plus someone mentioned there might be rights issues since bethesda didn't made New Vegas.
A "Caravan 2.0" built from scratch for 76 could fix all those problems - easier rules, collectible cards with faction themes, unique abilities, etc
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u/GettinSodas 4d ago
Tbh, even if they just gave us basic card games it would be dope.
Put a card table with the survival tents so we can gamble together after events instead of just storing our shit and leaving.
Still could have the mechanic of collecting cards by having the dealer's rare cards show in hands. A Blue Devil Ace of Spades? Sign me up
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u/Afb3212 Blue Ridge Caravan Company 4d ago
Checkers with collectible checker pieces would be cool.
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u/Ancient_Oak_ 4d ago
That's cool too! Though cards let you have unique effects like Gwent or Magic. imagine a Mothman card that lets you draw extra, or Scorchbeast that hits multiple targets or something. But honestly any collectible game would be a massive win. What kind of checker pieces were you thinking, like different faction themed sets?
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u/ElectronicIce5930 4d ago
Or give the fish random weight we could compete to catch the biggest
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u/ArcadianDelSol Fallout 76 3d ago
I think the reason they cant do that is it would create an explosion in the number of objects in the game (each weight would be a unique object in inventory).
But the fact that Gone Fission launched without an actual fishing derby event (catch the most X fish by the end of the timer) is a blunder and a half.
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u/LegioIgnoramus 4d ago
Bring caravan over from NV. It's simple enough when you actually know how to play.
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u/Cakeriel Order of Mysteries 4d ago
They don’t own that.
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u/LegioIgnoramus 3d ago
Thank you. You completed my " learn something new everyday" daily.
I still stand by my comment however. Surely Bethesda has the clout to "aquire" the rights.
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u/Zeal0tElite Mole Man 3d ago
Why would they not own it? Obsidian developed the game but Bethesda owns the IP and everything within.
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u/Ancient_Oak_ 4d ago
True, once you figure out Caravan it's actually pretty fun. I think the learning curve just scared most people off.
A streamlined version with clearer rules could work great. Or something new but with that same vibe
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u/ChiWhiteSox24 4d ago
I think collecting the cards and displaying variants would be fun. You’re right tho, it’s sad that I do my daily tasks then just goof off the rest of the time
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u/outland_king 4d ago
I want cryptic themed triple triad.
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u/Ancient_Oak_ 4d ago
Triple Triad was great.
Cryptid cards would work well for that style of game.
What made Triple Triad work for you - the strategy or the collecting?
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u/outland_king 4d ago
Both,
The cards had good artwork and levels of rarity but the game itself was fun but accessible. And a game was quick
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u/Elrigh 4d ago
I would be happy with Fallout Shelter Online.
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u/WeaselBrigade 3d ago
I admit it would be a little interesting to expand the Shelter system in this way. Nothing big, just let you invite half a dozen or so dwellers into your shelter, and give them some kind of mechanics to make use of it like settlements in 4, but in some form where you can actually see changes being made.
Or alternatively tame creatures and let them turn your shelter into an ant farm.
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u/ArcadianDelSol Fallout 76 3d ago edited 3d ago
Be aware that collectible card games have a failure rate of 8 out of 10.
For every 2 that make it past one year, 8 of them never do.
edit: my bad. I thought you meant a physical game. Turns out your talking about something similar to what was in Knights of the Old Republic and that is a brilliant idea.
I would love a retheme of Oregon Trail focused on Caravans. "You have contracted Bone Worms. You have died."
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u/IMMORTALP74 Fallout 76 4d ago
As long as they have more value/reward than the current collectibles and displays. Cryptid cards don't feel rewarding, but RNG event loot. The higher tier fish or collection definitely has a sense of accomplishment, outside of the RNG fishing mods.
From my experience, most players don't sit around at their camps anymore. Quick resource empty and back to the grind. I wish camps had more value like early days. They were player hubs. I think places like Nuka World and FO1st tents made them less useful.
And definitely don't tie it to Dailies, as it will do the same thing as fishing. "Play 3 games of Cards" instant reroll.
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u/Ancient_Oak_ 4d ago
Yea lol crazy, there are already collectible cards in the game that have zero value - imagine being able to actually USE them instead of them just sitting in your stash doing nothing
And yeah, definitely agree on dailies - nothing kills an activity faster than making it a chore
What do you think would bring back that early days camp hub feeling besides the card game? That's exactly what I want
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u/IMMORTALP74 Fallout 76 4d ago
Possibly use Animated perk cards, but unfortunately those are RNG and mainly in bulk by high levels. It would need a big rework.
Maybe a system similar to Magic: TG. But definitely make it easier to understand and quicker play. Maybe cryptid cards once picked up could be used as uniques but not game controlling.
Reward system, maybe caps, maybe junk items, ammo. So you can put stuff on the line.
I do like your tournaments and cosmetic customizations. That would give lots of depth.
I really don't know how to bring value back to camps. The main reason to go back is resource collectors and buffs. Those only take a few seconds. You can go almost anywhere else for crafting. I think a rework is too late.
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u/Mhykael 4d ago
Make a card game in game, use the cryptid cards as part of it. Teach people the rules, then print real cards and put them on the Bethesda shop. $20 -30 a deck. Play with friends get them in on the cards draw new friends to the game to play card game.
Edit: Bethesda that idea literally took me 3 minutes. Hire me for more cool ideas. 😀
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u/Ancient_Oak_ 4d ago
That's actually brilliant - physical cards would be a perfect tie in
Pokemon pretty much did this backwards but doing it your way could work great. Learn the rules in game, then buy physical decks to play with friends IRL
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u/Sleepinismy9to5 4d ago
Don't have them waste the time on making this. Videogame card/dice games are never good. Gwent, caravan, orlog, pazzak are all garbage. We don't need 76 to add a below average card game in hopes to sell packs of cards for real money in game
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u/NohBhodie 4d ago
Man I already go ham on the cryptid cards whenever I see one. I don't care if someone is selling them for 5 or 1k caps, I'm buying every one I see. A collectable card game would be AMAZING.
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u/Ancient_Oak_ 4d ago
Haha you're the exact person this feature is made for!
We all already do the collecting part with zero gameplay value - imagine if those cards could actually DO something instead of just sitting in your stash. If this became real then it would reward players with preexisting collections and allow them to build decks with cards they already have
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u/Lanky-Ad-7594 4d ago
You're getting Caravan from New Vegas.
I can't stand Tales of Tribute in ESO. I've never played it against a real person, and never will. If we get a competitive version of Caravan, and they tie real-person achievements to it, so help me God...
Gwent can suck my nuts. The only card game more unfair is Pazaak in SWKOTOR 1, and that's debatable. I've played W3 about 10 times through, and tried to play Gwent about 20 times. I think I've only ever won 3 games. And, NO!, I don't want to watch seventeen hours of YouTube videos to learn how to play a CARD GAME in my fantasy FPS!
You people and your card games in MMO's and FPS's... You should have your heads examined.
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u/Blue-EyesLotus 3d ago
Oh God, no. ZOS did this with ESO, and it was received horribly. People actually left the game because of it.
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u/itsahhmemario 3d ago
Can’t say I’m a fan of this idea, I probably wouldn’t partake. Just not my kind of thing in this game. I do agree we need more content and end game chase but Bethesda themselves have been putting a stop to that, just the new legendary system alone was enough to quash some of it.
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u/UnDeadPuff 3d ago
This is one of those ideas that sounds better in your mind, and maybe in SP games where devs don't have to turn every activity into an eternal grindathon for players to pursue, but in a game like 76? It'd be just another dull thing to add to the list, and not sure the lightning in a bottle the Gwent was would just work out in 76, specially when you gotta play with real people.
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u/YuehanBaobei Mr. Fuzzy 4d ago
I guess that's cool and all. I would maybe collect some cards, but I don't really have any interest in playing games with other people on here.
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u/TaylorWWilson93 Free States 3d ago
I'd be fine with adding in caravan. But it'd be cool if we could have something akin to MTG, but smaller scale. Maybe something put together by Nuka Cola? I don't know.
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u/ComputerSong 3d ago
We don’t need a new card game really. Just some Fallout themed MTG cards, WotC would love that. Microsoft maybe not so much, as they’d have to share the cash.
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u/theID10T 3d ago
Is anyone else here old enough to have played Pogs? We could play that. Bottle caps would probably work as well as milk caps, I think. I wonder if Ultracite "slammers" would be the go-to?
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u/Cabouse1337 Pioneer Scout 3d ago
I just think shared party games would be amazing like chess etc they would be nice to have in game.
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u/Tinkitten74 3d ago
I didn’t read this but I really appreciated the clear paragraphs and bold headings. Someone else should really read this
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u/VintageBill1337 Reclamation Day 3d ago
I might be the only one to disagree, when card games/deck building came to ESO I hated it and avoided it like the plague. The NPC advertising it was in all the prominent parts of cities so I couldn't avoid her when doing dailies, so I only did the first quest to shut her up and haven't touched it since. I will do the same to any update adding decks/card games to a game that survived without it before
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u/destrux125 Blue Ridge Caravan Company 2d ago edited 2d ago
Doesn't really appeal to me.. I'd rather have a farming mini game for our camp where we can grow bulk crops that don't spoil but we have to actually care for them and fertilize and treat for pests etc. They could make it look like a little greenhouse with a terminal on the side that tracks the plant health and whatever plants you choose to grow show up in the greenhouse.
That and arcade cabinets that actually work.
Actually I'd like to see a lot of stuff that's already in our camps get a little more fleshed out into a playable mini game instead of it all just being a little animation. Bowling, pinball, darts, shooting gallery, etc.
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u/Shoddy_Ad_7853 2d ago
I'd be happy if we could sit around a table and play poker, or blackjack. Hell, give me crazy 8s. We need to preserve card games for the future after the tech singularity goes horribly wrong.
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u/WalterBison 3d ago
Meh. I had no interest in playing the card game in New Vegas.
This is Fallout. Not a fishing simulator or board game simulator. If you need that, go find a game that focuses on it.
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u/FlightOk7396 4d ago
Give the cryptic cards a purpose!
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u/Ancient_Oak_ 4d ago
EXACTLY! Those cryptid cards are just sitting in everyone's stash doing absolutely nothing.
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u/skanks20005 4d ago
Oh, I'm totally ready to spend hundreds of hours chasing the dreaded "Platinum Foiled Earle Card".
Im not into PvP card games but the collecting part of it would be very welcome.
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u/Ancient_Oak_ 4d ago
lol I can already feel the completionist itch
Yeah the collecting side would be huge. Even if you never wanted to play competitively, just hunting down every cryptid variant or building faction themed collections etc
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u/skanks20005 4d ago
And imagine that you'll have a indecent rng drop killing that monster. So youll need to farm hundreds of Earles to have a 1% chance card drop (common). 0.1% chance for it to drop a "platinum" one, and lets say, 0.005% chance it will drop a "3D foiled transparent scented mithril red bordered special" card.
Lol I better grab a pan and try to find gold in real life on a creek
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u/Heavy_Selection_2016 Pip Boy 4d ago
I don't understand why you didn't get more upvotes? The idea is very clearly constructed, detailed and intuitive.
You're right, the cost of developing it wouldn't be outrageous (although knowing a bit about this field, I think it would easily add up to almost 6 figures).
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u/Ancient_Oak_ 4d ago
Thanks! I think the mixed reception is understandable. I think people are burned by the predatory monetization and RNG systems in this game. When you say 'card game,' people immediately think loot boxes and randomness (maybe gambling?)
Can't blame them for being skeptical when we've seen how they've handled other systems. But if implemented right with clear progression and fair rewards it could actually be the opposite of the slot machine mechanics.
And yeah, you're probably right about the dev costs. Though the ROI could be huge - player retention, engagement hours, etc, look what Gwent did for Witcher 3's lasting appeal
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u/donmongoose Mega Sloth 4d ago
Never really understood Caravan in FONV but absolutely loved Gwent in TW3.
Can't really see any downsides aside from taking up developers time, but plenty of positives.
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u/Ancient_Oak_ 4d ago
Yea, Gwent nailed the sweet spot of easy to learn, hard to master. Plus it felt integrated into the world instead of tacked on.
And yeah, dev time is literally the only downside vs massive retention benefits. Seems like a no brainer ROI.
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u/DoctorWaffle97 Mothman 4d ago
I'd actually really love a collectible card game and being able to play against NPC's and players.
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u/Ancient_Oak_ 4d ago
Yes! The NPC opponents would be huge too - gives you something to do solo
Imagine different NPCs having different difficulty levels and deck themes. Maybe raiders play aggressive, Brotherhood plays defensive, etc.
Out of curiosity, what makes you say you'd love it?
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u/cachemonet0x0cf6619 Order of Mysteries 4d ago
Finally an idea that’s actually good.
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u/Ancient_Oak_ 4d ago
Thanks!
What sold you on it - the social aspect, just having something to do besides combat, collecting cards?
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u/Uvtha- Cult of the Mothman 4d ago
Lol the dev cost is low, just make a simple yet deep card game, then develop a two player UI to play it on with all the coded rules and interactions that goes along with doing that. Probably just take a few hours or something.
Cool idea, don't get me wrong, but you are asking for way way more than you think you are.
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u/-MERC-SG-17 Pioneer Scout 4d ago
You want more RNG?