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| Baseball: The Game |
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The following is a letter I sent to WotC in response to why this game would be a viable idea. I never heard back from them... |
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Sports Trading Card Games: The basic idea for this series of games is quite simple: make regular sports trading cards which can also be played in a collectible card game (A different game for each sport). The draw comes from the simple fact that if I have the choice of buying Topps cards, which will sit around in binders and get old, or WotC cards, that I can play against my friends with, I'll go for the cards that won't get boring. Main obstacles: 1) Keeping player \ collector interest going. 2) Keeping maintenance costs to a minimum. 3) Overcoming competition from the existing players in the market. Solutions: 1) The important thing to realize with this theme is that we are taking sports cards, which are a healthy market, and adding value to them. People have been buying sports cards for over 50 years - and they will continue to - with or without them being a game. As long as making them into game does not detract from their worth, there is no way to lose. The fact that collectors can now use their normally wasted extra and loser cards to play a game that resembles the sport is just icing on the cake. 2) With sports cards there is always the cost of licenses and logo rights from the teams. There is no way to get around this, but plenty of other companies are making a profit despite it, so I figure it will be the least of our worries. The main problem comes with the testing of cards and making sure they are adequately (but not too much) playable. And having to do this every release of the cards. I suggest using a simple method of computing all the main characteristics of the players from their annual statistics. No, worrying about what to come up with this season, no sweating it out about whether this fits the player. Just use the real statistics. Baseball: Real batting averages, real annual salary, real catches, pitches, steals, etc. I could see arguments that players should have some special abilities, but once again, find a automated way to generate who gets what. No testing needed, just let them go. If you are worried that buyers won't think that it is enough fun, or too unbalanced refer back to solution #1. This is not near as big a problem in this market as with a market like Magic where the value of the card is based on its abilities. These cards will have value no matter what simply because of the pictures on them. You can't lose! 3) There are several dangers moving into a already thriving market. There is the danger that people will be hesitant to buy a new card series however, the increased value of the cards because of their worth in the game in addition to the picture already on the front, should be enough to push the value of your cards over that of the competition. This should lead people to buy your cards simply because it's a wiser investment, even if they never play the game. Then there is the danger Topps will copy your idea but, you've already been able to patent one card game - so there is a good chance you can get this one patented too. Lastly there is the danger you'll be bought out. Just kidding!!! :) Let's sum this up. I've made a lot of arguments for why I think this theme can't lose, but it still remains to be done. I have made a couple general statements about what this game would need to be like to succeed. Let me state them clearly, again: 1) The game information must be supplemental to the existing information displayed on the card. We cannot afford to reduce value to add playability. 2) Like #1, we cannot afford to decrease value by adding additional non-colectible cards to the packs (like land, in magic) or messing with what collectors expect from a pack of cards. 3) The game needs to bear as much resemblance to the sport as possible. We want to aim this at the fans and collectors - not just at gamers. 4) And last, but most obvious, it needs to be fun. This means the game needs to be simple, quick, and enjoyable - Easy enough for beginners to have fun, but deep enough to keep experienced players coming back. All the stuff you guys are already good at. :) I think it can be done. I started tonight tying to work out the details for baseball, and I am excited. I really think this could be a fun game. Although we are referring to it as collectible card game; if done right it really wouldn't be. The player statistics and pictures for the season would be slapped on the cards, maybe a few special abilities randomly assigned to to them, and off they go. Every year will be different, every year will be fun. I've said it before, and I'll say it again - you can't lose! :) |
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