Cactus Game Design Message Boards

If you could remake redemption what are some things you'd do differently?  Since we have seen how certain choices in the design have affected Redemption I'm curious to find out what things different players would do differently.

Some ideas I have are: Only keep the 12 original brigades (6 good and 6 evil) This would make drafting slightly easier, and it would also make cards like Unholy Writ (that only target humans) not completely useless if your opponent is using a certain bridage (Silver)  It would also basically by default make Angels a support by being in certain brigades (Michael could be in red, and Gabriel could be in green or whatever is decided)  I would also try to base themes on what the brigades originally meant (which is sort of being done) and try to make each color do something unique.

I would include things like territory class, weapon class, and a few other things from early on (whenever they were needed)

I would also try to avoid By the Numbers abilities like they had in warriors, which would hopefully keep CBN/CBI/CBP abilites to a minimum.

I'd also like to take out pre-battle playing (since we could use territory class for that without allowing broken things like ET AOCp)

I would change the  abilities on a handful of cards (ANB, SitC, Golgotha to name a few) and then I would re-write all abilities with consistent wording as they were intended to be played.

Disciples wouldn't have happend and zeb would not have come out. And Iamholy/chamber would work.

Why are people whining so much? Redemption couldn't be much better than where it's at now.

That depends on how they rule Golgotha/CBIg.

You rock sauce.

Quote from: Ring Wraith on October 23, 2010, 03:52:26 PM

Why are people whining so much? Redemption couldn't be much better than where it's at now.

That depends on how they rule Golgotha/CBIg.

True. But it's going to end up that you CBI before or after, knowing Rob.

I think that if redemption ups the sets per year this will all get ironed out.

it's not the time, it's the number of people. if redemption had more playtesters, this game would run alot smoother.

I volunteer myself as a playtester.

I do too but you won't let me in after the critasizeing will you?

I nominate Ring Wraith. A mind as brilliant as his (who else would be genius enough to come up with COMBO COMBO COMBO COMBO?) will surely make up for the rest of the play tester's short comings.

If I didn't know you like I do, and wasn't a part of the development team of COMBO COMBO COMBO COMBO, I might think you're actually serious.

I agree. And Ring Wraith doesn't win locals, so he is the perfect candidate

Set rotations.  Joke cards.  Listen to the new card section.

Redemption doesn't need more playtesters that are competitive players. They need more boneheads like me, who ask stupid questions that will trigger helpful questions with the real playtesters.

redemption needs a healthy mix of both. it needs the ultra competitive players (spike players) to find out how much of a power creep will be introduced into the meta from a new expansion, as well as the players that think completely outside the box (johnny players) that will find crazy combinations that could potentially unbalance the game as well. at this point, we dont have nearly enough of either in playtesting.

Set rotations.

i seriously could not agree with you more.

The problem with the playtesting right now is that there's not as much emphasis put on proofreading as there ought to be. If the mentality would change they'd probably be fine. However, I am 100% convinced that there should be a larger group of proofers who don't actually suggest new cards/abilities/etc. but whose entire job is to just look at all  the cards and make sure they 1. do what they're intended to do as written 2. don't make broken combos with other cards and 3. don't have too little in the way of counters. These people would only come in near the end when what the cards do is already decided and simply check them before they go off to the printers.

completely agree, the problem with redemptions process is ALL of the development and playtesting is done by the same pool of players, which results in more mistakes and flaws going through to the final product. R&D needs to be seperate. playtesting needs to be seperate. proofing needs to be seperate.

of all the people on this board, there is no other that needs to be on the R&D team more than pol. he has demonstrated over the years how a redemption card is properly conceptualized. and wraith/lambo/rawr should definately be playtesting.

Like MKC says, if a group is together enough, they understand what each other are saying, without clarification.  We need separate groups.

It's been done before.  We've got elders and unredeemable demons.  (Much as you might agree/disagree, these both came from our vocal community).

I vote Polarius as a "Johnny Player" and MKC as a "spike player." I offer my services as part of the "Sugar Pill" group.

Kirk should be as well, if he isn't already.

Splash a few new players in.  Have a lottery where leaders of playgroups can apply to playtest and find issues.

I'm a leader of a playgroup. Also players such as Kirk/pol/Mr.hiatus should be playteseters not to mention MKC.

Outside game play, needs more aggressive marketing, but I'm not on the inside, I don't know all the facts on the ground

YESYESYESYESYES.  Is there any marketing whatsoever for Redemption other than word of mouth?

Certainly.  As a business student, I can see many reasons that Redemption may be improved*

*though there are probably reasons for some that I don't know.

Or just the 90% of products that are released because they're "Christian" and people will buy such.

Or just the 90% of products that are released because they're "Christian" and people will buy such.

Prayer of Jabez bath mats, potpourri, cheese straighteners....

Quote from: metalpsalm on October 25, 2010, 01:14:14 PM

Family Christian Bookstore NEVER has it in their catalog that gets mailed out. Just that would expose 100,000 people that have never even heard of it. They could cut some room off all the cruddy souless music section, who's with me??!!

Just the fact that their advertising booklet displays the same music CDs on three different pages is annoying enough. I always look for Redemption to be advertised, and I'm always disappointed that it is not, especially since they advertise Cactus' board games.

However, advertising costs money. Given the current financial condition of the country, I would think that Cactus needs to conserve costs when possible. However, if Redemption does choose to start an advertising department, Roy Cruz should be on the board.

Hear hear!
I grant that thing's are tight, but either we press on, or we assume the fetal position and die. So, let's get busy livin' Cactus!

What would work best would be an incentive system for new playgroup leaders.  Still make a profit, (albeit not as much of one at the start), and get new players.  Word of mouth works best, but it's like tinder.  You need to fan the flames to make a big fire.

Fixed.  I sell decent amounts (not terribly much, but multiply it by hundreds of playgroups across the country).