Jazz Community Cards - Rule Update, Templates, and Card Design
 

Initial thread (for those who are lost)

Well first, here's the more complete set of rules:

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Jazz Jackrabbit Card Game
(based on Triple Triad, of Final Fantasy 8 (PSX))

No. of Players

2 to 4.

Objective

The object of the game is to control the majority of the cards on the playing field. You control the cards that you play onto the field, but control of the cards can change throughout the game.

Layout (Updated)

The playing field is a matrix of cells, where a card can be played in each cell. Common field sizes are 3x3, 5x5, and 7x7.

Each player also has a hand. Beginning hand size is dependent on the size of the field and number of players:

(too lazy to write neat html table)
Field Size.........Hand Size
..........2 Players.3 Players.4 Players
3x3.......5 cards...-.........-
5x5.......13 cards..9 cards...7 cards
7x7.......-.........-.........13 cards

Cards are chosed before the game begins. You are allowed to have no more than one copy of any card in your hand at the start of the game.

Cards (Updated)

Each card resembles a player from the Jazz community, and includes a brief description of them, along with game-related abilities and effects. The effect of a card in a game with the basic ruleset follows:

The card has four ordered values. These values can range from 1-9, and A (A is treated as greater than 9). Each value printed represents one side of the physical card; i.e. there is a value for the top of the card, as well as the bottom, left and right sides.

Each card may also have one or more special abilities, which can be triggered during play. Abilities are effect that can alter some aspect of the game. These effect may be instant, or last one full turn (until the end of your next turn). Abilities may be conditional, and only work under certain circumstances. Following are some examples of possible abilities:

Turn: This card gets a +3 to all side values.

Instant: Gain control of any one card that has a "started roasting" date within the last two years.

Turn: All opponents cards get -1 to top and bottom values.

Note: Side values always have a minimum value of 1, and a maximum value of A.

Play (updated)

On your turn, you play a card from your hand onto an empty cell in the field.

If your card's values are higher than any opposing cards adjacent, you gain control of those cards. The value used to check for control is the one that represents the side touching the opposing card. (Implication: If you card's value is equal or lower than the opponent's card, nothing happens.)

If you gain control of more than one card in this respect (on the same turn), any one of the card's special abilities may be triggered by you (if it has any).

End of Game (Updated)

Turns continue to alternate until the entire field is filled.

Tie handling for multiple players: The player with the most side value points left in their hand wins (Add up all the values from all cards in your hand). If you have no hand, you have zero points in counting a tie.

Example of Control Switch (Capture)

The Devan card (fake) has values of 2 up, 7 down, 5 left, 4 right.

Player A plays a Devan card, then Player B plays a Devan card directly above it. The bottom of B's card touches the top of A's card, so they are checked for control. Since B's 7 (on the bottom) is greater than A's 2 (on the top), B captures A's card. B now controls both cards on the field.

Rule Variants (New)

Any number of these rules may be added to the basic rules to change the game. Any rule used here supercede the basic rules.

Open - Players play with their hands face up (so that the other player can see the cards).

Pure - Players cannot use special abilities.

Sudden Death - The first player to make a multiple capture (two or more cards) wins.

Other variants may be added later.

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Second, here are the guidelines for a card template/blank (for those who want to design the visual card):

Suggested size: 250x350 pixels. Conceptually, the actual board will feature cards at a smaller size, but selecting a card will allow you to view the full size card with all details.

Card must display fields for the following information:

- Player's Primary Name
- Other Aliases/AKAs (if any)
- Started Roasting Date (when player joined community; month and year)
- Likes
- Dislikes
- Brief Description (a good paragraph)

Card must also display side values and special abilities.

As long as the card can show the above features, you have freedom of design. You may also want to have a picture in the foreground or background to spice it up. :) You may leave out the optional "AKAs" field on cards which do not have any AKAs. You may also change the name of a field if you have another suggestion for it, or you may use pictures or other symbols to represent fields, instead of a text label. You should fill out the card with example descriptions and abilities (doesn't matter who or how real it will be).

The template will be voted on. We may decided to use multiple templates.

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Lastly, guidelines for creating a card! :)

Note: Vulgarity, and flaming of others will not be advertised on cards. If any submitted material is questionable, the card is subject to be modified or rejected.

Your card should be able to fill in the fields stated above. Please be as accurate as possible where something may be questionable. Your description should be written in third person, otherwise you write whatever you like within a reasonable length (1-4 sentences).

With regards to game mechanics, you will be allowed to spend 24 points on side values and abilities. Abilities: Currently, you will have freedom to choose your abilities within reason. Examples of effects resulting from abilities are changing card values (turn), changing control (instant), swapping cards from one hand/table with other cards (instant). The average ability will cost 4 points; the potency of the ability may alter its cost. The three examples given in the rules would cost 4 points each. Extreme abilities, such as resetting the game and winning the game instantly will be acceptable, but only with extreme costs (I have marked those at 12 and 16 points, respectively). The only effects that are currently prohibited are anything which change the size of a player's hand (with obvious exceptions, like resetting the game). Your abilities may have names (inside jokes, anyone?). You may have up to three special abilities on your card. Side Values: The rest of your points may be distributed however you like amongst your side values (minimum of 1, maximum of A).

I will post an example of a card if I ever finish my example template. :)

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If you wish, you can send any templates or card requests to me via e-mail, ICQ, or AIM (you can also post them in this thread if you don't care about publicity). The response to this will affect my will to continue with the project, so I do not want to make any guarantees. Newspaz has decided that PHP isn't the way to go, and is now researching VDS (Visual Dialog Script).

Oh and the title of the game is open for suggestion as well.

Sounds really cool. I can't wait. One question, is started roasting date when you first played JJ2? What is people don't know the exact date? How accurate must it be? Just the year, or does it need month and day?

In the case that it does, who remembers the exact date that the shareware came out? (That would be my roasting date.)

Yes it is when you started playing with the community; I should have been more clear there. Month and year; approximate if you cant remember. I think the shareware was April 1998, but don't quote me on that (I wasn't around yet).

This all sounds really neat, but I'm wondering about one thing. Will there be "better" and "worse" cards, which have different rarity values?

Could there also be other cards, which don't represent specific players? Because out of all the active members in the community, only some will actually submit cards, and there won't really be that many in the end. I'm thinking that maybe we could also submit fictional characters.

Looks great Pho!! :-)

I think it would be more interesting if people could completely design their own cards with their own template. It would add way more variety, and let the creative genius of everybody be displayed.

If people aren't that creative, there could still be some templates for them to use, but I know I want to design my own personal card, which won't use a template that everyone else uses.

Edit: I made my card :D

[img]http://members.shaw.ca/link7/link_card.png[/img]

What do you think? Is 8 points acceptable for an ability like that?

Edited template guidelines slightly.

Link: No rarity; all the cards will be relatively equivalent in power. I did not plan on having other cards, but we'll have to see how it turns out. I personally think having a standard template is much nicer, but like I said, we may use multipe templates.

Phoenix Wing: Looks great. :) You should throw some text in there so we can see a complete card.

So you are programming a game?
Or am I wrong?
Gonna print out those rules and make me cards!
(Is it allowed to make cards like Bumbling Bee or Helmut?:D :D :D )

Yay! Now i really will be able to taste FQuist on toast! :D:D:D:D:D

Link: Hehe, you posted your card the same time I replied (earlier). Looks nice, but kinda hard to read your description with the BG. Yes, eight is good for that ability (you don't have to show the points you spent on the actual card). Is that you name in hex? ;)

Piccolo: I designed it; Newspaz is attempting the coding. You may make ONE card to represent youself, as a JJ2 player.

Teej: Better with ketchup.

Updated my card. The picture was actually in the foreground for some reason, which wasn't really noticeable until I converted it to PNG (it was 50% transparency though, so that is why you still saw the text). I think the picture also looks better in the middle, especially now that it is in the background.

And yes, it is the ASCII values of the letters L, i, n, and k, in hexadecimal. I was going to do binary, but it would have turned out too long.

The idea rux0rs.

I thought of two special abilities for mine already!

Magical Curse:-3
The card that beats Piccolo will get -1 to all side values(except if it can't lower)

SpamAttack!:-5
If a member of the Spam Kingdom enters,all of Piccolos side values rise by 1.

Are the costs okay?
(I can't MAKE the card right now,I first have to get my PC back!)

I've designed my card, need somewhere to upload. Only a draft, but it looks nifty. :p I also chose a different layout and colour scheme.

BTW, how many abilities are allowed per card? I've put one, but is there a limit? (Well of course, but what is it?)
And I was all confuzled by the rules...the special on the card needs changing to fit it :p

Hmz...uhm...Pho...erm...mind doing some artwork fer meh...? :)

Edit: Mraha!

ATM, I still need to fix it a bit. I used teh pic Pho drew of me and I hope Wildie doesn't mind, but I took a little bit of sky outta a Bryce5 piccy for the background behind meh.

I will not make my template before I'm completely sure on what's going to be on it.
I'm kinda confused, sinice all blanks until now are a lot different.
Syntax, explain that :)

There could be, say, 20 max points and we could be able to distribute the side values equally.

Hm... no rarity or having "good" cards. That seems boring.

*Thinks up a new element*

! *surprised*

I just gave myself an idea!

I'll tell you later.

Piccolo: Well, under the current rules, a card's abilities are only triggered if you capture cards with it. Haven't thought about continuous effects. Hmm...

Defalcon: Also, your ability doesn't seem to fit the game rules (were you thinking of the roleplaying rules?).

Moonblaze: See above. Also, people have not been including all the fields (missing likes, dislikes, akas(?)).

KRSplat:

Syntax: Teh rules were very long. And very confusing. And I was too tired to read them all at the time. But thanks. :)

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...?

I'll have to make my card,so tell me if it's all okay!!!!:(

Okay...I've read the rules more thoroughly...and it's STILL confusing the daylights outta me! Link seems to have figured it out, Link! Help meh work out my card's ability things :D

I'm gonna have a hard time fitting three on one card...

Nice cards, Link and Defalcon...
am lazy to do something nice but I wanna have a card =p someone gotta help me.... someone help me click submit
EDIT: thanks mom >.>

ROTFLOL!!!:D

For making me laugh,I'm willing to make you a picture for your card!
Just tell me the details!
What you have to do is,well,the rest!
(I ain't gonna do everything for you!:p )

Piccolo: For now, assume you can't. You can easily convert your abilities to the types allowed (instant or one turn duration, triggered by multiple captures).

Defalcon: Yeah, the concept of the capturing might be difficult to grasp, and I tried to be as concise as possible about it. Is that the confusing part?

Interesting...

Aww...now I'm going to have to understand the rules!:rolleyes:

Will there be element factors? Can we have passive skills (casted immediatly when the card is in play)?

Kaz: Though about elements; not sure how to implement it yet, but I'd like to. As for passive abilities:

Just a favor. Make all the cards about equal in power and skills. No discrimination, no rankings aplied, because it's just a opinion who is important and who isn't. ;p

Did you make your card already,Cracco?

Btw,Syntax:
-Where is your announced template?
-How many cards are submitted now?

Piccolo: What about templates?

Cracco Boy: You must have missed something...
For a similar reason.

Piccolo: I am a very lazy man. ;) Also, everything in this thread is all I've received; nothing else so far.

And how many cards do you need at least?

Hmm, what about player chosen values?

IE: A Kamehameha attack that can "attack" a card directly on it's sides but up to four tiles away. The amount of power taken away is decided by how far away they are... or something...

Sorry, I haven't really read the topic ;p

Are you going to host these somewhere? I don't think many of us have places to upload these. (Unless we can to the j2o DB XD).

At the least, I will host them on my box. Its not much, but I can do it.

*Claims page*

Well this seems like it'll be pretty good. And by the looks of the cards that have been made (And shown in this thread) I'd want defalcon to make mine :p I'm still a tad confused on the rules, but I understand the basics.