I really don't get Card Games.

So, my sister's husband has dragged me into Hearthstone thanks to a long teaching lesson from his brother. So it's the three of us playing with one another just for fun no real sense of direct competition. He's doing a heavy amount of teaching because even with tutorials are loosing my interest.

A bit of history with me. For the past 20 years, I've had a bad relationship with trading card games. Early on, I would say I was a casual paper and pencil RPG fan but that would be of an exaggeration since all we really did was spend time drawing from of the Monster Manual, eating Cheetos and listening to Manowar. But once the craze kicked in, my best friends would try to teach me how to play, and I would fall asleep on them. This would continue even long into art school where I was asked to draw cards for friends and still fall asleep while playing games with cards I had just made. And even now, I'd discover someone like my cousin who lives in France showing me a Magic card art he adores and frames it above his computer monitor. The still art looks like a squiggly mess.... and this coming from an artist.

I don't hate TCG genre, I know people love it and it's something special for them. But I feel like around 1995 when it hit big there was a point where I realized I loved Street Fighter more. And it had a lot more to do with that direct input and reward mechanic of performing a move. Now, the skill of fighting games aren't easy, they take time, as much time as strategy games themselves. But I do feel that mastery is still immediate. You can spend 80 hours in an RPG finding an epic armor set but I can still perform a dragon punch as the round starts. The waiting and the randomness of card games turn me off when I want bright creative Capcom sprite animation.

Now here's Hearthstone.... you could say this is really catered to me, a person who doesn't consider myself a trading card gamer. The presentation is over the top silliness..... still not keeping me awake. There's still a bit of fun with the audio from WoW..... still I'm looking for a volume option, and keep hitting any button to skip the little dialog. The art is actually better then most TCG I have come across..... but they are so small and blurry when zoomed in even blown up on a larger Computer Monitor. There is no way to zoom in to fill up the whole screen, still my sister's husband's brother has found a way to put it as his cell phone wallpaper. A silly Swamp thing looking card, wonder if Alan Moore should be depressed about this? "Maw-gic Cave"

I've been playing since Saturday and I must confess, it's handled better then I imagined. The gem system and turns makes sense and it's easy to fallow even on modest simple matches. A friendly Peon worker Orc sound effect to tell me I could perform every move is there to assure me I'm read. The game is designed more to have impact on each card drop, and it's a bit silly how it looks but it's effective. The unpacking cards is actually very creative way to keep the free element and enjoy the presentation of unpacking a real set of cards. These are elements I can respect. I can kinda see how some people are hooked, but it's not getting me there yet. Even with my small group of friends to play with I don't think I will continue playing it with them. I feel I might loose one purpose to at least let them feel better about themselves.

Right now, my main problem is that I am slapping cards down. Any cards, it doesn't matter I just don't care for strategy. Because they are just digital cards that really have no value in my own mind. Honestly, I keep turning my head up and looking at these VHS tapes of Lone Wolf and Cub series and wonder if I could beg my neighbor to barrow her VHS player while she's away for Europe this week. The value I placed to them is a big different, since they were given to me by my best friend who bought them in a flea market 10 years ago, and I'll probably use them to be inspired with.

the allure of fixing the tracking of a worn down VHS tape is it's own reward.

You should probably not play a game you don't like ... not every game is for everyone no matter how good/well made it is. I don't know what else to say ^^

I'm a firm believer of that philosophy. I'll admit it's well made, but my mind is wandering and thinking how much I'm wasting time. I'm doing it out of respect for family..... but I've done the same thing for Family Guy episodes they ADORE......... blah, family.

W..w..why the hell are you playing this game again..? Seems like a waste of your time.

Also, this reads like you have ADHD.

well, like I was saying in the blog, the card have no value to me. I do feel Blizzard designed a well produced game, that the whole presentation helps it feels like your slapping down something powerful. But even still personally I can't tell from the small little window what it is and I just tend to loose interest fast, even if the art is better then most TCGs I've seen before.

Maybe, I do feel most video games just have that whole push button something colorful happens, hence why I brought up street fighter. But even that not everyone is into and takes time to develop skills for that genre.

It'd be a waste of time if I did this alone, but at least I got the excuse of friends..... much like drinking alone is alcoholism but drinking with friends isn't. Yeah, I'd rather be watching 70s exploitation samurai films with disco music.

You seem like an ISFJ. Card games don't seem like an ISFJ thing. Understandable that you don't like it.

gee, thanks for the diagnosis. Is this under medical? or are you billing me pre hour?

Well, I mean I've been seeing TCG games for a while and there's always someone trying to drag me into them. They will often hold up a card and smile because the art they feel is so inspiring for them, even if it's like a big swampy mess titled "misery." I can see why it's special for them but it's not for me and it's something I have to tolerate as I'm dragged in.

@crithon: It really just sounds like you aren't into strategy. Or long-term value. Or investment.

I mean, maybe you just have to get into that mindset, but you make a decent case for just not being the kind of person that likes thinking about that kind of thing. Fortunately, there are tons of fun games that focus almost solely on instant gratification. There's no need to force yourself to do or play something you don't enjoy.

I love Hearthstone, Advance Wars, chess, and other strategy games, but I know they aren't for everyone. And that's alright.

What is it called when you get drunk with your friends to make them feel better about themselves?;) Might not be as bad as alcoholism, but it sure doesn't sound healthy:)

hmmmmm, to be honest...... yeaaaaahhhh, maybe I don't like strategy but man I LOOOOOOVE Advance Wars. I really do. And FF Tactics, jesus, how much I spent on FFTA2 when it had a lot useless padding to get to good stuff later down the line.

I feel like I prefer strategy when it's streamlined to the point where it's almost not noticeable like the meta games in fighting games when your trying to make a guy block at the right moment only to get him in a throw. Like that thinking in 3 steps ahead.... but that's all flashy and colorful. And like Tactics or Advance Wars, I get all proud over those cute little guys conquering an army. I mean it sounds shallow when I say it like that, Bunny Women and Moogles with guns.

haha, I don't know..... uhhh, getting dragged into someone else's problems?

Actually, I did tell my sister's husband "I played it and found it boring, we should play dark souls or shovel knight instead." and he replied "No, it's free and we can play it together." So lost that conversation.

@crithon: Did what I say offend you? What's with the snarky response? Here's how the conversation was going from my perspective:

You: "Hey guys, I don't like card games but I'm playing one. Yo, what's up with that?"

replies: "Don't play it if you don't like it. The end."

Isn't a conversation about the psychology of why someone does or doesn't like something more interesting than the above? Now, here's what's more interesting to me, are you an ISFJ or not? I'm curious if I typed you correctly despite the extremely small amount of information given.

Imagining this literally makes you seem like a real... something...

Anyways, it just seems like TCG games are not for you. I've personally only really enjoyed Yu-Gi-Oh since I was a kid, partially since it had a show that helped advertise the game, and taught you how to play just by watching it. The real rules of the game were obviously a lot more complex, but having the show was a good way to get people interested.

Looking at your other comment, I would say playing Dark Souls or Shovel Knight might better serve your preferences. heh. Card games aren't everyone's thing, and they don't have the same progression as a SRPG like Tactics or AW. So, while you gave it a shot, it's probably just not for you.

I would recommend playing Shovel Knight. I love that game.

oh sorry, I didn't mean to come off that snarky, just trying to be cheeky joke.

But I am trying to analyze the game a bit, but I do feel it's something further that doesn't click well with me. I have a bit of a long history of friends just dragging me into them and I tend to be polite and just go okay with it and again never does connect. Again I bring up fighting games, because it was close around the same time span and even now I come across people who go "I just can't understand these fighting games." or the "we play them button mash at parties." But there's that skill that takes time to develop, and then there's the meta game of the strategy of trying to predict an opponents moves ahead. And Hearthstone..... is probably the best TCG genre game for me I should give it a shot, jesus the "FREE" price tag should be it considering buying cards and all HAHA. But like I mention earlier, I had to have someone to explain to me the tutorial. And that's my history for close to 20 years there's always something trying to explain it to me and it never clicks and I never continue with this even if it means a lot to friends.

Just reminded one time in college was at a party and we played a TCG game "Oh My Goth" had a mechanic of "health/cool" points. You did stupid things that could make you cool and you'd loose health.... the concept was made for me, but still was slapping cards down because I didn't know what I was doing. Maybe it's more the rewards aren't as great if it's not poker chips or even video game animation.

Actually I'm trying to look it up, never heard of it before.

Two words: Team Fortress...Two. Three words!

What I'm saying is, if 50% of the group is bored to tears with the chosen activity, it's time to look for better alternatives. Uhhhh, play DOTA2!!

@liquidprince: yeah, that's probably a good way to get into it. By the way Magic the Gather came out I was about 16, I prefer spending my money at the arcades to play SF2.

hehe, yeah, well that's the thing, every now and then at a party someone will bring a novelty card game for fun. So that's how sometimes I get roped into playing a card game that's not poker with Booze and chips.

Well, I'd be eager to admit I love Advance Wars and FF tactics for the sprite art when I first discovered them. Like Hearthstone, I'll admire the cards have better art then almost any TCG game ever, and the production value of slamming them down is amusing. I wish there was a bit more, I'm a collector type of guy, I love little cards, sometimes I pin them on the side of my desk. JESUS, I got a Gremlin's 2 card of Greta Gremlin since she's so feminine ;) but again, the game doesn't really do that well, I have to seek out the artist's deviant art part to find the art in better quality in order to admire it because in game it's just so small even when you zoom in.

Yeah, I wanted to show them how well they did Shovel Knight retro themes and it was one of those "NOPE! WE DECIDE AS A GROUP TO DO THIS! Blah blah blah." This is why families sucks.

@crithon: You gotten any golden Hearthstone cards? Those are real shiny and fun to collect. ;)

Though, yeah, I'm more about real cards. Hearthstone cards only really have value for strategy(and some looking cooler in strategy. ha).

HAHAHA, If I did TF2, I'd probably show them some crazy Mod server I love playing at. I think Hearthstone clicked well with them because they are mostly those lapsed causal gamers, and the ipad is perfect for hearthstone. So I would come off a bit too hardcore gamer showing them a FPS game. Hmmmmm, maybe my sister's husband might dig dota2, maybe...... again he's too casual it's just that ipad with the two of them. They might not like having to play online with other people, has to be as high tech as a NES with these guys.

Uhhhh..... not sure, I think of them is kinda silverish? No wait, the cards have like different borders, I do have one golden, spellbreakers.... art is kinda meh, some particle effects spruce it up. MAN, I WANT TO ZOOM IN GOD DAMNIT!

uhhhhh..... I just don't know why TCG card art never clicked with me before, sometimes they look like heavy metal covers and I love those.

@crithon: Some of the cards look really cool when golden. Heck, win 300 times with a hero and get a golden hero!

If you right click on a card in your collection, it should zoom in for you. Makes a card pretty big.

@truthtellah said:

@crithon: Some of the cards look really cool when golden. Heck, win 300 times with a hero and get a golden hero!

If you right click on a card in your collection, it should zoom in for you. Makes a card pretty big.

bigger bigger bigger, come on full screen. Yeah, I would want like full screen without the whole "grind it down button"

You know, the thing about TCG art it's always too inconsistent and doesn't really consider the whole text and borders, so you get these composition errors. It's always bothered me as an artist just how they crop up a painting to fit into a small window to put up text of "causes -5 damage, acid breath" Just saw one of a woman attacking a man and the guy is cropped out but she's not really flowing well she's in mid motion it's all weird, the coloring doesn't help because it's all stylized but the borders take away from the style design..... just amazed companies release something this gaudy. Actually have a few friends who work for that card company that do the Penny Arcade card games, but they did different card games their design is much much much better then this.

THIS IS HOW YOU SHOULD DO IT, PAY ATTENTION BLIZZARD

@crithon: Reading your comment just made me think of this article from a while back: http://kotaku.com/popular-card-game-is-now-melting-eyes-1581602885

Oh my god..... those look like 80s trapper keeper by Lisa Frank.

but this is classy compared to that.

What the hell is happening in this thread?

@shortbreadtom: abuse of the quote button instead of the reply button? which is my own fault

Card games. Strategy. Personal preferences. Questionable decisions.

Just play Shovel Knight.

amen, amen, amen.

It sounds to me like you might have a cold. I'd recommend not subjecting yourself to a game you don't like unless participating in family members' interests is important to you, and also you should be drinking a lot of orange juice. Nevermind the vitamin C, just drink it because it tastes good. A nice sweet orange juice, deeelicious. Pulp is a bonus.

Also get lots of food. No wait, don't. What is it? Feed the cold, starve the flu? Well starving yourself never seems sensible. I would know, I'm not a doctor.

I think I tried Magic one time during lunch break at highschool, or maybe it was a spare. It was alright. Why don't you try getting into the strategizing a bit and see if it does anything for you? That's the big draw with these games isn't it? "You just activated my trap card *smirk*" and all that.

TCGs and me don't particulary mesh well either. I could see myself enjoying em if I actually had the interest to give them the time of day, but I just can't help but think of how much cooler it'd be if they weren't cards. Like if I was playing a video game commanding a bunch of crazy units, or at least using a bunch of rad miniatures. I almost got into Warhammer a couple times. That shit was always way too expensive though.

I did get into collecting cards for a while. Spanish Dragon Ball Z cards and Pokemon mostly. I also had a fuckton of Marvel cards of some sort. But that was all just collecting and staring at them, no playing.

Well, if they're that casual then just play League of Legends instead!

Sound advice! Although I have been taking Vitamin C pills, might steal the OJ from my baby niece.

Yeah, well it's an odd abstraction in TCG design. Like I said before Hearthstone does an excellent job with it's presentation, not only is there animation but a WoW style voice comes out on each card, but still the art itself is so tiny would help if it was a miniature model atop of the card doing a little dance. You are right it sounds expensive but just collecting little warhammer figurines does sound more appealing since it's a thing that can sit on a desk or put it on the dashboard of your car. That's the thing about collecting stuff, you just feel inspired when you have something beside you even if it's a post card.

OH GOD, I love those Marvel Cards back in the early 90s. I did a move across country and I had to keep them, and kept another parties "first issue" cover cards, was looking at the 90s guardians of the galaxy, Adam Warlock, Silver Surfer covers. The all Jim Lee Xmen cards were just insane, I still love seeing those Art Adams Marvel cards,the man knows how to draw giant monsters like Fin Fang Foom, with PANTS!

@sharkethic: that was actually perfect because he was asking about borrowing my copy of Warcraft 3.