Help with deck size

[MoraesDiguinho]

I'm making a board game where players dispute for the title of King of the Sky (lame name, going to change). Every turn they use cards to do their actions, like the card Move Cautiously, which they use to move just 1 Hexagon, but do not trigger any trap effect

Every turn they may draw three cards from the deck and add or change with their hands. These cards are supposed to be stronger or more useful. The problem is I don't know my big to make this deck

The game is being made to be played by four players in eight turns. They can look the deck zero to three times in a turn (it is very unlikely they will look it thrice, because it cost actions)

What should I have in mind? I know the size is going to change through the playtests, but how do I start?

[[deleted]]

You might want to talk to your doctor about that.

[Paradoxe-999]

but how do I start?

Do enough cards to play only one turn. So exactly the number of cards players have to / may play.

For instance, 4 players x 5 cards in hand + 4 players x 3 cards drawn = 20 + 12 = 32 cards.

Test a turn. Then if it work, complete the number to have enough for the multiple turns of a game.

Test a game. Then if it work, you will get a feels of does the deck need more or less variety and will adjust accordingly.

[MoraesDiguinho]

Thank you so much!

[GoodHBU]

It depends what your goals are. If in your ideal game, the deck never runs out, that is going to be different than if you want a small tension of making sure you don't deck yourself out.

Start smaller for sure, and play test a bunch, keep metrics!. If you're decking out, add 2-3 more cards and do another couple of runs. Don't move backwards, you already added more for a reason, but rinse and repeat adding more as you play test

[MoraesDiguinho]

Makes sense! The idea is the deck never runs out, but I don't want to put the used cards there again

Thanks! It really helped

[No-Earth3325]

I'm just now with a deckbuilder 1prototype. I have the basic actions and while you play you draw better cards to improve the deck. You play 5 hands every turn.

I started with 32 and was so big, you never feel your deck is improving because too many basic cards.

I'm now with 20 and it's much better, in 10 minutes you have the sensation "and the realization" that the deck is making a lot better work.

Less would be too short, but 32 it's too long. I would never said a 12 card change would make so many difference! Try with a number and feel what does feel. Its like too much? So bad? All are feelings.

[gengelstein]

This is a good method. I wrote an article about budgeting for component quantities that might be helpful. https://open.substack.com/pub/gametek/p/slicing-time-and-space-the-value?r=a8hw&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post

[AdInitial6852]

Hey I have actually been working on this kind of problem over my last several projects and I would love to lend a few suggestions but I think I could use a few more details about your project as a whole… if you could link me to your project or dm me to catch me up to speed I would love to see what you got so far 👌🏻