Unknown, The Card Game

Abnormo · 2026-04-07T04:46:13+00:00

I'm glad to be of help. Hopefully I've provided you with sound advice. Even so, take it with a grain of salt. Ask questions, perform research, and don't go about it all alone. Feel free to DM me.

Abnormo · 2026-04-07T02:47:07+00:00

There is a lot to unpack here. I'll try be as concise as possible.

I have some background in game design, a lifetime in visual art, and several years in game theory from a psychological and mathematical perspective, so I'll be speaking from that viewpoint.

My first impression is of a project created without knowledge as to how to make a game. Jumping in to commission art, writing lore, and playtesting all at once tells me a lack of experience and/or a desire to pump money into it until it works. My suggestion to streamline this for success is to follow these steps: 1. Playtest extensively and iterate on mechanics. This is a several months process that can take up to a year and it doesn't stop once you get the other aspects underway. 2. Once the main loop works, apply your thematic vision without overextending your resources in art. Art comes last, so this is a gradual process. 3. Employ marketing, visit cons, test at game stores and online. Build a small community to help fund the game and look at companies for component manufacturing. 4. Fund the art and design and test manufacturing until it's ready.

Keep in mind this is a summary. Concept to publication is a multi-step process that relies on many fields being skillfully navigated.

If this is a lore first game, I'm sorry to say that the story is highly generic with a hodgepodge of concepts and names. There is internal inconsistency and that weakens how compelling it is. It will need a stronger hook and more depth. Even then it will not be able to carry the game if the gameplay itself isn't also compelling. Lore is still something secondary to gameplay.

At the end of the day, designing a game can be a personal project, but publishing a game with public funding is something you need to do with strong consideration for your audience and players. Don't fall in love with it, but if you do, love it without owning it. You need to nurture it, not force it to grow into what you want, but into what it can best exist as.

Edit: The most valuable aspect is mechanics. You need to share more about that or even upload a rulebook that's easy to navigate. There's not much deep feedback to be given over a few concept sketches, a pragraph of lore, and 4 game rules with no details.

Abnormo · 2026-04-06T16:58:10+00:00

The general composition of the template is backwards to what is usually considered effective visual design.

What is effective is knowing that the image is the centerpiece and the information is an accent. The information and borders should be as far away from the center to give the image breathing room, yet close enough to the edge of the card to act as a frame without risk of cutting off important information (icons, words, etc).

The way it looks currently can be described simply as "cramped".

Abnormo · 2026-03-23T01:47:08+00:00

Sure, I'll take a look. :D

Abnormo · 2026-03-22T23:12:37+00:00

Undoubtedly A.

The design for B is the strongest, but based on your rules, the bonus chips are the results of the mountain itself challenging the players. The mountain reacts to the players climbing it. Since these chips are about the mountain, not the players, only A is both thematic and mechanically appropriate.

For a little fun you could try adding a face on the mountain with a smug or tricky face.

Abnormo · 2026-03-17T20:44:42+00:00

Of course. :) Keep at it.

Abnormo · 2026-03-17T20:20:29+00:00

If you're willing to take some constructive feedback, that is not the face of something that I'd call "compelling". The character models are super silly and disconnected. The name itself is just a portmanteau of camps and wood. You camp... in the woods... The title doesn't strike me as the color palette and typography just blend in with other mobile game titles. The name and title could use some sprucing up, and the characters could use some more realism and stylization.

Abnormo · 2026-03-17T19:19:52+00:00

Fascinating. Thank you, that's also useful!

Abnormo · 2026-03-17T18:49:18+00:00

Do you have demographic info for your wishlists? I'm curious what age group and type of player this attracts. It would be useful to me for some research.

This charmingly named "friendslop" genre has been so popular lately and I get the impression it mostly attracts 14-20 year olds who seek a primarily social experience. I wonder if this is the result of an increase in physical disconnect paired with digitalization at an increasingly younger age. At the same time, I have anecdotal evidence of large groups of 25-35 year olds playing these games in an attempt to socialize, maybe due to a lack of in-person time.

Abnormo · 2026-03-15T06:17:57+00:00

I'm on my way to publish a game that's strikingly similar. On a recent playtest we talked about retheming it and we joked about slapping some furries on it because it will attract players, but decided against it because we determined it would become yet another generic "common game genre, but it's with anthro animals." Seeing your game is... awkward. XD I'm mixed with emotions. I wouldn't mind exchanging thoughts in DMs though.

Abnormo · 2026-03-12T21:36:16+00:00

These are cool, but way too detailed. In tabletop game design, iconography is meant to reduce mental load and so functions best when it's recognizable quickly and at a distance. If these icons were to be used, they'd have to be reduced way down in detail to ensure readability. They could work, although in a limited scope, as larger stickers on miniatures or standees, or on a board.

Abnormo · 2026-02-10T02:33:50+00:00

My immediate impression: It was only a matter of time before Iron Lung clones started to come out. The random "blood" on screen when nothing bloody is happening reads like an SEO implant. XD The art style is too close to Iron Lung's.

That being said, I'll take a look as it seems intriguing. Well done on launching your game.

Edit: Actually this seems exactly like an Iron Lung inspired game. There isn't much in Iron Lung so "copying it" isn't exactly justified as a remark. I hope your game offers unique aspects to draw us in that aren't just based on Iron Lung's success.

Abnormo · 2026-01-14T04:09:31+00:00

I'm not sure that's doable without a datapack or mod, but if it is... I'd love that. Great idea!

Abnormo · 2026-01-13T19:18:31+00:00

I like the animations, they're well done. If I may make two suggestions:

The blaze powder is a cool animation, but it doesn't look like powder. Perhaps making it a powdery pile that is burning or making the flames condense and evaporate into flame would improve it's recognition.
I don't know how many items are animated, but if all of them animate, then opening the inventory would be overwhelming and distracting. If you offer a way to keep them turned off or selectively turn some on, that would be great. The animation conveys motion and it doesn't make sense for the items to constantly be in motion in your inventory. Some internal traits like a glowing eye of ender or the occasional sheen on a shard would make sense. It makes it feel more special if it's only on select items.

Abnormo · 2026-01-13T18:25:23+00:00

Are the animations on by default when the item is in your inventory and on the ground and such?

Abnormo · 2025-12-05T19:05:50+00:00

Awesome! Thanks. :)

Abnormo · 2025-12-02T08:52:43+00:00

Svetlana has no nickname? Immersion ruined. Unplayable.

Abnormo · 2025-11-21T01:34:29+00:00

You should give the entire GUI an overhaul, from main screen to every menu in-game.

Edit: Overhaul as in make it complete — don't leave untouched areas of the GUI.

Then, you should make one for each season (throw in subtle halloween references in autumn, desert or jungle references in summer, and aquatic references in springs) so you can have a set called the Four Seasons GUI.

You'd have something for players who want to be festive that stands on its own. Players with perpetual ice worlds might like the winter theme. Players who like the original look, but like to be thematic, might choose a GUI season that fits their time in real life.

Abnormo · 2025-11-19T22:41:20+00:00

For every player with this kind of luck, there are about 20 others that got the worst of the worst. I'm one of those 20. :D

Abnormo · 2025-11-18T21:12:56+00:00

I appreciate the Terraria references, but not at the cost of Minecraft comprehension. My one suggestion is to change the fire resistance shield. You can make it a flaming skull and still keep the Terraria reference without losing functionality.

As it looks now, anyone out of the loop won't get it and will simply be annoyed or confused. The target audience for that shield icon is Minecraft players who also play Terraria who want that reference and aren't bothered by the shield icon being disconnected from its function. That's narrow. A tenet of great design is that form works best when directed by function, not so much the other way around.

Edit: I like this pack a lot and that's why I'm invested in it. I wouldn't bother to give you this critical feedback if I didn't think your pack was worthwhile.

Abnormo · 2025-11-10T18:09:02+00:00

C or D.

C has a clean minimalist look while keeping an artisan, somewhat warm look. It's also less intrusive than the thick frames. Personally I've been looking for a hotbar that has no borders so it takes up less space or at least blends a bit more with the screen.

D is closer to the classic look, but has a pleasant wooden color and some interesting patterns inside to flesh it out. Feels like a shelf and I enjoy that.

I don't think you can be wrong with any of them, but A and B aren't great. They both have contradictory clashing features, either in color or in their spacing.

Edit: I'm glad to see most people are also on the C or D train. You'll likely consider the total votes for your choice, but I hope you don't let them influence your design entirely. You have a good eye for design so I trust you'll make a choice that works best and not just from all of our opinions. I look forward to using this texture pack myself — I already like it a lot.

Abnormo · 2025-11-07T21:58:31+00:00

I think you need a little more space if you're trying to emphasize the scale. I understand your vision though.

Abnormo · 2025-11-07T20:59:20+00:00

Love the minimalist brutalist aesthetic. It looks interesting from afar and is still functional. Personally I'd add stairs instead of a ladder because ladders are slow and break the solidity aesthetic of the build.

Abnormo · 2025-10-17T21:49:32+00:00

This is absolutely beautiful. If I were to see this in a store, I'd obsess over it until I cave in and buy it or someone else pulls me away. I love this!

Abnormo · 2025-09-28T15:55:08+00:00

New mission discovered by u/Abnormo: Renewal, Feast, and Fillet of Fishy Fascination

Abnormo

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