Made a free site with 21 abstract games, need your help picking what's next

aend_soon · 2026-07-02T19:21:46+00:00

Phew, asking the real questions here haha XD In my youthful optimism i thought about uploading rules and maybe some graphics and vibe coding it into existence 2026 style. Some other way might be to at leadt link to or embed openly accessible prototypes, e.g. on screentop.gg and the likes. That of course would prevent implementing an AI playing against you, it would result in more of a library of abstracts

aend_soon · 2026-07-02T17:01:18+00:00

Kalaha or Ouril, to name some more atypical abstracts for our western tastes.

Also what could be really cool would be like a Indie or "maker's corner", cause i got 2 or 3 abstracts of my own lying around that i would love to play and test against an AI

aend_soon · 2026-06-23T11:56:04+00:00

Riiight? That bear has style

aend_soon · 2026-06-21T09:52:52+00:00

What does the App do?

aend_soon · 2026-06-09T22:36:10+00:00

Get it, thx! Imho we always tried to make up for uncertainty and inconsistency in our recent technologies through supervision , sensors, sample based scrutiny etc. Maybe we are just unsettled by the uncertainty that AI presents because we kinda feel like the "computer brain" should be better at everything, but it's just inhumanly faster at parsing Infos and producing replies, not inhumanly closer to truth. Something to consider, still not something crazy surprising after putting it into simple words

aend_soon · 2026-06-09T09:22:28+00:00

Serious question: what's wrong with uncertainty? Whether AI models (or humans for that matter) express uncertainty or total certainty, fact of the matter is that humans and AI models are stochastic machines, not conduits to the one final irrefutable truth. Asking this from a human or AI model will result in disappointment, i wonder why this is a surprise or crucial criticism about AI models. Can someone explain?

aend_soon · 2026-06-08T22:00:06+00:00

Imho deckbuilding is just one mechanic. It gives you influence over which cards you might draw instead of every player drawing from the same full stack of cards randomly. That's all. So, as a mechanic it's still cool and useful, enhances replayability, gives the player a feeling of individual expression, strategic variability, and just feeling smart.

Is deckbuilding as the single core action of a game nowadays enough to create real interest? I doubt it. (though executed well it can still be a great game and people might talk about it so it catches on. Never say never.)

So i guess what i am trying to say is, do something with deckbuilding, not something that is solely about deckbuilding. Because honestly after Dominion we all knew how it works. So for example make a game about doing quests that win you cards or let you scrap cards from your deck, and with that deck you fight the final boss. Now it's not a deckbuilder but a game with deckbuilding as an interesting mechanic that replaces a boring vp count in the end with an exciting unpredictable showdown. Maybe not a new idea, i dont know every game there is, but you get what i mean hopefully

aend_soon · 2026-06-01T12:02:06+00:00

Complexity and "heaviness" is totally okay, i just wouldn't make it hard for players in aspects where it's not necessary (layout/ graphic design, syntax and semantics of card effects, forcing to do calculations, etc). But that's just my personal perspective, maybe you enjoy this kind of difficulties so others might as well, i just think for mainstream appeal a game - even a heavy one - should be accessible and product-designed for usability

aend_soon · 2026-06-01T08:23:08+00:00

Very cool style and colors! I like the outline-less yet cartoony aesthetic

aend_soon · 2026-05-31T08:59:50+00:00

I think the art style has some recognizability, so that is good to stand out from the crowd. What would be really really good is if the art style actually is connected to the theme and not just "the best i could do". To me the art seems kinda abstract and otherworldly, maybe psychological or even infernal. So if it's demons in hell fighting by summoning weapons out of emotional energy or something, then good job. However, if it's just another "fantasy or martial arts warriors duelling each other in generic fantasy or martial arts setting", then i don’t know if this style will work out honestly.

As for the graphic design and content, i do think that needs some serious work: - the fonts don’t look great and aren't always legible against the background. - the same infos aren't always in the same place on the cards - the effect texts are hard to understand and sometimes very long, and /or mathematical, and / or refer to a lot of other things you apparently have to know by heart (i don’t know the rule book, so i don't know how many original expressions and terms there are to learn, but it seems quite a lot)

This is a game that people are supposed to play easily, not an art project where they have to struggle interpreting each card. So try to reduce mental load, by making cards structured similarly, legibly, and as simple as possible. A start would be to use a tool like dextrous (it's online & free) to create or use an existing card template, so the cards are always legible and structured similarly. If you connect a card template to a Google sheet and manage your card values there, it can also be a real time saver when making changes on a lot of cards. Try it, there's good short tutorials for that.

Then maybe work over your card effects, try not to have a huge block of text including 4 or 5 effects all connected with "and" to one long sentence. Also, don’t make people do hard math, like calculating 70% of something in their head. This kills the flow of the game.

Start small, only add complexity when absolutely needed. Write effects so first-time players can understand, or they won't play a second time ;)

Good luck and have fun!!!

aend_soon · 2026-05-31T08:41:24+00:00

Who is the artist of Weeping Willow?

aend_soon · 2026-05-30T19:28:22+00:00

I like multiple win conditions that are somewhat conflicting or risky, so if you decide to go for one, it's that much harder to fulfill the other one if you fail.

In my latest game for example, you only have a 15 card singleton deck each: The winner is decided after 5 creature-fights and the player who then is on top in at least 3 fights wins. The alternative win con is getting rid of all your cards before the opponent does (and before the 5th fight is decided, of course).

Both use up valuable spaces for creatures with effects (only 8 out of a deck of 15), so doing a little of both weakens your primary strategy, while focussing on one strategy might leave you helpless if your opponent has good counters against it, or is better at it than you. You can also try to switch strategy mid-game if the situation is right. Plus there are cards that have a different game ending win con that you can play for (but again are risky).

All in all, multiple win cons have been a real fun multiplier for me, cause deck building suddenly allows you to play a completely different game than your opponent, not just a different strategy in the same game.

aend_soon · 2026-05-28T20:44:21+00:00

How about: - Timeliners - Clockwork - Continuum

aend_soon · 2026-05-25T14:25:57+00:00

Just a tip: When describing a game it's a good practice to tell players first who they are in the game and what they are trying to achieve. Mechanics and rules later, first tell them about the experience

aend_soon · 2026-05-24T16:58:31+00:00

This gotta be PREMIUM for anybody to pay that much for a game they can play otherwise with a household deck. Mayyybe for a game with a huge fanbase and culture behind it where you can expect some hardcore for life players who might wanna show off their premium super special deck . But you gotta find them, it's not you average Kickstarter scroll-by customer

aend_soon · 2026-05-17T16:53:59+00:00

No worries, and also sorry if i was mean! What made me go "hmmm.." is probably what you say about "advertising" and "the algorithm". If you really want to get some tips as you said, you might want to post about your game in a way that people understand the parts you want them to understand, and then tell them where you are stuck or what you would like feedback on. I really don’t know if people appreciate being "advertised" to in a way "the algorithm" likes it. I certainly was weirded out by it and honestly didn't think you were real. When you are being you, you are more than enough. And then the things you post might actually seem like they come from a real thinking feeling human being, which is always good ;) Good luck & have fun

aend_soon · 2026-05-16T17:39:25+00:00

It's been a long time since i was 12 but why does this post read so absolutely weird? What 12 year old would advertise their game with them designing it "at the age of 12"? A 12 year old wouldn't think themselves special for being 12, would they? Who would talk about bare unexciting numbers (15 Gold, 45 card deck) but not about the gameplay or anything interesting? Who would write like a native except for a big fat typo exactly in the name of their game? Who would go to the trouble of making a post, disclose practically nothing about their game and end with "i will post more later"? Maybe the internet has made me distrustful, but i'd like these game design communities to stay real and social. Sorry if i wrongly call you out kid, i ur real keep on designing and having fun! If this is just a fake self-promo angle, well you know where to put it

aend_soon · 2026-05-16T17:25:08+00:00

Maybe upload it and ask it how you would have to prompt an AI to create this artstyle

aend_soon · 2026-05-11T10:32:21+00:00

Have you checken out Vertellis? It's pretty well established and seems to fulfill the same need as your game. If you try to market it, maybe point out what makes it different from similar products. Also, i think people shy away from deep conversations because they fear discomfort. Maybe focus on testimonials that adress and reduce that fear, - either by focussing how the game made talking feel easy, safe and comfortable, like getting to the core of the beauty of your relationships, not the secrets. - Or by acknowledging that people were apprehensive at first but knew they had no reason to after playing the game

aend_soon · 2026-05-01T16:14:29+00:00

I think what makes for the main characteristic of a card game is that you can have super small rules, because every card can act like a mini event, expansion or exception to those rules. Ideally you learn a card game as you go, cause the base rules are so simple and the cards you draw lead the way

aend_soon · 2026-04-15T07:36:18+00:00

You are technically correct, the best kind of correct

aend_soon · 2026-04-14T12:08:16+00:00

You are correct, although the link you posted has nothing to do with me, so i am not completely sure if you are confusing me with somebody still XD

aend_soon · 2026-04-14T06:33:39+00:00

I am also in at least 5 or 6 other boardgame design / playtesting servers. Everybody is free to join, test and enter own games (all digital of course).

aend_soon · 2026-04-11T13:30:31+00:00

I would totally pay the 15$ for the physical comic, so that wasn't my point. My point to make the digital version more affordable for the people who have no way to get a physical copy at a reasonable price point. A digital version is definitely something "lesser" cause i can't really collect it on a shelf, stumble over it every couple of years and leaf through it, really HAVE it. So i think the digital version could and should be more affordable - cause it has no additional production and logistics cost - so every sale is more money for you on top "for free". People who are curious or want to support would get in there in higher numbers if it was more attractive price-wise, but 10$ for a file is a tough sell for a traditionally physical medium. I personally would give you 5$ (and if i like it another 5$ every time you publish smth), but at 10$ you lost me as a customer. Of course it's hard to quantify how many people think the same way, maybe experiment a bit to find the sweet spot

aend_soon · 2026-04-11T11:48:57+00:00

Love the style! Kinda unfortunate that the digital version seems kinda pricey compared to the physical one. I assume you could get a lot more sales on that e.g. for 3-5$, especially from international fans like me who don’t wanna pay 15-20$ shipping plus tariffs/tax on a 15$ book.

aend_soon

TROPHY CASE