Firefly deckbuilder - tweak 3

[picks_at_flies]

Thanks to So Board in Bristol I got in a playtest with the new revisions, getting through a whole game in about 90 minutes.

This was the first game with a draw of 5 cards, hand limit 8. It changed the play dramatically, and all for the better:

• Beginning the game was a lot easier
• There was a feeling of getting through the deck quicker.
• There are more ties
• Playing more cards is just more exciting

There is still some issues about timing/terminology which are mostly due to unfamiliarity. Between that and other discussions, there are still some changes:

1. I need to do a new template anyway. This will need to make the attributes clearer, and ideally use icons for the timing of the abilities. In particular, there needs to be increased contrast between crews and hazards.
2. Part of that should include making a rules summary card.
3. Crew should be Crew Ship and Crew Character. This gives full flexibility of reference. Hazards should just be hazards.
4. We finally found a solution to Hazards having a different card back. Part of the cost of winning is showing your remaining cards in hand to the player on your right.
5. In that environment, 10 mission points is too many. 5 seemed plenty enough, at least for friendly play.
6. Wash is awesome. In general, removing most of the abilities made the start a lot easier.
7. There was some discussion about the cost of Hazards; but with a goal of 5 points, I would prefer to keep them at their current costs for now.

There were a few issues with particular cards. With so many characters around, Serenity[1]'s ability to discard other crew of the same name was too strong for cost: reducing it to once per turn or increasing to cost 4 both seemed good, but I will probably go with the latter. Stitch Hessian is a fine late game card but is overcosted; will probably go to cost 2 (or just be removed).

I'm happy with the current version, sufficient to keep going. Almost happy enough to print the starting cards in colour. But I need to make the new template first so I'll give that a test before using coloured ink :)