TOPIC: Basic Changes to 2016 Character Cards

Raven wrote: I think I had to grab 5th level character cards only 10% of the time.

Is that when you're dealing with Grind or standard adventure groups? Because if it's the former, the number of higher-level players would be significantly larger.

Raven wrote:

Harlax wrote: Based my shifts last year, I'd say less than 20%

Maybe closer to 10%

Harlax' estimate fits with mine. I think I had to grab 5th level character cards only 10% of the time. But usually if I was grabbing 5th level cards, I was grabbing a bunch of them - often a whole party's worth at a time.

As a full time combat D.M., my account would concur with Harlax and Raven. On the rare occassion I had fifth level characters, it was an entire party running nightmare. Out of my entire GenCon weekend, I'd guess I had a half dozen nightmare runs. Nearly 80% were Normal, with about 15% being hardcore (popular alternative, by the way!) Only about 5% were hardcore. I had NO non-lethal runs as I recall? Out of about 8,000 players, there must be only about 70-100 players who play beyond normal difficulty? Hmmmm.

I think you are probably low on your guess for those that play beyond normal. 70 to 100 people out of 8000. Are you counting the 70 to 100 as unique players but the 8000 not? Just curious. If you are counting them as unique I think you are low because I would bet there are about that many just on the forum that play hardcore or above (though the number off the forum is probably low). I have about 20 people in my group (give or take) that rotate among the runs I do. And only 1 other is on the forums. If you are not counting unique for the 70 to 100 you would be talking 7 to 10 runs, I know that number is way too low out of the ~800 runs.

Druegar wrote:

Raven wrote: I think I had to grab 5th level character cards only 10% of the time.

Is that when you're dealing with Grind or standard adventure groups? Because if it's the former, the number of higher-level players would be significantly larger.

True dat: Grind has a much higher percentage of 5th level players.

I think that for Grind, 50%+ of people play at 5th level. It was rare to find a Grind group which didn't include at least 1 5th level card being pulled out. And usually, when the group was over half 5th level players, people scrambled to share tokens & get the other folks up to 5th level as well.

Raven wrote:

Druegar wrote:

Raven wrote: I think I had to grab 5th level character cards only 10% of the time.

Is that when you're dealing with Grind or standard adventure groups? Because if it's the former, the number of higher-level players would be significantly larger.

True dat: Grind has a much higher percentage of 5th level players.

I think that for Grind, 50%+ of people play at 5th level. It was rare to find a Grind group which didn't include at least 1 5th level card being pulled out. And usually, when the group was over half 5th level players, people scrambled to share tokens & get the other folks up to 5th level as well.

What people scramble to make the other players to 5th? Say it ain't so.... holds his(and his wife's) 5 charms of good fortune and 2 rings of heroism... my prescessiousssssessssesssss....

cdsmith wrote:

Jake Fitch wrote: I think the glow effect on the starting HP makes those number more difficult to read. A light/white glow with black text on it might be better. Or just swap the so the outline on the text is white with either a dark text color, or maybe a red.

It may be because the text is in red. Red is very difficult for most people to process as text. The wavelength of red is at odds with the section of the human eye that perceives fine detail. This makes red text much harder to read.

The size of the font on the character cards negates this to a point but the basic issue still presents itself.

I was referring to the HP amount around the edge of the card, not the starting HP at the top of the card.

If there's no need for the tutorial, and I'm thinking there really isn't, I'd just print the level 4 and 5 characters back to back. Cuts printing in half and make it easier to stock and harder to run out of cards. Just let the coaches x-out the side of the card that doesn't apply.

If you must have tutorials, make posters or something. No one has time to read that side of the card in the dungeon anyway.

If possible, maybe punch holes in the top and bottom edges so players can wear the card upside-down if they want.

Either way, make sure the bead-count on the cleric cards is accurate

I like the poster tutorial idea. And perhaps some of the more generic coaching information could go on a poster. Although I wonder if printing up poster sized tutorials for each coaching room would actually be a money saver.

If we spread rumors that the posters might contain clues, people might actually read them.

Harlax wrote: I like the poster tutorial idea. And perhaps some of the more generic coaching information could go on a poster. Although I wonder if printing up poster sized tutorials for each coaching room would actually be a money saver.

By "posters," I just meant 8x11s, maybe two classes per sheet. And put them in the lobby, not the coaching rooms. That way, you only need two sets. (None for Grind) I could be wrong, but I think the vast majority of players just don't need tutorials at all. Some do, but not enough to warrant doubling the printing bill. Save some trees.

Brad Mortensen wrote: If there's no need for the tutorial, and I'm thinking there really isn't
<snip>
No one has time to read that side of the card in the dungeon anyway.

I like having the tutorials. They are intended to be read in the coaching room by players who have no experience with RPGs and need a suggestion on what class to pick.

Brad Mortensen wrote: I'd just print the level 4 and 5 characters back to back.

The original full-color cards had 4th and 5th on opposite sides. It confused the newbies. Most TD players at Gen Con (as opposed to here on the forums) are newbies.

Brad Mortensen wrote: Just let the coaches x-out the side of the card that doesn't apply.

The coating on the cards makes it hard to mark on with ballpoint pens. Sharpies will work, and be more visible, but that's one more thing to keep stocked in the coaching rooms. That may not sound like a big deal, but it really is.

Brad Mortensen wrote: If possible, maybe punch holes in the top and bottom edges so players can wear the card upside-down if they want.

I think it's better to be consistent. The cards need to be quickly & easily by DMs. Upside-down cards are not easily read by DMs.

Harlax wrote: If we spread rumors that the posters might contain clues, people might actually read them.

What be this concept of read? People in general don't read anything and then complain when they don't understand.

Druegar wrote:

Brad Mortensen wrote: If there's no need for the tutorial, and I'm thinking there really isn't
<snip>
No one has time to read that side of the card in the dungeon anyway.

I like having the tutorials. They are intended to be read in the coaching room by players who have no experience with RPGs and need a suggestion on what class to pick.

Brad Mortensen wrote: I'd just print the level 4 and 5 characters back to back.

The original full-color cards had 4th and 5th on opposite sides. It confused the newbies. Most TD players at Gen Con (as opposed to here on the forums) are newbies.

Brad Mortensen wrote: Just let the coaches x-out the side of the card that doesn't apply.

The coating on the cards makes it hard to mark on with ballpoint pens. Sharpies will work, and be more visible, but that's one more thing to keep stocked in the coaching rooms. That may not sound like a big deal, but it really is.

Brad Mortensen wrote: If possible, maybe punch holes in the top and bottom edges so players can wear the card upside-down if they want.

I think it's better to be consistent. The cards need to be quickly & easily by DMs. Upside-down cards are not easily read by DMs.

Also if you use a sharpie you run the risk of it getting on people's attire if it's still wet when they put it on.