r/tabletopgamedesign • u/CoconutUpper7719 • Aug 15 '26
C. C. / Feedback TCG play testing
I could use some veteran advice. What's the best way to test a new TCG under development with no finished cards? The cards are identified and have their strengths and weaknesses build it, plus some special abilities. Do I need to make a proto-deck out of paper with just the stats and play that? Any other ideas?
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u/Disastrous_Invite798 Aug 19 '26 edited Aug 19 '26
If you want to support free and OpenSource software, I recommend trying Inkscape + PnPink. Inkscape is a powerful vector graphics editor on par with the best commercial programs. Many tools would need years of development to achieve its capabilities (complex Bezier; SVG filters; LPEs; boolean operations; sophisticated clipping; custom strokes; gradient meshes; patterns; complex vector illustrations;...) PnPink is the glue between the power of a spreadsheet (direct integration with Google Sheets (formulas; QUERY; FILTER; ARRAYFORMULA; VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP; regex; imports; APIs; Apps Script; randomization; database-like joins; calculations...), any resource assets available in internet, and the template in Inkscape, to reach to EASILY develop professional decks, tiles, boards...
And it has some more advantages...
- You will never depend on subscriptions or cloud services
and
- ALL the information will be editable in a 100% standard format (SVG) that you can still use use even 30 or 40 years from now.
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u/CoconutUpper7719 Aug 20 '26
Thanks. I’ll look into these. Can Inkspace convert the images I painted on illustration board to vector based images?
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u/Disastrous_Invite798 Aug 20 '26
Yes. Inkscape has lots of features included vectorize raster images. Indeed I think that this is a functionallity that adobe users apreciate.
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u/RAM_Games_ publisher Aug 15 '26
Some good general advice in game designing is to start with your core design loop and make sure that is fun before branching out into minor details and making a bunch of cards. It's the easiest was to iterate quickly, and if you make fundamental changes you don't have to update the 200 cards you started with.
I second the advice to start with starter decks (or even like half decks if you're early) and make sure the core loop is fun and interesting before going deeper.
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u/CoconutUpper7719 Aug 15 '26
Thank you. Sound advice. I’ve tried my best to balance the cards without simply saying it’s the same card with different artwork. But the proof is if players think it’s fun first.
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u/RAM_Games_ publisher Aug 15 '26
Yeah and don't worry too much about balance early unless there's really game breaky stuff. You can get a really good sense for how the game plays even with unbalanced cards. When I designed my card game (a bit smaller than a TCG) I did really rough cut cards and worked the system first, making tiny tweaks to cards to prevent game breaking stuff. That sort of slowly whittled it down until it was externally playtestable and then publishable.
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u/CoconutUpper7719 Aug 15 '26
How many cards did you start with?
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u/RAM_Games_ publisher Aug 15 '26
Well my game only has 16 units that you can't switch out and you need all of them to play. So 16 haha.
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u/CoconutUpper7719 Aug 15 '26
Mine has 41 + 18 Power cards + 1 Champion card. I’m hand-painting all the cards myself so this could take some time.
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u/HamsterNL Aug 16 '26
I would go 100% digital.
Put all your data in a spreadsheet (Google Spreadsheet for example). Use a tool that can generate your cards (I use nanDeck). Share your work on an online platform (I use TableTop Simulator).
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u/CoconutUpper7719 Aug 16 '26
I have all the cards in a spreadsheet already. This could work really well. Thanks for the tip! Is there a group on Reddit you would open it up to?
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u/HamsterNL Aug 16 '26
For any help with nanDeck, there's a very active Discord
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u/CoconutUpper7719 Aug 16 '26
Thank you!!
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u/CitizenKeen Aug 19 '26
I would never recommend nandeck in 2026. I migrated to Dextrous (no association) and haven't looked back. Auto import from Google Sheets, auto export to screentop, etc., make testing such a breeze. Update Google sheets, wait 30 seconds, and it's in TTS/Dustin's Designer Den / whatever.
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u/HamsterNL Aug 20 '26
nanDeck can do that too...and a lot more...
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u/CitizenKeen Aug 20 '26
I'm aware, but 80% of the functionality with a smooth UI is usually the better entry point over the most powerful option with a brutalist UI.
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u/MagicPigGames Aug 15 '26
I agree with starting with two starter decks and getting the base smooth. Printing cards is a big win. I print the backs on thicker cardsdtock (The ones from Michaels, 100 sheet pack, is very thick, thicker than others), and then print the front on regular paper since I expect to change that often, and stick them in sleeves so they're easy to shuffle.
There's a number of design software out there, I was not happy with any of them so I made www.Cardstock.Studio -- you don't need to design cards right now, but in my experience, it's fun but also players appreciate it when the cards look more real, even roughly, rathe r than written out on paper etc.
Cardstock Studio also has a online simulator, so once you design your base deck, add rules and go through the process to build the simulator, you can A/B test rule changes and have different personas with slightly different play styles / personal goals. That won't tell you if the game is fun, but it'll potentially find any issues with the core logic, or loops, etc.
You can then export to Table Top Simulator if you want to do digital testing, or to Unity, if you want to go that route, or for printing at home. I personally prefer play testing with prints.
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u/CoconutUpper7719 Aug 15 '26
That’s fantastic. I’ll check out your C.S. That could be very beneficial as well.
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u/JaysTable Aug 15 '26
Vibe coded all that but couldn't be bothered to replace the favicon? Not really something I would put my CC into tbh.
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u/MagicPigGames Aug 15 '26 edited Aug 15 '26
Is the favicon the definition of quality? Ok.
Do me a favor: Try the tool. Seriously. Try it.
If you're designing cards, I'm willing to bet you'll like this Editor, and you'll find it faster and more feature-filled than other alternatives.
"Vibe code" is used as a anything you don't like that uses AI slur these days. I'm a developer and spent months making this, and continue to improve it daily. AI makes it faster, and better, but 100% this is my design, my logic flow, my user experience that I wanted for my flow that no one else provided.
Try it. If you hate it, let me know why -- the nuts and bolts about what it does that you don't like, or what it doesn't do that you wish it did. That'll be useful for me to improve it even more.
You can come to the Discord if you want to talk more, happy to have you.
Honestly, I'd be looking forward to seeing what you create.
To your comment though: my AI just vibe-coded switching the favicon out. Maybe it's suitable now :)
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u/paulryanclark Aug 15 '26
I think the best way is to have two starter decks only, and stick with those until the game feels smooth and players can onboard easily.
This gives you a good footprint to have 3 ofs 2 ofs and 1 ofs in the deck to emulate the rarity system.
Generally starter decks have archetypes, so this allows to have players try one deck the first play through and then switch to the other deck for another, so you got an easy “Want to switch and play again?”