1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:12,520 Hello and welcome to the Illumination Podcast. 2 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:13,520 My name is Max. 3 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:15,200 And I'm Sam. 4 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:20,400 And we are coming at you for the very first episode of this podcast. 5 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:24,720 So therefore we have to do a bunch of the first episode of podcast business. 6 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:27,360 First and foremost, thank you so much for listening to this. 7 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:28,880 Really appreciate you all being here. 8 00:00:28,880 --> 00:00:32,320 We are going to quickly run through who the heck are we. 9 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:35,880 So if you're listening to us talk about this game, you probably should know who you're 10 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:37,240 listening to. 11 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:38,240 My name is Max. 12 00:00:38,240 --> 00:00:46,720 As I said in the intro, I have been playing card games of various sorts for like 20 plus 13 00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:49,880 years now, probably closer to 30 years. 14 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:54,920 I started off with the Pokemon creating card game as a lot of people my age did. 15 00:00:54,920 --> 00:01:00,200 From there, I moved into Magic the Gathering in and about high school. 16 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:03,560 I've been playing Magic for a very long time. 17 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:05,780 I've played Lurkana since right before it came out. 18 00:01:05,780 --> 00:01:08,780 We printed up some starter decks and started jamming. 19 00:01:08,780 --> 00:01:12,840 Since then we've played in leagues and tournaments since the game has come out. 20 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:17,840 So that's pretty much where my viewpoint is going to come from the grizzled trading card 21 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:18,840 game veteran. 22 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:20,040 I've tried a bunch of them. 23 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:21,480 I didn't like most of them. 24 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:27,560 I will be kind of the voice of experience, hopefully, maybe just a curmudgeon. 25 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:31,920 Most likely there is you Sam, who has a bit of a different background. 26 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:33,600 I'm like the complete opposite. 27 00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:36,480 I'm more of a novice to the trading card game world. 28 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:38,880 I started Magic 2021. 29 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:39,880 Yep. 30 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:43,760 Slowly learned Magic and I got all right at it. 31 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:47,800 And then when we heard that Lurkana was coming out, I was really excited about it because 32 00:01:47,800 --> 00:01:50,760 I was really starting to enjoy the trading card games. 33 00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:54,680 We kind of don't play much Magic anymore and we play a lot of Lurkana. 34 00:01:54,680 --> 00:01:55,680 Yes. 35 00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:59,600 Magic has definitely taken a backseat to Lurkana. 36 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:02,480 So we both have a different perspective. 37 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:06,360 Sam definitely the new kid on the block when it comes to trading card games, but has been 38 00:02:06,360 --> 00:02:08,860 playing quite a lot of Lurkana herself. 39 00:02:08,860 --> 00:02:10,320 So she is no slouch. 40 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:14,800 I will be taking you on the perspective of the longer, more seasoned player. 41 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:18,360 So that is kind of what we're trying to do here is attack the game from two different 42 00:02:18,360 --> 00:02:19,360 perspectives. 43 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:24,440 Sam has not been ruined by playing a lot of different card games for a long time and being 44 00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:27,280 used to, well, this is normally a good strategy. 45 00:02:27,280 --> 00:02:30,120 She doesn't have any of that blindness to the game. 46 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:33,880 So Sam has a willingness to try different things and the ability to just kind of ignore 47 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:38,200 what is otherwise possibly conventional wisdom, which sometimes doesn't translate across 48 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:39,600 different games. 49 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:44,180 So we're hoping between our two perspectives on various topics that we can hopefully maybe 50 00:02:44,180 --> 00:02:48,200 shed some light on some things you didn't know, or at least make you raise an eyebrow 51 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:50,040 a little bit, go, oh, I didn't think about it that way. 52 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:51,980 So that's what we're trying to do here. 53 00:02:51,980 --> 00:02:54,840 Every episode of illumination. 54 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:58,620 Thanks again for joining us here for our flagship episode. 55 00:02:58,620 --> 00:02:59,620 What about this game? 56 00:02:59,620 --> 00:03:00,620 What have we been doing with this game? 57 00:03:00,620 --> 00:03:01,620 We've been talking about playing this game. 58 00:03:01,620 --> 00:03:02,620 What are we playing? 59 00:03:02,620 --> 00:03:03,720 What do we like? 60 00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:04,720 What don't we like? 61 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:07,880 I will start, I suppose, unless you want to try to go first on this one. 62 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:08,880 You're good. 63 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:14,200 I figured you would say that my thought on the game is I am impressed. 64 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:19,680 I thought for sure when this game was coming out, it was going to just be a cash grab. 65 00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:24,280 There is going to be very little game behind it and far more collecting behind it. 66 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:30,040 I did not expect and I'm pleasantly surprised to say that this game is actually really fun 67 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:31,040 to play. 68 00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:33,680 It has a lot of depth and strategy. 69 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:38,640 The rules are very easy to understand, but very hard to master, which is the hallmark 70 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:39,640 of a great game. 71 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:44,400 I feel like I can teach somebody who's played even board games loosely, a little bit more 72 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:45,480 than maybe the Monopoly. 73 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:49,600 I could teach them Lurekana probably inside of 30 minutes and I think they'd be able to 74 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:53,240 play it reasonably without making a ton of mistakes at that point. 75 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:57,800 But I think they could spend a lot of time unpacking the depth and strategy that Lurekana 76 00:03:57,800 --> 00:03:59,760 offers, which I think is awesome. 77 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:03,120 I thought for sure it was just going to be we're going to grab screen caps, throw them 78 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:06,920 on a card, write the name of the card and move on from there and take your money. 79 00:04:06,920 --> 00:04:08,840 This is so opposite the case. 80 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:10,180 The artwork is awesome. 81 00:04:10,180 --> 00:04:15,960 The story they're building that ties Lurekana and makes it Lurekana and not just Disney 82 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:18,380 movies on a card is very thoughtful. 83 00:04:18,380 --> 00:04:23,080 The game designers are experienced and have come up with a game that takes elements of 84 00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:28,600 the best of different games and puts them together while leaving the shabby stuff to 85 00:04:28,600 --> 00:04:31,000 the side, at least so far that's where we're at. 86 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:35,120 So I'm really impressed and really happy to report that I have been enjoying the game 87 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:36,120 immensely. 88 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:41,120 I've been drawn to the more flexible mid-range strategies so far. 89 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:46,160 I like being able to have the ability to become the beat down very quickly and then shift 90 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:50,280 gears if I need to and take a more controlling approach to the game. 91 00:04:50,280 --> 00:04:56,240 I find the straight control decks to be a little slow and clunky, especially like first 92 00:04:56,240 --> 00:05:02,360 chapter meta Ruby Amethyst was extraordinarily clunky, where now I think things have smoothed 93 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:06,100 out with a lot of the Merlin Mim cards introduced in Rise of the Floodborne. 94 00:05:06,100 --> 00:05:07,360 So I like those decks. 95 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:13,680 I've just been liking Amber Steel style decks a little bit more when they're able to be 96 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:15,560 played in the meta. 97 00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:19,040 So that's kind of a run down of my perspective on the game. 98 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:21,280 Sam, what is your take on Lurekana? 99 00:05:21,280 --> 00:05:25,200 Well, I mean, as soon as you told me that there was a Disney trading card game out, 100 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:30,160 I was in because I was a Disney kid to a lesser extent a Disney adult, but I think it's still 101 00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:31,160 there. 102 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:32,160 So I was excited about it. 103 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:33,160 I feel the same as you do. 104 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:34,200 It's a really fun game. 105 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:35,440 It's not just a cash grab. 106 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:36,600 The art is awesome. 107 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:40,880 I've been big on playing the control styles, especially with Rise of the Floodborne. 108 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:42,680 I love Popsicles. 109 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:47,640 I wanted to make, I really wanted to make a red blue deck during the first chapter and 110 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:48,640 it just didn't come together. 111 00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:50,000 I tried many Sapphire, please. 112 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:51,000 I'm sorry. 113 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:52,000 Ruby Sapphire deck. 114 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:54,720 I tried many variations and it just didn't work. 115 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:55,940 I loved Bell. 116 00:05:55,940 --> 00:05:57,240 So I really wanted to play Bell. 117 00:05:57,240 --> 00:05:59,800 I got all four of them really wanted to play it. 118 00:05:59,800 --> 00:06:00,920 It just didn't work out. 119 00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:05,880 But with the addition of Rise of the Floodborne, I was able to make a good Ruby Sapphire deck 120 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:07,240 with the Popsicles deck. 121 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:09,320 And that's what I've been playing ever since. 122 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:14,600 Sam likes long games and she's playing Popsicles, which is the longest of the long game, sharing 123 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:20,440 lots of card advantage and very quickly ramping its ink in order to start playing very, very 124 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:25,480 strong cards to the board way ahead of schedule and reliably find them with the immense card 125 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:28,560 draw engine that is Popsicles and Hyrum Flavorship. 126 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:29,920 It's fun to play. 127 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:31,880 It is a lot of decisions to make. 128 00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:36,800 It can definitely be rewarding and infuriating when you are playing a control style deck. 129 00:06:36,800 --> 00:06:38,440 So that's kind of what we've been doing. 130 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:41,360 I've experimented with a ton of decks in Rise of the Floodborne. 131 00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:46,840 Sam was scattered in chapter one meta and not able to find a deck she really could cling 132 00:06:46,840 --> 00:06:49,240 on to until Popsicles came out. 133 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:54,520 And now I'm kind of the opposite where I think the, I loved the Amber Steel Song deck in 134 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:55,520 the chapter one meta. 135 00:06:55,520 --> 00:06:56,960 I thought the deck was awesome. 136 00:06:56,960 --> 00:07:02,920 I played the slightly bigger, bulkier version of it and I really did well with it. 137 00:07:02,920 --> 00:07:04,760 It jived with my play style. 138 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:10,960 And since then, I feel like the Amber Steel Song decks have gotten more flute oriented 139 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:14,480 are a little bit too nickel and dimey for my take. 140 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:19,380 I don't love the lines, but I still really appreciate how deep the decision making is 141 00:07:19,380 --> 00:07:23,840 in the decks and it's still an awesome deck, but I've been experimenting with that deck 142 00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:26,240 with the various Mufasa builds. 143 00:07:26,240 --> 00:07:29,120 I've been playing various versions of disc card. 144 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:31,440 I've been trying to attack the format in different ways. 145 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:35,480 I've of course been playing some red purple in there, just trying to find something that 146 00:07:35,480 --> 00:07:38,720 I really like, whether it's hyper aggro, whatever I've tried. 147 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:42,560 We've built probably a dozen different decks between us for this format, Blue Steel, a 148 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:48,160 bunch of different things to try to find something that we really like or to diversify a little 149 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:51,520 bit in your case, because you've just been trying to play a deck and I go, man, I don't 150 00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:53,520 like as much Popsicles and playing Popsicles. 151 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:58,720 I did adjust it slightly from the original bill I had just based on my likes. 152 00:07:58,720 --> 00:08:01,440 Other than that, I'm sticking with Popsicles for now. 153 00:08:01,440 --> 00:08:02,440 Yeah. 154 00:08:02,440 --> 00:08:03,440 I think it's a good way to do it. 155 00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:08,000 There's a lot of approaches to playing in a more tournament style or going to your local 156 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:09,000 league. 157 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:11,760 It could be playing a new deck every week because you think that's fun and interesting, 158 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:14,840 but it can be expensive because you have to have all these different cards to do it. 159 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:18,680 There's also something to be said about learning a deck that's already quite good and quite 160 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:26,320 established and making small micro changes and learning the very tiny granular decisions 161 00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:30,240 and play patterns, things you need to do to succeed with each deck. 162 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:31,520 Because you can win with a deck. 163 00:08:31,520 --> 00:08:33,460 Doesn't mean you did particularly well, right? 164 00:08:33,460 --> 00:08:36,280 Sometimes we all had that game where it's like, whoo, good thing I drew that or I would 165 00:08:36,280 --> 00:08:39,860 have lost or, oh man, I would have won that game if my opponent hadn't drawn that. 166 00:08:39,860 --> 00:08:41,440 I think it gets deeper than that. 167 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:45,680 It's, oh, if I had sequenced this turn a little bit better, it would have put me in a position 168 00:08:45,680 --> 00:08:49,280 two turns later to do a little bit more because I wouldn't have had that card still lingering 169 00:08:49,280 --> 00:08:50,280 in my hand. 170 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:53,880 It would have actually been played out on the table and it could have done something 171 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:55,160 more dramatic for me. 172 00:08:55,160 --> 00:09:00,040 It's recognizing those things and taking those steps you need to make yourself better and 173 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:01,040 better and better. 174 00:09:01,040 --> 00:09:03,840 That will take you from a very good player to a great player. 175 00:09:03,840 --> 00:09:07,320 No matter where you're coming from, how you're coming from this game, you're here. 176 00:09:07,320 --> 00:09:11,060 You're listening to the podcast, which we appreciate, but it means what I would like 177 00:09:11,060 --> 00:09:15,880 to kind of and what I'll constantly try to champion as my tagline through this, not for 178 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:20,220 the podcast, but for me personally, is don't dismiss anything. 179 00:09:20,220 --> 00:09:22,840 Don't just dismiss something outright. 180 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:24,000 There's no reason to. 181 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:28,900 You could always try to do something, even if it fails, even if you're playing something 182 00:09:28,900 --> 00:09:35,020 totally absurd and ridiculous, even if it's like, no, this in fact was bad and I can confirm 183 00:09:35,020 --> 00:09:37,300 tell you that it is bad. 184 00:09:37,300 --> 00:09:38,300 That's okay. 185 00:09:38,300 --> 00:09:41,320 There's nothing wrong with taking that card that looks awful and playing it. 186 00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:42,320 I saw a deck. 187 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:47,200 It was like a green blue Alice Pete style deck that's playing vicious betrayal, which 188 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:50,240 is a card I would have earmarked as absolutely unplayable. 189 00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:54,120 Despite the fact it constantly upset me in the beginning in the starter deck tournaments, 190 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:57,880 there are decks with that card in it because they realize that there is some value in playing 191 00:09:57,880 --> 00:09:59,680 that card in this deck, right? 192 00:09:59,680 --> 00:10:01,720 With Pete, it pumps him for three strength. 193 00:10:01,720 --> 00:10:02,840 That's valuable. 194 00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:07,080 That is really, really the kind of thing that I just don't want you to dismiss something 195 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:09,120 because, oh, nobody's playing it. 196 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:13,280 That doesn't mean anything or everybody's playing it and they're just all copycats and 197 00:10:13,280 --> 00:10:15,880 that decking is stupid and stupid people do it. 198 00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:19,480 That's also not a good way to think about the game. 199 00:10:19,480 --> 00:10:20,560 Don't be dismissive. 200 00:10:20,560 --> 00:10:21,560 Don't be reductive. 201 00:10:21,560 --> 00:10:23,600 Try everything. 202 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:24,600 Put your hands on it. 203 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:25,600 Give it a go. 204 00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:29,160 Worst case scenario, you play it, you owe three at your league, you owe four at your 205 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:34,280 league, feel terrible on pixel born for a 15 or 20 card, 20 game run. 206 00:10:34,280 --> 00:10:38,640 You play with your friend dozens and dozens of games and you realize that the decision 207 00:10:38,640 --> 00:10:40,120 was stupid and you're not doing it. 208 00:10:40,120 --> 00:10:41,120 That's okay. 209 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:42,120 That's not time wasted. 210 00:10:42,120 --> 00:10:43,260 That's time invested. 211 00:10:43,260 --> 00:10:44,260 That's what it's all about. 212 00:10:44,260 --> 00:10:45,400 You're investing your money in the game. 213 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:47,080 Obviously, you're doing it because you enjoy it. 214 00:10:47,080 --> 00:10:48,080 You're listening to this. 215 00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:51,120 So, clearly, you enjoy Lurkana maybe a little bit more than the average bear. 216 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:52,840 You want to invest your time. 217 00:10:52,840 --> 00:10:54,720 That's what it's all about. 218 00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:58,320 That's really a good hallmark, I think, and why I wanted to kind of introduce you not 219 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:02,400 only to us, but also introduce you to our takes on the game. 220 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:06,100 So speaking of our takes, Sam, I'm going to let you go first because you haven't talked 221 00:11:06,100 --> 00:11:07,260 in a couple of minutes. 222 00:11:07,260 --> 00:11:09,600 What's the game doing really well? 223 00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:12,960 When you think of Lurkana, you're like, man, this part of Lurkana has really impressed 224 00:11:12,960 --> 00:11:13,960 me. 225 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:14,960 It doesn't matter what it is. 226 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:17,680 I like the way that the cards all go together. 227 00:11:17,680 --> 00:11:21,640 I like that each color has its own thing, if that makes sense. 228 00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:23,840 Color identity is what it's referred to in Magic. 229 00:11:23,840 --> 00:11:24,840 Okay. 230 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:26,800 The color identity, I think, is really strong. 231 00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:31,320 I think that's what is the coolest part about it is just the color identity and the fact 232 00:11:31,320 --> 00:11:33,280 that each color does its own thing. 233 00:11:33,280 --> 00:11:37,240 Another thing, it's separate from that, but I enjoy the mechanics of the game. 234 00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:43,120 I enjoy the mulligan process after playing Magic and just having to completely throw 235 00:11:43,120 --> 00:11:45,240 away your hands if they're not right for you. 236 00:11:45,240 --> 00:11:49,800 I really like that you can just draw your seven, put back what you don't want, and draw 237 00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:51,240 whatever you put back. 238 00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:57,080 So I think the mechanics and the fact that each of the colors do something unique is 239 00:11:57,080 --> 00:11:58,080 what I like the best. 240 00:11:58,080 --> 00:11:59,080 That makes a lot of sense. 241 00:11:59,080 --> 00:12:02,960 And yeah, there's no point in having six different ink types if they're not doing something 242 00:12:02,960 --> 00:12:03,960 individual. 243 00:12:03,960 --> 00:12:04,960 I agree with you 100%. 244 00:12:04,960 --> 00:12:09,520 My favorite part, I think the really smart thing they did is they put everything, they 245 00:12:09,520 --> 00:12:12,920 took everything and went and seemed to challenge every convention. 246 00:12:12,920 --> 00:12:16,040 When it comes to most trading card games, most trading card games are played through 247 00:12:16,040 --> 00:12:18,080 what are known as phases of the game. 248 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:21,960 So Lore kind of has it to an extent because you have ready, set, draw, then you have the 249 00:12:21,960 --> 00:12:23,240 main phase of your turn. 250 00:12:23,240 --> 00:12:27,060 But you can do anything you want in any order in that phase. 251 00:12:27,060 --> 00:12:28,520 I think that's amazing. 252 00:12:28,520 --> 00:12:29,520 I love that. 253 00:12:29,520 --> 00:12:33,480 I love that I don't have to just play all of my cards, do my challenging, and then maybe 254 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:35,640 get to play some more cards post-challenging. 255 00:12:35,640 --> 00:12:41,280 I can do a challenge, I can play a card, I can draw cards, I can challenge again, I can 256 00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:43,520 shift and then challenge again. 257 00:12:43,520 --> 00:12:47,440 Anything I want in any order I want outside of ready, set, draw, I am able to do. 258 00:12:47,440 --> 00:12:51,280 And I feel like the game's done a nice job of going, how much chuff can we eliminate 259 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:53,580 to not make the game unapproachable? 260 00:12:53,580 --> 00:12:58,560 So they've made the game approachable and easy to understand and have focused on the 261 00:12:58,560 --> 00:13:02,760 things that really matter in a trading card game and aren't getting bogged down with phases 262 00:13:02,760 --> 00:13:06,680 and timing and things like that for the sake of making a more complex game. 263 00:13:06,680 --> 00:13:10,760 They seem to be making a more elegant game and they seem to be focusing more on the game 264 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:16,000 experience and less of making what little micro edges can are really competitive or 265 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:18,240 really top tier players eke out. 266 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:22,440 That seems to be the last thing on their mind is how is the game experience fun for the 267 00:13:22,440 --> 00:13:25,760 highly competitive finals of a high level tournament? 268 00:13:25,760 --> 00:13:29,600 How is the game fun for two people who are just cracking open a starter deck for the 269 00:13:29,600 --> 00:13:30,600 first time? 270 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:32,680 And I really think they've gotten a nice harmony there. 271 00:13:32,680 --> 00:13:33,800 Yeah, I agree with that too. 272 00:13:33,800 --> 00:13:38,200 I really think it makes you have to think a lot too about your ordering, what you're 273 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:39,200 doing. 274 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:42,800 You can do anything in any time so you don't have to worry about the order, but you do 275 00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:48,040 in a sense because the way you play your turn can really be completely different depending 276 00:13:48,040 --> 00:13:49,040 on your ordering. 277 00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:50,040 Definitely. 278 00:13:50,040 --> 00:13:52,520 So we've identified what we think they're doing right. 279 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:56,960 Is there anything that the game has not yet approached that you would like to see them 280 00:13:56,960 --> 00:14:01,240 maybe try to experiment with or maybe see something lightly introduced? 281 00:14:01,240 --> 00:14:06,960 Could be anything from specific movie or Pixar or Star Wars or Kingdom Hearts added to the 282 00:14:06,960 --> 00:14:10,000 game or is it something more game forward facing? 283 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:11,120 Is there anything you'd like to see? 284 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:12,480 Oh, I'd really like to see this. 285 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:16,720 There's nothing specific like mechanic wise or anything like that that stood out, but 286 00:14:16,720 --> 00:14:19,880 I definitely can't wait to see more movies get introduced. 287 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:21,960 I would be for Pixar movies. 288 00:14:21,960 --> 00:14:26,720 I'm not for more going into Marvel and Star Wars, things like that. 289 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:30,920 For me, it's just, I can't wait to see what other movies they introduce the new art. 290 00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:35,160 It's been really exciting to see everything they did introduce in this next set. 291 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:40,360 They're going to have Saturday morning cartoons, the Saturday afternoon cartoons, Disney afternoon 292 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:41,360 cartoons. 293 00:14:41,360 --> 00:14:42,360 Yeah. 294 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:43,640 Like tales and the tales. 295 00:14:43,640 --> 00:14:46,960 I don't think I have anything like, man, I really wish the game will do this. 296 00:14:46,960 --> 00:14:48,560 Like, I don't want to see them change things. 297 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:53,600 I'm cool with there not being a sideboard and competitive Lurkana because it makes your 298 00:14:53,600 --> 00:14:55,240 deck have to do more. 299 00:14:55,240 --> 00:15:00,000 I think that the answers for aggressive decks are very, very potent and strong in the game 300 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:01,000 already. 301 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:05,560 And I think them designing cards to answer specific things is a really elegant way for 302 00:15:05,560 --> 00:15:07,480 them to approach the subject. 303 00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:11,760 Like right now I don't feel like a hyper aggro deck is just the best deck in the format, 304 00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:13,160 but there's plenty of answers, right? 305 00:15:13,160 --> 00:15:15,400 Grab Your Sword is a ridiculously powerful card. 306 00:15:15,400 --> 00:15:19,320 I've gotten like six and sevens for one with Grab Your Swords. 307 00:15:19,320 --> 00:15:23,320 And that card I don't feel is overpowered either because in other matches it does absolutely 308 00:15:23,320 --> 00:15:27,520 nothing and I can't wait to draw, use a steel card to make any draw, draw a card so I can 309 00:15:27,520 --> 00:15:28,520 discard it. 310 00:15:28,520 --> 00:15:32,800 I think it's very well balanced and fair and I just want to see them continue that fine 311 00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:34,400 line that they are walking. 312 00:15:34,400 --> 00:15:36,580 We'll close it out here with hope. 313 00:15:36,580 --> 00:15:37,800 Wish Upon A Star, right? 314 00:15:37,800 --> 00:15:41,100 Very thematic for a Disney based podcast and game. 315 00:15:41,100 --> 00:15:46,080 What do you hope that the game does not do or a misstep that you're hoping that the game 316 00:15:46,080 --> 00:15:47,080 avoids? 317 00:15:47,080 --> 00:15:49,400 Because so far it's done pretty good of walking a tightrope. 318 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:53,720 I hope they don't introduce doing anything on your opponent's turn. 319 00:15:53,720 --> 00:15:57,720 Instant speed effects as we refer to them in Magic or timing effects as they're referred 320 00:15:57,720 --> 00:15:58,720 to in Yu-Gi-Oh! 321 00:15:58,720 --> 00:15:59,920 I think it makes things a lot more difficult. 322 00:15:59,920 --> 00:16:04,520 I like the simplicity of the game and I just don't really think it's needed. 323 00:16:04,520 --> 00:16:05,520 I agree. 324 00:16:05,520 --> 00:16:09,480 I think a sweeping change like that too would make potentially cards that already have come 325 00:16:09,480 --> 00:16:10,480 out worse. 326 00:16:10,480 --> 00:16:12,000 And I agree with you. 327 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:18,080 I think one thing I want to see the game be weary of is constantly introducing new things. 328 00:16:18,080 --> 00:16:23,400 In Magic, every set they introduce at least one to two new mechanics, typically two and 329 00:16:23,400 --> 00:16:25,480 then reintroduce older mechanics. 330 00:16:25,480 --> 00:16:29,960 There's also something referred to as evergreen mechanics and Lurkana does have that. 331 00:16:29,960 --> 00:16:34,920 Things like evasive and support and bodyguard are cards that have, they don't have the fancy 332 00:16:34,920 --> 00:16:38,300 little text box around them with the cool little name like Fui. 333 00:16:38,300 --> 00:16:40,960 They just have simply that word in bold print. 334 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:43,680 That's an evergreen mechanic, something we will see in every set. 335 00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:47,200 Resist now has that and we've only seen that since Rise of the Floodborne. 336 00:16:47,200 --> 00:16:48,360 They're not afraid to go, you know what? 337 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:52,720 We actually didn't introduce any new mechanics outside of the little funny keyworded name 338 00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:54,600 ones for each individual card. 339 00:16:54,600 --> 00:17:00,680 We introduced no old lettered cards or new card types or anything because we simply feel 340 00:17:00,680 --> 00:17:02,960 like we're in a good place for the next couple of sets. 341 00:17:02,960 --> 00:17:07,120 And then we will when we feel like we need to because I don't want the game design team 342 00:17:07,120 --> 00:17:11,320 to get bogged down and then end up making mistakes that will result in one of my least 343 00:17:11,320 --> 00:17:16,440 favorite things which is band lists and like format changes. 344 00:17:16,440 --> 00:17:20,880 Like there's not a legacy format where you can play these specific cards and there's 345 00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:25,320 the always rotating format where they keep an ever expanding band list because I feel 346 00:17:25,320 --> 00:17:26,840 like that pushes players away. 347 00:17:26,840 --> 00:17:30,080 I can't come sit down and play a game with the deck I built because you can't play with 348 00:17:30,080 --> 00:17:31,080 that card. 349 00:17:31,080 --> 00:17:32,080 It's on the band list. 350 00:17:32,080 --> 00:17:33,440 I didn't know that. 351 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:36,120 I didn't know I was supposed to look at the band list before I came today. 352 00:17:36,120 --> 00:17:37,640 Like these are the only cards I have. 353 00:17:37,640 --> 00:17:42,400 So that immediately undoes so many things they tried to do which is make the game approachable 354 00:17:42,400 --> 00:17:43,400 at every level. 355 00:17:43,400 --> 00:17:45,840 So I really hope that they are cautious with their game design. 356 00:17:45,840 --> 00:17:50,400 And so far I have to say I've been very, very impressed with everything that they've been 357 00:17:50,400 --> 00:17:51,520 putting out there. 358 00:17:51,520 --> 00:17:56,840 Sam, anything in closing other than what you're hoping that does not come to be? 359 00:17:56,840 --> 00:17:59,240 No, I mean, I agree with you on that too. 360 00:17:59,240 --> 00:18:02,200 Like I don't want to see any cards that I have not be able to be used. 361 00:18:02,200 --> 00:18:03,800 No, I don't have anything else. 362 00:18:03,800 --> 00:18:04,800 Okay. 363 00:18:04,800 --> 00:18:08,560 I also have nothing else to contribute for this first episode. 364 00:18:08,560 --> 00:18:13,120 Thank you all so much for hanging out with us in this first maiden voyage of illumination. 365 00:18:13,120 --> 00:18:17,960 We will be back with you with a brand new episode when next you hear us. 366 00:18:17,960 --> 00:18:18,960 We'll be there. 367 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:19,960 That's how that works. 368 00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:20,960 It's a podcast. 369 00:18:20,960 --> 00:18:21,960 Bye everybody.