Last week, I began sharing the design journey of Mood Swings, my vision for a more approachable trading card game. I first discussed my original design from 1998. Today, let’s explore the various iterations that shaped this concept over the past 28 years.
Realizations Over Lunch
My initial vision included a 300-card set featuring three colors (blue, red, and green) and three rarities (common, uncommon, and rare). After a lackluster initial pitch, I continued developing it in my free time, with my wife, Lora, as my primary playtesting partner during our lunch breaks.
As my design matured, I realized the need to enhance existing cards rather than just create new ones. A pivotal moment occurred when I playtested a card called “Psychosis.” Initially, it seemed fine, but its complexity required significant mental effort to track, making gameplay cumbersome. Simplifying its scoring mechanics made it easier to assess while retaining its essence. Subsequently, I limited common and uncommon cards to two values, reserving additional values for rarer cards.
Integrating with Magic
Another major shift was aligning the game with Magic‘s principles, expanding the color palette to five and incorporating a fourth rarity. This led to new mechanics, notably “suppress,” which provided white with counter-play options. Iterating on concepts like card effects had me testing various approaches until arriving at a cleaner mechanic. Modifying how colors interacted—framing them as allies or enemies—enhanced gameplay dynamics and strategy.
Multiplayer Enhancements
As development progressed, I came to appreciate the need for an engaging multiplayer experience. After playtesting suggestions for a multiplayer variant, I made adjustments to improve play for three or four players. This included increasing the number of cards in each box and refining individual card designs to encourage interaction among multiple players.
Additionally, I established new cards to help players in last place regain footing, inspired by concepts from playtest sessions. This approach facilitated more dynamic game play, allowing players to address formidable opponents effectively.
Final Tweaks and Accessibility
During the final design phases, feedback from team members led to crucial adjustments, particularly in card mechanics and templates. We classified cards into three main categories, simplifying understanding and gameplay. The addition of terminology to describe “moods” instead of “cards in play” clarified concepts further, making it easier to teach new players.
Conclusion
This summarizes the design journey of Mood Swings. If intrigued, the game will launch on MagicSecretLair.com on June 1. Find more details, including extended rules and card images, on the Secret Lair page. I will also be sharing insights through podcasts for curious audiences.
I’m looking forward to your thoughts on today’s discussion or any feedback about Mood Swings. Feel free to reach out via email or social media.
Join me next week for another installment of Making Magic.
Until then, may your moods swing favorably!
