User:Masamunemaniac/Cardmaster Conflict
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| Cardmaster Conflict | |
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| Developer(s) | Mark Shallow |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux |
| Release date |  August 2003 |
| Genre(s) | Online Collectible Card Game |
| Mode(s) | Multiplayer |
| System requirements | Java 1.4 or higher |
Cardmaster Conflict (CMC) is an online collectible card game played against human opponents over the Internet. The game is launched via Java Web Start, and is playable with Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. It was created and is currently maintained by Mark Shallow (creator of the Adventurers! and Antihero for Hire webcomics, also known as webrunner). The game is free to play, with purchases being made using a virtual currency earned by playing games.
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[edit] Game Play
Through the website, players are able to purchase or sell Starter decks, Booster packs and individual cards, and create and modify decks. Other functions unrelated to gameplay, such as customisation of a user's avatar and setting/viewing profiles, are also accomplished via the website.
Through Java Web Start, the player can enter the 'matchmaker', where they may facilitate trades with other players, simply chat, and of course play games with each other. From the matchmaker, a player's name, avatar, and current gaming record is shown, as well as whether they are in a Play, Trade, Chat or Away state.
The game itself takes place on a playing field of 20 (initially empty) card slots for cards, and a location slot. Of these, each player gets 5 monster and 5 effect slots, as well as the space 'behind' them for special modifiers. Both players start the game by drawing five cards from their chosen deck, and draw one card per turn. They also generate Dark, Light and Grey mana, with different factions and ideals supporting each of the colors; the rate of this generation can be increased by playing generators and certain other cards. This mana is then mainly used to play monsters and effects, to cast spells and other cards, and to power the abilities of cards in play. The usual aim of the game is to reduce the opponent to zero or negative life (typically by attacking with monsters), or to reduce their deck to zero cards (as drawing from an empty decks causes a player to lose). Other specific cards can grant additional victory or lose conditions. In the meantime, players will try to destroy or disable the opponent's monsters and effects in order to overpower them, attack the opponent directly, or work on a defensive setup.
[edit] Card Types
[edit] Monsters
Monsters are the focal point of most decks - they represent things ranging from from the random creatures of the world, to unique heroes and villains, to might angels, demons and dragons! They are primarily used to reduce the life of the opponent and of the opponent's monsters, and to protect the player from the opponent's monsters. Every monster has an attack value, which determines how much life it removes from the opponent or other monsters when in combat, and a life value, which determines how much damage it can sustain before being destroyed. Some cards also have additional abilities; these can affect a monster's prowess in combat, or may allow the monster to deal damage outside of combat, draw additional cards, create more monsters, and much more.
[edit] Effects
Effects are another vital card type in most decks. These can represent anything from mundane or magical objects to altered Physical laws of the game's setting. The most commonly used type are called generators; these provide the mana resource with which further cards require. Other effects are able to strengthen or damage monsters, provide protection from attack, draw cards, create monsters and more.
[edit] Spells
Spells are the only type of card which may be played outside of a player's Play phase. They represent a myriad of different magical and technological abilities, and often have good surprise value. They can damage, strengthen, destroy or create monsters and effects, directly harm a player, draw or discard cards, cancel other spells and abilities, or affect the game in a whole range of other ways.
[edit] Locations
Locations are special in that they affect both players equally, and aren't considered owned by either player. They represent a number of specific areas of the game's setting, as well as general adverse or beneficial terrains. Their abilities can vary from making cards cheaper or more expensive to play, drawing an extra card each turn, to completely changing the game's mechanics. Some deck designs are highly dependant on specific locations, but most of them do not use the card type at all.
[edit] Modifiers
Modifiers are a recently introduced card type that attach to existing monsters and effects. These can represent additional weaponry or equipment, a constant attack, or just an abnormal state of the entity. Their abilities range from simply generating additional mana, to weakening or boosting monsters, to giving monsters extra abilities. They are seen on an extra 'layer' in the game, underneath the rest of the cards, and aren't often used.
[edit] Card Sets
[edit] Prime
The Prime card set consists of 113 playable cards, and includes monsters and effects based on the main world of Cardmaster Conflict. Light is represented by the clerics and fairies; Dark by the followers of the dead necromancer Melrak, and various horrors and skeletons; and Grey by the dark elves, living slimes, and golems.
[edit] Clash of the Webcomics
The Clash card set consists of 152 playable cards, and has its cards based on the webcomics of Adventurers!, Antihero for Hire, RPG World and Starsomething. Light is represented by the heroes of Adventurers! and RPG World; Dark by the villains and their henchman from all of the webcomics; and Grey by protagonists of Antihero for Hire and Starsomething.
[edit] Unknown Expeditions
The Expeditions mini-expansion set consists of just 20 playable cards, each representing locations from around the world of Cardmaster Conflict. This set premiered the location type.
[edit] Principalities
The Principalities card set consists of 134 playable cards, and expands upon the world of Cardmaster Conflict introduced in the Prime set. Light is now reinforced by the paladins of Iridith, while Dark and Grey further their follower, dark elf and slime themes.
[edit] War of the Webcomics
The War card set consists of 125 playable cards, and is similar in theme to the Clash set. In addition further cards from the previously used webcomics, cards from Kid Radd, Mac Hall, Basil Flint and Sporkman. The color themes are similar to to those of Clash.
[edit] Mechanical Chaos
Mechanical Chaos is the largest and most recent card set released, consisting of 185 cards, all of which are multicolor. The cards are based on a future conflict, with references to a number of science fiction works. Light-Grey is prepresented by a number of robots; Dark-Grey by space-pirates and aliens; Dark-Light is represented by the ZFF space force (thought to be a homage to Star Trek's Starfleet).
[edit] Other Sets
- Voucher - These are obtainable through special voucher and redemption codes, most often found on the Cardmaster Conflict site and Mark Shallow's webcomics.
- Secret - These are automatically obtained by reaching certain conditions in a game of Cardmaster Conflict - some are frequently obtained deliberately and accidentally, while others have completely unknown conditions and are much rarer.
- Donor - These are obtainable through the 'Donation Shop', and cost $5, $10 or $15 each, or less during special promotions.
- Event - These can be obtained only for a limited time during special events held on Cardmaster Conflict.
