FOSSPicks
Collectable card game
Argentum Age
Despite the incongruity, computer- and tablet-based card game growth appears to match the growth of the physical variety; yet, very few open source card games exist, usually because they depend on excellent assets, and the artists behind those assets aren't typically as well versed in the advantages of open source as developers. Argentum Age's assets are almost an exception, released under a mixture of CC BY-NC-ND, GPL, and CC0, but the assets are more open than many similar games, and content and licensing could change.
Collectable card games (CCG) are a specific genre wherein the player collects and creates their own deck of cards, each card with variable abilities and roles to play, which are then played within the board game's wider rules and context. One card type could be used to summon a specific offensive creature, for example, while another may expand the number of cards you can hold. These attributes are common to most CCGs, but it's the context – the story – and the game rules that make them specific to any one game. In Argentum Age, village size corresponds to the size of your hand, for example. It can be quite complex to get started and to understand many of the rules, but it's also deeply satisfying when you've mastered a specific deck you've tailored to your particular style. One great thing about Argentum Age is that it includes a single-player campaign mode, so you can experiment with your own cards within the confines of an unfolding story. However, you can also take your skills online and pit your deck against real people, complete with inline chat and an entire online community.
Project Website
CLI cube
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)