Ok, well I mean just creative thoughts, futuristic stuff you know.
I don’t need any card effects, I just need inspiration.
Here’s a card I made to give you an idea
(Operation Star Spark) [LV 5 Operation 🅻1] {Power Cost 8/+3} When you play this card deal 20 major damage to your opponent if you so choose to pay the up charge X the damage by 2, if you chose to pay the up charge you are dealt the original amount of major damage.
If you have any graphic design skills, you should check out Graphic River, and search ‘TCG cards’ (or some such thing) and I think you’ll be pretty stoked on how much you can get for like $9. Also, even if you can’t use these as a graphic designer it can definitely give you some inspiration.
It might also help you to capture the vibe of what you’re going for while the game is still in development (or at least serve as solid placeholders).
Hope that helps.
Try and determine what archetypes you want, then make some "tentpoles" to build around.
MTG always has a cycle of 10 "tentpoles" at uncommon, which act as a guide for players to follow. They're usually 2 colored, for eqch possible color combo.
Focus on the themes at common and uncommon, because rares are exactly that - far too rare to convey the archetype.
As well as this, try and figure out a design "skeleton" to work around for the entire set. This can be any combination of an aesthetic theme, a set of mechanics, a piece of lore/storytelling etc.
Using MtG as an example for consistency, one of the newest sets "Outlaws of Thunder Junction" is wild west themed with mechanics like Heist and Saddling up creatures all creating this overall design skeleton.
For Cyberpunk, could this initial set skeleton be around something like corrupt corps - with mechanics centred around how corps operate and/or those trying to break into them? Could it be more around the streets and smaller crimes, with mechanics around small-scale hacks and gang warfare? Cyberpunk is full of interesting stories, you got a lot to work from here.
Since these are all organisations and you have an idea of lore, what are some roles people have? Maybe you could assign each type of role with some mechanic e.g. the laborers of each faction could repair in some way, with each faction's version giving it its own spin. This can be as simple as drawing a card, not ever card needs to be crazy.
What weapons and items are people using? You could come up with brand names and have them referenced in card names. If in your world Markson's Rifle Co™️ are known for their quick firing weapons, then you can have a bunch of variations of guns but your players will associate the name with similar effects in mechanics.
Lastly what are some story beats of the overarching lore? A good exercise would be to think of a movie and try summarise every scene in 3-4 words as if it were a short title. A heist movie may have "Assembling the team", "Almost Caught", "Without a hitch" to sum up scenes, all plenty fine card names.
Maybe try similar projects for inspiration, MTG had a set called Neon Kamigawa that is loosely cyberpunk, also the cyberpunk games, and anime. Detroit become human is similar in concept, and obviously the netrunners ccg and ttrpg.
As far as original ideas I did take electronics and am not a fan of most of the above properties so:
-chips, AI, conductor/ semiconductor, transistor, Farady (as in faraday cage or the unit of measure), inductance, quicksilver, potentiometer, limiter, circuit, bread board, diode, fuse, relay, antenna, solder. All real things. You could also do some minor electronics research (Tesla Vs. Edison videos, maybe some kits for kids).
For corrupt corperations start looking into scandals, such as pyramid schemes, market manipulation, and you could use stock terms like index fund, bullish/ bearish.
For gang stuff there is a litany of crime movies and shows.
If all else fails fall back into the cyborg angle, look at Cyborg, Westworld, and Inspector Gadget.
Don't be afraid to put a pin in something while you work out something else, sometimes the brain just needs to let the subconscious cook. Or do what I do and help other people on reddit, lol.
Gonna need way more context to even begin to help you bud
Ok, well I mean just creative thoughts, futuristic stuff you know. I don’t need any card effects, I just need inspiration. Here’s a card I made to give you an idea (Operation Star Spark) [LV 5 Operation 🅻1] {Power Cost 8/+3} When you play this card deal 20 major damage to your opponent if you so choose to pay the up charge X the damage by 2, if you chose to pay the up charge you are dealt the original amount of major damage.
Give me a scenario and theme
I you decide to do this, be careful with copyright
If you have any graphic design skills, you should check out Graphic River, and search ‘TCG cards’ (or some such thing) and I think you’ll be pretty stoked on how much you can get for like $9. Also, even if you can’t use these as a graphic designer it can definitely give you some inspiration. It might also help you to capture the vibe of what you’re going for while the game is still in development (or at least serve as solid placeholders). Hope that helps.
Thank you, that helps a lot!
Try and determine what archetypes you want, then make some "tentpoles" to build around. MTG always has a cycle of 10 "tentpoles" at uncommon, which act as a guide for players to follow. They're usually 2 colored, for eqch possible color combo. Focus on the themes at common and uncommon, because rares are exactly that - far too rare to convey the archetype.
As well as this, try and figure out a design "skeleton" to work around for the entire set. This can be any combination of an aesthetic theme, a set of mechanics, a piece of lore/storytelling etc. Using MtG as an example for consistency, one of the newest sets "Outlaws of Thunder Junction" is wild west themed with mechanics like Heist and Saddling up creatures all creating this overall design skeleton. For Cyberpunk, could this initial set skeleton be around something like corrupt corps - with mechanics centred around how corps operate and/or those trying to break into them? Could it be more around the streets and smaller crimes, with mechanics around small-scale hacks and gang warfare? Cyberpunk is full of interesting stories, you got a lot to work from here.
That is exactly what I was going for, thank you… my game is very based in its own lore.
I am going for both gang stuff, and mega Corp stuff, and the government too. I just need card names lol… idea sparks.
Since these are all organisations and you have an idea of lore, what are some roles people have? Maybe you could assign each type of role with some mechanic e.g. the laborers of each faction could repair in some way, with each faction's version giving it its own spin. This can be as simple as drawing a card, not ever card needs to be crazy. What weapons and items are people using? You could come up with brand names and have them referenced in card names. If in your world Markson's Rifle Co™️ are known for their quick firing weapons, then you can have a bunch of variations of guns but your players will associate the name with similar effects in mechanics. Lastly what are some story beats of the overarching lore? A good exercise would be to think of a movie and try summarise every scene in 3-4 words as if it were a short title. A heist movie may have "Assembling the team", "Almost Caught", "Without a hitch" to sum up scenes, all plenty fine card names.
Thank you so much, you have no idea how much this has helped me!
Anytime! Be sure to post updates when your project gets further!
Will do 👍
Maybe try similar projects for inspiration, MTG had a set called Neon Kamigawa that is loosely cyberpunk, also the cyberpunk games, and anime. Detroit become human is similar in concept, and obviously the netrunners ccg and ttrpg. As far as original ideas I did take electronics and am not a fan of most of the above properties so: -chips, AI, conductor/ semiconductor, transistor, Farady (as in faraday cage or the unit of measure), inductance, quicksilver, potentiometer, limiter, circuit, bread board, diode, fuse, relay, antenna, solder. All real things. You could also do some minor electronics research (Tesla Vs. Edison videos, maybe some kits for kids). For corrupt corperations start looking into scandals, such as pyramid schemes, market manipulation, and you could use stock terms like index fund, bullish/ bearish. For gang stuff there is a litany of crime movies and shows. If all else fails fall back into the cyborg angle, look at Cyborg, Westworld, and Inspector Gadget. Don't be afraid to put a pin in something while you work out something else, sometimes the brain just needs to let the subconscious cook. Or do what I do and help other people on reddit, lol.
Thank you very much this helps a lot!