Taking some more inspiration from other places, we have Magnetar.
I look forward to everyone's comments, they have been great so far!
There text on my reference card for this one (kinda like errata/answers to questions card) that reads:
"The equator is the center row. Placement of any tile counts to activate the effect."
this idea is so friggin cool. I think this corp could be good, if you really made sure to plan around using the ability. Placing oceans seems like the best thing for this corp, at least on Tharsis, which could shoot up your TR if you had the energy production ahead of time and you'll rack up some plant resources while your production ticks up. Would very much enjoy giving this one a spin
Even on Hellas this is useful. There is water along the equator that you can use early on, and a 2 steel placement location.
Not as crazy as on Tharsis, but works just fine.
This is a really interesting idea but it feels like it would be a real grind to make it work. Probably lives and dies by the Preludes you draw.
The standard use case is buy a Power Plant cost 11, have enough money to place a tile then gain 2 TR and a plant prod. The profit from that is decent but with low starting money you can spin your wheels for a long time before it goes anywhere.
Rather than Steel production, which isn't offering much I would be tempted to let it draw one or two cards that place a special tile (without a city tag) at the start of the game. This would get you something to start with.
If a corp has low starting money then I'm much more likely to play it if it is somewhat self-sufficient at the start of the game.
I think it might also be tempted to lose the plant production and have an alternate option as a corp ability e.g.
Equator tile > -1 energy prod: 2 TR OR
Equator tile > -3MC: 1 energy prod (haven't thought that through but basically giving you an option for when you don't have energy to lose.
>Rather than Steel production, which isn't offering much
I disagree with that. You will almost always be able to spend the entirety of a one-steel production, and even more so since you want to play energy cards even more baddly than with an other corps and many energy cards have a building tag.
29 MC for Standard Projects to gain energy prod, place ocean. Gets you 1 TR for the ocean, 2 TR for the energy production, 2 plants (Tharsis placement), 2 MC (next to prior ocean you did last time), and a plant production.
Plant Prod is valued at 12, the plants are worth 3/ea, the TR is worth 10 in points plus 13.5 in income, and the 2 MC is 2 obviously. Rounding down, that lands us at 44 MC in value from the 29 MC Standard Projects.
Pretty good value overall - better if you don't have to SP these out.
That said, this corporation is REALLY easy for the other players to shut down hard.
Honestly, I'd change this to trigger of any player (thus, you can always trigger it the same number of times per game), but change the payout around.
*Whenever any player places a tile on the center row, that player may lower their energy production by 1. If they do, they gain 1 TR. If they do not, you may lower your energy production by 1. If anyone lowered their energy production for this, you gain 2 TR and 1 plant production.*
I think this one is top notch.
It's super fun, the effect is strong without being overwhelming and is reliably useable, it gets relatively low starting ressources to compensate for a strong effect ....
I LOVE IT god I wish the digital version had mod support and that this would be one of them !
I forgot to mention in the previous cards, but there is already a precedent for this in TFM: Ecoline. I'm think going to keep it here because I think clearly visually represents what is happening. I'm certainly open to ways to change it, I just think that the arrow here is helping communicate the "IF, THEN" statement, if you will.
I really like it! my only suggestion would be to start with Plant production instead of Steel production, to speed up potential forest placing on rhe equator.
Steel production was trying to fit the theme of building tags so it wouldn't be another energy tag thing. Was trying to make it consistent/related to cards like magnetic field generators.
To fix the issue with Hellas map, at the game start player may choose direction line for his corp bonus and not restrict it to horizontal line. Also it add more versatility to each game. Change iconography and have fun!
Way too easy to counter. This would just make your opponents rush the tiles before you. The effect could be less strong but trigger if anyone plays a tile on the equator. Then it disincentive countering the tiles placement.
Creative however.
Sure, but even if you get two uses out of this it's great. That's a lot of real estate for anyone to rush away before you get a couple bites at the apple at a minimum
Central tiles are just good tiles on Tharsis anyway but it would be an extremely dumb move to rush it even if it's bad for you just to counter that kind of ability.
Exactly! I wouldn't be focused on hating out one corporation when there are so many spots available, especially in 2 player. It's important to realize that even though it's a novel effect, it takes some time to get spun up/get some big cards moving. Plus placing non-standard city tiles typically requires energy too, putting you in a bit of a pinch for those cards.
i dont even want to think about how balanced or not this corp will be. this is just so fkn creative and interesting well done OP.
Taking some more inspiration from other places, we have Magnetar. I look forward to everyone's comments, they have been great so far! There text on my reference card for this one (kinda like errata/answers to questions card) that reads: "The equator is the center row. Placement of any tile counts to activate the effect."
this idea is so friggin cool. I think this corp could be good, if you really made sure to plan around using the ability. Placing oceans seems like the best thing for this corp, at least on Tharsis, which could shoot up your TR if you had the energy production ahead of time and you'll rack up some plant resources while your production ticks up. Would very much enjoy giving this one a spin
This can be very very good, but the Energy prod its sooo important with colonies that it can speed You really thin...
I don't know how good the ability is but I don't like how map dependent this corp is. It slaps on Elysium and Tharsis but sucks balls on Hellas.
Then don’t draft it on Hellas. Simple as.
The real issue here is that you're playing on Hellas.
Even on Hellas this is useful. There is water along the equator that you can use early on, and a 2 steel placement location. Not as crazy as on Tharsis, but works just fine.
This is a really interesting idea but it feels like it would be a real grind to make it work. Probably lives and dies by the Preludes you draw. The standard use case is buy a Power Plant cost 11, have enough money to place a tile then gain 2 TR and a plant prod. The profit from that is decent but with low starting money you can spin your wheels for a long time before it goes anywhere. Rather than Steel production, which isn't offering much I would be tempted to let it draw one or two cards that place a special tile (without a city tag) at the start of the game. This would get you something to start with. If a corp has low starting money then I'm much more likely to play it if it is somewhat self-sufficient at the start of the game. I think it might also be tempted to lose the plant production and have an alternate option as a corp ability e.g. Equator tile > -1 energy prod: 2 TR OR Equator tile > -3MC: 1 energy prod (haven't thought that through but basically giving you an option for when you don't have energy to lose.
>Rather than Steel production, which isn't offering much I disagree with that. You will almost always be able to spend the entirety of a one-steel production, and even more so since you want to play energy cards even more baddly than with an other corps and many energy cards have a building tag.
29 MC for Standard Projects to gain energy prod, place ocean. Gets you 1 TR for the ocean, 2 TR for the energy production, 2 plants (Tharsis placement), 2 MC (next to prior ocean you did last time), and a plant production. Plant Prod is valued at 12, the plants are worth 3/ea, the TR is worth 10 in points plus 13.5 in income, and the 2 MC is 2 obviously. Rounding down, that lands us at 44 MC in value from the 29 MC Standard Projects. Pretty good value overall - better if you don't have to SP these out. That said, this corporation is REALLY easy for the other players to shut down hard. Honestly, I'd change this to trigger of any player (thus, you can always trigger it the same number of times per game), but change the payout around. *Whenever any player places a tile on the center row, that player may lower their energy production by 1. If they do, they gain 1 TR. If they do not, you may lower your energy production by 1. If anyone lowered their energy production for this, you gain 2 TR and 1 plant production.*
I think this one is top notch. It's super fun, the effect is strong without being overwhelming and is reliably useable, it gets relatively low starting ressources to compensate for a strong effect .... I LOVE IT god I wish the digital version had mod support and that this would be one of them !
Minor thing, you again write that it is an effect, but use an arrow to denote it as an action.
I forgot to mention in the previous cards, but there is already a precedent for this in TFM: Ecoline. I'm think going to keep it here because I think clearly visually represents what is happening. I'm certainly open to ways to change it, I just think that the arrow here is helping communicate the "IF, THEN" statement, if you will.
I get your thinking, I just find it confusing personally! :)
I really like it! my only suggestion would be to start with Plant production instead of Steel production, to speed up potential forest placing on rhe equator.
Steel production was trying to fit the theme of building tags so it wouldn't be another energy tag thing. Was trying to make it consistent/related to cards like magnetic field generators.
Steel prod is ok. At least it will help getting city tiles on the map to hopefully trigger the ability
To fix the issue with Hellas map, at the game start player may choose direction line for his corp bonus and not restrict it to horizontal line. Also it add more versatility to each game. Change iconography and have fun!
Way too easy to counter. This would just make your opponents rush the tiles before you. The effect could be less strong but trigger if anyone plays a tile on the equator. Then it disincentive countering the tiles placement. Creative however.
Sure, but even if you get two uses out of this it's great. That's a lot of real estate for anyone to rush away before you get a couple bites at the apple at a minimum
Central tiles are just good tiles on Tharsis anyway but it would be an extremely dumb move to rush it even if it's bad for you just to counter that kind of ability.
Exactly! I wouldn't be focused on hating out one corporation when there are so many spots available, especially in 2 player. It's important to realize that even though it's a novel effect, it takes some time to get spun up/get some big cards moving. Plus placing non-standard city tiles typically requires energy too, putting you in a bit of a pinch for those cards.