The card game is too complicated

SilverBride

I don't know if the card game is too complicated or if the instructions when doing the initial quest just aren't clear enough, but I ended up abandoning the introductory game midway through. I wasn't going to try it at all but then I found out there are furnishings obtained through the game so I feel pressured to participate.

One of the biggest problems I had was understanding what the NPC was saying, but I made a chat tab for NPC dialog so that fixed that. But I just don't get what I'm supposed to do.

I looked for tutorials on YouTube but didn't find anything that explained it any better. Does anyone know of a good tutorial or have any tips to offer?

xgoku1

Yeah, the tutorial is pretty bad.

You win when you reach 40 points of Prestige (the blue points) or if all 4 of the dials on the right point towards you.

Most of the cards you play are going to gain you either Gold (the yellow points) or Power (Red points).

Every turn, the Power points you gained are going to convert to Prestige. But Gold doesn't convert or carry over to next turn, so you need to use it.

Gold can be used to buy cards from the middle section, the Tavern. As a general rule of thumb get the more expensive cards you can buy with the gold you have.

That's pretty much all you need to know to start. Just play a few NPC matches and you should be able to figure it out

SilverBride

Thanks for the tips. I'll give it a try again and maybe eventually something will click and I'll understand it better.

DagenHawk

SilverBride wrote: »

I don't know if the card game is too complicated or if the instructions when doing the initial quest just aren't clear enough, but I ended up abandoning the introductory game midway through. I wasn't going to try it at all but then I found out there are furnishings obtained through the game so I feel pressured to participate.

One of the biggest problems I had was understanding what the NPC was saying, but I made a chat tab for NPC dialog so that fixed that. But I just don't get what I'm supposed to do.

I looked for tutorials on YouTube but didn't find anything that explained it any better. Does anyone know of a good tutorial or have any tips to offer?

I knew it was going to be a issue when the creator took 45 minutes explaining one turn and it still was convoluted...

The card game that EQ &EQII use to have was simple to learn and hard to master...that is how games like that should be.

Sly80

SilverBride wrote: »

Thanks for the tips. I'll give it a try again and maybe eventually something will click and I'll understand it better.

That's exactly how it works. Play 3-4 games with NPCs, and it does indeed click. There's also a useful video here:

https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-gb/news/post/62211

darvaria

You need to use treasury and convert all you gold coins in the beginning to writs of coin which are worth 2 gold instead of 1 gold. Basically get rid of most cards that are only one gold. Of course there is that one patron (Orgum or something like that) that grants power on number of cards in hand. Make sure you watch that boss and keep him flipped neutral.

Just play against the npcs .... don't play other ppl to learn. You have people that have literally mastered the game on PTS (Master levels). They are just wiping out ppl that haven't played. Wait until they get their ranks up before you play against another player.

I'll probably only play the npcs. It's a bunch of junk rewards. Except the top tier. And I have tons of transmutes. Around 5K of them. Had to make a bunch of earth gore helms to store all the 4 and 5 transmute gems. I had 10 toons full of gems.

You have to play, get familiar with cards. Just play the npcs. Don't que because it's all players that were masters in PTR.

Overall, unless you are in leader board, it's pointless. I got to Master on PTR but I'm only going to play NPC's because I know I won't rank and rewards are useless. A few games here and there against NPC's are entertaining. I predict it will be an elite few that control the leader boards and they aren't going to get there with my help. I STRONGLY suggest only playing against the NPC's until you know all the decks and cards.

A few players are really going to like the card game but I predict in a matter of weeks only that few players are going to que.

darvaria

Tips:

Convert all single gold coins to writs

Grab any power cards. (Pelin & Hunding)

Higher value junk cards are good to flip with Hlaalu. You get prestige if card cost minus one.

Some players flip high cost agent cards immediatley with Hlaalu. Except for contract agents. Regular agents will be eliminated by a half way decent npc or player so just flip for the gain.

Don't draw cards unless they offer coin or power. The other strategies are more complex. If opponent flips Crow early, don't use it until you have some high gold cards like those Hlaalu 6 gold, 3 gold glass bottles or that one Raj card that gives 4 gold. . The one suit with prestige (orgum) is more complicated and a good player can get a sure win way. I win against the expert npcs most of the time. And get rank. . If the NPC gets too many high power cards, I just forfeit and don't waste time.

Read the tips sites. There are a few good ones but you won't really understand the game until you play a few rounds on Novice NPC's. You can get all the way to Master w/o playing other players. There is one tube that identies the most important cards in each suite.

Overall, I project the card game to be epic fail for most of the player base. Only a few will play long term. I'll level to Master and play npcs for fun while waiting to do other things or am at work with nothing else to do.

Players have called to nerf Orgnum but they haven't. A good player that really understands this suite will be hard to beat.

With equally good players, it depends on luck of the draw. Right now, really experienced players are farming the ones that don't know the game. IMO, don't give them an easy win. It's just as fun to play against the npc's, especially as you level up. Just go back to the areas and play Proficient and then expert npcs when you have the level.

SilverBride

I really appreciate all the great tips. I'll watch that tutorial and keep these in mind and try it again later today.

Marcusorion1

The tutorial, despite multiple re-writes, is still confusing and fails to focus on what a player with zero experience needs to know to make sense of the first few games ( especially strategies of any sort - there's simply too many options, too soon to make sense of any of it.

Following the quest directions I played a few games in the hall until I finally beat a Novice NPC ( although the quest direction is to play one, it doesn't tick over until you beat one ). Turning that quest in opens a new NPC that will give you a daily challenge to play up to 3 NPC's throughout Tamriel. You must beat them to collect the best reward but you may repeatedly challenge them until you get a win.

It really is just practice and trying to sort out what's going on. RNG on cards makes a huge difference too.

The strategy of what to "keep", what to play, what to "buy" , what to remove etc is poorly explained and really depends on playstyle ( we will probably see half a dozen strategies posted here in by as many players ).

Trying to watch what the npc was " doing " ( as instructed in the tutorial ) made things worse for me.., I tried to see what colour cards (patron ) they were attempting to collect and figured if I could remove those from the deck it may help ? But that's defensive and they quickly overtook me on points.

What order to play "combo " cards was never clearly explained - still haven't figured out how that works properly.

How to activate the Patrons to your favor needs a much better explanation

What all those other icons on the cards mean ( beyond gold and power ) needs more information

There are so many questions - with no clear place for answers ( or at least consistent answers)

If the game will ever be taken up by the masses - as hoped - they need to do a much better job of explaining it or frustrations will drive many away.

And bigger cards ( or bigger icons ) please? I know we can mouse over to enlarge but even on a large PC screen I found myself getting closer and closer to the screen to make out what the hell the cards were all about.

xgoku1

SilverBride wrote: »

Thanks for the tips. I'll give it a try again and maybe eventually something will click and I'll understand it better.

Draw pile: Your source of cards. You get cards from here to your hand.
Click cards in your hand to play them. Played cards go to the Played cards section during an active turn.
When you go to next turn -> cards go from 'played cards' to Cooldown pile
Cards you buy from Tavern also go to Cooldown pile
When you run out of cards in Draw pile -> All cards from Cooldown pile are taken and shuffled back into the Draw pile

Rinse and repeat

Personofsecrets

I'm hoping to finish writing a guide later today on avoiding common mistakes that I see many players making. I'll tag you.

VDoom1

I agree, it is a tad complicated and the tutorial could be simplified.

I did win one match against another novice, though I'll admit I had like no clue what I was doing.

Power is the key to win ( the red square). Power becomes prestige (blue square), at 40 prestige or if all patrons favor you it's a win.

Just practice, practice makes perfect.

Marcusorion1

Just to add - there is a new forum dedicated to ToT, hopefully we will see many useful explanations and guides there soon!

And, yes, my few victories so far were far more luck than skill ! My losses left me more perplexed. Please note : expect to take an appreciable amount of time to complete multiple games ( 1-2+ hours) - this may also be unfavourable to many players' playstyles.

KitsuneShoujo

Yeah that tutorial was an absolute mess. The comments here made way more sense. Good job.

FeedbackOnly

The audio for game tutorial was lagging far behind for me so was hard to understand it..

P.S
Not a normal issue for me

zaria

darvaria wrote: »

You need to use treasury and convert all you gold coins in the beginning to writs of coin which are worth 2 gold instead of 1 gold. Basically get rid of most cards that are only one gold. Of course there is that one patron (Orgum or something like that) that grants power on number of cards in hand. Make sure you watch that boss and keep him flipped neutral.

Just play against the npcs .... don't play other ppl to learn. You have people that have literally mastered the game on PTS (Master levels). They are just wiping out ppl that haven't played. Wait until they get their ranks up before you play against another player.

A few players are really going to like the card game but I predict in a matter of weeks only that few players are going to que.

Ok. so that is the point of the treasury, burn any card who is just one coin and no other benefits.
I used the patron who convert gold into power then having lots of gold,

And true about players, its no reason not to use your bank alts then your ranking get high.

Marcusorion1

Does it not cost 2 gold and 1 power to use the treasury? So basically sacrifice power points early to gain more gold to hopefully purchase higher value patron cards on a future turn ( to use in combo's ) ?

Ravensilver

I'm steadily losing against all the 'novice' NPCs, the quest doesn't update, the achievements don't update correctly... And this game is everything, but definitely *not* intuitive... >.<

Not sure I want to continue with it.

MJ202

I'm on XBox so aside from reading about the card game, I know little about it. To better help me understand, is it easier or harder to play than FIZZBIN?

Marcusorion1

The early New Venture quest says to play another NPC but to complete it, you have to win. Turning it in after a win gives a reward and opens up more tribute related NPC's in the gamehall with daily tasks

Lysette

.When buying cards don't always go for the highest you can buy. Pay close attention what the card's effects are and if those are useful for you. What do they do, if played solo, and what is their combo effect. Do you have other cards in your deck, which make a combo likely.

It is as well important to understand what the patron effects are and what it takes to gain their favor. You win, if you can get the favor of all 4, but it can be tricky with the last of them (at least with these 4 decks you get at start), because one of them requires, that you have an agent card in your deck. So as long as you don't have it, you won't be able to activate the 4th one.

Gold should not be overestimated, that gold what you don't use in a turn is lost. So you need enough gold for your turn, but it is of no use to maximize gold. Be mindful when you use power - any power, which you don't use in a turn is converted into prestige at the end - well, if there isn't a contract agent of the opponent active, which might hinder this conversion. In that case your priority is getting rid of that agent, because for as long as that agent is active, you won't gain prestige.

Overall your goal is to get as much power as possible in a turn and convert it to prestige at the end of your turn. But like I said above, pay attention to that foreign contract agent, which might stop this conversion, in that case your power would be lost at the end of your turn. If you need to spend power, be mindful and check, if it will gain you more than it'll cost you.

Otherwise I would need to know where your problem is, to eventually be of help.

Marcusorion1

"if there isn't a contract agent of the opponent active, which might hinder this conversion. In that case your priority is getting rid of that agent, because for as long as that agent is active, you won't gain prestige."

This would be a face up card on your opponent's side that persists through each turn?

How does one "get rid of it" ?

Side question : agent vs contract agent ? what's the difference?
ty:)

Ravensilver

Marcusorion1 wrote: »

The early New Venture quest says to play another NPC but to complete it, you have to win. Turning it in after a win gives a reward and opens up more tribute related NPC's in the gamehall with daily tasks

Great. >.<

So far I haven't managed to win a single game against one of the NPCs. Not in High Isle, not in Reaper's March, not in Auridon, not in Glenumbra.

The NPCs always pull cards from nowhere that are just so much stronger than anything that I'm either being dealt or can buy. If ZOS wanted to make sure that I'm definitely going to hate this game from the very first, they're going about it the right way... >.<

xgoku1

Marcusorion1 wrote: »

"if there isn't a contract agent of the opponent active, which might hinder this conversion. In that case your priority is getting rid of that agent, because for as long as that agent is active, you won't gain prestige."

This would be a face up card on your opponent's side that persists through each turn?

How does one "get rid of it" ?

Side question : agent vs contract agent ? what's the difference?
ty:)

Cards you buy from the Tavern normally go to your cooldown first before being reshuffled into your draw pile.

Except contract cards. When you buy a contract card, you play it immediately.

So contract agents will deploy an agent instantly. A regular agent card you'll have to wait till it shows up in your hand.

If an Agent has the ability Taunt, what happens is that the opponent will no longer convert power to prestige when a turn ends. That's why your priority should be taking down an agent.

Agent cards have HP. You can reduce their HP by spending your Power points. Just click on the enemy agent card during your turn.

Alternatively you could get an Assassination contract card and use it on the opponent's Agent.

Blutengel

Took me a handful of games to understand it but I really enjoy it now.

Lysette

Marcusorion1 wrote: »

"if there isn't a contract agent of the opponent active, which might hinder this conversion. In that case your priority is getting rid of that agent, because for as long as that agent is active, you won't gain prestige."

This would be a face up card on your opponent's side that persists through each turn?

How does one "get rid of it" ?

Side question : agent vs contract agent ? what's the difference?
ty:)

one of the patrons can do that - I don't know his name by heart though.

xgoku1

Lysette wrote: »

Marcusorion1 wrote: »

"if there isn't a contract agent of the opponent active, which might hinder this conversion. In that case your priority is getting rid of that agent, because for as long as that agent is active, you won't gain prestige."

This would be a face up card on your opponent's side that persists through each turn?

How does one "get rid of it" ?

Side question : agent vs contract agent ? what's the difference?
ty:)

one of the patrons can do that - I don't know his name by heart though.

I think Psijic Loremaster Celarus

ZOS_Kevin

Hey all! Thanks to those who are sharing tips and tricks. We appreciate all of you for helping other players.

Also @SilverBride, I'm going to move this thread to the Tales of Tribute section since it involves the card game. Just wanted to give a heads up.

Chaos2088

Yeah ive tried to like it......and was really exicited about having mini games in taverns but this game is just a zzzzzzzzzzz fest. Its too complicated. I dont like being a downer as people put time and effort into it, but I doubt i will be playing this feature much.

SilverBride

Personofsecrets wrote: »

I'm hoping to finish writing a guide later today on avoiding common mistakes that I see many players making. I'll tag you.

Awesome, thanks!

Sorry I didn't notice the new forum for ToT, and thanks for moving it over @ZOS_Kevin.

Lysette

Chaos2088 wrote: »

Yeah ive tried to like it......and was really exicited about having mini games in taverns but this game is just a zzzzzzzzzzz fest. Its too complicated. I dont like being a downer as people put time and effort into it, but I doubt i will be playing this feature much.

give it a chance - it will all fall in place after a while.