Crystal Clans Designer Interview
An Interview with Andrea Mezzotero, the Designer of Crystal Clans!
Hello Crystal Clan Fans! We hope you're all excited to get your hands on the upcoming Crystal Clans base game in just a few weeks! In last week's article we provided the release date for Crystal Clans, but this week we'd like to do something a little different.
Andrea Mezzotero is the designer behind Crystal Clans and has been working closely with Colby Dauch and Joe Ellis for quite some time to develop this amazing tactical card game! We thought fans would enjoy sitting down with Andrea and hearing what he had to say about the history and development of Crystal Clans.
Callin: Andrea, thanks so much for taking the time to discuss Crystal Clans with us! I'm sure fans will really enjoy it. Crystal Clans is certainly a unique design. Can you tell us a little about what inspired it?
Andrea: Thanks for having me! Crystal Clans was born from my passion for dueling card games, and Summoner Wars in particular. I thought it was criminal that there weren't more "cards as units" card games, so I started designing one! I wanted to make something fast and dynamic, that avoided some of the common tropes of the genre while presenting the player with many interesting choices. How should I stack my units? Which cards I'll keep in hand and play in battle?
C: The world of Crystal Clans is very vibrant and beautiful, from the Crystal zones to the Clans themselves. Did you always imagine the game to be in such a colorful fantasy world?
A: In fact, I didn't. When I started designing the game I had in mind a sci-fi setting, with squadron of ships flying in formation and engaging in manoeuvres with the enemy. Did I mention that I'm a huge fan of the Homeworld videogame series? See the pictures of the initial versions of the prototype.
C: Wow, that's quite a departure! It's interesting to see not only what's changed in your development but also what's stayed the same. Of all the mechanics at play in Crystal Clans, the Initiative track is definitely one that stands out! What was your inspiration for the initiative track, and what did you hope it would add to the design?
A: I wanted a feeling of "real time strategy game", not in the sense that the game is played in real time, but that you are reacting to the actions of your opponent while the situation develops, and not in the usual "I go, you go" way of card games. After trying many clunky mechanics, I found that the initiative track fit perfectly the feeling I wanted to achieve.
C: It's certainly added an element of tension to the game! With the release just a few weeks away, what are you most excited about for the future of Crystal Clans? What would you like to see most with the game?
A: I'm really excited for the game release, obviously! As this is my first game, I'm really eager to see it in the hand of players, and hear their stories playing it! I'll surely organize a small tournament with my friends, and see who is better at mastering all the six factions!
C: That sounds like a lot of fun! Andrea, thanks so much giving us some insight on the design and history of Crystal Clans. We can't wait to see it in the hands of players soon!
A: Thank you!
Crystal Clans is just around the corner! If you haven't already, be sure to check out our Clan previews below and keep an eye out for Crystal Clans on store shelves soon!
Crystal Clans Previews
Game Page, Announcement Article
Game Basics: The Battlefield, Initiative and Scoring, Squads, Summoning and Activating, Replenishing, Invading, and Reshuffling, Final Crystal
Skull Clan: Part 1, Part 2
Meteor Clan: Part 1, Part 2
Flower Clan: Part 1, Part 2
Blood Clan: Part 1, Part 2
Stone Clan: Part 1, Part 2
Water Clan: Part 1, Part 2
Art Previews: Blood Clan, Flower Clan, Meteor Clan, Skull Clan, Stone Clan, Water Clan
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Posted by Callin Flores |
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