GAME TECH: Bringing cards to life in 3D space
Dragon Front is a collectible card game, in the vein of Yu Gi Oh, but developed for virtual reality (VR). You can ‘face off’ against an opponent by donning the headset and entering a card arena, where the card units come to life and battle it out in front of both players. That, dear readers, is a recipe for making money.
People often become enthralled with these in-depth card games. (One friend of this writer has more decks than the Spanish Armada.) Magic the Gathering, Hearthstone, and even mini-games like The Witcher 3’s Gwent have all garnered a passionate fanbase. Then there’s the daddy of them all, Pokemon, the franchise that keeps OCD therapists in collective business, quite literally.
What’s the secret to this success, and why does a game like Dragon Front make sense? Card games hit the sweet spot between strategy and toybox, it seems. They satisfy the ‘army general’ mindset that never quite leaves the spirit of a child who spent hours mobilising their toys for battle, leading The Hulk versus He-Man in the shadow of a bunk bed. These games also appear to have incredible depth, allowing for just the right balance between brilliant strategy and luck of the deck, with plenty of room for developing a personalised approach.
You’ll be doing more shuffling than a zombie in Riverdance.
Dragon Front, therefore, is a no-brainer for virtual reality, as it brings the card units to life in proper 3D space, showing you the scale of their attacks up close and personal. According to High Voltage, their game will have 280 characters and more than 100 spells, which should be more than enough to get players started.
The real question, however, will be one of balance and longevity. If Dragon Front can produce a well-balanced system that encourages long-term investment, then they might have a hit on their hands. After all, if there’s one card that beats the rest, it’s the credit card.
KANYE GOES TURBO
Kanye West collects more plaudits than Pokemon, but the rapper has often been vocal about his admiration for video games. After recently announcing the production of his own game, called Only One, West has now taken to Twitter to reminisce about his favourite games. He even went so far as to claim the title of his next album would be Turbo Grafx 16. West’s latest album, The Life of Pablo, changed names more often than a spy with tax problems, so don’t expect Turbo Grafx 16 to stick. Still, in justifying his choice, the rapper tweeted: “Just on some super nerd vibes... one of my favourite gaming systems when I was a kid.”
He elaborated a little, naming his favourite game on the console as Blazing Lazers, before stating: “My boy Mali that I spoke about on the song Drive Slow actually had a Neo Geo in real life bro...”. (Confirming, finally, that Kanye no longer lives in real life).
On the plus side, this genuine passion for gaming bodes well for Only One, which had a beautiful launch trailer.
NOVEL IDEA
Fans might be divided as to whether Kanye West is a good ambassador for gaming, but they don’t seem divided on, erm, The Division, one of the year’s first big releases.
More than 6m people took part in the beta for the game, which goes on full release March 8, indicating there’s a big interest in the post-apocalyptic squad shooter.
In an interesting move, Ubisoft have now released a ‘meta-novel’ to tie in with the game. It’s called New York Collapse, with the story taking place just as a devastating virus hits New York.
It is told from the perspective of a woman who must survive the outbreak. The virus is the same one that has left the game-world ravaged. New York Collapse is being sold as part mystery, part guidebook, with hints in the novel apparently helping players to uncover secrets in the game.
It’s a tremendous effort on Ubisoft’s part, and a real treat for gamers who like to read.
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