Week 08 - Card games

The card game we played during class that I would like to analyze would be Zombie Fluxx. The cards at first are very confusing as each card either has a different rule, goal, action or a “keeper” companion card. The play space for Zombie Fluxx is a post-apocalyptic world in which you are trying to survive. The deck is comprised of seemingly over 100 cards of the same size and same design on the back side of the card. According to page 7 of the Nathan Altice chapter on The Playing Card Platform, “Playing cards, no matter their geometric form, are cut to identical sizes.” With changes from game-to-game with sizes and what not, the cards for Zombie Fluxx are a regular sized card such as a deck of playing cards you will buy from the store. The way Zombie Fluxx is played is that each player takes turns going to in clock-wise direction. With every turn, to start the game you draw one card and discard a card. However, depending on what card you play, the game can completely change. In the Altice chapter on page 10, it is discussed that “modern ordinal games are notable for their redesigns of the classic playing card deck.” A way the LoonyLabs, the creators of Zombie Fluxx redesigned a normal deck of cards is by changing the four suits to Rules, Goals, Actions and keeper cards. One thematic element that I liked a lot while playing the game was the fact that you are able to keep zombies, equipment you draw and even friends along the way. I feel like it adds a lot to the survival aspect of the game. When a player decides to play a card, there are many many different changes to the game. For instance, you can change how many cards you draw to start a turn, how many cards you play to end a turn and even change how to win the game. In the Watch It Played video on how to play Catan I learned mostly how to play Catan. However, I also learned that it is much easier to describe something such as a board game or card game and how to play them in a visual or video setting. When you are able to see the specific moves, hands and learn the smaller, more intricate moves and tactics to be used in the game itself.