Make a Trading Card Game

Have you ever tried to find a cool card game to play with your friends and then finally found it but realized that it wasn't worth the 200+ dollars you spent on it? If you have, you can make your own for fewer than 25 dollars! Read more below.

Steps

  1. Plan out the name of your trading card game. It has to be an interesting name so that people will want to play it. The name should be catchy and original, so people will want to play your game. (Don't use other card game names, like Yu-Gi-Oh! or Pokémon)
  2. Come up with a basic genre for your game. Science fiction, space, fantasy, western, past, future, are a few examples.
  3. Come up with a unique background and story. You should base the rules on the background and story, not the other way around. So this step must come before the rules
  4. Plan the game. Make a good set of rules and an exciting objective. The rules have to be balanced its not too easy its not too complicated. It's no fun playing a card game when there are no rules or too many rules to follow.
    • Many games have different rules. Some are strict whereas others can be looser. Experiment, and see what is right for you. When planning the game, you must come up with a good playing field. You might as well think of how turns will be lost or gained, how to win the game, and more.
  5. Think of various types of cards. There definitely must be a very wide assortment of characters. Power-ups, bonuses and health are also several cards that can make a card game more interesting. You can also make "rule-bending" cards that change the rules.
    • This makes your card game more interesting. These cards may be grouped into types, elements, or classes if the creator desires. These cards must have graphics. Few people would like to play a card game by just looking at words on a card. Hire an artist if you need.
  6. Come up with a good and relevant time period. It would have been a bit confusing if the creator of Yu-Gi-Oh! called his game "A Time in Modern Rome" for a time period. If your game has many different creatures from different time periods, this step is irrelevant.
  7. Get a program such as MS Paint and a tablet. Photoshop is a recommended choice. Draw out your templates on the program, then write on the card the abilities, colour, attack power, name etc... You may also draw the cards by hand, but this is extremely time consuming.
  8. Either print out the templates on card or paper, then get your artist to draw on them, or use a tablet to draw them on your computer.
  9. Play it with your friends and have fun!



Tips

  • If the cards are made of paper, laminate them. This way they can't rip as easily.
  • If the rules will take longer than a minute to explain, make a clear, easy to read rule book. It's best to make it on the computer.
  • If you really like your card game, try making a game mat where you can put your cards or even make a manual explaining how your game is played. You never know where you might end up.
  • Make sure you have fun.
  • If your game idea really takes off, try out http://www.thegamecrafter.com to publish and sell your idea. Who knows, maybe you'll make a fortune.
  • Think of an idea before the name.
  • Have good quality paper. The paper adds to the presentation and sturdiness of the cards.
  • Put your trading cards in a wrapper. If you can't find a good one, use cheap envelopes with a cool design. Make some designs different from the others.
  • Use cardstock to make sure your cards are strong and sturdy.
  • Try not to create more than 50 cards at once. Start off with some of the cards and see if they are successful. If they are, you can add more cards continuously.
  • Just because you can't draw doesn't mean your game will suck! The guy who made Pokémon cards didn't draw them himself. Always make the card before the art. The earliest Magic cards, before the game was published, used stock images, some of which didn't even fit its fantasy theme! You can access better art after trying out the cards (it may turn out that some cards don't work well at all).
  • If your cards are too powerful, strengthen the other cards in your game as opposed to weakening the rest
  • Make a good background story. This will make your game more colorful. Unique themes (eg, not just a high fantasy or space adventure) will be especially attractive.
  • Don't steal ideas from anyone (Nintendo or your best friend), but be inspired by them.
    • The first major TCG was Magic: The Gathering, and it remains the most popular one today. Make sure your game is not an exact clone of it.
    • Of course, some similarity can happen even if you've never heard of the similar game — there are a lot of games out there.
  • Don't use all of your best ideas for cards at once. If you make all of the awesome cards first, you might not have any more good ideas for later cards.
  • It is not easy to create a great card game as only one person. Have friends or siblings help in making of the game.
  • Make sure you color in your cards!
  • Trading card games require two things that set them apart from other games: balance and no mixing. Make sure that every card is balanced — that the more powerful cards impose some kind of cost or drawback. Second, make sure that the rules and the card effects don't cause player's cards to end up in an opponent's hand or deck — it can be lots of tedious work to sort them apart afterwards!
  • You can buy 4000 index cards for under 25 dollars! If you cut the cards in half, they will be slightly flimsy. To remedy this, you can cover the card with clear packaging tape and then cut off all the excess tape. This reinforces the card and makes it look good and shiny!
  • Try selling them online or making starter deck and other stuff like that. Maybe even make posters and post them around your neighborhood. This will make people want to buy some of your cards.
  • Print on photo paper, if possible. The paper is stiffer, the colors are more vivid, and you can get a nice gloss effect.
  • If you think your game is good enough, sell them downtown, at the park, in school, a comic book shop, etc.
  • If your card game is just for friends, don't add advertisements.
  • Glue your cards onto cardboard, or use special printing paper.
  • You can make your own card template on Microsoft Paint.
  • You can write your rules on a tiny notebook or on scrap paper and then type it in your computer and then print it.
  • Make sure your trading card game is not nerdy.
  • Print your cards/card template on card stock or print it on regular paper and paste it onto something hard.

Warnings

  • Don't make yourself the invincible boss of the game. It would be unfair if you make 100 copies of the most powerful cards for yourself. It ruins the fun of the game.
  • Don't make new rules in the middle of the game! This ruins the fun and can lead to arguments.
  • If you give your idea to a card game company (e.g. Wizards of The Coast, Upper Deck Entertainment, etc.) be prepared to be ignored or manipulated because big companies may not want to employ you. But don't be disheartened! You can make your own card game company yourself if you wish, though this requires legal matters.
  • If you want to sell your game, remember to get a patent or copyright before production so no-one will copy the game.

Things You'll Need

  • Some friends to help
  • A good idea
  • Good quality paper (3.5 x 5in unruled index cards cut in half work great!)
  • Another way is to create a 4x7 template in Indesign, and split the template in half using rulers so that you have two cards of 2x3.5. Then take it to your local print store and print them out on 4x7 photo paper. This will give you a higher quality than printing it at home.
  • Computer and Internet access to promote your game
  • A store or place to sell them (optional)
  • A trustworthy commerce website to order materials(optional)
  • You will need patience and perhaps a family member to get in touch with big companies such as WHSmith and Waterstones. Also a good tip is to print on foil for shinies to make images more vivid.
  • It's a good idea to have a binder or portfolio to keep your cards in.

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