I spoke with Blayne Dickerson, the creator of Mana Source: Evolved! Here are his answers to my questions:
Q: Please describe your trading card game!
A: You're a god. Your deck is Mortals or resources, as you choose. Divinities rest on Shrines, called forth to aid in combat. You have an Event pile to utilize throughout game play for further assistance.
Q: What inspired you to create your own TCG?
A: I have always been creating games and have many more to come. But I used to do Friday Night Magic (FNM) every week at a local comic shop. One particular night, I made it to the final four and was 'mana screwed' in two games back-to-back. This is a common occurrence in MTG, but twice is pretty bad luck. Anyway, instead of my opponent telling me "tough break" or "that sucks," he said, "If you don't like it, make your own game." So, I did.
Q: What TCGs did you grow up playing as a kid?
A: I played Magic: the Gathering, YuGiOh, and Pokemon. I collected Digimon, Dragon Ball, Baseball, Football and Basketball as well.
Q: What sets Mana Source: Evolved apart from other TCGs?
A: It's ten years in the making, and it was fueled by a desire for pure Mortal combat and unhindered gameplay.
Q: How did you come up with the name Mana Source: Evolved?
A: There are multiple factors that contribute to the name (a tip-of-the-hat to MTG's "Mana Source" and the lore of how Warriors become Mystics), but the name ultimately derives from that day in the comic shop when I was mana screwed. I created a game that will never again have such an issue.
Q: How long have you been working on the game?
A: Over a decade. Every day? No. Life has hit hard multiple times, and I've gone back and forth with being more family focused and career driven. If my many projects eventually take off, I will be able to shift my focus much more towards gaming.
Q: What is the illustration/design process like?
A: Brutal. I have had six different templates for this game and have finally settled on the final template. The rules have been adjusted many times over the years, as the mechanics had to be fine-tuned for cohesion (resources, draw mechanics, Divinities/Shrines, steps, gameplay interactions).
I'm a one-man band - there is no team; it's just me. And I can not afford to spend hundreds of hours on art. That being said, my brother (a graphic designer) pointed me in the direction of AI generated art last year. I was initially against the idea, but gave it a shot. The rendering process is quite intense and not as simple as typing "cat" to get the image you're wanting. You have to work with word placement, phrasing, weighting, style, sizing, effects and use of a vast vocabulary. And there's post-editing, which can take hours after having already spent hours on prompts and renderings/re-renderings to find a a suitable base image. Even with all the work, it is quite enjoyable to come up with new and unique prompting ideas.
Aside from that, the lore was rather fun to create and there is much more to come.
Q: When will the game officially be released?
A: June 1st is the initial Kickstarter for decks and some exclusive promos. This is mainly to help funding for events and build more awareness in the community.
Q: What are your future plans for Mana Source: Evolved?
A: That's up to the community, really. I love working on my projects, but if something doesn't gain enough traction I can't afford to continue focusing on it. However, Mana Source: Evolved is my "perfect baby," and I will be slowly pushing and working on it for many years to come.
Q: Will you be at any upcoming conventions?
A: Right now, I'll be going to Torg in Columbus, OH later this year. The plan is to focus on the upcoming Kickstarter and maybe another event or two this year. Next year will be the ultimate year for attending events with the game and introducing the first set: The Caverns of Eternity.
Q: Do you have any advice for someone looking to make their own TCG?
A: Have money. Remain socially active and build your network. Do it young, when you still have time to attend events and maintain a social circle. The older you get, the less time you have for side projects, unless you wait for many years and are retired with no children living at home.
Also, remember that it's YOUR dream, not anyone else's. I have had plenty of people try to assist with it over the years, and something always comes up to leave me alone at the wheel. Do it yourself. If you have a team - great. But the goal is your own. Don't rely on or expect anyone else to get you there.
Anyway, I'm 35 years old. It's been a ton of hard work and is exciting to finally be making this project a reality and sharing it with the world. I certainly respect anyone else who has gone through similar struggles to complete their campaigns. I am humbled by their efforts, having completed the process myself. It is a seemingly unsatisfying, unforgiving and unrewarding endeavor, until you have a finished product.
Good luck to anyone pursuing similar goals!
For more, follow @msevolved_official on Instagram and check out https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/boombreon/mana-source-evolved
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