Troll: The CCG

Play is best conducted with between 4 to 6 players, although 2 or 3 can play.

Each player has a deck and a hand of 5 cards.  Each player also has a discard pile which to place cards which have finished play.  Any player who has used his entire deck has exhausted himself on the flamewar and must retire.

The game is played in rounds called flamewars.  During flamewars, players place topic cards, post to existing topics using character cards, and use event cards to manipulate threads.  Regardless of which player's turn it is, any player may use a card labeled "Interrupt."

At the start of the game, a player must perform an action which starts a topic.  If the first player is incapable of starting a topic with his hand, play proceeds to the next player, and so on.  Once the first topic is started, play proceeds normally.

Topic cards may be played at any time.  Each topic card has a lifespan noted on its card.  This lifespan is the number of character cards which may be placed on the topic, this collection of cards is called a "thread".  Once a topic has a number of character cards played under it equal to it's lifespan, the thread is "cashed in" by the currently owning player.  The owning player earns a number of points as indicated by the character cards posted to it, plus modifiers for the flamability of the topic and any other modifiers.

Character cards must be played to a topic. Each character card is worth a number of points to different topics (the topic card will indicate what score to use).  Also, each character card may have special effects on the thread.

Event cards manipulate gameplay in ways described on the card.  Many event cards may be labeled "interrupt" meaning they can be used at any time, even outside of your turn.  Some examples of event cards would be:

Threadcrap: Ends the thread immediately.

Take this thread to Cuba!: The player gains ownership of the thread.  Upon play of this card, the player using it may either keep the existing topic, or exchange it for one from the player's hand.

You're a pedophile!: This card is played to a thread.  It immediately forces the discard of the character card immediately preceeding it in the thread.  After use, this card is discarded as well.

etc.

Once all players have exhausted themselves, each player determines their scores based on their threads.  The player with the highest score has won the flamewar.  In the case of a tie, the player who exhausted themselves later than the other wins the flamewar.

That's all I've got.  Does anyone want to develop it further?

Not too much to contribute, except that I've been tempted to write up a CCG based on internet fora before...  I think my idea was based on the attempt to 'win the internet' by pimping their favorite new-release, while sinking others and attempting to garner support before new-release awards are given out.

As it is, I'm just tempted to write up pseudo-cards for you game. One of which is the damnable tendancy to stat onesself up in game form. >.>

There was a 3/4 complete Nutkinland CCG knocking around that had a very similar mechanic.  I don't have a copy, but perhaps Batholemhew Fair does?

Well, I'm not trying to steal anyone's design.  This just popped in my head because of the thread in the RPG section about creating yourself for a game.  For some reason I just thought of a CCG.  Maybe I was influenced by one I read elsewhere.

I did think of an additional mechanic, though!

Scrolling.

As play progresses, only 5 threads can ever be in active play otherwise known as "the front page" at any one time.  These threads are the ones with the most recent character posts.  Whenever a character card is played to a thread, the thread is moved to the "top of the page" and all the other threads are bumped down one.  Any thread which reaches the 6th or later position is "scrolled to oblivion."  A thread which has been scrolled to oblivion is removed from active play and set to the side.  It doesn't count towards points for any player.  Normally, no cards may be played to threads which have been scrolled to oblivion, but there are character cards and event cards which will explicitly change this.

//www.criticalmiss.com had a little tongue in cheek "Free" game based on Trolling in Forums. If any one is interested, Ill hunt the link down. Plus it contains the legendary troll-war involving GM Skarka and the infamous "John the Baptist" quote.

Quote from: GabrielWell, I'm not trying to steal anyone's design.  This just popped in my head because of the thread in the RPG section about creating yourself for a game.  For some reason I just thought of a CCG.  Maybe I was influenced by one I read elsewhere.

Well, you didn't steal mine, at least. I never posted it anywhere. ^_^ But scrolling seems like a cool mechanic. Cards with the "Necromancy" title would be able to effect them, the titular card perhaps being simply, "Thread Necromacy" which would just bump an obliviated thread to the top.