Pending the building of a real site, here is the concept of OpenTCG. For more info
consult the Docs on the project and/or the Docs in cvs. I will build a real site...
someday. Remember, if you want to help, you're welcome.
[ Project Page ]
[ Development Blog ]
Please visit the Development blog for information on the progress of the project.
OpenTCG Docs
Concept
I am big fan of Trading Card Games, especially M*gic. So I've been looking for a
way to play TCG over the Internet. Unfortunately, the solutions I've found were
either too expensive (requiring you to actually pay for cards as in real life) or
too limited (no mechanics, no "collectible" feel, shareware).
So I've decided to do something about it, and OpenTCG started.
OpenTCG is a project to develop a system for on-line trading card
games with the following essential features:
- Free to play
- there will never be any cost to play or to get cards
- Open
- the system in itself must be open so that anyone may write programs for internet
play, card management, etc.
- Open source
- all "official" software must be open source so that everyone can see how the system
works and maybe develop it.
- Controlled
Publishing (Collectible) - players must not be able to freely "create"
cards to play with. They must obtain cards in similar fashion with a real life TCG
(by buying (no real money, of course) random "booster"/"starter" packs, by trading,
etc) to maintain the "Collectible" feel.
- Controlled
Design - cards must be designed only by the Authority of the system, who
will strive to keep the game fun, balanced, and interesting.
- Secure
- though everything is very open, cheating in any way (modified cards, rules bending,
obtaining more information than allowed, etc.) must be impossible preferably because
of the actual System - not a central server that makes sure everything is ok.
- Low server
requirements - the need for communication with a central server must be
minimal as an Open Source, free game may not have the resources to maintain an expensive
server.
- Low bandwith
requirements - the game should be playable even on a dialup connection.
- Open Standards
- as far as possible, well-known, open standards should be used, to simplify implementation
of different clients.
I have analyzed the required features and decided it
IS indeed possible. It just needs plenty of work :).