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In an article written by Whirleybird Gameboy (I think...), recommendations are made about how to promote a CCG. Demo decks are suggested, but only recommendations on kinds of decks are provided (as opposed to actual deck contents). I'd like to provide a few deck designs that I have been developing for use in demos.
Firstly, there are a few principles I decided to adhere to when designing these:
1. Include only common/vital cards so that the decks may be easily constructed out of spare cards any local "card lord" (or reasonable hand-drawn facsimile) would have as extras.
2. Adhere to a three-of-a-card limit. This provides order and structure for the deck as well as making it more understandable for players of "that other game." (Unfortunately, we must work to thee lowest common denominator ;) ). As an aside, it also provides coherent deck designs for new players who want to try their hand at a restricted tournament.
As a matter of interest, I'll be holding a restricted tournament (3-of-a-card) at Card Mania, University of Saskatchewan, 26-July-1997. Mike Bidyk is the current odds on favourite to win. I'll be announcing this to the list presently.
3. Each deck will have a strong theme (as recommended by Whirley). This promotes playability in the deck and permits for simple in-deck goals that help illustrate how subthemes help promote victory in play. For example, in the "Information is Power" deck, cards are included which reveal or expose installed cards. This helps the Runner in his decision making, which makes for much more precise and effective runs.
Also, since the deck designs are open for public display, demoers might want to write up the contents on, say, recipe cards and distribute them to would be players.
For the true card lords, who have tons of each of these cards, decks can be constructed specifically to be given away to new demo participants in order to encourage further play. This is probably THE most effective means of getting someone to continue playing a game.
If you folks like these decks, I'll create brief write-ups on how to play them. You know and I know, but absolute weefs might not know, eh?
Each deck uses three sets of identical breakers, I've tried to make each deck significantly different from the others. Each deck also includes six "utilities" which include one base link, one deck, either a Crash Everett, Inventive Fixer or The Short Circuit, some sort of damage prevention and some sort of tag avoidance. In some cases, one or more of these slots might be used to enhance the theme of the deck (for example, the "Information is Power" deck).
Each of these "Shareware" decks are designed to help teach the game. Note, however, that when using these decks as teaching tools, the demoer must exercise care. He/she will know almost precisely how to beat each deck. This would be true in almost any event, of course, but especially so in these cases because the card selection is so limited. Along these lines, I found that I can win most games when these decks are involved, so I have put together omni commons/vitals decks for my use which should be significantly less powerful than these demo decks.
Here are the decks.
| "BREAKERS'N'BITZ'N'BITZ'N'BITZ..." | |
| 2x Cyfermaster | 3x Jack'n'Joe |
| 2x Black Dahlia | 3x Cruising for Netwatch |
| 2x Ramming Piston | 3x Stakeout |
| 1x Cortical Cybermodem | 3x Broker |
| 1x Runner Sensei | 3x Livewire's Contacts |
| 1x Enterprise, Inc., Shields | 3x Score! |
| 1x Lelande, Corporate Bodyguard | 3x Short-Term Contract |
| 1x Crash Everett, Inventive Fixer | 3x Swiss Bank Account |
| 1x The Short Circuit | 3x Chiba Bank Account |
| 3x Mantis, Fixer-at-Large | 3x Liberated Savings Account |
| CLOWNS | |
| 2x Tinweasel | 3x Clown |
| 2x Wild Card | 3x Lockjaw |
| 2x Jackhammer | 3x The Personal Touch |
| 1x PK-6089a | 3x Zetatech Mem-Chip |
| 1x Access to Arasaka | 3x Broker |
| 1x Nasuko Cycle | 3x Livewire's Contacts |
| 1x Microtech Backup Drive | 3x Score! |
| 1x Force Shield | 3x Short-Term Contract |
| 1xThe Short Circuit | 3x Streetware Distributor |
| 3x Mantis, Fixer-at-Large | 3x Rigged Investments |
| "INFORMATION IS POWER" | |
| 2x Codecracker | 3x Hunt Club BBS |
| 2x Raptor | 3x Ice and Data Special Report |
| 2x Hammer | 3x Decoy Signal |
| 1x Sunburst Cranial Interface | 3x Jack'n'Joe |
| 1x Access to Kiribati | 3x Broker |
| 1x Crash Everett, Inventive Fixer | 3x Cruising for Netwatch |
| 1x SeeYa | 3x Stakeout |
| 1x Smarteye | 3x Livewire's Contacts |
| 1x Nasuko Cycle | 3x Score! |
| 3x Temple Microcode Outlet | 3x Short-Term Contract |
| BIG-DIG | |
| 2x Skeleton Passkeys | 3x Custodial Position |
| 2x Shaka | 3x R&D Interface |
| 2x Pile Driver | 3x R&D Mole |
| 1x PK-6089a | 3x Jack'n'Joe |
| 1x Back Door to Hilliard | 3x Broker |
| 1x Enterprise, Inc., Shields | 3x Cruising for Netwatch |
| 1x Crash Everett, Inventive Fixer | 3x Chiba Bank Account |
| 1x Nasuko Cycle | 3x Liberated Savings Account |
| 1x Private LDL Access | 3x Stakeout |
| 3x Temple Microcode Outlet | 3x Swiss Bank Account |
| STEALTH | |
| 2x Raffles | 3x Cloak |
| 2x Loony Goon | 3x Invisibility |
| 2x Dwarf | 3x Vewy Vewy Quiet |
| 1x Sunburst Cranial Interface | 3x Tycho Mem Chip |
| 1x Baedeker's Net Map | 3x Broker |
| 1x Nasuko Cycle | 3x Livewire's Contacts |
| 1x Force Shield | 3x Rigged Investments |
| 1x SeeYa | 3x Score! |
| 1x The Short Circuit | 3x Short-Term Contract |
| 3x Mantis, Fixer-at-Large | 3x Streetware Distributor |
| "BIG-ICE CORP" | |
| 3x Ice Transmutation | 3x Tumblers |
| 3x Security Net Optimization | 3x Gatekeeper |
| 3x BBS Whispering Campaign | 3x Cerberus |
| 3x Braindance Campaign | 3x Homewrecker |
| 3x Holovid Campaign | 3x Zombie |
| 3x Rockerboy Promotion | 3x Sandstorm |
| 3x Spinn(R) Public Relations | 3x Fire Wall |
| 3x Government Contract | |
| "PSYCHO-TYCHO" (Shareware version) | |
| 3x Employee Empowerment | 3x Filter |
| 3x Tycho Extension | 3x Misleading Access Menus |
| 3x Management Shakeup | 3x Coyote |
| 3x Planning Consultants | 3x Homewrecker |
| 3x Night Shift | 3x Washed-Up Solo Construct |
| 3x Accounts Receivable | 3x Data Wall |
| 3x Efficiency Experts | 3x Snowbank |
| 3x Credit Consolidation | |
| "TAG'N'SLAG/DAIN BRAMAGE" | |
| 3x Corporate Headhunters | 3x Fire Wall |
| 3x Netwatch Operations Office | 3x Brainwash |
| 3x Marked Accounts | 3x Cortical Scrub |
| 3x Chance Observation | 3x Death Yo-Yo |
| 3x Trojan Horse | 3x Fetch 4.0.1 |
| 3x Urban Renewal | 3x Zombie |
| 3x BBS Whispering Campaign | 3x Keeper |
| 3x Rockerboy Promotion | |
| "GOTCHA!" (We need more common ambushes...) | |
| 3x Corporate Headhunters | 3x Keeper |
| 3x Marked Accounts | 3x Marionette |
| 3x Viral Breeding Ground | 3x D'Arc Knights |
| 3x Setup! | 3x Banpei |
| 3x Doppelganger Antibody | 3x Ice Pick Willie |
| 3x Urban Renewal | 3x Triggerman |
| 3x BBS Whispering Campaign | 3x Galatea |
| 3x Rockerboy Promotion | |
| "DAWGS OF WAR" | |
| 3x Corporate War | 3x Scramble |
| 3x Corporate Downsizing | 3x Rex |
| 3x Hostile Takeover | 3x Fang |
| 3x Systematic Layoffs | 3x Fang 2.0 |
| 3x Planning Consultants | 3x Cerberus |
| 3x Night Shift | 3x Fetch 4.0.1 |
| 3x BBS Whispering Campaign | 3x Crystal Wall |
| 3x Rockerboy Promotion | |
- dglas (Preying Demoer "First Hit's Free")