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Sometimes people feel inclined to complain about strategies and deck types that they feel are unfair or aren't fun to play against.  If you've been around very long, you've heard it.  I believe that the inclination to complain comes from a lack of understanding of their fellow player.  What one player values in a game isn't always the same thing that another player values.

This list tries to profile CCG players into four basic categories according to what they enjoy most about a game.  Most players probably fit into more than one category and some might fit into a category not mentioned here.  I think that if you're honest with yourself you have a strong tendency towards one specific profile.  I didn't come up with these, they were created by people who've studied CCG players in depth for the purpose of marketing other games (profile names have been changed be appropriate for Redemption).

My hope in presenting it here is that people will stop to think about their fellow player instead of starting a campaign to change an aspect of the game that doesn't fit their preferred play style.  What you dislike might be the very thing that someone else enjoys.

Abraham - Abraham primarily plays to have a good time.  He plays with cards that make him happy, create cool moments, and cause him to have fun.  Winning and losing isn't really the point even though he feels that winning is fun.  Abraham might enjoy playing with cards like Goliath, or the Caleb & Joshua band, just because they're fun.  Abraham might primarily value the social interaction with their friends.  Abraham might come up with his own variant(s) of the game and/or wish ban cards that they feel take away from the fun of the game.  Abraham may enjoy trying something new all the time, like playing a new brigade and civilization regularly.  However you like to go about it, the primary reason you play is to have fun.

Isaac - Isaac primarily plays to express something.  He might play to show people how creative, clever or offbeat he is.  Deck building is one of the primary things Isaac enjoys about Redemption.  He may try to come up with combos that nobody else had thought of or build decks that will impress everyone when they see it.  Isaac might enjoy the challenge of coming up with a deck type that nobody has ever thought of or succeeded with before.  He might simply enjoy using cards that nobody else expects.  Isaac might try to prove that cards that everyone believes to be worthless actually have some value (like finding a good use for Casting Lots).  However he goes about it, Isaac has something to prove to everyone about himself.

Jacob - Jacob primarily plays to prove something, usually how good he is.  He values winning most, because the game is an opportunity to show what he's capable of.  Jacob is often one of the first to realize which new cards are the best or to create the next dominant deck type.  He may spend a lot of time understanding the intricacies of the game.  Jacob may not always come up with the next dominant deck but he's willing to copy or tweak a version from another player or the internet.  He might simply add cards to his deck based on what he expects a certain opponent to be using (like adding Journey to Egypt when you think you're opponent will be playing Egyptians).  Jacob might try to perfect his own game play because he believes that victory comes from a flawless performance.  For Jacob, games are a way to test himself and he enjoys measuring his performance.

Joseph * - Joseph primarily plays for the spiritual value of Redemption.  He values the scripture tied to every card.  Joseph wants to use Redemption as an opportunity to teach others about the Bible.  He learns more about the scriptures through the game.  For Joseph, Redemption is an outreach tool and a way to encourage others with spiritually healthy entertainment.

*Joseph didn't come from the secular psychological profile I used.

Casting lots is broken Issac wouldn't touch it. Intresting, Names came into my head for each of those.

Stole is such a mean word, should we say...liberated?

Crud....I'm the deceiving twin!  A deceiver!  I mean, come on!  But how can I deny it?  I'm spot on: Jacob.  Please, do not think ill of me!

@ Gabe, can you PM me the real names?  I'm curious to what it is.....something like snake or jerk....or something that will embarrass me further, but I have to know!  

soul seeker, I'll do better than that.  I'll pm you a link to an article written on the subject.  The real names aren't anything embarrassing though.  I only changed them to be more appropriate to the Bible based game we all love.

If it makes you feel any better I fit most closely with Jacob too.

Growing up playing with Pol (which meant I never really ever won a game against him for like, a decade) turned me into an Issac.

Wouldn't the next logical progression be Judah rather than Joseph?

This list tries to profile CCG players into three basic categories according to what they enjoy most about a game.

I think my lone wolf experience turned me into an Issac/Abe Hybrid, I love to just play to have fun (Anb abuse) but at the same time do try to express things (Heroless).
I need more david greens to be in people's decks.

SS could you send me the article as well?

Hey,

Gabe, did you summarize these at all or just copy/paste them and change the names?

I find it interesting that both Isaac and Jacob are largely about trying to prove something, while the other two (Abraham and Joseph) are the non-competitive - it's not all that important who wins - types.  Are there no competitive players that don't have something to prove?  And what happens to an Isaac or Jacob when they prove what they want to prove?

Tschow,

Tim "Sir Nobody" Maly

Gabe, did you summarize these at all or just copy/paste them and change the names?

I just summarized the three main profiles.  There have been a few articles writen on this topic.  They actually break down each profile into sub profiles but not all those apply to our game.

The redemption player is but a rope between beast and Jacob...

Abraham - Abraham primarily plays to have a good time.  He plays with cards that make him happy, create cool moments, and cause him to have fun.  Winning and losing isn't really the point even though he feels that winning is fun.  Abraham might enjoy playing with cards like Goliath, or the Caleb & Joshua band, just because they're fun.  Abraham might primarily value the social interaction with their friends.  Abraham might come up with his own variant(s) of the game and/or wish ban cards that they feel take away from the fun of the game.  Abraham may enjoy trying something new all the time, like playing a new brigade and civilization regularly.  However you like to go about it, the primary reason you play is to have fun.

Jacob - Jacob primarily plays to prove something, usually how good he is.  He values winning most, because the game is an opportunity to show what he's capable of.  Jacob is often one of the first to realize which new cards are the best or to create the next dominant deck type.  He may spend a lot of time understanding the intricacies of the game.  Jacob may not always come up with the next dominant deck but he's willing to copy or tweak a version from another player or the internet.  He might simply add cards to his deck based on what he expects a certain opponent to be using (like adding Journey to Egypt when you think you're opponent will be playing Egyptians).  Jacob might try to perfect his own game play because he believes that victory comes from a flawless performance.  For Jacob, games are a way to test himself and he enjoys measuring his performance.

Joseph * - Joseph primarily plays for the spiritual value of Redemption.  He values the scripture tied to every card.  Joseph wants to use Redemption as an opportunity to teach others about the Bible.  He learns more about the scriptures through the game.  For Joseph, Redemption is an outreach tool and a way to encourage others with spiritually healthy entertainment.

I guess I'm a Joseph since it was the only one that I wouldn't cross out anything when describing myself.  However, I have a lot of Abraham and Jacob as well.  I was surprised that absolutely none of Issac resonated with me though.

A variation on this topic was discussed partially in this thread: http://www.cactusgamedesign.com/message_boards/index.php?topic=12651.0

I think I'm an Abraham when actually playing the game, but I'm an Isaac when building my decks.

Hey,

Quote from: TimMierz on February 02, 2009, 01:58:50 PM

A variation on this topic was discussed partially in this thread: http://www.cactusgamedesign.com/message_boards/index.php?topic=12651.0

I immediately thought of that thread too when I read the article.  Although this seems to be more about why a player comes to the game and how they approach the game whereas the other was more about how they play once the game has started.

Tschow,

Tim "Sir Nobody" Maly

Same here. I like how the 2 articles compliment each other. You get some insight into the "Why" players do what they do. It would be interesting to see if these 2 articles combined with a personality test would reveal any drastic deviation into which category players would autofit with minor subsets. Meaning, could a Type A personality be predisposed to say "Jacob"  and so on. I wonder if this could be done with a high success rate in predictability?


Godspeed,
Mike