Arkham Horror: The Card Game AMA

By FFGEvan, in Arkham Horror: The Card Game

Hello fans of Arkham Horror: The Card Game!

We're hosting an AMA (Ask Me Anything) with Arkham Horror LCG designers Matt Newman and Jeremy Zwirn on February 18—streamed live on our Twitch channel at 1:00 PM Central Time.

Whether you've got questions about the Arkham Horror universe, designing for Arkham Horror: The Card Game, or the designers' favorite investigators, now's the chance to ask! We'll be drawing questions from the posts below, as well as live questions from the chat stream during the show.

Post your questions below, and we hope to see you there!

What is your favourite scenario so far? :)

When are we going to Innsmouth? We want it, you know we want it, we know you know we want it. Let’s go kill some fish people.

How do you decide which ideas are good ideas for investigators and were there any you can talk about that went horribly sideways? I imagine investigators like Preston and Patrice had some wonky alpha versions that maybe didn’t pan out the way you wanted them to?

EDIT: Also, have you played any of the fan-created scenarios (besides those by Nicholas Kory?) What do you feel about them, do you love 'em, hate 'em, don't have time for 'em? Any favorites or favorite moments from them?

Edited by Soakman

One more! Is there any plan to have a full story of some kind for Sefina? She is my absolute fave but she did not have a story in The Investigators of Arkham Horror and it sounds like novella investigator choice may be at the whim of the novella writers going forward. Will we see a Sefina mini? She hasn’t found her way into mansions of madness yet either.

In other words please tell me that more Sefina is coming!

Edited by Soakman

Gods, there's so much I would ask... hmm, OK:

  • What investigator design are you most proud of?
  • Conversely, are there any investigator designs you wish you could revisit or would change with the benefit of hindsight? For example, I'm struck by how the ability of Barkham Horror's Skids O'Droole is substantially different to the core set's Skids O'Toole, and arguably more unique.
  • Who's your favourite Arkham Files investigator who has yet to be released for the card game?
  • Do you spend much time looking at forums, ArkhamDB, Reddit, etc.? If so, are you surprised at how people play the game and build decks?
  • Sefina Rousseau made her debut in the Arkham LCG; do you have any plans to release more brand new investigators for the game?
Edited by Allonym

So many questions:

What, if any, player cards either far exceeded your expectations, or were expected be extremely well received, but sort of slid into anonymity instead? I guess to rephrase: What Player cards have most surprised you?

Will we see any more multi class cards?

Will certain Investigator “traits” be more incorporated in the future? For example, “cursed, criminal, etc” traits having ramifications on random location or encounter cards or scenario setups/resolutions?

Edited by Mimi61

Recently there was an announcement for a new Novella with cards for the as yet unreleased Dexter Drake. My question: are there plans for any new novellas with alternate cards for investigators that have already been released (e.g like was done for Roland and Jenny)?

1) What is your favorite scenario?

2) You are at the grocery store. While browsing the toaster pastries, you begin undergoing dendromorphisis (basic weakness created at 2018 Arkham Nights card council). How do you respond?

3) If you became a playable investigator in the game, what would your class be and what would your elder sign effect be?

4) Which investigator would you hire as an Arkham LCG designer?

Edited by Obadiah VI
Spelling corrections

Can you give us a spoiler or two concerning the organized play events for Gen Con, Invocations (2019, 2020, or both) and/or Arkham Nights?

Are you pleased with the results the alternate experience costs in the Taboo list have had on deck building? Do you think you went too far or not far enough with some cards? And are there any currently circulating cards you believe may require tweaking via the Taboo list?

Are there any plans to release custom scenario kits for AH LCG like those recently announced for the LOTR LCG?

Edited by Ecto1984
Clarity

All the following questions are about use of some lovecraftian lore use :

- With Nyarlathotep revealed by FFG as one of the big-bad of the actual campaign, does that mean we will not see the lore the Masks of Nyarlathotep used soon ?

- In Forgotten Age we saw the Ithian. I read ''The Mound '' so, did the inhabitant of Tsath supposed to be at the place of Ithian at some point ?? Can they still appear someday ?? I love the decadent and corrupted civilisation style of this, that would match for a thsathoggua cycle or another one ...

- Why Umordhoth havn't been named Mordiggian ?? And does Cnidathqua have some real counterpart in the lore of mythos writers ?

I really want a tarot deck withe the illustration from the circle undone!!! Can you make it for us?!? :)

How many cycles we will have in total(10?) and where are you going next cycle, with what Investigators and mechanics? Would you like to make a partnership with me for designing new investigator,allys, monsters,Ao etc. figures?We will get new Investigators(like Sefina)?What new deckbuilding Investigator rules we will see. Please answer.

- Any plans for future campaigns that use encounter cards from older box sets, other than those from the core set?

- Have you ever considered releasing a whole scenario pack line at once? I thought it could work better than in Legend of the 5 Rings, because of the cooperative nature and story focus.

- Any chance to see shorter or longer campaigns in the future?

- Which player count do you balance for at first? Do you think this is the player count most people do play at?

How many core boxes do you need?

Asking for a friend ;)

Given many concerns and efforts on Carbon neutrality around the world, would FFG not be better rolling out booster packs to allow the 3rd and 4th players rather than having to buy 2 core sets. Can we save the planet just a little?

  • How does the Arkham Horror LCG as it is now compare to the vision and the hopes that you had for it when you first started working on it back in 2016 (or earlier)? Has there been anything in particular that was unexpected or that surprised you?
  • I recall hearing that Lola Hayes' role mechanic was inspired by KeyForge. Was Patrice's play style of 'use all your cards then refill your hand' similarly inspired by Marvel Champions? Are there any other cards or mechanics that were heavily influenced by a single board/card/video game?
  • Jeremy and Matt are both credited as either designers or playtesters on many of FFG's Living Card Games. Are there any major differences between playtesting a co-operative game compared to a competitive game, such as what you are looking for or the feedback you give/receive?
  • What is your favourite Great Old One/sinister cult/other story hook and why?
  • Barkham Horror: what came first, the puns or the altered art with cats and dogs?

Have you ever considered making a Revised Core set, like some other LCGs have, now that we're a few cycles in?

- How will shifting from one designer to two change the game, and how Matt operates?
-- Will you divide responsibilities evenly, or alternate roles, or what? Will one of you by the player cards king and the other settle on encounter design? Or mechanics vs theme+story? Or something else?

- What is Jeremy most excited to bring to the design team for Arkham?

- What is Matt most excited about working with Jeremy?

- What design elements can be improved with two designers that couldn't with one?

Given that there are only 20 investigators remaining from those that have been previously released...
--Are there plans to re-release older investigators with different abilities, like Skids with the Barkham Horror ability?
--Are there plans to release brand new investigators like Sefina?

What do you use for your chaos bag since one isn't included in the game?

What are some of the fan made accessories for the game that you like?

Are there any plans to let people upgrade investigator specific cards or even upgrade investigator specific abilities?

Can you give us an estimation of how many more cycles are forthcoming as the years progresses?

Some of the older cycles are out of print (Dunwich Legacy). Are there any plans to reprint these?