[BCSWowbagger]

Yeah, sure, throw that on there. "even if playing Borg". Good idea.

For me, the card-development process goes:

1. Concept
2. Gametext for the concept (hard enough to get a whole step to itself)
3. Check / test that the central concept is solid, does what it's supposed to do, and is fun; refine. (most important step)
4. With the refined text, identify and fix edge cases
5. Test that you did, in fact, fix them (and that the card still does what it's supposed to do).

I find that thinking about edge cases like "what will Borg do with it?" before you're even done making sure the concept is solid is distracting and a waste of time. It's crucial, the most important thing in the world really, in Step 4, but feels like nitpicking before then.

[Armus]

Yeah, sure, throw that on there. "even if playing Borg". Good idea.

For me, the card-development process goes:

1. Concept
2. Gametext for the concept (hard enough to get a whole step to itself)
3. Check / test that the central concept is solid, does what it's supposed to do, and is fun; refine. (most important step)
4. With the refined text, identify and fix edge cases
5. Test that you did, in fact, fix them (and that the card still does what it's supposed to do).

I find that thinking about edge cases like "what will Borg do with it?" before you're even done making sure the concept is solid is distracting and a waste of time. It's crucial, the most important thing in the world really, in Step 4, but feels like nitpicking before then.

That's fine, but I've seen enough stuff slip through over the years (in both 1e and 2e so I'm not calling anyone out specifically) that finding the obviously broken stuff has become instinct. Even if you don't deal with it until step 4, it's gotta be on the RADAR informing design decisions in step 2 or you risk the "We can't change that card NOW it's already almost DONE" response... I've seen that too many times, too, unfortunately.

Sunk cost fallacy and ego is no way to design good cards.

So yeah, I've learned to come out shooting and if it holds up and isn't broken, then it's a good concept and can be refined further down the line.

[Hoss-Drone]

That would definitely help, but strikes me as too direct of a solution to the problem. A four-mission win deck shouldn't be able to face fewer dilemmas, because the thing that makes it interesting and different from other decks is that it faces more dilemmas. So if the 4-mission win deck simply nullifies a dilemma, it ends up playing just like other decks, and is no longer as interesting. So your idea is good from the Balance side but undermines the Design.

I'd go for more of an angle shot:

Phase 7 Survey
Examine all the seed cards beneath a mission that shows no more than 25 points. Lose points. [-15]

This forces the New Civs player to face a ton of dilemmas, but gives her an advantage: she will use this powerful interrupt that only her deck can take full advantage of, and therefore she will generally see every dilemma before starting her first attempt.

Other players could technically use this card, but probably wouldn't, because the cost (to anyone but a New Civs) would be too high. (If it's not high enough, make it -30. The New Civs player doesn't care!)

(Another Achilles Heel of the New Civs player is Dead End, since a New Civs player leaning into the build will probably never have more than 0 points. Using Phase 7 Survey to find the Dead End may be sufficient, but it's also possible New Civs decks will need another tool at some point for dealing specifically with Dead End.)

Reading all this - i cant help but think about the and how all of this would be a cool, unifying mechanic for them.

IDIC: Endurance of Logic

Plays on table. Download and seed New Civilizations. When your crew or away team of at least 4 attempt a mission, you may download IDIC, Only Logical (ignore uniqueness), Phase 7 Survey, Vulcan Observation, Cautionary Tale or (insert to be designed carrot card).

[commdecker]

I peeked at that deck as well as some other decks using New Civilizations and what confuses me is all the missions are 30 points or higher. The benefit of New Civ is if you use on average missions with less than 25 points, or else you can just win with regular win conditions.

You're also missing that in some situations, 100 points is not enough to win. If I want to play a MQ or DQ deck, then I need more. Ah, but New Civilizations lets me ignore the point total! Solve 4, and it doesn't matter if they're low point, and I win.

[Joelin02]

I peeked at that deck as well as some other decks using New Civilizations and what confuses me is all the missions are 30 points or higher. The benefit of New Civ is if you use on average missions with less than 25 points, or else you can just win with regular win conditions.

You're also missing that in some situations, 100 points is not enough to win. If I want to play a MQ or DQ deck, then I need more. Ah, but New Civilizations lets me ignore the point total! Solve 4, and it doesn't matter if they're low point, and I win.

True, but for MQ/DQ decks and missions more than 25 points, isn’t Homestead better?

[nobthehobbit]

I peeked at that deck as well as some other decks using New Civilizations and what confuses me is all the missions are 30 points or higher. The benefit of New Civ is if you use on average missions with less than 25 points, or else you can just win with regular win conditions.

You're also missing that in some situations, 100 points is not enough to win. If I want to play a MQ or DQ deck, then I need more. Ah, but New Civilizations lets me ignore the point total! Solve 4, and it doesn't matter if they're low point, and I win.

True, but for MQ/DQ decks and missions more than 25 points, isn’t Homestead better?

Depends on what you want to do with it. As noted, if you run a lot of cards that make you lose points (or could potentially do so), New Civilizations just ignores that entirely, whereas Homestead still requires you to reach 100 points.

[Hoss-Drone]

Just posted a new video with deck list to my youtube channel. New Civilizations is a focal point of this CASUAL deck.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEoWPf_G6D0

[JeBuS]

New Civs should have a bit more text that reinforces a "ramp-up" in capability as you solve more missions. It certainly has the space for it. Not sure exactly what that should be, though.

My first thought:

Once each turn, you may report for free a personnel with up to X aboard your ship, regardless of affiliation (where X = the number of missions you have solved); personnel played this way are compatible with your cards until they leave play.

Or maybe:

Your personnel whose species you do not have in play may report (for free) aboard your ship, regardless of affiliation, X times per turn (where X = the number of missions you have solved); personnel played this way are compatible with your cards until they leave play.

Or perhaps:

When you solve a mission with a crew or away team containing at least X different species, you may download an artifact there as if earned. X = the number of unsolved missions.