Good online/offline PC strategy card games?

[OhioGuy]

I've been wondering if there are some decent, inexpensive online PC
strategy card games available.

They don't have to be fantasy based - heck, I wouldn't mind some variety,
like even farmyard based, Civil War, or whatever.

I've heard of a few shareware ones, but was wondering if anyone has tried
some out, and decided on a couple that were "keepers".

I'm going on the road in a week or more, and would really like something I
could play offline or online, that is easy to learn. Anyone have a
suggestion? Thanks!

[Jan Ozimek]

Post by OhioGuy
I've been wondering if there are some decent, inexpensive online PC
strategy card games available.
They don't have to be fantasy based - heck, I wouldn't mind some variety,
like even farmyard based, Civil War, or whatever.
I've heard of a few shareware ones, but was wondering if anyone has tried
some out, and decided on a couple that were "keepers".
I'm going on the road in a week or more, and would really like something
I could play offline or online, that is easy to learn. Anyone have a
suggestion? Thanks!

Well, the obvious answer would be to suggest Magic the Gathering.

You can play it on the computer in at least 3 different ways:

1) Magic Online: The Official version. It is FAR from inexpensive. You have
to buy booster packs etc. just like real life Magic Cards. There used to be
a free trial. Not sure if there still is.

2) Magic Workstation: Unlike Magic Online, there is no automatic rules
enforcement, and there is little support. Its best to have some experience
with real life cardboard magic. However it's free, and you can use all the
old cards, that were printed back in 1994 (Magic Online only has the never
sets). Also there is league play, and I think people are implementing new
cards games, that use the same engine. www.magicworkstation.com

3) Several years ago they released an official Magic game called Shandalar.
Not sure how well online play is supported, but if you are new to magic,
it's a good way to get introduced.

Not sure if Magic is what you are after, you mention that variety wouldn't
hurt, so maybe you know all about Magic?
Anyway, its a great game, that I have enjoyed for hours and hours...

/Jan

[Bruno Wolff III]

Post by OhioGuy
I've been wondering if there are some decent, inexpensive online PC
strategy card games available.
They don't have to be fantasy based - heck, I wouldn't mind some variety,
like even farmyard based, Civil War, or whatever.
I've heard of a few shareware ones, but was wondering if anyone has tried
some out, and decided on a couple that were "keepers".

Take a look at Battle for Wesnoth (http://wesnoth.org/). It isn't card based,
but is a (mostly) tactical, turn based combat game. The campaigns are more
RPGish, but you can play random maps against computer opponents that are
fairly challenging with apporpiate handicaps.
The game is under a GPL license.
The units, maps and campaigns have text files that are relatively easy
to understand and tweak.

[Stefano MacGregor]

Post by OhioGuy
I've been wondering if there are some decent, inexpensive online PC
strategy card games available.

PC = personal computer? political correctness? pussy cat? peanut
can? printed card?

--
Stefano
"A balanced diet is essential: too many pizzas and not enough burritos
supreme will KILL YOU DEAD!"

[OhioGuy]

Personal Computer. I'm really looking for something that was mentioned as a
blurb in an issue of Computer Games magazine maybe 5 months ago, but I can't
find it anywhere. It was supposed to be a really good strategy card game on
the computer that had great fantasy artwork.

[joshhh]

Post by OhioGuy
Personal Computer. I'm really looking for something that was mentioned as a
blurb in an issue of Computer Games magazine maybe 5 months ago, but I can't
find it anywhere. It was supposed to be a really good strategy card game on
the computer that had great fantasy artwork.

I'm not sure if this fits your search exactly but I just learned that
there is a java version of San Juan. And of course you know this, but
San Juan is the card game version of Puerto Rico. There are only AI
opponents, though.

josh

[Fizzbizzle]

Post by OhioGuy
Personal Computer. I'm really looking for something that was mentioned as a
blurb in an issue of Computer Games magazine maybe 5 months ago, but I can't
find it anywhere. It was supposed to be a really good strategy card game on
the computer that had great fantasy artwork.

The game you're thinking of is called Star Chamber: The Harbinger
Saga. It used to be available from Matrix Games, but not anymore.
However, it still exists:

http://starchamber.station.sony.com/

It has a space theme, not a fantasy one.

[OhioGuy]

Post by Fizzbizzle
The game you're thinking of is called Star Chamber: The Harbinger
Saga. It used to be available from Matrix Games, but not anymore.

Nope, that's not it. The only reason I know that is because I never buy
anything from Sony for any reason. If the website had even hinted at
something from Sony, I wouldn't have made any sort of point of remembering
it.

It was from a smaller company, like a sort of shareware, but evidently
with gorgeous fantasy graphics. It was featured in a section of Computer
Games that had some independent games listed together. No luck tracking
down my old copy, though.

[Bernhard Weber]

Post by OhioGuy
It was from a smaller company, like a sort of shareware, but
evidently with gorgeous fantasy graphics. It was featured in a
section of Computer Games that had some independent games listed
together. No luck tracking down my old copy, though.

Perhaps Etherlords I & II. No shareware, but it has cards (sort of - the
fights are turn based and handled like Magic games) and nice fantasy
graphics.

[w***@gmail.com]

Post by OhioGuy
I've been wondering if there are some decent, inexpensive online PC
strategy card games available.
They don't have to be fantasy based - heck, I wouldn't mind some variety,
like even farmyard based, Civil War, or whatever.
I've heard of a few shareware ones, but was wondering if anyone has tried
some out, and decided on a couple that were "keepers".
I'm going on the road in a week or more, and would really like something I
could play offline or online, that is easy to learn. Anyone have a
suggestion? Thanks!

Try Pox Nora. http://poxnora.com

It is a constructible (read collectible) miniatures game.
Registration is free and comes with a number of pre-configured armies.
This lets you play against other free registrants so you won't get
stomped by someone with a bigger wallet than yours right out of the
gate.

-Wiliam
www.gotdice.com

[a***@gmail.com]

I think you will definitely like "Magarena" - It's a player VS ai card game with over 15,000 cards. Gameplay is pretty complex but fun. Search for it on Softpedia.com !!!!