Nalpha 2.1, and the State of the Game

This shouldn't be a long post, but I thought I should let you know how the gimmick vs. playability debate went.

Generally speaking, Playability won out in the end.  To be fair, the physical hook I mentioned earlier has returned to the game, but it has been toned back a bit.  The long and short of it is this: less upkeep, but similar flavor.

The gaming surfaces are completely gone, which addresses the portability issues I wrestled with previously.  The game feels great to play, but it still keeps some of the kinesthetic and visual appeal I had aimed for initially.

As I say, in the end, the victory went to playability.  The game just wasn't that fun when it was all about tedious card-handling.  But I was happy to have preserved the spirit of the gimmick, and ultimately I think that made it a likeable hook, rather than a burden to endure.