Codex on iOS?

I’ve played a ton of games on both Vassal and Octgn. There is no question in my mind that Vassal is hundreds of years behind OCTGN. It’s not just clunky, it’s just… really really cumbersome. In any case, they’re not very similar.

I wasn’t aware of the windows issue. Obviously it’s better to use a software that more people can use (when I played thrones, some mac users ran it on windows emulators but that’s not ideal). I think the OCTGN UI is a bit clunky but in my opinion it’s a much better style to go for and personally I prefer it to something like Tabletopia, but that’s just me.

I used to play quite a bit of Android:Netrunner on OCTGN and it works quite well… … once you put in few dozen games learning all the shortcuts… It’s definitely not very user friendly.

For a card game you don’t need all the 3D stuff from Tabletopia or Tabletop Simulator - both of those look very nice but feel really clunky for card games imo.

I guess the really important part for codex is making a good interface for teching cards - the binders of tabletopia don’t seem like the best version here. Not sure if it is possible to do with Tabletopia, but even some small things like a permanently designated discard zone and macros that let you discard cards quickly and remove all objects that are on top of the card would go a long way towards making it not a completely frustrating experience.

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It does seem like Tabletopia simulates having the game in real life, but without the convenience of using your actual hands that you are used using. This only really seems appealing once VR has market saturation, so that you can actually meet with distant friends over a game of codex.

The purpose of a digital version should not just be online play. It should be simpler play that handles a lot of the mess for you, so you’re less likely to do something illegal accidentally, and that presents all the info you need efficiently. (The spreadsheet is a great step, because I’m much better at discarding and drawing properly when pressing a “discard/draw” button than when actually using two face-down piles.)

Dominion had a great fan-made, rules-enforced, text-based version on Isotropic using movie stills to replace the card art. It was super-pared-down, and games were clear and fast. Donald X only let it last until the official version came out (and apparently the creator had no desire for Isotropic to become the official version). I quit playing online not because of paywalls, but because by making the official version much prettier, it was much slower and clunkier, and it lacked most of the sets on release because they were so behind. (And it was buggy.)

The only full-art rules enforced digital card game I’ve really liked was Yomi, though I’ve heard the Xbox versions of Uno and Jungle Speed were good. But they’re all relatively simple compared to something like Dominion or Codex. The more complex a game gets, the more simplified the digital version should be (to summarize the work of a physical version), and Tabletopia is the opposite.

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I agree.

While obviously not the ultimate goal, hearthstone should be an inspiration in a number of ways.
It is both pretty and functional, with smooth, simple, rules enforced gameplay.

I know that it is not a physical game and nowhere near as complex as codex, and also has a far higher production value, but the example it sets is one to aspire to.
Something like you described for dominion, and I have experienced with tabletopia, should be avoided.
Clunky, difficult, awkward, and feels bad to play.

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Oh man, I remember when Dominion hit iPad and I decided to give it a try. Arguments over whether Puzzle Strike is a better game or not entirely aside, I don’t think I made it to the end of a single game without the app crashing.

I think rules enforced version is out of the question given the focus of Sirlin games. The question is what could fans who love the game do to make the current pbf experience more fun with relatively little effort, making it easier for people who are still learning (such as myself) to get some games in between IRL session.

In my opinion, the best answer is a web-based simple text-based app that does more or less what the spreadsheet does (so no rules-enforcement beyond counting cards, workers, gold etc.) and use the actual art of the cards. Something like the website I linked above for AGoT. In my opinion, that would be the best usage of time and effort.

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