Cards of Eternity: The Wheel of Time
Nargs' Thoughts/Review
So as the banner says… there is a new Wheel of Time “Game” releasing on Steam on the 3rd of December. Narg has been playing the open beta for about a month now, so he thought he’d share his thoughts on the companies behind the game, the controversies around the game and the actual gameplay…
The company releasing the game has an FAQ on their Steam page about the game, so lets use that:
Is this an authorized game?
We are an official licensee and authorized developer of The Wheel of Time digital trading card game. As a licensee, Aether Games operates independently with our own development team, vision, and dedication to a quality game experience.
As you undoubtedly know the Jordan Estate does not control the TV/Movie/Game Rights to the books anymore. Red Eagle Entertainment now known as iWoT controls the Game rights, so anyone who wants to develop a game based on the books has to go through them. This isn’t going to change in our lifetimes, so no matter how much we detest them, it is INO pointless to hold this against any companies that have to work with them.
In this case both companies seem to be just using each other. iWoT makes a quick buck and Aether gets to use the WoT name to firstly, get investment in their Cypto token(AEG), which became publicly tradeable just weeks after the game was announced and to garner a player base for their future Cypto based games that use the token. Which brings us to the Cypto question…
Is the game associated with NFTs or cryptocurrencies?
The game will initially be released on the Steam platform with no NFT or cryptocurrency features, in accordance with Steam policy.
You do not need to use Cypto or NFT’s to play the game. While Aether is a Cypto based company and you can sell your cards on an exchange off Steam, if you so choose, you do not need to partake in that, if that’s not your thing.
Is this game a reskin of an existing game?
No, Cards of Eternity: The Wheel of Time is not a reskin. While we initially started with a concept that combined multiple intellectual properties (IPs), we have since fully pivoted to focus exclusively on The Wheel of Time. This shift has allowed us to dedicate all our resources to authentically bringing the world of The Wheel of Time to life in our game.
Yeah no. For all intents and purposes, from what Narg can tell…this is just a reskin of their previous game “Cards of Ethernity”. The current version of the game Narg has been playing has basically been the old game with some new WoT cards added and the playable characters replaced with WoT characters. The Early Access Steam release will have a new design/skin, more WoT cards and some new mechanics, but will still contain some cards from the old game. It’s a reskin and update, not a completely new game designed from the ground up set in the WoT universe.
Are you using AI-generated art in the game?
In today's age, utilizing AI in the creative process is completely normal and helps speed up development. However, we don't simply generate images and put them live. It's a delicate process that starts from an idea, moves to concept, and then to execution, often involving drawing over and refining initial outputs. Our talented team of artists manually crafts and polishes each piece to ensure it reflects the essence of The Wheel of Time universe. AI serves as a tool to enhance our workflow, but human creativity and attention to detail are at the core of our artwork.
If you immediately say “Fuck AI” to anything associated with AI, might as well stop reading now and type “Fuck AI” in the comments…Because the above is just a long way of saying “Yes, we do use AI generated art”. Which is a pity, as they could have used the money they spent on the CGI prologue based trailer and the board redesign on paying an artist to create the card art.
Will the game be pay-to-win?
We are committed to providing a balanced and fair gameplay environment. Currently, we have a very tolerable retention model with an easy grind, making it accessible for all newcomers. While players can acquire new cards to enhance their decks, skill and strategy are paramount to succeeding in the game. We aim to ensure that all players can enjoy the game competitively without the necessity of excessive purchases.
You can win without paying any money to play and the grind isn’t that bad INO as long as you are enjoying the game. Yes it can be frustrating when you come up against players who have way better cards than you, but it does help you learn. Paying money just helps you get better cards faster, but it is random in which cards you get, so paying doesn’t guarantee better cards instantly. You can also buy new playable characters and companions that have different abilities, but Narg has found the starter character and companion can still compete against them once you learn the right strategies. Pay to progress faster is how Narg would term it…though money can’t buy smartness…
How faithful is the game to the canon of the books?
We strive to stay as true as possible to the canon of The Wheel of Time books. Our team consists of avid fans who are deeply familiar with the lore, characters, and stories. While occasional mistakes may happen, we are committed to accuracy and welcome feedback from the community to help us maintain authenticity.
Like Narg said above, it basically a reskin of an existing game with a Wheel of Time “theme”. As for the avid fan part…well they have made some odd choices with which characters to start with INO. You’ll notice they have the three boys but no Egwene or Nynaeve and have Cadsuane(who’s in game ability is healing) and have two of the more insignificant Forsaken in Rahvin and Mesaana. The Steam release might have some changes but Narg doubts it. The art Narg has seen so far isn’t too bad and not too “canon” breaking”…
What is Cards of Eternity: The Wheel of Time?
Cards of Eternity: The Wheel of Time is a digital trading card game (TCG) that immerses players in the rich and expansive universe of Robert Jordan's renowned book series, The Wheel of Time. Players can collect cards, build decks, and engage in strategic battles while exploring the lore and characters they love.
Ok, so if you have made it this far you might still be interested in giving the game a try. Narg has never played this type of game before so he’s a total noob, but for what its worth, Narg has found it fun and challenging to play and mildly addictive.
Basic gameplay is as follows:
You have a deck of 30 cards that have different abilities and cost different amounts of points to play and your character and companion also have individual abilities(characters abilities used once a round and companions once a game).
As each round progress’s, you get more points to use and can play more cards or just higher cost cards. You use the cards to either defend your cards and character or to attack the other players cards or character.
Each payer starts with 30 health points and the goal is to get the other players health to zero before they kill you.
It’s pretty basic, the challenge is learning the different cards and best way of using them based on who you are playing. Don’t be a noob like Narg and waste spell cards when the other player has a spell break card on the board and you sit their going WTF! Take the time to read both your cards and theirs.
In conclusion
If it wasn’t free to play, Narg woudn’t pay for it. It’s not the open world RPG, MMO or Total War: The Trolloc Wars many of hope to see one day, but for what it is, it’s fun WoT themed way to waste some time INO.
Playing it does not make iWoT or Aether any money as long as you don’t pay to play, it will actually cost them money as its using server resources…Just use a throw away email address when making your game account though, as the game is just a stepping stone to their future Cypto games and you don’t want your main email address spammed by them in the future.
Narg was not given any special access, nor is he deriving any benefit for sharing his thoughts on this game. Narg could share a referral code that would give you a kickstart in the game, but Narg is mean, so you can start from scratch like Narg had too…plus it makes it easier for Narg to kill you…
Thank you for sharing your thoughts.