This is looking great, and being a fan of Triple Triad, I also like how the card game is going as well. From the video I can see all of the polish that you've put into the game.
However, in my opinion the avatars and world clash with the cards and the UI that's been presented before. That being said, it's probably too far along now to change, but it seemed a bit off to me. Good luck with your Kickstarter!
Reasons why we have chosen a different visual theme from the cards:
The style direction and style of the player characters is a continuation of development from the 'Eminence Style'. Although it may look completely different on the surface, there are many similarities both subtle and obvious that link the two styles together. Symbols and shapes in the armour have originated from the card designs. Some of the characters themselves owe their look and design from the cards as well.
It is important to remember that the characters are also part of an explorable world. When we decided to include this element as part of the gameplay we made a concious decision to create a style which was:
a) Different enough so that the cards still feel special enough as a collectable (having everything look exactly the same will make the cards lose the feeling of how special it is.)
b) Similar enough so that it still feels part of the same game.Similarities in the world include the stroke and design elements within the architecture and landscapes are also found within the card designs, as well as animated elements such as the wind and leaves.
The contrast between the explorable world and the game ui also factored in the decision making of the art direction. We feel confident that once people see the game in action with the combination of both styles, people will start to understand how it all works visually. (Rest assured that there is also a story led reason why the world looks the way it does... stay tuned for more info!)
I would like to finally say that we fully appreciate the fan feedback and we understand the concerns regarding this issue. We just ask that you have faith in the art direction and that we will do everything in our power to make sure that the styles work as much as possible. We take ALL feedback and constructive critiques into consideration, and nothing you see here is fully set in stone. Thank you again for all your comments and stay tuned for further updates on Eminence: Xander's Tales!
We are pleased to reveal a sneak peek of our card battle system!
View here: Looks pretty good, reminds me of that minigame in Final Fantasy 8.
Thank you for the compliments Bonesy, it means a lot!
We are pleased to showcase the cards of the first three Divisions. Who will you pledge your allegiance to - #Aeterna, #Ixion or #Wilkurse?