Software:Eternal (card game)

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Eternal
EternalLogo GooglePlayStoreBanner.jpg
Eternal Logo and Jekk Character Art
Developer(s)Dire Wolf Digital
Publisher(s)Dire Wolf Digital
Platform(s)Steam, Android, iOS
ReleaseWindows (early access), macOS, iOS, Android
  • WW: November 18, 2016
Genre(s)Collectible card game
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Eternal is a free-to-play[1] online collectible card video game developed and published by Dire Wolf Digital.[2] Eternal is available for iOS devices,[3] PCs using Steam as an early access,[4] and for Android.[5] The game features cross-platform play, allowing players to use any of the supported platforms to compete with each other. The game takes place in a Weird West fantasy setting.

Eternal is a turn-based card game between two opponents that use constructed decks with various amounts of cards. Players use their power cards to cast spells, use attachments or summon units to attack the opponent, with the goal of reducing the opponent's health to zero. Winning matches and completing quests will earn in-game gold, rewards in the form of new cards or packs, and other in-game prizes. Players can then buy card packs or buy access to card drafting modes by using gold or microtransactions to collect cards for use in their decks. The game features several modes of play, including ranked matches and single-player campaigns. New content for the game involves the addition of new card sets and gameplay, taking the form of either expansion packs or campaigns that reward the player with collectible cards upon completion.

Gameplay

Games of Eternal consist of two opponents (either Player vs. Player, or Player vs. an AI opponent) using decks of varying amount of cards containing units, attachments, powers, and spells. The goal is to reduce your opponent's health pool from 25 to zero or to make the other player's deck empty.[6]

Cards

There are four types of cards in Eternal:

  • Power cards are the resource system for the game. You draw Power cards from your deck and can play one per turn. Decks must consist of between 1/3rd to 2/3rds of only Power cards.
  • Unit cards represent characters and creatures in the game.
  • Attachment cards are played either on a Unit (in the case of Weapons and Curses) or on a player avatar (for Relics, Relic Weapons, and Cursed Relics).
  • Spell cards have an immediate effect when played, and then are discarded. "Fast Spells" can be played mid-combat or during your opponent's turn.

Eternal allows players to disenchant unwanted cards or any cards collected beyond the maximum of four into a quantity of shiftstone that can then be used to create new cards of the player's choice. Shiftstone is also acquired after opening each card pack, from completing certain achievements or from faction rank up rewards.

Factions

All cards in Eternal are divided into five "Factions", along with a sixth "Factionless" category. The five Factions[7] are:

  • Fire (red) is the faction of creation and destruction; most problems can be handled with quick and violent solutions.
  • Justice (green) is the faction of order, both in civic harmony and brutal tyranny.
  • Primal (blue) is the faction of nature in both its savage fury and pristine beauty.
  • Shadow (purple) is the faction of ambition and instinct; hidden paths lead to dangerous secrets.
  • Time (yellow) is the faction of learning and discovery; knowledge is the key to power.

In addition, the Factions can be combined into a set of ten pairs[8] named after locations in the gameworld.[9] They are:

Fire Justice Primal Shadow Time
Fire - Rakano Skycrag Stonescar Praxis
Justice Rakano - Hooru Argenport Combrei
Primal Skycrag Hooru - Feln Elysian
Shadow Stonescar Argenport Feln - Xenan
Time Praxis Combrei Elysian Xenan -

Set releases/campaigns

The Empty Throne is the free base campaign that serves as a tutorial to introduce new players to the game. Players use preconstructed decks from each faction to play through five stories consisting of four games each. Each match won awards new cards that are added to the player's deck. Upon completing each story, players keep all the cards that were used. Playing through all five stories to complete the base campaign awards five decks overall.

The Empty Throne is also the name for the first full set that was released on November 19, 2016, that features 413 cards. Each full set release has its own card pack associated with it that only contains cards from that set.

Jekk's Bounty is the first additional campaign and mini-set that was released on February 16, 2017.[10] The campaign introduced 16 cards and each added campaign will cost either in-game gold or gems. Players take on the role of an apprentice to Jekk, the Bounty Hunter, who guides them on a series of 16 single-player missions. Each mission is played with a constructed deck of the player's creation and uses special rules that alter the game. Completing each mission awards the player with four copies of the cards that can only be acquired by completing Jekk's Bounty missions.

Omens of the Past is the second full set that was released on July 14, 2017. The set features 252 cards, new faction pairs and new mechanics such as Spark that adds an additional effect if the opponent has been damaged this turn.[11]

The Tale of Horus Traver is the second campaign and mini-set that was released on November 3, 2017. The campaign introduced 23 cards and 16 missions. Players take on the role of homesteader Horus Traver, as he his guided towards his destiny as a Stranger by Azindel. Each mission is played with a constructed deck and uses special rules that alter gameplay. Completing each mission awards the player with four copies of the cards that can only be acquired by completing The Tale of Horus Traver missions.

The Dusk Road is the third full set that was released on December 18, 2017. The set features 280 cards,[12] new mechanics such as Nightfall that swaps between day and night, new avatars, and expands upon the lore of the land of Myria via the card art.

Dead Reckoning is the third campaign and mini-set that was released on March 7, 2018. It includes 25 cards and 18 missions. It tells the story of Valkyrie Captain Icaria's rebellion against Lord Commander Rolant, so its story begins in the past before the events of The Empty Throne campaign and then continues until Rolant is ultimately killed.[13] Completing each mission awards the player with four copies of the cards that can only be acquired by completing Dead Reckoning missions.

The Fall of Argenport is the fourth full set that was released on June 28, 2018. The set features 279 cards.

Ranked, Casual and Gauntlet

In Ranked (PvP), Casual (PvP) and Gauntlet (PvE) modes, players use constructed 75-card decks using the cards in their collection. All of these modes are free to enter and earn rewards based on overall performance. Ranked mode is a monthly leaderboard ladder divided into five brackets through which players climb: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Diamond and Master, gaining rating points with every win and losing points with each loss. Each win earns rewards in the form of cards and in-game gold which can be used to enter other game modes or acquire card packs.[14] Casual is similar to Ranked mode except it does not have a ladder. Gauntlet is a series of PvE opponents in which players attempt to win seven consecutive games, culminating in a "Boss" game with a special game rule for an additional challenge. Rewards increase with the number of games won and are received by players either when they defeat the final Boss or when the player is eliminated by a single loss.[15]

Draft and Forge

In Draft (PvP) and Forge (PvE) modes, players build a new deck from a limited pool of cards presented to them. Both modes require in-game gold or gems (from microtransactions with real money) to enter. Players keep all of cards they selected, along with additional rewards for winning games. Draft mode consists of a pool of 48 cards selected from four packs of 12 cards each, plus any number of sigil power cards, arranged into a 45-card deck.[16] Forge mode requires players to select 25 cards, one at a time, from sets of three cards presented by the game and these sets will come from the first two factions selected by the player; power cards are added automatically after all cards are selected.[17] After a deck is constructed, the these two modes are played until a player earns seven wins, experiences three losses or retires.

Puzzles

Eternal features many puzzles that focus on different game mechanics such Deadly (kill any unit damaged) and Aegis (absorbs one spell effect from a player's opponent). These are single player challenges that when completed award a one-time amount of gold.

Events

Since transitioning from closed to open beta, Eternal has hosted in-game limited time PvP events[18] with their own unique twists. Some of the events were the "Shadow Eclipse Event"[19] on August 21, 2017 that made players draw an extra card each turn and "The Dusk Road Preview Event"[20] on December 14, 2017 that allowed players to play with cards from The Dusk Road set before it was released.

Beginning in April 2018, Eternal has hosted a monthly sealed deck league. This event requires players to build a deck of 45 cards while only using cards collected from packs earned from the event that begins with eight packs and ends with 14 packs; between matches, players may modify the deck.[21] After the monthly event is over, players are rewarded with a number of card packs and a random premium card based on the leaderboard results and all participants are given an exclusive card back.

Rewards

Rewards in Eternal take the form of individual cards, gold and packs. Rewards come in treasure chests of varying rarity: Bronze, Silver, Gold and Diamond. Each chest has a chance to upgrade to the next-highest rarity chest. Rewards are earned after every casual and ranked mode win, and upon completion of Drafts, Events, Forges, and Gauntlets. Additionally, rewards at the end of each monthly chapter are determined by a player's final rankings in both Ranked and Draft modes as well as the sealed deck league.

Since the game's inception, various promo cards have been offered for a limited time as free in-game rewards to players that complete specific challenges.[22] These cards may be created with shiftstone after the promotion period is over.[23]

Development

Eternal was announced in January 2016 at PAX South,[24] and began a closed beta that April.[25] On November 18, 2016, closed beta accounts were wiped and open beta began; closed beta players received a number of free card packs determined by the size of their closed beta card collection.[26] Since that date, the game is still considered to be in "Early Access" on Steam as of March 2018.[27]

The game was developed at Dire Wolf Digital by a team that includes Magic: The Gathering Hall of Fame players Luis Scott-Vargas[28] and Patrick Chapin as well as other Magic: The Gathering professional players including Conley Woods, Patrick Sullivan and Josh Utter-Leyton.[29]

In June 2017, the iPad client was ready for regional release in Australia and Canada.[30] A short time later the iPad client was released worldwide.

Story

The Eternal Throne

Eternal is the story of the struggle for the Eternal Throne of Myria when it is left vacant by the disappearance of King Caiphus. The Throne itself has magical properties, as depicted in the epilogue to the Empty Throne campaign, but the scope and nature of its abilities are currently unclear.

Scions

The Scions from left to right: Kaleb, Eilyn, Rolant, Vara and Talir

King Caiphus is gone; those with the strongest claim to the vacant Eternal Throne are the five "Scions" in Eternal - powerful characters who could claim the Eternal Throne while having their own agendas to pursue.[31]

  • Rolant is the Commander of the Crownwatch, the acting Regent of Argenport in the absence of an official ruler and Caiphus' uncle. He attempts to maintain order using his army, which starts a civil war within the city.
  • Eilyn is a powerful shaman of the barbarian tribes that nearly destroyed Argenport before a truce was reached that culminated with her marriage to King Caiphus.
  • Kaleb is a headstrong warrior with little interest in politics, whose status as Caiphus' illegitimate son with an unknown mother has weakened his claim to the throne.
  • Vara is the favored heir to the Eternal Throne as Caiphus' daughter, but has grown tired of being a political pawn of others so explores the Shadowlands for her own ends.
  • Talir is among the most gifted magic users in Myria. She is Caiphus' sister and the Arch Magister of the Praxis Arcanum.

Other characters

  • Caiphus is the former occupant of the Eternal Throne. Each of the Scions is defined by their relationship to him.
  • Jekk, the Bounty Hunter is the protagonist and narrator of the opening cinematic, as well as the Jekk's Bounty campaign.
  • Icaria was the first Valkyrie and their Captain but turned against Rolant to lead a rebellion against his rule.
  • Azindel took down Caiphus that ended up breaking the seal of the Eternal Throne. Azindel has guided Vara through the Shadowlands and gave her a magical amulet that erased her memories.
  • The Strangers are an army of men whose faces are marked with a glowing purple symbol created by Azindel.
  • Horus Traver is a simple homesteader who gets caught up in the struggle for the Eternal Throne.

Reception

Since its release, Eternal has enjoyed positive reviews by players and media alike.[32] As of September 2017, it is rated 9/10 on the Steam Store and 4.5/5 on both the iOS App Store and Google Play. Dire Wolf Digital has also promoted the game at numerous conventions including 2016 Pax South, 2016 Pax East, 2016 Pax West, 2016 Gen Con, 2017 Pax South, 2017 Pax East, 2017 Pax West,[33] 2017 Gen Con, 2018 Pax South[34] and 2018 Pax East.

Eternal was determined to be the most free-to-play friendly digital card game when compared to Hearthstone, The Elder Scrolls Legends, Shadowverse and Gwent after comparing the dollar cost of the top decks, the wins cost of the top decks, the starting collection value, the bonus from draft/arena and how easy it is to manage the card collection.[35]

References

  1. ↑ "Going Deep – Free-EST-to-Play" (in en-US). RNG Eternal. October 1, 2017. https://rngeternal.com/2017/10/01/going-deep-free-est-to-play/. 
  2. ↑ "Eternal Starter Guide" (in en-US). RNG Eternal. August 4, 2017. https://rngeternal.com/2017/08/04/eternal-starter-guide/. 
  3. ↑ "Eternal Card Game on the App Store" (in en). https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/eternal-card-game/id1077866163?mt=8. 
  4. ↑ "Eternal Card Game on Steam". http://store.steampowered.com/app/531640/Eternal_Card_Game/. Retrieved June 2, 2017. 
  5. ↑ "Eternal Card Game - Android Apps on Google Play". https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.direwolfdigital.Phoenix&hl=en. Retrieved June 2, 2017. 
  6. ↑ "The Magic Player’s Guide to Eternal – A Comprehensive Primer". http://www.numotgaming.com/magic-players-guide-eternal-comprehensive-primer/. Retrieved June 2, 2017. 
  7. ↑ "Factions - Eternal Game Info" (in en-GB). http://eternalgameinfo.com/wiki/Factions. 
  8. ↑ "Eternal’s Color Pie Pt. 1 + New Cards!" (in en-US). http://www.numotgaming.com/eternals-color-pie-new-cards-bonus-deck/. 
  9. ↑ "Faction Combos - Eternal Game Info". http://eternalgameinfo.com/wiki/Faction_Combos. Retrieved June 2, 2017. 
  10. ↑ "Eternal: Jekk’s Bounty". http://www.direwolfdigital.com/eternal-jekks-bounty/. Retrieved June 2, 2017. 
  11. ↑ "Drafting Post-Omens | Eternal Warcry" (in en). Eternal Warcry. https://eternalwarcry.com/articles/details/lLjK3PghPYc/drafting-post-omens. 
  12. ↑ "Well Eternal: Walking the Dusk Road Part 2" (in en-US). http://www.numotgaming.com/well-eternal-walking-the-dusk-road-part-2/. 
  13. ↑ "Dead Reckoning". Dire Wolf Digital. http://www.direwolfdigital.com/news/dead-reckoning/. 
  14. ↑ locopojo (April 22, 2017). "Scion’s School: Getting Started III (Ranked)". https://rngeternal.com/2017/04/22/scions-school-getting-started-iii-ranked/. Retrieved June 2, 2017. 
  15. ↑ locopojo (March 24, 2017). "Scion’s School – Getting Started I (Gauntlet)". https://rngeternal.com/2017/03/24/scions-school-getting-started-i-gauntlet/. Retrieved June 2, 2017. 
  16. ↑ locopojo (May 6, 2017). "Scion’s School: Getting Started IV (Drafting)". https://rngeternal.com/2017/05/06/scions-school-getting-started-iv-drafting/. Retrieved June 2, 2017. 
  17. ↑ locopojo (April 1, 2017). "Scion’s School: Getting Started II (Forge)". https://rngeternal.com/2017/04/01/scions-school-getting-started-ii-forge/. Retrieved June 2, 2017. 
  18. ↑ "Eternal Events | Eternal Warcry" (in en). Eternal Warcry. https://eternalwarcry.com/events. 
  19. ↑ "'Eternal Card Game' Has Its Own Eclipse, The Shadow Eclipse Event is Going On Now | TouchArcade" (in en-US). http://toucharcade.com/2017/08/21/eternal-card-game-has-its-own-eclipse-the-shadow-eclipse-event-is-going-on-now/. 
  20. ↑ "The Dusk Road Preview Event | Eternal Warcry" (in en). Eternal Warcry. https://eternalwarcry.com/events/details/dXB57yU_hbw/the-dusk-road-preview-event. 
  21. ↑ Eternal League - Chapter 18: A Search for Answers - Week 1 Jank Junction, Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  22. ↑ "Eternal Cards | Eternal Warcry" (in en). Eternal Warcry. https://eternalwarcry.com/cards?Query=&Rarities=6&CardSet=. 
  23. ↑ "BadGuyBrews – A Dump of Wumps" (in en-US). http://www.numotgaming.com/badguybrews-a-dump-of-wumps/. 
  24. ↑ "PAX South 2016: 'Eternal' Puts its Own Spin on the 'Hearthstone'-Style CCG". January 29, 2016. http://toucharcade.com/2016/01/29/pax-south-2016-eternal-ccg/. Retrieved June 2, 2017. 
  25. ↑ "PAX 2016: 'Eternal' is Another Cool Looking Digital Card Game | TouchArcade" (in en-US). http://toucharcade.com/2016/09/05/pax-2016-eternal-is-another-cool-looking-digital-card-game/. 
  26. ↑ "Guide to the Wipe and Open Beta". rengeeeternal. November 19, 2016. https://rngeternal.com/2016/11/19/we-wiped-what-now/. Retrieved June 2, 2017. 
  27. ↑ Eternal Card Game on Steam Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  28. ↑ Magic the Gathering professional players debut their own card game, Eternal PCGamesn, Retrieved February 5, 2018.
  29. ↑ Event Primer – Whirling Duels! RNG Eternal. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  30. ↑ "Eternal Comes to Regional iOS". Dire Wolf Digital. http://www.direwolfdigital.com/eternal-comes-to-regional-ios/. Retrieved June 2, 2017. 
  31. ↑ "Lore - Eternal Game Info". http://eternalgameinfo.com/wiki/Lore. Retrieved June 2, 2017. 
  32. ↑ "Eternal Preview: The Hidden Gem Digital Card Game You Should Be Playing" (in en-US). App Trigger. March 30, 2017. https://apptrigger.com/2017/03/30/eternal-preview-hidden-gem-digital-card-game-playing/. 
  33. ↑ "'Eternal', 'The Elder Scrolls Legends' and 'Shadowverse' Compete to be King of PAX West Digital CCG's | TouchArcade" (in en-US). http://toucharcade.com/2017/09/03/eternal-the-elder-scrolls-legends-and-shadowverse-compete-to-be-king-of-pax-west-digital-ccgs/. 
  34. ↑ The Overpowered Noobs (January 15, 2018), Eternal Card Game Interview - PAX South 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lSvXgWg3tc, retrieved January 22, 2018 
  35. ↑ Going Deep – Free-EST-to-Play RNG Eternal, October 1, 2017




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