With a great many projects going into the magic printer bag, I have just enough time to show you one of my favorite Weapons from the new set, as well as the boss of the new Mansion!

First up is the Weapon, which I’ve been wanting to make since Set 1.

Most games this card caused a ruckus among players. Once one person bought one, suddenly everyone bought one and the backstabbing began. Ive had turns where I started with only 3 cards due to the other players picking away at my hand with this stellar weapon. Add in that its midrange damage, and this weapon gets a whole lot better.

And then theres this guy…

I hate this guy. At least he doesn’t cause a player who hasn’t killed many Infected to groan too bad, but I always wanted to reflect an enemies intelligence by having them screw around with your Inventory. This guy’s damage dropped slightly, but his effect makes him all the more deadly. If your playing with the right setup using some cards in Nightmare, his effect can actually benefit you, causing this sets big Inventory theme to really take hold.

I have one more preview soon to come and I will be showing a few cards that need to be explained a little bit. Until then, happy speculating!

I hate how this week is so short, but can feel incredibly long. These 3 days tend to have so much work packed into them, but I want to be sure to leave you guys with some juicy new previews to talk about while you enjoy your “Seasons Feastings”, as I’m sure the infected will be doing on you this weekend!

The Comments

Its been a bit light this week for some reason. I’m pretty sure these two cards were sent from the same person, and due to the shortness of the answer, I’m going to expand it slightly.

I want to see more Code Veronica. When can we see this?

Sadly, Code Veronica is way too low res for me to do much with. I know some of you are saying “but there was an HD release!”. While true, all they do is flip a switch, increasing the gameplay output to 720p, while the FMVs (full motion videos) are still in their good ol 480p form. I am going to attempt taking screenshots of this game soon, but I wouldn’t hold my breath, as minimizing an image can only do so much.

Also I’m having too much fun Leon Kennedy Specialty Suplexing every Ganados I can find in RE4 again. Hmmm, maybe I should make that card…

The site needs more content.

I’m going to be looking into this as well when I can catch my breath a little bit. I personally would love to see if we could get avatars of some kind. Maybe a few thumbnails of characters, with customizeable backgrounds. Aside from previews, I want to also start posting more throughout the year to keep you guys in the loop about the going ons over here. I would look forward to these changes soon.

And the Moment You Skipped Here For

You don’t have to mind my posting above, but you never know, your question might appear up there, so keep sending those comment cards in!

As for the previews, apparently many of you wanted a Weapon and an Infected specifically. I can accomodate both of those requests easily.

Some of you wanted to see a “decent” Weapon, and I know the Machine Guns have had a rocky run since the beginning, thats why we went about designing this beastly yet compact deathdealer above. I wanted to start giving each weapon type a thing to do, and machine guns made sense as being the “ramp” type of Weapon. For those who I lost, “ramp” refers to an ability that gives you a small boost to push you ahead in the game faster than other players. The extra gold you get from this Weapon will allow you to hit 60 sooner, which will allow you to get the larger ammunition quicker, which pushes you to get the bigger Weapons faster. I think you get the idea.

For the 2nd preview, many people wanted Infected Krauser. I can acquiesce…

Hes a fairly big size, but this guy is NOT the “mid-boss” in the Nightmare Mansion. Instead, he serves to amp up your Victory by allowing you to gain any card in the Resource Area. A fairly straightforward effect, I have had a couple of games won due to this guy giving me the huge boost needed to get my deck back into the shape it needed to be in. You’d be surprised what a single gain can do for someone.

How were those? Do you like the design direction of the machine guns? What do you want to see next? Comment below!

I know we have been a little bit quiet here at the Bandai camp as of late, but thats because you can’t hear the frantic clattering of workers underground, fervently pushing new projects to get it into your hot little hands before christmas this year.

I remember that I stated to everyone that I indeed do read every comment card I receive. I have a nice, fresh stack next to me, so lets take a few questions, yeah? I always enjoy reading these, even if they aren’t 100% positive (though the positive ones give me a HUGE boost!)

Comment #1: Outbreak needs better rules clarifications for Infected. Also, Outbreak is not suitable for 2 players.

I believe that the rules for Outbreak characters were in the rulebook, but perhaps weren’t organized as well as can be expected. I have begun a complete relook into the rulebook, which should be due out for RE5 next year. The rules will be easier than ever to find, and the scenarios much simpler to setup. This comment brings up a great concern: What if I don’t have 4 people? We wholeheartedly agree, thats why our testing has taken a slight shift. We have been testing with 2, 3, and 4 players to make sure that the cards work in all sizes of gameplay to provide a tasty and fun gameplay experience.

Comment #2: Needs more cards. Characters need more levels.

More cards is something we are coming up on. My original plan was to have a base set, then 3 expansions, then a new base set, updating base resources and the like. Obviously, we will be due for a new base set come RE6, and, nothing withstanding, that is currently my gameplan. As for characters needing for levels, RE5 will take care of this, adding a whole new level of complexity on the level of alliance, but with the balancing and player interaction that everyone craves.

Comment #3: (this is from RE1) The package for the different card types are sometimes too small.

This is the driving comment I continued to see up until now. The packaging isn’t very good, the packaging doesn’t allow for me to store all of my cards, etc. RE4 seeks to give you all a reprive from carrying around 4 little Outbreak boxes (or only 1!). The box gets a bit heavy, but it fits perfectly into a backpack or a satchel if your the artistic type.

I definitely love reading these cards, and anytime I cannot think of an answer, I strive to create one, especially if there are multiple people asking for the same thing, or people pointing out a glaring flaw with the game itself.

 RE: Nightmare Previews!

Of course, this is why your actually reading this, aren’t you? I think we will start with the card everyone has been waiting to see, Ada Wong.

Some people are probably going to state that her 1st effect is WAYY too powerful, but realize that drawing cards after you take Damage means that you can’t explore again unless you got +1 Explore then drew enough Weapons to explore again, and only if you can pay for those new weapons. Her secondary effect was an effect that was in set 1 when we first began designing the game, but didn’t fit the character it was on at all. I have seen her lvl 2 function, but it mostly blocks annoying effects like the Nemesis from set 1, or from players using incessant grenade tactics, allowing Ada to sprint for the finish line at the very end.

For our other preview, I wanted to show someone who hasn’t had their time to shine as of late, and someone who I rather enjoyed as a character in the RE4 series.

Luis is the next extension of our “Big Inventory” type of character. With an entire set focused on player interaction and larger inventories, Luis fit right in with the theme. Many times, I found it hilarious when Luis defeated the boss of the Mansion (who we will be previewing very soon!), since that was the complete opposite of the video game. Even if you aren’t playing with a large Inventory, Luis still filters cards from your hand and can setup your draws for later, but having a bigger Inventory will give you larger rewards.

Notice that both characters also generically work in any and all modes, which was a request from you, the players. You can expect these great cards in stores on 12/09/11.

Don’t forget to keep sending those comment cards in, maybe I’ll answer your questions in the next preview! Post below what card type you want to see next! (Action, Weapon, Mansion)