GDC: Minecraft developer announces Scrolls

Minecraft developer Mojang has announced its next game, Scrolls, combining board game and collectible card game in video game form.

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After months of teasing, Minecraft developer Mojang has announced its next game at GDC 2011. Named Scrolls, it's a multiplayer game mixing board game with collectible card game.

"At the core it's a collectable card game, but it's also a board game," Scrolls lead designer Jakob Porser explained to Rock, Paper, Shotgun. "It's combining the two. As you place your units or your buildings, or your siege weapons, you place it on the game board to play against your opponent. It's not only about designing a proper collection of scrolls [cards], and the tactical aspect of that deck, but it's also about the tactical sense of how to place your units on the game board."

Buyin the game will net you a randomised 'starter deck,' then you can buy randomised 'booster packs' if you want more cards--or scrolls, as they're called here. Players will also be able to trade cards. Porser hopes to have an option to win cards in tournaments or from other players, though there are legal issues to address first. "We don't want to have to get a gambling license and put the servers in Malta to get the game up and running," he said.

Mojang also plans to explore the possibility of single-player, should the game go well.

While Minecraft went on sale when it was still in alpha development, Scrolls will have a closed alpha before going on sale when it enters beta. Then, as with Minecraft, it'll continue to be updated with new features.

Minecraft fans need fear not, as creator Markus 'Notch' Persson is still focusing on the illustrious dig 'em up. Development on iOS and Android versions of Minecraft is underway.

From The Chatty
  • reply
    March 2, 2011 7:10 AM

    Comment on GDC: Minecraft developer announces Scrolls, by Alice O'Connor.

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      March 2, 2011 7:29 AM

      Sounds interesting. Let's see if it plays.

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      March 2, 2011 7:30 AM

      awww, i was gonna make a "how to mine for Mana Leak" joke >_>

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      March 2, 2011 11:22 AM

      Not interested but at least it's some innovation.

    • Zek legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
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      March 2, 2011 11:25 AM

      I'm hoping they'll catch onto the community backlash at the payment model and try something else, otherwise I'm definitely not interested.

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      March 2, 2011 11:30 AM

      They should have made a minecraft based ccg, or hell, a real life boardgame using minecraft as a theme.

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      March 2, 2011 11:34 AM

      Is this another virtual collectible card game? I love paying real money for virtual items.

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        March 2, 2011 12:39 PM

        This is a little disappointing. One of the really cool parts about Minecraft is the fact that it's updated and refined and doesn't nickel and dime its fans.

        Though I suppose expansion packs are fairly key to keeping card games going. This announcement has sent me from "definite buy" to "probably not."

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        March 2, 2011 12:47 PM

        Paying real money for stupid little cards is way more justified.

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          March 2, 2011 5:12 PM

          Who send stupid little cards to fight?

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      March 2, 2011 2:01 PM

      I haven't played Minecraft, so pardon my ignorance on its actual level of completion, but - wouldn't it make more sense to have a finalized date for a gold release of that before announcing new games? New games that sound like Magic: The Board Game?

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        March 2, 2011 2:25 PM

        They're two separate projects being developed by separate teams so I don't think they need to concern themselves with whatever timeline Minecraft is on before announcing this.

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      March 2, 2011 5:25 PM

      Money grab. God damn.

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      March 3, 2011 1:37 AM

      So they're combining Magic the Gathering with Panzer General. I have both on xbox live and love Panzer General.

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