PoxNora blends several genres into an intriguing, challenging and entertaining Web-based game
By Michael Lafferty

“There is really no Web game out there that is this in-depth.”

There are a lot of games vying for attention in the online space, but PoxNora is unlike anything you have seen so far. Why? It is a Java-based Web game, but it is also a turn-based strategy title that crosses many genres and is very much worth checking out.

PoxNora from Octopi Inc. is a melding of several styles of games, but those who try to pigeonhole the title in one of those genres will soon be surprised that the game has rudiments of different genres, and really treads its own ground.

First, PoxNora is a Web game. You log into the Web site, www.poxnora.com, register and get a starter deck of cards (‘oh, a card game,’ you say – wrong, but it does have cards in it). You can buy additional decks, and the cards are otherwise known as Runes. There are four basic types of Runes – Champion, Spell, Equipment and Relic.

Each player gathers what is known as Nora, magical energy that determines how many Runes can be brought into play and when they can be brought into play. In addition there are action points that govern the movement of all pieces in play. Shrines are located on either side of the map and the idea is to bring Runes into play, using strategy and capturing Fonts (Wild Nora Fonts that not only generate Nora and allow another point for entry for Runes). In this manner, the game plays like a chess match.

Dan Kopycienski, lead game designer and creative director at Octopi (which is publishing the title as well) said the idea for the game was born out of a lot of little things.

“For me personally, I always like to play miniature games and collectible games but I didn’t have access to other people to play with. So I was interested in creating an online version where there would be people to play with. ”

Five guys in a garage, thinking about what would make a good game yielded PoxNora. The game is a little bit of chess, with card game attributes, and role-playing elements.

“We didn’t want to create just another collectible card game, we wanted to create something with a little more depth,” Kopycienski said.

“We came up with the game rules on our own. Some of it is taken from chess. Instead of kings, you have shrines.”

As the game began to take shape, Kopycienski said there was a moment when he knew they were on to something. “We have all different kinds of guys that work here, guys that play Madden and guys that are into World of Warcraft; when I knew we had something is when they totally got into this game.”

The look is very nice for a Java-based game. The styling of the cards is well done and the UI (user interface) has a short learning curve. While the game itself will involve some alteration in the way a play thinks about the game, it really is accessible.

So you have a card feature …

“The only way we have used the card game aspect is in how to manage decks,” Kopycienski stated. “But when it comes to the actual card gameplay … I am not using the potential of the computer by throwing cards at my opponent. I want guys that can jump, and attack. To play the game it needs to be more like a miniatures game.”

The game plays a bit like chess with action points determining movement and with shrines acting as kings. And the game will employ a rating system similar to the Elo rating system when ladders and rankings are implemented.

But it gets better. The game also has RPG elements in that units used in a game can gain experience (called Champion Points) and that experience can be used to on attributes. Or a player can purchase attribute upgrades (the game will also allow players to buy decks of Runes). One of the Rune cards is a Wild Elf. A player may purchase stealth for that Rune (or quickness for another wild elf) and thus take the game in a new direction by making one of the Runes invisible to the opposing player.

There will be six game boards, one for each of the factions. Each of the mapboards, but the way they shrines are located, will present players with different tactical options but also will have an impact on the length of time a game takes. One map has the shrines relatively close, which will lead to a quick match … perhaps.

“A lot of the games that I really enjoy and play, like World of Warcraft, you basically have to have a four-hour block to play,” Kopycienski said, “and you need four or five of those during the week to stay competitive. We wanted to make a more casual game” that would appeal to both the player who is new to the idea or the hardcore player who does not have a lot of time.”

The game will also allow for guild play. Players can form guilds/teams, and there will be tournaments that will score out on a team basis.

In short, a lot of thought has gone into this game and it shows, even at this stage of the beta. There are 2,000 beta testers (and growing) already and the title moved into open beta about a week ago. What is likely to make this game a success are several factors: the cerebral nature will have a wider appeal in terms of age and gender, the learning curve is not that high but the game is still very challenging, it looks good and plays well, and ...

“This game was meant to be very accessible, meant to run on Macs, PCs, Linux machines,” Kopycienski said. “There is really no Web game out there that is this in-depth.”

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