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Fast-paced and card-based.

Incredibly quick and tactical: Ironclad Tactics Deluxe, the strategy card game from Zachtronics (the guys behind SpaceChem) just joined the DRM-free GOG.com catalogue and is now available for Windows, OS X, and Linux with a weeklong 33% discount.

Construct the strongest deck you can muster from your collection of cards and set out to defeat your opponents at lightning speeds - that’s precisely what Ironclad Tactics is all about. You will be dropped into a steampunk-styled American Civil War setting that features a varied mix of human and machine warriors - all of which can be collected and played as cards in fast-paced combat.

Aspiring tacticians beware: this game is known for a steep difficulty curve, so expect many a frustrating loss - but the more seasoned strategy generals will know this just adds an extra sense of victory to every win.


The Deluxe Edition of the game includes the following bonus content:

-- The Rise of Dmitry - the first add-on campaign for Ironclad Tactics. Explore the backstory of Dmitry, and unlock his fearsome army by completing new missions against new foes.
-- The "Fort Phantom Ridge" gauntlet mission - a six-stage battle set in Dmitry's greatest factory-fort.
-- Blood and Ironclads, the add-on campaign for Ironclad Tactics about the Franco-Prussian war... With ironclads!
-- A high-quality digital artbook with concept art, designs, and commentary from the Zachtronics team.
-- A printable papercraft model of an ironclad that you can print out and assemble.
-- The Ironclad Tactics OST, with music by Evan Le Ny and Farewell to the Woods.
-- A giftable copy of SpaceChem with the SpaceChem: 63 Corvi DLC for the first week, free until Tuesday, June 30th at 9:59am GMT.

Hop right into Ironclad Tactics Deluxe, an immersive, beautifully crafted card deck strategy, now available DRM-free at GOG.com. The 33% discount lasts one week, until Tuesday, June 30th at 9:59am GMT.

P.S. -- A tip from the experts - you can repair your ironclads. Do it, often.

What does the press say?

“Ironclad Tactics is a streamlined take on deck-building that still manages to offer huge variety in its armies, and beyond all of that has great sound effects when you squish little dudes under hulking behemoths.” -- Rock Paper Shotgun

“Some games throw curve balls. Ironclad Tactics pitches razor-lined orbs of flaming, molten death.” -- US Gamer

“Ironclad Tactics is definitely worth a look for any lover of collectible card style games who’s looking for a fresh system to master.” -- Gaming Trend
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OldFatGuy: I mean because I want a manual, but you don't like manuals, you would insist I'm being "crazy" or "stupid" then I suppose all you idiots out there that insist on sticking with the old school keyboard and mouse are just morons and I hope all games no longer give you that option.

Assholes
If a game is designed to be played without a manual, then yes, you're fucking dumb for demanding that it should have a manual.

It's OKAY to say you won't be buying it because "needing a manual" is a criterion of personal interest you set for games. As in "if it doesn't have a manual, it's probably not deep enough to make me interested". It's GOOD to ask GOG to provide manuals for games which actually have them elsewhere. But you're demanding of the designer to waste time and/or resources on superfluous copywriter trash.
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Fenixp: Still, I think the important bit here is that games nowadays are designed around not needing manual - intead of writing up a ton of words about their games, game designers are slowly learning to create games in such a way that those words are not needed at all. Instead of spending time writing a manual, it's common practice to spend time to make a game intuitive and easy to learn - effectively rendering manuals useless. I have no clue how good UI and tutorial are in Ironclad specifically, but the move away from non-interactive media to explain interactive videogames is generally a positive one.
And I think it's important to include some aggregation of the down and dirty details that go on behind the scenes of games that you just don't get explained in any tutorial. For example, what exactly is the advantage of attacking a skeleton with a bludgeoning weapon versus a slashing one? Ever see that explained in a tutorial? That's the kind of stuff that used to be in manuals. Then manuals got skimpier and they started appearing solely in extra purchased "game guides" and now manuals are disappearing altogether and one is expected to look up the wiki.

You think that's a positive step, okay, I think it's three steps in the wrong direction. And not that I have anything against tutorials or wikis, as I don't wish they would go away, I just want my manual that I can carry with me (after I print it out if it's an electronic version) to the reading room. So I'll just continue to vote with my wallet and voice by letting them know this is a sale they would've had but for a manual. if they don't care (and I suspect they don't) then they won't change a thing and will never make manuals (and I won't change a thing and won't buy their games). And the sun will still come up.
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OldFatGuy: Looks very interesting, would buy it, but....

no manual
no sale.
There is good tutorial in the game (first missions of the campaign mode)... still need a manual?
that whole card thing in this game is kinda not appealing to me
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amok: TB did a WTF is almost a year ago - take a look to see what the game looks like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFcLfxok4iw
Wait, is it still true that you can only unlock some of the cards through multi-player? That's.. not ideal.
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amok: A well made game do not need manuals. The game should be intuitive and explained within the context of the game (which is not the same as having a tutorial stage...).
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Fenixp: As far as I'm concerned, every game needs a tutorial stage. The best tutorial stage is one in which player never even notices he's playing a tutorial.
indeed. And the best game are those, as you say, you never notice you are playing a tutorial. What I mean that is a good game, and then there is not a need for manuals. And the games where the tutorials are 'tacked on' outside of the context of the game is bad design, and they could just as well have made a manual instead. If the point of the tutorial is to be something optional to make the player rmemorise which keys to press at which times (as opposed to teach them what to do within the game context), it is bad design.
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Starmaker: If a game is designed to be played without a manual, then yes, you're fucking dumb for demanding that it should have a manual.

It's OKAY to say you won't be buying it because "needing a manual" is a criterion of personal interest you set for games. As in "if it doesn't have a manual, it's probably not deep enough to make me interested". It's GOOD to ask GOG to provide manuals for games which actually have them elsewhere. But you're demanding of the designer to waste time and/or resources on superfluous copywriter trash.
I am merely letting those that make or sell games know that I won't be buying them unless they include a manual. How that affects you, or your life, in any way, shape or form, that would make you care enough to basically insult me for insisting on a manual is hard to fathom. Unless of course you were the publisher of this game and then I suppose one could understand why you took it so personally. If you are the publisher of this game, then I'm sorry, I didn't mean it to be a strike against your personal belief system or religion. It is merely a line in the sand regarding buying games that I won't cross and it's same for all games and sellers, not just you.
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Fenixp: Still, I think the important bit here is that games nowadays are designed around not needing manual - intead of writing up a ton of words about their games, game designers are slowly learning to create games in such a way that those words are not needed at all. Instead of spending time writing a manual, it's common practice to spend time to make a game intuitive and easy to learn - effectively rendering manuals useless. I have no clue how good UI and tutorial are in Ironclad specifically, but the move away from non-interactive media to explain interactive videogames is generally a positive one.
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OldFatGuy: And I think it's important to include some aggregation of the down and dirty details that go on behind the scenes of games that you just don't get explained in any tutorial. For example, what exactly is the advantage of attacking a skeleton with a bludgeoning weapon versus a slashing one? Ever see that explained in a tutorial? That's the kind of stuff that used to be in manuals. Then manuals got skimpier and they started appearing solely in extra purchased "game guides" and now manuals are disappearing altogether and one is expected to look up the wiki.

You think that's a positive step, okay, I think it's three steps in the wrong direction. And not that I have anything against tutorials or wikis, as I don't wish they would go away, I just want my manual that I can carry with me (after I print it out if it's an electronic version) to the reading room. So I'll just continue to vote with my wallet and voice by letting them know this is a sale they would've had but for a manual. if they don't care (and I suspect they don't) then they won't change a thing and will never make manuals (and I won't change a thing and won't buy their games). And the sun will still come up.
But is it not part of the fun of the game to experiment and find out that it is better to bludgeon a skeleton instead of stabbing it? Is it really fun if you have already been told exactly what to do? And if it is good design, these things should be logical - i.e. a skeleton is bones and no flesh, therefore it should makes sense to crush the bones. This is things you as a player should think of and experiment with, which should be part of the game experience.

edit - as an example. I just played the new build of Delver, and at some point I killed a zombie over a spike trap. The zombie dropped a potion, and as the spike trap sprung the potion started to blink and then exploded. Never seen that happen before. Turns out that I can also hit potions and use them as bombs. Which means that I now have a use for the poison bottles :)

Finding this out and experimenting was fun, and those aha moments would be spoiled if it was in a manual.
Post edited June 23, 2015 by amok
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OldFatGuy: And I think it's important to include some aggregation of the down and dirty details that go on behind the scenes of games that you just don't get explained in any tutorial.
Not everything needs to be explained in a tutorial. In fact, I like when games don't explain anything in a tutorial at all and try to organically show you how their mechanics work.

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OldFatGuy: For example, what exactly is the advantage of attacking a skeleton with a bludgeoning weapon versus a slashing one? Ever see that explained in a tutorial? That's the kind of stuff that used to be in manuals.
And that's also the kind of stuff which should be integrated into UI in form of item descriptions or such. Pillars of Eternity, for example, highlights important concepts in-text and you get information on how exactly those concepts work when you hover over them with your mouse. So every time any of that info is relevant, it is readily accessible (with all of that info also contained in the in-game codex section). Now that's good UI design.

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OldFatGuy: You think that's a positive step, okay, I think it's three steps in the wrong direction. And not that I have anything against tutorials or wikis, as I don't wish they would go away, I just want my manual that I can carry with me (after I print it out if it's an electronic version) to the reading room. So I'll just continue to vote with my wallet and voice by letting them know this is a sale they would've had but for a manual. if they don't care (and I suspect they don't) then they won't change a thing and will never make manuals (and I won't change a thing and won't buy their games). And the sun will still come up.
I think you're missing out by not giving new concepts a chance because of what seems to just be pointless conservatism. You said it yourself - that voting will not achieve anything, what I was describing earlier is quite widespread in modern game design, and is getting progressively more fleshed out. Now I'm not saying manuals are always bad, for games as complex as, say, Europa Universalis, having a manual would be neat to have a handy quick-reference guide for the incredibly complicated mechanics. But for a game as simple with its gameplay as Ironclad? No need to waste time on writing one.
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Fenixp: Still, I think the important bit here is that games nowadays are designed around not needing manual - intead of writing up a ton of words about their games, game designers are slowly learning to create games in such a way that those words are not needed at all. Instead of spending time writing a manual, it's common practice to spend time to make a game intuitive and easy to learn - effectively rendering manuals useless. I have no clue how good UI and tutorial are in Ironclad specifically, but the move away from non-interactive media to explain interactive videogames is generally a positive one.
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OldFatGuy: And I think it's important to include some aggregation of the down and dirty details that go on behind the scenes of games that you just don't get explained in any tutorial. For example, what exactly is the advantage of attacking a skeleton with a bludgeoning weapon versus a slashing one? Ever see that explained in a tutorial? That's the kind of stuff that used to be in manuals. Then manuals got skimpier and they started appearing solely in extra purchased "game guides" and now manuals are disappearing altogether and one is expected to look up the wiki.

You think that's a positive step, okay, I think it's three steps in the wrong direction. And not that I have anything against tutorials or wikis, as I don't wish they would go away, I just want my manual that I can carry with me (after I print it out if it's an electronic version) to the reading room. So I'll just continue to vote with my wallet and voice by letting them know this is a sale they would've had but for a manual. if they don't care (and I suspect they don't) then they won't change a thing and will never make manuals (and I won't change a thing and won't buy their games). And the sun will still come up.
while i don't outright refuse to buy games that don't have manuals, i completely understand where you're coming from :)
Has anyone bought it already and can confirm, that GOG's version doesn't have multiplayer and co-op?
I suppose TIS-100 is planned to be released here as well in the future ?

I really love those guys. They really get all the subtleties of 'Good Original Gameplay'.
Post edited June 23, 2015 by Potzato
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amok: Mate, this is not GOG.... this is DRM-Free GOG!

Because you know, DRM-free needs to DRM-free be DRM-free mentioned at all DRM-free opportunists, just in case you forget that GOG is DRM-free, beacuse you know, it is DRM-free. Which is why we need to mention that it is DRM-free as much as we DRM-free must! Just because we DRM-free care!
Yeah, I've noticed already for a long time that you and certain others are annoyed by the whole DRM-free aspect of GOG.

I never figured out why it is annoying you so much, It isn't any more of a crime than promoting old classics, because, you know, Steam and other places have old games too, and they don't make any big number of them you know! Bloody murder! Damn you "Good Old Games", even promoting old games in their name! Marketing bull!

Get over it.
Post edited June 23, 2015 by timppu
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LordCinnamon: Wait, is it still true that you can only unlock some of the cards through multi-player? That's.. not ideal.
Apparently there's a New Game Plus mode now that allows you to unlock the cards that previously needed multiplayer to unlock: http://www.zachtronics.com/new-game-plus/

Anti-social completionists rejoice!
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OldFatGuy: Nice to see so many supportive gamers here. You know, I think I'll start advocating for all games to REQUIRE to be played with game controllers, because fuck all of you others who just insist on sticking with the keyboard and mouse. that's the ticket.

I mean because I want a manual, but you don't like manuals, you would insist I'm being "crazy" or "stupid" then I suppose all you idiots out there that insist on sticking with the old school keyboard and mouse are just morons and I hope all games no longer give you that option.

Assholes
+1 although I'm a k+m-player...

@game
Turns with 5sec time limits. No, thank you. I'm to old for that kind of madness...