When Factions became playable, I made this blog. Since then there has been some Alpha testing with barely legible playtest cards. This phase ensured that the game could be played smoothly, that there weren't any big gameplay holes, and that it was fun. Our strategic understanding of the game took off during this phase and I was able to tweak costs and curves based on practical experience. There was also a lot of balancing to be done, though this was not a primary concern.
With some testing completed, I was able to cut down our enormous and complex card pool to a more palatable 189 cards. I called this setlist Beta and put together some much more attractive playtest cards. Some color on the cards really helps distinguish them, which is important given the number of cards in front of you at a given time. Beta testing has just begun and there have already been some minor rules modifications and power level changes.
One of my main concerns going into Beta was that game length might be problematic. During Alpha, we barely understood how the game worked and were inundated in complexity. In Beta, things are smoother. Turns go quicker, it's easier to size up the board, and this gives you more time to think about strategic plays. Beta testing has so far been great fun and I'm looking forward to an enjoyable process.
