Trading Up! Rising from Rags to Riches

"Trade Up! From Rags to Riches" is an unique social card game where players immerse themselves in the world of asian-european commercial trades. The game is designed for 3 to 6 players and focus on simulating such trades with the objective of "climbing up in life", represented though our social class status.

The goal of the game is to be the first to reach 150 points, representing the Upper-Class Status. To get there, the players will have to complete certain objectives to collect points and trade their items with the intent to climb faster than anyone else!

All of the cards represent the materials that were most commonly sold and our play style represents our own merchant stand. You make your own luck, so remember that sometimes a good argument, deals or even bluffs may be your best friends.

"Trade Up!" was made for an academic project inspired by a visit to Fundação do Oriente in Lisbon, where multiple exhibitions about Portuguese presence in Asia, european-asian commerce and Diverse items of asian culture were displayed. Be smart and join the quest for an Elite Status.

  

Main features

• Strategic gameplay: Trade Up! is a game that requires players to think strategically in order to negociate with other players while hiding their true intents. Everyone want to make the best deals for themselves! So bluff and argument skills will be your best friends.
• Playtime: Depending on the games version you may take up to 15 minutes (70 cards) or 25 minutes (100 cards), making it the perfect choice for a casual and fun experience with family and friends. 
• Unique theme: The game is inspired by oriental culture and its connection with the european market. Items such the fans and the materials that used to be imported from one plane to another inspired the unique gameplay and made this unique game's core thematic.
• Replayability: With a range os 3 - 6 players, two game modes changing between 70-100 cards and multiple possible combinations of resources / missions, the outcomes are immense! No game will ever be the same with Trade Up! as the game progression will always be up to the players deals to suit their needs, therefore no game will ever be the same!

 

Some interesting facts 

• Our intention with this game is to try and simulate the Presence of the Portuguese in Asia's commercial trades. In Asia, the merchants were the lowest possible social class and so our objective is to climb up via our wealth, climbing up in social status that are represented by the different types of asian fans, props used and recognized in the society as a symbol of class and status.
• Our card's all represent the 8 most traded materials at the time, being: Silk, Lacquer, Porcelain, Paintings and the four types of fans (Brisé, Mandarin, Pleated and Commemorative). In addition, we also represent the intent to trade opium (a very adictive and requisited susbtance) that was heavily restricted and its represented in this game as one of the trading resources, being both the most valuable one and the rarest of all. 
• Our inspiration for the Game's Mechanics were the Commerce Simulation, with the intent to give a freedom of negociation between players and the Asian culture of fans and social recognition.
• Our Art Style tries to simulate the old chinese card games, being thin black and white cards with minimalist looks (either patterns and strokes or small images of human figure, animals or landscapes).
• In addition to its fun and interactive gameplay, "Trade Up!" also offers a chance to learn more about the european trades with asia and its rich and culture filled history.

The Studio

Trade Up! From Rags to Riches® was developed by NebulaRider's Studios® for an academic project with the objective of making an analog card game within a week. The theme chosen was the the Portuguese presence in Asia regarding the european commerce in Asia.

The Team:

• Filipe Silva - Instagram
• Martim Alves - Artstation, Instagram, LinkedIn
  
• Pedro Ferreira - Artstation, Instagram, LinkedIn