Hello, everyone. Happy New Year. I propose adding a team-based game mode similar to 1000 Miles, where two or more groups compete against each other. This would introduce a new strategic dimension by allowing team coordination and more dynamic confrontations.

The mechanics would be simple: each team coordinates their cards and strategies to make the opposing team explode, with the last team standing winning.

Nice idea!

I think it's a great idea.

great idea!. was thinking the same earlier haha.

Hello,

AS in all card games played in teams, you aren't supposed to talk explicitly about what you have or don't have in hand, or where are the exploding kittens, and I don't see how you can give clues only by playing cards. You aren't supposed to share any play code in advance either. From there, I don't see well how you could agree on a strategy or simply exchange useful information indirectly with your teammates.

Exchanging card with your teammates isn't an option either, since it reveals what you have in hand for everybody, not only your teammates. For example if you give a defuse card to your friend, it probably means that you have another one for yourself.

The only obvious thing I have in mind right now to help your teammates is playing defuse and nop cards on their behalf as needed. I'm not convinced that it would really bring something interesting to the game.

I don't say that exploding kittens isn't suited for teamplay, but currently I just don't seee well in what it would be interesting. Maybe you could develop a little more what you think teamplay would bring to the game, and what you could do to help your teammates.

Hi Aminiel,
My friends and I have been playing in simulated teams, and I'd like to share an insight. While it's exciting when one team makes the other explode, we've found an issue - the survivors must face each other at the end. It creates this odd feeling where even if your team wins, exploding in the final showdown feels like a loss.
Team play can add so much more than you might think. Beyond using Nope or Defuse cards as you mentioned, teammates can share valuable cards through Favor, reveal deck information with Divination, or even manipulate cards to help allies get better draws or dodge those pesky exploding kittens.
When teams sit in alternating order, it naturally prevents using Attack cards against teammates. All strategic coordination would happen through private messages, just like in 1000 Miles, with the last team standing claiming victory - no need for internal battles.
You should consider two approaches to eliminations: either the whole team exits when one member explodes, or just the affected player leaves. The second option keeps more players involved but could leave solo players facing tough odds.

@Alef_prime , no, you are not supposed to private message your teammate in 1000 miles,or in any other game for that matter.

Wait, I thought we could. It is how I did it back in the day. But why not?

And why wouldn't it be possible?

Mainly because in real world when you play these games with your friends, you are not allowed to communicate with your teammate, that'd be considered cheating. So, the same applied to playroom games. Spades Belot, Jass 1K Miles etc.

Hello,

here are good arguments why you shouldn't talk about your hands or exchange any information about the game privately, almost in all game.

First of all, the playroom has been foundamentally built upon the principle to make digital adaptations of card, board and dice games that you can play at a real table, with real people physically present at the same place. No more, no less.
Of course there are exceptions, ducks' race is probably physically impossible, and we have arcade mode reserved for audiogames.
However, I have always been and am still quite attached to keep this in mind when possible (except arcade mode of course). Exploding kittens isn't an exception, it's a real existing game, you can order a physical deck, and given that you put braille or whatever on the cards, you could play it.

Given that, obviously you can't talk or exchange information privately to yourr teammates without notice, and if your opponents notice any sign of communication under the table, it's obviously cheating.

Why not allow private talk. But in this case, you change the spirit, you change the game completely.
But wait, there is more. Let's say that we allow private talk. Exploding kittens is designed to be fast-passed, i.e. you shouldn't take ages playing your turn.
Obviously, while you are writing to your teammates, you don't play, breaking the whole dynamic of the game. And even if you are on voice chat, it's kind of over-exagerated thinking time.
It might be acceptable in a game where you can (and should) take your time playing your turn, chess for example. But probably not in a game where you are supposed to play quite fast like here.

So, now, after this post, I'm pretty convinced that Exploding kittens can't be reasonably played in teams, except if we create or use other cards with teamplay in mind and/or change the effect of existing cards.
A variant of divination where the whole team could see the cards could be one of them. Maybe such an extra pack exists, but if not, we can't just throw a few modifications like that and hope that it will work well. We have to think about it, it can't be completely random trial/errors.