But you also set Amonkhet was not )THE( Egypt plane. And also call Amonkhet ]a[ Bolas set.
All this while Amonkhet has been stated to be the Egypt set of the block, and Hour of Devastation being the Bolas set of the block. So HOU is }a{ Bolas set, but AKH is just being slightly influenced by Bolas in addition to being )a(n Egypt set. Calling Amonkhet ">a< Bolas set" is like calling Zendikar or Worldwake ">a<n Eldrazi set".
The stark contrast between Zendikar ">the< adventure world" and Zendikar ">a<n Eldrazi world" is notable for informing the expectations disappointed in Return to Zendikar. We also got to know the difference made by moving an interplanar threat to a new setting - and have a suggestion/promise that the next return to Zendikar would again focus on the "adventure world" aspect.
This is where it is important to think about post-Bolas Amonkhet. If you take into account that a set returning to the plane post-Bolas could exist you have to wonder, what would the identity of that set consistent with the past be? The other way around as well: Returning to he Egypt theme, why would or wouldn't they return to Amonkhet? The only reason they wouldn't I imagine right now is if the plane gets rendered unusable as an outcome of the current storyline.
Amonkhet is the plane representing ancient mythological Egypt right now - the only thing it is not supposed to represent about Egyptian tropes is modern "archaeological digs uncovering an ancient civilization" Egypt and that's really not so different from how Theros is about ancient mythological Greece rather than what it's like to live where that ancient civilization once was.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Planar Chaos was not a mistake neither was it random. You might want to look at it again.
[thread=239793][Game] Level Up - Creature[/thread]
Could they really not be bothered to get some actual artwork for the front and centre of the set? I'm generally not opposed to CGI but this looks really poor
Except nothing in the image is visibily 'computer-generated' in the traditional sense of the word. It was painted in Photoshop, using digital brushes rather than regular ones.
I personally think the "Urgh, CGI" is exceptionally lazy criticism. Just because they don't hand draw the art anymore doesn't mean it's not good art!
Well, with people also coming in and saying "I have no problem with CGI, but this looks poor" (paraphrased) you get an idea that maybe the problem isn't that this isn't hand-drawn, but has certain characteristics bad CGI is known for that is generally recognized. This isn't criticized for being nontraditionally created, but for looking poor. It just happens to be that the specific kind of characteristics that cause this piece of art to be perceived as "not good art" are qualities that are associated with CGI due to early CG-models having a similar unnatural "uncanny" quality.
tl;dr: People don't all say "this is not good art because it is digitally made", but I read "this is not good art because it looks like bad CGI we know (indepenent of how it is made)".
Also as a godd rule of thumb half of the people who unfortunately said something that means the first if taken literally, actually intent to say the second anyway and would have no problem changing their turn of phrase if confronted about it in a friendly manner. And if you take that into account maybe there is something to this stance. Though I am mostly swayed by a strange perspective thing that my brain doesn't want to accept and that looks like there is some sort of z-plane or clipping error between the wings and the second row of monoliths in the region of what I believe is called propatagium.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Planar Chaos was not a mistake neither was it random. You might want to look at it again.
[thread=239793][Game] Level Up - Creature[/thread]
As far as CGI effects go, I see lights, shadows, and textures, so I don't think "bad CGI" is the problem. The problem is Bolas' eyebrows and mouth which look different from his past portrayals. It's kinda like how Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas looks like a villain from the latest sci-fi action movie in his 20s or 30s and Tezzeret the Schemer looks like some kind of villainous diplomat from a British film in his 50s or 60s.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
MTGS Wikia Article about "New World Order"
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
PSA to everyone who keeps forgetting about the Reserved List:
You're on a website dedicated to talking about MtG. You're only a few keystrokes away from finding out what cards are on the Reserved List. You're also only a few keystrokes away from finding out why some cards on the Reserved List got foil printings in FtV, as Judge promos, or whatnot, as well as why that won't happen again. Stop doing this.
It's pretty bad. It looks like it's from a mid 90s videogame. The posture is also funny. The colour palette is just terrible.
If this is the Bolas planeswalker card, I'm out of the next set.
What happened to the beatiful mtg art?
I was disappointed we did not get pure Egypt World. They concentrated the entire plane into one city instead of it being an entire Nile colony with multiple locations and dumbed it down that way to make room for Bolas crap. Who asked for Bolas World? Where was it on the Short List? Oh wait, I forgot that we can't have anything in this game independent of Planeswalkers and everything having to do with Planeswalkers. Not even the planes themselves, entire worlds, matter as much as marketing Planeswalkers because Planeswalkers. There are literally no settings in this game, just a group of stale ass characters repeated over and over.
I'm super amped for Bolas' return. I love the idea of and possibilities for the character. I am very happy to see them bring him back via a mystery of what kind of influence he has over the plane - very "Bolasy"
Meh on the art - I just can't wait to see the abilities
EDIT: On second look - I actually enjoy the art. It makes Bolas look very imposing and I love how the sand is circling around him - his more exaggerated horns look good, more distinguishable and menacing.
Am I the only one bothered that Bolas's name is misspelt in the thread title? Nicole Bolas sounds like a gender-swapped version of the elder dragon planeswalker.
It looks terrible. Not good detail, appears faded/pixelated. Most of the image is just dust. The only part I actually like is the background sky. Just not a fan at all
I was disappointed we did not get pure Egypt World. They concentrated the entire plane into one city instead of it being an entire Nile colony with multiple locations and dumbed it down that way to make room for Bolas crap. Who asked for Bolas World? Where was it on the Short List? Oh wait, I forgot that we can't have anything in this game independent of Planeswalkers and everything having to do with Planeswalkers. Not even the planes themselves, entire worlds, matter as much as marketing Planeswalkers because Planeswalkers. There are literally no settings in this game, just a group of stale ass characters repeated over and over.
Yes Bolas world was decided to be more attractive than Egypt world. After all: He was the big bad evil for a very long time, changed how everything happened in Time Spiral block, Shards of Alara block, Mirrodin block, Zendikar block, (..long pause..), Khans of Tarkir block and finally Kaladesh block. It has been 10 years of lead-up to this moment where we finally see Nicol Bolas again. Nothing could be more interesting.
Even though they COULD have had a little less focus on Planeswalkers these last ten years.
Eh personally I'm pretty sick of the big bad super powerful super brilliant villain who plans out everything and has a million schemes in motion and is just so perfect and amazing. It's such an overdone trope by this point that I roll my eyes every time the story focuses on him. He's not a real character with motivations and emotions (Sorry, "power" is not a motivation. Why does he want power? To be more powerful? Barf) he's a lazy one dimensional archetype.
I was disappointed we did not get pure Egypt World. They concentrated the entire plane into one city instead of it being an entire Nile colony with multiple locations and dumbed it down that way to make room for Bolas crap. Who asked for Bolas World? Where was it on the Short List? Oh wait, I forgot that we can't have anything in this game independent of Planeswalkers and everything having to do with Planeswalkers. Not even the planes themselves, entire worlds, matter as much as marketing Planeswalkers because Planeswalkers. There are literally no settings in this game, just a group of stale ass characters repeated over and over.
Yes Bolas world was decided to be more attractive than Egypt world. After all: He was the big bad evil for a very long time, changed how everything happened in Time Spiral block, Shards of Alara block, Mirrodin block, Zendikar block, (..long pause..), Khans of Tarkir block and finally Kaladesh block. It has been 10 years of lead-up to this moment where we finally see Nicol Bolas again. Nothing could be more interesting.
Even though they COULD have had a little less focus on Planeswalkers these last ten years.
Eh personally I'm pretty sick of the big bad super powerful super brilliant villain who plans out everything and has a million schemes in motion and is just so perfect and amazing. It's such an overdone trope by this point that I roll my eyes every time the story focuses on him. He's not a real character with motivations and emotions (Sorry, "power" is not a motivation. Why does he want power? To be more powerful? Barf) he's a lazy one dimensional archetype.
It's been years since Bolas was written about with any sort of depth - perhaps some of your questions will be answered. His status as an enigma is far more interesting than their current repertoire of characters.
It's been years since Bolas was written about with any sort of depth - perhaps some of your questions will be answered. His status as an enigma is far more interesting than their current repertoire of characters.
Magic post-Origins is some of the laziest, weakest writing I have seen for the game since the Invasion trillogy (Liliana, a Planeswalker hundreds of years old, calling Jace "Cloak Boy" is nauseating) so I'm not holding my breath for Bolas getting meaningful characterisation.
If bolas doesn't wipe the floor with the gatewatch I'm gonna be pissed. It shouldn't even be close. Here's hoping he kills gideon before they flee the world to lick their wounds.
It's been years since Bolas was written about with any sort of depth - perhaps some of your questions will be answered. His status as an enigma is far more interesting than their current repertoire of characters.
Magic post-Origins is some of the laziest, weakest writing I have seen for the game since the Invasion trillogy (Liliana, a Planeswalker hundreds of years old, calling Jace "Cloak Boy" is nauseating) so I'm not holding my breath for Bolas getting meaningful characterisation.
Yeah....I really can't argue with that...I've made similar comments recently
>The< in this case can be followed by "end all be all" while >a< can be followed by "taking moderate inspiration from".
All this while Amonkhet has been stated to be the Egypt set of the block, and Hour of Devastation being the Bolas set of the block. So HOU is }a{ Bolas set, but AKH is just being slightly influenced by Bolas in addition to being )a(n Egypt set. Calling Amonkhet ">a< Bolas set" is like calling Zendikar or Worldwake ">a<n Eldrazi set".
The stark contrast between Zendikar ">the< adventure world" and Zendikar ">a<n Eldrazi world" is notable for informing the expectations disappointed in Return to Zendikar. We also got to know the difference made by moving an interplanar threat to a new setting - and have a suggestion/promise that the next return to Zendikar would again focus on the "adventure world" aspect.
This is where it is important to think about post-Bolas Amonkhet. If you take into account that a set returning to the plane post-Bolas could exist you have to wonder, what would the identity of that set consistent with the past be? The other way around as well: Returning to he Egypt theme, why would or wouldn't they return to Amonkhet? The only reason they wouldn't I imagine right now is if the plane gets rendered unusable as an outcome of the current storyline.
Amonkhet is the plane representing ancient mythological Egypt right now - the only thing it is not supposed to represent about Egyptian tropes is modern "archaeological digs uncovering an ancient civilization" Egypt and that's really not so different from how Theros is about ancient mythological Greece rather than what it's like to live where that ancient civilization once was.
Finally a good white villain quote: "So, do I ever re-evaluate my life choices? Never, because I know what I'm doing is a righteous cause."
Factions: Sleeping
Remnants: Valheim
Legendary Journey: Heroes & Planeswalkers
Saga: Shards of Rabiah
Legends: The Elder Dragons
Read up on Red Flags & NWO
Except nothing in the image is visibily 'computer-generated' in the traditional sense of the word. It was painted in Photoshop, using digital brushes rather than regular ones.
Abzan Traverse / Traverse Shadow / UR Kiki
Well, with people also coming in and saying "I have no problem with CGI, but this looks poor" (paraphrased) you get an idea that maybe the problem isn't that this isn't hand-drawn, but has certain characteristics bad CGI is known for that is generally recognized. This isn't criticized for being nontraditionally created, but for looking poor. It just happens to be that the specific kind of characteristics that cause this piece of art to be perceived as "not good art" are qualities that are associated with CGI due to early CG-models having a similar unnatural "uncanny" quality.
tl;dr: People don't all say "this is not good art because it is digitally made", but I read "this is not good art because it looks like bad CGI we know (indepenent of how it is made)".
Also as a godd rule of thumb half of the people who unfortunately said something that means the first if taken literally, actually intent to say the second anyway and would have no problem changing their turn of phrase if confronted about it in a friendly manner. And if you take that into account maybe there is something to this stance. Though I am mostly swayed by a strange perspective thing that my brain doesn't want to accept and that looks like there is some sort of z-plane or clipping error between the wings and the second row of monoliths in the region of what I believe is called propatagium.
Finally a good white villain quote: "So, do I ever re-evaluate my life choices? Never, because I know what I'm doing is a righteous cause."
Factions: Sleeping
Remnants: Valheim
Legendary Journey: Heroes & Planeswalkers
Saga: Shards of Rabiah
Legends: The Elder Dragons
Read up on Red Flags & NWO
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
3 bolas are coming
Archenemy 2
Hour of devastation
His PW deck
May his return be swift.
Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest WUR Voltron Control
Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun WU Unblockable Mirror Trickery
Ra's al Ghul (Sidar Kondo) and Face-Down Ninjas
Brudiclad, Token Engineer
Vaevictis (VV2) the Dire Lantern
Rona, Disciple of Gix
Tiana the Auror
Hallar
Ulrich the Politician
Zur the Rebel
Scorpion, Locust, Scarab, Egyptian Gods
O-Kagachi, Mathas, Mairsil
"Non-Tribal" Tribal Generals, Eggs
(EDIT: it was here)
I know archenemy bolas is just a reprint I just included it because it's still technically new art of Walker bolas.
You'll not buy / quit playing the next set because one of the planeswalker arts might suck?
|| UW Jace, Vyn's Prodigy UW || UG Kenessos, Priest of Thassa (feat. Arixmethes) UG ||
Cards I still want to see created:
|| Olantin, Lost City || Pavios and Thanasis || Choryu ||
Meh on the art - I just can't wait to see the abilities
EDIT: On second look - I actually enjoy the art. It makes Bolas look very imposing and I love how the sand is circling around him - his more exaggerated horns look good, more distinguishable and menacing.
Eh personally I'm pretty sick of the big bad super powerful super brilliant villain who plans out everything and has a million schemes in motion and is just so perfect and amazing. It's such an overdone trope by this point that I roll my eyes every time the story focuses on him. He's not a real character with motivations and emotions (Sorry, "power" is not a motivation. Why does he want power? To be more powerful? Barf) he's a lazy one dimensional archetype.
It's been years since Bolas was written about with any sort of depth - perhaps some of your questions will be answered. His status as an enigma is far more interesting than their current repertoire of characters.
Magic post-Origins is some of the laziest, weakest writing I have seen for the game since the Invasion trillogy (Liliana, a Planeswalker hundreds of years old, calling Jace "Cloak Boy" is nauseating) so I'm not holding my breath for Bolas getting meaningful characterisation.
Except this was hand drawn, using a stylus.
Abzan Traverse / Traverse Shadow / UR Kiki
Yeah....I really can't argue with that...I've made similar comments recently
Well, yeah, but you said they don't hand draw the art anymore. Which they do.
Abzan Traverse / Traverse Shadow / UR Kiki
It's hard to imagine how that grandpa became one of the most notorious villains of the entire multiverse.