I wonder if the app is gonna cache the card images on your phone so you can search offline. Their wording seems to indicate yes, but I doubt they're that generous.
I loved it until they mentioned that I'd have to pay to update with new cards to build a deck. I've got apps that do that already for no additional cost.
If they were smart, this app would be free in all ways. That way they can advertise their events or do whatever else they wanted to a larger audience. As it stands, I'm not going to invest time in their app when I know it will only cost me more money down the road, in addition to the large amount I spend on their product already.
I really hope the Gatherer function is not limited to an online connection, that would make it just useless
Can you imagine how HUGE the file would be though if it were all included pics? Not to mention the huge update you'd have to pay for 4 times a year JUST for expansions, not including the other updates for technical bug fixes? Online might be useless for some, but phones these days increasingly use WiFi, which many people have and can use for free at home, or in their fave shops.
I think this is great, and honestly looks like a fantastic option for Andriod users. I love the store search ability, though mtgfinder.com is likely going to be a bit better on the phone compared to WOTCs widget on their main site since it loads with Google Maps... which is buggy and slow to load.
WHICH is funny because you can only get MTGO in Windows (so all of us who dislike Microsquash and use Linux (or those that run Macs)) unless you virtual machine to...WINDOWS because of the stupid .NET framework that is required.
Now they go iOS on us. I think WotC should give us all iPads to download this on.
To be honest, I'm not impressed by it. I much prefer the standard of pulling out my cards and looking at them and using a pen/paper or an app made free (by free, I mean, ZERO charges (donations don't count)).
As it stands, I just use my spreadsheets to do everything and it's worked for me so far.
WHICH is funny because you can only get MTGO in Windows (so all of us who dislike Microsquash and use Linux (or those that run Macs)) unless you virtual machine to...WINDOWS because of the stupid .NET framework that is required.
I have boycotted MODO until they make a OSX-version.
Now they go iOS on us. I think WotC should give us all iPads to download this on.
To be honest, I'm not impressed by it. I much prefer the standard of pulling out my cards and looking at them and using a pen/paper or an app made free (by free, I mean, ZERO charges (donations don't count)).
Unfortunatly programs like these still cost a lot of money to develop. I own an iOS and Android development company myself, and can first hand say that people often underestimate the development cost of apps.
My guess is that if Wizards have hired a company to make this for them, they have paid atleast $20K for the first version of the app (unless there's a software dev company that really values WotC as a reference). So getting it for free is not very likely, and if you do you end up paying by higher pack-prices or similar anyway, and that doesn't seem fair for those without smartphones...
I really hope the Gatherer function is not limited to an online connection, that would make it just useless
MTGJudge has oracle text only for all cards, plus the Comp Rules and IPG all offline. If you can identify the most played cards by picture (because who's going to play this?), then all you'll need is name and text.
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personally, I hope they port the android one over to my Kindle fire. Or that the kindle fire hacks start coming through to let me run just normal android apps simply.
Unfortunatly programs like these still cost a lot of money to develop. I own an iOS and Android development company myself, and can first hand say that people often underestimate the development cost of apps.
My guess is that if Wizards have hired a company to make this for them, they have paid atleast $20K for the first version of the app (unless there's a software dev company that really values WotC as a reference). So getting it for free is not very likely, and if you do you end up paying by higher pack-prices or similar anyway, and that doesn't seem fair for those without smartphones...
Honestly, this is probably funded out of their marketing budget. The fact that nearly identical programs already exist, and are already free kind of limits the effectiveness of charging for this. If I go to the Android App store, and see 5 MTG life trackers for free, and one for $0.99... which do you think I will "buy"?
I'm still perplexed by the lack of an MTGO app; the touch interface of the iPad is so ridiculously suited to playing virtual Magic that I would have thought SOMEONE at Wizards would be pushing the issue. The whole .NET framework does seem to be a plausible stumbling block, but surely there's a way around that? I mean, if an iPad can run high-graphic games, surely it could manage MTGO?
I just hope that the additional fee for keeping it updated isn't high. :[
Still, seems like a really awesome app! Very excited for it. Even without the updated card database, it's looks like it's got a lot of other very cool features.
Can you imagine how HUGE the file would be though if it were all included pics? Not to mention the huge update you'd have to pay for 4 times a year JUST for expansions, not including the other updates for technical bug fixes
An image cache is 1.9GB. Each additional set adds 20MB. It's completely doable, and has in fact been done on apps already as an optional download. I do agree with you that wizards won't add this, but there's no good reason why they couldn't.
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The apps we have for mtg at the moment are kinda meh compared to those on iOS.
MTG tracker is awesome, and does everything you need, and has a sweet UI too boot.
The only "plus" I see with this one over MTGtracker is the ability to track more peoples life totals as well as additional tallies (like poison).
That said... I haven't updated mtgtracker in a while so maybe thats in there as well now.
Not only can MTG tracker go up to 8 players, it does poison, and you can use it for 2HG and EDH games (and it keeps track of general damage). It also has card lookup and instant price searchs. And it's free, and updates for free.
This is definitely cool. The first part I loved about it was the fact they said it was FREE, which is great. It looks like a decent app, too. Nice set up, not to mention it has so many functions. I love how you can check prices, see SPOILERS and news, and even build decks! Wizards definitely gets an A on this idea. I bet the new Fee for the sets released is probably like 99 cents, which I could see being useful as well as rather cheap, too. If you play MTG a lot, this is definitely worth it.
Update fees? I lol'd. No thanks, WotC, I'll stick with iMTG. In-app purchases are fine by me for extra features, but not something as mandatory as new card data.
If they were smart, this app would be free in all ways. That way they can advertise their events or do whatever else they wanted to a larger audience. As it stands, I'm not going to invest time in their app when I know it will only cost me more money down the road, in addition to the large amount I spend on their product already.
Can you imagine how HUGE the file would be though if it were all included pics? Not to mention the huge update you'd have to pay for 4 times a year JUST for expansions, not including the other updates for technical bug fixes? Online might be useless for some, but phones these days increasingly use WiFi, which many people have and can use for free at home, or in their fave shops.
I think this is great, and honestly looks like a fantastic option for Andriod users. I love the store search ability, though mtgfinder.com is likely going to be a bit better on the phone compared to WOTCs widget on their main site since it loads with Google Maps... which is buggy and slow to load.
WHICH is funny because you can only get MTGO in Windows (so all of us who dislike Microsquash and use Linux (or those that run Macs)) unless you virtual machine to...WINDOWS because of the stupid .NET framework that is required.
Now they go iOS on us. I think WotC should give us all iPads to download this on.
To be honest, I'm not impressed by it. I much prefer the standard of pulling out my cards and looking at them and using a pen/paper or an app made free (by free, I mean, ZERO charges (donations don't count)).
As it stands, I just use my spreadsheets to do everything and it's worked for me so far.
I have boycotted MODO until they make a OSX-version.
Unfortunatly programs like these still cost a lot of money to develop. I own an iOS and Android development company myself, and can first hand say that people often underestimate the development cost of apps.
My guess is that if Wizards have hired a company to make this for them, they have paid atleast $20K for the first version of the app (unless there's a software dev company that really values WotC as a reference). So getting it for free is not very likely, and if you do you end up paying by higher pack-prices or similar anyway, and that doesn't seem fair for those without smartphones...
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MTGJudge has oracle text only for all cards, plus the Comp Rules and IPG all offline. If you can identify the most played cards by picture (because who's going to play this?), then all you'll need is name and text.
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Honestly, this is probably funded out of their marketing budget. The fact that nearly identical programs already exist, and are already free kind of limits the effectiveness of charging for this. If I go to the Android App store, and see 5 MTG life trackers for free, and one for $0.99... which do you think I will "buy"?
The only "plus" I see with this one over MTGtracker is the ability to track more peoples life totals as well as additional tallies (like poison).
That said... I haven't updated mtgtracker in a while so maybe thats in there as well now.
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Still, seems like a really awesome app! Very excited for it. Even without the updated card database, it's looks like it's got a lot of other very cool features.
An image cache is 1.9GB. Each additional set adds 20MB. It's completely doable, and has in fact been done on apps already as an optional download. I do agree with you that wizards won't add this, but there's no good reason why they couldn't.
Hoping for a cure, or at least an outbreak.
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MTG tracker is awesome, and does everything you need, and has a sweet UI too boot.
Not only can MTG tracker go up to 8 players, it does poison, and you can use it for 2HG and EDH games (and it keeps track of general damage). It also has card lookup and instant price searchs. And it's free, and updates for free.
I'll be sticking with it.
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How would it be better than iMTG which is completely free and has an awesome interface? Or any of the other apps already out there and free to use.