I'm a world history passionate - in the same way I also love MTG - so I decided to combine those nerdy passions into a single project. I'm going to explain the set's proposal bellow, but first I would like to say that the set does not intend to be merged with any existing format, it is supposed to be a kind of cube experience heavily focused on World History and with some minor deviant from MTG rules.
All the aspects of the set are still under development, critics and suggestions are widely welcome.
According to Wikipedia: “The long 19th century is a term coined for the period between the years 1789 and 1914 by Russian literary critic and author Ilya Ehrenburg and British Marxist historian and author Eric Hobsbawm. […]
Hobsbawn starts his long 19th century with the French Revolution, which sought to establish universal and egalitarian citizenship in France, and ends it with the outbreak of World War I, upon the conclusion of which in 1918 the long-enduring European power balance of the 19th century proper (1801–1900) was eliminated.”
My intention here is to build a set top-down inspired in the events occurred world-wide during that period of time. I know this period is based in an European-centric view, however, as a non-European – I’m a Brazilian –, I would like to include as many marginal events as possible: from Americas’ independence – not America’s per se because it would escape from the time lapse – and civil wars, colonial struggles in Africa and Asia, revolutionary movements, etc.
As everybody knows in MTG the colours have theirs' owns philosophies (interests, plans, perspectives, etc.). For many times I tried to apply that simplistic (although well formulated) “pentatonic” view to a real world scenario, but as we know reality is far more complex than a game, so I decided to superficially delimitate to each of the colours some traits I thought necessary, and let the rest evolve as the development runs.
WWhiteW
White, being the colour of Security, aims to restrict the unbalance and instabilities of national and international order. It is the colour of certitude by excellence, avoiding radical changes and preventing the erosion of its way of living from external influences. The royal families and aristocracy are the main representatives of White. Land type: Palace.
UBlueU
Blue is commonly associated as the colour of knowledge, the intelligence capable of promoting a general Justice. These aspect in Blue might seen misplaced at first glance, but the pure motivation of development would be empty if it didn’t represent the impulse to achieving the greater-good, a improvement towards perfection. Progressivist such as scientists, scholars and philosophers are associated with Blue. Land type: Seaport.
BBlackB
Black’s main target is Liberty, the individual freedom and the emancipation of one by its own means. It is the most individualist colour, but it doesn’t means selfishness or egocentrism, the typical black acknowledge that every human being has the right and capability to progress, and in doing so it leads to a better future. The capitalist entrepreneur and the self-made men are the best examples of Black. Land type: Industry.
RRedR
Red pursues the Well-being of people at any cost, so it is the colour who least abides frustration and most fights for changes, even if radical ones. That driving force of Red can be focused in a myriad of smaller goals like freedom, self-determination and equality, which can result in an aggressive impulse towards changes. The typical Red are the revolutionaries and social leaders. Land type: Town.
GGreenG
Green is the colour of Order and harmony, it perceives the world as given and enjoys being part of it. The balance sought by Green may be among equals or between a vassal and its superior, but that doesn’t mean that the colour is passive or tolerant to abuses, it is used to the way it lives and will fight for maintaining it. Traditional societies and institutions (such as churches) are Green’s best samples. Land type: Countryside.
Loosely based on political/social structures from the period I tried to compose colour pairs/archetypes that could fit nice into a multiplayer format and still hold all the historical flavour.
WU: Enlightened Despotism (Control) UB: Industrial Revolution (Artifact-matter) BR: Popular Republic (Aggro) RG: Trade Union Movement (Labourer Tribal) GW: Absolute Monarchies (Group Hug, Mid-Range) WB: Imperialist Powers (Mid-Range) UR: Enlightened Idealist (Spellsling, Combo) BG: Agricultural Economics (-0/-1 Counters, Ramp) RW: Military States (Tempo Aggro, Aura/Equipment matter) GU: Colonial Nations (Tokens or Land-matter)
Mechanics:
I’m still thinking about specific originals mechanics, I plan on doing some related to revolutionary movements, colonization, slavery and ‘balance of power’. For the moment what I had in mind are the following:
Agitate. An agitated creature receives a Upheaval counter on it. At the beginning of the creature's owner's upkeep, that player sacrifice it unless him or her pays 1 for each Upheaval counter on it.
Colonize. A player may colonize target permanent during his or her turn by paying its converted mana cost plus 1 at the beginning of his upkeep. Until end of turn both players (the ‘colonizer’ and the ‘colonized’) gain control of that permanent.
Slaved. A slaved creature has a -0/-1 counter on it and has defender.
Voting. Return of mechanics related to vote, similar to Council’s Dilemma and Will of the Council.
Industrialise. "At the beginning of your upkeep you may pay 2 to gain an Industrialisation counter. Than, if you have 10 or more Industrialisation counters and you are not industrialised you become industrialised."
Empire. The card's effect care about the number o different types of "nationalities" among permanents that player controls.
Nationalism.The card's effect care about the number of permanents with same "nationality" that player controls.
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As I've said before, all the suggestions are welcome.
I still have a long way ahead, but I hope the community could help me in this task, peace!
I'm a world history passionate - in the same way I also love MTG - so I decided to combine those nerdy passions into a single project. I'm going to explain the set's proposal bellow, but first I would like to say that the set does not intend to be merged with any existing format, it is supposed to be a kind of cube experience heavily focused on World History and with some minor deviant from MTG rules.
All the aspects of the set are still under development, critics and suggestions are widely welcome.
According to Wikipedia: “The long 19th century is a term coined for the period between the years 1789 and 1914 by Russian literary critic and author Ilya Ehrenburg and British Marxist historian and author Eric Hobsbawm. […]
Hobsbawn starts his long 19th century with the French Revolution, which sought to establish universal and egalitarian citizenship in France, and ends it with the outbreak of World War I, upon the conclusion of which in 1918 the long-enduring European power balance of the 19th century proper (1801–1900) was eliminated.”
My intention here is to build a set top-down inspired in the events occurred world-wide during that period of time. I know this period is based in an European-centric view, however, as a non-European – I’m a Brazilian –, I would like to include as many marginal events as possible: from Americas’ independence – not America’s per se because it would escape from the time lapse – and civil wars, colonial struggles in Africa and Asia, revolutionary movements, etc.
As everybody knows in MTG the colours have theirs' owns philosophies (interests, plans, perspectives, etc.). For many times I tried to apply that simplistic (although well formulated) “pentatonic” view to a real world scenario, but as we know reality is far more complex than a game, so I decided to superficially delimitate to each of the colours some traits I thought necessary, and let the rest evolve as the development runs.
WWhiteW
White, being the colour of Security, aims to restrict the unbalance and instabilities of national and international order. It is the colour of certitude by excellence, avoiding radical changes and preventing the erosion of its way of living from external influences. The royal families and aristocracy are the main representatives of White.
Land type: Palace.
UBlueU
Blue is commonly associated as the colour of knowledge, the intelligence capable of promoting a general Justice. These aspect in Blue might seen misplaced at first glance, but the pure motivation of development would be empty if it didn’t represent the impulse to achieving the greater-good, a improvement towards perfection. Progressivist such as scientists, scholars and philosophers are associated with Blue.
Land type: Seaport.
BBlackB
Black’s main target is Liberty, the individual freedom and the emancipation of one by its own means. It is the most individualist colour, but it doesn’t means selfishness or egocentrism, the typical black acknowledge that every human being has the right and capability to progress, and in doing so it leads to a better future. The capitalist entrepreneur and the self-made men are the best examples of Black.
Land type: Industry.
RRedR
Red pursues the Well-being of people at any cost, so it is the colour who least abides frustration and most fights for changes, even if radical ones. That driving force of Red can be focused in a myriad of smaller goals like freedom, self-determination and equality, which can result in an aggressive impulse towards changes. The typical Red are the revolutionaries and social leaders.
Land type: Town.
GGreenG
Green is the colour of Order and harmony, it perceives the world as given and enjoys being part of it. The balance sought by Green may be among equals or between a vassal and its superior, but that doesn’t mean that the colour is passive or tolerant to abuses, it is used to the way it lives and will fight for maintaining it. Traditional societies and institutions (such as churches) are Green’s best samples.
Land type: Countryside.
Loosely based on political/social structures from the period I tried to compose colour pairs/archetypes that could fit nice into a multiplayer format and still hold all the historical flavour.
WU: Enlightened Despotism (Control)
UB: Industrial Revolution (Artifact-matter)
BR: Popular Republic (Aggro)
RG: Trade Union Movement (Labourer Tribal)
GW: Absolute Monarchies (Group Hug, Mid-Range)
WB: Imperialist Powers (Mid-Range)
UR: Enlightened Idealist (Spellsling, Combo)
BG: Agricultural Economics (-0/-1 Counters, Ramp)
RW: Military States (Tempo Aggro, Aura/Equipment matter)
GU: Colonial Nations (Tokens or Land-matter)
Mechanics:
I’m still thinking about specific originals mechanics, I plan on doing some related to revolutionary movements, colonization, slavery and ‘balance of power’. For the moment what I had in mind are the following:
Agitate. An agitated creature receives a Upheaval counter on it. At the beginning of the creature's owner's upkeep, that player sacrifice it unless him or her pays 1 for each Upheaval counter on it.
Colonize. A player may colonize target permanent during his or her turn by paying its converted mana cost plus 1 at the beginning of his upkeep. Until end of turn both players (the ‘colonizer’ and the ‘colonized’) gain control of that permanent.
Slaved. A slaved creature has a -0/-1 counter on it and has defender.
Voting. Return of mechanics related to vote, similar to Council’s Dilemma and Will of the Council.
Industrialise. "At the beginning of your upkeep you may pay 2 to gain an Industrialisation counter. Than, if you have 10 or more Industrialisation counters and you are not industrialised you become industrialised."
Empire. The card's effect care about the number o different types of "nationalities" among permanents that player controls.
Nationalism.The card's effect care about the number of permanents with same "nationality" that player controls.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As I've said before, all the suggestions are welcome.
I still have a long way ahead, but I hope the community could help me in this task, peace!