It seems to me that the fact that they are producing sets faster is ultimatly a marketing decision. I doubt any other department has much to do with it. We should have seen it coming though...the fact that more and more people we have never heard of being hired on the creative teams, no sign that anyone was going to be leaving.
Plenty of people have left R&D (or moved within Wizards to a job where they don't work on Magic anymore), both recently and not-so-recently. There isn't usually a lot of press on this since it's not like anyone announces it, but if you read the design team lineups that Mark Rosewater runs in his column, you'll see a lot of "and this was this person's last set before leaving Wizards" or "this person is now my boss's boss's boss and doesn't work on card games anymore" or what have you.
Re: speed at which sets are released: The number of sets per year increased once, in 2004; before that, it hadn't changed since 1998. More cards have been printed the last two years, although there are fewer individual new cards in Lorwyn block + Shadowmoor block than there were in Time Spiral block + Coldsnap.
I dunno, as a collector (and dealer) I'm fairly certain that
a) there are more cards to get than every before and
b) the game is as limited-focussed and digitally-focussed as it has ever been.
EDIT: An example of "a" is that to get 20 of each rare for my site (hardly many cards at all, since that's only 5 buyers getting playsets of the good cards), it costs me more than $5000 CND. And there's another set coming out in only a couple months...
Yeah, but then you sell those twenty thoughtseize at $20 each and you just picked up $400 from that one rare. Heck, nowdays around here we've got thoughtseize going for AU$25, Garruk going for AU$20, then Teeg and a bunch of other rares at AU$15.
The singles prices these last few sets have certainly helped with recouping that initial outlay on boxes.
EDIT: Btw, we've had 4-sets per year since 2003. 8E, Unhinged, 9E, Coldsnap, 10E, then whatever the second set of Shadowmoor is. They're just fiddling around to try to figure out how to make it work. I prefer it this way, since it's nicer than having one year with 3 sets then the next with 4 like it used to be.
EDIT: Btw, we've had 4-sets per year since 2003. 8E, Unhinged, 9E, Coldsnap, 10E, then whatever the second set of Shadowmoor is. They're just fiddling around to try to figure out how to make it work. I prefer it this way, since it's nicer than having one year with 3 sets then the next with 4 like it used to be.
I prefered it more the old way. I think 4 sets every year is just too many. I was fine with the 3 set/4 set switch off.
Too many cards are being printed.
BTW, does anyone know off the top of their head when Hasbro bought WotC?
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
I am looking for Date Stamped promos from Khans of Tarkir block so I can finish my set. Check my wants if you have any.
Currently offering 2 non-foil Kolighan's Command for a Date Stamped foil!
150 cards for the set doesn't seem that bad. The only real "eh?" would be the rarity breakdown.
Keep in mind that Lorwyn Limited is going to only be LOR/LOR/MOR; there will never be a third set to build onto it, and it's defined as 2 of the large set and 1 of the lesser. The same with Shadowmoor and "Doughnut". In other words, Draft decks are going to consider Morningtide for the final form, but the core of them will be Lorwyn. So, having less cards means you're likely to have more influence from Morningtide.
Imagine if we had just been put through TSP/TSP/PLC. Draft decks would be quite different than the changeovers you can do during Planar Chaos on your way to Future Sight, I assure you. (Ravnica isn't mentioned here for what should be relatively obvious reasons, including color combinations and lack of space.)
And why do I feel like I just preached to the choir?
And in a large number of places in Paris, a cup of coffee costs U$14.
I just hope they don't continue this trend of "couple of rare singles everyone has to have in every expansion". Tarmorack with thoughtseize is starting to look like it'll cost the same as a legacy deck.
People are really paying that much for packs? They're still 4 for $10 around here (well..at least at the GOOD shop in town..;) )...and FNM is usually $5 drafts.
Then again..I guess that's what happens when you have 5 shops competing for business in a small city.
Tarmorack with thoughtseize is starting to look like it'll cost the same as a legacy deck.
but it plays and runs almost like a legacy deck though so its ok. I mean of corse thats with out all th acual legacy cards so put the deck into legacry and see how well it does
Right. 15 card packs, 11 are common, 3 are uncommon. With 60 commons and 40 uncommons, that means it'd take almost 6 packs to let you see all the commons (so less 2- and 3-ofs), but it'd take about 13 packs to see all the uncommons. This means a regular 8-man draft has a decent chance of seeing just about any uncommon, but less of a chance of seeing too many multiples of commons. This makes for more consistant uncommons, but more varried commons, which should lead to a better overall limited experience.
AMEN brother! Ever since they slimmed down the cards for block I noticed too many copies of commons and rares on average. This seems a decent fix to that issue.
Well since the dollar is weaker, technically that isn't truly a bad thing. Technically a US president has little control over the value of money. Look China, keeps their money artifically weak for years so they can boom in business. But anyway back on topic.
Do we know anything of supposed mechanics for morningtide. Any theories?
Yay! Distribution slanted towards more rares is a point in favor of those speculating that other 5 dual land color combinations will appear in Morningtide. Dunno about youse guys, but I bust a lot of product and I'm quite happy that there's a greater likelihood that 10% of all rares I open will be useful, sellable dual lands.
If anyone knows why G0-DRAW was banned I would love it if they would PM me. That guy was pure entertainment 100% of the time. Plus he never publicly responded to his Contraptions "Proof" that never panned out.
Hasbro's purchase of Wizards of the Coast was announced around the middle of September, 1999, and finalized around the end of September, 1999 (for approximately $325 million US).
On my country (Brazil) our currency is... weird... And so the booster-price-logic
Five years ago, the pack cost around US$ 4 - 5 on local store. Then our money got waay weaker and the booster price raised (well... 3x on our money, but still around US$ 5)
Now, "they" made money stronger (well, kinda investors made by themselves)
The freaking logic is - technically, boosters should cost around US$ 5. They cost around US$ 7. The dollar price of the booster raised because money got stonger.
We're asking ourselves - 'til when? (Well, "they" are asking... I'm buying singles on ebay :D)
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Decks Legacy - R Burn Commander - GWU Rafiq of the Many Modern - BGW Melira Pod (with borrowed fetchlands, but still) Standard - R Blitz
Here in Singapore it is S$4.50 per booster. Which translates to around US$3.12 at current exchange rates. I guess we get boosters cheaper then elsewhere.
Plenty of people have left R&D (or moved within Wizards to a job where they don't work on Magic anymore), both recently and not-so-recently. There isn't usually a lot of press on this since it's not like anyone announces it, but if you read the design team lineups that Mark Rosewater runs in his column, you'll see a lot of "and this was this person's last set before leaving Wizards" or "this person is now my boss's boss's boss and doesn't work on card games anymore" or what have you.
Re: speed at which sets are released: The number of sets per year increased once, in 2004; before that, it hadn't changed since 1998. More cards have been printed the last two years, although there are fewer individual new cards in Lorwyn block + Shadowmoor block than there were in Time Spiral block + Coldsnap.
Yeah, but then you sell those twenty thoughtseize at $20 each and you just picked up $400 from that one rare. Heck, nowdays around here we've got thoughtseize going for AU$25, Garruk going for AU$20, then Teeg and a bunch of other rares at AU$15.
The singles prices these last few sets have certainly helped with recouping that initial outlay on boxes.
EDIT: Btw, we've had 4-sets per year since 2003. 8E, Unhinged, 9E, Coldsnap, 10E, then whatever the second set of Shadowmoor is. They're just fiddling around to try to figure out how to make it work. I prefer it this way, since it's nicer than having one year with 3 sets then the next with 4 like it used to be.
I prefered it more the old way. I think 4 sets every year is just too many. I was fine with the 3 set/4 set switch off.
Too many cards are being printed.
BTW, does anyone know off the top of their head when Hasbro bought WotC?
Currently offering 2 non-foil Kolighan's Command for a Date Stamped foil!
convert bulk into good cards? PucaTrade - https://pucatrade.com/invite/gift/21195
Ebay - decks/Promos/DVDs
Trade thread (constantly updated)
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/trading-post/details/337-pokerbob1s-casual-trading-emporium
Keep in mind that Lorwyn Limited is going to only be LOR/LOR/MOR; there will never be a third set to build onto it, and it's defined as 2 of the large set and 1 of the lesser. The same with Shadowmoor and "Doughnut". In other words, Draft decks are going to consider Morningtide for the final form, but the core of them will be Lorwyn. So, having less cards means you're likely to have more influence from Morningtide.
Imagine if we had just been put through TSP/TSP/PLC. Draft decks would be quite different than the changeovers you can do during Planar Chaos on your way to Future Sight, I assure you. (Ravnica isn't mentioned here for what should be relatively obvious reasons, including color combinations and lack of space.)
And why do I feel like I just preached to the choir?
Past Ruminations
Links are broken, will fix in near future.
- Kaladesh
- Zendikar
- Rise of the Eldrazi
- Alara Reborn
- Innistrad <- Personal Favorite
- Dark Ascension
- Avacyn Restored
- Theros
- Return to Ravnica
- Tarkir
It's funny because here, in Canada, the price of the boosters just dropped because our currency is stronger...
I love G. Bush!
You don't need to remind me, my Canadian boyfriend does daily =_=
Clan MTGSalivation :: Trade Thread
"In another life, in another dream,
By a different name,
Gave it all away for a memory and a quiet lie.
But I felt the face of a cold tonight,
Still don't know the score,
But I know the pain of leaving everything very far behind.
And if I could cry,
And if I could live,
What truth I did then take me there,
Heaven Goodbye."
-Heaven's Not Enough, by Steve Conte
well, meanwhile in old dear europe we pay 4+ euro a pack, despite the new world record on exchange market -_-
This should have a separeate thread
Magic eternal scrub
Billy
I just hope they don't continue this trend of "couple of rare singles everyone has to have in every expansion". Tarmorack with thoughtseize is starting to look like it'll cost the same as a legacy deck.
Then again..I guess that's what happens when you have 5 shops competing for business in a small city.
Cheers,
Austin
but it plays and runs almost like a legacy deck though so its ok. I mean of corse thats with out all th acual legacy cards so put the deck into legacry and see how well it does
AMEN brother! Ever since they slimmed down the cards for block I noticed too many copies of commons and rares on average. This seems a decent fix to that issue.
Do we know anything of supposed mechanics for morningtide. Any theories?
11-3-1 @ GP Copenhagen: Top Stories of Grand Prix Copenhagen
Not only Italians have such high prices...
In Czech Republic, the price is 115 crowns, that makes about 4.25 EUR, or 5.50 USD, respectively.
Let this great clan rest in peace (2001-2011)
QFT!
My Extendo Sig! Because I want to be Cool!!
If anyone knows why G0-DRAW was banned I would love it if they would PM me. That guy was pure entertainment 100% of the time. Plus he never publicly responded to his Contraptions "Proof" that never panned out.
we also have a random rare picking if you add 5 cents...
My Sig's smile is better than yours.
A bit before Mercadian Masques...
Hasbro's purchase of Wizards of the Coast was announced around the middle of September, 1999, and finalized around the end of September, 1999 (for approximately $325 million US).
Five years ago, the pack cost around US$ 4 - 5 on local store. Then our money got waay weaker and the booster price raised (well... 3x on our money, but still around US$ 5)
Now, "they" made money stronger (well, kinda investors made by themselves)
The freaking logic is - technically, boosters should cost around US$ 5. They cost around US$ 7. The dollar price of the booster raised because money got stonger.
We're asking ourselves - 'til when? (Well, "they" are asking... I'm buying singles on ebay :D)
Legacy - R Burn
Commander - GWU Rafiq of the Many
Modern - BGW Melira Pod (with borrowed fetchlands, but still)
Standard - R Blitz
Cheers,
Austin
I get 1 for 2.50, which is equal to 4 for 10. You have to go back to Onslaught to have to pay 3.99 for boosters.