As I read this thread, I ask why both cannot be right? Why can't Future Sight be a mix of things that are known to be forthcoming (although we don't know when), and things that might be possible in the future, and things that they totally know they're not gonna do, just to throw them in and mix things up, to keep us guessing?
Oh, wait. It is.
That's exactly what I was saying. So, we're all clear now on the fact that they didn't go "Well, here's a list of stuff we're doing in the future.. let's not touch any of it in FS," and on that fact that there are ACTUAL previews mixed in there?
I don't know... If I was designing a set to preview the future, I'm pretty sure I'd include things that I knew were going to be in the future. For example, if lorwyn is an enchantment block- and includes things like aura swap and tapping enchantments- I think I'd throw a few into Future Sight- you know, as a preview.
Would that be a bad idea that spoils the block? No, because you still have no idea which ideas are going to be used, or when.
As long as I also include things that aren't "locked in" as well as things I never plan to do, the previews don't become spoilers.
Thats how I would have done FS anyway. But I'm no set designer, and maybe needless lying and misdirection are the way to go. I just can't see any possible reason why.
I'm in the camp that believes that none of the Futureshifted cards are direct hints at known aspects of upcoming sets. I believe that, most likely, MaRo told the design team, "Here are all the things we have locked down as 'for sure' being done in M:tG in the next five years. Your only rule for designing the Future Sight Timeshifteds is that you must do none of these things." This same instruction was filtered down to the artists through Matt Cavotta, and to the flavor people by whomever does the flavor stuff for Magic.
Seeing as how Lorwyn was more well known than anything else at the time of designing Future Sight, I would suspect that very little of Future Sight has anything to do with Lorwyn. Exceptionally little.
Now, that's not to say that there is nothing in the Future Sight Timeshifteds that will make it into sets in the next five years. Far from it. Future Sight design was probably a massive catalyst for envisioning some mechanics and themes for upcoming sets (in fact, from an internal WotC angle, I think that was the whole point). But, moreso for sets that were still in their fledgling stages. Lorwyn will be the least affected.
That sounds a little crazy to me, considering they specifically said future sight was designed to preview the future. With that being said, having none of the cards preview actual future sets would be like.. like... if they had decided to not print a b/r guild in dissension. Your alternate reality wotc: "we know we specifically said ravnica block was about 10 guilds of the 2-color pairs, but you would have totally seen it coming if we printed the b/r guild. Thats why we used those slots to instead print homarids."
-I'm pretty sure we've seen at least a few lorwyn themes/mechanics/cards in Future sight. Do I know which cards they are on? No... and thats the fun of it.
Though I might be willing to wager that we'll see a certain white one mana tapper by the years end.
edit @ sulith: no, maro said that future sight would be previewing the future of Magic, across many different planes, including dominaria.
That's exactly what I was saying. So, we're all clear now on the fact that they didn't go "Well, here's a list of stuff we're doing in the future.. let's not touch any of it in FS," and on that fact that there are ACTUAL previews mixed in there?
Would that be a bad idea that spoils the block? No, because you still have no idea which ideas are going to be used, or when.
As long as I also include things that aren't "locked in" as well as things I never plan to do, the previews don't become spoilers.
Thats how I would have done FS anyway. But I'm no set designer, and maybe needless lying and misdirection are the way to go. I just can't see any possible reason why.
That sounds a little crazy to me, considering they specifically said future sight was designed to preview the future. With that being said, having none of the cards preview actual future sets would be like.. like... if they had decided to not print a b/r guild in dissension. Your alternate reality wotc: "we know we specifically said ravnica block was about 10 guilds of the 2-color pairs, but you would have totally seen it coming if we printed the b/r guild. Thats why we used those slots to instead print homarids."
-I'm pretty sure we've seen at least a few lorwyn themes/mechanics/cards in Future sight. Do I know which cards they are on? No... and thats the fun of it.
Though I might be willing to wager that we'll see a certain white one mana tapper by the years end.
edit @ sulith: no, maro said that future sight would be previewing the future of Magic, across many different planes, including dominaria.