First off, this is a really bad PR move on Wizards' part. I agree completely with Woapalanne. That said, this topic has also come up in recent MTGcasts, and my comments there should also apply here:
It seems that a lot of the discussion about the PT changes (and now States) has revolved around the question of Wizards' financial stability, fueling low-level (but constant) concerns about the long-term viability of the game. I've heard/read this not only on MTGcast and the constantly annoying "Magic is dying" threads on various boards around the web, but also among other significant Magic meta-shapers on StarCityGames, Gleemax, the players' union, and others.
Honestly, though, I'm a little wary and weary of this line of thinking. In my region, we've usually had just one PTQ for each season, with turnout hitting somewhere between 60-100 players. This season, we've got three PTQs for Hollywood, two in the usual 2-hour drive range, and one that's a 10-minute walk from my front door. The first one (just a couple weeks ago) had almost 200 players.
To help clarify my understanding of Magic's financial state, I did a little Googling and found that Hasbro will be webcasting a conference call on its latest financials summary for investors and the media on Monday, February 11 at 8:30 am EST. Granted, this is Wizards' parent company, and the financial health of one isn't necessarily indicative of the other's well-being. However, it's likely that they'll highlight their best and worst performing divisions, and I'll be interested to see what comes from these figures.
Essentially, though, I'm not all that worried about the financial state of the game's maker. I do concede that being a part of Hasbro certainly has the potential to stretch Wizards' budget for things like the PT as their revenue now finances an additional tier of corporate execs and the attendant bureaucracy.
If it comes out that the financials are fine, though, I think the critics of the changes will need to retract a certain amount of their fearmongering and simply accept that the changes will have been made for other reasons than financial instability.
What those reasons are, I can't speculate, but I have seen a strong increase in Wizards' support for local tournaments like City Champs, Gold Tier, Summer of Magic, stronger release tourneys, and similar programs in the last year.
The players' union, though, can still have a strong and valid purpose regardless of the answer to the financial question. Players need to be told what's going on, and they need to know that the game's makers are committed to supporting them in the face of competing priorities like Hasbro's bottom line, market forces, and tourney organizers.
Specifically, with regard to States, as long as it's an alteration and not a deletion, I don't feel all that affected by any change and actually see a potential need for it. To me, it makes no sense that the players in CA (population 30 million) get boiled down to 1 Standard champ for nats and the players in Iowa (population outnumbered by livestock) get the same opportunity. Granted, Regionals and (improved) City Champs provide some balance to this, but it's still a wacky system. Why on earth should these OP opportunities be hamstrung by a system that mirrors the representation structure in Congress (Regionals = House of Reps, States = Senate)?
Another good show, gentlemen. I'm sorry I missed the live version.
It seems that a lot of the discussion about the PT changes has revolved around the question of Wizards' financial stability, fueling low-level (but constant) concerns about the long-term viability of the professional side of the game. I've heard/read this not only on MTGcast and the constantly annoying "Magic is dying" threads on various boards around the web, but also among other significant Magic meta-shapers on StarCityGames, Gleemax, the players' union, and others.
Honestly, though, I'm a little wary and weary of this line of thinking. In my region, we've usually had just one PTQ for each season, with turnout hitting somewhere between 60-100 players. This season, we've got three PTQs for Hollywood, two in the usual 2-hour drive range, and one that's a 10-minute walk from my front door. The first one (just a couple weeks ago) had almost 200 players.
To help clarify my understanding of Magic's financial state, I did a little Googling and found that Hasbro will be webcasting a conference call on its latest financials summary for investors and the media on Monday, February 11 at 8:30 am EST. Granted, this is Wizards' parent company, and the financial health of one isn't necessarily indicative of the other's well-being. However, it's likely that they'll highlight their best and worst performing divisions, and I'll be interested to see what comes from these figures.
Essentially, though, I'm not all that worried about the financial state of the game's maker. I do concede that being a part of Hasbro certainly has the potential to stretch Wizards' budget for things like the PT as their revenue now finances an additional tier of corporate execs and the attendant bureaucracy.
If it comes out that the financials are fine, though, I think a number of the critics of the PT changes will need to retract a certain amount of their fearmongering and simply accept that the PT changes will have been made for other reasons than financial instability.
What those reasons are, I can't speculate, but I have seen a strong increase in Wizards' support for local tournaments like City Champs, Gold Tier, Summer of Magic, stronger release tourneys, and similar programs in the last year.
The players' union, though, can still have a strong and valid purpose regardless of the answer to the financial question. Players need to be told what's going on, and they need to know that the game's makers are committed to supporting them in the face of competing priorities for Hasbro, market forces, organizers, and Mothra.
As for a favorite artifact, I'd have to say Sensei's Divining Top. Back when CHK first came out, I was a casual player (occasional FNM, mostly kitchen table "Type 0" games). I picked up a couple of tops (one of them foil, for $1.50!) and threw them into a mono-blue milling deck I'd made up. The deck ran Helm of Awakening to power out Mesmeric Orb, Thought Dissector, and Altar of Dementia (with Reins of Power).
In the middle of a game with my roommate, I accidentally ran into the infinite milling combo when I tapped one top, drew the other one, played it, and then my roommate said "Hey, I think you did that out of order. You're supposed to draw the card first so you don't get the top back right away." Hit by this flash of insight, I immediately thanked him and, a googolplex of iterations later, I tapped one island for a Brain Freeze.
My read of the article brought me to a somewhat different conclusion. His lie is about lords, but not the shade lord. His reference to "anemically supported tribes getting a lord in Morningtide or...never." (elipsis his), is what caught my eye. I would anticipate SHA to have lords for some of the tribes barely touched on in MOR. Limmepie brings up that so many lords have been printed in non-tribal blocks, and I think it's completely reasonable to expect a couple lords in the next set. Also, keep in mind the Ask Wizards from 2-1-08 where Maro mentions the loose ties from one block to the next. Druid, Cleric, and Archer lords in SHA ftw.
I was honored at being mentioned in this week's edition, though I should probably clarify that my choice in judging vs. striving for the PT doesn't come down to what gets me the coolest stuff. For me, judging is about raising the level of play at my store, and knowing the rules is a big part of that.
Also, being a judge carries a certain authority that extends beyond the gameplay itself. I can't begin to count the number of times I've been asked to serve as an arbiter in trades where one of the players could have easily traded a $20-bill-card for a Horde of Notions. Few things are as discouraging to a new player as being swindled in a trade and finding out after the fact. Now shady traders know that newer players will defer to me if they have the slightest misgiving, and they somehow seem to come around less and less. This also raises the level of play in that a shady trader is often a shady player ("mana shuffling", "forgetting" an illegal game state or missed trigger that favors them, etc.).
Making the decision to play more seriously or judge comes down to being a part of top-level play. Top-level players need to know the rules in as much detail as the judges do, and some dabble in both (Luis Scott-Vargas, the reigning US National Champ, for instance). The changes mean that those of us at a fork in the road might be nudged away from the "play" option. (I can judge at a PTQ and get some experience that contributes to testing for the next level up, or I can invest some $, play in the PTQ, make it to the top tables, and get crushed by an already-established pro in search of airfare.)
I apologize for the length...didn't really see it until the end...I'm done beating it to beyond death[/rant].
As for a 1/1, my namesake, Planar Guide, tops my list. Who would have thought a guy in magic Ruffio armor could take out a player wielding a force like Phage the Untouchable?
Good show again! As a player trying to make the jump from "I can win against some of the best players in the area." to "Hey, let's qualify for a PT!", I'm anticipating investing pretty large amounts of time and financial resources to make it happen (especially in Extended season). However, the impact of changes at the pro level will probably trickle down to the PTQs in my region, and that might make the difference between me making that investment and deciding to judge instead. Right now, I'm leaning toward judging. Thanks for bringing up this issue and looking at what it will mean for players trying to break into the not-quite-top tiers.
A favorite art is tough to pick. Even narrowing down to a top 5 or 6 is tough, like getting past Chad Clifton. The obvious choice is my namesake, Planar Guide. As it has no real play value, the art is one of the reasons I collect it. I've got close to 90 (just 1 foil, though).
In looking for a favorite art piece, I disregard anything from the last few sets that looks like it might have some CG aspects to it. While a computer might add a perfected curve or clean up a gradient here and there, I feel its contributions to a piece of art speak less to the skill of the artist and more to the attributes of the software used.
Potsie. I've enjoyed MTGcast for a while now, but only been a member of the boards for a short time.
I guess I spend more than the average player, given my position of running tourneys, buying the collections of defunct players, and taking trade-ins for a local store. When Lorwyn was released, we cracked 9 boxes for singles. I grabbed up some of the stuff I really liked, totalling close to $150. That's about the biggest single purchase I've made.
That said, the biggest single cost I've incurred for the sake of Magic is probably coming up this weekend. My wife is incredibly supportive of my cardboard crack habit, and quite understanding of the fact that every Friday night from here to eternity will not be a date night, but there is a give and take involved. Right now, she's in the British Virgin Islands on a 10-day vacation. I get to go to the prerelease. To sum it up, Mastercard-style:
Gas: $40
Food and drinks: $50
Entry fees: $60
Buying singles: $100
Sending your wife on vacation: $1000
Buying whatever you want to at the Morningtide Prerelease without any guilt: Priceless
My last name is Berry and mine was shipped out on 11/26 and I received my cards on 12/04.
Well. That puts a neat, huge crater in my theory. Hooray for inconsistency! In looking at other pattern possibilities (geographic, DCI#, etc), I can't see any reason I shouldn't have mine by now. Oh well...just trade bait for the most part.
Still waiting on mine, though a friend has rec'd his. Traded the Damnation away almost immediately for 3 Cryptic Commands, 2 Dorans, some Standard detritus at <$5/card, and a pile of decent older stuff. Can't remember all of it, but it would have sold for +/- $80-$100. The guy getting the Damnation is known for trading up values on a lot of unsuspecting kids, so I didn't feel so bad. He immediately turned around and tried to sell it to the store. I told him we'd give him $25 credit for it. Not a happy customer.
On the lateness of the mailing, the only people I know that have received them have last names toward the last 2/3 of the alphabet. The folks that I know should have rec'd but haven't yet (including myself) are at the beginning of the alphabet. Maybe they're just doing their mailing list in reverse alpha order?
Been lurking for a long time, finally decided to join. Quick, small piece of info, but I didn't see it anywhere in the compiled bits:
Devin Low indicated in one of his Latest Developments columns that Morningtide will contain a rare changeling in G and R to fill out the cycle. Not earthshattering or anything, but certainly interesting to consider. It probalby also means that we won't see rare changelings in W, U, or B.
It seems that a lot of the discussion about the PT changes (and now States) has revolved around the question of Wizards' financial stability, fueling low-level (but constant) concerns about the long-term viability of the game. I've heard/read this not only on MTGcast and the constantly annoying "Magic is dying" threads on various boards around the web, but also among other significant Magic meta-shapers on StarCityGames, Gleemax, the players' union, and others.
Honestly, though, I'm a little wary and weary of this line of thinking. In my region, we've usually had just one PTQ for each season, with turnout hitting somewhere between 60-100 players. This season, we've got three PTQs for Hollywood, two in the usual 2-hour drive range, and one that's a 10-minute walk from my front door. The first one (just a couple weeks ago) had almost 200 players.
To help clarify my understanding of Magic's financial state, I did a little Googling and found that Hasbro will be webcasting a conference call on its latest financials summary for investors and the media on Monday, February 11 at 8:30 am EST. Granted, this is Wizards' parent company, and the financial health of one isn't necessarily indicative of the other's well-being. However, it's likely that they'll highlight their best and worst performing divisions, and I'll be interested to see what comes from these figures.
Essentially, though, I'm not all that worried about the financial state of the game's maker. I do concede that being a part of Hasbro certainly has the potential to stretch Wizards' budget for things like the PT as their revenue now finances an additional tier of corporate execs and the attendant bureaucracy.
If it comes out that the financials are fine, though, I think the critics of the changes will need to retract a certain amount of their fearmongering and simply accept that the changes will have been made for other reasons than financial instability.
What those reasons are, I can't speculate, but I have seen a strong increase in Wizards' support for local tournaments like City Champs, Gold Tier, Summer of Magic, stronger release tourneys, and similar programs in the last year.
The players' union, though, can still have a strong and valid purpose regardless of the answer to the financial question. Players need to be told what's going on, and they need to know that the game's makers are committed to supporting them in the face of competing priorities like Hasbro's bottom line, market forces, and tourney organizers.
Specifically, with regard to States, as long as it's an alteration and not a deletion, I don't feel all that affected by any change and actually see a potential need for it. To me, it makes no sense that the players in CA (population 30 million) get boiled down to 1 Standard champ for nats and the players in Iowa (population outnumbered by livestock) get the same opportunity. Granted, Regionals and (improved) City Champs provide some balance to this, but it's still a wacky system. Why on earth should these OP opportunities be hamstrung by a system that mirrors the representation structure in Congress (Regionals = House of Reps, States = Senate)?
It seems that a lot of the discussion about the PT changes has revolved around the question of Wizards' financial stability, fueling low-level (but constant) concerns about the long-term viability of the professional side of the game. I've heard/read this not only on MTGcast and the constantly annoying "Magic is dying" threads on various boards around the web, but also among other significant Magic meta-shapers on StarCityGames, Gleemax, the players' union, and others.
Honestly, though, I'm a little wary and weary of this line of thinking. In my region, we've usually had just one PTQ for each season, with turnout hitting somewhere between 60-100 players. This season, we've got three PTQs for Hollywood, two in the usual 2-hour drive range, and one that's a 10-minute walk from my front door. The first one (just a couple weeks ago) had almost 200 players.
To help clarify my understanding of Magic's financial state, I did a little Googling and found that Hasbro will be webcasting a conference call on its latest financials summary for investors and the media on Monday, February 11 at 8:30 am EST. Granted, this is Wizards' parent company, and the financial health of one isn't necessarily indicative of the other's well-being. However, it's likely that they'll highlight their best and worst performing divisions, and I'll be interested to see what comes from these figures.
Essentially, though, I'm not all that worried about the financial state of the game's maker. I do concede that being a part of Hasbro certainly has the potential to stretch Wizards' budget for things like the PT as their revenue now finances an additional tier of corporate execs and the attendant bureaucracy.
If it comes out that the financials are fine, though, I think a number of the critics of the PT changes will need to retract a certain amount of their fearmongering and simply accept that the PT changes will have been made for other reasons than financial instability.
What those reasons are, I can't speculate, but I have seen a strong increase in Wizards' support for local tournaments like City Champs, Gold Tier, Summer of Magic, stronger release tourneys, and similar programs in the last year.
The players' union, though, can still have a strong and valid purpose regardless of the answer to the financial question. Players need to be told what's going on, and they need to know that the game's makers are committed to supporting them in the face of competing priorities for Hasbro, market forces, organizers, and Mothra.
As for a favorite artifact, I'd have to say Sensei's Divining Top. Back when CHK first came out, I was a casual player (occasional FNM, mostly kitchen table "Type 0" games). I picked up a couple of tops (one of them foil, for $1.50!) and threw them into a mono-blue milling deck I'd made up. The deck ran Helm of Awakening to power out Mesmeric Orb, Thought Dissector, and Altar of Dementia (with Reins of Power).
In the middle of a game with my roommate, I accidentally ran into the infinite milling combo when I tapped one top, drew the other one, played it, and then my roommate said "Hey, I think you did that out of order. You're supposed to draw the card first so you don't get the top back right away." Hit by this flash of insight, I immediately thanked him and, a googolplex of iterations later, I tapped one island for a Brain Freeze.
Also, being a judge carries a certain authority that extends beyond the gameplay itself. I can't begin to count the number of times I've been asked to serve as an arbiter in trades where one of the players could have easily traded a $20-bill-card for a Horde of Notions. Few things are as discouraging to a new player as being swindled in a trade and finding out after the fact. Now shady traders know that newer players will defer to me if they have the slightest misgiving, and they somehow seem to come around less and less. This also raises the level of play in that a shady trader is often a shady player ("mana shuffling", "forgetting" an illegal game state or missed trigger that favors them, etc.).
Making the decision to play more seriously or judge comes down to being a part of top-level play. Top-level players need to know the rules in as much detail as the judges do, and some dabble in both (Luis Scott-Vargas, the reigning US National Champ, for instance). The changes mean that those of us at a fork in the road might be nudged away from the "play" option. (I can judge at a PTQ and get some experience that contributes to testing for the next level up, or I can invest some $, play in the PTQ, make it to the top tables, and get crushed by an already-established pro in search of airfare.)
I apologize for the length...didn't really see it until the end...I'm done beating it to beyond death[/rant].
As for a 1/1, my namesake, Planar Guide, tops my list. Who would have thought a guy in magic Ruffio armor could take out a player wielding a force like Phage the Untouchable?
A favorite art is tough to pick. Even narrowing down to a top 5 or 6 is tough, like getting past Chad Clifton. The obvious choice is my namesake, Planar Guide. As it has no real play value, the art is one of the reasons I collect it. I've got close to 90 (just 1 foil, though).
In looking for a favorite art piece, I disregard anything from the last few sets that looks like it might have some CG aspects to it. While a computer might add a perfected curve or clean up a gradient here and there, I feel its contributions to a piece of art speak less to the skill of the artist and more to the attributes of the software used.
After some consideration...Look at me, I'm the DCI comes in a close second to Squirrel Farm.
I guess I spend more than the average player, given my position of running tourneys, buying the collections of defunct players, and taking trade-ins for a local store. When Lorwyn was released, we cracked 9 boxes for singles. I grabbed up some of the stuff I really liked, totalling close to $150. That's about the biggest single purchase I've made.
That said, the biggest single cost I've incurred for the sake of Magic is probably coming up this weekend. My wife is incredibly supportive of my cardboard crack habit, and quite understanding of the fact that every Friday night from here to eternity will not be a date night, but there is a give and take involved. Right now, she's in the British Virgin Islands on a 10-day vacation. I get to go to the prerelease. To sum it up, Mastercard-style:
Gas: $40
Food and drinks: $50
Entry fees: $60
Buying singles: $100
Sending your wife on vacation: $1000
Buying whatever you want to at the Morningtide Prerelease without any guilt: Priceless
Well. That puts a neat, huge crater in my theory. Hooray for inconsistency! In looking at other pattern possibilities (geographic, DCI#, etc), I can't see any reason I shouldn't have mine by now. Oh well...just trade bait for the most part.
On the lateness of the mailing, the only people I know that have received them have last names toward the last 2/3 of the alphabet. The folks that I know should have rec'd but haven't yet (including myself) are at the beginning of the alphabet. Maybe they're just doing their mailing list in reverse alpha order?
Devin Low indicated in one of his Latest Developments columns that Morningtide will contain a rare changeling in G and R to fill out the cycle. Not earthshattering or anything, but certainly interesting to consider. It probalby also means that we won't see rare changelings in W, U, or B.
Full article here:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/daily/dl13