R
Reverend Love
Guest
Anyone who's hobby it is to tediously file all my little likes/dislikes should know that starcitygames is my favorite magic site to vigorously degrade and vigorously read 
In SCG defense many of their articles have gotten pretty dang good lately. Granted they're mostly geared towards Type 1, 2 and Extended. But many are well written and let's face it, good magic strategy and thoughtful analysis regardless of format is still useful. Which brings me to the point of this post. Anyone who's visited the site recently will have noticed they've switched to a pay for content format. Which is okey-dokey by me. They're not the Salvation Army and they don't owe anyone a damn thing. They're doing what they do for loot, simple as that. But there are just a few things, which niggle at me.
1. They're suppose to be a website selling cards, with magic based content to lure in customers. Not a content based website hoping to pawn off some cardboard. This distinction is kind of important because reading Darth Jr.'s post leads me to believe they’re leaning towards the content website pawning cards format. Which is probably where they need to go, being that their prices are ridiculously inflated. Anytime the prices of your card inventory mirrors the prices of Scry, something's amiss. You're certainly not peddling your wares in any type of considerable volume.
2. Now I'm completely whipping all this out the bum (big change here huh?) but the online magic community I believe is a relatively small but very devout group. I'd imagine there's only enough room for one pay for content based website out there. And honestly, who's advice would you rather pay for? Zvi Mashpotatowhip and Kai Budde's at Brainburst? Both who are famous for winning at high level magic. Or Jim Ferraiolo and Mike Flores at SCG who are famous for writing about magic. Please, that's like a self-styled fitness buff that works-out and occasionally reads Flex magazine trying to charge you for advice. As opposed to just hiring your own fitness trainer whose job it is to get people in shape. Go back to the water cooler and drool over your musclemen dork.
3. SCG owes it's success as a content provider to Brainburst. Who as a repercussion of their model drove writers and readership SCG's way. When I started reading SCG they were the laughing stock of strategy sites. Now they’re charging for content. They're plenty of usurpers in the midst whose job it is not to peddle cardboard. But to post excellent content and derive revenues from advertisements and store references. I can easily imagine Play or Draw rubbing their hands cackling gleefully at this opportunity so generously given to them by SCGs.
Right now is SCG’s articles worth a red nickel for their articles? Well I guess it depends on whom you ask. Me? Hell no. If I’m paying for someone’s opinion concerning my favorite hobby, it sure as H.E. double hockey sticks isn’t going to be some hack.
In SCG defense many of their articles have gotten pretty dang good lately. Granted they're mostly geared towards Type 1, 2 and Extended. But many are well written and let's face it, good magic strategy and thoughtful analysis regardless of format is still useful. Which brings me to the point of this post. Anyone who's visited the site recently will have noticed they've switched to a pay for content format. Which is okey-dokey by me. They're not the Salvation Army and they don't owe anyone a damn thing. They're doing what they do for loot, simple as that. But there are just a few things, which niggle at me.1. They're suppose to be a website selling cards, with magic based content to lure in customers. Not a content based website hoping to pawn off some cardboard. This distinction is kind of important because reading Darth Jr.'s post leads me to believe they’re leaning towards the content website pawning cards format. Which is probably where they need to go, being that their prices are ridiculously inflated. Anytime the prices of your card inventory mirrors the prices of Scry, something's amiss. You're certainly not peddling your wares in any type of considerable volume.
2. Now I'm completely whipping all this out the bum (big change here huh?) but the online magic community I believe is a relatively small but very devout group. I'd imagine there's only enough room for one pay for content based website out there. And honestly, who's advice would you rather pay for? Zvi Mashpotatowhip and Kai Budde's at Brainburst? Both who are famous for winning at high level magic. Or Jim Ferraiolo and Mike Flores at SCG who are famous for writing about magic. Please, that's like a self-styled fitness buff that works-out and occasionally reads Flex magazine trying to charge you for advice. As opposed to just hiring your own fitness trainer whose job it is to get people in shape.
Go back to the water cooler and drool over your musclemen dork.3. SCG owes it's success as a content provider to Brainburst. Who as a repercussion of their model drove writers and readership SCG's way. When I started reading SCG they were the laughing stock of strategy sites. Now they’re charging for content. They're plenty of usurpers in the midst whose job it is not to peddle cardboard. But to post excellent content and derive revenues from advertisements and store references. I can easily imagine Play or Draw rubbing their hands cackling gleefully at this opportunity so generously given to them by SCGs.
Right now is SCG’s articles worth a red nickel for their articles? Well I guess it depends on whom you ask. Me? Hell no. If I’m paying for someone’s opinion concerning my favorite hobby, it sure as H.E. double hockey sticks isn’t going to be some hack.
