L
I
Istanbul
Guest
People in Magic Online are already *fuming* about this. I know I can't afford to re-buy the entire Type 2, and I doubt anyone can. They have a program where if you get a set, you can trade it in for a real card...but I want something where you can trade cards in for e-cards!
H
Hetemti
Guest
Paying for cards online: *BANG*
Ahhh, the wonderous sound of them shooting themselves in the foot.
Paying as much as the real thing: *BANG*
And that shot to the dome 'll finish the job.
Ahhh, the wonderous sound of them shooting themselves in the foot.
Paying as much as the real thing: *BANG*
And that shot to the dome 'll finish the job.
G
Gerode
Guest
Goodbye, Magic Online. We hardly knew ye.
T
theorgg
Guest
*Cringe!*
well, what constitutes a set?
I've got a set of four finkles!
*WOTC trades them in--->Finkle fo'U.
Sending in real cards to transfer into virtual cards is also somthing that shouold be done, as how else are they going to get the singles? Print...
nevermind...
I still hope they give you some good choices to start out... Getting a virtual starter/booster when one was purchased, though, would be better...
A redemption type-thing with packs. If the "sets" thing is for full sets only, and not a group of cards that you just simply WANT, well, that sucks too.
For those who've played, what's the game worth, pack/starter wise?
well, what constitutes a set?
I've got a set of four finkles!
*WOTC trades them in--->Finkle fo'U.
Sending in real cards to transfer into virtual cards is also somthing that shouold be done, as how else are they going to get the singles? Print...
nevermind...
I still hope they give you some good choices to start out... Getting a virtual starter/booster when one was purchased, though, would be better...
A redemption type-thing with packs. If the "sets" thing is for full sets only, and not a group of cards that you just simply WANT, well, that sucks too.
For those who've played, what's the game worth, pack/starter wise?
L
Lotus Mox
Guest
D
Duster
Guest
What is this about?
And what does this have to do with Magic Online?
E
EricBess
Guest
Yeah, that will last....
WotC wants this to work. I can't believe that their marketing people were incompetent enough in this particular issue to think that they can possibly charge $3.29 for boosters.
I'll tell you right now, I can drop into the store and buy a pack for $3. A real, physical pack. I pay quite a bit to get the physical cards that I want. I'll be darned if I'm going to spend another $500 per set to get the cards I need online. I don't spend that much IRL because I get a lot of my cards for judging.
Anyway, don't panic. And there is no reason to strike as some want to do. Trust me. Have patience. The very worst that is going to happen is that they release it at these rates and have to change it when the discover (big surprise) that no one is playing anymore.
Eventually, they will settle on a price that works well enough for everyone. Unfortunately, the fact that they are starting high and working down means that a lot of people will never play.
Personally, if packs were $0.50 a piece, I would play occasionally. If they were $0.25, I would play resonably frequently. $3.25? Forget it. I will play as long as they let me as a tester, and I will watch them fail if they don't change the price.
But trust me, they haven't invested this much to watch it fail. They will lower the price.
WotC wants this to work. I can't believe that their marketing people were incompetent enough in this particular issue to think that they can possibly charge $3.29 for boosters.
I'll tell you right now, I can drop into the store and buy a pack for $3. A real, physical pack. I pay quite a bit to get the physical cards that I want. I'll be darned if I'm going to spend another $500 per set to get the cards I need online. I don't spend that much IRL because I get a lot of my cards for judging.
Anyway, don't panic. And there is no reason to strike as some want to do. Trust me. Have patience. The very worst that is going to happen is that they release it at these rates and have to change it when the discover (big surprise) that no one is playing anymore.
Eventually, they will settle on a price that works well enough for everyone. Unfortunately, the fact that they are starting high and working down means that a lot of people will never play.
Personally, if packs were $0.50 a piece, I would play occasionally. If they were $0.25, I would play resonably frequently. $3.25? Forget it. I will play as long as they let me as a tester, and I will watch them fail if they don't change the price.
But trust me, they haven't invested this much to watch it fail. They will lower the price.
U
Ura
Guest
Thats rediculously expensive.
I was barely able to pay for real magic cards when I was playing and now when I'm considering getting this cause I'd always be able to find someone to play against I find out its gonna be even more expensive.
$3.29 US is like $5.27 CDN and $9.99 US is $16.00 CDN, and thats on a good day for the exchange rate.
Thats 2 bucks more per starter then real cards cost and almost a buck more for boosters. So much for having faith in WotC....I may as well go start a cocain habit for that kind of money.
I certainly hope they fix this because all they're doing is shooting themselves in the meow.
I was barely able to pay for real magic cards when I was playing and now when I'm considering getting this cause I'd always be able to find someone to play against I find out its gonna be even more expensive.
$3.29 US is like $5.27 CDN and $9.99 US is $16.00 CDN, and thats on a good day for the exchange rate.
Thats 2 bucks more per starter then real cards cost and almost a buck more for boosters. So much for having faith in WotC....I may as well go start a cocain habit for that kind of money.
I certainly hope they fix this because all they're doing is shooting themselves in the meow.
C
Chaos Turtle
Guest
I believe EricBess is right, that WotC/Hasbro will see what an idiotic move it would be to charge full retail for virtual boosters. I don't even pay full retail for real boosters, only US$3.00 and much less if I buy a whole box.
What do I want with a full set of cards anyhow? I don't collect them, and if I did I would just collect them for real to start with... since it would be cheaper. Suppose I do collect the whole set, and trade them in. Splendid, until I log on and realize that they really meant trade them. Yup... the virtual set is gone! Boy, do I feel stupid.
As for the strike, some testers are proposing making it indefinite in length, to last until WotC announces a new plan. The only trouble is that it's become apparent that we can't count on WotC's word.
Man, am I ever glad I didn't uninstall Diablo II.
For now, I'm a lot more interested in the Black & White expansion and WarCraft 3 than I am in Magic Online. Too bad.
Imagine the poor new player who gets into Magic Online and blows his first 10 bucks so he can draft. Draft doesn't go so well and he gets crushed in game 1, left with a couple of mediocre rares and a bunch of comomons and uncommons. Now what? Blow another 10 bucks and hope for the best? Or cut his losses and spend his 10 bucks for a whole month on some other game?
What do I want with a full set of cards anyhow? I don't collect them, and if I did I would just collect them for real to start with... since it would be cheaper. Suppose I do collect the whole set, and trade them in. Splendid, until I log on and realize that they really meant trade them. Yup... the virtual set is gone! Boy, do I feel stupid.
As for the strike, some testers are proposing making it indefinite in length, to last until WotC announces a new plan. The only trouble is that it's become apparent that we can't count on WotC's word.
Man, am I ever glad I didn't uninstall Diablo II.
For now, I'm a lot more interested in the Black & White expansion and WarCraft 3 than I am in Magic Online. Too bad.
Imagine the poor new player who gets into Magic Online and blows his first 10 bucks so he can draft. Draft doesn't go so well and he gets crushed in game 1, left with a couple of mediocre rares and a bunch of comomons and uncommons. Now what? Blow another 10 bucks and hope for the best? Or cut his losses and spend his 10 bucks for a whole month on some other game?
Well, to be honest, I would prefer the rates to be cheaper to free for the online packs (since I'm thinking there's less overhead unless server space is near equal to printing, shipping, and distributing actual cards) but since no one around me really plays, if Magic Online is what it takes then I can see paying for that amount. I agree with Isty in that it would be nicer to trade physical cards for virtual cards also.
Duster: That quote relates to Magic Online (I think) as merely an example to show that WOTC listens to user feedback. As for what it refers to, I believe Ice Age was supposed to replace the basic sets at the time: Alpha/Beta, Unlimited, and Revised. Those would "cease to be" and Ice Age would be the new base set. As we all know, that didn't happen, but I never heard of players lobbying for it to happen that way <shrug> But maybe it did.
Duster: That quote relates to Magic Online (I think) as merely an example to show that WOTC listens to user feedback. As for what it refers to, I believe Ice Age was supposed to replace the basic sets at the time: Alpha/Beta, Unlimited, and Revised. Those would "cease to be" and Ice Age would be the new base set. As we all know, that didn't happen, but I never heard of players lobbying for it to happen that way <shrug> But maybe it did.
H
Hetemti
Guest
Sure it did, it's called Extended.
R
Rando
Guest
You're all wrong.
Ice Age was supposed to be a completely different game. If things had gone as WOTC had planned, then there would be Magic: The Gathering and Magic: Ice Age. The Ice Age cards were to have different card backs and be non-compatible with The Gathering. Outcry from the players casued WOTC the change thier plan and release it as an expansion.
Ice Age was supposed to be a completely different game. If things had gone as WOTC had planned, then there would be Magic: The Gathering and Magic: Ice Age. The Ice Age cards were to have different card backs and be non-compatible with The Gathering. Outcry from the players casued WOTC the change thier plan and release it as an expansion.
H
Hetemti
Guest
*SM4CK*
Everyone's wrong. No one knows Jaques Merde about anything.
The first "expansion" was to be it's own game, too...Magic: Arabian Nights. But plans changed because of licencing and the fact people wanted to mix them anyway.
Ice Age was to be it's own game, a sequel, basicly. But players still resisted to the seperation, so Ice Age became the divisior betwixt "new" and "old" Magic, and when Extended formed to bridge the gap from T1 and Standard, it was based accordingly.
But who cares? Ice Age sux astride from the painlands.
Everyone's wrong. No one knows Jaques Merde about anything.
The first "expansion" was to be it's own game, too...Magic: Arabian Nights. But plans changed because of licencing and the fact people wanted to mix them anyway.
Ice Age was to be it's own game, a sequel, basicly. But players still resisted to the seperation, so Ice Age became the divisior betwixt "new" and "old" Magic, and when Extended formed to bridge the gap from T1 and Standard, it was based accordingly.
But who cares? Ice Age sux astride from the painlands.
I think "different game" and "new basic set" are saying the same things, hence, I'm not wrong.
I still differ about when Extended came into being, however. I'll agree that Ice Age was the divisor of T1 and Standard, but Extended wasn't really needed until Mirage Block came.
And I bet Necro players would disagree with you, Hetemti...
I still differ about when Extended came into being, however. I'll agree that Ice Age was the divisor of T1 and Standard, but Extended wasn't really needed until Mirage Block came.
And I bet Necro players would disagree with you, Hetemti...
H
Hetemti
Guest
Wow! One good card! ¡Holy frijole!
I guess that means Planeshift is awesome because it has a grand total of two good rares, too. Ph33r the P0W3R of Chant and Scuta!
...then again, they're kinda crappy, too...
I guess that means Planeshift is awesome because it has a grand total of two good rares, too. Ph33r the P0W3R of Chant and Scuta!
...then again, they're kinda crappy, too...
E
EricBess
Guest
Spidey,
You mentioned that if you didn't have another option, you could see yourself paying the higher prices of Magic Online. Perhaps WotC announced this hoping that this sort of crowd existed.
However, there is a huge problem with this. Who would you play with?
Let's face it, online will only work if there are a lot of people playing. How long are you willing to wait to get an 8th person for your draft? If there are only 20 people at the time and 2 drafts are already running...
Realistically, how many people need to play to make it happen? If 20 people are online at a time, this is an indicator that perhaps about 1000 people have paid?
At any rate, they are going to lower their prices because 1) they have to, and 2) it doesn't hurt them to do so, it helps them.
There is a certain overhead to keep the computers running. There is a certain overhead to making the game in the first place. But these are fixed costs, regardless of how many people are online. Okay, get enough people online and you might need to throw money at a better server. It might be in WotC's interest to keep prices high enough to keep this from happening, at least at first, but they have to have someone playing.
Point is, every penny that players throw at this is adding to the bottom line. Expences are fixed, unlike real cards where the expenses are determined (in part) by how many cards they print. They have every incentive to keep a good crowd.
Personally, I think WotC needs to make a determination of how much people are willing to spend a month. They also need to determine how many times a person would want to play in a month to make it worthwhile to keep playing. Then, they need to structure their prices accordingly.
For example, Everquest is $10/month. Say people like Magic a lot and are willing to spend $20/month. Personally, I think Everquest at $10 is more realistic. Anyway, the minimum I would want to play to make it worth my while is perhaps 2 drafts a week, or 8 drafts a month. Hmmm.... Better make that 10 drafts a month to account for leagues, etc.. That fits nicely. Now, let's say they lower the draft price to 10 tickets, each ticket corresponding to what a dollar can buy IRL (3 for booster, 9-10 for tourney pack). That's 100 tickets I need each month, which translates to $0.20 / ticket at $20/month. Personally, I think they should go $0.10 / ticket. That's $1.00/draft, which is a nice number that will keep people interested.
And they need to do away with the redemption program. In order to keep people interested, they have to lower their prices. If they lower them to a reasonable level and keep the redeption program, everyone will collect sets online and buy fewer boxes. They will still buy boxes because it is faster than getting online sets, but the bottom line is that this has a negative impact on vendors. No vendors, no storefronts to play at. Some people might not care, saying we have online, but I guarentee that we would all feel the impact in the long run.
You mentioned that if you didn't have another option, you could see yourself paying the higher prices of Magic Online. Perhaps WotC announced this hoping that this sort of crowd existed.
However, there is a huge problem with this. Who would you play with?
Let's face it, online will only work if there are a lot of people playing. How long are you willing to wait to get an 8th person for your draft? If there are only 20 people at the time and 2 drafts are already running...
Realistically, how many people need to play to make it happen? If 20 people are online at a time, this is an indicator that perhaps about 1000 people have paid?
At any rate, they are going to lower their prices because 1) they have to, and 2) it doesn't hurt them to do so, it helps them.
There is a certain overhead to keep the computers running. There is a certain overhead to making the game in the first place. But these are fixed costs, regardless of how many people are online. Okay, get enough people online and you might need to throw money at a better server. It might be in WotC's interest to keep prices high enough to keep this from happening, at least at first, but they have to have someone playing.
Point is, every penny that players throw at this is adding to the bottom line. Expences are fixed, unlike real cards where the expenses are determined (in part) by how many cards they print. They have every incentive to keep a good crowd.
Personally, I think WotC needs to make a determination of how much people are willing to spend a month. They also need to determine how many times a person would want to play in a month to make it worthwhile to keep playing. Then, they need to structure their prices accordingly.
For example, Everquest is $10/month. Say people like Magic a lot and are willing to spend $20/month. Personally, I think Everquest at $10 is more realistic. Anyway, the minimum I would want to play to make it worth my while is perhaps 2 drafts a week, or 8 drafts a month. Hmmm.... Better make that 10 drafts a month to account for leagues, etc.. That fits nicely. Now, let's say they lower the draft price to 10 tickets, each ticket corresponding to what a dollar can buy IRL (3 for booster, 9-10 for tourney pack). That's 100 tickets I need each month, which translates to $0.20 / ticket at $20/month. Personally, I think they should go $0.10 / ticket. That's $1.00/draft, which is a nice number that will keep people interested.
And they need to do away with the redemption program. In order to keep people interested, they have to lower their prices. If they lower them to a reasonable level and keep the redeption program, everyone will collect sets online and buy fewer boxes. They will still buy boxes because it is faster than getting online sets, but the bottom line is that this has a negative impact on vendors. No vendors, no storefronts to play at. Some people might not care, saying we have online, but I guarentee that we would all feel the impact in the long run.
On topic:
EricBess: Is Magic Online only for draft? I was under the impression it was for constructed also.
Is there a trading hook in?
I don't know how many people are willing to pay full price for this. I assume WOTC has done some research and their numbers say that even if x percent of current players sign up, that's worth it. How many play in the US right now? How many would like to play but can't because they can't find or are dissatisfied with locals? Those are probably the important questions.
As I said, I would prefer it to be like your plan: cheap to free. But if I was desperate to play and since no one else is around when I can, Magic Online might make sense to me.
Off topic:
Hetemti: You know Magic talk is bad around here when we have to resort to debating the merits of a set released 7 years ago.
So what exactly made it "suck"? No quality tourney cards? No quality cards period? What are you comparing it to?
EricBess: Is Magic Online only for draft? I was under the impression it was for constructed also.
Is there a trading hook in?
I don't know how many people are willing to pay full price for this. I assume WOTC has done some research and their numbers say that even if x percent of current players sign up, that's worth it. How many play in the US right now? How many would like to play but can't because they can't find or are dissatisfied with locals? Those are probably the important questions.
As I said, I would prefer it to be like your plan: cheap to free. But if I was desperate to play and since no one else is around when I can, Magic Online might make sense to me.
Off topic:
Hetemti: You know Magic talk is bad around here when we have to resort to debating the merits of a set released 7 years ago.
So what exactly made it "suck"? No quality tourney cards? No quality cards period? What are you comparing it to?
T
The Rock
Guest
Ice Age was 5 painlands, and Necro.
Also...
Anarchy
Blinking Spirit
Brainstorm
Dark Banishing
Demonic Consultation
Enduring Renewal
Hydroblast
Icy Manipulator
Illusions Of Grandeur
Incinerate
Jesters Cap
Jokulhaups
Knight Of Stromgald
Order Of The White Shield
Portent
Pox
Pyroblast
Pyroclasm
Stormbind
Thermokarst
Zuran Orb
Zurs Wierding
so maybe next time you write a set off as being useless you should try thinking about how much crap you are talking, yes?
unless the set name begins in Home and ends in Lands, that is
Also...
Anarchy
Blinking Spirit
Brainstorm
Dark Banishing
Demonic Consultation
Enduring Renewal
Hydroblast
Icy Manipulator
Illusions Of Grandeur
Incinerate
Jesters Cap
Jokulhaups
Knight Of Stromgald
Order Of The White Shield
Portent
Pox
Pyroblast
Pyroclasm
Stormbind
Thermokarst
Zuran Orb
Zurs Wierding
so maybe next time you write a set off as being useless you should try thinking about how much crap you are talking, yes?
unless the set name begins in Home and ends in Lands, that is