What would YOU do?

[Istanbul]

I have no intention of selling my cards. I sold out once back in Mirage, and have been rebuilding my collection ever since I got back in at...uhm, Mirage. No more for me, thanks. I'm driving.

If nothing else, I'm going to keep up with the new sets as they come out...get 4 copies of the high-demand rares, 4 of each common and uncommon, and make sure that once I DO find a new place to play, I'm well-prepared.

 

[BigBlue]

Originally posted by Istanbul
I have no intention of selling my cards. I sold out once back in Mirage, and have been rebuilding my collection ever since I got back in at...uhm, Mirage. No more for me, thanks. I'm driving.

If nothing else, I'm going to keep up with the new sets as they come out...get 4 copies of the high-demand rares, 4 of each common and uncommon, and make sure that once I DO find a new place to play, I'm well-prepared.

Umm, if you have no where to play, where are you buying? Online?

 

[Spiderman]

I bought online even when I was playing... the prices were cheaper (at the time about 3 years ago, I don't know what they are now - online vs a physical store).

 

[BigBlue]

Originally posted by Spiderman
I bought online even when I was playing... the prices were cheaper (at the time about 3 years ago, I don't know what they are now - online vs a physical store).

Are you saying you don't play anymore? or that you don't buy anymore?

 

[FoundationOfRancor]

Spiderman: Ok.
I'm just saying, if you love the game alot, and you hate your current situation. Try to teach new people, get magic online, etc.

I mean, whatever it is you want to do.

 

[Thallid Ice Cream Man]

I think this is the (Goblin Lac)key:

Don't let Magic Imprison you in Shackles, if you don't want it to Enervate you; pursue the Taste of Paradise in any land where you can find it. It might be called Planeswalker's Mischief, you might be labeled a Capricious Sorcerer (maybe even a Rogue Kavu depending on your physical features), but whether you're a Magic player or a Musician, a Scrivener or a Gravedigger, ultimately doesn't matter at the time of Divine Intervention; what matters is whether or not you enjoyed yourself. (You won't incur the Wrath of God for having fun.)

Maybe life is just a Shaharazad...

But don't let the prospect of Magic without the ol' Icatian Phalanx Jinx you, strike Terror into your Dark Heart of the Wood; keep searching, and you will Reclaim what you have lost. It's called Enduring Renewal.

The problem is whether to stop and find a nice old Icatian Town to settle down, or to brave the Hidden Paths and the Aysen Highways. Use your Holistic Wisdom to decide...

If worst comes to worst, you can just become a Deranged Hermit somewhere... a Wall of Stone...

You are a rock... you are an Island.

(BTW, we should have Mages' Contests to see how long people can make things like this.)

 

[Hetemti]

Nah, i Forbid it.

 

[Spiderman]

BigBlue: I've been slowly getting back in, but really only play a couple of games every two weeks about with a friend. Hence, there's not much need to playtest a deck (and we play Type Casual). My Squirrel's Nest deck was my last attempt and I posted that about a month ago, I think. And I've only bought a couple of boosters here and there; Griffy and soon to be Capt. Caveman have been kind enough to send a few extra commons to me. (thanks guys!)

FoR: Oh, I don't hate my situation. I like Magic and all, but I like Warhammer (still trying to get together with a friend to beat him ), party games, board games, "regular" card games, whatever. I just like games. And since the people who I do play with have no idea how to play Magic but do know the "non-fantasy" games, it's fine with me to play those

 

[Istanbul]

Update:

The one place that's 30 minutes away? Closed down.

I now know of nowhere to play Magic.

 

[DÛke]

I almost feel sorry for you. Not quite there yet.

You have 4 options:

1. Quit. I don't see that happening since you are clearly over-obsessed.

2. Move. That's right. Move. Sometimes, people aren't "placed" where they want to be. I live in Imperial, west of St. Louis. There's the local card shop less than 15 minutes away. Also, a 15 or so minute drive will lead you into the grand flea-market -- at least 2 card shops there. There's the big, bad, mean Gathering Ground...probably one of the biggest card shops I've ever seen. They'll never close, because they're always, always busy. In fact, last year, they upgraded their store...now, they have an arcade, and a pool table too, with computers for play-testing via Apprentice or playing Magic Online, and they also have the biggest card inventory -- ever. Not to mention they sell food in there, plus, the store is conveniently located across Burger King, McDonalds, and Taco Bell. Sounds like your heaven, doesn't it? That's not all, there's also another card shop that Rando visits in St. Louis...it is also a good one.

3. Collect the cards, but play them in Magic Online. Too much money, I know.

4. Collect the cards, but play in Apprentice.

And the super secret option #5:

5. Commit suicide.

Seriously, I think you should move...

 

[Thallid Ice Cream Man]

Keep frantically (ahem) searching, Texas is pretty big.

 

[Duel]

Come to portland. We have several places to play. 5 within 30 minutes of me. Of them, 1 doesn't do touraments and 1 is awful, the other three are great, small places.

 

[Spiderman]

Personally, I think moving just to find a place to play Magic is a bit drastic.

I never looked to see that you were from Texas. Wasn't there some place that was big on Magic there in the mid-90's that was near Dallas? It was profiled in an early Duelist... some dude who first proclaimed he was going to make a living off the Pro Tour (or Type 1) lived there... can't remember his name. Are those the places you were talking about that closed down?

Anyway, unless you can do a web search on shops in Texas near you in hoping to get a small one you overlooked and moving is not an option, online for now is probably the way to go. And Prereleases or something...

 

[Istanbul]

Yes, Texas is big. TOO big. Texas is what would happen if you took three states and smooshed them together. Dallas alone is gigantic. So much so that leaving it to play Magic simply isn't realistic.

Allow me to make my point clear. I have no intention of MOVING to be able to find games of Magic. If I ever base my life around Magic *that* badly, I swear on all I hold dear that I'll sell every card I own and take up macrame.

I'm playing online, unless I can find someplace...

 

[Thallid Ice Cream Man]

You could try looking for card stores... you might find something there.

 

[Istanbul]

Tried that. Also looked for game stores and comic book stores just in case. Came up empty.

 

[rkoelsch]

This is another byproduct of the Internet. Brick and Mortar stores cannot compete with the Internet stores in price. And face it they do not make a lot of money holding tournaments unless they would charge an outrageous fee. We had 3 or 4 stores that are true game shops only 2 of them have been in existance any length of time. A lot of people want to start game stores but few realize how difficult it is to keep them afloat.

 

[Spiderman]

Is that just true for stores selling Magic? I mean, before Magic existed, the game stores had to sell other stuff (Warhammer, RPGs, whatever). While a lot of them probably jumped on the Magic craze, it was probably a mistake to start relying on it solely and thus get beat by Internet stores.

That's my thinking, anyway. Other stuff notwithstanding, like decline in interest in other games anyway...

 

[rkoelsch]

Well both the stores that are doing well have a very diversified inventory. The store that I frequent, Magic players are on the low end of the food chain as far as getting access to space to play. I can't say I blame the store owners, most Magic players do not sufficiently support the shop they go to. I can't say I am much different. I don't buy much new Magic. Usually a few packs here and there mostly booster drafts. Between that and trading and buying a few singles I try to keep up to date.