White Art Explained - And Something Else

[Zadok001]

I got an opportunity to talk to someone from WotC yesterday who showed up at FNM to meet a friend (I live in Seattle). Anyways, I got to ask him a few questions, including the pixelized white art in Torment.

What happened is this: WotC usually sends a file to Carte Mundi with two versions of the art. The smaller version is hyperlinked to the larger version (like an image you would click on to zoom in). Well, someone missed a couple characters in the file's program, and the small version of the white art all had broken links, so the folks at Carte Mundi couldn't get to the big art. Well, no one at Carte Mundi thought that was important enough to tell WotC, so they just went ahead with what they had. The problem will be fixed in the next print run.

(The above I also posted on MtGNews, but this is more interesting, and I like you guys more, so I'm gonna tell you first.)

I also got to talk to him about Extended. The rotation didn't happen last year because too many things were going on, but it WILL happen this year. So get ready, and sell all your Extended useless cards now.

 

[theorgg]

You are amazingly close to WOTC headquarters, arn't you?

Y'know, I bet in-person interviews would be much more interesting than a long-e-mail form'd interview...


I wonder if they would accept you as a reporter from the Casual Players' Alliance?

 

[Gizmo]

I also have had it on good authority the rotation will be taking place in the near future. Nudge nudge... friends in high places... say no more say, no more.

 

[Zadok001]

Exactly, Giz. Orgg: Not that close, no. I know Paul Barclay and Chris Zantides because they judge locally, as well as a James whose last name has slipped my mind (SORRY!). I've MET Forsythe (signature goal completed) and Randy Buhler, but outside of that, I'm just a lowly level 1. I'll ask next time, though. I doubt they'd have a problem with it.

 

[Mr_Pestilence]

What do you mean by "rotation"? Ice Age block should have been taken out years ago, but what about the Mirage Block? Tempest?

What about dual lands?

I say reprint'em, or take'em out of Extended. These things have been out of print for 8 years, and it is ridiculous to expect new players (those who haven't been playing since Revised) to ante up $400-600 bucks for a set of 40 dual-lands.

I know about the reserved list, but I think WotC should issue a statement which recognizes that dual lands are simply too integral to the nature of Extended play to leave them out of print, and include them in a future stand-alone, or possibly 8th edition.

Cardstock is not intended to last forever, especially given the nature of the game (shuffling, "tapping", and other general wear and tear). Also given that hardly anyone played in sleeves at the time they were last in print, the number of cards in acceptable condition will inevitably decline over time.

Some will complain about their "investment" going down in value, but Magic is a game, not a portfolio. "Value" should be determined by play value, not some abstract number assigned by a random price guide.

Want an investment? Call a stock broker, not a card dealer.

 

[EricBess]

It's James Lee, Zadok. BTW, next time you see Zantides, let him know that I should be able to make arrangments to drive up there in the coming month (knock on wood).

 

[Spiderman]

WOTC seems to make new "bridging" formats as the sets increase, like 1.5 when 2 (now Standard) was created, Extended I don't know when but it filled the gap when Standard had moved on... since Extended is now dropping sets and moving on, does anyone think another format will be created to pick up the sets? I'm not saying at this next rotation but sometime in the future.

I guess in other words, why was Extended created again? Just to differentiate from 1.5 and the power cards of Alpha/Beta and Unlimited?