f13.net

 :roll:

These guys are clueless. You figure they could find 2 or 3 decent programmers.

Even their design is shitty. They should interface their server code with a simple Java client, and let people who want to make their own clients have at the API. It's not like the client needs to have any knowledge of the game mechanics. If they can easily accommodate new mechanics in their server and have a (sufficiently) open API that third parties can bring their clients and art assets to the server, they'd probably be in a position to sell more TCGs to IP owners due to being able to easily extend them into online play. Maybe they're waiting for Upper Deck to usurp them there too.

There was a whole bunch of other stuff in the interview that was interesting because it basically implied the lack of attention on mtgo was basically down to wotc wanting to ensure that people playing paper didn't start playing mtgo. This is apparently also why they insist on overcharging for mtgo boosters etc.

Fear the future imo.

That one decision was the crux of why many people don't play MTGO that would otherwise love to. WotC's stance was basically they would rather try and keep the paper customers (and brick and mortar stores that go with them) by setting the costs of MtGO high enough to not cannibalize their target audicence, than try to expand the sum total population of people playing magic no matter what form, by offering different pricing schemes.

The sad thing is MtGO could have a much higher market penetration then paper magic ever did BECAUSE it's an online game.  Of the people who you know who played magic non casually (i.e in tournaments and events, which I believe is the bulk of their paper market), how many gave it up over the years due to either a) cost of staying competitve, or b) logistics of playing in reality (too far to travel to tournaments, not having 8+ hrs of free time to play in one, lack of local competition, lack of hygine among the player base :) )?

MTGO solves ALL of those problems, but they refuse to captialize on it (plus the cost of doing business has got to be much less than the paper product).

My stance was always, offer alternative to the current paper market, not a replica of it.  A monthly fee for 6 drafts a month where you dont keep the cards.  Rolling friday night tournaments where you play 2 rounds a night for a month, casual rooms that let you play with cards you dont actually own, or for that matter a premium type subscriptions that grants you an account with 4 of every card so you can PLAY ANYTHING but can't enter in a prize awarding event nor trade them away (i know they already give a bunch of magic Pro's these kinds of accounts so they can practice online, but keeps them playing paper tournaments).
Or do what I always wanted an make a MtG mmorpg style game; where instead of leveling and loot you travel about dueling npc's and other players for cards in a geographic world with varying play formats and...  aw the hell with it; i get depressed every time i think of what they didn't do.

Hey so called wizards!  How about captialize on the game you pointy hatted fools!

Xilren

So still Q2 2007. That's 5 solid months without a slip - not bad.

In other news from that article, they've spent the last five months taking the ugly-but-clean interface you'll have seen previous screenshots of, and replacing it with a more ugly, messy, and 'in keeping with Magic Lore' interface; they still aren't making mtgo for mac; and Planar Chaos is due late Feb.

I didn't see any pics of the actual duel screen (which they said they had improved) but I did notice the card collection screen seemed to fit fewer cards on it. And you are right about the lore stuff, which is sily. Just give me something functional.

Duel Screen shown on cnet (http://news.com.com/2300-1041_3-6158349-10.html?tag=ne.gall.pg)

You have to laugh, or you'd cry.

(http://i.n.com.com/i/ne/p/2007/212toyfairL1010946_550x309.jpg)

What the hell is going on there? It took them HOW long to make that? Sigh.

Wait...what's the difference?

Just the sidebar on the left? Must be one bitchin' sidebar.

They got off to a terrible start, the entire plan was horribly flawed. They kept talking about how you could walk around with some tricked-out 3D avatar - who cares? It isn't a MMORPG. What do you do with your avatar - just sit down a table! That's it! A simple tablular view is fine for that. Its just a matchmaking screen!

Imagine in Starcraft if you wanted a game, you walked a 3D Zergling into some room...silly. And it takes a lot of resources to boot.

If I were in charge the first thing I would do is take a red pen and cross out that entire section. If you to make the avatars look a bit nicer as they sit at a table ok, but anything beyond that no thanks.

Edit: Good news on leagues:

"Tiebreaker points will be changed to 1 for a Win, 0 for a Tie, -1 for a loss"

Thank fucking god. The tiebreak system screwed me out of top 8 or top 16 so many times. A non-zero-sum approach was insane and simply rewarded whoever played most.

Oh awesome. That's the reason I only ever played in ONE league.

v3 beta has started.

Expectation is now to go live June/Julyish. 10th ed would be the first set launch under v3.

I Guess I'll have to jump into a league or two once the new client and set launches.