This series is an ongoing tribute to Erik “Hamtastic” Friborg.
In the News this Week:
Big MTGO Announcement: Wizards gave us a bunch of MTGO news Thursday. Chris Krivitz’ article is here. First off, for you competitive players, Wizards has announced that all MOCS winners will receive an invite to a Pro Tour (generally the next one.)
Next, Wizards has announced a Grand Prix trial for MTGO. This makes all kinds of sense – even small paper stores can run Grand Prix trials, and they should do well online. The first event will be April 6th, and first place will win three byes for Grand Prix Portland. The format will be Modern.
Third, Wizards announced MTGO Promo Codes. These will be included with certain paper products, for attending events – even for interacting with Wizards on social media. The first code was included in the article: MTGOCodeLaunch, which gets you a TNMO Avacyn’s Pilgrim. You can redeem codes in the MTGO store – but only using the wide beta interface. I’ll talk more about this in the opinion section: synopsis is that I love the idea, and wonder why they haven’t done this before.
Speaking of the beta, the next major update will happen March 13th. According to Wizards, the update will include improvements to the battlefield and collection. I wonder if my collection will actually load, once that is installed.
Finally, the trade limit is increasing. At present, you can only trade 75 items in a single trade. Since several cards are retailing for over 75 TIX, this has caused problems. The new limit will be 400 items. This change should take effect on March 27th, but Wizards will be monitoring it, and this could change.
Significant Bug Fixed: The Pillar of Flame bug has been squashed. Good. Cards that are supposed to exile slain creatures now exile them.
Extra Long and Complex Downtime Next Week: Wizards will be installing a number of infrastructure upgrades during the downtime on March 13th. This will take a longer than usual amount of time. The downtime will run from 7am to approximately 3pm PST. Events will be restarted slowly, with a couple hours of NIX TIX, NIX prize phantom events running before the for pay queues come back up. I’m wondering what new features are being implemented that take that much careful handling.
Reminder: Daylight Savings Time begins this weekend. We lose an hour. The clocks in Renton are set forward an hour, at 2am. and that will affect tournaments.
Sorin vs. Tibalt Coming Soon: The next duel deck set will be available a week from today. Sorin, Lord of Innistrad is a valuable card, but now it’s numbers will grow and value should drop. For now, though, the cost of the cards individually exceeds the retail price.
HammyBot: Still here!HammyBot was created to sell the late Erik Friborg’s MTGO collection to raise money for his widow and son. HammyBot is a great way to get cards while supporting the family of someone who supported the community. Here’s an update on the Bot, plus a note on a cool card that I saw on HammyBot.
Cards left on HammyBot: 27,456
TIX raised so far: 5,599
Cool HammyBot card of the week: Foil (Sensei’s Divining Top) (See the Legacy deck tech.)
Opinion Section: Redemption Code Promos
Wizards has finally announced that they will begin tying Magic paper and Magic online in a direct manner. This is great news. I have argued for years that Wizards need to cross market. The fact that they are doing this now means that they think MTGO can grow. Back in the days of version 2.5, when the program would crash whenever the number of players exceeded three thousand or so, it was impossible. Even with the current client, Wizards never really pushed for new players. The fact that they are planning on doing so now says that they have a lot of faith in the new interface, and they expect to grow MTGO a lot.
After the downtime next week, Wizards will start testing the promo system. They have given us the code for a new card; MTGOCodeLaunch. Players (well, some players) can redeem the code for an alternative art Avacyn’s Pilgrim, during the week following the next downtime. Here are the official rules:
Redemption Code Promotion Terms
Offer is good for a license to use one digital promotional version of the "Pilgrim" card from Avacyn Restored. Offer expires at 7:00 a.m. PT on March 20, 2013. Offer is not valid for cash or cash equivalent. Offer is valid for redemption by account holders whose billing address is located in the United States only. Only accounts in good standing may take part in this offer, and each such account may redeem the code only one time. Offer is non-transferable and use of the code in unauthorized advertising, marketing, sweepstakes, or for other promotional purposes is strictly prohibited.
You can redeem codes in the MTGO store – but only using the wide beta interface. Wizards is not going to reprogram the old interface to handle promo codes. This is one more reason to try the Beta – and the purpose of this give-away is clearly to get existing players to download the new interface. Which is fine. As an economist, I am professionally required to be in favor of incentives.
Moving forward, I can see Wizards coming up with all kinds of incentives to get paper players to try online play. For newer players, Wizards could include a promo coupon good for a Deckbuilder’s Essentials set in every copy of the paper Deckbuilders’ Toolkit or similar product. Paper copies of Duel Decks could receive a coupon for free enter into a new player draft, or a TNMO event. More serious players – for example those attending a Grand Prix – could receive a coupon good for a free draft.
We will find out all the details over time. What is important now is that Wizards is rolling out the program. Which is great.
Battling with the New Interface:
This week I downloaded the newest build of the beta client and decided to try using the new promo code. That didn’t work so well (foreshadowing – reading is tech.) After that failed, I tried loading a deck in the collection tab. This has been pretty much impossible for the last several weeks, but this week it worked.
,
The article clearly says that the promo codes will be implemented next downtime. I somehow missed that when I first read the article. My bad. In other words, the promo code box will appear next week.
I have also been trying to edit my videos. Some things worked, some did not, but at least I got rid of a lot of the pauses and parts with nothing happening. The only downside is that the audio track got shifted a bit, so I start taking about some things a second or so before they actually happen. I’ll try to figure that out later on.
BTW, I’m a complete novice at video editing. I’m trying out VideoPad at the moment. If anyone has any advice on editors, or can point me at some decent tutorials, please share. One caveat, though: I cannot afford Vegas, or any of the other $500 editors.
Cutting Edge Tech:
Standard: This week, we are back to looking at SCG for the biggest, toughest Standard events of the week. The SCG Open in Las Vegas featured a Top 8 that was half GerryT’s UWR Control, and half other stuff. A UWR deck took it down. Top 32 decklists are here.
Modern: Modern is interesting. It is also somewhat an unknown format, since Wizards is not featuring the decklists from the PTQs. (Or, if they are, they have hidden them with their usual skill. I can’t find them. Even Google can’t find them.) The latest Premier event that was featured by Wizards was won by a Gifts Ungiven deck. It’s been a while since I saw that archetype do well. The PTQs I have judged in recent weeks have had more aggro, like the deck I featured last week (and the deck that came in second in the PE.) I think there is a typo in this decklist on SCG – No Rest for the Weary is probably Rest in Peace.
Gifts Ungiven
_Cryptic, Winner, Modern Premier #5088708 on 03/04/2013
Ravnica Block Constructed: The latest Premier event was pretty much divided between two archetypes: Azorius control and Gruul Aggro. The winner was Azorius, so that will be this week’s featured deck.
Azorius Control
Littledarwin, Winner, RTR Block Constructed Premier #5088716 on 03/04/2013
Legacy: Another week, another SCG Legacy Open, and another interesting archetype turns up. Top 32 decklists here. This time a UWR Miracles deck “splashed” for Helm of Obedience to combo with maindeck Rest in Peace.
Classic: Qualifier number three for the Classic Quarter Invitational has started. I am not playing, but I will throw out some decklists, if I see anything interesting in the next couple weeks.
Card Prices:
Notes: All my prices come from MTGOTraders.com. For cards that are available in multiple sets, I am quoting the most recent set’s price. Thus, the price I’m quoting for Garruk Relentless is from M13. These cards are also available from the MTGOTraders Bots, so check out mtgotradersbot, mtgotradersbot2,mtgotradersbot3, mtgotradersbot4, mtgotradersbot5, CardCaddy and CardWareHouse. These Bots often have the cards in stock even when the online store shows as out. Now, on to prices.
Standard prices are adjusting to the new format. Liliana, and other cards that are no longer being drafted as much, are climbing. Gatecrash cards are falling – increasing supply will do that, and it is being drafted a ton. Restoration Angel is still climbing, despite being both a rare, and having been available as a promo.
Modern prices are rebounding. Tarmogoyf has climbed back up. I guess it makes a difference when so many players are playing, and writing about, Frog in a Blender style decks. The counters for RG 2 drops are responding: Cryptic Command and Engineered Explosives are both climbing.
Prices have stabilized after the Legacy MOCS. The Classic and Legacy formats are pretty quiet right now. Jace is rebounding. Show and Tell is scaling new heights. Everything else, though, is static.
Here’s this week’s list of the non-foil, non-premium cards on MTGO that cost more than $25 each. Note the Force of Will has fallen again, but Goyf fell faster. The list itself has shrunk – a half dozen cards dropped below $25. Here’s this week’s list of MTGO gold:
Card
Rarity
Set
Price
Lion's Eye Diamond
R
MI
$ 97.64
Force of Will
R
MED
$ 77.53
Tarmogoyf
R
FUT
$ 66.63
Rishadan Port
R
MM
$ 62.08
Show and Tell
R
UZ
$ 51.00
Jace, the Mind Sculptor
M
WWK
$ 46.66
Liliana of the Veil
M
ISD
$ 46.55
Wasteland
U
TE
$ 43.55
Vendilion Clique
R
MOR
$ 42.32
Gaea's Cradle
R
UZ
$ 40.48
Sphinx's Revelation
M
RTR
$ 40.22
Misdirection
R
MM
$ 39.15
Tangle Wire
R
NE
$ 35.35
Underground Sea
R
ME4
$ 32.16
Geist of Saint Traft
M
ISD
$ 32.07
Underground Sea
R
ME2
$ 30.37
Bonfire of the Damned
M
AVR
$ 30.00
Vampiric Tutor
R
VI
$ 28.55
Flusterstorm
R
CMD
$ 28.30
Vindicate
R
AP
$ 27.71
Falkenrath Aristocrat
M
DKA
$ 27.11
Engineered Explosives
R
5DN
$ 25.54
Cryptic Command
R
LRW
$ 25.38
Thundermaw Hellkite
M
M13
$ 25.20
The big number is the retail price of a playset (4 copies) of every non-foil card available on MTGO. Assuming you bought the least expensive version available, the cost of owning a playset of every card on MTGO you can own is $22,651. That is about the same as last week.
Weekly Highlights:
It has been a good week. An old friend was in town and we played some paper three way draft. Gatecrash is different in multiplayer – Extort is the way to go. After John left, I judged a PTQ. All good. This week, I got to draft some Gatecrash. I even racked up some QPs – but since I can get into maybe 2-4 events a week, and those mainly drafts, I am not going to be qualified anytime soon.
RE: Editing - I produce/edit movie trailers for a living - but I don't know of any consumer-grade editing that's worth much. There are great versions of FCP (Final Cut Pro) for free out on the web, the latest one is the least powerful, but easiest to use. Personally I use Avid...but that's a pretty big chunk of change unless a free copy is about.. Know this - like anything, 99% of the interface of any editing program is garbage - don't let all the buttons confuse/distract you. Simplicity is king - cut/fade are all you need...the second someone starts using jigsaw wipes etc.., it reeks of freshman newb in a bad way :) Keep it simple...keep it elegant.
One of the reasons why redemption spiked Worldwake mythics so much was that people wanted a paper playset of Jace, the Mind Sculptor. He was more valuable in paper (and people could use him in Legacy decks, which aren't generally used online). Giving players a reward for doing well online that ties into the paper game is perfect. Of course, since it's Modern, I will probably try my hand and fail miserably. ^)^
Wizards has a highly annoying habit of placing information in a number of sources. If you don't follow the site, the group, the blog, the arcana, and at this point twitter as well you are likely to miss out on information. In this case it was the weekly post in the group about the downtime, about halfway down.
I will have that info in State of the Program each Friday, because I do try to find all that info. I also include links to the sources in most cases (I don't link Twitter, etc.)
The Modern Gifts deck you highlighted does not have a typo. Rest for the Weary is a decent life gain measure against aggro decks and when combined with Snapcaster, it can nearly reset your life total. Rest in Peace in a Gifts deck would be anti-synergistic.
I would have expected Heroes' Reunion in that role, but I guess getting landfall and having a simpler mana cost makes it viable.
I am feeling old. I still think of Renewed Faith when I think of instant speed lifegain. I keep forgetting how ancient Renewed Faith is. It is not Modern legal.
Man, coupon codes for US players only is yet another slap in the face for us foreigners. They really should devise a workaround international rules - many other online games do.
It's just awful to feel yet again like a second-class costumer.
It's also mightily contradictory: they always tried to woo the international markets, since Rinascimento and Portal Three Kingdoms; they have product localizations into a lot of different languages; and they organize GP all around the world. Then MTGO still feels like a product directed to the American audience. It's weird.
But they do that in the paper world, where the logistics is actually a factor. Every country has plenty of support, Italy has a big WotC presence, I've a couple friends that run game stores and they get absolutely everything an American store gets. Plus I remember when I was a judge, the organization was thorough with tests and communications, and after I stopped judging one of the Italian WotC organized play big honchos even called me by phone to ask me back (which required for me to take an exam and stuff.) I believe Italy, back in the first phase of development, had one of the highest numbers of players for non-US countries, but I think these days dozen of countries are at this level.
Except the MTGO country, where you could actually reach the world with just a link. :)
Language is the big barrier irl but local volunteerism and store sponsorship takes the load off of WOTC. Online, I assume the problem is dealing with various international trafficking laws and regulations and satisfying them all at once.
15 Comments
RE: Editing - I produce/edit movie trailers for a living - but I don't know of any consumer-grade editing that's worth much. There are great versions of FCP (Final Cut Pro) for free out on the web, the latest one is the least powerful, but easiest to use. Personally I use Avid...but that's a pretty big chunk of change unless a free copy is about.. Know this - like anything, 99% of the interface of any editing program is garbage - don't let all the buttons confuse/distract you. Simplicity is king - cut/fade are all you need...the second someone starts using jigsaw wipes etc.., it reeks of freshman newb in a bad way :) Keep it simple...keep it elegant.
One of the reasons why redemption spiked Worldwake mythics so much was that people wanted a paper playset of Jace, the Mind Sculptor. He was more valuable in paper (and people could use him in Legacy decks, which aren't generally used online). Giving players a reward for doing well online that ties into the paper game is perfect. Of course, since it's Modern, I will probably try my hand and fail miserably. ^)^
Can someone please show me how to find out about upcoming events? All I know about is the wizards.com calendar page (http://wizards.com/Magic/Digital/MagicOnline.aspx?x=mtg/digital/magiconl...) which doesn't seem to mention Nix Tix events on the 13th or any other day.
Wizards has a highly annoying habit of placing information in a number of sources. If you don't follow the site, the group, the blog, the arcana, and at this point twitter as well you are likely to miss out on information. In this case it was the weekly post in the group about the downtime, about halfway down.
http://community.wizards.com/magiconline/blog/2013/03/05/announcements-_...
That's the current info you would be looking for.
I will have that info in State of the Program each Friday, because I do try to find all that info. I also include links to the sources in most cases (I don't link Twitter, etc.)
The Modern Gifts deck you highlighted does not have a typo. Rest for the Weary is a decent life gain measure against aggro decks and when combined with Snapcaster, it can nearly reset your life total. Rest in Peace in a Gifts deck would be anti-synergistic.
I would have expected Heroes' Reunion in that role, but I guess getting landfall and having a simpler mana cost makes it viable.
I am feeling old. I still think of Renewed Faith when I think of instant speed lifegain. I keep forgetting how ancient Renewed Faith is. It is not Modern legal.
Here is a listing of PTQ Top 8 decklists.
http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/events.aspx?x=mtg/daily/eventcover...
Man, coupon codes for US players only is yet another slap in the face for us foreigners. They really should devise a workaround international rules - many other online games do.
It's just awful to feel yet again like a second-class costumer.
Codes for US BILLING addresses, where you have your bills sent are your business.. :)
A true Johnny knows how to do billing shenanigans too. :)
It's also mightily contradictory: they always tried to woo the international markets, since Rinascimento and Portal Three Kingdoms; they have product localizations into a lot of different languages; and they organize GP all around the world. Then MTGO still feels like a product directed to the American audience. It's weird.
Maybe because their core audience initially was mostly American. That and the logistics nightmare of having to serve a venue as large as THE world. :D
But they do that in the paper world, where the logistics is actually a factor. Every country has plenty of support, Italy has a big WotC presence, I've a couple friends that run game stores and they get absolutely everything an American store gets. Plus I remember when I was a judge, the organization was thorough with tests and communications, and after I stopped judging one of the Italian WotC organized play big honchos even called me by phone to ask me back (which required for me to take an exam and stuff.) I believe Italy, back in the first phase of development, had one of the highest numbers of players for non-US countries, but I think these days dozen of countries are at this level.
Except the MTGO country, where you could actually reach the world with just a link. :)
Language is the big barrier irl but local volunteerism and store sponsorship takes the load off of WOTC. Online, I assume the problem is dealing with various international trafficking laws and regulations and satisfying them all at once.