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[Ashodin]

How many MMOs do you think have been released in western markets in the last year, exactly?

That's part of the point. It's been a long while since an MMO HAD to go F2P, and most that launch lately are already so. The genre as a whole was in a transition stage, clearly niche and/or bitesize gameplay MMOs going F2P or B2P (one time purchase) and then monetize inside for better revenue streams.

On the Secret World, they've been B2P for the longest time and Legends is a revamp to the game that will make it more action-like, which should bring more fans into the game. It's a brilliant story by Ragnar Tornquist that should be seen by more people.

MMOs are becoming less popular, but are still vastly successful. MTG is better served by either a big budget AAA singleplayer RPG which won't generate revenue outside of initial purchase price except DLC, or an MMO that can cater to an audience wanting to interact with each other and can have multitudes of microtransaction cosmetics that would give a steady stream of money.

Plus Cryptic already have a relationship with WotC, the CEO loves Magic, etc. There's room for it.

 

[Familienoberhauptvogel]

Neverwinter is awful and has almost no relation to the source material. Don't expect shit from this, by which I mean expect it to be shit.

Can you give me an example of a recent MMO going F2P? Recent being this year or last year.

Can you give me an example of a successful MMO shutting down recently? Same time frame.

I'll wait.

I just don't keep up with MMOs much these days but Wildstar went f2p at the end of 2015.

 

[Ashodin]

Neverwinter is an example of WotC just letting them run with the D&D license because it's not as big as the Magic license. I'd expect hands-on guidance here.

The only thing WotC wants from Neverwinter is on-theme D&D modules that are timed to the modules they push out.

It's possible it can be done right, but I'm cautiously optimistic. Optimistic trepidation.

 

[StrategyFan]

What was the last MMO that was actually successful? There were a billion games that came out in the wake of WOW, and it seems like every day another one of them goes F2P because they are loosing money, or is just shutting down.

Elder Scrolls Online was a unmitigated disaster that ended up needing to drop it's subscription system less than a year after release, and FF14 had to come out in a fucking terrible state, and basically get remade completely to get to where it's at now. Final Fantasy and Elder Scrolls mean a whole lot more to the average gamer than Magic does, and they had real issues making an MMO work. When I take a look at how Magic Online has been bad for 15 years now, what faith should I have in this product?

i don't keep track of their revenue, but there haven't been a bunch of amazing offline RPGs either

i don't know what kind of games the mtg-mmo dev makes, but saying something is a mmo these days is like choosing between solo skyrim or coop skyrim

it doesn't turn a bad game into a good one, but for the tiny fraction of people who end up liking it, it can have a lot more longevity

 

[A Serious Man]

Can you give me an example of a recent MMO going F2P? Recent being this year or last year.

Can you give me an example of a successful MMO shutting down recently? Same time frame.

I'll wait.

ESO, Wildstar and EVE have gone F2P in the last couple years. That list isn't longer because most big MMOs don't even attempt to have a subscription fee these days. The only big MMO type games I can think of to launch recently are Destiny, The Division and Black Desert and none of them have subscription fees. ARK-style survival games and MOBAs are where a lot of the MMO crowd has moved.

And there are plenty of MMOs that are effectively dead that haven't shut down. Companies will put up an eshop, leave a small skeleton crew to perform maintenance and keep the servers on. The small trickle of income makes more financial sense than shutting the servers down altogether.

 

[TheBlackMarvel]

If only these were the Invocations we actually got.

 

[OnPoint]

If only these were the Invocations we actually got.

I don't love the art in them, but it's a far more fitting and cohesive design than what we did get.

 

[An-Det]

Pikula getting screwed out of the Hall of Fame every year is just sad.

• The player must have at least two final-day finishes to have their name on the 2016 Hall of fame selection ballot
• If a player receives votes on less than ten percent of the returned, unweighted ballots for three years of voting, that player shall be removed from the Hall of Fame selection ballot until they requalify pursuant of the process of receiving 4 Professional Points during the set period a year's selection ballot looks at.
• what percentage of the returned, unweighted ballot an eligible player needs to be voted in. The previous threshold was set at 40%. Effective this year, that threshold will be increased to 60%.

 

[charlequin]

If only these were the Invocations we actually got.

It took quite a few iterations but this is finally at what I think is just the correct spot for these to have been at -- the line-based art, the stark borders, the legible text, all more like the black-on-black promos than anything else.

Pikula getting screwed out of the Hall of Fame every year is just sad.

for fuck's sake

 

[kirblar]

https://www.mtggoldfish.com/articles/instant-deck-tech-topless-miracles-legacy

Hope u bought in

 

[Santiako]

Apparently we're getting a announcement week instead of day now. They must have plenty of things to announce. Should be fun.

growingthreat asked: When is the big June Announcement Day again? Shouldn't it be sneaking up here soon?

Next week is announcement week.

Blogatog

 

[SigmasonicX]

Bunch of MTGO stuff
* Battle of the Planes - Plane based phantom sealed games.
* Vintage Cube.
* Modified trading system.
* Connection stability improvements.
* And other stuff.

 

[charlequin]

https://www.mtggoldfish.com/articles/instant-deck-tech-topless-miracles-legacy

Hope u bought in

lol legacy

Apparently we're getting a announcement week instead of day now. They must have plenty of things to announce. Should be fun.

My understanding was that they'd still be doing all the announcements on one day but weren't confirming which exact day yet, but maybe that's inaccurate?

 

[Santiako]

My understanding was that they'd still be doing all the announcements on one day but weren't confirming which exact day yet, but maybe that's inaccurate?

Could be.

 

[An-Det]

https://www.mtggoldfish.com/articles/instant-deck-tech-topless-miracles-legacy

Hope u bought in

Me buying a bunch of Coldsnap and not throwing away my Portents is sure looking good now.

 

[Ashodin]

lol legacy



My understanding was that they'd still be doing all the announcements on one day but weren't confirming which exact day yet, but maybe that's inaccurate?

yeah I interpret it as the next week is when the announcements will come, not the whole week is announcements, but given the mothership's "article a day" structure they might be doing it like that.

https://www.mtggoldfish.com/articles/instant-deck-tech-topless-miracles-legacy

Hope u bought in

yesss I bought a fuckton of portent

 

[kirblar]

It's more "LOL TERMINUS" cause that card is so good that this shell works.

 

[Ashodin]

It's more "LOL TERMINUS" cause that card is so good that this shell works.

Terminus is one of my favorite wrath variants ever. I love the FTV one.

 

[Infinite Stars]

I mean, I'm a bit sad that Entreat isn't in the list, but never count Eternal Decks as dead. DS was dead post Probe ban, now it's everywhere. Eldrazi was dead, it's now everywhere. Dredge was dead, now everywhere. Creature based combo "died" with Pod, but now it's alive again.

I think the only deck not to resurge after losing a key part is Twin/Infect, and I'd peg both of those to "relatively hostile Metagames in the wake of their ban"(Kiki-Jiki dies to Bolt/Probeless Infect can't go ham like they used to).

I still wish that Blue/White were less relegated to the Garbage tier of Modern, which is very, very much defined by Black(best PlanesWalker, Sorcery, instant, and Creature are all black right now)

 

[Familienoberhauptvogel]

path is still better than push,

 

[Bandini]

Bunch of MTGO stuff
* Battle of the Planes - Plane based phantom sealed games.
* Vintage Cube.
* Modified trading system.
* Connection stability improvements.
* And other stuff.

Yay. Battle of the Planes looks fun and VC is my favorite format. Time to burn some player points!

 

[Infinite Stars]

path is still better than push,

That's debatable half of the time. Path is a ramp spell when used early on, but in the late game it's better.

Doesn't negate Black having half of the best cards in the format.

 

[Familienoberhauptvogel]

Don't think it's that debatable between push and path.
The downside of path is real but the upside over push are markedly.

The issue is not just that black has the best PW Sorcery and Creature they also can make a strong case for the 2nd strongest PW sorcery instant and creature.

 

[Angry Grimace]

path is still better than push,

I don't think that's true. Path has an enormous downside; I'd consider them relatively equal all things considering.

Lightning Bolt is better than either of them.

 

[Ashodin]

most likely getting Commander Anthology tomorrow. Still need Kaalia.

 

[Infinite Stars]

When you think about it, Path is basically an Inverse Lightning Bolt in terms of use as removal. Bolt was great in the early game but lost power in the late game vs Path becoming Strictly better Swords in the late game.

Don't think it's that debatable between push and path.
The downside of path is real but the upside over push are markedly.

The issue is not just that black has the best PW Sorcery and Creature they also can make a strong case for the 2nd strongest PW sorcery instant and creature.

What's the Sorcery/Creature? I think I got the Walker(Liliana the Last Hope) and the Instant(Push), but I can't get the other 2.

Otherwise, yeah, Black just has way too many "goodies"

 

[Ashodin]

Path gets considerably better the later the game goes on, whereas Push usually doesn't. So it's an interesting dynamic.

 

[Familienoberhauptvogel]

I don't think that's true. Path has an enormous downside; I'd consider them relatively equal all things considering.

Lightning Bolt is better than either of them.

Bolt has gotten so much worse with the decks popular right now. Burn is the only thing that keeps it in contention. If Path was anything but white I'd prefer Path right now, there's a case to be made for equal as push is better across a wider field while path is better against the bogeymen of the format.

What's the Sorcery/Creature? I think I got the Walker(Liliana the Last Hope) and the Instant(Push), but I can't get the other 2.

Otherwise, yeah, Black just has way too many "goodies"

Inquisition and Tasigur

 

[Angry Grimace]

When you think about it, Path is basically an Inverse Lightning Bolt in terms of use as removal. Bolt was great in the early game but lost power in the late game vs Path becoming Strictly better Swords in the late game.


What's the Sorcery/Creature? I think I got the Walker(Liliana the Last Hope) and the Instant(Push), but I can't get the other 2.

Otherwise, yeah, Black just has way too many "goodies"

Thoughtseize and/or Inquisition. I don't know what creature he's talking about, but I suspect Death's Shadow(?) Which is worse than Tarmogoyf.

 

[Santiako]

Right now in Modern

Push>Path>Bolt

Death's Shadow clearly the best creature.

 

[Infinite Stars]

Path gets considerably better the later the game goes on, whereas Push usually doesn't. So it's an interesting dynamic.

Eh, Push is arguably stable. It kills a 2 Mana dude 10% of the time and a 4 Mana with Revolt. Comparing Bolt(which can kill any 2 Mana or less creature half the time) and Path(where using it on a 2 Mana is dumb unless it's against Bearforce 1)

 

[Familienoberhauptvogel]

I'm happier to path a goyf or DS than push it and watch it be regrown

 

[Santiako]

Push is also inherently better since it's black instead of white.

 

[Ashodin]

white is pretty shit in modern too imo

outside of like soul sisters

 

[Santiako]

white is pretty shit in modern too imo

outside of like soul sisters

Soul Sisters is literal trash. Biggest white deck is probably Death and Taxes and the different flavours or CoCo. Most of the time, white is just a splash for Path and sideboard RiP/Stony Silence/Lingering Souls.

 

[Familienoberhauptvogel]

Push is also inherently better since it's black instead of white.

ain't nobody disagree with that.

 

[Ashodin]

Soul Sisters is literal trash. Biggest white deck is probably Death and Taxes and the different flavours or CoCo. Most of the time, white is just a splash for Path and sideboard RiP/Stony Silence/Lingering Souls.

I mean white is pretty shit tbh outside of standard where shit gets crazy with Avacyns and shit

 

[Infinite Stars]

Death and Taxes in Modern is very much akin to Delver in Modern- It works better then it should, but it's still kind of crappy as a deck since the lack of tools. Arbiter is alright, but him+GQ is 8 parts that don't feel super great by themselves. Wisp is decent, but you don't have as good of targets(generally). Thalia GoT is decent, but taxing spells is less good in a creature defined format.

white is pretty shit in modern too imo

outside of like soul sisters

It's kind of hillarious, because we keep on getting these pushed White Cards(Gideon AoZ/of the Trials) that are the bane of Standard but do jackshit elsewhere.

Thalia, Heretic Cathar is/was pushed hard for Modern playability. I've won games off of Turn 2 Thalia, GoT into Turn 3 Big Thalia. Both Gideon's can snowball hard. The biggest issue with White is that unlike Red(which has been pigeonholed into one strategy 90% of the time), White feels like it has about 5-8 different identities, none of which work well with each other. White could also use a solid non-legendary creature at the 2 Mana slot.

 

[Joe Molotov]

White is Modern's Sideboard.

 

[Ashodin]

Gideon of the Trials ain't the bane of standard yet

He's the bane of actually getting into decklists atm

 

[Santiako]

It's kind of hillarious, because we keep on getting these pushed White Cards(Gideon AoZ/of the Trials) that are the bane of Standard but do jackshit elsewhere.

Thalia, Heretic Cathar is/was pushed hard for Modern playability. I've won games off of Turn 2 Thalia, GoT into Turn 3 Big Thalia. Both Gideon's can snowball hard. The biggest issue with White is that unlike Red(which has been pigeonholed into one strategy 90% of the time), White feels like it has about 5-8 different identities, none of which work well with each other. White could also use a solid non-legendary creature at the 2 Mana slot.

But at the same time, Red is represented in a bigger array of strategies than white in Skred, Dredge, Storm, Living End, Titanshift, Breach, Goryo's, Burns, and all the midrange/control decks that use Bolt and KCom.

 

[Infinite Stars]

Gideon of the Trials ain't the bane of standard yet

He's the bane of actually getting into decklists atm

He will be once Ally Rotates ImO(Fuck Ally, he's in no way flavorful to Gideon and is just a dumb card).

But at the same time, Red is represented in a bigger array of strategies than white in Skred, Dredge, Storm, Living End, Titanshift, Breach, Goryo's, Burns, and all the midrange/control decks that use Bolt and KCom.

Yeah, I was mostly talking about the decks that leap to mind for each color (IE Merfolk, Burn, Elves, and 8Rack). White has Soul Sisters(which like you mentioned earlier, is generally shit unless it's Norin but even then), D&T(A bad legacy port without the lands that D&T use to enable half of their stuff), Emeria Control/Midrange(Requires 8 lands to do anything), Prison(Lol), and Enchantress.

But yeah, White is perpetually in the doghouse right now wrt Modern. I'm not even sure a Mystic Unban would do much to help the color get an identity.

 

[Ashodin]

So the last story was the Hour of Revelation

All questions will be answered during the Hour of Revelation.

Next week should be the Hour of Glory

In the Hour of Glory, the gods and the untested will prove their worth before the God-Pharaoh.

Of note, Samut is Samut the Tested after this, meaning this is probably when she sparks. What I'll be interested in is if she immediately 'walks to another plane.

 

[Familienoberhauptvogel]

I really want samut to end up on Bolas' side.

 

[Bandini]

White is a support color in Modern, and that's fine because it's probably the best support color.

Also I love playing cards like Nahiri, Supreme Verdict, and Elspeth, Sun's Champion.

 

[Infinite Stars]

White is a support color in Modern, and that's fine because it's probably the best support color.

Also I love playing cards like Nahiri, Supreme Verdict, and Elspeth, Sun's Champion.

But why does it have to be a support color? Why does Black and Green get to be the backbone of so many decks while White/Blue/Red are left to dry?

I mean, I love curving Verdict into 5 Drop into Elspeth, but that's a nut draw(you need 6 land drops, a Verdict, and an Elspeth out of a a maximum 18 cards(7 in Opening, 5-6 Draws, and 2-5 Draws depending upon Wall of Omens/Serum Visions/Ancestral Visions) that you hope your Opponent isn't Thoughtseizing anything you need.

 

[blindrocket]

In Modern, White has arguably been the best splash color. It has consistently held the better support cards and of course the rock star Path to Exile.

But why does it have to be a support color? Why does Black and Green get to be the backbone of so many decks while White/Blue/Red are left to dry?

UWR is an actual deck, or has been, and in the past has done quite well. It's just that Modern decks have an ebb and flow and control is usually on the down.

 

[Infinite Stars]

In Modern, White has arguably been the best splash color. It has consistently held the better support cards and of course the rock star Path to Exile.



UWR is an actual deck, or has been, and in the past has done quite well. It's just that Modern decks have an ebb and flow and control is usually on the down.

White's the best splash color, but it's not leaps ahead. No one is building a deck and adding White solely for 1-4x Copies of sideboard cards*

As for Jeskai being a deck, it had one Flash in the pan over the past 2 years during the Nahiri Hype and really hasn't made any improvements since.

*The only deck that runs a white splash solely in the side is Elves, and that's because each White Hatebear has effectively 9 copies for each 1of(1 of, Chord, CoCo.)

 

[blindrocket]

White's the best splash color, but it's not leaps ahead. No one is building a deck and adding White solely for 1-4x Copies of sideboard cards*

Actually, it's definitely been done before. Maybe not in the current meta.

As for Jeskai being a deck, it had one Flash in the pan over the past 2 years during the Nahiri Hype and really hasn't made any improvements since.

I was speaking of UWR being a deck actually before Nahiri. It's been awhile. Won the Pro Tour in 2014, I believe. It was fun to watch Shaun McLaren win that one.

 

[Ashodin]

Saw some tech on using Ulvenwald Hydra to grab Shrine of the Forsaken Gods to ramp into Ulamogs from hand. Nice. I'll run that.