MtGO: The First Five Days

When you start dreaming of adding counters to your thallids to create saprolings, thereby triggering the pumps in your Herd-Gnarrs, it might mean that you’re hooked. It might. Or perhaps you’re really just into thallids right now, like you were into Pokemon some years ago. Either way, I can’t sleep. It’s a combination of thallids and scheduler design patterns, as weird as that may sound. Before I move on to research about the latter so I’ll get sleepy again, I might as well talk a little about the former.

The first five days on MtGO have been more of an exploration on both the game itself, and the online version. I mentioned that I have never played MtG meaningfully before, so I did start practically with NIL experience. The only advantage I do have is I know how to play the basic no-frills game, which is basically akin to knowing the hand rankings and the rules of no-limit hold’em. You can play, but you won’t get far.

After getting past the absolute basics, you’ll know that deck building is probably the most important part of the game. This is actually the reason why I thought I might enjoy MtG, because I love the strategic decision making process in the planning part. As a casual player, I have the additional challenge of making a reasonable deck with limited investment. Unfortunately, given the nature of the game economics, I was pretty sure I’d waste some cash before I learn the proper ways of getting value for my money. I just hope I can keep this cost at the minimum.

I already chose a pre-constructed deck based on how I thought my personal game play was on what I’ve read. After playing with this deck a couple of times, I was slowly able to notice which cards I wanted more of and which cards didn’t help much. Given this, it was time to learn how to get the cards you need without repeatedly purchasing booster packs and crossing your fingers.

It seems expected that MtGO allows trading of cards, but finding someone who wants cards you have AND has cards you want is difficult. Fortunately, in a scheme that further allows Wizards of the Coast (WotC) to create more profit, WotC created a ticket system. Each ticket costs a dollar (US$1) and they are primarily used to enter tournaments, making them a common consumable commodity. Tickets are also tradable, meaning you can trade cards for tickets and vice versa. Given this, tickets are the de-facto currency in MtGO.

MtGO has provided an in-game means for advertising trading, selling, and buying. It’s crude, it’s basically a chat channel, but it does get the job done in hooking people up for trading.

Like any other market, it’s up to you to check out the prices of the cards you need, seeing how much people are willing to sell them and at what price. Perhaps you can surf the net a bit to get a pricing idea, but eventually, the card prices are basically market driven.

One thing to keep in mind is that tickets are integral, they have no fractional components. Some of the cards you want may be cheap and won’t even cost you a whole ticket, but they may not have the other cards you want at the price you want them. If you decide to purchase (trade) the cards, you’re essentially giving the seller a profit. The good news is that some sellers keep tabs on you, remembering the ticket fraction you weren’t able to consume with them, thereby allowing you to have “credit” with them. You can use this “credit” to reduce the costs of your next purchase. This does make things a little more reasonable, particularly if you intend on having more transactions with the person in the future.

As for my experience, my first transaction was trading 3 tickets to a person for 30 cards of my choice. I got several rare and uncommon cards, and I even got some that I did need for my deck. It may not have been a very efficient use of money, but it wasn’t a total waste either.

My next stop was what I have dubbed as “the marketplace”, which is basically the various trading chat channels. I’m not sure of WotC intended it to be this way, but there are quite a few “automated” people around. Given this, you can basically start a trade with them, browse, and decide if you want to make the purchase/trade. After doing this several times, I was able to figure out who offered the best costs for the cards I needed. Based on this, I selected one, choose the cards I deemed properly priced, and traded the corresponding number of tickets. I had “chance” of 0.01 tickets, which I intended so that I can verify if they would remember me. I tried it again with the same user, and it did remember me. I was able to purchase several rares and some uncommons with just 4 tickets (cost of one booster pack) through this, all of which were very useful for the customizations I had in mind. Now that was very good use of my money.

Now, the other decks I’d like to try out would require me to get cards which are a bit more expensive, so I have to thread more carefully. So far, though, with my recent “purchase”, I was able to customize my deck sufficiently enough that I am winning more than losing, and I’m actually having more fun playing the deck. I may still be playing in the newbie area, but I’ll enjoy this for a while before I try to spend for higher level games.

Ghost Rider-err

OK, Ghost Rider came out, and being a comics based movie, it was basically a must watch. I haven't read any Ghost Rider comics before, so I'm unfamiliar with the lore involved. That could be a good thing since it will prevent me from expecting anything from the film based on previous experience. Besides, the flame effects in the trailer looked cool.

Ans so my SO and I watched the movie. The flame effects on the skull were kinda cool. The humor/jokes in the film were pretty well executed too, I found myself chuckling at several of them. As for the rest of the film... I want to say something more positive , but I've already said them.

The story felt hurried, and some parts where the acting is supposed to be serious turned cheezy and humorous. Character development is straightforward and predictable. The action is... questionable. Some of the effects even seem like they were made for TV instead of the movies.

It is watchable, but barely. Flaming skull and humor, that's all the positive things the movie left on me, not much else. I wouldn't mind missing something like that on the big screen and just watching in on cable.

Checking Out "Magic: The Gathering Online"

I already mentioned in a previous post that Magic: The Gathering is widely regarded as a well designed game. I've tried it before, but an average Philippine student's allowance just can't properly keep up with the game's costs. Now, however, I can afford to get myself into it a bit. Tournament level... I don't have that kind of money, but casual play... perhaps.

I decided that I would try Magic: The Gathering Online (MtGO) based on the following points:

• Being online, I won't have a shortage of people to play with. I can play 24/7, and there will always be people of varying skill around.
• The software allows you to easily create, review and analyze several decks using what cards you have. You can have several different decks pre-made, and you can switch to any of them in an instant.
• Higher trading possibilities.
• You don't physically have to go anywhere.
• You don't have to worry much about conversations. Sure, your opponent may try to chat with you, but chatting is easier to ignore than having someone in your face.
• Game rules are strictly enforced. Possibility of cheating is practically NIL.
• No need to worry about cards getting damaged.

There are some drawbacks:

• Reliance on a PC and a 'net connection. I think this is a given.
• No physical cards. You can't show off your cards physically to people. Can't lug them around and play/trade anywhere either.
• Hard to find someone local to fight with. Pinoys probably prefer physically meeting for a fight (I could be wrong, this is just an initial assessment).
• If the online game shuts down... well... your investment is perhaps screwed.
  
• Cost. For some reason, physical Magic cards are cheaper here in the Philippines. Maybe this is because of the change in the exchange rates. Regardless, I'm not sure why the economics turned out that way.

The main negative thing for me is the cost issue, which is strange. You'd think that given the negligibility of manufacturing and distribution costs, it might be cheaper. There is a plus side to consider regarding the cost: it's cheaper than most MMOs.

Consider World of Warcraft, the most popular MMO currently around, how much will you spend with the game AND the monthly subscription? Quite a sum compared to the cost of a few theme decks and some boosters. Even if you purchase one theme deck AND one booster pack per month, it's still cheaper. The costs are perhaps comparable to Guild Wars for Warcraft III, given that you only pay for the game once. With hardcore card purchases, you may go over the cost of MMOs, but if you're only there for casual play, you'd probably just make some relatively (very relatively) small purchases and you can stop. Given this point of view, MtGO is actually executing the micro-payment concept as its source of revenue.

Magic itself is not a game for everyone. The online version is not for everyone either, even for Magic players. If you want to get yourself into collectible card games and are intending to be a casual player, MtGO is perhaps a reasonable option to consider. Strictly as an online card game, it has few advantages over the physical card game, perhaps not enough to win you over. However, IMHO, compared to other MMOs and games with online support, this could be a good deal. It really depends on what type of gamer you are.

Magic is a well established game. The this online version is just another means to play the game. It may not be as well established as poker, but it has been around for more than a decade. The game itself will probably survive longer than most MMOs, or even video games in general. Be careful, though. If you get hooked, you might be surprised that you've spent much much more than you were originally willing to spend.

PS:

Regardless of how well the game is designed, I still think that the way they make money from BOTH the physical and the online version is threading near the line of highway robbery (particularly the online version). I tend to root for games where the design favors skill and rewards are based mainly on skill. This game does require skill (a hell lot of it, honestly), but it's also heavily influenced by a fat wallet, too heavily influenced for my tastes.

It may seem ironic that I appear to be praising the game earlier in the post, and now I'm knocking it. I give credit where credit is due. In my opinion, it IS well designed, but it IS
also somewhat a rip-off.

Can't Sleep (Magic and Warcraft)

Lately, my mind has been occupied by game design. Not necessarily video games (but included, of course), just game design in general. Last week, my thoughts were mainly occupied by Magic: The Gathering (MTG) and World of Warcraft: The Card Game (WoW TCG).

MTG has been around for a long time now and is largely regarded as an example of good game design (I highly doubt it would last this long if it wasn't). The game is very mature now, and with thousands of cards available, the strategic possibilities are immense. Richard Garfield, the creator of MTG, even patented (U.S. Patent 5,662,332) his creation. Regardless of what new collectible card game comes out, I think MTG will always be there. It's no longer just a card game, it defined a genre of gaming, and a new gaming culture, IMHO.

The new collectible card game making it big right now is the WoW TCG. Based on what I've currently seen, it's what I envisioned "Rage" was in 1995, except much much better. WoW TCG has some game mechanics that I found to be very strategically interesting, particularly regarding resources. The game is a little more expensive, though (even for a collectible card game), and the way the card dependencies are designed, you're probably going to be shelling out quite a sum to be able to make a good, cohesive, customized deck. My friend used the term "A-list" collectible card game, and I agree.

If WoW TCG manages to get past the fad phase, perhaps I'll dig myself a bit deeper into it.

Can't Sleep (Xbox and XNA)

Can't sleep, and it's annoying. I really want to sleep, but a lot of stuff is floating in my head, as usual. Perhaps a little typing will help.

I just finished watching "The Contender". Normally I'm very excited about the fights, but the fight tonight was a bit dirty, and I'm not sure I agree with the judges' decision regarding who won. Perhaps they were right, Sugar Ray seemed to agree with them, so they must've seen punches I didn't. Besides, I was a little distracted with setting up XNA Studio Express.

XNA is something Microsoft came up with to help in game development. The intriguing thing about it is that its a single development platform that can be used for both Windows and Xbox game development, you use the exact same code, you just re-compile it to the proper platform. It's actually a very good idea, IMHO, given the rising development costs of making games, this is a welcome thing. The item I installed is the Express version which is mainly for trying it out and for hobbyists. As far as I know, you have to use C# for this. I'm not sure if C/C++ can be used with it in the future versions, or perhaps in the Professional version (which ain't available yet).

As much as the Wii has carved itself a niche, I don't think it'll take the crown from Sony yet. Xbox 360, on the other hand, has a shot, but I think it may not be in this generation. Microsoft is doing a lot of things right with the direction they are taking Xbox, and I honestly think that the Xbox has a good shot at beating the PS in Western countries. Will it be in this generation? That I doubt, but I think Xbox will be taking a greater share of the market than Sony would be comfortable with. Perhaps the next console war will be on Microsoft's side.

As much as the PS3 started out on the weak side, we have to keep in mind that Metal Gear and Final Fantasy are really huge Sony exclusives, and the new versions haven't come out yet. Before "Gears of War", Microsoft only had Halo. PS still has a historical and library advantage, but I think Nintendo had that advantage too when the first PS came around. Xbox is doing a lot to make the system developer friendly, which will probably appeal mostly to the Western developers, but I think the other key thing they are doing right is Xbox Live. For me, online play IS the new frontier, and Microsoft has a huge advantage in that area (compared to Sony and Nintendo at least).

This is gonna be a very interesting next few years for the consoles. While the battle rages on, I think I better start learning C#.

Stuff from the Tube: World of Warcraft Super Mario!

I don't know how they managed to make the levels, but the way they pulled it off using almost 100% WoW engine is so cool.

sōō'pər-hîr'ō ™

I ran into this press release regarding a comic book whose title was changed from "Superhero™ Happy Hour" to "Hero Happy Hour" because "the two big comic book companies" claim to own the trademark to "SUPER HEROES™", and variations thereof.

I am very interested to know just when the "big two" registered this trademark, and whether those kind of things apply given how the word is used today. I think it's ridiculous, similar to some fair-use issues I've seen that documentary film makers run into, so it should be interesting to know the history, not to mention how the "big two" will continue to uphold their trademark.

The History Boys

Based on a play of the same title, The History Boys is about a group of top students in a school in Sheffield who are preparing to take entrance examinations in Oxford and Cambridge. In preparation, the boys are placed under the guidance of (mainly) two teachers with different styles and stress on their education.

Based on the short synopsis, everything seems ordinary, but the difference between the two styles are not as one would expect if this was a US film. It's a Brit film. Not just that, it's a very cerebral Brit film. Given these, you can expect a lot of intellectualization, not to mention subtlety, in things that would normally be presented in a rather straightforward manner if this was a US film.

The film is dialogue intensive, and though most can probably follow what's going on, the subtle wit and charm of the film may not be accessible to a general audience. If you can get past this, though, it's quite a show.

It's not s smooth viewing, but I liked the film and what it had to say. The film is not for everyone. If you don't mind the Brit style, not to mention the cerebral language employed in the dialogue, and you are ready to both watch and think at the same time, then you may find yourself appreciating what the film has to offer. If this isn't you cup of tea, it's best if you just stay away.

Curse of the Golden Flower

I thought Curse of the Golden Flower was a martial arts film, and I try my best not to miss any of those, it turns out it's not quite that. It's actually more of a drama/conspiracy movie, with some martial arts on the side. The movie is epic in scale, but the story is personal... very personal in fact.

I found it quite a pleasant surprise, I'm not used to seeing an Asian film with such a convoluted storyline. It plays out like a soap, and they do pull this off quite nicely. If you're looking for martial arts, though, there's too few of them. The movie has some large battle sequences, which were quite well done and seemingly at the realm of realism. You won't find elaborate personal fighting sequences, though.

All in all, I did like the film. It wasn't what I expected, but it is worth watching. If you're looking for hardcore Hong Kong martial arts action, though, this is not it.

Apocalypto

The movie was nominated and won some awards, aside from being well received in the box-office, so it's no surprise that my SO and I went to see it. Set in the time of the Mayan civilization before the Spanish came, the story revolves around one of the tribesmen who was part of a tribe that was raided and captured, and how he struggles to escape and return to his family.

I have not seen "The Passion of Christ", so I don't know first hand how graphic Mel Gibson's scenes have been before, but I'm tellin' you now, it gets pretty graphic and brutal. It feels realistic... realistically brutal at times. I did feel that some scenes wasn't really necessary, but the scenes did succeed in reinforcing how "uncivilized" things were.

The whole film is in the settings "native language" (Mayan?), so all dialogged is subtitled. There were parts of the story that I felt were dragging, particularly at the start, but the film was well done enough that I'm willing to set that aside.

Yes, it was well done. It was violent, gory, action packed, filled with emotion, and surprisingly, had good humor too. You can feel the fear and desperation. I liked this a lot more than "Babel".

Watch it! If you can't take the gore, just close your eyes on certain scenes, but I do recommend you still watch it.

What This Couch Potato Watches... (as of 2007.02/05)

Since I mostly bum around at the house, it's a safe bet that TV is a significant part of my current daily routine. Actually, the shows I watch on TV help me figure out what day in the week it is. I thought I'd share with you what shows I look forward to on the good 'ol boob tube:

• The Contender (every Sunday, 00:00) - Reality boxing. Intense boxing action. Fights are quite action packed, and you don't know how it goes until the last round (sadly, that's the 5th round).

• Xiaolin Showdown (weekdays, 17:30 or 00:30) - American cartoon about 4 Xiaolin trainees tasked at searching for and protecting Shng Gong Wu (artifacts with various powers). It was so-so when it started, but the story started getting interesting in the later episodes, which was when I started appreciating the show.

• Alice Academy (weekdays, 11:30 and 15:30) - Anime regarding a school whose students all have powers (called "alices"). The premise is interesting and it's cute, and the execution is cute too.

• American Idol (Wed and Thurs, 18:00 and 20:00) - Singing reality show. My SO got me into watching this. Of course, we all watch this to hear what Simon Cowell says.

• Law of Ueki (Wed, 19:00) - Fighting anime regarding Ueki, a high schooler endowed with powers (called "talents") who aims to fight in a tournament to win the prize of the right to create any talent he wants. The powers are interesting. I think the series aired its last episode last week.

• Teen Titans (weekends, 10:30) - American cartoon based on DCs Teen Titans. I absolutely love this, it's funny, the characters are cool, and the story is good. I'm just not home all the time to see this on sked.

• The Simpsons (everyday, 00:00 and 22:00) - American cartoon regarding a typical American family. It's been around for so long that there are so many episodes I haven't watched. I don't think I have to explain how good this series is.

• The Daily Show with John Stewart (Tues to Fri, 23:00) - News comedy. Political and current events jokes done with wit and intelligence (?). I don't often get to watch these types of things done this well.
  

Slowly Going Back to My Roots (subtitle: development of one of the worst Street Fighter games of them all!)

The past few days have been those of adjustments. I'm slowly moving to my next phase, although I think I'm still a few months overdue for this. I found myself in the middle of a struggle to get moving and to stay relaxed, and I'm trying to get a grips on how I want things done. I have been looking back into the ways I wanted to make a living years ago, and I'm slowly getting back into the verges of wanting to accomplish things instead of resting.

In the process, I have found myself going slowly back to my roots in video games and animation. I have resumed my Guild Wars and Warcraft III, and I've been watching quite a few works of animation. Illusions of grandeur in excellence of playing is slowly being replaced by the old honest fun and adventure of gameplay.

Chance would have it that at my routine course of scouring for information I run across a topic close to my heart, Street Fighter. I have actually been thinking of purchasing an XBOX360 if it offers Street Fighter online play, but at this point in time I fear that there are still some
issues to be overcome (ie. official XBOX support in the Philippines, remnants of the old network lag). Then these issues are fixed, I will seriously consider finally getting myself a console.

In the meantime, I ran into this software development/game development topic regarding "Street Fighter: The Movie" video game, based on Van Damme's film. It was a pretty bad game, and apparently one of the developers of the game decided to let some things out of his chest. It's a story of how a dream opportunity comes and how even when all the cards are in place, things go to hell. All software engineers worth their salt have probably gone through such an ordeal, as had I. Being a software developer, video gamer, and Street Fighter fan just makes this a lot more personal.

I would recommend all software developers, video game fans, and Street Fighter fans to read his story.