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Magic: The Gathering
The document discusses the history and mechanics of Magic: The Gathering, focusing on the game's ability to allow players to construct their own decks and the social dynamics within its community. It highlights the evolution of the game's fanbase, the participation rates of women in competitive versus casual play, and the respect gained from skill and knowledge of the game. Additionally, it covers the significance of rare cards, the establishment of tournaments, and community expectations regarding etiquette and behavior.
Magic: The Gathering
- 1. Hia, Uy, Minsky,Mohapatra, Saxe
- 2. October 2, 2015,an important day for MTG...
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- 9. “So, with Magic,my game was inspired by the mechanics. I was interested in designing a game in which people could construct their own decks, and that was the root of the game. It wasn’t until months later that I came up with the idea of attaching a magical theme to it. But another game I designed, Pecking Order, which is kind of an abstract bluffing game, has the motif of birds landing on posts, and the better posts are occupied by birds higher on the pecking order.” *An Interview with Richard Garfield, Creator of Magic: The Gathering, Vice
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- 11. Secondary Market A rare"Alpha Black Lotus" card, from waaaay back in 1993, has gone for $27,302 on eBay, owing both to the fact it's rare (one of only 1100 printed) and also because it was in almost perfect condition. *Rare Magic Card Sells For $27,000, Kotaku
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- 14. Franchise Announced June 12, 2014 *‘GameOf Thrones’ Scribe Bryan Cogman Takes On ‘Magic The Gathering’ For Fox, Deadline
- 15. Summary: *Rare Magic CardSells For $27,000, Kotaku ● 1991: WOTC founded ● 1993: M:TG debut ● 1994: M:TG won Mensa Top 5 Mind Games ● 1995: 250+ WOTC employees, $65+ million in sales ● 1996: M:TG Pro Tour ● 1997: WOTC acquired TSR (D&D makers) ● 1999: WOTC prints Pokemon TCG (blows away sports cards) ● 1999: Hasbro acquired WOTC
- 16. WHAT THEY CAREABOUT
- 17. Skill at thegame
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- 19. Collecting powerful orrare cards
- 20. Knowledge about upcomingcards and rules
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- 23. In Person Interaction ●More relaxed rules in casual play, tournaments are formal ○ Stick to your weight class ○ Be courteous to other players ○ Competitive play has a very rigid etiquette to it. ○ If you lose, you should offer the loser a handshake and say “Good game.” ● Different collection tactics and motivations
- 24. Tournaments: “Details areforgotten, raw numbers aren’t.” - Sam Black, professional Magic player
- 25. Skill and Expertise ●Magic, especially high-level Magic, has a lot of its own lingo and shorthand ● The most respect is gained from knowledge and perceived level of skill at playing and winning the game. These are considered different skills. ● People play Magic for all kinds of reasons, but most are in it to win.
- 26. Specialization ● A lotof respect can be gained from being really great at one aspect of the game. ● Some players are particularly well known for their deckbuilding, while others are known for playing specific versions like limited or modern ● Red is the least respected deck-type. It’s considered less impressive if you win with a “burn” deck than if you do it with something more complicated.
- 27. Online ● Magic accounts ●Forums ○ Moderators ○ Topic threads about the game ○ Topic threads mildly related to the game
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- 29. Exchanging Gifts (Knowledge) ●18+ ‘core’ sets ● 69+ ‘expansion sets ● cumulative levels of complexity + game mechanics lend themselves to a dynamic of explaining / arguing ● numerous opportunities to ‘teach’ / listen to yourself talk
- 30. Jostling For Social(Equality) “Wizards' market research, he said, showed a ratio of 62% male to 38% female in their player base. As many people noted, this percentage is way above female participation at Grand Prixs, SCG Opens, the Pro Tour, or even at FNMs. In these environments, female participation is more likely to range from one in twenty to one in one hundred players, or between 1 and 5 percent. It stands to reason that if these women aren't showing up to competitive events, then they're casual “kitchen table” players. What's keeping them from transitioning to competitive environments?” *Women In Magic: the Gathering, StarCityGames
- 31. SUMMARY: ● As fanbaseexpands and grows, assumptions around who is a fan/player evolve and are challenged. ● Environment dictates specific rules about social conduct, but generally the expectation is to not be a jerk. ● Despite the norms created in the fan community, in the end, the game is the most important. *(opinion)