I just read the article by Douglas Scheinberg, and I disagree with just about everything he said.
Mr. Scheinberg tries to say that since each pack only costs Wizards a quarter to make, they should charge less. I think this gets to the real heat of the problem; Mr. Scheinberg does not want to spend any money on Magic. That's fine; I'm in the same boat, but I don't complain. I just make do with the cards I have, since I'm not a competitive player.
It seems Mr. Scheinberg feels that everyone should have every card for every tournament. Why doesn't he demand that Ford and Goodyear supply him with a free car and tire so that he can compete in the Winston Cup? By his standard, it is totally unfair that it costs millions to compete in professional racing.
Face it; it's expensive to compete on a professional level in any activity. I can bowl for four bucks with a lane ball and rental shoes, but pros spend hundreds of dollars on balls, gloves, and shoes. I golf with some second-hand clubs at the Muni course for $9. Pebble Beach costs several hundred, and most competitive golfers have thousands in equipment. I don't play darts much... But many of my friends have several hundred invested in it. Needless to say, these expensive darts and flights help them beat me every time when I use the bent and warped bar darts.
What is my point here? You can play Magic for ten bucks. Go buy a precon deck and sit down with a buddy and play; you'll have fun. If your goal, however, is to be competitive, expect to spend more time and more money on Magic. If you want to qualify for the Pro Tour, you will have to spend a lot of time and a lot money to get there. This is true in every activity, not just magic.
All of this, of course, does not even address the new online platform... But it might indicate why there is such a divide on this issue. It seems that players like Mr. Scheinberg are not happy with the current system - so, of course, they won't like an electronic version of the current system. Since I'm happy with the current system, I don't see any problems with the proposed electronic system. I do, however, have issues with Apprentice.
In two words: Apprentice sucks. It's like playing chess via email. I've done both, and they are both acceptable in a world devoid of alternatives. However if I want to play chess online now, I use Yahoo or a similar service. It features rules enforcement, timers, and a board you can see on the screen. When Magic Online is released, I will delete Apprentice from my machine; it's just not that fun to play. It's putsy, slow, difficult for the laymen, and not even pretty to look at.
It has two redeeming qualities: You get every card, and it's free. Well, you can still get all the cards in Magic Online - it will just cost you. So there is really just one issue; cost. I've seen other's arguments where they say they will just burn Magic Online from their friends and not even buy it. This is why Wizards has to charge for cards. If they sold the game for a flat fee and gave you all the cards, they would sell 10,000 copies and 400,000 people would log on to play. Basically, they need to sell the cards and not the game to prevent rampant theft. It's the same reason that a lot of stores now keep Magic cards behind the register, and it's the same reason I lock my house when I leave for work. Thieves are everywhere, especially in the online world. Wizards could also just give you all the cards and charge you a monthly fee to play. Well, this would still involve a recurring charge to play. If you would be willing to pay $10 a month to play, then you should be willing to buy $10 worth of e-boosters a month, right? It's the same effect either way.
I'll admit that the cost of an e-booster will be a major factor for me. If they cost $45 each, I'll never buy one. If they run 50 cents, I'll get them all the time. I think before we start throwing hate at one another, we should see how much this thing really costs.
Apparently, Mr. Scheinberg is a much nicer man than I; it seems he works for free. I however, like Wizards, feel that what I do is worthwhile and that I should be paid for my efforts. He probably works for a non-profit company to benefit humanity. Most of us, however, work for companies that try to make money - and Wizards is no exception. It seems that this is the main point of disagreement between us, and it's one that doesn't look likely to be resolved anytime soon.
Thank you,
Jeffrey Kolowith
|
