Magic: The Gathering ("MTG")
MTG is arguably the most successful trading card game alive today. It was introduced in 1993 and has outlasted many other card games both in terms of longevity and popularity. Amazing, isn't it? Naturally, it is a profitable business.
Perhaps about a decade ago, I first heard of it from a friend. In fact, we both bought a pack (can't remember whether it was an intro or booster pack) each but we never got around to play it. I had only very vague memory of looking at some cards from the deck.
Ban mentioned this game to me when I was playing Yugi-Oh! card game on my laptop (software obtained from his brother). He claimed that MTG was a better system than Yugi, which is not too difficult to believe since the latter has some balancing issues.
It was only on my latest trip to Australia that I learned a little bit on how to play it by watching my brother-in-law playing the digital version ("MTG: Duel of the Planeswalkers"). Ban and I were aware of this version but we didn't like it because it disallowed deck-building, which is a primary source of enjoyment for card game players.
Now we are play-testing MTG using two web based deck-builders. It is better to do this than to plunge straight into buying cards because they are expensive! In fact, it is an expensive hobby and so I'm still not sure whether I'll ever buy any.
I have built some decks but the more successful ones are modified from other people's suggestions. I'm still really green at this. My current favourite is a black+blue milling deck i.e. to force my opponent to draw down his deck much faster. I'll win if he has no more card to draw on his turn.
I should really try other builds.
Perhaps about a decade ago, I first heard of it from a friend. In fact, we both bought a pack (can't remember whether it was an intro or booster pack) each but we never got around to play it. I had only very vague memory of looking at some cards from the deck.
Ban mentioned this game to me when I was playing Yugi-Oh! card game on my laptop (software obtained from his brother). He claimed that MTG was a better system than Yugi, which is not too difficult to believe since the latter has some balancing issues.
It was only on my latest trip to Australia that I learned a little bit on how to play it by watching my brother-in-law playing the digital version ("MTG: Duel of the Planeswalkers"). Ban and I were aware of this version but we didn't like it because it disallowed deck-building, which is a primary source of enjoyment for card game players.
Now we are play-testing MTG using two web based deck-builders. It is better to do this than to plunge straight into buying cards because they are expensive! In fact, it is an expensive hobby and so I'm still not sure whether I'll ever buy any.
I have built some decks but the more successful ones are modified from other people's suggestions. I'm still really green at this. My current favourite is a black+blue milling deck i.e. to force my opponent to draw down his deck much faster. I'll win if he has no more card to draw on his turn.
I should really try other builds.
Comments
It's difficult lah. Somehow, I yet to master deckbuilding. I'm going to try to have a sideboard to alleviate some of my concerns.