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4 years ago ::
Sep 30, 2009 - 2:15PM
#1
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This thread is for discussion of this week's Feature Article, which goes live Monday morning on magicthegathering.com.
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4 years ago ::
Oct 05, 2009 - 4:06AM
#2
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Date Joined:
Sep 23, 2007
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Dissent, not decent. The way its written (decent) can only make me think the author did something naughty when he disagreed. -wink-
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4 years ago ::
Oct 05, 2009 - 4:57AM
#3
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Date Joined:
Oct 11, 2007
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Multiclassing... what is this strange thing you speak of? Is it related to Magic?
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4 years ago ::
Oct 05, 2009 - 8:24AM
#4
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Date Joined:
Jun 14, 2006
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In case you really didn't get it, Matt means he was multiclassing because he was both a full-on designer and a full-on developer for Zendikar.
 Magic The Gathering DCI Rules Advisor Don't hesitate to post rules question in the Rules Q&A forum for me and other competent advisors to answer : http://community.wizards.com/go/forum/view/75842/134778/Rules_Q38A
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4 years ago ::
Oct 05, 2009 - 8:25AM
#5
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Date Joined:
Jul 12, 2002
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Interesting article. I don't know if Matt's written many feature articles before. I don't think this article provided enough depth in place of some of the more interesting parts. Take the revamping of quests for example. What happened to Matt sounds eerily familiar to what happens at my company what with getting stuff done at the last minute. I would have liked to have seen more dirt on that! Having said that, this was an interesting concept and hope to see more articles like this from the devs. Uh, I meant devs/designers.
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4 years ago ::
Oct 05, 2009 - 8:32AM
#6
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Interesting article. I don't know if Matt's written many feature articles before. I don't think this article provided enough depth in place of some of the more interesting parts. Take the revamping of quests for example. What happened to Matt sounds eerily familiar to what happens at my company what with getting stuff done at the last minute. I would have liked to have seen more dirt on that!
It seems to me the point wasn't to get into the depth of the stories, but to highlight the fact that he was in a unique position to be on both sides of several issues. Everyone else that worked on the set was either doing design or development. Those jobs have very important distinctive roles, that are sometimes completely at odds with each other. This article did a great job of showing these differences and how Matt got to switch hats in order to make the proper decisions. I'd say that Matt deserves a lot of credit for making this set as successful as it is. Hearing the interim solutions (like just removing a failing ability) for some of the problems makes me very grateful for the work that was done to fix those problems.
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4 years ago ::
Oct 05, 2009 - 12:09PM
#7
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Super Sliver needs to be the next wallpaper, please. 
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4 years ago ::
Oct 05, 2009 - 12:43PM
#8
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Date Joined:
Oct 28, 2006
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I just said it in the Making Magic thread, but I think Matt addressed some of Mark's issues better than Mark has. He could have gone on longer and I'd like to see that in the future.
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4 years ago ::
Oct 05, 2009 - 12:46PM
#9
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Every so often, Mark would bring up "Lands Matter" as a set idea for sometime in the future, and I would respond, "Finally! Lands haven't mattered in any games so far. Now finally they will!" Yes, I can be sarcastic and mean. But before you feel too sorry for Mark, keep in mind that he dishes it out too. For example, his mini-biography (which will be on display at Pro Tour–Austin) says something to the effect of "Everything wrong with Magic is Matt Place's fault." That is pretty mean, right? And now that I think about it, why is that mentioned in his bio?
[/quote]
You know, if even a tenth of the stories Mark likes to tell about his ideas getting shot down are true, it's a great example of his mantra about "restriction breeding creativity". He usually uses that concept when thinking about a specific mechanic or even a specific card, but this idea that his ideas constantly get kicked back over and over, with him refining them and re-shaping them and re-pushing them over and over really helps drive that point home. While we may decry the rest of WOTC for not listening to Mark when his ideas are clearly great, maybe the idea is that his ideas may initially all have a spark of greatness, but need the constant massaging and rejection that actual sets get once they're in development.
And also it's good to hear the other side of some of those comments, and the idea of having a developer sit in on design should be done for all sets (but rotate the people so they don't get complacent).
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4 years ago ::
Oct 06, 2009 - 12:32PM
#10
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the ally mechanic is my second least favorite part of zendikar (after obsidian fireheart's reminder text). the sliver mechanic works so well because it's so clearly tied to its flavor as a hive. the allies, on the other hand, seem to be totally random. i get the overall concept but individually the cards seem nonsensical. why would a wise merfolk be any wiser because he has a lot of angry minotaurs and stone cats around him? after so much tribal in lorwyn/shadowmoor blocks a "non-tribal tribal" mechanic that has a dubious flavor/gameplay connection just doesn't cut it for me. maybe i'm the only one.
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