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3 months ago ::
Feb 22, 2013 - 9:51PM
#1
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Date Joined:
Oct 24, 2010
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I don't think the words "converted mana cost" are the best choice of terminology. I have a couple of problems with the terminology. 3 problems actually:
- It takes up a lot of precious text box real estate.
- It's not an immediately grokable term.
- It's not flavourful.
I'm not all that concerned about the last one but the other two seem like grounds enough to start looking for a new term. The ideal choice would be "mana cost" but that's taken and even if we found a new name for mana cost, renaming cmc with a term that previously meant something else wouldn't be a good solution. The best I can come up with are numbered and calculated mana cost. That or maybe turning mana cost into "casting cost" or "exact casting cost", with cmc becomming "numeric cost" or "casting cost" respectively. Anyone out there have any better ideas?
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3 months ago ::
Feb 22, 2013 - 10:10PM
#2
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Date Joined:
Oct 15, 2009
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We can't use "casting cost" for either mana cost or converted mana cost (at least, not officially: I hear it a lot colloquially) because neither of them actually represent what it costs to cast a spell. In the vast majority of board states the total cost (which is closest to what the phrase "casting cost" suggests) and the mana cost of a spell are equal, but they are definitely not identical and describing them as though they are would be unnecessarily confusing for players. I do agree that converted mana cost is a bad name for the concept it represents, but I don't know that there's actually a better one.
Rules Advisor as of 03/01/2013 Zammm = Batman "Ability words are flavor text for Melvins." -- Fallingman
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3 months ago ::
Feb 22, 2013 - 11:46PM
#3
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Like Astarael, I agree that CMC is poor terminology, but can't think of a really good replacement. The most accurate alternatives I can come up with tend to be as long as--often longer than--the current wording. The concept of the total amount of mana in the mana cost just isn't something that can be easily reduced to a single term players will understand intuitively. The best I can come up with is introducing a vaguely relevant term that at least has the benefit of being shorter--if we have to explain the term anyway, it might as well be a better word than 'converted'. So maybe 'value'? Rethink  : Counter target spell unless its controller pays  , where X is its value. Alternatively, if you still want to keep the mention of mana cost you could go with: Rethink : Counter target spell unless its controller pays , where X is the value of its mana cost. That's ever-so-slightly longer than the 'converted' wording, but it's a few shorter words instead of one longer one so it might be easier on templating anyway. Ooh, or maybe someday: Rethink : Counter target spell unless its controller pays its value in mana.
And so people say to me, "How do I know if a word is real?" You know, anyone who's read a children's book knows that love makes things real. If you love a word, use it! That makes it real. Being in the dictionary is an artificial distinction; it doesn't make the word any more real than any other word. If you love a word, it becomes real.
--Erin McKean, Redefining the Dictionary
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3 months ago ::
Feb 22, 2013 - 11:48PM
#4
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Date Joined:
Mar 23, 2006
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Matt_Holck has been using "mana toll". not sure how I feel about the term, but it's a potential idea. 
120.6. Some effects replace card draws.
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3 months ago ::
Feb 23, 2013 - 12:03AM
#5
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Date Joined:
Dec 12, 2008
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"Numerical cost" would save space, at least, but it sure doesn't feel more flavorful, or even that much more intuitive...
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3 months ago ::
Feb 23, 2013 - 8:11AM
#6
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Date Joined:
Jan 13, 2012
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Matt_Holck has been using "mana toll". not sure how I feel about the term, but it's a potential idea.
Now that you brought him up, I also suggest adopting his replacement word for counters, "chips".
Anyway, I like zammm's suggestion of "value" a lot. It is clear what it means and is short and nice.
My biggest problem with CMC is that it sounds a lot more technical and complicated than it actually is.
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I hope you all feel really smart now. 
This is like someone coming into class with a bloody nose and everyone's like "Jeez what happened to you" and they're like "I ran into a wall" and everyone laughs at them for being an idiot but then at the end of the class they say "HAHA JUST KIDDING I PUNCHED MYSELF IN THE FACE!!!!!! TALK ABOUT OWNED HAHAHAHAHA"
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I wish more girls play magic cards...
Have you considered assassinating Kevin?
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3 months ago ::
Feb 23, 2013 - 8:51AM
#7
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Date Joined:
Jun 10, 2009
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When you just learn how to play, you might not know the difference between converted mana cost and mana cost, but because of the terminology you can relate them. Now, when an ability asks you about a converted mana cost, it's often talking about how much damage it deals or something, meaning you already know you are looking for a number. As a beginner, I play Erratic Explosion  . I reveal Scornful Egotist  . Now it deals damage equal to its, what's this, "converted mana cost"? Okay, how much does the Egotist cost? 8. So, 8 damage. If it needs to be changed (which I think it doesn't), I wouldn't ever think about taking out the "mana cost" part. Maybe "numeric mana cost".
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3 months ago ::
Feb 23, 2013 - 8:57AM
#8
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Date Joined:
Jan 23, 2007
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"Numerical cost" would save space, at least, but it sure doesn't feel more flavorful, or even that much more intuitive...
That's way more intuitive, Every time I hear "converted mana cost," I think "Converted into what? Francs? Rubles?"
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3 months ago ::
Feb 23, 2013 - 9:11AM
#9
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Date Joined:
Dec 12, 2008
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"Numerical cost" would save space, at least, but it sure doesn't feel more flavorful, or even that much more intuitive...
That's way more intuitive, Every time I hear "converted mana cost," I think "Converted into what? Francs? Rubles?"
My question would be whether or not new players would figure out that it's the WHOLE cost rather than just the little number. I can see that being confusing.
Then I guess the followup question would naturally be "is that confusion an acceptable cost given the benefits." I mean... I thought Urborg Volcano  added lands when I was first starting out; everyone makes mistakes early on.
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3 months ago ::
Feb 23, 2013 - 2:07PM
#10
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Date Joined:
Feb 10, 2006
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