I know that some of the poll options were created to get me involved. Chompers (et al)...I think that you have sorely misrepresented my thoughts. First of all, it is unfair to put additional clauses on the voting options. For instance, saying "No proxies because I unnecessarily value my common cards and sites too much" is misleading. You would make a fantastic politician if you add stipulations to all of the options that you don't want voted for. I don't think you understand the efforts and amount of cards I have given away from my personal collection (probably about 500 rares and promos, plus all of my commons and uncommons) in an effort to get people playing around here (Washington DC).
That is what will get people involved with the game. Having real cards, a competitive deck, and someone to teach them the game.
I still think proxies are a bad idea. I had a "discussion" with Kenddrick about the PC for about two hours last week and my conclusion was that you guys are doing the wrong things first and are too unfocused. If you really want to get people playing in your area, go buy a box of starter decks, open one (for yourself) and then give the others away at a local hobby shop with the idea of teaching someone to play there. This accomplishes a few things:
1. It gives someone actual cards. Psychologically, they have something to be attached to and will be more likely to follow the game.
2. You teach a player the game with a starter deck yourself. This is
just as important. If you play your Uruk-Hai site control deck and give someone a starter deck from Fellowship block (no site liberation), your opponent will be disenfranchised and uninterested. By leveling the playing field with two starter decks from the same set, you will not only teach players simple combinations that they can pull off with their deck but they also have similar competition.
3. Using starter decks also teaches that the cards aren't as important as the player. By playing with a starter deck, which is much worse than the cards in a regular, built deck, you are showing your opponent that the strategy of the game is just as, if not more important than the actual cards you have.
After a game or two, you give them the starter deck. In most countries, you will be out about $3-6. And you have a possible player. Host an event and
voila, you have a few people playing the game. Maybe they bring their friends and then you are building a community.
Chompers, when you throw out options like, "I don't want new players," you are misinterpreting my qualms with what you are trying to do. While you guys try to create a "new, worldwide community to keep this game going," I am playing a hundred different people on GCCG and having a blast. I hosted a tournament in Washington DC, and after putting in hours of research and attempting to rekindle the old community, only five people came. My brother and I were two of them. And so you know what? I'm fine with playing online. I am quite content with that.
I have two new players in my community that are interested in the game and I have subsidized their starter deck and pack purchase with a ton of additional cards. And I'm tired of that. I understand that your idea is making this game "immortal," but why? That's just what happens. A game goes out of print and the hardcore players, like most of the people here, continue playing and the rest go on to new things. The people who truly love the game kindle a pleasant little community like the one we have here.
We have had a lot of new people on this site and GCCG in the past few months. My question is, "Why is that not enough for you all?" If everyone focused on their own communities rather than trying to globalize a relatively near-dead game, then that's how you get more players. Meanwhile, we have an entire board full of this stuff:
Come on you guys, let us get things going!
I'm ready and willing to pursue this PC.
I'm ready to follow you all the way in pursuit of the PC.
LET US ALL MAKE THIS HAPPEN! COME ON!
I'll be willing to give 102% and do my best though.
Let's get things going!
I don't mean to pick on Kenddrick, but there are about five of you actually doing #$&*@! (and Kenddrick, you are one of them). But you guys are like the #$&*@! environmentalists--you have a lot of great ideas but no direction in accomplishing them. You guys have the generals who sit back and make plans, but no infantry out on the front line doing things.
I'll be honest, I'm about done with this game on the level of playing in real life outside of with my brother and on GCCG. I probably won't host any more tournaments and am close to giving up on my goal of foiling my decks (seeing as no one really wants to trade their power foils!) I am more content than you can imagine with the community we have on GCCG and the friends that I have made there and on this site. I cannot articulate my thanks to both Kralik and wlk and the moderators of this site for the work they have done with TLHH and GCCG.
I guess that is all. Keep an eye out because I may add more to this rant as you guys continue your work, but I'm locking this thread because, frankly, I don't give a #$&*@! what you do.
-wtk
