Getting Local Groups Interested

[5tein]

BTW, someone can moderate (read "move") my previous post if they want. Kind of off-topic.

[MR. Lurtzy]

No dream cards.

[ket_the_jet]

http://lotrtcgwiki.com/forums/index.php/topic,3472.msg45834.html#msg45834

This is why there shouldn't be a PC.
-wtk

[chompers]

Keeping LOTR fresh by modifying the way it is currently played, whilst retaining the integrity of all formats so they can continue to be played as they currently exist is the only way to move forward. You can't ban a heap of cards and expect to get support from the majority of the community.

If you attempt to ban, errata, restrict, modify formats and cards, and expect some players give up what may be their favourite playing format or favourite card combo - this will not work.

LOTR is a pretty stagnant game now. It is no longer in production, and most likely has a dwindling player base. Those loyal to the game will hang around, but maybe not forever. Every defunct game that was good has a group of dedicated fans that work hard to make the game better. The game can be made better by promoting it, but ultimately, without an evolving product, the game is stale and without new playing experiences most players will eventually disappear.

IMO being creative and working out ways of making LOTR remain fresh and exciting is the only future of this game. Any who oppose change, fair enough, but noone is going to change the way that you play the game.

[Ranofer]

You know Chompers you started to make me think (which I know is a bad thing ).

What if we could change the way we play LOTR completely?  I mean sure I know people aren't up for change much, but just bear with me (and I know my idea is completely off the wall).

From the beginning the advantage of playing LOTR was that your deck included both your fellowship AND your enemies.  It was the way the rules were written afterall.  Stop one fellowship from getting to the end before you do.

Maybe I've just been dealing with too much DS/LS stuff from SWCCG, but why couldn't we push for a new style of play to get people interested? 

I know weird right?  I don't know the way to balance it all, but what if we tried for a scenario type? Like 2 people vs 1.  The 1 would play the Enemey (Sauron, White Hand, Etc) and the other two would try desperately to work together to beat the enemy. 

Maybe I'm polarized, maybe I like simply The Evil vs the Good.  But I think we should be looking at new ways to play an old game.  I know weird

I'd love to see what 2 people working on the same team did against a complete Evil deck.  Could prove VERY interesting.

Bash me if I'm crazy, but it could be a lot of fun

[legolas3333]

thats how i originally played before i learned the rules... probably cause i played star wars before lotr...

[Thranduil]

I split this topic to keep the local player groups thread very clear. Wasn't sure what the title of this thread should be, but never mind...

Just wanted to say that new formats are a great way to get players interested. Just think how many MTG formats there are (and there are a lot!). Multiplayer formats or WoW TCG like super enemies (where you have multiple people against 1 super-powerful deck) are just new ways to have fun, and what's wrong with that?!

[Smeagollum]

@ Ranofer

it's funny that you say this, because an employee from a local gamesshop said exactly the same to me some while ago. His reason was that because you've got 2 decks (fs & shadow) into one with lotr, which makes your deck unballanced. So he sugested the same thing. Now I need to say that he's an old magic, meccg and star wars player. Which started me to think.

Yes I would like to play with only shadow, but it will change the game dramaticly. It will need a different mechanic and then it will start to look like magic or star wars or wow. It also will be difficult to play with the one ring. Now is that not necesarely a bad thing, but then you could start to play one of these games. But still you've got a point here. My solution would be to bring in new alternate ringbearers; What would happen if Sauron had the one ring or Saruman and you could play some shadow stuff during your fellowshipphase (Sauron's scepter for example. But maybe you've got a different mechanic in mind which could convince me?

[legolas3333]

uhh i would never play if sauron could be the ring-bearer, saruman maybe but not sauron

[Ranofer]

Actually it wouldn't have anything to do with Shadow carrying the ring.  My thoughts would be to basically turn it into a shadow vs freeps, with the entire goal of the shadow being to stop the freeps from getting to site nine. Maybe shadows become permanent (not removed after battle), maybe they get extra shadow or something at the beginning, I'm sure it'd have to balanced out. 

Why I mainly thought about it was as a single player it's always hard to make a deck that contains the entire fellowship because it demands a lot of cards to make each character valuable, but with this option it would open up another 30 or so cards to build around as well as allowing the possibility of joint teams, where 2 players team up on the freep side to play the entire fellowship with good support cards.  Massively changes the way we play, but it could be fun to finally get true multi-player support (instead of 4 different players playing different fellowships, all trying to get to mount doom)

Just thoughts really

[ket_the_jet]

Actually it wouldn't have anything to do with Shadow carrying the ring.  My thoughts would be to basically turn it into a shadow vs freeps, with the entire goal of the shadow being to stop the freeps from getting to site nine. Maybe shadows become permanent (not removed after battle), maybe they get extra shadow or something at the beginning, I'm sure it'd have to balanced out.

If one person had a deck completely filled with Shadow cards and one person had a deck completely full of Free Peoples' cards, the advantage would certainly go to the Shadow player.

Keeping minions out makes that even more in the Shadow's favor.

Without having a Fellowship and Shadow phase, there is no way to cycle cards out of your hand that you don't need to (hope to) draw things you do.
-wtk

[Jerba]

Yeah, lets keep this particular section on topic please. Especially since it is the one topic we really need to flesh out.

Lets keep the "changing the game" ideas out of any discussion on actually getting players.

[chompers]

To generate local support i will first:

* Run a local sealed deck tournament in february
* Promote TLHH and get them visiting regularly - that way i can start promoting future  tournaments on this site

Once i know who the regular players are, we will sit down and discuss ways to keep the game fresh and interesting, whilst at the same time working on strategies to attract new players.

I can't see LOTR surviving in my area if all i offer is a local tournament playing the game the same way it was played before - the local player scene already died out based on that format.

I envisage a combination of some or all of the following will kick start my local group. Printable proxies, printable errata cards, and mixing up the playing formats along with any other ideas i can pick up from related playing committees, discussion on this website, and valuable ideas from players in my playgroup.

[Smeagollum]

Actually it wouldn't have anything to do with Shadow carrying the ring.  My thoughts would be to basically turn it into a shadow vs freeps, with the entire goal of the shadow being to stop the freeps from getting to site nine. Maybe shadows become permanent (not removed after battle), maybe they get extra shadow or something at the beginning, I'm sure it'd have to balanced out.  

Why I mainly thought about it was as a single player it's always hard to make a deck that contains the entire fellowship because it demands a lot of cards to make each character valuable, but with this option it would open up another 30 or so cards to build around as well as allowing the possibility of joint teams, where 2 players team up on the freep side to play the entire fellowship with good support cards.  Massively changes the way we play, but it could be fun to finally get true multi-player support (instead of 4 different players playing different fellowships, all trying to get to mount doom)

Just thoughts really

Then I probably would be against it. It would be to much star wars to me. Good and better game, but already existent.

uhh i would never play if sauron could be the ring-bearer, saruman maybe but not sauron

Why not? It's in the book! Made a dreamcard of it: http://lotrtcgwiki.com/forums/index.php/topic,2172.msg29897.html#msg29897

[Ranofer]

Just another resource people can use if they want.  Once again I took the old decipher free deck and converted it to a higher quality piece of work.  Use it, trash it, whatever.  I'm just offering supplies to help play groups get back on their feet and enjoy the game once again.

Gandalf Free Starter:
https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B_TJdQjMZa1kMTUzYmM0MmEtOTc2Ny00NDIxLWE1MmMtNTgzMTQ5NDNkYmYz&hl=en