Sooo .... anyone still playing... ?

[Larry5000]

Just wanted to say from my previous post that I did see the cards for second edition by putting my mouse cursor over the name. I have to say that I am somewhat impressed with the cards the backgrounds look nice and most of the cards seem to have a vibrant look to them, so nicely done that way. What is the story again with the second edition to be sure? They were to be used Online in an online card game format similar to Gemp or what? I see that was back in 2016 so what happen did they stop, is it over with or what for sure?

[ket_the_jet]

I still find it hard to believe that many of the places selling physical cards are still asking somewhat outrageous money for cards mostly in the latter 3 major sets, Hunters, RoS, and T&D...
Maybe I will get lucky and somebody that has the latter sets and looking to get out altogether might be willing to let them go cheap...I know wishful thinking.

Even with a dead card game, it is simply supply and demand. The latter sets were produced at such limited quantities--Decipher was mired in legal expenses and had laid off almost one hundred employees--that they have remained hugely collectible. Decipher needed every set to be a financial success and, after losing the majority of play-testers, increased the power of cards in an effort to drive sales.

Obviously you will play the game to your meta, but I would recommend focusing game play to the earliest formats: Fellowship, Towers, Towers Standard, Movie, and War of the Ring Standard. If everyone is playing decks with, for instance, cards from 1-3, then you don't need to worry about the bloated power of the later sets.

You can see the power creep with the Shadows block reset of the game (compare Uruk Guard and Uruk-Hai Guard, for instance), but it was actually happening as early as set 8 (just compare an Fierce Witch-King with the fierce, enduring Castamir of Umbar).

Like I said, you'll do what works for your group. But the game is a lot more fun when everyone is playing on the same level and it isn't that one guy happens to have a base strength 10 Aragorn because he scoured eBay until he found something he could justify spending big money on. I've suggested it once and I'll suggest it again: King Standard (sets 1-7) is the most fun and balanced format, in my estimation.

Best,
-wtk

[Larry5000]

It is like I told one guy  I get some cards off of. I understand Supply and Demand but I also understand greed. lol  Anyway I do understand what you are saying. I sort of fell in love with the hunters cards to some degree.

You did not elaborate on the Second Edition cards I was also asking about in an earlier post, can you tell me about them?

[Gil-Estel]

OK thank you..Do many still play quite actively on a regular bases?  Except for the posts that I actually start up here on the forum I know that most that I reply back too are from posts clear back in 2008 and 2009 etc. Not getting a lot of responses back to my posts, I can only assume that many of the regulars that once posted up here back in those earlier years are no longer around or if they are rarely check up here that much any more?

The truth is, the majority of TLHH's vanguard has moved on. For this, there are several explanations. A new set has not been produced in ten years. This is likely the Occam's razor explanation. There are very few trading card games that have a robust playing group a decade after production. Enola is creating a new format based on The Hobbit films. Maybe that will bring in a few new players? I am skeptical. I enjoyed the Second Edition when it was play-tested on Gemp, but those efforts seem lost to the goblins.

The game is over fifteen years old. Many of the core players are simply at a different place in life with families, jobs, etc. Fewer players buy and trade the cards; the trade market was a substantial source of traffic for this website. Without active tournaments, competitive gamers lose interest.

I do think Gemp has a solid player foundation. I would anecdotally note that the traffic of this site decreased as Gemp replaced GCCG as the best way to play online. An active chat room lessens the relevancy of these message boards--why post a rules question here when you could get an immediate answer there?--and tournament and league play on Gemp is still a draw.

I do wish I had more time to play the game--they finally instituted King Standard as a format on Gemp!--but I just don't get around as much as I'd like. My friends who played locally have all grown up or moved away and I have even gotten rid of all of my decks, save one. Even still, nostalgia grasps from the darkest chasms of Moria and I check this site every couple of days, secretly hoping that Gil-Estel or Kralik or Dain or Thranduil have posted a deck for review, or started a chat about some esoteric card to break.

Apologies for the melacholy sentimentality and longing for better times.
-wtk

William my man! I will try to build a deck for this purpose alone! I will see it done!