So, if you haven't read about treasure chests yet. Be Afraid (if you are a casual player, of course)
The relevant bit:
Quote:
Later this year, the curated card list will be updated to include selected non-premium Magic cards from Conspiracy: Take the Crown and Commander (2016 Edition). This is the only way we plan to unlock these cards on Magic Online
So, not only will a "prize" be the only method of getting the cards, you will have less than 33%^ chance of getting one of the cards, since you have an equal chance of getting Modern crap or just Play point and some commons.
I really want to scream and hit somebody in Renton right now.
PS: Here's the letter I just sent out:
Spoiler
Mr. Wollpert,
I don't know if you will get this, but I decided I have to say something. I try to be positive about MTGO. I play when I can, I advocate it on the forums I frequent (usually heavy Paper Magic sites, with few Online players in attendance). Each year, this task gets harder and harder. I have to ask, why do you hate casual players?
I don't want to draft. I don't want to play a league (but will for a pre-release if I have time, which has been twice in 18 months if memory serves). I really don't want to rely on prize packs or overinflated secondary market price-gouging to get the cards I want. If all the cards for Commander 2015 and 2016 are being coded online, why not just sell the decks? There are still 2015 cards I haven't tracked down (or can't justify buying as singles) from last year's fiasco. My time is severely limited, and much more valuable than money. I just want to buy product and play Tribal and Commander. Why is your company against this? Why can't decks be in a store and a prize pack (for those that want to invest time in drafting/cube/league/whatever vs those that just want a commander game once a week or so). I understand Conspiracy, there are cards that can't/won't code well into the MTGO interface. But Commander? Dual Decks? If all of the available cards are already coded and available, is there some reason they can't be in the store?
I want to buy product, why won't you let me? The point of playing MTGO is so that I can access it from Iraq and Afghanistan while deployed. No local B&Ms there to play paper (and a collection is too much to haul 6000 miles - maybe 2 decks can go with me).
I can understand the business model of pushing the events that bring in revenue. I can even wait for a month or two, if needed. But I can't magically make enough time to participate in events I don't enjoy anyway just to get the cards I would gladly just pay money to buy.
I wish we still had a forum to post on (or reply to articles... I have no Facebook, twitter or what-have-you since WOTC has taken every method of communication from me, except direct email)
I hope you find this plea civil and in good taste. Please consider that the vocal may appear to be a majority, but if you or your workers spend time on sites like No Goblins Allowed or MTGCommander.net, they will see that there is a vast community that is not heard and is suffering based on the practices implemented in the last 2 years.
Thank you for your time and have a great day
V/R
Treamayne (same on MTGO and all sites I post on)
Author:
Zlehtnoba [ Mon Oct 10, 2016 4:42 pm ]
Post subject:
Re: Screwing casual players, year two
I would not rant just yet. Did you consider the sheer volume of these Chests that will go out? I'm sure the cards you're after will find their way into the secondary market quite soon. And but for the few that are playable in competitive formats, they should be easy to get.
I mean, Mana Vault is less than two tix online.
(But I'm too lazy to do the math right now, so I may be wrong)
Author:
Pantera Canes [ Tue Oct 11, 2016 12:08 pm ]
Post subject:
Re: Screwing casual players, year two
I am not too clear on the prize chests. Are they just getting put into the bigger events if you win? Like if I do an 8 man flash back draft I will never see one I assume?
Author:
pcjr [ Tue Oct 11, 2016 1:19 pm ]
Post subject:
Re: Screwing casual players, year two
Treasure Chests are only for constructed events. Packs are no longer awarded as constructed prizes (I think). This is probably a good thing since pack prices will/have crash/d due to the drop in cost to enter limited events. Limited players can draft for 12 tickets. Or, buy 3 packs and draft with them after pitching in 2 more tickets. So, unless you just have a couple packs sitting around and just need one more to draft, you'd be silly to spend more than $3.33 for a pack.
There's much less value in packs as prizes for constructed players (unless the also like to draft).
Author:
Zlehtnoba [ Wed Oct 12, 2016 6:15 am ]
Post subject:
Re: Screwing casual players, year two
Oh, thank you, I completely overlooked the 3-packs-plus-two-tickets thing. And packs are still 4 tix at the store? Weird.
Boosters are still awarded as prices in competitive leagues, but not in friendly ones. Quoting Lee:
constucted leagues payout
The new structures will be as follows for Friendly Constructed Leagues:
Entry: 8 Event Tickets or 80 Play Points Structure: 5 matches, each up to 50 minutes
Prizes:
5 wins: 80 Play Points, plus 8 Treasure Chests 4 wins: 80 Play Points, plus 3 Treasure Chests 3 wins: 80 Play Points, plus 1 Treasure Chest 2 wins: 40 Play Points 1 win: 20 Play Points 0 wins: 10 Play Points
Here are the details for Competitive Constructed Leagues:
Entry: 12 Event Tickets or 120 Play Points Structure: 5 matches, each up to 50 minutes
Prizes:
5 wins: 6 boosters, 180 Play Points, and 3 Qualifier Points, plus 8 Treasure Chests 4 wins: 3 boosters, 180 Play Points, and 1 Qualifier Point, plus 3 Treasure Chests 3 wins: 120 Play Points, plus 1 Treasure Chest
Here are the details for Vintage Daily Events:
Entry: 12 Event Tickets or 120 Play Points Structure: 4 Swiss rounds
Prizes:
4 wins: 6 boosters, 180 Play Points, and 3 Qualifier Points, plus 5 Treasure Chests 3 wins: 3 boosters, 180 Play Points, and 1 Qualifier Point, plus 3 Treasure Chests
Finally, for each of the MOCS Playoff events in the 2017 Magic Online Championship Series, we will be awarding 25 Treasure Chests to the Top 8 players as well as 10 Treasure Chests to players finishing in 9th-50th place, in addition to the existing prizes for those events.
That's what I was vaguely remembering when I wrote that there should be a lot of these treasures lying around. Common like dirt, this treasure. And they will be tradeable in a few months.
Author:
Winter.Wolf [ Tue Oct 18, 2016 6:28 pm ]
Post subject:
Re: Screwing casual players, year two
Pack prices will rise again due to adjustment as packs become scarcer from not being offered as prizes. No real mystery there I think.
Treamayne I totally how you wrote what you wrote but as we have all experienced, Mr Wollpert is a complete wall of non-responsiveness unless he addresses something publicly to all. I don't know if that means he does or does not sympathize with your/our plight. I suspect despite having a lot of say in matters he often finds his hands completely tied. You might have better effect addressing the Overlords at Hasbro, whomever those might be.
This forum sub has almost no activity that I didn't realize there was a new post here until I noted that I was no longer logged in.
Author:
pcjr [ Wed Oct 19, 2016 12:09 pm ]
Post subject:
Re: Screwing casual players, year two
The ceiling for pack prices has lowered substantially because of the new entry costs for limited events. That ceiling isn't going up.
Author:
Zlehtnoba [ Thu Oct 20, 2016 5:14 am ]
Post subject:
Re: Screwing casual players, year two
I've seen pack prices over four tix in the past. Not much, but over. Apparently some players are willing to spend a bit more in tix, rather than input new dollars into the store.
But the ceiling should be about 3.4 tix.
Author:
pcjr [ Thu Oct 20, 2016 10:49 am ]
Post subject:
Re: Screwing casual players, year two
Pack prices for the previous block have dropped so much you can play in an Eldritch Moon draft for barely more than 7t. Assuming you can wait around long enough for one to fire.
After Kaladesh becomes the old block, I expect those packs will drop below 3t. But, I don't expect them to drop as far as Eldritch Moon because there simply won't be that many around.
how you wrote what you wrote but as we have all experienced, Mr Wollpert is a complete wall of non-responsiveness unless he addresses something publicly to all. I don't know if that means he does or does not sympathize with your/our plight. I suspect despite having a lot of say in matters he often finds his hands completely tied. You might have better effect addressing the Overlords at Hasbro, whomever those might be.