M:TG online (aka Beards +3)
Posted: May 14th, 2006, 23:03
Ok, I know this is a longshot, and most of you will recoil in horror at the mere thought of playing this, but im going to try anyway...
anyone fancy a game? *flinches*
For those of you that dont know, Magic: the Gathering Online is basically the trading card game, but over the interwebs. This removes arguments about what the cards are actually supposed to do (because the computer works it all out for you), and also removes the need to actually cart around hundreds of little cards with you.
If your only experience of this kind of thing is freakish goths sitting in the corners of your college muttering about "tapping land", or the woefull MTG wannabies such as Yu-gi-gah-goo (or whatever), then you really ought to try it before coming to any opinions about it. I was rather skeptical before trying it, but its actually rather win. And i'll tell you why:
1)its complex as fuck, but really rather easy to get in to. Definately one of those "moments to learn, years to master" things, but with the added bonus of being really enjoyable without bothering to master it at all.
2)the Magic Geeks™ have argued about and refined the rules to the point where there is simultaneously massive variety, but not really any unbalanced play (unlike....well, most other online games in the world)
3)you can play it whilst playing summat else. I can imagine it being especially attractive for EVE players, as there is no pressure in game at all, so you can drop it at a moments notice, then come back to it once whatever is happening in your other game has been sorted out. Would certainly help pass time in long hauls through safe areas, or on long mining sessions. Also, the thing is almost non-existant, system resources wise, so theres no problem with it slowing you down.
4)Its really good fun. No, honestly. I know a lot of you will go "pah! A card game? its fucking solitare! bollocks!", but honestly, this is to solitare what C&C is to chess.
5)it can be as cheap or as expensive as you want it to be. Dont fancy spending any monies at all? then stay on the trial (with limited, pre-made decks) for ever. Want to spend a tiny amount of monies (roughly the price of your average budget game)? then buy yourself a more personal deck, of your choice. Want to spend a small fortune? Then buy many decks, and booster packs, and spend from here to eternity finding cards that compliment each other in devious new ways. Up to you.
No, theres no running about blowing peoples heads off, and theres no shiny graphics to speak of, so shallow-as-a-puddle gamers need not apply. If, however, you are looking for something very interesting, with deep, deep, *deep* strategic elements, then get this. Now.
Just to dispel a few myths: No, you dont have to be a wierdo or an uber-geek to play this. No, it will not make you get in with "the wrong crowd", ending up with you sacrificing chickens to Nyarlathotep. No, you dont have to sit there for hours saying "got, got, got, need, got, got, need".
I urge you to at least get the totally free, no credit card required trial client from here:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=ma ... nloadlinks
and give me a yell so i can talk you through how to play. Tis brilliance.
*prepares for inevitable tirade of ill-educated abuse*
anyone fancy a game? *flinches*
For those of you that dont know, Magic: the Gathering Online is basically the trading card game, but over the interwebs. This removes arguments about what the cards are actually supposed to do (because the computer works it all out for you), and also removes the need to actually cart around hundreds of little cards with you.
If your only experience of this kind of thing is freakish goths sitting in the corners of your college muttering about "tapping land", or the woefull MTG wannabies such as Yu-gi-gah-goo (or whatever), then you really ought to try it before coming to any opinions about it. I was rather skeptical before trying it, but its actually rather win. And i'll tell you why:
1)its complex as fuck, but really rather easy to get in to. Definately one of those "moments to learn, years to master" things, but with the added bonus of being really enjoyable without bothering to master it at all.
2)the Magic Geeks™ have argued about and refined the rules to the point where there is simultaneously massive variety, but not really any unbalanced play (unlike....well, most other online games in the world)
3)you can play it whilst playing summat else. I can imagine it being especially attractive for EVE players, as there is no pressure in game at all, so you can drop it at a moments notice, then come back to it once whatever is happening in your other game has been sorted out. Would certainly help pass time in long hauls through safe areas, or on long mining sessions. Also, the thing is almost non-existant, system resources wise, so theres no problem with it slowing you down.
4)Its really good fun. No, honestly. I know a lot of you will go "pah! A card game? its fucking solitare! bollocks!", but honestly, this is to solitare what C&C is to chess.
5)it can be as cheap or as expensive as you want it to be. Dont fancy spending any monies at all? then stay on the trial (with limited, pre-made decks) for ever. Want to spend a tiny amount of monies (roughly the price of your average budget game)? then buy yourself a more personal deck, of your choice. Want to spend a small fortune? Then buy many decks, and booster packs, and spend from here to eternity finding cards that compliment each other in devious new ways. Up to you.
No, theres no running about blowing peoples heads off, and theres no shiny graphics to speak of, so shallow-as-a-puddle gamers need not apply. If, however, you are looking for something very interesting, with deep, deep, *deep* strategic elements, then get this. Now.
Just to dispel a few myths: No, you dont have to be a wierdo or an uber-geek to play this. No, it will not make you get in with "the wrong crowd", ending up with you sacrificing chickens to Nyarlathotep. No, you dont have to sit there for hours saying "got, got, got, need, got, got, need".
I urge you to at least get the totally free, no credit card required trial client from here:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=ma ... nloadlinks
and give me a yell so i can talk you through how to play. Tis brilliance.
*prepares for inevitable tirade of ill-educated abuse*
battlegrounds? the horror, the horror etc.
which will make me LOLALOT. LOL'ing is not a Monday morning activity.
