Game ON: Magic OnlineWhat's this now?
Its a gathering of PA MTGO players. The goal is to congregate in a private chatroom 'Pendelhaven Arcanum' to chat, play, trade and try not to be dicks. The name is temporary unless everyone likes it.
Aren't there free versions of this?
Yes, and we aren't talking about them. Nothing against them, but this thread is for MTGO. Please keep that kind of discussion to another thread.
I've never tried Magic Online/Magic the Gathering, is there a demo?
If you are truly fresh blood (no Magic the Gathering experience at all) then I'd start with the
flash tutorial on the Wizards site. Skip the intro and click "Learn to Play". After the tutorial I'd
download the client from their website (or torrent) and install. At the login page there is a
FREE TRIAL option. It is
unlmited play with VERY limited card selection. All you can play with is 10th ed theme decks. Basically you get to try out the interface with some basic cards. Not a bad way to start learning the game either whether you plan to play online or not.
The full game offers much more game options (draft, leagues, constructed, tournaments, multi-player, Vanguard, etc.) along with the ability to buy card packs/decks from Wizards and trade cards with other players. Wizard's prices are all standard with no bulk discounts, though with the drafting scene it is very easy to buy bulk singles at very cheap rates from other players. You can't use cards you don't own digitally (like cards you own IRL) and you can't get real cards for your digital ones unless you own a complete set (ex. All cards from Torment) and if you redeem them for real cards they are removed from your digital collection.
Big plus to playing this online game over other "MMO's" is that MTGO does not have a monthly fee. Its FREE to play, the only thing costing money is buying more cards or paying admission to events/tournaments. Buy what you want, play games, leave for 2 years (I did this) and come back. Your cards and acount are exactly as you left them and you can begin playing immediatly and for as long as you like with no $$ or reactivating accounts.
I could go on for hours talking about the actual game of Magic, but going to
their site and/or just hitting the tutorial in the client is going to serve you better then anything I could say.
How do I buy more cards?
Right
here.
So what about this private chat room?
Good question. We need a chat room name. I'd like to stay away from "Penny Arcade" as most PA guilds (even though we aren't a guild) stay away from that. So I've gone with Pendelhaven Arcanum. If we want to change it that's fine. Join it by typing /join Pendelhaven Arcanum
First order of business is to get a list of players. Post your account name and I will update the OP.
Players:
Dr. Face - robbercheh
JeffH - moontouched
Iolo - Iolo or lukewarm
ZeroCow-Zerocow
Neelix - c.knight
Zalbinion - zelbinion
ArcanisTheImpotent - Destrieth
Posts
i don't play as often anymore but still draft now and then
I'm on there as Iolo (starts's with an "i" and not an "L" -- impossible to tell on MTGO) but more often as lukewarm.
Also, deja vu.
Steam profile.
Getting started with BATTLETECH: Part 1 / Part 2
Anyone play Pauper? I haven't really jumped in yet, though I have a vast collection of 4X commons. I am surprised it isn't bigger considering how cheap it is to get into it. I thought there was a chat room for this, anyone know what it is called?
Someone convince me that this is a good thing to play and spend money on.
:P
Mostly play casual multi.
Magic Online - Bertro
Username: c.knight
I'm more into drafting and leagues as I don't have the collection to succeed in constructed. Of course a part of that problem is that I often sell what I draft so I can draft again :-)
I used to play quite a bit of PDC. Back in the day(about a year ago) the chatroom was simply "PDC", with the various tourneys moving into separate rooms while they were running.
Well, if you've played MTG before but don't have anyone to play with now (like no local groups/stores that play) then there's not much to say other then you can play anytime of day or night and get a game going. You lose inter-personal interaction, but I for one don't miss dealing with the people that hang out at most game stores and I've never had friends that play. Also, you won't be able to use any of your existing collection, you need to buy all new digital cards.
And whether you've played before or not you can download the client (free) and play the trial (free) and see if you like it. There is a link in the OP to a tutorial if you need that as well.
You don't even lose the personal-interaction if you find a group of people to hang out with instead of playing random games in the casual/casual room.
But by far my favorite part of MTGO is that it enforces the correct rules for you. I can't believe some of the mistakes and/or cheating that occur at my local game store, and that people let them get away with it.
That's true. My rule knowledge is so much better because of MTGO. A bunch of times I've seen opponents do things that made me go "shit, that's how that actually works?" (Only one I can think of at the moment is blinking Mangara)
But yeah, you'll know how the stack works very well once you play for a bit.
There was a great quote from feature match coverage of some Pro Tour a while back. It was a few years ago, right as the first wave of players who came up through MTGO started hitting the Pro Tour. An established Pro, one who learned to play w/ cardboard, was matched Day 2 against some relative unknown who was undefeated so far. The unknown learned to play online, and was apparently meticulous in announcing the turn phases and stack interactions. The paper Pro said, "Man, you MTGO guys play by prison rules..."
Steam profile.
Getting started with BATTLETECH: Part 1 / Part 2
I don't really have money so I'd love to play some pauper.
Name: Destrieth
I hope there isn't more than the regular month's delay because of having to code the Planeswalkers.
Steam profile.
Getting started with BATTLETECH: Part 1 / Part 2
I think they're starting the Beta next week, so hopefully there will be a quick turn around. (and I'm more worried about them programming the tribal cards in correctly).
Magic Online - Bertro
BTW if you don't play rainbow stairwell, you are seriously missing out. Cheap and completely ridiculously fun format.
PWR, I'm logged on right now (12:45 EST on 9/30). I was on earlier this morning too; unfortunately I think it's a problem on your end. Have you tried the free trial servers just in case?
*edit* well, that was silly. The game was being blocked by peerguardian all the time. Doh.:oops:
I'd say it's worth the investment if your decent enough at limited. Ive dropped about 6000$ cash on product, and thanks to ebay ive made about 8k in sales from what I've taken in from prizes and limited pools.
If your just starrting, get in a league. 22$ for 1 month of unlimited ranked play, + 12$ if you want to add the optional weekly boosters. this gets you the most "matches that count" for your money, and will be a great way to get aclamated to UI.
If you can, the ideal way to go is :
play drafts/sealeds/leagues - this will bulk up your collection. Then when you get there, build a standard or block constructed deck, and play in the 8-man constructeds. get to winning those and draft with the prizes.
I'd say at this point I only average buying product from the store for 1 in 4 drafts. Funny, i just put my account's collection up this morning. I have a souple bills coming up i need to take car of, and I'll get some cash left over to start drafting again.
Killamajig and Scullykel999 on MTGO
handle : Asasu
I mostly play 2hg Classic right now when I'm not 8-man drafting.
Magic Online - Bertro
Also, how much are the online cards/decks/booster packs? Are they cheaper than their store counterparts? The only gaming store here has lorwyn boosters at 4$, lorwyn theme decks/tournment packs at 13$
Steam profile.
Getting started with BATTLETECH: Part 1 / Part 2
My in-game name is "PawLee" and I'm always up for games so buddy me! I'm on semi-often. Once a day if not more.
It'd be quite awesome to start up a clan for us and like-minded people who are all "okayed" by us so that we can just get a fun group of people to game with. FFA's, 2HG, 3HG, other team games, 1v1 fun tourneys.. and anything else we can think of. It's not that there's an actual need for it since MTGO has such a great playerbase (for the most part), but it'd be neat to get the penny-arcade among us together for some fun.
I'm going to start the clan up as "Pendelhaven Arcanum" so you guys should message me when you get on and I'll send an invite your way. If the name isn't up your alley you guys can die because it's stolen from the OP and "wang" is pretty much frowned upon in MTGO.
I agree completely. I can't understand the lack of MTG and especially MTGO love on the PA forums, especially given the scads and scads of Pokemon floating around. Mods wouldn't even let this thread about an online game be put in G&T? Perplexing. But who am I to question the mighty mods...
Anyway, watch this space for announcement of a casual Lorwyn draft next Tuesday night, Oct. 30 at, probably 8:30 Eastern Time. That's after Lorwyn cards go on sale (10/29) but before the release events start. Raredrafting will be encouraged, but we'll ask folks to play out their matches no matter how greedy they get with their card picks.
Steam profile.
Getting started with BATTLETECH: Part 1 / Part 2
I go by JollyGreenJesus in-game.
So am I better off buying tickets, and trading those for cards - or just buying boosters and precons?
I'm obviously a huge drafting proponent, but I would steer Defunker towards Leagues for a little while before sending him off into the deep end without his water wings, so to speak. Drafting is awesome, but there's a steeper learning curve compared to the relatively forgiving environment of Leagues. In Leagues you can take as long as you want to build your deck, play as many games as you want for a month, change your deck between rounds, and the rounds can last up to 30 minutes longer if you need more time to sort out the best move or get a handle on the interface. Also, generally speaking there are more people around willing to talk about best plays and deck construction techniques.
Just don't expect to win any significant prizes and you'll be fine. Also, you can't trade cards you open in the League until the League ends, FYI. The Lorwyn Leagues that will run next week will only last a week.
Steam profile.
Getting started with BATTLETECH: Part 1 / Part 2
Some random helpful tips:
to add someone to your buddy list type /addbuddy <name> ... do this for the bots I mentioned above- try to stay away from buying cards from these sets that will rotate out of extended format in October 2008 so you can get the most from your money (7th edition, 8th edition, Invasion, Planeshift, Apocalypse, Oddysee, Torment, Judgement, Onslaught, Legions, Scourge)
- play extended format! the casual room is usually pretty forgiving and the reason I say to play extended is because it offers the most bang for your buck. the sets stay legal for a LONG time, with more being added all the time
- don't draft too often .. though I find it to be the funnest part of MTG, it's wayyyyyyyyyy too expensive to do it casually often. unless you're good enough to win the drafts often enough to perpetually draft with the prizes (which, if you think you are, you aren't ... the playerbase is quite ruthless compared to the cardboard friday night magic scene).
- add me to buddy list (all of you!) and I'll try to help you out with your game as best I can. I'm not that great, but I know the basics well enough to mentor you.
- don't play land destruction, pure discard, draw-go (counterspells up the ass), or a combination of the three .. unless you don't mind being sworn at and your opponents conceding without actually playing
- don't play elf/sliver decks, they are cliche, boring, and tend to suck. RESIST THE URGE
This is the window between Lorwyn being available for purchase online (Oct. 29) and when release events start (not until Friday, Nov. 2). We'll play a fun booster draft in the Casual >> Limited room, with longer than normal picks and builds times for folks who haven't played with the new cards (like me).
You keep what you draft, natch, and raredrafting is encouraged. We will ask everyone to play out three rounds, though. We'll post the swiss results here for good-natured bragging rights.
What do I need?
3 packs of Lorwyn, a good attitude, and the desire to play three rounds with some fellow PAers.
What do I do?
1. Post here to say you are coming and your MTGO user name.
2. Log on to Magic Online before 8:30pm Eastern next Tuesday and go to Casual Play >> Limited Games.
3. Join the "pa_draft" chat (by typing "/join pa_draft" without the quotes).
4. Join the draft and stay to enjoy three rounds of play.
5. Post tales of glory and woe in this here thread.
What is drafting?
The most fun you can have playing Magic. What? Not enough info? Okay, try this and this.
What is a "Lorwyn?"
Lorwyn is the latest Expansion for Magic the Gathering. It's a tribal themed set, similar to Onslaught, but with substantial differences (the largest of which is that races aren't confined to a single color, but there are others). If you liked Ravnica's take on Invasion's color-matters theme, then you are likely to really like Lorwyn. (Of course, if you have to ask what Lorwyn is, you probably missed Ravnica and think Magic has really gone downhill since you stopped playing in 1999 when they refused to print any tournament caliber Kobolds. (Hey, if that is you, Merfolk are back in this set!))
Word on the street (Lorwyn's been out in paper for a month) is that it's a strong set for limited play (draft and sealed.) More set info here.
Who's In?
PA / MTGO
CONFIRMED
Buzz Buzz / Buzz Buzz
Locus / The Marshall Plan
Rikketty Row / rradzville
Prodigal / BigChris
Xevo / Xevo
JeffH / moontouched
POSSIBLE
Defunker / Defunker or brokestatus
Steam profile.
Getting started with BATTLETECH: Part 1 / Part 2
What? You need my MTGO name?
It's Buzz Buzz.
Let's see how well my box has prepped me for a real draft.
MTGO Name: The Marshall Plan