I think my opinion of the art style changes can best be summed up by how they seem to have dropped Rebecca Guay in favour of Raymond Swanland. Nowadays the game feels like a shallow WoW ripoff. It's like they dropped their target audience down to 15-year old boys in an attempt to elicit a "that's sooooo sick, dude" response. From what I've seen, Innistrad might be an improvement (though anything would be an improvement over the disappointment that was Scars block), but I'm not going to get my hopes up just to see them dashed against the rocks.
This has been true for a long time.
I always liked the Rebecca Guay art mixed in as well, and many of the other abstract, like Richard kane fergeson. Today we have Terese Nielsen to fill the void (better not say that too loud or the Wizards team might cut him too).
But I also like Kev Walker, Parente, chippy, etc.
Art work is integral to the game for me. Sometimes even going so far as to influence my card choices for casual decks, and definitely influencing my buying habits. I gotta say, I found New Phyrexia and the rest of the scars block for that matter, to have a high ratio of good art (imo), so I definitely can't complain about scars block.
It certainly beats the days when every card looked like a poor action illustration from a free comic book that was produced over night. We had a lot of that around Mercadian masques and Invasion block.
I always insist Tempest block had it right. Great art and flavor text too.
As for the poll, I can't really pick one because, I don't know what would be considered to be the "old style"
Reflecting Pool checks the effects of all mana-producing abilities of lands you control, but it doesn't check their costs. For example, Vivid Crag says "{T}, Remove a charge counter from Vivid Crag: Add one
I find the old frames much cleaner and easier to read. Also I think the old frame allowed for more artwork, though I can't be sure by eye, and I think the device to measure the difference might cost a small fortune.
Some people like the Windows XP look. That's fine, it's subjective and I can still play the game with either border as long as the artwork is good, and its been improving during the last 2 blocks IMO.
But readability and artwork size had nothing to do with anything. The difference between the two are the definition of negligible.
I believe its an adjustment to a problem that went under the radar for some time. The increasing prevalence of efficient spot removal compounded also by the promotion of 2+ color decks.
There was a time when your best options for a standard environment might have been something like shock, terror, diabolic edict, then downhill to the likes of Radiant's Judgment , humble, etc. and your deck was probably 1 or 2 colors at most.
Over time the quality and density of spot removal has increased and they seam to have failed to take this into account when making other adjustments to the game. Such as the promotion of 2+ color decks.
You reach a point where if your going to pay 4-5 mana for a creature only to see it maelstrom pulsed, doombladed, path to exiled, condemned terminated etc 3/4 times, it better win the game or turn it around in one swing. Either that or generate card advantage (tokens, return from graveyard effects etc.)
I think they should have done with spot removal what they did with counter spell. But instead they've done as others have stated, and adjusted the value of the creatures to the power of the spells.
Use semi rigid card holders. They're about as durable as a top loader but thinner and easier to handle. You can also cut or snap off the top half inch lip if it bugs you, but its not needed.
Cut the deck in two parts. Bring you hands together (thumbs touching). Lift up and let the two halves fall together.
This has been true for a long time.
I always liked the Rebecca Guay art mixed in as well, and many of the other abstract, like Richard kane fergeson. Today we have Terese Nielsen to fill the void (better not say that too loud or the Wizards team might cut him too).
But I also like Kev Walker, Parente, chippy, etc.
Art work is integral to the game for me. Sometimes even going so far as to influence my card choices for casual decks, and definitely influencing my buying habits. I gotta say, I found New Phyrexia and the rest of the scars block for that matter, to have a high ratio of good art (imo), so I definitely can't complain about scars block.
It certainly beats the days when every card looked like a poor action illustration from a free comic book that was produced over night. We had a lot of that around Mercadian masques and Invasion block.
I always insist Tempest block had it right. Great art and flavor text too.
As for the poll, I can't really pick one because, I don't know what would be considered to be the "old style"
I'm a fan of the old border. It looked colorful and archaic which is right for the game.
http://magiccards.info/tp/en/196.html
http://magiccards.info/9e/en/210.html
http://magiccards.info/ul/en/126.html
I find the old frames much cleaner and easier to read. Also I think the old frame allowed for more artwork, though I can't be sure by eye, and I think the device to measure the difference might cost a small fortune.
Some people like the Windows XP look. That's fine, it's subjective and I can still play the game with either border as long as the artwork is good, and its been improving during the last 2 blocks IMO.
But readability and artwork size had nothing to do with anything. The difference between the two are the definition of negligible.
Typo ? was "fetal" supposed to read "feral" ?
Commander Greven il-Vec
Can anyone explain ? Another mistake?
I believe its an adjustment to a problem that went under the radar for some time. The increasing prevalence of efficient spot removal compounded also by the promotion of 2+ color decks.
There was a time when your best options for a standard environment might have been something like shock, terror, diabolic edict, then downhill to the likes of Radiant's Judgment , humble, etc. and your deck was probably 1 or 2 colors at most.
Over time the quality and density of spot removal has increased and they seam to have failed to take this into account when making other adjustments to the game. Such as the promotion of 2+ color decks.
You reach a point where if your going to pay 4-5 mana for a creature only to see it maelstrom pulsed, doombladed, path to exiled, condemned terminated etc 3/4 times, it better win the game or turn it around in one swing. Either that or generate card advantage (tokens, return from graveyard effects etc.)
I think they should have done with spot removal what they did with counter spell. But instead they've done as others have stated, and adjusted the value of the creatures to the power of the spells.
Cut the deck in two parts. Bring you hands together (thumbs touching). Lift up and let the two halves fall together.
Has Darkest hour maintained its original functionality?
(Im a little out of date)
- thanks.
You need card tags in future posts. Read the Forum Guidelines. -Carsten