Hey guys, I designed the card Mass Mummification which made it to the top 8 of You Make the Card 4. There are a lot of great ideas you can choose from (and from what I read online, there are a TON of fantastic cards that unfortunately didn't make the cut). In case anyone was interested, I thought I'd share a few ideas behind the design of Mass Mummification.
First of all, it was a bottom up design meaning I created the ability before the flavor. It was important to me that my card be tournament playable, so I focused on what it would do first.
The initial inspiration came from the card Lich. Lich helps you by making your life total irrelevant, but it can definitely harm you in the long run. I liked the idea of messing with a player's life total in such a way that it would heal him for a while but that it would eventually hurt if he relied on it too much.
The second card that inspired Mummification is Sulfuric Vortex. Symmetrical abilities that affect all players are neat because they rarely affect all players equally. Balance, Day of Judgment, and Armageddon are very powerful examples. Vortex appealed to me because it was a strong Standard playable card back in its day.
I realized that if I made Mummification apply to everyone instead of just the controller, I'd have a very powerful card for black in particular. As I mentioned before, a more subtle aspect of the design is that it can cause players to gain life. This means it works extremely well with black's other life loss mechanics.
A black mage is used to losing life from effects like Dark Confidant, Sign in Blood, and of course Necropotence. With Mass Mummification, the black mage can recover almost all of the life they lose from their dark magic every single turn. The fact that it slowly kills opponents is a nice bonus.
Mummification might fit in an aggro deck, but I think the better place is in a tempo or aggro-control deck. I envision it helping to keep the controller alive long enough to build up a solid game-ending move, while limiting the opponent's ability to do the same. It works against aggro by healing you every turn, and it works against dedicated control decks by presenting them with a threat that is very difficult to remove.
Of course, I am very excited to see how YOU think the card can be used. I've been reading reactions online and have seen some neat combo ideas. Various people have mentioned using the card with Vampire Hexmage, perhaps including something like Angel's Grace as a win condition.
Or instead of removing counters, proliferate can help you keep your life total stable until you build up enough resources to unleash your master plan.
Some have noted that Mummification is similar to Illusions of Grandeur. Many years ago, Illusions provided enough life for the controller to draw a bunch of cards with Necropotence. Donate would then be used to pass Illusions to the opponent, who would lose 20 life when the enchantment died. This made a VERY powerful tournament deck called Trix, and Mummification has elements of Illusions and Donate wrapped up into one. But far less broken of course.
I know some people think my design is strictly for the casual player, but I tried really hard to make an ability powerful and versatile enough to appeal to tournament players as well. The applications for multi-player and combo are the most apparent aspects, but I hope I've shown how the potential for competitive play is built into the card in a more subtle method.
Thank you all for taking the time to read this and to consider my design! I'd be happy to answer any questions or to read any comments or criticism you may have.
I'm just going to use this as a place to list some ideas I have for Magic products. This isn't going to be for card designs, but for products outside the main MtG line.
Idea 1 - MtG themed coins
After seeing the ultimate of Ral Zarek, I realized it would be cool to have some metal coins minted for Magic. There could be a set of 5 coins with mana symbols as "Heads" and the MtG logo as "Tails." The date should also be printed on them.
Idea 2 - Reverse full-art lands
By "reverse" I mean that the mana symbol could be enlarged to cover the whole card instead of the art being enlarged to cover it. This would not appeal to everyone, but it would be a neat alternative for some of us.
Idea 3 - Mini MtG cards
WotC has made quite a few over-sized MtG cards over the years. But I've always found miniature things to be more interesting. I envision a small set of mini-cards sold in tiny booster packs in gum ball vending machines. To go along with these, there could be a few key chain deck boxes in the machines as well.
If you have other ideas, feel free to post in the reply section. I might post more ideas as I think of them.
I once heard or read that in Heaven, we may not have memories of our former lives. I do not remember where or when I first encountered this concept, but it appeals to me.
I would like to forget. If that means giving up the good memories as well, then so be it. I just want the bad things out of my head.
The concept also appeals to me because I find it very comforting to believe that someday the dark stain of my existence will be scoured from the minds of (A)ll who knew me. I pray that you are blessed as such.
This past weekend, I was the best man at my friend's wedding. Everything went great. The bride and groom were surprisingly calm up until about an hour before the ceremony. I would have been freaking out long before then, but they were good. I'm not sure if there was a specific event that made the bride nervous, but the groom started feeling it while the photographers were taking pictures of him, his parents, me, and the rest of the groomsmen.
The photographers were trying to move things along quickly. I think the fast pace of moving here and there and constantly rearranging our positions added greatly to his stress. Still, it wasn't anything intolerable. Afterwards, the men in the wedding party went to a private room in the church and joked around with the pastor until it was time to start. That was a nice stress reliever for us all.
As the best man, I had two primary duties to perform. The first responsibility was to carry the bride's ring around and hand it to the groom during the ceremony. This went smoothly, although I was constantly checking my pockets through the day. The second thing I had to do was to give a toast to the newlyweds at the reception. This was nerve-wracking for me.
I generally hate public speaking. Giving a toast as the best man is the type of event that doesn't come up very often, so it felt hard to prepare for. A guy might get one or two chances in his entire life to do something this special for a friend, so I obviously wanted to do as good a job as possible.
I had started thinking of a theme and basic outline a few weeks in advance, and kept adding ideas to that as the wedding day approached. About three days before the wedding, I wrote the thing down. Over the next two days, I refined the rough areas and practiced it quite a bit.
Despite all the preparation, I think I was probably more nervous than either the bride or groom when the time came for me to speak. The actual presentation is a bit of a blur; I can't fully remember if I said everything that I had written down. However, the reaction afterwards was confirmation that I did something right. Several people told me how good it was. The groom said he almost choked up at one point. But I think the biggest compliment came from one of the bride's maids. After I was finished, she told me I made her cry, which was pretty obviously true since she was wiping the tears from her eyes.
That gave me a huge sense of validation. My words were powerful enough not only to stir someone's emotions, but to cause a physical reaction in them as well. I was so happy that I was able to touch someone in that way with my words. It makes me want to write more again.
The cool mountain air soothed his flushed face. The rush of wind blotted out the sounds of the city far below. He breathed deeply and felt light, as if all his burdens had been blown away. Though the tears still flowed, the current of the night dried them gently from his closed eyes. For a brief moment, he felt true serenity.
-----
The sky was clear, but there was no moon. Only the stars looked down upon him that night. In the darkness they twinkled, like a vast array of diamonds scattered across the infinite cosmos by the hand of God Himself. The scenery of the heavens could be awe-inspiring. Countless times, he had gazed upon those very stars from that very mountain and felt as if they shined only for him. As if they watched him from their celestial domain and took pity upon him for all the ills he was forced to endure. Sometimes he felt that they were his friends, the only friends he would ever – could ever – have.
On the worst nights, he would climb to his mountain perch and gaze out upon the land below. From where he stood, he could see the lights of the city stretch for miles, but the details and individuals of the place were shrouded by the blanket of night. From that occlusion, he felt a sense of separateness and safety. But even though he felt some measure of protection in the cool, concealing darkness, he always remembered the people crawling within the illuminated buildings below. Like maggots filling the corpse of a decaying beast, they writhed underneath the skin of lights, constantly consuming and fighting one another for a larger piece of the rancid prize. On those nights, the worst ones, he wanted to burn it down. He wanted to see all the small lights join into one massive inferno – a fire so fierce that the dawn would find naught but ash in the morn.
On those nights, he would strike a match and hold it up against the backdrop of the cityscape. He would peer into the small flame until its brightness eventually blinded him to the metropolis beyond. Thus having burned the city (from his gaze at least), he would lay back and look to the sky until his vision returned to normal. Though the ocean of artificial lights was an impressive display of the power of mankind, it still paled when compared to the majesty of the universe. Even on the worst nights, he always felt at peace when his sight returned and brought with it his starry host of friends.
But even the worst nights had never been this bad. For tonight, he felt as if every previous wound had been reopened. He felt the full sum of a lifetime of abuse. His very soul lay in tattered, bleeding pieces within his body. His heart had become a scorching desert, bereft of all hope that anything could mend the ragged remains. All that was inside him had been utterly and completely crushed. Neither the concealing black arms of night, nor his glistening friends above could provide him any comfort. He was alone. He was broken.
Mists of rage and hatred swirled within him but refused to manifest themselves in more corporeal form. He considered lashing out and screaming into the night. He wanted to curse the city, destroy it. He wanted the streets to run red with the blood of millions. He wanted to kill.
But he had no power. He was impotent in the face of the masses. One small man, hardly noticed in day-to-day life, he knew that any action he took would not even make a dent in the city that tormented him. So he didn’t scream, and he didn’t lash out. He merely stood, fists clenched and eyes seething with hatred, peering down into the night while the mists of rage slowly condensed upon the cold hopelessness within.
After many long moments, the anger began to pass. His breathing slowed, and he consciously allowed his muscles to relax. Still, he was not at peace. Even though his rage subsided, it was only replaced by stronger feelings of despair. He sobbed once. Tears began streaming down his face. With eyes closed tightly, the man lifted his head and screamed helplessly into the night, "Save me!"
With his head tilted back, he now sobbed uncontrollably in the open air. He spread his arms and reached towards the heavens, repeating his desperate plea. No answer came. He opened his eyes and shouted once again to the stars. He begged his only friends to rescue him somehow.
Suddenly, a quick movement caught his eye. He turned in time to see a falling star streak across the sky. It was gone in a second, but it had lasted long enough. His friends had answered him. It was a sign, and he knew exactly what it meant. The man briefly looked upon the city again, but quickly returned his gaze to the sky. Softly, he said, "Thank you."
Then with eyes still turned toward the stars, he stepped forward from the ledge.
The wind cooled his face while he fell, and the realization came to him that he had been falling for a very long time indeed. Now he knew his lifelong descent would be soon ending. As the air rushed passed him, it seemed to blow away the city and all his cares. Despite himself and all his troubles, he smiled. For a brief moment, he felt true serenity.
-----
Author's note: Although the story "Falling Star" romanticizes suicide, I personally do not believe that the taking of one’s own life is ever the appropriate course of action. I know that life can be extremely difficult, and that sometimes those difficulties can seem to have no end or no solution. But I do believe that there is hope for all of us in some form or another. If you or someone you know has thoughts of suicide, please tell someone who can help like a parent, teacher, or guidance counselor. You can also call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/).
I have posted a couple original songs on Acid Planet for anyone to download. You can stream the music in a lower quality or you can download a higher quality mp3, both free.
Alien Aggression: http://www.acidplanet.com/artist.asp?PID=1023420&T=487
I like this first one the best. It has kind of dark music with an alien motif, hence the title. I like the mix, but I think I need to remaster it, as some elements need to be raised in volume while others should probably be lowered.
I think I need someone who can sing. If you know how to do vocals (especially like :wumpscut:, Velvet Acid Christ, or The Crüxshadows) and are interested in putting something together, contact me.
Today's update is a little different. I've got original fiction, but it is based on an existing franchise, so it isn't 100% original. Even though I had it ready last week, I didn't post it here because it didn't seem like enough of an update. Instead, I posted it on IGN's blog forums as an entry in a contest (which I did not win).
First, I also have another item to post which probably wouldn't be enough for a full update by itself: music. This is my first real attempt at making a full song, and I was very happy with the results. A darkwave band called Blind Faith & Envy are having a remix contest for their song "The Smallest Rewards." I have taken the opportunity to mold their song into a stripped down, darker version.
The original song and contest info can be found on this page: http://www.acidplanet.com/contests/blindfaith/
(On the far right column in the Quicklinks section, click "Hear the Original Track.")
Since this is my first public attempt at making music, I'd really appreciate any comments (positive or negative) so that I can improve in the future.
Now, for the fiction. I guess this is basically an ad for Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, but it is still cool to get inside Samus's head...
Corruption
I’m no stranger to death. My life has nearly ended too many times for me to count. I’ve slaughtered thousands of monsters. They keep coming, and I keep killing them. Death is all around me, and I’m responsible for most of it. Such is the life of a bounty hunter, I suppose.
Yet through all the violence and killing, I’ve somehow managed to keep myself from falling too deep into it. I’ve never given into those dark urges that have occasionally crept into the shadows of my mind. I’ve always been able to squash those thoughts as effectively as I squash the alien bugs swarming outside. There’s always been that little shard of my soul hidden safely away from the bleakness of this world. But now, I find myself questioning just how long I can keep that part of me safe. How long can I continue to ward off this evil?
I’m about to face the greatest challenge I’ve ever had. Even with my arsenal of weapons and armor, I don’t know if I could fight this battle alone.
The thing is... I’m not alone.
I can feel it inside me. I can feel it digging ever deeper into the depths of my mind, my body, and my soul. I can feel its power... and its darkness. It is strengthening me, enhancing all of my abilities. I can move faster, aim steadier, hit harder, and perform feats that I never could before. But even as it adds to my physical and mental prowess, it creeps through my soul, seeking to conquer that which I have held most precious for all these years. I feel its corruption inside. But the thing that scares me the most?
I like it.
Will I become as vile as the monsters I kill? Will I submit to this inner darkness? I don’t know what the future holds. I don’t know what person - or beast - I’ll become. But I know who I am right now. I’m Samus Aran. And one way or another, this fight will be finished.
I'm back from vacation, and I had a pretty decent time despite the fact that there is just so little to do at the place I go. I'm glad I had a Wii. Also, I met a really cool girl named Amber. Nothing really happened with her, but talking to her was nice and she was definitely the highlight of my trip.
So, I ended up not posting for two weeks in a row. I am working on a story, but it is taking a little longer than expected, so I am going to have to save it for next week or after. However, I didn't want to skip a third week of updating. Since I don't have anything else original that I want to post at the moment, I thought I would take this opportunity to introduce you to some lyrics that you have never seen, from a band that you have never heard of (unless you read my list of favorite songs in this blog).
The band is Autumn Tears and the song is called "Black Heaven." It is from the album The Garden Of Crystalline Dreams: Love Poems for Dying Children, Act II. As you may be able to tell just from the title, the song is very dark and very dramatic, just how I like it. The music doesn't contain any guitars and it has very few drums. It sounds very much like slow classical music with the addition of a growling female vocalist. The lyrics won't give you the full impact, but they are still awesome alone. (I added the punctuation to make reading easier.) This is how I wish I could write.
"Black Heaven"
by Autumn Tears
[Deceit]
Oh, what a precious mistake thou hast made.
A fool you hath made of me
...so be it.
I take thee now with
Vengeance and fury.
My wrath shall I beset
Upon the souls of innocence.
See me now,
As I spread my darkening wings.
Pity them as they
Speak my name in vain.
My divine pleasure taken
In watching them die.
Thus, ever they shall suffer as I do.
Ornate wisdom,
Revealed in mine eyes,
I shall sip the wine
Of tumultuous life.
My kiss and a promise
I shall give to thee now:
Never shall I weep
As they cry out my name.
A hymn to my wandering light:
Blackening sun, emptiness,
Taste victory unquenched
Throughout my millennia,
Embodied by this distortion
Of my withering stare.
Fools! Have thy moment of glory
As my blanket of death unfolds
Upon thy children.
Watch my glorious triumph in hatred.
Regret thy error as I take them -
One by one.
[Wisdom]
A mask I wear of infinite gestures.
A vale of dusk beyond my jaded horizon.
[Wisdom & Deceit]
Death for thee hath many faces,
Life hath but only one!
[Deceit]
Prepare thyself for my victorious era,
As showers of blood spill forth upon thee,
From the ebony gates
Of my black heaven.
Next week, I'm going to be on vacation and will not have access to the Internet. I might try to post something before I leave, but don't expect anything. Anyway, this one is a bit more erotic than my other stuff, and I hope it would make a good bedtime story - for adults only.
She dreamed of his kisses. She dreamed of his presence beside her on the cool satin sheets and of his delicate hands moving over her body. His lips moved gently from the side of her neck to trace a slow path to the very center of her chest. The touch was so light that she could not tell in the darkness if his mouth was touching her flesh or if he merely breathed upon her. The sensation sent a chill through her body and the tiny hairs on her skin raised in anticipation. No man had ever treated her like this before, so softly and so tenderly. No one had ever taken the time to caress and thrill her as the man in her dreams now did. She desired him. Intensely.
But he did not yet answer that desire, instead choosing to continue his exquisite torture. He softly stroked her skin as his hands traveled over her body, pausing from their slow downward journey to wander across the plain of her midriff. She trembled as his fingers mapped her curves and stopped to explore the indentation of her tiny bellybutton. Even in her dreams, she laid with her eyes closed. She was unable to see her imagined lover, but she could still feel him all over her body. He seemed to be subtly touching everywhere at once, and she did not understand how he could tease so many places simultaneously. Nor did she care. All she thought about at the moment was the sweet pleasure of his caress and the slight nibbling of her left ear. Each touch was as gentle as the night breeze. As soft as a dove’s feather.
As delicate as the strands of silk being drawn across her skin.
In the darkened room, eight legs carried another explorer over the satin sheets. The two-inch long spider crept across the bed and onto the neck of the sleeping woman, spinning its web as it walked. As it climbed and traveled towards her chest, tiny hairs raised on her skin, only slightly impeding its progress. The spider crawled slowly down the body to join several of its companions, already weaving their own webs across the woman’s stomach. Each arachnid searched for the prime nesting spots – those that were dark and warm. One had already claimed the shallow dent of her bellybutton. Another had nestled snugly in her left ear. These spots were well protected and perfect for hiding precious eggs sacs. A particularly large spider was crawling over the woman’s brow and stopped to examine the passages of her nose, but found them too small for the case of eggs she carried on her abdomen. Needing someplace bigger to store her unborn young, the spider continued to creep down towards the ridge of lips while the woman slept and dreamed of his kisses.
In her dreams, the man delicately kissed a path from her forehead to the tip of her nose. When she felt his lips finally brush against her own, she opened her mouth and let his tongue slide gently inside.