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General Discussion / Re: The Sorryquit and Accidental Rulebreaking
« on: January 15, 2014, 12:49:57 PM »
Another point of view:
I spent 10+ years of my life as one of the top M:TG players in my country, and even at one stage the world, reaching a ranking of #10.
So I know what it means to play a game seriously.
Fast forward a few years and I am married with kids but every now and again get the itch for a game.
Mage Wars scratches that itch - so I buy some cards but soon find it too involved to get my social gaming group playing it.
So I head over to OCTN. My first two opponents are great - the guide me through the quirky interface and correct me on mistakes I make. But two problems are readily apparent. One it takes two hours to finish a game and secondly the game is uncompromising.
Then the third opponent ruins the experience. Firstly I reveal a water wizard and he immediately points out I netdecked a Charmya deck but he is incorrect as I built it myself. I don't bother to reply.
Next over the first two turns I make mistakes - but in the next phase ask if I can fix them. He goes "I don't know - you made the mistake". I suck it up without complaining but it apparent that the game is lost. My opening is not going to work and since it is a tempo play I am not regaining it.
So I say gg and quit on turn three. (seemingly a sorry quit but the right to not play out games where you believe you have no chance is well established, from chess to M:tg - only in real world sports is it consider bad form to quit if you 6-0 and 5-0 down in a tennis match)
I have not been back to OCTGN or played Mage wars since for the following reasons:
1. It is not a relaxed environment - it is a kill or be killed environment - which is odd because there is nothing at stake.
2. It takes long - and Mage Wars has seemingly a runaway leader problem. M:TG has a ton of things to keep most games drawing live until the last turn or so. There is no Wrath of God in Mage Wars.
3. It is constructed. Constructed play is somewhat like building your own car - fun for those who can spend a 1000 hours on it - but it like a trip to the dentist for anyone else. If Mage Wars was sealed deck or draft - boy o boy count me in
I spent 10+ years of my life as one of the top M:TG players in my country, and even at one stage the world, reaching a ranking of #10.
So I know what it means to play a game seriously.
Fast forward a few years and I am married with kids but every now and again get the itch for a game.
Mage Wars scratches that itch - so I buy some cards but soon find it too involved to get my social gaming group playing it.
So I head over to OCTN. My first two opponents are great - the guide me through the quirky interface and correct me on mistakes I make. But two problems are readily apparent. One it takes two hours to finish a game and secondly the game is uncompromising.
Then the third opponent ruins the experience. Firstly I reveal a water wizard and he immediately points out I netdecked a Charmya deck but he is incorrect as I built it myself. I don't bother to reply.
Next over the first two turns I make mistakes - but in the next phase ask if I can fix them. He goes "I don't know - you made the mistake". I suck it up without complaining but it apparent that the game is lost. My opening is not going to work and since it is a tempo play I am not regaining it.
So I say gg and quit on turn three. (seemingly a sorry quit but the right to not play out games where you believe you have no chance is well established, from chess to M:tg - only in real world sports is it consider bad form to quit if you 6-0 and 5-0 down in a tennis match)
I have not been back to OCTGN or played Mage wars since for the following reasons:
1. It is not a relaxed environment - it is a kill or be killed environment - which is odd because there is nothing at stake.
2. It takes long - and Mage Wars has seemingly a runaway leader problem. M:TG has a ton of things to keep most games drawing live until the last turn or so. There is no Wrath of God in Mage Wars.
3. It is constructed. Constructed play is somewhat like building your own car - fun for those who can spend a 1000 hours on it - but it like a trip to the dentist for anyone else. If Mage Wars was sealed deck or draft - boy o boy count me in
