Expansion policy

[Björn Stornämd]

I realize that I might be in a tiny minority on this board but I would love it if Arcane Wonders didn't release dozens of expansions to this game. I don't play games like Magic the Gathering because there are just so many cards that you have to devout yourself to the hobby or shun it completely. With so many cards, the options become near infinite and so does the time you need to spend to analyze and form a good deck. I rather spend my money on 10 games than 1 game with a dozen expansions. I think I have 1 expansion in my modest collection of about 20 games.

Now, I think I would just love Mage Wars but I'm holding off buying it until I see just how crazy they are going to go with the expansions.

Are you in Arcane Wonders going to release as many expansions as the customers can stomach or are you going to keep a more conservative approach and try to reach a broader audience that would be turned off by quantity?

[DarthDadaD20]

Welcome to the forums Bjorn Stornamd!!!

Now I cant give you an official answer but....
At the rate and quality/quantity that AW is producing, I highly doubt we will see 20- $10 small expansions every single year. It just doesn't seem to be in the plans. most likely one to two a year at the most.

Now, I can understand your concern, but I wouldnt let that keep you from buying the core set. This is one game where the core will provide everything you need for a long time! Also, if you dont deny yourself of the core set, and latter are not happy with the rate of the expansions, then you can just not buy them. Really, the core set is all you need to play at competitive levels, as well as for two to four people to play for a really long time.

[Lightseed]

As i agree with DarthDadaD20 , the core is enough for you to enjoy many hours of this game. But i dont think that if you want to start competitive play and i mean contests and tournaments the core set is enough. I mean it is enough for you to fully customize 1 spell book . But if you want to use that and let your friend use the same core set as you do then he will not have as many utility spells available as you will probably snach them to make a realy good deck if you know what i mean.

My personal oppinion is buy the core set, if the game is satisfying you then buy a core spell tome to be sure you and your best friend can use 1 core set to design your own spell books and play competitive amongst each other.

Edit: I personaly think arcane wonders will release a MAXIMUM of 2 expansions per year, maybe less. If this game has taught me anything about them is that they love to balance the game and release a fully finished game, a thing that i much apreciate. This process takes time, a lot especialy with a game of this magnitude.

[malgor]

agree with all the points about the core set being enough.  it's actually enough for 4 people to all have pretty balanced decks and play great casual games.  spellbook customization just means the core set will keep you busy as long as you like.

and remember, the expansions aren't going to add a lot of new stuff for old mages-they are primarily going to be about establishing the cards needed for new mages.  So the expansion should never be something you need to buy in order to win.  You should buy expansions with mages you think would be fun to try or themes you find interesting.

trust me man, you wanna buy this game.  my biggest problem with it is that even though I'm getting several nights a week of the game in, i still want more friends/opponents to play against me all the time.

[Preacher]

Great post and I heartily agree, I know this is not a CCG (TINACCG) but I've played two of those now for years and one of the reasons I stopped playing both is because it became too expensive/too annoying to try and keep up AND the designers made it so you pretty much couldn't compete without certain cards from each new set (counters and foils, silver bullets etc).

I must admit (and again TINACCG ) that I am a little concerned about that with MW. A few of the playtesters have already alluded to 'cards not out yet that complete a solid strategy against X mage' for example.

Don't get me wrong, it's early days and I can't see it going this way but wanted to add a minor +1 to the OP.

Also, this pales into insignificance against the 'death of dice randomness' that I seem to be suffering from lately, perhaps I have been cursed by gypsies? Blurgh, random effects, not a fan.

[DarthDadaD20]

Bottom line...If I ever see more then two expansions in a year...I will be flabbergasted. And at $40 for an expansion in a game like this is amazing.

I know how OP feels...
I wanted to try and play X-Wing....lol NOPE! Not at the price of the one ship expansions when they are coming out that quickly. Or all the other LGCs out there, look at lord of the rings, crazy amounts of expansions and it just came out. Same with Netrunner. I'm almost certain that your fears are not valid with this game.

[Sausageman]

So the expansion should never be something you need to buy in order to win.

*Need* we may not, but there are those of us that will buy pretty much anything released whether we need it or not!    Stupid compulsions....

As for amount of expansions, I'm sort of torn here actually.  In the one hand, I agree with the OP.  However, if expansions are without spell books and duplicate cards from previous sets (i.e. just new mages and/or spells), then I don't object to a few of these coming out.

But don't go crazy guys...  

[Tacullu64]

There are expansions with new mages and then there will be the expansions with new cards for all if I remember correct. Didn't they already mention an approximately tome sized expansion with alternate mage cards?

[DarthDadaD20]

I forgot about the tomes?!? But even then... and so far the tomes have been not at all necessary to buy, and were only made due to fans asking for it.

[Tacullu64]

I forgot about the tomes?!? But even then... and so far the tomes have been not at all necessary to buy, and were only made due to fans asking for it.

No, I mean a new one with new cards.

[Björn Stornämd]

Thanks for all of your replies. I hope you are right and we see Arcane Wonders have some restrain in putting out new cards for this game. Like Preacher said, this isn't described as a ccg anywhere, lets hope it doesn't become one.

[Lightseed]

I agree, i do not want this game to ever become a CCG, NEVER. for me it will lose its fun aspect if it does. I still have not bought the expansoin because i am having so much fun with the base game still. It is on my buy list for june . But as far as i am now with the game i'm having tons of fun with just the base game.

If this turns into a "buy the special card to win" game i will stop checking it , but i will still play it with my friends as long as those cards are not included .