A Mage Wars Mission

[Diji]

My fellow Mages,

This year Mage Wars was a nominee for best board game at the Origins Game Fair and the Arcane Wonders team did a great job in getting the vote out. Unfortunately, we came just short and Lords of Waterdeep (a great game in its own right) took the top spot.

I'm convinced that this game has one of the better if not the BEST player cores out there. We help each other refine spell books, share new ideas and strategies and then square up in the arena - I might be biased, but I'm simialrly convinced that the game has more to offer than LoWaterdeep and many other games for that matter. And so upon a recent visit to boardgamegeek.com, I noticed that Mage Wars has made the leap from the forties to the thirties (as it concerns popular board game rankings) and that got me very excited. Mage Wars is tracking at 37 overall, Waterdeep is 29. Am I crazy to think that it's within range? (0-8,  ) I don't know, but in any case I've resolved that my mission is to see them one spot below this clearly superior game of ours.

To be clear, I'm not suggesting or endorsing sabotaging LoW or harassing those with a negative opinion toward Mage Wars. I have a BGG account, I own LoW, I scored it a nine and it'll stay that way. To be the best you have to beat the best and Mage Wars has rightfully earned its placement by proving its value to the board game community. By staying the course we're already poised to accompany the likes of the elite - I hope you will join me in my mission, our mission, to further showcase the greatness of a game we love.

Thanks.

[Sarkath]

I agree with everything above. It'll happen, before GenCon. Then we will go to GenCon and celebrate, after I drive 6-ish hours.

[Diji]

Yezir!! But here's the thing... If I had your car I'd love being on the open road.

[The Dude]

That's what I said! Who wouldn't love driving a dart?

[Sarkath]

It's not so much the time driving her, it's the miles.

But here's the thing: I'm still way more excited for GenCon then I should be.

[Diji]

For the uninitiated, Sarkath has quite the impressive automobile. Side-note, he is also a professional puppeteer.

But here's the thing... that second part is a lie.

[Fentum]

I feel your love, but what are you suggesting we actually DO?

[Texan85]

I don't get the point of the post either.

[Diji]

Great question.

My suggestions:

-If you haven't already, sign up for an account @ boardgamegeek.com and give Mage Wars your honest review score.
-Participate in the BGG forums by helping out new players with questions and offer up suggestions for them to try and make there experiences more enjoyable.
-Go to your local game shop and teach your friends how to play. If they enjoy the game - ask them if they would go to boardgamegeek.com and show some love.
-"Like" the official Mage Wars Facebook page. Post comments, meet people in your area that love the game.
-Contribute in any other way you can - write-up an epic play session or review on BGG, if you use custom cut outs or minis with your set - post some pictures, (a tournament player at Origins had a Forcemaster mini that was DOPE!) sign up to be an ambassador, encourage your FLGS to run tournaments, find players in your area and start a league.
-Etc.

Personally, I am never more interested in a game than when I feel every person except me is playing and/or knows how to play it. Exposure is paramount in achieving this effect and by getting together at your FLGS and inviting onlookers to come spectate your games, running tournaments and the like we can bring more people into the fold. Im sure we are in collective agreement that Mage Wars is masterclass, and from what I can tell, the retention rate for this game is very high meaning we only need to get people's feet wet and metaphorically speaking, we do that by flooding the room with water... or blood, if that's your thing.

But here's the thing... blood will stain your jean cuffs, wear the black windbreakers.

Thanks for question Fentum!

[Diji]

I hear you Texan. The initial post was a not real detailed about how to achieve said goal.

But the primary objective of the post (beyond smashing LoW) is to go out and get people excited about the game! Conference season is the time of the year where people are really excited about trying out new games. Everyone on this forum loves the game, I just want to encourage people to stretch that out to across other avenues online and in their local shops.

By the way, Padwan and I got some things cooking that we should be providing info about in the coming weeks. 

[Sarkath]

It's all about hitting the pavement, sometimes for long drives, to help spread this game.

I'm scared about what you two have planned; it can't be good.

[The Dude]

Here's the thing: In order to maintain a healthy lifestyle, one must drink eight 8oz glasses of water a day.

As well, it's not good. It's incredible. Bigger than country in the South man.

Expanding the community to include everyone that would even THINK about playing Mage Wars is the goal. Right now, we are David, facing the insurmountable Goliath. We need more Davids. And moar DoTs.

[Fentum]

Ok man. I got you.

I am fairly active on BGG and ALREADY scored Mage Wars a ten.

I introduced three guys to the physical game so far.

I posted up on these forums and BGG ref the OCTGN site. MAN THAT IS KEY TO THE SUCCESS OF THE GAME.

I have lovingly nurtured a couple of news guys on OCTGN, having been lovingly nurtured there myself.

The number one thing that would improve the player base is an easy to use spell book / online system or app.

So go out and spread the love.

[Texan85]

This could have been solved by tldr:

And I watched lords of waterdeep how to vids, and I think the game looks dumb. But more than that it is very unlike Mage wars, but I do agree everyone on here should help support MW on BGG with word of mouth and general word of mouth.

[Diji]

Hope everyone had a great 4th! Quick update - we've jumped from 37 to 36! That's awesome!