How can we make mage wars more popular?

[Sailor Vulcan]

I was considering finding another game to be my main hobby game, and make mage wars more of a side game. the following are what im looking for in a hobby game:

-affordable to play both casually and competitively
-customizable strategy
-mostly skill based (no mana screw)
-tabletop game (as opposed to videogame)
-it's well-balanced
-it's not obscure

Thing is, I looked and I looked and I looked, and it seems that there are literally zero games in all of existence that meet these six criteria. Mage Wars meets all of the criteria on this list except for the last one, and it makes me rather frustrated.

Seriously, meeting the bare minimum of quality, accessibility and organized play shouldnt make a strategy game automatically obscure unless its chess go or bridge. that's just ridiculous. a game as good as mage wars doesnt deserve to remain obscure forever. i have my own suspicions on why mage wars is so obscure, but i would like to know what other people think. why exactly is mage wars obscure, and what can be or is being done to fix this if anything?

NOTE: I'm NOT saying mage wars is failing or going away anytime soon. Being obscure is not the same thing as losing popularity. But Mage Wars is kind of an obscure game, and I was wondering what any of us can do to fix that if anything. Or perhaps it isn't worth it to do so, and if so why?

I feel kinda stuck. There are no other hobby games that will satisfy me like mage wars does, but no one plays mage wars in public in my area, and ive looked and looked and i CANNOT find another hobby game suitable to replace it.

Thanks!

[zot]

as previously mentioned, take the time to teach others. be enthusiastic and consistent showing up to a local game store. excitement breeds excitement. keep showing up, and do not get dsicouraged during the early stage. being an ambassador for the game will help with the obscure issue you menton. get some of your direct friends to play with you at the game store. have a couple simple books for new players.

perhaps start them off with academy and keep mentioning the more awesome arena combat for when they graduate from the academy.

[Sailor Vulcan]

I'll keep trying that. Problem is I take summer classes and things got really busy towards the end of the first session so I haven't been to the guard tower in a few weeks. Also I have ADHD so it's really hard to stay enthusiastic after the first 30 min of waiting at the game store.

[zot]

can certainly understand the challenges. sometimes good to take a friend you would normally play games at their house and instead play at the game store instead. good luck.

[MrBubu]

If I have to boil it down to just to points I would say its because of
a) The length of play
b) Post-Luck instead of Pre-Luck

There have been discussions about a) already. in many cases playing it safe for a longer game is better if you want to win the game in the end. Some people don't like this as it feels like "dragging it out" to them. I can certainly see that this might be quite a few people and how beginners might be put off by being able to play only so few games.
Also there is no real way to make a "speed variant" as in chess.

b) you only know what will happen in a turn after you actually rolled the dice. So you have to think about what might happen if you manage to kill a creature and what if not. Should you take arc lightning in hope of a stun? What if you fail to stun? Does this put you too much behind mana or tempo wise? etc.
I think this is the main design flaw with MageWars. But I see why they had to do it. because having no luck, neither draw nor dice, would make it ever worse because one might feel compelled to completely overoptimize.

I have no idea how to overcome this and make mw less obscure

[Mystery]

for me b) is actually a feature and not a bug. Adaption and on the fly decissions

[VictorE]

Having just really learned about mage wars recently, and loving it, perhaps it is gaining popularity. We have a small community of players growing (but much smaller than the other card game groups) in my area and are even planning ways to set up tournament. I played dominion, thunderstone, magic, and pokemon, and am now exclusively playing mage wars. What I like is that (although the card list is growing and promos are hard to get), 1 - everyone can easily and cheaply (compared to collectible card games) get all of the cards needed for good spellbooks, 2 - it is much more than luck but requires spellbook planning and careful play and planning for the contingencies based on the moderate luck within the die roles, 3 - although I'm new, OCTGN has been a good way to run strategies (although I often find no one there at least open to anyone), and more. I agree with what has been said about your question too. The best way to make a game you like more popular is to play it with more people, starting with some simpler rules and books to keep the fun up. I run mostly a necro and paladin but keep several apprentice spellbooks handy for anyone new too. I just set up a game with a friend this weekend who has never played.

[zot]

   That is great to hear. Welcome to the club. Where are you located? We in the Midwest sometimes have weekend games every couple of months and invite others to come stay over and play all weekend. I know the crew from St Louis is similar, and I am in indy.

[VictorE]

I'm in the Champaign-Urbana area. Haven't really found a student group at the University, but there are several other players in town.