How to make Mage Wars faster

[Biblofilter]

I actually like long games but I also like playing live.

But for live event it would be nice if more games could end in 90 minutes.

I had a simple suggestion in another tread, but no one pick-up on it.

How about changing the starting position of the Mages?
So that we start the game in the 2 center zones.

If anyone tries this out in real life or on OCTGN I would like to hear how it vent.

It should give faster games, shouldn't it? 

[Reddicediaries]

I actually like long games but I also like playing live.

But for live event it would be nice if more games could end in 90 minutes.

I had a simple suggestion in another tread, but no one pick-up on it.

How about changing the starting position of the Mages?
So that we start the game in the 2 center zones.

If anyone tries this out in real life or on OCTGN I would like to hear how it vent.

It should give faster games, shouldn't it? 

I think it is a good idea other than the fact that is punishes late game builds if they are facing an aggro book.

[Sailor Vulcan]

Not sure how balanced this is. I suppose you can try it

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[Coshade]

Most rushes hit you turn 2 and late ones 3. So starting in the danger zone would change a lot. I wonder how initiative would be balance wise.
Maybe first QC you cannot target your opponent would be my only suggestion to this sweet idea..

[Obsidian Soul]

Exactly how slow are your games that you need to speed them up?  I generally finish my games in less than an hour, so I think that any slowness may come from a lack of familiarity with the spellbook in question rather than the slowness of the game.  Back in NC, we could get a new player to do point where they could finish games in an hour within a month, though that generally represented 10-20 games with the same spellbook.

[bigfatchef]

What takes the most time is thinking. Something like a chessclock would reduce time a lot in my eyes.

The other huge timeproblem comes from turteling (your idea would stop that) and defensive beta.

I would not like to start in the center. That changes more or less every  beta. And I guess you would find most games ending up in fast and raw brutal beatdown.

[Arkdeniz]

Faster game?

Change the rules in your own Arena.

For instance, any or all of:
Enter the Arena with 3 rounds worth of static and personal spells already cast - step in already with some equipment and enchantments, with your familiar.
Have a hard limit on the number of creatures allowed in a spellbook.
Outlaw enchantments.
Reduce alll mage starting life by 25%
Start closer together.
Have a turn limit. If nobody wins by then the crowd boos and you both get the thumbs down from the emperor.
Use chess clocks for the planning phase.

There are all sorts of options. Try some and see how it goes.

[Biblofilter]

Exactly how slow are your games that you need to speed them up?  I generally finish my games in less than an hour, so I think that any slowness may come from a lack of familiarity with the spellbook in question rather than the slowness of the game.  Back in NC, we could get a new player to do point where they could finish games in an hour within a month, though that generally represented 10-20 games with the same spellbook.

Well my last game we didn't finish. We stopped after 2 hours or so (we did chit chat a lot, not a lot of thinking going on) I think there was about 2 hours left or so.

I played a Straywood BM book I've been playing for around 2 years now. Improved a lot
I played vs a book not unlike the book you just posted. A Priest that hardcasted GA´s and had a GA HA and a big Angel as well. Tuff to kill fast, even if I did a good job of ignoring the angels.

But I think most of our games in my meta, could go on longer than 90 min.
Wizard, Druid, any holy mage but even other mages with high defence and a lot of regen etc.

[Puddnhead]

I personally would not like starting in the middle.  I love the positioning game.  The tactical maneuvering.  When you start next to each other you destroy the part of the game I love.  Would be hard pressed to get me to try it.

[Obsidian Soul]

The problem with starting in the center two squares is that there is nothing stopping each Mage from retreating to the corner squares (it just makes it more unpredictable which corner square they end up in).

[Biblofilter]

I personally would not like starting in the middle.  I love the positioning game.  The tactical maneuvering.  When you start next to each other you destroy the part of the game I love.  Would be hard pressed to get me to try it.

I love the position and the tactical maneuvering as well.
Still id like to try it out. Should make games faster.

4+ hour long games can be a bit to much, especially if you have other stuff going on in your life.

[Obsidian Soul]

I still do not know how anyone has a four hour game.  I think my longest game ever was two hours, and that was only because we were still realitively new to the game.  I generally play as if I am in a tournament and will concede the game after an hour if it looks that I am losing, as there is no need to draw things out, especially since I will rarely have anything left in my spellbook after twenty turns of play.

[Reddicediaries]

I still do not know how anyone has a four hour game.  I think my longest game ever was two hours, and that was only because we were still realitively new to the game.  I generally play as if I am in a tournament and will concede the game after an hour if it looks that I am losing, as there is no need to draw things out, especially since I will rarely have anything left in my spellbook after twenty turns of play.

Games where both mages have late game builds (priestess, druids, wizards, and necros are the main culprits) tend to go very long.
This is likely the longest game I've ever seen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgFsjWkd5_E

[RomeoXero]

I wouldn't be about that. It definitely tips the scales too much. With 20 mana no mater where the enemy tries to run to nothing can stop immediate attacks. Just by the math r1 is 14 dice, folowed by 14 more? In fact this will widen the gap between 10 chanel and 9 chanel mages. Cuz a 10 channel can throw 2 boulders r1 AND r2. A 9 chanel mage cant. Not a fan.

[Obsidian Soul]

It does become more about dice luck than it does about strategy.