The problem with Shadow Era expansions

[Demnchi]

Uncommon opinion thread ≠ troll thread. Even if the uncommon opinion is completely stupid and backwards (which his isn't), that doesn't make it a troll.

I agree, not everything that we disagree with is trolling.

I do have to disagree with his point because DP is an expansion that was meant to build onto the core concepts of the CotC sets, not overhaul them. Really, DP didn't change the way people played all that much, just provided different options for many heroes while attempting to solve some of the issues that were lacking in the first set.

[Rayzie]

The problem with shadow era expansions is that in over two and a half years, there's only been one

[Jeremy Ryan]

Dropping 100+ new cards into the game all at once is like cracking a walnut with a nuclear bomb. That aside, if it came down to 'deeper' or 'wider'... personally I'd rather it was wider and the core game mechanics for each hero were kept the same.

Most MtG sets are 200-250 cards, the really small ones being ~150. Even though so many cards are being introduced, with 4 sets per year, advanced players can still spot good combinations and develop strategies around unknown cards.

[Natethegreat]

Most MtG sets are 200-250 cards, the really small ones being ~150. Even though so many cards are being introduced, with 4 sets per year, advanced players can still spot good combinations and develop strategies around unknown cards.

Exactly, it is because the good players have experience with the game that they can realize the good uses of cards from the new set ad the old set and put them to work. If the cards from another new set were so broken that older cards were useless then the heroes' individual strategies only used those and changed that dramatically, then it would create a negative effect in which good players would become "insta-n00bs". However with sets like DP, the point is to add and aid to good or bad strategies or decks, not to make the old ones inferior.

[Dave163]

Thanks for the heads-up WB, I had no idea the standard business model for TCG's was to release so many new cards each year (how do they balance them?!). Im guessing the idea is to swamp the players with so many new cards that by the time the OP cards have been identified and become over-used, a new batch is released and the cycle is repeated?

ps: Im not sure why Im being accused of 'trolling'? -Im just pointing out a problem that arises when deepening the existing lines (as opposed to introducing new lines and leaving the existing lines intact). Its a shame game theory can't be discussed freely without some cretin throwing in the "troll thread" bomb.

[Jao]

Thanks for the heads-up WB, I had no idea the standard business model for TCG's was to release so many new cards each year (how do they balance them?!). Im guessing the idea is to swamp the players with so many new cards that by the time the OP cards have been identified and become over-used, a new batch is released and the cycle is repeated?

yep. that's the general idea. it's their own version of planned obsolescence. the frequent massive releases combined with huge power leaps forces players who want to stay competitive to keep up, and the only way to do that is to buy new sets, thereby ensuring income for the company. it's a very profitable business model, so most TCGs are like that.

ps: Im not sure why Im being accused of 'trolling'? -Im just pointing out a problem that arises when deepening the existing lines (as opposed to introducing new lines and leaving the existing lines intact). Its a shame game theory can't be discussed freely without some cretin throwing in the "troll thread" bomb.

you're new to the game and i suspect also new to TCG, so let me just explain by saying that there's a running gag here in ShadowEra about the very, very long time it takes before a new set is released that players have taken to joking about it. i guess some mistook you for being sarcastic in your first post, hence them expecting you're just trolling.

also, if you're new to TCG, you probably should know that TCGs whole point is to release expansions every now and then. the game gets stale after a while if no new variable is introduced. if you don't like adapting, then perhaps you should find some other type of game to play. the reason why i like TCGs so much is that strategizing never stops. for me, 70% of the fun is in deckbuilding and theorycrafting. the other 30% is in finding my deck works. so after a while, if no new sets arrive, i'm left to twiddle my thumbs, having explored every known deck i can build.

[SkinnyPuppy]

ps: Im not sure why Im being accused of 'trolling'? -Im just pointing out a problem that arises when deepening the existing lines (as opposed to introducing new lines and leaving the existing lines intact). Its a shame game theory can't be discussed freely without some cretin throwing in the "troll thread" bomb.

Good try, but not good enough. 3/10

[Dave163]

you're new to the game

no

the game gets stale after a while if no new variable is introduced

I enjoyed playing CotC up until the bitter end (even though the Eladwen spam was worse than it is today). Also, chess only has 6 different pieces, yet people are still playing it 1000 years later...

[SkinnyPuppy]

1/10

Also, go only has 2 different pieces, yet people are still playing it 2500 years later...

[XanteseZerylliom]

1/10

Also, go only has 2 different pieces, yet people are still playing it 2500 years later...

I love go, but I'm pretty sure I suck at it (at least I know that, right?).

On topic, I agree with the consensus here; expansions are not a bad thing. Some people are perfectly satisfied with the status quo, but it's always nice to shake things up a bit. Plus, as others have pointed out, it's the only way a TCG makes money (well, almost the only way).