I like Gamma World.
I like the new (card-based) mechanics for Alpha-Mutations and Omega-Tech.
What i don't like:
Randomly distributed cards in booster expansions.
What i'd like to see (and yes, BUY):
Fixed card sets with (non-random) cards, same style as LCGs are distributed.
Who's with me on that?
Mind you ... they could always prove me wrong ...
Fixed cards could also be printed for existing or new areas. I for 1 would buy them.
I'm not into the collectable aspect of the game. That is the single most glaring flaw in how the new game's philosophy doesn't match that of my gaming group. My group has no interest in buying game products, and they leave that to their DM (me). So, there isn't a reason for our group to have a collectable card market, since we all share this stuff. It just costs me more money because I have to buy a bunch of duplicate cards I don't want in order to get a set of cards that I do want.
I do like the idea of the cards as mutations and items, but I will not be spending money on booster packs and neither will my players. If they were smart they'd just offer the set at a price and be done with it.
The idea of using cards for powers was an awesome move, but it should have been handled more like Dominion, Ascension, The Game of Thrones, or Thunderstone. Nowhere in anyone's right mind is the M:TG method of card distribution any fun for an RPG gamer.
Though there are exceptions to that rule, my wife would probably knock the crap out of me if I bought the number of packs required to get 1 of every card, let alone 5 commons, 3 uncommons, and 1 rares for each of the cards...
Each set should come with a theme, too :D
If they really wanted to split it up, maybe they could do each 'set' as... say.. 100 cards, and then offer them as packs of 25.
i don't begrudge them for this, afterall we are talking about a pretty specialized good marketed to a pretty narrow demographic. any sort of petition or grumblings on a forum won't change anything if ultimately this is a marketing model that works. a petition in and of itself is ineffectual if consumers are still going to be buying the product.
that being said, i'd prefer the option to buy the whole set of cards lock, stock, and barrel too. unfortunately i probably fall into the minority that wouldn't buy the cards any other way than outright. there's always the possibility that once they get the impression they've milked the collectable market they'll release a complete set. hard to say if there'll be the same enthusiasm for the game at that point though.
If I see foil versions of the cards show up, I might go a bit ballistic.
Actually, I'd prefer this to the current model. At least if the rares were only foil versions of the uncommon cards (for example), it'd be easier to collect a set of cards to play the game. Then the foil cards could keep the collectable element for those that want it (and WotC's coffers) and the rest of us could collect a set of usable cards for a reasonable price.
that being said, i'd prefer the option to buy the whole set of cards lock, stock, and barrel too. unfortunately i probably fall into the minority that wouldn't buy the cards any other way than outright. there's always the possibility that once they get the impression they've milked the collectable market they'll release a complete set. hard to say if there'll be the same enthusiasm for the game at that point though.
I have not and will not ever buy boosters. I will buy a complete set if it's ever offered. We're not the only ones. That's untapped market. That's money they're losing. That doesn't even count the money they're losing from all the folks that won't touch the game this time around for hatred of CCGs.
And, yes, if they put enough delay between the booster release and the complete deck release, vanishingly few folks will actually 'wait for the decks.' Some may even buy both.
that being said, i'd prefer the option to buy the whole set of cards lock, stock, and barrel too. unfortunately i probably fall into the minority that wouldn't buy the cards any other way than outright. there's always the possibility that once they get the impression they've milked the collectable market they'll release a complete set. hard to say if there'll be the same enthusiasm for the game at that point though.
I have not and will not ever buy boosters. I will buy a complete set if it's ever offered. We're not the only ones. That's untapped market. That's money they're losing. That doesn't even count the money they're losing from all the folks that won't touch the game this time around for hatred of CCGs.
And, yes, if they put enough delay between the booster release and the complete deck release, vanishingly few folks will actually 'wait for the decks.' Some may even buy both.
Give it time. Considering that WotC seems to have deceided that the game is done after three boxed sets... I would imagine that you'll be able to find complete card sets on ebay pretty cheap eventually. Either that, or dirt cheep booster boxes like you see for other small-market CCGs.
store02.prostores.com/servlet/auggiesgam...
sell individual cards and have complete sets on ebay as well. (admittedly VERY expensive for the 120 card set... I'm not buying it) But .25 a card for commons isn't a bad alternative to ending up with a bunch of duplicates from booster packs.
Then again, at first, I had thought each box was going to cover a ten level bracket.