Reality bites
March 26th 2009 00:54
Did I ever tell you about the time I almost became a Magic designer?
Well, perhaps “almost” is an exaggeration. Around three years ago, Wizards of the Coast ran an event called the “Great Designer Search” on its web site. It started with open essay-based applications (which I passed), followed by a multiple-choice test (which I failed).
The survivors participated in American Idol-style single elimination rounds in which they were instructed to design certain types of cards. The designs were shown in weekly articles where members of Research and Development commented on the cards (with Unhinged rare Gleemax playing the role of Simon Cowell) and more and more contestants were gradually “sent home.”
Sound like fun? I’m sure it seemed like a great idea at the time – they needed a design intern, and the forums teemed with people who thought they knew about design (actually, they still do). And it did generate some interest from people who tuned in every week, entranced by the spectacle of “fans just like them” battling for their dream job. But Magic design is not like music, and American Idol can do what it does because it’s on TV. It doesn’t work in text. Specifically, each elimination article was enormous (this one, for example, is over 70 pages long), which made following the Search more like homework than like entertainment.
On top of that, some of the contestants kept making the same mistakes – not only ones related to lack of design experience, but related to simply following written instructions! When the judges’ comments said “Do not mention ‘the stack’ [the in-game process for resolving groups of spells] on cards,” the next week saw several entries mentioning the stack. When the judges’ comments said “Common cards must be simpler than rare cards,” the next week saw several entries submitting common cards with keyword abilities that require reminder text. After a couple of episodes, you stopped wondering which of them would get the job and started wondering how some of them made it that far.
As a side note, Greg Krajenta – the contestant whose entries in the above link were panned for being unprintable and got a score of 1/10 from high-ranking developer Devin Low – is a leading light in MTG Salvation’s card creation community. Draw what conclusions you will.
Like many of the reality TV shows it imitated, the Great Designer Search began with the goal of finding diamonds in the rough, of bringing to light the hidden or unexplored talent in the wider community. And like many of those same TV shows, it ended as a voyeuristic stage for people interested only in their 15 minutes of fame. It was a bigger mistake than the guns of Alaborn, but some good did come out of it. By luck or by design, the best contestants won – Alexis Janson, Ken Nagle, and Mark Globus made major contributions to Shadowmoor and Shards of Alara, the best parts of the current Standard season. And if the entire process taught even one forum dweller that Magic design is not only serious business but difficult business that shouldn’t be tried at home, all the better.
Well, perhaps “almost” is an exaggeration. Around three years ago, Wizards of the Coast ran an event called the “Great Designer Search” on its web site. It started with open essay-based applications (which I passed), followed by a multiple-choice test (which I failed).
Despite the fact that this character is as old as the game itself, and is even scheduled to be reprinted in the next core set, first strike is not considered a core ability for black cards. That’s what cost me the multiple-choice test.
The survivors participated in American Idol-style single elimination rounds in which they were instructed to design certain types of cards. The designs were shown in weekly articles where members of Research and Development commented on the cards (with Unhinged rare Gleemax playing the role of Simon Cowell) and more and more contestants were gradually “sent home.”
His snark was the most entertaining – and truthiest – part of the whole event.
Sound like fun? I’m sure it seemed like a great idea at the time – they needed a design intern, and the forums teemed with people who thought they knew about design (actually, they still do). And it did generate some interest from people who tuned in every week, entranced by the spectacle of “fans just like them” battling for their dream job. But Magic design is not like music, and American Idol can do what it does because it’s on TV. It doesn’t work in text. Specifically, each elimination article was enormous (this one, for example, is over 70 pages long), which made following the Search more like homework than like entertainment.
On top of that, some of the contestants kept making the same mistakes – not only ones related to lack of design experience, but related to simply following written instructions! When the judges’ comments said “Do not mention ‘the stack’ [the in-game process for resolving groups of spells] on cards,” the next week saw several entries mentioning the stack. When the judges’ comments said “Common cards must be simpler than rare cards,” the next week saw several entries submitting common cards with keyword abilities that require reminder text. After a couple of episodes, you stopped wondering which of them would get the job and started wondering how some of them made it that far.
As a side note, Greg Krajenta – the contestant whose entries in the above link were panned for being unprintable and got a score of 1/10 from high-ranking developer Devin Low – is a leading light in MTG Salvation’s card creation community. Draw what conclusions you will.
Like many of the reality TV shows it imitated, the Great Designer Search began with the goal of finding diamonds in the rough, of bringing to light the hidden or unexplored talent in the wider community. And like many of those same TV shows, it ended as a voyeuristic stage for people interested only in their 15 minutes of fame. It was a bigger mistake than the guns of Alaborn, but some good did come out of it. By luck or by design, the best contestants won – Alexis Janson, Ken Nagle, and Mark Globus made major contributions to Shadowmoor and Shards of Alara, the best parts of the current Standard season. And if the entire process taught even one forum dweller that Magic design is not only serious business but difficult business that shouldn’t be tried at home, all the better.
| 31 |
| Vote |
subscribe to this blog
