Subject: Re: Saving Magic Date: Tue, 7 Jul 1998 01:34:04 -0700 From: "larkspur{DltG}/Larkspur^d/Gregory Baumgardner" Well, if wishes were horses and I had a stable, I think I could do *one* thing that may singlehandedly save magic in terms of cost. *Kill Scrye*. Do *not* misunderstand me here. I have nothing against the people at Scrye; making a living is tough these days, and they also provide a valuable service. But the system that sets card value has such serious flaws that the normal value system is *half* Scrye value in cash. There's a very good reason! Scrye prices are insanely high! Consider. Scrye bases their prices on stores X, Y, and Z. (Yes, I understand there's a hell of a lot more. Flow with me for a moment.) Stores X, Y, and Z see Scrye as something of an MSRP on the single card market; whatever Scrye says, charge a little more, make a profit. So X, Y, and Z take the Scrye value and add maybe 10%. Scrye does their surveying, and lo and behold! The values of these cards is going *up* 10%! Time to crank out a new Scrye! Repeat ad nauseam. Scrye's pricing system is utterly cracked. Eliminating Scrye altogether in some sort of cosmic removal would cause a quick influx of newer pricing guides and a lean towards Cloister pricing (closer to sane than Scrye, IMHO.) Sure, *other* systems will exist, and yes, some will be screwed up. **BUT** the huge number of players who swear by 'half Scrye' is the problem. They don't have anything better, and they don't want to switch to something unheard of in the fear that they'll lose money. Now, if only I could get some godlike powers and *do* it... The reality is that until people decide that Scrye's pricings are messed up-or, God help us, Scrye fixes their system-cards will be too expensive on the singles market, where most Type II players attempt to update without booster buying. The simple truth is that nothing with such a range-remember, the Internet is vast, but it still doesn't reach as many MTGers as Scrye does monthly-exists. The system has gotten too large for a fast evolutionary change in pricing systems. Simply put, everyone's just too afraid *not* to use Scrye. Play value is essentially playing second fiddle to what a magazine says the card is worth. (That was why I was so happy with Sligh decks when they originally came out. My entire Sligh deck cost me a grand total of 10.00 US dollars, and that was because I got screwed on two rares. *g* I'm still a very green trader.) Now we return you to your regularily scheduled debate about Firestorm. *grin*