Subject: The Never Ending Conflict..
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1998 00:12:01 EDT
From: Frostymem@aol.com
To: fkusumot@ix.netcom.com

        I feel it is necessary to express my discontent with "The Deck's to Beat
<Month Inserted Here>" section of the Dojo.  There have been countless
arguments about how they are degrading the game, and I, myself; must agree to
a certain extent.

For starters, this is simply a game for fun.  Yes there are tournaments.  You
play for money, and you play to win.  However, many people are taking it to an
extent whereas it does not matter any more about the essence of fun in the
game, but the capitalistic gains you can venture towards.  Think about it.
Many people do not care about if a game has any intrigue any more, so long as
they are able to win something.

You know ask, "What does this have to do with the Dojo?"  Quite simply, the
regular posting of "Decks to Beat" on the Magic Dojo lead many people to
follow the tracks of other people's creativity.  I will emphasize here the
phrase, "Other people's creativity," quite simply because that is what is
occurring.  People are becoming more material about their gaming, and
depending on what everyone says can "win" tournaments.  No longer are many
people making their own decks, but decks made by the creating geniuses like
Darwin Kastle and Brian Weismann, and other original thinkers.

Another keyword here would be "Original."  I am sure that every single one of
us has tried outing a Sligh, Suicide Black, at for lack of a more disgusted
term, controlling deck.  I agree that we all like to test ideas, however
shouldn't we be looking farther than that?  A great people buy magazines, read
articles online, and watch games to find out what is the "hot" deck of the
present.  At that depth people stop.  Further than that, and I would have to
believe their heads would explode at the thought of not using a "cliched"
deck, and actually thinking deeper.

Here is a solution: We can stop printing original decks on The Dojo, and
preserve them from being tainted with the term of being "run-of-the-mill."  As
much as they can inspire, they are degrading the game at the same time.

A second solution is this: In some way or another, push people to think
farther than "Burn" or "Control."  There are tons of out-of-print and in-print
cards that are being overlooked.  If many of actually attempt using such
cards, perhaps more idea would circulate, leading towards dozens of original
ideas instead of two or three.

This will conclude my little spiel.  In one way or another; we are becoming an
anonymous collective of homogeniality.  To put in easier terms, a group of
people lacking ingenuity in the majority, and being misinformed about the true
nature of the game.  The keyword here is fun.

Alex McConnell
The Critic
LucMacabre@aol.com