Site News ChannelFireball Store Credit Contest Details

Jason Waddell

Administrator
Staff member
http://riptidelab.com/channelfireball-store-credit-contest-details/

I’ve never been more excited about cube design than when I was figuring out ways to make multiples of Gravecrawlerand Birthing Podwork in an integrated draft environment. They came in together as part of a large-scale overhaul that focused on sacrifice effects, and after several tweaking iterations, they both added some real texture and fun factor to my cube. Both cards form the foundation for a variety of deck builds, and the ideas have been successfully integrated and adapted by a number of other cube designers.

I’m looking for the next idea that will capture that same excitement, and I’m willing to pay for it! I’m throwing up some of my own ChannelFireball store credit to host a RiptideLab article contest. Check below for details.



The Question: What card would work well in multiples in a cube, and what changes would you need to make to that environment to make the design work?

Advice: Try to consider the environment holistically. In terms of the Poison Principle, consider what types of drafters would want such a card. How does it connect to various archetypes? The card doesn’t have to be as versatile as Birthing Pod, but these sorts of questions can help drive the design.

Be Specific: What cards will surround the design? For reference, in my ChannelFireball articles Remodelling Part One and Part Two, most of the focus is on the supporting cast. Additionally, what effects shouldn’t be present. My Gravecrawler update introduced Entomb, but removed the environment’s reanimation package.

Submission: PM me the article via our forums. Note that this contest is open to anyone. If you’re not presently a forum member, feel free to sign up and enter a submission.

Prizes:
If we have 1-5 entrants: $25 ChannelFireball store credit to my favorite article. If I later write a CFB article about your idea, I’ll send you an additional $25 store credit voucher.
6+ entrants: $25 ChannelFireball store credit to my two favorite entries.

Deadline:Friday, December 13th, Midnight PST

Entries will be posted to the RiptideLab front page.
 

James Stevenson

Steamflogger Boss
Staff member
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Jason Waddell

Administrator
Staff member
Eric, you're free to enter too, although I will not award any prizes to you. But considering you've written 0 articles for us, maybe now is the time? How's that Hex preview article coming along?
 

Jason Waddell

Administrator
Staff member
I'm actually pretty excited to see what people come up with. I started imagining various cards and it got me feeling all tingly again.
 

Eric Chan

Hyalopterous Lemure
Staff member
Eric, you're free to enter too, although I will not award any prizes to you. But considering you've written 0 articles for us, maybe now is the time? How's that Hex preview article coming along?

I actually started playing the Hex alpha build. It's baaaaarely functional. I can't read any of my cards at any time (in hand, battlefield, or graveyard) unless I zoom in.

I think that MTGO, even in its current state, has nothing to worry about.
 

Jason Waddell

Administrator
Staff member
I actually started playing the Hex alpha build. It's baaaaarely functional. I can't read any of my cards at any time (in hand, battlefield, or graveyard) unless I zoom in.

I think that MTGO, even in its current state, has nothing to worry about.

Does this count as a preview? Can we throw it up on the front page?
 

Eric Chan

Hyalopterous Lemure
Staff member
Yep, that's my one sentence preview. Ship it!

At this point, I kind of wish they hadn't given us access to the alpha build. Like I said, the game isn't really close to finished. Even as a Kickstarter backer, I don't really want to play the role of QA analyst. I.. just kind of want to play the game, and am more than happy to wait to do so.
 

Jason Waddell

Administrator
Staff member
P.S. When I post these, I'll post them to the front page anonymously so that you all can debate and discuss without bias. Identities will be revealed later.
 

Jason Waddell

Administrator
Staff member
Hey, I don't mean to make you regulars sweat, but I've gotten four submissions from infrequent or new posters, and these guys are bringing the heat. Some real creativity coming out of the community.
 
I'd totally write something if I had any idea where to begin with doubling stuff up, and any sensible way to test ideas (lack of playgroup :<)
 

James Stevenson

Steamflogger Boss
Staff member
I'm busy all the time and I have two weeks (correct if I'm wrong - I don't want to miss this unintentionally). Anyway I do my best work at 3 in the morning before a deadline. Also my worst work. Because this is, historically, when I've done almost all my work. So with that in mind, what time zone are we going by?
 

Jason Waddell

Administrator
Staff member
I'll be generous and give people til midnight, California time.

I'm actually getting a bit trigger happy. I want to throw these up on the site, but I know I should wait until the contest is over.
 

James Stevenson

Steamflogger Boss
Staff member
Great that's 8 am here! Not sure which day, but that's always a good deadline. I miss the old days when I would finish coursework around 7am, go to my department when it opened at 8, then go home and sleep.
 

Jason Waddell

Administrator
Staff member
Great that's 8 am here! Not sure which day, but that's always a good deadline. I miss the old days when I would finish coursework around 7am, go to my department when it opened at 8, then go home and sleep.

Yeah, I just realized I didn't have the details of the deadline in the OP or front page post. Updated.
 

FlowerSunRain

Contributor
I hope for irony's sake someone writes an entry about tripling up on Llanowar Elves.

Also, if I write an entry on Seacoast Drake will at actually be anonymous?
 

Jason Waddell

Administrator
Staff member
So we're going to hit 6 submissions at least, that much is clear now. Here are my thoughts on judging:

Once the contest is closed, I will use an RNG to choose the order in which I will present the submissions. Each day, I will present a submission, along with my (very honest) critique of the idea. Once they are all frontpaged, you guys will vote on your favorite. Of the remaining entries, I will pick my favorite. Those will be our two winners.
 

Chris Taylor

Contributor
So we're going to hit 6 submissions at least, that much is clear now. Here are my thoughts on judging:

Once the contest is closed, I will use an RNG to choose the order in which I will present the submissions. Each day, I will present a submission, along with my (very honest) critique of the idea. Once they are all frontpaged, you guys will vote on your favorite. Of the remaining entries, I will pick my favorite. Those will be our two winners.

Post them all at once Jason. It gives a big advantage to those who have been up longer, since they get more traffic time, which won't affect votes till the very end, but it will give them the most time to be discussed.

I can't start working on my article till friday :( Ah well, I think the site needs an article about blue aggro anyways, I'll just write it once I have time.

Edit: OH DECEMBER FRIDAY. Man I thought they were due in 2 days! That's what exams does to your brain gentleman :p
 

Jason Waddell

Administrator
Staff member
Post them all at once Jason. It gives a big advantage to those who have been up longer, since they get more traffic time, which won't affect votes till the very end, but it will give them the most time to be discussed.

I can't start working on my article till friday :( Ah well, I think the site needs an article about blue aggro anyways, I'll just write it once I have time.

Edit: OH DECEMBER FRIDAY. Man I thought they were due in 2 days! That's what exams does to your brain gentleman :p

Hmm... that means I have to write them all at once. Or, I could release the raw submissions, and then later post my critiques one by one. But I don't really just want to dump all the critiques in one article or whatever. Need to milk this for sweet sweet content.
 

Chris Taylor

Contributor
How about you comment on the articles themselves? Stirring up discussion from the non-lab folk would probably go well to getting us to think differently about them anyways. The actual article isn't being edited to have your critique, is it, it's separate?

Man autocorrect is hilarious :p "Stirring up Dionysus..."
 

Jason Waddell

Administrator
Staff member
I was kind of thinking along the lines of Next Great Designer search, where half the fun is seeing what the contestants come up with, and half is the response of the judges.
 
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