Debate about the 1st time V:tES was without production

With a new expansion in the works, with all the debate about proxies and with some concerns about the lack of information about the future of the hobby, I found that I know very little about how things went during the Dark Ages after Wizards decided to stop production of the game.
I know we have here many of the Elders that endured those days and I would like to her from them.
Of course lots of things have changed and both situations might not be comparable, but I'm also interested in knowing in what or why.
So, I would like to see testimony from some of the people that were in the game when it got canceled the first time.
I think we all can learn allot from the folks that have been through this before and helped bring it back.

How did you managed to keep interest in the game, personally?

How did people organized the game during those times?

How did prices go right after the cancellation and how did they evolve?

How did you get new players, if any?

What is different between those Dark Ages and now?

Cheers!
Tiago

It had little impact for me. I don't recall any impact on convention play. I don't recall any impact on home play. However, I was playing other CCGs at the time, so I might just not remember any impact because I was too busy with other gaming.

The only thing I can remember is Sabbat going down to $40 a box, and my poor self not buying multiple boxes. Maybe this was when Jyhad got really cheap, maybe that happened earlier.

I don't know if there's a meaningful comparison. When Sabbat came out, you were talking about three expansions and tons of Jyhad everywhere. Game was far simpler. Other CCGs that would go on to sell were still coming out. In my particular case, the only players I was aware of were in my local region.

I was introduced to the game during the Dark Ages. It was just a small group of friends. Jyhad boxes were like $5 each. Life was good.

Brum wrote:

How did you managed to keep interest in the game, personally?

1) Moved to a new city and played against new opponents.

Brum wrote:

How did people organized the game during those times?

This is when V:EKN was started, so the first prince list and organized tournaments came into being. Usenet was the key item for keeping groups in disparate cities doing the same things the same ways.

Two different groups sprung up at that time, the Michigan Jyhad League (later the National Jyhad League) and V:EKN. Only V:EKN lasted. MJL tried to setup their own rules team as they didn't agree with LSJ's new 'internet only' rulings.

Brum wrote:

How did prices go right after the cancellation and how did they evolve?

They stayed low. There was plenty of product anywhere that you wanted to look for it, from 1996-1998. Potomac Distribution made a killing, for years, and earned the business of players that are still buying from them.

Brum wrote:

How did you get new players, if any?

Most players that were 'new to me' weren't new to the game. Truly new players are few and far between, then and now.

Brum wrote:

What is different between those Dark Ages and now?

Easily available base sets. (i.e. they aren't available now in any sort of comparable quantities. Camarilla sold out, Keepers of Tradition sold out, Third Edition boosters sold out.)

Jyhad was available for $5 per box, for multiple years.
Sabbat was available at $60 per box, also for years.

They were good times.

How did you managed to keep interest in the game, personally?

I don't see a reason why anyone needs new cards to keep an interest in the awesome game. There are no new cards for bridge and I still enjoy playing it. Same goes for vtes and it was the same 15 years ago. Now it's even simpler with more possibilities for deckbuidling

How did people organized the game during those times?

I was playing mainly casual games at this time

How did prices go right after the cancellation and how did they evolve?

Vtes was really cheap at this time.

How did you get new players, if any?

By showing them the game. I think it was a little easier because all staple cards were fairly accesible and prices were lower than now.

What is different between those Dark Ages and now?

Almost everything, see answers for above questions.

Brum wrote:

How did you managed to keep interest in the game, personally?

I second Alek. There used to be and still is no problem with the interest rate. I still have plenty of decks just in my notebook, and plenty of time to put them together. There are even more options now, than there used to be, and planty of decks to build and try. Plenty of nights to go. And in those wonderful nights I was still a considerably fresh player, and could not get real grasp of the terrible lot of VTES cards available on the market. No wonder it's increasingly difficult for me nowanights.

Brum wrote:

How did people organized the game during those times?

Homewise only. No tournaments. And my groups should be way smaller than they are now.

Brum wrote:

How did prices go right after the cancellation and how did they evolve?

They did not hit the roof, that's for sure. A slight increase was observed, of course, but nothing special, really.

Brum wrote:

How did you get new players, if any?

As a regular player, I never bothered to ask my Prince about new players. I guess, there were not many. I did not even meet my Prince on regular basis, so how can I tell. It's easier nowanights, with the new players, you know. Plenty of starters still available on the market. And common cards galore. Plenty to choose from. Some of my hatchlings have waited half a year to get hold of their first Voter Captivation. It only helps keeping the fire alive. Others went and spent like £10 on, what's his name, Carlton, the Ally. I have yet to forbid it in my demesne. It's every player's autonomous choice. Both ways are fine with me. I'm here to encourage, to help, and to organise (lend cards as well, if requested).

Brum wrote:

What is different between those Dark Ages and now?

I remember the good old nights of 1997. People round here should go like crazy to acquire common cards like Majesty, Skin o'Steel, or even Blood Doll. Hardly any undead body wanted the rares. What for? Well, PTO had always been a prim addition to political decks, but I got my first Freak Drive with the CE preconstructed deck of Ventrue. Those nights chaps used to role-play their games. Describe each minions' actions in a minute-long passage of words. Ah, good old times.

Sadly, people got greedy, with time. No, they have turned pro. Players want rare cards, and top decks. They want to win games rather than have fun. And, thus, they need more & more & more. And there are no more cards. No KoT with Villeins, with Tablets, with Coterie Tactics, or New Carthages. No HttB with Paths of Service or Harmonies. But hey, there is still some Jyhad! With Parity Shifts! And Jyhad might have been available for $5 a box in the US during the First Great VTES Depression, but it was sold for £2 per booster pack in Poland. The price has not changed greately. And I firmly believe it is the Princes' duty to temper the professional players a bit, and show them other aspects of the game. It is also the EKN's duty to come strong again. We need better organization and fixed rules of conduct. We do need taxation.