What is the Ultimate Effect on VTES with PoD (Print on Demand) Not Occurring?

Damnans wrote:

RoddimusPrime wrote:

[...] but there is still a large issue of art, etc. to tackle. And that isn't cheap.

I think art could easily be funded via a Kickstarter project, where backers could get special rewards like their likeness on a card, or first dibs on the purchase of an original illustration, or anything else we can thing of.

Besides, I know a few artists that could create art for free.

Free art is free art, but sometimes free art looks something akin to some of the terrible art found in HttB.

Kickstarter only raises money. Besides, only a portion of that would be profit in exchange for the cards you would get. Many are wary of Kickstarter as well. You might be surprised what people would or would not back.

Besides, Kickstarter would not solve legality issues or dealing with Hasbro/Wizards. Fact is it isn't just the DeckMaster Mechanic that is needed. It's things that would still have to be licensed, made new, or changed.

ICL wrote:

What do I think other players will do? I gave up on trying to judge those things.

For me, nothing has changed. I've been through a time when V:TES was no longer being published before. Now, if it got published again, would that be like the growth after Sabbat War? Maybe. I'm just fine with playing the game as is with its massive number of expansions.

A game dying and then coming back isn't unheard of. Dying twice and coming back. Not often. But, I think we have smart people to keep it around in some kind of lifeline.

Many people will look at PoD not happening and say "meh, whatever, doesn't effect me." Well, maybe not directly. Not everyone has the collection they want. People quit after a while. You cannot play without players and unless you like playing online, then it certainly can effect you. There are certainly people in a camp who will largely be unaffected. For all others who found some cards prohibitively expensive and others hard to access, that will still be a problem. Things only get harder for attracting new players as time goes on. In a game where multiplayer is necessary, it should set off red flags.

it really depends on where the hangup is regarding POD. it appears that VEKN has WW's blessing on the property, so i can only assume that there's some kind of hold up with the deckmaster property on hasbro's part.

that's just speculation on my part though.

I was looking forward to POD. I am not aware of the negotiation details, but maybe next year something can be arranged.

The main problem is that new players cannot buy starters or boosters. Of course old players can provide some cards, others can be bought in e-bay but this is not enticing to a new player.

Even the resilient ones will have trouble finding some cards, like ashur, villeins or spiritual interventions.

Maybe we should start to allow some proxy cards on tournaments in the near future...

RoddimusPrime wrote:

It's no secret that since VTES has went into torpor for a second time that there has been a plethora of people who have quit or have been unable to play without a group.

I think that thsi also has PLENTY (if not more) to do with the fact of people getting older, getting married and getting children. You know, life intrevenes and all that...

RoddimusPrime wrote:

And many stores no longer support the players if they have no product to sell (and they are arguably right).

I've had the feeling, based on several online discussions with my fellow retail colleagues from US of A, that this was mainly because of the cards being sold at the almost zero margin profit from Potomac. Why stock/support something that is impossible to profit from (and is not MtG) when you can put your resources in something profitable?

wesile wrote:

The main problem is that new players cannot buy starters or boosters.

Uh, what?

Vekn.de and Rose Tatu Productions both offer starters and boosters (the remaining stock from WW) at DIRT CHEAP PRICES!

Some sets that aren't available from them are still available from other stores like Fantasiapelit(.com).

And single cards are easily available from various stores.


Problem is that some recentish power cards are available only as singles at steeper and steeper prices. This is the biggest loss with the PoD deal going south.

Perhaps the design team should start taking this situation into account when designing new cards and make extremely similar cards to fill in for those? (Nose of Argus, High Song etc etc)