Ten Commandment (DO and DON’T) in Magic Community
Before reading this through, I suggest you read one commandment per day, because it will be too much for you if read it all at once.
For everything in this world when it goes to community, there will be a rule, even every game got their own rules. What’s for? Simple… to make the game runs smoothly and for the benefit of all members. You won’t find any rule regarding about Magic Community, the only rule that you found is inside a starter pack , I guess…. ^^
Even some have already known this ‘unwritten’ rule, let me state it again the 10 most important DO and DON’T in Magic. Behold!!
1. Thou shalt not “shark-ing” Newbie
shark [shaark]
noun (plural sharks)
. |
ruthless person: a ruthless greedy person (informal) Microsoft® Encarta® Reference Library 2005. © 1993-2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. |
Sharking means you take benefit for your own with new players too much. Yes, newbie is coming and yes, you can trade your suxx cards with their dual lands. Yes, you are happy today, and you are thinking to ‘shark’ this victim again next time. You are happy, aren’t you? But what if he knows your action someday? Not only he will leave you, he will leave Magic as well (and playing Yugi-Oh, maybe!). So who will lose in the future? Not only you, our community will suffer. If you concern about the growing of our community, don’t do this!
2. Open-minded to thy neighbours
Remember this phrase? One brain won’t be better than two, three even better, the more the merrier. You got a friend to play at school and play with him, again next day you play with him, with him again, with him again. Got a new deck and play with him again. Got bored? Wanna try new thing? Go and find your opponents there in CnG and Utopia. I suggest you try the tourney there, and if you say you have no gut, try JSS!! This is for all for all newbies and a perfect event to make friends. Even you will get the friendliest person on the earth, Yopie in CnG and Wawan in Utopia. I am sure they are willing to help you. The only matter is about you, if you are too shy and too lazy to join them, it can’t be helped. But really I say, the more friends you make, the more fun it will be.
3. Thou shalt not seeking treasure in Magic
Meaning: don’t think about making money in Magic, at least for now. Even though there are so many tournament (local & major), but the gain is nothing to compare to the expense which you spent. Magic isn’t business; Magic is fun, unless you are opening a Magic store. For now, just thinking about making new friends and having fun. Wait until our community has been growing like Malaysia or Singapore, you can start making business. Until then, relax and enjoy your game
4. Be present boldly in the present of trial
Meaning: if you are joining a tourney, please be prepared, be on time also important. Tournament Organizer and Judges have already respected you by conducting the tournament and being on the spot in time. So they deserve our action to be on time and cooperative with them, if you are late, not only you disrespect them; you also disrespect other players by wasting their time waiting for you. I remembered the other day, where Marco must reschedule and cancel a round in Major tournament just because one Magic player came late. Please don’t be like that. Respect others and you will be respected
5. Thou shalt not mum thy self
Be active, silent is not a gold in Magic community. The webmaster has already fulfilled our request by making www.kartumagic.com for us, he only demands our activity. Be active in there! Got no time for play testing, you say? No problem, there are Apprentice and Net draft for giving you pleasure to play Magic anytime for free. All that you need are internet connection and your small portion of brain. Almost everyday, this guy ancoll2000@hotmail.com is available for MSN and email. He will provide you the entire tutorial until you are convenient with (ask bushh for testimonial). So what are you waiting for? Be active
(P.S : If you are too lazy, I can’t help you then)
If our community becomes THIS BIG ^^, who will take the most benefit? You also, right?
6. Seeking opponent no more, seeking friends thou shalt
Yes, Magic is all about dueling. And yes, you require an opponent to play. But please remember one thing; he is opponent on the table, but a friend outside of the table. I am always thrilled facing Vic as my opponent. We discuss this deck and that deck as friend helping each other, once we meet on the table; we play fair and square like no friend anymore. I tell you something, 50% my friends I got it from Magic community. Today they are friends in Magic, but tomorrow they may be our business partner or even faithful friend to us. God knows!
7. Don’t ever dishonour thyself in the present of trial
Have a mentality like Japanese, be fair and square, and think not about cheating in tournament. Bribery, swapping cards, draw extra cards, fake booster, give false information are all considered cheating. If you are not sure about these, ask the judges for DCI floor rule about cheating, they will gladly help you. Once I offered my opponent to alter the result of the match, I didn’t know this is considered cheating till someone told me. Thanks to him, so I won’t repeat my mistake. If you are not sure, ask the judge. Be fair and square.
8. Expensive or not, thou shalt decide
Expense will be spent for sure once you are falling in love in a hobby, not just Magic, the other hobby as well. In Magic, expensive or not is you the one who decide. If somebody likes to collect all the full-set limited Japanese foil signed-by-author Magic cards in his binder, it doesn’t mean you should follow his step. Magic is expensive, yes indeed, but you can reduce the expense by buying single instead of packs, borrowing some cards for tourney, having only one strong deck instead of many, playing Magic online with apprentice, etc..etc..etc . Anyway it is a hobby game, isn’t it? Nothing’s wrong about it, you the one who decide.
9. Thou shalt know and follow the secret of good players
I tell you the secret: P.R.A.C.T.I.C.E
One common mistake with some players is, they got a “prototype-deck” and be over confident with it without play-testing. Don’t ever do that!! I encourage you to test your deck with others. One phenomenon in Magic is every expansion giving a different strategy in draft, giving a different approach for making good deck. One point to stay sharp is practice and practice. Play testing a lot; not only with one kind but different kind of net-deck. Even though you choose Magic for fun, you still need practice a little bit. You don’t want disgrace yourself, do you?
10. Lastly, take control within thyself
For everything, something doesn’t look good if it’s too little, doesn’t look sophisticated if it’s too much as well. You should know when, where, and why you play Magic.
Why? The reason for playing can be determined by reading my first article in AWC 1 titled “What’s your intention?”
When? The best time playing Magic is within your relax time, assuming that you have spare your time for your family, your friend, your rest time, and your girlfriend in the first place. Some ever sacrifice their time with family and girlfriend just to play Magic, the others forget to study while busy play testing their deck. Me also, happened once, I skip my college so many times and damage my back bone (playing too much) just for my dedication to Magic. I tell you, this is not good. The best times is on weekend, Saturday or Sunday, just make sure that you don’t sacrifice your precious time for your hobby.
Where? You can play everywhere as long as it doesn’t break the rule and you are comfortable with it. Some play at school, it’s ok but it becomes pathetic if your teacher confiscates your expensive deck just because you break the school’s rule. The best place, of course at CnG and Utopia, it’s the centre of our community, dude, even you can play other game as well if you want. Bring your friends, meet others, and play testing, where else will you get this place?
Remember this also “Magic for life or life for Magic?” (Fritz’ quote). Everything should be in balance.
Now thou knows da rulez, keep it thyself and face thy game in the presence of trial
May this writing inspires thou more or less
Copyright 2006 by ANCOLL
Permission to use, copy, modify, distribute, and sell this documentation for any purpose is hereby granted without fee, provided that the above copyright notice appear in all copies and that both that copyright notice and this permission notice appear in supporting documentation, and that the document not be used in advertising or publicity pertaining to distribution without specific, written prior permission.
