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Archive (no new threads please) >> Member Information >> When did everyone start playing M:TG?
(Message started by: mintcollector on Nov 6^th, 2003, 11:27pm)

Title: When did everyone start playing M:TG?
Post by mintcollector on Nov 6^th, 2003, 11:27pm

I started during 4th/Ice Age, or in October of 1995. What about everyone else?

Second question. When did you become a collector?

My answer: Right away. I started collecting instead of playing. In fact I did not even make my first deck until late summer of 1996.

Title: Re: When did everyone start playing M:TG?
Post by silver.paladin on Nov 7^th, 2003, 12:14am

I started playing in about Sept/Oct 1995, just before Ice Age was released, and my first cards were all Revised.

I became a collector in about March 1999 after my box of playing decks were stolen in a game store and I gave up playing, as I lost way too many cards to be able to replace at the time, due to me being a student
<wahh, my beautiful Red/White deck - I was the first and only one at the time in this area playing this combo and I kicked a$$, even in multi-player games>

Red had always been my favorite color, so I had a lot of them, and realized I already had a decent start to a good collection, as well as most Land cards, so these became my collections.

Title: Re: When did everyone start playing M:TG?
Post by l0qii on Nov 7^th, 2003, 1:16am

I started playing in fall of 93, right at the beginning. I was already into roleplaying games and stuff so I was in the right crowd, and I was living in Rochester, which was a HUGE Magic flash point. I hear Rochester was responsible for 3% of the first round of sales of Magic cards, which is a pretty big number. However I didn't actually start buying my own cards until Legends/Revised. I was pretty poor back then. I was already a big collector of fantasy art trading cards from the late 80s/early 90s so I bought them both to collect and to play.

Title: Re: When did everyone start playing M:TG?
Post by flatmatt on Nov 7^th, 2003, 1:56am

Good question. I first started playing sometime between Visions and Weatherlight, I think. Then I quit playing about Stronghold. I came back just after the release of Planeshift.

Title: Re: When did everyone start playing M:TG?
Post by Tenacious_Dyl on Nov 7^th, 2003, 2:49am

*Right* when Fifth Edition came out. Ahhh good times. I loved that set. Then not tooo much later Saga came out. More good times. I loved those days :-(

Title: Re: When did everyone start playing M:TG?
Post by mahdishain on Nov 7^th, 2003, 3:00am

i started when the dark was coming out. great timing.
no one in my play group really knew the rules so we would argue every week about how cards like unsummon worked. i have been a player and collector from the beginning. what could be more fun.

mahdishain

Title: Re: When did everyone start playing M:TG?
Post by fvzappa on Nov 7^th, 2003, 5:46am

Legends/ 4th edition. Started collecting & playing right away. Just being around when there was no Type 1 or Type 2 was awesome- you played w/ everything. I also remember DCI numbers being 4 or 5 digets.

Title: Re: When did everyone start playing M:TG?
Post by dry_cereal on Nov 7^th, 2003, 5:48am

I only started playing because my sister said they looked cool. Then when neither of us could figure out how to beat one another (we each had all big creatures and wouldn't attack)
I started playing right when moxes were 30 bucks, donno how into dark we were, because at this point there was such a shortage of magic cards each store would only have 1 box, I'd buy whatever they had left, then they'd be empty for a month.

I only became a collector when I came back to the game in the beginning of odyssey. I relized how prominant net-decking was, and quit playing.
I, like everyone else, miss the good ol days, no matter when they were.

Title: Re: When did everyone start playing M:TG?
Post by Vilan on Nov 7^th, 2003, 5:50am

on 11/06/03 at 23:27:09, mintcollector wrote:

I started playing at the end of, um, 1997 I guess, between Tempest and Stronghold. My brother had shown me the game a few times before that, but Christmas 1997 I bought myself the Rivals gift set and started buying cards for the first time. I still remember back when he'd ask for boosters from "the new sets, like Ice Age or Alliances" for Christmas... if only I'd stocked up on old cards back then. :(

As for collecting, I don't really collect. Well, OK, I collect commons, which is simple enough. The only set I actually went out and collected in its entirety is Unglued.

Title: Re: When did everyone start playing M:TG?
Post by dragsamou on Nov 7^th, 2003, 9:30am

Hi Members.
I never played Magic and I started collecting from the beginning,my first purchase was an Arabian Boosters Box(I get into Alpha and Beta Very Late,I guess save the better for the end ;))

Title: Re: When did everyone start playing M:TG?
Post by AXIOS on Nov 7^th, 2003, 1:10pm

on 11/07/03 at 05:46:03, fvzappa wrote:

maybe a stupid comment, but

Legends/4th edition???

how is that possible?

Legends came around during the printing of revised.

i think there was almost a year and a half (please correct me if i'm wrong!!!) between legend and fourth edition.

I started playing/collecting at the end of The Dark, i just was able to buy a couple boosters the dark and a lot (read complete) set of revised.

i stopped buying boosters with the introduction of the terrible 8th edition.

i

Title: Re: When did everyone start playing M:TG?
Post by rick21n on Nov 7^th, 2003, 2:34pm

November of 1995 (ish). I started playing shortly before that when learning from a friend. Then I started buying product. First thing was a 4th Starter and I remember my Colossus of Sardia well.

Title: Re: When did everyone start playing M:TG?
Post by mintcollector on Nov 7^th, 2003, 4:11pm

on 11/07/03 at 00:14:13, silver.paladin wrote:

Ummm...Ice Age was released June of 1995, which also was the first pre-release.

Title: Re: When did everyone start playing M:TG?
Post by mintcollector on Nov 7^th, 2003, 4:41pm

on 11/07/03 at 01:16:21, l0qii wrote:

Wow, do we have a lot in common l0qii. I actually played my first game of M:TG in Dec of 93 with my brother when I was home on leave, as I was in the Navy at the time. Stupidly I said this game is "interesting" and left it at that. Having started playing D&D in 1979 and avidly gaming from then until about 1986, I played almost every game imaginable. This is due to belonging to the Hoffman Estates Wargamers Guild. The community group actually got rented room space at community rec centers. We had about 30+ members and there were always tons of games of every imaginable sort over the years. I also did a lot of game mastering for D&D, Gamma World, Paranoia, Star Frontiers, Villans and Vigilantes, and Toon outside of the guild. I also played in a long pre-Chaosium version of Runequest for quite sometime as well.
Then in 1986 I became a huge fan of Photon. For those of you who do not know what Photon is, it was basically a high tech version of paintball inside of a multilevel playing field built inside of large warehouses. The point of the game was to have red and green teams start in their base areas. Up to 10 players could be on a team. The goal was to get personal and team scores higher than your opponents. this game was similar to a more adult version of Laser Tag. The equipment was sturdy and all information was relayed to a central computer via infra-red. You could score points by hitting your opponent in one of his target areas on his equipment. doing so scored you 10 points, forced the person you hit to lose 10 points, and also disabled their phaser for 3 seconds. You could hit a person 3 times in a row consecutively before being required to hit another target. As a bonus, if you hit the enemy base 3 times in a row without getting hit you could score a bonus of 200 points, but only once per game. If you inadvertantly hit your opponent you lost 30 points and you phaser is disabled for 3 seconds. Other than that, it was assault tactics for 6 1/2 minutes in a darkened maze of ramps, buildings, obstacles. The setting was very futuristic. I became a fanatic over the game. The local arena by me offered an all you can play plan for $70 a month. I used to go and play after school, and also actively after I graduated up until the yime I went into the Navy. I also went on a roadtrip playing at various Photons around the midwest. After going in the service, I spent the first year in Florida in bootcamp and schools. Eventually I was stationed in Virginia where I got active again playing for Virigina Beach. Always being a league player I built up my skills to the point of being decent enough of a player to play for Virginia Beach in the first and only Photon World Championships. We placed first for the US, but 3rd in the world, only being beaten out by Moscow and Tokyo. The Navy even gave me the 3 days off to attend the event in Baltimore. It was the second time I got put on ESPN2 for the event. Those were the days. Due to mis-management of the company, Photon went bankrupt and folded. But during the late 80s and early 90s, I was well on my way of becoming an icon in a fledgling and off-the-wall possible sport of the future. Those were the days when I would walk into my Photon arena back home and be treated like some sort of famous athlete. I actually even was asked for my autograph many times. I also got to meet many other sports figures that came to play at Photon for charity events. I played with the Chicago Bears, Chicago White Sox, local DJ Barsky and the Morning Zoo here in Chicago. But the all time most coolest person I played against and with was Arnold Schwarzenagger. Arnold was here in Chicago playing at a fundraiser for a Literacy program for children.
So this is why my gaming interest fell off in 1986 and became sporadic until I left the service in Dec of 1993 to attend college for my degree and did not resume until 1995 when I went into a local gaming store and decided to start buyting M:TG.
I also was a collector of Fantasy artwork cards and have many of my sets still at home. This is why I bought M:TG in the first place.

Title: Re: When did everyone start playing M:TG?
Post by Gryfalia on Nov 7^th, 2003, 5:43pm

I was living in Toledo (argh) in late 93, early 94 (for exactly one long year). While I was out there some friends of mine from the Chicago area (one of whom worked for Mayfair games) talked me into trying out the game.

I tried to learn the game using the rule book and that was kinda bad (note, don't skip the part about the Untap phase, makes for a slow game). Ended up buying a bunch of Unlimited/Arabians and found a store where others were playing in town, as well as getting some co-workers hooked on the game.

Ended up moving back to Chicago (thank goodness) and kept playing. Became one of the first level 3 judges, basically because so many of the people running tourneys had no clue about the rules.

First power card: Savannah. Oh yeah, I played Green/White for a LONG time due to having that card.

I became a collector pretty quickly. Probably around Legends, because I had to work soooo hard to find some boxes of them (drove to Michigan) that I wasn't about to treat them lightly.

Gryfalia

Title: Re: When did everyone start playing M:TG?
Post by fvzappa on Nov 7^th, 2003, 6:00pm

on 11/07/03 at 13:10:13, AXIOS wrote:

Yea, you are right, sort of. Legends came out after Revised, but before 4th. I don't think there were other sets inbetween (English anyways). So, a simpler way of saying it is "at the end of Revised".

Title: Re: When did everyone start playing M:TG?
Post by l0qii on Nov 7^th, 2003, 8:25pm

on 11/07/03 at 18:00:21, fvzappa wrote:

Actually Legends, The Dark and Fallen Empires were all released between Revised and 4th Edition. The spoilers on WotC website all have the release dates in them.

Title: Re: When did everyone start playing M:TG?
Post by mintcollector on Nov 7^th, 2003, 8:55pm

on 11/07/03 at 20:25:42, l0qii wrote:

Actually Legends, The Dark and Fallen Empires were all released between Revised and 4th Edition. The spoilers on WotC website all have the release dates in them.

l0qii is right about the release dates. Look in each spoiler section here:

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=magic/products/cardlists

Title: Re: When did everyone start playing M:TG?
Post by sylvanstu on Nov 8^th, 2003, 5:37am

stupidly in the fall of 93 when the guys at my local gaming store tryed to talk me into trying the game I said no.Later the next summer in june or july one of the guys from our D+D group was putting theese cool cards into binders while we were playing. I was hooked right away after putting all the sets together from unlimited torevised my wife had a fit on all the money I spent on theese cards.So it was either her or the cards ( I made the wrong choice) Her little brother played so I gave all my cards to him for graduation. well in 1999 my wife and I divorced I started hanging at my buddies gaming store now 3 and a half years later I have all the sets from unlimited to present day complete and last year when I found the old sight I started collecting some of the rarities. did I say some I mean most of them I'm having a hard time getting 6x9 cards at a reasonable price though

Title: Re: When did everyone start playing M:TG?
Post by Thrond on Nov 9^th, 2003, 3:40pm

1994 - Between The Dark and Beta french edition.

Ahhhh it was the time of Black Lotuses beta mint, for 2000 francs (around 300 $)... *sob sob*

Title: Re: When did everyone start playing M:TG?
Post by dragsamou on Nov 10^th, 2003, 9:56am

on 11/09/03 at 15:40:14, Thrond wrote:

1994 - Between The Dark and Beta french edition.

Ahhhh it was the time of Black Lotuses beta mint, for 2000 francs (around 300 $)... *sob sob*

Hi Thrond.
I know,I let pass all the Mint Moxes at 800/1000Francs
(120/140$)at that time :'(

Title: Re: When did everyone start playing M:TG?
Post by bigfatkitty on Nov 10^th, 2003, 3:26pm

I started in June of 1994. I had no idea what Legends was and didn't pick any up. I thought Ironroot Treefolk was the coolest card ever! Still do too.

Title: Re: When did everyone start playing M:TG?
Post by summermagicman on Nov 26^th, 2003, 11:18pm

I started playing during Beta and Arabian Nights in 1993. I was lucky enough to buy Arabian packs for $20 a piece at the time. Which, by the way, I thought was a rip. Those were the days!

Title: Re: When did everyone start playing M:TG?
Post by giediprime41 on Jul 23^rd, 2004, 2:50am

End of '93.
Unlimited had just come out.

A friend of mine owned a comic shop and picked up a couple of boosters of beta at a con. in the state. (FLA.)
He gave me a booster and i was hooked!

He ordered a box of unlimited boosters and starters for the store. (you could only order one of each back then)
They lasted for three hours! But he held a starter and a couple boosters for me.
I got my first mox that day. ;D

After that it was crazy! All my friends were all hooked on this game, but there was no cards to buy.

I remember trading my first unlimited ancestral recall.
The shop would give me only twenty five bucks!!!
Icy Manipulators were worth more than ancestral recalls!!! :o
So i traded it to a kid for a butt load of Revised cards!!
MAN, thoes were the good ole' days!! :D
Darren

Title: Re: When did everyone start playing M:TG?
Post by ende73 on Sep 23^rd, 2004, 10:42pm

I started in March/April 1994.

I was both a player and a collector, and was luckily quick enough to realize I should start grabbing the Power cards (I remember buying my Beta Moxen at about $120-140, the Lotus at $200) and the whole Beta Set (the Duals at about $15-20 each ;D).

I became a very heavy trader and made lots of money since I was one of the very few Italian players to surf the net regularly (used to buy on Newsgroups at the time!)

I then slowed down between the release of Invasion and Onsalught (picked up all the sets later, though), and am now in full gear again (depending on how much time I'll be able to spare due to my newly-born child, that is)

Title: Re: When did everyone start playing M:TG?
Post by Treesock on Dec 15^th, 2004, 9:50pm

I'm probably one of the newest players here, guessing from the rest of the thread.

Anyways, my story goes a bit like this: Some amount of years ago, I made this friend at a summer camp and we traded letters/phonecalls for a while. One day, I remember receiving a box (which I now recall as an Urza's somethingorother theme deck box) with Magic cards in them. I was fascinated by the art, and would spend a lot of time looking through the cards.

(I seem to remember Cat Warriors and Chub Toad, so I know it just wasn't an Urza's somethingorother deck)

Then I lost the box. Magic receded into the back of my mind, etc etc etc.

Fast forward to 2002 -- my freshman year at high school. I joined the school's sf/fantasy club, saw people playing Magic, and my mind made the connection.

I bought a deck as soon as I could scrounge up the money.

Last year, shortly after the release of Mirrodin, I lost interest in the game.

Now I'm at a new school, with a new group of friends to play with, and with no signs of stopping. As for the cards I own, I think I have a smattering of something from almost every recent set, with a few older cards here and there.

Nothing worth any money, though.

And I never found that deck box that got me into this all in the first place, though I do look every now and then.

It's probably in my closet somewhere. :-X

Title: Re: When did everyone start playing M:TG?
Post by Celebrindor on Dec 15^th, 2004, 11:37pm

Wow. I never posted in this thread. Back in 1993, around Beta, my cousin started playing (he is 2 days older than me, we were 9 at the time). He showed me how to play, and we played regularly, but I didn't get around to actually buying cards of my own until Chronicles (and i've been trying to fill in the sets I missed ever since). I collected and played on and off for a while, never really missing any sets, but never buying that much either, with one exception: I bought a great deal of Mirage, especially starters. My cousin stopped playing around this time. For the next few years, i bought a few packs and precon decks here and there, until Invasion came around, and then I bought packs almost every week. I kept buying Invasion block packs, when I could, up until around when Torment was released, and I started drafting weekly, and attending tournaments. Up until this time, I played mostly with 2 friends that played, and during the summer.

Title: Re: When did everyone start playing M:TG?
Post by Jacob_Sendor on Dec 26^th, 2004, 3:39am

WOW! you guys have been playin 4 a while!well lets see what was yesterday O yea! i started playing dec 24 2004. i know that was like only a day or 2 but i am already hooked on the game. This game is soooo awsome! O i was goin to buy 2 theme(or whatever u call them) decks. Iwas wonderin if u guys could probally tell me ur favorite deck for each color?

Title: Re: When did everyone start playing M:TG?
Post by silver.paladin on Dec 26^th, 2004, 3:47am

on 12/26/04 at 03:39:23, Jacob_Sendor wrote:

It all depends on the basic theme that you would enjoy most. In a nutshell, I would break it down as:
Blue - primarily counters opponents spells, oceanic creatures
Green - small and mid0sized creatures, growth spells
Black - primarily death based spells and destroying lands, lots of zombieish like creatures
White - primarily protection and healing spells, lots of small creatures
Red - DESTRUCTION, destroy creatures and lands, creatures like dwarves and especially goblins

You also have Lands beyond the basic mana creating that can do special effects.
Also, there are artifacts, which can be used to help enhance any color. They can work well all by themselves, but I think it is how they can enhance other cards that are the Artifacts greatest ability.

Title: Re: When did everyone start playing M:TG?
Post by mintcollector on Dec 26^th, 2004, 3:43pm

on 12/26/04 at 03:39:23, Jacob_Sendor wrote:

First off, welcome to the world of Magic the Gathering (M:TG)! Instead of getting everyone elses opinions on what to play, as this will vary, why don't you look at what cards you have or have played with. Then decide which ones you seem to like the best based on color and then get a deck of that color type. This way you yourself will have picked what deck you like to play.

Also some advice for starting off. Don't expect to win a lot of games first off as you might be making some mistakes in playing cards at the wrong time you forgetting to do stuff. Becoming a better player is all about learning through experience, and although it might be a little rough at first, stick with it and learn from any mistakes made and you will become a far better player for it.

My personal fav color starting off was red as it had a card called Lightning Bolt in it when I first started and I am a big fan of Lightning (I collect artwork of it).

Title: Re: When did everyone start playing M:TG?
Post by Jacob_Sendor on Dec 28^th, 2004, 6:04am

So far i have got a red/green deck(i thouht since red was power and since my cousin had a green speed deck i could combine the two and it would be a pretty wicked deck).So my deck is mainly base on the Fifth Dawn theme deck(red/green colors) my friend has just got a theme deck to(it was called masters of kamiwaga or sumfin like dat, i told him that was like an expert deck but he didnt care).Well if u want i can list all my card names that i got so far(but that wuld take forever).I really like this game and its addicting.This may not seem like a lot but i blew 50 bucks on magic cards 2 days after i learned the rules. And im only 14 so i didnt have more money to blow.Yea so can u guys tell me like any good strategies or antything for a red/green deck?

P.S MAGIC: The Gathering is sooooooo awsome!

Title: Re: When did everyone start playing M:TG?
Post by Lasbrook on Dec 31^st, 2004, 2:05am

My brother got me into the game around the time Mirage came around, he moved away and i didn't really play much until Tempest hit. I've been playing steadily ever since. As for collecting. I've just barely started. It's more of a casual collection right now as i'm waiting until i complete my decks. Only problem with that theory is that I'd have to stop creating new decks, which is impossibe.