So here's an idea, the germinate for which was buried, and probably lost, in one of the other threads.

Make a new set, but make it mostly reprints. A few new cards as well.

James Hata could pick 5 or 10 dozen cards from ALL of the sets that were well balanced, and which would work well in the 5-star meta. Maybe even a few that just needed functional errata to work okay in the current meta. Maybe even reprints of some of the rares/ultras as uncommons. A few dozen new cards (maybe a little support for Dariya, Padma, Cassandra, etc) as rares/ultra rares.

And there you have a set that can make just about everyone happy.

People who've been in the game for ages and have tons of cards, suddenly will have to go sorting through their collection pulling out all the cards which are suddenly "legal" again. New players will be able to get access to some of the old great cards without having to buy stuff that's completely cycled. It would also make moving old product easier for LGSs and would make Legacy more exciting.

I'm pretty sure that WotC hasn't (and in fact couldn't) patent the idea of "core sets" . FFG could adapt something similar, with appropriate changes for UFS and it could benefit the game and the players.

I'd write more about this idea, but the painkillers are starting to kick in and I might fall over at any moment.

For what it's worth, I love this idea and would be thrilled to see it happen.

However, I recall hearing some talk of this previously, and I think there might have been some issues with the licenses. I'm not at all sure of the details and I might be completely wrong, but that might be what's held this back from happening.

Licensing agreements prevent licenses from mixing.

Both Raw Deal and Magic have done "Core Sets" with great success.

And if liscences can't mix, then do a SF core set that includes important cards like Tag Along and Kung Fu Training one year, then a Soul Caliber/Shadowar/Tekken one in years (or however long) where one of their sets isn't being put at the forefront.

Archimedes said:

That's why you remake a card like say "Shadow Banishment" Rename it and make it a Shadowar card problem solved

Grizzlegrom said:

The man speaks truth.

I'd LOVE something like this. Honestly, they could make them mini-sets. Like a starter deck type thing, maybe 30 different cards or so from a given franchise, and then package them accordingly, as though they were regular sets (decrease number of cards per pack, and the price goes down, too) - kinda like the Duelist/Champion Packs for YGO.

Some sort of Core set would probably be very well recieved imho. I know I'd like it. I like B-Rad's idea with a cycling core set from a couple of different licenses, but at the very least it be a great way to utilize the ShadoWar sets, though I worry about a license getting stale if it doesn't get enough showing the rest of the year and becoming simply all reprints.

I like the idea of a core set. There are some cards that would be fun to have in the current standard.

unfortunately this cant happen, its not about mixing the licenses so much as holding the licenses. For example any SC III cards cannot be reprinted because of licensing issues. I have had in depth deep discussions about this with James and it just cant happen....sadly...

Which is exactly what we need to use the ShadoWar set for, I mean, it really only needs to be a core set once every 2 years. I really think a core set would go a long way in stability for a meta, since you won't have 4 or 5 cards that all do kinda the same thing, and make the problem we've had in the past with grey wars.

Ok, I understand licencing agreements. But what I don't understand is if FFG owns the rights to the cards that have already been printed (which allows them to reprint cards for league EX. Mark or the Beast) then why woukd there be a licencing issue for more reprints. That's all that really would be happening. I really like this idea, so long as they REALLY take the time to run the numbers and only reprint cards that would help the format and not break the format (such as BRT) among other cards that put UFS in the situation it was before worlds. It would not only make the more fun for players who have been playing with those cards for years, it would also opern the card pool up for new players. the only thing I would worry about with something lie this is sales really, seeing as how if it is a reprint, the frst prints that people already have would be used over them buying mew cards. thaey would have to put a restriction on using pre-printed cards in the format in order to ensure sales. But reprinting cards into promo decks would be an awesome idea, using the same format they use for packing starters. And I think new and old players would enjoy the memories of playing those cards when they were IN FORMAT. I don't know, I could be totally wrong about it all. But FLASHBACK DECKS seems like a good idea to me.

They just don't have the license for SC3 anymore. So they can reprint everything else: Darkstalkers, SF, SC4, SNK, and Shadowar if they want to. If they want to reprint a SC3 card they can just turn it into a Shadowar card. I'd be all for a core set every year, at least a mini one (20-40 cards). I think it's exciting when old cards rotate back in, not just four or five like we have had in the past. Only thing they would have to figure out is how to do it as the licenses can't mix.

I don't see why they could not reprint Generic cards. Maybe I'm not up to date on my law studies, but im pretty sure that capcom cant sue you for printing a card called Strong punch and just remove Ryu and Sagat from it, make it Shadowar or just totally generic. There is a laundry list of good attacks with generic titles that are not linked to any one specific character. Reprint Jab, Strong punch, Quick Elbow, Fierce Punch, Etc and just put a picture of rashotep punching the Sphinx or whatever on it. Old copies are useable under the most recently printed version ruling. Done.

I don't understand why the couldn't just commission some new art, slap on a watermark, logo, and copyright info and blam:

Obviously they'd do a better job then my hasty photoshop, but you get the idea.

At least make league kits re-printing previous versions with a "p" in the rarity slot and having a 5-point shuriken on it.

I dont think reprint sets are good for this game at this point. It is still young and there should be plenty of new ideas and ways to reimagine cards.

A Reprint or "Core" set would be bad for the game at this point. There are companies that have done it for their long-standing and very well-known games like M:tG. But look at what id did to VS. they released a core set, and lost almost their entire player base, less than a year later, the game was dead. I do not want to see that happen to UFS. Reprinting a few cards a year is fine, put them in prize support. league kits, but not a set.

I'm not so sure that the core set for VS. is what killed it. It was a horrible game which was supposed to have tons of cash support and the popularity of the game was directly tied to that. As soon as the money went away so did the playerbase.

Ender Dragon said:

Did VS rotate sets? I think it's totally differant for games like UFS and Magic that rotate stuff out because then all these cards rotate back in, instead of just hey here are some old cards you already have and can already use buy them!

JDub said:

Yeah, it did, but it also had a Legacy format that was moderately supported at large tournaments, IIRC.

Personally i would be excited if lets say for example a new snk set comes out and Athena was one of the people in it, i buy a few backs and i open up my first one and see a common reprint of esp with the current blocks logo on it. Me and my whole team(which we still can not think of a name for our team lol) agree.I wouldnt want a whole set of nothing but reprints but i think it would be nice that support for characters would come back. I know i would nearly do a back flip if Ibuki was released in another SF set and I open up a pack and see Kasumi-Suzaku as my UR for her support. Also Wont it be a little less stressful for the developers since they would have to think of less cards to make from scratch? I know it has to be a pain to keep thinking of new effects for cards. Also I would LOVE for them to bring back the battle boxes starters. They can throw in like 3 to 4 reprints with each character like they use to. Like a Kyo Vs Iori SNK battle box and in Kyo's deck red lotus was in there and for Iori can have Iori's fireball lol. Well you get the Idea. Also what i remember the Battle packs sold pretty well.since a battle box was 20 for one it was 40 bucks a person since everyone always wanted a set of the cards in there because the rares only came in twos. Also i belive it will help with the meta because it will help with the roster of characters since it is kind of at the low end at the moment and we are only getting one set from now on i heard... Well this is just me and my teams opinion.

they could just take the Name and all the stats of the card,

but give it a Shadowar art. it would kinda be like the

alternate art type situation.

It wouldnt surprise me if some stipulation in their contract keeps them from reprinting a card name under a different license. Capcom would probably get really upset if they made a 'Shoryuken' card in the Shadowar franchise dress.

dshaffer said:

Then they haven't looked at Rage of the Dragon too closely.

In truth, you have a point; you'd likely have to re-skin the name as well as the art. But hey, at least the crunch part is down. I wouldn't pull my hairs out screaming "I DOES NOT WANTZ!!!111!!1!" if they make a core set. Do what you have to do to get it done, FFG.