Just got in the box for the local meta and took a look at the alternate-art cards.

If you want to just, you know, go ahead and start printing these full-card paintings with minimized iconage and text boxes for future card cycles…that would be just fine. Yeah.

Seriously one of the best improvements from CCG era to LCG is giving the artwork more breathing room, not confining it to cramped boxes. I haven't seen full bleed artwork like Daenerys in years…

Grimwalker said:

This is what I want in chapter packs! Hell, just do two cards a cycle and have chance of getting all alternate artwork or something for that card. That Daeny card is ridiculous!

As a collector, I would be reeeeeeeeeeaalllllllyy upset if they started doing random inserts like that. I don't mind chase cards in a collectible game, because you're buying a bunch of stuff anyways, and there are people to trade with. But there are far fewer people willing to trade in an LCG, and there's no reason to buy multiple packs.

I think the only sensible course for alternate art cards (or foils, if they wanted to go that route) is the one they're taking now - giving them out as part of promotional events.

Thursday said:

In turn, it incentivizes the "collectors" to participate in organized play. More players at tournaments and regular AGOT nights at game stores will do more to continue the game's growth than getting a few people to buy extra copies of chapter packs.

Thursday said:

You'd no longer play this game if they added alternate artwork? No distribution change, just a random alternate artwork card in each pack?

Also, not sure how having alternate art cards in packs hurts tourneys. You can offer other prizes like tourney only art sleeves or unreleased alternate art cards. Then the collector is still incentivized.

Back on topic… I wonder if my meta has gotten its kit… I wonder if we even got this kit…

mdc273 said:

Twn2dn said:

it's safely stowed away in my house. It may or may not be true that I hid the Dany cards, and take them out and call them "precious" when no one is around …

mdc273 said:

Random alt art in chapter packs? I would be greatly discouraged in my continuing this game. This a Living Card Game, not a Collectible Card Game. Adding random "prizes" to chapter packs defeats the purpose of the initial model of everyone gets the same cards as everyone else as long as they buy the new releases, and randomness is also what made me discontinue my participation in card games such as MtG and WoW. This same pack = same cards is what initially appealed to me for FFG's games, and I would hate to see the company who pioneered the concept, trying to steer away from the CCG/TCG model, sell out like that.

Also, to Thursday:

There should be no need for trading in this game, since everyone gets the same cards for purchasing the same pack, unless you're just trying to get singles from packs you don't feel like buying. And you can get that by going through certain online game shops like team covenant (who also do the unique "house packs," which are every card for one house from a whole chapter set), and some others.

I do agree, though, collectible parts of this game should be promotional event items or limited-time purchase options through the game's company.

I agree with using the alternate arts and collectible aspect to promote tournaments and get those casual players out of their house to play and help this game grow.

mdc273 said:

Yes. I would no longer play this game.

AGoT as a competitive meta died in my area after the switch to LCG. I've been buying the chapter packs because I love the game and can occasionally convince my boardgaming friends to play, but also because I am an avid collector of this game. I have every single card they have ever printed, for both the CCG and LCG formats. If they started putting chase cards in a non-trading card game, I would no longer have any reason to keep buying cards, as it would take a tremendous and unreasonable effort of both time and money to keep up with the collecting aspect.

Thursday said:

Okay, let me re-phrase the question.

Would you quit playing AGoT if in addition to the 60 fixed cards they added a random 61st card that was an alternate art version of one of the 60 cards?

I think the answer is still yes, but I want to make 100% sure.

I don't understand why you consider this a chase card. Are you legitimately disgusted and refuse to play if you can not have every card in the game? Is this commonplace? My assumption is that you would be very much in the minority.

Yep, that's right. I only buy the cards to collect them - I occasionally do manage to get a game or two in here and there, but if I wasn't collecting I wouldn't be buying. If your suggested change were to happen, collecting all the alternate art cards would be near impossible. So I would stop buying.

While you're probably right that people like me are the minority, I think there are more people collecting this game than you think. Despite not having any form of organized play, my FLGS sells quite a lot of chapter packs. I know a decent amount will be going to people who just play kitchen table games, but I guarantee a lot of those sales are to collectors.