Arena, who plays?

[Chaos Turtle]

Alright, I'm curious.

Who among us plays regularly in an Arena League?

1- I do, and here's my favorite format.

2- I don't, and here's why.

3- I would if there was one nearby...

4- Who gives a Plague Rat's @$$?

For my part:

I am a regular player, and I prefer the Standard format, but I will happily play any format (Extended, Vanguard, etc...) except Continuous Draft, which is about as boring as you can get, unless it's from a full block of cards, and even then it's a little boring.

I want to know because I have a real problem with the current point system in use (win=2, lose=1) and I want to know whether my rant will fall on deaf ears, or if I'm preaching to the choir, so to speak.
I'd like to garner some support to get the division of WotC responsible for this to either convert to a store-based ELO-style ratings system or to at least offer stores the option of doing so.

Thanks for your input.

 

[theorgg]

C. I do play as much as I can, but the store I have locally(that isn't a den of arses, aka nutral ground) doesn't have an arena league for magic.

only the dreded pokegame.

 

[Spiderman]

I don't, because

a) I don't know if there's any nearby (Baltimore, MD)

b) I've actually stopped playing Magic for a while.

 

[Killer Joe]

I play Arena at Exit 13 in New Kensington, PA. It's anytime you want and there are enough regulars in the store everyday to play against.
Currently we are playing extended format which is A OK with me.
I don't pay attention to the point system, I know I should but I really joined just to get a cool foil land, and it was only a buck to join.
I have never played continous draft or Vanguard but they sound interesting.

This is Yellowjacket.

 

[Dune Echo]

3- I would if there was one nearby...

I do college Friday night and all day Saturday. Sunday is the only day I get to spend with my wife and have some fun. She'd kill me if I totally ignored her on the weekends.

--------------
Dune Echo

And probably rightfully so, since I play all week on the computer.

 

[Ferret]

I'd like to say C. - I can't find any players near me and I wouldn't mind seeing an Arena group in the area, but there's none here in the St Pete area - gets kind of lonely. I bought the MTGIEncyclopedia to play online, but now I don't have an internet connection!

-ferret

"...I really need to talk my wife into playing..."

 

[arhar]

I do, because I consider it a very fun format =))

 

[Chaos Turtle]

Alright then, it looks as if there just aren't that many Arena players, mainly because no stores support it.

That's a shame, I think, because (in my area, at least) it's been a good way to recruit newbies. It's one night a week where they can be sure of having someone reasonable knowledgable about the game to play/observe/learn from.

In any case, it looks as if there are not (currently) enough people here who will be particularly concerned about the ridiculous point system currently in use.

Yellowjacket, I'm curious: Since you play regularly, what do you think of the point system, especially since you can play anytime? What's the method/structure of prize distribution? (e.g. we give anyone over 15 points the foil land, and the top 3 point-getters get the foil premium card, with two more given in a drawing among all who got 30+ points, and a free Arena-only tournament to award the last 2)

Thanks for your input, all of you.
I've been considering doing an Arena-related article, since it combines organized and casual play, which I like.

 

[Ed Sullivan]

3b - I would if I had the time and could drive. I can't get my license until end of June.

But go ahead and write that article! We accept (almost) anything.

-mike

 

[Mordecai]

2) I don't because in order to get to the local Arena league, I'd have to drive during rush hour and last time I tried that (to get to Arena league, nonetheless) my card tried to die several times.

There's another Arena league close by, but it's at a bad time for me.