Since getting back into Dice Masters getting hold of a play mat has been challenging.

Yes I did get a custom one printed for me. But I wanted more to use when I play with others.

I did look on eBay but it’s eBay and people being totally unrealistic on the prices they were asking.

Whilst at the expo my friend and winding down proprietor of the FLGS in Chatteris The Hobbit Hole posted on Facebook he had some play mats going cheap to get rid of them.

As I scanned the images posted I noticed there was a Dice Masters mat, and there was a second.

I took no time to respond letting him know I was interested in them but couldn’t collect them until Monday due to being at the expo.

Monday lunchtime saw me make the 30 minute drive across the fenland landscape to The Hobbit Hole to buy the mats. At a fiver each they were a bloody bargain.

We had a good natter, remembered departed friends, and didn’t come to blows on the political side!

It’s sad to see John closing up shop. But I understand his reasons. I can only wish him luck and good health in the next stage of his life.

It seems at the moment my only Dice Masters posts are “responses” to the excellent Dice Masters podcast A Double Double ‘n Dice, hosted by Kim and Jocelyn.

Ok we know by now the reason why I’m not getting Dice Masters or any other lcg/ccg to the table. But for those that have worse memories than myself I’ll remind you. The venue where we play games currently isn’t open on a Tuesday. I believe they will be once again as we get nearer to the Summer. However unless a new venue can be found we are unable to play at the moment.

But less of my gaming woes and back on to topic.

In the latest episode Kim and Jocelyn ask…

Before we get onto my thoughts on what was discussed, take this opportunity to hear Kim and Jocelyn discuss this subject first by playing the embedded YouTube video below.

Welcome back.

The discussion started off with mulling over the release schedule of product and what the “perfect” frequency of new sets would be each year.

Eventually Kim and Jocelyn hit on three sets a year. Which was the number I initially thought of when they started discussing the subject.

For me three sets a year, which is basically every four months, gives folks time to buy, collect, and play with the new set before starting all over again.

It also doesn’t flood the market, stretch store finances, or milk us players.

One thing WotC used to do. But they have stopped any pretence now and are just out to squeeze as much money as they can out of players. They release way too much product, you barely get chance to play with it before the next thing is out. And the end result is there are some really poor sets released that don’t sell. Which hurts the LGS who get left with product that isn’t selling.

And I want Wizkids to learn from the WotC mistakes.

The three sets a year should allow Wizkids enough development time to release a higher quality product that players will want to.

I would add along side three sets a year I’d love to see some supporting products like the original style two player starter sets, or a preconstructed team that would be competitive in a LGS game night. Something new players could buy and get a good start to playing the game with.

I’m going to skip over the competitive play of worlds and nationals. I’d never make it to worlds (would need a passport first). A UK/EU nationals held at UKGE each year would be cool. I’d go to that.

It’s the OP kit discussion that I went…

You can’t have exclusive cards with new abilities that can only be gotten by winning a tournament of some kind.

We all know that there are some unscrupulous store owners out there (mainly in the US I think) that would sell on the OP kit or the exclusive card on eBay for silly money.

But more importantly if the card turns out to be a Master Mould or Gobby level card only a very small handful of players will have it. They will have an unfair advantage.

If I buy a booster/draft pack I have as much chance as the next person in pulling something good.

This suggestion puts the card in the hands of a minority, and makes it accessibility or chances of getting it very restricted. What if your FLGS doesn’t run Dice Masters events? You’re screwed.

Wizkids could ban the card. But that then makes it worthless as a prize.

Easiest solution don’t do it in the first place. Make prizes stuff like playmats, or as also suggested alt art cards, or even mini booster packs of three cards, possibly with alt art of cards from the last three sets, for example.

Don’t give participation prizes to everybody!

Nooooooooo! I was going all Luke again.

You pay your event entry fee. You need something back apart from just playing the game. Stores can’t not charge. They have to pay for the OP kit, and any additional prize support. They need to cover the expense of the kit.

But at the same time not everyone is going to win a prize. So a participation prize is a necessity.

These store events are about building the game and its community.

Participation prizes are a key part of that.

Come to our event, take part and get a cool card for doing so. It’s a great selling point.

I think Wizkids could even learn from FFG and Star Wars Unlimited here and borrow their OP format. I like the encouragement of the casual side where even just turning up talking about the game, trading cards, building decks will get you a participation prize!

The rest of the discussion I totally agree with.

I did get another brief mention in the mail bag section of the show. And now know Kim will never read these posts of mine.

Still a great episode that as you can see obviously sparked some thoughts.

The third and possibly for the time being final What if …? Episode of A Double Double ‘n Dice podcast.

In this episode Jocelyn and Kim ponder what the state of Dice Masters would be if there were no one creating content for the game.

Spoiler alert! There is no mention of me in this episode. I know very disappointing. I should write better posts, or leave comments in places that get read.

So what are my poorly conceived and constructed views on this?

I think I agree with the main premise of this episode that without content creators creating content there would be no Dice Masters.

For the record I don’t see myself as a content creator. I write the odd post about the game once in a blue moon.

Well we would have had the initial sets, but then it would have gone the way of Magic: The Gathering – Arena of the Planeswalkers (although that was poorly supported by Wizkids from the start).

I would argue that we are getting fewer and fewer content creators for the game. And those that do create new content do so less and less frequently. I think Jocelyn and Kim are the only ones creating stuff on a regular basis. Every two weeks is amazing.

The way I see it we need Wizkids to announce and release new stuff that will reinvigorate the current crop of content creators, and attract new creators.

A newly energised content creator base creating new content helps promote the game attracting new players, etc etc.

I think what these three podcasts have highlighted for me is how fragile the current state of the game is. It feels we are at a crucial moment in the life of the game. We are waiting for Wizkids to make a decision (assuming they haven’t made it) and announce it to the world.

I’ve enjoyed these three episodes of A Double Double ‘n Dice I hope they follow them up with an episode on the feed back they have had.

It’s Monday (or it was when I started writing this post) and the latest fortnightly episode of A Double Double ‘n Dice podcast has dropped.

Continuing on with their blue sky think pieces around Dice Masters, Jocelyn and Kim ask in their second What If? Episode

But before you read my contribution to the discussion I’ll give you the chance to listen to Jocelyn and Kim in the embedded YouTube video below.

In my previous post I touched briefly on the very subject of the latest A Double Double ‘n Dice podcast.

If no more product is released does that make Dice Masters a complete game? It certainly makes the game a solvable (eventually) game where the best teams that always win will be found.

Obviously in this scenario of no more new product on a commercial level the game is no more.

However that doesn’t mean people will stop playing it. It will mainly be kitchen table play amongst friends using their collections (I’ve looked at different ways to play in previous posts), and an even more niche game.

Now in the podcast Jocelyn and Kim mention that the Star Wars Destiny scene started developing fan made content. I wasn’t aware of this and not surprised. To me it follows on from the example the Android Netrunner community set when they too took over the running of the game after FFG stopped.

As pointed out in the podcast we have already talented creative fans of the game creating cards for the game. This just needs better organisation, a governing body to become like the Destiny and Netrunner communities.

With a governing body apart from new cards, there will also be a competitive scene amongst those hard core players still playing the game and getting the new fan made content. Some of this maybe in person events. But with Dice Masters being very well suited to online play using webcams I see the majority of the competitive stuff being held this way.

Sadly unlike Ashes I don’t see Dice Masters being picked up by its original publisher (after they left the parent company) and partnering with a retailer/third party to keep the game alive with new content and a second edition.

I did get a mention in this episode (the new normal has been restored). In an older post I do cover what a cube is. This is how I mainly play Dice Masters with my friends (who don’t have any Dice Masters cards/dice themselves). It’s fun drafting this way. Whether it’s a regular draft or the two player dark draft.

I am enjoying this What If? Series. It makes you ponder the current state of play and what could be.

The latest A Double Double ‘n Dice podcast has dropped. Which shockingly never mentioned me! That’s two shows in a row now. Maybe for Jocelyn and Kim the novelty of my responses has got old. Or I’m not writing anything interesting. Which is the more likely.

Anyway that’s not the point of this post. This is a response post which they may or may not read. The later being the more likely.

But what am I responding to?

Well the latest episode of their most excellent Dice Masters podcast started a new series called What If…?

I’m assuming by the logo, inspired by the Marvel tv series. But we all know it was a comic book first.

First listen to the podcast below first before going on to read the rest of my words.

Ok here is my response or thoughts on…

Dice Masters is a competitive game. It’s one player verses another player. You take turns until there is an eventual winner.

But that’s not the competitive Jocelyn and Kim mean.

They mean more organised play like store events such as Friday Night Magic (FNM), regionals, and world events.

I think that without a competitive side to Dice Masters the game would not have lasted as long as it has. Maybe!

Let’s look at MtG. It has both a competitive side and a casual side. The competitive side, and I’m going to focus on the FNM and store events here have a very important role to play in a games popularity.

Firstly they help build community. They give a regular time and place (your FLGS) where like minded players can gather and play the game. Friendships are made, cards traded, rivalries made. And dare I suggest casual games take place between rounds or alongside the competitive side of things (often there are games of Commander running alongside FNM).

Secondly a community means the FLGS gets stock in to sell. Which makes it easier for players to get hold of the game. Sales means Wizkids make more sets. You get the idea.

Now casual also has an important role to play in the health of a game. The most popular format for MtG is Commander. Which is a casual format. It wasn’t created by WotC. Although they sure jumped on the bandwagon in the products they release, and cards in new sets.

But it was at competitive events it initially became popular with players between rounds/events.

I would argue there are more casual players than competitive for any of the ccg/lcg/tcg games out there.

But seeing the game played at an FLGS or a regular event being held means that you can easily find some-one to play with. Which means you are more likely to buy in to the game. And the popularity grows as does the community.

The problem with a game just being casual is that of building a community. Finding like minded folks to play with. Especially if none of your friends are interested in playing.

Jocelyn and Kim ask what if there is no competitive Dice Masters going forward?

I think fans of the game would step in to fill the void. Well on a national level. Like they did at UKGE last year running an event. Although my point below on product would heavily influence the long term viability of this.

We’ve been living in a non-FNM Dice Masters world now for years. I would argue that the Dice Masters has gone from being a local thing to a global one. Although the overall numbers are not nearly as large.

But it’s product that we need to keep both player bases going. Without product eventually the game will die. Look at Funkoverse, no competitive side, after an initial flurry no new product. The game has died. Ashes had poor competitive support, and lack of product, and died. The reboot of Ashes has failed to reach critical numbers to take off.

With the silence over the next Dice Masters set are we looking at the end game?

Does the game have enough of a fan base to go the Android Netrunner route after that was no longer a product, with fan created content?

There you go a poorly argued response that makes f all sense.

In the comments for the 100th episode of A Double Double ‘n Dice I left a comment asking if the hosts Jocelyn and Kim could give some suggestions for Christmas gift ideas for the Dice Masters player in your life.

I was not expecting episode 101.

Since coming across this great Dice Masters podcast, Jocelyn and Kim have read out my comments during the podcast.

All I thought Jocelyn and Kim would do was read out my comment and make one or two suggestions.

That is not what happened!

Not only is the majority of the show a response to my comment. You get a musical treat (I think that’s the word I’m looking for) and twelve great present suggestions.

I have ordered one of the dice bags that Jocelyn makes via her Etsy store. I won’t spoil the surprise of the fabric design I went with. Hey it’s a present to myself I’ve been promising myself since getting back into Dice Masters.

I know Jocelyn and Kim have mentioned my blog and linked to it on an episode. But I’m not sure they have visited/read any of my Dice Masters ramblings.

There were a couple of points mentioned during the gift ideas, such as one of their friends using draft packs to play with their friends. Then after playing but the cards and dice back in the draft packs to be used again at another time. This is basically what I’m doing with Dave, Marcin, and Diego. But I’ve taken it to the next level of building a cube with the cards and dice I have.

The other point was about Dice Masters being a 1v1 game. But I have suggested ways to play Dice Masters as a multiplayer game. So far only had a game like this using the Hunter format.

Naturally I’ve already left a brief comment on episode 101, plus this much longer blog post.

Listen, and share with family and friends to give them some ideas of what to buy you as a gift. Some of these are great ideas even if you don’t play Dice Masters.