Diary of a Magic: The Gathering Playtester
Welcome to "Diary of a Magic: The Gathering Playtester"! (Not the most descriptive name ever chosen, but it's functional, and gets the point across.)
From October 1997 to June 1999, I was the captain of the NYCHardcore playtest group for Wizards of the Coast. We were part of a larger external playtesting efforts which included, among others, Julie & Stephen D'Angelo's Crash Test Wizards. We were pleased to have had a hand in the deveopment and testing of 5 magic expansions: Stronghold, Exodus, Urza's Saga, Urza's Legacy and Urza's Destiny. In addition, our group exclusively tested the "Battle Royal" boxed set. Our time playtesting drew to a close when Hasbro purchased Wizards and moved all playtesting internal to the company. It was a sad time for all of us, and ultimately we moved on, though many of us still are involved in the Magic community today.
Many years later, I came across my old playtest notes and realized that there are so many interesting stories to tell. The non-disclosure agreements have expired, many of the key Wizards personnel have left Magic, and time has forgotten most of our efforts. It feels like the time is right to tell our story, bit by bit.
This blog will not feature any regular schedule of updates, but I promise that if you check back often, you'll be treated to an (almost) insider's view of that tumultuous chapter in Magic's history, when the infamous "Weatherlight" story was young and the dark days of Combo Winter were just around the corner.
How did it happen? Was it our fault? Why didn't playtest discover Tolarian Academy and its brethren? How were we compensated? Were there any juicy stories? Stay tuned, and you'll get a perspective of Magic I promise you haven't seen before...
From October 1997 to June 1999, I was the captain of the NYCHardcore playtest group for Wizards of the Coast. We were part of a larger external playtesting efforts which included, among others, Julie & Stephen D'Angelo's Crash Test Wizards. We were pleased to have had a hand in the deveopment and testing of 5 magic expansions: Stronghold, Exodus, Urza's Saga, Urza's Legacy and Urza's Destiny. In addition, our group exclusively tested the "Battle Royal" boxed set. Our time playtesting drew to a close when Hasbro purchased Wizards and moved all playtesting internal to the company. It was a sad time for all of us, and ultimately we moved on, though many of us still are involved in the Magic community today.
Many years later, I came across my old playtest notes and realized that there are so many interesting stories to tell. The non-disclosure agreements have expired, many of the key Wizards personnel have left Magic, and time has forgotten most of our efforts. It feels like the time is right to tell our story, bit by bit.
This blog will not feature any regular schedule of updates, but I promise that if you check back often, you'll be treated to an (almost) insider's view of that tumultuous chapter in Magic's history, when the infamous "Weatherlight" story was young and the dark days of Combo Winter were just around the corner.
How did it happen? Was it our fault? Why didn't playtest discover Tolarian Academy and its brethren? How were we compensated? Were there any juicy stories? Stay tuned, and you'll get a perspective of Magic I promise you haven't seen before...
posted by energythief at
6:19 PM
|
0 comments
