Wrom: BGDADRZFSQHYUCDDJBLVL Subject: Re: Pessimism Unlike Jason, I have not give up hope for this game... Though I agree that this game is at an EXTREME low point, and its to the point where there is almost no point to play anymore, it can be fixed. I did not attend Worlds (We have Brian Six to thank for that :P), but from what I have heard, the Professor Challenge sounded bad. I mean bad. I was sitting here at home watching all of the coverage online, and I was just hoping to see the results for 15+ as for 14-. After Day 2, no results... I was deeply saddened. Day after Worlds I am told the Professor Challenge was held after everyone had left the convention center, no one was left but the janitors sweeping up Dylan's booster wrappings :P. The Prof Tourney was COMPLETELY isolated from everything else. I'll admit, the prizes sounded great, but we don't need more cards, ESPECIALLY 15+, who are the parents who can afford it, or the kids who are serious to buy tons of cards. My view on the Professor Program (maybe I'll send this to Martin later :P), is that it IS useless. The professor program infact is doing nothing but hurting the game. If its not helping, it HAS to be hurting. All it does is dissappoint players and basically FORCE them to quit. On the other hand, I think it CAN be improved upon. I believe we should give it a chance, it IS in its first year, and it has some bugs. It has been tested, and it isn't good. Changes have to be made, or the program will be dropped. All i can say to 15+ is basically it WILL get better, because i dont think WotC will drop the program and forget about you. I am not saying they are gunna give you all a hundred bucks, a puppy, and a "boy", but they will make things better, they have to. They have seen the decrease in players, and action must take place. Pathetically though, WotC and TPC remind of some cartoon or something that I cant think of lol. Like, TPC is the big head of things and runs everything and boss's WotC, and WotC is this bumbling idiot henchman thing that tries to make everything perfect and covers up any "dirt". In this case, WotC is showing TPC the younger divisions. Showing kids are still playing the game, everything is runny smoothly, its a jolly game and everyone is happy. They don't want to show the game as its TRUE form, the competitive side. I mean, dont get me wrong, 14- and 11- are VERY competitive, but lets face it, the majority of good players lie in 15+. Ways this game can be helped are limited. One thing we can do as players, and I really believe in this, I use to think it was some dumb thing parents could do and I dont have to worry about. But these kids at leagues and tournies, they are the future of the game. I really dont see 15+ getting much help from WotC, even if they TRY to make it better, the sad reality is its on the edge. The younger players are the future, and as competitive players (and "professors"), we do have an obligation to help the young and guide them. We ARE role models for them, but that doesn't mean we have to act all uptight, but we have to help them out. Help THEM become the new wave of competition. If our time has come as players, then so be it, but don't give up on the young. The 10 and 11 year olds still have that shot to be World Champ. They still got opportunity. Or you can look at it this way: Wanna boycott WotC? Don't do it by not bying product, or quiting the game. Do it be bring up the competition. Do it by bring in more good players, and turning this game around from its "Little Kid" face on it and turn it into a game that is competitive all around. These are just my views on what should be done to help the game. Jason is right, this topic doesn't need to be brought up a thousand times. But its not just going to go away. Sure, we can stop posting about it, and stop complaining online, but the problems we faced yesterday will be there tommorow, unless there is change. Well, I am out, I got SCHOOOOOOOOOOL tommorow (NOOOOOO!) so I should try and get to bed before 12:00. Goodnight everyone... ~Inchy