Yes. That is right. I do expect it to be coherent as a stand alone show. I'm sure it is an unreasonable expectation.

I found myself bored and confused watching this. And since it seems to be relevant, started with 1 way back in the day. Recently, and I mean January, started translated 3 at work, got halfway in and am working toward motivation to finish it.

I have no idea what is going on with the story. I only played through like 1/4 of the game this is a sequel for. I'll blame me for not getting whats going on but its not on me that the storytelling is disjointed.

I found myself looking at how interesting some of the visuals were. Some of the early outdoor scenes were very interesting. Had a high contrast blown out highlights look with bleached out colors. Like someone did funky stuff to the film. And it appears like someone tried very hard to make the animation look lifelike, in the  first quarter at least. When the girl was climbing the stairs I could see her kinda strut a bit. It wasn't totally natural but its nice to see naturalistic cues in animation. Pretty close to being realistic. It quickly went to hell though. Soon all the hair animated in front of faces had too much weight and swung like it was 3x as heavy as hair is. There were no more of the interesting things being animated like twitches and assorted nervous movements (at least none that weren't just overblown). The wow thats pretty realistic went away and it started to look like the last animated Square movie.

I fell sleep in the middle of the big action sequence (the one that lasts 3/4 of the movie). Took days to get the motivation to finish it. Then a whole bunch of characters come to save the day. I don't know who a lot of them are but since the gunarm guy is there, I assume they are the other characters from the game. There is no reason for them to appear other than to satisfy the target audience of gamers watching. They have no relevance to the story here and didn't actually do anything.

So ya I hated it. Boring story. Bad storytelling. Randomly unnatural score. Highly uneven animation quality.

<------

Yup. I'm Asian.

And I even expect to be there at this one.

Guess it is time to try talking Reb into playing another stupid deck. I'll be there again with a camera again. Kowal never seems to intend to come but he always seems to make it...

Congrats Dante. Sounds posh as hell. The house and the car is good for moving you up on my "To rob list"!

I expect to be at this event also.

Congrats on the win I@n.  

I was the Transmute artifact deck you played round 3. You also went AK, AK, AK, AK and had about a million cards when you played me. I just did not have enough threats to get past all those counterspells. That big Mind Twist also killed me real good.

I did not realize there were 3 Transmute Artifact decks there. Wow.

60% on test 1. I suck at this game.

Holy cow! This is really far north. If anyone from Chicago wants to work on a carpool up here...

Middle East 140 - How did I miss Kuwait, Afganistan, Pakistan, and Jordan?
Europe 305 - Made lots of mistakes... So many countries broke up...
South America 70 - This was hard
Africa -990 - Just sad
Canada 75
USA 435 - I blame the NE and the terrible illustrations
Central America 25
Australia 65 - Not because I knew them but the names were giveaways

I was disappointed with how I did in the Middle East with a few countries. I missed a few in Europe I should not have. Africa was a lost cause and I don't have a problem not caring. I blame the illustrations for any and every US miss.

I don't intend to be absolutely insulting (moderately insulting) but dear god. What does Bittorrent have to do with being 'elite'? I find it unfortunate that the meaning of the word has been so lost in popular use. The rampant piracy that has been occuring under the guise of 'sharing' should be counted as a victory for those who are for piracy. I still think it should be noted that this is very different from the activities those who actually are elite engage in. Do not forget that members of DoD have had prison time.

A bathroom scale from my mom to imply that she thinks I'm fat...

Pair of trekking poles (I already own a set!). A coffee maker (I've wanted one my whole life and never got around to buying one. I'm enjoying the second cup of coffee from it now.) Those were from friends.

4x Little Girl and a Rod of Spanking from Ephraim. (Thanks dude!)

And the first season of 24 and a Schoeller Dryskin softshell jacket from me to me.

The results from an event were recently posted here: http://www.themanadrain.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=336153#336153

Notice the Nassif EBA deck in the Top 8. This is a good result. I also noticed 8 Wastelands in the Top 8 (2 in the Nassif EBA deck). Does that explain how this mana base can be played?

My conclusion from seeing this result is that the deck is likely solid for Wasteland light metagames. I understand that Nassif is the most awesome player to walk the Earth but I don't think his result with this deck can be explained by his playskill alone.

It looks like Erik Irausquin played Nassif EBA and posted a good result. Am I miscounting or do I only see 6 Wastelands other than Erik's 2 in the Top 8? 8 total Wastelands. Is this how he got away with that mana base?

Not that it would address any of the points raised about it not being fast enough, but perhaps an Ivory Mask would help you with those combo decks. Most of them have a kill mechanism that targets. If you can get it down in time, the combo player would have to find removal or bounce. Ivory Mask is one of the old Parfait cards that got stripped out in any build I've seen recently but I recall it fondly.

Sol Ring might be a card you should consider adding.

I am drinking whatever it is my dad picked up on a trip to China. He is all raves but I would not know what kind it is. I will look at the label next time I visit my folks.

Hspecter, did you find out what the entry fee was?

If that really is the next expansion symbol, Magic just totally turned into Naruto.  Eight-and-a-Half-Tails   and now ninja stars...

NINJA!

I don't think EBA's relation to Dump Truck matters too much here. That said, the very early EBA decks were very different from its current incarnation with cards like Savannah Lions and Spectral Lynx. EBA with Angels came about around July 2003.

Nassif's deck is a bit of a departure from the 'norm' for EBA. He runs off color moxen and does not run Mana Drain. He runs 6 'Phid type creatures instead of card drawing spells like FoF and Skeletal Scrying. There are also *4* Vindicates in the maindeck.

I find the mana base even more surprising. No basic lands. It does not even try to work around Wasteland, B2B and Blood Moon.

My reaction is that it is a very focused deck. Drop 'Phids and Angels with a little disruption and a little counter magic. My attemtps with EBA lately have not worked out well because I never found a mana base I was happy with. I would be rather surprised if the solution was to just ignore the bad mana base.

The explanation for Nassif's result has been all playskill playskill playskill but I have a hard time swallowing that given all the characteristic of this deck. I wish I had the motivation to test this deck to see if it does indeed run well. Anyone up to that task and willing to report results?

I've played EBA for quite a chunk of time and that EBA deck mentioned leaves me at a loss. No Mana Drain. No basic lands. A lot of Phid type creatures. Four Vindicate in the maindeck. I really don't see how he worked around non-basic hate like Crucible, B2B and Blood Moon.

I could be wrong and this might be exactly what EBA needs to be to win. But it sure doesn't look it...

I, for the most part, never have tested and also do not really intend to. I used to play every weekend in small regular events and playing was enough learning and improving. Now that I rarely play, I have even less incentive. I understand I should but I lack the motivation to playtest.

Alright. I expect to be here for this. The price is a whole lot more agreeable than the $20-25 I have been spending to enter lately.

I ran the deck at SCG Chicago with the following minor changes listed below.


Shopless Survival

Mana (30)
6 Forest
1 Mountain
4 Taiga
4 Wooded Foothills
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
4 Elvish Spirit Guide
4 Birds of Paradise

Win (6)
2 Goblin Welder
1 Duplicant
1 Triskelion
1 Platinum Angel
1 Sundering Titan

Engine (8)
4 Survival of the Fittest
4 Skullclamp

Resiliency (8)
4 Xantid Swarm
3 Eternal Witness <- I only found 3 to borrow

Toolbox (8)
1 Gorilla Shaman
1 Squee, Goblin Nabob
1 Anger
1 Quirion Ranger
1 Druid Lyrist
1 Viridian Shaman <- I ran the Monkey version
1 Genesis
1 Myr Retriever <- I ran Elf Replica because I couldn't get the Myr.
+1 Viashino Heretic <- I expected lots of big artifacts to blow up

Sideboard
4 Pyrostatic Pillar
3 Blood Moon
4 Artifact Mutation <- 3 mutation + 1 Naturalize because I only could find 3 mutation
4 SIMOON <- 4 fire/ice because I didn't have simoon and I think it provides a bit more utility


I ran the deck with little testing prior but I figured I would pretend it was TnT with a survival hand. A mini report follows.

Rnd 1 - Brian Denars w/ Control Slaver

I win the roll for the only time of the day and just get blowed up both games. I have no answers for his welders and couldn't do anything useful fast enough.

Rnd 2 - Bill Dicks (Dante) w/ Artifact Prison

I lose the roll and Bill mulligans to 6 first game. He lays down a few Smokestacks but I crap out more weenie permanants than he does and my weenie green creatures beat for the win.

I side in some Fire/ice for game 2 and some Mutations. Bill mulligans to 5 and I pop Survival down. Bill was not at all happy about his deck's performance so far and getting killed by little green things.

Rnd 3 - David with a storm deck (Deathlong I think)

I think I lost the roll and pop some weenies out. After a few turns I lose a lot of life to Tendrils. I spent the game trying to get P. Angel on my board but I wasn't even close.

I sided in Pillars and Blood Moons for game 2. I saw none after I took 6 cards instead of 7. David popped a Twister or a Jar and gave me a turn after that and I still saw no Pillar. I had pleanty of time to be a difficult opponent (he gave me way too many turns) but never found anything.

Rnd 4 - Ryan Brinn w/ Fish of some type or Gay/R

I lose the roll. I get survival and cast a lot of weenies to go against his Bouncer and Gilded drake combo thing. I get a Trike out but can't recur or win quickly as I couldn't find a red source. I overpower him with weenies.

I side in some Fire/Ice and we engage in crazy weenie creature combat. My slightly better creature and volume of creatures overpower him in a long game.

This game I was wanting a Sharpshooter in my toolbox. So much synergy with Skullclamp and Ranger.

Rnd 5 - No show

Rnd 6 - Bushman with some kind of slaver deck

I lose the roll and he wrecks me. I have nothing for him. He goes crazy round 2 and slaves me for like 10 turns after he has lock to do silly things with my deck. Amusing.

Rnd 7 - Josh Hall with Artifact Prison

I lose the roll and lose but don't remember how.

I side in mutations and Fire/Ice. I bust out a bunch of weenies and I think I nail some large artifact with mutation.

Game 3 was similar to 2.

Rnd 8 - Pete Endicott with Aggro workshop

I lose the roll and first turn Trinisphere was enough for me to lose.

In come the fire/ice and Mutations. I have a good hand. I put down Survival and Heretic. I think he misunderstands what Heretic does at some point but I had the game locked down.

I win the last game too with a early Heretic I believe.

-------------------

My thoughts on the deck as whole is that it feels underpowered. I didn't like Skullclamp because I never felt comfortable clamping my 1/1s since they were the only thing I had attacking often. I never saw Survival enough for it to win quickly. I would have been satisfied to go 3/5 but ended up 5/3 so I am pleased. I don't know how I could beat combo decks and didn't see enough control decks to have a useful opinion. I seem to do well against Workshops. The high basic land count was great - at one point I sat opposite 4 Wastelands and a Crucible and did not lose a land.

I would rate the deck as moderately fun to play. Most of that is just beating someone down with Elf things. I never felt powerful or in control with the deck. If I were to play it again, I would add Sharpshooter maindeck.

Goldfishes don't fight back.

You'd give them tokens, and they would sit there and look sweet, without blocking, attacking, or doing anything, unless forced to do so by other forces, such as Lure.

Why add unnecessary rules?

-Kowal, still hijacking Raye's computer

So like, this thing starts in a few hours.

Last minute roll call!

-Kowal, hijacking Raye's computer

A Madness deck.

Reb-:  You might be Asian but how many events have you been in the last few years? One?

Actually I was thinking more of a one on one duel to the Asian death. Clown, Reb-, any other fake pretenders to the Chicago Type1 Asian crown, I challenge all of you.

Clown, you don't seem to realize there is a native crazy asian man in Chicago already.

I challenge you a duel. A crazy dual asian man duel.

Sorry I don't have that one. I did not even know it existed until now. Random first albums are annoying like that.

Nice report. I should be up there joining you all but I've been a unmotivated Magic player lately. I'll make it a point to visit this summer again.

More importantly. TEGAN AND SARA! OH MY GOD! I can't beleive anyone else knows who they are. I was up in Toronto and picked up their albums last year and had them playing at work for like 4 months straight, non-stop. Needless to say, you rule for being a fan.