just what is it about type 1...

[jpmeyer]

...that makes it "the format for adults"?  I'm talking here beyond surface explanations (which often devolve into circular logic) such as "it's the format for adults because the players are mature, and the players are mature because they are adults".  Is there something fundamentally different about the way the games are played in Type 1 compared to say, Limited or Standard that would make it appeal more to adults?  Does it have to do with the fact that the events are unofficially supported?  Or is this really just because of how expensive the cards are?

[nataz]

  Or is this really just because of how expensive the cards are?

which also leads into the fact that many people who are fully powered(extensive collections of type one cards) have had their power for a long time before the price spike = have been playing longer = older players.

I think proxies are cchanging this though.

[Dr. Sylvan]

(1) expensive cards, old cards - Type One decks are full of cards printed before Extended-legality. No starting player has that card base. Few of us remember the days when we were too young to buy singles, and thought that a $10 card was something to be guarded like your life depended on it. Most high school kids are in a boat like that. It takes a couple of years for 99.9% of Magic players to build up some basis of the toys we take for granted.

(2) rarity of local support - FNM is what brings in the kiddies. JSS brings in the kiddies. PTQs are everywhere. Anyone with packs can start a draft. Type One is just not present in that many local venues.

(3) card pool size - Ever have to read a card at a T1 tournament? No one new would have a prayer of knowing the stuff we've built up over years of practice. Only a small, small fraction of players are introduced to Magic with full-blown Vintage, and they are most likely at our age level already.

[Revvik]

(Everything he said)

Aside from card pool, card prices, and support rarity, there's also the fact that our tournaments can stretch for a long time.  I'm not sure if this is the same for other formats or not, but every Star City I've attended has been quite a long day.

JP, I always thought the logic went more like this:
"It's a format for adults because adults have the dedication, have the maturity, have the patience, and have the cards."
But now the cards don't matter, a lot of our players are immature regardless, decks win sooner (in other words, "fuck patience") and we have proxy tournaments.

I say if kids want to dedicate to playing Vintage, then throw the "adult format" bullshit out the window.  We aren't playing with the nekkid lady Poker cards at some high-class strip bar, after all.

[Moxlotus]

Adults can also drive the 2-4+ hours that some have to drive to get to a Type 1 tournament.  Kids may have a challenge convincing their parents to do the same when there is a Type 2 tournament in their own town.

[rvs]

Adults can also drive the 2-4+ hours that some have to drive to get to a Type 1 tournament.  Kids may have a challenge convincing their parents to do the same when there is a Type 2 tournament in their own town.

However, for PTQ's people have to travel those distances (or are willing to!) as well, so it doesn't really seperate us that much. Another issue not mentioned yet is that the tournament atmosphere is often a lot more friendly, and testing isn't as important in Type1 as it is in other formats. This means adults who have a busy job/life still have the time to spend with their hobby: playing Magic.

[dandan]

Vintage is the adult format because the snotty-nosed kids of 1994 are now adults. There are also many more decisions in Vintage and the cost of a wrong decision is savage. In addition, groups of anti-social players break up, creating a natural filter where a far larger percentage of Vintage players are actually sociable than certain other formats enjoy.

I like to think it is an adult format because adults can accept unfair things happening (experience of life) whereas children/teenagers are still idealistic and expect the world to applaud for every correct decision rather than simply ream you for every bad one.

 

[Smmenen]

I think its attitude. 

If you go to your local drafting store, you'll know immediately what I mean. 

[Petey4335]

Patience

As we get older our time sense speeds up. When you are a kid, that 4 hour drive to the parents cottage in the middle of nowhere was hell because it appeared it took so long.  When we get older, some of us will just take off right after work on a Friday for that 4 hour trip like it is nothing.  Compare how long an average T1 turn takes compared to the other formats.  Keeping kids busy keeps kids interested in what they are doing.  Sitting and waiting out the "5 minute brainstorm" can be taxing on the less mature mind.  I've played enough sealed and drafts recently* to realize that games last about the same as vintage, I draw about the same number of cards as in a vintage game, but I don't play them all in one spurt as I do In vintage; Many more turns are taken.

As a younger kid starting out, it is going to take time to acquire simple vintage staples like duals, forces, etc due to money concerns (read: saving) or just finding people that have them for trade.  Heck I remember Gen Con back in '96 where it took me forever with my crappy cards to find someone to trade me a berserk for my then best T1 deck:  r/g beats with ball lightnings and Ernham Djinns.

Now that I'm older (I just hit 30 last B/R announcement - so nice to have a bday on important days), I find I can wait out that 3-4 months between playing in a tourney.  In my early days of of cardboard crack, I couldn't wait to get into a sealed or casual thing with the friends because there where always new cards I didn't have that I could trade for and make new bad decks with.  There are way more things that take up time as you get older: wife, family, house, career.  Hobbies tend to go on the back burner, but tend to be more enjoyable when they actually get time.

-pete


*Recently:  Defined as last year to year and a half presently.  10 years ago would be defined as past month or two.