We, the Undersigned, Want a 3rd Un-set

I've thought long and hard about what is going to transpire here in this article.  I can no longer sit idly by as people ask, again and again, when will there be another Un-set.  Ladies and gentle-gamers, it's time for us to take a stand!

Origins

Some say the original idea for Unglued hatched like some evil little egg from from leftover cards in

 WotC R&D department.  Some say it was a concerted effort by the WotC Illuminati to subvert the masses.  Others believe it was the brainchild of Evil Maro or Marobot.  I personally prefer my pet theory, that one day goblins tunneled up into WotC's offices, poked around and decided everything in progress was rubbish.  The leader of the goblins, one King Gutbuster Gutbuster (this was during the dark period of goblin history when monarchs held double names for twice the respect - this affect was rumored to have lasted exactly 254 days) decided the most prudent course of action would be to find the shortest person (aka, most goblin-like in stature) and hold him or her hostage until a new set was produced to their specifications.  They grabbed Mark Rosewater - and the rest is history.

Whatever the true origin of Unglued, no one is talking (don't you dare go look for Mark Rosewater's Drive to Work Podcasts #13 & 38).  The community of Magic the Gathering was not prepared for that fateful August day in 1998 when 88 new cards were released.  They weren't just any 88 cards though - they were 88 silver bordered cards.  Just over 16 years ago the world was introduced to Unglued, and fans have been clamoring for more ever since.

Un-WHAT?

Just a few short years later, in November of 2004 Y.O.O.R.E. (the year of our rotten egg), WotC dropped another silver bordered gift on the unsuspecting masses.  We received 141 new silver bordered pieces of spectacular puns, witty jokes, and inside-inside cranks.  It must have been great opening that Un-set for the first time.  Can you imagine the feeling of ripping into your box and having a bunch of spring loaded snakes fly out?

[Editor: We have no idea what the author is talking about.  Snakes?  Please.]

After the festivities in 2004, the world waited patiently for another Un-set.  Yet here we are in 2014 (some of us anyway), and it appears that Hasbro/WotC has abandoned Un-sets as possibly Un-profitable.  Or maybe they are Un-appealing to the fans.  Or perhaps they are Un-appetizing to the small, but very vocal, sub-set of Magic aficionados that survive on a diet of Commons and Uncommons.

Some Un-Believable Facts

If we're going to get an Un-set before 2017, we have to act now.  It takes time to put together a set.

 Even an Un-set.  Those crayon drawings just don't throw themselves together, you know?

The last Un-set, Unhinged, was rumored to offer less than exciting sales performance.  Also, since silver bordered cards are only allowed in casual settings it can be argued that Un-sets are a waste of developers time.

Hogwash.

What is the most important thing in life?  Yes!  Money!  And after money?  Yes!  Fast cars!  (You guys sure are smart).  And what is the third most important thing in life?  Yes!  To have a sense of humor!

Un-sets are Hasbro/WotC's way of laughing at themselves.  Since WotC already has tons of money and Hasbro has cornered the market on fast ...err... toys (those Beyblade things could take a finger), it's only fair that they now turn their attention back to what really matters most.  Humor.

Un-Real Expectations
So what can we do as gamers?  Surely, we've asked Rosewater thousands of questions on his Blogatog regarding rules interactions.  We've begged him, time and time again to let those in power at Hasbro and WotC know we want a new Un-set.  Heck, it's even rumored that in his office there is a golden filing cabinet, filled with thousands of card ideas just waiting for the right moment.

We can petition Hasbro and WotC.  I know, I know, it's a trite and boring method to make stuff happen.  But it is a way to make them realize how important the concept of an Un-set is to us.  We want a fun, supplemental, silver-bordered product.  And we don't want any durdling small set either.  We deserve the full size, extra large, Un-set treatment.

When do we want it?  NOW!

How do we want it?  FUNNY!

Who do we want to design it?  MARK ROSEWATER!

Click this link to go to the petition that will change our gaming lives for the better!

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Reblogs, Retweets, & Mentions of all kinds are appreciated - as an independent writer I'm only read when others like what they see and share with their friends.

The Great Twitterment of '13

Both during and after last weekend, Twitter erupted with another round of arguing between MtG professional players and personalities.   This 'Twitterment' developed as a result of an simple question about of all things, deck names.

Twitterment - noun 1. An argument that takes place over Twitter.  Often lasting less than 48 hours due to lack depth or permanence of the discussions being held.  Either that, or the holders of the argument realize the futility of carrying on at a rate of 144 characters a post. 2. A silly website that sends followers to you for a 'low, reasonable fee' - similar to the concept of buying friends.

The Twitterment started innocently enough.  An innocuous comment posted and likely initially forgotten, about the naming conventions used for creating deck names.  That was all it took.  The MtG Twitterverse erupted, picking sides and printing banners.  War paint was issued, battle plans were drawn, and people chose sides.  Was the Pro magic player right?  Maybe.  Did it matter to anyone not in the line of fire?  Probably not.

If I want to call my deck, "Stoke the Fires, Here Comes the Carol Burnett," then that is what I want to name it and YOU can't do anything about it.  There is no requirement that states my deck name must reflect what my deck does or does not do, what my personal values are, or what type of childhood trauma I may suffer from.  Nowhere in the Comprehensive Rules is this issue directly addressed.  People are allowed to name their deck anything they want.  So long as the chosen names are not offensive, they can be anything.  It can be a paragraph long and describe every aspect of the deck, or it can be one four letter word that doesn't relate at all to the contents or purpose.

I always wanted to name a deck, 'Fred'.  "Hey Magic Dad, what is your deck's name?"  "Oh, it's Fred."  "Fred?"  "Yes, Fred."  "What's it do?"  "It's a WU Combo-Control deck."  "I don't get it, why Fred?"  "Why not?  It's my deck.  Somebody decided I needed to name it and I thought 'Fred' was a good, strong name.  You have a problem with that?  Well, do ya?"

But the Pro didn't make a statement about a rule.  The Pro made a general statement about deck names and from that point forward, the Magic sub-community of Twitter had a new topic to beat to death.  It is fun watching the Twitterment evolve.  First there is shock, "What did they say?"  Then there is a bit of denial, "There is no way I agree with your stance...and your hair is stupid."  Eventually, we come around to acceptance, "..."  The Twitterment peters out and a new topic is started.  Unless someone with some juice comes along to restart it, the argument at this point is dead - and in many cases undecided.  Who won?  Who lost?  Why did they say that thing about my hair?

Fallout

Great Twitterments though should not be forgotten but is the nature of the format that they fall to the ravages of time.  Instead of losing them forever, they should be dragged out from whatever hole they crawled into and examined at least once more in the cold, stark world of bloggers.  In this instance, while maybe not a 'great' Twitterment, the MtG Deck Name Controversy of GP Dallas/Fort Worth 2013 should be reviewed once more.  So what can we learn from this Twitterment (and perhaps others like it?).

First, as a consumer and fan of the MtG Community, I need to state that I am becoming less surprised when these Twitterments erupt.  In fact, it happens with such regularity that there are certain evident truths.  Those truths are, in no particular order:

• You can almost smell the wind change just before a Twitterment starts
• Pros are reasonably consistent about which side of an argument they will take
• Unless a Pro weighs in, a Twitterment typically fizzles within 20-30 Tweets
• Pros and MtG Personalities should have ranks - there are obviously generals and majors and sergeants and privates in these wars
• Certain people have the power to end Twitterments, depending on the topic
• The power to end a Twitterment by means other than letting it run its course diminishes exponentially by the number of minutes it's been in force and the number of Pros involved
• WotC sees everything - just because they haven't commented, doesn't mean they aren't watching
• Twitterment length is better determined by who is involved than topic
• Unless the Twitterment is about an event or circumstance that hasn't happened, it will conclude in 48 hours
• All contributing circumstances must be taken into account when predicting how long and nasty the Twitterment will be

In the case of the most recent Twitterment, what really added fuel to the fire was something no one could have seen coming.  A savage ice storm hit the Dallas/Fort Worth area just before the event.  A number of pros canceled their plans to attend leaving them with free time.  And we all know what happens when guys have too much free time on their hands - they find ways to get into trouble.

Second, a good Twitterment provides an important service.  It gives Twitter users a release valve for the community to express itself.  Many community members dedicate a great deal of time, money, and personality to the pursuit of a perfect deck.  Others feel a connection to some of the popular Professionals and personalities.  A good Twitterment can be cleansing, a chance to blow off some pent up steam.  It also allows for WotC and others to see and weigh in on what is important - at least this week - to the Pros and other players who follow them.  Even better, a good Twitterment can be enjoyed and contributed to by all.  Something as universal as deck names appeals to every Timmy, Johnny and Spike.  Even better, there isn't anyone that can't contribute to the argument.

Perhaps most important of all, a Twitterment provides us with a chance to see which Pro is the whiniest, most self... - err, no, that's not right.  Let's travel back to Brian Kibler's attack of MtGO for just moment.  When he was booted from the MOCS he was participating in and lashed out via Twitter and his blog, he wasn't saying anything particularly unique.  Players have complained about the reliability of MtGO for some time, especially in larger events.  So people who claim, "I had to unfollow [insert name here] because I couldn't take their complaining anymore," should really think for a moment about what happens when Pros do complain.  A strong Twitterment, well thought out and hard fought by one Pro, can do something that takes 50 or more other regular grinders to do.  It can effect change on a large scale.  Will MtGO be fixed as a result?  Probably not fully, but I can guarantee that it will be better.  The net result here is a win for the fans.  It doesn't matter if you play MtGO or not, the MODO item was a victory for us all.  Why?  Because - if Kibler won this time about MtGO and it results in an improvement, perhaps it will embolden LSV to make a point about drafting that has long irked him and would result in an improved experience at sanctioned drafts.  Or another Pro such as Del Tora could take up the banner about a needed website improvement.  Success is its own positive reinforcement.

[Side note: WotC is tremendously responsive to all fans, I've had some wonderful conversations with them and I don't spend thousands of dollars in a month on MtG, nor am I a Pro.  There is no denying though that Pro's voice with their legions of followers carries serious weight].

So how does this most recent debate stack up to something like the MODO EXPLODE-O?  Not very well I'm afraid.  But it did provide some entertainment for a few hours.  I'm sure this past argument had everyone thinking, just a little bit, about how they name their decks.  Even if it doesn't affect you now it will sometime in the next year.  You'll find yourself filling out a decklist at some event and you'll actually ask yourself - does Big Greenie/White Weenie really describe what I'm trying to do?  Or better yet, you'll wonder about whether or not you really want to use the cutesy name you came up with on camera when you pull a dark horse and get to the Top 8.   Anything is possible.

And when I win with my Fred deck at some major event, most of you will understand.  Except for those Pros that think this matters - the ones who do can go pound sand.  It's my deck, and I'll party with it however I want to.

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The list below is incomplete, but if you feel any difficulty in coming up with a name that is suitable for event coverage you could do worse than start here.  Anyone who is interested in a full sized .pdf or would like to see some terms added, then please email me with "DECK NAMES" in the subject line.

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Reblogs, Retweets, & Mentions of all kinds are appreciated - as an independent writer I'm only read when others like what they see and share with their friends.  

Sitting at the Big Table

I have a few memories from my childhood that I cherish.  Running through the grass not wearing any shoes on a spring day.  Finding a million and one uses for rather large magnifying lens that my stepbrother let me 'borrow'.  The day I permanently moved to live with my dad.  There are many more, but there is one that sticks with me that I want to share with you today.  It has to do with Magic, socialization, and growing up.

Large Families, Small Table
During the holidays, large family gatherings were common occurrences.  Thanksgiving and Christmas especially were reason enough to gather, but anytime one of my 2 uncles came in from the west coast special attempts were made to get everyone together.

Anyone who comes from a large family is probably familiar with the result.  Picture if you will, grandma and a few aunts cooking in the kitchen, occasionally chasing out the foraging menfolk and children.  Older adult siblings likely telling stories with younger adult siblings arguing about every small detail, up to and including what the weather really was like that day they both fell out of the boat 3 miles from shore.  The multiple attempts to keep the youngest children occupied while the older children do everything in their power to stave off boredom (this was pre-Internet people, with 5 channels on tv).  In short, a picture of a large and loving slice of Americana.

As dinner time nears, two tables are set.  There is the large banquet sized table that has had 3 leaves added to it so it can seemingly seat a million people (but it only sits 10, 11 in a pinch).  And then there is the 'kiddie table'.  It's an abused card table that has been drafted into service.  The table looks lonely, set off to the side and lacking the same level of sophistication seen on the larger table.  Often, its settings were common dishware or in some circumstances, 'fine china', aka paper plates, would be employed.  Even the difference in height spoke volumes.  Those that sat at this table were 'less than' those that sat at the adult table.  This lonely island in a room of cheer was my purgatory for many years.

From the kiddie table, even as young as five, I would watch my father and the rest of his family engage in rousing discussions and tale telling.  While I never felt as a child that I wasn't watched or unloved as a result of sitting at the smaller table, I did know that I was also thought of as unready to join my older relations.  I was ostracized due in no small part to my inexperience.  My grandmother would take a particularly keen interest in my table, making certain no one left hungry.  More importantly, she suffered no ridiculous behavior, often swooping in to check on us all or gazing at me from her perch at the adults table.

Nothing would have made me happier than to join the adults.  Unless my older cousin was in town, I was the oldest at the table and as the years moved on I was expected to help manage my younger sister and cousins.  The privilege of leadership though didn't diminish my feelings.  I felt that I was sure I had proven myself trustworthy enough to sit at the big table and it got to the point when I was twelve or thirteen that I felt I was being punished by my placement.

One holiday though, everything changed when I was promoted.  I don't remember my age at the time that it happened, likely because I viewed it as a natural, yet overdue, progression.  I'm sure it happened one year when an uncle didn't fly in to join us, or when someone perhaps discovered a fourth leaf for the table.  Regardless of the reason, I found myself seated to my father's left.  Eating off of the fine china didn't impress me (even though I was VERY careful with it).  What did impress me though was finally being included in all of the conversations that happened that night.  Even though I had been watching the adults for years, I was still a little uncomfortable.  I distinctly remember feeling bashful and awkward when it came to talking with and answering questions from my relations.  I was probably 14 at the time, but it still took a few more years of practice at the big family table before I really felt comfortable.

I made myself a promise following that evening.  I vowed to never have my children, if I was so lucky to find some woman weird enough to have children with, sit at a separate table at family gatherings.  Over the past twenty-one years, I've kept that promise, both figuratively and literally.  I have taken steps in the past to protect my boys - but when it comes to introducing them to social challenges, I've given them many opportunities to prove themselves.

MtG - It's All a Big Table
Magic the Gathering represents a wonderful example of equality, completely different than my family's holiday seating arrangements.  Certainly, younger players can sit and play a casual game separately  from other players.  But when you start talking about the competitive environment, everyone has an equal chance to participate.

Drafting at my LGS on Friday nights is a perfect example.  Somewhere between 16 and 35 players gather, pay the entry fee and are seated into pods using a randomizer built into Wizards Event Reporter.  WER doesn't care how old you are or how many drafts you've played before when it seats you.  It just throws your name in and churns out a seating arrangement.  The system plays no favorites and pulls no punches.  It can result in some wickedly difficult pods for novice players to be seated into, but by the same extension the randomness of the seating also allows for pods to be formed with lower skill levels as well.

And then there are larger events.  PTQs.  Grand Prix.  States.  All of these are democratic as well, with first round pairings being completely random.  You could just as easily find yourself at table 1,000 as table 1.

All of this means that at 40 years old, I can find myself seated against a almost anyone in the room.  And so can my son, Jacob.  While we've both been playing for the same amount of time, Jacob is only twelve and his grasp of the rules isn't as strong as mine.  He's learning an important lesson though every time he sits down to play.

No one is going to roll over for him because of his age, and everyone is forced to respect him as a player.

There is no kiddie table in competitive MtG.  There's also no 'Under 16' age division.  Jacob has to find his seat, sometimes in a hall with 2000 chairs.  He has to get himself there on time, ready to play.  He has to get out his gear, shuffle his deck and confirm the person across from him is his opponent.  At his first competitive experience last year, that was both confusing and educational.  On his second match, he didn't remember the correct table number when he went to find it, costing him time and nearly resulting in a game loss for tardiness.  MtG is about equality - if he wants to play it competitively he has to overcome mistakes like that.

Better than teaching him some small lessons about responsibility, competitive MtG gives him something else that is more important.  Jacob has to meet, play, and talk to people that are on average at least twice his age in just about every match-up.  This is one of the many reasons I'm so supportive of his playing the game.  He doesn't sit off at some table at events and just stare at his cards and try to pick up games with other kids his age (who are very few and far between).  And he certainly doesn't gaze longingly at some group of players engaged in a draft because he's shut out due to age or inexperience [Note: the 'inexperience' example is for the most part no longer valid].  Instead, he jumps right into open queues, often seated in pods with at least 5-6 players capable of growing facial hair.

Why is this a big deal and worth writing about?

Jacob's self-esteem is on par with any other youth 4-6 years older than he is.  He has no problem engaging adults in conversation.  He talks with them respectfully, but at the same time there is a measure of equality in his discussions.  Certainly, there is the youthful exuberance and tendency to oversell a point in a story that one would expect of a pre-teen.  But the fear one often sees when younger children speak with adults is almost non-existent.

A small part of me is cringing, thinking I may be setting myself up for some blowback in the feedback section, so please allow me a chance to clarify.  He's not untrained in stranger danger, nor is he going to strike up a conversation with a guy driving a van near his bus stop.  MtG Tournaments are reasonably safe environments, and he is often in sight of me or has a cell phone with him.  He also knows to call for a Judge if and when something bothers him or gets out of his control.  So please, reserve any criticism you may have in this area.

This confidence does extend beyond Magic.  Recently, I saw him at a non-MtG related meeting of other kids his age and older.  He was asked to present an opinion on a topic he had researched.  Unhesitatingly, he walked to the front of the room, turned around and spoke for five minutes straight on a topic with no notes at hand and more importantly, zero fear.  He smiled.  He scanned the crowd, looking at other kids (some as old as 17).  He spoke to them, not above them or at the floor.  He was absolutely charismatic - well, as charismatic as a 12 year old can be.  When he finished talking, he took questions and handled the group of 20 other boys as if he were a teacher.  Was I proud?  You bet I was.

But it was only upon reflection later that night that I really understood how proud I was of him.  The funny thing is, I've come to expect it of Jacob.  The confidence and ability to speak with his friends is something I've started to take for granted as something that he simply does.

MtG: The Equalizer
Magic isn't just about offering people valuable lessons in a Mensa level game.  It's not just about teaching them to them to do math quickly in their head or how to read at an advanced level.  We call it a 'Social Game' all the time.  And that is what is about.

Magic, whether you are comfortable with it or not, is about interaction.

Certainly, the game has its share of bashful Barry's.  Players who don't socialize well, but still continue to come out to LGSs and play because the enjoyment of the game is strong enough to overcome their reticence.  I'm happy they continue to come out.  Maybe one day they'll overcome whatever is lying in their way and come out of their shell.  I anxiously await those days and I'm confident it will happen for many.

Until then, I'm proud of the progress Jacob has made.  He hasn't yet figured out how to 3-0 drafts (although my wallet would love that).  I'm referring of course to his progress in his social development.  Perhaps he'll be the catalyst to one day help someone else come out of their shell.  Or maybe he'll just continue to break the curve, acting in ways that defy his age.  No matter what though, I know I'll continue to challenge him with new opportunities.  So long as he promises to pass the mac'n cheese.  I hate it when he sits at the opposite end of the table from me and hoards the good stuff.

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This article, as many of my pieces, deserves a couple of end notes:
First, if your child is nine or ten years old and interested in MtG, take them occasionally to a draft at an LGS.  Invite them along to play some Standard.  Allow them a chance to sit at the big table.  You can't tell me they aren't ready until they'd had a chance to prove it.

Secondly, Jacob does receive other chances to socialize with adults in other structured settings.  However, none of them require him to meet and speak with new adults a tenth as often as Magic does.  Involving Jacob in larger, competitive settings even occasionally drives up this percentage a thousandfold more.

Lastly, MtG is not a panacea for social development.  People still have to be willing to learn.  If you give a pre-teen age child though opportunity and challenges in the guise of a game, you should be prepared for some potentially remarkable results.

Reblogs, Retweets, & Mentions of all kinds are appreciated - as an independent writer I'm only read when others like what they see and share with their friends.


A special note...
A good friend of mine is responsible for Eternal Weekend in a few weeks.  As of this writing, there are still pre-registration slots open to score a wicked, one-of-a-kind Tarmagoyf playmat.  Believe me, this offer won't last much longer.  So if you're into Vintage or Legacy, click on the link to find out more about it:

Eternal Weekend

The Cure for Community Recognition

I find the rituals and practices of the Magic community fascinating.   It seems like every day, I learn something new.   Whether it's a weird card interaction or a finding out how the Hall of Fame process works, every day is an adventure, every article, Tweet, and game is a new experience.

This often leads me down paths of discovery that I think others don't see.   Or perhaps, I simply find a way to express something others have thought of, but have never moved forward with aside from a conversation with a few of their friends over drinks.   I know I was pretty loud over the increasing attendance problems at tournaments.   I realize that my view about the Hall of Fame vote (see it here) is hopefully correct but likely naive.   I am self-aware, in that my own opinion isn't one that has a lifetime of experience with MtG behind it.

Sometimes though, I have idea that burns with the intensity of a thousand suns.   Something that I MUST share with world.   This is one of those.   I'm positive that this is a direction that the community should move towards.   Execution will be difficult and some stakeholders may fail to see the big picture of the following concept.   That doesn't make this idea without any merit.    I am sure that the community will embrace the concept and overall quality of the play experience will improve as a result - which means it isn't a matter of whether or not to do it.   It's a matter of how.

How We Ended Up Here
The concept I'll share in a few minutes is one that is born of complaints.   Not mine, mind you.   I complain enough sometimes for five people (guilty).   Rather, these are complaints overheard in the dark alleys of Twitter and podcasts.   One complaint was about those who have been writing for five years have no ability to vote in the Hall of Fame process.   Another was a hurried whisper, stating that the MTGO Community Cup was moving in the right direction but wasn't doing enough.

Did the people making these statements envision what I'm going to lay out below?   I would like to think they did.   Or if not, that what I'm going to suggest below is at least in the spirit of what they were talking about.

I think people who contribute to the community should be allowed/invited to help with the HoF process.   And while I've never played MTGO a day in my life - nor do I actually have plans to do so - I get how people feel shut out from that process as well.   Even Sheldon Menery's recent article that touches on one way to improve the Pro Tour Hall of Fame vote has a bit of flavor that helped to shape my current concept.   (Sheldon, where ever you are, thank your idea).

Concept
Ask yourself the following question.   How does the Magic Community recognize those that make worthwhile contributions?   With the limited exception of the MTGO Community Cup and the highly limited exception of the Pro Tour Hall of Fame, it really doesn't.   Yes, occasionally people who have proven themselves as gamers or major contributors but somehow miss the cut due to unusual circumstances are given a special dispensation to attend an event.   But that's not what I'm talking about today.

I'm talking about finding a way to recognize those that contribute to the overall community in a meaningful way.   I'm stating that there are hundreds, if not thousands of people, groups, and small companies that make Magic stronger through their efforts.   I'm positive that there is a method that can easily be adopted, edited, and implemented that would through its existence further support, grow and improve our overall community.

This isn't something that can be set up overnight.   I do have a few thoughts about how to make it happen that I'm going to share.   I hope that this ends up in the right hands, people with the ability and vision to make something like this viable.   Yes, there are games out there that have been around longer (in the modern era, I'm thinking along the lines of Monopoly and Scrabble).   Yet none have the diversity, the support network and the shear mass of community that is demonstrated by those that love and play Magic.   By Hasbro's estimates (according to a recent article), over 12 million people have played the game, and there are over 3 million current players.   Magic is a global phenomenon.   What better way is there to celebrate its twentieth anniversary than to find a new way to celebrate its community?

Award Concept
Create an annual MTG community awards and recognition program.   Working name for the concept is, "Magic the Gathering Awards".   Or, if you prefer, the 'Watcies'.

Organization
As with the Pro Tour Hall of Fame selection committee, there has to be some oversight in the process.   The mothership is the likely top of the organization, but aside from providing some minor support and serving as the head, their role could stop there.   The real workhorses of this program in my mind have to be a fair mix of independent representatives with enough experience in the community and owners/operators of community destination websites.   There should be a minimum of two separate and distinct committees.    The first would have oversight of the award categories.   The second would be in charge of actually selecting candidates (either directly or through some submission process).   There are other committees that could be formed and I'll list them, but this is the core that is required.

      Chair: Wizards of the Coast
              Category Committee
              Selection Committee
              Biography Committee
                  Additional Committees: Awards, Marketing/Promotion, etc.

WotC
Wizards has to be an active partner.   Their level of participation in this would vary depending upon the final model that this program takes.   The bare minimum investment on their part is to offer a secure method of voting so that members of the community may only vote once using their DCI number and planeswalker account.   I think this is a limited investment on their part, one that is relatively easy to program, oversee and validate the final voting.

WotC should chair the process.   Their level of participation beyond setting up the overall design of the process can and possibly should be limited.   They may, as chair, choose the first committees and fill a few seats on each.   After that, I see the real work being done by the members of the committees.

Committees
The various committees have an enormous responsibility.   I think the first time this is done, it will also be time consuming.   This is the hard part of selling this concept.   I envision people like major store and content site owners/managers being the stakeholders.   People like Adam Stybs and Pete Hoefling (or designees) should be directly involved to chair committees.   The committees should all have an odd number of seats and should have between 5 and 9 people on them.   Each committee should have at least one Judge and one Pro Player on them - but after that, they should be filled with people who both understand the history of the game and, more importantly, the community that supports it.   Efforts should be made to include people who have displayed outstanding service to the community in all aspects: online, paper, various formats, judging, writing/artists and more.   No one person should be on a committee that doesn't have a pedigree of at least 5 years with the game.

This isn't something that can be put together overnight - but it's not difficult either.   Given the current grumbling about the HoF process, finding a few talented people to staff a new method of recognizing all levels of Magic should be easy.

Members of committees would serve 2 - 3 years the first time.   Those given awards in the first two years would have a chance to also sit on the committees as people are rotated out, to maintain balance and fresh ideas.

Category Committee
Responsible for designing the list of categories that people, websites, and/or organizations can be nominated to and the rules for entry into a category.   This committee will also determine in future years what changes need to be made to the categories and any support activities.

Selection Committee
Following the rules and categories established by the Category Committee, I see this group as responsible for actually determining a list of initial candidates for each category, based upon a system of submission/voting/nomination.   Some categories are very subjective perhaps should have larger pools that may be voted for, while other are more narrow in focus.

Biography Committee
This committee is critical.   Their job is to develop a way to help everyone understand the contributions individual nominees have made to the game of Magic.   It should be staffed principally by seasoned writers and the chair should be a well recognized and skilled editor to ensure a fair approach is taken to all biographies written.

Categories
The following are ideas only for what areas that I think deserve recognition.   It is a starting point in the conversation - it may be that there are too many categories or that I'm overlooking something important.   The actual category committee would hammer out what the final list looks like, and then they would add or subtract categories as warranted in future years:

Best Alterer
Best Art - Core Set
Best Art - Block 1
Best Art - Block 2
Best Art - Block 3
Best Art - Additional Sets/Products
Best Art - Overall
Best Comic
Best Content Site
Best Coverage Team
Best Game Innovation
Best Game Mechanic
Best New Product (non-WotC)
Best New Product (WotC)
Best On-Air Presenter
Best Podcast
Best Product Site
Best Support Product - Internet
Best Support Product - Physical (open to sleeves, etc.)
Best Support Product - Software/App
Best Tournament Feature Match
Best Tournament Organizer
Best Tumblr Blog
Best Twitter Feed
Best Writer - Overall
Best Writer - Casual
Best Writer - Judge
Best Writer - Format Specific
Best Writer - Fiction/Flavor/Vorthos
Best Writer - Pro
Lifetime Achievement Award - Wizards Employee
Lifetime Achievement Award - Gamer
Lifetime Achievement Award - Community Support
Social Media Maven (See Tumbler/Twitter)
Wildest T8 Deck - Standard
Wildest T8 Deck - Modern

Recognition
This is a topic I'm sure could be debated for the next 10 years.   Let us all set aside our differences and realize a few things that our very important to remember, even now:

1. There is no physical location for the Pro Tour Hall of Fame museum.   There are no busts of players heads in any location in the world.
2. Recognition can be payment in and of itself.   Imagine, being a content site and being able to state, "Home of 2015's Magic Writer of the Year," or even better, "Winner of 4 Magic Awards."   For those who would drag their feet at the work involved in setting up this program, the dividends are clear and valuable.

That said, there are a few different ways to permanently recognize those that make contributions.   Most of them are beyond cost-effective and easy to implement.

WotC should (and must, in my opinion), find a permanent way to recognize members of the Hall of Fame.   While they do have a page for the Hall of Fame on their site, it fails to offer a clear picture of who these players are.   That is easy enough to fix and worth doing.   I envision a page that shows the current year's Hall of Fame players (pictures and brief biographies) with links to previous years.   A visual, permanent online museum is the solution until WotC comes up with a physical alternative (if one is to be made).

This solution, in fact, works for the purposes of the MTGO Community Cup (if it is determined to maintain it) as well as for this concept as well.   If MTGO Community Cup is folded into this concept, there should still be an opportunity for winners of selected categories to play Wizards employees in a mini-tournament.  Other awards are possible as well.   Everything from a gold DCI card to a small prize of MtG product to a custom playmat to a signed edition of artwork would be available for consideration.   Even a custom trophy can be awarded.

The point is, WotC can do a little bit more with little to no investment (other than principally time) to make being chosen a valuable commodity.   I'm sure that ideas from this can be incorporated into the current program and should be considered if this concept is given a green light.

Conclusion
This concept isn't one that everyone will support.   I expect there to be a fair amount of discussion about pro's and con's of different aspects of this concept.   Let's be clear about a what the goal is though.   Players are currently not fully satisfied with some aspects of the current methods of recognition.   Magic the Gathering is 20 years old, and it is time for a full review of how to move forward and improve recognition of players and contributors to the community.

The goal is as follows:

Find a way that improves recognition, bolsters the play experience, and addresses the needs of the entire community.

I believe that this plan does that and more.   It will be something that WotC must fully engage in as a parent, but I think the concepts here are a starting point to make certain that it is a fair process that places the weight of responsibility back on the community to be successful.   In the end, that is what this is all about.   The community, supporting and recognizing the those that make it special.

If you need further convincing, just ask yourself one question.   Who do you think deserves to be recognized as a top contributor to the community - and why haven't they been yet?



Things I Think I Think but Couldn't Fit Elsewhere:
1. Sheldon Menery - First off, I think this man deserves his own category for his contribution to creating one of the coolest formats we play today.   That aside, he recently wrote an article that touches on the topics expressed in this article.   You can find it here: My Hall of Fame Ballot.   When you're done reading it, ask yourself if he's right - or if this idea I've outlined here would be a better way to recognize those that make Pro Tour happen.   It's something to consider.   With a few additional categories, we could accommodate Sheldon's idea and still come up with something wonderful.

2. MTGO - I really have only a basic idea of what Magic Online is and an even more limited idea of what the Community Cup is.   And that's it's problem.   Recognition for a job well done shouldn't be limited to a microcosm of a community that has multiple barriers to entry (truth).   We need to break out of the MTGO Community Cup and find a way to thank anyone and and everyone.   The MTGO model could continue, but my belief is that if it does not evolve it will become stagnate.

3. Retailers & Content Providers - They are the true engine for this award system.   Without them, this can't happen.   I will state this unequivocally - any retailer that wants to talk to me about this I'm happy to do so, at length.   This concept is one that will require them to work - but the dividends for participation and the end result are WELL worth the investment.

4. Mark Rosewater - The discussion on Twitter about the problems with the Community Cup came full circle with a pair of Tweets by MaRo yesterday.   I've been working on this article for almost three weeks, and he sums up the problem in 144 characters.   Mark, thank you for your position.   Judging by your statement, I finally think the time is write to polish and publish.   Here it is, this one is for you, Helene, and all of the others at WotC that support the community well above and beyond punching a clock.

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