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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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.

My Hall of Fame Vote

I'm really excited to be picking some players for this year's Hall of Fame.   My first and easiest selection was of course, Chris Pikula.   I do understand that most everyone's first pick was the great LSV, but I go for the altruistic vote first - and in this case Chris has it in spades.   Oops, I guess I spoiled my second vote, it's none other than LSV.   His play is almost as good as his legendary puns.   When you think of limited, if his name as a Pro Player isn't the very first you think of, well, you're not in touch with the community.

My third pick has to be... {KNOCK, KNOCK}.

Sorry, let me get that, I'll be right back...

Oh.   Oh my.   It appears there has been a mistake.   I don't get a chance to send in a ballot this year, there's been a horrible misunderstanding on my part.   Aside from the fact that voting has closed, there's another little detail.   Only a few people in the Magic community are allowed to vote.   In fact, I probably won't ever be eligible to vote on this topic.   If writers for major support websites that have five years or more in service don't get a vote and people like Nathan Holt aren't asked to be a part of the selection committee, the chances of me participating are about 1,000,000 to 1.   (I stopped at a million because I didn't want to bore you with zeros - nothing is more boring than zeros).

So why write an article about my picks?  Or what they would be?   Better yet, why should I spend one second of my time as a player reading the seemingly endless array of articles by those on the committee defending their votes?   Seems like utter non-sense to me.

Let's back up for a second.   Surely there is some logic behind the current system.   I'm too new to know all of the reasoning behind the vaunted HoF selection process.   I'm obviously too wet-behind-the-ears to appreciate the nuance of selecting a candidate to vote for from the tremendous field of eligible and esteemed Magic personae.   **POP**   I've just removed the tongue from my cheek.   I'll be good from here on in, because I think there is still a worthwhile discussion to be had here about the current process and how it may (emphasis on MAY) be changed for the better.

Ground Rules
I'm going to debate two sides to this argument.   You'll see them both.   I'll only use what I've learned in the past few weeks along with my own opinions.   I am going to try to convince you, using both voices, that the opinion being expressed at the time is the only opinion worth considering.   To make it sporting, I'll take the voice of someone who wishes to maintain the current system.   Then, after you've read both arguments I want you to think about them.   If one of them hits you particularly hard, I encourage you to comment about it.   Use any method available to you - but know that Twitter seems to be the place that professional Magic players hang out and ultimately they are the ones that may have the most to say about changing the system.

Your ONE job is to look at both sides as objectively as possible.   You don't have to comment.   But I want you to try to look at both arguments with a blank slate.   In the end, you may be surprised by which side makes you feel more interested.

Support the Current System - Down with Change!
*Ahem*

Is this thing on?

Ah, it is.   Well then allow us to proceed.

There is one thing you need to know before we begin.   In fact, this one thing outweighs nearly all other considerations and arguments to be presented.   It is so important, I could simply close when I'm done saying it.   Ready?   It's not the Magic Hall of Fame.   It's not the Magic the Gathering People's Choice Hall of Fame.   The official name of this is the Pro Tour Hall of Fame.   Let's let that sink in, shall we?   The Pro Tour Hall of Fame.   Pro Tourrrrr.   It's not the Tom, Dick and Harry Hall of Fame.   This is for the elite players of the game.   Those who have repeatedly proven themselves as spell slingers of the highest ability.   Why on earth should we need to expand the voting to include everyone?

I can stop here, and my argument for not changing the current voting system would be safe from the drivel that is to follow.   Pro players around the world would give me a nod, or a golf clap and feel that the system would stand up to any further inspection.   They're right.   But let's look at this from another point of view.

Pro players and other members of the selection committee (including those who have had something to do with the Pro Tour in one capacity or another over a period of time) all have one advantage over the rest of us.   Actually I think it's two distinct advantages, but we'll treat it as one for the sake of brevity.   They know the candidates.   Brian Kibler, one of the many members of this year's selection committee actually knows and has played against a number of the eligible candidates.   Sheldon Menery has spoken to candidates either in a coverage capacity or as a Judge.   Mark Rosewater...well, we get the idea.   These people know more about the candidates for this year than we do.   The know whether or not this person shares their knowledge.   They know what kind of player this person was in the 90's.   They know whether or not this person has spent their time and efforts supporting the game and to what extent.   In short, Pro Players and those that interact with them know Pro Players best.

Truth is, this system has worked rather well.   Players are judged in areas that matter beyond their lifetime Pro Points.   Integrity, Sportsmanship and Contributions to the Game are all considered and weighed.   There is no need nor desire by anyone to change this existing system.

You're still not convinced?   Then let's try this argument.   Any other system would be needlessly complex.   How on earth can we open up voting to everyone who plays Magic?   What bloody safeguards would be needed to make certain some knucklehead IT guy doesn't send in 300 votes for someone who's integrity is questionable at best and who never spent day one advancing the game?   It'd be chaos, and I for one would not support it.   A limited voting pool is obviously the only clear choice.

And now, we'll give my opposition a chance to speak...

Burn this Sacred Cow - Let's Change the HoF System!
Now that evil Magic Dad has spoken, it's my turn.   I'm going to ask one question first.   Why, for the love of all things holy, do so many pros write articles justifying their vote or talking about the process when only approximately 250 people can vote?   That's less than 1% of Magic players out there.   Heck, it's probably 1% of 1%.   It's like dangling a 14-ounce steak before a mob of toothless carnivores.   They know they want it.   They can practically taste it.   But they have no means of actually eating said steak.  Their only means of interacting with such a juicy morsel is visually and on the whole, completely unsatisfactory.

Let me say it again.   The current process is unsatisfactory to the thousands upon thousands of gamers who watch the process in intimate detail but have no ability to interact with it.   It may not be in danger of failing yet.   But it surely isn't very satisfactory in it's current form to many players.

Over the past few years, I'm led to understand that the Pro Player system has greatly evolved.   It has done so apparently to create a marketable entity.   Wizards treats the system as a means to drive business in a positive fashion (as they should).   Magic players the world over have started to identify more with particular Pro players.   I'd like to think that I personally identify with players like LSV and Kibler.   Their individual play styles speak to me, as I'm sure Eric Froehlich and Brad Nelson speaks to other players.   This is a byproduct of the current Pro Tour.   Elevating particular players to a status where we appreciate who they are and then we as players move to emulate them.   They, whether they want to be are not, are being elevated to the level of rock stars.

That helps Wizards.   Because to emulate our favorite Pros, we have to purchase product.   We have to invest time in Grand Prix events.   We want to win everything from FNM to *GASP* a seat on the Pro Tour of our very own.   We end up spending more, which in turn helps to sustain the Pro Tour system up to and including the Hall of Fame.

But when it comes to the HoF, our participation stops.   We feel the bitter disappointment that we can't participate further in the journey of our favorites.   We no longer have a stake in the game.   We watch as discussions rage and Twitter erupts for over two weeks on the topic, but have no real say in the matter.

We could get better at the game.   We could spend weeks and years of our lives in pursuit of something that may or, more likely, may not happen.   Or, Wizards could find a way to allow us to participate in the final step of a Pro Player's career.

This year, we may see a slate of HoF candidates enshrined that are all Americans (for a host of reasons up to and including it may be that they are the best options of the available candidates).   Would a popular vote of some kind change this dynamic?   And would that be the worst thing that could come of this change?

I propose that it's not hard to come up with a situation that engages Magic players the world over in one final step of the journey.   And it could be eminently fair to everyone.   It would take two steps.   First, give the current selection committee a weighted percentage of the overall vote - their experience does matter.   Perhaps 80% would be fair to everyone.   Then, allow for 20% of the weighted vote to come from you, the gamer.   To make this as fair as possible only allow us to vote for 3 candidates total (not the 5 allowed the selection committee) AND only allow voting through our Planeswalker account.   Votes could be tracked and limited this way to no more than one per person.   Any shenanigans that are detected could be invalidated - or if necessary invalidate all of the popular vote.   By tying it to a Planeswalker account, players the world over would have a chance to participate and perhaps make the voting more equitable on a global scale.   To be absolutely fair, Wizards could even set it up so the first year they introduce it our vote doesn't count.   We'd essentially beta test for a completely new method of voting for the HoF.

Wizards wants to use the Pro Tour to promote Magic.   I suggest that this system of weighted participation, does just that and more.   It provides a voice, limited but a voice nonetheless, in the final disposition of the ballots.   It gives the casual player or the weekend grinder a vote in one of the most exciting debates annually in Magic (or rather, what should be the most exciting debate).

Sending in the Ballot
I submit, my reader whoever you are and where ever you are, that there is something to be considered here.   The Pro Tour Hall of Fame is not the Grammy's or the Academy Awards.   This is a game that is supported by the community at large in such a way that music and movies are not.   We're not just end users.   We are commentators and game designers.   We are teachers and active participants.   We are fans and gamers.

We are legion.

(Oops, disregard previous - I'm getting zealous again).

We love this game for a host of reasons.   I think that my love of the game is no less than a Pro Player's.   In fact, my enjoyment may at times be greater.   I'm still discovering new things.   I'm still finding out about cool rules interactions and game types to play.   And I'm always finding a new friend.   I don't have to deal with the grind weekend to weekend.

Perhaps that is reason enough to maintain the status quo though.   I can see it, these people on the selection committee have rightfully earned their place (I speak of them as a body, I don't have any idea if there are some silly politics there regarding selection).   They are the people we look up to and they should have some perks as such.   And what would 3 weighted selections given to the average gamer do to actually change the outcome?

Perhaps though, those 3 votes per player that count only towards 20% of the total vote prove the Pros are right on the money.   There may be middle ground here that satisfies everyone.



Before I Go
I have two final thoughts.   The first is that this post was born as another concept.   I'm still exploring the first idea.   I'm not sure how best to express it and I've spent time talking to various people in the community about it.   I'm tremendously excited by the concept and I know it will see the light of day soon.   As I was struggling with my first draft of it though, an off-hand concept regarding how we may seek to improve the HoF system was born.   I sincerely recognize that the current method is one that is tested and works well.   I simply can't leave some things alone.   I only hope that the discussion that may follow is immune from some of the typical vitriol that is seen these days on the Internet.   Which brings me to my second comment.

In the past few days, there was a shake-up on Twitter.   I won't go into it is deeply personal for a number of the people involved.   Those that follow Magic players and personalities I'm sure you at least picked up on it.   I want to offer one statement regarding this incident and life in general.   Please leave the people involved alone, unless you have something to say of a supportive nature.   The veil of anonymity provided by Twitter doesn't give people the right to be cruel.   I doubt one person who had a negative thing to say would have done so to the any of the principals in a personal, one-on-one.   Your parents (or those that raised you) taught you better manners than that.   I know that if you're reading this you aren't likely part of the problem - many of the comments likely came from male gamers under the age of 20 that had nothing better to do with their time and no amount of common sense.

It sounds a little preachy, but that is what it is.  Leave them alone.   Be kind if you can't.   Keep your nasty, snarky comments to yourself.   And if you can't do any of that, remember.   Karma, my friends, is a bitch.

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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.   In this case, you may not like what you see though - but please share it with your friends anyway.