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Article 54: When Gems and Volcano collide

It's that time again, you know, when every player hyped up and wait for informations unfolds, looking at some of the new shiny broken card or disappointed again and again...of course, there's people in both group.

Either way, as usual after a new set is release, I would put down my first impression on the set. Of course, this article would have extra stuff that some people would not be happy with/laugh at. So if you don't want to see my rant, close this article after the first section.

Force of the Breaker - First Impression:

Card Trends and theme:
After a shocking 10 GX anime cards from last set, this time, there are finally more GX anime cards.

Of course, that's because of the two main theme of the set, Gem Beast of Johan Andersen, and the "Volcanic" monsters of Austin O'Brien, are from the anime. Outside of cards used by those two players and their respective decks, there's one "pre-released" E-Hero (Captain Gold), but that's it from the anime.

So that leaves us to the rest of the cards. Monster-wise, there are the 7 field searchers (E-Hero, "Demons", Angel, Gravekeeper, Harpy, Water-Atlantis, and Dino). There are some "new Chaos" monsters (would touch on later). At last, some random Alien and Six Warhamsters (OK...Warmasters/Samurai, whichever you like) support, and some random cards that goes with the "Continuous Magic" theme of Gem Beasts. Of course, there's the "tuned down" Cyclone and Mirror Force...

Deck Types:
Here are some of the new deck types that I think people could create after this set, competitive or not.
- Each of Sky Devil Lords (especially Norreras, screaming to be abuse with Feather + Dimensional Fusion)
- Gem Beast
- Volcanic-Burn/O'Brien theme deck

For deck types that get boosts:
- "Demon" name, Angel, Gravekeeper, Harpy, Water-Atlantis (of course, no E-Hero and Dino because they don't need the field card)
- Emperor/High Tribute Control
- Dragon (just some cool new Dragons, if anything)/Cyber Dark deck
- Alien
- Six Warmasters
- Normal Monster-theme (even if it's just ONE card)

Useful cards :
Obviously, we would now look at the useful (not necessary GREAT!!) cards that I believe could be consider to add to deck (no matter theme or every decks...). It goes down from the cardlist.
- Gem Beast - Ruby Carbuncle
- Gem Beast - Topaz Tiger
- Gem Beast - Sapphire Pegasus
- Volcanic Devil (this card is freaking fun!!)
- Volcanic Bullet
- Volcanic Hammer
- 7 field searchers
- Sky Devil Lord - Enrise
- Sky Devil Lord - Norreras
- Wind Emperor - Raiser
- Guidance of Gem, Contract of Gem, Blessing of Gem, Abundance of Gem, Prayer of Gem, Rainbow Ruin (pretty much all Gem Beast supports)
- Rare Value
- Blaze Cannon/Blaze Cannon Trident
- "A" Cell Multiplication Device
- Secret Manual of Chivalous Bandit
- Barrier of Flash - Shining Force -
- Mass Hypnosis
- Fire Wall

Of course, my first look at the set stops here. I may start playing around the Volcanic monsters (since as I said in the card review...I LOVE them) and may write an article on it...else, there should be card reviews...

Since there're so much good/decent cards (OK, useful) cards in this set, it's REALLY hard to choose the worst card in this set. However, I would still choose one.

(Drumroll): Field Barrier : It's a really hard choice. This card is not a bad card at all. However, if choosing between the usefulness of a card, this card have to be the most "useless". Since people rarely play Field Magic card, unless you're THAT desperate to protect your field (i.e. Pandemonium), this card is just waste of space.

WARNING TO ALL READERS: If you don't like to read my rant, you can stops here...because you know what's coming.

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The Latest "Tewart-ism": Grandmaster of the Six Samurai
We all know about him, and how he just love running his mouth all over Pojo ranting on fanlation like those people on American Idol where they obviously cannot sing and deserved 5 punches from Simon. Hell, he just love ranting and saying just about ANY thread that have reference to future products (known content, of course, because of translation). calling "Japanese discussion should stay there". Hell, since he just hate people keep calling "六武衆" "Six Warmasters"...he says, it's "六武衆", pronounced "Rokubushū", so "what in the world are you talking about the warhamsters?". No...it's fucking called "Six Samurai"!!! (Of course, one way to translate 武衆 is indeed samurai, but it doesn't mean the others are wrong). Heck, he even said "...Any spoiler "on the internet" is complete and total trash."

What? Total trash? Trash like those spam-bots on the forum or trash because he cannot get over there're people in this world that play this game and speak Japanese and English even after 3 years?? WHAT THE HELL????

So "Nobody has packs of STON yet."? (I know the Japanese does), Nobody has STON cards yet? (I also know the Japanese does), so "nobody can make a "spoiler"..."??

Well, we all know nobody can make one with the correct English TCG text before it's pre-released or it's on Jump. However, it's funny that he never realize I never called my translation files "spoiler".

So he hates those "spoiler" so much that he lied in front of everyone's face and hype how much STON would be "different"??

Umm...http://4kids.tv/forum/showthread.php?t=330959

So, to make the people looking at the "spoiler" stupid, his response is just "Why not just make a card that had never been seen ANYWHERE in this world (outside of those who make the card)??" Now THAT should make the "fanlation" site useless!!

So, the design team make an all new Six Samurai, maybe the best of them all...the card is good and all, so why I'm complaining?

Of course, it's the direction of the game that this man want...

Well, let's look at the following quote:
"...Should you be looking at Japan for what cards will come out here? NO. Why? Same reason. Different product."

Seriously, different product?? Although in Asia most countries plays the "Official Card Game" and all the other places on earth plays the "Trading Card Game", at the end, the rules are the same, card face the same, the CARDS are the same...

Now, so much for making OCG and TCG more "together". Hell no, the head designer of one side wants "separation" and pretty much complete control because he thinks he's the best and the Japanese are clueless!! Yeah...I'm guessing that he thinks not doing "hand-me-down" is certainly what most of the players want, you know, one side yelling and advertising the "me first, me first, who gives a damn about the others" attitude. Is that so?

The players want the Japanese promo for reason: so they can play the same game, in a level field. Mr. Tewart may blame that the Japanese never let them to have a level field, but does yelling "me first and me best" doing anything to balancing the card pool of both side of the ocean? I don't think so...

This may just be ONE card, but this is just the beginning of another separation between the game, the ONE and ONLY game called "Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Monster", not TWO game called "Trading Card Game " and "Official Card Game "...

Xerocreative and decline of the game:
Few days ago, our host, XeroCreative, had posted an annoucement about their lost of advertising money because of how bad the game overall interest had declined. Although they get through the trouble (kind of) with a big donation from someone in XC (admins? mods? I don't know), this is another slap at the face on just how bad the game had been during last year.

So what makes things so bad? Well, one is this game had matured, and of course, it lost the hype it once has. Even with Yu-Gi-Oh GX currently airing, it's no longer a "cool" thing for the kids to start playing the game (come on, just admit E-Hero is not as cool looking as Blue Eyes). The overall card gaming industry had been on a decline in last few years, so not only this game, even games like Magic had been losing a lot of player base (although that's kind of due to the brokeness of Mirrodin block vs. the crapness of Kamigawa).

However, did the company that makes this game does anything to stop this "bleed"? Maybe, this set is a good start, with a lot of cards useful (although the set is generally useless for those who don't want to play Gem Beast or Volcanic deck). Next set is promising with FINALLY an increase in the card set. However, that does not mean this game would do better. Set are not selling because there's not as big of a player base as it used to have, nor people are actually buying the set even if they're playing. The biggest money maker, the kids (OK, from their parents), rarely spends a lot in this game unlike how it was.

Would this game be dead? I doubt it...as long as there's a 30-min. commercial running per week, there should still be new card. However, it doesn't mean it can fix things of the past, only can hope someone would still care about this game.

See you guys next time where my article should be on the 3/1/2007 ban/restriction list.

- Baron, 2/10/2007