Joshua Chandler Anthony Borrero English 1101 November 26, 2012 Magic the Gathering Each player must

accept the cards life deals him or her, but once they are in hand, he or she alone must decide how to play the cards in order to the win the game. (Voltaire). Very philosophical to say the least, but a significant aspect of efficiency while engaging in the game of Magic the Gathering. The purpose of this paper is to observe MTG players in norms loft, with literacy, in hopes of assisting individuals with being more proficient while playing Magic the Gathering. To reach this goal, this paper will discuss the research and communication of the game itself in efforts to clarify key points of ones game which will potentially benefit the player in future game play. According to many of the players in my subculture, research is the building block to the game itself. Eon Laniar, most advanced player in Norms, has been a MTG player for 7 years and stated that research has been the biggest asset to his success over the years. From observations and interviews, Ive noticed the most skilled players tend to put forth the most research, online preferably, which reverts to a faster and more productive game play due to their understanding. All rules and regulations will never be announced or fully explained within the first couple of matches. Having productivity while performing research gives the opportunity to any player to maintain an understanding of the game, which is the initial step in being successful in any match. This mainly includes learning the base set of rules for the game, as well as a new vocabulary,

making an attempt to engage in any game of MTG impossible without being familiar with the vocabulary itself. Another key point Eon and other players brought to my attention was the constant changes that are added to the 130 page rule book on an annual basis, but the only way to be informed requires either research on ones part, or word of mouth from a fellow member of the subculture. The most effective method Ive witnessed has been of those who research outside of the culture. When a player enters the discourse community, the amount of knowledge one already has about the game before entering, dictates the level of respect and tolerance he/she will have throughout their gaming experience. Blatant Dismissal of Statements is a rule stating one refusing to acknowledge another's point is the result of a misleading notion. In MGT, and in my discourse community, it's easy to identify specific examples in which we see this unmistakably and intentionally happening. Generally, this is a reaction of the community in response to a person not being willing to do the reading or research (Walter, Identifying the Problem). Knowledge about the game is a crucial factor in enhancing the skills of the gamers themselves. An educated gamer is one who uses their understanding to assist them with the significant element of communication. Communication is imperative in any card game situation, whether it be non-verbal or words be spoken. In MTG the most successful players Ive researched and observed have educated themselves on the art of utilizing the verbal portion of the game. While viewing various games in my subculture it came to my attention that copious amounts of side talk occur during a series of matches. I noticed during one of the matches the better of the two players would not only communicate with his opponent, but with other bystanders as well while paying close attention to the game all at once. Verbal and mental multitasking tends to reoccur with the most

thriving players. This individual presented me with the most productivity solely because of level of communication between him and the other player. A great number of questioning occurs between opponents during a single match and being able to justify a move or card play becomes very important as the game proceeds on. This individual was able to achieve both in each match he played which resulted in two 2-0 victories. Also assistance from other players including your opponent becomes very beneficial throughout the game. Players in my subculture who on average asked the most questions grasped a better perspective of MTG and a quicker and more efficient rate. The Golden Rule of Player Communication states that any question asked must be answered truthfully that is made about the game to the best of their knowledge .Players can be wrong, just as they can when they commit a Game Rule Violation, and it doesn't mean that they've done it intentionally. As always, in a situation like this, questioning is needed. (Elliot, Toby line 45). According to Albert Bert Diaz the most help he has received with enhancing his game has derived from communication with other players in the community. Previously stated in my paper I acknowledged the fact of understanding the game results in more productivity and questioning is the one of the many habits a dynamic player performs in this subculture.

In other words, current players in my designated subculture have a variety of tactics in which they employ throughout each game that is played but those of literacy have had the most impact on ones performance. Research acts as the foundation and communication serves as building blocks for the power house of a victorious MTG player. These two components give any player the chance to perform to his/her best ability in any given game situation. The

continuation of remaining an active, yet attentive gamer will almost always produce results that will not only develop a single players strategy, but the subcultures performance as whole.