Dearest duelists and kaijudo masters alike,
I am a duelist from Singapore and I'd like to speak up on behalf of OCG players and also, your wallets.
I have a background in TCG and progressed to OCG eventually as the gameplay has been expanded/evolved into a competitve fun game that has real trading value.
I personally understand the nostalgia of TCG from DM1 to DM12, but fact is that the game itself is originally from Japan (2002) and English prints merely translate whatever that was already circulated in Japanese. Or even worse, nerf some cards. A good example is Astral Reef--->Astral Warper where the former has a bigger impact due to massive advantage at a much lower cost (Reef is 4 mana compared to Warper's 6 mana while both allow 3 draws). Of course any person with common sense will choose the more advantageous option.
Personally, I don't believe that English cards will ever fetch more value for what they used to be and any of you who have been depleting your wallets to get scarce English prints, you could be saving at least 60-80% more if you bought the same card in Japanese. (Soulswap English is sold at a 'market' price of 60 dollars while the exact same card in Japanese text is sold at no more than 6-8 dollars). Any extra money you pay more for your English cards is really EMPTY nostalgia value and there's much more you can do with that excess, like get your gf a nice gift/buy a nice meal. Don't sacrifice money for nostalgia, it's not worth it.
If I have to say anymore, people from my country are ripping others off for a Bombazar ($100 approx) and its BANNED. I spoke to one of your community members @mr.counterspell on Instagram and guess what. You guys chose to ban Bombazar and even restrict cards like Slash charger. And for those of you who already have these cards, now ask yourself if it is really worth it?
For the collectors who just want to keep their cards, then this post is out of your reach as you guys will probably pay whatever you are willing to get that card.
There are now 71 main sets (not even including themed decks, side-supplementary booster packs and reprint sets) in OCG while English is really just restricted to 12 sets and no more than 9 pre-packaged decks. TCG players, please consider opening yourself up to the endless options OCG has to offer in place of the fewer types you can build with English. It's for the health of your interest the game, but if you're dead adamant on staying in old sets I won't stop you.
The feedback I get is, nobody wants to get a card in 'another' language even though it is the same thing regardless of language? Fact is if you already know the effects and how a card looks like then language shouldn't be a problem because everyone knows what that card is, and who wouldn't want to save money?
I shall end this lengthy post with just a few more thoughts: DM is still extremely popular and active in Japan with official tournaments and DM merchandise being traded. Nothing really exists for English anymore even if efforts to revive the game are made. The furthest you will get are just community - organised events that don't really attract much volume (in comparison to Japanese Grand Prix that get at least 1000 participants) and will probably die out in time to come as players leave a stagnant game. OCG is ever changing and will offer more fun, excitement and balance to the game (also exclusive merchandise lol). Leave TCG behind as a good memory and progress onwards to greater heights
I am a duelist from Singapore and I'd like to speak up on behalf of OCG players and also, your wallets.
I have a background in TCG and progressed to OCG eventually as the gameplay has been expanded/evolved into a competitve fun game that has real trading value.
I personally understand the nostalgia of TCG from DM1 to DM12, but fact is that the game itself is originally from Japan (2002) and English prints merely translate whatever that was already circulated in Japanese. Or even worse, nerf some cards. A good example is Astral Reef--->Astral Warper where the former has a bigger impact due to massive advantage at a much lower cost (Reef is 4 mana compared to Warper's 6 mana while both allow 3 draws). Of course any person with common sense will choose the more advantageous option.
Personally, I don't believe that English cards will ever fetch more value for what they used to be and any of you who have been depleting your wallets to get scarce English prints, you could be saving at least 60-80% more if you bought the same card in Japanese. (Soulswap English is sold at a 'market' price of 60 dollars while the exact same card in Japanese text is sold at no more than 6-8 dollars). Any extra money you pay more for your English cards is really EMPTY nostalgia value and there's much more you can do with that excess, like get your gf a nice gift/buy a nice meal. Don't sacrifice money for nostalgia, it's not worth it.
If I have to say anymore, people from my country are ripping others off for a Bombazar ($100 approx) and its BANNED. I spoke to one of your community members @mr.counterspell on Instagram and guess what. You guys chose to ban Bombazar and even restrict cards like Slash charger. And for those of you who already have these cards, now ask yourself if it is really worth it?
For the collectors who just want to keep their cards, then this post is out of your reach as you guys will probably pay whatever you are willing to get that card.
There are now 71 main sets (not even including themed decks, side-supplementary booster packs and reprint sets) in OCG while English is really just restricted to 12 sets and no more than 9 pre-packaged decks. TCG players, please consider opening yourself up to the endless options OCG has to offer in place of the fewer types you can build with English. It's for the health of your interest the game, but if you're dead adamant on staying in old sets I won't stop you.
The feedback I get is, nobody wants to get a card in 'another' language even though it is the same thing regardless of language? Fact is if you already know the effects and how a card looks like then language shouldn't be a problem because everyone knows what that card is, and who wouldn't want to save money?
I shall end this lengthy post with just a few more thoughts: DM is still extremely popular and active in Japan with official tournaments and DM merchandise being traded. Nothing really exists for English anymore even if efforts to revive the game are made. The furthest you will get are just community - organised events that don't really attract much volume (in comparison to Japanese Grand Prix that get at least 1000 participants) and will probably die out in time to come as players leave a stagnant game. OCG is ever changing and will offer more fun, excitement and balance to the game (also exclusive merchandise lol). Leave TCG behind as a good memory and progress onwards to greater heights