http://www.implode.com/magic/11_29_2001.html

1991

Richards Garfield, has a sudden brainstorm outside portland oregan--what would it be like to have a card game where everyone played with a diffrent deck? After 2 years in design and many modifications along came the origions of Magic.

1993

AUG: Magic the Gathering Alpha First hits shelves Its the talk of the town @ its premiere during gen con. People can be found playing this new card game, and trading at all hours of the night. Magic's introduction exceeds all exspectations.

OCT: Magic the Gathering Beta is released, after the initial sets sells out FAST. Due to a cutting error these cards have the corners cut diffrently, and people dub them the beta printing even though the publishers consider this still part of the first printing

DEC: A second printing of Magic the Gathering is released this time in white border, and with more cards. Also Magic comes out with the new expansion, Arabian Nights. Interestingly enough arabian nights was going to have diffrent card backs, until a last second change made them all uniform. Popular card include: Library of Alexandria, Ruhk Egg and Juzam Djinn (considered by many the best creature ever).

1994

MAR: A new expansion called antiquities was released. Atinquities features a focus on the artificers in Dominaria. Very apropriately the one of the most popular cards of this set is candelabra of tawnos, wich can let a player choose wich lands he wants to use at will.

APR: Wotc, decides to release another version of the base set, and revised is born. Revised set fourth a change to the template in some confusing cards. Revised edition also differntiated itself from unlimited with smaller lettering on cards. Wizards takes the opportutniy to remove some over powered cards from the environment.

JUN: A powerful expansion set called legends is released. It is VERY popular but miscollated, and causes people to need to buy a lot of product for a set. Many people don't get their orders as this sells out very fast.

AUG: Wizards releases a new set called the dark, this set features the famous cards Maze of Ith, and Ball lightning. Wizards of the coast decides to host 1st magic world championship. Magic is becoming recognized as more then just a kids game. At this point the # of Magic cards exceeds 1000 total cards!

NOV: Magic is released in another set, Fallen Empires. This is the first set to use tokens to represent things, and also the counters on creatures concept. Trying to time this product for the holidays wizards prints a massive amount of the cards. However this was not like the legends expansion, and prices soon plummet because of this.

1995

APR: 4th edition is released, and a lot of cards are rotated out to balance the basic set. Wizards realized some cards from older sets should be included for some of the newer players. Wizards tries to keep a balance between to much good stuff, and being fair to new players.

MAY: Iceage was printed, ice age returned an old favorite called icy manipulator. Iceage also had a huge impact on the environment as everyone wanted the hot Necropotence to power their weenie decks. Also popular was the Jesters cards that could mess with your opponents library. Iceage also invented a new mechanic called cumulative upkeep.

AUG: In came chronicles, and everything held sacred was reprinted at least according to most collectors. Collectors became outraged at wizards destroying the profits that were going to make. The reprints were all in WB, making the old ones clearly distinguishable. The favorite reprints had to be Bloodmoon, City of Brass, and the Elder Legend Dragons.

OCT: Wizards prints another set with multiple art for some cards, like the original alt art set fallen empires this card set doesn't have much power. Famous cards from this set include Baron Sengir, and Atumn Willow.

1996

FEB: Magic starts having professional events, the first of these takes place in NY.

JUN: Aliances comes out creating a buzz from played who bought and disliked homelands. This was the first set to introduce "pitch spells". Quickly Force of Will (FOW) a counter spell that didn't use mana to cast it became popular. Also popular was Kjeldoran Outpost, Lake of the Dead and balduvian hoard (and undercosted spell that got comparisons to Juzam Djinn).

JUL: The Rival Quick Start set is released to help new players get into the game of Magic. This set had 2 preconstructed decks meant to teach new players.

OCT: In came mirage, a tropical set that stopped the cold of the past iceage sets. Mirage invents a new ability called flanking that made opposing creatures weaker. People loves the introduction of a cycle of dragons, Hammer of Bogarden, Dreadnaught, and Maro (a creature who combos well with geddon).

NOV:Multiverse Gift box was released, it had a unique box to store cards and some foreign edition packs. This was wizards ploy at marketing cards during the busy X-Mas holiday season.

1997

Arena League begins, adding more magic tournaments, these unique tournaments have season and joining prized of huge 6 x 9 cards.

Another expansion is released called Visions. With visions wizards brough us "come into play affects". Also with visions came the start of events called prereleases. People could not test the sets a little earlier then the release date of the cards. Popular cards from visions include uktabi orangatuang, prosperity and squandered rescources. The last two cards became a new combo deck that was a lot of fun to play. This also marks the 2,000th card produced by wizards of the coast.

MAR: Fifth edition in, out goes 4th. The biggest suprise comes in the size of the set, as its the biggest basic set to date.

JUN: Weatherlight comes into the world, a set that manipulated the graveyard to gain advantages. Popular cards from this set are gemstone mine, and thundermare. Portal 1 is also released, giving new players an option to learn magic.

JUL: Vanguard is released, as a set of cards that let you play the game a diffrent way.

OCT: In came tempest and players immediately saw what a wonderful set it was. A lot of cards had great potential to make interesting decks. Wizards decided to to introduce slivers, creatures who went together like legos to form huge creatures with tons of abilities. Tempest also had a new mechanic called buyback. Popular cards from this set include Cursed Scroll, and Rathi Dragon. Wizards of the coast starts releaseing a prerelease comemoration cards with a foil stamp, this time its dirtcowl wurm.

DEC: Vanguard II is released after the original set has some popularity.

1998

FEB: Stronghold comes along an instant players fall in love with some of the cards such as wall of blossoms, and spike creatures. Also introduced was a new cycle of creatures wich could redirect damage, the en kor race. People love the new Mox Diamond, wich immediatly sores in value as it bring fond memories to old time players as well as new people. Strongholds prerelease card is Revenant.

JUN: Exodus comes along, and with it an extremly powerly low costed oath spell. Monstrous hound is the prerelease card for this set. It was soon before each of these was seen in combo decks. Another new aspect from this set was the color coding of rarities, forever this will change catching newbies of guard on rarity. Another new series of creatures was released called keepers, these gave advantages for being behind your opponent. Portal II is also released giving new magic players more cards to work with to introduce them to the game.

OCT:Urzas Saga is thought as one of the best sets ever. US has cards enchantments that came alive with certain conditions met, it also had the cycling ability. The echo ability was made to give cards a small upkeep and bigger power. Famous cards from this set include Time Spiral, Stroke of Genius, Sneak Attack, and Gaeas Cradle! Magic size is now over 3,000 cards. Urzas Saga also starts something very cool for prerelease commemorative cards--they are now completely foil

AUG: Unglued is released, a wacky non tournament players card set that wouldn't be in type I or II. Players shun not being able to play with the cards in tournaments, and don't buy much. Non serious players get serious laughs out of this set. Famous cards are Jesters Sombrero and Goblin Booky.

NOV: Vanguard III is released as a new set of charecter to play arena magic with.

1999

Vanguard 4 is released with a new set of charecters to use.

Portal 3 Kingdoms is released,its a new portal set based on chinese mythology, this sparks the first expansion since Legends to use a real life theme for a set. Popular card for this set are Lu Bu, and Zodiak Dragon.

Legacy keeps up with the echo theme found in the saga. Legacy releases a new version of icy manipulator in ring of gix. Also in this set is the magic invitational card avalanche riders, and awesome land destruction echo card. The following cards also where immediatly popular: Ghitu Slinger, Crop Rotation (later to get restricted), Deranged Hermit, and Treetop Village. The prerelease card is Beast of Burdeon.

Destiny again focuses on using the echo mechanic to make interesting cards. This set has a lot of good cards that make players happy. Players get all they need to make an enchantment deck with the likes of Opalecense, Academy Rectory, and Replenish. Players also get Treachery, Opposition, Treachey, Skittering Skirge, and Thorn Elemental. This set can almost be deamed a players dream with so many neat deck cards. The prerelease card for destiny is false prophet.

Masques arrives on the scence and players love the battle between good and evil. The epic of the mercenaries battling the rebels is a lot of fun. The prerelese card for MM is overtaker. The MM release also has a new mechanic in fading counters. Masques also had rhystic spells that punished the opponent for tapping out. Popular cards of Masques inclued Rishiadon Port, Blastoderm and Thrashing Wumpuss.

2000

Beatdown Box was released as a gift box and included some alternate art promos.

Nemesis is ok, hower it mostly jsut support MM expansion. Key cards from this set include Parallax cards, Lin Sivvi and Blinding Angel. The prerelease card for NM is is Rathis Asasin.

Prophecy is a fun set concentrating on a bunch of high casting cost fun cards to play. However this also meant that serious tournament players didn't take this set seriously. The prerelease card for this set is Avatar of Hope. A cycle of avatars with alternate casting costs were released with this set.

Invasion was highly anticipate, after all the last cycle of cards had been considered weak, and stale. Invasion brough a fresh approach with reprint of the popular moat. Invasion has a new set of elder legend dragons wich hadn't been seen since legends. It also had some fresh new counterspells in Absorb and Undermine. Popular cards include: Skizzik, Undermine, Absorb, Rout, and Void. IN also is the first card to use prerelease cards that are in a diffrent language.

2001

Deckmaster Box was a special box set with some special foil cards, as well as a nice tin box to store ones cards.

Planeshift comes along and supports invasion block with more gating creatures. Popular cards for planeshift include Orims Chant, Flametongue Kavu, Scuta, and Shivan Wurm.

Apocalypse drastically shifts the environment with its huge multicolor focus. By adding opposing color painlands, and quality multicolor spells it totally changes how people draft and play the game. Famous cards include opposing painlands, gerrard verdict, vindicate and spiritmonger.

Odyssey is released with the mechanics threshold and flashback. Odyssey takes a lot of heat and success for its recyling of old popular card ideas. Some of these new reprints are lich, balance, and overrun (direct reprint). These abilities all center on the graveyard. Popular cards include Haunting Echos, Call of the Herd. Another popular card it the shadowmage infiltrator card designed by the magic invitaion winner Finkel.

------Future:-----

2002

FEB: Torment will be released

quote:

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Originally posted by implode:
[B
1996

FEB: Magic starts having professional events, the first of these takes place in NY.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Glacier14:
For God sakes man, if your going to submit articles, USE A SPELLCHECKER!

Grammer lessons are another not so bad idea.

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So--you wanna edit my final papers also?? I really suck at editing things, its no wonder my English proffesor hates me. On another note #### writing for your stupid ### magazine--it can remain without content for all I care.

quote:

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Originally posted by implode:
So--you wanna edit my final papers also?? I really suck at editing things, its no wonder my English proffesor hates me. On another note #### writing for your stupid ### magazine--it can remain without content for all I care.

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First of all, I'm in no way associated with The Tome so I could care less about your comments directed at it.

Second, even if you do suck at grammer, use a spell checker. Having poor spelling and grammer really takes away from a good article. To the point where its painfull to keep reading.

Calm down about the whole Tome thing. I hate to point fingers but it's nobody's fault but the Tome Staff (HanSolo and Iakae) who mocked your article. To be honest I was thinking of doing it, but I backed down since I couldn't find enough hard content to mock instead of grammar/spelling errors.

What Glacier said definitely has merit. You have your own website with many articles, so I take it you enjoy writing? There is more to writing than hard facts. Presentation is a huge facet, and if you can't spell words correctly/can't form sentences, then obviously you need to go back and learn the basics. It makes you look bad as a writer and almost asks for something like this to happenin.

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quote:

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Originally posted by da-odd-templar:
Dude, don't take the whole Tome thing personal, we need laughs, Tim and Chris (haha, I know your name!!) provide them (at your expense, this time.) They could care less who they are prodding. But I mean come on man, a spellchecker would have been some good here. Also, proofreading is tech.

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as for the content itself.. you COULD have gotten a few facts straight
blastoderm from masques?
missed a few important cards of the set.. which tim has pointed out..
skittering skirge in destiny? seriously.. do a bit more research and perhaps your article wouldnt have been the one mocked..

©

And like said, not only grammar was missing. I mean... Sneak Attack for famous cards in Saga, but not mentioning Tolarian Academy (one of the most broken lands in the game) nor Morphling (THE most broken creature ever, as far as creatures can be broken), or saying that Masques introduced Fading. Or mentioning the Avatars from Prophecy, but not mentioning Volvers. Or Leeches.

In short, your article was not good. It just wasn't done well.

PS. To your comment about "not every player was around since Alpha" when your obviousness was picked at... you do realise that you contradict yourself when you try to defend yourself with it while you didn't mention Homelands's name or just left huge holes into explanations? If you were making the article for everyone, how can you justify for being too obvious on certain things and too vague on others?

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quote:

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Originally posted by Glacier14:
First of all, I'm in no way associated with The Tome so I could care less about your comments directed at it.

Second, even if you do suck at grammer, use a spell checker. Having poor spelling and grammer really takes away from a good article. To the point where its painfull to keep reading.

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please, before you comment on another's spelling and grammar, check your own, it's painful to read criticism on spelling and grammar that isn't spelt properly, or grammatically correct

quote:

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Originally posted by Drunken_Mayhem:
please, before you comment on another's spelling and [b]grammar, check your own, it's painful to read criticism on spelling and grammar that isn't spelt properly, or grammatically correct
[/B]

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y is evryboody madd at ppl 4 haveing badd grammer?

__________________
Stinky cheese is still cheese.

Last night I stayed up late playing poker with Tarot cards. I got a full house and four people died. - Stephen Wright

Rice Cube - The next Azn Sensation!

Proud member of The Rice Collective!

quote:

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Originally posted by da-odd-templar:
y is evryboody madd at ppl 4 haveing badd grammer?

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quote:

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Originally posted by cards98765:
Real interesting sure was interesting learning all about it. I had know nothing about the origins of Magic and had thought it came out a lot earler then the early 1990's. Thx cards98765

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I wouldn't dare to think you actually learned something from that piece of poorly collected knowledge. Didn't you read what others said? There were many, MANY mistakes in the information and if you don't already know about the subject, it's impossible to separate the real facts from the fictive ones.

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