Cube Ennui

View all cards mentioned in this episodeAndy and Anthony talk with Zach Barash about his Obscura cube designed from the prompt “Omelas.” The references a short story The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas by Ursula K. Le Guin in which a society maintains utopia on the condition that a single child is made to suffer endlessly. Zach’s cube embodies the questions of social rules and ethics, putting players into the position of deciding whether or not to embrace authoritarian fascism.Discussed in this episode:Omelas by Zach BarashThe Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas by Ursula K. Le GuinFeudalAnti War100 OrnithoptersNeoclassical CubePlanar CubeIf you’d like to show your support for the show, please consider backing Lucky Paper on Patreon or leaving us a review on iTunes or wherever you listen.Check us out on Twitch and YouTube for paper Cube gameplay.You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:Andy’s “Bun Magic” CubeAnthony’s “Regular” CubeYou can find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord. Send in questions to the show at [email protected] or our p.o. box:Lucky PaperPO Box 4855Baltimore, MD 21211Musical production by DJ James Nasty.Timestamps0:00 - Intro16:27 - Omelas26:18 - Goals32:36 - Ludonarrative Resonance36:46 - Achievements and Reminders42:52 - Postgame (Signing the Box)49:48 - Achievements cont.51:31 - Fixing and Multicolor58:55 - Thematic Framing1:07:56 - Other Cube Achievements1:11:51 - Fascism Loses

View all cards mentioned in this episodeAndy and Anthony some of the challenges with saying engaged with Cube design as a hobby and in particular how Andy feels about his current roster of cubes.Discussed in this episode:Take Five100 OrnithoptersSacred GeometryNeoclassical CubePortlandia Sketches We Can Pickle That and Put a Bird on itObscura CubesIf you’d like to show your support for the show, please consider backing Lucky Paper on Patreon or leaving us a review on iTunes or wherever you listen.Check us out on Twitch and YouTube for paper Cube gameplay.You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:Andy’s “Bun Magic” CubeAnthony’s “Regular” CubeYou can find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord. Send in questions to the show at [email protected] or our p.o. box:Lucky PaperPO Box 4855Baltimore, MD 21211Musical production by DJ James Nasty.Timestamps0:00 - Intro1:35 - Looms and LaserDiscs13:48 - Cube Ennui17:32 - MTGO and Draws22:28 - Universes Beyond24:48 - Take Five31:59 - Crossroads37:29 - Ambition44:11 - Sacred Geometry50:48 - Balancing Projects54:06 - Criticism

View all cards mentioned in this episodeAndy and Anthony talk with Jane about her Obscura cube based on the prompt ”Monument.” Starting with a heavy dose of memorials, obelisks, and other monumental structures she designed a cube that itself feels like a monolith. Players draft 4 packs of 15 in this desert cube and can’t make any cuts, forcing them to engage with, and find a way to use, every card they draft.Discussed in this episode:Jane’s Monument CubeC4AC ObscuraThe Ball PitISS Gorilla videoKill your GrandpaIf you’d like to show your support for the show, please consider backing Lucky Paper on Patreon or leaving us a review on iTunes or wherever you listen.Check us out on Twitch and YouTube for paper Cube gameplay.You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:Andy’s “Bun Magic” CubeAnthony’s “Regular” CubeYou can find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord. Send in questions to the show at [email protected] or our p.o. box:Lucky PaperPO Box 4855Baltimore, MD 21211Musical production by DJ James Nasty.Timestamps0:00 - Intro7:34 - History10:34 - Small Creatures and Enchantments15:55 - Lands24:08 - Aesthetics27:59 - Power Outliers31:39 - Vorthos35:22 - Postgame38:53 - Anthony’s Draft42:10 - NASA Tampons52:46 - Flavor Text55:58 - Lessons

View all cards mentioned in this episodeRejoice! Parker is back in the studio for a second episode in a row! He’s joining Andy and Anthony to do a little speedrun through all the recent sets they haven’t reviewed on the podcast — from Edge of Eternities to Reality Fracture. Which sets have been the most popular for cubes across all of Cube Cobra? Which cards and mechanics do they like the most? Why does it seem like every Universes Within set is a nostalgia-laden, Modern Horizons style callback? Does “genius” exist?Discussed in this episode:100 OrnithoptersRegular CubeBun MagicSpice8RackTheseusReality Fracture ArticleUsher ParodyIf you’d like to show your support for the show, please consider backing Lucky Paper on Patreon or leaving us a review on iTunes or wherever you listen.Check us out on Twitch and YouTube for paper Cube gameplay.You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:Andy’s “Bun Magic” CubeAnthony’s “Regular” CubeYou can find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord. Send in questions to the show at [email protected] or our p.o. box:Lucky PaperPO Box 4855Baltimore, MD 21211Musical production by DJ James Nasty.Timestamps0:00 - Intro0:00 - Intro2:31 - Genius7:55 - Set Roundup10:08 - Edge of Eternities and Warp19:36 - Cryogen Relic23:18 - Ourobouroid28:18 - Spider Man30:42 - Badgermole Cub33:43 - Lessons36:44 - Lorwyn and Nostalgia41:43 - Jellyfish45:17 - TMNT48:27 - Secrets of Strixhaven55:38 - The Hobbit58:16 - Reality Fracture1:04:28 - Zeta Set1:05:52 - Wrap Up

Andy, Anthony, and Parker tackle C. Thi Nguyen’s The Score in their fourth episode of “Book Club.” Nguyen’s book compares how metrics apply to and effect games and social structures. He argues that while metrics are a defining construct that allow games to exist and be fun, when applied to social situations and optimized they are often destructive. Our hosts discuss this theses and other arguments presented in the book.Discussed in this episode:The Score by C. Thi NguyenMerlin Bird I.D AppEpisode 206: The Joy of Gaming with Richard GarfieldGames and the Art of Agency by C. Thi NguyenA Pattern Language by Christopher Alexander, Sara Ishikawa, and Murray SilversteinHow to do Nothing by Jenny OdellEnd Times Fascism by by Naomi Klein, Astra TaylorThe Nerd Reich by Gil DuránIf you’d like to show your support for the show, please consider backing Lucky Paper on Patreon or leaving us a review on iTunes or wherever you listen.Check us out on Twitch and YouTube for paper Cube gameplay.You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:Andy’s “Bun Magic” CubeAnthony’s “Regular” CubeYou can find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord. Send in questions to the show at [email protected] or our p.o. box:Lucky PaperPO Box 4855Baltimore, MD 21211Musical production by DJ James Nasty.Timestamps0:00 - Intro5;30 - Birds and Value Capture15:35 - Stakes and Metrics19:24 - Andy Doesn’t Like Books23:40 - The Art of Decision Making32:27 - How to Stop Playing Someone Elses Game38:12 - Lecturing46:05 - Neologisms53:54 - Cube Design and Events1:02:28 - Big Tech

View all cards mentioned in this episodeAndy and Anthony talk with Gabor about their Obscura Cube designed from the prompt “Legacy,” a very loaded term in the Cube space. Skipping past the obvious interpretation, Gabor chose to look to legacy board games for inspiration — games that permanently change across a series of play sessions. Starting with a nostalgic list of iconic cards, Gabor altered the Cube over the course of the weekend, swapping in cards from an second list with input from players. Drafters made choices about host the cube changed and also altered cards from their decks. At the end of the weekend, the cube was left more powerful and marked by each player.Discussed in this episode:Gabor’s Cube: “Legacy”C4AC ObscuraLegacy Board GamesOath, Board Game by Cole Wehrle“King Me”: A Defense of King-Making in Board Game Design, talk by Cole WehrleSisterhood of the Traveling CubeRoguelike CelebrationIf you’d like to show your support for the show, please consider backing Lucky Paper on Patreon or leaving us a review on iTunes or wherever you listen.Check us out on Twitch and YouTube for paper Cube gameplay.You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:Andy’s “Bun Magic” CubeAnthony’s “Regular” CubeYou can find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord. Send in questions to the show at [email protected] or our p.o. box:Lucky PaperPO Box 4855Baltimore, MD 21211Musical production by DJ James Nasty.Timestamps0:00 - Intro1:29 - Legacy12:03 - The List17:16 - Goals22:10 - Predictions26:32 - Postgame and Top 828:43 - Mystery33:33 - Sharpies and Stickers42:48 - Trust

View all cards mentioned in this episodeAndy recaps his experience at the second annual Inland Northwest Cube Fest to Anthony. He talks through each of his four drafts at the event, recounting how he handled novel Cube environments and gameplay highlights. He talks about the overall experience of the event including the printed cube companion guides, hosting a draft of 100 Ornithopters, and other extra-curricular activities.Discussed in this episode:Inland Northwest Cube FestSliverhomeBridges Over Troubled WatersThe Second HandMiddle ChildDSB TokensThe Shepard CubeTake FiveIf you’d like to show your support for the show, please consider backing Lucky Paper on Patreon or leaving us a review on iTunes or wherever you listen.Check us out on Twitch and YouTube for paper Cube gameplay.You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:Andy’s “Bun Magic” CubeAnthony’s “Regular” CubeYou can find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord. Send in questions to the show at [email protected] or our p.o. box:Lucky PaperPO Box 4855Baltimore, MD 21211Musical production by DJ James Nasty.Timestamps0:00 - Intro2:29 - Inland Northwest Cube Fest II7:15 - Bridges Over Troubled Water20:20 - Secondhand29:46 - 100 Ornithopters32:47 - Middle Child41:47 - The Shepard Cube52:47 - Magic is Hard53:25 - Extras

View all cards mentioned in this episodeAndy, Jane, and Anthony talk about Andy’s Obscura cube, prompted with the word ”feudal.” His attempted to capture the experience of feudalism in gameplay by putting the powerful cards in certain spots that would force players to build decks a certain way. Powerful, high devotion lords, as much as possible represented by sinister human creatures, motivate players into mono colored decks. Players have no option but to fill out their decks with individually weak, under-rate creatures. As a foil, players eschew the high devotion lords and unite the individually weak cards multi-color deck rewarded by domain payoffs.The talk about Andy’s design process. Then looking at the decks drafted at the event, they reflect on how successful these specific design goals were.Discussed in this episode:Andy’s Feudal Obscura CubeCabbages and KingsINW Cube FestThe Ball PitIf you’d like to show your support for the show, please consider backing Lucky Paper on Patreon or leaving us a review on iTunes or wherever you listen.Check us out on Twitch and YouTube for paper Cube gameplay.You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:Andy’s “Bun Magic” CubeAnthony’s “Regular” CubeYou can find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord. Send in questions to the show at [email protected] or our p.o. box:Lucky PaperPO Box 4855Baltimore, MD 21211Musical production by DJ James Nasty.Timestamps0:00 - Intro4:12 - Feudal9:06 - Monocolored Decks12:28 - Flavor16:56 - Multicolor Decks24:30 - Scarecrows30:25 - Predictions37:17 - Metagame Breakdown46:49 - Changes51:53 - Manabases58:09 - Balance1:00:30 - Does any of this Matter

View all cards mentioned in this episodeWhat makes a cube “balanced”? When a card or deck performs very differently in the hands of especially skilled players, are they using their greater knowledge of the game to exploit a balance issue that others can’t see? Or are they just having the predictable success you would expect from a more skilled player? Is the experience of strong players a better indicator of a cube’s balance because they use cards optimally? Or are they exploiting the cards in a way that, if balanced for, would negatively impact the play experience of the average player?We sure as hell don’t know, but you can listen to us try to figure it out for an hour if you want.Discussed in this episode:Episode 322 With Ryan Overturf100 OrnithoptersThe Fire SwampThe Red TerrorAnthony’s Obscura Cube Anti-WarRegular CubeMonocolored Starter DecksIf you’d like to show your support for the show, please consider backing Lucky Paper on Patreon or leaving us a review on iTunes or wherever you listen.Check us out on Twitch and YouTube for paper Cube gameplay.You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:Andy’s “Bun Magic” CubeAnthony’s “Regular” CubeYou can find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord. Send in questions to the show at [email protected] or our p.o. box:Lucky PaperPO Box 4855Baltimore, MD 21211Musical production by DJ James Nasty.Timestamps0:00 - Intro3:30 - Balance14:56 - Fun19:45 - Expectations23:14 - 100 Ornithopters Balance28:10 - Metagame Development37:47 - Smash Ultimate49:33 - Starter Decks

View all cards mentioned in this episodeAndy and Anthony talk with Brett about his Obscura Cube. Prompted with the phrase “Déjà vu” Brett explored some wild, logistically impossible ideas before settling on a cube filled to the brim with subtle repetitions. The feeling of things having happened before manifests in my ways from multiple copies of Accumulated Knowledge, Memory Lapses that create repeated moments, and repetitive single card engines.Discussed in this episode:Brett’s Déjà Vu CubeC4AC ObscuraThe Fire SwampLow Country BoilTake FiveIf you’d like to show your support for the show, please consider backing Lucky Paper on Patreon or leaving us a review on iTunes or wherever you listen.Check us out on Twitch and YouTube for paper Cube gameplay.You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:Andy’s “Bun Magic” CubeAnthony’s “Regular” CubeYou can find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord. Send in questions to the show at [email protected] or our p.o. box:Lucky PaperPO Box 4855Baltimore, MD 21211Musical production by DJ James Nasty.Timestamps0:00 - Intro1:14 - Déjà vu11:46 - One Card Decks14:55 - Balancing20:50 - Hatebears26:02 - Defining Déjà vu29:44 - Callbacks34:44 - Postgame38:08 - Familiarity41:21 - Blue-White Blink45:25 - Blind Cubes47:53 - Tension49:32 - Moodboarding51:58 - Future Updates