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[[File:Playtest.jpg|thumb|right|Playtest card with cardcode]]
[[File:Playtest.jpg|thumb|right|Playtest card with cardcode]]
A '''playtest''' is the process by which individual cards, as in [[card]] [[design]], or sets of cards, as in [[decks]], are played to test the card or cards for design issues to establish a desired quality. <ref>{{DailyRef|mtg/daily/mm/234|Nuts & Bolts: Initial Playtesting|[[Mark Rosewater]]|February 11, 2013}}</ref> <ref>{{DailyRef|mtgcom/daily/af6|A-Proxy-Mation|[[Aaron Forsythe]]|March 19, 2004}}</ref>


Playtest cards have specific card codes, to make them recognisable for the playtesters. <ref>{{DailyRef|mtg/daily/mm/21|Nuts & Bolts: Card Codes|[[Mark Rosewater]]|January 12, 2009}}</ref> They are highly confidential. In early 2006, Wizards of the Coast filed a lawsuit against Daron Rutter, an moderator [[MTG Salvation]] for posting playtest cards for upcoming ''Magic: The Gathering'' card sets. <ref>{{cite web
A '''playtest''' is the process by which individual cards, as in [[card]] [[design]], or sets of cards, as in [[decks]], are played to test the card or cards for design issues to establish a desired quality.<ref>{{DailyRef|making-magic/nuts-bolts-initial-playtesting-2013-02-11-0|Nuts & Bolts: Initial Playtesting|[[Mark Rosewater]]|February 11, 2013|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220523090017/https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/making-magic/nuts-bolts-initial-playtesting-2013-02-11-0|archivedate=May 23, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{DailyRef|latest-developments/proxy-mation-2004-03-19|A-Proxy-Mation|[[Aaron Forsythe]]|March 19, 2004|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813163112/https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/latest-developments/proxy-mation-2004-03-19|archivedate=August 13, 2022}}</ref>
 
==Playtest cards==
Playtest cards often have specific card codes, to make them recognisable for the playtesters.<ref>{{DailyRef|making-magic/nuts-bolts-card-codes-2009-01-12|Nuts & Bolts: Card Codes|[[Mark Rosewater]]|January 12, 2009|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230315012155/https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/making-magic/nuts-bolts-card-codes-2009-01-12|archivedate=March 15, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{DailyRef|braincat-2008-03-04|Braincat|[[Magic Arcana]]|March 04, 2008|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090604073525/http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/article.aspx?x=mtgcom/arcana/1539|archivedate=June 4, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{DailyRef|feature/playtest-cards-2016-12-02|Playtest Cards|[[Sam Stoddard]]|December 2, 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603112148/https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/feature/playtest-cards-2016-12-02|archivedate=June 3, 2023}}</ref> They are highly confidential. In early 2006, Wizards of the Coast filed a lawsuit against Daron Rutter, a moderator from [[MTG Salvation]], for posting playtest cards for upcoming ''Magic: The Gathering'' card sets.<ref>{{WebRef
| url = http://ww2.wizards.com/Company/Misc/Index.aspx?doc=pr_20060119a
| url = http://ww2.wizards.com/Company/Misc/Index.aspx?doc=pr_20060119a
| title = Wizards Of The Coast Takes Legal Action
| title = Wizards Of The Coast Takes Legal Action
| accessdate = 2006-09-02
| date = 2006-01-19
| date = 2006-01-19
| format = HTML
| publisher = Wizards of the Coast, Inc
| publisher = Wizards of the Coast, Inc
| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080626105929/http://ww2.wizards.com/Company/Misc/Index.aspx?doc=pr_20060119a
| archivedate = June 26, 2008
}}</ref>
}}</ref>
The lawsuit accused him of engaging in copyright infringement, contributory copyright infringement, trade secret violation, unjust enrichment, and breach of contract.<ref>{{cite web
The lawsuit accused him of engaging in copyright infringement, contributory copyright infringement, trade secret violation, unjust enrichment, and breach of contract.<ref>{{WebRef
| url = http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=32149
| url = http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=32149
| title = Wizards of the Coast vs. Daron Rutter: An Update
| title = Wizards of the Coast vs. Daron Rutter: An Update
| accessdate = 2006-09-02
| author = Daron Rutter
| last = Rutter
| first = Daron
| date = 2006-02-18
| date = 2006-02-18
| format = HTML
| publisher = MTGSalvation.com
| publisher = MTGSalvation.com
}}</ref> The case was settled out of court, and the terms of the settlement have been sealed.<ref>{{cite web
| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20230825231403/https://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/retired-forums/retired-forums/news/404117-wizards-of-the-coast-vs-daron-rutter-an-update
| archivedate = August 25, 2023
}}</ref> The case was settled out of court, and the terms of the settlement have been sealed.<ref>{{WebRef
| url = http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=36468
| url = http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=36468
| title = Wizards vs. rancored_elf: the Resolution
| title = Wizards vs. rancored_elf: the Resolution
| accessdate = 2006-09-02
| author = Daron Rutter
| last = Rutter
| first = Daron
| date = 2006-04-06
| date = 2006-04-06
| format = HTML
| publisher = MTGSalvation.com
| publisher = MTGSalvation.com
| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20230825232144/https://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/retired-forums/retired-forums/news/404202-wizards-vs-rancored_elf-the-resolution
| archivedate = August 25, 2023
}}</ref>
}}</ref>


In the context of deck playtesting, this often involves in testing a given deck against popular decks in a format's [[metagame]] and accordingly modifying the decklist, its main deck and its sideboard, to better deal with those decks.
As a gimmick for ''[[Mystery Booster]]'', [[test card|pretend playtest card]]s were added to the [[booster]]s. They were later also featured in the [[Unknown Event]] and as a [[Secret Lair Playtest|Secret Lair program]].
 
==Deckbuilding==
''Deck playtesting'' involves testing a given deck against popular decks in a format's [[metagame]] and accordingly modifying the decklist, its main deck and its sideboard, to better deal with those decks.<ref>{{DailyRef|beyond-basics/five-trials-playtesting-2017-06-01|The Five Trials of Playtesting|[[Gavin Verhey]]|June 1, 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220524000119/https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/beyond-basics/five-trials-playtesting-2017-06-01|archivedate=May 24, 2022}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


[[Category:Magic: The Gathering]]
==External links==
*{{DailyRef|arcana/alpha-setting-record-straight-2010-09-21|Alpha: Setting the Record Straight|[[Monty Ashley]]|September 21, 2010|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220815220542/https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/arcana/alpha-setting-record-straight-2010-09-21|archivedate=August 15, 2022}}
*{{DailyRef|guess-playtest-card-2008-06-24|Guess the Playtest Card!|[[Magic Arcana]]|June 24, 2008|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080720231626/http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/arcana/1618|archivedate=July 20, 2008}}
*{{DailyRef|feature/jay-schneiders-playtest-cards-2008-12-03|Jay Schneider's Playtest Cards|[[Magic Arcana]]|December 03, 2008|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20211201184108/https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/feature/jay-schneiders-playtest-cards-2008-12-03|archivedate=December 1, 2021}}
*{{DailyRef|latest-developments/what-limited-playtest-looks-2015-07-17|What a Limited Playtest Looks Like|[[Sam Stoddard]]|July 17, 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019185651/https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/latest-developments/what-limited-playtest-looks-2015-07-17|archivedate=October 19, 2021}}
[[Category:Wizards of the Coast]]

Latest revision as of 04:36, 26 August 2023

Playtest card with cardcode

A playtest is the process by which individual cards, as in card design, or sets of cards, as in decks, are played to test the card or cards for design issues to establish a desired quality.[1][2]

Playtest cards

Playtest cards often have specific card codes, to make them recognisable for the playtesters.[3][4][5] They are highly confidential. In early 2006, Wizards of the Coast filed a lawsuit against Daron Rutter, a moderator from MTG Salvation, for posting playtest cards for upcoming Magic: The Gathering card sets.[6] The lawsuit accused him of engaging in copyright infringement, contributory copyright infringement, trade secret violation, unjust enrichment, and breach of contract.[7] The case was settled out of court, and the terms of the settlement have been sealed.[8]

As a gimmick for Mystery Booster, pretend playtest cards were added to the boosters. They were later also featured in the Unknown Event and as a Secret Lair program.

Deckbuilding

Deck playtesting involves testing a given deck against popular decks in a format's metagame and accordingly modifying the decklist, its main deck and its sideboard, to better deal with those decks.[9]

References

  1. Mark Rosewater (February 11, 2013). "Nuts & Bolts: Initial Playtesting". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on May 23, 2022.
  2. Aaron Forsythe (March 19, 2004). "A-Proxy-Mation". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on August 13, 2022.
  3. Mark Rosewater (January 12, 2009). "Nuts & Bolts: Card Codes". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on March 15, 2023.
  4. Magic Arcana (March 04, 2008). "Braincat". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on June 4, 2009.
  5. Sam Stoddard (December 2, 2016). "Playtest Cards". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on June 3, 2023.
  6. Wizards Of The Coast Takes Legal Action. Wizards of the Coast, Inc (2006-01-19). Archived from the original on June 26, 2008.
  7. Daron Rutter (2006-02-18). "Wizards of the Coast vs. Daron Rutter: An Update". MTGSalvation.com. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023.
  8. Daron Rutter (2006-04-06). "Wizards vs. rancored_elf: the Resolution". MTGSalvation.com. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023.
  9. Gavin Verhey (June 1, 2017). "The Five Trials of Playtesting". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on May 24, 2022.

External links