Lucky Paper Radio

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 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 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 recap their experience at Capitol Cube Championship in Washington D.C. They talk about the five different cube drafts they did between them and their overall experience at the event.Discussed in this episode:Team Fundraiser for Birds of Paradise100 Ornithopters Champion’s Draft Digital QualifierCapitol Cube ChampsThe Score by C. Thi NguyenThe Desert BirdUpkeep ZineTrinket CubeSynesthesia100 OrnithoptersInvasion to Kamigawa 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 - Intro4:36 - Capitol Cube Champs4:52 - Andy’s Desert Bird Draft16:49 - Andy’s Desert Bird Games27:45 - Anthony’s Desert Bird Draft33:27 - Anthony’s Desert Bird Games37:36 - Alex Responds39:02 - Trinket Cube Draft49:09 - Synesthesia Draft53:28 - Synesthesia Games61:18 - Invastion to Kamigawa Draft69:51 - Invasion to Kamigawa Games

View all cards mentioned in this episodeAndy, Anthony, and Parker talk about how to draft cubes better by framing their thinking in terms of the scarcest resource in any give context. Flipping the perspective, they talk about how to leverage a diversity of themes as a cube designer.Discussed in this episode:Birds of Paradise FundraiserLevel Up Your Cube Drafting With Scarcity article by ParkerThe Self-Defeating Irony of Cube Conceits article by ParkerParker’s Articles on Cascade CascadeTurbo CubeTupelo Honey100 OrnithoptersSacred GeometryIf 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 - Intro5:15 - Turbo Cube16:11 - Tupelo Honey20:18 - Scarcity26:41 - Applying Scarcity to New Cubes34:24 - Scarcity for Designers41:29 - Metagame Degeneration56:57 - CASCADE CASCADE

View all cards mentioned in this episodeAndy and Anthony are joined by Cube icon Ryan Overturf to talk about drafting and designing weird cubes. They talk about his experience at CubeConbroadening his experience into novel designs. They go more in depth into Ryan’s cube Stadium Stampede where all players start with a copy of Strixhaven Stadium in play.Discussed in this episode:Ryan’s Cubes on Cube CobraThe OnebertRyan’s Youtube180 MTG Podcast1UP CubeAquaone Powered CubeEpisode 238: Vintage Cube SucksObscuraStadium StampedeGrixis CubeEiganjo DriftDeath by 10 CutsBridges Over Troubled WaterIf 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 - Intro1:16 - Welcome Ryan Overturf8:29 - Weird Cubes14:11 - CubeCon26:02 - Stadium Stampede, Ryan's Strixhaven Stadium Cube31:40 - Uninteractible Permanents36:43 - Stampede Continued42:02 - Conceit Breaking56:50 - Trusting Cube Designers, or Not1:06:46 - Taking Weird Cubes Seriously

View all cards mentioned in this episodeAndy and Anthony talk about expensive cards in Cube — how high mana value cards fit into their cube designs. They talk about specific expensive cards they love, break down some specific roles they see the cards playing, and how variety makes cubes more fun.Discussed in this episode:Status and Culture by W. David MarxThe Score by C. Thi NguyenIf 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 - Intro5:20 - High Mana Value Cards13:25 - Pseudo Expensive Cards22:00 - Baneslayers36:35 - Interaction40:14 - Texture43:02 - Board Wipes44:31 - Other Threats49:54 - Lessons

View all cards mentioned in this episodeAndy and Anthony talk about narrow tutors in Cubes. In contrast to the most open ended ways for players to search up a card from their library, narrow tutor effects give cube designers an opportunity to make specific sets of cards more accessible. Our hosts talk about specific “tutor” cards they include in their cubes. They talk about the ways they can create interesting draft challenges, provide targeted redundancy, or let players construct a toolbox of cards they have more opportunities to find.Discussed in this episode:Episode 199: Tutors in Cube Design: Creating Variety by Reducing VarietyEpisode 312: Cards that are Cool — Part 2The next Book Club book: The Score by C. Thi NguyenCubes mentioned:Sacred GeometryTurbo Cube100 OrnithoptersRegular CubeTake FiveBun Magic CubeNeoclassical 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 - Intro2:18 - Narrow Tutors13:13 - Tutor Apprehensions15:27 - Stoneforge Mystic19:57 - Brightglass Gearhulk24:05 - Tribute Mage26:45 - Sphinx Summoner30:06 - Goblin Engineer33:06 - Mystical Teachings33:41 - Recruiters35:19 - Open the Armory42:32 - Turbo Cube46:07 - Wizardcycling46:29 - Scrapyard Recombiner50:49 - Transmute56:18 - Appeal to Turbo Cube