The game is not accessible, dynamic draft fee
I tried MTGA when it first came out, but have not played more than maybe 20 games total. Now I am really eager to get into magic, love the draft format so I started to do some research on how to get going.
First of, I am not against using money to play or support the game, I would gladly spend a larger, one-time up-front fee, or splash some money on the occasional in game fluff for example. I do not really have the time to grind for currency, and my preference is to play draft to experience the game in many different variations, and learn as much as possible in a limited amount of time. But after asking around the community I am told that the only way for me to play draft is to grind for in game currency in a format I am not interested in, and potentially invest some money depending on how much currency I can grind by playing. This would then result in a total of 3 rounds of drafts... a week.. at most!!
Looking at this from the outside, this is an absolutely terrible deal. This surely can not benefit the game and the community? When I have some hours to put into a gaming session, I cannot dedicate them to do something I don't really want to do, just to gain some currency, so that I might be able to play what I actually want in the next session or two.
Is it not possible to find a way to simply open the game and click "play draft"? I just want to enjoy the game, learn and have fun. Please look at other alternatives to pay for playing that does not alienate and lock content in SUCH a harsh way. Also, consistently earning back the fee is probably never going to be a realistic way to gain the currency for me, or most people new to MTGA who want to get into drafts.
I understand that if the rewards are very good for drafting, it needs a high cost. But again, for a new player or a player with limited time (and money) to spend on the game, the rewards are not that important. The important part is to actually play the game.
What about a dynamic fee - the more you pay for the fee the bigger the reward? This way the player base is not divided into multiple groups, everyone can still match up with everyone, but if you are willing to put more currency in the fee you are rewarded accordingly. That also gives new players and those with little time a way into draft, and the ability to earn a small amount of currency, but still enough to actually participate and play. My guess is that would open the game for a lot more people, and keep players around since "the grind" would not feel so extreme. And let us spend money on the game in other ways.. I dont mind spending some cash on some fancy cosmetics from time to time.
The way it is right now, I will not be playing this game, simply because it wont let me play it the way I prefer. It would surprise me if I am the only one with this experience