Digital Card Central

Base series 3 is on the way, and it has a lot of people both excited and anxious. With a new series of base comes all sorts of implications, and I think its going to be interesting how this all shakes out. To be honest, I am still surprised that they are going with a fresh design and a brand new crop of base before launching the new build of that app. I digress.

When the app launched back in March of this year, there was a set series 1 that populated packs for almost 3 months without updates. Then, in the middle of the year, they launched Series 2, which was a new crop of cards in the same design as the original. These two series were responsible for thousands of releases, up until the release of Series 3, which should be launching shortly. The preview packs are available now.

Although I love the new design, Im not sure its fair to call it Series 3, especially considering how many S3 characters were already present in Series 1 and 2. Its more of a sequel than it is a continuation. In my opinion, this release should have waited until the launch of the 2016 build, if/when that happens, and it should have been 2016 Series 1, not 2015 Series 3.

In all reality, the release of the The Force Awakens was likely responsible for forcing the hand of the new base. I mean, it is abundantly clear that movie characters needed base cards. Then the question becomes, why not just release a series of movie characters with the old design? Im sure it has to do with production, as I dont think they had movie stills to use, and publicity shots dont make great looking base cards. Similarly, with how base cards are used in release programs, it wouldnt work to release a small series that wouldnt have the time to be developed. They wouldnt get the due they deserved.

This brings us back to the initial question of why this is called Series 3, and that’s my biggest gripe. From talking with the members of the team, I dont think they have much experience with physical cards, and they might not have known that calling this Series 3 makes about as much sense as calling a cut sig a “Contract Relic Sig.” This is a different look, a different design, and therefore a different set. Calling them series 3, basically adds them onto the back of the first two series.

Most importantly, team must have been in a really tough spot. Either go without movie base cards until the new build in March (or after), or short the movie base cards from now until March in the old design? Not an easy choice. They went with option 3, which is release new base cards before the new build, and make them a new series.

This has an impact, as it effectively both extends and ends the chase of Series 1 and Series 2 hoarding. I say extends, because it might mean that the old base cards will never be segregated into years like they are in the other apps. I say ends because it puts a clear stop to the use of the old base design for future releases. This isnt a bad thing, but it does bring up a lot of anxiety about how the new base will be handled.

Will the base variant craze of the fall return with the new cards in a new design? How will pack structures change? Will there be packs that consist of all series and ones that consist of only series 3? If series 1-2 are taken out of packs, how does that impact the hoards with no new fodder? Although some base are in the millions in terms of counts, at some point the supply will be far exceeded by demand. Maybe that is a reason to call this series 3 – as it means they can keep the originals in circulation.

Again, lots of questions and not many answers until the base are put into packs. Who knows, we might not even see the same rarity levels or the same type of approach. We can assume all we want, but nothing is set until it is set.

We have all been there. There are a few cards you need for a set and you dont want to sit and post on the feed for an hour to get a terrible offer that never goes anywhere. So, that only leaves a few options, and one of them is Blind Trading. Im going to do my best to put together what I do, with the hopes that it might help avoid getting blocked or 1 starred on the feedback.

What is Blind Trading?

This refers to loading the main card sheet via the icon on the bottom right, clicking on a card, and then clicking the trade button below the picture. This brings up a trade initiation screen that allows you to trade for a card without going user to user in the article or fan feed.

Most trade offers that are initiated user to user allow you to see the collections of the people you are trading with. If you go on the fan feed, and bring up a user profile to trade with, you can see all of their cards. This isnt the case with Blind Trading, hence the name.

When to Use Blind Trading

There are very specific times to use this feature, and times when I would advise against it. Certain cards are just not primed for blind trades, and misusing the feature can land you on people’s ignore list or getting a lot of one star ratings.

If you need a base card to complete a set, or build up a roster, blind trading is almost the best way to get what you need. If you need a higher count insert, this feature is also great. Things that are relatively lower in value are prime for this type of interaction.

If a card is brand new, and you want to jump on the first few people that have pulled the card, also a good time to use blind trades. Unlike the above situation, this is less effective than finding someone who is advertising the card on the feed. However, if no one is advertising the card for trade, sometimes you need to resort to desperate measures.

When NOT to Use Blind Trading

There are a lot of cards I would highly advise against blind trades. Age, prestige of the set, and card count are the most important factors, but its more than that.

If the card has been out for a while and doesnt have a count over 50, I probably wouldnt try to get it via blind trade unless you have a very large collection with lots to offer. Ill speak more about etiquette later in the post, but over-payment is almost expected in these situations, and most new(er) users dont have the goods to make that happen on a card below 50.

Marathon designation is also a factor, as is set prestige. Trying to execute a blind trade on a insanely rare card or tough marathon set piece is akin to hitting for the cycle in baseball. Blind trading is an art, and for cards of that nature, you need to be Michelangelo to make it work. There are just too many factors playing against a blind trade, especially because you have to find someone willing to even entertain offers.

Picking Your 5 Targets

With each blind trade, you can only choose 5 people in which to make the offer. It is ESSENTIAL that you choose wisely, or you could get burned very easily.

My favorite blind trade target is someone with a 65-75 collection score and at least 300 trader ratings. The quality of the ratings doesnt matter all that much to me, I just want to hit someone I know within reason isnt a dead account.

I also try to avoid high collection scores on set pieces, because there are reasons why this person might not be willing to trade the card. As a higher collection score, they likely need the card for the set, and are less likely to give it up without drastic over-payment. The lower the collection score with high trade counts, the more likely the person is to not have the whole set. They may have just hit the card as a lucky break.

For base cards, the higher score guys might be a good target. If they have a higher collection score, they likely have opened enough packs to have tons of dupes.

If you want to take a shot at a new trader, its not a bad idea if you have the time to send all the trades. Just be prepared that they will have much less of a chance to be around and accept, counter or decline your offer. Most of the time, the offers will sit forever.

When blind trading for a super rare card, its almost better to write down owner names and initiate trades via adding them to your friends on the home screen and catering the offer to them. Sending them over-payments of cards they already have or dont collect, is less likely to work, than a much better catered offer.

Etiquette

Ahh yes, this is the one part that most people never understand. If you read one section of the post, I hope you read this one.

To start, because Blind Trades arent solicited, be courteous and be nice. You are basically intruding into their existence on the apps, and you should act like you are a guest that is showing up uninvited to a party. That means leaving a note with your trade, explaining the situation, thanking them for consideration, and not using shorthand in your text. Write out your stuff the right way, without looking like you are a 12 year old sending a text to your bros.

Next, if you are the person initiating the blind trade on something other than base, I would highly suggest making an offer that is overpaying for the value of the card you are looking to acquire. Mainly, pay the person for the intrusion, and give them a reason to even look at your trade.

This is why blind trading should be used only in circumstances that you cant overcome. If you are unsure of value, explain that in your message. If you are okay with counters, say that. Do what you can to show them you mean business.

At the very least, every blind trade should include a note saying so. You dont want someone to look at your trade and wonder what the hell you were thinking offering them 7 cards that they have for one that they only have a single of. It might save you from getting blocked or 1 starred. I usually can grasp a bad trade offer better if the person says it is blind.

NOTE: Keep track of the people you are offering trades to, in case you want to send more than 5 offers at a time. DO NOT send the same offer to the same person 8 times in a row. Let them respond to your original offer before submitting a new one.

Lastly, when you bring up the last screen to select the users in which to offer the card, your friends will be at the top. Dont blind trade your friends, actually go and trade user to user. Thats why they are your friends!

Ill finish by saying that trading is one of the most difficult concepts in the game. If you screw up a few times, its not the end of the world. Just try to educate yourself as best as possible around the reasons you werent successful. Sending a few base for a great card wont get you far, but at least you will get not to do that again.

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New User Tips is a running series on Digital Card Central – If there are any other questions you have about the nuance of the game, please do not hesitate to tweet me @SCUncensored or through a same card trade with a message in the game. 

If you have ideas for future New User Tips – please let me know!

Let me start off by saying Thanksgiving was a blast. It had some awesome cards, fun sets, and a lot of reason to love what Huddle did. This time around, they had a lot to live up to, and I really think they did as good a job over a longer period of time. That isnt easy in the digital world, considering how much instant gratification is ingrained in the culture. Here is my breakdown.

2015 Holiday Set

This has been a Huddle staple since 2013, and this year it was awesome. The design was amazing, the size of the set was awesome, and the odds werent so hard that the set was impossible to collect. This was really well done all around. Good checklist, and nice boosts.

Verdict: Touchdown

Holiday Gift Set

These gifts were available for free, and ended up being 3x boosts. How sweet is that? Russell Wilson was the top card in the set, but adding Drew Brees, and two nice receivers, that is beast. There were some people who hoarded these knowing they would be great, and they definitely lucked out. Great idea, and even better win for us that we didnt have to rip packs to get them. Free is always top of the line.

Verdict: Touchdown

12 Days of Huddle Signature Series

Last year, this program was a huge hit, so big that the cards sold out very, very fast. This year, I think the set was hampered a bit by checklist, as some of the players didnt really hit the notes with a big part of the community. Although Charcandrick West has so few cards in the game, its hard to make him appeal to a wide audience. Similarly, I wasnt a huge fan of the design, as the white box around the signature wasnt really necessary for me. One thing that did appeal to me was the rarity and boost, which were the saving grace of the set.

Verdict: First Down

JJ Watt Rain Signature

This was the first Million Coin bundle buy of the year, and it is an awesome looking card. The picture used for Watt is a perfect representation of what he is all about, and the rarity perpetuated by the cost of the boost makes this a very valuable card.

Verdict: Touchdown

Matthew Stafford and Emmanuel Sanders Ice Signature

Following up Watt, they released a double Ice bundle, with two players that are good for points as the season winds down. The only issue is that the autographs look like they are on a sticker, and I hate that. Again, the white box behind the autographs isnt necessary.

Verdict: Punt

Charles Woodson Retirement Package

This is what digital cards is all about. Woodson announced his retirement, and within a few days, they released a commemorative set. Not only were the cards made in the favorite series of the year, but they were more accessible at 90k per pack than I expected they would be. A big win overall, especially for a future HOFer who has a lot of fans.

Verdict: Touchdown

Legend Signature Series Set

For a long time, Deion was the only name on the checklist for the legend signatures, and we finally got 6 new ones (including Woodson) this weekend. Not only was the checklist good, but the award card was pretty freaking incredible. At 250k per, they were 25% of the cost to complete as Deion, so a lot more people were able to make it work. Great set.

Verdict: Long Touchdown

Adrian Peterson Parallax Sig

Aside from the fact that I am a huge Vikings fan, I would love this card even if it were Aaron Rodgers. The new background and parallax effect make this a must own, and a huge boost doesnt hurt. This card looks stunning in every single way, and I sincerely hope we get more before the season is up. Its clear that creating these types of backgrounds are a honed skill for Topps, and this weekend it was on display. Easily one of my favorite cards of the year so far.

Verdict: Long Touchdown

Topps Arcade Series 2

The first go around with these during thanksgiving was really well done. The exclusive artwork in both series is really appealing, and it makes for a great looking digital card. I really liked the way they channeled Christmas Lights and 1980s arcade games, especially because it makes the release stand out. I hope we get more Tyson Beck designs as the year goes on.

Verdict: Touchdown

Topps High Tek

Thanksgiving may have been about super premium sets, but Christmas was much more accessible, and people loved it. High Tek was one of the most fun sets I have ever tried to build, as the pattern variants were fun to wheel and deal. This is based on a physical set that was extremely popular earlier last month, and I am happy they were able to make it work for Huddle. The 10 count variant set might be the first award card that ends in a 1/1, too.

Verdict: Long Touchdown

Topps Strata

Although Strata hasnt been released on the physical side yet, it was released last night with 31 cards and a pack price that was a steal and then some. For 2500 coins, you got a 90/10 split on blues and golds, and a guaranteed Strata card. People jumped all over this, and rightfully so. This was the deal of the night, and that says a lot. As for the cards themselves, I wasnt a huge fan, but it doesnt matter when the pack setup wass as friendly as it was.

Verdict: Touchdown

Topps Finest

I really love Finest as a physical card product, but this wasnt based off the football version of it. They used the baseball design, which I didnt like at all. This would have also been a great opportunity to introduce the first signature relic of the year, and that was disappointing to see they were going with a base card instead. I see WHY the baseball design was used, as it takes some time to develop and digitize, but I wanted these to stand out and they didnt. Sadly, it turned out as kind of a dud. The boost helps a bit, but not enough to save this from looking like leftovers from Bunt – especially when you see how cool the real football design was.

Verdict: Missed FG

In closing, I think its clear that they knocked it out of the park for this year. As mentioned before, Huddle went all out for thanksgiving, but many of the offerings werent accessible to casual collectors. This had a lot of fun available for all different types of players, and that made it so much more enjoyable to experience. I cannot wait for the beginning of the playoffs and see what they have up their sleeves.

With 4 apps, Topps has a large number of people who collect and love their games. The issue is that there is very little resources out there for use with trading cards between the apps, and avoiding the scammers who will take you to the cleaners. Here is how I survive the different ways to cross trade, and avoid getting had.

What is Cross Trading?

As of right now, there is no official ways to trade Huddle cards for Bunt cards, or SWCT cards for Kick cards, or anything in between. Being that the apps are all separate entities with separate licenses, its tough to make that happen.

Thus, users are left to an honor system that requires separate trades on the two apps in question, usually negotiated through same card trades with messages on one of the apps.

The way this works is a user will post on the feed or one of the articles that they want to cross trade, and solicit messages from like minded traders who have what they need. Messages are exchanged and both parties agree to send the cards.

One user is ALWAYS left with the trust of the other users, as someone will have to be the person waiting for the other to accept their proposal. Here is how it is broken down:

• User 1 sends a trade for the card(s) agreed as part of the trade, a common is given in return
• User 2 sends a trade for the other side of the deal on the other app, giving a common in return
• When user 1 accepts the first trade, user 2 accepts the second trade, leaving both parties with the cards they want on each app.

This can actually be a pretty lucrative situation for both parties, especially if they are trading cards on an app that isnt their main for cards they need on the one they play the most.

Scams

The biggest drawback to cross trading is the scammers who will use cross trading as a way to get cards for free. They will play the role of User 2 and rather than accepting the trade, they will just keep the cards they were supposed to give.

This can also be completed with users saying they are someone they are not, making it even more difficult to manage the situation.

Bottom line, if a trade is too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true. When working with high value inserts, its always good to have a backup plan so that you arent left in the dust. Its one of the main reasons I rarely cross trade with someone I dont know very well.

NOTE: Once a trade is accepted, the cards are gone. You will not be able to get them back. If you give up cards in a trade by accepting an offer, you lose all claim to those cards.

Best Practices for Cross Trading

There are ways to prevent yourself from being scammed. Many of these best practices might be a deal breaker for a pending trade but its better to miss out on a good trade than to get your cards stolen.

• Dont Accept First – Being the person that trades their half of the deal first is always the person who bears the burden of trust from user 2. If your side of the trade is more valuable, or you are more established, the custom is for the other person to go first. If someone refuses to trade first, that’s a red flag to me.
• Ask around – go to the articles or go to the feed and ask if the user you are trading with is legit. Do not take their personal references, as they could have something set up to give you a false reference.
• Use a third party escrow – I am always happy to be the disinterested third party that will take cards from both users and deliver out both sides when I have everything. Basically, find someone who can take both sides of the deal, and give them to the other person. That way, if the other person doesnt follow through, the third party can give you back your cards without an issue. If you need a list of people who I know would be up for the role, outside of myself, please tweet me.
• Trade with people who have a lot to lose – High collection score and high trade rating users are more trustworthy than users who have no trades and no collection. Scamming is a ban worthy offense, and users with big collections and a great rep wouldnt want to sully their presence with a scam on their conscience.
• Verify their username on the other app before initiating a trade. I have seen people claim to be one person on another app that is definitely not them. Require them to verify the trade on both apps with a message before proceeding with anything.
• Dont trust anyone – Just because they have great ebay feedback doesnt mean that they are a worthy cross trade who wont rip you off. If they say they are the best person in the world, dont take their word for it. Saying something doesnt make it true.
• Complete a few lower value deals – make them prove that they are worthy. Better to lose a few golds than a high dollar insert. This will also confirm identity.

Value Comparisons

Remember, when trading between two apps, the values might not line up the way you expect. Where you could have a valuable card on one app, doesnt necessarily mean an equivalent exists on the other. Try to keep your value perceptions in line, and dont give up more than you think is fair just because you are initiating a cross trade.

Etiquette

Here is my interpretation of the conventions surrounding cross trades. It WILL vary user to user, but this is the way I look at it.

• The user who initiates the conversation usually is required to accept the trade first, unless they are a highly established user and the other party is not.
• Be very specific about which cards you are talking about. Dont use short hand and acronyms, be as specific as you can. Mentioning a card count helps to clear up confusion on which variant you might be speaking of.
• Do not accept any trades until both sides have said they agree. Clear agreement is absolutely necessary.
• Both sides must make a trade offer to complete the cross trade. Each user should send a common for the side of the trade they agree upon.

Staying Alive

In closing, the only person who can put you at risk is you. If something smells funny or has too many red flags, walk away. Its better to walk away than get your stuff stolen. Be calculating, and take your time. Firing off quick cross trades will only put you in harm’s way.

I am always happy to help in case you have any questions.

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New User Tips is a running series on Digital Card Central – If there are any other questions you have about the nuance of the game, please do not hesitate to tweet me @SCUncensored or through a same card trade with a message in the game. 

If you have ideas for future New User Tips – please let me know!

Back when the VIP program was launched in 2014 Bunt, I was very supportive of the rewards given to people who regularly spent money on the app. Being that spending greatly influences app success in almost every way, there are a lot of reasons why Topps should take care of these customers.

With the launch of SWCT and 2016 Huddle, the VIP program was either not introduced or phased out. It continued through Bunt and Kick through the year, and as a result, there seemed to be much more of a positive culture around the spending in the app. In SWCT and Huddle, spending is thought of in a very resentful fashion, where in the other apps, that isnt as much of a sentiment. It exists, but I almost feel like the presence of the VIP program has softened the negativity around premium programs.

Now, that’s not saying that VIP cures all that ails the community, but it adds a level of reward that can change the way people think about their spending. Bunt recently announced that their VIP program will be revamped for the offseason, including more of a focus in the participation in their Box Breaks, instead of sums of coins. Users will also maintain the 10k per day bonus, where everyone else will be dropped to 2500.

Either way, I definitely believe that a VIP program’s omission from SWCT and Huddle were likely poor choices in hindsight. Considering how much likely goes into the approval process with licensing bodies with each app, the added content could be difficult, but rewarding in other ways like we are seeing with Bunt is really something I hope they reconsider.

As mentioned before, the act of spending in its own right is something that deserves an added benefit to usage of the app. Although its clear that there is added work for the Topps team, the VIP program has community benefits in that users may not react as negatively to spending driven programs. It wont remove all negativity, but it might actually encourage people to spend more than they would normally. Giving these additional benefits, especially on the side of low count reward cards, will provide quite a bit of added value that shouldnt be minimized.

Here are some of my thoughts on how I would approach a program like VIP, especially in a long approval process like I expect to be the case with Huddle and SWCT.

Past Ideas:

• Coins – the act of “paying people back” goes a long way on the gold and black levels.
• VIP Level Based Cards – This type of delivery device will provide exclusivity and status to the people that choose to keep them, or valuable trade bait if not.
• VIP Packs – These have ranged from great value to really worthless, and it all depends on the content. The program where VIPs could rip packs and pull special cards that delivered coins or exclusive cards was awesome.
• VIP Sigs – These are great cards that have been nerfed at times because of the way the cards are packed out.
• Other VIP Cards – Like the VIP sigs, it all depends on how these are packed out
• Box access – See most recent Bunt program announcement
• Increased Daily Coins – See most recent Bunt program announcement
• Free inserts – Diamond VIPs have been given free inserts of their choice in the past.

Other Ideas:

• Better pack odds – Would be great to see VIPs get better odds on certain packs
• Special sets – Season long sets aimed at creating season long VIP spenders, or making it more lucrative to continue to be a VIP
• Early Pack Access – we have seen master access be granted early in SWCT, but the packs in which the cards were available are not worth spending the extra coins. If VIPs could get early access to normal packs, that is much more attractive. The earlier the access the more valuable the access is. What if Diamond Access was a day in advance? Crazy to think about the incentive.
• Special Variants – VIP variants would be something that add to someone’s desire to attain VIP status
• Instant VIP purchase levels – Give users the option to buy instantly or qualify through the month
• Public VIP criteria – No one ever knows how much spending is involved to acheive VIP, and that needs to change for Black and Gold. For Diamond, it should just be a set number of top spenders at the top of the amount spent list.
• Instant achievement – if you qualify for VIP, you should know right away. Would be cool to give extra weeks of VIP access to people who qualify for the next month early.

VIP Positives

The VIP program has inherent positive results in a lot of ways. I mentioned some through the course of the post, but here is a more succinct version.

• Gives users a reward for spending more than the casual user
• Recognizes the users who spends
• Provides value for usage in the app outside of spending
• Potentially takes the edge off of user reaction to spending
• Can encourage more competition among spenders
• Can encourage more spending and better user participation in certain programs

VIP Negatives

In addition to the positives, there are definitely a lot of negatives as well. This might might relate to some of the reasons why the programs were changed or omitted in the cases we have seen recently.

• Creates resentment among non-spenders
• Hard to manage users
• Added work in building and delivering content
• Complaints when users have issues with qualifications

Again, many of my observations are done in a vacuum without consideration from the time needed to execute the different elements of the program. I just fail to see how it could hurt. Adding a playoff VIP program for Huddle could be huge. SWCT doesnt have a season, so it can be instituted at any time, even more worth considering as the new builds are launched for 2016.

Today, Bunt released another boxed format release in Topps Finest, similar to what they did with the 1990 Draft Picks and Allen & Ginter X. The format hasnt exactly worked perfectly from an engineering perspective, but the concept is elite. Deliver top quality digitizations, with high value box toppers if you buy in.

The box format does exist in Huddle too, but in a completely different way. Each monday a 900k pack is made available where users have a shot at the coveted Gold Legends cards that run the trade economy. The issue is that the rest of the content is a hodge podge of other stuff, rather than a focused release similar to what Bunt has done.

Each of the Bunt releases has a ton of in scope content all related to the box itself, including base cards, and multiple box toppers. That’s not saying Huddle’s legend boxes havent worked well, just that the content doesnt have the same presentation as its sister app. Opening a box in Bunt for $75 will net you some great looking stuff, including a large number of guaranteed inserts. It obviously takes a lot to get these built, approved and set up, but the payoff is huge. Bunt has actually found a way to bring the fun of opening boxes on the physical side to a digital format.

I absolutely love the way these cards turn out, and the box toppers are highly sought after by collectors. This means that a user rarely walks away disappointed, where other formats from the other apps dont always deliver that way.

In my opinion, this type of release could not only be used for Huddle, but also for SWCT in delivery of the many different base variant types that have flooded the app lately. Instead of paying $100 dollars to get one variant, bring the experience of opening a few packs to get to the box topper.

Again, the work needed to set up a program of this sort isnt anything to scoff at. Building 100 finest base cards and 30 box toppers is a ton of work, and the approvals are a part of it as well. I just have to believe that save any engineering issues, the way we fawn over the cards pales in comparison.

Here are some sets for Huddle that I would love to see in this format:

• Five Star – This set was the premiere set before Definitive Collection was announced earlier this year.
• Supreme – Great looking base, with some huge potential for great box toppers
• Museum Collection – Premium set with cool looking base cards
• Bowman Chrome – Since Topps Chrome was already released, this set would be a cool digitization candidate
• Topps Finest – Another Chrome style set
• Superfractors – the famous physical 1/1s that could be used in a very special way

Overall, its all about novelty and the way things are delivered to the users. Nothing is more fun than ripping a bunch of packs. This type of format does wonders for that.

The trend towards lower and lower count cards in the Topps apps is quite evident, and for the most part, very alluring to the collectors out there. At the same time, not every one of the cards is kept in circulation, as many times the packs are so readily available, anyone can pull the cards – including users who leave and never come back.

With this in mind, especially on cards with counts below 5, is it worth our time to newbie-proof the packs, thus preventing this situation from happening? Is it something more than just potentially losing the card for good? There is also some interesting discussion to be had about experienced users exploiting lack of economic knowledge to secure the card through ways of low integrity.

There is merit to not going down the path of putting measures in place to “scare away” casual users from trying to score the ultimate prize. The idea that anyone can and should have access to any card available, is a premise that has existed in trading cards for a long time. Having that unattainable card in packs generates buzz, and the fact that anyone can pull it adds to the tension. The tension generated can easily spur people to buy in for more than they normally would, especially if the card(s) stay in packs longer than expected.

Some of it has to do with human nature in regards to FOMO – or fear of missing out. No one wants to be that guy who was about to hit the buy pack button, only to see that someone else has pulled the card. It literally happened to me yesterday. Luckily, I have been around long enough to understand that not everything is within grasp. it doesnt bother me any more. For others, that isnt the case.

So, with that, should everyone have unabated access to packs with super low count cards? I dont think the answer is simple, but there are situations that might help any newbie who hits the jackpot on one pull of the lever.

1. Require a purchase – before permanent access to the pack is granted, a bundle must be bought. Basically, if you are ready to make a purchase, you are likely not going to disappear. Even if its a .99 cent bundle, it should prevent the 1 trade newbies from diving in.
2. Increase pack price above the daily bonus – this isnt as good of a way to make this stick, because a 15k pack price will still allow anyone who has saved up to buy the pack. All this will do is prevent larger amounts of packs from being opened at a time.
3. Lock the card immediately after it is pulled – if the user has available locks, the card should come out of the packs with the lock in place. If the user chooses to unlock it, they can. This may make the card invisible to blind trades until the user unlocks, but if the other measures are in place, it likely wont be someone who doesnt know what to do. This will prevent the blind trade vultures from swooping in and giving nothing for a top prize in the game.
4. Use a popup with trades containing a 1/1 – have it say something like “A card in this trade is one of the most valuable cards in the app – please be cautious of scams or low value trades. Consult the article comment section for advice on this trade if needed.” This MAY help newer users to understand what they have, and prevent vultures from ridding them of their treasure for nothing.
5. Require a specific collection score or trade rating count – this could serve as a way to keep cards out of the hands of users that may still be prime for attrition. If you put the collection score indicator at 55 or 60, with a trade count requirement of 50 and above, new users wouldnt be eligible to participate in the top offers. This could serve as an incentive for getting more involved, but it could also accelerate their desire to leave. This could also make it more difficult to use alternate accounts to pull packs for top cards, which looks to be a common occurrence.

Bottom line, protecting the cards that the game loves the most is important to me. As much as I want a new user to experience the thrill of a pull of a lifetime, the risk is just too great. Either the card is traded for nothing, and the user doesnt benefit from the value, or the user leaves and a card is lost forever.

Because there is no attrition timer, with a method for collecting lost cards, its entirely possible that some of these types of cards will never be recovered. For apps that are quickly becoming run by the lowest count examples of every card, this is a huge issue.

If a method for retrieving cards is created, this might be a different story. However, its clear to me that something should be tested to help us all out.

So far, the app has been at the forefront of everything to do with the new movie, generating mainstream coverage from news sources all around the internet. Considering how much visibility that brings to what Topps Digital is doing, the question now becomes how they capitalize on it. Here are some of my predictions and thoughts.

Next Few Weeks

Right now, the movie will continue to set records world wide, likely becoming one of the highest grossing films of all time. It already set weekend records this past week, and will continue to do so with so many people loving the film. The app will likely mirror this sentiment as much as humanly possible, all while maintaining the bare minimum of non-Episode VII content.

Marathons will have to continue and the release of Series 3 base will provide some engagement for the three people who dont care about the new film. Outside of that, the only other stuff I expect has to do with the holidays, which should have a good mix of old and new.

Entering the New Year

Early in 2016, Bunt will launch their 2016 build, and for the first time ever, they might be the second app to launch. Opening Day for 2016 is on 4/3/16, and I fully expect SWCT to launch a new build sometime before that. This might also be the first time that we see things distanced from the sports apps, maybe looking to set SWCT on a path that better defines the universe. When you think about it, there is very little reason to continue modelling the app after Bunt, Huddle and Kick, other than to promote user familiarity. Considering that user acquaintance has already completed, its time to make SWCT its own thing.

That’s not saying its time to go off the deep end like we saw with Kick in 2016, but I hope SWCT 2.0 is not going to continue to be Bunt with some tweaks.

Additionally, the launch of the new base set will open a lot of doors for the app, especially when so much of the user base still finds interest in hoarding and programs surrounding that element of the game. I have to believe that any new build and any new base programs will have been adjusted to account for this part of the fan base, and that should be interesting to see how it plays out.

Future Marathons

To be clear, I thought we wouldnt get new marathons until the new build was launched. Now that we are a few weeks in, I dont see them waiting for 25 plus more weeks to reconfigure the setup. Although the set releases arent going to stop, I am very interested to see what they do now that the interest in marathon sets has waned. Where the app used to live and die by the release of Vintage and Widevision, many are seeing some stale aspects to the setup itself. Value has dropped as people focus on their hoards, and though some continue, its not what it used to be.

Im also not saying this is a bad thing, as the adjustments in a mobile world need to come fast and furious. To think that a game can be based around the same elements for more than a year is just ludicrous in the app store, and should be considered a HUGE victory the way things have gone to date.

After this set of Marathons is done, I think its time to figure out what is going to change, and how to keep users going without a gameplay element to keep people busy. Base variants are not what will get the new users to the app either. Its all about fun original content, and it has to be delivered in new and creative ways.

My Suggestions

If there are changes that will be coming with the new build, I do have some additional thoughts on what I might do to cater to the way the user base functions within the app itself. Some of these have been discussed before, but in terms of starting from scratch, this is what I would do.

Hoarding as Recognized Gameplay

Hoarding needs to have its own little part of the game, and it needs to be fully supported by the app’s functionality. Any miss here is a huge opportunity wasted.

• Card Count Leaderboards – Hoarding is a crowd-sourced gameplay element to the app that is extremely powerful. Incentivising the fans to get involved is a great way to get people excited. If there is no gameplay that is being developed, this is a way to take advantage of the competitive characteristics that many collectors are driven by. Seeing live updates of your competition’s hoard will only drive the app to the brink of insanity, with so many users looking to be the top XXXXXX collector out there.
• Card Count Awards – giving out special bonuses to people who achieve certain levels is a big deal. Whether its coins or special cards, adding further incentives to the hoarding aspect will be a great thing. Recognize the effort it takes to get the trades done.
• Publicly recognize top hoarders – Outside of putting names on the back of a monument card, its a very good idea to show that the app producers care that base cards still mean something. An article in the feed would go a long way.
• More Trading Slots – doing 9 for 9 trades to get your hoard up to snuff is not ideal. As base cards go up in count, it would be great to be able to add more cards to a trade.

Trading as a Primary Driver

Like with hoarding, the trading element is a huge part of the game’s allure. Being able to interact with users in this fashion, gives the community element a lift where it wouldnt go without being able to trade. Legitimizing more of the trade economy is a big part of what I would do.

• Chaging Trader Feedback – Traders who are great for the community need to be recognized publicly, and this could be done through a better trader feedback system. Right now, trader rating counts mean little to nothing, and users who have a top trader star rating get no special treatment.
• User Trade Comments – Traders that game the system or straight up scam others need to be dealt with. Not every poor experience gets reported, and giving users a forum to comment will help to curb this. Obviously, revenge and retaliation will need to be watched like a hawk, but the report comment flags can be used here too.
• Cross Trader Reference Page – As part of a user’s profile, it would be great to see references of people who have cross traded successfully with each trader. Since its so difficult to link all the apps together for cross trading purposes, this is the next best thing.
• Punish Scammers – If people are reported and investigated, guilty parties need to be perma banned from trading on the app. Obviously, this can be a tricky situation, but its desperately needed.
• Cross Trade Escrow – I mentioned this previously, but Topps needs to build or sponsor users who will act as disinterested 3rd parties in cross trades. Users should be able to send their cards to these 3rd parties without risk of losing their cards if used properly. It will provide a safe haven for moving cards between two users on the apps.

Collection Score Updates

When it comes to getting to the top of the app, collection score dictates much more than just how much you own. Its a relative living representation of your collection as it relates to every other user. This needs to be a bigger part of the game.

• Pull Back the Curtain – Give people a clear and transparent understanding of the collection score, and what each type of card will do to it. This will give people a reason to chase down certain releases, especially if they pertain to the score’s increasing dramatically.
• Add a Hoard Score – Adding a similar element to hoarding will only add to the affection people have for their hoard. If your hoard target is chosen up front, the game should be able to populate your hoard score in comparison to others.
• Best of SWCT – Like Best of Bunt and Best of Huddle, top collection score users on a weekly basis should be rewarded. There may even be a way to restructure the scores so a weekly count can be derived from the total. Biggest increases over one week is a great way to get people going.

Smuggler’s Den

In the new year, Smuggler’s den needs an overhaul. As mentioned in a previous article, it cannot be used as a vehicle solely devoted to pumping out base variants or set awards. There needs to be real content delivered.

• Better Shredding Interface – yes we get that the animation is cool, but it takes forever. It also gets really annoying after the 100th time you see it. There needs to be a better interface that provides dual support to people shredding one card vs shredding 1000 cards.
• Original Content – Entire sets need to be available through the Den. Give people the opportunity to pay for packs with cards instead of coins in these sets, and make the Den what it should be all about.
• Build Process Updates – Make the resources and ships into something other than just getting blueprints in packs. Right now, Topps is using certain elements of timers to create urgency, but I dont agree. The urgency should be in the competitive elements, with top builders getting the spoils of what their armada represents. Offering rewards for building big is much more attractive than timers limiting card counts at this point.

User Factions

Picking your faction at the beginning of the game should not end your interaction with who you identify with. It also should not be permanent. This should be a way to deliver fun elements to the app, and do it in a way that promotes community and competition.

• Special releases – When the app first started, faction specific releases happened a few times. This needs to come back.
• Faction changes – users should be granted a certain number of free faction changes as part of the app’s functionality. After that, pay to play.
• Faction leaderboards – getting to the top of your faction in terms of your hoard or your collection score should be a big achievement.

Separating SWCT from the Pack

I completely understand the amount of work that would have to go into making these things a reality, but that is the fun of spitballing ideas. The point of all of this, is that Topps cant just sit back and hope the users dont get bored. Significant changes, while keeping the relative soul of the app in tact, would be a great way to keep things fresh.

The sports apps have a major advantage in a gameplay element, but the SWCT community is as big of an advantage as exists. Trying to model the SW round peg into the sports apps square hole cannot continue to happen. When SW was first launched, im not sure Topps really knew the hype that would result. Now that the hype is in place, its time to really branch off and celebrate the advantages a huge community can give you. If SWCT continues to be built in conjunction with Bunt, Huddle and Kick, it will never achieve the potential that exists.

The day we have been waitng for since the app launched is here. The Force Awakens hits theaters officially today, with showings every last minute all day long. For many Star Wars fans, this is the point in their fandom where everything becomes surreal, and for SWCT fans, its a day that will live in our memories for as long as we are part of the app.

At 12:01 yesterday, the first set was released in SWCT concept art, and as expected, the set look really, really good. It features the type of stuff that we love, mainly that there are no publicity stills that are responsible for the creation of the cards. It doesnt look like these are going to end up on a Subway happy meal bag, and that makes me excited. These are the first real movie cards, and they will be far from the last.

With the app update yesterday, the app store entry included some major outlining of the upcoming releases, including 100 new movie themed base cards (AWESOME!), modernography, and weapon themed examples of FA tie in material. I cannot wait to see what the stuff all looks like, and I would guess the traffic this will generate is going to be pretty intense on the app.

Its funny that they are going to release as many new base cards as they are, as I predicted this would be the case back during my post about this day. We already see that the series 3 base will have a new design, and that series 1 and 2 will thankfully be retired. This means we will finally have a chance to start over and build our hoards from scratch, and there in lies the fun.

The series 3 base design may or may not be used for the movie base cards, which should be in base packs per the entry on the app store. I hope that they are on the new design, as it is a pretty dynamic look for the set. It also looks like there is more potential to use the non-photographic background for better base variants, instead of just a weird border like before. I could see them going a completely different direction in the way the base function as a vehicle for variants, and I think that will be very welcome among the people who collect base as their main target.

Stay tuned for more information today, as I would guess there is A LOT planned. Ill have updates as they are released.

Over the last year, Panini has had a deal with the NFLPA as the exclusive provider of player licensed trading cards starting in 2016. During that year, no deal had been announced in regards to the other 50% of the deal. A few months ago, we found out that the deal with the licensing arm of the NFL was now in place, securing a full trading card exclusive starting next year. What was still in flux was the exclusivity of the digital side, which impacts the potential license secured by Huddle at the start of the 2015 season.

On the Panini blog today, they finally addressed the nature of the deal in a public format, and as expected, a very clear confirmation that the exclusive DOES NOT apply to digital cards. This is obviously great news for all of the fans of Huddle, and opens the door for ongoing years of NFL licensed cards in the app.

As I reported when the deal was first discovered, digital and physical cards do not occupy the same league license. The rights are negotiated separately, and from what I would guess, the league has to be pretty happy with what Huddle has accomplished so far in 2015. Panini does have a new digital card app in the app store, but it is no where near the level that Huddle is. Its like comparing driving a power wheels to driving an actual car.

When the digital market eventually grows to larger proportions, there is always a possibility that things could change. However, I dont foresee that being a concern any longer, especially with Huddle continuing to show up on the highest grossing app list on a regular basis.

Panini may have the trading card world on lockdown, but Topps Digital remains the dominant force on the other side of the aisle. Hopefully that will be the case for many many years.

Here is a link to the article:

http://blog.paniniamerica.net/2015/12/17/national-football-league-panini-america-announce-new-trading-card-relationship/