Digital Card Central

Since the launch, we have gotten our fair share of brand new cards, including our first few sets of the year. So far, everything has been extremely fun, and I expect its only going to get more intense as we progress towards Sunday night and Opening Day. Here are some thoughts.

Mike Trout Signature Series

Card Count: 150
Boost: 1x
Collectability: Extreme+
Playability: Normal
Cool Factor: Grand Slam

Last year, we had a very similar situation with Mike Trout leading off the sigs as the spokesperson for the game. At 100 copies in 2014, the card was so valuable, that few other cards could even be bundled together to trade for one. Seeing what we have for 2015, it might be a very similar situation, as Trout is not only a rare sig, but also an EXTREMELY popular player. Right now, there are no 9 2015 cards that can measure up to trade for this card, but offering some major 2014 cards MIGHT get the job done.

Ted Williams From the Vault

Card Count: 750
Boost: N/A
Collectability: Strong
Playability: N/A
Cool Factor: Grand Slam

This looks to be one of the first weekly sets of the year, possibly replacing Golden Moments or Throwback Thursday. This particular card is the 1985 Football design, which is one of my favorites of all time. Over the last few months, I have pleaded with TOPPSMARC to use this design in Huddle, and I am glad it gets the spotlight in Bunt as well. Great looking card, and a very cool series. They are trading super well right now because there is just nothing else available at the moment. Either way, I still think this is one of the best looking HOF player card in Bunt I have seen in a very long time.

Madison Bumgarner Limited Series

Card Count: 40
Boost: 1x
Collectability: Extreme+
Playability: Normal
Cool Factor: Home Run

These cards were available throughout the offseason, and I am glad to see they are back for this year as well. They are so extremely rare, that player and team collectors go nuts. This leads to a feeding frenzy over the packs and cards, and a huge amount of trade value on the open market. Good luck trying to track one down without giving up the house, especially with how popular MadBum has become in the game as the World Series MVP. Great set.

Albert Pujols Fresh Faces

Card Count: 850
Boost: 1x
Collectability: Good
Playability: Normal
Cool Factor: Double

I liked this series when it was used to celebrate the season awards in Huddle, and it looks really good in Bunt in transition. The theme of the set is very interesting, as they are trying to showcase a player when they first entered the league. Of all the inserts released so far, I dont see this one trading as high as some of the others, likely because the reward card for the set has already been revealed as Alex Rodriguez.

5 Tool Phenoms Series

This is one of the first sets of the year, and it looks really really sleek. Its a crisp looking design, and so far, the checklist has been top notch. I see this set being extremely collectible with each card only being 350 copies, so gear up if you are going to chase the Trout gold reward card.

Verdict: BUY!

Anniversary Series

Our first horizontal cards of 2015, and ones that celebrate the heritage of the game, much like it did last year. The TV design as always one of the more iconic Topps sets, and its cool to see it in Bunt format. Making it horizontal allows for the presentation to be appreciated in full, and I compliment the team for making that call. The 1955 world series had a lot of big names in it, so this set should be pretty cool to see play out.

Verdict: BUY!

Leather Series

To be completely honest, this set was a disaster in 2014. It didnt look very good, it had the posed shots from Spring Training and no one wanted them. This year, the card design has improved about a million percent, but the high card counts will kill the value over some of the other insert sets already out. This set is one of the “community focused” types of approaches, which is deliberate to make the cards easier to pull for people who dont want to spend 200k to get one. Not my thing, but at least they look good.

Verdict: SELL!

Check back for more coverage as the week goes on, as there will be many more inserts available throughout the first few days of the season.

The launch is here, and we are now through the first “official” day of releases, including some really fun items to hit the sheet. As we progress through today and the rest of the week, its clear that many of the surprises will be made more clear.

Sig Release

Yesterday was the big day, and boy did Topps break out the biggest guns on day one. As we saw last year, Bunt Spokesperson, Mike Trout, was the initial subject for the signature series, to much fanfare. New for 2015 is the release of a new variant sig, that uses team colors instead of the usual blue, something I really liked in Huddle when it was done there.

I blew through the rest of my coins pretty quickly and ended up dumping another big amount into the packs, most of which did not return many new base cards that would be of use. Because the packs did not include Blue or Gold cards in the odds, I pretty much filled out my entire green and white set.

Although it was disappointing that the upper level base werent in the packs as I was opening, I somewhat reconsidered after I was done. Because these packs would be ripped mercilessly until the card is sold out, keeping blue and gold base out of the pack will preserve value. To me, this isnt a bad thing.

I ended up pulling a Trout base sig after a LOT of packs, but I would guess it will likely be one of the most difficult to pull all year long if 2014 was any indication.

Pack Structure

Its no secret that the requirement to buy coins before the good packs are accessed isnt a popular change to Bunt. It was introduced from the get go on Star Wars card trader as mentioned yesterday, and I believe it has led to a much more interesting trade economy. For a game like Star Wars, which is all collection based, its interesting that it has worked as well as it has.

Here is the thing, Bunt hasnt experimented with this structure before, and people who dont want to invest in the app will not take this well – at first. After a few weeks, I would guess this will be one of the lesser points that people have to complain about. Its unfair to make a judgement on the viability of this new format after one day. Things will change and evolve, and Bunt has already started soliciting user feedback to adjust the different elements of the game that are not facilitating as well as expected.

Most importantly, unlike last year, the top base cards are still commanding huge value on the trade market. For Blues and Golds, its almost impossible to chase down the best players without giving up a ransom, and I dont think that is a bad thing. Having value in base cards is a foreign concept in a lot of ways, and to have top tier players trade like top inserts, is a great change in my opinion.

It will impact gameplay for free players, no doubt, but as I have said so many times on this site, Bunt is a business. They have employees, licensing costs, and fees, all of which costs quite a bit of money. Free players are not the focus, much like Restaurants dont cater to people that sit at their tables and order water.

That being said, I think there needs to be a method to converting free players to pay to play users, and I guarantee that will be a focus as well. The significant changes to the leaderboard and contest structure should provide incentive to keep growing collections, expecially as new formats are released as the season progresses.

Inserts

I read somewhere that they are planning a blitz of releases leading up to opening day, and that we have only seen the tip of the iceberg so far. I really like the designs so far, as I think the work the Bunt team did on improving the cards this year has been very worthwhile.

The Fresh Faces insert set looks to be based on the cards from the Huddle Honors series, which were retro in their own right, and the Five Tool Stars definitely look damn sleek. The anniversary series is back for another year, and I think that the Berra card will definitely be sought after.

There will be a ton of inserts released over the next few days, so do not spend your coins unless you are desperate to pick up the card. If you just want to have a blast over the launch, dive in, because it will be fast and furious.

Bulletin System

I LOVE the bulletin system. Not only do they deliver messages and rewards, but also notifications when new cards and packs are available. I cant even begin to say how awesome this is. No longer do you have to sit there and continue to refresh the articles. Bulletin takes care of it.

Adjustments

So far, Topps has already mentioned a number of adjustments that are going to be made, including some to the sorting of the card sheet, and others to the playable cards that were supposed to be changed over when the app updated. I would guess many more on the way, but it may be until the next update.

Overall, I have been very happy with the game so far, as there are a lot of really fun new aspects that I cannot wait to see.

Today, April 1st, is a big day.

As everyone saw from TOPPSMIKE yesterday, looks like today might be the launch for 2015 Bunt. Although there is no set timeframe for the go live, he did promise that there would be an easter egg in the first batch of launch packs that are live on the site – one that I WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED IN.

From what the word on the street is, there are some special cards that were created for all the different people he converses with on twitter. He told me that my card would be a Joe Mauer base, that when flipped over, it would have my twitter / bunt handle on the back of the card when it is flipped over. Obviously I am honored, but sadly he also said that it would be a variant that ONLY has 5 copies!

Here is where I need your help. Make sure you check the back of your cards pulled during the first few hours, as I am sure this card will sell out fast. It will not look different than the other base, so you will have to flip it over to see if you pulled any of the 10 variant players created for the users involved in the easter egg.

I was not given a list of players, but I am sure that they will not be easy to find. If you open a pack, and flip over the first card, you can actually see the backs as you sort through all the cards in the pack. If you see a twitter handle on the back, that’s one of five copies of that variant!

Additionally, not everyone might be aware of the situation off the bat, so make sure to target these cards in your original trades if you see someone that has them. To view their card sheet with the back of the cards showing, just swipe left, and all the backs will be visible at once. In thumbnail form, the twitter handle should be a little black squiggle on the back right corner. Having these cards will be high value in trades, and you can stay ahead of the game!

I am offering a reward for the first person to send me a pic of a Twitter Variant card – as I will give your choice of any non-sig insert I have, or your choice of 10 2015 Base when they are live. If you pull my card, PLEASE let me know. I will offer any amount of my cards for that variant.

To be clear, this was supposed to be a surprise for the rest of the users who are not included, but Mike said I could tell my readers to help me in my search. Remember, open your packs and flip the cards, and you wont miss the variants.

However, if you do happen to miss it, your variant will show up as a second card of that same player on your sheet. So instead of having just one white Joe Mauer card, you will have two visible, with one being a variant. Normally, you would just get a little 2 over the card to show you have dupes. This will show up as a different version.

Thanks again everyone, and good luck on your hunt!

NOTE: Looks like the secret is out – Happy April Fools everyone!

As mentioned earlier today, Bunt is going to be launching their new build in the next few days. With MLB opening day just around the corner, I had a conversation with TOPPSMIKE about some of the amazing new features that 2015 Bunt will showcase. Before reading on, I think its clear that the team has listened to a lot of user feedback in making the new build more accessible and competitive. I am that much more excited after my conversation with Mike, as he and the team have obviously put in a tremendous amount of work surrounding the app. They really pulled out all the stops, and the 2015 season is going to be a blast.

NEW FEATURE: Bulletin System

As Mike explained in the article today, the bulletin system (like there was in ToppsKick) is a new way to get users any number of amazing new content in the game. Whether its packs, coins, reward cards, or maybe some funky new award – they can send it through the bulletin system to users.

Being aware of new cards and new rewards given for completing sets and other tasks has always been a relative buzzkill, as users were rarely made aware of when their spoils were made available to them. With this new system, Mike said that all changes. I like that a lot.

I would guess this is something that may be a minor impact to the overall functionality of the gameplay, but its presence opens up a ton of opportunities for Topps to communicate and provide things directly to the community.

NEW FEATURE: Contest League Play Structure

Gone are the main leaderboards where all users compete against everyone else. Replacing the main leaderboard are specific contest leagues that allow users to pick and choose how they want to play along. There will be contest leagues that group users by difficulties, boost levels and all sorts of new styles of play, and every person will have the opportunity to do it their way.

Mike provided a basic examples of three traffic lanes – easy, medium and hard. This is used in consideration of how certain users may not want to compete with the diamond VIPs on the hardest level, instead opting for the easier crowd where they can excel on a greater level. Of course, playing in the easier leagues wont be as lucrative in terms of prizes, but it will provide a competitive balance for users to compete at their own pace.

There will also be consideration placed on providing options for the hardcore “WATCH EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY GAME” user, along side the more traditional fantasy player who wants to set it and forget it. Every type of player will have their time in the sun.

Contest leagues can last from one game to one week, or longer, as only a few of the structures are finalized at this point. Obviously, user feedback and suggestions will open up new ideas, as will special events and situations that come up during the season.

Similarly, this opens up a throwdown type atmosphere to the gameplay, where different Contest Leagues can be created for specific games or even specific play criteria.

Here is the kicker: You will have to build specific play decks for each type of contest league. That means, if you have one Mike Trout gold, you will only be able to play that card in one league. If you have 9, you will have to determine which of them you want to play and for what league. What this does is create a more even playing field if high collection score users want to play in multiple leagues at once.

With league based scoring in play, its clear that its not always going to be easy to just dedicate a whole pitching staff any longer, unless you have a ton of cards. This will be an enormous play advantage for the first few weeks, even more so as everyone gets ramped up. This could assist in leaving the victory to the person who can do the math and pick the most applicable players. If you pick the wrong guy for your play deck, and leave someone else behind, your team could miss out on a performance from a guy on your bench. Basically, each user will need to play the fantasy element and pick wisely.

Like 2014, the play structure looks to be very similar in playing 9 cards at a time. From what Mike was saying, it doesnt look like they are changing that very drastically. However, they did mention the play timer would go away in a previous statement.

For those of us (like me) who dont have the math or fantasy skills to build the decks in the best possible manner, he said that there would be a “best deck” type of option that automatically selects your most applicable cards. Whew!

Really, the sky is the limit here, and you can bet they will go through the walls with the league ideas. I foresee a Beat TOPPSMIKE league in our future! He has already challenged us to try to get ahead this time around, as he promised to be a force to be reckoned with.

UPDATE: Scoring Structure

Most people will be happy to know that they wont have to completely relearn the way cards score in Bunt. Although hitters have been made a bit more powerful, the main structure is still similar to what it was in 2014, give or take a few points.

Additionally, defensive point structures have gotten much more rewarding, as the tougher a defensive play is to make, the more it will score. If a guy in your lineup scores on an Outfield Assist, gunning down a runner at third, you can bet you will get some nice points for it this year. Sure makes those defensive gurus a bit more valuable to play.

UPDATE: Weekly Sets

Mike assured me that all the fan favorite weekly sets from last year will be back with updated templates. Basically, the deGrom card he previewed is just the tip of the iceberg, and if the rest of the cards look as good as the Editor’s choice, we are in for a treat.

There will also be tons of new content, so dont think its just going to be a Sig, an EC, an FC, and others without a few surprises for the new year. The collection element is going to be a huge part of Bunt this year, including the potential for a Collector of the Week or something to that degree. Nothing is quite finalized yet, but Mike said that collectors will be very much a focus for 2015 as much as gameplay. For a game like this, where there are as many collectors as gamers, that is a big deal.

There may also be an update to collection score and other collection based elements to ensure a fresh start to the year while not abandoning the previous years, but that is something that he didnt provide much information on. More to come.

UPDATE: Boost Structure

For those of you who arent a huge fan of the massive boosts we saw during the post season, Mike said he isnt a huge fan of that either. We already know the basic boost structure from 2014 will continue in 2015, with Common being 1x and Super Rare being 2x. There is no guarantee that things wont accelerate as the year progresses, but for right now, 2x is going to be the common boost that most players will get to in the game. There will still be 3x black boosts, and maybe a VERY special other card that could go higher, but that wont come immediately, from what he provided.

UDPATE: Opening Day Set

Last year, the first inserts of the year were the Opening Day cards, with a special logo on the common base card. They were kind of forgotten as the year went on, as many of the collectors didnt see much of a premium with that type of a look.

Right now, Mike said the plan was to release them again with 30 subjects, but this time with a special photo variation and logo to differentiate the cards from the base. That should help to create value instead of just another white base card with a special logo.

UPDATE: More Photos!

Photography in sports is one of the most impressive around. The dynamic action shots have provided a backdrop for some of the biggest sports headlines of the last 50 plus years, and Bunt is definitely heading that direction.

As some of you probably realized, they tried to move away from posed photography as much as possible later last year, and I could not be happier. This year, Mike was saying the bank of available shots has grown considerably, and they are going to work with their design team to make sure every card has some unique element to it. Either a new photo, or a new way of looking at one that was previously used. Great news there.

Overall – I am shaking with excitement over what looks to be an epic year of baseball action. There are a lot of reasons to get pumped up now that we know how things are going to play out.

Stay tuned for more articles on collecting strategies and how to build your deck.

BIG THANKS TO TOPPSMIKE FOR THE EXCLUSIVE INFO!!

This time of year is brutal for Football fans. No baseball, no football, and the draft is still a month away. I feel for the Huddle designers as well, because they have to find a way to keep people engaged and interested. So far, the offseason has had its fair share of content, and here is my breakdown.

Offseason Signature Set

Cards: TBD
Pack Price: 7000
Lowest Count: 100 (so far)
Cool factor: Top Pick

Last year, these cards were some of the most boring cards of the year. It was literally the stock head shot with a signature on the card. No design, nothing. This year, I am going to argue that the offseason sig design is better than the head shot sig design we got during the year. Its that cool looking with the chalkboard drawn play background. Although the cards are very tough pulls because of the odds and fewer people opening packs, they are still fun to try to get.

Offseason Limited Set

Cards: TBD
Pack Price: 6500
Lowest Count: 84 (so far)
Cool factor: 1st Round Pick

I really thought the first limited set was awesome when it came out, and seeing this set as a continuation of the theme is a huge improvement. The design is awesome, looking like stamped metal, and so far, the player selection has been pretty great as well. A win all around.

Offseason Street Set

Cards: TBD
Pack Price: 5000
Lowest Count: 500 (so far)
Cool factor: 2nd Round Pick

Although I still love the original street set so much, this one is cool in a very similar perspective. Its more like we would expect graffiti to look like, with cement walls and more vibrant use of font design, and that makes this a pretty intricate look to an offseason insert.

8 Bit Series

Cards: 10
Pack Price: 5000
Lowest Count: 1000
Cool factor: Top Pick

I cant even put into words how much I love this set. It is nostalgia like nothing else, bringing back the days of Tecmo Bowl and the NES to Huddle. The cards are designed perfectly, and the checklist is just as good. I managed to put together the whole set in the last day, and I could not be happier that was the case. One of the best head shot sets in the game, and its not even close.

Bowman II Set

Cards: 10
Pack Price: 6500
Lowest Count: 1000
Cool factor: 5th Round Pick

This was the first set to really try the variant coin bundle buy card, and I think it was an interesting approach. Im not a huge fan of offering the variants for small bundles at first and then ramping them up all the way to the 900k bundle at the end though. That’s a bit unfair, considering that many of the users were likely expecting the buys to be of the smaller variety all the way through. Of course, there was always that doubt in our mind, but still. All that being said, I love the design more than the original Bowman set, even though the first version were headshots. Just not a huge fan of the structure.

Finest II Set

Cards: 10
Pack Price: 5000
Lowest Count: 400 (so far)
Cool factor: Undrafted Free Agent

I remember when these cards were released in physical back in 2011. I wasnt a huge fan of the design then, as the Star Trek like look and feel of the font/design just wasnt as appealing. Seeing them in digital form without the Chrome style presentation makes them look more dull and boring. Being that this is also Christian Ponder’s rookie year makes me have a bad taste in my mouth as a Vikings fan too. Ill try not to hold that against this set, but I would have gone with another year.

Im excited to see what Huddle has in store as we progress through bigger events of the offseason, and I expect they are going to bring the heat. The draft is approaching quickly, and hopefully we get some action going.