I’d like to say I picked this article as one of my two reprint articles because it showcased the interesting process we use to determine future Vs. sets, but I really picked it because it highlights the fine art of Danny tossing. The Squadron Supreme from the Avengers set has had a lot of tournament impact as of late, so the article Look Ma, No Hand!, revealing my original design theories for the team seemed like a solid second choice.
Happy holidays! When we get back, it will soon be time to start spoiling some X-Men cards!
In the beginning, all the Vs. System sets were chosen using the same method. I would go to my personal collection of comics and pick out a wide variety of titles from the appropriate comic universe. I would then spread them out in widening concentric circles around the office. After this was set up, Dave Humpherys would pick up Danny Mandel and throw him into the middle of the comics.* Wherever Danny landed, that would be the next Vs. System set.
Eventually, Danny got wise to this (though not as quickly as you might think someone would) and had his desk moved upstairs. To this day, the rest of us still aren’t quite sure where he sits, so we had to come up with alternative ways to select future sets.
The first secret to set selection is that we don’t actually select just one set at a time. Typically, we select at least two to four concurrent sets well over a year before they would release. For example, right now we’re reviewing potential set directions for the back half of 2007 and the beginning of 2008. There are number of “big picture” issues we need to take into account that require us plan for a series of sets this far in advance.
Take the Modern Age tournament format, for example. We want to ensure a natural thematic and mechanical progression for two back-to-back releases that will be featured in the same Modern Age. We want mechanics that are featured or introduced in the first Modern Age set to be continued or expanded upon in the follow-up release. There’s also the issue of the legacy content we put into sets. Typically, we include the most legacy content for the previously released set. When there’s a strong link between sets, the legacy content can be better integrated into the new teams.
Before I go any further, I guess I should cover how Jeff Donais’s ten year plan factors into this process. In previous posts, the big man himself has gone on record saying that UDE has over ten years of Vs. System sets planned.** This may lead some to believe that this plan consists of a ten year release schedule and that if one could access the right file, he or she could discover the names of all the sets through 2013. In actuality, what exists is a master file that contains all potential teams, set titles, and storylines we could come up with when we first started the project. This file is massive. I think Jeff picked ten years because it sounded like a solid, long term goal. In reality, this file is expanding all the time and will continue to grow over the next decade. Last time I updated the file, I started having to get mildly creative with set ideas sometime around year eighteen.
Before you get too blown away by trying imagine over 70 new teams, keep in mind that we have announced that the first set of 2006 will be an X-Men set. This means that once we have released a team, we fully intend to revisit the team in the future. Another good example is the Avengers. Over 70 Marvel characters have been a member of the Avengers. In the first Avengers set, we released less than 25. We’ll need to release at least two more sets featuring the Avengers before we get through all of the characters at least once. This doesn’t even include the New Avengers, West Coast Avengers, or Great Lakes Avengers.
Getting back on topic, movies also play an important role in determining which sets and teams we feature in a given year. A summer blockbuster goes a long way toward promoting set awareness, not only with comic readers but also with the general public.
Over the last few years, superhero movies have moved into the domain of pop culture. Stores are filled with movie related merchandise, and fans are actively looking to purchase games and toys featuring their favorite characters. By creating entry level starter decks featuring teams and characters from the latest movie, we can introduce the game to a whole new audience.
Current comic storylines can also play an important role in determining the title and team content of an upcoming set. When we first created the game and mapped out the master content list I mentioned above, we had no idea that two years later the Infinite Crisis storyline would have such a major impact on the DC Universe. By working closely with DC, we were able to get advance information about future events involving the Identity Crisis, Prelude to Crisis, Days of Vengeance, and Infinite Crisis story arcs. Using this information, we were able to add a Crisis-themed expansion to our early 2006 release schedule that will feature characters and content at the same time that they first appear in the comics.
With the article name “Set Selection,” some readers doubtless expected a hint or spoiler information about a future set. All I can say for now is to take a careful look at one of the characters appearing in the upcoming JLA set. You’ll discover a not-to-subtle spoiler about a future team appearing in the Crisis expansion next year. We’re still working on official announcement dates for the third and fourth sets of 2006, but as soon I have confirmation, I’ll be sure to write a follow-up article. Until then, if anyone discovers where Danny Mandel’s new desk is, please email me at DannyTossing@upperdeck.com.
* I really wanted to include the official disclaimer that no Dannys were hurt during Vs. System set selection, but apparently I was informed that bruised egos count.
** Jeff Donais is indeed a big man, but not nearly as tall as Dave Humpherys, who is very tall.
*** While it was true that Matt Hyra actually did exist, we were sadly forced to dissemble him for the parts we needed to make Andrew Yip and Justin Gary. This explains why neither of them is as tall as Dave Humpherys.
**** Good luck JP! We’ll miss ya!