Way for Zanz to make a bit extra money with Elements w/o hurting the game at all

[Marsu]

I was thinking about ways for Zanz to make a bit (more?) money with Elements.
Now, don't be afraid: I'm not dumb enough to wish to change a perfectly running system. I don't want more developers or a patch each month. I don't want fancier effects or advertisements. I simply want to ensure Zanz can keep doing exactly what he has been doing, and if the income through existing ads is already sufficient, I don't mind if it becomes his personal income.
It is important to say that "pay2win" simply destroys every game. This is no option.
There is one very successful game that is free to play, doesn't have pay2win, and yet makes quite a lot of money: League of Legends.
How is it done there? In League of Legends, you can't buy anything with real money that you couldn't buy with ingame points that you get after every game. Nothing - except one thing: "Skins". Skins make your champion (In analogy to Elements: your card) look different. That's it. Not stronger or in any way influencing the balance of the game - it simply looks different. There are tons of people buying one or two skins for their favorite champ or champs, and a few that buy tons of it. Those skins are quite expensive. One costs about 5 to 10 euro/dollar. Most people who buy them don't actually think of "buying" something, but just like in Elements at the moment: They donate money, and they get a little reward that doesn't influence the game for it.
Now, this is exactly what I'd propose for Elements. Actually, this exists already: Apart from other rewards, you can also get a foil chimera from donating. But well, it's just one card, and it's seldom used, if ever. If Zanz were to include one foil card from each elements as possible rewards from donating (only 1 per 5$, for example), quite a lot of people would buy one or even a few from their favorite element(s). I would "buy" one life foil for sure.
In contrast to the already existing Chimera, this would also have a snowball effect: If the new foils were not to be UP cards, newbs or people that don't visit the forum would still see them in PvP or in Arena. They'd search for how to get them, and quite a few would be willing to donate a few bucks to a great game for it.
I think this would be a great innovation. Zanz could make a bit extra money to ensure server stability and a two or three patches per year, we Elements lovers could add a fancy looking, rare creature to our favorite deck, and no casual player would have any disadvantage.
I'd like to hear your opinions.

[Vineroz]

You just want to bait vrt here...right?

[Marsu]

Haha, I have to admit I did think of him while writing this.

[Zarathustra1883]

Great idea, making you feel like you get something for your money without changing the balance and earning Zanz some money.

I think the fact alone that he did not jump the bandwagon with all the millions of p2w games out there even though he had/has a game that has the potential lets him deserve everything that goes his way imo.

If you could buy new card styles, special marks, golden card frames and so on, best without (or at least just little) influence on the performance I would surely invest something and it would also make nice new rewards for tournaments and stuff I think.

Supporting this idea!  8) Edit: Now that I finally can... +rep! 

[whatifidogetcaught?]

Newsman approved. I really like this idea, and it could made zanz money! Good work sir.

[Naesala]

I'm all for this, but with our few artists I would like priority to go to removing (most) the spore art first.

[Elbirn]

The issue with foil cards as I see it is that, with Vrt already working hard at redoing all the art anyway, you're not really getting anything out of a foil card...lemme explain. You have two options.

1. A game with some so-so card graphics, but if you donate, you get COOLER ONES!
2. A game with kickass Vrt graphics, but if you donate, you get...uhm.... *awkward silence*

The second option is the best for the players, and seems to be where elements is going. The first is probably best for Zanz and Vrt's paypal accounts, but shafts the player a bit. Can you imagine a world where the new Vampire art was made a buyable foil card? I'd be one sad Elbirn. Well, no, i'd probably go buy myself a complete set of them, but you get my point.

Let's look at Chimera. The foil chimera is the sexiest thing since sliced bread. The regular chimera available in game? Eh, less so (though I for one still like it.). But because Vrt already redesigned chimera, we'll never see a better "normal" chimera. We could very well have a future elements with nothing but awesome Vrt art for every card....Except chimera, which you have to buy. I had a point in pointing this out, but I think I lost it.

More random ramblings.
1. Why does foil chimera produce a relic in spins? Why can't it be replaced with a normal chimera?
2. As an alternative to foil cards, what about different mark designs? When choosing the mark for your deck in that drop down menu, you could have the alternate art underneath or to the side or something.
3. I've always wanted some form of customization to EtG. Example, allowing me to change the background images, in game music, load my own card art from my images folder, etc. How feasible would any of that be? Would those things interfere with the goal of earning Zanz moar monies?
4. I'd like to note that, last I tried, donating doesn't yield a reward code anymore. ;_; Unless Zanz fixed that.

[Marsu]

^
Hey! Some valuable points there, even though I also disagree with some:

It is indeed a bit of a problem that the art obviously requires work, and that first of all, everyone should be given newer, better art, and only when one can be content with the art of every card in this game, foils that aren't free should be added.
But: We're not talking about a whole foil-remake here. Exactly ONE card for each element would be sufficient for the time being, and that really shouldn't be impossible.
(The more frequently used that card is, the better it would be, obviously.)

[Elbirn]

I think that's the opposite of what they were shooting for when they gave chimera a foil art. xD

As for element foils..Hm.

- Dimensional Shield, lightning...Immortal?
- Flying Weapon? Sky Blitz?
- has already had it's two key cards (Devourer and Vampire) redone by Vrt...Maybe Voodoo, or black dragon?
- Poison?
- Redo graboid to better match the new Shrieker?
- abomination, antimatter, maxwell's demon...
- New fire spirit? It's spore art (which everyone wants replaced) and would fit the "underused" criteria set by chimera
- Go away gravy, you already got yours.
- Forest spirit, see fire spirit.
- I'm feeling some Vrt approved Pegasus
- Anubis could be really, realllly awesome.
- New Blue Crawler

I suggested a few cards that would be more "still life" though, i'm not certain if that's Vrt's style. *shrug*

[Drake_XIV]

I'd say potentially make all the dragons Foils, but Massive Dragon already got redone...

[vrt]

Quite frankly, I don't feel comfortable offering more art for donation purposes when I don't see a single penny for it. Sorry.

[Zarathustra1883]

Quite frankly, I don't feel comfortable offering more art for donation purposes when I don't see a single penny for it. Sorry.

Your description says whore, and as far as I know (no expert though  ) whores get paid for their services, no?  whyareyoudoingitwrong? Just kidding btw!