Everyone has his/her own reasons for liking ETG and not liking the changes oetg has implemented.
Apologies for the double post, but I wanted to respond to this separately because it's something I have thought a lot about and have a lot of strong feelings about.
Possibly the single largest fundamental design principle guiding oetg's in-game development over the years is that we want to make oetg available for everyone to play
however they want to play, at a deep level. This is why we've made a lot of changes to the economy to separate pvp (as minimal grinding as can be managed without compromising pve, absolutely no grind-to-win) from pve/collecting (with very long term goals that can be showed off but which don't provide in-game benefit to avoid compromising accessible pvp). This is why we've done a lot of work in pve to make sure that every grinding target (from the ai2 equivalent to arena to the fg equivalent) is a viable grinding target using several different styles of grinding. There is a several-dozen-way tie for best grinding deck, encompassing a wide variety of deck archetypes.
You specifically mentioned the pseudo-scientific theme of elements. We have added a few new cards and a few new pieces of art that are a part of that theme, but I absolutely agree that oetg uses that theme less than original did. The single largest fundamental principle governing oetg's
overall development is that we are developing it to be a game that its players want to play, built and guided by its community. The people who have showed up over the last six years have guided the additions to the game and its style and theme. Because different people see elements' theme as different things, some of them have caused that theme to move away from a pseudo-scientific style.
Art happens the same way. We want art from anyone who wants to contribute. This has currently resulted in a fractured style, because we believe it is better to have an eclectic, diverse art style than to not have art for certain cards. We add what we are given, because different people like different themes and styles. This specific thing is not currently imminent, but going forward as we get more artists working in different styles, we have discussed expanding the concept of "alternate art" cards into full "alternate theme" art/flavor sets that allow people to use more cohesive themes and to choose the themes they like the best. This requires more artists, and we don't pay anybody (including ourselves, even to offset the cost of hosting), so it requires passionate artists volunteering their time working in that theme. I can't make those artists appear, but I will absolutely champion adding in their art.
Because the game's progress and development is community-based and community-driven to the fullest extent possible, the game moves in the directions preferred by the people showing up and providing their input. If the game doesn't currently reflect the direction you would like it to move in, please show up and provide your input. It is my goal to make this game playable by everyone that wants to play it, regardless of how they like to play it. If it isn't how you'd like to play it, come help us fix that.
I also want to reiterate that I completely understand that oetg does not replace elements. It is not original elements. It is a new game inspired by original elements. The reason we maintain oetg-v (notwithstanding it not currently working due to the UI revamp) is to allow people who just want to play the game that they love from ten years ago to continue to do that once that once the true original is no longer available, since we understand that is one of the many diverse ways people want to play the game. This is why we are moving forward with trying to even add accounts/pve/arena/etc back in to the oetg-v cardset. I do not want to force or convince anyone to play oetg that doesn't want to. I do, though, want to continue to make oetg a game people want to play, however they want to play.
