Exploratory Design

Set Progress Timeline

Out of all the sets you’re working on right now, which is the farthest along in the timeline? Alternatively, what’s the distance between vision design and release date?

Cairo is the in-universe Magic set that is the farthest out. It’s in vision design. I start exploratory design on a Universes Beyond set in August. The end of vision design to print is two to three years. In-universe Magic sets are closer to release than Universe Beyond ones when they come out of vision design.

Card Printing Exploratory Design Universes Beyond Vision Design

Changeling Role in Typal Sets

Does Bloomburrow prove that a typal-themed set doesn’t need changeling to work? Or will Changeling stick around for typal sets with heavier creature type emphasis?

The as-fan of typal themes is a lot lower than sets like Lorwyn or Ixalan. “Here’s a snippet from my article today that touches upon this:To give you a sense of what I mean by a sprinkling, here are the typal rewards for Frogs:
A common that costs less if you have a Frog
An uncommon sorcery with a rider if you have a Frog
An uncommon land with an effect that helps Frogs
An uncommon land and a rare creature that cares if a Frog entered the battlefield this turn
An uncommon creature and a rare creature that grant Frogs an ability
A rare creature that cares about casting Frogs
The number of typal cards can vary slightly, but that will give you a rough idea of the as-fan I’m talking about.”Here’s a link to the whole article:
The Bloom of the Burrow, Part 1

As-fan Bloomburrow Changeling Creatures Exploratory Design Frog Ixalan Kindred / Typal Lands Lorwyn Rares Sorceries Spoilers Story / Lore Uncommons

Bloomburrow Mechanic Trivia

It's once again time for birthday trivia can I get any trivia on salvation swan from the upcoming bloomburrow if not just anything about the plane

The very first Bloomburrow mechanic we created in exploratory design made it to print. Happy Birthday!

Birthday Bloomburrow Card Printing Exploratory Design Mechanics Salvation Swan

Abbreviation of Design Stages

I've got a very specific questions. "Exploratory Design", "Vision Design", "Set Design", "Play Design" are all two words and sound like the kind of thing that could be abbreviated. I can imagine you guys talk about "Exploratory" or "Vision" just like that... but how do you abbreviate "Set Design" or "Play Design"? Do you always say the full name?

We will say “set” and “play”, although more often the former than the latter.

Exploratory Design Play Design Set Design Vision Design

Revealing Set Codenames

Can you tell us the set codenames after "Cairo" if there are any?

I reveal codenames when we begin exploratory design on the set (at least for premier sets). The “D” set hasn’t started exploratory design yet.

Exploratory Design Premier Sets Premier Sets

Current Set Design Projects

Hi Mark. Which set(s) are you currently working on?

I’m currently on the vision design teams for Berlin and Cairo, neither of which I’m leading. Exploratory design for a Universes Beyond set I’m leading vision design for starts soon.

Exploratory Design Set Design Universes Beyond Vision Design

Design Team Question

Hi, Mark! Is there a specific reason for no Exploratory Design team for MH3? Happy Birthday!

Exploratory design is to figure out the shape of what you’re doing. With Modern Horizons sets, we already know that.

Birthday Exploratory Design Modern Horizons Modern Horizons 3

Leading Marvel Sets

I know you usually lead Premier sets.I'm under the impression that the Marvel Sets will not be premier sets. Will you be leading any of them?

I already led the exploratory design and vision design of one of them and start the exploratory design, followed by vision design, on a second this summer.

Exploratory Design Marvel Premier Sets Premier Sets Vision Design

Future Set Tease

What's the furtherst set in the future with at least one card designed for it?

Cairo is in exploratory design. I don’t know if any of the cards we’ve made will end up in the set, but maybe.

Exploratory Design

Mechanic Development Timeline

"I took a mechanic I thought was too broad and made a narrower, more flavorful version of it (a la devotion) for an exploratory design playtest."

This is very interesting, I love hearing about cool tidbits like this behind the scenes so thanks for sharing!

If hypothetically this mechanic were to stay in though set design and development, when would players expect to see it released and be able to play with it? Would that be about 3 years from now?

Exploratory design usually means at least 3 years from now.

Exploratory Design Flavor Mechanics Playtesting Set Design

Teaser on Today's Work

Can I request a nonsensical teaser about something you worked on today?

I took a mechanic I thought was too broad and made a narrower, more flavorful version of it (a la devotion) for an exploratory design playtest.

Exploratory Design Flavor Mechanics Playtesting Teasers

Mechanics Playtesting Insights

Drive to Work request: How mechanics are play-tested individually in exploratory design to measure their potential

One of this week’s “Drive to Work” podcasts is about playtesting.

Drive to Work Exploratory Design Mechanics Playtesting

Exploratory Design Testing

Hi Mark. In exploratory design playtesting, do you test mechanics with limited-style decks, 60 card constructed-style decks or both?

The most common means of playtesting in exploratory design is 40-card constructed decks.

Constructed Exploratory Design Mechanics Playtesting

Design Stages Overview

Let's say WOE starts exploratory design today. In what stages of design are MOM, ONE, BRO and DMU?

Premier sets are roughly three months apart.

Dominaria United Exploratory Design Premier Sets Premier Sets The Brothers' War Wilds of Eldraine

Testing New Mechanics

Hi Mark, when you’re testing a new mechanic in exploratory design playtesting, what deck will you play it against? Also, do you use constructed style decks (3 or 4 of each card) or try and simulate limited (1 or 2 copies of each card). Thanks!

It varies based on several factors. There are three options:1) Play against another deck playing the same mechanic. 2) Play against another deck playing a different new mechanic. 3) Play against another deck using existing cards. We do #3 the most, then #2, then #1.

Constructed Exploratory Design Limited Mechanics Playtesting

Experimental Designs Test

Obviously you can't give details, but have you tested out any real experimental/strange designs lately? If so, do you think they'll make it into a set?

Exploratory design tries weird things all the time. I had a playtest last week where we had to walk through if the mechanic could even possibly work.

Exploratory Design Mechanics Playtesting

Testing Mechanics

Hi Mark, you've gone into a lot of super helpful detail about playtesting sets, but not talked a lot about how you test individual mechanics in a vacuum. I'd love to hear more about how you decide if a mechanic is fun or not when playtesting in the exploratory design. I imagine it's quite challenging because you don't have the context of the wider set to fit it into. Thank you for your time.

In exploratory design, we’ll make pre-constructed decks where the new mechanic is anywhere from about five to fifteen cards in the deck (depending on what we’re testing). The rest are usually existing Magic cards. Exploratory design playetests are basically seeing if the mechanic, usually in some volume, is fun. Vision design will often take the most fun mechanic from exploratory design and use it as the core to build around.

Appreciation Exploratory Design Mechanics Playtesting Vision Design

Vryn Sets Planning

In your preview article for Streets of New Capenna, you mention that two Vryn-based sets were originally planned to come out after Midnight Hunt. How far did those sets get in planning before they were cut? Did you do any exploratory design?

They got cut before exploratory design.

Exploratory Design Spoilers Streets of New Capenna

Managing Banned Lists

If you are the person who manages set design, who is the person who manages the Banned & Restricted list?

I manage exploratory design and vision design. Play design manages the banned and restricted list.

Bannings Exploratory Design Format Legality Play Design Set Design Vision Design

Favored Design Phases

Hi! If I may invoke the birthday trivia to ask a personal question: which part of design do you look forward to most each set?

Exploratory design and vision design as that’s what I do. : )

Birthday Exploratory Design Humor Vision Design