Worlds of inspiration

[6Degrees]

First off: first post. Hello world.

 

This has surely been thought of before, though I've searched a few forums and no one has said it in so many words.

 

It occurred to me a while back that someone could walk up to their collection of Magic: the Gathering cards, pick one out at random, and make a damned nice mod with it. A stack of these cards is like a great big pre-made collection of concept art.

 

So if you're in a slump and can't think of anything to do, or want some inspiration for something fresh, or just don't feel in the mood for coming up with anything, you can sift through some of these cards until something really great starts putting itself together in your head. What's nice is that, in addition to the artwork, the card's effect and flavour text below can give you ideas for quests, NPCs, dialogue, something written on a scrap of paper somewhere. I'll give you a good example:

 

http://resources.wizards.com/Magic/Cards/DIS/en-us/Card97072.jpg

 

Even miles away, if you put your ear to the sewer vents, you can hear the screams and tempestuous laughter.

 

Lets the imagination go.

 

The artwork is really fantastic (these days) and very varied. Whatever scale or flavour of mod you want to make, there's something to be made of these cards.

 

If you're looking to make some weapons or armour, there's plenty of artwork to draw on;

 

from the cliché

http://resources.wizards.com/Magic/Cards/DST/en-us/Card47453.jpg

 

to the unorthodox;

http://resources.wizards.com/Magic/Cards/BOK/en-us/Card74415.jpg

 

from the simple,

http://resources.wizards.com/Magic/Cards/CHK/en-us/Card50469.jpg

 

to the intricate.

http://resources.wizards.com/Magic/Cards/MRD/en-us/Card46029.jpg

 

If you want to make a landscape mod, there are five colours in the game, each with their own generic scenery.

 

Green mana (Life, forests):

http://resources.wizards.com/Magic/Cards/10E/EN/Card129561.jpg

 

Red mana (Fire, Mountains):

http://resources.wizards.com/Magic/Cards/LRW/EN/Card143626.jpg

 

Blue mana (Mysticism, Islands):

http://resources.wizards.com/Magic/Cards/10E/EN/Card129607.jpg

 

Black mana (Things that go bump in the night, Swamps):

http://resources.wizards.com/Magic/Cards/OD/en-us/Card31620.jpg

 

White mana (Knights, plains):

http://resources.wizards.com/Magic/Cards/ALA/EN/Card175031.jpg

 

There are hundreds and hundreds of pieces of artwork similar to that, and others where some themes are combined. Others still are entirely unique.

 

And for each of these mana types, there are spells that are cast; each following the theme of the colour. There are creatures and enchantments and artifacts and all that jazz; thousands upon thousands of cards.

 

And, like I said, there's something for every scale of endeavor. If you would like to make a simple weapon or armour or item mod, there's that. There're also inspirations for new architecture, new textures, new spell animations. There're also pieces there that would make for some big, expansive, deep mods. I leave this to you to go through and dream about on your own, save a few that I'll link here.

 

Ok, nevermind, I've hit my maximum picture limit.

 

The card that got the idea in my head was called Dark Heart of the Wood.

Again, went over the picture limit.

 

If someone that's law savvy is around, could you throw up a post letting us know how legal this would be? If not, what arrangements might need to be made, or more importantly, how likely it is that the owners of the art would take enough offense to have any creations removed from circulation. Key thing: don't copy and paste the artwork and put it in your mansion as a painting, that WOULD be stealing. (Although, really, this is non-commercial. I really don't think they should care... it's free advertising.)

 

I'll try to get a hold of someone over at Wizards of the Coast to find out how much of a problem this'd be.

 

The card search engine can be found at the Gatherer.

There's also this other site, similar concept.

 

In any case, tell me what you think! Feel free to put up pictures of cards you'd enjoy seeing made into mods. (Right-click the image, select "copy image location")

 

Cheers,

6Degrees

 

ps. :iluvff:

[AzirAphale001]

You don't need to worry about legal issues, as it would count as fan art.

[simonp92]

that actually was great inspiration..

 

you think you have anything which would fit into valenwood?

[ihateregisteringeverywhere]

Most green cards would.