News Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom closing Jan 24th 2021

[pdude81]

SOTMK did not use MBs (did it?), just the "key card" and then the playing cards.

The POTC game does use Magic Bands (or a KTTW card, etc) but has not come back online since COVID. I think what you are saying might make some sense for having POTC perhaps not return, but doesn't explain SOTMK.

It did use magic bands but specific bands. The cast at the fire house had to set up your game to go on a specific band. So if you wore a different one the next day you'd have to set up a new game. So not unlike the cards, but I'm sure they wouldn't want to be giving out cards to people to play each day.

 

[networkpro]

SOTMK did not use MBs (did it?), just the "key card" and then the playing cards.

The POTC game does use Magic Bands (or a KTTW card, etc) but has not come back online since COVID. I think what you are saying might make some sense for having POTC perhaps not return, but doesn't explain SOTMK.

They swapped over from the key cards to Magic Bands serial numbers about 2006 if I remember correctly.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I played from day one to a few years ago and never had a MB. The card works fine, you leave it in your card book and swipe through it.

Same. I always used my annual pass.

For me, and I’m not the target demographic I’m sure, I wish it was more of a discovery thing. Like as I was wandering the park I would see a window and wish I could just go play at that window rather than go to the next portal on my mission or whatever.

It sure beats out turning a red light on and off in Galaxies Edge.

 

[CJR]

SOTMK did not use MBs (did it?), just the "key card" and then the playing cards.

The POTC game does use Magic Bands (or a KTTW card, etc) but has not come back online since COVID. I think what you are saying might make some sense for having POTC perhaps not return, but doesn't explain SOTMK.

We used our magic bands to activate the portals and then the cards during the actual game, I suppose mileage may vary.

 

[doctornick]

We used our magic bands to activate the portals and then the cards during the actual game, I suppose mileage may vary.

I thought we played most recently a few years ago, but used the "key" card to activate the portal and keep on our mission. Then of course the playing cards to fight battles. I don't remember using MBs for SOTMK, but I could just be forgetting. Definitely used the MBs for the Pirates game.

If you didn't have a MB, did they still given out the "key cards" or did you have to use the ticket media with how you entered the park?

 

[JoeCamel]

I thought we played most recently a few years ago, but used the "key" card to activate the portal and keep on our mission. Then of course the playing cards to fight battles. I don't remember using MBs for SOTMK, but I could just be forgetting. Definitely used the MBs for the Pirates game.

If you didn't have a MB, did they still given out the "key cards" or did you have to use the ticket media with how you entered the park?

They could still have a keycard or if your ticket medium was RFID enabled (had an antenna in it) then they could tie that to the account for play. That is why they could use MBs.

 

[Gillyanne]

There's a way you can play it "offline" at home, I'm guessing similar to Magic The Gathering and other card games, but as I was never really into those types of games, I never really read up on how to play SOTMK offline.

So I was wondering about all the card packets if they'll end up in the outlets or what they'll do with them (unless for the last few days they handed them out in droves to get rid of them). They also have those packs w/ the game boards and whatever special card you're supposed to be able to buy at the stores. But if those things pop up in the outlet etc, I may be interested in grabbing some (those packs in stores have 3 or 4 different game boards for different play types) and maybe looking into the gameplay later...

If the freebie packets do end up in the outlets as like $.99 or $.49 or something though, w/o a limit I can see pirates getting them all before others get a chance...

Unfortunately we won't be back in the parks prior to it ending, so even if they are just handing out a bunch of them, we won't get the chance. Never got a chance to get 1 full 70 set...

 

[JoeCamel]

There's a way you can play it "offline" at home, I'm guessing similar to Magic The Gathering and other card games, but as I was never really into those types of games, I never really read up on how to play SOTMK offline.

So I was wondering about all the card packets if they'll end up in the outlets or what they'll do with them (unless for the last few days they handed them out in droves to get rid of them). They also have those packs w/ the game boards and whatever special card you're supposed to be able to buy at the stores. But if those things pop up in the outlet etc, I may be interested in grabbing some (those packs in stores have 3 or 4 different game boards for different play types) and maybe looking into the gameplay later...

If the freebie packets do end up in the outlets as like $.99 or $.49 or something though, w/o a limit I can see pirates getting them all before others get a chance...

Unfortunately we won't be back in the parks prior to it ending, so even if they are just handing out a bunch of them, we won't get the chance. Never got a chance to get 1 full 70 set...

Don't bother with the home game - it is lame

 

[Basil of Baker Street]

SOTMK did not use MBs (did it?), just the "key card" and then the playing cards.

The POTC game does use Magic Bands (or a KTTW card, etc) but has not come back online since COVID. I think what you are saying might make some sense for having POTC perhaps not return, but doesn't explain SOTMK.

it used MBs to activate the portals

 

[Greenlawler]

I won't miss the game per say, but I did like collecting the cards, they really could have done so much more.

Put out a second set, made more of them harder to get (not impossible).

But so be it.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

I had the pleasure of playing a full round of this on our last trip. I really had fun with it, sure it had it’s flaws but it was fun to play and collect cards. Shame to see it go. Is it possible that something could take it’s place perhaps though the app?

We did it with our kids this last trip too, full round on each of the areas. It was a great distraction for kids that were just tired of rides and lines. I am sure some phone app scavenger hunt will replace it, but certainly won't be the same as finding a magic portal.

 

[rangerbob]

I won't miss the game per say, but I did like collecting the cards, they really could have done so much more.

Put out a second set, made more of them harder to get (not impossible).

But so be it.

I believe they said there was going to be multiple sets but it never continued. I bet it would have kept up if they added more to the game to keep people wanting to play. It was a good distraction and kept people doing something else.

 

[JoeCamel]

I believe they said there was going to be multiple sets but it never continued. I bet it would have kept up if they added more to the game to keep people wanting to play. It was a good distraction and kept people doing something else.

Problem was that they laid off/reassigned the creators of the game a year or so after it was handed over to ops so there was no one to expand it.

 

[rangerbob]

Problem was that they laid off/reassigned the creators of the game a year or so after it was handed over to ops so there was no one to expand it.

Didn't know that. I guess they pre-created the holiday card that was handed out during the special events.

 

[JoeCamel]

Didn't know that. I guess they pre-created the holiday card that was handed out during the special events.

No, that part was built into the game and all they had to do was the animation but to expand portals and decks would have been more than a once a year exercise (both cards at once) which was planned.

Original cards in D23 mag at launch of game

 

[Sundown]

@JoeCamel Thanks for your insight/info on SOTMK. Man...I'm going to be bummed for quite some time.

Would you know if there were ever any plans to extend the portals in to Tomorrowland? Perhaps how far along they went? Or was none of this even done, because as you said they laid-off the creators after only a year from the game's introduction.

And I can't imagine the game would have cost too much to maintain, even if keeping it as it is? I'd think it would even be a benefit to have a place where the crowd can go to during this time.

 

[JoeCamel]

@JoeCamel Thanks for your insight/info on SOTMK. Man...I'm going to be bummed for quite some time.

Would you know if there were ever any plans to extend the portals in to Tomorrowland? Perhaps how far along they went? Or was none of this even done, because as you said they laid-off the creators after only a year from the game's introduction.

And I can't imagine the game would have cost too much to maintain, even if keeping it as it is? I'd think it would even be a benefit to have a place where the crowd can go to during this time.

All I ever heard about Tomorrowland was fan generated. It was logical but they had a budget......

The game does cost to maintain and the hardware is obsolete. Far as I know the server is still in California which makes for slow data transfer. Didn't seem to make much difference in reliability (spotty and frustrating) when it was moved but the people to service it were out there. It would be amazing if it were redone in today's tech with improvements in card recognition but nobody would pay for that so another free perk is gone.
RIP SotMK

psst anybody want to buy party cards?? I joke, those go on ebay.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

All I ever heard about Tomorrowland was fan generated. It was logical but they had a budget......

The game does cost to maintain and the hardware is obsolete. Far as I know the server is still in California which makes for slow data transfer. Didn't seem to make much difference in reliability (spotty and frustrating) when it was moved but the people to service it were out there. It would be amazing if it were redone in today's tech with improvements in card recognition but nobody would pay for that so another free perk is gone.
RIP SotMK

psst anybody want to buy party cards?? I joke, those go on ebay.

I know my kids love to do quests at Great Wolf Lodge, we have spent a ton on that, and look what people pay for the wands at Harry Potter. They could have sold rings or something that activate it, or little genie lamps..who knows but there was money to be made.

 

[pdude81]

I know my kids love to do quests at Great Wolf Lodge, we have spent a ton on that, and look what people pay for the wands at Harry Potter. They could have sold rings or something that activate it, or little genie lamps..who knows but there was money to be made.

Well magic bands aren't free for resort guests anymore either. And those work for the time being. But having people line up at the fire house to start these games might have started becoming a problem. Not to mention the portals starting to get in the way of lines as the capacity of the parks increase. The line issue was mentioned earlier in the thread, and it makes sense even though that issue should be moot by 2022.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

Well magic bands aren't free for resort guests anymore either. And those work for the time being. But having people line up at the fire house to start these games might have started becoming a problem. Not to mention the portals starting to get in the way of lines as the capacity of the parks increase. The line issue was mentioned earlier in the thread, and it makes sense even though that issue should be moot by 2022.

We were there during Thanksgiving week, as busy a time as any during this Pandemic, and other than Mainstreet, it was not hard to do the quests. I think maybe if they removed the mainstream ones(or repositioned them, like the one inside the store) they could have done it without getting in peoples way. The Pirates one is not working currently(I can't recall when it last did)