Topic: The need for additional Deckbox staff

I've wanted to bring this up in several occasions over the last months, in different forum topics, and unless I missed an already existing one, I think it deserves a separate discussion.

First of all, it's obvious to everyone that Sebi has done excellent work in this site. It's an awesome toolbox, I have recommended it multiple times, and I wish that just one fraction of users from other TCG management or market websites (namely Cardmarket in Europe) would move in. Not only for the collection and deck organizer engine, but particularly for the trading interface. As an old cat who used to go on Sundays with my duplicates binder to the flea market when Revised was in print, I feel that the current Magic player/collector base is sorely lacking pure, simple trading options. Sure, even back then we'd carry some magazine issue with the latest card price list as trading reference, and you'd see money talking some times, but nowadays everything is middle-managed by currency and broker sites and that's too bad. Deckbox is a refreshing exception and just for that reason it deserves all my support, collection management aside.

However, life happens, things evolve and understandably Sebi is busy in other fronts as well. Right now the backlog for necessary fixes, card additions, user support and feature requests is becoming alarmingly long, and with MH2 around the corner and considering how Hasbro/WotC are speeding up the pace, Deckbox might progressively lose its premium and advantages, and be left behind. That is, unless more hands get to work ASAP.

I'm aware that it is complex to add additional admins to a serious website, for multiple reasons. Been there, done that. And perhaps this is already being discussed in the backstage. But in case it isn't, I feel Deckbox needs this topic on the table. I would like this site to keep up, to evolve and to build up more critical user mass, but progress seems too stuck for this to happen, and context keeps pushing harder.

Please discuss.

Re: The need for additional Deckbox staff

I believe that some tasks here that Sebi is doing by himself are likely better done with by a small group of people.

If there was a way for a small group to help address trade disputes and help with any small tasks on the forum (moderation, answering questions, writing up decent feature requests and bug reports) that would probably help free up Sebi's time to address other things that are harder to delegate.

It also seems like there should be a way to train a small group of people to add cards to the system, as long as there are some steps laid out, it seems like others could help here.  Maybe it isn't a huge task currently (like 2 to 5 hours every few months), but having others that are trained to do this could dramatically help the site be more complete and completely usable instead of having to make notes about adjustments to make when the cards are finally loaded.  Just being current could help get people using the system or retain people that might end up going to other solutions.

This isn't taking into account the features that could be added to the site, where it may be more difficult to add people.  I think that adding others to help with the more mundane tasks could help give Sebi time for those aspects.

  • n21
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Re: The need for additional Deckbox staff

Honestly, I think the owner should think of shrinking the scale and focussing on something specific. I was mainly using Deckbox for its excellent collection management features, and I still can't find a better alternative. Its current main benefit over its competitors is that you can store your entire collection and technically infinite amount of decks for free, while also having the option to cross-reference the missing cards with your collection. I also really like the deck builder, because I can assign custom tags to cards in my decks, which is really helpful when I am assessing what am I missing in my deck.

However, card search could really be better. It feels like hasn't evolved at all since 2017, and I just find it really annoying that there is still no way to filter cards by commander identity. Meanwhile, powerful search engines like Scryfall exist, which not only have a much better search capabilities, but also is updated more frequently, uses multiple card price sources, has handy links to other useful websites like EDHREC and MTGTop8 etc, and its interface also looks much more polished. I really wish I could just use a combination of Scryfall's search and Deckbox's deckbuilding/collection managing capabilities.

Perhaps, instead of having to focus on supporting its own card database and Oracle text (which is quite often outdated), Deckbox could just use MTGJSON. This would allow the owner to completely get rid of the hassle of having to manage own card database updates and shift the focus towards Deckbox's strong sides -- a combination of a great deck builder and excellent collection manager.

Last edited by n21 (2021-06-01 19:51:11)