The Barash Files 002 — On Terminology, Communication, and Community

Lucky Paper Radio

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In the second installment of “The Barash Files”, Andy, Anthony, and Zach talk about Cube terminology. They talk about how the language we use effects that kinds of conversations we have which in turn effect the kinds of communities we build. New terminology can enable talking more efficiently about concepts that get condensed into a term, but also make it harder to communicate the nuance and variety in those concepts, potentially making communities harder to enter.

Zach shares his thoughts on different parts of cube design, including ideation before anyone touches a card, material choices, what happens during the draft, and in game rules. His hope is to offer new terminology to push the boundaries of what cube designers consider when building a cube.

Discussed in this episode:

• Parker’s History of Cube Article
• The Dunning Kruger Curve
• The Cascade Cube
• Eiganjo Drift
• Ryan Saxe’s Autobattler Cube
• The Devoid Cube
• Curio Cube
• Degenerate Micro Cube
• The Bauble Cube
• Reading Rainbow
• Companion Cube
• Tupelo Honey
• UMA Plus Cube

Check us out on Twitch and YouTube for paper Cube gameplay.

You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:

• Andy’s “Bun Magic” Cube
• Anthony’s “Regular” Cube

You can find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord. Send in questions to the show at [email protected] or our p.o. box:

Lucky Paper

PO Box 4855

Baltimore, MD 21211

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Musical production by DJ James Nasty.

Timestamps

• 0:00 - Intro
• 2:04 - Zach’s Preamble
• 6:14 - What is a “Cube”?
• 20:09 - Where did the normative ideas of power-maxing and constructed ban list naming conventions come from?
• 29:50 - The need for new terminology for different kinds of cube design
• 38:36 - On strange, non-descriptive deck names and accessibility vs gatekeeping
• 45:15 - Zach’s Five Areas of Cube Design
• 58:11 - The costs of making design choices in unexpected areas of Cube design
• 1:10:07 - On calling small Cubes “Twoberts”
• 1:14:52 - On referring to Cubes as “Baltimore Singleton”