The day after the Great Designer Search 2 multiple choice test, I received this message in the mail:
Dear Great Designer Search 2 Applicant,
Thank you for taking the GDS2 multiple-choice test. Unfortunately, I have to inform you that you have not advanced to the next round, as you did not have a high enough score on the test. I want to thank you for all the hard work you put into your application so far and hope that you choose to still participate on the GDS2 by getting involved on the Magic Wiki.
While you are out of contention for the internship, your opportunity to be involved in Magic design is not necessarily over. We will be looking at contributions on the Wiki for other design opportunities. In addition, the best designs on the Wiki may be used in upcoming sets.
Once again, thanks for all your hard work.
Sincerely,
Mark Rosewater
The cutoff was 44 out of 50 questions, and the test winnowed it down to 101 applicants, who spent the weekend taking a design test.
It’s probably for the best that I didn’t win. I was at a game and art convention over the weekend, and I was trying to figure out how I would complete the design test and attend the show at the same time.
Though I am, for the most part, at peace with the results, one thing is haunting me. There was one question that I felt I knew the answer cold. For now, I’ll just say that I chose an option where the answer was “five.” After submitting the test and sleeping it off, I saw someone else’s online review of the test (which they actually shouldn’t have posted), and noticed that they answered “six” on that question. When I went back and reviewed my answer, I saw that I had not counted something that I should have, and that “six” was, in fact, the correct answer.
If I had been a little more attentive and double checked, I would have caught it. I don’t mind losing if I genuinely don’t know the answer, but I hate losing due to my own inattentiveness. With that in mind, if I find out that my score was 43, I am going to be pissed!
All that said, the kids and I had a great time at Con on the Cob. Further, I am pleased that I am not nearly as shaken by this loss as I was by the loss in 2006. It says a lot about my love of my current job.
One interesting thing that has come out of this weekend: I am getting back into Magic. I purchased a bundle of cards from a vendor getting out of the game at 5 cents each. Among them…
- Shivan Dragon
- Balance
- Armageddon
- Howling Mine
- Kitchen Finks
- Sol’kanar the Swamp King
- 3 Coiling Oracles
- Reaper King
- Black Vise
- Zuran Orb
- Larry Niven’s….er….Nevinyrral’s Disk
- Jeweled Amulet (A personal favorite of mine)
- Mana Flair
- Spectral Procession
- Royal Assassin
- Brushland
- Hunted Wumpus
- Recycle
- Overrun
- Bird of Paradise
- Merchant Scroll
- Stasis
- 2 Flashes
- Mystical Tutor
…as well as a boat load of utility cards (Lightning Bolt, Pacifism, Hymn to Tourach, Counterspell, etc). All in all, I think it was a good deal.
I’ll post the test, my analysis and answers, and WotC’s answers after WotC releases it to the public.
Thanks for the support everyone!