deathtouchroadrunner asked: I get your hints. I don't see them as a problem. I think a subset of the people annoyed get them, they just feel like they're a little too flip because of a failure to be properly exposed to how trivial their concerns are on a cosmic scale. I think another subset of people feel like the responses beat around the bush because you're not responding to some subtextual aspect of their question they feel is obvious.

My mind space is not on tournament Magic. It isn’t what I do. I’m the design guy, so my focus is more on the architecture of why and how we put things together.

So when someone asks why there aren’t graveyard answers, I take it as a design question. Structurally, why wouldn’t you put answers in the design?

The answer involves non-public information so I give a coy “wait and see” answer. I do 100% plan on explaining the reasoning when I’m able.

The person asking the question was concerned with Standard though so they were asking me, the easiest person to ask a question, something to let me comment on the state of Standard.

I wasn’t being dismissive or arrogant or unempathetic. I was a hammer assuming something was a nail when, in fact, it was far from a nail.

With hindsight, I now see the tone behind the question and if I had it to do over, I would give a straight-forward answer.

Here’s the problem for the future for me. Can I tell the difference before answering? Not only do I have the viewpoint issue, but I’m most often answering questions in between living my life.

I think the “madness to our method” quote was written while my son was brushing his teeth. My focus is already not 100%, but if I want to keep up my volume (which was the #1 positive response when I asked recently what people like about my blog) that’s the time I have to answer.

My point for this long post is that my goal is always to be the best spokesperson I can be. I try to learn from my mistakes to improve, but I know that this kind of nuance issue is just not something I’m going to catch all the time.

I promise you I hear the concerns and I’m working to do the best I can. I’ll try to catch things like this in the future.

All I ask in return is to remember I’m a human being capable of making mistakes just like anyone. Please don’t assume malice on my part.

If generating a million plus words of Magic a year should do anything, it should at least make my intentions clear. I care very much for the game and for the community. My involvement here on the blog is to enhance the game and make it more enjoyable for all of you not be dismissive of your concerns.