I absolutely loathe point systems that force people to play a style like in a league, instead rather encouraging similar-minded players to play together.
As for the length of a good game, it depends on the playgroup. A more cutthroat, it should be as fast as possible (though a good stax can ruin that and delay long), and as for a more 75%/casual group, it should still be shorter, but where the group enjoys it. Essentially, if you are playing, you should not gimp yourself in order to make others happy, but, the standard chain of plays should allow for enough time for the group to enjoy it more often than not. That does not mean everyone should be happy all the time as that will never happen, but, just that each player in the pod should do their best, and, if there is a discrepancy, like a legacy-style combo in a casual group, that should be discussed with the group.
When it it Okay to Unleash the Hounds?
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M00NSIDIAN
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My playgroup meets for roughly three hours and we try to get three games in a night if we can help it, so it's a matter of time, not turns -- we try to make each game fit nicely into an hour.
Turn-wise, though, I do like a little time to stretch out. Some decks I go for it when I see a chance, though, especially if it's something that a. relies on the graveyard (local meta runs a lot of graveyard hate/exile graveyard effects), or b. has a lot of moving parts that I have to explain to newer players. So basically, mostly if I'm playing Windgrace. Or if someone's playing certain other commanders (OG Kaalia being a big one), it becomes a big deal to take them out first. (Which is less "releasing the hounds" and more "three guys bag on one other person for 15-20 minutes and wonder where a lot of their good stuff went.")
"An hour" can push us into turn 15 or more if we all play fast enough (and we all know each other pretty well, so we often do). Sometimes that can be satisfying, too.
Turn-wise, though, I do like a little time to stretch out. Some decks I go for it when I see a chance, though, especially if it's something that a. relies on the graveyard (local meta runs a lot of graveyard hate/exile graveyard effects), or b. has a lot of moving parts that I have to explain to newer players. So basically, mostly if I'm playing Windgrace. Or if someone's playing certain other commanders (OG Kaalia being a big one), it becomes a big deal to take them out first. (Which is less "releasing the hounds" and more "three guys bag on one other person for 15-20 minutes and wonder where a lot of their good stuff went.")
"An hour" can push us into turn 15 or more if we all play fast enough (and we all know each other pretty well, so we often do). Sometimes that can be satisfying, too.
This is kind of funny. I think I'd have to incorporate the person looking at the clock every 30 seconds when we get to 40ish minutes into my threat-assessment.
