Re: [NetEpic ML] Fw: JANUARY FANATIC NEWSLETTER (late!)

From: <deaconblue3_at_...>
Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2002 11:34:11 -0500

GW would say you don't have the right "attitude", so go off to a corner
and chastize yourself for a "bad" attitude <chuckle>

-->Well, they can take a number and stand in line. 8)

Fluff and the representation of it on the battle board is of paramount
importance in a GW game. They seem to not get this at all. Go figure.

-->It's amazing when they seemingly put in mutually exclusive stuff
intentionally. It's strange when they violate their own "rules" on the
matter, then don't even bother to retcon it into the existing stuff.

You touch upon an important GW dogma. More so than denial and self pity.
Everything revolves around 40k and Warhammer. No game beyond these two is
designed or even intended to stand alone. everything is a gimmick to get
you to buy that 150 dollar Leman russ <chuckle>. I agree that some ties
to 40k should be there, but when it becomes making epic into a "smaller
40k version" as sometimes mentioned by GW, thats when I have a problem.
Epic had a following when it was the third partner in a trio of core
supported games. It may have been a minor partner, but partner
nonetheless. On hurdle any rules will have to jump over is the perception
that epic is just that, another one of "those" side games. Tough job
ahead.

-->Ah yes. The good old days when there was as much Epic stuff as
Warhammer or 40K on the shelves. Back when a Banelord or three could be
found in any store that carried GW stuff. *sniff* I miss those days.
GW, to my mind, has become far too insular. Way back when (Here we go
again Mr. Peabody!), GW used to remember where its roots were, in the
historical miniatures games. Guys like Nigel Stilman and Rick Priestly
knew where they came from, and it was reflected in what they did, and how
they did it. I think this shows in Warmaster, which is primarily
Priestly's design. Much different than the current incarnations of 40K
and Warhammer (not to mention Epic). "Get back! Get back! Get back to
where you once belonged."

New is better than old to them. Their economic strategy is always to get
new people, not building fan bases. Look at 40k for the success of the
strategy and to epic for its failure.

-->I know all too well. We are no longer in the 10-15 year old category
(and some of us haven't been for quite some time 8P), using our parents
disposable income. GW's turn over rate is astounding. They don't even
try to keep players, just try to get new ones to replace those that have
left. bad business decision really. I mean, the historicals companies
stick around by getting and keeping players. They are more responsive to
questions and critiques than GW is, and their players feel more a part of
the process, rather than a target of it. Most of these companies are
quite pleased when you find a bug, or loop hole that can be abused. The
usual response is "thanks. We missed that. We'll correct it in an
errata, and fix it in the next printing." Unlike GW which is "You must
have misread the rule, and aren't playing in the spirit of the game."

You touch an interesting point on what kind of audience epic attracts. I
have always believed it to be different from what their other games
mostly attract, perhaps with more historical background. This requires GW
to approach it differently than their other games. We'll see
 
Peter

-->I said that because many of those who play Epic, are also players of
games like Spearhead or Command Decision. I was attracted to Epic
because not only was I playing 40K, but was also heavily involved with an
East Front Micro-Armor campaign at the time (circa 1990). It was easy
for me at the time to get others to play Epic, as it was very much like
Spearhead in space (opposed to Spearhead From Space, a Dr.Who episode),
so they glammed on to it quickly. Many people I know who played Epic
back then, fell away when SM/TL went away, and went back to the
historicals. They didn't go over to 40K. That is the kicker here. Epic
is not a vehicle unto itself, but GW intends it to be a draw to get
people into 40K, their real money maker. Just like WOTC expected every
Pokemon player to jump into 3E DnD. Unrealistic expectations. As long
as this philosophy holds, Epic will continue to be that red headed step
child of GW's.

Josh R

"No matter where you go, there you are." B.Bonzai
Received on Mon Feb 11 2002 - 16:34:11 UTC