When are we getting any further releases....

[graeme27uk]

Is there an up to date release schedule anywhere?

 

I am still waiting for Leveticus and Molly crews to be released and I wonder if at the rate Wyrd are releasing stuff, whether its a case of using my pension money to buy them...

 

But seriously I know people who I have got interested in the game and they get all excited about the great new models and such but then those same players get frustrated when they realise that there is no release schedule planned and that they are waiting an unknown length of time for models... the old metal ones are not the same quality and so they don't want to pick those up.

 

Those eager new players soon give up and find some new game to play. A real shame as Malifaux is great and different to other systems.

 

Has Wyrd got a plan in its head of what is released and when?

 

Is it a case of getting too big too soon with too many ideas that realistically they are never going to keep up with rules vs models.

 

I could use proxies but then why should I? I could use old models but as the others said they are not the same.

 

Is there light at the end of the tunnel?

[Wessex]

They release over ten sets a month, they can't do much more without causing over-saturation.

Octobers release are here http://elementgames.co.uk/new-releases?release=1413759600_malifaux

The issue is, if they say set x or y is coming out in November, and then it gets pushed back, consumers get disappointed (see the Brewmaster which was meant to have been released in April).

There's enough coming out every month that players should be kept busy. If you want a master that hasn't been released, you either have to suck it up and get the metals, or wait like everyone else. I'm desperate for Brewmaster, Fermented Monks and Jack Daw but I understand that with over 35 crews and even more minion sets, things take time.

[Inquisitor Wall]

One issue that tends to arise this time of year is that GenCon releases were new releases. So for the next couple of months most of the new releases will be items that were available at GenCon and therefore won't really seem like new releases.

[graeme27uk]

There's enough coming out every month that players should be kept busy. If you want a master that hasn't been released, you either have to suck it up and get the metals, or wait like everyone else. I'm desperate for Brewmaster, Fermented Monks and Jack Daw but I understand that with over 35 crews and even more minion sets, things take time.

I don't buy this.... I am not interested in ALL the models... so whilst they may release model X if that's not one I want then I am left waiting more... they could release models from each faction instead of focusing on one.

I don't see over-saturation as a problem.... "oh no.... my model has been released" I can cope with that rather than the opposite. I don't HAVE to buy it immediately but if it's there then at least purchasing it is an option.

It's not as if they don't know what the models are like as most have had the art work released.

Other companies manage releases better I feel, but I also understand that modellers / gamers are insatiable.

If I want to play Molly then I need her crew - its that simple.

It just appears that production has stopped or slowed to a crawl which leaves me wondering exactly when will I be able to play my crew legitimately physically rather than on Vassal.

With so many models in the Malifaux line I doubt that they will be able to keep up the production to the level that satisfies their customers so that people can play the crews they want. This will causes people to leave or not even start the game.

[Wessex]

Who handles it better? Games Workshop, who don't announce new lines until the week before they're released?

Molly's metal crew + Arsenal deck = M2E Molly. The other option is that they don't tell you Molly exists until the month she is released, and don't release her rules until that point so that you can't even use your old models.

There are only a handful of masters that are strictly 'unplayable' because they have never had figures made for them. Shenlong, Brewmaster, Ironsides, Tara (limited nightmare release aside), Mah Tucket and Ulix. And those without Wyrd figures are still playable at official events if that tickles your fancy because Wyrd are incredibly generous on unreleased figures, so if you really wanted to you could find a solution.

Of course shiny plastics are preferable, but it's strictly wrong to say that you couldn't play Molly if you didn't want to because metal sculpts exist. But eve Nintendo aren't releasing all their Amiibo figures at once, the release is staggered. Fantasy Flight stagger X-Wing. The only concession I would make in this discussion is that there should probably be a greater focus on Master crew releases than minion box sets so that the majority of styles are serviced.

[CannibalBob]

I understand wanting models to be released, but this request seems a bit over the top.  Wyrd is still trying to finish up the releases from the initial wave-1 book release.  Molly is from the wave-2 release that just came out in the US in september.  It seems a bit hasty to yell at Wyrd for not immediately releasing her boxed set.

 

As for how they release models, there is a method to the staggered madness.  First off, they are still a small company and it costs them money up-front to sculpt a model from the artwork and then have their manufacturer produce the model.  It also takes time, since the model has to be rendered digitially, that render needs to be approved by the people at Wyrd, the render then would usually need to be prototyped into a physical model to make sure that it transitions well from the digital sculpting medium to a plastic kit that can be assembled.  Then they need to manufacture the release version of that kit in a quantity ordered by Wyrd (which they most likely pay up-front for).  I believe that Wyrd does their own boxing, so the plastic sprues need to be sent from the manufacturer to Wyrd so that they can box it up and send it out to the distributors.

 

If they had an infinite amount of capital then they could most likely do all of this simultaneously for all the releases in a book.  But even if they were not a small company that probably has to pay close attention to cash-flow, they could not dump the whole release for a book simultaneously since the same issue exists for the game-stores that sell the product.  Those stores do not have infinite capital, nor infinite product space, and so most of them could not order that massive of a volume even if Wyrd was capable of putting it out that fast.

 

Personally, I don't think Wyrd is any worse than other companies in regards to their release schedule for models.  Entire factions for Games Workshop games have gone for more than a decade without being updated.  Privateer Press has a fast release pace, and generally does a great job, but a number of their models have fallen through the cracks with massive delays (took easily over a year for the Man-O-War Bombadiers to get a model after the rules were released in a book - and there are others).

 

Wyrd is a much smaller company than Privateer press, and yet they generally release more models per month on average.  Sure they do have delays, but they have usually been pretty upfront about the issues.  I have been pretty impressed by what they have been able to accomplish.

[Loveless]

Yeah...it's a little awkard to be "still waiting" for Molly and Leveticus when their book was only officially in stores as of last month.

 

Now, if you were complaining about a lack of Brewmaster or retail Tara, I could get right behind you.

[Inquisitor Wall]

Also, with the amount of play testing and prep that went into the new book, what would Wyrd have left to release if all of the models were released with the book? People would immediately be clambering for more new releases which then leads to rushed product, not play testing, or boring new releases. I spent years waiting on new releases from other game companies and as soon as their release schedule increased to what people wanted, their new releases quickly became very bland, unoriginal and ultimately ruined my desire to follow their games. I would certainly prefer anticipation for quality product over the alternative.

[OTP]

the issue isn't really the speed of the plastic releases, its that the metal production stopped so far before the plastic were ready - i am sure there are good reasons for that too, but the OP is right, you (for example) just flat out cant get some things in the UK now.

[CannibalBob]

the issue isn't really the speed of the plastic releases, its that the metal production stopped so far before the plastic were ready - i am sure there are good reasons for that too, but the OP is right, you (for example) just flat out cant get some things in the UK now.

 

I would suggest looking on ebay is you really want the metals.  However, the OP specifically said that they don't want the metals since they find the new plastics to be superior (which I agree with for the most part).

[Loveless]

Some of the metals vanished far more quickly than others, though, so I'll agree that was a "Wyrd Whoopsie"

 

Finding things like Coryphee, Witchling Handlers, Widow Weaver, and such is an exercise in futility or over-paying as eBay vultures figure out they're no longer being produced (and the best ones are the ones where the price sticker is clearly visible in the photo and the seller is asking 3x as much).

[Uktena]

I don't buy this.... I am not interested in ALL the models... so whilst they may release model X if that's not one I want then I am left waiting more... they could release models from each faction instead of focusing on one.I don't see over-saturation as a problem.... "oh no.... my model has been released" I can cope with that rather than the opposite. I don't HAVE to buy it immediately but if it's there then at least purchasing it is an option.It's not as if they don't know what the models are like as most have had the art work released.Other companies manage releases better I feel, but I also understand that modellers / gamers are insatiable.If I want to play Molly then I need her crew - its that simple.It just appears that production has stopped or slowed to a crawl which leaves me wondering exactly when will I be able to play my crew legitimately physically rather than on Vassal.With so many models in the Malifaux line I doubt that they will be able to keep up the production to the level that satisfies their customers so that people can play the crews they want. This will causes people to leave or not even start the game.

How are you for metals?

[Wessex]

Some of the metals vanished far more quickly than others, though, so I'll agree that was a "Wyrd Whoopsie"

 

Finding things like Coryphee, Witchling Handlers, Widow Weaver, and such is an exercise in futility or over-paying as eBay vultures figure out they're no longer being produced (and the best ones are the ones where the price sticker is clearly visible in the photo and the seller is asking 3x as much).

Yeah, I've spent a fortnight looking for Coryphee in the UK with no luck anywhere. And ideally I need four (2 individuals 1 duet). I'm resigned to waiting for Colette's plastic releases.

I'm still buying her avatar and using the bunny from the hat figure of her as a master though.

[Mason]

Metal Molly is actually a pretty good little model, as are the Crooligans that come with her.  I totally understand wanting a new plastic Rogue Necromancy (as the metal one looks a bit...let's say anemic), but otherwise her box isn't too bad. 

[MasterDisaster]

The way they did it last year was the GenCon Releases were the first in the wave of new releases and that took us right up to Christmas. As the Leve and Molly crews weren't available during this years GenCon I'd be very surprised if we see them before 2015. Still as others have mentioned waiting of the Brewmaster and a normal Tara has been an ordeal for many other people for a lot longer than the Wave 2 Masters who's book has only just been released. If you're looking for plastic Molly and Leve then I'd prepare to wait a while if I were you seeing as Von Schill and Zoraida are imminent releases and Ophelia is the most recently released box set as far as I can recall and there are still a few Wave 1 things not out yet. Then I suspect we will see The Dreamer, Lucius & Kirai next as they were GenCon releases. Just speculation but if history is anything to go by then I guess this is how Wyrd will go with it. 

[zFiend]

Still I wish they would finally release normal Tara. It was said during Gencon that it'd take a year, year and a half and she is a book 1 master after all.

[MasterDisaster]

Yeah it sucks for those who don't have her. GenCon Exlcusive then Ltd Ed Black Friday a few months later then nothing. I'm glad I ponyed up the cash when I did. I've got a friend who's got the Ltd Ed Smokey Tara crew still on sprue as far as I'm aware he may be willing to part with but I know he wont part with it for anything less than what he paid if not more due to the high demand of Tara. 

[graeme27uk]

Metal Molly is actually a pretty good little model, as are the Crooligans that come with her. I totally understand wanting a new plastic Rogue Necromancy (as the metal one looks a bit...let's say anemic), but otherwise her box isn't too bad.

 

Liking models is subjective. I am not a fan of the Molly model myself but if others are then no issue with that either. But currently I am stuck. Whilst I could buy metal Molly I don't really want to spend money on models I don't really like even if I like her playstyle and rules. I could get proxies and actually quite enjoy converting and such but I also know players sometimes dislike proxies as its harder to tell what is what.

 

As for the rules just being released, Wave 2 rules have been out for quite a while as downloads. I doubt anything seriously changed significantly in the book - its got more fluff, more shiny pictures, etc. That slows the book publication down but not the release of the rules themselves.

 

It's been said by Wyrd before (or by others) that they have had production problems with their suppliers. But if they are still using those same suppliers then they are going to continue having production problems most likely.

 

There also seems to be no pattern to the releases. I don't expect everything to be released at once but it surely can be quicker than it is currently. Play testing is done, art work for the most part is done and as such the renders are done; they are not coming up with an idea from blank. And as for comparing to GW... GW is worse in many cases.... hence I didn't make a direct comparison but other companies seem to release more planned or faster.

 

Leve's artwork has been out since Book 1 was released and yet we are still waiting for his crew and surely he is one of the more popular masters. I think they should have focused on releasing the "old" original masters and crews first as these are the models that people are most familiar with and already play. Instead it feels like they release the ones that are flavour of the month or such.

 

I know I am not alone on thinking this despite the feedback on here, and whilst I love Malifaux that does not mean I can't level some criticism at it. As said above, some models are really hard to get or subsequently expensive, hence making their purchase unlikely.

 

It would make sense to release basic crew and master box sets and then the odd blister to boost said boxsets. It's great releasing blisters but they do not make a crew...

[Mike3838]

When are we getting further releases?

 

Ummm.... pretty much every month....

 

You want particular masters to be prioritised, but other people will want other masters to be prioritised. That's just life I'm afraid. They're not doing it to spite you.

 

You seem to be aware of some other companies that plan out an entire year or so of releases in advance. I've never seen anything like that before - pretty much every miniatures company announces their releases from month to month, so who are you referring to?

[MudgeBlack]

How are you for metals?

 

Yeah, I've spent a fortnight looking for Coryphee in the UK with no luck anywhere. And ideally I need four (2 individuals 1 duet). I'm resigned to waiting for Colette's plastic releases.

I'm still buying her avatar and using the bunny from the hat figure of her as a master though.

 

If you get one pair, just magnetize them so you can attach them singly or both to the larger base for the duet (and hopefully save some $$).  They aren't easy to magnetize (because of the small connection point) but it can be done.

[paradoxstorm]

If you get one pair, just magnetize them so you can attach them singly or both to the larger base for the duet (and hopefully save some $$).  They aren't easy to magnetize (because of the small connection point) but it can be done.

 

Thanks for the suggestion.  I did manage one pair, and believe I have a second coming as part of a larger collection I bought off of ebay.  Got some rare earth magnets on order as well so maybe I'll be able to make it work out.  

 

On topic: Since I like metal, ebay is a reasonable option for me for most models, but there are some that I can only get if I purchase the collection of someone getting out of the game.  Unfortunately buying collections to get a couple of models is going to leave me with more trade stock than I really care for.  But I can get them.  Wyrd did "oops" something in the transition from metal to plastic.  

 

It is frustrating sometimes not being able to get some models I want, but given how much I spend every week on models that are available I can tolerate a moderately slow release of new models.

[Adran]

Wryd have always released a book in August at Gen con, and spent the next year releasing model from it. Soem books don't get everything out by the next August. But if you buy the new book then you have a pretty good idea of the next year released schedule, but how it will come out month by month, is unknown. And when Wyrd give information in advance, they get complaints for not makign it.

 

This isn't new, and the fact they are trying to release everything that they previously released again in Plastic meant that there would be stuff from book 1 that didn't make it in a year. I'm pretty sure in the discussions that were being had about wave one last year the consensus was that the models would probably be all out by Christmas 2014.

 

Personally I'm not surprised that there are some Wave 2 crews coming out before some of the wave 1 crews, as it is a lot easier to re-make old models than make new models.

 

Mind you I want my Ironsides!

[Jimbobovalsocks]

Yeah, stuff happens in life soetimes that you don't want to happen but c'est la vie! You can get wound up by it until the cows come home but that's not going to change anything. Wyrd have decided that they will release rules before models rather than at the same time like GW does. This is because many people will have older models from the first edition that they'll want to play. Wyrd release plenty of models across all factions every other month so I can't agree with you on this.

Edited October 3, 2014 by Mindshred
Removed inappropriate reference

[Math Mathonwy]

As for the rules just being released, Wave 2 rules have been out for quite a while as downloads. I doubt anything seriously changed significantly in the book - its got more fluff, more shiny pictures, etc. That slows the book publication down but not the release of the rules themselves.

I don't think that it is fair to put them to task for the open beta rules. They have been ready for quite a while since finalizing a book takes time but I don't think you can hold it against Wyrd for providing the downloads.

I would also like to hear what minis manufacturer do you think does these things well, then? I mean, Infinity doesn't release a hundred releases when a new book hits. No one does it like that.

 

Thanks for the suggestion.  I did manage one pair, and believe I have a second coming as part of a larger collection I bought off of ebay.  Got some rare earth magnets on order as well so maybe I'll be able to make it work out.

When magnetizing tricky minis like the standing on one foot Coryphee, I highly recommend mounting the mini on something (a crate, a rock, a pipe, whatever) and magnetizing that. Much easier.

[tmod]

Wyrd have decided that they will release rules before models rather than at the same time like GW does.

 

This pretty much exactly the way pretty much everyone operates, and GW have always done things like this. With digital releases and WDW GW is trying to minimize the time a unit is without a physical model, but this is only because a recent lawsuit have shown them vulnerable IP-wise when they don't release something physical. Many armies in their games have units or characters without models and some, like Lizardmen's Lord Mazdamundi, have been without a physical model for twenty years!

 

Wyrd is pretty near best in class here, while they have set the bar high with re-making all models in the game in plastic at the same time they're releasing a huge batch of new models... In hindsight, they probably shouldn't discontinue metal models until after a replacement was ready...