EricJ Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 So, I suppose it's not really a secret we're working on our skirmish game right now, but as such I've been looking around a lot at what else is out there, as well as thinking back into my past about games I've played. Anyway, with a lot of new faces around recently, I'm just wondering what other peoples opinions are. And since I haven't done a questions thread in a while...figured I'd throw one together! What Miniature game do you play the most? Why? What was/is your all time favorite miniature game? Why? What games do you think just were no good, and were not fun to play, and...why? Do you think a great minis can carry a bad game? Do you think a good game an be brought down by bad minis? What do you first look for when deciding whether to play a new game? How important is the fluff to your gaming experience? just a few questions off the top of my head...I can't make it to 20 this time! But I'd love to hear from some of the new people on the site, I think we're getting a few who are primarily focused on gaming rather than painting, and I'd love to hear your opinions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firesion Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 What Miniature game do you play the most? Why?40k because the guy who got me started in miniatures is a die hard 40k fan. I feel bad for him because he never wins due to some balance issues with the 40k game, but he still loves playing it far more then any other game. What was/is your all time favorite miniature game? Why? Infinity. Have you seen the models? the mechanics are good and it feels right. Playing 40k does not remind me of a massive sci-fi battle it feels more like you are filing your taxes. I like Hordes, but find the competitive level of some of the local clubs to take away from the enjoyment. I think the local group kills Hordes for me. Also the quality of their models have not really been as good as some of the other stuff you can find. What games do you think just were no good, and were not fun to play, and...why? The 'Click' games and Shadow run large miniatures game. Just about and CCG miniatures game does nothing for me. The armies are random and the rules tend to also be random. They also tend to be very cost intensive to get the stuff you want. Do you think a great minis can carry a bad game? If people had not explained how long Games Workshop has been around I would have said no. However, people love the GW minis and most hate the game. Do you think a good game can be brought down by bad minis? Yes. For me this is a three part system. One paint, two play, three collect. if the minis go from good to bad then they are less fun to paint and collect. What do you first look for when deciding whether to play a new game? Rule book and or box set. If the book looks good and the fluff looks fun that is enough to get me started. Sometimes just the starter set is tempting. AT-43 is one of those that really has a nice starter set from the visual standpoint. How important is the fluff to your gaming experience? Very. Fluff is rules. Fluff is everything. That may be an overstatement, but when I play or even paint a mini I want to know what the story behind it is. I use the fluff to guide my painting, army composition, and play style. To me the Fluff is the brand and a good brand is something to be proud of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supervike Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 Never been much of a gamer...It's one of those things I think ,"geesh, I'd love to do that"...but I just don't know alot of other 'gamers' . Hasn't stopped me from at least giving them a go, and reading through the rules. What Miniature game do you play the most? Why? Tannhauser is the game I play the most. Fun, fast (other than slow setup) and furious. What was/is your all time favorite miniature game? Why? Axis and Allies without a doubt. That game rocks. Chess is really just a miniature game too, so I'll say that is another. What games do you think just were no good, and were not fun to play, and...why? I've played Warhammer a couple of times. It seem to me the 'build' up was much better than the game. The game itself seemed cumbersome. But, like I said, I only played a few times. Do you think a great minis can carry a bad game? Great minis can carry a game, but not forever. I see minis and the game systems to have a very symbiotic relationship. Each need the other to exist. Do you think a good game an be brought down by bad minis? Bad minis? Please define. I like most miniatures for what they are. ...If the game system is good enough, playing with paper tokens could be used, i suppose, but I'll still defer to my above answer. What do you first look for when deciding whether to play a new game? I look for three things. Setting, setting and setting. If the game is about something that 'catches my interest' then I will definately give it a chance. A game about braiding horse manes...not so much. How important is the fluff to your gaming experience? Fluff for me is crucial. In fact, the only reason to 'play' the game would be to pretend you are part of the fluff. Without the fluff, or the setting (see above) you're just rolling dice (or dealing cards). I care much less about the mechanics, but oh so much more about the 'story telling'. Games should be an adventure, not a jaunt into probabilities and boring mathy stuff (me no likey math!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demonherald Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 don't get a chance tpo play much these days but I've always been a games workshop player all systems...really because that is what is played most around here.. Played old west at the local GC but nothing much outside GW... My all time favourite was GW's Mordheim.. Just really allowed a lot of fun.. story driven and character development helped make it personal.. as mentioned not really tried many but a few attempts at the Clix games just had me bored out of my mind...I hate where the system and a few numbers determine absolutely everything...I prefer the idea of carrying and developing a story with the rules used to just help out for certain events and shake up play a little... I don't think minis can carry a game but I guess there sales can carry a company... I have bought countless models fom countless manufacturers with no intention of gaming with them so I guess the benefit for the company is they get my money without me becoming a gamer... I think there are a lot of games like this.. no matter how cool the models they wouldn't get me playing a crap system... I think a good game will always be a good game regardless of the minis.. the two together is awesome and in most cases they have different jobs.. The inis are like the advertisement.. cool looking minis get people interested in the system..The more interest the better for the game company.. A lot of people at the local GC use minis from different companies to play rules systems that are good ....e.g a few ortegas are popping up in old west games. minis and backgound fluff...an easy to grasp but flexinble rules system.. I hate to have a game where every single bit of information has to be absorbed and half the game is spent looking through rules to clarify what happens... as above ..Fluff is pretty much everything in a game for me.... for example as a system and as a way of playing Chess is pretty much a perfect strategy system..doesn't hold my interest but hey....now if in my chess game I had a chance to take my young rookie pawn up through the ranks with a development of him in each game depending on what happens.. A few side quests here and there to make him acceptable in royal circles until eventually he can be the king...there we go... My favourite army I ever made for GW were a rag tag bunch of penal colonists with nothing but hand weapons..any equipment they needed had to be stolen by killing the opponents.. I lost all of my games to start but eventually got and maintained a few pieces of equipment to where I eventually won a game.. It was the most addicted to gaming I can remember being.. each model had a story and that was in 40K..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matty1001 Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 I'm not a gamer...but I did buy the confrontation rulebook because it was full colour, had loads of pictures of great models, some stunning illustrations and a top notch layout and look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witchfire Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 i play : Tannhauser Anima tactics Spinespure Star wars (the collectible one) & some day i'll probably play malifaux Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diehard Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 Here you go Eric, for whatever it's worth..... What Miniature game do you play the most? Why? Hordes nowadays. I like a lot of the miniatures first off, and I find the game mechanics a little more strategy oriented than simply who's got the best dice that night. What was/is your all time favorite miniature game? Why? Necromunda. Cool minis, 2nd ed. 40K rules which were pretty good for skirmish gaming, nice background and the customizable aspect for the modeler in me. It was nice that the games had continuity also. What games do you think just were no good, and were not fun to play, and...why? Later editions of 40K, WFB and Space Marine after it became Epic. It was more luck than thought involved in those games to me. Do you think a great minis can carry a bad game? Great minis will carry themselves. They'll help a bad game but not carry it. People will still use the minis just not necessarily for the game they were intended for. Do you think a good game an be brought down by bad minis? Only so much that the minis are such an integral part of tabletop wargaming that a while a number of games may gain popularity based on the quality of the minis alone bad minis can be detrimental in that they can fail to generate interest into what can be potentially sound game mechanics. What do you first look for when deciding whether to play a new game? The miniatures first and foremost. Then the game mechanics will determine if I play the game or just buy the minis I like. How important is the fluff to your gaming experience? Good fluff and bacground can really benefit a game tremendously and enhance the playing experience. However I'm just one of those guys that if I like the minis but nothing else I'll create my own background (or throw them into one of my existing ones) and use the Warengine rules with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Illustrange Posted February 29, 2008 Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 What Miniature game do you play the most? Why? > I play my own designs the most, against myself, why? well playtesting offcourse (tough Im usually >more busy with testing mechanics and system ideas than actual *games* >the miniature games I have played the most are chess, Darkworld (schwarze augen.) and space >crusade (starquest in europe.) tough both often with homemade rules attached to them. What was/is your all time favorite miniature game? Why? > Chess, Ive even been in a chessclub when I was a little melvin, chess is simple and infinitely tactical, and Space crusade/Star quest >because I played it alot with my little brothers and have good memories about it however I must admit confrontation 2 is the last game I actually played.. all those released afterwards I really havent given a good playtrough yet. What games do you think just were no good, and were not fun to play, and...why? Warhammer, most time was spent setting up (not talking about terrain), moving and checking the books for the rules, elements that were not really fun. I did enjoy epic tough (the only other mass army game I played.) so maybe the problem was partly who I played with Do you think a great minis can carry a bad game? No, but it isnt as simple as that. you can always play a good game with different miniatures if the originals are no good, and you can always find a better game if the miniatures are great but its system sucks. its not as black and white as for example videogames ( were the question do good visuals carry a bad game would be a definitive no ) in the end its mostly important from a commercial POV, the miniatures are the point with wich you attract peoples interest, so they should be good, but the game is the thing that keeps their interest and lets them buy more miniatures. Do you think a good game an be brought down by bad minis? commercially yes (see the above.) because bad minis will damage its potential customerbase. Personally no, because I would just play with other miniatures then and if necessary mod my own rules for them. What do you first look for when deciding whether to play a new game? art and content content... I cant really explain, but I like to get a box, with various stuff inside, preferably specialised dice etc. as well.. games that have this usually attract me first. this indeed usually gives *board* games an edge, and as it happens to be I actually do prefer grid based boardgame miniaturegames. (tannhauser springs to mind, as does Hybrid from rackham.) but if Im not on a *buying* spree and carefully research before I buy the main importance would be moddability, can I use other miniatures in the game etc. How important is the fluff to your gaming experience? Often fluff is more enjoyable as the game itself, as I dont know alot of people to game with currently. also I mostly like the *assembling* the army/group part of games, and fluff is a very important factor here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauth81 Posted February 29, 2008 Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 What Miniature game do you play the most? Why? Blood Bowl. Beacuse: It combines my favourite Sport, Amrican Football with Fantasy stuff, that's a plus from the fluff side. You have 20+ different teams to choose from to suit your playing style. If you play in a league, your players (the minis) can get better by getting additional skills. That's some kind of roleplaying aspect I really like. And, the community is great. Just go to one of the bigger BB tournaments (and, at least in Europe, there is one every weekend somewhere on the continent) and you can see that. The other important aspect from a painter's point is, you don't have to paint 100+ models just to play the game. A basic team at a tournament has 11 - 14 players. What was/is your all time favorite miniature game? Why? Blood Bowl, reasons see above. I never played WHFB or WH40K though. I got the Confrontation 3.0 rulebook and lots of minis, but never actually played. So I can't say anything good or bad about it. When I was much younger I played Heroquest a lot, simple but fun, esp for people, who are not much into gaming and would be alienated by complex rulesets. I also got Fairy Meat, fun game with funny fluff. nice for one-off games. I played a lot of DnD 3.0, where combat basically becomes a skirmish miniatures game. The basic principle worked reasonably well, but the huge amount of special abilities etc, esp at higher levels, made combat a real pain. Some mass encounters at high levels would go on for hours. What games do you think just were no good, and were not fun to play, and...why? Dunno. Didn't try any miniatures game that was outright bad. Do you think a great minis can carry a bad game? No. Some people may argue GW makes nice minis and bad games, but I can't comment on it. Never played WHFB or WH40K (and the BB minis are mostly bad, but the game is good) Do you think a good game an be brought down by bad minis? not necessarily. see BB example above What do you first look for when deciding whether to play a new game? I want rulebook or box I can page through, not a pdf-file on my comp. I want a basic miniature selection easily available that let's me play the game without any additional hassle (waiting for expansion X, having to use proxies or buy additional blisters just to have something playable on the board). Decent art and layout helps. A nice background story is all I need for fluff normally. How many minis do I need to play? If the answer ist about 30+ I turn away at once. I don't have the time to paint whole frigging armies. It took me four months just to paint a 16 people BB team. And some roleplaying elements are a plus, gaining addtl. skills with experience for example. How important is the fluff to your gaming experience? In a miniatures game ... not much. The more roleplaying elements come into it, the more fluff I'd like to have. I'm one of those roleplayers who goes for fluff when making a character, not for min-maxing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightgoblin Posted February 29, 2008 Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 What Miniature game do you play the most? Why? As I feel it, it is 40k, because it is the oldest game we play most in our group. We switch games every two or three months. Warmachine is not bad, too. But it is not as old as 40k and so I can't compare it really. I like the skirmish-games more then the big-army-games... What was/is your all time favorite miniature game? Why? Bloodbowl, limited miniatures are needed and have to be painted in the next 10 years ;-) You can modify miniatures, and each mini is an individual. I like the idea of the game very much => football in a fantasy-world What games do you think just were no good, and were not fun to play, and...why? Realistic game-backgrounds like WWI or WWII, I like fantastic and fictionary worlds... Do you think a great minis can carry a bad game? No, but graet minis are allowed to play in any other good game. I like proxing with good minis, when they fit to their new role... Do you think a good game an be brought down by bad minis? Yes, perhaps... But you will always find alternativ good minis to play, in the end the interest in testing the good game is much lower What do you first look for when deciding whether to play a new game? Good minis and nice pics in the rolebook How important is the fluff to your gaming experience? I like fluff, it helps to stay at the game and not change to fast to another game-system Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valmont Posted February 29, 2008 Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 What Miniature game do you play the most? Why? I play warhammer 40k the most. Its the belle that brought me to the ball. The models and storyline are what has mainly kept me around, but I have enjoyed what has happened with the rules. Been playing since the Rogue Trader/2nd Edition switch over. What was/is your all time favorite miniature game? Why? Confrontation V3 with Dogs of War Expansion. I like the world that was designed, the miniatures were great, and the game was VERY detailed. The variety between models combined with the racial differences between the factions were great. I also love the campaign aspect that dogs of war brought to it. If it weren't for dogs of war I'd have said either Necromunda or Bloodbowl was my favorite as I love the way each game builds up or tears down your force for the next game. What games do you think just were no good, and were not fun to play, and...why? 3 that don't work for me. Battle Fleet Gothic. The models didn't matter. Your ship was actually the tip of the base, and it was affected by things that touched its base, but the model itself was (per the rules) out of scale and had no true bearing on the game. That one fact ruined it for me. Second game would be Warhammer Fantasy Battles. I loved some of the models and definately liked the background, but 90% of your models were just wound markers. The game was designed around the fact that only the front rank mattered, but if you didn't have extra models (that stood around like extras in a cheap hollywood movie) you couldn't win or play really. I don't mind buying models, but I when they dont serve a purpose or add to the game. Lastly, Confrontation Age of Ragnarok (and by extension AT43). At least AT43 came out with its own rules, but when they took a perfectly good game (confrontation) and changed it to work as AT 43 they trashed it. The "sergeant" is all important. Everything is measured from that model and done from that model. Individual models only add dice, they don't actually add anything to the game (again the wound marker concept). In confrontation an individual model always had a chance (albeit small) to make a difference on its own. Now the rules are changed so that there are no individual models. Just characters and a supporting case that adds dice. Also with how powerful they made magic, its a fate accompli. No magic, no win. Magic, you can win. The game isn't balanced to take into account all aspects of the game from movment to shooting, to magic, to hand to hand. Also with the changes to the combat system you have have models killed in hand to hand without a chance to defend themselves, just because they haven't activated properly yet, ie initiatve can cause whole units to die. Bleh. Do you think a great minis can carry a bad game? Nope. I know I bailed on WHFB due to the game, and Confrontation players dumped their collections on ebay at a huge rate when CAoR came out. Do you think a good game an be brought down by bad minis? Yes. Selling models is the bread and butter of a gaming company, not rules. If people don't want to use your rules, they can buy your models for other game system conversions. But if they don't want your models, can you survive selling a 40 dollar book to the people who like the rules? Nope. What do you first look for when deciding whether to play a new game? A: If I like the models. If no, move on. B: If I think I can get others to play the game. There are a lot of decaffinated brands on the market that taste just as good as the real thing, but a lot of folk stick with maxwell house no matter how bad it is due to brand loyalty. If I can't get people interested in the game, then forget it. C: The rules. If they're rubbish, I'm not interested. I can just convert the models for use in another game if I really like them. But it does change my level of interest in the company from interested/diehard to casual interest. And where the interest goes so does the pocket book. How important is the fluff to your gaming experience? As important as the rules and models really. If the story blows, why do i want to play the game/care about the models/learn the rules? I love the story for 40k, it keeps me intersted in the game over the long hall. Battletech changed the story drastically with the clans, and I lost interest. I think a good story can make average rules playable. A Bad story can't make great rules fun though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magno Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 Customer insight is never too late. What Miniature game do you play the most? Why? Now: Infinity. Models, mechanics and story is great. It fills the Sci-Fi fix also. The whole system and all its elements are very well thought out and the game really makes you feel like you are commanding a small band of forces because things are so literal and you really have to get into the battlefield. I tend to favor skirmish level games also, because: 1. I am really like to paint as well and its more enjoyable to paint when you can really spend the time on it and have a fully personally painted army on the table. 2. Skirmish rules allow for more strategy and involved gaming What was/is your all time favorite miniature game? Why? Confrontation Skirmish. It was superb on all levels of miniature wargaming. Product: A very rich atmosphere with terrific artwork, story, and especially figs. They had a great publication for tutorials and further fluff and you just can't say enough about the figures. Game Mechanics and rules were engaging, versatile and strategic. You couldn't really power game like you're forced to so in Warmachine, yet you didn't have to be master strategist to put together lists and play them to have fun. The game was a good pace, not too fast that you couldn't enjoy the development of action. Not to slow that you get bored. What games do you think just were no good, and were not fun to play, and...why? Just about any mass battle system. At that model count, its very difficult to develop a system that keeps you engaged and not just shoveling bulk around the table in order to see the outcome of the dice. Also they tend to take too long, so in games where things are very lopsided, you never tend to finish them through either. Plus, when you're forced to paint the same model 8 to 30 times, it becomes a chore and not a hobby. Warmachine can also be a bit bad because of the "I go you go" method and how their scenarios work. It always favors the person who goes first. This is where Infinity is also a great game, going second is rarely a handicap. Also, I don't prefer Warmachine's temporal flow of things either. One unit activates and kills a model, then the next model is free to kill another. Games are more fun when things are more "real time" on the battle field. Do you think a great minis can carry a bad game? No Do you think a good game an be brought down by bad minis? Yes. There are other games out there that I won't touch, despite the fact that they have ok to good rules. I think the only way a good game can be carried by bad minis is if there is a HUGE gaming base for it. What do you first look for when deciding whether to play a new game? Model quality and game atmosphere. If the models are good then I look at the atmosphere around the minis; artwork, the world and its concept. The genre doesn't really matter, if its well executed, I can get into it. The more creative the better, because I like to share in other's creativity. How important is the fluff to your gaming experience? Just as important as the models and rules. This is where you really captivate the gamers and motivate them to proliferate the system. Warmachine is a great game, but the execution of their fluff and story is unsatisfying. Their world and concept is pretty kicka$$ but the fluff is ho-hum. Confrontation, INfinity and even 40k excell at this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bexley Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 (edited) What Miniature game do you play the most? Why? Blood Bowl. I'd play others, and even own several forces for a number of other games, but I lack the time to get my figures assembled and painted. But even then, I play BB most because I participate (actually, I'm league commissioner) in a league at the office which plays weekly after work or on lunchbreaks. A small number of figures + being in close proximity to all of my opponents 40 hours a week = lots of play time. If I were ever to finish up my Booze Angels Space Marines or my Patton's Third Army units (Flames of War) that might change. What was/is your all time favorite miniature game? Why? Hmm... Blood Bowl. The team-building aspect is a huge hook. It's an okay game (actually, it is often a downright miserable game, because of GW and their penchant for making skill-based games which can hinge on a D6 roll. If I could make one single change to BB, it'd be changing all D6 rolls to 2D6 rolls. that game needs a freakin' bell curve) but improving your team and watching it grow and get better is crazy amounts of fun. Warhammer 40K would be a close second. It was (I haven't played since 2nd Ed.) a lot of fun, and had all kinds of craziness to it. The craziness is all gone these days, but the universe has grown so much and gotten so rich that it's still fantastic from a fluff point of view. What games do you think just were no good, and were not fun to play, and...why? I tend to do a lot of looking at and research on a game before buying in, so if I get to a point where I'm playing, I already find it fun. Do you think a great minis can carry a bad game? No. Great minis will still sell, I think, but if the game is bad they'll just be purchased by painters. Do you think a good game an be brought down by bad minis? Yes, but not as much as the other way around. The minis are always the hook for these games- they get you interested in the first place. If the hook isn't there, you're less likely to gain players. However, if the game is a lot of fun, word of mouth can still sell the game. Case in point are pre-paints. The figures were often terrible, but the games themselves were what lured people in. Though, that's not a perfect comparison, as people will buy lesser quality figures when they don't have to paint and assemble them. What do you first look for when deciding whether to play a new game? Pretty minis will catch my eye, but then the fluff has to be there. I loved the look of Rackham's figures, but had no interest in playing Confrontation. Then I found out about the Dirz- fantasy/medieval bio-engineers isolated in the desert where they breed bizarre clockwork mutants. that is freakin' cool as hell, and has me seriously looking at the game now. On the other hand, I like Warmachine figures a lot, and picked up both the Warmachine and Hordes books, but nothing in the fluff grabbed me. How important is the fluff to your gaming experience? As noted above, it is the most important part for me. True, the game has to be fun, and the minis have to be cool, but if I don't care about "why" I'm playing, I won't have the motivation to play. Flames of War is a good example- it appeals to me because I'm a WWII nut. The minis are nice (hordes of Shermans? Sign me up!) and the game is fun, but the best part of it is killing Nazis and Commies. As a counterpoint, I love the figures for Anima Tactics, but there is no fluff in the game. It's a look and an image, but the rule book is just that- it's a set of rules for playing a skirmish game with manga-looking figures. That could change if the RPG ever gets released in the US, but for now, it's just rules and figures, and I have no interest. Edited June 10, 2008 by Bexley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetang22 Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 (edited) What Miniature game do you play the most? Why? I'll start by saying that I've never really been able to get into traditional miniature wargames, although I've always wanted to. I've dabbled in a few game systems here and there, but I've always been involved from the hobby end of things. My first miniature experience, and to this day probably my most played is Heroquest. For the time it came out it had a very smooth game system and great 3-D scenery to go with the figs. Over the years I've tried doing advanced modifications to it to keep it alive and fresh so that the family will still want to play it. I've been using newer and nicer miniatures too, so that has helped keep it more fresh. What was/is your all time favorite miniature game? Why? I'd have to say Heroquest for the reasons above. I also played Hybrid by Rackham, which was a pretty fun game, but suffered from Rackham's common problem of bad translations in their rules books. Once you got past that it was pretty enjoyable. Both of these games are more like tactical board games than table top wargames though. What games do you think just were no good, and were not fun to play, and...why? I've never personally played 40k or WFB, but I used to frequent a Games Workshop store when I was new to the hobby. The last time I remember going there I saw 2 people playing 40k and it didn't look like they were even having fun. It just seemed like they were going through the motions; rolling a ton of dice, removing and moving models from and around the board in masses. I've never had a desire to play a mass-battle system. It just requires so much prep work with painting the same models over and over again, and the individual models don't have any significant purpose. A unit of 16 spearmen don't really do anything different than a couple of spearmen who each have a set number of wound levels, and its a lot less figs to be managing on the board. If I'm going to take the time to paint all my minis, I want each and every one of them to have the ability to play some sort of significant role in the game I'm using them in - not just be mass victims of the dice. Do you think a great minis can carry a bad game? Nope, Rackham showed that with their RPG attempt Cadwallon. Rackham has always had a reputation for producing some of the nicest miniatures on the market, but this game suffered bad from a lack of company attention to a rule set that was desperately in need of it. I bought into that game and spent a lot of time trying to get things prepped and ready to go, but it just didn't have a clear and fully-developed rule system. The forum community constantly asked for official clarifications on so many different aspects of the game, and all we were ever given were empty promises. The game had a system with lots of potential, but without the official attention it badly needed the game felt like a product that was only developed to 75% completion, released, and then forgotten by the company shortly thereafter. Do you think a good game an be brought down by bad minis? As I am a person who loves the hobby just as much as the gaming, I want to have a nice set of miniatures to look at while I'm playing. I've played games with unpainted miniatures, and then later went back with painted miniatures and it was so much more enjoyable. This just goes to show that the visual quality of the pieces you are playing with can definitely affect your enjoyment of the game. What do you first look for when deciding whether to play a new game? Quality of the minis first, with fluff being a close second that is very closely tied in with the miniatures themselves. I want the minis I'm using to look good and also tell a cool story in the process. How important is the fluff to your gaming experience? Like I was just saying - very important. If I'm playing a miniatures game there needs to be something more to it than just mechanics of the pieces - otherwise why aren't we just playing cards or chess? We play miniature games because we want to take that gaming experience to the next level. We want our pieces to look great, serve their mechanical purpose, and help unfold the story of the event we are playing. This is a side note: I find it funny how people keep saying that WFB and 40k are bad systems, but GW's great miniatures are what keep people coming back. When I first got into miniatures I went to GW for minis because its obviously the biggest and most well known company. When I had nothing else to compare them to, they looked very good. However, as I've grown in this hobby, I've come to realize that when you get past the initial attraction to GW stuff and start branching out to see all the other companies that make miniatures, you see that GW as a whole has some of the most mediocre sculpts in the market. They aren't terrible, but they are also FAR from being top of the line compared to some of the other top-notch companies. They have some sculpts that are real gems, but most of them have odd proportions and lack fine detail that you can expect from other companies. A lot of the poses are very static and boring. They are starting to branch out from that a bit though. I know I'll definitely never go back to GW for miniatures after experiencing the quality of other producers. Sorry if this offends any of you GW'ers out there. Edited June 10, 2008 by thetang22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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