A Plea for a Wave 2 Book

[rikowal]

I wouldn't mind a fluff book down the road, but why not just use the Wyrd Chronicles for introducing the "new" characters? I personally dig the e-zine, and I think it would make people really look forward to it. You know, like each month they cover 1-2 masters per faction, give their little fluffy blurb, show some pretty pictures of them and happy times will be upon us.

[Mason]

I wouldn't mind a fluff book down the road, but why not just use the Wyrd Chronicles for introducing the "new" characters? I personally dig the e-zine, and I think it would make people really look forward to it. You know, like each month they cover 1-2 masters per faction, give their little fluffy blurb, show some pretty pictures of them and happy times will be upon us.

Well, for one, when you're at a gaming store it's much easier to just open a book and show someone the new characters.

if you have to pull out your laptop, plug it in, boot it up, connect to the internet, then download the Wyrd chronicle to show them the new characters...well, any interest you've created has pretty much evaporated at that point.

I imagine that it's easier if you have a smart phone, but those really aren't ideal either. Best case scenario, you have an ipad or something similar that allows you to show off the art/fluff, but those aren't exactly common (at least, not in my area).

You can also leave a book on the countertop at the game store, allowing people to look through it and decide that they just have to order this master or these minions without needing a computer nearby or even having to be at the store.

[Drool_bucket]

They should definitely do a second book. Layout pretty simple.

First section should contain a FAQ/Errata that is gathered from the release of the second edition. This gives the book some substance.

Second section should be the same as the M2e book... a short fluff blurb followed by a Factions cards.

While I can understand Wyrd's apprehension at this idea, but honestly, not offering almost 1/2 the Masters and over 1/2 the remaining models any amount of "collected fluff" in a printed format, they are doing a great disservice to their game.

I play in a club with 12-15 guys. About 6 of us play Malifaux. The rest are either just buying in, strongly considering or out right resisting. The first two groups are using my book for artwork and the fluff I can spew forth to get themselves into Malifaux.

Not having a book that contains Kaeris, Kirai and all the rest... I just think it would be a fail.

Edited September 10, 2013 by Drool_bucket

[Jonas Albrecht]

Man, I'm kinda torn about this one. I want a book, but not one that repeats the first book's card layout.

Now, throw in the new model rules plus some story encounters or variants, and that would be great.

[Curropepe]

As I said in other post, I‘d gladly pay 40$ for a second wave book just to have the rules for every model with their art and fluff (especially for new masters). I think it‘s the perfect way to attract new players. Add some general rules to the mix (like a multiplayer variant, like in that Wyrd Chronicles) and I‘ll be reaaaally happy.

[dgraz]

Man, I'm kinda torn about this one. I want a book, but not one that repeats the first book's card layout.

Now, throw in the new model rules plus some story encounters or variants, and that would be great.

I actually quite like the layout.

[Jonas Albrecht]

I actually quite like the layout.

I'd prefer something that takes advantage of a book layout as opposed to a card layout. Besides, if it's just larger cards in the book, I'm going to feel like I'm buying them twice.

[dgraz]

Meh. I like it as is. I'm not really sure what you mean.

Honestly, it's pretty light on fluff....a few short stories and a couple of paragraphs for each model.

I'd buy a book 2 just like that. I'm one of the ones that just likes to have a book. Nice to flip through over cards, and as others have said......it better attracts players.

[edonil]

Meh. I like it as is. I'm not really sure what you mean.

Honestly, it's pretty light on fluff....a few short stories and a couple of paragraphs for each model.

I'd buy a book 2 just like that. I'm one of the ones that just likes to have a book. Nice to flip through over cards, and as others have said......it better attracts players.

This is my view on it.

[DeleteAccount]

Another vote for a second book here too. I mean, we'll have around 6 new masters or so, having to wait for Wyrd chronicles to flesh them out one by one would be pretty meh.

I'd just make it a smaller book like the older expansions and call it a day.

[Jonas Albrecht]

I'm not really sure what you mean.

In a book, you can arrange information in a way that's easier to use than you can on a smaller card. Plus, for me, M2e's card layout is just plain ugly and wasteful. Trying to cover the larger gaps with art made it even worse.

[Mason]

I rather like the card layout, myself.

[Duck21]

I rather like the card layout, myself.

The trouble with card layout is that illustrations for every profile got replaced by a tiny thumbnail showing fragment of the art.

[Linus Mcmold]

Maybe it could be a crossover book with additional stuff for Malifaux and Through The Breach and maybe some sort of campaign rules, more fluff and a hobby section.

I haven't got my M2E book yet so I haven't seen if anything was added to Story Encounters, but the 2nd book could have some additional stuff for that too.

Besides Wave2 stuff that seems like a lot of content, but I haven't seen the first book yet, so I don't know how much stuff is in it...

[Pierowmaniac]

Yes another vote for a Wave 2 book please.

....oh and maybe it could include a quick reference sheet

[rikowal]

Well, for one, when you're at a gaming store it's much easier to just open a book and show someone the new characters.

if you have to pull out your laptop, plug it in, boot it up, connect to the internet, then download the Wyrd chronicle to show them the new characters...well, any interest you've created has pretty much evaporated at that point.

I imagine that it's easier if you have a smart phone, but those really aren't ideal either. Best case scenario, you have an ipad or something similar that allows you to show off the art/fluff, but those aren't exactly common (at least, not in my area).

You can also leave a book on the countertop at the game store, allowing people to look through it and decide that they just have to order this master or these minions without needing a computer nearby or even having to be at the store.

You do have a point. In the past, I've printed out stuff from the Chronicles that I felt could use a hard copy (multiplayer rules, and the campaign rules).

[Wooden Crow]

Another book would be great. It can centralize any errata on characters that come up and expand upon rules that may need to be changed as people began to learn and abuse the system. Plus it can contribute more fluff ,and with the handful of new masters coming out it increase the interest with stories centered around them.

[Cornelious1424]

It's a toss up for me. More fluff is always good, but at the same time I hate looking for models in different books. At the same time, I'm with Nilus in that I don't like to read cards when I'm only interested in reading what a model can do. Pocket faction books would be amazing, along with a pocket rule book as long as there arent signfcant rules changes which would put M2E book 1 out of necessity (much like the original book 1). As far as fluff goes though, this is where I really see the chronicles playing a bigger role if Wyrd is to go down the path of faction books or no wave 2 books at all.

[dgraz]

In a book, you can arrange information in a way that's easier to use than you can on a smaller card. Plus, for me, M2e's card layout is just plain ugly and wasteful. Trying to cover the larger gaps with art made it even worse.

Fair enough. I have no issue with the way it is, but I do see your point.....especially the large gap art....I did notice some of that....but I like the art, so I'm okay with that.

The trouble with card layout is that illustrations for every profile got replaced by a tiny thumbnail showing fragment of the art.

This is the thing that I like least about the book.

Still, I'm happy with it, and I'd buy book 2 in a second.

[Dracomax]

Honestly, if they do another book, as long as they reduce the size of the upgrades to something that doesn't look like it was blown up just to take up space, I'd be happy with something close to the current layout. But those upgrades just feel obnoxious, and given how much less information they have than the much smaller in-book stat cards, they should not be so large. It would actually be nice to have all crew specific cards on 1 page, and they could do that.

Other than that, I would like to see errata to core rules, a few optional rules(campaign, additional story encounters, etc.) whatever new rules are needed to make special cases in second wave models work, and then get down to fluff and models. Basically, the equivilent of M1E book 2.

It would make getting people interested in Malifaux a lot easier. I have seen people pick up books off the shelf and browse through them in store. You can't do that with decks. and chronicles are nice, but I'm not going to print them out, and that's the only way I could reasonable show them to new potential players.

Just don't make faction books, please?!

[Mike3838]

Another big vote for a Book 2. I was massively disappointed to learn that Wyrd were toying with the idea of not making another book.

This is a character based skirmish game, so everybody needs to know who these characters are. The couple of paragraphs before each card entry is enough for a good start, and should be available for *all* models, not just Wave 1. All the brand new models we're expecting in Wave 2 should have some descriptive fluff attached, and the book is the best way to make that available.

Consider the difference between story fluff, and character fluff now. Take Perdita as an example. Imagine you didn't know who she was, and the Guild story from M2E appeared in Wyrd Chronicles. It advances the story nicely, tells you a lot about what she's *doing*, but it tells you nothing about who she *is*. That's the key distinction that would be missing by using Chronicles. The "who *IS* this model" would be unavailable for half the range. That's completely appart from the fact that Wyrd Chronicles releases every 2/3 months, so it'd take years to get stories that featured anything more than cameo appearances by all of the Wave 2 characters.

Picture a new player, who buys a Dreamer boxed set in early 2014:

"I love these models!"

"Nice, it comes with all the Wave 2 stat cards and rules to play them!"

"But who is this Dreamer character? He doesn't appear in the Rulebook with the other masters..."

"Can somebody tell me where to find out who this model is?"

That last question will get asked ad infinatum on this forum once Wave 2 is released, because new players won't know what's happening. Will the boxed crew come with a piece of paper which tells the buyer a website to go to so they can download a paragraph of fluff? I've never heard of such a system... Can't see it working.

If timing is an issue for the January roll-out (and I don't see why it would be at this stage), release the Wave 2 book later in the year.

Just make it available.

Please.

[Nephalumps]

I understand the financial and/or production issues that may make a Wave 2 Book an undesirable proposition.

That said, I'd be hugely in favor of a Wave 2 Book, even if it was relatively bare bones. There are going to be a ton of models coming out in that wave, and I would absolutely love to have all of the updated rules collected into one resource.

The M2E rulebook has been a fantastic resource for me, not just because of the rules or the fluff, but because it has all the models in it. I'd digested most of the fluff within the first few days, but I keep coming back to that book to look up model rules, and it makes me feel that much better about that purchase (plus I love knowing I have that info on tap.)

[Jonasty]

Toss in my to a Wave 2 book. The fluff really is key and helps set this game apart from the others. Mike3838's point above is very accurate as well, it would be rather confusing and weird to buy a set of minis in a story driven game system only to find out that there was no story for those particular characters. It's one thing if it's some minor character/minion but if there's no background on a Master that kinda creates a weird imbalance.

The other thing I'll point given the nature of the game is I've actually talked with people who specifically choose their crews based on the fluff as that's what interests them. From there they then focus on making the most of the mechanics. Not providing that kind of option for half the minis available for a game would really be a let down.

Lastly, I just love reading the stories! I'd buy fluff-only reprints of books if they were available just to read. So please just take my money already! *grin*

[Parker Barrows]

:+fate:+fate Wave 2 Book

If there are no new rules, Wyrd can always make new story encounters or something to give people an extra reason to get it outside the fluff and an easy access to all Wave 2 stuff (which in itself is nice for people like me who do not want to buy every Arsenal pack would like to know what models I do not own can do). Maybe even some story encounters that are faction specific (like Guild raid a Reserructist's lab like the story in the second book where Lady Justice finds Nicodem's lab). Or maybe special Henchman-led encouters (designed for 25 point or less games).

[rancor709]

If its between getting plastic out and getting a book out I'll take plastic everytime. What I would really simply like is a compendium of fluff. I can count on my hands the number of times I have actually looked in the book for things other than specific game rules. I want a miniature rule book and then just give me the fluff. The models are what arsenal decks are for. If you like them in book form. Than get some card protectors and put them in a binder. easy peasy reading when you get a chance.

but for me if its only model rules in the books with no fluff no thanks.