I am going to rant here a little bit. I have been playing 40k off and on for over a decade. I don't necessary consider myself a veteran player, but I guess I am a veteran 40ker. Having started in 3rd edition and gone through the editions since then up till now, I have played with many different communities of players and 40kers. I have moved around a lot, which is a blessing, I have had the privilege of being a part of multiple communities of gamers. I have experienced good and bad, you have both no matter where you go. But what bothers me the most, and to be fair they are on the internet the most, is the bitter whiny veteran players. You know the type, the game so much better way back when, they haven't had a good codex since 3rd, GW price gouging!!!
Now there are certainly legitimate complaints, this is an expensive hobby and it can be hard to swallow when you see the price of new model. Codex's have been left behind at times and there certainly have been duds. But there comes a time when things get blown out of proportion. Lets take the models for example. You veteran players out there, go grab your marines (I know you have them) and compare your first marines to the newest ones. Now tell me which ones have the higher quality. Yeah its the new ones right. And not just a few models here or there, GW has been consistently been putting the money we spend back into the models to produce some awesome toy soldiers. And what do people do? Bitch and moan. "They raised the prices". Yes they did, the new models cost more, thats the price you pay for quality. And I am fine with that, I like the new models, the new kits are BETTER! That is worth more to me. I am willing to pay a little more for that. This has never been a cheap hobby and never will be. And another thing is simply the time it has been since this all started. Inflation takes affect. The problem is when you have been buying the same thing for so long, you always ascribe the same value to it, this unit is $20, thats how its been since I started. Now its $25 thats not fair, why is it more, few years later its $30, why are they gouging us!! Well part of it is simply that costs go up, including inflation, and so do prices. It can't be helped.
Another thing that I am tired of hearing is in regards to the supplements, in how expensive they are for 2 pages of rules. Well first off, its a lot more pages then two, and despite what people may tell you, this hobby has far more to it than a set of rules. Are the codex's expensive, yes, has the quality increased, yes. Now I agree with people that the digital editions are a little pricey, and I think they could go lower and be reasonable. But you don't have to buy anything. You choose what to buy and what not too, and if enough people do, the company will take note. Again though, the quality has increased measurably over the years, and I for one am happy to see my money being reinvested into the hobby with better and prettier products.
When it comes to books not being updated, well pretty much every army, kinda including sisters(almost there) have received new codex's and models. And when it comes to them being "worse" well lets be honest, when it comes to the good old days, what you are really missing is your heyday when your codex was king. It happens, codex's and armies have their time on top of the hill, and just because a codex is mediocre does not mean its bad. Sorry your new codex isn't the OPness you want, everyone doesn't get it. And in my opinion, the new codex's are all pretty darn good, they each have their must have units, but overall have armies that have different ways to play them and are competitive. As I talked about in my previous post on 6th edition, this is the edition of synergy and these new codex's really do well when taken that into account. Now some are very powerful, Tau for example, their synergy is pretty much built in with supporting fire and commander batman and markerlights. But their army is built around multiple units working together, not spamming one unit and just go.
The bitter veteran players bother me more, mainly because they are not doing anything to improve the state of the game. That is something we all have the ability to do and yet so few truly do. This is a game we play and a community we take part in. Do something about it other than complain, if you don't truly enjoy this hobby, then please leave it, or at least quiet down a bit. I do occasionally complain but I will also be the first to point out the awesome new models and leaf through the new books. I really do like where we have come, I like all the new books, some could be better but all are still good. And if something bothers you, say digital, don't buy it and hell write GW about it (in a coherent message, not flame) if enough people do, they will change. If you are not active in the hobby and the greater community then nothing will change. Help new gamers out, give advice and being positive about the hobby goes along way to bringing new players into the fold, and sure many may not like the young teens, but I was that kid once, and I had the tolerant adults that helped me along and let me play even when I look back and am pretty sure they were just humoring me.
Its our community and if you are one of those long time bitter players, you can do one of two things, shut up and leave, or do something to improve the state of the game. Dragging the rest of us down in to your bitterness does not help. So your codex isn't exactly what you wanted, you know what, very few ever are. I'm sure there will be things I will not like about the next guard codex, but I am looking forward to changing what I do and finding a new way to win with the army I have spent so much time on.
If you are newer to this hobby, all I can say is please do not become one of the bitter veterans, and do not give too much credence to their complaints, they may be based in some truth, but are no longer in proportion. Don't view GW as the evil crop trying to steal your money, they are providing a service and product and in return we pay them so they can provide for their families. In the end we all do that, we work and get paid, no matter where or what, and it all depends on people paying for that. And please when the money gets reinvested, don't complain.
I love this hobby, its one of my favorite things. I strive to bring people into it and have as much fun as I can whether its gaming, painting, or just plain geeking out over the fluff.
Have a good week and hope you all have good games and fun times.
GG
Nice rant. One of the funniest vignettes I've heard of was a bitter ex-40k player during a game of Warmachine deriding GW's inclusion of the Riptide and the Wraithknight as blurring the lines between 40k and Apocalypse, my lovely wife pointed at a Warmachine poster with Collossals on it and said "Isn't Privateer Press doing the same thing?" Long silence...
ReplyDeleteLol, That is true. Its always so one sided too, whatever GW does is bad and evil, but if this other company does the same, well its ok cause I like them.
DeleteAnd personally, I like that the game has gotten better. It has added so much more depth. And the funny thing is, the game is scalable, you can still play smaller games, and since most armies have had points reductions, its easier to play smaller games. I like playing both, I love small games because you really have to think hard on what to bring in your army and bigger games are great fun as well, you get to use units you may only take every so often. And Apoc is still there for the massive games if you want. And please Wraithknights and Riptides in no way blur the lines, there have been DPs, Hive Tyrants, Dread Knights, and other MCs running around for a long time before they showed up. Nothing new and they are hardly terrifying.
I agree, allies has added a new dimension to the game and allows me to use bits of different armies that I've built over the years (IG and SW and some GK) to create different forces that keep things fresh without having to constantly buy new models. I also like the fact that GW is embracing digital editions as a way of doing refreshes (Sisters, Inquisition and of course, supplements) without having to make a big commitment to a print run.
ReplyDeleteOverall I like allies. Sure there are some combos that the fluff bunny in me does not like, Tau/marine for example. But I certainly won't say you can't use them. I think allies allows for cool armies, especially for the more specialized armies like GKs, and not only allow for weaknesses to be covered but to also make cool themed armies. I like that they are going towards these ally specific codex's. I really am hoping for a mechanicus codex. Would make a great addition, an army that doesn't need a full blown codex but could add great flavor to imperial armies.
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