TL;DR posts are simple rants. Please ignore this if you are not into hearing my anger. Honestly, why WOULD you? But this post is an extension of one I made in May.
I haven't had such mixed feelings about something since Keurig cups made my love of convenience clash with my love for the environment. This could be even more whiny (or whingey) than my normal ranting, so you've been warned.
I'm an old guy. I hit a half-century this year, and I'm not too happy about it. I'm coming to terms with the fact that I will never be a famous rock star, I'm never going to figure out how to code, and I'm never going to even be in the running for a Golden Demon or win a tourney. But that's all OK. I still have a nice recording studio, I can't code, but as a UX professional, I can get stuff I want to launch coded by much more capable people, and even though my "two thin coats" and my really poorly performing (but fluffy) lists, I really enjoy the whole "thing" around 40k.
But one thing makes me nuts about this game. I am a rules completist, which means that 40k is insanely frustrating 100% of the time. It's not even the money, although that's pretty bad. Last edition, I didn't even come close to getting all the codexes, and it still cost me over $800.00. How much is someone supposed to spend to get all the rules to a game? I don't think it's unreasonable to want a comprehensive set.
So the announcement of this edition was exciting. The core rules are 12 pages! And there are just a few indexes for all model stats! Holy crap! This is what I was waiting for. So I lapped up all of them like a dog laps up antifreeze. And just like that proverbial dog, I seized up yesterday when GW announced that they were releasing TEN CODEXES BY DECEMBER. I mean, seriously. They are going to be hardback, which means they will be at LEAST $50.00 retail. I think there are another 15 coming as well. The first one will probably be enormous, meaning that I wouldn't rule out a $75.00 or even $100.00 codex.
But let's say they are $40.00 each from a discount retailer. That's still a grand to get all the codexes. I thought maybe GW had broken their habits, but now I fully expect that by the time codex 19 comes out, they will revise codex #1. The vicious cycle continues.
I wouldn't even mind buying electronic versions of all of it if they would commit to updating the stats, inserting errata, etc. I would also support a subscription service to keep rules changes afloat, but that is also unlikely to happen.
As I said, I'm old. I can afford (barely) to be a completist, but I'd certainly rather buy overpriced models than overpriced hardcover books that become useless in a year or two.
Come on, GW, I'm sure the codexes are a cash cow...I get it. But your business model has proven that we will buy just about anything you put out at any price you set. Can't you show a little mercy with the rules and stats? The more I look at my Jenga tower of outdated codexes from 5th edition on, the more I'm inclined to just say "it's been a good run" and put it away for good. This is not said out of anger, but out of sadness. I'm not a fanboy OR a hater. I just want to be happy with this game and with Games Workshop.
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| Happy thoughts....happy thoughts..... |
I'm an old guy. I hit a half-century this year, and I'm not too happy about it. I'm coming to terms with the fact that I will never be a famous rock star, I'm never going to figure out how to code, and I'm never going to even be in the running for a Golden Demon or win a tourney. But that's all OK. I still have a nice recording studio, I can't code, but as a UX professional, I can get stuff I want to launch coded by much more capable people, and even though my "two thin coats" and my really poorly performing (but fluffy) lists, I really enjoy the whole "thing" around 40k.
But one thing makes me nuts about this game. I am a rules completist, which means that 40k is insanely frustrating 100% of the time. It's not even the money, although that's pretty bad. Last edition, I didn't even come close to getting all the codexes, and it still cost me over $800.00. How much is someone supposed to spend to get all the rules to a game? I don't think it's unreasonable to want a comprehensive set.
So the announcement of this edition was exciting. The core rules are 12 pages! And there are just a few indexes for all model stats! Holy crap! This is what I was waiting for. So I lapped up all of them like a dog laps up antifreeze. And just like that proverbial dog, I seized up yesterday when GW announced that they were releasing TEN CODEXES BY DECEMBER. I mean, seriously. They are going to be hardback, which means they will be at LEAST $50.00 retail. I think there are another 15 coming as well. The first one will probably be enormous, meaning that I wouldn't rule out a $75.00 or even $100.00 codex.
But let's say they are $40.00 each from a discount retailer. That's still a grand to get all the codexes. I thought maybe GW had broken their habits, but now I fully expect that by the time codex 19 comes out, they will revise codex #1. The vicious cycle continues.
I wouldn't even mind buying electronic versions of all of it if they would commit to updating the stats, inserting errata, etc. I would also support a subscription service to keep rules changes afloat, but that is also unlikely to happen.
As I said, I'm old. I can afford (barely) to be a completist, but I'd certainly rather buy overpriced models than overpriced hardcover books that become useless in a year or two.
Come on, GW, I'm sure the codexes are a cash cow...I get it. But your business model has proven that we will buy just about anything you put out at any price you set. Can't you show a little mercy with the rules and stats? The more I look at my Jenga tower of outdated codexes from 5th edition on, the more I'm inclined to just say "it's been a good run" and put it away for good. This is not said out of anger, but out of sadness. I'm not a fanboy OR a hater. I just want to be happy with this game and with Games Workshop.
Seems that I'm on the same page as you.
ReplyDeleteI really would love to dive head-first into this new edition, update all my armies, go the whole hog!
But it seems that by the time next payday rolls around, I'll need to buy another set of books to replace the ones I bought last payday, to let me keep using my existing models...
I'm with you 100%. And I'm not a constant complainer against GW. I don't even know if there is a real solution.
Deletebuy the codex you need for your main army, and ignore the rest. the indexes will get you buy for fooling about, or knowing the general jist of what an enemy army can do.
ReplyDelete