Age of Annihilation - Backer Trend and Discussion

[Pumpkin_King]

It’s very funny that people are focusing on “steampunk critters” as a reason the campaign could fail. They’re extremely cool and extremely Heroscape. I’m not sure why people are latching onto them as “cringe” or uniquely out of place. It’s bizarre.

[IAmBatman]

They might be some of my favorite figures I've seen.

[Pumpkin_King]

Yeah, definitely my favorite faction from the reveals. The airship was how I knew Heroscape was back, well and truly.

[Dad_Scaper]

Originally Posted by IAmBatman

I'm personally a lot less interested in the reasons they're doing a poor job on the campaign than I am in seeing them make changes to do a better job on the campaign. If this fails, there will be plenty of time to come up with excuses for them after. If it succeeds, no one will care.

If anything, though, I'm guessing it's the restrictions Hasbro places on that small company that are having a worse effect. Plenty of small companies have super successful crowdfunding campaigns all the time just by doing basic things that the slow battleship of Hasbro is maybe, probably, eventually going to get to.

Originally Posted by caps

Skyknight said this in the discord this morning. I'm not going to make further commentary.

You actually can have it both ways. There are things that are within AH's control, and things that are not. As I sit here right now I do not know which is which, but I know that the line exists.

Regardless, criticism of process is absolutely fair. Go for it! Certainly the AH people themselves aren't complaining about the criticism, and for myself I am not. Go for it.

And for what it's worth, I haven't seen anyone I'd categorize as a "hater" here, or on Facebook, or on the subreddit. I think some of the criticisms are unreasonable, but even if I think they are, that doesn't mean the person is a hater. It just means that (for instance) there are a host of reasons why this game just can't have prepainted minis, and the criticism that it should have them is (even if it's coming from a place of honest caring, and I truly understand the desire) not reasonable.

So, at least for my part as a guy who helped with this project, pick away.

Carry on.

edit: the criticism that the Clockwork Combine is not Heroscape-y because it includes armed furry animals is also not reasonable. If we can have Gorillinators, we can have squirrels with hang gliders.

[Pumpkin_King]

Originally Posted by Dad_Scaper

edit: the criticism that the Clockwork Combine is not Heroscape-y because it includes armed furry animals is also not reasonable. If we can have Gorillinators, we can have squirrels with hang gliders.

100%


The Venn Diagram of "Cyberpunk gorillas" and "steampunk Redwall" is effectively a circle.

[GamerDad74]

Originally Posted by Dad_Scaper

edit: the criticism that the Clockwork Combine is not Heroscape-y because it includes armed furry animals is also not reasonable. If we can have Gorillinators, we can have squirrels with hang gliders.

Not trying to be contentious here, but since this has been one of my criticisms, I'll respond. I recognize this is simply my opinion and others disagree.

The difference for me is that "The Battle of All Time" implies the greatest warriors--those who deal in death. As a general, I would want to bring only the most fearsome warriors I could find. Gorillas and humans are APEX predators on planet earth. Squirrels and bunnies and weasels and beavers are not. That's why we have Planet of the Apes but not Planet of the Squirrels. They seem out of place in an apocalyptic wasteland where factions are fighting to the death.

Fwiw, I also don't see how a faction like the Clockwork Combine could possibly develop alongside the death machines that are the Ironclad Collective.

This is Heroscape. It's a game. It's complete fiction. I get it. It requires me to suspend my disbelief. It's just my opinion that the Clockwork Combine requires an inordinate amount of suspension of said disbelief.

[Dad_Scaper]

Originally Posted by GamerDad74

Not trying to be contentious here, but since this has been one of my criticisms, I'll respond. I recognize this is simply my opinion and others disagree.

The difference for me is that "The Battle of All Time" implies the greatest warriors--those who deal in death. As a general, I would want to bring only the most fearsome warriors I could find. Gorillas and humans are APEX predators on planet earth. Squirrels and bunnies and weasels and beavers are not. That's why we have Planet of the Apes but not Planet of the Squirrels. They seem out of place in an apocalyptic wasteland where factions are fighting to the death.

Fwiw, I also don't see how a faction like the Clockwork Combine could possibly develop alongside the death machines that are the Ironclad Collective.

This is Heroscape. It's a game. It's complete fiction. I get it. It requires me to suspend my disbelief. It's just my opinion that the Clockwork Combine requires an inordinate amount of suspension of said belief.

You're not being contentious! You presented your opinion perfectly reasonably and if you are worried that I think you are a crazy person, then please know that I do not.

Nothing but respect. If the hang glider squirrels don't speak to you, then perhaps the armored bears or gnarly tree wizards are forest creatures more to your liking. Or maybe not, and the whole thing is a non-starter for you.

Cheers!

(In general I don't watch these threads; tag me or something if you want my attention.)

[Mr Migraine]

Originally Posted by Pumpkin_King

100%


The Venn Diagram of "Cyberpunk gorillas" and "steampunk Redwall" is effectively a circle.

I assume a big part of the criticism comes from these connotations about the source-material animals on earth:

Gorillas and bears = strong, intimidating, warrior spirit

Rodents = smaller and wimpier, sometimes cute and sometimes ugly, but usually not very intimidating either way

In other extant classic Heroscape, I'd say the wolves and vipers also fall more into the mighty/intimidating category than the wimpy category.

To be clear, I'm looking forward to playing with all of the new units if this project is funded. I don't have a strong opinion on the critters either way, but I can see why some players are most strongly drawn to the mighty/intimidating ones.

In classic Heroscape, a bear with a hammer makes more sense than a rodent with a gun. But they're both still valid additions to the universe, in my opinion.

Edit: yeah, @GamerDad74 describes this well in his recent post above

[Pumpkin_King]

I mean, the Combine are still explicitly battle hardened badasses. They just happen to be Redwall too. Anyone who’s read those books can tell you that “woodlands creatures” and “tested warriors” are not mutually exclusive.

[Mr Migraine]

Originally Posted by Pumpkin_King

I mean, the Combine are still explicitly battle hardened badasses. They just happen to be Redwall too. Anyone who’s read those books can tell you that “woodlands creatures” and “tested warriors” are not mutually exclusive.

Fair. I know very little about that series.

Honestly, I bet most of the criticism is coming from the same crowd who decided not to voluntarily read Redwall because anthropomorphic rodents wasn't appealing to them back then, either.

[Pumpkin_King]

Yeah, I think there’s an association with furries that’s making people automatically discount anything with anthropomorphic animals. Which, like. You’re missing out on Secret of NIMH, and that’s just a tragedy.

[Hogg]

They're honey badgers. Problem solved.

I am interested in the new stuff, but not thrilled about the departure from classic either. I hope in the future, they release Classic Age expansions as well as AoA stuff.