Cranky Oldtimer Rage and Lunacy *NEWEST TITLE*

[TnT2]

I am new to the game - and the forum. However, despite having started collecting my scape less than 3 months ago, I have managed to collect up my goal (200 pts of each common squad, and doubles of all the terrain expansions + a few extra FotA).

This has been accomplished through ebay (ugh), some online retailers, and trading/purchasing with some of the great folks here on heroscapers and BGG.

However, I sometimes feel my gain has been the community's loss - are the old-timers leaving the game?

I am primarily a wargamer, so I see nothing strange with playing a game for years and years (ASL anyone?). But it seems that collectible miniature games have a shorter lifespan.

I know there have been many threads on "the death of heroscape", and I'm not trying to start another one of these - but has the turnover of old-timers been constant on the trading board? Or I have just gotten lucky - do these old-timers have so much stuff they are just selling off portions to help out a newcomer?

Jeff aka TnT2
(soon to have over 600 figures and over 20 games played)

[Kepler]

There have been a lot of people selling their collections lately, but I think that mostly has to do with the economy and people losing their jobs.

[mnguy12000]

or that fact that they don't have anyone to play with either. One thing great about games like this is they can last forever as long as YOU keep playing with friends and Family.

But most on this site are in it for the tournies and competive play and yes that will go away sooner or later.

but again games only die if you let them.

[nyys]

Old timers!!!!!

Why when I was your age we used to have to walk to the store to buy our Scape... in the snow... naked!

--

I haven't notice any more collections being sold than at any other time. It's possible though that the store avaliability of items is due to everyone buying less. I used to grab a booster or two with every paycheck, whether I needed it or not, but I haven't bought anything in about two months... things are too tight right now.

[ProtoFury]

Originally Posted by nyys

Old timers!!!!!

Why when I was your age we used to have to walk to the store to buy our Scape... in the snow... naked!

Yeah, I remember that too!

Like five years ago.....before the internet was invented......and before cars were invented.......and before clothes were invented..... Yup. Good times.

[Jexik]

Originally Posted by mnguy12000

or that fact that they don't have anyone to play with either. One thing great about games like this is they can last forever as long as YOU keep playing with friends and Family.

But most on this site are in it for the tournies and competive play and yes that will go away sooner or later.

but again games only die if you let them.

As someone who has been to nearly every tournament I can feasibly (or even unreasonably) get myself to, even I find this statement a little funny.

1. I don't think most people play the game with the same energy and in the same way that I do. I enjoy tournaments immensely, but they're not for everyone.

2. Saying that people play mostly for tournaments or organized play is odd. Even I don't. It's one way to get in touch with scapers from other areas and play in an organized way, but this isn't Magic. You don't win anything that spectacular. Even when I win or get 2nd in a tourney, I get a gift certificate which usually just barely covers the cost of gas, or I break even, or still lose money. If I win more Heroscape, it often just goes to the prize table of the next tournament I go to, to my nephew as a present, or I give it the school where I work. Heroscape tournaments have always been a grass-roots effort, so they'll keep going as long as the fans wish. Hasbro/WotC support hasn't affected it that positively in the past, so I don't see how even the commercial death of the game could lead to the death of the community.

At least, not that quickly. Most people play this game because it's fun. It will continue to be fun when people can't collect it any more, unless they're just here to collect.

[demon_llama]

Originally Posted by ProtoFury

Yeah, I remember that too!

Like five years ago.....before the internet was invented......and before cars were invented.......and before clothes were invented..... Yup. Good times.

I remember that too, and I'll be in Therapy because of it for years

[southwest ninja]

My gaming group has become me playing against myself..... I guess I am the only one who has time for games anymore. Eh, at least I win every game!

[lazites]

Lol I've been fortunate in the ways of heroscape lately as well.

I had a friend that bought the marvel scape set and didn't like it...so she sold it to me for a dollar.

I also wanted another master set 1 (I only had 1 at the time) but they don't sell um anymore, so I thought I was outta luck. Turned out my friend had a set and didn't want it, and I got it off him for 10 dollars.

Good news is whenever I go over to my local comic shop to buy heroscape stuff, the stuff is still moving. One time I went in there to buy a RotFF, and they were all sold out. O_o Also the owner of the place has so much heroscape stuff in his personal collection you can't even shake a stick at it.

Main Point:

I can agree that people are most likely giving up on heroscape and moving on to other things, but you cant forget about the new people buying either. I got 3 friends who have just gotten into heroscape thanks to my 24/7 talk about it. :P

I think the biggest problem is it wasn't being sold properly, and I think making stuff "toys r' us exlusives" made it harder for certain products to catch someones attention. If they dont go to TrU then they might never know about that product.

When I saw the first commercial I almost pissed my self, so I bought it. And I thought to myself...$&@# $40 is alot of money. Heroscape needs a better advertising game to get new kids (and adults ^.^) into the game. Make um see something on tv and go I WANT THAT *drools*. I would have never picked it up if it wasn't for that commercial.

[Sherman Davies]

Originally Posted by mnguy12000

But most on this site are in it for the tournies and competive play...

Like Jexik said, this is so untrue. If anything, one of the defining qualities of this forum and this game is the non-competitive nature of it. Yes, we have strategy forums and threads, but many people here play in tournaments sporadically or not at all, and even the tournament scene is pretty laid back, from my limited experience.

Originally Posted by southwest ninja

My gaming group has become me playing against myself..... I guess I am the only one who has time for games anymore. Eh, at least I win every game!

Sorry to hear that, SJ. I always thought Ohio, like Texas, was one of those hotbeds of Heroscape activity.

On topic, I would say that there are a few old timers that I don't see around any more (FezziktheDoor and InfinityMax, for example), but I don't feel like the rate of old timers leaving is any greater than normal. Plus, we've got newer members like Jexik, nyys and myself picking up the slack anyway.

[whitestuff]

Leaving? I don't think so, not really.

Finding other gaming interests outside of HS? Possibly...

[Elginb]

I'm an oldtimer (though a relatively quiet one on these boards) and things are just now starting to pick up here in Colorado. This is mostly thanks to Dok's enthusiasm for the game and eagerness to start a tournament scene. While prepping for National Heroscape Day, I've been amazed at how many local people I've found to practice with.

Like with most things in life, it just takes one or two motivated people to get and keep things going. I suppose if you're game group has lost one of those motivated people, then I could see how the community would die off.

But that doesn't mean a new motivated person won't come along. So I wouldn't be surprised to see a lot of fluxuation between old players losing interest and then new players coming along and renewing the interest of old players.