Age of Annihilation - Backer Trend and Discussion

[rudyvalentine]

Originally Posted by IAmBatman

It is my intense (and perhaps misguided) hope that *if* this campaign fails they pay attention to the community response, make some adjustments, and try again with a better campaign model.

I'm not *expecting* that will happen, but I didn't expect any official product to ever be made or even teased again 12 years later, so who knows?

I really hope so too. And with all the work that’s been done already, I don’t know why they wouldn’t. This is absolutely feasible and can have real legs with just a few adjustments.

[SuperSamyon]

Originally Posted by orgsbane

I agree here, I understand how someone might not like factions themes personally, but the idea that they are not “Heroscapey” has baffled me from the start. The factions are designed by CVN and longtime, respected, Heroscapers members. How many community get to have direct input into the game? Avalon Hill has done so, only to be met with, “this isn’t Heroscape”!?!?. I’ve stayed out of this specific conversation for a while, but the negative response is honestly starting weigh on me, and I imagine it’s rough for the designers of these factions to see as well.

I’m not saying everyone should love every new design unconditionally. I just wish people would be a little more open minded to these new designs, and not cling so tightly to whatever interpretation they have of what Heroscape should be :/

In fairness, the VC community haa engrained it into the Heroscape community what is and isn't a Heroscape figure for 10+ years now. The Heroscape aesthetic has been fiercely guarded and one just needs to take a look at the SOV thread or in the figure recommendations threads for an example. And now many of those members are part of a project whose figures, aesthetically speaking, would not have passed the first round of any VC team approval.

I agree that the new figures feel completely different from the old ones. If the new figures aren't going to share the classic look, at least release some card previews to drum up excitement and tie them back to the game we know and love.

The reality is that minis are a dime a dozen these days and if I want new minis there are already thousanda of options available to me that don't require me to add 71 figures to my collection that aren't appealing. Here's hoping Avalon Hill focuses on promoting the game itself and not just the miniatures.

[chief]

I may have missed it, but have we talked about or heard why they decided to use # of backers vs #of dollars as the benchmark?

I assume it's because they want a certain number of players invested in the game for long-term growth but still ...

[RainyDays]

Originally Posted by chief

I may have missed it, but have we talked about or heard why they decided to use # of backers vs #of dollars as the benchmark?

I assume it's because they want a certain number of players invested in the game for long-term growth but still ...

The term backers is a bit of a misnomer. They confirmed that backers really means units, so the funding goal is 8,000 units sold, not 8,000 individual backers.

So 8,000 units sold @ $250 each means it's a total dollar goal of $2,000,000.

[IAmBatman]

Yeah, they easily could've just put $2 million as the goal but decided to present it in a confusing way for some reason. But it's the same thing in practice.

[Finrod]

Originally Posted by IAmBatman

It is my intense (and perhaps misguided) hope that *if* this campaign fails they pay attention to the community response, make some adjustments, and try again with a better campaign model.

I'm not *expecting* that will happen, but I didn't expect any official product to ever be made or even teased again 12 years later, so who knows?

Sadly, they have stated flat-out that this will not happen.

If the campaign fails, everything is shut down. No Heroscape for the foreseeable future.

[Master Roshi]

I really could only see the small mammals from clockwork combine having any trouble getting through SOV; i think the bears and pretty much every other design wouldn't be met with aesthetic rejection by the members.

[Sherman Davies]

Originally Posted by Master Roshi

I really could only see the small mammals from clockwork combine having any trouble getting through SOV; i think the bears and pretty much every other design wouldn't be met with aesthetic rejection by the members.

That's funny, I think the anthropomorphic animal stuff is among the most "classically Heroscape feeling" of what they've shown. I mean, we already have Gorillinators and Anubian Wolves, right? I can't speak for SoV, but I think we would've jumped at opportunities for armed animal people when I was in C3V.

[orgsbane]

Originally Posted by SuperSamyon

In fairness, the VC community haa engrained it into the Heroscape community what is and isn't a Heroscape figure for 10+ years now. The Heroscape aesthetic has been fiercely guarded and one just needs to take a look at the SOV thread or in the figure recommendations threads for an example. And now many of those members are part of a project whose figures, aesthetically speaking, would not have passed the first round of any VC team approval.

But this is is why I’m at a loss, some of those very same VC designers are the ones who are designing these factions. I don’t think this project is perfect, I have issues with the lack of marketing and they way the Haslab is being done, it’s just the idea that this doesn’t feel like Heroscape is what’s odd to me. I think with paint, these minis wouldn’t be given a second look when on the battlefield with other scape.

EDIT: I understand that I probably won’t change anyones minds, and I’m not looking to argue.If you don’t feel like this is ‘scape, that’s just how it is, we really don’t choose what to believe. But having seen this response quite a bit, I just felt it was important to have my belief visible as well.

[IAmBatman]

Originally Posted by Sherman Davies

That's funny, I think the anthropomorphic animal stuff is among the most "classically Heroscape feeling" of what they've shown. I mean, we already have Gorillinators and Anubian Wolves, right? I can't speak for SoV, but I think we would've jumped at opportunities for armed animal people when I was in C3V.

I agree. They have the clearest archetypal feel to me and I think Valhallascape shines the most when it presents strong thematic archetypes.

[Master Roshi]

Originally Posted by Sherman Davies

That's funny, I think the anthropomorphic animal stuff is among the most "classically Heroscape feeling" of what they've shown. I mean, we already have Gorillinators and Anubian Wolves, right? I can't speak for SoV, but I think we would've jumped at opportunities for armed animal people when I was in C3V.

That makes sense to me

[CapAp]

I agree here, I understand how someone might not like factions themes personally, but the idea that they are not “Heroscapey” has baffled me from the start. The factions are designed by CVN and longtime, respected, Heroscapers members. How many community get to have direct input into the game? Avalon Hill has done so, only to be met with, “this isn’t Heroscape”!?!?. I’ve stayed out of this specific conversation for a while, but the negative response is honestly starting weigh on me, and I imagine it’s rough for the designers of these factions to see as well.

I’m not saying everyone should love every new design unconditionally. I just wish people would be a little more open minded to these new designs, and not cling so tightly to whatever interpretation they have of what Heroscape should be :/

I’m new to this board (joined last month), and have literally no knowledge of any of the “VC” and “CV3” organizations other than the nebulous idea that they create fan-made content. I’ve never looked at a unit from them. My guess is that most casual fans are like me. So if you’re interested in the casual POV, here’s mine:

For me, HeroScape was the “battle of all time”, not the battle of weird space monster factions.

For me, HeroScape is redcoats and elves fighting anime robots and knights.

For me, this would have been successful had it contained, say…. ghost pirates, cavemen and a post-apocalyptic biker gang (just for example). Or Frankensteins, sharks with lasers on their heads, and a steampunk airship crew (again, just off the top of my head). The possibilities are truly endless.

For me, this is unsuccessful containing 65 space mutant characters from a setting that I have no knowledge of or connection to, and tossing in Raelin and Drake and calling it HeroScape.