Age of Annihilation - Backer Trend and Discussion

[Hogg]

Originally Posted by nyys

Folks can't actually think it's financially feasible or maybe I give too much credit as to how much the average fan knows about the inner workings of things (not that I know much, just enough to get in trouble). That's not to say it can't be a deal breaker for some, of course it can, I just disagree if the argument is about value as opposed to personal preference.

I keep seeing this argument but every time I walk into a FLGS I see boxes and boxes of painted HeroClix figures, and they're not really much more expensive than they were when HS was in production. Somehow, Wizkids, even though they are smaller than Hasbro, has been able to produce thousands of affordable painted minis during the hiatus HS took.

Originally Posted by chas

Hasbro works in mysterious ways.

Hasbro works in stupid ways. Not having a video showing gameplay ready to go at launch was a blunder, they had plenty of time to work on it before now.

[IAmBatman]

Originally Posted by Hogg

I keep seeing this argument but every time I walk into a FLGS I see boxes and boxes of painted HeroClix figures, and they're not really much more expensive than they were when HS was in production. Somehow, Wizkids, even though they are smaller than Hasbro, has been able to produce thousands of affordable painted minis during the hiatus HS took.

Low quality miniatures in a blind purchase model will do that (they're not all low quality, but a lot of them are and the overall quality is pretty mixed). If they lowered the quality here and moved to a blind purchase model, they *might* be able to do prepainted affordably.

But none of that's going to happen, so kind of a moot discussion point.

[caps]

Originally Posted by rudyvalentine

Part of this makes a lot of sense. The campaign wouldn’t exist without the Heroscape community continuing to be so strong and active.

But the part I don’t get is why they don’t seem to care about attracting backers outside the community with this campaign. It’s definitely aimed at those who already know and love it and not friendly to those looking to check it out (at launch anyway, there’s still lots of time).

Which is strange for another reason. This seems really solid as a brand new start to a collection.

This is not what I'm seeing with this campaign. They are marketing it far and wide, and soon will have things like gameplay videos up to explain the game to new players.

Originally Posted by IAmBatman

This set includes Thaelenk Tundra, it's just unpainted.

It does not include Thaelenk Tundra. It does include a Ticalla Jungle. I think this is supposed to be a joke, but I didn't get it and wanted to make sure no one is confused.

[Sherman Davies]

Originally Posted by caps

It does not include Thaelenk Tundra. It does include a Ticalla Jungle. I think this is supposed to be a joke, but I didn't get it and wanted to make sure no one is confused.

Batman isn't known for having a sense of humor.

[IAmBatman]

I’m hilarious

Originally Posted by caps

This is not what I'm seeing with this campaign. They are marketing it far and wide, and soon will have things like gameplay videos up to explain the game to new players.

Any more spin and I’d accuse you of being a merry-go-round!

Real talk, though: do you feel the information available about the game on the campaign page itself is at all new player friendly? Or are we just counting on the hypothetical idea that, maybe a week in, they’ll give information to that market?

[rudyvalentine]

Originally Posted by caps

This is not what I'm seeing with this campaign. They are marketing it far and wide, and soon will have things like gameplay videos up to explain the game to new players.

So this is exactly my point. They’ll have a gameplay video “soon.” That’s not helping the people landing on the page now and saying what is this?

That’s not marketing it “far and wide.” That’s just saying “hey everyone who loves and misses Heroscape come and get it. And if you don’t know and love it we’ll explain later. Just hang out a while.”

Now I’ll give you this a longer campaign than most crowdfunding campaigns. So it could be deliberate strategy to get the hardcore fans in before really going after the new crowd. Let them come over and see it’s already a third of the way funded. Ok, I’ll go along with that idea, but right now between the lack of any demo, rules, card mechanics, and the high entry point, it’s really not a welcoming campaign for non-scapers IMO.

[caps]

Originally Posted by IAmBatman

I’m hilarious



Any more spin and I’d accuse you of being a merry-go-round!

Real talk, though: do you feel the information available about the game on the campaign page itself is at all new player friendly? Or are we just counting on the hypothetical idea that, maybe a week in, they’ll give information to that market?

No, I do not feel that what is currently on the crowdfunding page tells new players enough about the game. So far the marketing does not either. However, they have said that they are working on gameplay videos. They've followed through on all of those kinds of statements so far, so I have no reason to doubt them.

I believe they do intend this game to reach new players. Their methods so far leave something to be desired, but I think the intention is there.

And I don't think it is spin to say that things like interviews with polygon, ads on Facebook, etc. are "spreading the news far and wide." If they were being insular they would *only* post on Heroscapers and discord (and maybe the Facebook group) but instead they are running ads, working to beef up the campaign presentation, etc. That's what I'm referring to.

[IAmBatman]

OK, I think I see the disconnect. We're saying that the fact that they're doing a bad job of marketing to newer players suggests that the don't care about new markets. You agree they're doing a bad job of marketing to newer players but believe they do care about new markets and hopefully their actions will catch up with their intent eventually?

So kind of an intent versus competence argument?

[Hogg]

I think they also need to do a better job marketing to existing players, the main page still doesn't have much terrain info or specific unit stats/abilities.

[IAmBatman]

Originally Posted by Hogg

I think they also need to do a better job marketing to existing players, the main page still doesn't have much terrain info or specific unit stats/abilities.

Oh, for sure. I know several people (existing players) who have no intention of backing until they get some ideas about the designs in the set.

Someone like me who's interested in the terrain and would probably just resell the figures has no real reason to back without knowing the exact terrain on offer.

[RobertDD]

I haven’t been on this site in years. I still have all my Heroscape (a complete set with many dupes and at least 3 of every common, plus enough terrain to run a small tournament) and will never get rid of it.

I won’t back this. It’s $250 for unpainted plastics. No way!

Ok, I backed it.

Should I buy two sets?

[chas]

Love it! Welcome back.