Heroscape: Age of Annihilation is here! Back it on Haslab!

[TerminX]

Re: Heroscape 2nd Edition is here!

I wonder if it's not too late to offer a lite buy-in. that's definitely the kind of thing I'd be looking into if I were Hasbro/AH right now. 250 is a steal for the amount of content in this set but I recognize people with less disposable income might be more comfortable with a lower cost & less stuff in the box

10% on day 1/45 sounds cautiously good to me, but I'm aware that crowdfunds usually have their biggest days right at the start. Hopefully this will spread by word of mouth once advertising and youtubers start picking it up, but I think all of us need to be very annoying about this game with all our friends for the next month and a half

By the way, coverage from a sufficiently famous youtuber can explode your numbers any time in the campaign (check out this data from another project I backed). If anybody has any connections to any board gaming or mini painting personalities, now might be the time to call in a favor

 

[MegaSilver]

Re: Heroscape 2nd Edition is here!

I was charged $30 for shipping, did I make a mistake here?

Cancel your pledge and resubmit it. You'll get free shipping. There was an error early on with the shipping charge.

 

[mee likey]

Re: Heroscape 2nd Edition is here!

I'm officially in, but I'm a little concerned about the 8k backer target.

Does anybody have any hot ideas as to how to get the word out a little more widely about the campaign?

There are plenty of people out there, myself included, who have been in and out of the community over the last decade or so. I found out about AoA thanks to a random, nostalgia-motivated, YouTube search, and I could have easily missed it all. I feel like there have to be people out there that would readily back the campaign, but for whatever reason aren't lurking in boardgame forums as much these days.

I said this in a post earlier, but we should all make it a goal to get Heroscape: Age of Annihilation trending on Boardgamegeek's Hotness list. It is not uncommon to see projects trending high on the list for games that are not released yet due to Kickstarters that are running. And even getting it low on the list will at least get it 'visible' to a lot of old Heroscape fans--and just board game fans in general--who have no clue that Heroscape is being revived. And then hopefully that will start a chain reaction to boost it up the Hotness List even more! Since you asked, here's some things everyone can do:

1. Go to the game's home page on BGG. https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/368557/heroscape-age-annihilation
   • simply by going there you are helping the algorithm know that people are showing an interest, even if you are not logged in as a user. Good job, you helped out!
2. Log in as a user. If you don't have a user account, it just takes a minute. And why wouldn't you have a user account -- what, you don't like board games?
3. Like and subscribe. Just like youtube. On the game's main page on BGG, there is a heart button and a subscribe button right on each (I've never used those previously, but in this case, I'll do it)
4. Add it to your collection as Owned or Wishlist. And you don't have to rate it yet, but you could add a comment such as "backed the crowdfunding campaign" or "excited to get this" if, in fact, you are.
5. Make some posts in the forums. If you scroll down a bit on the game's home page, you can ask some questions or just post in the threads.
   • Craig or Chris (Encarmine) would be really smart to be answering a bunch of questions over there, and also posting a lot of photos of what's being offered.
   • I'm convinced that if all of the heroscapers who had posted in this very thread (157 pages as I type this) had instead been posted over there, Age of Annihilation would already be #1 on the Hotness list. Most games with Kickstarter campaigns don't have the benefit of already having a nice website with forums (like Heroscapers.com), so they post over at BGG. In this specific case, it may unintentionally be hurting our cause because it is not drawing the attention of new eyeballs, which seems to be what a lot of the Avalon Hill marketing and design plan has been about so far. (If it was just for old fans, they would have just filled gaps in existing factions.)

 

[mee likey]

Re: Heroscape 2nd Edition is here!

Sorry, one more thing.
I'm thinking another huge potential market is all the people out there who just love collecting and painting miniatures just for the sake of . . . painting miniatures (ugh, I know, right? ) While I am not one of them, I know there are many. Not all of them do it just for Warhammer or D&D, they do it just because. I believe there are many miniatures collector/painters who would back this campaign just to get the awesome-looking minis, maybe even to repurpose for other games.

Think about that. Wouldn't that be the ultimate ironic twist of fate, if the Heroscape community, known for pilfering miniatures from every other prepainted miniatures line in existence to use them as customs, ends up having to rely on people, for the survival of the future of Heroscape, who plan to use these new Heroscape minis for *gasp* other games!

There are some miniature-painting Youtube content creators (i.e. Squidmar, Miniac) who have hundreds of thousands of followers. And they also usually have little sponsor shout-outs in each of their videos. Avalon Hill marketing guys (Intergalactic Patrick, etc), Please consider sponsoring a few of those videos...if it is in your budget. Cool. Thank you!

 

[TerminX]

Re: Heroscape 2nd Edition is here!

1. Go to the game's home page on BGG. https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/368557/heroscape-age-annihilation
   • simply by going there you are helping the algorithm know that people are showing an interest, even if you are not logged in as a user. Good job, you helped out!
2. Log in as a user. If you don't have a user account, it just takes a minute. And why wouldn't you have a user account -- what, you don't like board games?
3. Like and subscribe. Just like youtube. On the game's main page on BGG, there is a heart button and a subscribe button right on each (I've never used those previously, but in this case, I'll do it)
4. Add it to your collection as Owned or Wishlist. And you don't have to rate it yet, but you could add a comment such as "backed the crowdfunding campaign" or "excited to get this" if, in fact, you are.
5. Make some posts in the forums. If you scroll down a bit on the game's home page, you can ask some questions or just post in the threads.
   • Craig or Chris (Encarmine) would be really smart to be answering a bunch of questions over there, and also posting a lot of photos of what's being offered.
   • I'm convinced that if all of the heroscapers who had posted in this very thread (157 pages as I type this) had instead been posted over there, Age of Annihilation would already be #1 on the Hotness list. Most games with Kickstarter campaigns don't have the benefit of already having a nice website with forums (like Heroscapers.com), so they post over at BGG. In this specific case, it may unintentionally be hurting our cause because it is not drawing the attention of new eyeballs, which seems to be what a lot of the Avalon Hill marketing and design plan has been about so far. (If it was just for old fans, they would have just filled gaps in existing factions.)

Just did all of this. We all gotta be the worker bees on this one, folks.

 

[Tai-Pan]

Re: Heroscape 2nd Edition is here!

I think there need to be some videos and pics using the collections we already have to show what the HeroScape line can REALLY do.

I think the only reason I would do as small of a display as they had at GenCon and even at PulseCon is to somehow not disappoint people by how little will be in the Release.

Dig out some Dr. Weirdscaper pics, make a video about 2000 point armies duking it out on a huge map with 40+ terrain elevation difference between the highest and lowest points, trees, jungle, bridges, lava and ice. Talk more about the potential of a HeroScape return, because the future of a HeroScape return is definitely more promising and amazing than just this one set. THAT will probably be my motivating factor for backing, and not necessarily that I need this set.

 

[chas]

Re: Heroscape 2nd Edition is here!

Two questions about Haslab as I haven't been involved with it up to now:

1. Would they include some Stretch Goals if we don't quite reach the last ones? Other comperable crowdfunders I've backed have almost always done this, but I heard of a Haslab that did not.

2. Are the Avalon Hill team going to post more details about the offering before (and hopefully after) it funds? If so, here and on BGG or on Haslab itself?

 

[chas]

Re: Heroscape 2nd Edition is here!

I don't think this campaign is going to follow the usual backing profile of super response on the first and last days. My gut tells me that it will build over time steadily instead, as the word really needs to get out. I have backed a good dozen crowdfunders as a board gamer, but never even heard of Haslab before this, which seems to be mostly about toys I don't care about at all, (except for Heroquest, which I personally would not back, as I already owned it long ago when it first came out)!

 

[mee likey]

Re: Heroscape 2nd Edition is here!

I don't think this campaign is going to follow the usual backing profile of super response on the first and last days. My gut tells me that it will build over time steadily instead, as the word really needs to get out.

Good enough for me. I'm going with Chas's gut! Anyone else?

 

[AMIS]

Re: Heroscape 2nd Edition is here!

They focused too much on returning players. They're trying to entice us with a ton of units, but they've overlooked the terrain. The terrain was a huge draw for new players, and even people who just want it for other games. A cheaper set with only 30 minis and a highlight on the terrain would have been more appropriate. There's hardly even any info on the terrain tiles in the whole description

The price is fine for what is included, but that's from the perspective of a HS player. Its a horrible price if I just wanted the terrain. And its just because you have to buy 71 minis to get the tiles. Its also pretty expensive if you've never played HS before and don't know how good it is. Its just too big of a bundle.

I think you're right about this. A smaller option would have made this game widely available to the market that was being sought out.

If memory serves the 71 Figures is more than ROTV+SOTM and the D&D master sets figure counts. That's a lot to ask for a dad to invest in for his kids. What does Risk cost these days?

While it's great value for what is being offered (I think that's a given) it's also a lot to ask someone who doesn't know the value of the game. And simply stating they should look it up, is kinda like asking about a hobo's past employment to wash a windshield. While some of you can throw around $250 for games as you feel like it. It's still a lot for parents who have kids at home.

I only hope there's enough of us "returning" (or as in my case the "never left") folks out there to fund this thing and while I think there is, they'll be slow to come out and back this.

I was also a little gobsmacked that, while boring to us, they did not show how the terrain fits together, what terrain comes in the box and how the walls stack and fit together. But when I realized they're going after the nostalgic group it made more sense.

 

[Typhon2222]

Re: Heroscape 2nd Edition is here!

I don't think this campaign is going to follow the usual backing profile of super response on the first and last days. My gut tells me that it will build over time steadily instead, as the word really needs to get out.

Good enough for me. I'm going with Chas's gut! Anyone else?

Hah hah, I'll follow Chas's gut too.

 

[IAmBatman]

Re: Heroscape 2nd Edition is here!

Shouldn't the Haslab crowdfund be on the frontpage?

Yes. Only @Xorlof @Xotli and @truth have the ability to put it there, though.

More foot shooting going on here....

The e-mail Hasbro Pulse sent me yesterday with today's line-up never mentions Heroscape once. Just Avalon Hill at 2:15 PM ET. If I hadn't already known about the Heroscape re-launch, I never would have known from the marketing.

I'm rooting for CVN and the War Council. I'm beginning to honestly suspect that Hasbro set this up for failure, though. Maybe I've just been watching to much Ted Lasso lately.

 

[Nukatha]

Re: Heroscape 2nd Edition is here!

One more bit that I don't understand: Is it 8,000 sets that need to be ordererd, or is it 8000 backers, where each backer counts as 1 even if ordering the 5 set maximum?

 

[brak88]

Re: Heroscape 2nd Edition is here!

I don't really know why people are so riled up about the cards. I can almost guarantee they'll look exactly the same on the master side, but with the 3D image instead of the physical mini.

The one real thing I'm disappointed about is the lack of stretch goals. Only five extra minis at four million dollars is not much, especially compared to the heroquest campaign's extras at four million, which is kind of low compared to regular Kickstarters.

There should be ads on eBay after searching heroscape and dare I say allthingsheroscape. Make people that are dropping closer to $250 to get four squads aware of this and what's available in return. But maybe those people are already on here and have backed?

 

[chas]

Re: Heroscape 2nd Edition is here!

Nukatha,

Its 8,000 backers, but someone recently said that each set counts as a separate "backer." Go figure.

A poster here said he'd be happy if we got 1,000 on the first day, and we're up to 959!

 

[wriggz]

Re: Heroscape 2nd Edition is here!

I dinno Hasbro doesn't just throw money around. Proto types, design labor, marketing, etc all cost either time or money or both.

I believe all the choices made were in good faith, but they may have missread the mass market appeal of the offer and the boardgame public knowledge of haslab. KS is a giant. I routinely check to see what's interesting even though I'm happy with my collection.

This is going to be a slow burn.

 

[brak88]

Re: Heroscape 2nd Edition is here!

One more bit that I don't understand: Is it 8,000 sets that need to be ordererd, or is it 8000 backers, where each backer counts as 1 even if ordering the 5 set maximum?

Sets. Just need 8,000 regardless of if it the same person. Bless the people willing to purchase multiples of an all unique set when they probably have loads of tiles, but there needs to be focus on getting new people interested if we want new "seasons" to come out regularly.

"Units can gain bonuses or penalties based on differences in terrain height, and the types of terrain may influence unit movement and more."

The only rule change tiles shown so far is water, unless they are adding sand/rock rules. If there's terrain tiles not revealed yet, new and/or reprints of old tiles, that are considered to be unrevealed stretch goals for past 16,000 backers, it might be wise to show them now or to have them as reached goals for every 1,000 backers point reached after 8,000.

 

[IAmBatman]

Re: Heroscape 2nd Edition is here!

I don't really know why people are so riled up about the cards. I can almost guarantee they'll look exactly the same on the master side, but with the 3D image instead of the physical mini.

The one real thing I'm disappointed about is the lack of stretch goals. Only five extra minis at four million is not much, especially compared to the heroquest campaign, which is kind of low compared to regular Kickstarters.

There should be ads on eBay after searching heroscape and dare I say allthingsheroscape. Make people that are dropping closer to $250 to get four squads aware of this and what's available in return. But maybe those people are already on here and have backed?

People are always going to have a knee-jerk reaction against change, especially if those people are mostly drawn to something based on nostalgia. Marketing primarily on nostalgia and then making what will scan for a lot of folks as unnecessary aesthetic changes is walking a dangerous line, IMO.

(I have no issues with the card shape changes or anything, btw. I think it's kind of interesting. Just not hard to see why some folks are bucking at it).

 

[Nukatha]

Re: Heroscape 2nd Edition is here!

I'm indifferent about the army card shape as well. I do far prefer it to the long army cards of AoTP. Have we only seen a 'basic' side this far?

 

[S1R_ART0R1US]

Re: Heroscape 2nd Edition is here!

People are always going to have a knee-jerk reaction against change, especially if those people are mostly drawn to something based on nostalgia. Marketing primarily on nostalgia and then making what will scan for a lot of folks as unnecessary aesthetic changes is walking a dangerous line, IMO.

(I have no issues with the card shape changes or anything, btw. I think it's kind of interesting. Just not hard to see why some folks are bucking at it).

I totally agree with this. From all of the previews we've seen and knowing the people who've been working on this there has been a ton of work going into the design of AoA, and there's just a lot of content there that I believe will be high quality. HoweverI think there's a lot of justifiable concern that the strategy for rolling it out isn't great.

All the aesthetic changes while marketing one big $250 box and expecting people to remember all the great things about HeroScape when the game's been out of print for over a decade seems like a poor combination. That's also a lot to spend for any new gamers who aren't familiar with the game. It would be great to see some gameplay videos and some more discussion of what the unit abilities are. They did this a little bit with the hellforge but I think the powers give that cool factor that can draw folks in.

I don't want to overreact early, but I can't help but think of what it would have looked like if the offering had a $1.5M target (slightly higher than the OG Heroquest one), a basic tier of two factions plus basic terrain (no TJ/ruins) at $100, the current vanguard tier offering at $250, and shifting 10% of the units into stretch goals so the end point of $4M for full unlock was the same.

 

[IAmBatman]

Re: Heroscape 2nd Edition is here!

A basic tier and a terrain only tier as options would significantly widen the pool of backers, IMO. All-or-nothing cuts people out. Will it be enough people to swing this one way or another? We'll see.

But in my experience, crowdfunding is all about momentum, and the way this is set up and with stretch goals being so limited and at such a high level, it really doesn't seem designed to build that momentum well from a marketing perspective.

 

[Son of Arathorn]

Re: Heroscape 2nd Edition is here!

We got what we got. And what we got looks like a pretty sweet deal, dollar for dollar. If I could have spent this amount of money on this amount of ‘Scape in a year back in the day, I would’ve pulled that trigger without blinking.

I know I’ll back it before 45 days are up. I’d do it right now, but end of the month bills (and one very stupid cat’s trip to the ER-she’s fine now) wiped me out for a couple weeks.

Time will tell whether all the wailing and teeth-gnashing over crowdfunding platform and backer goals is warranted. With what’s on offer, I’m confident all the complaints about unpainted minis are artifacts from a bygone age of gaming, and unhelpful ones at that.

 

[Shurrig]

Re: Heroscape 2nd Edition is here!

I was charged $30 for shipping, did I make a mistake here?

Cancel your pledge and resubmit it. You'll get free shipping. There was an error early on with the shipping charge.

It worked, thank you!

And I'm personally done doomscrolling here. If you think this project isn't worth your money, that is absolutely fine. If you're not feeling the unpainted miniatures (even though they are literally the highest quality figures on the market) that is your choice! I've come back around to see the quality of this offering, as I'm sure many others will. The ticalla pieces nearly alone make it worth it for me considering how much they go for on ebay. As someone who started their collection long after HS went out of print, I see this as the only way to not have to pay exorbitant amounts of cash just to get a few units here and there. That is my justification, because otherwise I'll be stuck with the collection I have for years to come only to find paltry selections being sold by third hand scalpers, or even worse, 3D printed models (kidding! sorta...)

 

[Finrod]

Re: Heroscape 2nd Edition is here!

I know I’ll back it before 45 days are up. I’d do it right now, but end of the month bills (and one very stupid cat’s trip to the ER-she’s fine now) wiped me out for a couple weeks.

Just FYI - Regardless of when you pledge, you won't be charged until November 15. (And if it doesn't reach the goal, you won't be charged at all.)

 

[Master Roshi]

Re: Heroscape 2nd Edition is here!

A basic tier and a terrain only tier as options would significantly widen the pool of backers, IMO. All-or-nothing cuts people out. Will it be enough people to swing this one way or another? We'll see.

But in my experience, crowdfunding is all about momentum, and the way this is set up and with stretch goals being so limited and at such a high level, it really doesn't seem designed to build that momentum well from a marketing perspective.

Yeah I thought it would be good for terrain only to be available as well. I'm getting two sets, but I'd also throw in an extra ruins and tree set on top of that if I could, but I'm not gonna buy a third set just for more of the trees and ruins

And if someone wanted to come in and just get the hex terrain for some other game, I think they should have been able to pitch in for that, because as it is they aren't contributing anything at all now since they don't need the figures and other pieces