Editor in Chief Bill | 07 Oct 2015 11:24 a.m. PST |
How important is it to you that a ruleset have online support (a website, forum, battle reports, downloads, and so forth)? |
Extra Crispy | 07 Oct 2015 11:31 a.m. PST |
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John Treadaway | 07 Oct 2015 11:34 a.m. PST |
It's important to me (from a providers point of view) because I find it useful when I game other folks systems. John T |
Cerdic | 07 Oct 2015 11:35 a.m. PST |
We manged well enough in the old days before the Internet… |
Allen57 | 07 Oct 2015 11:39 a.m. PST |
Not important although I have used on-line support a couple times. |
Mark RedLinePS | 07 Oct 2015 11:40 a.m. PST |
Most rules today are, dare I say, rather badly written, so a forum with Q+As is a great help. It's also useful to get other players feed back on the rules and any tweeks and house rules they use to improve the game. |
Winston Smith | 07 Oct 2015 11:41 a.m. PST |
None whatsoever. You can bet the house that Flames of Liberty will have none of that frippery and flapdoodle. |
Saber6 | 07 Oct 2015 11:44 a.m. PST |
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Sundance | 07 Oct 2015 12:06 p.m. PST |
Not terribly important, but with Lion Rampant I did find online support useful – not for rules issues, but for fan house rules to handle things the rules didn't cover, army lists for compatible time periods, etc. |
Steve | 07 Oct 2015 12:09 p.m. PST |
I think it's important and will impact whether I buy a ruleset. As an aside, I don't find rules today any more poorly written than in the past. |
olicana | 07 Oct 2015 12:10 p.m. PST |
Not that important to me. They are good for swapping ideas on scenarios, OOBs, etc. and things not actually in the rules. |
Herkybird | 07 Oct 2015 12:17 p.m. PST |
Can be good, but necessary, no! |
vtsaogames | 07 Oct 2015 12:46 p.m. PST |
Not a must but certainly a plus. |
Who asked this joker | 07 Oct 2015 1:02 p.m. PST |
Somewhat important. I enjoy talking about the systems and it is a way to get a much better understanding of how a game works BEFORE you buy. Also, like Terrement, it is a way to get questions answered quickly. |
wrgmr1 | 07 Oct 2015 1:22 p.m. PST |
Thirds for what Terrement said. |
advocate | 07 Oct 2015 1:34 p.m. PST |
It helps. I've enjoyed the support available from the TooFatLardies community; and for Sword & Spear. On the other hand, our group has adopted Tercios with little or no contact with that community (though we know it's there). |
normsmith | 07 Oct 2015 1:37 p.m. PST |
Like many here, I am from a generation that pre-internet meant you either had to work it out yourself or wait weeks or months for a reply from the designer that was based on a simple yes / no question. That is how it was and we didn't know anything different. Fast forward 25 years and more and I think the inter-relationship between the designer and the buyer / gamer that exists now benefits both those parties – though it might generate some lazy questioning and it might have generated an expectation that when a question is asked, a designer will get back within 12 hours. It certainly allows errata and updated files or stats to be made available with easy access, which is another force for good. |
redmist1122 | 07 Oct 2015 1:42 p.m. PST |
I look at rule sets like this, any external support beyond the cover of the rules is a bonus. With that being said, I cannot see the internet support or similar to influence myself to buy or not to buy a rule set…that is simply ridiculous. I do like the fact if I happen to have a question, how fast I get an answer using the internet. P. |
nazrat | 07 Oct 2015 1:42 p.m. PST |
All my most-played rules have incredible online resources. Those that don't are missing the bus and have generally lost sales to me. If you don't care enough about your product to support it why should I? |
Sgt Slag | 07 Oct 2015 1:47 p.m. PST |
Not important for me, as I can figure it out on my own. However, e-mail is expected, and this allows direct access to the designer (or it should…), so questions can be asked, and answers expected in a timely manner -- within five business days, for example. Wanting an answer within 12 hours is ludicrous, IMO. Cheers! |
Dynaman8789 | 07 Oct 2015 2:01 p.m. PST |
Will not buy rules without it. |
MajorB | 07 Oct 2015 2:16 p.m. PST |
"Internet support" is totally unnecessary. |
David Manley | 07 Oct 2015 2:17 p.m. PST |
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moonfleetminis | 07 Oct 2015 2:33 p.m. PST |
Not important at all. One of the reasons i have stopped playing Dystopian wars is because it is now a living rulebook :( which is a shame because i really liked it. |
KTravlos | 07 Oct 2015 2:37 p.m. PST |
Important for me. Especially a good set of historical scenarios is a must nowadays that I am caught up in the grand tactical bug. I will buy rules that do not have online support, but I appreciate the companies or creators that take that next step in customer service. |
Crow Bait | 07 Oct 2015 2:41 p.m. PST |
To my knowledge, Neil Thomas does not support One Hour Wargames or Ancient and Medeival Wargames on the internet, but it does have a Yahoo group with an amazing fan base full of ideas and suggestions that have been very helpful to me. So, the actual author, not that important, access to the fan base for the rules, very very useful. |
raylev3 | 07 Oct 2015 2:49 p.m. PST |
I like having it there as a resource if needed, but not critical. Having said that, depending you who you're playing with, having the author claify his rules can make it easier to sort through muddy areas of the rules. |
IronDuke596 | 07 Oct 2015 3:59 p.m. PST |
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jeffreyw3 | 07 Oct 2015 6:17 p.m. PST |
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coopman | 07 Oct 2015 6:36 p.m. PST |
If you can find a rules set that you have no questions about, then a web presence is not important. Hint: that perfect rules set doesn't exist. |
Weasel | 07 Oct 2015 6:59 p.m. PST |
Personally? Expectation. People buy into a community and a relationship as much as anything else. |
(Phil Dutre) | 07 Oct 2015 11:48 p.m. PST |
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warwell | 08 Oct 2015 2:51 a.m. PST |
Not important at all. If the rules themselves are not clear enough to understand on their own, I'm not going to waste my time trying to figure them out. |
JSchutt | 08 Oct 2015 4:01 a.m. PST |
While we may not care…. and blithely make reference to the "old days" with legacy thinking…. just remember being young and what you would have thought of such remarks. In the age of social media companies that choose not to connect to their younger or "with it" customers are doomed (Games Workshop). The current generation will just walk away thinking no one cares. We are not the source of future revenues manufactures need to make to stay alive in small markets. Current manufacturers need to recognize this fact and if they don't have one now, get their grandkids to get them with the "now" and build them a Facebook page. As my long dead mother used to tell others as old as she was at the time… "Don't be an old fart!" |
etotheipi | 08 Oct 2015 7:48 a.m. PST |
A lot of things that we now consider bad ideas were once up and coming, hip ideas. Not that I eschew the idea of Internet support, I just don't buy into that rationale. INLGames doesn't have a big "Internet support" branch. Everyplace we push info (Internet or not) we make contact info available and check back within reason (if we posted a news article on a bulletin board in a shop somewhere four years ago and you just wrote on it yesterday, we may not be on top of that) to reply. Running and managing a forum for our website was too much effort to keep the usual (Internet) suspects from drowning out the relevant info. We have a Facebook page and regularly publish to, make contact info available, and respond to posts from there. |
Who asked this joker | 08 Oct 2015 11:24 a.m. PST |
I think JShutt brings up a very good point, especially in light of the poll on how old we TMP'rs are. You probably noted that the age range really started at 40 years and older with just a smattering in the lower brackets. TMP link Now, that may be just a TMP thing. Maybe TMP is just not hip anymore but the old fuddy duddies still use it. Or it could mean that our hobby really is graying. Whatever the case, one would think that they would want to reach a younger audience through means that audience understands. |
Old Contemptibles | 08 Oct 2015 3:55 p.m. PST |
It's important. It helps to have some rules clarification. But just having a discussion form isn't enough. I don't care what others opinions are about a rule, I want to talk to the guy who wrote the rules. The lazy rules author/designer leave it too the forms to answer any rules issue. I like the ones who are active and will even share their email address so you can contact them directly. Other than rules questions on a form. I rules need to be supported with scenario books. I don't mean the endless modules of some rules. But the occasional scenario book is nice. |
Shardik | 09 Oct 2015 2:18 a.m. PST |
Fairly important. Almost all rulesets need some clarification, and some rulesets are written so badly that they need extensive clarification. *cough* Age of Might and Steel *cough* |
MajorB | 09 Oct 2015 6:06 a.m. PST |
I don't care what others opinions are about a rule, I want to talk to the guy who wrote the rules. Almost all rulesets need some clarification, and some rulesets are written so badly that they need extensive clarification. Well in the "old days" we'd just write a letter and send it via the publishers. I suppose all that's needed nowadays is a contact email address? |
Who asked this joker | 09 Oct 2015 6:24 a.m. PST |
Well in the "old days" we'd just write a letter and send it via the publishers. If you want to contact Neil Thomas, that's still how it is done! |
Disco Joe | 09 Oct 2015 3:21 p.m. PST |
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(Phil Dutre) | 10 Oct 2015 3:26 a.m. PST |
I guess answers range from "Not important at all" to "A must". But it really depends on what is meant under the term "internet support". Of course it is nice to have some kind of forum or website devoted to a game, such that as a player, you have the feeling that you are belonging to a wider community, and such that you can discuss the game with others. But that will always exist, whether the original publisher sets this up himself or not. However, that does not imply the original game designer should be available at all times to answer rules questions or pump out new material. Sure, that would be nice, and perhaps smart to do from a marketing point-of-view if the ruleset is a big commercial release. But why would people expect that when the ruleset is a small hobby publication? There is a big difference between "answering a few questions now and then" and "having a permanent internet rep at all times". |
SGThorne | 23 Dec 2015 8:32 a.m. PST |
This depends entirely on the size of the publishing operation. In house publications like Battlefront bring a ton of resources to their games: free pdf downloads, painting articles, Q&A sections, etc. GW has only used the interwebs to market their product IMHO. Small publications most likely will not have any online presence, which is a shame as it IS a door to building a community. When I started in this hobby I lived in a small town in West Texas. The next town was over 50 miles away. I was 12 years-old and mowing lawns for Avalon Hill, SPI games and Ral Partha lead. The Manager of the toy/hobby store set up a cork board where players could post name/phone number and games for players to contact one another. Smart man. We could have purchased direct through Mail or magazine; but many ordered through the manager, and his store did rather well. When I read or hear that it isn't needed, never was needed in the old days, or is not a substitute for the good old post what's translated is 'I'm not used to the internet'. Or, 'Change frightens and confuses me.' What are we made of? Lead or plastic? I say, get a grip and grow a pair of six sided worthy of your hobby. Smart miniature's producers have sound and informative web sites: Look at the Perry's site as example. Game publisher can do the same with a smartly crafted web site, and even avoid having to handle the deluge of postage they must daily sort through….. Whether you can accept it or not, our community has the potential to grow through the inter tubes. Smart publishers will craft opportunities for the players of their rules sets to exchange ideas and build a sense of community and excitement about their product. It's not an 'either this or that' argument, which I flat out reject. |
USAFpilot | 11 Jan 2016 1:33 p.m. PST |
It depends. Some rules need it more than others. If I have a question about the rules the first thing I will do is see if there is any type of online support Q&A. |