I hate to be a pessimist, but does anyone else see a crash ahead for MWDA?

We have a new expansion coming and the buzz at the venues is nil. One owner told me that he has zero cases pre-ordered. Down from 10 with the CA set.

Most of the old guard I started with has left the game. They have gone back to 40k or other endeavors. They have been replaced by younger players (WK's target customers?). These guys don't have the money to burn on stuff like MWDA.

I stopped buying boosters after set retirement was announced. My plan was to stay competative buying singles (not hard playing against a bunch of rookies). Maybe other folks are doing the same. Is MWDA a viable business enterprise without booster sales? My gut feel is no.

So where does it go from here?? Is this just a Toledo phenomenon? Can we as players do anything about it?

I see no bad moon on the rise.

like with ALL games, the fanbase changes. The majority of people cannot keep up with a game indefinately, and many move on after a period of time. Personally, I think you are just in a state of mind where all of the players who have been around since Dark Age have left, and now there are newer, younger players. Similar case here, and I also get that feeling occasionally. But then I realize that at a point in time, those newer players will become older, and then they will leave after another round of new players join. Thus, a few will again stick around. It's those who stick around that feel this game is dieing, because everyone they began playing with is leaving ^^

Of course it's not the initial release of the game, where everyone who was remotely interested picked up a booster or two and gave the game a shot. But new people are constantly joining, do your best to welcome them at turn them in to formidable players.


As for falcon's prey, well needless to say I think it's going to be bigger than Counterassault was.

I think the bad moon is that Wizkids has alienated alot of vendors, I'm not a vendor so I dont know exactly whats going on but I've heard alot of the owners of venues I play at voice disastisfaction towards the way Wizkids is doing things. I hope somewhere their concerns are being voiced and listened to because without them we players have nowhere to play and the game dies.

The venues I play in are somewhat cool towards the release currently, but their interest will pick up soon enough. Our player group is very excited by the upcoming release and I know at least a few cases will be purchased and a lot of Sealed events will be run.

Yes and no.

For the moment no, MWDA is in no danger of crashing. A lot of people I know are excited about the Falcs being released so I think FP will have initial sales that will do at least ok ... if only because people are buying it out of a sense of loyalty (i.e. wanting to get a favorite clan from days of old).

But. I think shortly afterwards it will be headed for a brick wall at breakneck speeds. Once the nostalgia purchasing has slacked off and people see the new mech designs (insanely low defense in exchange for a higher attack thus making them only useful for yet even more change-festing than before) ... people are going to get fed up with mechs not being all that useful. That will make a base set and 5 expansions now and from all appearances mechs are evolving in exactly the WRONG direction. Having a defense that's so low that a 4 point peasant company can hit it without much difficulty is just sad. All that is going to matter for mechs will be their speed. Everyones attack value is gradually creeping up (power creep?) and defense is dropping so all that matters is who gets to hit (i.e. read as 'charge') first. So whoever has the greatest 'range' (i.e. read as 'speed') wins.

If I wanted a charge-fest I'd play Bloodbowl or something. I admit that MWDA is not CBT but it IS from the same universe and thus should have at least remotely the same feel to it. It doesn't. Not by a long shot. At present it doesn't even resemble the combat depicted in the MWDA books.

I haven't bought any cases since LI and I don't plan to again at this point. Heck even me buying a booster is a rare occurance any more. Singles seems to be the way to go unless you have gobs of money you are willing to pitch out the window.

Once people have got their precious falc and realize that a small number of 14 point ATVs can take out their 150+ pt. birdy without blinking then a lotta people are gonna start to wake up and ponder the direction of this game.

I must contractulate any one who has managed to resist buying new booster, i have not managed to do that. MWDA is like MtG, a drug that addicts and makes you buy more boosters in hope that you get more and better units.

You are part of the problem.
If you stop buying boosters because of set retirement, then you are helping the game die.

Guess what? No boosters= no $, no $= No MW:DA

Set retirement had to happen for the same reason.

If the new stuff is not better than the old stuff, then why would I buy the new stuff if I am a competetive player? If the new stuff IS better than the old stuff, then there is going to be a power spiral eventually.

You (among others) just don't get it, and the game is going to suffer because of it, it seems.
Knowing what I know, I have always looked at people that are not going to buy product as being contributors to the game's downfall, because we all know that WizKids had no choice, really.

I don't support set retirement. Never have and never will. But its not my choice. All I can do is buy or not to buy.

My spending will fall in line with the average joe. I luv sealed booster tournies. I'm sure my son and I will end up with a dozen FP boosters.

But I'm not buying my usual case. I don't need more worthless pieces. I am the kind of guy that doesn't feel good about trading my FFE pieces to newbies that don't know whats coming.

If I am part of the problem, someone who's given WK the better part of 2K$, then MWDA is sunk. They don't make better customers than me.

Perhaps all these mech changes are on purpose. Kelly is not stupid and knows what she is doing. I have faith in her and in MWDA (knowing these boards that is something that will likely get me flamed). I suspect something BIG on the horizon rule wise, if not a complete rules overhaul or even 2.0.

I think shooting and range combat will be up. Just wait and see. What the game needs is NO MORE TANK DROPS that do 5+ damage from 18 inches away. You people complain about the mechs defense and attack values, but somehow tank drops seem to fit your bill nicely.

The other things I hate with a passion and think ruin the game are Artillery/Transport teams that allow you to shoot, load, unload and shoot again, even though I guess this has been kinda nerfed by the new artillery rules (or has it? Do you have to deduct an order still?) And then there are the basers that can base anything from anywhere and that includes mechs, vehicles, and transports among artillery, which they were designed to base. Did anyone notice that the factions that got the ATV's and Trikes had crapperific artillery for the most part? I don't see SS with one....

Enough of me whining, here's what I think needs to be changed:

NO SET RETIREMENT! Retire the pieces we all hate; ATV's, SS arrow, Arnis... Those are pieces I hate, they should get the community to vote on them...

NO TANK DROP! Nerf that #### already.

JUST FIX THE LITTLE THINGS WIZKIDS! Those little loopholes need to be fixed. Stop trying to be "official" about it, just state a rule "(X) loophole is now fixed to be..." Not some "Replace paragraph 34 with this paragraph in case paragraph 7 does not cover the forementioned paragraph so that a new loophole can be created and misunderstood"

And Itrain, you just don't get it. Besides retiring entire sets they could just retire the pieces that you would deem the power pieces. Everyone says that "The new players will get older" and guess what, you are 100% right. Ya know what else? Until most of those 12 years are 14 or 16 and get jobs, Wizkids will have to pull money out of their azzes for years. I can tell you right now at one of my venues that the new kids always get pieces from the BM's and borrow alot, that 12 year old (or younger) doesn't pay whatever for a case or go on Ebay and bid. But there are kids (Shane and Steve if you read this support me here) that find let's say, 3 kanazuchi's, a Maxim, an artillery, donar, another transport and a great tank for dropping (best of the best) and sit on it for YEARS! Sure they get beat consistantly but every time you make an army, the army's shadow is in the back of your head, limiting your armies and playable armies. I won't support any Wizkids decision (haven't bought a booster in God knows how long since LI) because they showed me that they are #### near mentally incompetant. I;'ve never seen a game with so much unrest. I'm done ranting for now......

Sigh... I have explained so many times, my set retirement support is based upon this assumption:

I believe that the next "Core set" will likely be comprised of the most balanced units from the sets that get retired, or "fixed" versions that are more in line with what the game is supposed to be.

Examples:

So they shuck Arnis out of his original mech, retrofit it, and remake it with more "balanced" stats, they change the Schmidt to deal less damage (like 3) at a greater range (like 15), Take Tank drop out entirely, kill off every and all first strikers and basically redo the metagame (which set retirement will allow you to do).

This is what MTG had to do, getting rid of Lightning Bolt and leaving us with the more balanced Shock and Volcanic Hammer. This is a good thing for the game, IMO

I think the buzz is pretty decent around my area. There are some very cool 'mechs so far. I think as long as they keep the booster price at around but not over $10 the game will continue to thrive.

Personally I could give a hoot less about the Jade Falcon's being in the set, but the new Highlander units looks promising to me. I'll likely buy a dozen boosters or so. I know in my gaming group there's already a couple guys splitting a couple cases.

I've already managed to snag my SS LEs from the set. ;)

I don't like the idea of set retirement but that's not going to keep me from playing. I play HC and MKD and they've already been hit with set rotations. I play most importantly for fun so I will play with whatever unit I want anyhow. If I have to be restricted to newer units in a campaign, so what, I'll cope. Just my opinion.

I'd imagine that there will be new rules and new twists thrown into the game...I forsee cards being used somehow, like in MK. I can't wait to see what happens. Live long and prosper Wizkids!

-Q

I can't agree with anyone "knowing what they are doing" when they give mechs that cost a good portion of your point total 16-18 defenses while tanks get 20+ defense.

If their objectice is to make them useless then she's definitely on the right path. I used to be stoked about FP and planned on buying a case. But after these previews I'm not so sure anymore.

I don't entirely agree with set retirement, but I think, that if done right it could be a good thing. I know that people will leave the game because of it, heck there are 2 or 3 guys at our venue who just can't afford to buy much and so can't afford to replace all of thier pieces with new ones.

My self, I play for fun most of the time, except when a cats unit is the champianship prize, then all bets tend to be off. I enjoy the way the game plays, and we haven't had a lot of trouble with the so called "cheese" armies mostly because we all tend to play more for fun than anything. Recently we've had a few people who come in and play those evil armies so we come prepared for teh eventuality, but still, we try to have fun, that's what it's all about I think.

I know that for the most part, people at our venue are pretty enthused about the next set, those that can afford to and play the regular game. I know that I am hyped if for no other reason than I think a lot of the sculpts I have seen are pretty cool even if the stats aren't that phenomonal. I know our store has preordered at least 3 cases in addition to those who are buying a case from him.

I guess that is my 2 pragt (Aesperish Cents)

As much as I used to love my Lightning Bolts, they had to be removed to not only slow the game down, but to allow new designs.

That is what set retirement can do, it can actually spur new designs and new ways of thinking because the shadow of the old units will not be hanging over the designers heads.

We could see sweeping changes that remove all the major gripes of the game (tank-drop, charge, mechless armies) and bring the game to a point where strategy and tactics win games on their own.

We could see designers and rule-makers start using Battletech ideas instead of MK variations. We just need to wait and see what they are doing with the game.

Personally, Falcon's Prey will cost me a whole lot of money.