Just a quick post to mention something that I came to think about after my game with Old Shatter Hands last weekend.
40k is still a lot of fun.
Recently I've been getting frustrated with the direction that GW is taking their business practices (and prices), codex releases (or lack thereof) and becoming more interested in alternative games. I'm not going to stop looking into new things as the freshness of Warmachine/Hordes is great, Nuclear Renaissance is so cool and cheap and other games still pull me (must resist flames of war) but the actual game of 40k is still fun.
I really had a blast challenging OSH and playing through each turn of firepower, movement and brutal assault. I like matching up distinctly opposed force styles and having a raging wargame to work with. The space marines are still awesome, even if BA are a tad powerful, and trying to play the Tau as a modern force is a great challenge.
If only GW was a bit cheaper I'd love to buy some more Tau and finish off my own army to 1500-2000 points. I think it's a testament to the fun still in the game that I can be pulled so strongly towards a company that has a number of practises I don't like.
That's all really. I just realised that my blog recently has been moving away from 40k a lot and I wanted to put in that I still enjoy it. Once I get my Tau army done I will happily play with them or my marines and not buy anything else.
Pete
PS: I'm on the last chapter of my novel...fina-fricking-lly. Now I just need to finish it off, go through and edit/rewrite the whole thing and then start sending it off to publishers.
Good look with the publishing!
ReplyDeleteI get the same way, GW just makes me so angry sometimes... but the games are too fun to just stop playing. There's so many good things going for their games that they'll always be part of my gaming 'world'. 40K, fantasy, and all the specialist games are a blast!
Thanks Asmo. I need to finish the damn things first. It feels like I imagine painting a Forge World Reaver does in that it takes so long to get through even the basics that by the time the ending parts come around you are a bit tired of it. On the other hand, when you step back and look at what you've created, it's amazing and very rewarding. Fingers crossed that it might be in print some day.
ReplyDeleteGW has done a number of annoying things but they certainly have an incredible depth of background and creativity that have come together over the years to make a great experience. I would love to get more into the specialist games to be honest, as they have some of the coolest vibes and playstyles. If only they were properly supported and not direct only, I would be there.
GW don't necessarily make the best game, but as a whole their offering has become greater than the sum of its parts over the years - you don't want to stop playing games in the world they've made, no matter how irritating they can be at times.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck with the novel. Have you joined a writers' circle or anything like that?
I agree with you completely Sholto. They've got a great world experience that is really enjoyable, sometimes in spite of the game mechanics.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the good wishes on the novel. I haven't joined anything like that at the moment. I feel like my perspective on writing will change when I finish the novel though.
Currently I'm in the creatively doing my thing as the story winds towards the conclusion. Once it's finished though, I'll be starting the serious editing/re-reading and deciding how to make it actually publishable etc. At that point I think I will do well to have the support of other would-be writers to help me get through the various stages of preparing to submit to a publisher.
Of course, I have new ideas to start on after I finish the current piece. It will be nice to be able to switch off from the harder editing side and get back to storyling meandering and creativity. I just have to decide which of my three ideas I work with:
- Near future dystopia where the US has been taken over by fundamentalist Christians
- Space adventure/horror where a lone long-range human ship must strike vital blow against alien enemies. They are a long way from home though and all alone with a traitor in their midst.
- Detective/horror. A man is possesed by an entity that gives him great power. He uses the power to kill the criminals who ruined his life but then the entity doesn't want him to stop killing.
Have you had any more news on your writings? I know you have a short piece in that magazine and the Malifaux idea. Have you been working on any longer pieces?