tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535367891237919312.post6395199099535258755..comments2023-12-24T09:37:17.116-05:00Comments on Man OverBoard: WBC 2013 Friday: Gryphon and Avalon HillPaul Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02260814589584723033noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535367891237919312.post-81811964953244631572014-05-31T08:35:55.705-04:002014-05-31T08:35:55.705-04:00Well, I started researching this in November 2013,...Well, I started researching this in November 2013, and haven't touched it since February 2014, so post as is. There are pages and pages of this, I still haven't gotten to all of it. <br />-----------------<br />BLUF: This approach seems to be focused on vanity and artwork. Sad. <br /><br />DETAILS: <br />It remains > 1000% funded. <br /><br />Who is Rik Falch -- I don’t recognize the name in the UF design. Radiant Gaming. <br /><br />Up Front is a great game, but like any game, has some mechanics that could be improved. Based on the description, sounds like Falch is changing few mechanics; just adding nationalities, additional terrain cards, and artwork. I see no evidence they have fixed any of the few problems. Looks like the usual 2010 approach to gaming: let's add more toys!! I can highly respect the approach of, "Let's not mess with it, let's just reprint it." But clearly, they are messing with it. So if someone is going to mess with a good product, they need to mess with it in the direction of improvement. <br /><br />1. They've changed the concept of "relative range" to "range", and reversed how it is calculated. That wasn't broken, and didn't need fixing. Indeed, that was one of the great unique aspects of UF. <br /><br />2. They appear to reduce the font size on several of the cards, yet the art is not any larger. Why? <br /><br />3. They've restructured where the information is placed on the cards -- I see some strengths and weaknesses there. <br /><br />4. The video example seems to forget about wounds. <br /><br />Going through the various kickstarter updates (pages and pages of them), it appears they've spent their entire time worrying about artwork and vanity -- what a waste. <br /><br />Oh well. The original game is still superb. <br />Kriegspielerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16249933193318725220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535367891237919312.post-46599324665195064522013-11-07T21:03:03.396-05:002013-11-07T21:03:03.396-05:00Yes, I thought that would interest you. :-)Yes, I thought that would interest you. :-)Paul Owenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02260814589584723033noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535367891237919312.post-82325766524783720562013-11-04T16:37:28.143-05:002013-11-04T16:37:28.143-05:00Wow, that's a great find on the Up Front kicks...Wow, that's a great find on the Up Front kickstarter project. Looks like it's 1000% funded. And has been for some time. <br /><br />There are pages and pages of this, I still haven't gotten through all of it. <br /><br />More comments later. <br />Kriegspielerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16249933193318725220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535367891237919312.post-2198394526625989882013-11-01T09:55:29.420-04:002013-11-01T09:55:29.420-04:00Hm, looks like cut and paste didn’t work there.
T...Hm, looks like cut and paste didn’t work there. <br />The first <> was supposed to be: <br />"he wishes he had broken the game up and sold it in 20 pieces; he feels it would have been a greater financial success that way."<br /><br />The second <> to be<br />"the owners interviewed one designer and summarily threw him out of their office; that designer, who went on to found Microprose, was Sid Meier."<br />Kriegspielerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16249933193318725220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535367891237919312.post-62169382848644414342013-10-31T23:27:44.393-04:002013-10-31T23:27:44.393-04:00You know, I think in my mind, the concept of worki...You know, I think in my mind, the concept of working at Avalon Hill was a fantasy, like being a professional baseball player or walking on the moon. (Which I guess it was, to all intents and purposes.)<br /><br />I think you're right about <i>Up Front</i>. From a business standpoint, it could have been serialized, rather like "living card games" today. The burning question in my mind is, what is Rik Falch of Radiant Gaming going to do with the <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1325766284/up-front-the-card-game?ref=live" rel="nofollow"><i>Up Front</i> reprint</a> that he funded successfully - wildly successfully - on Kickstarter? He has posted countless updates showing art for all kinds of armies and troops, but it's not clear when the project will actually go to production and become available for sale.Paul Owenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02260814589584723033noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535367891237919312.post-16909357135744501702013-10-28T13:10:41.670-04:002013-10-28T13:10:41.670-04:00Fascinating reunion of AH alumni! Thanks for the g...Fascinating reunion of AH alumni! Thanks for the great summary. <br />Yes, I seriously wanted to work at AH. <br /><br /><><br />From a business point of view, that likely would have worked. Not 20 pieces, but maybe 8 modules? <br />Somewhere I remember reading about Up Front, the cost of printing the cards was outrageous. <br /><br /><><br />Aaaeehhh!!Kriegspielerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16249933193318725220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535367891237919312.post-21607980380839717922013-08-10T01:15:45.873-04:002013-08-10T01:15:45.873-04:00Oh, yes, VitP, and its sister game Victory at Sea,...Oh, yes, <i>VitP</i>, and its sister game <i>Victory at Sea</i>, both Richard Hamblen classics. I only played <i>VaS</i> once and wish I'd made it part of my collection.Paul Owenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02260814589584723033noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535367891237919312.post-7593659088130670172013-08-09T03:23:19.884-04:002013-08-09T03:23:19.884-04:00Long live Victory in the Pacific!Long live Victory in the Pacific!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535367891237919312.post-66110723080927627632013-08-09T01:47:19.285-04:002013-08-09T01:47:19.285-04:00Keith, that does sound like a dream job, doesn'...Keith, that does sound like a dream job, doesn't it?<br /><br />Ray, yes, I'm just sorry the pictures weren't any better. I wish I could have got shots of everybody. It was a once-in-a-lifetime event.Paul Owenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02260814589584723033noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535367891237919312.post-79460197531199688582013-08-09T01:23:06.219-04:002013-08-09T01:23:06.219-04:00I was hoping someone would have some reunion pics....I was hoping someone would have some reunion pics. thanks for sharing!Rayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16849740457371382283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535367891237919312.post-50458607640738365672013-08-08T23:11:09.862-04:002013-08-08T23:11:09.862-04:00Thanks for the recap of the Avalon Hill reunion, P...Thanks for the recap of the Avalon Hill reunion, Paul - sounds like that place would have been a lot of fun to work for in the 70s and 80s!Keith Fergusonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11448281228327616030noreply@blogger.com