Main Pitch.
I would like to see WizKids and Paizo get together and publish a full-sized magazine format rulebook.
With Paizo having such a great track record with covering games in depth, they’d be perfect for this type of project.
Being a HeroClix addict (Man, I managed to stave off the “collectible gaming bug" for a decade before this damn game came along!), the Team building strategy articles in Undefeated have been some of the best out there. Issue #9’s has been the best yet in terms of layout, too; pictures of the figs, full-dial spoilers, pros/cons of each piece, diagram of a specific tactic, informative sidebars…
What WizKids needs to publish, at least once a year (IMHO) is a magazine-sized HC rulebook.
The “rules pamphlets” that come in the starter sets are hamstringed by limited space that forces some bad wordings of rules in order to conserve space. Between the rulebook’s format, the frequent introduction of new game mechanics, and tournament experience, WizKids ends up putting out a dozen FAQ updates a year.
Yes, the WK rulebooks are available on-line. Yes, so are the FAQs. But, a magazine published once a year would still be a great resource.
It needs to be full color. Show "demonstration examples" out of the Starter Sets "rules pamphlet" from each set.
They'd have plenty of space to clearly word everything. No parsing language in order to conserve print-space that results in FAQ after FAQ in order to clarify the language.
A magazine size would be perfect to “integrate” the rulebook with the FAQ. I’m after detail here. Detailed rules explanations. Detailed, graphic examples that aren’t thumbnail-sized. Undefeated is perfect for this.
The PAC info needs to be in there, too. Fully detailed.
Frequency and incentives to purchase.
Publish it once a year, prior to the convention season/summer. DON’T take over a regularly scheduled issue of Undefeated. This should be available in between regular issues.
Wizard Entertainment has apparently had so much success with “exclusive” HC mail-away offers (in Wizard and in InQuest) that Comic Book Buyer’s Guide and Scrye are trying to get in on the action with their own.
Undefeated would need this. (And, it might be wise to actually package something special WITH the mag, though. Like an exclusive map, that Paizo might’ve had a hand in designing. *hint, hint* J The exclusive clix offer would just be a coupon.)
It would be neat to see, say, single page columns with commentary on the HC scene as seen buy WK designers (a la Issue #2 of Undefeated that had a piece by a certain WK executive).
And think of the advertising space, to push not only HC but also other WK products. (The mag should still focus its content on HC. Too much diversity would lead to not enough of in-depth HC material.)
Another thing to consider: The dial spoilers. Yes, full stats are available on-line at sites like the WizKids site, or at HCRealms, or you can download the Battle Planner program (which I found out about in Undefeated, and purchased as a result), but there’s something about having them tangibly in your hands, in print.
So, pad this idea out. For starters, publish the spoilers for the retired Infinity Challenge set. Then, have a few one-page articles spring-board from that, topics on how the game has developed, why retirement was necessary, “review” of the set as a whole (in the context of what it was like when it was released, and how it holds up today), etc. Like with Undefeated #8 get commentary from WK designers.
Since a new rulebook might be needed once a year (as the main pitch states) or warrant two to four a year, set spoilers, strategy articles and design philosophizing add some “collectibility” to the mag itself.
Comparisons to other magazines.
Games Workshop publishes a magazine for Warhammer.
InQuest vs. Undefeated vs. Scrye
InQuest: They occasionally have some fun HC related stuff. Visually, the mag is a gas! (No surprise, considering they are related to Wizard Magazine.)
Love the articles they've done showing off various custom figs.
They used to have scenario ideas pulled directly from the comics. (Specifying the issue of the comic it was pulled from, suggested team construction, and special scenario rules.)
BUT, they are still all about Magic: the Gathering and the massive Price Guide of each issue. (The price guide itself chews up a lot of space each issue.) And the "visual HeroClix guides" they've been doing don't show the whole dial at once. That's annoying.
Scrye: I used to pick this up a lot. Some great articles on general HC strategy, and some good scenarios. The "stat spoilers" they used to publish for each set was cool, but in a tiny type. (And they had coverage of board games and miniatures game I'd never heard of, when I needed a "break" from HC with a small, self-contained and non-collectible gaming.)
Undefeated: This mag has had some great HC articles. So good I actually subscribed to it. They also cover TCGs, other miniatures games and board games.
Their Team Strategy articles are great, and back in issue #1, they published all the dials for DC Cosmic Justice.
The people who do Dragon Magazine do the mag. And to a former D&D player like me, it's important. (The quality and depth of strategy/tactical discussion.) And they are ulikely to fill half the damn mag up with a Price Guide!! (I can't stand spending the money on Scrye and InQuest for those price guides!)
*whew* O.K., I'll just end my little rant here.
Grey, it's feedback like this that really helps us shape Undefeated content. It also makes for great discussion here.
Grey, it's feedback like this that really helps us shape Undefeated content. It also makes for great discussion here.
Thanks for the gracious acknowledgement, sir!
Just hope it bear's fruit!
(AND, I hope it I'm not the only one who'd like to see this happen. None of the other messageboard lurkers have even commented a "yea" or "nay" to the overall concept. This doesn't bode well...)
It really is a solid idea, grey. One problem might be the legality of it. Could paizo sell a rules guide for a game put out by another company? I mean, the actual rule book is obviously copyrighted. I think Wizkids might take a dim view of someone putting out something of that nature, unless a deal were worked out in advance.
But who knows, maybe the corporate dogs at Topps would realize that publicizing a clarified, expanded rules document could only benefit the game in the long-term. I think photographic examples of tricky rules points would be enormously helpful. An illustrated FAQ! You could add a lot of value to this thing by working in strategic and tactical tips alongside the rules.
Look at me, I'm talking myself into it. Ok, yes...it's a great idea! :-)
Thanks, zeppelined!
(And just to clarify, WizKids get together with Paizo to do this. I didn't try to presume that Paizo could just reprint a rules set that WK owns. I was just trying to make the point that such an item would be useful, and that in comparison to other publications out there, Paizo's UNDEFEATED team could really put out a quality rules magazine with "extras.")
Chief Technical Officer
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One problem might be the legality of it. Could paizo sell a rules guide for a game put out by another company?
Yes, we could, with some limitations. (Remember tripping over piles of "Unofficial Guide to Pokemon" books and videotapes from a bunch of different fly-by-night companies a few years back?)
But Paizo wouldn't do that. If we were to pursue such an idea, we'd only do it with the full cooperation of WizKids.
-Vic.
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Hello! Um, I haven't been to this site in a while (busy holiday season, both on the family and work fronts).
I just wanted to say a couple of things.
First, UNDEFEATED is still a great mag. I just recieved issue #10 in my mail box yesterday. I'm definitely going to buy HeroScape and Risk 2210 A.D. because of the coverage (plus, X-Mas is over now; I don't have to feel guilty buying for myself now :P ). The coverage on War of the Ring really piqued my interest. Loved reading the preview of Conquest of the Empire.
Secondly, Thanks to Piazo on a couple of things.
Thanks for excepting portions of this thread and printing it in the letters section. I'm going to head back to the HCRealms site, and try to spark more interest (or at least response) to this idea.
And thanks fro the offer that's finally going to get me to checkout the items in my shopping cart: Tsunami Relief. I just opened that e-mail Monday. That's a great idea.
I really, really hope the rumors that UNDEFEATED is taking a hiatus are just that, rumors. I love this mag.
Wulp, it's Wednesday, 20th of April, 2005. Undefeated is still on hiatus. *sigh*
Anyway, to pound away at my desire for a "magazine-sized HeroClix rulebook" I'd like to post a link to a "sample page" a guy named SuperGENE is doing up for his own on-line rulebook.
SuperGENE’s Barrier Sample:
http://www.geocities.com/supergene105/barrier.pdf
It's cool stuff. It's actually pretty consistent with the in-depth stuff Undefeated has done. PLENTY of examples, detailed explanations.
This is what I want to see from a consolidated rulebook/PAC with integrated FAQ info.
And I hope Undefeated makes it back soon.
This is what I want to see from a consolidated rulebook/PAC with integrated FAQ info.
I would love to see that also, but it ain't looking likely...
*sigh* Well, it's 11/01/05.
In case anyone from Paizo is still checking up on the Undefeated boards, a couple more ideas:
1) Play down the hype on new stuff.
Wizard Magazine and IQ Gamer (this is not a bash) are primarly "Preview Machines." They seem to make their money by playing up anticipation.
What I enjoyed most about UNDEFEATED was the strategy. You guys really dug in, tore things apart to see how the worked.
You also provided articles on "Behind the Scenes" and history of certain games. Loved that.
Everybody else hypes up their previews. Scrye, Wizard/IQ Gamer, and -- apparently -- Beckett's new "HEROES AND VILLAINS." (From what I've heard. I haven't found the mag yet.)
2) Combine at least some aspects of AMAZING STORIES and UNDEFEATED in to one magazine.
Reasoning: I'm a fan of comics in general, and superhero fantasy in particular.
Serious, detailed articles on, say, the history of a particular character (publishing history, not just a view through the lense of current "continuity," pointing out significant storylines, etc.) that then segue into a review article of the HC design, then into a team-build strategy article would be cool.
Just as an example.
Plus, there are more and more superhero games coming out that need critical reviewing. :)
Or, interviews with game designers. Or interviews with comics writers or artists, or other.
Just some ideas. :)