Rassilon
Administrator
Grand Administrator
Posts: 751
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Post by Rassilon on Mar 31, 2010 14:08:03 GMT
Dominic says:
Aliens and Creatures should be hitting in June. Apologies again for the delays with it. It's been a learning curve all round, but the supplement will be better for it. Some of the delay was to fit in additional content that we realised would be left out of a later supplement.
We'll make an announcement and give some more details in the near future, about Aliens and Creatures and the other supplements. The next supplement to be announced is the First Doctor Campaign Pack.
Thanks
Dom
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Post by whichdoctor on Mar 31, 2010 15:21:24 GMT
First Doctor? Awesome! Man you guys are gonna make a mint off of us. Just sayin'
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Post by JohnK on Mar 31, 2010 15:24:14 GMT
Hullo, Rassilon, Dominic says: Aliens and Creatures should be hitting in June. Apologies again for the delays with it. It's been a learning curve all round, but the supplement will be better for it. Some of the delay was to fit in additional content that we realised would be left out of a later supplement. We'll make an announcement and give some more details in the near future, about Aliens and Creatures and the other supplements. The next supplement to be announced is the First Doctor Campaign Pack. Thanks Dom While I'm disappointed to hear this news, as I've been looking forward to the Aliens and Creatures book, this raises two questions... First, does that mean that the UNIT stuff will also be significantly delayed? And second, I assume that this means that a lot of stuff will be coming out now during the convention season? How will that affect the rest of us getting this material and all? (Since I'm not a PayPal kind of person, I can't order the stuff off the Cubicle 7 site.)
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Post by metacrisis on Mar 31, 2010 18:36:22 GMT
June! wow. I can only assume that means the UNIT sourcebook will be out sometime after 2012? I am incredibly disappointed but like a good fanboy i will endure.
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Post by kaemaril on Mar 31, 2010 20:23:52 GMT
June! wow. I can only assume that means the UNIT sourcebook will be out sometime after 2012? I am incredibly disappointed but like a good fanboy i will endure. I am incredibly annoyed by this, and I am not a good enough fanboy to simply endure. Cubicle 7 produce quality product, indisputably, but frankly they're not a top line company in my eyes until they can get their damn products out of the door on something approaching time. This sends a very bad message for the ongoing reliability of the product line.
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Post by dragoncymru on Mar 31, 2010 20:48:23 GMT
I'm afraid I think this was inevitable due to the changing nature of the product right now.
Frankly I'm amazed that they got the base set out at all.
I wouldn't be at all surprised if we see a reissue of the base set with new logo, Matt Smith, new TARDIS etc before we see anything else.
I think probably that the covers we have seen will never see the light of day.
The BBC care too much about branding right now to issue an out of date product with an old logo and a Doctor that went 6 months or longer.
Call me a 'doom-sayer' but don't be surprised if I'm right...
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Post by Siskoid on Mar 31, 2010 20:56:07 GMT
I'm not particularly bothered so long as I have the Basic Set and it is all I need to actually play the game. I do, it is, and I'm happy. My players certainly aren't complaining. Everything else is a luxury. I'll buy them when they're ready, basically.
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Post by metacrisis on Mar 31, 2010 23:42:03 GMT
One pf my players quipped that this is the Adventures in TIME refereed to on the box. June! wow. I can only assume that means the UNIT sourcebook will be out sometime after 2012? I am incredibly disappointed but like a good fanboy i will endure. I am incredibly annoyed by this, and I am not a good enough fanboy to simply endure. Cubicle 7 produce quality product, indisputably, but frankly they're not a top line company in my eyes until they can get their damn products out of the door on something approaching time. This sends a very bad message for the ongoing reliability of the product line. I agree Kaemaril, this is very FRUSTRATING and gives me a bad impression of the entire project. Unfortunate i see only 3 options. One: play with the information available to us. B...no...Two: give up on playing Doctor Who entirely. And Three or C: Someone has to make a better game system that completely bypasses Cubicle 7 and the Beeb. I'm going to patiently stick with plan 1 because I don't care for plan B and i do not have the inclination to pursue plan 3 BUT if there is someone ambitious out there -- consider the Risen Mitten thrown down.
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Post by Escher on Apr 1, 2010 0:17:28 GMT
It's not just the BBC stuff that's late either - it's also Humandyne and Wild Talents as far I can see. They don't need BBC approval for those so I think there may be an overall issue going on. Not good. I hope it gets resolved.
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Post by kaemaril on Apr 1, 2010 0:24:47 GMT
One pf my players quipped that this is the Adventures in TIME refereed to on the box. I am incredibly annoyed by this, and I am not a good enough fanboy to simply endure. Cubicle 7 produce quality product, indisputably, but frankly they're not a top line company in my eyes until they can get their damn products out of the door on something approaching time. This sends a very bad message for the ongoing reliability of the product line. I agree Kaemaril, this is very FRUSTRATING and gives me a bad impression of the entire project. Unfortunate i see only 3 options. One: play with the information available to us. B...no...Two: give up on playing Doctor Who entirely. And Three or C: Someone has to make a better game system that completely bypasses Cubicle 7 and the Beeb. I'm going to patiently stick with plan 1 because I don't care for plan B and i do not have the inclination to pursue plan 3 BUT if there is someone ambitious out there -- consider the Risen Mitten thrown down. I was keen to run a game at the local game club (I ran a one-off recently I had fun with), but frankly why should I be that much of a cheerleader and evangelist for a game from a publisher I can't rely on? I look forward to the exciting conversations that will begin like this. Interested Player : So, do you rate this game? Me : Hell yes I do! It's a fantastic system, and it really emulates the material well. IP : Cool! So what's the support like? Me : Um ... pretty good. IP : Does it have a website? Me : It sure does! Er ... but it's a bit naff. To be fair, it is just some sliced Photoshop images at the moment. IP : Er ... OK. What's the community like? Does it have a forum? Me : No. IP : Really? Me : ... but there's a really good unofficial one that's kinda sorta the official one. IP : ... right. How about supplements? Are any out for it? Me : No, and in fact the supplements which have been announced have all been pushed back months on end and we have no clear idea when some of them are going to come out. IP : Yeah, sounds good ... Me : Really? IP : No. I have other games I'd like to run, perhaps not as keenly as I wanted with DW, but which nonetheless I can 'sell' to prospective players without sounding like a chump. So I'm going with Option D ... put DW on the backburner until C7 can sort their damn act out. Regrettably this will probably mean me not making as many purchases as I had planned (and I have 5 copies of the box set ... ) but will almost certainly make me feel calmer and more relaxed over the coming God-knows-how-many-months. I really thought C7 had got their act together and had learnt from the debacle of the box set. Seems I was wrong. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
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Post by metacrisis on Apr 1, 2010 0:35:17 GMT
you have 5 copies? you are a much better fanboy than I! Hats off to you Kaemaril -- I share your frustration. I fear that if i lose the momentum my group has with the current DW campaign it will be another 25 years before we play it again.
So...Hey Cubicle 7 -- can you help us out??
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drnate
2nd Incarnation
Posts: 30
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Post by drnate on Apr 1, 2010 5:15:53 GMT
Not to be a jerk, but maybe it is time to stop announcing stuff. Seriously, that's four supplements that have been announced now, and the nearest one is still 2-3 months out (until the next delay, I'd bet on that happening). The three beyond that are apparently so far off that we don't even get an estimated (or updated) shipping date.
I know there aren't many of us who even see these posts, but for those of us who do, for the most loyal fans, it is highly frusterating.
I continue to hope for the best, but fear the worst. Prove my fears wrong, C7.
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Post by Chrono Sapien on Apr 1, 2010 6:28:44 GMT
I don't think anyone is TRULY being a jerk.. It is understandable that many people are frustrated. But there are many reasons they could be delayed. The first and formost is that they are dealing with the Beeb. these guys just don't surf the net, downloading pics and getting their info from fan wiki's and websites. They get their resources from the SOURCE. The beeb's licensing dept and the beeb archives. The beeb's archive is notorious for its.. lack of structure. Cube7 CRAMS high def pictures in every page. those come from somewhere. And not screencaps. Sure they are pics from episode but most were taken from actual camera's not the Video equipment. And if they are looking for pics from the OLD episodes it will take time to find, clean up or remake. Also, the beeb's licencing dept is evil and tight fisted on all their stuff. It is probably easier requisitioning vodka and skin mags through the military while being stationed in Iraq Yes.. I am disappointed too. But I also want the best product possible. And in the end, no matter how we think of ourselves, Cube7 and the Beeb are NOT beholden to the fans. We don't make their policy or tell them how to write things. We just watch the shows and buy the books.
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Post by kaemaril on Apr 1, 2010 7:11:30 GMT
Yes.. I am disappointed too. But I also want the best product possible. Good point. And, of course, IF A&C is released in June that will be near the end of, or just after, the end of season 5. Obviously, the best product possible would include all the material seen on the screen up to the end of season 5 otherwise it will be material a year old and that is far from the best product possible. So the way to get the best product would be to announce a slight delay to A&C and include all the stuff from season 5 ... So then let's factor in, say, six months for rewrites, redesign, approval from the BBC. Which, we know from the fact that A&C is currently six months delayed, is a fair delay period. C7 knows its customers are fine with that. So a release for A&C in November/December 2010 then. Mind you, there could be further delays. I mean, A&C was announced for December 2009 and, as you say, we all know the sorts of delays we've seen in the past from C7 due to (possibly) the BBC and the license approval. To play it safe we'd better include a safety margin of, say, five or six months? This seems perfectly fine for C7 customers to take, and there's certainly precedent. Unfortunately that will take us to May/June 2011, by which time season 6 will be in full swing and we really would like to include material from that season otherwise we're a full year behind the times and really that's very far from being the best possible product so what we'd better do is wait until the end of season 6 and redo the product to include that. We'll announce a short delay while we do that. So let's assume six months for rewrites, redesign and approval from the BBC which again is apparently not all that unreasonable ... So, in order to get the best product, we're looking at around November to December 2011. If we want the absolute best product. But wait, we all know there can be delays caused by licensing approval and various other problems, so we'd better introduce a safety margin. Let's say ... five to six months? But hang on, that takes us to season 7 (if there is one, and hopefully there will be) and since we want the best product possible we really want to include the material from S7 otherwise we're releasing a product that's a year out of date (which is very far from being the best product possible) so we'd better announce a slight delay while we rewrite, redesign and get approval from the BBC ... to play it safe, shall we say six months? This takes us to October/November 2012, but we'll all be fine with the three year delay as it will have given us the best product possible ... Hold on though! We all know that there can be various delays caused by the licensing process and other factors, so we'd better factor in a small delay ... shall we say six months? So, to get the absolute best possible product, we're looking at around May 2013. But it will have been worth the wait, in order to get the best possible product! Oops, hold on though ... what if there's a season eight? We'll be releasing slap bang in the middle of season eight! We'll be a year behind the times. You know, in order to get the best possible product we'd better wait a bit and include season eight material. That will take a little time to do. We'd better announce a small delay while we do that. Shall we say ... six months? After all, by now people will have accepted that as a reasonable delay in order to get the best possible product ... So good news, people. We can expect the best possible product sometime around December 2013. It will have been worth the wait. ;D EDIT: WHOA! Hold on! How could I have been so remiss? November/December 2013? 50th Anniversary!I bet the BBC do something special for the Anniversary ... Just on the off-chance there's a special that year (and why not, given it's the 50th anniversary?) we'd better assume that C7 would want to include any monsters etc that might be in that special otherwise it won't be the best product possible. That'll take time, to add the extra writing to do the redesign and to get approval from the BBC. Shall we say ... six months? So ... best possible product? Around May/June 2014. Unless, of course, there's a season nine in which case ... ;D
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Post by Corone on Apr 1, 2010 11:11:01 GMT
This does just seem to have devolved into ranting somewhat.
I do agree it is heartbreaking to see more delays, especially when the releases have been so good.
But Dom and Angus are working hard during very long days to get this stuff out there. It isn't as if they are sitting around in apathy drinking coffee and playing games in the office.
It is a sad fact they have to offer shops a 3 month lead time if they want a release to be on sale. 3 months is a long time in publishing for things to go wrong and they are reliant on a lot of people and things to get the products out.
I know it is a pain when things are delayed, hell, I wrote some of Aliens and Creatures and I'm still desperate to see what it's like! I'm certainly not suggesting people shouldn't be allowed to voice their disappointment. However, we don't know what has caused the delays or why. Very few gamers really know what it takes to get these products out there, or the catalogue of disasters that can screw any small company, no matter how well they plan.
I'm disappointed to wait longer for Cubicle 7 Stuff, but I do trust that Dom and Angus are working damn hard to get the products out as soon as they can. After all, they don't get any money for products that don't exist. So instead of blaming C7 for somehow failing, perhaps it would be more helpful to offer C7 some sympathy for the difficulties they are obviously facing before we assume they are just being rubbish.
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Post by kaemaril on Apr 1, 2010 12:38:39 GMT
This does just seem to have devolved into ranting somewhat. I do agree it is heartbreaking to see more delays, especially when the releases have been so good. But Dom and Angus are working hard during very long days to get this stuff out there. It isn't as if they are sitting around in apathy drinking coffee and playing games in the office. It is a sad fact they have to offer shops a 3 month lead time if they want a release to be on sale. 3 months is a long time in publishing for things to go wrong and they are reliant on a lot of people and things to get the products out. I know it is a pain when things are delayed, hell, I wrote some of Aliens and Creatures and I'm still desperate to see what it's like! I'm certainly not suggesting people shouldn't be allowed to voice their disappointment. However, we don't know what has caused the delays or why. Very few gamers really know what it takes to get these products out there, or the catalogue of disasters that can screw any small company, no matter how well they plan. I'm disappointed to wait longer for Cubicle 7 Stuff, but I do trust that Dom and Angus are working damn hard to get the products out as soon as they can. After all, they don't get any money for products that don't exist. So instead of blaming C7 for somehow failing, perhaps it would be more helpful to offer C7 some sympathy for the difficulties they are obviously facing before we assume they are just being rubbish. I'm not assuming they're being rubbish, and if they're having problems I'm sorry to hear it (no more swine flu, though, I hope ...) The hard fact is, however, that C7 are continuing with their track record of not getting their product to market on time. I'm not saying this is avoidable or unavoidable, I'm not saying the C7 guys are rubbish (they're not, they're very nice people), I'm not attributing anything to malice, stupidity, incompetence or little green aliens from Mars (although the last one might explain so much ...) But ... I'm not willing to just sit back and say 'Sure, a six month delay? No, that's fine, we know you have your reasons. You're lovely guys and we know it's not your fault, take all the time you need'. Not after waiting so damn long for the box set and being told that kind of delay wouldn't be happening with the supplements and then finding .... hey, guess what? ... that kind of thing is now happening with the supplements. As I said. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. I'm registering my extreme disappointment and feeling of being let down the only way I can. With my wallet, and my interest. I will not be buying any supplements until C7 can release one on time, and there are other just as deserving games out there whose publishers don't disappoint me quite like C7 have that I can devote my time to instead.
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Post by JohnK on Apr 1, 2010 14:37:26 GMT
Hullo, Kaemaril, I am incredibly annoyed by this, and I am not a good enough fanboy to simply endure. Cubicle 7 produce quality product, indisputably, but frankly they're not a top line company in my eyes until they can get their damn products out of the door on something approaching time. This sends a very bad message for the ongoing reliability of the product line. While I agree with you about being annoyed about this somewhat, I think that one has to realise that with any licensed product from the Beeb, these delays are going to happen. Perhaps there is more going on here that we don't know about, but until Dom or someone else from Cubicle 7 says something about this, we just have to bear with it. Or would you prefer that they only advertise a product right before it actually comes out?
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Post by JohnK on Apr 1, 2010 14:47:04 GMT
Hullo, Kaemaril, To be honest, I don't think that you can lay the blame for the game not having an official website presence (or one that has a lot of stuff on it yet) at the feet of Cubicle 7. It has largely to do with what the Beeb is permitting Cubicle 7 to do and not do in terms of marketing the game more than anything else. Never let it be said that the BBC is one of the easiest licensees to deal with out there. I think the Beeb is giving Cubicle 7 more hassles on stuff than they can handle right now, and add to that the licensing of Lord of the Rings stuff and Laundry Files stuff, and...well, this is what happens. Sure, I'm disappointed with the status of the game right now and the lack of a product that was first scheduled for January, and is now delayed until June, but that doesn't mean the game isn't playable and usable as is. That said, I have to say that I think it is a mistake on Cubicle 7's part to do all these boxed sets for the game, to be honest, and I would be happier with a bunch of hardcover books for the game. Patience really is a virtue, in this regard, methinks. Btw, what was the "debacle with the boxed set"?
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Post by JohnK on Apr 1, 2010 14:56:09 GMT
Hullo, Corone, This does just seem to have devolved into ranting somewhat. Thanks for putting this into that perspective, Corone. It does seem to be turning into rants and the like, doesn't it? I do agree it is heartbreaking to see more delays, especially when the releases have been so good. But Dom and Angus are working hard during very long days to get this stuff out there. It isn't as if they are sitting around in apathy drinking coffee and playing games in the office. It is a sad fact they have to offer shops a 3 month lead time if they want a release to be on sale. 3 months is a long time in publishing for things to go wrong and they are reliant on a lot of people and things to get the products out. I know it is a pain when things are delayed, hell, I wrote some of Aliens and Creatures and I'm still desperate to see what it's like! I'm certainly not suggesting people shouldn't be allowed to voice their disappointment. However, we don't know what has caused the delays or why. Very few gamers really know what it takes to get these products out there, or the catalogue of disasters that can screw any small company, no matter how well they plan. I'm disappointed to wait longer for Cubicle 7 Stuff, but I do trust that Dom and Angus are working damn hard to get the products out as soon as they can. After all, they don't get any money for products that don't exist. So instead of blaming C7 for somehow failing, perhaps it would be more helpful to offer C7 some sympathy for the difficulties they are obviously facing before we assume they are just being rubbish. I agree with everything that you say here, but... Let's be honest here. It seems that the Beeb has put a muzzle on the Cubicle 7 folks to a large extent (no web page to support the game, no official game forum, etc.), and the delay on Aliens and Creatures just seems to be piling up. If Rassilon hadn't posted up here Dom's comment from the C7 forums, I don't think some of the folks here would have even known about the delay and all to June. Or not. Anyway, I guess I am more disappointed about this right now then anything else, but like Kaemaril, I've become somewhat loathe to run the game at the moment, and it's affecting how I feel about the game and my design of stuff and the creativity I have when it comes to the game. (I'm struggling to stat out the Thals right now...) And me with 2 games to run at CanGames in May!
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Post by kaemaril on Apr 1, 2010 15:09:03 GMT
While I agree with you about being annoyed about this somewhat, I think that one has to realise that with any licensed product from the Beeb, these delays are going to happen. Perhaps there is more going on here that we don't know about, but until Dom or someone else from Cubicle 7 says something about this, we just have to bear with it. Why so quick to blame the BBC? Do you have any evidence the delays are caused by the BBC? Escher, a few posts above, points out that some other lines are also experiencing some delays. Regardless, I don't really care who or what caused these delays. I don't know if they're completely unavoidable, caused by stuff which could have been foreseen but wasn't, or whether aliens have sabotaged the project. I just know that there are delays. Again. A supplement first announced for December is now coming out in June. Probably. Possibly. If there are no further delays. Other announced supplements? Dunno, we'll get back to you. A six month delay on the FIRST supplement in a game line whose core rulebook was already massively delayed. This does not inspire much confidence in me. Well, no more. I'm not playing this game. I'm sitting this one out until they can get onto a schedule they can keep. There are other games worth my time which I can cheer-lead for without grinding my teeth every time I mention support for the game. Like HEX. Jeff does 'having to wait a year for the next supplement' right ;D I really think that's pretty much my position. I'm sick and tired of subconsciously holding my breath for a product (or a word on the current situation regarding the product). It's giving me headaches. Better to walk away. We both know that in this world, with the requirement to get stuff into shops and onto online stores and into Diamond etc, that's virtually impossible. In the ideal world? Yes, absolutely. I'd rather have surprising good news about an interesting unexpected product than this interminable 'It's coming out in x month. No, I meant y month. No, hold on, there's been a delay, it's now coming out in z month. No, hold on, A month. No, B. No, C. It's definitely coming out in D month, I've staked my firstborn's soul on it! No, it's coming out in F month (sorry for skipping a month, but I was busy trying to get my firstborn's soul back) ... no, G month. Maybe H ... No, I! Definitely I!'
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Post by kaemaril on Apr 1, 2010 15:25:33 GMT
Hullo, Kaemaril, To be honest, I don't think that you can lay the blame for the game not having an official website presence (or one that has a lot of stuff on it yet) at the feet of Cubicle 7. I'm fairly certain the BBC didn't tell C7 that it could only have a few web pages composed of photoshop slices and no actual textual content, which will render it completely invisible to anyone browsing without images or having to use a page reader due to vision impairment (which is, ISTR, a bit dodgy when it comes to the disabilities act...). Said webpage, already a rough prototype any professional wouldn't want to go live, did not go live until two (or was it closer to three? No, two) months or so after release. I know they're busy. I know it's not a priority. I know they're not professional web designers. I also know it's ... not good. To the casual site visitor that last one is the only important bit. Announced Dragonmeet 2007 for ... I can't remember ... was it a spring or summer release? Delay after delay after delay after delay ... I remember being in a demo game of it at Dragonmeet 2008 where it was going to be out in a few months ... TWO YEARS after it's announced, at Dragonmeet 2009, I was able to obtain a copy (and worth every penny, I might add) ... then there are further delays in December when it is finally supposed to be released to the public. That's near enough to a debacle for me, frankly. I know they're nice guys. I've met them, I've talked to them, and honestly they're fab. I know they're probably working their arses off. I know they're putting out fantastic products. It's just the release schedule which is making me think of piss-ups and breweries. Which is unfair, I know. But it's damn hard not to think it with the track history so far.
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Post by kaemaril on Apr 1, 2010 15:29:15 GMT
Sure, I'm disappointed with the status of the game right now and the lack of a product that was first scheduled for January, and is now delayed until June, but that doesn't mean the game isn't playable and usable as is. January? Interesting. I remember first reading an announcement regarding this product over on HeroPress, where it was stated as being scheduled for December. Still, I don't suppose it really matters.
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Post by JohnK on Apr 1, 2010 15:32:32 GMT
Hullo, Kaemaril, While I agree with you about being annoyed about this somewhat, I think that one has to realise that with any licensed product from the Beeb, these delays are going to happen. Perhaps there is more going on here that we don't know about, but until Dom or someone else from Cubicle 7 says something about this, we just have to bear with it. Why so quick to blame the BBC? Do you have any evidence the delays are caused by the BBC? Escher, a few posts above, points out that some other lines are also experiencing some delays. While I don't have any positive proof that the delays are due to the Beeb, they are notorious for these sorts of things, even in terms of getting their act together internally and other stuff. Regardless, I don't really care who or what caused these delays. I don't know if they're completely unavoidable, caused by stuff which could have been foreseen but wasn't, or whether aliens have sabotaged the project. I just know that there are delays. Again. A supplement first announced for December is now coming out in June. Probably. Possibly. If there are no further delays. Other announced supplements? Dunno, we'll get back to you. A six month delay on the FIRST supplement in a game line whose core rulebook was already massively delayed. This does not inspire much confidence in me. I can hardly disagree with you about this, since I'm feeling pretty much this way right now myself, and have to wonder whether Cubicle 7 knew what they were getting into when they picked up the license with the Beeb to do the game. There are other games worth my time which I can cheer-lead for without grinding my teeth every time I mention support for the game. Like HEX. Jeff does 'having to wait a year for the next supplement' right ;D Yeah, well, I'm not happy with the folks at Exile right now, either, but that's another subject entirely. I really think that's pretty much my position. I'm sick and tired of subconsciously holding my breath for a product (or a word on the current situation regarding the product). It's giving me headaches. Better to walk away. But why are you waiting subconsciously holding your breath for the products and grinding your teeth? It's just a game, and if you enjoy the game as much as you claimed you did, then... just get on with the game or whatever. That's pretty much what I'm doing (or trying to, at any rate) right now. Or would you prefer that they only advertise a product right before it actually comes out? We both know that in this world, with the requirement to get stuff into shops and onto online stores and into Diamond etc, that's virtually impossible. Oh, come on...other game companies do this all the time, having learned through experience not to announce products until they're actually ready to go. However, perhaps the real problem in this regard faced by Cubicle 7 is that places like Diamond and shops and on-line stores require advertising well in advance. Something that is very difficult to do with licensing from tv networks and the like. Anyway, I've said all I intend to say on the subject, and want to try and go on to other things.
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Post by JohnK on Apr 1, 2010 15:34:57 GMT
Hullo, Kaemaril, Sure, I'm disappointed with the status of the game right now and the lack of a product that was first scheduled for January, and is now delayed until June, but that doesn't mean the game isn't playable and usable as is. January? Interesting. I remember first reading an announcement regarding this product over on HeroPress, where it was stated as being scheduled for December. Still, I don't suppose it really matters. I can't remember when I first heard that DW: AiTaS was going to come out, perhaps the GenCon where they first had the TARDIS prop....? But I had always thought that the GM Screen was coming out same time as the boxed set (still don't agree about doing the boxed sets, but that's another matter), and that A and C was coming out January. However, like you said, no matter.
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Post by kaemaril on Apr 1, 2010 15:45:34 GMT
Hullo, Kaemaril, It's just a game, and if you enjoy the game as much as you claimed you did, then... just get on with the game or whatever. That's pretty much what I'm doing (or trying to, at any rate) right now. Because I game at a game club, and we have limited resources so games are 'in competition' to run. If I want to run a game I need to sell it, to evangelize it somewhat. To get players interested in the game so when I propose running a game enough people go 'Yes! Let's run a game of that.' The example dialogue I posted earlier? Almost a almost word for word example of when somebody asked about it. It's hard to whip up interest in a game with no appreciable official web presence and where every time somebody asks me if the supplements are any good they nearly always follow up with 'Say, that's an interesting nervous tick you've got there. Was it something I said?' I too think I've said all I'm really wanting to say. I'm out of the thread, and probably the forum for a while. Ciao.
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Post by chris110465 on Apr 1, 2010 16:13:29 GMT
When I playtested the Doctor Who Wargame, It came out a year later. Yes a whole year!! AND I got my local games shop to stock it. "It's hard to whip up interest in a game with no appreciable official web presence"So what did you do before the internet then? Other people are waiting as well, but I dont see then having a rant!!! So what did you do when Dr Who was not on TV, phone up the BBC and have a rant at them? ;D
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Post by JohnK on Apr 1, 2010 16:50:16 GMT
Hullo, Kaemaril, Because I game at a game club, and we have limited resources so games are 'in competition' to run. If I want to run a game I need to sell it, to evangelize it somewhat. To get players interested in the game so when I propose running a game enough people go 'Yes! Let's run a game of that.' The example dialogue I posted earlier? Almost a almost word for word example of when somebody asked about it. It's hard to whip up interest in a game with no appreciable official web presence and where every time somebody asks me if the supplements are any good they nearly always follow up with 'Say, that's an interesting nervous tick you've got there. Was it something I said?' Frankly, this is one of the reasons that I don't tend to run games at gaming clubs and the like these days. Of course, with two gaming groups, I guess I don't need to. But it does raise the question of how you ran games at these places back when there was no internet and all. Most people tend to know what Doctor Who is, and there's no reason for them to need to access a game site about the game if they're only trying it out the first week. And I would have thought the game mechanics are simple enough to explain as well (though it seems not as easy as Ubiquity, given my experiences playtesting the scenarios for CanGames). Why exactly does a game need a web presence, to be marketable at a gaming club. As for the evangelizing about the game, well, that doesn't tend to sell the game to players necessarily, since no game can live up to its hype anyway. I too think I've said all I'm really wanting to say. I'm out of the thread, and probably the forum for a while. Ciao. Shame you feel that you have to leave the forums, but that's your decision. No need to respond to the thread, although we can continue the discussion in PM if you like. But I can understand if you don't want to.
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Post by Chrono Sapien on Apr 1, 2010 16:56:51 GMT
If someone is not going to play the game because of the company's schedule, that is their perrogative. And understandable as well. I mean you hear it all the time with other game companies like Palladium and really, they are still around (in Palladium's case unfortunately).
In any case, frustration is understandable. We have all said that. But the amounts of sarcasm and ranting, while also unavoidable... well.. do they have a place here? This isn't the the Pen and Paper version of WORA (When Online RPG's Attack). Snarky sarcasm is great if you are Rodney McKay, but rarely conductive to a positive environment.
And, in the end, speculation and ranting aren't going to make these supplements come out any faster.
Maybe we need a very specific/rant Category.
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Post by JohnK on Apr 1, 2010 16:57:42 GMT
Hullo, Kae, Hullo, Kaemaril, To be honest, I don't think that you can lay the blame for the game not having an official website presence (or one that has a lot of stuff on it yet) at the feet of Cubicle 7. I'm fairly certain the BBC didn't tell C7 that it could only have a few web pages composed of photoshop slices and no actual textual content, which will render it completely invisible to anyone browsing without images or having to use a page reader due to vision impairment (which is, ISTR, a bit dodgy when it comes to the disabilities act...). Said webpage, already a rough prototype any professional wouldn't want to go live, did not go live until two (or was it closer to three? No, two) months or so after release. Actually, we don't know what the Beeb told C7 they could and couldn't do re: the web site. That said, I had the impression that the web page was put up rather quickly due to some urging on the part of several of the folks around here, but that could just be my imagination playing tricks. However, with all that said and done, I would have thought that C7 would have got their act together and updated the page...unless the Beeb is making them wait for Matt's debut, and then they'll have to update the page with new Doctor images and the like. I know they're busy. I know it's not a priority. I know they're not professional web designers. I also know it's ... not good. To the casual site visitor that last one is the only important bit. I suspect the only folks who know about that page are the folks here in the forums. Announced Dragonmeet 2007 for ... I can't remember ... was it a spring or summer release? Delay after delay after delay after delay ... I remember being in a demo game of it at Dragonmeet 2008 where it was going to be out in a few months ... Ah, thanks for clearing that up for me.
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Post by kaemaril on Apr 1, 2010 17:33:44 GMT
Huh. I mention I'm finished with the thread and somebody pops in for an entertaining game of snark-at-the-guy-who-is-no-longer-watching. If only I hadn't left my browser pointing to the thread, why I might never have seen these words of wisdom. Just when I think I'm done they pull me back in! When I playtested the Doctor Who Wargame, It came out a year later. Yes a whole year!! AND I got my local games shop to stock it. That's nice. A whole year, you say? Crikey. AND you got your local game shop to stock it? I'm quite in awe. If I even had a local game shop I would immediately rush out and attempt to duplicate your Herculean task. I expect they'd ask me when the next supplement would be due ... followed by 'What's with the nervous tick?' As it happens I ran an AD&D 1st edition game for about three months when it was first released, played in a FASA Doctor Who game for about two months when it came out, then sort of dropped out of playing completely until just after 2005 (or was it 6?) when I hooked up with the local gaming club. So I guess the answer is 'Not all that much.' But I'm not quite sure why you're asking. Is it because you doubt my word when I pass on my experience? Are you suggesting I'm lying? Are you a member of my local game club? If so, let me know and let's see if we can team up and get some interest. For that matter ... you've been awfully quiet when I've been pitching the game, what's up with that? I don't 'rant', but I can certainly express my profound disappointment. I imagine if I did actually feel inclined to rant I'd probably use some really profane and intemperate language. Maybe even use different colours and multiple exclamation marks for emphasis. If I wanted to go really wild I might even use a lot more bold and play with the size of the text and maybe even stick in a lot of for good measure. HECK, I MIGHT EVEN ANGRILY WRITE IN ALL CAPS LIKE THIS!!! Fortunately I'm not one for doing a lot of ranting per se. I do like to carry on a bit, though No. Then again, I don't really consider the two situations to be equivalent. Tell you what, though, since I can ask pointless questions too ... Let's see ... last I heard A&C was due to be published in March, and I heard of the delay to June at the end of March so it's a last minute thing .... Ah! Got it! Saturday 3rd April 2010, 18:15 ... 'This is BBC1. Unfortunately tonight's scheduled episode of Doctor Who has been delayed by three months. Tonight's episode will be broadcast on Saturday July 3rd at 18:20, unless we have to postpone it again. Subsequent episodes in this season of Doctor Who will also be delayed, but the BBC currently can't tell you when they'll be shown. Stay tuned for further news as it becomes available ... or digital viewers can press the red button.'No, because that's a purely hypothetical scenario that hasn't arisen. But if it were to ... Yes, I might phone the BBC on that one. I'm not sure I'd be the only one, mind you.
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