Author Topic: No love for new players?  (Read 5491 times)

Dunia

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No love for new players?
« on: 23 September 2017, 01:16:59 »
As a new player, this game is really hard getting into. With the lack of books like AToW Companion and especially Introductionary Box to the Battletech game. All the shops inUK, germany, denmark, norway and Sweden that I am using to buy various games just shrug when I ask them about battletech starter books and say that they have not seen those books for years.

I have a few questions, and I am not intent on flaming Catalyst, It is  serious questions:

1) Will there be new copies of the AToW Companion printed and when?
2) Will there be new copies of the BT introductionary box and when?
3) Do you really care about getting new players or have you decided to just cater to current players and stop caring about getting new players into the game.
4) will you make reprints of map/hex boxes that are out of print.
5) Will you reprint those books that are going out of print that was made for the new edition of battletech?

I just want to know because I do not want to start with a game that won't care about making new books/boxes intended for newbies. If that is so I will move on to another game and spend my money there. I am the kind of player that buys all the books to a game that i like after starting to play it and sometimes more copies of the corebooks as they get worn out after a couple of years. I amcurrently on my third Core book to Ars Magica after 7 years of weekly playing with my friends. And I can see myself buying more than one intro box if able. Just to get more mechs, maps and rulebooks so that all players can have their own rulebook while playing.
« Last Edit: 24 September 2017, 15:46:21 by Dunia »
My mother and father met in a Mechwarrior RPG game, I am a Battletech Born Brat :)

Dunia

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Re: No love for new players?
« Reply #1 on: 17 October 2017, 09:11:52 »
No reply yet?
 :'(
My mother and father met in a Mechwarrior RPG game, I am a Battletech Born Brat :)

Brent Evans

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Re: No love for new players?
« Reply #2 on: 25 October 2017, 18:37:24 »
Hey there Dunia - welcome to the forums and thank you for your questions. :0)

Actually I have good news on almost every front for BattleTech.  The slow reply was caused by the whole creative team being hard at work crafting the expanded product line and new generation of coolness.  The pause in product releases is just the calm before the proverbial storm because the next batch of releases are going to be a doozy!

First I'll answer about product for new players - because this is literally the prime focus of the next generation of releases.  The previous editions of the Box Set (circa 2008-2016) where a huge success but as the product aged, Retailers asked us to redesign this product because it was too big and had too much stuff in it; it wasn't a true introductory product.  So we did, breaking it into two smaller products that would better serve a new player looking to get into the game.  These two products will have all new components and sculpts/miniatures.  These are:

Game of Armored Combat which will be a slightly smaller product more in line with the original GoAC from the 80s. It will have 8 nice quality miniatures in it, plus all new maps (which is a big deal), pilot cards, universe goodies, and Alpha Strike cards for those players who prefer the AS rule set.

Beginner Box which will actually be a true introductory box product designed for someone straight from a Demo who wants to get started.  It will be a $20 product with 2 mechs, a map, pilot cards, everything a new player needs to throw dice and blow stuff up.  This will also have Alpha Strike cards for those who prefer the AS rule set.

Both of these products are in final Development now and in the initial stages of production with molds and print proofs going on.  Assuming all goes well with these it is our hope to expand the line of Box Set products which will all be geared toward enticing new players.  I'm expecting them to hit store shelved Q2-2018.

Next up we have already begun work on producing new Map Set products to provide a new era of battlefields upon which to unleash destruction.  The first of these should be hitting store shelves right around the same time as the Box Sets.

We also have reprints already going on for the Core Rulebooks which brings us to your question about the AToW Companion.  That comment surprised me because I didn't think it was out of print, so I'm checking inventory and reprint status now.  I have every intention of continuing to support the RPG side of the brand as it is an important element to playing ongoing campaigns.  However from your comments it sounds like you are one of the European players and I must admit being unfamiliar with how availability and such is handled outside the continental US.  Feel free to contact me directly should you encounter issues getting products and I will look into whatever you need to acquire the products you need. 

All of that leads up to the sourcebooks and plotlines that will soon be leading the BattleTech storyline forward.  From start to finish, 2018 is going to be a big year for BT with lots of reasons to roll dice and blow stuff up.  One of the big pushes here is to once again use fiction (novels & novellas) to drive the storyline, heroes and conflicts.  From book stores to websites there will lots of ways immerse yourself in BattleTech.

Hope all that sounds good to you and piques your interest.  Let me know if there is anything else you need along the way.

Brent Evans
Art Director & BattleTech Line Developer
Catalyst Game Labs
brent@catalystgamelabs.com
 

Dunia

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Re: No love for new players?
« Reply #3 on: 26 October 2017, 09:38:35 »
Thank you for your reply and I look forward to the new year :)
My mother and father met in a Mechwarrior RPG game, I am a Battletech Born Brat :)

Dunia

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Re: No love for new players?
« Reply #4 on: 06 November 2017, 16:40:20 »
Will you do reprints of
Handbook: Davion, Kurita, Liao, Marik, Major Periphery States & Steiner

ATOW GM Screen

ATOW Compaion
My mother and father met in a Mechwarrior RPG game, I am a Battletech Born Brat :)

Adrian Gideon

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Re: No love for new players?
« Reply #5 on: 09 November 2017, 19:20:10 »
No reprints on the handbooks.
As we explore POD that could change, but by all accounts the handbooks were a losing proposition, so otherwise that's a hard no.
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Dunia

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Re: No love for new players?
« Reply #6 on: 14 November 2017, 10:26:56 »
Oh. That makes me sad.
If you do a pod sign me up.
My mother and father met in a Mechwarrior RPG game, I am a Battletech Born Brat :)

Dunia

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Re: No love for new players?
« Reply #7 on: 25 February 2018, 17:11:57 »
email sent, sir
My mother and father met in a Mechwarrior RPG game, I am a Battletech Born Brat :)

Adrian Gideon

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Re: No love for new players?
« Reply #8 on: 26 February 2018, 14:18:14 »
?
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Dunia

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Re: No love for new players?
« Reply #9 on: 28 February 2018, 10:35:58 »
Sorry, that was to Mr Evans.
My mother and father met in a Mechwarrior RPG game, I am a Battletech Born Brat :)