Wargaming ASKEW: Spare the Rod, Spoil the Child
I wrote a form of this article a few months back on my blog, but I think it is time to revisit it with the incoming release of 6th edition.
Have you heard that 6th edition is coming?
I know, shocking only a few moments away!
With that said, I think it time for some ground rules before 6th lands.
The following advice should go without saying, but…
With 6th edition being the first fully immersed edition of the social media age, everyone will have a voice and sadly an often “infallible” one at that.
The danger for 6th is pretty straightforward: if established early, certain paradigms can send the game on a crash course towards domination by a few extremely vocal persistent voices. Dividing people into camps with stone throwing occurring across all the blogosphere.
Many commentators will jump at the chance to stake a claim to whatever “brilliant” idea they have conceived about the true nature of the 6th edition– with the average reader pulled aggressively between all fabricated ideologies.
It’s acceptable to have opinions and some things won’t change like Pyrovores will probably still suck, but blanket statements trying to establish an overarching game theory can have damaging effects for the community. Especially if, statements try to establish theories without the benefit of real play testing.
Either way, you can expect everyone jumping to all sorts of conclusions. Since the explosion of blogs, a 40k Internet punditocracy has become entrenched– worse they feel entitled. With that sense of entitlement the punditocracy will do their darnedest to stay relevant because the alternative means actual real human interaction.
So how do you avoid the influence of a tiny circle with in an even smaller circle?
Do something remarkable: play the game and decide for yourself. I know call me crazy, but by actually playing the game, you will, in fact, inform yourself more than any blog or forum could about how 6th edition plays. This doesn’t mean you can’t find solid ideas on the Internet, but it is essential to not get caught up in all the hoopla of those running first to pass ultimate judgment. As with everything, perceptions about 6th will change, but assuming the first prognostications are correct is an easy road to ruin.
Don’t take what the Internet says with its multitudes of pent-up insecurities and agendas; instead hunker down with your friends, play games, and hopefully lots of them.
With an untainted perspective, you can avoid all the insane rules debates that will rage over the Web. Additionally, the experience gathered from playing will enable you to see the good from the bad when you return to online discussion.
I say give yourself about a month then slowly ease yourself back into the Internet community, by then Games Workshop might even have a few FAQs waiting as well – maybe.
Of course, my blog Blood of Kittens and BoLS are exempt from such weening.
So what do you think? How will the Internet react to 6th edition and will it change over time?
