A Brent Rant: How Much Info is Too Much Info?
After the title, it’s hard to write a line or two sneaking up on the subject like it’s going to be some surprise. The times they are a changing, so how is it affecting your area?
Hiya ladies, gents, Unicorns, et al. – Brent here, and my weekly bribe must have hit Big Red’s coffers, ’cause I’m back on your screen again.
Scream about it later: let’s jump right in.
The idea of the Blogosphere affecting the game, both adversely and beneficially, is hardly original. We’ve been talking about it in some fashion or another here on Bell of Lost Souls as well as on the hundreds (thousands?) of blogs and forums out there.
Most commonly discussed, of course, is the subject of Internet Lists, or Net Lists. For those of you who may not be aware, a Net Lists is a commonly accepted top build; a tournament winning army, for example.
It can spread like wildfire; after my man Nick won Hard Boyz with the infamous Leaf Blower, carbon copies by the boatload showed up at the following year’s Adepticon.
Before you start..! No, Nick didn’t invent the Mech Guard; he knows it, believe me. Still, it’s impossible to deny the influence his win and the following article had. You know it: some of you are griefing him hardcore about it even now!
But let’s narrow this whole discussion down, because you’re probably not that worried about the influence the ‘net is having on the Indy tournament scene… aren’t most of you concerned about how Ye Ol’ Blogosphere directly affects your local store?
I’ve recently had cause to give this subject a good think.
My own local store has undergone some changes recently. Warhammer 40K has been the primary game going for well over 2 decades; suffice it to say, there’s been a bit of burnout. A change isn’t always bad. Enter Warmachine!
(Now you’re understanding the picture choice, no?)
Games have been introduced in the past, but with the exception of Confrontation (may it rest in peace), nothing has really taken hold and knocked GW off the pinnacle. Mark II Warmachine / Hordes is proving very different, because the local crew is loving it.
Loving it! It’s new, it’s different, it’s fast and fun… what’s not to like?
This isn’t really a Warmachine / Hordes article, but I will take this opportunity to say this: my favorite part of the game is the tactical options, which seem almost endless. The basic rules are simple yet almost everything has a special ability. These stack with others in the army, introducing elaborate and interesting tactical combinations.
For the first time in a long time, I’ve had a chance to sit down with a fresh game system and examine the possibilities, enjoyably flipping through all the attribute cards and referencing the rulebook, trying to work out strategies and tactics I can introduce at the game store on a Friday evening.
I can’t tell you how nice this has been, especially considering the stress of school and a new job!
I have a feeling some of you can see where I’m going, right?
I’ve finally brought you to the crux of the whole thing. Bottom line? Plenty of canny gamers have already done all this. The lists are out there; the combos are well-known; the forums are overflowing with all this hard won information.
So, what’s the point?
I say this only half jokingly. My local store is maybe a month and a half into this game and already everyone knows what Tier 4 list they’re planning on building. Everyone knows the name of the best website for Privateer Press information and breakdowns…
…and some dudes have gone so far as to build half an army, read it’s maybe not the ‘best,’ and dropped some cash on something new.
To be fair, part of that is gamers well-know predilection for the ‘new and different.’ We all of us hoard little bits of plastic and metal… some people call them ‘toys!’
The questions I’m dropping today are these:
Doesn’t it take some of the fun out of it? Isn’t there something to be said for figuring all this out for yourself?
How much is too much? And is it even avoidable? If I don’t use the knowledge out there, someone will.
Here’s another question, to play Devil’s Advocate… doesn’t the Blogosphere have a leveling effect of sorts? After all, a new player can get up to speed pretty quickly if he’s at all diligent.
I don’t want to talk all the fun out of it, so I leave it for you. What do you think? Is the net a net bad or good for gaming? Have you seen this in your own store?
Thoughts? Comments? Hugs and gropings?
