Sayonara

Well so I know I promised an article a month but it turns out I inadvertently may have mislead people.

After Convic, which I’m not particularly psyched for but have tickets paid for with Mr Joyce, it will be so long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, good night from myself hopefully only temporarily but more than likely permanently.

For many this may be time to rejoice and sing to the heavens for the respite from the tyrannical flamer. I have offended many unapologetically and those who oppose my style of communication have every right to dance in the streets. But a warning for those please stop reading now – honestly don’t spoil this joyous moment by reading my last piece of criticism of Australian gaming.

For those interested as to why I’ve pulled up stumps I’ve basically narrowed it down to four reasons:

One
I think the game is broken at the moment. The advantage of DoC, VC and DE is such that part time comp panels can’t effectively adjust. This is not the fault of players who use VC, DOC and DE, this is the fault of a games company which has employed people in games design that I wouldn’t entrust to photocopy a pitch book and personally I no longer see the reason behind shelling out a few thousand a year to play a game which is broken?

I’ve discussed this with a couple of people and I think Mr Dennison has a good concept in train and I am seriously considering designing something more balanced to play amongst friends using my now redundant figures.

Two
Recently the list of “guys I would forfeit a game if I was drawn against them because I want to enjoy my tournaments” grew to five the number I always promised myself I’d reconsider everything at.

Ironically the guy who first made me consider both the list and the rule is no longer on it, alas five other guys have now taken his place. I figure I work a minimum of 70 hours a week so why pay money to waste my leisure time playing a game where there is a decent chance of meeting up with someone who would ruin my weekend?

Also ironically at the same time it has been made clear that I’m on at least two other player’s list of weekend ruination, something I also always thought should be a big signal to reconsider if you should be playing. [Though perhaps not that ironic given that there is probably a high correlation between someone making my list and me making their’s]

Three
The direction of the game, I don’t know if was entry into the ETC or what but the game to me is going down a spiralling path that I’ve seen before and would rather not be a part of. I was unfortunately part of the machine driving this the first time round and refuse to be involved in the second iteration of what I consider an obviously fundamentally flawed concept.

I think we are at the point that this is almost a foregone conclusion that this is adopted, some of the more influential people have firm shoved the game on this route and I think it will take something radical to move it off that path.

As I’ve said before adopting a system which attracts [admittedly according to the data I have] a smaller portion of the pan European gaming population compared to the percentage of Australians playing warhammer tourneys [my estimates based on sales data from GW’s accounts you can refute me but hell I won’t read it so I don’t care] because it “works for them” is nonsensical.

I see overseas boards having discussions we had 7 years ago so by adopting a system that is the result of old conversations seems to me to be devolution not progress

I also offer the following piece of advice do not take one data point as evidence that all is good. When you have one single data point supporting where the status quo was largely maintained do not use that as an indicator that it will be forever maintained.

At the end of the day I have been brainwashed with the notion that we are rational beings and that when we see a way to gain an advantage we will take it, once that advantage is both identified and deemed socially acceptable. [admittedly this is based only on what I’ve read and not on my personal research so I am taking the risk that the plethora of guys with sir, dr and prof in front of their names may not have more insight than a few gamers]

I liken viewing the first tourney as an indicator that the “cheese” will never creep in the same as thinking that because you had unprotected sex once with a $2 hooker and no funky growth has emerged that you will never get an STD via unprotected sex (despite logic dictating otherwise)? So please go forth rubber free with a $50 note in your hand?

Four
The politics of the game has perhaps been the biggest driver. As the game has become more national [my apologies to NZ I’m making you an Australian warhammer state] the politics have become more concentrated. I have recently bitterly offended the head of the game’s most influential club [whilst their may be more vagabonds than Catholics in Australia you aren’t the most influential], his primary misgiving for our altercation was that it was public.

For me the public nature of it was the only positive part of being called the biggest problem with Australian warhammer tournaments [yes I am more than a little bitter about that but I do believe everyone is entitled to their opinion].

The guys who effectively run the tournament scene are unwilling to actually have disagreements in front of the “plebs”.

Perhaps if people with a controlling role in the game were actually willing to have public disputes the notion of an overarching elite caste running the game would be dispelled. But hey I know I’m virtually alone in the transparency is a good thing argument, I think vigorous public debate is the only way ideas are tested and the only way people can feel involved.

So a few key parting messages – Ken you win the bet, looks like I’ll have to find something else to do one those weekends I booked in for tourneys.

To the guys I’ve gone out with after tourneys, when in the city give me a call always happy to grab a beer with anyone, to the Brisbane boys, I’ll certainly make time to keep in touch.

To those left playing I hope you enjoy the game like I have for the past 17 or so years. I’ll probably be still lurking on the old off topic so to those that want to keep in touch send me a PM.

Stay strong WAU