Newbies are welcome here!

KG Erwin · Post by **KG Erwin** » Sun Apr 07, 2002 7:00 am

This is just one of the reasons this board should be rated no. 1 in all of the gaming forums in existence. I've noticed that questions by newbies are treated with respect and are answered by you guys with patience and understanding. This goes a long way in keeping our hobby alive. We don't have the elitist attitude that I've seen elsewhere. I'm really proud of you guys , and I'm just happy to be here. Recruiting new members to our community should be considered a prime mission for us. Keep up the good work, guys.

Les_the_Sarge_9_1 · Post by **Les_the_Sarge_9_1** » Sun Apr 07, 2002 10:55 am

I second those sentiments.

I subscribed to two mailing lists a year or more ago. Both connected to two of the world's most liked table top board game wargames.

And I am not now on those lists. Why? Because there was perhaps one or two individuals who were nice, but the remainder were entirely without social graces.

Matrix has given the gamer in all of us a very good place to meet. We can chat, say hi, pass comments, get help on tech issues and put in some input that actually means something to the powers that be.

All things considered, Matrix is the ideal that forums online should be attempting to emulate.

And the mob in here is supportive and comes to the defense of those that are not treated in the superior manner we have become accustomed too. Treat a Matrix fan poorly and more than just a few posters will promptly see to it that you are told to behave.

And that's why this forum is so good.

Big Bill · Post by **Big Bill** » Sun Apr 07, 2002 5:33 pm

I have played military games since I was about 14, I think the first was a civil war game by Avalon Hill, but Iv'e never had as much fun since I discovered Matrix. AmmoSgt was kind enough to get me up to speed on PBEM, even though I've never had a thrashing like that before, but she explained everything and answered all of my dumb questions.
The maturity of the members of this comunity is evedent and I think most of the younger people who visit will see that. The one's that like the type of discussions we have here stay and the immature one's move on thankfully

Les_the_Sarge_9_1 · Post by **Les_the_Sarge_9_1** » Sun Apr 07, 2002 8:02 pm

Ahhh you were indeed lucky, Ammo Sgt is one of the jewels of our forum.

John David · Post by **John David** » Sun Apr 07, 2002 10:00 pm

KG Erwin and everyone,

I totally agree! This forum and the folks who participate here are simply great and act with dignity and class

Since we are involved with wargaming, one of our priorities is recruiting, eh KG Erwin! (pun intended

)

All this, with the great support and welcomed customer input from Matrix, makes this a great place to visit, and a great community to be a part of.

John

RayM · Post by **RayM** » Mon Apr 08, 2002 12:35 am

As a frequent benefactor of help and suggestions from the guys on this forum, I certainly appreciate it and it has helped improve my play.

Thanks from all of us SPWAW new guys.

Big Bill · Post by **Big Bill** » Mon Apr 08, 2002 5:59 am

AmmoSgt may be a jewel on the forums but she sure doesn"t take any prisoners on the battlefield!!;)

Mythoreal · Post by **Mythoreal** » Mon Apr 08, 2002 8:55 pm

This is so nice to find fellow war gamers. I started with Avalon Hill and Gettysburg and Tactics II way back when they first came out in 64' or 65'.

But almost all my adult life I've been a solitaire player. My brother and I used to play when we were kids, but after college there were just no opponents, and not enough time.

I might have to give humans a try, since computer AI's are so unchallenging half the time.

Big Bill, sounds like we have a little in common.

I'm 48 yr.s old, any other mildle aged kids here?

John David · Post by **John David** » Mon Apr 08, 2002 10:39 pm

Mythoreal ,

Yep, I'm 43. I love this game too. have fun and welcome aboard!

John

Les_the_Sarge_9_1 · Post by **Les_the_Sarge_9_1** » Mon Apr 08, 2002 11:32 pm

The question is ...are there any actual young people here guys.

Around this forum we call the 30's crowd the young uns generally.

Supervisor · Post by **Supervisor** » Mon Apr 08, 2002 11:41 pm

37 myself, and yes there are much younger ones, some of our best debuggers, troubleshooters are in their late teens early 20's.

RayM · Post by **RayM** » Tue Apr 09, 2002 4:13 am

I turned 48 in March. I got into wargaming in the mid 60's with Combat! and the old Milton Bradley games (Hit the Beach, etc.) and then Kreigspiel! Wargaming sure has come a long way since. For better I think.

martinmb · Post by **martinmb** » Tue Apr 09, 2002 6:57 pm

This forum is what I wanted and did not know existed until a few weeks ago. I left the local wargaming club because of all the D&D players. This is not to say that those players were not welcome but more and more of the games played were of the fantasy style. This is ok once in a while just to shake things up a little but not all the time.
I've been fighting nothing but AI's since, and have found that I miss the banter and the sense of comradeship with my opponent. With this forum I will now be able to have that back. A big bonus to this forum is that anyone can challenge their abilities and skills against not only the local talent but also others that we would not have ever met had it not been for Matrix. Thanks guys and keep up the R&D. Thumbs up to a job well done.

Mythoreal · Post by **Mythoreal** » Fri Apr 12, 2002 6:59 am

Thanks for the welcome John, sounds like quite a few 30, and 40 somethings around here. I will try to have fun.

gmenfan, it is nice to know there are some younger people also into war games. That way when we retire there will be someone to take our places. LoL

My son mostly likes RPG, first person shoters, and RTS games; but he has also played a little Panzer General, and SPWAW.

RayM, Ive played Kriegspiel and hit the beach myself, and to think Im not the only 48 year old.

I played Kriegspeil with the son of a german who fought in aTiger tank, named W. Hauheim in college. He really hated losing. That was one of the only games I know of that had no dice. He immigrated here and had a lot of very interesting stories of the war.

martinmb, if you play AI's often enough you start to think you're pretty good.

My son and daughter both love D/D but I know what you mean. Fun, but not all the time. I waste hours playing Diablo a sword and scorcery game.

martinmb · Post by **martinmb** » Tue Apr 16, 2002 1:10 am

Mythoreal its good to see that the children have pick-up the torch. What you said about their preferences had me thinking. (yeah I know…"what's it like having a first time experience?" haha) If the children of today are playing those types of games then when they grow tired of them what's next? Re: first person shooters, rpg's, etc.

Obviously the games that this site is promoting are the correct way to go. However, why didn't the big companies, like AH…, get into this market? If this question seems a little out of loop then that is because I've not wargamed, against another human opponent in about 6 years. Yes I welcome your friendly challenge and may the best person win.:p

Mythoreal · Post by **Mythoreal** » Wed Apr 17, 2002 12:40 am

If you think 6 years is a long time, you won't believe how long it has been since I played a board game with friends. I believe it was back in 76' when a small group of us got together and played Blitzkrieg by AH. The pizza had to much cheese on it as I recall. LoL

My last human opponent on the computer was a hotseat game of Panzer General with my son 2 years ago. We found out the polish won most everytime. You won as the german only against the AI.

So I've been playing solitaire, and computer AI's pretty much for a quarter of a century.

I'm not sure I even know how to play a real flesh and blood person. LoL I think computers make us lazy. We turn em on, and turn em off, and don't have to schedual a mutual time, or go through any human emotions or hassles. Of course the comp is a lot colder and more abstact than a human.

I don't know why Avolon Hill didn't make it in the computer game market. Maybe they were so successfull with board games they had trouble switching over.

I think War Games may die out given enough time. My kids are like most in that they play mostly non matrix style games. I think we may go the way of the dinasaur, but hope not.

Les_the_Sarge_9_1 · Post by **Les_the_Sarge_9_1** » Wed Apr 17, 2002 6:21 am

I don't know if the conditions were identical, but both Avalon Hill as well as TSR were both fatalities of the 90's years.

Both were originators of their hobby in so many ways. Now both are just names on the box. Currently both are not the companies we all knew them for.

Avalon Hill was bought by Hasbro, the Microsoft of Gaming. They don't care much for product lines they can't shovel out like copies of Monopoly to every store that has a few shelves open to "games".
They also bought TSR, although I am unsure if they yet still own it.
Both names though, cant shovel out items like Monopoly.

Hasbro has left MMP to have a free rein to market ASL as MMP sees fit. This is good as MMP at least knows what ASL is. I doubt a Hasbro executive would recognise a wargame if it was shoved down their throat.

At one time Monarch Avalon was the higher entity that ran Avalon Hill. They must have gotten into bad finacial waters. Its unclear to me at least what Hasbro was thinking when it bought out the company. We are talking about Hasbro though.
Same people that brought Pokemon to North America. Yes that annoying kids card game the bane of most parents for a few years. They were alarmed that sales had gone from 3 billion in one year, to just 2 billion in the next.
Oh to be able to say "we only did 2 billion in sales this year" eh guys.
Hasbro buys up things with no idea what they just swallowed.

So this gets us back to Avalon Hill and computer games. Not sure about the first efforts. Perhaps its part of what killed them.
But computer Squad Leader was marketed by Hasbro. They have the clout to market software. Just don't have the ability to see that Squad Leader was never a RTS game or remotely like it. Putting Squad Leader on the box is in my opinuion vaguely fraudulent.

The difference between Matrix, and Hasbro to me, is Hasbro has the money needed to market you utter crap and not cry. Matrix has the ability to produce a real wargame, but precious few resources to indulge the market.
I wonder if Hasbro even knows their software sucks. I wonder if they even know it exists.

ravensclaw · Post by **ravensclaw** » Wed Apr 17, 2002 9:04 am

Hi all

well its good to see that in my first look in the forum to see a post such as this

all i can say is thanks for the welcome and look forward to some enjoyable discorce

Ravensclaw

Mythoreal · Post by **Mythoreal** » Wed Apr 17, 2002 10:25 am

Welcome Ravensclaw. Im a newby myself, but figure I can still say Hi. Sounds like we both have RPG handles. Do you play the sword and magic games along with the Army games around here?

Thanks for the info Sarge 9-1. I grew up with AH. I have almost all of their old wargame classics. They are sitting right here above the computer on the shelf on the wall. My childhood game collection, which I still love to look at. I don't play them anymore though.

ravensclaw · Post by **ravensclaw** » Wed Apr 17, 2002 10:38 am

hi Mythoreal

well if the truth be known i play just about any game i can get my sticky paws on but i do prefer the war genre to most others:)

but thats down to a strict diet of AH games in my youth

i know its dated now but you cannot beat a good Squad Leader game

Any particular sword and magic games which your fond of or is it all of them:)

Newbies are welcome here!

Newbies are welcome here!

Exactly!!

I'm Here!