If there’s one thing I find frustrating it’s when people go to Games Days/ Open Days etc and say they didn’t find out anything about CD, when they didn’t actually talk to anyone.
The best way to find out anything and develop the actual CD fluff (presuming there will be anything new), is to talk to the writers at FW.
So I present below the Most Wanted list of people we should be talking to if anyone ever gets the chance. Rather than sticky this I will bump it near to any games day.
#1. RICK PRIESTLEY
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Top of the list by a very long way is Rick Priestley. Not only is he the man heading up the division where we stand the highest chance of getting anything, but he also wrote a large part of the WD Presents book so presumably will have a lot of input on any future CD stuff.
#2. JERVIS JOHNSON
Jervis has to be second imo, as he is one of the most accessible people and is likely to be heavily involved from any GW studio crossover
#3. MARK BEDFORD
Mark Bedford is one of the key people sculpting infantry sized models in FW, he is a really nice guy to chat to and also very talkative about future projects.
#4. WARWICK KINRADE
Warwick Kinrade is one of the main writers of Imperial Armour books in FW, and I feel is obviously going to be involved in any warhammer IA effort.
#5. SAM LAMONT
I’m going to put Sam right up there on a list of people to talk to, as I spoke to him at the FW open day this year and he seems to be generally talkative. He’s an illustrator.
Below this I’d put all the other FW staff, particularly
Kenton Mills - editor/ production
Alan Bligh - Writer
Lastly, Alan Merrett
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I put Alan on this list, and he should really be higher up, because he is one of the key people involved in developing the IP of GW (like Rick is). So he is going to be involved in any and all discussions involving CD. Unfortunately actually being able to speak to him is extremely difficult imo.
The best way to develop the actual CD fluff (presuming there will be anything new), is to talk to the writers at FW.
Are you imagining that we might able to have some input into what eventually shows up from FW? Because I can guarantee you that they a) won't take the suggestions from some random fan and b) certainly accept any kind of advice in an open forum like a Games Day. At best you can pump them for information but, make no mistake, there is nothing any of us can do - short of getting a job in the GW studio - to influence the actual development of the Chaos Dwarfs army, in whatever form it eventually appears.
I don’t know, in terms of content I think a sensible discussion about something interesting with them might prompt them to make a note and develop it. You are right though, the main reason to speak to these people is to find out info, not to tell them anything.
Without going into the reasons why, I know from a sculpting/ model design point of view they do take into account the views of random fans (although maybe not so random).
Sure, it all gets added to the meting pot, but these are people who write (and sculpt and draw) creatively for a living. They have their own ideas. It’s not like some guy explaining carefully how big hats look stupid is going to be telling them anything new. And having too many concrete ideas would probably not gel with whatever vision they might have already. Pretty much all of the fan-generated content on here comes from seeds in current (or old) fluff, which they all have access to already, so it’s not like they’re novices.
Maybe I’m just worried that we’ll drive them crazy by rambling on like nerds about our beloved army and it’ll make them never want to pander to us at all! Just be cool, guys, you know?
My huge concern for any stand alone list is that the content will be rubbish because they have a lack of imagination. Something those of us who have written our own lists have demonstrated plenty of.
It would be very frustrating for me personally to accept a rubbish list if I had made no attempt whatsoever to show them the potential they could have, even if it is ignored.
For instance, if they brought back the tenderiser just because they could.
Well, everyone thinks their ideas are best, but if we dismiss the possibility that something can be good because it might not be, wouldn’t we walk through life expecting everything to suck? The way I see it, the worst case scenario is just an updated version of the Ravening Hordes list - which is what most of us have been playing with for years anyway. And for those of us who don’t use Ravening Hordes, well who cares what FW (or even GW!) release: there’s nothing to stop us doing our own thing even if Chaos Dwarfs return in an official capacity.
Nah, beards are making a come back, IMO, especially in the video-games industry. Full beards are the new goatee!
I will agree with Grim on this, mainly for two reasons: I think it can have an effect and also, to remain contrary to Thommy.
That being said, the effect will likely be very minor. As a creative in this sort of role, people will throw ideas at me all the time and the majority of them, I’ll throw away - mostly for practical reasons. A creative, but commercial, project will have many specifications and guidelines even beyond someone’s ideas. A product has to sell, be versatile, easy to make, easy to understand, follow current or near future trends, etc, most of these will be way beyond most ideas people have, and even beyond the ideas of the designer themselves. As an example, something I’m working on professionally has many short stories within it, and although I have major input on all of them, only a tiny handful I can call my own.
But if we can talk highly and imaginatively of CDs to a designer who is in a position to do something about it - either creatively or by means of a decision making process, then it certainly might make an impact. The key thing is to get them thinking about what they consider their own ideas based on the stuff you’re suggesting. Even better if you can get them to believe that your idea/suggestion is actually their idea. They will then be committed to it, enthusiastic about it and will try to make it happen.
Its the equivalent of Luke making the shot on the Death Star exhaust port, I’ll agree - but was that a one in a million shot? Or absolute certainty in trusting the Force?
Or put another way, there is no way on earth anyone can know our ideas unless we actually tell them, presuming that they don’t look at forums.
@Thommy. I don’t think my ideas are the best, or yours, or the indy list. But I think between them there is a huge amount of creativity that would be far more interesting than ravening hordes version 2. I’m just hoping that after all these years they actually put in a decent effort.
Anyhow, getting a complete list is years away so not something to worry about. It’s just the general fluff approach I was talking about really.
For those among us who don’t want to wait that long: Can you also post their private address, their private cell phone number and the school of their kids?
