I have been to 4 Games Days, and this one was by far the worst I have been to. Reasons as follows:
Queue.
GD starts at 10, I arrived at 0945 and did not set foot in to the main hall untill 1105.
Pre-order Space marines.
By 1105, all of the advance order space marine stuff (except for the scout bike and thunderfire cannon) was gone. Pointless getting thunderfire cannon as the codexes were sold out. Made worse by witnesses saying they saw certain people buying 20-30 items each, keep your eyes on vulture bay!
Conversion comp.
another 45 minute wait to sit at the stingyest conversion comp ever. We were sharing 1 bottle of glue between 6 people and it was tempting to just go buy the sprues instead of asking the reluctant staff for more parts.
DoW II
Incredibly cool video, not so cool waiting another 45 minutes to get into a showing of in game shots - free T shirt though!
Grabbit and Scarper.
Whilst on face value, the end of line books, stickers and posters they were selling off for 50p, and the £5 mystery boxes were a good deal, however this was all stuff I’ve been given as freebies at previous GDs and just felt like GW trying to squeeze every last penny they could out of us, and yet again, certain unscrupelous people were allowed to buy 20 boxes in one go (I actually saw that one).
WHY ARE THEY LETTING BLATENT MONEY GRABBING BSTRDS TAKE THE MINIATURES AWAY FROM THE GAMERS\COLLECTORS THAT WANT THEM!
Lunch.
Apart from the extortionate in hall cafe things there was only one food outlet open(subway), so Another hour stood waiting for lunch then.
Golden daemon.
They still havent found a way of setting it out so you can get around and see all the entries. At one point, a seven foot behemoth stood in front of me, with ruck sacks and a camers stopping anyone near him from seeing an entire display cabinet. Tired of queueing and fighting to get to see stuff, most of what I sawe was on the plasma screens.
Full Size Rhino?
Being a british soldier, I spotted the AFV 432 underneath it’s half assed disguise, and let me tell you, I would struggle to get through those doors with all my kit on so a Space Marine would have to cut himself in half.
Participation games
Okay, these are normally packed but I didn’t manage to get on one, nor did I bring anything for bring and battle. Nil Points.
In summary, for a six hour games day (10 till)4, I spent roughly 4 hours queueing, 30 mins making a (IMO) cool duel of an Ork flying headbutt on a marine (pics to follow) and the remaining 90 mins trying -unsuccessfully- to look at GD entries. I got none of the miniatures/codex I went for because they were all sold out, I missed all the bargain boxes through people buying up to 20 at a time, and I refuse to pay for end of line crap that GW should be giving us for free as part of the IMO extortionate £30 entry fee. Don’t even get me started on the £8 parking charge. And although cool, I never really wanted the GD SM captain, but they forced me to buy it as part of the ticket price.
Without the petrol cost of getting there(£60), I have effectively paid £38 to spend most of the day standing around and a figure I didn’t even want. Rest assured, I am NEVER going again.
Needless to say, I will be complaining to GW, but before I do, let me know what you thought of it.
ps, I did see a cool CD entry in the artists competition. I am guessing it was from one of our members but if not, I will post a pic as soon as I work out how to get it off my phone!
Deleted duplicate post without the poll. Not sure why it appeared twice like that.
This was GRNDL’s reply that he made in the other thread: [Edited]
Ouch! That actually sounds worse than the Toronto Games Day that I’ve stopped going to for about two years now.
GW seem to think that a $30-40 entry fee gives them the right to only sell me more stuff with zero added incentives. Until there is a good enough reason to go, I will probably continue not to go.
Things that would help:
* Discounts in store prices at the show, even 5% would be SOMETHING
* Reasonable access to stuff at the show - notably bitzbox wars and Forgeworld store. Having to wait 30 mins to buy something that is usually easy to get and at zero discount is pretty pathetic.
* Gameday exclusives actually being exclusive - the UK seems to be better at this, with Forgeworld doing exclusive models, but over here there is nothing. The “exclusives” from this year, will still be available next year… and the year after and will probably be “mail order” exclusives in future, like the Dark Angels Sergeant, etc.
* More event driven activities - seminars, drawing or speed/painting contests, trivia quizzes, improvised role play sessions, or something. It seems that the number of “things to do at the show” gets less with each year. I used to go exclusively for the drawing contest and then that got dropped…
I’m always hoping to see things improve, but I really doubt it will happen.
It was pretty dire as it was basically a power armour fest but kudos to the Games Dev stand. They pulled their fingers out and delivered the goods this year.
I feel for you UK blokes… One gamesday to fit a whole country (and some neighboring ones as well) just sounds like a cattle call.
it sounds like there needs to be 2 seperate GD’s that would allow for less lines and more space to move around. Although even with 3 seperate GD’s in the US, you still find that all the forgeworld stuff sells out in a matter of minutes.
Do complain, just be sure to do it in a manner that let’s them know you think clearly. All in all a great post…
don’t forget two_heads_talking that the UK is pretty small compared to America. Europe actully does pretty well for Gamesdays compared to North America. I guess the only difference is that there are three English speaking events throughout the year, so gamers can pick and choose.
The miniatures thing is rubbish, its the main reason I stopped going. Personally I think there should be a limit on the number of pre-release boxes each ticket lets you buy. put a section for stamps on each ticket, one for each of the pre-release boxes that are available. Someone could choose to buy one of each or, if they were buying for their own army then they could buy several of a limited number. The conversion competition was allways exploited. I know people who used to go along just to fill a rucksack with sprues.
Gamesday is certainly becoming more popular. A few years ago I used to subscribe to White Dwarf just to guarantee my ticket, as they sold out almost as soon as they went on release. THis time round the blueshirts in my local store were putting on the hard sell and even offering free places on the store coach to try and sell the last few tickets.
I haven’t been to GD for years now, purely becuase the price has gone way up and you don’t get much back for your ticket price any more. Back in the old days you would see loads of cool pre-release and golden daemon stuff plus you could attend seminars with the developers and see what was coming up in the next year. On top of all this you stood a fair chance of getting your money back in free stuff and the Gamesday mini normally became an iconic design. Now its just a giant overcrowded GW store with hours of queueing and the GD miniatures are either poor sculpts, useless for your army or ANOTHER limited edition marine. No thank you.
I had gone to 10-12 GD’s in a row. during my 7 years with GW I managed 4 of the 7 years and would run the register. I haven’t been since I was released from GW. I just can’t afford the increased price either.
It was fine when it went from 20 dollars to 25 dollars. I’d even be ok with 30 dollars, but at 40 dollars, it was out of my pocketbook range… I’d love to go, but just can’t afford it… Even though Baltimore is only 1 1/2 hours away… it’s a shame too.
This was Ghrask Dragh's reply that he made in the other thread:
wallacer
? sorry wallacer, wasn't me ;)
I missed this years due to lack of money, or at least having better things to spend it on, also I hadn't done anything for Golden Demon which I always enjoy entering.
I've only been to Games Day twice, 06 and 07 and I must say I really enjoyed it. There is alot of truth in what are saying though and I have to agree on alot of points, forgeworld que was always the biggest downer, it just takes ages to get anywhere near the stands and when you do the good stuff is gone :(
That sales stand sounds like bull****!! GW must know whats going on, they shouldn't be selling boxes to those ******* who are just going to sell them on. :mad they are obviously just happy to be selling them and making their money!!
The previews and development stands have always been great, as HH didn't say anything and Uzkul thinks it was another success I'm assuming they did good again?
To be fair, the development stands and that were good, I enjoyed looking at the marines miniature history and the huge dwarf harbour display was un-believably cool. It was awesome seeing the tale of four gamers armies in the flesh also. IMO the pics in WD don’t do them justice, the eldar host in particular. Couldn’t get near forge world which added to my frustration and I am sure I missed quite alot because i spent so damn long queueing for stuff and had to rush around as time ran out. I don’t see why they can’t spread the thing over a weekend.
Is Anyone owning up to the cool CD entry in the art comp?
i hate crowds and thats one of the reasons i don’t go(others include the price)and it sickens me knowing that some people are ruining the chances of us getting a mini early so they can have a couple of bucks:mad
i hope they get struk down by hashut himself :hashut
I couldnt go this year due to money issues, but im glad i didnt, and kept my £30!
Seriously, i wish that they would give toher armies sopme attention, and not those frickin marines! I know that they are thier most selling army but come ON…
Plus by the sound of things, there were no Lizzies, so there wouldnt have been much chance in me going in the first place!
I actually bought a ticket then reconsidered going unless I finished my Golden Daemon entry. Which sounds stupid after spending £30, but seemed to make sense at the time
The reason I haven’t been to Games Day in the last 9 years is because I found there wasn’t much to do unless you’re entering golden daemon and/ or playing some games.
I was glad to have a chance to see all the Chaos models close up (real close, like 4" away ;)) They actually look better quality close up but less impressive, if you know what I mean. The hounds look nice, but a few too many random spikes for my liking, being plastic though they’ll be easy to convert. If I ever get round to making some hobgobbo wolf riders I’ll put them on those.
@Hammerhand. If you want to get in earlier just paint any old model and join the Golden Daemon queue! Seriously it must have been about a fifth of the size. I started queing at about 9:30 and I was in just over half an hour later.
The rhino seemed like a wasted opportunity. It wouldn’t have been that hard to do the interior. Health and safety issues probably…
I wasn’t hugely worried about queing for everything (except the toilets). I nearly gave up queing in the black libary area for the tills (3 tills for how many people… wtf???). I gave up queing to have a flick through Warriors of Chaos. Some guys were reading the whole book cover to cover 1 book between so many people was just stupid. How hard would it have been to triple the size of the designers area and have the area you chat to them down one end, and 5 or so books closely watched by some GW staff down the other? Having those wanting to read the books and those wanting to ask questions all piling in round an area no more than 15ft wide is just stupid.
Another idea would have been a small set up with an automatic page turner and a camera focused on it. Play the video on a nice big screen! Easy.
Gotta say, I really enjoyed it. I don’t mind queues, and I never order online from Forge World, so that’s a good incentive for me and I managed to get everything I wanted. I was able to see the Golden Daemon entries with no problems as I had a camera and most people moved out of the way for me. I also got some books signed, including those by Dan Abnett, and his queue was impressively long which was amusing more than anything else as I felt sorry for Nathan Long - he got around 5 people during the 40 minute long Abnett queue I was in.
As I brought my own food there was no problem there, and I managed to get my magnetic travel 40k photographed, as well as pictured with me wearing the Chaos Dwarfs Online shirt, so huzzah there. The Dwarf harbour was indeed stunning, though as for the bargain grab bags, I missed those entirely unfortunately, which is a shame. I only found out about those on the coach back home.
Overall I enjoyed it, and I’ll happily go next year. I can understand the problems with it, but when it’s a yearly event with nifty stuff to buy and sneak peaks at upcoming projects, I’d fully expect it to be packed.
realy, well thats odd, i guess you didn’t read the sign and went in hall one. there where clear signs saying single guests please use pavilion door, so you could have got in quickly.
The marine codex was a dissapointment, but they still had all the pre-release stuff except the drop pod and redeemer until 3-ish BTW. so I don’t get how you missed out
golden deamon was allright, but if you watch the screens in the main hall, all the good stuffs on there anyway.Black library was overly crowded, as was forge worl, but what did you expect. You shuld have visited the games dev stand, the designers are realy nice guys.
I’d say it was awesome though
andd someone bought 21 of the 500 marine codexes!!! I mean, thats just annoying. i missed out on the last one by the git above me
Gotta say, I really enjoyed it. I don't mind queues, and I never order online from Forge World, so that's a good incentive for me and I managed to get everything I wanted. I was able to see the Golden Daemon entries with no problems as I had a camera and most people moved out of the way for me. I also got some books signed, including those by Dan Abnett, and his queue was impressively long which was amusing more than anything else as I felt sorry for Nathan Long - he got around 5 people during the 40 minute long Abnett queue I was in.
As I brought my own food there was no problem there, and I managed to get my magnetic travel 40k photographed, as well as pictured with me wearing the Chaos Dwarfs Online shirt, so huzzah there. The Dwarf harbour was indeed stunning, though as for the bargain grab bags, I missed those entirely unfortunately, which is a shame. I only found out about those on the coach back home.
Overall I enjoyed it, and I'll happily go next year. I can understand the problems with it, but when it's a yearly event with nifty stuff to buy and sneak peaks at upcoming projects, I'd fully expect it to be packed.
Geckilian
My friend mentioned speaking to a person in a CDO shirt.. He said "Good for him." So, if you are going to a GD wear the t-shirt, you never know who might catch you wearing it..
The marine codex was a dissapointment, but they still had all the pre-release stuff except the drop pod and redeemer until 3-ish BTW. so I don't get how you missed out
HLY
My friend went to the store on our behalf as my other friend and I were queing for the conversion competition at about 1115, and the only things left were the thunderfire cannon and the scout bike. I just wanted the codex and the vanguard veterans, my friend wanted everyhting except the thunderfire cannon and the bikes. Seriously, it had all gone. After the conversion competition, about 1220. I went over to get a couple of killa kans to boost my AoBR Orks, and they had even sold out of them!
I have been told today though that one of the conversion comp tables was massively more generous than the one I was on, with loads more sprues and glue and tools, but the annual 'stick a load of sprues in yer' bag' fest was going on.
I was there the queues was bad plus the vile people pushing and shoving but as im evil I’d just trip them up as they went past me muh ha ha ha ! I did however get to the blacklibray 1st get my books and then get them signed Dont feel sorry for nathen long tho thought he was a bit of a plonker Mike lee was a very nice chap tho so was Grame McNeil who I met for the 1st time hes my fav Dan was nice as he always is no games played got to scrap demon + the £5 boxs and the jhon blance minis got 2 panthras very cool and also done some swaps wich was with the £5 box stuff which was fun reminded me of swaps in the playground as for forge world long queues and they had sold out of the ogryn le mini but got the 2 le pilots all in all I had a good time however if i had not got my ticket off ebay for £5.95 I would have been cross and I also managed to get my way in though the gd doors with a fiends mini lol but the queues aggghhhhhh
1 book between so many people was just stupid. How hard would it have been to triple the size of the designers area and have the area you chat to them down one end, and 5 or so books closely watched by some GW staff down the other? Having those wanting to read the books and those wanting to ask questions all piling in round an area no more than 15ft wide is just stupid.