Greetings,

Just stopping in to let everyone know about the front page news update about our new, more inclusive Organized Play program.

Enjoy!

Nate

good idea, flexibilty is always a good choice.

Couple of questions/issues:

1) are the league kits going to continue to be this light? The playing cards are nice, but how many do you really want? (or maybe its the art thing that i'm adverse too ). Two pins for 3 months is a lot less then we used to get (6 in the same time span).

2) same storyline still?

3) what pins?

4) what are the plans for future months kits? a guess this is corralary to #1.

Good to see some movement there, but I agree that I'm a bit confused about the pins at the moment.

Kennon said:

So... I like that we're seeing signs of progress here, but really this hasn't answered any of my questions so much as created a bunch of new ones.

"So what happened with the playgroup that found out about the Hastur pins a week after the tournament period ended? Or the newly started group that wants to start up a storyline league 3 weeks into the announced session?"

This wasn't so much the problem when I was trying to get support for our shop after we started OP events, so much as the information and organization just wasn't there to be found. I'd sign up, write e-mails, check all of the news and support pages and everything was still confusing and/or didn't ever show up.

Every time I was able to get in touch with Nate or Erik Lind, yes, they were very helpful and friendly... but I can also tell they have way too much on their plate and things still never really got resolved for our group.

The article hasn't really done much to clarify what exactly I need to be doing now either. We've been wanting to start a Storyline League at our shop for almost 2 months now, but I was told to wait until the new info was released as that would be ideal. So was this the new info? If so, I still don't know when or if I should be signing up for the $15 league kit and if its the same league or a new one or what...

The ideas are there, and I like the new flexible approach, but the execution (or lack thereof) keeps leaving me scratching my head a bit.

per the article:

Each kit costs $15.00 in the United States, with additional shipping charges for international deliveries.

To get started, contact Scott Clifton with the venue contact info (store name, contact person, address, phone, and email address). After you're set up, you'll be able to order these kits directly from FFG's Sales Department.

also:

The A Game of Thrones LCG OP kit will include: ...

Storyline Campaign voting forms

The only real question that I have at this point is in regards to the pins -- are they random, two of the same pin, or can we pick and choose. And, honestly, why isn't there a pin for the TO (or are the two pins for the TO and event winner)?

When I look at the prize kits, I actually see these kits as being more of a monthly prize support package, as opposed to quarterly. Sure, we'll get multiple copies of the storyline stuff, but if you treat these as monthly events, you get a) one tournament with pins as prizes, b) one with poker card prizes and c) one with poker chip prizes. Even if you only run two events per month, you still get at least 1/3 of the kit for prizes for your storyline "league" -- if indeed you actually run it as a league and not just event voting for a regular style event.

Also, $15 for a prize kit is a very reasonable price. Companies that provide free prize support usually only provide promo cards, which are cheaper to produce and ship. And those companies sell $$millions of cards. Even Upper Deck (WoW tcg and formerly YuGiOh) charges $20-$25 for their prize kits -- and they are mostly just cards with a few extras. These kits are all "extras."

I already know I am going to be sending off an email to FFG to order one of each kit for this month. And I'm going to ask about the pins that are available. Personally, I'd be mighty glad to get me a Hastur pin for CoC, and I still need to get Stark and Martell(!) for our store's OP events. And I'm looking forward to the announcement of what the next League is going to entail.

JerusalemJones said:

Hmm after this post i went back to the article. Still can't tell if it is vague or if i misread it (entirely possible)

If you can buy one a month (or two or three or four...) then i'm a little relieaved in that we are not going down on pn quality, but still need somehting to replace the poker cards with and eventually the poker chips.

Out meta is 5 people, with a 6 that plays classic decks, a 7-9 that plays here and there with classic deck and a few sparatic newer players. 3 of the main 5 already have poker dekcs (from the league kit and NY Black Friday) now granted we are going to run into this problme a bit quicker then some other metas, but it still won;t be long before people are swamped with poker decks. I guess i'm just sayign it won't be long before the 3-ish months before a new kit comes out and i hope it doesn;t include poker cards.

I am generally pleased across the board with this announcement. i think with teh scheduling thing - we missed a couple of teh pins anyway - so i am hoping you cnarequest the specific pins you wnat. The Storyline hook is the real selling point - and that you can run your event in the fashion that works best for your meta. Very encouraging.

Now - all i wnat is a ranking system (even if it is just points for playing a given House like we had back in the old days) for this to be a home run.

I think what we have here is an OP program for a game that FFG sees as more of a board game product than a CCG product --and that's fine with me. The flexibility FFG is allowing will permit groups/stores who have a more competitive/CCG like mentality and those with a more casual/board game like mentality to each run their meetups accordingly and have some FFG swag to tie into those activities. What I like is that while the NYC regulars are generally a competitive bunch, we also generally have a fair amount a responsibilities (read: we're old, married, and/or have demanding jobs), so a rigid schedule for Storyline Leagues/OP events can be difficult for us to adhere to even when the interest to do them is high. I think FFG could have said "Forget OP, this game will sink or swim irregardless of there being an OP program", and would possibly be correct in thinking so, but instead they are acknowledging that there are still some players and stores, old and new, who want the competitive CCG-like vibe and are doing what they can to promote and organize games of AGoT to draw in new players (and to keep existing ones actively playing) by providing a small (but nice for the price) kit in recognition of that.

I do hope FFG follows up on the Storyline league with additional Storylines for players to vote on design direction --for avid players I think that is a compelling prize. And some way for the results of matches played during organized evenings and/or player rankings to be publicly available would be entertaining. Can someone familiar with the old rankings system mentioned by Stag elaborate a bit on how it worked since it predates my playing the game?

Alright, for those of us wondering what the deal with which 2 house pins would be in the kits...

I've just heard back from both Scott Clifton and Rick Nauertz. They will be two pre-determined pins based on which 'season' league kit you're buying. Thats the exact wording I received, and Rick goes on to state a choice of "how many of each kit you would want."

So perhaps there are various kits with slightly different choices available for purchase at one time? They will be available "very soon", and I for one can't wait to finally have some new stuff to give the players down at our shop, and to start a new storyline league.

Still wondering if its a new league story or a repeat of the first storyline though. Looks like we're still waiting to get confirmation on that.

I for one would be disappointed if it was just a rehash of the first league. Sure, not many people did get tot ake part, but our store was one of those that did, and we played ahrd and fast to get our wins. It would be disappointing to learn that our games either didn't count, or that we'd have to sit out the league since it is a "re-run" of sorts. Although, at the same time, I can see them re-doing the league if they had a minimal turnout (that is, less than they expected). That way, more players have a chance to direct the game. but if that is the case, they should start quickly. The more time between leagues, the less likely the storyline effects will be in the enxt expansion (which should be available come December -- that may seem a long way off, but I'm willing to bet that design has to be done 2-3 months before release for the cards to get printed).

Actually I wouldn't be surprised if Nate already has the cards in draft form, the basic stats and abilities mapped out and they are just waiting playtesting. It is certainly the way I'd do it. Toss the new cards into the playtest pool of whatever set is currently being done and then make alterations and shoot it to the printer with next set hitting the printers.

okay just heard from our Night Watch about the prize kits.

You can only buy 1 per every 3 months.

Lars said:

Is it that you can only buy one every 3 months, or that they change every 3 months?

That is, you can buy one in July and August, but they'll be exactly the same. And if you buy one in July and one in October, they'll be different (like different pins, poker chips, new storylines, some other new thing, etc.)?

can only buy one every three months or if you like. you can buy one of each version and the version changes every 3 months

That seems odd to me. If a store is willing to pay for it, why would FFG be unwilling to take $15 from you each month if you wanted a new support pack for a Hedge Tourney each month?It's not like there is really enough in the pack to support 3 monthly events. Why wouldn't they let you order 3 this quarter?

they said if we were a bigger meta they would let us order more. maybe they have limited quantities. for reference we get 5-6 regularly and up to 10 for tourneys.

I just got my invoice and it shows that I was charged for two kits, which is what I requested (gives me something to work with for May and June, which is good as there's one to two new players I'm aware of who are either scheduled to or will likely meet up with us to try out the game during that time). Perhaps my order was a fluke and they don't intend to do that, or perhaps there was a miscommunication b/w your NW and FFG. Prior to this latest kit, FFG was sending out two pins a month to stores/NWs for free to run Hedge Tournaments. Now that folks are paying $15 for those pins (and admittedly also getting more), it strikes me as odd that they'd be unwilling to let people order more than one kit every three months --unless supplies are very low and they feel a need to ration them out.

Lars said:

~Hmmm, I guess they know not to try to pull that crap with New York City. ( I jest!)

here is what i was told verbatium.

"It was a phone conversation with Rick Nauertz from FFG. He said we could get more if we had a lot of people in our meta but they would like to limit to one per 3 month cycle."

Who did you order from/talk to Jason?

Lars, I'll email you.

I was also given the option to order multiple kits if I wanted, without any sort of stipulation. This was also from Rick, via e-mail. I did end up only ordering one to start off, but he said its never going to be a problem if I just place an order for more at any time.

Okay i just got it straightened out and you CAN order multiple kits. There was a miscommunication (obviously) in the conversation had with our Night's Watch and Rick

Lars said:

The Crow is a tricksy bird!