Several serious questions from a humble new player

By MechSpike, in CoC General Discussion

Alright, I apologize for the amount of questions and comments I'm about to bring forward, but I have just been thinking about all this for the past couple days.

I really can't find any good sites with information about this game when it comes to anything. Sure, www.boss.sverok.net/index is a great site, but it's not even written for the LCG! It's years old, and it doesn't appear to be being updated. I wish there were more sites that had information on deck building, tournaments, formats (does this game even use formats?!) It seems like the "community" of this game, is literally only these forums. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

I went to my local store today New Dimension Comics in Butler, PA, and not only did they not have the starter box, but the guy didn't even think the game was still in print. The store is two stories, and sells practically any other FFG product you can think of (even the obscure ones), but they don't carry CoC LCG? What is FFG doing to help get the game out there? The store owner said they used to have a play group back in 2007 (when it was still the CCG I assume) but now they don't have anyone there playing. This is just so frustrating to me because I am willing to give FFG my hard earned money, but I feel like they aren't doing anything to actually push the game to new players.

I am even willing to buy this game even though the only place I know around here that actually has a play group is in Pittsburgh, where I believe Chris Long plays...I remember going to a card shop down there to buy Magic cards and I asked the guy about CoC LCG and he said he has the 2006 champion play there. (EDIT: Actually now looking at the champions from the past few years, they all seem to be from Pittsburgh or somewhere in PA so I don't recall who) Do they even have World Championships anymore?! But this is beside the point...

Every card shop around here has Arkham Horror and all it's expansions, but not one product of CoC LCG. There are two shops I usually stop into, and I have never seen the CoC LCG in either of them. Why doesn't FFG try to push to get this into more card shops? It's not like the shops already carried them and they didn't sell (which is possible, but unlikely, since the LCG is fairly new still) and as I said, the shop I stopped into today said they haven't "seen" a Call of Cthulhu card game product in "years." I was just curious as to anyone else's thoughts...

Once again, I apologize if I sound like I'm ranting, I know I am. I just get frustrated when my selection of card games to play is Magic, Pokemon, and YugiOh because of the lack of a player base for any other game.

Welcome MechSpike!

When the producers of the original Woodstock approached Bill Graham and said how much for the Grateful Dead, Bill responded, "Regardless of the cost, you can't have them unless you also take this latin guitar player named Santana." They were resistant. But the rest is history.

That's what FFG should do. Push the game, send a copy free with a large purchase. Send a Servitor package too. Offer ridiculous discounts to stores for an in-store game. Donald10 recently graced our boards again to say that since this is now a casual game, expect less support. I'm paraphrasing here.

We all know the game is still around. Unfortunately, all of us, is like 50 people world wide. You arrive after the heyday of the PA meta, at least on the national scene. Those guys, some of the brightest in the game, are sour on the new cthulhu. Maybe new blood, like your own, can help bring them back. Likely though, you'll be like most of the rest of us - the center of your own meta, a party of likely one.

This is quite depressing and makes me quite sad to be honest. It makes me wonder if I even want to attempt to get into the game. I say we push to get this game bigger than it is. We need to gather a small fan base though to support it and protest to FFG. Doesn't this game still hold national tournaments etc? I just ordered the Starter Box and I hope this game doesn't turn out to just be a "table-top game"

The other shop you're thinking of is Mr Nice Guy Games in Oakmont. Three out of the four World Champions are from this store and the fourth, Chris Long, came down from State College to play in larger tournaments and regionals. He got the idea for his championship deck off the store owner, Ron Kotwica.

The current champion, Tom Capor, is a regular there (as am I) and Mr Nice Guy's has some of the new stuff in stock. There aren't any regular games going on there, you might be able to get in touch with Tom, Magnus Arcanus on the boards, to play some games. I don't play anymore. If you take the Turnpike, it's not too far from Butler. Mr Nice Guy's is hosting a Mox Ruby tournament in February so Tom's focused on Magic for the moment, but might be open to playing after it's over.

Donald

Wow yeah that's the exact store I was talking about...whoa they all went there?

Do you guys play ever? I heard there is a steady group there that playtests?

I would love to stop down sometime, I actually lve 45 minutes away from Butler, so Pittsburgh is about an hour drive from me, but I'd be willing to stop down to at least play with some pros or see how the game is played.

Oh and btw I tried searching Magnus Arcanus and couldn't find anyone by that name on the board...am I perhaps looking in the wrong place?

or it's because I'm a bad speller enfadado.gif Try 'Magnus Arcanis'

Tom's the only current player we have left. James 'Hastur' Black (champ #3) used to play there until he moved to Ohio. He still haunts the boards, he may try to get in touch with you for when he comes visiting.

Mr Nice Guy Games is off the route 28 turnpike exit, so it's a bit north of Pittsburgh. Just get off the TP and follow the road to the purple bridge, cross the river and turn left soon as you cross the railroad tracks. MNG is two blocks down on the left.

Awesome, yeah I've been there once, but never have been back just because of the distance. So other than that store there is no other group of people that play in any other area around here? This is upsetting...does FFG not care?

Hi, Mechspike, I was stunned to hear you speak of Butler, PA. I was born in Butler in '50 and moved to California in '59.

And I see you have chosen the same Icon as have I.

Welcome.

Chick

1950! Chick, you don't type a day older than 1968. I thought I might be a senior member of the community. But I've been beaten by 1.8 decades. I don't know whether to feel relief, or I guess I'm still an old square.

Wow that's awesome...seems like a few weird happenings are going on here haha...the stars must be right!

So is there a specific format the game uses? Like in Magic there are several formats where each can use a certain pool of cards. Is it the same in CoC? I have so many questions about the game, but I feel like I have no real site to go to for general information. Even this one is lacking some information....