...how hard would it be for FFG to actually step in and answer a rules question? I used to try to post rules questions in hopes of getting an official answer, but all that ever happened was a group of very thoughtful, polite, well-intentioned players would attempt to help me. I really did appreciate this very much, but I was always taken aback by FFG's silence on the boards. It was suggested that I e-mail FFG directly with questions as well, but never got any answers via that route.

Occasionally I read these threads and do you know what I find? A group of very thoughtful, polite, well-intentioned players asking honest questions to try to play a game they love (or at least like alot), and getting no direct assistance from FFG at all, except by way of a faq that is itself confusing and randomly released. This burns me up. At least back in the day we had the Marius/ Canon dream team in FFGs absence. I tended to always follow Marius' rulings, as he has always been very trustworthy and knowledable, but Canon seems to have been dragged into the deep.

I read a post awhile back, sorry I can't seem to find it right now so I can credit the author ( If you're him/her please speak up!), wherein the poster said something like: FFG only seems interested in selling us the cards, after that we should just shut up and play them (paraphrase, apologies if too wrong). In the first place, that's wrong because a company should stand behind their product, become involved in the community it fosters, and do everything they can to engender trust in said community. We're giving them our money, they should give us support. And second, if we are to just play the cards then perhaps they should be proofread, QC'ed and completely playtested before they're released so we as a community won't have to bother them with rules questions and such later.

It is awesome in one sense that new cards are being released (never, never on time) at all. And that is the battlecry of everyone that continues to put up with FFG's attitude toward CoC. But their actions belie a near total abandonment of any involvement in the community. Being on the outside of the company I have no idea why they have this attitude. There might be a really good reason, I just wish that the conspiracy of silence could lift and let the people responsible for their paychecks in on the matter. It's this silence that is the real problem.

If I'm wrong, I'm wrong, but I don't think I am. This opinion is the result of a very long time seeing this develop and it saddens me to see so many awesome people spinning their wheels in the mud. Well I'm done. Lovecraft deserves so much better.

P.S. I truely hope things improve. Cthulhu bless you all!

+1

I think, to have a question answered, your doing the right thing: Posting here, contacting FFG through email, or even coming up with a unified house rule to answer a question until an actual decision is made. Its understandable the way you feel. You shelled out cash for a game, and believe FFG isnt supporting their product, by not answering questions in a timely manner.

The problem mainly is this game is a living card game , which basically means its always expanding, and questions are growing with it exponentially. New cards are always being made, which means new questions are being generated- How new cards work, and how the interact with all the old cards. This is a good thing. Getting new cards and increase the amount of cards is a good thing. Just keep that in the back of your mind.

Personally, i think the best way to work it is do what your doing: Send an email to FFG and ask your question. Contact these boards. Maybe there actually was a ruling you dont know about, or FFG already answered that specific question for someone. Finally, just sit down with your friends you play with and come up with your own answer to the question. Ive played a lot of these style games, where we've played wrong for years until an actual ruling came out...but we were consistent and we all were playing the same way. So, when the ruling finally came out we all said some explanatives and started playing the "right" way.

The game designers probably dont come to the forums and answer questions because if the did they wouldnt have time to develop more stuff for the game. Also, answers to the faq are probably the result of all the designers getting together and discussing the question. If I designed a game, I would want control over offical rulings that would affect the mechanics of my game. I can see that being the case here. If they really didnt care they wouldn't have a forum.

Well, now that we have a customer support section on this website to answer rules question, the best procedure is probably to ask the question in the Rules Forum to make sure you're not overlooking something and the answer can be derived from the game rules and/or FAQ.

If that doesn't conclusively answer the question, repost the question using the customer support form and link to the discussion thread.

Once you've received an answer, post it to the Rules discussion thread to let everyone else know.

At least that's what intend to be doing.