Why is the official rulebook still out of date? I just learned this game this week, and I downloaded the "current" rulebook so I could learn the correct rules from the start, and now I find out that the current rules (downloadable right now from FFG's website, WHLCG_Rulebook_eng_small_file.pdf ) are not even correct.

Why would outdated rules be available on the website (and the #1 hit on Google for W:I rules)?

Also, the rulebooks should have version numbers on their title page and the date the rules were created. All of the "Errata" and sentence replacements from the FAQ should be in the current version of the rulebook. Having to cross-reference 2 PDFs just to learn the game is not doing anyone any favors.

Sorry if this comes across as harsh, but I think this game is cool, and want to see it (and the LCG format) succeed. That won't happen if the rules are not clearer, easier to learn, and more consistent. In a game with this many interacting mechanics it becomes hard to play (and less fun) if you have to consult a FAQ (and a separate rulebook) constantly.

The TCG/CCG format has been around long enough that there are plenty of mistakes to learn from. Look at every wording in MTG that has had to be changed. If you are implementing cards with a wording that MTG has since replaced, you might want to seriously question if your wording is a good choice. Again, this is not to say that MTG is better than W:I, but its got many years of dealing with these issues, and I hope that W:I can learn from MTGs mistakes rather than repeating them.

Do you own a printer?

I assume you mean because then I could cross reference two physical documents in order to learn the rules, rather than 2 PDFs? Yes, I suppose thats an option. I still think that it would be a lot easier if they just updated the rules on their end so new players don't have to go seek out a FAQ in addition to the rulebook.

On a similar note, is there a way of searching the Rules Questions forum alone? Every time I use the search function here to try and find info about cards, it forces me to search all of the W:I forums, which means most of the search results are deck lists. If anyone could tell me how to more effectively search, I would appreciate it. Right now I just do it all from google with a "site:" tag in my search, but even that doesn't work very well. If there is some way of searching this forum specifically, it should maybe be in a "read this before posting" sticky.

Entropy42 said:

Short answer, no. The search function on these forums is largely useless if you're looking for anything specific like rules queries. However it's better than it used to be (it used to be COMPLETELY useless).

You are new, so I'll give you this piece of advice... FFG does not actively monitor these forums, so if you have a complaint you will need tell it to someone who can do something about it directly, i.e. FFG game support/developers. Telling us you have a problem with the way the company is doing a thing will get you precisely no help unless you are going to attempt to enlist us in also complaining to TPTB.

It isn't that I disagree with you, it is just that if even half the people who complained about this sort of thing here or on BGG actually sent in emails to FFG we might see some movement on it because James has GOT to be tired of all my complaints and helpful suggestions.

Help a brotha out.

dormouse said:

I appreciate the advice. I won't waste my breath here then, but I will send an email or two as you mentioned. Should they be sent via the rules questions link at the bottom of the page? Or is there a better place?

One other thing that struck me as extremely unhelpful about these forums is that you can submit a question to FFG (Nate?) and get an email response, yet the questions and answers are not posted in the forum. Does a stickied thread with all the Q&As seem like a good idea to anyone else?

Again preaching to the choir. FFG has a company policy about posting on the boards, and they are maintained by a third party so even getting something stickied is problematic. Some people look at this as poor support for the game, when I view it the opposite, they are a small team of very dedicated hard working designers trying to put out quality products. I'd rather get better cards sooner than have them popping over here and answering every question that can be found in the rulebook or faq if people would just read it (that is not to say there aren't some errors in the cards rulebook, etc. that don't require larification or errata, just most questions have been answered).

Send your request through the rules question link, it will go through to James Hata (Nate French was lead developer on the game, but now James Hata is) and hopefully he will either answer you back, or do his best to fix the problem. I suspect a new faq just before gencon.