It is sad, but true.

My FFG history starts with Twilight Imperium First Edition and Disk Wars.

Mr. Petersen states the following in the TI3 rulebook:

"At that time, our "Diskwars" game had become a big success, stabilizing the company and allowing me to consider a rework and improvement of TI itself. After years of playing TI and listening to feedback from players, I felt that improvements in game length, balance, and components could be made and would be appreciated."

I really connected with Battlemist and let my creative juices fly. I was not able to purchase a copy of the expansion due to it selling out, so at the time I could only find a copy of the rules in German. I learned how to translate German to English. I crafted my own copy of the components using reference images from various sites. Learning how the components were made and having to balance the units to fit the playstyle, I started creating my own units for the six faction. I shared much of my fan made material online and among the gaming store I visited. Most of the material I borrowed from Disk Wars.

I am sure Mr. Petersen and Co. did not know that for instance, I had made rules for neutral units and diplomacy rules for acquiring them. Nor do I believe he knew about other very similar ideas Runewars (Battlemist 2) incorporates now. Had he even directly stolen these from me without credit, I wouldn't care. This is an important point that I will come back to later. Although I am sure Mr. Petersen knows where this is going now.

Moving on, around the launch of Runebound, I adopted the forum handle, DaDarkKami on Board Game Geek. A site I could share my ideas willingly and free of charge with other gamers and aspiring developers. I created sites of interest and tokens for the heroes to adventure to like barracks to mage towers. They worked very similar to the locations in Runewars, just with weaker art.

I was happy as ever when FFG announced their partnership with Blizzard. I personally know developers from Blizzard and so I have been a huge fan of the worlds they had crafted. The World of Warcraft Board Game had a few flaws, but Corey created a gem through the World of Warcraft: Adventure Game, and fixed said flaws.

I fell in love with the adventure game and supported it like one of my very own creations. So much so that I was asked by an FFG dev (who shall remain nameless) to write articles for the game. This was where the downfall and my appreciation for the company began to nose dive. I was treated with no respect. I submitted articles and asked questions to guide me down a road of self improvement. Questions that went unanswered.

At the same time editors were wording my articles in ways that made me look ignorant toward the rules I claimed to understand. One time, I wasn't even given credit for an article, although that was quickly remedied after an email. While this two faced fan appreciation was taking me for a ride, FFG announce the cancelation of the Warhammer Roleplaying Game. Shortly after 3rd edition was announced and fans of the old felt betrayed. Fans of the new began to post nasty comments and for the first time in FFG history we had flame wars on this very site.

I did my best to try and get my FFG contact to stop the wars, but went unanswered, so I decided to play 'Dark Knight'....and got burned.

I knew I had to do something to keep my image, so I created a new forum handle, Curator. Using this forum handle I tried only to stay positive and objective and leave the infighting alone. I posted only support for a very long time. Among my contributions I posted more articles and variants for various FFG products.

As years passed and more products released, I began to notice a trend. FFG was becoming more and more greedy/corporate. They closed down forums and support for products without warning. They remained silent. Worst of all their products became riddled with errors and rule oversights.

Example:
Shards of the Throne wasn't playable until the FAQ following it.

The Descent Quest Compendium was full of errors and in fact required FFG to redo the book and throw the original creations from minds' of people like ... well I will let FFG do the talking.
"The Descent: Quest Compendium features scenarios designed by giants of hobby gaming such as Monte Cook, Keith Baker, Mike Selinker, John Kovalic, and more!"
Most of those "original ideas" were scrapped in the 10 page errata that was required to make sense of the 90 page book. I am glad Gygax passed away before FFG could sucker him into that group of very talented minds only to be wasted.

It doesn't stop there though and if you are reading this then you most likely own an FFG product which has no excusable errors in it, be it art, rules, or printing.

I have let all of this go.

Til' now.
Before I continue remember that point I made earlier? About not caring if my ideas are borrowed or used.

Well. It appears Mr. Petersen feels it is his duty to speak for others and has attacked the integrity of David Sirlin on Board Game Geek. Accusing Mr. Sirlin of stealing En Guarde's rules and gameplay for Flash Duel Second Edition, despite the fact that Mr. Sirlin credits Dr. Knizia at the beginning of the rules.

Mr. Sirlin is known for speaking his mind and encourages innovation through his blogs. His hit game, YOMI, never received a single negative review and yet he provided it for free to play on his site. He has stated his position on Wizard of the Coast, Riot Games, and even FFG, however he has NEVER accused a developer of stealing ideas. He calls out the greed where it exist and ensures his products remedy that. I have done my best to support this company and even dreamed of working with Corey, however, this classless act not only shows how little Mr. Petersen cares for this industries innovations and works shared from one game to another, it also shows how careless he can be with the support and future of his company.

Mr. Petersen perhaps the next time you speak for someone else or accuse your competition of cheating, you should think about your company and those who rely on you to put food on the table. Cool Stuff Inc. is literally walking distance from my home. I am well known among the community in Orlando (though I will remain nameless), be lucky I am not as ignorant as you and actually care about your employee's families and income more than you obviously do.

I was told this by your nameless dev at one point in time.
"Funny thing about the net? Once it is posted you can't remove it from the memories that have seen it".

Enjoy. Oh and I am not breaking any of your forum policies. So do play fair and leave this topic posted.

Corey and Co. I wish you the best. See you at Gen Con Mr. Petersen.

http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/721312/new-bgg-page-for-second-edition

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Curator,

Though my feelings aren't as intense as yours, I have had some disheartening experiences lately with FFG as well. My post will of course sound like whining no matter how I word it, so we'll just call it a whiney post and be done with it :-)

I've always praised FFG for their customer service; how great they are with replacement pieces, responses to emails, etc. Recently though, I emailed them asking how to obtain some of their promotional items from Arkham Nights 2011 as I was unable to attend. Now, before I go on, I do understand that promo items are something special that isn't just handed out willy-nilly and that their are some standards with the distribution of these items. However, I was told that the only way I can obtain their items is by attending an event. Period. I think that is a load of crap. I've mailed in for promos before; I've asked for promos before through e-mail; I have always gotten them with thanks for supporting them. Now though, I'm being told that they don't do that. Fine. I can accept policy change. But FFG needs to at least give us some method to obtain things like this. To expect their loyal fan base to come to multiple events per year just to obtain something is crazy. I own a ton of FFG games, ridiculous amounts of expansions, demo their games constantly at cons that I GM, and the two games I love the most I'm now being told there is no chance in hell that I can obtain two friggin cards from what I'm sure they have extras of somewhere.

Yes, whiney because I'm upset that I can't obtain two items I really want. I'll own that. But why should I continue to support a company that has no customer loyalty? I'm not saying I'll quit supporting FFG because frankly they make some of my favorite games. I just find it a poor company attitude to not want to help out loyal customers who still care and want to play the games. Without people like us, they wouldn't have the fan base they do. We are the ones who help review, recommend, and demo their products. We help sell their products.

But why should that matter?

Yawn. These short naps are great.

Lol, very funny..

Thanks information exchange