[WarInEur] RE: WarInEur Digest, Vol 63, Issue 10

[Richard Wilson]

Didn't mean to imply that I thought that you did think that way :-)

I too had the WW1 module, which really needed to be something different 
than it was. I even ordered another set of maps for it.

I also still own mostly SPI games, but then I never play any these days 
at all.
I am really looking forward to WBTS to be computerized.

The problem that I see with todays board games as opposed to the SPI era 
is that back then we had professionally designed and produced games that 
sometimes were  not  up to a professionally developed or tested 
standard. These days we have professionally looking amateur designs that 
at best have a print run of 5,000. Sometimes they are good, sometimes 
not, sometimes not as developed or tested as they should be, but they 
are largely one man jobs with all that implies.

Chuck Sutherland wrote:
> Gentlemen I still own more SPI games then any other company, I was not trashing them only pointing out the truth about their uneven production, the latest 90 day wonder I believe the WWI module is called and that game is a poor as they come. Nothing personal towards the people or the company as  I have had many fold return in fun on the investments in their games.
> ________________________________________
> From: warineur-bounces at mailman.halisp.net [warineur-bounces at mailman.halisp.net] On Behalf Of Richard Wilson [wlorcb at rogers.com]
> Sent: Monday, October 12, 2009 10:31 AM
> To: WarInEur at mailman.halisp.net
> Subject: Re: [WarInEur] RE: WarInEur Digest, Vol 63, Issue 10
>
> We also need to remember that no company did proper playtesting back then(or probably even now), it was just more apparent with SPI because they produced so many games.
>
> The actual game mechanics of WIE1, and thus WIE were all based on proven designs. The wrench in the works was always the production mechanisms, and I am sure that the playtesting of that consisted of running out what can be produced to make it quasi-historical, without any actual integration into an ongoing campaign game.
>
> If you only playtest the Barbarossa scenario, you never do find out what the implications are of building out all the 6-5s to attrition the Russians white in 42.
>
> sgminfo at aol.com<mailto:sgminfo at aol.com> wrote:
> One should not be too hard on SPI in this regard....(Playtesting)
>
> The logistical requirements of playtesting WIE beggar belief.
>
> In a commercial Simulation company the resources needed in playtesting probably outstrip the human resources needed in design and physical production.
>
> Playtesting is mostly thought of as a 'backend' job...i.e. The game has been produced this is merely cleaning up the odd bit of chrome.
>
> SPI did not think like that,
> but they were aware that they had horribly underestimated the knock-on effects of playtest requirements on a monster game...
>
> coupled with tough/demanding/almost impossible production schedules in a wholly unfamiliar environment (monster game requirements) made playtesting problematical,
> and given the cost structures in an unfamiliar milieu, they probably did not find wie  anywhere near as profitable as their planning had allowed.
>
> Looking at CWIE, both variants,  the biggestest single ongoing factor in the archives will be seen to be playtesting.
>
>
> In the SPI commercial mold, it was a relentless grind, 'produce' ordie. The bimonthly magazine taskmaster with game, developed a serious budgetary discipline, that often led to curtailment in other areas
> .
>
> i.e. If you did not make the deadline...no game? No Magazine? And SPI is committing commercial suicide...you can understand how that ethos became ingrained...
>
> No doubt there was much blood on the carpet at monthly management sessions when schedules began to show signs of slippage...
>
> It does not excuse anything, merely illustrates that in the real world, less than optimum choices are regularly made for entirely arbitrary reasons (insofar as the particular project is concerned)
>
>
> -|steve|-
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