FAQ's - where do they come from?

[wittdooley]

I always assume the FAQs came from the island of misfit toys...

[Wildeybeast]

Buffo, you are right about GW making rules for the models. When they first started out, it was just citadel minatures, sold through WD, and these were made for D&D or just cool models that they liked. Eveentually they thought 'we have all these cool models and nothing to do with them so lets make some rules' and so Warhammer was born.

Also, some interesting insights on where the FAQ's come from - basically anywhere and everywhere is what I'm getting

[HsojVvad]

AND, most of the questions answered seem as if they were asked by a mentally challenged 12 year old. My apologies to 12 year old players who actually know what is going on.

Ah that is great, my kid is mentally challenged and she doesn't really understand what is going on. That is pretty insulting and NOT FUNNY at all.

[BuFFo]

I always assume the FAQs came from the island of misfit toys...

That sounds very familiar... I could google it, but I would like to know where you got that from

[wittdooley]

That sounds very familiar... I could google it, but I would like to know where you got that from

The holidy classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Oh Hermes, you foolish elfen dentist.

[condottiere]

My perspective on FAQs for Warhammer games is that I need them for four reasons, three based on the first:

1. The rules set are too loose,

2. We're a generation that also plays computer games, which are updated and patched as "bugs" are discovered, whether it's just graphic glitches or units that need to be improved or nerfed if they unbalance the game.

3. I'd like to know exactly what my army can do, so that I don't neeedlessly need to spend half an hour looking it up and interpreting the grammar and definition of "is" in the AB and the BRB to justify it to my opponent.

4. I like to know precisely the limits of what my opponent's forces can do, for similar reasons.

Compare this to computer games, where the rules are concrete within the perimeters they were programmed for, and RPGs, where they are interpreted by someone independent whose objective is to allow his compatriots to have a fun time, within the boundaries of the milieu and scenarios he is arbitrating/has created. Sure, two reasonable human beings should be able to come to terms, but it sometimes turns out that tanked up with adrenaline and beer, not every player remains reasonable and may stretch the definition of human.

[Mauglum.]

Gamers want well defined ,elegant and intuitive rule sets.
They want straighforward rules that deliver the maximum gameplay with the minimum of fuss.

All good game companies work towards these goals.

GW plc is NOT a games company.(Games companies think the rules are VERY important.)
According to its Chairman Tom Kirby,'... GW is in the buisness of selling toy soldiers to kiddies...'

Acording to Rick Priestly ,40ks '...old fashined and clunky...' game mechanics do not matter to GW plcs 'core demoghraphic' .(Kiddies that make up thier own rules , Pew Pew your dead, and collectors who dont play!)

So the rules are littered with new shiney 'Special rules' to help sell the new shiney releases.

According to Rick, the rules are full of data to learn that give the' kiddies' something to argue over, as they have not got the ability to grasp the tactical overview more experianced gamers have.
(...I won 14 rules argument to Bobbies 10, but he had a few more models left at the end so it was a draw, realy...')

40k written to inspire' kiddies' to whine until thier parents buy them some 'toy soldiers'.

Thats why' gamers' find the 40k rule set so unsuitable .

[HsojVvad]

You would think after 25 years of 40K and what 30 years of Fantasy GW would know how to write clear conisece rules.

Guess GW just doesn't know how to write properly. If they did we wouldn't have all these debates on rules and have stupid FAQs that GW gives out.

Another reason how GW treats it's grown up customers, as we were kids. Pretty shamefull, but they know they are the best and we keep coming back. At least now if what I am reading is correct 2010 is the worst sales for GW. While they made lots of money, the sales are the worst so here is hoping they are changing now.

[BrokenWing]

Wow...maybe it's because I don't go to alot of tournaments, but I don't have even half the problems you guys do. I mean, ok, the 5th Edition rulebook (unlike the 4th edition one) is *horribly* put together and everything is overly scattered and difficult to find. Never had significant problems understanding rules in individual codex books or finding the core rules terribly unclear. Scattered maybe, and not well done in 5th edition, but in 4th edition I thought it was quite well organized and written. 8th Edition Fantasy is the clearest, most well written rulebook I've seen out of GW.

[Dalleron]

I have to disagree that GW doesn't know how to write a ruleset.

I play LotR,occasionally I will add, but I found that the ruleset for that system is better than either fantasy or 40K. It says 99% of the time what happens when XX happens. You do this, not that, or that or whatever.

So someone in GW's vast empire can write a ruleset.

It think it comes down to GW don't really care to write a good ruleset, only to sell toy soldiers, as has been previously mentioned.