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RE: In praise of Cottage Industry

From: "Bell, Brian K (Contractor)" <Brian.Bell@d...>
Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2001 08:46:06 -0500
Subject: RE: In praise of Cottage Industry

Hmmm. It seems that you have your work cut out for you.

FT2 is 70% obsolete due to changes introduced in FB1/2.
MT is out of print
DS2 is out of print
BDS is long overdue.
-Other pokers in the fire-
  FB3
  FMASk
  Scenario Book
  15 mm line (IF, NI, PAU, etc.)
  FT ships for IF & ORC that are partially done (not every ship class
represented)

I would think that FT3 should be the first priority. Now before the BDS
outcry, let me explain why. It is somewhat unfair to ask your customers
to
purchase a book that is over half obsolete. Many crutial rules (such as
fighter morale) is in the out of print MT. And the other important rules
are
scattered across 2 fleetbooks and MT. Consolidating these into a single
volume for the rules should be a high priority. Also FT appears to be
your
top seller.

I think that an updated DS3 should be next on the priority list. If you
plan
to go fully FMA with DS (opposed roll for damage instead of chit
drawing),
now is the time to do it (before another print run). Also it could
consolidate with SG2 at this point (GMS/P, decoys, etc.). I would also
encourage you to update the construction rules. Some of the miniatures
in
the Dirtside and Future Wars lines do not seem possible to build with
the
current rules. It may also be a good time to drop the point system or
update
it. And new interface rules for use with FT.

Concurrent with DS3 (or shortly after) should be BDS introducing alien
ground tech for DS3 and SG2. It should also contain DS/SG consolidation
information (such as adding PDS to SG vehicles). 

Anyway, my $.02 worth on what I would like to see happen.

-----
Brian Bell
bkb@beol.net
http://www.ftsr.org
-----

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ground Zero Games [SMTP:jon@gzg.com]
> Sent: Monday, March 26, 2001 3:22 PM
> To:	gzg-l@csua.berkeley.edu
> Subject:	Re: In praise of Cottage Industry
> 
> Well, DS is out of print at the moment, and we're still undecided
whether
> to reprint it as-is, to do a slightly updated version, or to revise it
> completely. There are certainly things that we put in SG that will
> retrofit
> into DS to improve it. If you really want DSII at the moment, you'll
have
> to find it from a stockist that still has some left, because we're all
out
> of them! But, IT WILL BE BACK.....  ;-)
> 
> Jon (GZG)
> 


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