Beyond the Gates of Antares: The Ongoing News & Rumors Thread

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**NTRabbit**

Kanluwen wrote:
Kilkrazy wrote:
To me, the most interesting thing about the original GoA bunch of ideas was the formation of a continuous worldwide campaign that used a smartphone app to let players put all their game results into an evolving timeline.

It sounds more like they heard about what Bungie is doing with "Destiny" and tying in players' timelines with a smartphone app.

The Kickstarter project where all this was mentioned was launched and cancelled before the smartphone/social stuff with Destiny became public knowledge. It was more taking the 13th Black Crusade campaign to the next logical step with newly available technology.

I was enthusiastic about the project at the time, but that enthusiasm has waned some.

**Alpharius**

BrookM wrote:
Sometimes it might be better to start off with something odd instead of generic white males in pseudo powered armour.

Because that's what I was after?

WTF?!?

My biggest problem with these odd looking miniatures is that they just don't look good overall, period.

**Compel**

So, it's been about a year now since GoA's kickstarter was attempted and the progress was 3 models on top of the 1 they made during the kickstarter?

I was really into the kickstarter but when it was cancelled, I ended up putting the funds I had aside for it into Deadzone instead.

It just seemes too little too late now.

**Kilkrazy**

BrookM wrote:
Kilkrazy wrote:
Why?

If you want players to send in battle results it's going to have to be done electronically. An app is a great way to do it and doesn't stop you from having a web page too.
What of the people who have phones or phone services that do not support that type of thing? Why not a website instead?

Why not an app and a website? The campaign system would be a database and it could be accessed through several different front ends without difficulty.

**plastictrees**

Compel wrote:
So, it's been about a year now since GoA's kickstarter was attempted and the progress was 3 models on top of the 1 they made during the kickstarter?

I was really into the kickstarter but when it was cancelled, I ended up putting the funds I had aside for it into Deadzone instead.

It just seemes too little too late now.

The guy on the right was pretty much entirely sculpted during the course of the KS...so, 2 models.

They aren't especially inspiring. Especially given what other companies are producing without half a million dollars of up front investment.

Still interested in seeing where this goes, but I'm pretty much covered as far as grim/pulpy sci-fi (40k) and near future SCI-fi (Infinity), and there are other companies with very robust initial mini offerings that are more likely to fill any holes in my interest.
As has been stated, multi-part plastic kits will be a big move if they can justify it financially.

**edlowe**

I was massively disappointed with the Goa kickstarter and following abandonment of the forum. I did however pick up a resin Hansa which is a really nice figure. I'll probably pick up the releases as they come out but my attentions been grabbed now by other systems such as deadzone and the forthcoming Afterlife from Anvil.

I must admit I do like the retro look of the figures, the painter's done a nice job especially on the skin tones.

**Kilkrazy**

TBH I don't think it matters if the figures are good, except of course that if they want to make the money from the figures rather than the rest of it.

I have so many SF figures I really don't need any more and I don't care if they match some official universe.

What I want is good rules and a campaign.

**BrookM**

Alpharius wrote:
BrookM wrote:
Sometimes it might be better to start off with something odd instead of generic white males in pseudo powered armour.

Because that's what I was after?

WTF?!?

My biggest problem with these odd looking miniatures is that they just don't look good overall, period.

Come to think, not sure what you like.

**Grimtuff**

BrookM wrote:
Sometimes it might be better to start off with something odd instead of generic white males in pseudo powered armour.

Instead we get General Traag and Ben Grimm.

I personally like them. Curious to see where this goes this time.

**edlowe**

Im sure the the background they released the Boromites were two sub races with the larger overseers and smaller workers. It will be interesting to see if they stick to this plan.

Also I believe their changing the rules to match Bolt action. I've got not experience with that games system. Is it any good?

Also not sure why I noticed it but the model on the left seems to have a very rocky groin area?

**AlexHolker**

BrookM wrote:
Sometimes it might be better to start off with something odd instead of generic white males in pseudo powered armour.

Something different, not something odd. Start with something where people can see the utility and think "why didn't anyone else make these?" and not something where people know why nobody made these (because they look like refugees from bad 60s sci fi).

The drones would be far more interesting to me if they were a tracked chassis instead of legged. They could have made one plastic kit that could be used to build a semi-humanoid robot like Johnny-5, a combat drone like a TALON or SHIV, or just a utility robot like a MALP.

**BrookM**

As neat as that sounds, I'd rather not see Warlord waste precious resources on plastics for a concept that has failed the first time round.

**edlowe**

Surprised to find a new Goa forum on Warlords site.

Found this little bit of info from Rick P

it's going to be next year before we can start in a serious way - although I've done a lot of work on the game, we do need to wait until we can catch up with the model making - always the most difficult bit in many respects. Copies of the revised rules have gone out to several play test groups - folks who have helped me in the past with different projects (including Bolt Action). Wojtek has been making Boromites, and we have some test sculpts of the Isorians ready too, and I have been working on a range of buildings to go with the game - so expect to see some sneak peeks of work in progress from January. We've played a good few games - I've lost almost every one - so that's a promising start

The background story was one of the things that I enjoyed most about the Kickstarter - in so far as it really gelled very quickly and was very exiting to work on, although filling out the detail takes the time of course! The Boromites have evolved into something quite characterful and interesting, thanks to Wojtek's sticking with it... and working out the odd surprise. Well it surprised me anyway And I've managed to hammer the background out into a more cohesive overview - it's the difference between the initial phase, where you bang down all the ideas regardless of where they fit or how important they are, and the refined vision, where there's a more coherent hierarchy in terms of the concept and details. So, I reckon we're where we need to be right now - and next year should start to see some of that work come to fruition.

GoA has been a very interesting project for me - and it reminds me of nothing else than the initial run up to the original Rogue Trooper WH 40,000 game! Perhaps that is just me We've been playing very character led, almost role-playing skirmish wargames, and having great fun. We've played some more run of the mill 'line 'em up games' too - Bolt Action style confrontations between two sides - and plainly the game has to work on that level too. I just enjoy the umpire/Gm driven games where three sides are trying to achieve their objectives and don't quite know what the other guys' objectives are - sit back and watch the anarchy erupt - style of play!

so some more new figs on the way plus plastic buildings? Sounds like they could be investing quite a bit into this.

**Alpharius**

Needs moar generic white males in pseudo power-armor.

**BrookM**

Well, if they're using the Bolt Action system with order dice, not bad! It's a system I can get wholly behind.

Also, yes, we need more generic white guys. (And gals!)

**-DE-**

Alpharius wrote:
Needs moar generic white males in pseudo power-armor.

In different colors, some with viking horns.

That these models look so gleefully old-school is why I like them so much and they're growing on me more each time I look at them. They look like straight out of a '50s sci-fi movie, and that's fine! Even if the game doesn't pan out, these models I'll happily add to my collection.

**AlexHolker**

BrookM wrote:
As neat as that sounds, I'd rather not see Warlord waste precious resources on plastics for a concept that has failed the first time round.

Are you talking about the game as a whole, or my tracked robot idea?

**BrookM**

-DE- wrote:
Alpharius wrote:
Needs moar generic white males in pseudo power-armor.

They look like straight out of a '50s sci-fi movie, and that's fine! Even if the game doesn't pan out, these models I'll happily add to my collection.

That I could get behind, I'd love me some more wacky 50's styled raygun gothic minis!

Automatically Appended Next Post:

AlexHolker wrote:
BrookM wrote:
As neat as that sounds, I'd rather not see Warlord waste precious resources on plastics for a concept that has failed the first time round.

Are you talking about the game as a whole, or my tracked robot idea?

Either, both. While I like the idea of a modular robot kit, Warlord isn't a GW or Privateer Press, so it can't really pony up dosh for small projects like that.

**warboss**

Alpharius wrote:
Needs moar generic white males in pseudo power-armor.

You can't handle that much 70's porn star butt-plate magnitude.

**Azazelx**

lord_blackfang wrote:
AlexHolker wrote:
BobtheInquisitor wrote:
Any word on plastics?

They did have a guy sculpting a robot intended to be a plastic squad, but that was before the Kickstarter was cancelled.

I'm not expecting anything worthwhile to come of this. Everything they did, they bungled. That robot, for example, was being hand sculpted, despite the need for multiple, symmetrical copies of the same rigid components in different configurations. If anything should be sculpted digitally, it's that. Or their planned releases that would make themed armies impossible without buying five or six copies of the same five or six single piece sculpts, where Necromunda would give you twenty or more before you needed to double up.

That's what happens when you have a design team of people who stopped being innovative in the mid 90s and whose mentality never really moved past the "garage company" stage in any way (quality, production, nor business sense). Funnily this handicap seems to be entirely a UK-based thing.

I dunno. Warlord Games seems to be doing quite well. And, well, that's where most companies in our niche hobby seem to be, excepting for a very few of them like the ones that Hasbro ate, and FFG. PP? Wasn't McVey involved in that?

**Gallahad**

I agree with others that these look like bad retro sci-fi designs complete with a "battle drill" because Miners!

Sci fi injection molded plastic would be a welcome addition, but I think that is unlikely based off their previous funding model of "pay us money so you can design a sci-fi game we aren't willing to take any risks on!"

**TechMarine1**

I'm interested in seeing where they go with this, but those first minis aren't that impressive IMHO.

**primalexile**

I like the idea of the models but the execution seems poor in comparison to new age sculpts. I would like to see a relaunch of the Kickstarter to just find the rule on faster. I was excited to see Rick bring a great set of Sci-Fi rules.

**Azazelx**

I'm not sold on the background or the models, unfortunately. It'd take a lot for something to beat 40k for me, sadly.

**Piston Honda**

Reminds me of the mutants from the Hills have Eyes

**Buzzsaw**

Alpharius wrote:
BrookM wrote:
Sometimes it might be better to start off with something odd instead of generic white males in pseudo powered armour.

Because that's what I was after?

WTF?!?

My biggest problem with these odd looking miniatures is that they just don't look good overall, period.

I have to agree with this: I just don't find those models to be all that interesting from a design or execution standpoint. Granted the high-end paint job helps, but... they just don't seem all that good to me.

**monders**

Eurgh, they're dreadful.

They remind me of Rock Lords from He-Man.

**Osbad**

If they're going to be metal, and I expect them to be, as Warlord don't seem to muck about with resin, then that for a start is a mark in their favour for me.

Right now I am in the market for interesting races of futuristic aliens in metal at 28mm-ish scale. Plastic is OK for cheap rank-fillers if absolutely necessary (or of course vehicles), but that's all, and resin, or more often these new-fangled "sprueless plastic" materials = yuck. For me that was the one downside of Deadzone - "restic" is one of the poorest materials I have come across that has been seriously used for modelling (although it has to be said, I understand the benefits in price to the end consumer that it has, I also like low prices!). If someone produces some nice models that I can proxy in for rebs, its gold.

The rules for GoA, I couldn't care less about at this stage. There are plenty of decent sci-fi rules out there already (and Deadzone is one of the better ones), so either GoA brings something new and interesting to the table (did you see what I did there?) in which case great, or it doesn't, in which case I stick with what I've got. Where there's a shortage is decent, metal, sci-fi aliens in numbers and variety to make squads.

So far these models are "OK" but nothing exciting. I'm hoping for something more unusual and less anthropomorphic in the future.

**BrookM**

Single minis are always metal with Warlord, they reserve resin for vehicle kits and in some cases, large shaped things, like the Roman Testudo set.

I don't see them changing any time soon, as why change something that works so well?

**judgedoug**

Azazelx wrote:
I'm not sold on the background or the models, unfortunately. It'd take a lot for something to beat 40k for me, sadly.

Come now, I know you don't play games because of background or models. You and I are Warhammer background and model fans... that play Kings of War.

I'm very excited about the possibility of a GOOD sci fi ruleset that I can use 40k models and background with.