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Slayer-Fan123 wrote:
What a shame. He was looked upon with lots of grace and intelligence, and he will be sorely missed.

Slayer-Fan123 wrote:

Slayer-Fan123 wrote:
What a shame. He was looked upon with lots of grace and intelligence, and he will be sorely missed.

This runs contrary to the statements I have heard from multiple sources.

In fact much of the 'good news' and attitude shift we've just been seeing from GW coincides with his shut down and early retirement... I wonder if the two might be related...?

 Bull0 wrote:
What a load. You can walk into a GW now and buy a playable army for 40k or WFB for 50 quid, they do those brilliant start collecting sets. Sure it's small and you'll want more stuff over time if you want to play "the standard game" (bit of a weird proposition), but isn't that part of the fun? I doubt most people would have the reaction that "If I want to do this seriously I'm going to have to spend 100+, therefore I'm not going to". If they like the look of the models and fancy putting them together and painting them they'll get some. You're projecting your own value system onto the general public, which anyone who's worked in retail can tell you is a huge mistake.

No. Most places I've seen the only time anyone plays lower than 1,000 or so points is if it's purposely a demo type game for a new player, and after that you need to buy enough to get to the points value everyone else uses. This is across several game stores, including a GW store, nobody plays such small games more than once or twice, then the newbie is expected to buy the rest of what they need for a "real" force or else they don't get games at all. There isn't some magical land where you can repeatedly go with just your Start Collecting set (brilliant as it is) and repeatedly get games in barring exceptional circumstances (e.g. demo games, team games, games against other newbies with SC sets, or escalation leagues). Pick-up games, it's either you have the points everyone else uses, or they'll play with people who do and leave you out in the cold with your paltry Start Collecting set.

 Alpharius wrote:
Looks as if there's new news here:

https://twitter.com/LaurieGoulding/status/769221152799612928

It's official - he's gone.

Ye gods, reading the tweets in response to it, one said they should keep him on as a consultant for Horus Heresy advise when needed. That....that can't be possible that he had anything productive to do with FW's HH stuff, right?

Perhaps they're confused with Alan Bligh?

I hope they're confused with Alan Bligh.

 Tannhauser42 wrote:

 Alpharius wrote:
Looks as if there's new news here:

https://twitter.com/LaurieGoulding/status/769221152799612928

It's official - he's gone.

Ye gods, reading the tweets in response to it, one said they should keep him on as a consultant for Horus Heresy advise when needed. That....that can't be possible that he had anything productive to do with FW's HH stuff, right?

As the IP uberoverlord, he's have been the gatekeeper to all the lore and what was and what was not de rigueur. He would have been the one likely to have ok'd FW having permission to go ahead and do the HH in the first place. What was actually written would, I guess, have been the FW guys, but AM would have had certain rules in place and perhaps made 'strong suggestions' for inclusion.

And I know when it came to FFG's rp games, they had to go through the AM filter for approval of what did and what did not ring true to his vision of 40k. It's why he wrote the introduction to the Rogue Trader version, he seems to have been very fixed on what past muster for his version of the lore.

 Tannhauser42 wrote:

 Alpharius wrote:
Looks as if there's new news here:

https://twitter.com/LaurieGoulding/status/769221152799612928

It's official - he's gone.

Ye gods, reading the tweets in response to it, one said they should keep him on as a consultant for Horus Heresy advise when needed. That....that can't be possible that he had anything productive to do with FW's HH stuff, right?

I guess they mean BL's HH stuff. Come to think of it, I know which I prefer.

Heh. Can't say anyone knows the Heresy lore better than he does.

 VeteranNoob wrote:
Heh. Can't say anyone knows the Heresy lore better than he does.

This is Alan Bligh, he's mapped the entire thing out. Start to Finish.

 MeanGreenStompa wrote:

 VeteranNoob wrote:
Heh. Can't say anyone knows the Heresy lore better than he does.

This is Alan Bligh, he's mapped the entire thing out. Start to Finish.

Are you sure that's not Alpharius? I think it's Alpharius.

They both start with an A L.

I'm not saying they're one and the same... but I'm not saying they aren't either .

 MeanGreenStompa wrote:

 VeteranNoob wrote:
Heh. Can't say anyone knows the Heresy lore better than he does.

This is Alan Bligh, he's mapped the entire thing out. Start to Finish.

And Alan's a stand up guy and amazingly talented writer for these game books. Alan Merett gave us the heresy in the first place (check out Visions of Heresy if you haven't. quite good)
These people do all work together. At a past HH weekender it was a nerd heaven experience to see the Alans (and can't remember which guy was also up on the stage) in the seminar on the Creators of Heresy material.
added:


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Matt.Kingsley wrote:
They both start with an A L.

I'm not saying they're one and the same... but I'm not saying they aren't either .

ADDITION: Come to think of it... That could have been Alpharius or Alpharius up on the stage

Alan Bligh's RPG stuff definitely impressed me. I thought the HH books were a bit too young adult but I did enjoy a good number of them. Alan Bligh's first four were probably the most enjoyable, though I did like a couple of the others.

 frozenwastes wrote:
Alan Bligh's RPG stuff definitely impressed me. I thought the HH books were a bit too young adult but I did enjoy a good number of them. Alan Bligh's first four were probably the most enjoyable, though I did like a couple of the others.

I'm intrigued, what do you mean by young adult? Can't form a picture of that in my head
I've heard his RPG stuff is top notch. FW has always kicked ass in my book but the HH campaign material has been incredible.

 VeteranNoob wrote:

 MeanGreenStompa wrote:

 VeteranNoob wrote:
Heh. Can't say anyone knows the Heresy lore better than he does.

This is Alan Bligh, he's mapped the entire thing out. Start to Finish.

And Alan's a stand up guy and amazingly talented writer for these game books. Alan Merett gave us the heresy in the first place (check out Visions of Heresy if you haven't. quite good)
These people do all work together. At a past HH weekender it was a nerd heaven experience to see the Alans (and can't remember which guy was also up on the stage) in the seminar on the Creators of Heresy material.
added:

I thought the first HH references occurred during the Realm of Chaos books, which Merrett wasn't a part of?



Automatically Appended Next Post:

 frozenwastes wrote:
Alan Bligh's RPG stuff definitely impressed me. I thought the HH books were a bit too young adult but I did enjoy a good number of them. Alan Bligh's first four were probably the most enjoyable, though I did like a couple of the others.

Bligh isn't an author. I think you may be confusing him with someone?

Horus Heresy is to do with Adepts Titanicus as they couldn't afford two sets of moulds so needed an excuse for Warlord Titans to fight each other and marines to fight Marines.

VeteranNoob wrote:
I'm intrigued, what do you mean by young adult? Can't form a picture of that in my head

Having very simple themes that would appeal to 14 year olds and make them go "that's so awesome!" several times while reading it.

It's actually not a fair description given the quality of some works in the young adult genre that are way more complex and poignant.

MeanGreenStompa wrote:
Bligh isn't an author. I think you may be confusing him with someone?

Yes, I totally did confuse things. It's been too long. What I meant was that I thought the HH game books he wrote were pretty good, but the novels were not as good (though he did not write them).

My mistake!

 frozenwastes wrote:

VeteranNoob wrote:
I'm intrigued, what do you mean by young adult? Can't form a picture of that in my head

Having very simple themes that would appeal to 14 year olds and make them go "that's so awesome!" several times while reading it.

It's actually not a fair description given the quality of some works in the young adult genre that are way more complex and poignant.

Oh, gotcha. That makes sense. Young Adult makes me think of vampire/werewolf books

 VeteranNoob wrote:
Oh, gotcha. That makes sense. Young Adult makes me think of vampire/werewolf books

So...the Blood Angels and the Space Wolves then?

So with Merret out, what ideas did he purportedly block that may come to light? I heard SoB mentioned as a dislike of his, but is there any truth that? I assume most changes will depend on who (if anyone) fills the role at the company.

 VeteranNoob wrote:

 frozenwastes wrote:

VeteranNoob wrote:
I'm intrigued, what do you mean by young adult? Can't form a picture of that in my head

Having very simple themes that would appeal to 14 year olds and make them go "that's so awesome!" several times while reading it.

It's actually not a fair description given the quality of some works in the young adult genre that are way more complex and poignant.

Oh, gotcha. That makes sense. Young Adult makes me think of vampire/werewolf books

Huh, it says here that Blood Angels sparkle in sunlight....

The Auld Grump, and with that Stephenie Meyer becomes the new head of IP for GW....

 Krinsath wrote:

 VeteranNoob wrote:
Oh, gotcha. That makes sense. Young Adult makes me think of vampire/werewolf books

So...the Blood Angels and the Space Wolves then?
\.

By the Throne, you're right!
Then, do Blood Angels sparkle or become ->

 MeanGreenStompa wrote:

 Tannhauser42 wrote:

Ye gods, reading the tweets in response to it, one said they should keep him on as a consultant for Horus Heresy advise when needed. That....that can't be possible that he had anything productive to do with FW's HH stuff, right?

As the IP uberoverlord, he's have been the gatekeeper to all the lore and what was and what was not de rigueur. He would have been the one likely to have ok'd FW having permission to go ahead and do the HH in the first place. What was actually written would, I guess, have been the FW guys, but AM would have had certain rules in place and perhaps made 'strong suggestions' for inclusion.

And I know when it came to FFG's rp games, they had to go through the AM filter for approval of what did and what did not ring true to his vision of 40k. It's why he wrote the introduction to the Rogue Trader version, he seems to have been very fixed on what past muster for his version of the lore.

There's also this. He's listed as the author for both the current and the original volumes

https://www.amazon.com/Horus-Heresy-Visions-Alan-Merrett/dp/1849702160

 Krinsath wrote:

 VeteranNoob wrote:
Oh, gotcha. That makes sense. Young Adult makes me think of vampire/werewolf books

So...the Blood Angels and the Space Wolves then?

So with Merret out, what ideas did he purportedly block that may come to light? I heard SoB mentioned as a dislike of his, but is there any truth that? I assume most changes will depend on who (if anyone) fills the role at the company.

Genestealers were allegedly a particular dislike.

We have had the Cult models with a Codex on the way apparently, with absolutely nothing since 2nd.

 Azreal13 wrote:

 Krinsath wrote:

 VeteranNoob wrote:
Oh, gotcha. That makes sense. Young Adult makes me think of vampire/werewolf books

So...the Blood Angels and the Space Wolves then?

So with Merret out, what ideas did he purportedly block that may come to light? I heard SoB mentioned as a dislike of his, but is there any truth that? I assume most changes will depend on who (if anyone) fills the role at the company.

Genestealers were allegedly a particular dislike.

We have had the Cult models with a Codex on the way apparently, with absolutely nothing since 2nd.

I heard likewise, and that the Mechanicus were only on paper since Chambers' times but that the release of both of these armies was a herald of Merrett's exit.

The herald of his exit I'd say was the riptide, as it was the first time that the studio ignored him vetoing a product and released it without his ok. Fantastic sales proved he was wrong. I think from that point his position began to weaken, and he started to find increasing resistance to his ideas and manner of working.

 Azreal13 wrote:
Perhaps they're confused with Alan Bligh?

I hope they're confused with Alan Bligh.

https://www.amazon.com/Alan-Merrett/e/B0034OVXR8/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1

Merrett had a little something to do with Heresy.... (sarcasm implied)

Yeah, I'm not getting that reference.

He was bascially the curator of an art book that even in its first incarnation post dates the existence of the bones of the Heresy by some years, and leans heavily on the art from a card game, and all of a sudden he's the creator of the whole thing?

Doesn't mean or even imply that at all. It simply means that the HH project clearly had his full backing.

The riptide story above sounds dubious. Not sure how "the studio" could simply "ignore" a higher-up. There could be a kernel of truth in it, but it'd need a lot more detail to hang off of it.

It's definitely true, although I don't recall all the details accurately and have no intention of misrepresenting the truth by trying to fill the blanks. I remember that apparently the tooling was done, and he tried to block it before it went into production. I don't know who put their neck on the line to bypass him. The sales figures validated the decision though, and clearly caused questions to be asked on the other decisions that had been made.

Edit him doing things like that were a massive part of why they have wanted him out for a while now.