It would be the same as saying Tide of Iron (or any wargame) sucks because such and such event didn't occur as it had historically.

It's the thrill of changing what has already been established that draws me to gaming (among a zillion other reasons).

I fall into both camps.

On one side, I like to see new IPs. That's how you get cool stuff like the GW universes. There's also stuff like the PP's Warmachine universe, which I personally don't care for, but it's different.

On the other hand, it can be so much easier to slide into a setting if you know the theme. Part of the reason I don't think I'll buy Rex is because I don't want to try and explain it. I don't want to be all "see here, these are the lion men who... and fight the turtle guys because of the incident on...". If you drop Star Wars Risk or Dune on the table, most folks are familiar enough with the setting they can easily jump into the game.

The thing is for a new IP to work you _need_ to have novels, codexes, etc. something to bring the background out. The GW and PP games have all of this so the fans can really get into and chew on the theme. In fact, there are many who would rather just read the fluff and/or model than play the games. They simply like interacting in these new worlds.

But that's the thing, there's tons of support for these worlds depending on your level of commitment. Support and choices boardgames can't match. So, to create a new IP I'm not sure boardgames are the best way to do it. It requires too many other sources. I applaud FFG for trying and their novels are the right idea (do we really need hack Cthulhu ones though?), but if it's not generic enough fantasy or sci-fi it's a harder sell

Honestly, Space Hulk and Android may be new IPs, but their success was dependent on existing IPs . Don't think for a second that Space Hulk touched the gaming public as well as it did based on genestealers and space marines. It was 'Damn, this is Aliens!' that drove sales, _then_ the appreciation for space marines and such developed. You can bet that Blade Runner is the cause of more Android sales then the Android brand itself.

Dr. Mabuse wrote:


I'd wager that's it for most gamers. They like the change. It's kind of why I don't own any historical games.. that and no interest. I do love ToI but that's just a rule set for my plastic army men, the history itself I could do without.

Of course it's good to see new IPs come out. Every IP was new at some point, after all. The question for me is how successful you can be in a board game when introducing a new IP and trying to make the game tell an immersive story. How well can a board game convey it's "executive theme"? In order for a board game to get that across to the players, the designer has to either fill the rulebook with back story, or put a bunch of flavor text into the game itself. Neither of these options seem to work very well.

RPGs are different. They involve a lot more writing and the players (especially the DM) spend much more time familiarizing themselves with the world. They're also hugely involved and invested in creating their character.

Not to say that a board game that is made around a new IP can't be great. It's a question of ambition. Eclipse has a little blurb about each of the factions and the back story in it's rulebook, but it doesn't really go much further than that. You don't get the sense that it's trying to do too much.

I'm not clear how you excuse your enjoyment of non-original IP games like Mage Knight and historical games like TOI by saying (for MK) "I guess Mage Knight is not an original IP, it already existed and in a game context but I never played it" and for TOI " I do love ToI but that's just a rule set for my plastic army men".

They seem like valid reasons for why some people play IP /historical games, too.

Dr. Mabuse wrote:


There is no need for an excuse. I own and enjoy Mansions, despite it's non original IPness. I did own Arkham as well and it didn't bother me. Simply a case of what I prefer and want from the industry.

Mage Knight is a weird case cause I know nothing about what it's supposed to be like I only know what I have in that one box but I like the world so far. Is it the same as the old. See, I just don't know.

ToI is a wargame and WWII wargames are the most generic of all. I totally understand history buffs loving wargames (as you know Steve loves them and I play a bunch as a result) it's just that I would never pick them myself and the fact that they are based on real events makes them less palatable to me. Fortunately ToI has little plastic army men that look like the ones I played with as a kid, the appeal is not to alter history, I could care less about that, the appeal is to play with plastic army men. I read the historical stuff on it sometimes but it's just because it's there and it's not like I'd every search it out otherwise.

Now is your question "would making them completely new improve them?" then yes, yes it would. I wish they were but a good game is a good game.