General White Dwarf Feedback Thread

[Mutantdale]

Sorry to say this but i am starting to think of the White Dwarf as less of a hobby magazine and more of a Monthly advert that costs me money

thoroughly dissapointed with the amount of wasted space on their "buy this its great" adverts, bring back the modelling, masterclasses and the hobby side please.

Oh yeah and if I wanted lord of the rings articles I would have bought the dedicated magazine with the miniautes in them.

MD
gripe over

[Finn Sourscowl]

http://uk.games-workshop.com/careers...lt.aspx?job=66

Don't know if people have seen this... but didn't they fire someone from a position like this before (Rudgie)?

Anyone with a bit of experiance want to try and make a difference to the rag that is the current WD?

[ThousandPlateaus]

Damn - I was just about to post that.

It's a clear indication that someone's listening to these grumblings, though - the very fact that there's a link on the front page of UK GW online shows how serious things have become, which hopefully, could only be a good thing.

I'm sure a few people who post on here could do quite a good job; if I didn't have so much on, I'd think about applying myself (don't much fancy living in Nottingham either, truth be told).

[Osbad]

I think that one was Nick Kyme's job. IIRC he had been in it for a good few years so probably found one paying much more than £20k to go to. can't blame him really - who would want WD on their CV nowadays?

[ThousandPlateaus]

If you could write Saviour of White Dwarf on your CV, then why not?

[Osbad]

Yeah... like GW are going to let some lowly minion on £15-£20k overturn Kirby's carefully thought out "lets trash WD policy"....

I think not !

[Finn Sourscowl]

I wondered if it was Nick Kyme's old job... I think he left to do editing (or something) at Black Library (probably paid more!)...

Since it's GW stance that WD is now a catalogue, it's unlikely to make a difference either way

[ThousandPlateaus]

You're both probably right.
Sigh.

[athamas]

well i have not bought a WD in ages,, i stopped getting them over a yr and a half ago and have not really regretted it, i occasioally flick through the pages, but i learn nothing new,


any new pictures i can find here, on the UK GW site, or if not the US GW site [that has some better and some worse sections to its site]

FW stuff is delivered to my inbox 3 months before it appears in WD..


currently WD is a shambles of an advert mag,

yes they are trying to sell items to new gamers, so have the first 10 pages of the mag devoted to showcasing all the things they are trying to premote, whilst still keeping the content later on...

there is nothing much to entertain the gamer who has more then a few years experience...

[Darthvegeta800]

Well i occassionally buy it. When there are articles that interest me.
But i must say that:

1) A LOT of advertising though in part i understand it.

2) Too much focus on Lotr. They really push it. Eventhough WH and WH40K are higher up the ladder, Lotr at times get's HUGE attention. Too much.

3) More background/fluff articles

4) Less 'arranged' battles plz... I mean come on... the promoted side always seems to win. Might just be an impression though.

5) More diversity... . If i see another article on the Tau i'll scream!
It's a VERY thick magazine yet 1/3 seems filled with hogwash, lists of retailers/shops/advertising.

6) LOTS OF EMPTY SPACE in some articles. Sometimes you have to wonder... .

[spyrer2000]

Just a quick note: I posted some WD insider info over on the B&C here.

[f2k]

Now let's take a step back from the magazine and look at the company's policies and goals - Games Workshop has changed its focus. GW is NOT in the business of selling miniatures magazines, nor are they in the business of selling miniatures wargames. GW has focused itself on selling models and hobby supplies to the exclusion of almost everything else.

Guy Haley is the man in charge of the global WD studio, and he's taking his directions based on this new focus. Therefore, according to Guy Haley (straight from the horse's mouth here - I am certainly NOT joking!), WD will never, ever, ever, forever-and-ever-amen, publish rules again. Instead, the global studio exists to push product. Selling models is the high point, but even more important, is selling hobby supplies. If WD can get people to buy more glue, more paintbrushes, more army cases, then his job has been successful. The new releases are also highlighted every month by the Global Studio, and the "new thing at the time" emphasis is what results in three solid months of Tyranids, for instance.

Some of you may have noticed that recently, WD was hiring staff writers. The writers Guy Haley sought were writers who could generate compelling ad copy - basically, folks who could make glue and paintbrushes sound exciting and cool. It's very likely that the new hire is a young, relatively inexperienced writer who has a lot of passion for the company's products and a low salary history.

Please tell me that this is BS…

Please tell me that you’re lying…

You’re not, are you…?


Sigh, I guess it shouldn’t surprise me – but it still makes me sad. If this is true, then I’m afraid the WD, and perhaps even the entire GW, is digging their own grave.

Please tell me, how can they expect us to pay for something that is basically just adverts? What is their reasoning behind this? Or do they truly believe that their customers are stupid?

[Bombot]

Please tell me, how can they expect us to pay for something that is basically just adverts?

I understand most of GW’s decisions, even if I don’t agree with all of them.

This question has me stumped though. The only possible reason is that they figure a sizeable x% of their customers are rabid fanboys who will buy any old rubbish they publish!

[ThousandPlateaus]

Sadly, though - I think they're right, and enough people will continue to buy WD even if it is unutterable ******, making the whole exercise a win-win situation for GW.

Yeah, sales of WD will slide, but who cares - it's now being printed in Poland for a zillionth of the cost of printing in the UK, on much worse quality paper than ever, with cheaper, less durable ink - I can't believe they had to apologise for the paper quality a few months ago (ironically, the giant issue) which noone seems to have commented on; I was appalled - it's obvious they just got carried away with their cost cutting exercises and realised for once they'd gone a step too far.

Anyway, less people will buy, GW won't care as it now costs so little that the marginal reduction in units shifted won't affect the new price of production at all. Rabid fanboys and curious passers-by will pick up the magazine regardless and the magazine will continue as the bilge that it's become.

A crying shame.

[purplehoob]

Well my son bought the 320 issue and I have to say that after a visit to the toilet, only place I get to read in peace, I ended up reading the shampoo bottles.

It used to take a good 25-30 minutes to read the dwarf, now it was more like 10 minutes. The word Crap has more connitations than you think.

[cybertron2000uk]

3 issues to go! should I renew?? Arrgghhh...I still cant decide...
Its still a crap read...but a good crap read...

ahh what the hell!..I will renew...

[Darthvegeta800]

Didn't take the latest issue.
No interesting articles except MAYBE the testbattle with the Necron.
For my brother than because he's desperate to see at least one article related to the Necrons.

[ferrus]

When I compare the average issue of Dragon magazine and think of its utility for my gaming, against the current excrement that is White Dwarf, it makes me want to weep.

I want plenty of rules and background as these enhance the game. Modelling/painting articles are good (especially when done in conjunction with rules/fluff) but only so long as they are advanced tips you wouldn't know yourself. God knows GW produce enough books for beginner painters; we don't need long articles teaching 12 year olds how to apply simplistic painting techniques to his latest shiny model.

[Darthvegeta800]

When I compare the average issue of Dragon magazine and think of its utility for my gaming, against the current excrement that is White Dwarf, it makes me want to weep.

I want plenty of rules and background as these enhance the game. Modelling/painting articles are good (especially when done in conjunction with rules/fluff) but only so long as they are advanced tips you wouldn't know yourself. God knows GW produce enough books for beginner painters; we don't need long articles teaching 12 year olds how to apply simplistic painting techniques to his latest shiny model.

I have no objection to such stuff for beginners in WD as long as everyone gets something. Variation is needed and there isn't any... ):

[Serpent]

WD just went up in price with 16% over here. Someone commented that that just made an even better deal to subscribe. When I retorted that I would not buy it anyway, as it is mostly filled with mindless crap, said person thought for half a second and said: "Yes, you're correct on that one".

Serpent