Games Day US Forgeworld Seminar

[philbrad2]

Thanks to MUNDELEIN at http://duskfallsonadeadland.blogspot.com/ reported on DAKKA here

Lots of info both 40K and FB (40K is first)

Highlights :

* More Contemptor arms.(Plasma Cannon, Heavy Conversion Beamer - in the FW teaser newsflash, Mortis Pattern(Typhoon Launchers and Assault Cannons on each arm), Heavy Bolters)
* Chaos Contemptors on their way lots of new Dreadnought stuff coming along
* Second FW masterclass book.
* Imperial Armour 11 is set for sale Nov-Dec.(He said Holidays)
* Imperial Armour 12 is likely to feature Dark Eldar
* More Marine Armor variants to come...
* More Marine shoulder pad sets...
* More Land Raider Variants(a plasma cannon variant was explicitly mentioned)
* They will continue to introduce Special Character models from the Badab War.A beautiful Techmarine with a conversion beamer was shown off, with twin whips - think Mickey Rouke in Ironman 2. Arms and shoulders interchangeable so you can field as a Master of the Forge with any SM army.
* More decal sheets for SM's
* FW Apoc book redone to take into consideration feedback and codex updates (GW take note!)
* More bits for Elysian and Cadian plastic mentioned
* A full picture of the huge Dark Eldar skimmer (Tantalus) was shown, will incorporate brass etched piece for the kit.
* Shadow Spectre Phoenix lord being done
* 2 Bran Redmaw models for next book - one as SM one as Wulfen.
* Possibly some SW shoulderpads.


PhilB

[Captain Xavier]

Hey guys, thought i'd take some screen shots for some of the lazy ones among us.
Image descriptions
1) Mortis Contemptor pattern dreadnought with Heavy conversion beamer (and unseen graviton beamer)

2) Mortis Contemptor pattern dreadnought with assault cannons and typhoon launcher

3) Mortis Contemptor pattern dreadnought with 2 twin-linked heavy bolters

4) Mortis Contemptor pattern dreadnought with plasma cannon

5) Imperial Guard Praetor

6) Dark Eldar Tantalus

7) Tech Marine with conversion beamer and whips of some description

release dates have not been set for any of these so keep an eye out.

Cheers
Cpt X

[MajorWesJanson]

How I spent my summer (Gamesday) Vacation

Most of my time was either in seminars, or hanging out talking to the luminaries at the studio guest table.

Will Hayes:
Contemptor Dreadnought Arms- Assault Cannon, Plasma Cannon, Twin Heavy Bolters, Twin Autocannons. Plasma gun in DCCW arm option.

Venerable and Chapter-specific Contemptors next, taking advantage of shoulders being part of the Dreadnought kit and not the weapon packs.

Discussed Crassius rules- limited use now, since only 30 capacity. I suggested making it 31 or 36, and/or giving command vehicle rule like Chimaera.

I asked about female princeps, alternate heads, and amniotic tank princeps options- unsure about female princeps possibility, I mentioned the one in Helsreach. Head options maybe, but likely not. Liked the idea of the tank princeps, perhaps as a special character, an ancient veteran princpes confined to the tank. Would maybe come with alternate faceplate or other options for making the titan distinct.

Warlord Titan- Not started yet, in the idea phase. 22-24 inches tall (60cm) based on an update of the beetleback design. Hadn't considered the secondary weapon mounts on the beetleback, likely would not include. Head likely skull-face appearance.

I asked about the correlation between shield generators and void shields in rules on the Mars warhound and Reaver. He hadn't thought about it, but agreed that it works really well to designate shields lost when played. Discussed placement of void shields on Warlor if 6 on there. Possibly two on each side rear, two in front on "hood."

Discussed carapace weapon mount. Didn't want to just flip the warhound weapons over. At that point I grabbed a sharpie and piece of paper and sketched out a quick turret idea. Will then drew his version- curved front slopes into flat back. Some mechanical gribblies on the sides. On the back, each gun would have a different ammo block that attaches, and the guns themselves would probably be mounted to a curved mantlet to attach to the front. I suggested mounting on a cylinder so the guns could be elevated. I still have the sketch.






Mark Bedford:

Elysian Veteran oncept pictures, mentioned as maybe too Halo looking. I thought they are great and urged them to be made. I also asked about a drop troop commissar. Elysians likely to be drip-fed models. Maybe a few with IA 11.

Most of the rest of my discussion with him was rehashed in the FW seminar.



Jes Goodwin
Void Raven bomber art, and pictures for SSlyth and poisoner.
Void Raven is larger Razorwing, with two more engines, angular glass canopy in the nose, stubby Void Lances. Discussed frame breakdown, likely to end up on three tank sprues.

Poisoner is female, wearing a mix of armor plates and sort of a kimono.

Sslyth is snake like. No legs, sits on tail. 4 arms, with CC weapons. Crocodile like head.

Used to allow pictures of concept art, but doesn't/can't anymore since other companies/individuals have used that art as a basis for knockoffs in the past. Especially unhappy with the argument that since his work is "derivative" that pirating the design is fair game.

Another thing he dislikes is how people say things online that they would never say in person. Mentioned an e-mail received from someone who hoped GW would go under. Responded asking if the person really wanted the company to shut down and employees to lose their jobs. Person seemed surprised, but still said yes.

I mentioned Warseer, and was surprised when he recognized me from here. He also gave a shout-out to Harry. We then segued into a major discussion of the internet response to GW.
Doesn't mind people who dislike his models, but anrgy when people call designers "lazy".
Haemculous and Beastmaster/beasts specifically brought up.
Haemi pose was intentionally cruciform, with a sort of "go ahead and shoot me, I don't care."
Beastmaster was done by Jes on spare time.

He asked what I thought of the Storm Raven, and I said that I leave the tails off mine for aesthetics. Otherwise, I kind of like them.

He asked what I thought the next major internet complaint would be, and I said that if Mat Ward was writing the Necron book (lots of hedging here by both of us, rather humorous) that there would be two weeks plus of whining and doomsday. Jes agreed that that was likely, and that some designers don't go online because there are so many people spewing vitriol. He thought it was unfortunate that people have such a narrow mindset that they prejudge a release even before knowing what is inside, or twist parts to suit their complaints. He mentioned that Ward especially gets this treatment, especially by people who would never say it to his face. Criticism is fine, but simple whining/hatred is not justified. Did not like seeing someone with a banner "taking the piss" about Mat Ward.

Female Imperial Guard- "People want what they can't have" and was joking with me about a comment I made about the quality of female models by GW.

Pricing of models is nothing to do with Jes. pricing done by others.

Medusae and Ur-Ghul in cabinet. Medusae has 2 different complete head options. Got to discussing the Ur-Ghul. Jes explained that it originally came from a throwaway line about a temple of the Ur-ghul, and when asked what they were, they ended up being expanded into a race and unit entry. Also got to discussing Urghul skin, and how it is like shark skin. Some Archons like to wrap the hilts of their weapons with Ur-ghul leather.

Ended when the FW seminar as about tostart and someone wanted to do an interview. Final discussion about pirates vs ninjas- Ninjas win was agreed upon.

I had a great time talking with all three people.

Jes, Mark, Will, thanks for putting up with all my questions and suggestions.

Few more things:
Jes is not currently sculpting anything that he can't tell us about, but instead is doing mainly design work and mentoring new sculptors.
Laughed about the whole Summer of Fliers rumor. There was little studio interest in fliers at all until the Razorwing came along, now people want to put fliers in books.
He also does not like the Lucius pattern Epic titan models, as they are too blocky and generic Sci-fi.
He's also checked dates and is confident that GW was the first to seriously do the big war robots in the US, as they appeared before official imports of things like Gundam or Macross.
Jes did mention a slight Evangelion influence.
Got to talking about the Emperor titan, and changes he would make now- Thighs were a big one.

Will Hayes- wants to redo the epic titans to match the new styling- current ones are far too small and out of scale. at 6 mm, Epic models are 1/5, so a Warhound would be 2 inches tall, and the Reaver about the size of the Contemptor dreadnought. Current epic titans are far too plain as well. If redone, more detail would be added, like how Aeronautica updated the various fliers in size and detail.
Lucius Warhound was basically his first project out of Uni, so it has a lot of problems. Flat and blocky for ease of design. Later Mars pattern more refined, far more warhammer looking. Still both Warhounds have major problems with assembly, making the interior and main body out of 6 parts that all attach to each other a bad idea in retrospect. Reaver design more construction friendly, with main body more unified.
Discussed heresy terminators, and possibility of re-mastering the Mark IIb land raider. Old master gone, thus poor fitting casts now. if redone, possibly include variants like redeemer.
Mk I Thunder Armor and Mk VIII Errant armor discussed, as well as more assault squads. MK VIII ought to include the concept art elements like the ankle discs, variant helmet, and heavy bracers.
Mk IV assault squad may have single turbine jump packs like Sanguinary guard, as IV is supposedly the most refined version. MK VIII assault may have jet packs that trade the circular exhausts for smaller flat versions. Mk IX armor joked about.

Oh, that sounds cool. If these guys look Haloish then perhaps they're suppose to represent Veterans with carapace?

Various designs, but instead of the chest plate with respirator, there was a larger plate armor section with an armored collar. Helmets were fully enclosed. Grav chute pack looked a lot like the jump pack from Halo Reach. Took some pictures with my phone.