13
Dec 13

Bringing back HeroQuest?

I’ve previously written about Heroquest so you should know how much I love this game, responsible as it is for getting me more into nerdy hobbies.

A wee while back, a petition started for a 25th anniversary edition. I obviously signed it, not holding out much hope.

Discussion has taken place many a time of what to do if you won the lottery, my number one item, every time, was to employ lawyers to navigate through Hasbro, Games Workshop and whoever else was needed to secure the rights to HeroQuest to do a re-release of it.

Well, there was rumbling of a re-release and then a Spanish site appeared promoting a 25th edition. This was due to appear on Kickstarter. Surely not!

They claimed to have the licence and someone dug up stuff showing they owned the trademark to HeroQuest in Spain. They intended to host in Kickstarter but be based in Spain, selling in Spain in multiple languages.

The cover and some prototype images were released.

HeroQuest25thCover

Immediately the fanbase was torn. Surely this can’t be, Hasbro has licenced someone and/or lost the trademark? A date was promised for the project to appear which was then missed.

Kickstarter

The project starts and within a few hours breaches it’s target with the base game and all extras running to around £93.87, when converted from Canadian dollars. Although steep, it was no great amount considering what people pay for some of the expansions.

Slowly, too slowly in fact, stretch goals started to be revealed. These were for the most part underwhelming. A single figure for €33K. Normally showing what the next reward is at the next level, which has already been reached. The video starts off with the original advert, again implying this was properly licenced. The fanbase started asking awkward questions such as

  • How much is postage, it doesn’t say?
  • Are you really licenced?
  • Do you have any sculpts?
  • Can we see some real work you have done on this instead of just a mocked up box cover?

The project was sitting at $300,000 and we were awaiting the first update from the project owner, which was more than a little unprofessional. Leeway was given for the poor English due to translations, but that made people a bit nervous about any future product.

Eventually updates appeared and some questions were answered. To find out postage sign up to their company site and then enter your details to find out. The postage calculator subsequently broke and was being worked on. When fans were outraged at the cost being charged and ambiguity over that being the final amount GameZone said they would give a voucher for their store for the amount you spent on postage.

Within a couple of days the project was unavailable due to an intellectual property dispute.

It was shortly announced that it would be appearing on a Spanish only Kickstarter site to avoid these issues. It did, then was dropped 5 hours later for, presumebly the same issue.

Ownership

The roots of all these problems lie in intellectual property.

But it wasn’t Hasbro or Games Workshop who sent in the scary lawyers, but by Moon Design (who they?). Well it appears they have the trademark to HeroQuest in the US, and so spotting US citizens pledging felt it infringed their rights. Secondly they intend to produce a board game of their HeroQuest roleplaying game and wanting to get a large chunk of cash from GameZone to continue.

Does that also mean that had Hasbro and Games Workshop decided to release a new HeroQuest they would try and block it? A bit rich considering the board game was out first. I was already annoyed with their RPG stuff for clogging eBay searches for HeroQuest but this just makes them bigger asses.

GameZone have tied themselves in knots, claiming they aren’t selling in the US whilst seeking US funders, seemingly not giving Stephen Baker credit for the game they are re-releasing, cocking up two crowd funding project, not being capable of telling people the postage cost etc.

It’s all looking a bit shit for HeroQuest fans just now. At least there’s continued work by fans on Hero Quest Revised as well as Descent and Mice and Mystics to play.


07
Dec 13

First ever draft win

I have managed to win my first ever draft, having always got mana/colour screwed any time I managed to pull together a decent deck. Here’s what I managed with other people in my colours too.

9-11-2013-ManaDeprived-Fabled-Hero-1

  • Spark Jolt
  • Chained to the Rocks
  • Messenger’s Speed
  • Lightning Strike
  • Setessan Battle Priest
  • Bronze Sable
  • Cavalry Pegasus
  • Chosen by Heliod
  • Akroan Hoplite
  • Observant Heliod * 2
  • Wingsteed Rider * 2
  • Two Headed Cerberus
  • Spear of Heliod
  • Gift of Immortality
  • Fabled Hero
  • Anax and Cymede
  • Divine Verdict
  • Portent of Betrayal
  • Heliod’s Emmisary
  • Hundred-Handed One
  • Bordeland Minotaur
    • Relevant side:

  • Silent Artisan
  • Last Breath * 2
  • Satyr Rambler
  • Prowler’s Helm * 2
  • Anvilwrought Raptor
  • Traveler’s Amulet
  • Scholar of Athreos
  • Opaline Unicorn * 2
  • Burnished Hart
  • Traveling Philosopher (had in game 1, swapped out for Portent of Betrayal)

Round One vs Simon

Simon is a really good player who bested me in the two headed giant tournament we played at last time. He had what he described as an insane Blue White deck.

I start and drop a land. He drops the 1/1 lifelinker. I drop a land, he equips an ordeal and swings for 2 going to 22 life. I have a spear in hand so play that. He puts on a second ordeal, swings to make it a 4/4, gaining 20 life going to 46 life, with me on 14. Not a good start for an aggro deck. He’s locked because of the spear now though. I gradually manage to drop Fabled Hero, Pegasus and Two-Headed Cerberus and the Setessan Battle Priest. I’m swinging for 12 a turn and win whilst on 6 life. Tense and a bit crazy. For game two I swap out the vanilla 2/2 and put in a Portent of Betrayal.

Cavalry-Pegasus-Heroes-vs-Monsters-Spoiler

Game two I fight through 3 vaporkins? (he has 5!). Eventually besting him to win 2-0.

Round Two vs Kian

I’m up against a blue/black deck with Ashiok. Game one he drops and Ashiok but I managed to kill after 2 activations. I then turn attention on the player and after equipping on Fabled Hero and swinging in with a Pegasus it is hilarious.

Game two he manages to drop Ashiok and some deathtouch dudes, eventually I kill Ashiok with 6 cards in hand, no flyers and him having two deathtouch defenders.

Game three is a bit more even, but I eventually manage to Chain a deathtoucher to rocks, and tap down another to win 2-1.

Round Three vs Dan Birthday Boy Rayner

It’s the final and I’m up against the store owner and it’s his birthday. He’s playing a Green/White deck and that explains why I was being cut from the right on packs 1 and 3. I still got passed 5 of the 6 rares in my maindeck though, Fabled Hero and Hundred Handed were definitely from the left though.

Game One I drop a couple of dudes. He drops the Green 2/2 who gets a counter when you target. He equips with two ordeals and swings through for 12. I had taken him down to about 14 at the time. It’s turn 4 and he’s tapped out with an 8/8 on the table and I have about 5 power. Time for a Portent of Betrayal then!

Game Two is a bit of a grind but he eventually manages to get me down to one life and he has three creatures on board.

Game Three and it’s all to play for. Spear does it for me again, to kill blockers. I have Anax and Hoplite out, flying with Pegasus. I have 10 power on board and he has 12 life. I get the land I need and equip Anax with +2/+2 so it’s game for my first ever draft victory.

Anax

Spoils

Totally worth a quick Saturday afternoon. After doing terrible with my silly standard deck recently I then went 3-1 on Thursday with my Modern Goblins.

  • Thassa, God of the Sea
  • Temple of Mystery
  • Bident of Thassa
  • Pyxis of Pandemonium
  • Sin Collector (promo)