Lack of FAQ

[Brandy]

Originally Posted by Jackalope

Maybe you should...simply UPDATE the FAQ?

I think that's a reasonable idea, but even after thinking about it for a bit, I'm not sure what they would include. The "what die to use when searching" has come up a couple of times, even though it is spelled out in the rules clearly, but I really can't think of anything else that's been "frequently asked" other than questions about variants (How can we speed up the game?).

Still, if you have any questions, this forum is a good place to ask them. There may not be a FAQ yet, but there are a number of people (like myself) who play the game and like to answer questions, and you also can get definitive answers straight from the game's designer, generally through his proxies Andrew and Munchkin Man.

So, do you have any questions?

[Brandy]

Originally Posted by Andrew Hackard

Here's how I would write that question:

Q. What's the d10 for?
A. Classes have "d10 Powers." That's what it's for.

Q. But don't you use it for [some other thing]?
A. Nope. Just d10 Powers.

Q. Are you sure?
A. Very.

Q. *sulk*
A. Next!

Heh. Part of the problem with writing a FAQ is that the rules are so well-written. All those years of clarifying the card game helped, I'm sure. Still, I'd be more direct about this.

Q. Hey! The search table goes to 11 or more. Are we supposed to use the d10 for that?
A. Nope! Use the d6. When Munchkins are in a room that is "good" for them they roll an extra die for searching as well as combat.

[Brandy]

Another potential sources of FAQy goodness might be some places where the board game is different from the card game. For example:

Q. If I start a combat and have to run away, is my turn over?
A. No. Your turn is only over when you have used all of your move.

[Andrew Hackard]

Yes, the MQ FAQ fell through the cracks. My apologies for that. It will be one of my July priorities, along with the REALLY long-overdue revision of the Munchkin FAQ (which is entirely my fault; Erik did yeoman's work on a revision and I was buried in Other Projects and shoved it right on the back burner).

[Jackalope]

If you want to ban me for defending myself be my guest not really *that* much of a threat to me. Honestly.

Again just looking at this site for 20 minutes I saw a LOT of questions that would make excellent candidates for a FAQ. I've seen several just in THIS thread. And if you were to say, give credit the the poster (people love that!) I'm sure more would pop up. Are all candidates? No, probably not but I think more than the basically empty 3 question/answer FAQ you have posted. Its not about seeing 1 particular question come up a lot its about seeing a question and saying "Hey! Thats a good question. I never would have thought that but I can understand someone might! Lets throw that into the FAQ." You need to step back from being an EXPERT player and understand how someone new to the game might see it that way. Once its been posted and answered you are not going to see it come up a lot. Why would you see the same question asked 3-4 times. You'd get as your post implies 'bad attitude' with people so I'd really doubt you are going to see the same question keep coming up again and again if its been answered. The FAQ idea is suppose to gather all these items together instead of having to scroll through hundreds of threads and probably thousands of posts/replies to find the answer. At least to me thats what a FAQ is for.

Here is another hint, just being on this site for like 2 days. The poster, Bookman? hes <censored>ing Awesome from what I've seen. He has a lot of good questions and I think (again assuming) he knows the game well. But he can see what a good candidate for a FAQ might be. Might want to tap that resource who is also actually volunteering his time as much as anyone else is by being on here and helping people out as much as he does. I see his name around a lot!

The D10/D6 is not clearly spelled out. Read page 7, as I am sure you have, under SEARCHING. It does not say Roll 2 d6 or even DICE (to mean more than one DIE which would exclude the D10 at that point). It does not mention the word DICE until Page 20 and a lot of people (especially NEW to games, which I would think you'd be looking towards) call a "die" bye "dice" all the time. I'm in the south west and people do it with Cati/catus all the time as well. I don't threaten them if we are talking about them? I answer the question and try to help them out. Will I correct them? Sure in time. Do I try to embarrass them? No. Anyway it happens with DIE/DICE a lot. With the bonuses/minuses you can get its not unreasonable to think "maybe its a D10) that can take you to "1 or less" or to "11 or more". Again, that didn't come up in my game I assumed it was 2d6 but I still think thats a great question. I could see (as a new player to MUNCHKIN QUEST) someone thinking that way. I wouldn't dismiss it as "well written rules" and move on. But thats just me I guess.

And yeah, the reply I got was short and snippy really and actually quite insulting to all the good people who have posted questions on this site. There are several good questions on this board that could be included in the FAQ and you even admit as much really saying " And even your own post (Munchkinman) titled "Forum rules: Trust me, you'll want to read this first." points to the 3 question FAQ with a link. If its a word for word cut and paste again...maybe you should stop using that as the standard.

As someone who does play a lot of games, Fantasy Flight ones, Twilight Creations just to name a few who have a LOT of games under them and are easy to migrate back to, (and yes you DID just lose a customer. GOOD JOB!) looking at their FAQ you should be semi-embarrassed.

As a hint here is a good place to start, since you are a volunteer. Look a your cards. Address each that could be questionable. The (well) written rules do not exclude the use of a FAQ, more they may outright re-enforce something that maybe obvious to a seasoned player but not a new player that is just getting into the game. that is what a FAQ is for. Before I play a game I go to the site and try to get a FAQ so when I take it to a friends house its with us while we are trying to play it just for stuff that will come up. This one I didn't bother wasting the paper I just let the other players know that this does not cure the bird flu. They kind of laughed, which is what I was going for then followed up with "Are you serious thats all that was on there?" to the 3 questions. That was actually funnier than the question to us.

Reading through the threads its not uncommon for people to say a game takes over 4 hours when trying to learn the game it seems like a lot of questions are coming up and referencing the Rule Book a lot. Another good (to me) question that I read on here and actually ran into with my group was "After you run away is that the end of your turn?/Can you go challenge him again?" We decided that the turn does not end until after your movement is done so we did figure it out but we did go back to the instruction book to check it out. Had there been a FAQ I would have read that before even playing the game and been knowledgeable in MUNCHKIN QUEST before I even rolled my first die to see who goes first.

Anyway I've used enough of my time. I'm sure the MIGHTY "BAN HAMMER" (hey that might be a good weapon in the game if its not in the expansion!) is coming down now for defending myself and feeling a little short changed with what I thought was a reasonable question and asking if there is a "real" FAQ.

Adios Steve Jackson Games, have a good one.

/salute
(Sorry old Everquest player)

P.S. By the way...anyone want to buy a played twice MUNCHKIN QUEST and a played once MUNCHKIN? Yeah I liked the board game so went out and spent money on the card game and actually liked it and was going to get some expansions, especially the super hero one since I'm a huge Super Hero geek but that feeling has passed now. Boy do I feel like the fool I guess.

[Andrew Hackard]

Originally Posted by Jackalope

P.S. By the way...anyone want to buy a played twice MUNCHKIN QUEST and a played once MUNCHKIN? Yeah I liked the board game so went out and spent money on the card game and actually liked it and was going to get some expansions, especially the super hero one since I'm a huge Super Hero geek but that feeling has passed now. Boy do I feel like the fool I guess.

I'm sorry that my posts have caused you so much frustration. I hope you'll reconsider (and not just from self-interest; I really do like the Munchkin games and bet you would enjoy them, too). Regardless of what you decide, I wish you the best.

[RevBob]

This is actually something that's occurred to me a few times. Munchkin and MQ are prime examples of why a game rule clarification document shouldn't be called a FAQ. Key misconceptions are frequently unasked; people just get 'em wrong, even if the rule is right there in the book. Other situations are significant to the game model as edge cases, but they don't come up often. But, people expect to see a "FAQ," so it's kind of pointless to contest the term.

[Brandy]

Originally Posted by RevBob

This is actually something that's occurred to me a few times. Munchkin and MQ are prime examples of why a game rule clarification document shouldn't be called a FAQ. Key misconceptions are frequently unasked; people just get 'em wrong, even if the rule is right there in the book. Other situations are significant to the game model as edge cases, but they don't come up often. But, people expect to see a "FAQ," so it's kind of pointless to contest the term.

Heh. Perhaps a EYAWTKAMBWATA* instead?

*Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Munchkin But Were Afraid to Ask

[Andrew Hackard]

Originally Posted by RevBob

This is actually something that's occurred to me a few times. Munchkin and MQ are prime examples of why a game rule clarification document shouldn't be called a FAQ. Key misconceptions are frequently unasked; people just get 'em wrong, even if the rule is right there in the book. Other situations are significant to the game model as edge cases, but they don't come up often. But, people expect to see a "FAQ," so it's kind of pointless to contest the term.

Plus it's more polite to say, "Oh, that's come up a lot, you're far from the first to get that wrong" than "You're doing THAT?!? Wow, you're dumb." ;-)

[MunchkinMan]

Originally Posted by Andrew Hackard

Plus it's more polite to say, "Oh, that's come up a lot, you're far from the first to get that wrong" than "You're doing THAT?!? Wow, you're dumb." ;-)

Ah, the application of "The GMTA Diplomacy."