Ogre Drop Off

[cephalopagus]

Originally Posted by andrewbeasley

Could this be because it was not advertised anywhere other than this forum?

TBH - I came back here to help me decide if I sell or keep as the game locally and on the 'net seems dead.

I can understand money being tight and having to support the games that make money but leaving the plastic range half complete, the rehashing old books and warnings of stock-outs leave me cold and does not really aid growth with new players.

To misquote Benjamin Franklin - 'Advertise or Die'. Without players seeing the game in use, news, articles and new things the game will end up in the roof (like mine) and new players will never hear about it. Memories are fine but they do not pay the bills.

Another outstanding insight.

[J. Durr]

Short Attention Span Theatre! Ogre's been trucking for decades with plenty of quiet spells. There is no need to be upset.

[andrewbeasley]

Originally Posted by J. Durr

Short Attention Span Theatre! Ogre's been trucking for decades with plenty of quiet spells. There is no need to be upset.

But if you do not have new and shiny, once the oldies (and I'm one of them) stop playing how do the new gamers find it?

[cephalopagus]

Originally Posted by andrewbeasley

But if you do not have new and shiny, once the oldies (and I'm one of them) stop playing how do the new gamers find it?

Couldn't agree more. Granted I do have a short attention span but I think I'm justified in this case. There was a rebirth with the first KS and it has dropped off a lot. And yes I know there have been ups and downs in this game but as we and Mr. Jackson are get older if you don't get new players interested...you know what I'm about to say.

[J. Durr]

All things pass.

[selenite]

If we want forum activity, we could set up an online tournament among the regulars. Do an elimination tree, post after action reports, show that we actually play the game.

[Misplaced Buckeye]

Originally Posted by selenite

If we want forum activity, we could set up an online tournament among the regulars. Do an elimination tree, post after action reports, show that we actually play the game.

I'm sure you all or most are one on one of the social media sites for Ogre. I offered to give away free copies of the OS&T counter sheets with printouts explaining the counters as prizes for people to create scenarios. I got a little interest but ultimately no one turned in anything.

This game is on it's way becoming another Catan if this continues. You might see it run at cons when they open up again but otherwise the majority of people say "Oh my Dad played that. Wonder where the game went?" And it's really too sad. Hard to blame SJG. I'm sure the "new and shiny" that will be the Car Wars launch will be the final nail.

Kinda like playing an Avalon Hill game.

[RogerBW]

Originally Posted by selenite

If we want forum activity, we could set up an online tournament among the regulars. Do an elimination tree, post after action reports, show that we actually play the game.

The policy that prevents online gaming sites such as BGA or yucata from offering OGRE probably doesn't help, but any forum with image posting (done by map generator software, so as not to violate anyone's copyrights) and a die roller should be able to support something like this run between friends.

Originally Posted by Misplaced Buckeye

This game is on it's way becoming another Catan if this continues.

If OGRE now had the sales of Catan now I don't think SJGames would be complaining. :)

[Misplaced Buckeye]

Originally Posted by RogerBW

The policy that prevents online gaming sites such as BGA or yucata from offering OGRE probably doesn't help, but any forum with image posting (done by map generator software, so as not to violate anyone's copyrights) and a die roller should be able to support something like this run between friends.



If OGRE now had the sales of Catan now I don't think SJGames would be complaining. :)

Roger,the word HAD is appropriate. Ogre has been a profit center in the past just like Catan. BUT at the last Origins convention I attended I was the only person that showed up for a Catan event(which ended up cancelled). Ogre at that con actually had good attendance.

Perhaps it's the mindset of the game that needs to change for it to pick up. I have talked with a few of the local plyers and they have commented that Ogre turns into just a dice chucking game with who can slam the other first and hardest. Many on my social sites have commented that the most enjoyable games had either no Ogre involved or nothing higher than a Mark 3. The interaction in using the non Ogre units in tactical action with all the new rules from the Battlefields update made for a more balanced game also.

Perhaps it's time for a second overhaul of the game. Maybe call it "ODE: Last War" and concentrate scenarios on less Ogre Smash and more unit finess. I've seen many variants for the infantry and support weapons that would turn this into a Squad level easily. I'm not saying forget the Ogre just remember that it was originally a weapon of last resort when all else failed because it cost so much to field one.

Comments?

[Russ K]

I am way behind the Ogre power curve but glad to be back. I played the the 3rd edition pocket version a lot back in the 1980s. There was another wargamer at work and we would play at lunch. We both played Avalon Hill games but like Ogre better during lunch because we could play best two out of three in an hour while eating a sandwich. I haven't played any wargames hardly at all in the last 2 decades, but stuck at home last summer, I began dragging them out and playing against myself. Finally, I got around to Ogre and it was so much fun that I ordered the 6th edition and played it most of the rest of the summer.

I haven't played the online version.