So the name WAR PRIME has been an idea I have had in my head for many years. It originally started as a 3rd person Action shooter strategy game. Think of something like the game Dynasty Warriors mashed up with Warhammer 40K. I designed it, wrote the world history, and there it sat for years waiting for a programmer to help me build it.
Two years ago I started playing Warhammer 40K again. While we were doing that one of my friends moved to Arazona. it got me thinking about all the people I use to play with and how I missed playing games with them. So last year I had the notion to make a digital tabletop war-game. This would allow me to play the games I like to play with my friends regardless of where they are in the world.
I started looking though my old design documents and came across Warprime. Well that game wouldn't work, but some of the ideas in there would. I used it as the foundation for this new game. Once again I designed it and this time found a small group of people to rally behind the idea. We got a prototype built but before we could get it ready to show to investors, my programmer vanished into the ether (the perils of working with people over the internet). Once again I couldn't find another programmer to pick up the mantel.
But this time it was different. I had spent to much time and money building this universe to just let it go. I looked at my options and thought I would look into how hard it would be to make actual miniatures. Looking at the cost of miniatures, manufacturing, and shipping I was astounded to discover how much money miniatures companies were overcharging.
For less than $1.00 worth of plastic a customer is charged $30 for a pack of miniatures. There are many reasons for this.
1. Shipping
2. Packaging
3. Store Markup
4. Advertising
But there is another factor that is less obvious. Competition.
There are many tabletop miniatures games. There are even many tabletop miniature war-games. But there is only one science fiction 25mm tabletop war game. This game doesn't need to be named. Without competition this game has become synonymous with the grim dark future of war and have stood at the top of the war game pile for many years. But without competition to keep them honest and hungry, they have become greedy. Without someone to challenge them they have run roughshod over the hobby and their fan bass. It is time for this to change.
I am going to push forward because playing without an opponent is against the rules.
