The end of VASSAL and MMP? Nah...

Not sure if some of you are aware of this but there was a mini-tempest-in-a-teacup in the past 24 hours or so on ConSimWorld in the MMP folder. First, MMP principal, Brian Youse posted that MMP was suspending VASSAL support for their products. Here's the post. Calm down now, he retracted the company's stance a few hours later here -- much to the relief of many.

Of course there was the usual uproar of geekrage in between -- not without good reason in my opinion. Support for VASSAL and VASL for ASL is critical in some people's eyes to the health of the hobby of ASL and wargaming in general. It's already hard enough to find a face-to-face opponent -- many don't need yet another barrier to entry when it comes to enjoying their games.

Though I can understand the arguments of withdrawing support: MMP must maintain control of their copyright and doesn't want to be supporting electronic versions of their games which are freely distributed etc. etc. -- the way I see it -- and yes, I'm an nothing more than a voice in the wilderness -- VASSAL and the Internet keeps the hobby alive, pure and simple.

A few cogent and well elucidated voices chimed into the discussion. Jay White asked a series of pointed questions to Brian:

1) Are you willing to provide map / counter artwork to a third party so they can make VASSAL modules?

2) If not, are you willing to let customers make their own modules?

3) Are you willing to let individual game designers release VASSAL modules?
i.e. Hans was delivering VASSAL modules for the Gamers series at an alarming rate, and Adam Starkweather said there would be VASSAL modules for his GTS games. Hans seemed to enjoy what he was doing, and I can't see how that would be a drain on MMP's game-designing resources. Which leads me to ask again:

4) What is the reason for the change of heart w.r.t. releasing VASSAL modules, because it can't solely be about draining MMP's workload (based on Hans' enthusiasm..)

5) Are you going to keep existing VASSAL modules online, or will they eventually be removed?

Carl Frederick posted this:

If it's going to be so wonderful, what could possibly be a valid reason for stopping production of Vassal modules in the meantime? From what you're hinting, it's obviously so much better that a handful of Vassal modules produced between now and then can't hurt. This is the part that's got me hacked off. And, I've been in software (and a game buyer) long enough to know that whatever date is being promised on either side won't be kept. And those experiences have made me jaded enough that "trust me it'll be great" causes the exact opposite reaction in me.

Some good questions were asked and some excellent points made. For me personally I see GMT's support of VASSAL versions of their products as a value-add. By far they are the most open company when it comes to making their products available online and it doesn't seem to hurt their popularity or bottomline. I know that GMT will have a VASSAL module of their games so I can either play with others online, set up some quick virtual solo sessions or *gasp* try out their games before I buy them (i.e. I did just this before I bought Manoeuvre).

In the few hours between finding out about losing VASSAL "support" and their rescinding the idea, at least a few posters on CSW were threatening MMP with walking away from pre-orders and closing up their wallets. I admit I was entertaing the same thoughts. Did this flirtation with leaving VASSAL support behind have anything to do with Curt Schilling's newly freed time? Is 38 Studios or Green Monster Games or whatever he's calling it this week doing something with ASL online? All of MMP's products?! Who knows...

I just know this. MMP and wargame companies need VASSAL. Not having a solution to the online issue is ridiculous. Don Greenwood, legendary wargame designer, and head honcho on ASL originally said it best himself, "The Internet saved wargaming." (Listen to his interview on the Point2Point podcast here.)

I'm going to echo Mr. Frederick here but I'm totally on his wavelength... If MMP has an idea in mind that allows them to monetize their IP in VASSAL-like fashion I'm all for it -- just not at the expense of putting an end to all the hard work of their fans who create the VASSAL modules of their games in the meantime. Coming from the world of computer games I've heard the siren song of vaporware more than a few times and the funeral dirges supposedly caused by pirates. As soon as MMP has a workable VASSAL alternative I'd be willing to support it if there was a reasonable cost. I'm sure many of the hobbyists would be more than happy to do so as well.

2 Half-Squad Podcast Episode 12

The fellas at 2 Half-Squads have put together Episode 12 and they mention TPBF! Yay! But seriously, the episode has an awesome interview with Keith Dalton who is a part-timer with MMP.

It kind of goes together with the Chas Argent interview on the Point2Point podcast mentioned in the previous post I made to give a little bit of insight into the way MMP operates.

Like I said before I have had some thoughts brewing in my head about the seemingly frustrating and backwards decisions made by ASL's current torch-bearer. (Just for fun hang out at the ASL boards at Gamesquad.com and watch the sparks fly when this sore point comes up every once in a while.) I think that some of the difficulty newer players have with how MMP operates is the opaqueness of their production delays. As a modern-day consumer I think we're all used to businesses eagerly accepting our money but when faced with the reality of the wargaming hobby of out-of-print and/or out-of-stock items it boggles us. After hearing the Argent and Dalton interviews I'm much more forgiving of the difficulty in finding the SKs and Beyond Valor.

Back to the podcast, I really really like the idea of making November a "Newbie November" where we all try to introduce this ASL of ours to a new player. My job as a teacher and a coach for school teams really lets up in November so I'd been planning on getting my Eurogames/role-playing group along with my fellow work colleagues into some ASLSK scenarios with all my extra time. I've been chatting it up and sharing this blog with them so at least one or two are getting a bit of interest in doing so.

So the challenge is (for you half-dozen people who check out this blog and have the basics down) -- get ONE new person into the hobby this month. This might mean playing an SK scenario, finding SK#1 and giving it for Christmas, or whatever. Get one person into ASL! I'll reports my efforts in a later post.

Last thing, is there anything better than Jeff and Dave reading Woody Guthrie? LOL!

Recent ASL News & A Rant

Wow, you'd think the hobby was in a "Renaissance" mode or something.

Anyways, I was going to post this the other night but real life intervened and yesterday was Remembrance Day and it didn't feel appropriate. Here's the fun ASL news o' the moment:

• Multi-Man Publishing has announced that Action Pack 5 - East Front is now on pre-order and if history is anything to go by, it should make its pre-order fast and then be off to the printer and shipped in a few months or less. Not the biggest news for the newbie considering that the scenario pack and maps are not for us but remember that if you like ASL never pass up a chance to get in-print product!
  


• The gentlemen at 2 Half-Squads have released a few more bonus episodes one of which is a play-by-play commentary of an ASLSK Scenario S7 Prelude to Festung Brest (available for FREE at MMP). I haven't had a chance to check it out yet but the 2 Half-Squads have yet to disappoint.
  


• ASL hits myspace?! Desperation Morale's Mark Pitcavage has created a new myspace page dedicated to ASL in an effort to reach out to newbies and those curious about the game. Hats off to Mr. Pitcavage for his efforts! Check it out here!
  


• Speaking of podcasts, I've stumbled upon Point2Point which is a wargaming (in general) podcast. The most recent episode, #37, has an interview with MMP contractor Chas Argent (the coordinator for the aforementioned Action Pack 5!). In it Mr. Argent talks about some of the effort that goes into producing new ASL stuff and getting old stuff ready to print. It's quite informative and goes a long way in making me less crazy about how MMP does their business.

Rant Mode:

I've been brewing up a good rant in my head recently over the difficulty in getting the basic stuff required to simply play and enjoy ASL for newbies. Starter Kit #1 is still out of stock and so is the first full ASL module Beyond Valor. If this seems ludicrous to you you're not alone. (It seems to be a touchy subject over at Gamesquad's forums for example.) The obvious starting point in this whole argument is how MMP can hope to grow the hobby if the barrier to entry is this high...?

I think I got some of the answers from the Point2Point interview with Chas Argent. It's apparent that MMP is trying their best to come out with the best product possible and avoid the situation of issuing errata to hastily assembled and play-tested stuff. Given that the market is a niche one playtesters (and reliable ones at that) aren't lining up around the block with tons of time on their hands. It sounds to me like MMP is doing what they can to ensure the hobby is stable and not just pumping out stuff to "make money" -- I think we can all agree that ASL is not a massive moneymaker or something like that. In the interview Mr. Argent chatted about the sheer amount of work that simply goes into laying out the revamped modules, scenario sheets, and miscellany that goes into something like an Action Pack or Core Module. Art that no longer exists must somehow be reproduced and other difficult tasks seem daunting to a layman like me.

So....

I'm a little more willing to cut MMP some slack. (Who the hell am I to judge anyways?!) ASL is, to use a clichéd term, a labour of love. For example, Brian Youse and Perry Cocke, two of the principals at MMP still have day jobs! To those frustrated by this difficulty in getting product I say have a little bit more patience. In the meantime, do your part to get friends and others introduced to ASL with your own copy of ASLSKs and hopefully MMP will have this stuff out soon!

Postscript: FOR THE LOVE OF WHATEVER GOD YOU HOLD HOLY MMP, FIX THE MESSED UP SSL CERTIFICATE ON YOUR WEBSITE SO I DON'T FEEL DIRTY ORDERING STUFF FROM YOU FFS!!!

That is all.

UPDATE: MMP has fixed their SSL issue so we can all pre-order again! Now if only shipping to Canada didn't mysteriously go through frickin' Sweden first...