that's interesting, because for me at least, I was introduced to roleplay (of sorts) through Fighting fantasy books, if anything GW hindered my leaking to other games and systems (I didn't know there was a world outside GW, and they weren't telling!)

maybe the best service GW does for roleplaying is provide a meeting place for us to band on about how expensive and crap it is and to lure them into the world of roleplaying!

I know GW dont really have much involvement in the any Roleplay aspects any more, but it gets people curious and wanting to see what else is out there

Dark Light LRP
www.darklightlrp.com

I don't think you could call them a GW product, they were published by puffin (i think!)

(and I don't remember GW ever selling them in their shops)

If I may put my tuppence in...

GW and their Staff:- Yes, GW treat their staff like poodoo. This is because they KNOW that for every frothing fan boy they hire, they can find another one who wants that job, and bad, in a heartbeat. They know that they can replace most anyone. What a lot of people DON'T talk about is the fact that GW has some of the best staff training IN THE COUNTRY. Don't just take my word for it, ask Which? Magazine. That's in the country, not just in the games/hobby world. They have been a spring board for countless managment trainees that get onto their training programme which promises rapid advancement then take that training and reference and bag a job managing a tescos for almost 3 times the money.

GW as the boogieman:- Sure they've sold out. Sure they now market a lot to kids. Sure, we're all a little bitter about it now we're out fo the hobby for whatever reason but please bare in mind that we all had a lot of fun playing those games, either when we were younger or now. What has widely been percieved as a "dumbing down" of the rules I see as a change for the better. For example - 40k. The old rules (rogue trader then on through a few more eds) were a skirmish game. They were originally designed with "armies" of 30-40 guy a side in mind. In that kind of numbers you can afford to have more complex rules as there's less to track. When people started playing larger games GW recognised that a change in the rules was needed to facilitate these larger numbers. Hence a simplification that led to a streamlined game more suited to mass army play. 

GW Pricing policy:- Expensive - You betcha ass! Over expensive - Probably. Highest quality on the market - Arguably (and in MHO) Likely to be the cause of their downfall - I seriously doubt it. These guys are a business. Their main responsibility is to make money for their shareholders. Can they charge these prices and get away with it? Seems so given they've not gone under. These aren't stupid guys. The people that run the business end of things are sharp as tacks. Always have been. As long as people continue to pay those prices they'll keep selling them at that level. Ho hum. Fiscal reality strikes again. And let's face it, you can buy a 1500pt army for 40k for less than £200 without breaking a sweat if you know what you're doing (that is as long as you aren't snobby about plastics which, thanks to relatively recent (2001) changes in their moulding practices are now of an even higher quality than the old metals) and then you're all set to play, even up to tournament level. I've yet to attend my first LARP event and I've already spend well over £100 on kit and expect to spend a lot more if I enjoy it. I think the price thing is all about a sense of scale.

Obviously all this is in my humble opinion and I recognise that people will disagree with some things I've taken for granted. Heck, life'd be dull if they didn't. But I personally reckon GW get a bum rap in the RP world. They don't claim to be anything they're not and they make a high quality product that they can be proud of.  

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Magic is like shaving your armpits, harder than it looks

PD - Chasca Cui, Hunahpa High Priest and Ball Ref

RL - Dan

Sorry

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Magic is like shaving your armpits, harder than it looks

PD - Chasca Cui, Hunahpa High Priest and Ball Ref

RL - Dan

Don't be afraid to post your thoughts, even at length.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=25znYjjEzbE&search=benny%20hill

^{There is no way you can disprove to me that all reality we percieve, was concieved in the mind of a plastic troll. Now hand me my pills.}