Random Observations.
Compass games website is absolutely not user friendly to use from a consumer point of view. Sort games by date published, name, or cost. Who cares? Want to know what the offerings are for a specific era? Good luck. GMT at least has the decency allow you to sort across a wide range of categories.
I thought we as a gaming community and society were OUTRAGED by colonization games. And yet here we have Compass producing a second printing of a colonization game. The description of which literally says 'Colonialism is a game of 19th and early 20th century imperialism. Each of the 2 to 4 players assumes the role of a nondescript colonial power. Players will try to gain influence in the unindustrialized regions of the game board and to obtain as many resources as possible. Although the colonial powers are anonymous in the game, Colonialism aims to be a serious, though abstract, look at this dark chapter in recent world history." I guess making it nondescript is the key to making it marketable. So by not using the names like United Kingdom, France, or whatever because reasons makes it palatable.
The point on comparing component quality cannot be overstated. Compass wants $80-100 a game. I as a consumer expect the quality to warrant the price tag. Order a $90 game from GMT and low quality of components is never something I ever consider. Compass? Convince me otherwise.
Compass provide your counter designers color wheels. Please.
Rulebooks. I hate rule books written in a narrative fashion like Compass produces. Sure GMT rulebooks read like technical manuals but its damned practical when looking for specific rules during play. I don't want to sift through paragraphs of description to find the actual rule.
Now...GMT is I think in many ways changing their marketing strategy. There are more rules light, euro influenced historical games being produced and yes even a single game about wizards being published...eventually...someday...it'll go to the printer and be available for sale. Is this a net positive or negative? I don't know. They are still republishing the company's staple lines and new games for those lines. The COIN series just underwent a major reprinting. Command Commander is now at the printers. Stalingrad 42 just released. Command and Colors Medieval was just released. I've never heard about anyone really complain GMT publishes 1960: Making of the President, Dominant Species, Thunder Alley, and a number of other titles. It frankly seems like selective outrage.
Where I do wholeheartedly agree is Compass Games willingness to publish games from more obscure or under represented military conflicts. In this regard, it seems GMT is behind the power curve. However, I think this has to do more with game designer decisions than anything else. What design and historical space do the designers for each of the companies desire to explore? Publishers publish. Designers design.
There are several games from Compass I'd like to play and possibly own because I am interested in many of the historical periods their games cover. However, I don't feel the quality warrants the price tag. I generally do not like their counter designs and if I am staring at your map and counters for hours...it better be visually appealing.
As far as GMT goes, I have an interest in a few of the game lines they produce. I buy those games and little else. If others are interested in sitting around playing a game about the 1960 presidential election fine. Its not my cup of tea but its also not my table or time so have at it. Now a five player game of Dominant Species? Hell yes.
As always, great discussion gentlemen. Well done.