The Designer’s Studio With Andy Chambers
October 22, 2015 by warzan
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Not sure if Andy is looking at this but is the photographer you mentioned called Phil?
The welcome return of one of my favourite shows. Lots of interesting design discussion, all of which is still relevant today, and lots of interesting industry discussion. Three thumbs up!
Erm, not sure how to say this, but one of them might not be a thumb ;D
Really interesting discussion. The thing that always gets me is how many people “back in the day” almost wandered into the industry. Now, people are fighting left right and centre to get their foot in the door.
If I try to imagine an office, where Jervis Johnson and Rick Priestley are in offices next to each other while Andy is making them tea, just brings up a feeling of ultimate pioneerism. I followed the works of these and some other really great guys (hi Alessio :D) since my childhood and they have always been so inspiring for me, nerd-wise. When I try to imagine a company managing to get all these guys together to create a game and then have some minis designed by the Perrys, wow what a game/fluff/experience that would be. But wait… GW had… Read more »
I loved second edition 40K. Games could run on, but the depth and character of the system was amazing (and is the primary reason Necromunda is still occasionally played today). Then they released the blandness that was 3rd Edition and my love affair with the IP was over. An old housemate (and GW employee) once told me how GW wanted a dumbed down system for 3rd Edition that could be demoed quickly in shops but Andy Chambers had written a more detailed ruleset. GW weren’t happy, Andy went on holiday and GW pushed ahead with 3rd Edition in his absence.… Read more »
I have been told by ‘sources who were there at the time’ that there was a last minunte re-write of third, but I don’t know the context (or had it confirmed by another source).
Yeah I’ve heard similar rumors. But acctually I didn’t hate 3rd edition. It was a step in a new direction and was aimed at fast play for larger armies, but still had some hickups. Imho 40k was at its peak with 4th edition. It was a very finished system and with all the codices from 3rd and 4th quite balanced. After that it got really ugly really fast :C
If I remember correctly from A Rick Priestly interview, 6 months before printing the accounting demanded the game to need twice as many figures out of time Rick used his home-brew 15mm WW2 rules to make 3rd edition.
Wow, this was an interesting watch! Thanks BoW guys for giving us access to the wisdom and experience of these industry veterans. 🙂
A brilliant programme, I couldnt agree with him more about the merge with digital.
Totally. I think some exec found a copy of Atmosfear at a car boot sale and went “Holy smokes, this is the future!”
Great bloke, met him at the first Warlords open day and previous to that before we opened the shop. Exceptionally all round good bloke no edge and very free to give his time.
I remember Andy’s first white dwarf article with fondness, at the time my friends and I made some 28mm scale knights out of cereal packets, straws and anything else we could find and then wrote rules for use in 40k. Sounds like I should have sent them to GW 🙂 .
I have listened to a few interviews with Andy and he always has interesting tales to tell and observations on where things are going. Excellent stuff.
Great to hear from Andy Chambers himself. I’ve been a fan of his work since the early 90’s and am pleased to hear he’s working with Hawk on Dropfleet.
I think he did a fantastic job with Starship Troopers, which continues to be my favourite Sci-Fi Battle game to date!
Great interview
That was Fan Freaking Tastic, Loved this one guys. Great job. Learned a lot. Very enlightening. Can’t wait for the next one. 🙂 I have to admit though that while Andy was talking I kept envisioning mutton chops and long hair.
I’m always a big fan of any opportunity to hear about what goes on behind the scenes in the gaming industry, but this was far-and-away my favourite interview. While the current edition of 40k (and GW) tends to divide opinion, I think most of us look back at 2nd edition and the GW specialist games very fondly. Either as our entry points into the hobby or simply the editions of those games we enjoyed most. So it’s a genuine pleasure to hear from someone intrinsically involved in everything that was going on in that era. The idea that a year’s… Read more »
I really enjoy these designer interviews. I’ve gone back and re-watched quite a few of them more than once.
Really wonderful interview… some of my favorite videos on the site (although I do tend to like all of them 🙂 )
Best interview ever. Well prepared.
Like wow… nothing to add.
Excellent interview, lots of interesting things to ponder. I live the feeling I’ve got from this one and the show with Rick Priestley that early days at GW they were very much throwing things together, and we’re a group of guys who mostly fell into their roles accidentally but loved what they were doing.
I’m with him on the tabletop & digital crossover. You can see from the reaction that FFG got when they said they X-COM game would have a companion app that he’s not the inky one that doesn’t really want that crossover 🙂
well that was brilliant nothing better than getting to see behind the wizards curtain to glimpse at how the magic comes to life thanks for the video guys. good luck & good games designing Andy with your future projects.
So interesting to hear what was going through their minds back in the days. For sure, their decisions and writings have been huge parts of our lives.
That was a really interesting Interview Andy Chambers is a designer I have relay polarizing opinion especially when I just see his work, having listened to him for the first time its shocking (in a good way) how many ideas and concepts we have in common. I for once grew some respect for the man and reviewed some design decisions of the past era under a new perspective. I really like the pragmatism and reality he expresses for the current state and the near future, really refreshing to hear somebody with his feet firmly on the ground and his eyes… Read more »
amazing show – great come back of designers studio, hope top see it more often.
Videos like this are why BoW is the best tabletop wargaming site IMO.
I just signed up for backstage just to see this interview. Been holding off doing it for a long time despite being a big fan of BoW. Though I was hoping for some Dropfleet news this interview was awesome and totally worth signing up for backstage. Thanks BoW guys!
Very interesting. My go to is still 2nd edition with aspects of Necromunda to add some rpg factors. Love his work.
I could listen to Andy talk for another couple of hours!
Great interview, really reminded me of some of the good old days – how much fun was Bloodbowl?!
I’ve never been as big a fan of Bloodbowl as others. Mainly due to the turnover rules. As someone cursed by the Dice Gods, constantly having to pass play to your opponent was not as much fun as people make out!
One of several reasons why I am not a fan of the game.