ARTICLE: Enemy Number One

I’ve been there. I wrote Neuroshima RPG, put whole heart in it, made it successful game in Poland and then I became main enemy of fans of the game.

I didn’t understand this. I was really shocked reading mean comments in the Internet about me ruining the game. Fans were disappointed with expansions for the game, or with lack of expansions or with price of expansions or with the artwork, or whatever. There was always, always reason to complain on Neuroshima line.

I was their main enemy. This jerk. This fucker. This asshole Trzewiczek. The guy who ruined their beloved game.

I was sitting in front of computer and I wanted to scream. Hey, guys! I am the guy who created the game. I am the guy who wrote the book you love. I am the guy because of whom you had hundreds of hours of great RPG sessions. Why you hate me?

That was tough. I learned the lesson. This year I turn 40. Wise man, this Trzewiczek is now.

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We are afraid of change. Change is always unknown and we don’t like unknown. We like the stuff we know. We feel safe with the stuff we know. There is this famous quote that says: ‘I like the most the songs I know.’ Pretty accurate, huh?

Announcing new edition of the game is announcing change. Publisher is telling you that the game you know, the game you love, the game you spent hundreds of hours with is going to change.

Let’s face it. These changes can not be good. It’s obvious that they will ruin the game. Why would they change it in the first place?! Leave the game alone you [redacted]

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Couple of days ago we announced new edition of 51st State. The famous Master Set. BGG threads got hot.

“F**k, this is the one thing I wished they kept”

“Horrible changes, hype for me is dead.”

“it just sounds like they gutted all the things I found most interesting”

and so on and on.

First of all. It’s not they. It’s me. There is no The Smoking Man who stays in the shadow and ruins your game. It’s me. The guy who created the game in the first place in 2010.

I spent few last months polishing the game and making it better. I removed ton of rules that were not necessary. I rebalanced the cards. I made it quicker and grasping. It’s either me or you now, there is no time for a ‘we have five rounds’ walk like in Imperial Settlers. Just this weekend Merry crushed me at the end of third round. That was something I did not see coming. You feel pressure from the very first turn. Either you make your engine going or you are out. It’s gamer’s game for real.

But even though I know the game is better, I know I will disappoint many fans of the game. I have no doubts about that. Because…

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I’ve been there. I designed 51st State, put whole heart in it, made it successful game worldwide and then I became main…