Post by ddaines on Aug 20, 2007 16:43:52 GMT
I think you raise an interesting and valid point here Gildor about what’s going on etc. I suppose a lot of the answers will depend on the very issue of the Gold Fellowship and what it takes to keep it afloat as well as how the Gold Fellowship actually influences Mithril’s production/existence as a whole.
I agree wholeheartedly that Chris must be working harder than a legion of orcs to get his work-bench clear, and there is a thing called artistic ‘burn-out’ which we should perhaps remind ourselves of occasionally, but are we qualified to suggest this may be a cause of delay? I think probably not.
I for one have found the GF to be a very rewarding experience in terms of how we the members can actually vote for what the manufacturer makes. True, it must make business sense for Mithril to do it, but as has been commented many times before it is a unique arrangement. However I would support an easing off of the GF range if it meant that,
a. Chris had time to concentrate on other commitments and continue to enjoy his work (I’ve no reason to think that he doesn’t by the way). And,
b. If it meant more time and a greater possibility to develop and increase the other ranges so that we see new releases on a more regular basis (but the ranges you mention Gildor are more licensing issues than lack of time are they not?, and is the Moria Gate a production method problem rather than a time issue).
I seem to recall from history or was it geography lessons at school that in days of old the peasants used the three field farming system which meant that one field was always left to fallow so that it could rejuvenate over the year – I’m not likening Chris to an agricultural field ;)but it’s the principle I’m getting at – perhaps an easing of GF commitments would ease things in other areas. Of course we are assuming that this is a work-load issue.
I wouldn’t go as far as saying that six figures per year for the Fellowship is a good number, but perhaps eight would be more acceptable – if you look at the number of posts of late they do seem to have dropped apart from the ‘suggestions’ and voting threads, so I would question that by dropping the number by half would it cause members to lose interest? I don’t know, but maybe! I did wonder myself if people were losing interest a bit, but then the holiday months and summer have been upon us so maybe that is a factor.
I would hope that the price rise suggestion wouldn’t be needed as we are paying quite a lot per figure given the scale (yes I realise production numbers are limited and this is a specific market) as it is, but is the price not based upon the amount figures released per year and the commitment to buy a certain number? – if the number of releases was dropped should it affect the price per unit? Over to Mithril on that one.
I think if I was to summarise my response to Gildor’s request for thoughts on the matter, it would be to say that if it was to the benefit of the GF and Mithril collectors in general I would be happy to see a cut in numbers even if only as a temporary arrangement. I think though that we must also keep a ‘weather’ eye on the GF as a whole in that cut the content too much and you run the risk of cutting the interest.
At the end of the day it is Mithril that must make the decisions based on good business sense and not emotional decisions.
I agree wholeheartedly that Chris must be working harder than a legion of orcs to get his work-bench clear, and there is a thing called artistic ‘burn-out’ which we should perhaps remind ourselves of occasionally, but are we qualified to suggest this may be a cause of delay? I think probably not.
I for one have found the GF to be a very rewarding experience in terms of how we the members can actually vote for what the manufacturer makes. True, it must make business sense for Mithril to do it, but as has been commented many times before it is a unique arrangement. However I would support an easing off of the GF range if it meant that,
a. Chris had time to concentrate on other commitments and continue to enjoy his work (I’ve no reason to think that he doesn’t by the way). And,
b. If it meant more time and a greater possibility to develop and increase the other ranges so that we see new releases on a more regular basis (but the ranges you mention Gildor are more licensing issues than lack of time are they not?, and is the Moria Gate a production method problem rather than a time issue).
I seem to recall from history or was it geography lessons at school that in days of old the peasants used the three field farming system which meant that one field was always left to fallow so that it could rejuvenate over the year – I’m not likening Chris to an agricultural field ;)but it’s the principle I’m getting at – perhaps an easing of GF commitments would ease things in other areas. Of course we are assuming that this is a work-load issue.
I wouldn’t go as far as saying that six figures per year for the Fellowship is a good number, but perhaps eight would be more acceptable – if you look at the number of posts of late they do seem to have dropped apart from the ‘suggestions’ and voting threads, so I would question that by dropping the number by half would it cause members to lose interest? I don’t know, but maybe! I did wonder myself if people were losing interest a bit, but then the holiday months and summer have been upon us so maybe that is a factor.
I would hope that the price rise suggestion wouldn’t be needed as we are paying quite a lot per figure given the scale (yes I realise production numbers are limited and this is a specific market) as it is, but is the price not based upon the amount figures released per year and the commitment to buy a certain number? – if the number of releases was dropped should it affect the price per unit? Over to Mithril on that one.
I think if I was to summarise my response to Gildor’s request for thoughts on the matter, it would be to say that if it was to the benefit of the GF and Mithril collectors in general I would be happy to see a cut in numbers even if only as a temporary arrangement. I think though that we must also keep a ‘weather’ eye on the GF as a whole in that cut the content too much and you run the risk of cutting the interest.
At the end of the day it is Mithril that must make the decisions based on good business sense and not emotional decisions.