You are too old to be playing games... (White Dwarf (Games Workshop))

Member Name: Chris_Moyles

Product:	White Dwarf (Games Workshop)
Date:	17/06/01 (194 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: colourful, Interesting

Disadvantages: commercial

Ive been following Games Workshop and White Dwarf for a few years having lost interest with it on some occasions but always coming back within a few months. Whats been interesting to note is the gradual change of their magazine, White Dwarf.

At £3.50 its a reasonable price considering it comes out every month especially as it is very colourful with around 100 pages. After all the whole Games Workshop hobby is an expensive one so you cant really complain about the magazines price.

There is always an extensive news section at the beginning of the magazine telling you what is happening in the GW world, commenting on upcoming events and what new releases there are. There is always plenty of photos of the models (obviously) which are painted to a very high standard. A simple look at these pictures can often persuade you to go out and buy the models.

There is also a battle report as well which is a very important part of the magazine as it gives players an insight into other gamers minds. However the maps showing the action tend to be rather difficult to follow. Sometimes they have photographs of the maps to show the action with arrows showing movement etc but though its interesting to look at it can be difficult to follow. The traditional overhead drawing with the patterned rectangles to represent the units was my preferred style.

At the back of the magazine is the mail order section. Dont think I really need to tell you what that is for. There is also a next issue section. Might not sound like a great deal but there used to be a time when they didnt do that and you often ended up wondering for a few weeks what would appear next.

One of the major editorial changes that has gradually appeared is the shortening of features. Some only span two pages and are generally more padded out with pictures and the like. It could be down the fact that the magazine has to fit in more adverts and has to cover more games but either way I did
prefer it when the magazine had more substance. Extensive tactics articles and advice. I think they might be realising this and trying to provide a balance between the two with a better, more consistand and less cluttered layout. The lastest issue I got has a very good look at the history of one of the armies. There is also lots of new scenarios and new rules ideas as well

Throughout the magazine there is always excellant pictures and stories based on the Games Workshop games. This is a very important aspect of the magazine as it carries on the history and atmosphere of Warhammer and the like. Those who are interested in Games Workshop could probably just about get away without White Dwarf but it really is a very important part of the hobby for those who play the main games, Warhammer and Warhammer 40k. The other additions that come out are well supported initially but after the first few months very often you will find there is no mention of them though admittedly they are supported in other special publications (a little ploy to get people to cough up more money?).

Summary: