Over the past 17 years, thousands of us have grown to love this crazy little game with plastic superheroes, flying across a paper map and teaming up in ways that we never thought were possible. We’ve been to tournaments, local events, and even the grandest stage in the land, but over time the game has started to lose it’s grasp on the community. How do we as a player base work to overcome such hurdles?

 

Today we launch a brand-new series brought to you by the ROC! Rebuilding the game, we know and love, is a grossly undervalued part of what makes this experience so special. This is because it takes special people to go out of their way to push boundaries, take risks, and bring people together to help restore Heroclix to its former glory. Welcome one and all, to the Heroclix Community Spotlight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today we take a deep dive into the waves that have been washing over the upstate New York region. Over the past several months, we have seen venues come together to create a playgroup that has proven their dedication and passion for the game. We have seen win a map events have more players than state tournaments and regionals and it’s plain to see that the numbers continue to speak for themselves and have no intention of slowing down.

 

It has been no secret that one of the key factors to the success of this region is none other than Weston Steiner. I had the chance to sit down and speak with Weston about his success and what has worked well, and maybe hasn’t worked so well, to launch this region into glory. We as players all know that the more the merrier. I urge you all to take a minute to look at the tactics of Weston and apply them to your own region.

 

Weston’s story of success begins around a year and a half ago. His local venue was experiencing the same fate that so many of us have come to know since this game’s release. The owner of his store started to lose interest in Heroclix, and with a loss of interest comes disorganization. OP kits were not being ordered, players were not being informed, and events stopped being recorded. It didn’t take long before the store forgot that Heroclix even existed, and other than a few dedicated players, the local community was nonexistent. Something had to change and fast, but there was little hope of this store ever rising to its former glory. The goal was set to look for a new place to roll dice. A place where the value of all games, not just the big named card games, was appreciated and encouraged.

 

A journey began to expand a footprint and bring fellow players into the mold to rebuild what was once so special to everyone in the region. Weston stated that he would regularly travel to venues well out of his way, to meet new people and hopefully, one day, get them to reciprocate back to his area. As time progressed, another key part of the story was introduced. A store was found that could appreciate the vision and support in time, the events that were so desperately wanting to be ran. Eventually, the weekly numbers started to rise, and the relationship grew. Going from three or four players weekly to 8-12 can really have a large impact on morale and prove to the store that this game is worth investment. The stones were being laid, and it was time for the plan to evolve.

 

In October of 2018 during the annual ROCtober tournament event, Howard Brock made an announcement that would hype the community worldwide. The ROC was officially partnering with WizKids to provide substantial prizing for ROC events, and playing in these events, would help a player earn entry into Nationals and Worlds. Although these points may not be transferable, they never expire, which means that everyone, in their own time, will be able to qualify. This massive game changer was the final stepping stone that would help propel Weston and his growing community to the next level.

 

Weston immediately began working to partner with other stores in the region, from northeast Pennsylvania to upstate New York, there were around five stores that had agreed to participate in a new idea: The Heroclix Winter Meltdown series. Through a series of win a map events, players would compete to earn entry into a season ending event where prizing was plentiful, and all were welcome. Additional prizing was obtained from Worlds and all together, players knew they were going to be involved in something special.

           

It is a powerful statement when your win a map events are hitting numbers that some states regional, and WKO level events are not able to obtain. Having a regular attendance of 14-20 and more at every event shows just how successful this project has been. Being partnered with a venue that supports your vision and openly does everything they can to promote and run your events is an added plus!

          

 The last point to touch on about Weston’s story is the stance on new players. As we all are all painfully aware, Heroclix is not a game that screams simplicity for someone new to join in on the fun. Players who have experience with TCGs may have an easier time getting a grasp on the rules and mechanics, but someone like myself who had little to no experience with any tabletop games before playing Heroclix, everything can be a bit overwhelming. This all mixed with the competitive focus of tournaments, and it can be very discouraging for new players to have to constantly be beat down game after game until everything eventually clix (See what I did there?) and progress starts to be made.

 

           I believe the correct stance to take in new players is to be open and honest with them. Heroclix takes a lot of time and dedication to master, but it can be so incredibly rewarding if you put in the effort. Weston likes to take things a step further, and I believe this is something we can all learn from. Ensure that every event has doorbuster, fellowship and other general prizing that is not bound to a seeded finish at the end of the event. By giving out things at the door, rolling random fellowship prizes, and just generally giving product away, it can raise player morale and ensure that even though they may not win every game, they will feel welcomed and that their time and energy was worth the effort.

 

           While praising others for their success is great, the important thing to take away from this story is how can we produce likewise results at our home venues and tournaments. I come from a small player-based area where for a time we had myself and one other participating every Friday evening and that was it for the entire region. Below are a list of tactics I would recommend each of you employ to help grow your community and ensure that once the numbers rise, they stay put or continue upward.

 

  1. Even if you are not judging or hosting events, get involved. Advertise your weekly play groups. Tell others to come on down and learn the game, even if they have never played before. Be a voice for your local community.

  2. Welcome new and local players. Everyone I meet states that Heroclix has the best community in all of gaming, but that title is only true if we can maintain that status at our small local events. Everyone participating should feel like they are wanted and needed there. A light and fun atmosphere can still be competitive if people are making sure all are feeling included.

  3. Support your players with prizing if willing and able. I find myself sitting with shelves upon shelves of product that I never use. Whether it be old CUR from non-modern legal sets or some random super rares that I wasn’t able to get rid of but aren’t worth playing on my teams. Don’t be stingy with your product if you genially do not care about it. The easiest way I have found to get new players to enjoy the game is to set them up to succeed. It can be overwhelming to have to purchase a bunch of new figures when you start playing, especially if you are under the age of 18 and are not even sure you will keep playing. While this point may not be for everyone, if you are willing to give, then give.

  4. Venture outward. Don’t let your local venue be the only place you roll dice. If you have a free Saturday, travel to someone else’s house for an event. I find myself venturing south to Omaha NE every time they hold anything above a weekly event. I want to make sure that other areas know they will be supported if they decide to spend money to host something special. If we do not support each other, the game will continue to fade.

  5. Remember this game is about having fun. We are nerds that play with plastic superheroes and turtles. When we win, when we lose, when we get frustrated at a judge or fellow player, remember that this whole thing is bigger than yourself. Unless we all work together, this game cannot thrive. Put your pettiness behind you, and realize that this isn’t about you, it’s about everyone.

Thank you so much for reading through my first ever article for the ROC! Do you have a community story you would like to share? Please feel free to reach out to me directly on facebook @lucasvanholland. Any methods we can employ to build this community will only ensure the success and future of Heroclix. To keep track of what is going on in the New York region, please check out the links below. Weston would love to have you stop by if you are in the area. Feel free to reach out to him if you have any questions.

 

Winter Meltdown Series: https://www.facebook.com/rocwintermeltdown/

Visit WYN Gaming on the WIN to see what events Weston is holding! https://win.wizkids.com/venue.php?VENUE_ID=106072

Check out WYN Gaming on facebook to stay up to date with all of their events in the region! https://www.facebook.com/wnygaming/

 

Until next time, have a wonderful week, and don’t you dare roll a crit miss!