Over the past 18 years, thousands of us have grown to love this crazy little game with plastic super heroes, 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 its grasp on the community. How do we as a player base work to overcome such hurdles?

 

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.

 

It has been a week or three since I have posted a new article for the Community Spotlight. But we are back baby and ready to dive into the next section I wished to cover in the spotlights since the very beginning. It may come as no surprise to some of you that the community has seen a meteoric rise in information with the advent of facebook groups and the explosion of Heroclix podcasts. Today we take a deep dive into the Minds of Daniel Powell, David Gauselmen, and Jason Alvey, otherwise known as Clixed Off.

Keep in mind that these three gentlemen are not the only members of the Clixed Off family, but there is a difference between the competitive team you see represented at large events all around the country and the members of the podcast and admins of their Clixed Off facebook page and discussion group. 

 

I invited Daniel, David, and Jason onto a call to talk about the odds and ins of what they do, what this community means to them, how they see the game of Heroclix, and what their vision is for the future. If you have never had the chance to have a conversation with these guys, make sure you do so. They can be seen at events all over the country and are always willing to take time to talk about clix, life, the universe, and whatever else might come up. I have had extensive conversations with each of them at one point or another and would consider all of them to be friends. 

 

Clixed Off started as a random shot at a podcast. The schedule was wonky, the episodes were long and unstructured, and all in all it was a good time when good times were to be had. They had some issues with inconsistency due to one of their members having a life (weird huh?) schedule that differed from the rest of the cast and it just caused some disconnects. After about a year and a half of turmoil, things turned around when Daniel joined on as the primary host of the show. 

 

Over the past several years, these three have grown into one of the most (if not the most) recognizable Heroclix podcast in the world. They upload 3-4 episodes per month, have almost 1,400 members on their discussion group, and make themselves known with exceptional amounts of travel, an openness to answer questions and give suggestions, and embody a friendliness that can only be appreciated when experienced in full. But what makes this small community within a community so special? Where does it really shine? I took a deep dive with the fellas to find out more.

 

It should be said up front that the primary focus of Clixed Off will always be geared towards competitive play. While casual certainly has its place just like any other format, it’s the competitive drive that has fueled Clixed Off and its listeners for almost 4 years. Whether it be general discussion on new sets, reviews of tournaments and their results, hosting classes for an in depth look at interactions, or just giving an honest opinion of what makes your team more effective, the competitive nature certainly shines throughout every facet of the podcast and group. 

 

I personally started listening to the show about 3 years ago when Daniel and Jason approached me during a battle royal at Gencon about checking out what they had to offer. I had been playing competitive Heroclix for about a year at that point and was still trying to find my groove. Listening to their podcast on the regular helped to elevate my game from someone who really wasn’t sure what the heck I was doing to an up and comer who was ready to take the next step in his play. Clixed Off’s policy has always been to try and be open and honest about as much as possible when referring to teams, strategies, and tactics. Most of the time, all you need to do is ask!

 

Recently the gang decided to take it up a notch by also being available on Podbean and Youtube in addition to their typical SoundCloud page. This not only makes them more accessible for listeners across the globe, but also opened a door for video content via Youtube and in turn, allowed for a new style of aid to their viewers. They now have access to a Patreon where you can gain insider knowledge to how teams operate and function. When I asked why this was behind a paywall vs simply releasing to the public, they brought up the intense amount of prep time, and the dedication that a one on one scenario brings to the table. Essentially, if my time is wholeheartedly focused on you, I cannot in good faith, make it available for everyone. I can see arguments for both sides of that coin, and I do not believe that either are 100 percent right or wrong, but simply have a difference of opinion. The benefit is, that all of this exclusive content is also released to the general public, just a week or two after it initially airs. A feature that I believe, gives them a little leeway. 

 

The last, and quite easily, the most important part of Clixed Off that I wanted to touch on today is their discussion group on facebook. As stated previously, they are nearing 1,400 members to this page, making them the largest Heroclix podcast page, and the second largest non sale focused Heroclix facebook page only beaten out by Heroclix Players and Collectors Around the World. Inherently, this means that the knowledge pool (both experienced and inexperienced) will reflect greatly of the people who participate. I find myself looking at posts, updates, and questions on the page daily. Members are always quick to assist in any way they can, and while we may not always be 100 percent correct (let’s face it, this game is complicated!) you can be sure the issue will always be resolved. Members of the ROC and Wizkids themselves are also a part of this community, which means issues that arise are quickly brought to the attention of those that need to see them. This also means quick resolutions with interactions, rulings, and events where there was an obvious disconnect between how we thought that would work and how it actually works. A page like this can only bring benefit to a community. It is administered well, the rules are upheld and enforced, and everyone I have encountered is either friendly and easy to get along with, or is no longer a member of the page. If you haven’t yet, I would highly recommend stopping by and checking out all the community has to offer! 

 

Thanks for taking the time to read about Clixed Off! I encourage all of you to send out a message and say hi or ask a question to one of the podcast members. Their response may surprise you! Below are links where you can find the Clixed Off team and stay up to date with all the content they provide. If you haven’t listened to their podcast yet, I personally recommend it. 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1950538815173631/ - Join the discussion group on facebook!

https://soundcloud.com/clixedoff - Listen to their podcast on Soundcloud!

https://clixedoffpodcast.podbean.com/ - Listen to their podcast on Podbean!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMwLQGH6hJZL38gaYY0Yn4w - Visit their Youtube Channel!

https://www.patreon.com/clixedoff - View their Patreon!

 

What should I write about next? Is there a podcast that you follow that you think I should point the spotlight at? What about other aspects of your community? Feel free to reach out to me @lucasvanholland on facebook and let me know!

 

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