Good-bye 1991, and now for some fun...

Yes GRD has put another year behind it, so like everyone else let's look at the year in review:

Products

1991 saw us produce another game, First To Fight (the first print run is sold out, my brothers). During the year we also began work on A Winter War and For Whom The Bell Tolls. Work on Second Front moves ahead with the beta scenario, 1943, soon to be tested.

At Origins we were treated to a preview of the new promo tape being produced and prepared by Mark van Roekel, and at the end of the year, December 16th to be exact, I began counter work for the reprint of Scorched Earth. This reprint was mandated because of the constant demand for the game, even more than the demand for Second Front, if you can believe that. But the reprint will be out there and gone almost immediately. If you have been looking for a copy of the game, get to your retail store and place your order now. It will be going to the printer in a few weeks and will be out at the end of January or by mid-February at the latest. GRD will not be selling any of these games through the mail, only to distributors and through the retail tier.

Conventions

Task Force Johnson and the staff attended three conventions in 1991: GENCon, Origins, and Twin Con (Minneapolis on Memorial Day). Over 200 new players were introduced to our series and the revitalization of Europa is nearly complete.

Magazine:

GRD experienced a volcano of production at the end of the year. Part of that lava-flow included three magazines in about two months, and a game. Yikes! Well, we got the magazines out and the last two issues sported the best looking covers of the year (in my opinion). Issue #21 was probably the best m agazine to date.

In 1991 we added Victor Hauser to the staff as Managing Editor of this magazine and moved Rick Gayler to the position of full-time game developer. His first task was First To Fight and I think he did a great job for his first time out. With Victor in the position of editor we should be able to solve the nagging problem we have had with deadlines due to the limited staff and time. Bringing Victor on board gives us yet another dedicated person who will give us his time and effort to get the job done.

The sum of the year was on the plus side. GRD is ready for the new year's production schedule.

... and in 1992?

We are starting out this year with three titles under development, as I have explained in my previous columns. The first of these games, A Winter War, is in its final production cycle. The charts, counters, and rules have been done in draft form and are under development by Rick. Gary is reviewing the counters for accuracy, and the map will be in Barbie Pratt's hands by January 10th.

The box art is being started the week of January 20th and will be ready for final review by the end of the month. We are looking at $24.95 as the probable retail for this game.

That is the news on the next release. The other two games are still under development. We are looking at August 20th, GENCon/ Origins as the release date for Second Front and the last quarter of 1992 for release of For Whom The Bell Tolls. At the end of February, we will be setting the schedule for the next year, 1993. We will give you this info as soon as we have finalized what we are going to do and start doing it.

GEnie:

Our network is run by Roy Lane. Last week I was talking to Roy and asked him to name the number one thing that should be done to enhance this service.

He had an immediate answer: get more company personnel on line. Rick's done the lion's share of GEnie work for GRD, but our planning and programming for 1992 includes increased activity on GEnie for myself and John Astell.

This brings me to some interesting rumors and speculation that I saw on GEnie while cruising through the messages.

There seems to be some concern about our financial survival or the ability of GRD to get the bucks to do the job. Well, anyone who is really concerned can send us free money and we will accept it.

But since I don't believe there are very many people out there with a spare $100,000 we will just have to do the job the old fashioned way--work for it.

In short, the magazine pays for itself, plus a little extra for the overhead. No problem there.

First To Fight sold out the first print run, paid for itself, and paid off some old bills as well. No problem there.

I have not gotten back any of my initial investment in GRD, but did not expect to until after Second Front. This is good news for you and SF, because I will get the money back, trust me on that.

I offer the Scorched Earth reprint as partial proof of our ability to get these projects done. There are as many counter sheets in that game as will be in Second Front. We have done these from scratch, and we will do the rest of the series as well, so there.

In that perfect world I always seek, there will be about three titles out each year until the series is complete. That is about five more years of games, then Grand Europa for the final shot. Thanks to John, Rick, Victor, Arthur, Shelby, Charles, and all the rest of you it will happen.