By the time you read this, our company will have passed its seventh birthday. That event leads to a desire to look back on how much things have changed and what to expect in the years ahead.

1988

We founded the company on January 14 and the first release went out the door in March. Run from the back room of my house, the company sold all of 1,600 games that first year and grossed $16,000. We had one fulltime employee-me.

We released In their Quiet Fields in March and Thunder at the Crossroads in October.

I remember we were selling pre-orders for Thunder at Origins (our first, in Milwaukee) and said the game would be out in October. An industry type (who shall remain nameless) pulled me aside and asked when the game would be out.

I said "In October."

"No," he whispered, "That's what you tell them..." jerking his thumb at the crowd, "When's it really coining out?"

Shocked at his attitude, I restated "In October."

The game went out-on time-in October. The crowd at Origins was inquisitive and generally very sympathetic-although more than a few questioned my sanity at starting a company that put out these soon to be extinct games.

At the time, I did all graphics the old-fashioned way-with extremely labor intensive methods offering little freedom to do more than "the same old thing." The company owned an old IBM PC (1983 vintage) which was little more than a fancy typewriter.

Out in the hobby, DG, GMT, XTR were yet to be founded. 3W had just bought S&T West End and GDW still put out wargames. GRD only had some add-on modules for Europa. The common refrain was that the hobby was not only on the skids, but that it was going to die-shortly. Gloom was the order of the day and every magazine issue had at least something to say about it. Many made noises about introductory games as the way to save the hobby by bringing in new blood and giving experienced gainers, with little time, something they could play in a few hours at most.

The year was a good one for us. Gamers were receptive and, although we had much to team, they proved amazingly resourceful and patient. The enormous amount of knowledge and internal systems we had to learn the hard way had only begun. We collated games on my living room floor and had only begun to learn how the distribution system worked. We had no idea how far we had to go. We began to meet the many friends we would make along the way. Gainers such as John Kisner came forward and offered advice and constructive criticism-without them we could not have grown.

1994

The company released four games this year, moved nearly 15,000 copies out the door and grossed over $300,000. We have four full-time employees and an office/warehouse of our own.

I do all graphics on computer and give the resulting files to the printers on disk. The system is more responsive and accurate than ever before. The resulting artistic freedom shows on your maps, counters, and rules-to the good we hope.

Production has finally become a controllable science-instead of a case of voodoo art. The game release schedule has accelerated to a-game every-other-month and the transition to that schedule is complete. Work ha! proceeded into games scheduled years in advance.

In the years since the first, we have released 21 new games, revised or 2nd edition games, and 15 magazine issues. In 1990, I lost both thumbs in a military training accident. This resulted in nine surgeries, much physical therapy, and required the complete transfer to computer graphics. Sara and I had three "ruggers." The list of close friends coming from the ranks of our customers steadily grew, adding the likes of Rod Miller, Dirk & Ulrich Blennemann, Dave Demko, Dave Friedrichs, Christoph Ludwig (and MP) Boyd Schorzman, Keith Fortner, Bernard Sperling, and on and on. Again without the help of these and others, we would have gone no where.

During these seven years, the industry saw numerous editors of S&T and Fire & Movement. Both magazines changed hands at least once, perhaps even twice. 3W announced itself as the "SPI of the West" and then promptly imploded. Jim Dunnigan returned to edit S&T for an issue or two and then left the scene (again) after the much ballyhooed fiasco of Men at Arms. Cummins Enterprises became Decision Games, bought S&T and Fire & Movement, and attempted to launch a series of boxed games. Ty Bomba edited that S&T for a couple of years before moving on to establish XTR and Command-which rapidly became a standard of excellence. GMT formed, lost two of the original partners and moved on. The two extra GMT'ers went on to create FGA, which (in an attempt to avoid being judgmental ... ) rapidly came and went. Richard Berg started SDI. I floundered and he re-launched BROG. GRD picked up all of Europa and attempted to move forward. GDW and West End left the wargame industry (with occasional fits, starts, and sputters afterward by GDW). The combined Avalon Hill-Victory Games entity has been sometimes on and sometimes off-leading to rumors about their direction. Finally, numerous new small companies have just entered the race: Avalanche, Games USA, Moments in History, NES, Rhino, Spearhead, and Thunderhaven.

The intro-game craze came and went with no noticeable effect or the number of gamers. Several "second golden age" proclamations occurred--and several firms came forward to claim it was their leadership that showed the way (sure it was). Already, some have moved beyond this "second golden age" to again forecasting doom. Someone really needs to tell these guys to shut up, sit down, and enjoy a game. At any rate, I will give this subject all the attention it deserves (none), especially A) since it completely ignores the excitement generated by the hard work of so many people, and B) generates a self-fulfilling prophecy where a few guys feeling sorry for themselves drive off all interested newcomers.

Looking Ahead

A forecast of the future based on past growth trends here would be inaccurate and misleading-it is unreasonable to expect that sort of growth to continue. When our rapid growth phase slows as I expect, we will continue to improve in every way we can. The physical product will continue to move ahead. We will endeavor to maintain the high standards of service you have come to expect from us. The past has taught repeatedly that there is always more to learn and that you can always do things just a little better. It is my job to try.