Hi All,

Apologies if this has been touched on already, but my search-fu has failed me.

I want to make custom pilot cards and such, and was hoping someone else who has tried it can help me; I've collected some fonts and other resources, but I have a few questions:

What size should the cards be printed at to keep it consistent with existing (IE. FFG ) cards?

What do you like to print on to? I was thinking Cardstock, what are your thoughts?

Any other advice/resources you can offer and suggest would be awesome!

I've you've made some, I'd also love to see some pictures. Wanting inspiration to make some YT-2400's!

EDIT: does anybody know if FFG or a third party sell bases and stands for X-Wing, by the way?

There is a pretty useful card creating tool called Strange Eons ( http://cgjennings.ca/eons/download/update.html ). I have made a plug-in to that tool. Just download the tool and choose manage plug-ins (or something similar). There you will find the x-wing plug in. All fonts, card dimensions and stuff are included in the plug-in.

I used matte photo paper for the cards I have printed. Buy some sleeves and sleeve them -- very easy and gives a professional look without any fuss.

Edit: here is a link to some cards I created using this tool:

http://boardgamegeek.com/article/14827974#14827974

These are for a new faction, but you can just as easy make rebel or imperial cards instead, of course.

There is a pretty useful card creating tool called Strange Eons ( http://cgjennings.ca/eons/download/update.html ). I have made a plug-in to that tool. Just download the tool and choose manage plug-ins (or something similar). There you will find the x-wing plug in. All fonts, card dimensions and stuff are included in the plug-in.

I used matte photo paper for the cards I have printed. Buy some sleeves and sleeve them -- very easy and gives a professional look without any fuss.

Edit: here is a link to some cards I created using this tool:

http://boardgamegeek.com/article/14827974#14827974

These are for a new faction, but you can just as easy make rebel or imperial cards instead, of course.

This is *exactly* what I am looking for, thank you very much Hinny!

I owe you a cookie!

I've been printing to Cardstock thus far, it works alright save for the dials ( Might have do go for something like plasticard...we shall see!

No problem!

Let me know if you find any bugs or come up with improvements for the x-wing plug-in.

I found this about an hour ago:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ejason.fuller/cardGenerator.html

how do you come up with ideas for pilot abilities?

Loving it!

Is there a place hidden somewhere in the web, where I can find good quality scans of backsides of all types of upgrade and pilot cards ? When making own custom cards it would be nice to make backsides too that the card can be turned over too.

Edit: Thanks Hinnyboy! Thought the tool would only help to build face-up sides.

Is there a place hidden somewhere in the web, where I can find good quality scans of backsides of all types of upgrade and pilot cards ? When making own custom cards it would be nice to make backsides too that the card can be turned over too.

See my first post in this topic. You can create backsides of all upgrade and pilot cards at 300 dpi with that tool. You should check it out.

Loving it!

Nice one!

That is actually looking good. I never knew myself that a tool like this existed.. Or actually I did, but all I saw out there were very mediocre works that had all of the fonts and placements off.

So I took the hard way and did mine custom.

Also, I must ask, can I make custom card templates like the one done above (CIS/Trade Federation) and have them fit in the program? Thanks

Those are some epic cards there, Hinny.

That is actually looking good. I never knew myself that a tool like this existed.. Or actually I did, but all I saw out there were very mediocre works that had all of the fonts and placements off.

So I took the hard way and did mine custom.

Also, I must ask, can I make custom card templates like the one done above (CIS/Trade Federation) and have them fit in the program? Thanks

Well, it can't be done without changing the source code. But it's not terribly complicated...

On a Windows OS do the following:

1. Install strange eons.
2. Install the X-wing plug-in by choosing Toolbox->Catalogue selecting X-wing then Download and install.
3. Restart Strange Eons.
4. Choose Toolbox->Manage plug-ins->Open plug-in folder.
5. Extract the file X-wing.seext to a temporary folder (use WinZip or similar program since x-wing.seext is a zip-file with special file extension). Now you need to change a couple of things in the files you just extracted.
6. Open resources/x-wing/components/pilot-card/pilot-card.js (preferable with strangeeons.exe). Add an item to the affiliationItems list on line 107, following the same pattern as the existing affiliationItems.
7. Make appropriate changes reflecting the new affiliation in the following files (on the same format as the existing affiliations):

   a) resources/x-wing/base.settings

   b) resources/x-wing/text/game.properties

8. Add your new images with names matching the ones in resources/x-wing/base.settings.
9. Go to the root of your temporary folder and select "resources" folder and "eons-plugin" file, right-click and choose WinZip->Add to <your_temporary_folder_name>.zip
10. Rename the zipped file to "X-wing.seext"
11. Double-click the file and choose install.
12. Restart Strange Eons.
13. Create pilot cards with your new affiliation!

Those are some epic cards there, Hinny.

Thanks!

Awesome.

Now I just have to re-draw that card on the bigger template.

Still, wouldn't it be great if we gathered plenty of original card backdrop images to be used as stock for the program? Trade Federation, CIS, Galactic Republic, Pirates, Smugglers, Bounty hunters, ect?

I'd be happy to contribute.

Thanks Hinny for the Z95 cards. Nice work! Have you made any other customs cards?

I am incredibly impressed with the work you've done on that plugin Hinnyboy! I actually got a little inspired to try out some cards myself. I was intending on making a Republic faction with the associated back face and icons etc. however I don't have the time to make a good icon for that yet. Maybe later this week. In any case, I did make some ARC-170 cards.

Alright, finally got the image embedding working.

On First glance I feel like my current draft for the ARC-170 looks a little undercosted, particularly considering the auxiliary fire arc on a small base! This fits well with the fluff however, as the ship had a pilot, a forward gunner for two laser cannons, and a rear gunner for two more (note the rear facing turret in all of the images). However, fluff wise it should be somewhat less maneuverable than an X-Wing (though I guess it should be a little better than a Y-Wing) which would offset this somewhat. Maybe the base points should be increased.

I'm also aware that Jai'Galaar's text is word-for-word the same as Backstabber's, and I am a bit worried that this is potentially way too powerful considering the primary attack 3 and the auxiliary arc. It does seem to fit the fluff, however, maybe it should be changed to only work from the front arc... I am also not sure about Odd Ball's special text. Is this reasonable?

Do you think that the Imps would have some old ARCs to escort freighters and whatnot?

Nice work on the cards, excellent.

Remember that for older generation ships, their stats and abilities would generally have to be outclassed by the current era Imperial and Rebel ships.

...Or not. What do you guys think?

Those Arcs look pretty professional. If only there were suitable miniatures to go with it.

I could certainly be convinced that they should only have one defence die. The method in which they seem to have been used certainly reminds me of a mid-20th-century bomber. However, as far as I can tell they were not actually equipped with bombs. I agree that it should have some limitations given that the T-65 X-Wing was designed based on lessons learned from the Z-95 and the ARC-170. If anyone is interested, I would love some suggestions.

There does seem to be an ARC-170 model on shapeways, but I am not pleased with the quality of the 3d model, and it is not available in the ultra detail material:

http://www.shapeways.com/model/980192/caza-arco-cientosetenta-1-270.html?li=shop-results&materialId=6

Maybe Gosric could be convinced to design one... I simply don't have the expertise to make 3D models.

As for ARC-170s with the Imperials, Wookieepedia says that both Rebels and Imperials fielded a few leftovers as specialist ships.

Should I make a seperate thread on Republic ship development?

Remember that for older generation ships, their stats and abilities would generally have to be outclassed by the current era Imperial and Rebel ships.

...Or not. What do you guys think?

Those Arcs look pretty professional. If only there were suitable miniatures to go with it.

They do look good. When comparing ARCs to TIEs, I always try to remember that TIEs were cheaper and easier to produce, so quality might not be as good.

I could certainly be convinced that they should only have one defence die. The method in which they seem to have been used certainly reminds me of a mid-20th-century bomber. However, as far as I can tell they were not actually equipped with bombs. I agree that it should have some limitations given that the T-65 X-Wing was designed based on lessons learned from the Z-95 and the ARC-170. If anyone is interested, I would love some suggestions.

There does seem to be an ARC-170 model on shapeways, but I am not pleased with the quality of the 3d model, and it is not available in the ultra detail material:

http://www.shapeways.com/model/980192/caza-arco-cientosetenta-1-270.html?li=shop-results&materialId=6

Maybe Gosric could be convinced to design one... I simply don't have the expertise to make 3D models.

As for ARC-170s with the Imperials, Wookieepedia says that both Rebels and Imperials fielded a few leftovers as specialist ships.

Should I make a seperate thread on Republic ship development?

Nah. This thread is good.

I've thought about printing one too. I think Mel makes it? We could approach the artist and ask him if FUD would be a better material. I would buy one.

Awesome.

Now I just have to re-draw that card on the bigger template.

Still, wouldn't it be great if we gathered plenty of original card backdrop images to be used as stock for the program? Trade Federation, CIS, Galactic Republic, Pirates, Smugglers, Bounty hunters, ect?

I'd be happy to contribute.

That is an excellent idea!

I agree that Trade Federation, CIS and Galactic Republic would be neat to have in the "official" version of this plug-in. The idea with the fringe faction was that it would be an umbrella faction for all scum, villains, pirates, smugglers, bounty hunters etc. so I don't think separate Pirate, Smuggler and Bounty hunter factions are needed.

If you send me some nice templates I will definitely add them to the plug-in.

Thanks Hinny for the Z95 cards. Nice work! Have you made any other customs cards?

I have some that I have not published yet, but more still in the making - my intention is to make cards and pilots to the fringe faction so that it would be playable with official models (Z95. Y-wing, firespray, YT-1300, HWK-290). I have not very much time to work on these things so it might take some time though.

I am incredibly impressed with the work you've done on that plugin Hinnyboy! I actually got a little inspired to try out some cards myself. I was intending on making a Republic faction with the associated back face and icons etc. however I don't have the time to make a good icon for that yet. Maybe later this week. In any case, I did make some ARC-170 cards.

Alright, finally got the image embedding working.

On First glance I feel like my current draft for the ARC-170 looks a little undercosted, particularly considering the auxiliary fire arc on a small base! This fits well with the fluff however, as the ship had a pilot, a forward gunner for two laser cannons, and a rear gunner for two more (note the rear facing turret in all of the images). However, fluff wise it should be somewhat less maneuverable than an X-Wing (though I guess it should be a little better than a Y-Wing) which would offset this somewhat. Maybe the base points should be increased.

I'm also aware that Jai'Galaar's text is word-for-word the same as Backstabber's, and I am a bit worried that this is potentially way too powerful considering the primary attack 3 and the auxiliary arc. It does seem to fit the fluff, however, maybe it should be changed to only work from the front arc... I am also not sure about Odd Ball's special text. Is this reasonable?

Thanks a lot for the praise!

Some cool cards you have got there!

If you want feedback:

You mention a pilot seat and 2 gunners - would it not be nice to differentiate this ship from the x-wing a little more by giving it a CREW upgrade slot? You could also try to lower the agility to 1 also.

I agree that the ARC agility could be lower and wondered why a crew slot wasn't there.