[App Request] Very minor tweak! Please add.

By jgortner, in XCOM: The Board Game

Hi,

I want to be able to play on any difficulty without a timer (just like easy mode). Some people, myself included, would love to play a harder version of the game without having to worry about the timer.

A simple option of not running the timer, just like in easy mode, on any mode, would really make this game inviting for people that do not want to play in real time.

Please, it's like 3 lines of code, add this feature!

But wouldn't that defeat part of the purpose of the higher difficulties?

Maybe not turn off entirely, but I'm sure they will tweak as the game gets more play and feedback. Hopefully they will tweak the solo mode more than just the current timer increase by an extra 33%.

The beauty of a companion app is that these tweaks CAN be made on the fly with updates to adjust and/or add mechanics and functionality tweaks. The app seems a perfect "companion" for solo mode play - but the timer is a bit harsh solo when swapping between roles without the benefit of "study time" preparing between other players actions.

Redd

You can tap the name of the current action to bring up the rules for the action. This "pauses" the timer.

Of course it's a rules violation to play during this time, but if you want to house rule unlimited pause time... There you go.

I would join the request. I'm not a fan of timed tasks but would welcome higher difficulty. I like to home rule my games but that is something I can't do. Thanks Anidien for the hint - this will help. Like Jgortner said - it's small change for the app, so why don't make it better? Even better but a bit trickier: two separate difficulty setting - time (from none to fast) and enemy (easy to hard). Everyone could decide, which mode suits them best. Example from my group - experienced players, but some of us are not fluent in english. I'm playing XCOM to fight Ufos, not time/language issues:)

But wouldn't that defeat part of the purpose of the higher difficulties?

Not really. The equivalent option in the videogame is Iron Man, which can be turned on or off at all difficulty levels.

I would assume higher difficulty levels on the app having nothing to do with the timer, and instead with the rate/sequence of events.

Not having a timer is pretty much mandatory if you're playing the game solo, and it'd be nice not to have to cheese it with the menu button all the time.

For solo play, having to physically pick up stuff/put it down/move around the table, yeah, I need more time. There's just a lot to take care of and a lot to do. It's not hard to make a decision, but it's hard to actually get to the same point as a single role player who is staring at their own stuff the entire time.

For solo play, having to physically pick up stuff/put it down/move around the table, yeah, I need more time. There's just a lot to take care of and a lot to do. It's not hard to make a decision, but it's hard to actually get to the same point as a single role player who is staring at their own stuff the entire time.

Check out this thread for some suggestions for setup and adjustments to make solo play more workable: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/1315902/solo-game-setup-and-adjustments

I would like the option to remove the timer as well. Not fun. That's why I got into Xcom in the first place.

+1 for removing the timer. In real life there are enough deadlines to have some more in a boardgame, and having a greater challenge should relate to your ability in risk management / taking decisions and not on how quick you are at reacting to something.

So, request seconded

For me, less an issue of difficulty than it is convenience.

Sometimes the dog gets in the way.

Those red UFOs sure look like candy and it takes time to get the dog to cough it out.

Pretty sure the XCOM HQ has a no-dogs policy to prevent canine mishaps but I don't exactly run an XCOM HQ.

To me, part of the draw of this game is the timed phase and the pressure it puts on you to make decisions relatively quickly. I will agree that I'm concerned about the solo play option, just for moving things around and deciding what troops to send where, etc. But I also fully expect to get better at making those decisions quickly the more times I play the game. When you see your 25th thin man come out, you should be able automatically know you are likely sending at least 1 Heavy against him - depending on his type.

I'm not opposed to the request you all are making at all though. Everyone wants to play it their way - but I feel your missing out on what I find the most fun aspect of the game.

Also, like others have said, you can hit menu or the task itself and it will pause the app, regardless of the pause timer.

We need save options cos sometimes when we play we have to stop playing and in app dosent have options to save game.

We need save options cos sometimes when we play we have to stop playing and in app dosent have options to save game.

If you just exit the app, then the next time you go back to it it will ask you if you want to resume from where you left off.

I meant that if the game is interrupted for some reason and the game need to continue later, and in the meantime you want to play another game with different friends, so this is not possibility cos you can not save the game. Thats why we need a save game options.

I meant that if the game is interrupted for some reason and the game need to continue later, and in the meantime you want to play another game with different friends, so this is not possibility cos you can not save the game. Thats why we need a save game options.

How would you save the state of the rest of the game (i.e, everything that isn't contained in the app)?

They could take a picture or write down where everything is (2 ufos in orbit, 1 ufo in North america. 2 snipers in reserve, etc.)

Jep. We TaKe pictures another game too when we have to stop the play.

I've done pics for board games as well. Very easy to manage most the times. A save feature would be nice. It would also be useful for what I really want to see, which would be a campaign feature that goes through several of the "final missions" before you can win the game.

Edited by Slothgodfather

For solo play, having to physically pick up stuff/put it down/move around the table, yeah, I need more time. There's just a lot to take care of and a lot to do. It's not hard to make a decision, but it's hard to actually get to the same point as a single role player who is staring at their own stuff the entire time.

I quickly decided that this is a game to be played standing up. Standing makes it easier to reach across the board, and it just FEELS right too.

I agree on standing up, actually the best would be a touchscreen surface (touchscreen table) managed by the app that would work as a board. I guess the price of the game would increase though. The size of the package too :)

Microsoft surface maybe?