So this is potentially a bigger change, with more impact, to most of us and our FLGS than the Cloak rule change:
Page 1. Under Component Modifications, last paragraph.
If playmats are used, only official FFG X-Wing™ Playmats are allowed. This
is to guarantee a consistent experience for players and prevent any advantage
players may gain from familiarity with a particular map.
I suspect that rule is going to be quietly ignored by the vast majority of venues.
The play mat rule, while totally sucking, really only effects tournament players, so I don't see it having much impact on most players, only the highly visible ones.
Edited by ForgottenloreTechnically, it could affect every store that's planning on holding sanctioned events, depending on how rigourously FFG is going to enforce it. But yes, I think it's more of a paper tiger as it's going to be fairly difficult to actually ensure people adhere to it.
I respect and understand their policy on the miniatures in tournament play, but this whole mat issue has just ensured I will never buy one of theirs.
That is just a blatant attempt to force players to buy their place mats when every other player I know of that seriously plays has their own mat already. I will continue to use my two other mats thank you.
phantoms and playmats
it's official, FFG hates "P"
I haven't read through the new FAQ but in the past I believe the rules state that for a competitive tournament such as a GSC or Regional, etc that players cannot provide their own mats but rather the store or tournament organizer must provide them.
If that is still true I'm sure it will be ignored routinely. Any tournament lower than those levels it won't matter. I doubt this will have an impact on many people.
That's how I see it too. At a serious competitive level, having varying playmats causes the potential for an unfair advantage.
How can a mat give someone an advantage?!?!
Lol, "nerfed". Yea, playmats were seriously op before this.
Didn't they back-peddle about the Yavin IV mat being tournament legal because of player grumblings? That suffers from just as much 'unfair advantage' as any other mat. And they used to say no 3rd party templates could be used, but they changed their mind about that. I'm pretty sure this rule is going to be pulled as well.
Edited by ParakitorThe part that bothers me is that the rule does matter for regionals and store championships. Nearly all of my local stores held a store championship. One that doesn't have a lot of gaming space squeezed us in wall-to-wall so that we could play, and they didn't even charge an entry fee. Next year, according to these rules, the store would have to purchase 7 mats to support this year's turnout again. I don't want to see stores backing out of tournament support because of things like this.
The reason for this is pretty much because of the Death Star Surface mat. It is basically all squares, and players who practice on it, can accurately estimate distance so it's like they get to pre-measure everything, and takes most of the guess work out of maneuvering. Also it has tons of shadows, so people often lose their 1 forward movement template!
But rather than simply point out which mats are bad, it's easier to simply say that only official mats are good. There probably should have been a mention though, that a TO can override this rule, because it's a bit unrealistic to expect every venue to rush out and purchase 10+ brand new 35 dollar matts.
Just double chacked and it says in the tournament rules that the TO is responsible for setting up the 3x3 play area. A ton of shops are just going to use what they have. Players can't use their own at that level tourney anyway. I see no issue here.
The reason for this is pretty much because of the Death Star Surface mat. It is basically all squares, and players who practice on it, can accurately estimate distance so it's like they get to pre-measure everything, and takes most of the guess work out of maneuvering. Also it has tons of shadows, so people often lose their 1 forward movement template!
But rather than simply point out which mats are bad, it's easier to simply say that only official mats are good. There probably should have been a mention though, that a TO can override this rule, because it's a bit unrealistic to expect every venue to rush out and purchase 10+ brand new 35 dollar matts.
Isn't the Death Star mat an official mat?
WTF! My playmat has to decloak PRIOR to any ships revealing their dials?!?!
My beloved FLGS recently purchased a bunch of the blue HCD star field mats made out of the mouse pad material.
This is BS, it's a solution in search of a problem. There were zero issues with 3rd party mats previous to FFG releasing theirs.
Edited by ParaGoomba SlayerI wonder how many stores that were excited to be hosting regionals are now like "crap, I have to buy a bunch of new mats"
This is the please by our sucky slippery over priced mats rule. What's stopping people from studying the ffg mats and getting an unfair advantage from them?
My beloved FLGS recently purchased a bunch of the blue HCD star field mats made out of the mosue pad material.
This is BS, it's a solution in search of a problem. There were zero issues with 3rd party mats previous to FFG releasing theirs.
I have that same map. That map looks great in person. I doubt much, if any, places are going to enforce that rule.
Mats giving advantage? Only if people are retentive enough to try it. Besides, I brought a 3rd party mat to a tournament and they just said I should make sure I don't play on that table; problem solved.
RoV
FFG mats suck. They must have never actually played a game of X-wing on them before releasing. One game and they would have realised they are way too slick.
FFG mats suck. They must have never actually played a game of X-wing on them before releasing. One game and they would have realised they are way too slick.
You wouldn't believe how many people at Nationals last year at GenCon asked, "Will these mats every be for sale? They are so nice!" I was one of them.
You know, I might not be so irritated about it if they hadn't waited until now to release theirs, after everybody (including stores that hold sanctioned events) has already purchased 3rd party mats.
Edited by Audio Weasel