Could we use a new starter?

By DarkSpade, in X-Wing

Could we use a new starter? Yes? Although doesn't each reprinting include all of the latest errata and such so it essentially is a "new" starter that happens to functionally look just like the old one.

Could we use a Deluxe Starter with improved templates and alternative models of the TIE and X-WING? Here I'd give an even bigger YES although everything in it would be optional to someone who already has the stuff needed to play.

Could we use an Alternative Starter? As in one that uses a different mix of ships and upgrades. This could be used but it would need to be pretty specific to avoid alienating the player base. I somewhat like the idea of creating a "Faction Primer" set that includes "the basics you need to get started in X-Wing playing for a given faction." The problem is it may not make finacial sense for FFG unless they add new stuff so everyone buys it which then upsets the current player base.

A proprietary FFG WiFi eReader that has the rules for all FFG games in living format. If they wanted to get in bed with Amazon this could be done very cheaply.

Imagine, a game almanac that has all the rules for your games in a small tablet that updates itself and notifies you when rule FAQ's have been posted.

If FFG was terribly clever they'd pack this in a 2.0 Xwing starter set and promote their new and existing games through it.

a new core set just for the errata in the rulebook is silly. keep the same core and ship with updated paperback

as for any players unable to keep up with online errata, yeah no. This is SOP for every miniatures game not made in the stone age, or with a stone age mentality (see how GW updates their game with new batches of codexes and all the resulting horror that follows)

now a core set for the sake of having a new core set is something else, especially given how utterly inefficient the namesake ship of the game is. Then again, Luke and Biggs are the two most usable pilots of the lot apart from Tarn, and they don't need much to be made to work very well. Best I can say is that Core Set 2.0 would be an amazing excuse for an X-wing fix :) (just paint a **** boost icon in the action bar, FFG!)

The Tie is still the gold standard, so no need for change there.

the cynic in me wants to package a decimator against a yt-1300 and be done with it, but I doubt we'd get many players into the game that way.

Edited by ficklegreendice

I am now leaning towards a new starter with new generation of ships plus 2nd edition.

Would like to see some issues balanced or dealt with in one swing.

There will still be endless whiners but hopefully a 2nd edition would fix a wide variety of issues and keep the game fun.

I am now leaning towards a new starter with new generation of ships plus 2nd edition.

Would like to see some issues balanced or dealt with in one swing.

There will still be endless whiners but hopefully a 2nd edition would fix a wide variety of issues and keep the game fun.

But the question how long does the game need to be out before a second edition is needed and what will a second edition change. I mean other than an update and errata which is included with supplement cards such as bombs and the boost what else is needed, it has to be more than just paper and FAQ. Damage cards that effect different upgrades maybe. New type of dice for torpedo or missile weapons to make them better maybe maybe not. Re print of existing pilots, I don't know if that is needed as old pilots such as biggs get put back in when a new wave brings in upgrade cards. One thing for certian what every they add to the core set for a second edition they need to make upgrade kits for their classic core sets to get all the core sets on par.

Also with 2nd edition that also means things will be replaced, thus begins the cycle. Now the question is how much time is needed before it is time to discontinue models. now I still stand by my stance that X-wing is not a card game but a game that utilize cards, so comparing them to FFG's other products the LCGs might be an inaccurate comparison. However with LCG FFG has a 7 cycle rotation. So about every 4 years cards get taken out of the pool and new cards replace them.

Does X-wing need this constant cycle? I think not, and here is why. LCGs have only the cards there for as new cards come in with new mechanics older card mechanics end up obsolete or uncompetitive. Not just to power creep but maybe in design they were made to stop one type of card from getting to powerful and several cycles later the end that card is no longer relevant, thus all the counters to that card are no longer useful. The only solution is to remove those cards and replace them with meaningful cards that interact with the current card pool meta game. However with X-wing the pilot cards can be modified and changed with upgrade cards. They are not static thanks to the slot system thus a new upgrade an update the pilot card to where it is still relevant among the newer pilot cards. Thus the upgrade slot system updates the pilot cards with each wave removing the need to cycle out pilot cards and ships.

So could there be a second edition, possibly depending on the continued success of this game it would likely continue and later a second edition will come out. Now I think not exactly, how many more wave until then I really cant tell.

Mobile phones and tablets are cheap and freely available i don't see faq's being online as an issue.

My data plan would like to have a word with you.

If only there was some form of WiFi free in thousands of locations in your area to take advantage of alas no one does anything like that in pubs or coffee shops or restaurants or libraries missed opportunity really.

Mobile phones and tablets are cheap and freely available i don't see faq's being online as an issue.

I digress, having just a smart phone with unlimited data is around $100 a month (and you will want unlimited data with all the app updates and forced advertised streams on websites). Having a pad just adds that much to the phone. Calling them cheaper than books? Well, only if you compare to overpriced GW codexes but even then I think the PAD+phone+ monthly billing cost more than buying a new book every month.

Also that is exactly what GW is doing, all of their codexes are going straight to IOS (and being apple exclusives for some corporate awful reason). You might call this new Age of Sigmar exactly that, and that is another reason why I dropped out of 40K. I actually bought all the codexes until they started to place IPAD only codexes that I could not afford.

Ah well that's because your in Merica here I get unlimited data 600 free minutes for £11 a month, I could get a phone for £30 or a tablet for about the same hardly breaks the bank.

You don't have to buy an iPad to look at a pdf.

Also you don't have to pay GW if your willing to pirate, I'd don't advocate that but I do understand people who do it rather than pay over the odds.

I do not expect a new starter, particularly one with Episode 7 ships. I believe it is far more likely that we see Episode 7 ships in Wave 8 (wave 9 at the latest).

FFG really needs to keep as many viable EU ships as they can available for use in booster packs to bridge the gaps between new Star Wars ships seen in films, cartoons, comics, etc.

If they used the redesigned X-Wings and TIE Fighters shown in the trailers/teasers in a new starter pack they would undercut their ability to sell more in boosters. That also would stem the sale of existing starters.

There is a golden opportunity with the new X-Wings to create a fix for the current X-Wing. From a business standpoint the smartest thing to do is to release the new X-Wing in such a manner that it can drive sales for both the new and old version. Long time players will buy the new one. Newer players will need the old and new. It wouldn't make sense to marginalize sales of the old X-Wing when they can sell both.

I do not expect a new starter, particularly one with Episode 7 ships. I believe it is far more likely that we see Episode 7 ships in Wave 8 (wave 9 at the latest).

If they used the redesigned X-Wings and TIE Fighters shown in the trailers/teasers in a new starter pack they would undercut their ability to sell more in boosters. That also would stem the sale of existing starters.

How would including the ships from the new movie undercut their ability to sell more boosters? This is exactly what they did from the start - the starter pack had an X-Wing and TIEs that were also available in boosters for Wave 1... (there are/were compelling reasons to buy at least one of these boosters for the cards that only came in them)

Edited by maxam

I'd love to see a starter with an updated and fully fleshed out rule book, but I'd be a little upset if I had to buy all the same pilots/gear I got in the last two I bought. Even if you didn't care about the rule book, you'd still get 3 new ships for 5 dollars less than if you bought 3 expacs. Everything else would be bonus.

And lets look at new players. A starter that ties in with the new movies could help grab new players. And what if instead of replacing the old starter they just had two? One based on the old movies and one for the new. This makes buying two starters an even better value for new players since they're not getting any repeat pilot cards

There is no need for a new core set. If you want a miniatures company to bring out a new version of the core set or expansion every time an update or amendment is made to the rules then shop at Games Workshop. They will happily let you throw money at their games. Fantasy Flight are good at what they do and make the game available on one level or another to everyone regardless of budget. Also... I've bought from a lot of different miniatures company's over 20+ years and never have I bought a better core set than X-wing.

Edited by VNV

My initial thought on seeing the title of this thread (....again) was an emphatic "no".

But the the more I think about it, the more it makes sense.

The X-Wing Core Set is the oldest product associated with the game, and also the one every player needs to purchase for dice, templates, damage decks etc.

At this point, a Core Set Version 2.0 isn't necessarily a bad idea - so long as it doesn't funamentally alter the nature ofr the game.

All you'd need to change would be the rulebook. Include the rules for Boost, Cloak, Modifications, Bombs, Segnor's Loop, SLAM etc - so all the current rules are in one place. Maybe divide the Rule book into two sections - "Core" rules (as it is now) then "Expanded" rules (the extras from the various expansions).

Everything else could stay the same. That way, nothing would be made redundant, but new players would have pretty much everything they need to quickly get up to speed with the game.

All you'd need to change would be the rulebook. Include the rules for Boost, Cloak, Modifications, Bombs, Segnor's Loop, SLAM etc - so all the current rules are in one place. Maybe divide the Rule book into two sections - "Core" rules (as it is now) then "Expanded" rules (the extras from the various expansions).

Everything else could stay the same. That way, nothing would be made redundant, but new players would have pretty much everything they need to quickly get up to speed with the game.

There is no need for a new core set. If you want a miniatures company to bring out a new version of the core set or expansion every time an update or amendment is made to the rules then shop at Games Workshop. They will happily let you throw money at their games. Fantasy Flight are good at what they do and make the game available on one level or another to everyone regardless of budget. Also... I've bought from a lot of different miniatures company's over 20+ years and never have I bought a better core set than X-wing.

That's a little extreme. I'm not talking about a new core set that that completely invalidates your old one. More like a box set of 3 new ships that just happens to come with an updated rule book and an extra set of templates and dice for less money than if you bought all 3 ships individually. That's a lot different than GW making you buy $120 in books ever few years to keep playing.

All you'd need to change would be the rulebook. Include the rules for Boost, Cloak, Modifications, Bombs, Segnor's Loop, SLAM etc - so all the current rules are in one place. Maybe divide the Rule book into two sections - "Core" rules (as it is now) then "Expanded" rules (the extras from the various expansions).

Everything else could stay the same. That way, nothing would be made redundant, but new players would have pretty much everything they need to quickly get up to speed with the game.

Unless a new player buys a phantom they don't need the cloak rule; unless they buy a ship with boost they don't need the boost rule; until they play against a ship using those rules and then the opponent will have the rule card. I think having extra rules with no playable context would confuse and alienate new players. It definitely wouldn't do anything to get them up to speed with the contents of the box they just bought.

Except when a player buys a phantom, they're getting the wrong rules. And as a player that has at least one of everything, I'd much rather check the index of a rule book for something than sort through a deck of cards.

Mobile phones and tablets are cheap and freely available i don't see faq's being online as an issue.

I digress, having just a smart phone with unlimited data is around $100 a month (and you will want unlimited data with all the app updates and forced advertised streams on websites). Having a pad just adds that much to the phone. Calling them cheaper than books? Well, only if you compare to overpriced GW codexes but even then I think the PAD+phone+ monthly billing cost more than buying a new book every month.

Also that is exactly what GW is doing, all of their codexes are going straight to IOS (and being apple exclusives for some corporate awful reason). You might call this new Age of Sigmar exactly that, and that is another reason why I dropped out of 40K. I actually bought all the codexes until they started to place IPAD only codexes that I could not afford.

Come to Canada where we are about 10-30 years behind the rest of the world when it comes to mobilephone market and Internet speed/pricing.

Unlike other countries, mostly Asia and Europe there is no competition

We pay at least twice as much and more for far less.

Just for example, I don't remember all the numbers, but I do remember reading for what speeds in Korea and Japan that cost about 40 dollars there, to get the same speeds in North America costs about 300 hundred a month.

Ridiculous is what it is

All because two major companies own the market

Bell aliant or Rogers

There was something in the news about a year ago about a big firm from the states try to get in Canada. Thanks to the PoS company Rogers never happened

The very topic boils my blood.

Now I'm all worked up got to go lol

Edited by Krynn007

There is no need for a new core set. If you want a miniatures company to bring out a new version of the core set or expansion every time an update or amendment is made to the rules then shop at Games Workshop. They will happily let you throw money at their games. Fantasy Flight are good at what they do and make the game available on one level or another to everyone regardless of budget. Also... I've bought from a lot of different miniatures company's over 20+ years and never have I bought a better core set than X-wing.

That's a little extreme. I'm not talking about a new core set that that completely invalidates your old one. More like a box set of 3 new ships that just happens to come with an updated rule book and an extra set of templates and dice for less money than if you bought all 3 ships individually. That's a lot different than GW making you buy $120 in books ever few years to keep playing.

All you'd need to change would be the rulebook. Include the rules for Boost, Cloak, Modifications, Bombs, Segnor's Loop, SLAM etc - so all the current rules are in one place. Maybe divide the Rule book into two sections - "Core" rules (as it is now) then "Expanded" rules (the extras from the various expansions).

Everything else could stay the same. That way, nothing would be made redundant, but new players would have pretty much everything they need to quickly get up to speed with the game.

Unless a new player buys a phantom they don't need the cloak rule; unless they buy a ship with boost they don't need the boost rule; until they play against a ship using those rules and then the opponent will have the rule card. I think having extra rules with no playable context would confuse and alienate new players. It definitely wouldn't do anything to get them up to speed with the contents of the box they just bought.

Except when a player buys a phantom, they're getting the wrong rules. And as a player that has at least one of everything, I'd much rather check the index of a rule book for something than sort through a deck of cards.

Unless they're playing in a tournament, those wrong rules don't hurt anything. If they're playing in a tournament they need to be familiar with the faq. It's a non-issue.

I think fantasy flight does a good job with keeping the faq and such up to date.

In ideal world, I'd personally like to see an updated rule book included in the standard starter, with the missions that are already released with current large ship expansions in addition to the core rule books 3; having huge ships incorporated formally into it would be a plus. Also, I think all the new actions like SLAM, boost, etc should be there too, as it will help players who maybe don't own those ships yet to understand their rules.

That said, unless they wanted to do a true 2nd edition, I don't think it should go beyond a comprehensive rule book in the starter.

I'm more of the mind lately that the force awakens ships could be done with 2 first order TIE, and a T-70 x-wing in a 'most wanted' style expansions, to introduce the new 'factions', while not having to do a complete new starter.

Not everyone has access to unlimited data plan

True, but is there any device out there that can't connect to wifi? Even if you can't use the stores wifi, you can still download the PDF and have a local copy, so you don't need any sort of connection.

However, I don't think expecting people to have a smartphone or tablet is reasonable. I shouldn't need such a device to have access to the most current rules.

But that also doesn't mean the rule book needs to be reprinted every time something changes. There is simply no way someone who has the disposable income to play this game, doesn't have access to at least the computer and internet access at a library, where they can print out the latest FAQ.

There are effectively two types of players, casual players and tournament players. If you're a casual player, then the FAQ, errata, ect... doesn't really matter, you can play without it and as long as everyone is playing by the same rules you're good to go.

For tournament players, it's expected that you'll be aware of, and have read over and understood the FAQ's and tournament rules. I can't imagine anyone going to an event like that and getting caught completely off guard by such things as a FAQ or errata.

So no, there's no real need to reprint the core set with updated rules. It might be nice, but it's not needed.

I would also like to point out that in my travels of playing with different people here lately, X wing has some of the nicest people to play against. If you didn't have or know the rules changes it's not like they are going to call you stupid or a cheater. Most I have played with have been extremely helpful and not only correct a new player politely to a misplay but will also offer strategies and why certain things are the way they are. I truly find this mentality of go paper or go home by some of the posters here a little archaic. Digital is the future and I would have killed for the ease of an updated FAQ 20 years ago at no cost (given you have Internet access or a friend who does, which in this age has to be a minority).

Now all that being said I do sympathize with those that don't want to see the rules evolved and changed 20 times a year. We get an FAQ update pretty much guaranteed with every wave, and likely once or twice between because of tournament shenanigans, so I would like a biannual update structure. 2 times a year on a given date, if no changes are necessary then the date passes with no changes this phase. It would give more of a sense of seasons to tournaments and eliminate the OMG they nerfed my strategy mid season.

To stay on topic, no I do not feel we need a new core set at all. I do like the idea of a special edition core set with acrylic templates, fancy tokens, ship repaints, the desired reprint manual and some new asteroid templates! It would likely be Armada money though and gods I spend enough on this game but it would be cool and I would attempt to find room in my budget for such a purchase.

Edited by LordFajubi

I wouldn't mind a starter with new cards or ships just as a way yo replenish lost templates and add dice. Every event I go to I end up with a different number of templates than I came in with. I'm luck enough to be in the plus column, but Id hate to buy another sry of the current core for more.

I wouldn't mind a starter with new cards or ships just as a way yo replenish lost templates and add dice. Every event I go to I end up with a different number of templates than I came in with. I'm luck enough to be in the plus column, but Id hate to buy another sry of the current core for more.

I played against a guy here recently who had a brilliant strategy for that, he simply took a marker and went around edge of all his templates. It affects nothing on the graphics of the card and is more reliable than say a sticker or tape. Mark your territory and return home alive ;) I still have yet to find a way to extend his strategy to dice :mellow:

Edited by LordFajubi

I would love to see "tournament starters". One for each faction. They would be ready to go, 100 point squads. This way a new player could jump into a friendly tournament without the hassle of having to find people to borrow from. It would come with all the dice, range rulers, etc. the Core does.

I would love to see "tournament starters". One for each faction. They would be ready to go, 100 point squads. This way a new player could jump into a friendly tournament without the hassle of having to find people to borrow from. It would come with all the dice, range rulers, etc. the Core does.

PP did this recently with a limited run of "All In One" army boxes, which packaged 35 points of hyper competitive miniatures (for the most part...cygnar box <_< ) into a very economically priced collection.

It didn't contain basic game materials (because you need measuring tape and generic d6s, I suppose) but it was a very nice move by the company.

considering FFG likes to scatter its upgrade cards around, "All in One" squads could be very interesting for getting new players into the game.

of course, they aren't necessary. They're just a nice option to have. FFG probably wouldn't do it, though, because it might complicate sales :P (in warmahordes, you need far more miniatures for your typical game than you do in X-wing. You can play at 35 easily, but most people I play with prefer 50)

Edited by ficklegreendice

I would be COMPLETELY SHOCKED if there is not a new core set on the horizon to coincide with Episode VII.

Think about it... this movie is already shaping up to be one of the largest events in the history of entertainment media. FFG would be INSANE not to leverage it for everything it's worth. It just doesn't make sense that their only response to Disney's resurrection of the SW franchise would be to release a few Episode VII and/or Rebels boosters.

Clearly the new movies are the path forward for longevity of this game, and it wouldn't make good business sense to only have original trilogy core sets.

New, younger recruits will buy the new core set to get into the game, and all of us veterans will buy it to get the new T-70 and First Order TIE models, Poe Dameron card, the X-wing fix, etc.

So, yeah, to answer the original question I think we desperately need a new Ep VII core set to keep the game alive and start drawing in a new generation of players.

Edited by cyclopeatron