I wasn't talking about card packs for pilots though.

They could do Missions, Objectives, Squadrons, maybe a mini card deck of events, like asteroids moving, maybe a deck of cards that you can use during play as one time effects/buffs.

Some stuff that promotes X-Wing more like a fun tabletop game instead of a WAAC maths equation.

Well have you looked at mission control for some alternative missions? That might be your best place to go, heck there is a mission that has a drifting GR-75 that only does a 1 bank at the start of each round. It works great.

However as for say like a scenario pack (i.e. Battle of Yavin) I would prefer if it did have models to go along with the upgrades and cards for 2 reasons.

1. It keeps the product "Playable out of the box" which is something that can't be said for most miniatures.
2. It is actually new customer friendly having another ability to get early wave ships that might be out of stock and awaiting reprint.

Now I know not many people are excited about repaints, and there are plenty of players that already have 2 falcons and are not excited about getting the square dish as a third (I am not me but I have a restrictive purchasing plan). Still to keep the hobby growing I think repaint special packs are a pro-consumer business model, more so than a card only expansion.

How about the designers of the game saying "no"? nuff said.

well, they could easily just release pilot kits. New pilots for ships that are lacking in variety (especially large ships) coupled with upgrade cards but no ship. Even if it was 10 bucks, which is only 5 cheaper than the one with the model (a clear loss on our end, theres no way these models are only worth 5 bucks) people would still buy it.

They would also buy it if they tossed a repaint in there, and they could charge a lot more for it.

This game needs more Ackbar. If they don't include him with a future Resistance Troop Transport expansion, I'd get behind card only packs if they added him that way.

Card only that I would like to see. Print on demand fixes for over costed ships. Let me pay twice for fixing what is broke.

Except that their POD production facility cannot handle the demand this product would have.

They have said in multiple interviews they will not do this for x-wing. that's the main reason they wont

Didn't they also say the prequel ships would never make it in?

We'll have the N-1 announced no later than this time next year. I'll make that bet with anyone.

Didn't they also say the prequel ships would never make it in?

Prequel content.

Hence the ARC has a giant Alliance Starbird emblazoned on its wing.

Again, why would they make something like that, when they can toss a mini in there and charge much more?

Again, why would they make something like that, when they can toss a mini in there and charge much more?

Because if the mini is something I don't want, I won't buy it, even if I wanted the cards. While a pack of cards is something I would buy.

And given this game's wild success with its current model you're evidentally anomalous.

not this again....... we want the ships as well and they know it.

Card only packs are ridiculous and would destroy the business model they have created. However, a better mix of cards in vets/aces packs would be glorious (I'm looking at you ImpVets, you bomber without ExMuni or Chimps, and RebAces without ptl or thrusters). At some point, say another year or so, you might even see a way to fly Vader without Raider. But cards alone? Never. There's not enough, there's no reason to, and why deny yourself that sweet, sweet plastic crack?

In terms of development, I would tend to think cards are cheaper to produce than a 3D model + cards. I could be wrong, however.

Totally wrong. FFG have a small number (possibly only one) of inhouse 3d artists who build and texture the 3d models and develop the manufacturing techniques to make sure they're okay for the fame. This represents a relatively very small part of their costs.

They have a much, much bigger team of designers and, more importantly, playtesters, who spend a lot of time coming up with, testing and tweaking new cards, pilots and abilities. This is a huge part of their costs. Manufa Turing, printing of cards and distribution is probably also significant, I'm not 100% sure, but the amount of time spent is definitely dominated by designing and perfecting cards.

Flip that around to the purchase end, though, and customer perceptions are dominated by the models. There's a reason why the models are the only thing you see in the packs you buy. There's also a reason why most wanted had that extra Z-95. It cost more to develop (way more ships and pilots), so they had to charge more, so they had to increase the perceived value.

That's why card only expansions won't happen for X Wing. You'd have to pay almost the full cost of a normal expansio, but you'd perceive that as too expensive because we mostly associate value with the physical models.

And given this game's wild success with its current model you're evidentally anomalous.

I suppose so.

It's an unfortunate side effect of playing a hobby populated fanboy manchildren with more disposable income than sense. The game company doesn't have to worry about making reasonable, consumer-minded choices, because the fanbase will buy in regardless.

It's the same reason Games Workshop manages to somehow continue to even exist.

For an official heroes of the atauri cluster? Sure.

For an x-wing 2.0 conversion pack? Absolutely.

Missions? "They're on the internet". Given the somewhat wobbly balance of the current ones, they clearly only just get those players at the best of times at their current rate (though I applaud their trying, even so).

Pilots or upgrade cards? No. They're clearly having enough fun getting the models balanced and costed right without opening another whole - cheaper - content stream.

well, they could easily just release pilot kits. New pilots for ships that are lacking in variety (especially large ships) coupled with upgrade cards but no ship. Even if it was 10 bucks, which is only 5 cheaper than the one with the model (a clear loss on our end, theres no way these models are only worth 5 bucks) people would still buy it.

Yeah just like they do for the falcon, pilot and upgrade cards packed with a replacement square dish.. . .. .oh no, they didn't do that.

I think that announcement pretty much proves we wont get card packs.