I use my phone to type, and between the piss poor auto correct, and having to type on this small little touchscreen keyboard, I'll use acronyms where I can. Instead of typing twin laser turret I'll type tlt.

Makes my life easier when typing on here.

When FFG introduce character limits on posts then by all means start using them again. But in the mean time lets be a bit more new user friendly and stop.

Didn't you mean Fantasy Flight Games?

I have seen (lived) both sides of this. I have been playing for a while, but only participating on this board somewhat recently. I didn't know what "triple u-boats" was when I first saw it. And there are plenty of other slang terms, not just abbreviations. I would think that most folks -those new to X-Wing included - will pick up on the terms sooner or later.

If you're going to be formal, what you would want to do is spell out the term the first time you use it, show the abbreviation, and then use the abbreviation for the rest of your post. So if I'm talking about Visual Instincts (VI) the first time I write it out. Then as I wax poetic on the abilities and advantages that VI brings to Darth Vader, then I can use the VI shorthand throughout the rest of my post. If I'm replying to the original poster (OP) then I can do the same thing.

That all being said, we're not very formal here. But to the OP (see what I did there?) if this bothers you, you can certainly try to adopt the more formal style and see if others follow your lead.

Also some board / forum packages can set up acronym tips. So if someone hovers over FFG the software automatically provides a "tool tip" that spells out Fantasy Flight Games. I don't know if the package used by FFG supports that or not.

The best way around this is if someone takes upon themselves to write, and keep up-to-date, a jargon and acronym guide and get it pinned at the top of the forum. That way newcomers can translate posts more easily and not feel excluded and the salty ones can continue to abbreviate and use portmanteaus to their heart's content.

The best way around this is if someone takes upon themselves to write, and keep up-to-date, a jargon and acronym guide and get it pinned at the top of the forum. That way newcomers can translate posts more easily and not feel excluded and the salty ones can continue to abbreviate and use portmanteaus to their heart's content.

https://community.fantasyflightgames.com/topic/129794-x-wing-slang-glossary/

Past few days I've seen a couple of posts.....one compiling a glossary and the other from a new member asking what some of the acronyms mean, in which a link is given to the glossary post.

How about instead of forcing someone to read through however many pages of acronyms trying to find the one they want, Just stop using them.

Not everyone does it, most people do use the full term. Reassuringly in the squad building section the full title is used a lot. But there are enough examples around that it becomes annoying.

Is it too much of an effort to type veteran instincts instead of VI. If your answer is yes and you can also rattle off every card/build acronym known to x-win kind then you maybe need to consider lifer a bit more :-)

When FFG introduce character limits on posts then by all means start using them again. But in the mean time lets be a bit more new user friendly and stop.

Why did you use "i've" instead of "I have"?

Exactly. BUT, I do have to agree with the OP that there are many times I am stumped by an acronym. I just went to the linked page. . .why can't his get pinned??

TL;DR

I'm guessing there was moaning

Most of those abbreviations are initialisms, not acronyms. Acronyms can be spoken as a word (LASER, SCUBA, NATO). Thus the "nym."

Initialisms are the ones where you still say the letters (the initial characters of each word). DVD, PTL, VI, et cetera.

This has been your Linguistics 101 lesson for today. In future, we can get into prescriptive vs descriptive grammar, if you like.

Most of those abbreviations are initialisms, not acronyms. Acronyms can be spoken as a word (LASER, SCUBA, NATO). Thus the "nym."

Initialisms are the ones where you still say the letters (the initial characters of each word). DVD, PTL, VI, et cetera.

This has been your Linguistics 101 lesson for today. In future, we can get into prescriptive vs descriptive grammar, if you like.

Wow the more you know (insert rainbow here)

I would like to recommend the Extension "X-wing companion card viewer" for webbrowsers by Guido, a local player in my area =).

Just hover the mouse over the acronyms and/or name of upgrade and/or pilot, and it will bring up a picture of the card directly in your browser.

No more tears. =)

Works on the following pages:

• reddit.com/r/XWingTMG
• reddit.com/r/xwingonline
• fantasyflightgames.com
• teamcovenant.com
• lists.starwarsclubhouse.com

Have fun

Edit: He is fast with updates also..

/Fippo

Foxtrot Oscar.

I leave you to work out what that might be shorthand for.

Dude, sooo not called for.

Regardless of whether you agree or not, no need for that.

Past few days I've seen a couple of posts.....one compiling a glossary and the other from a new member asking what some of the acronyms mean, in which a link is given to the glossary post.

How about instead of forcing someone to read through however many pages of acronyms trying to find the one they want, Just stop using them.

Not everyone does it, most people do use the full term. Reassuringly in the squad building section the full title is used a lot. But there are enough examples around that it becomes annoying.

Is it too much of an effort to type veteran instincts instead of VI. If your answer is yes and you can also rattle off every card/build acronym known to x-win kind then you maybe need to consider lifer a bit more :-)

When FFG introduce character limits on posts then by all means start using them again. But in the mean time lets be a bit more new user friendly and stop.

So, four years of shorthand for and by the people that play and discuss the game the most needs to be abolished because you (and apparently you think that your experience is the only one that matters) can't be bothered to read, ask, or otherwise find out what they mean? Wow. And I thought I was lazy.

Now I will go and listen to "User-Friendly" because that is the only worthwhile thing that came out of your post.

Past few days I've seen a couple of posts.....one compiling a glossary and the other from a new member asking what some of the acronyms mean, in which a link is given to the glossary post.

How about instead of forcing someone to read through however many pages of acronyms trying to find the one they want, Just stop using them.

Not everyone does it, most people do use the full term. Reassuringly in the squad building section the full title is used a lot. But there are enough examples around that it becomes annoying.

Is it too much of an effort to type veteran instincts instead of VI. If your answer is yes and you can also rattle off every card/build acronym known to x-win kind then you maybe need to consider lifer a bit more :-)

When FFG introduce character limits on posts then by all means start using them again. But in the mean time lets be a bit more new user friendly and stop.

So, four years of shorthand for and by the people that play and discuss the game the most needs to be abolished because you (and apparently you think that your experience is the only one that matters) can't be bothered to read, ask, or otherwise find out what they mean? Wow. And I thought I was lazy.

Now I will go and listen to "User-Friendly" because that is the only worthwhile thing that came out of your post.

This is a little harsh don't you think?

This thread has taught me that there are a lot of not nice people on this forum.

There's NOT a problem with acronyms, just a problem on how we pronounce them.

Push The Limit is PTL ; that's "PEE TEE ELL" ... not "PIT TULL".

Black Market Slicer Tools is BMST ; that's "BEE EMM ESS TEE" ... not "BUM SIT".

Engine Upgrade is EU ; that's "EEE YOU" ... not "EWW".

It's embarrassing, but I was saying them all wrong and now I can change my ways

ILA

[i love acronyms]

PTL VI TAP TLTs FCS

This thread has taught me that there are a lot of not nice people on this forum.

First time meeting humanity?

Sorry but the internet is an ARE, get used to it.

ok so I didn't think making a suggestion about helping new players to x wing would be controversial.

I stopped reading the replies when someone suggested I figure out what Foxtrot Oscar meant. 12 years in the British army means I know exactly what it means. Can I suggest the keyboard hero poster of that comment get back in his basement, talking to his imaginary girlfriend and playing call of duty, no doubt where he learnt the phonetic alphabet.

To the person who asked why I used I've instead of I have. Because I've is a common English language contraction, not an acronym, understood by most people with a basic grasp of the language. Might I suggest a good evening class in English.

And as for the rest, if this is Christian Petersens much admired X wing community you can keep it.

You can now all pile on and have another go. As I'm (another English contraction) done with this place, this will be a exercise in mass self gratification so feel free.

ok so I didn't think making a suggestion about helping new players to x wing would be controversial.

Except it wasn't though was it?

It was a whinge about how you don't like acronyms.

New players will pick things up the more they play the game - the rules, how things interact with one another etc. This is part of the learning process that everyone goes through.

Same goes for the forums, new people will pick acronyms up the more experienced they become.

The same principle goes for literally all of human life - you pick stuff up as you go along.

The acronyms on this forum are pretty accessible (and indeed a guide exists to help new people). No one is expecting them to learn C++.

So yeah, the controversy isn't that you were making a nice little suggestion to help new players, it's that you were having a little whinge.

I stopped reading the replies when someone suggested I figure out what Foxtrot Oscar meant. 12 years in the British army means I know exactly what it means. Can I suggest the keyboard hero poster of that comment get back in his basement, talking to his imaginary girlfriend and playing call of duty, no doubt where he learnt the phonetic alphabet.

Good stuff big lad, you'd think 12 years as a squaddie would've thickened your skin a wee bit (and made you realise that learning acronyms isn't actually that hard, and comes fairly naturally to people).

omg idek. lol idc, idgaf tbh. wbu? k brb ttyl

I stopped reading the replies when someone suggested I figure out what Foxtrot Oscar meant. 12 years in the British army means I know exactly what it means. Can I suggest the keyboard hero poster of that comment get back in his basement, talking to his imaginary girlfriend and playing call of duty, no doubt where he learnt the phonetic alphabet.

12 years in the army and you have a problem with acronyms?

PTL, VI, TLT will probably never fade away, there the ones I see the most and are easy enought to pick up and learn from the content of the post. But ill admit any acronym outside of those 3 bugs the hell out of me. An example is OP since ive seen this used for orginal post and over powered on the same page!

STOP IT! Or SI if you understand that better

ok so I didn't think making a suggestion about helping new players to x wing would be controversial.

You won't likely see this but as was pointed out this had nothing to do with helping new people it was you complaining about something you don't like.

Just about everyone here was new at one point and we all figured out what the TLA's mean. Any time someone picks up an new game they have to do the same thing.

Because for the hundreds to thousands of people using these boards who know what they mean it's a massive time saver, and it's up to the new person to get familiar with the jargon used. This is true of pretty much everything in life.

WC.lagdttbahab

Cookie if Anyone knows what that is

If people can't figure out what OP means based on context... They're not really trying.

If I say "<Upgrade X> is OP and needs to be nerfed" is there anyway anyone could actually confuse OP for Original Post or Original Poster?

Likewise when I say something like "Well in your OP you said..." is it really likely I mean Over Powered? Even when Original Post vs Poster, the context should make it clear what is being talked about.

Cba