Hey! 1.5 years ago I submitted this business model sketch to Asmodee for a freemium implementation of X-Wing on mobile devices (iOS, Android, etc). It never went anywhere. Recently I was going through my my old notes in prep for an X-Wing tech interview with the 186th Squadron Podcast and rediscovered it, so thought I'd show it to you guys as a nice dream of what could be if Disney, EA (who has the license), and FFG were to pull themselves together to and create something awesome.
Enjoy!
I hope ffg is can see this post because I want them to know I would pay a ridiculous amount of money for this app, no matter the graphic quality
1 minute ago, TheOz said:I hope ffg is can see this post because I want them to know I would pay a ridiculous amount of money for this app, no matter the graphic quality
I hope they use Joe Boss emotes for all graphics!
This app would be horrible for my family life. I'm already glued to my phone way more than I should be and this would only make that situation worse. That said, I would love this! It should definitely happen.
EA and Disney would be the ones really making the call. But it does kind of look like free money laying on the ground. I'd spend money on that in a heartbeat.
It might even cut my vainglory time down.
Edited by TasteTheRainbowI tried this too and some Disney lawyer contacted me with the rejection like MONTHS later.
Anyone got hooks with EA and Disney? I know angel VCs who would fund it.
1 hour ago, ViscerothSWG said:I hope they use Joe Boss emotes for all graphics!
plz no
Disney retained the rights to all mobile and social games when they licsesed video games to EA. So the good news is a mobile app would not require EA blessing.
the bad news is Disney got rid Lucas video game group, and Disney wants to handle moble games in house. Disney is possible worse at managing video games than EA.
Disney killed the popular marvel game, by neglecting it then ultimately killing it off.
the Star Wars commander game (similar to clash of clans) is run by skeleton crew and is possible one of the buggiest mobile games ever created, reviled only by Dragon Soul. commander should be great, but sadly it's neglected and has substantial balance issues.
Last disney pulled the plug on the popular and critically well received infinity "toy to life" game. I know it's not exclusively Star Wars, but Star Wars was a big part of it. The toy to life market, i.e. Lego dimension or sky landers is hudgly lucrative and Disney bailed on it by alleging "supply issues"
I think the mouse has done lots of great things with Star Wars. However, I think there handling of video games is quite poor. Star Wars had some amazing games like Kotor, force unleashed etc. Sadly we will probably never see such games as EA is only interested in Battle Front and the old republic mmo.
Now I would love a X wing battle app, but instead I'd prefer it to be a toy to life game. I.e. You go to your ffg buy an expansion pack get some sort of bar code and then scan the expansion into the game. I think this model suits the game more, it would not canabilize from store sales. The app could even allow for campaign style missions when unqique pilots are needed to beat or unlock certain features similar to lego demensions. Of course you could still battle in the app like vasal. It would be cool if it included exotic formats and team epic
so... LolDisney?
@Stew00m that is good information, ty! Ok, same question, who knows a well placed senior exec at Disney Mobile that we can pitch this idea past? I'll start exploring my network here as well. EDIT: I've got the Director of Game Design as a 3rd degree connection in Linkedin, a few senior software devs, an a VP of marketing, but they would all would be cold-call connections if I were to InMail them. Would be much stronger if someone is this community knew someone senior over there and could provide a warm introduction!
Edited by sozin6 hours ago, ViscerothSWG said:I hope they use Joe Boss emotes for all graphics!
Yep, I would buy it (and everything for it).
@sozin I hate to be negative, Disney is notoriously difficult to work with in regards to Games, in particular Moble Games.
Disney is trying to clean up the expanded universe and there position is anything produced or liscensed out after the purchase of Lucas film must not detract from there goal of a consistent unified cannon.
Since X wing miniatures allows you to mix and match pilots and timelines, and some of the games is now considered non cannon, i don't see Disney going for it.
Sadly, this is why we probably won't see stars wars in lego dimensions anytime soon if at all.
The best chance at an x wing skimish app is if someone builds some sort of vasal like app.
Thanks @Stew00m , more good information. Re: canon, yeah I think you'd start with just pure game mechanics + canon and work from that. So it would be a fork from the actual board game, focusing content on what Disney wants, with the core game mechanics staying in place.
9 hours ago, sozin said:Hey! 1.5 years ago I submitted this business model sketch to Asmodee for a freemium implementation of X-Wing on mobile devices (iOS, Android, etc). It never went anywhere. Recently I was going through my my old notes in prep for an X-Wing tech interview with the 186th Squadron Podcast and rediscovered it, so thought I'd show it to you guys as a nice dream of what could be if Disney, EA (who has the license), and FFG were to pull themselves together to and create something awesome.
Enjoy!
Nice stuff Star Brother. Yeah I looked at/into this too about a year ago. You'll just get a cease and delete order from the IP Holders if you try to do this on your own. You know that of course which is why you approached the company with your proposal.
The reason I did the hundrid'ish ships that I have done is because I am going to launch a pretty decent game series too for badass battle report focusing on EPIC, and Scenario Play. These emotes will be the icons used to represent the ships and characters involved in the games. I just need to get the camera and a few more items which I am saving up for.
IT IS FUN STUFF... for sure for sure!
1 hour ago, Cubanboy said:
7 hours ago, ViscerothSWG said:I hope they use Joe Boss emotes for all graphics!
Thanks for all the positive feedback on this thread everyone :-) But to set expectations: by authoring this thread I was simply unearthing an old business plan that I wrote last year. I'll probe around to see if I can find someone at Disney that is interested in this project, but after that I have no interesting in independently writing a multi-client implementation. I'ver written a lot of free software for this game and have never once received a single acknowledgement or thank you from FFG. There's just no way I'm taking on a project this ambitious without getting paid for it -- which means it very likely isn't going to happen.
Edited by sozinI do not think that this would be a great sucess on mobile, as mobile games have to be quick. even with short cuts like in vassal with auto-bumping and stuff it is just as slow as a real life game of x-wing.
It would be cool but even it it was much better than vassal and tabletop simulator, there would not be that many people buying all the ships again digitally.
What I would prefer would be kind of a companion-app for playing without cards. maybe even with creating servers, joining games and stuff....would also be suitable for tournaments
1 hour ago, curi said:I do not think that this would be a great sucess on mobile, as mobile games have to be quick. even with short cuts like in vassal with auto-bumping and stuff it is just as slow as a real life game of x-wing.
It would be cool but even it it was much better than vassal and tabletop simulator, there would not be that many people buying all the ships again digitally.
What I would prefer would be kind of a companion-app for playing without cards. maybe even with creating servers, joining games and stuff....would also be suitable for tournaments
Games in X-wing Squadron Benchmark are very fast and I think this mobile game would not be much different from that.
Consider that that the Planning phase, even if it's mostly boring for an spectator, it's one of the most intensive ones for the player. It would have little interactivity with the app, because most of it is happening in the player's mind. But in the end, it would involve the player selecting a few maneuvers. The AI would instantly do the same without waiting time.
The Activation phase would also be much faster than the real game. No measuring, bumping, moving tokens around, replacing ships with proxies to place templates... It would all be handled instantly by the app, only allowing minor fine tuning for barrel rolls and talon rolls, that can be done with a simple slider control, and buttons to press to select actions. Again, the AI would do all its moves instantly, just slow enough to let the player know what's going on.
Finally, the Combat phase would be the fastest. The app rolls for both, and the players have minor input for using tokens and abilities.
A 75 minutes match would be easily reduced to 15 minutes or less. With the possibility of saving the game and continuing it at a later point just by locking your phone.
I do see the gameplay viable as a mobile app. The only problem I see (other than Disney) is the size of the screen. You usually want to look at the board very well for eyeballing distances, and a small screen (even if zoomable) would make it harder.
Edited by Azrapse3 hours ago, Azrapse said:Games in X-wing Squadron Benchmark are very fast and I think this mobile game would not be much different from that.
Consider that that the Planning phase, even if it's mostly boring for an spectator, it's one of the most intensive ones for the player. It would have little interactivity with the app, because most of it is happening in the player's mind. But in the end, it would involve the player selecting a few maneuvers. The AI would instantly do the same without waiting time.
The Activation phase would also be much faster than the real game. No measuring, bumping, moving tokens around, replacing ships with proxies to place templates... It would all be handled instantly by the app, only allowing minor fine tuning for barrel rolls and talon rolls, that can be done with a simple slider control, and buttons to press to select actions. Again, the AI would do all its moves instantly, just slow enough to let the player know what's going on.
Finally, the Combat phase would be the fastest. The app rolls for both, and the players have minor input for using tokens and abilities.
A 75 minutes match would be easily reduced to 15 minutes or less. With the possibility of saving the game and continuing it at a later point just by locking your phone.I do see the gameplay viable as a mobile app. The only problem I see (other than Disney) is the size of the screen. You usually want to look at the board very well for eyeballing distances, and a small screen (even if zoomable) would make it harder.
yeah that is all valid and I agree with you, but this is all while playing against AI.
as I already said, vassal is also pretty much automated: dice rolling, maneuvering, bumping everything but planning and doing actions.
and there is now big time saving to be seen that a game would be played out in a fifth of the time.
but sure on a tablet this would be a cool thing to have
3 minutes ago, curi said:yeah that is all valid and I agree with you, but this is all while playing against AI.
as I already said, vassal is also pretty much automated: dice rolling, maneuvering, bumping everything but planning and doing actions.
and there is now big time saving to be seen that a game would be played out in a fifth of the time.
Yes, I always understood the OP's idea as a single player game versus the AI in classic deathmatch and campaigns. Nobody wants to queue in the lobby to get a game, spend 20 minutes deploying and running the first two rounds, then getting disconnected because the other player quit, lost connection, or locked his phone. That's not practical.
Even if it were practical, I do agree with you that it would take much longer, because it's the human factor what slows down the game.
You lost me at EA and mobile game.
Dungeon Keeper, Dungeon Keeper, Dungeon Keeper.
You'd probably pay 1$ for each revealed dial and the app would have a chance to lose a die after rolling but no worries - EA will gladly sell you digital dice packs! And the expansions would cost the same as the physical ones I bet.