An App, an App, my kingdom for an App.
FFG Needs an Official X-Wing App
"How will FFG make money off X-wing without conveniently seeding expansions with upgrade cards you want?"
That's the common response I get whenever I discuss this with people. I don't really buy the argument that people buy expansions solely for the cards. I mean I bought my Raider for the X1 cards and Palpatine, but also to have the model on a shelf looking cool (and occasionally running around with it making pew pew noises) .
Moving to a web-based builder just makes a lot of sense, and I'm pretty sure a bunch of other miniature games use that model.
Edited by CRCLI know the main point of this would probably be a squad builder based app, however, I'm even ok with an app that has all the other printed stuff so we don't have to haul it around. Dials, cards and faq would be a great start
1 hour ago, xbeaker said:Maybe, but it would also be more likely to be complete and less likely to have support and updates abandoned like a popular app I know a lot of people use.
This right here.
The x wing app I liked still doesn't have the new ships in it.
I don't blame the person making the app. Apps are a lot of work and things like life and a lost of intrest in the game can make your favorite app outdated.
That is why an official squad builder is needed.
2 hours ago, BlodVargarna said:@Boba Rick , which campaign tracker did you use? I’m just finishing my first campaign ad we did it with pen/paper, which has sucked.
Competitive:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gau.ia.campaign.log&hl=en
Cooperative:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fantasyflightgames.iaca
official squad builder app would be very cool. A tournament mode that can rebalance the card costs is either pandora's box bad or i can't believe it's not butter good. I would be willing to find out which!
They could also allow you to create your own ruleset for unofficial tournaments. No pilots > 6, large ships only, that kind of thing. could be pretty cool.
The can’t make an app because EA has the sole license to do this
Thanks for the kind words to the tech community, and yes you are right, a FFG squad builder would be nice. Sadly given their behavior in Tome, they will likely ignore the xws specification and not try to work at all in the ecosystem that makes everything work. As much it would just make things worse. So be careful what you wish for!
What you're describing is much like the War Room app for Warmachine&Hordes, the models you use are constantly up to date on the app itself and are changing almost all the time (within reason) so you can still use the cards you just better keep track of what changed, and the app itself is free and you spend like 5 dollars to get complete access to your faction (or pay like 30$ to get them all or something)
I would LOVE an app like that for x wing, because one of the most amazing things for War Room is you can see your opponent's list on your own phone, so if you're not sure with how their big dude works you just tap a few times and BAM, you get access to the card and can look at it yourself. None of this reaching across the table knocking things over to look at somebody else's card that they're reading wrong, or fishing through all the upgrades on Miranda to figure out which of the 18 bombs you just discarded.
I don't know if they should charge money for it, but if all I had to pay was 5 dollars to get access to my own faction and all the upgrade cards I would be okay with it, because it would be much easier to keep track of than pulling out allllllll the shield tokens.
My only thing against this concept is how poorly the official tournament software works. Once they fix that up (including replacing it with something better), then I'll feel more enthusiastic about an official app.
13 minutes ago, SabineKey said:My only thing against this concept is how poorly the official tournament software works. Once they fix that up (including replacing it with something better), then I'll feel more enthusiastic about an official app.
What are you taking about? Cryodex is awesome
44 minutes ago, sozin said:The can’t make an app because EA has the sole license to do this
The presence of the IA app would suggest FFG can make an app for a Star Wars based game. Or are you saying EA has the license specifically for X-Wing?
21 minutes ago, CRCL said:What are you taking about? Cryodex is awesome
Certainly why I use it.
So, who is going to buy me a smartphone and subscriotion to play a miniatures game in a place with no WIFI?
Infinity. The App is simply...amazing. And 100% free. Superb job.
1 hour ago, Drasnighta said:So, who is going to buy me a smartphone and subscriotion to play a miniatures game in a place with no WIFI?
Ehm... You?
It's not like you don't need it in the world anyway. Many jobs already require it.
12 hours ago, Boba Rick said:
Thanks. I need iOS.
13 hours ago, Makaze said:The presence of the IA app would suggest FFG can make an app for a Star Wars based game. Or are you saying EA has the license specifically for X-Wing?
Sorry by app I meant “game”
EA has the digital game license
4 hours ago, RufusDaMan said:Ehm... You?
It's not like you don't need it in the world anyway. Many jobs already require it.
You don’t need it in the world yet. That’s the point I’m making.
i make enough to play some board games here and there... but I only own a cellphone, and that’s all I need. I have a minimum wage job because I have to work overnights, despite my education - there are no jobs in my field available and I cannot afford schooling...
The problem here is integrating it into a product that already exists... like the xcom game, if it was required from the start, I’d never purchase.... tying integration in would invalidate my purchasing in a product that is intended to PULL ME AWAY from my computer to socialize with people...
If an app is made, it should be useful, but an app should not be INTEGRAL to the experience...
Edited by Drasnighta
1 minute ago, Drasnighta said:You don’t need it in the world yet. That’s the point I’m making.
i make enough to play some board games here and there... but I only own a cellphone, and that’s all I need. I have a minimum wage job because I have to work overnights, despite my education - there are no jobs in my field available and I cannot afford schooling...
The problem here is integrating it into a product that already exists... like the xcom game, if it was required from the start, I’d never purchase.... tying integration in would invalidate my purchasing in a product that is intended to PULL ME AWAY from my computer to socialize with people...
If an app is made, it should be useful, but an app should not be INTEGRAL to the experience...
Well, I'm sorry to say this, but the world won't stop advancing just because you don't or can't keep up. It isn't a charity.
We are talking about a 6 year old game. It needs to advance. Like an MMO RPG, or an online game... They sometimes make patches that increase the system requirements... And the potential benefits of creating an integrated app GREATLY outweigh the profits they make from you.
The world is not a charity. Wargaming isn't a cheap hobby. You are not entitled to anything. You can keep playing with your cards at home, you just won't be able to compete without them. That's all.
6 hours ago, Drasnighta said:So, who is going to buy me a smartphone and subscriotion to play a miniatures game in a place with no WIFI?
Who's going to buy you a car to drive there and the models themselves?!?!?
If you print out the sheet of paper ahead of time you don't need the WiFi at the location. My idea here doesn't require you needing WiFi at the game store.
So to straw man it along, what’s the point of having the board game at all when a computer game version is cheaper? And cheaper? And easier to update? And cheaper?
No one. I make enough to public transit there - something I sorted out before I purchased... sure, it’s a 4 hour round trip, but it’s doable —-
but that is my point of integration verses addition... make it a useful addition, ie, make it helpful - but do not make it integral to the system or playing... because it’s otherwise exclusionary - no matter how minor you think the minority effected is - to do so otherwise ?
Edited by Drasnighta@Drasnighta this idea put forth in the OP was never that this was required to play X-Wing at home.
Tournaments require a good knowledge of the FAQ which already includes devastating changes in text to many cards. We already have this system in place, it's just slower and isn't effective enough (or we WOULD see Luke Skywalker on the tables).
Everyone here already uses squadbuilders, be it iOS, android, or web-based. This is a call for FFG to simply organize, centralize, and more effectiveise (is that a word) what is ALREADY being done.
In fact, all of the ideas here are already being done by the fantastic X-Wing community, and once again they shouldn't have to. The builders themselves, the new objective based formats, and now the community mod by that super-duper smart guy who I think is a pirate ship's computer. These things are currently being done NOW in order to keep X-Wing alive LATER.
It is unavoidable. It is our destiny.
20 hours ago, Boba Rick said:1) They are currently counting on the community to make a necessity.
2) Player convenience = more players. Mrs. Rick goes to tournaments with me, but honestly if Mrs. Rick had to fill out that stupid squadbuilder tournament sheet on her own there's no way she would go. I mean, the first time I did that I thought to myself, "What the heck is this? 1992?" I mean, I appreciate the nostalgia of the Assault GUNBOAT - but 1994 is not the same as 2018. Why the heck should I ever have to pick up a pen and paper to do anything? I should be able to make my squad, punch in the name, date and store of the tournament, select my obstacles, put my name in, and hit PRINT. That's right, hit PRINT, take the paper to the TO and give it to him. I mean THAT is at least 2004 technology! I should NOW be able to upload my squad from my tablet app into a tournament site itself without having to print anything - but that would definitely be too much.
All I am asking is that we try and get into the twenty-first century a little, okay?
Another example: I have a couple friends who enjoy playing table-top games with me, because I do all the work. Ugh. I learn the rules, explain the rules, stay up on the rules, build the squads for them, blah blah blah. They always have fun though. What if there was a digital version of Boba Rick though? What I mean by that is they download the app and it automatically generates two squads (based upon collection imputed by user) that are relatively equal? Then Mr. Lazy Bones friend hits print and doesn't even have to find his cards because....... PLAYER CONVENIENCE EQUALS MORE PLAYERS.
Eventually this player loses his training wheels and starts building his own squads. This is for real and it would create more players. Cool little how-to videos right there in the app, because Mr. Lazy Noob isn't going to scour YouTube (and he shouldn't HAVE TO). Everything he needs should be in the box and in the app!
1. As they count on the community for campaigns, alternate play modes, and everything else that isn't ship expac. If it wasn't for the community making this game more than ships and prizes, I would have quit a long time ago, too, digital or not.
2a. Despite the fact that we have WiFi, in Rogue One Bodhi has to run a hose reel of cable to make a comms connection like some WWI trench soldier. Maybe FFG's just going with the feel?
2b. Yeah, I play with guys like that,too. And despite multiple suggestions they use an online squad builder, I'm still making thier lists. . .
3. Going back to (1.), since a lot of great work comes from the community, I wish there was a listbuilder that allowed you to add unofficial content, or at the very least mix factions if you play that way.
Edited by Darth Meanie1 hour ago, Darth Meanie said:3. Going back to (1.), since a lot of great work comes from the community, I wish there was a list-builder that allowed you to add unofficial content, or at the very least mix factions if you play that way.
Aurora Squad Builder app lets you mix factions.
You mean like the Official FFG tool that was in beta? (I am not sure how literal you are being about an "App," as Voidstate's "App" is a mobile enabled website)
FFG attempted to create an official web tool that managed your collection, built squads, and even could be used to construct missions. It wasn't finished (I am not sure if they intended to add validation checking). The community never took to it because there were third party tools that could do the job better, and FFG stopped updating it.
https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2014/8/28/x-wing-tm-mission-control/