Hi guys,

I did a Team Deathmatch variant for new X-Wing players some time ago, and I'm currently reworking it. I got the idea that I want to offer multiple upgrade paths to people (three per category, to be exact) so people have some choice but aren't overwhelmed by the actual number of upgrades available. In my earlier version, it was a brawl on a 6x3 map for around 6 players, with the team killing the most points winning. The problem was that the respawns sometimes created weird incentives to die and come back with full ordnance, and that it became a chore after some time. So when I stumbled over the X-Wing Objective variant, I thought I'd use that, and instead let people level up between missions by earning XP during the fight akin to HotAC. I'd really love some input by you guys about the current upgrade selection and the general direction of the thing, but most importantly on the upgrades. All files are here: https://www.boardgamegeek.com/filepage/146860/team-deathmatch

The goal is not to produce the best upgrade paths possible, but interesting ones.

I understand your intention with starting slowly and filling in upgrades based on success in the previous game. I like that concept, makes each game last in a way that it affects the next ones.

In the other hand, maybe I am a bit on the negative side, but I wonder who will play this. Please don't feel offended, I just have a hard time imagining. I will try to explain.

Your intention is to have eight players minimum. This sounds like quite a large group to me, and this is where I start to wonder. For your efforts to be worth it (taking objectives, leveling up, choosing new stuff), you will have to be playing with the same 8+ ppl during consecutive games. How long was such a game typically, 2 hours, even more? Do your set a timer? How many games do you think the group will make, is it worthwhile to think about the upgrade mechanics? If your answer is a clear yes, then go ahead and feel lucky to have such a group.

Mixing experience level may get unfair quick - imagine a veteran of several games with his upgraded ship and pilot joining 7 new players. Or a four player veteran team playing against a group of four new players (avoiding the word team here, since they are all new). So what I think this system lacks but needs is a way to compensate for the worth of a ship that is being killed. This keeps the motivation up and makes for a comeback mechanic. Compare HotAC, the campaign levels depending on the player skill level. Here, one team pulling ahead, getting an easier time pulling ahead further since it doesn't matter if you down a rookie or a veteran. I'd think about rewarding XP based on the ship cost (30xp to down a 30pt ship), even if that means rescaling the acquisition points for upgrades. Kill their ace and get rewarded! That's motivation!

A fantastic catch up mechanic is one-off abilities given to respawning players.

For instance, you could give every ship a choice of Crack Shot, Adrenaline Rush, Lightning Reflexes or Veteran Instincts when they respawn. Veteran instincts is pretty key, since an ace of sufficient pilot skill could curb-stomp the competition without ever dying.

Alternatively, you could offer "training experience" EPTs for ships that did poorly in a previous game like Snap Shot, Outmaneuver, Swarm Leader and so on for the next game only, just for a last chance boost.

2 hours ago, flooze said:

I understand your intention with starting slowly and filling in upgrades based on success in the previous game. I like that concept, makes each game last in a way that it affects the next ones.

In the other hand, maybe I am a bit on the negative side, but I wonder who will play this. Please don't feel offended, I just have a hard time imagining. I will try to explain.

Your intention is to have eight players minimum. This sounds like quite a large group to me, and this is where I start to wonder. For your efforts to be worth it (taking objectives, leveling up, choosing new stuff), you will have to be playing with the same 8+ ppl during consecutive games. How long was such a game typically, 2 hours, even more? Do your set a timer? How many games do you think the group will make, is it worthwhile to think about the upgrade mechanics? If your answer is a clear yes, then go ahead and feel lucky to have such a group.

Mixing experience level may get unfair quick - imagine a veteran of several games with his upgraded ship and pilot joining 7 new players. Or a four player veteran team playing against a group of four new players (avoiding the word team here, since they are all new). So what I think this system lacks but needs is a way to compensate for the worth of a ship that is being killed. This keeps the motivation up and makes for a comeback mechanic. Compare HotAC, the campaign levels depending on the player skill level. Here, one team pulling ahead, getting an easier time pulling ahead further since it doesn't matter if you down a rookie or a veteran. I'd think about rewarding XP based on the ship cost (30xp to down a 30pt ship), even if that means rescaling the acquisition points for upgrades. Kill their ace and get rewarded! That's motivation!

The idea is basically to use this during conventions and such, or over a full day of playing.

Mixing experiences like you describe is of course problematic, but who would set four experienced players against four unexperienced?

If players enter the game later, you can just give them the average XP count of their team.

2 hours ago, Astech said:

A fantastic catch up mechanic is one-off abilities given to respawning players.

For instance, you could give every ship a choice of Crack Shot, Adrenaline Rush, Lightning Reflexes or Veteran Instincts when they respawn. Veteran instincts is pretty key, since an ace of sufficient pilot skill could curb-stomp the competition without ever dying.

Alternatively, you could offer "training experience" EPTs for ships that did poorly in a previous game like Snap Shot, Outmaneuver, Swarm Leader and so on for the next game only, just for a last chance boost.

You mean for the Z95 and TIE respawns?

2 minutes ago, Stefan said:

You mean for the Z95 and TIE respawns?

Yeah, although you might have to compensate a little harder. Perhaps a TIE Striker and A-wing would be fairer, since a single 2-die attack is kinda piddly.

1 hour ago, Stefan said:

The idea is basically to use this during conventions and such, or over a full day of playing.

This makes more sense to me now. It wasn't specified, so I was thinking about a longer period of time, maybe regular dates in a game store, where groups could split up and reform.

2 hours ago, Astech said:

Yeah, although you might have to compensate a little harder. Perhaps a TIE Striker and A-wing would be fairer, since a single 2-die attack is kinda piddly.

My fear is that this would prolong the game.

1 hour ago, flooze said:

This makes more sense to me now. It wasn't specified, so I was thinking about a longer period of time, maybe regular dates in a game store, where groups could split up and reform.

I have two target audiences for this: interested students of mine, and guys at a convention where you can do this as a quick thing between big games.