The part of 2.0 that I'm most excited about is the official squadbuilder. It's a great move that has been a long time coming.
So with that bold move, why are they still making cards? The new cards don't have the point costs or upgrade slots, so they're useless for making lists. FFG should have saved the cost and the clutter and ditched them entirely - we can play either off the app, or off of a printed list.
Because, 1) shocking, I know, not everyone has a smart device of one sort or another, and 2) I don't want to have to keep asking to see your phone/tablet/whatever to see what's in your list. They're making lists of the point costs available that will be kept up to date at whatever regular interval they update the app, so it's still entirely possible to build lists without it.
Because expecting everyone to be able to use the app at a tournament is too much, as you will exclude people. I myself just got a phone that could run the app.
Because money
7 minutes ago, Otacon said:Because, 1) shocking, I know, not everyone has a smart device of one sort or another
That's why I said "or off of a printed list". I have various devices, but play off of a printed list now - because I don't feel like laying out an array of cards.
FFG will quickly realize that for a game of this size they will run into:
1.) App support across iOS and Android both will be required. For a company that is rumored to run super lean FTE-wise, this won't scale as well as they'd probably like. FFG's existing apps don't require massive support because they aren't integral to those games (Descent, Imperial Assault).
2.) App support will need to keep up with OS updates to prevent the app from crashing and being unusable at tournaments due to an Apple or Google release date, at no fault of the players
3.) Android fragmentation is getting better but will still create experience issues for people with older or cheaper devices
4.) List pricing will be debatable and there will be "cheating" or bad lists at events as a result, "oh shucks, I'm sorry I was using the version from Wednesday and didn't notice a new update date" While controllable at the TO level, this will definitely happen and faking an app is very easy (Invision + Screenshots + Photoshop).
5.) App adoption is a major issue for apps that are not Facebook, Amazon, Google, etc. FFG is going to quickly find that app adoption requirements will be too much of a friction point to selling the game to new players. An app especially creates a barrier to entry for kids or young adults, cutting off new buyer intake.
18 minutes ago, marcnelsonjr said:The part of 2.0 that I'm most excited about is the official squadbuilder. It's a great move that has been a long time coming.
So with that bold move, why are they still making cards? The new cards don't have the point costs or upgrade slots, so they're useless for making lists. FFG should have saved the cost and the clutter and ditched them entirely - we can play either off the app, or off of a printed list.
if I had to guess, it's so you can track charge tokens (you put them on their card)
pilot cards are for tracking damage
upgrade cards are still good to have as a reference so you don't have to hand your opponent your phone all the time
I thought I read that there will be a browser version?
Just now, ficklegreendice said:if I had to guess, it's so you can track charge tokens
You can do that on a printed list; I do it now with shields, extra munitions, etc.
And in an app, it would just be a matter of pressing a button.
1 minute ago, marcnelsonjr said:I thought I read that there will be a browser version?
I read that too
5 minutes ago, marcnelsonjr said:That's why I said "or off of a printed list". I have various devices, but play off of a printed list now - because I don't feel like laying out an array of cards.
>.>
<.<
I'm probably just weird but I don't have a printer...or want to have to buy one, lol.
2 minutes ago, marcnelsonjr said:You can do that on a printed list; I do it now with shields, extra munitions, etc.
And in an app, it would just be a matter of pressing a button.
I think we're overestimating the convenience of having to pass your mobile device to your opponent every time he wants to see how your ships are doing
plus it drains battery, or you have to keep unlocking it, or there's no wifi or no available outlet...
printed list is better, but with cards as separate elements you can better organize yourself over different spaces
1 minute ago, ficklegreendice said:I think we're overestimating the convenience of having to pass your mobile device to your opponent every time he wants to see how your ships are doing
0% chance I hand my $1,000 phone to a person at a gaming store. I wouldn't hand them my laptop, why would I hand them my phone that costs the same?
3 minutes ago, Knave Squawk said:FFG will quickly realize that for a game of this size they will run into:
1.) App support across iOS and Android both will be required. For a company that is rumored to run super lean FTE-wise, this won't scale as well as they'd probably like. FFG's existing apps don't r equire massive support because they aren't integral to those games (Descent, Imperial Assault).
2.) App support will need to keep up with OS updates to prevent the app from crashing and being unusable at tournaments due to an Apple or Google release date, at no fault of the players
3.) Android fragmentation is getting better but will still create experience issues for people with older or cheaper devices
4.) List pricing will be debatable and there will be "cheating" or bad lists at events as a result, "oh shucks, I'm sorry I was using the version from Wednesday and didn't notice a new update date" While controllab le at the TO level, this will definitely happen and faking an app is very easy (Invision + Screenshots + Photoshop).
5.) App adoption is a major issue for apps that are not Facebook, Amazon, Google, etc. FFG is going to quickly find th at app adoption requirements will be too much of a friction point to selling the game to new players. An app especially creates a bar rier to entry for kids o r you ng adults, cutti n g o ff new b uyer intake.
1-3) they do have a software division now, their first announced product was a video game version of the LotR LCG, and they've had job listings in the past for mobile developers. Plenty of people maintain squad builder apps for free on their own time, I'm pretty sure FFG can manage all of those issues just fine.
4) They talked, very briefly, in the panel about TOs being able to push list building rules and stuff out to players. Presumably the app will integrate in some fashion with FFG's tournament software to verify stuff like this. Need more information here.
5) They're going to have both a list of the point costs online, and included suggested builds for something similar to the Power Level play Games Workshop added to 8th edition 40k, where units are given a 'Threat' level and you just say you're playing an X Threat game and both players build squads out of that. So there are outlets for play that don't require the app right off the bat.
5 minutes ago, ficklegreendice said:if I had to guess, it's so you can track charge tokens
Yeah, this is probably a big part of it too.
So your opponent can clearly see your list and track what's going on with it.
3 minutes ago, Cade Bulkin said:I'm probably just weird but I don't have a printer...or want to have to buy one, lol.
At my store, people who haven't printed their lists in advance just do it off the store's printer.
2 minutes ago, Otacon said:1-3) they do have a software division now, their first announced product was a video game version of the LotR LCG, and they've had job listings in the past for mobile developers. Plenty of people maintain squad builder apps for free on their own time, I'm pretty sure FFG can manage all of those issues just fine.
Except many of the free squad builders are down or don't work most of the time (Aurora crashes if you scroll too fast, x-wing builder has been down for many people for the last week). I work in mobile development and can tell you support at scale isn't so easy.
FFG's launch of the IA app was spotty and didn't always work the first few weeks it was up. Do this for a game at the scale of x-wing and it is integral to the functioning of the game and any downtime will be an immediate issue. What happens if another game becomes hot at FFG? People have already been griping about the lack of FAQ or resource focus for X-Wing. What will happen if there is a software glitch or outage and it doesn't get fixed? More things that can break = more likely they will break.