Both of them the same almost the same amount of miniatures in their starting boxes (LOTR: JM comes with 31 while SW: IA comes with 34). Also, Descent is also categorized as Board game, which is very curious since IA is basically a copy of Descent with a few variations.
What makes them different in terms of being categorized?
Edited by CeloniusAccording to FFG's categories ( https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/products/#/category/board-card-games ) they both are Board games. Or whose categorization are you referring to?
57 minutes ago, LEGA said:According to FFG's categories ( https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/products/#/category/board-card-games ) they both are Board games. Or whose categorization are you referring to?
I'm talking about the categorization on the forums.
Star Wars IA is categorized inside the "Miniatures" subforum while Lord of the Rings Journey in Middle-Earth and Descent are in Board and Card games.
Taking into account that Descent and SW:IA are has almost the same mechanics and content in terms of miniatures, why are both in different categories.
Edited by CeloniusI’m thinking liscenses
1 hour ago, Ywingscum said:I’m thinking liscenses
don't get it...
2 hours ago, Celonius said:
don't get it...
FFG doesn't have the license for SW board games (IIRC Hasbro has it). So any SW product from FFG cannot be classified as a board game. So a game like Imperial Assault needs to be classified as a miniatures game.
Yes it's licensing issues, IA needs to be a 'minis' game.
I also think there is a problem with the App and 'digital content' and that might be why we have still not seen an announcement for the Hoth app on their official page.. we had to find out about it on Twitter.
Every article also has to go through the mouse for approval, which bogs things down. LOTR hopefully doesn't have that problem as it is not a Disney product.
36 minutes ago, FrogTrigger said:Yes it's licensing issues, IA needs to be a 'minis' game.
I also think there is a problem with the App and 'digital content' and that might be why we have still not seen an announcement for the Hoth app on their official page.. we had to find out about it on Twitter.
Every article also has to go through the mouse for approval, which bogs things down. LOTR hopefully doesn't have that problem as it is not a Disney product.
For me IA is not a miniature game like X-Wing, Armada, etc. More like a Boardgame, since it has a "board".
6 hours ago, Celonius said:For me IA is not a miniature game like X-Wing, Armada, etc. More like a Boardgame, since it has a "board".
Ok... i don't think anyone is arguing that with you? We explained it is a technicality.
Feel free to email FFG and express your frustration with the classification :P
You may also notice that FFG cannot actually sell IA on their website (and if you've been to GenCon, they don't carry it at their booth there either). IA stepping on the "board game" territory has been an issue for them since it launched.
Rebellion and Outer Rim are both boardgames. I'm not sure it's as big of a licensing issue as people think. I was poking around a few years ago and found a list of Star Wars license holders. It looked like most were not exclusive licenses.
Whatever the case may be, their license has terms they have to abide by and they will jump through the hopes to make sure it happens.
They renegotiated their license and may have adjusted some of the terms and conditions (I think between books 2 & 3 of the RPG), so IA was released under the older license and may well be subject to some different conditions that existed at the time. You also have a certain amount of region locking, I have purchased marvelous card sleeves, a glass case and cloths from Japan that I can't find else where. They even sell glass frames that are Star Wars licensed!
With IA I think they tried to call it a miniatures game and Hasbro called them on it. As a result Hasbro sells and distributes the game and makes some money off it, they also handle the custom service out side of the US and don't have a good a record as FFG. Nor can they sell the game directly, but rather it would seem they sell everything to Hasbro, at least around here as the game store have indicated they deal with a different supplier.
All up there are only a few companies I would by licensed games from. All too often other companies slap a game together, cut and paste some stills from the movie or what not and sell a game. Killing the theme of the game in the process. The estate of Tolkien will most certainly be involved here and I see no reason to believe they would want anything less that FFG's best. From the top of my head, GW holds the license for miniatures of Middle Earth, so here FFG may have to watch out that they don't get caught out making miniatures games.