I haven't been visiting this part of the forum for some time, as I was tired of all the complaints (including my own). So I gave it some time and kept hope the squad builder would improve. In meantime I have played X-Wing, but haven't touched the official Squad Builder until today.

In two weeks time the app is available for 6 months. FFG themselves stated that " several cr  itical fea  tures were either missing or non-functional ", that they " are dedicated to providing you with the best possible Squad Builder experience " and that"    y  ou  c  an expect to see immed  iate and regular updat  es  to th  e web  site an   d m  obile app  s o  ver the  n  ext seve  r  al         d   ay  s     ".

So I'm wondering what critical features were missing, that have since been added? I can't really see the dedication to create the best possible Squad Building experience, not even remotely. The app gets some updates for new X-Wing content or formats, some minor fixes and that's it. Most of the feedback in this forum is valid, but ignored.

I came to the realization that this won't change. This is the level of quality and functionality of the official Squad Builder. Maybe my expectations were too high (I doubt so), but I'm fine with it now. I just use a third party squad builder.

Posted this here to see if others are still having hope, because of FFG's claim/goal to bring the best possible Squad Builder experience, or that most of you came to the same conclusion as me (ages ago ;)).

2 hours ago, HedgehogNL said:

This is the level of quality and functionality of the official Squad Builder. Maybe my expectations were too high (I doubt so), but I'm fine with it now. I just use a third party squad builder.

I think expecting a professional company being paid to deliver software, to be of an equal quality to fans who develop programs in their spare time for free is not setting the bar too high.

Totally agree with you.

It's hilarious that FFG isn't able to fix this mess that they are calling a squad builder.

They seem not to care at all.

I use the official squad builder when I want to lookup a card for some reason. When I want to build a squad I use the (very awesome) LaunchBayNext app.

i don't mind the squad builder, i just wish i could have a copy feature

I've said multiple times that the app put out by FFG works, but there are definitely features missing for whatever reason. No way to view dials or condition cards, no copy function for pilots/ships, and if I'm being honest it doesn't run the best. The high res images for the cards are nice and it's card browser is a useful tool, but it's like they over designed the interface, making things more clunky than they needed to be. Trying to use their app is just not as smooth as something like LaunchBayNext. I get wanting the app to look nice, but I think the grand majority of fans would've preferred the almost comically basic interface of YASB. When building the app they should have just looked to YASB as the bare minimum of what needed to be accomplished. Everyone who used that site for building in 1st ed used it as the benchmark, and the official app just isn't there.

TLDR: The app is OK and that's the nicest thing that can be said. Still enough stuff missing, and running slowly enough to more than justify using third party apps.

5 hours ago, Hippie Moosen said:

comically basic interface of YASB

😧

@raithos sorry, not trying to disparage your builder. I meant it was basic in comparison to the busy interface that is in the official app, not basic as in lacking in features. I suppose clean might have been a better description. Having a straightforward no-frills interface is a massive plus in my book, and both versions of YASB fit that bill in my eyes.

@Hippie Moosen dont worry dude I'm just having a laugh.

Launch BayNext is great IMHO.

On 2/28/2019 at 7:01 AM, papy72 said:

I use the official squad builder when I want to lookup a card for some reason. When I want to build a squad I use the (very awesome) LaunchBayNext app.

That browser is fine for just reading Upgrade card text and actually pretty nice for browsing through a whole group of cards if all you want is text, but I still won't bother using it for three basic reasons:

- no dial view

- no points displayed

- no slots displayed

(And it's a bit clunky to still have all ship types in the drop down after I've selected a particular faction)

I'll stick with infinitearenas for card browsin g. As a bonus, there's even a Quick Builds squad building page now! Thanks, @J1mBob

Weirdly, the web squad builder has a dial viewer, but the app doesn't. It's still a pretty clunky experience with too many clicks needed to get things done and not enough info being available by default.

One thing I think all apps really need is some way of managing our squads. I now have so many random lists that some way of moving them into folders or otherwise organising them is rapidly becoming a necessity.

I was already using LaunchBay in 1.0, so migrating to LaunchBayNext was a natural move for me, especially hearing the complaints about the official one.

When we started League Play at my FLGS, the organizer wanted a printed copy of our lists, so I went to the official squad builder and... yeah.

Certainly lived down to the hype. But I was able to print, so there's that.

On 2/27/2019 at 6:26 AM, joeshmoe554 said:

I think expecting a professional company being paid to deliver software, to be of an equal quality to fans who develop programs in their spare time for free is not setting the bar too high.

Well as someone sick of being told the term "professional" and other synonyms (professionalism, professionals) I could put my opinions on that matter but that might not be suitable for these forums.

I will say I find it peculiar that an official product with a budget is inferior to all these amateur, free squad builders. It is almost like money is making a product worse.

Since the official squadbuilder is even starting to erase all your saved squads (at least for hyperspace) I would rather call it the worst possible squad builder experience from now on.

I knew we were in trouble with this thing when they didn't try to show it off before the release of 2nd Edition. I'd thought I was down with my complaints about the thing but now the web-based builder has lost all of my Hyperspace lists. This is not something I needed before I've finished my coffee.

On 3/26/2019 at 2:52 PM, Marinealver said:

Well as someone sick of being told the term "professional" and other synonyms (professionalism, professionals) I could put my opinions on that matter but that might not be suitable for these forums.

I will say I find it peculiar that an official product with a budget is inferior to all these amateur, free squad builders. It is almost like money is making a product worse.

I think the core issue is that the official builder is built by people who don't play the game. They have no context for what would make the product better, so they can't build it better.

Edit: Actually I thought of a second core issue related to the level of oversight by FFG, but I'll leave that for another thread...

1 hour ago, papy72 said:

I think the core issue is that the official builder is built by people who don't play the game. They have no context for what would make the product better, so they can't build it better.

Edit: Actually I thought of a second core issue related to the level of oversight by FFG, but I'll leave that for another thread...

Yeah, that is very likely. Also that if this was outsourced to a professional contractor by the very nature they have to remain professional and seek out and work on other projects. This builder app was probably one of dozens or so projects that the developer was working on. If it was actually built by the internal team, the programmer might be too busy to play X-wing or simply plays other FFG games. But still it wouldn't matter if they played X-wing or not, you wouldn't set up a whole department for one non-revenue generating service or product. There is probably a lot of other App stuff being thrown at them and likely behind certain deadlines as well.

I'm sorry but I don't agree. This app has been a shambles from its first emergence from the primeval slime.

Despite an avalanche of complaints and suggestions, very little has been achieved in terms of usability.

I like the pictures.

I don't like having my hyperspace lists removed due to some halfwit not testing what they wrote or some fool deciding to get rid of them.

I don't like the bugs regarding saving that still permeate through the app.

Where ARE the dials that the patch notes say are there?

I sent a long list of bugs to Ffg software support 2 weeks ago that I painstakingly worked through. Apart from a "we will pass it on to the developers" there has been nothing.

I suggested that Ffg at least put an apology in the forum for losing everyone's hyper lists, as usual there is sod all!

As I said to the support people and also in this forum, I am not spending any more of my hard earned money on the two new factions until the bugs in this app are corrected and some sort of customer service is employed.

Since the release of this app Ffg have been a total disgrace with respect to the people who buy their game and, in the long run, pay their wages.

On 3/29/2019 at 5:00 PM, papy72 said:

I think the core issue is that the official builder is built by people who don't play the game. They have no context for what would make the product better, so they can't build it better.

Providing that detail is down to FFG and passing it on to 10clowns.

When it comes down to it, 10clowns are only subcontracted to create the app, the app belongs to the creators and overseers of the game, FFG.

Let's be blunt, good game but crap app clearly down to hopelessly inadequate direction, poor specification, lack of testing, overwhelmingly clear refusal to acknowledge valid complaints and hence no respect for their own gaming fraternity.

As I have said before, I am a developer and if I produced an app of this mediocre quality I would not only be embarrassed but would be looking for new employment and praying that references for my previous work were not sought.