Huge Ships in App?

By Brasca, in X-Wing

2 hours ago, Parakitor said:

Something occurred to me while recording with the Inland Empire Aces last night, and I might as well share it now before the thread gets locked.

  1. FFG says the Epic and Huge points will not make it into the app.
  2. Wave 6 is on time except for the ships that have never been in 2.0. They will release in February.
  3. The card packs are all releasing soon except Hotshots and Aces, which has pilots new to 2.0. This will release in February.

My little brain, searching for patterns, conjured up this wild hypothesis: what if the contract with the current app developer ends this year, and they are not renewing? What if they are instead opting to produce a new app with a different developer? Anything already in the app is free to release between now and the new year, except for Epic and Huge which are casual so they can reasonably skip adding those to the app. But come next year, the new app will have more functionality and be able to contain all components of the game, including our beloved Epic and Huge.

What do you think? Am I totally crazy?

That’s honestly what I’m hoping is happening, though didn’t really take the delays of some of the Wave 6 material into account. Those observations have made me feel there is more credence to that hope.

Edited by SabineKey
8 hours ago, Parakitor said:

Something occurred to me while recording with the Inland Empire Aces last night, and I might as well share it now before the thread gets locked.

  1. FFG says the Epic and Huge points will not make it into the app.
  2. Wave 6 is on time except for the ships that have never been in 2.0. They will release in February.
  3. The card packs are all releasing soon except Hotshots and Aces, which has pilots new to 2.0. This will release in February.

My little brain, searching for patterns, conjured up this wild hypothesis: what if the contract with the current app developer ends this year, and they are not renewing? What if they are instead opting to produce a new app with a different developer? Anything already in the app is free to release between now and the new year, except for Epic and Huge which are casual so they can reasonably skip adding those to the app. But come next year, the new app will have more functionality and be able to contain all components of the game, including our beloved Epic and Huge.

What do you think? Am I totally crazy?

I’d love for you to be right. I just lack the faith in ffg for me to believe it. I don’t have any evidence beyond past track record of mistakes. I like where your head is at.

i don’t think you’re right necessarily, but I really really really want to be wrong about ffg and hope you actually are right.

The idea that FFG is writing off putting Epic into the APP is odd. FFG launched 2nd with the app, including it, essentially as a base component, so just turning their backs on adding this format to the app eventually makes no sense.

7 hours ago, Explorator88 said:

The idea that FFG is writing off putting Epic into the APP is odd. FFG launched 2nd with the app, including it, essentially as a base component, so just turning their backs on adding this format to the app eventually makes no sense.

Not only that, but one of the main ideas of the App, was that there was an easy way of switching between formats not only Hyperspace and Extended, but the Variant ones such as No Glory, Battle of Yavin, etc., as well as the ability to make Custom Formats that could then be shared with other users to easily establish a squad maker for custom tournaments and such.

The idea of not adding Huge Ships and the Epic format to the app just does not make sense unless they are just killing the further development of the current app. Continuing with a moribund app is not a good appearance for the game, and we know that X-Wing is one of FFG's leading games. They can't afford to let it look half-assed, especially with Disney watching.

The idea that they are going to try to replace it when they can makes a decent case.

On 11/17/2019 at 3:31 AM, Parakitor said:

Something occurred to me while recording with the Inland Empire Aces last night, and I might as well share it now before the thread gets locked.

  1. FFG says the Epic and Huge points will not make it into the app.
  2. Wave 6 is on time except for the ships that have never been in 2.0. They will release in February.
  3. The card packs are all releasing soon except Hotshots and Aces, which has pilots new to 2.0. This will release in February.

My little brain, searching for patterns, conjured up this wild hypothesis: what if the contract with the current app developer ends this year, and they are not renewing? What if they are instead opting to produce a new app with a different developer? Anything already in the app is free to release between now and the new year, except for Epic and Huge which are casual so they can reasonably skip adding those to the app. But come next year, the new app will have more functionality and be able to contain all components of the game, including our beloved Epic and Huge.

What do you think? Am I totally crazy?

It's a good hypothesis, but unless something has changed one of the new pilots (Bossk) is still due out before February in the Hound's Tooth. If that had been delayed too I'd be more confident you were on to something.

It could just as easily be some kind of licensing/manufacturing delay that has pushed the two new ships back, and either Hotshots and Aces has the same problem or FFG has pushed it back to the same time to make a mini-wave where more than just FO/Resistance gets new stuff.

1 minute ago, rawbean said:

It's a good hypothesis, but unless something has changed one of the new pilots (Bossk) is still due out before February in the Hound's Tooth. If that had been delayed too I'd be more confident you were on to something.

Also ion bombs and cluster mines coming back in a card pack. Though I suppose those devices could have originally been intended for conversion kits and are already "in" the builder. I like where Parakitor's head is at with this but it seems a stretch.

I'm not confident in FFG ability to pull a half decent app, but I hope they can prove mi wrong

21 minutes ago, DerRitter said:

I'm not confident in FFG ability to pull a half decent app, but I hope they can prove mi wrong

The Imperial Assault app was good, in my opinion. It did the job it was supposed to do and looked pretty good while doing it.

The FFG app isn't too far off, but it has certain issues that make it hard to accept.

  • Adding ships is a clumsy affair
  • Inability to copy ships making generic heavy lists miserable
  • Accidentally deleting your list due to a bad swipe was frustrating
  • Bugs with the saved lists
  • (now lack of adding new features - example huge ships)

The key problem was not that the app had these problems on release, but that the fixes have been... um... long time coming? That implies to me some kind of breakdown of communication with the developer, and judging from FFG communications... monetary reasons. My bet is there was a communication gap when explaining the scope of the app. When FFG went back for fixes, the developer held out their hand for more funding.

4 hours ago, rawbean said:

It's a good hypothesis, but unless something has changed one of the new pilots (Bossk) is still due out before February in the Hound's Tooth. If that had been delayed too I'd be more confident you were on to something.

It could just as easily be some kind of licensing/manufacturing delay that has pushed the two new ships back, and either Hotshots and Aces has the same problem or FFG has pushed it back to the same time to make a mini-wave where more than just FO/Resistance gets new stuff.

4 hours ago, Frimmel said:

Also ion bombs and cluster mines coming back in a card pack. Though I suppose those devices could have originally been intended for conversion kits and are already "in" the builder. I like where Parakitor's head is at with this but it seems a stretch.

Aw shucks, both good points. Well, back to YASB 2.0 to build my next Huge Epic squad.

On 11/16/2019 at 12:57 PM, XPav said:

You know what? We'll totally be ok! Because YASB 2.0 is open source! Under the MIT license!

https://github.com/geordanr/xwing

Here, I'll branch it right now just to make sure that when @raithos goes pants-on-head crazy and takes over the community, me, XPav, can take up the mantle! Ok done. Phew, we're saved from the Canadian tyranny.

Oh you think that will be enough to stop my tyranny? :)

A thought occurs to me. If Epic format and huge ships not being planned for the official app is a sign that FFG are abandoning active support for it... Could that be a direct result of people not using the official app?

33 minutes ago, Faerie1979 said:

A thought occurs to me. If Epic format and huge ships not being planned for the official app is a sign that FFG are abandoning active support for it... Could that be a direct result of people not using the official app?

Perhaps. While some people do use and seem to prefer it, I would imagine that most players don’t use the official app, making it seem superfluous. Though I would hope they understand it is due to poor functionality rather than no desire to use an app for list building.

4 hours ago, SabineKey said:

Perhaps. While some people do use and seem to prefer it, I would imagine that most players don’t use the official app, making it seem superfluous. Though I would hope they understand it is due to poor functionality rather than no desire to use an app for list building.

Exactly. Third-party apps have been and are being used by a lot of players, due to all the issues with the official app. Most people are used to using apps for various things, and list-building with an app is much easier and more intuitive than the old pen and paper way.

8 minutes ago, Ikka said:

Exactly. Third-party apps have been and are being used by a lot of players, due to all the issues with the official app. Most people are used to using apps for various things, and list-building with an app is much easier and more intuitive than the old pen and paper way.

Correction: I have not found a 3rd party app that I actually prefer. I've downloaded and uninstalled Launch Bay Next twice because I think it would be nice but then it doesn't quite work for me. I may give it a third chance.

12 minutes ago, Parakitor said:

Correction: I have not found a 3rd party app that I actually prefer. I've downloaded and uninstalled Launch Bay Next twice because I think it would be nice but then it doesn't quite work for me. I may give it a third chance.

As someone who likes LBN... not satisfied with epic scaled lists just yet. Also kind of buggy on huge ships.

14 minutes ago, Parakitor said:

Correction: I have not found a 3rd party app that I actually prefer. I've downloaded and uninstalled Launch Bay Next twice because I think it would be nice but then it doesn't quite work for me. I may give it a third chance.

True, every app has its own quirks and issues, but I have found that all the 3rd party apps have been better than the official app by a long shot.

On 11/16/2019 at 3:08 PM, XPav said:

What if they don’t even know about COMPUTERS?

Yes if there are Xwing 2.0 or Epic players that don’t interact with anyone in the community or do a web search they’re going to have a subpar experience.

You realize the X-Wing community on these forums is probably a pretty small percentage of the overall set of X-Wing players, right? So, people not interacting with the message boards wouldn't really be that surprising, and is likely the norm. And if someone hasn't been interacting with the community and doesn't even know third-party options exist, what would they be doing a web search for? Just because they know the game exists and that FFG has an app for it doesn't mean it's obvious that other people would have also made apps (which, in most people's minds probably sounds like duplicate work).

On 11/16/2019 at 9:18 PM, XPav said:

We aren’t shouting you down, we’re shouting that you’re chasing windmills.

Chasing windmills isn't really that difficult, as they don't really move around much. The term you're looking for is " tilting at windmills".

And if we don't tilt at them, who will?

On 11/16/2019 at 10:31 PM, Parakitor said:

Something occurred to me while recording with the Inland Empire Aces last night, and I might as well share it now before the thread gets locked.

  1. FFG says the Epic and Huge points will not make it into the app.
  2. Wave 6 is on time except for the ships that have never been in 2.0. They will release in February.
  3. The card packs are all releasing soon except Hotshots and Aces, which has pilots new to 2.0. This will release in February.

My little brain, searching for patterns, conjured up this wild hypothesis: what if the contract with the current app developer ends this year, and they are not renewing? What if they are instead opting to produce a new app with a different developer? Anything already in the app is free to release between now and the new year, except for Epic and Huge which are casual so they can reasonably skip adding those to the app. But come next year, the new app will have more functionality and be able to contain all components of the game, including our beloved Epic and Huge.

What do you think? Am I totally crazy?

I think that's a very thoughtful and well-reasoned argument that makes a lot sense and could quite possibly be correct.

Now please cut it out. This is the Internet. You're supposed to jump to conclusions and fight to the death anyone you perceive as having even slightly different views from your own.

15 hours ago, rawbean said:

It's a good hypothesis, but unless something has changed one of the new pilots (Bossk) is still due out before February in the Hound's Tooth. If that had been delayed too I'd be more confident you were on to something.

It could just as easily be some kind of licensing/manufacturing delay that has pushed the two new ships back, and either Hotshots and Aces has the same problem or FFG has pushed it back to the same time to make a mini-wave where more than just FO/Resistance gets new stuff.

15 hours ago, Frimmel said:

Also ion bombs and cluster mines coming back in a card pack. Though I suppose those devices could have originally been intended for conversion kits and are already "in" the builder. I like where Parakitor's head is at with this but it seems a stretch.

Good points, but I'd point out that we have yet to see proof that these will be in the app when their kits launch. If the theory is correct that a new app is in the works, then FFG may figure that it's not worth holding up products that are largely repeats just because of a couple new, unsupported cards (as opposed to products that are largely new material). Granted, they were willing to put out Huge ships without app support, but then, they may have just figured Huge ships were enticing enough to players to make it worth it.