I got bored and made not one, but two articles this weekend. They seem pretty unrelated to me.

https://the-salt-mines.blogspot.com/2020/08/concerning-online-events.html

^ talking about my experiences running events online, and summarizing some data from research I did about online players' preferences for tournaments.

https://the-salt-mines.blogspot.com/2020/06/starting-out-learning-game.html

^ article I've had on the backburner for a long time, about my thoughts/experiences/advice for teaching new players the game.

Re: Younglings:

I actually run X-wing for one of my activities an afterschool program I work at from time to time, in around the 10-12 range, and it is absurdly popular an activity.

They tend to like abilities a lot, but only if they are razzle dazzle and straightforward. They love LOTS of flashy upgrade cards where it is clear why you want them, like cannons and missiles, and care a bit less about subtle things. But it isn't all explosions: Kyle Kartan and Palob are also popular because their effects are really obvious and intense. I shy away from stuff like Contraband Cybernetics and only let the experienced kids take on Guri (And even then while they have a lot of fun spinning around they tend to spin into rocks).

But what helps is that I also am running it for 6 kids at a time and make sure they all only have one ship to handle, and keep the rocks light. We also play on tiny tables so fights happen really quickly, both due to time constraints and due to the issue that we have small tables at the school I work at!

So basically a mini-epic game. Its generally in reality some odd 250-300 points, but with each kid controlling one ship it is way faster even if they confer with their team on what to do. I also try to encourage kids to find 'their' ship and, outside of ships that everyone clamours to play, hype them up as 'specialists' and try to make them feel good about mastering one at a time. One of them, for example, always flys the Moldy Crow and has gotten quite good with it, and they always get 'dibs' on it now because the game is faster and their team has more fun when he is backing them up in it. It reduces the mental juggling a lot for someone to only have one ship for their first game and to be able to talk out their turn with a bud who will remind them where they are going, and allows them to have the flashy stuff kids that age love.

Sometimes I also let them run two ships, but in that case they are naked ships and super fragile and with good dials at low initiative. My duo of A-wings is often a popular pick for kids who want to try out more than one ship. I am also not afraid to just plop down a large ship and play the 'boss enemy' with a deliberately flashy 'super strong' ability like being Dash or a Ion-Saw VCX. One single enemy also often makes things easier.

Obviously this isn't the normal scenario most people will play with small kids, but if you got a pair at home try teaming them up in some 'super ships.'

new month, new article

https://the-salt-mines.blogspot.com/2020/09/tts-modding.html

I appreciate this TTS mod blog, particularly for how to change the paint jobs on ships, but the biggest takeaway was the bottle of Runch dressing. I don't know why, but I laughed so hard at "Runch".

1 hour ago, 5050Saint said:

I appreciate this TTS mod blog, particularly for how to change the paint jobs on ships, but the biggest takeaway was the bottle of Runch dressing. I don't know why, but I laughed so hard at "Runch".

Ah yes, the Runch. The Runch has ruined our online aces high nights (not that we were playing much aces high pre-Runch, but hey) so be careful of how you use the Runch's power.

coming soon: Shrek's Runch bar

12 hours ago, 5050Saint said:

I appreciate this TTS mod blog, particularly for how to change the paint jobs on ships, but the biggest takeaway was the bottle of Runch dressing. I don't know why, but I laughed so hard at "Runch".

I have unironically never received feedback that made me happier than this, thank you so much for reading