radiskull said:

And even though you can't see them, they're always watching.

So after the initial announcement there has been no more info ?

What was that a month ago. Is this normal for FFG ? It seems like other games have weekly spotlights.

It's normal depending on what their release schedule for the game is - if they're not planning on releasing it until GenCon, it might be a few weeks before we see more previews.

radiskull said:

Assuming the FFG website is up to date with the status information on their upcoming developments, wouldn't Netrunner have to be already at the printers to make Gencon? Granted, I doubt Netrunner will demand a load of disparately produced pieces, so many they could get things printed off and "on the boat" before August. However, I'm not 100% sure on this.

Has FFG officially spoken to this released at Gencon rumor?

Anyhoo, my reaction? Excitement and curiosity. Nothing more than that, at least until the first preview drops.

my guess is that there will be a pre-release rules demo at gencon.. most likely using original netrunner rules with new card design placeholders… this is just a guess. Either way, if there IS something at gencon it will not be truly representative.

I'm still expecting it to release at Gencon, but we really don't have any proof either way since FFG hasn't said anything. But it's a big financial and buzz advantage if they release it there so in my mind you really want to do it if it's at all possible.

I really wish they'd post another update of some kind, even if it's just to preview a few more cards or whatever.

dboeren said:

Maybe I'm over explaining the obvious (and if so just know I only now woke up , but according to the time tables on FFG's website, a game "At the Printers" can take between "A few months to many months, depending on components". Then it'll be another 4~6 weeks for "On the Boat" travel time. If it were On the Boat already, I'd be more supportive of the Gencon idea, but as it stands the game is still listed as being in development (which has no estimate for phase completion, if you know what I mean).

With Gencon being only three months away… well.. let us just say I hope you're right.

My understanding is that they'll sometimes have a few advance copies "rush" printed and shipped to FFG for the event (they're doing something similar for the Descent 2E preview weekend). So it'll be before the general release of the product, but they'll have some copies for sale at GenCon. (Note this is complete speculation, just basing this off of similar things they've done before.)

I think Gencon is just wishful thinking. The only official info posted is Q3 2012.

I am a LONG time player of Netrunner. I love that game. I have learned, played and collected close to 36 CCGs, TCGs, LCGs.

I have found very few that are so elegant in design, enthralling in theme or deep in strategy as Netrunner. I am SO EXCITED to see it coming back.

I think Android is a perfect setting for the game, I am really interested to see how the tweeks like factions will work.

I know some long time players have some problems with the tweeks or settings, but I've often wanted a good shake up to happen to the game, in terms of mechanics and I love the cyberpunk genre but R. Talsorian's Cyberpunk 2020 was never my favorite cyberpunk setting.

Can't wait for this!

mkultra said:

Here's my thinking:

Q3 is July, August, and September. Gencon is in mid-August, which is right in the middle of Q3. Having copies at Gencon is a huge benefit from a buzz point of view and also a profit point of view - you can sell them direct to gamers at full retail instead of selling to distributors at around 50% of retail. If you CAN have them, it pays off. Also, as Radiskull pointed out they don't have to have the full print run finished. Just a smaller pre-run to sell at the show.

Maybe it will be there and maybe it won't. But I don't think it's any sort of long shot.

I agree with you that it would behoove them to release at GC. I also know that FFG makes announcements and then goes silent for months (ie Star Wars). When we see card spotlights, intro videos, and a rulebook…that's when I'll start getting excited.

At GenCon in 2008, FFG had several board games for sale literally right after they had been solicited. Arkham Horror: The Black Goat of the Woods and Descent: Caves of ice expansions were both available for purchase. I know that in other years there have been other special "rush" printings.

I think expansions are different than a new game, though. Also, even if you see a bit of it at GenCon, that's no guarantee of general availability any time soon. They were showing off Dust Warfare last year, and it just made it to the shelves a month or so ago.

I know that I will not buy Netrunner. LCG is just another milking cow for FFG and I hate an idea that in order to play the game I need to buy 15 additional card packs. Because otherwise my "experience will not be full"…

Sorry

Thanks for popping in. Enjoy your board games. Those of us who enjoy expanding and morphing games will have fun with this.

skolo said:

I recommend taking a wait-and-see approach.

While I haven't played all of FFG's Living Card Games yet, the ones I have always seem to play just fine out of the box. They are a complete and full play experience, but one that can be further enhanced, as advertised, by the addition of monthly packs. When I eventually go and purchase these packs, it's because I want to, not because I feel that FFG has sold me an incomplete product. Part of the psyche of the expandable card gamer is that we actually want to buy more of the game we love, so that we can try cool things with our favorite faction(s), find new ways to make old and underused cards suddenly awesome, etc. However, if you prefer a game that remains the same and never changes, the Core Set has been designed with you in mind as well. You simply play out of the box, and ignore any packs or expansions that are available.

MarthWMaster said:

indeed. I will wait and see…

skolo said:

It's also worth noting that the original Netrunner was one of the least card dependent CCG's of its time. It's surprisingly common to find people who still have sealed booster that they never felt the need to open.

Why is this? Simply, a lot of the game in Netrunner is based on timing. You can be rewarded if you know when to play a card, regardless of whether you have the cash to really put it to use. Similarly, you can always make a run, even if you lack a suitably outfitted cyberdeck. You play the cards, the cards don't play you.

(E.g. You don't always need a powerful defense card [i.e ICE] to protect your corporate assets, not if you can hide your valuables in plain sight and bluff your opponent into making the wrong decisions [these cards are played face down]. Maybe you have a powerful intrusion countermeasure you can't pay to activate? Put it down anyway, it might act as a deterrent to the runner even risking the run. Bluffing, and secret knowledge, play a large role in this cat and mouse game -- where neither player is every fully sure who is the cat and who is the mouse).

Additionally, the amazingly free form turn structure also helps: you have X number of actions, and with those actions you can either draw a card, take a dollar (i.e. "bits," though the name may change), play a card, make a run (if you're the runner) or dispel effects (e.g. pay two bits to remove a tag). Many CCGs could box you into a corner, leaving you unable to take your full allotment of actions (due to lack of cards, or other resource restrictions, etc), with Netrunner you can always do something. No cards worth playing? Use all those actions to draw more, or grab some cash to bolster a future run. Hell, why not just make a run on that unprotected datafort and see if you get lucky? It's theoretically possible to win a match without even playing any cards.

In short, Netrunner might be the best LCG for playing right out of the box. However, the card packs will certainly offer new strategies and mechanics to explore.

This is something that Garfield addresses in his interview… which is now up! Along with a sneak peak at the first Runner identity, Noise.