I read once upon a time that EA has the license for all SW digital platforms/games .. or something like that.

I really enjoy the squad benchmark program. Close enough to a mobile game.

For those that love Tie Fighter and X-Wing PC games .. check out http://xwaupgrade.com/

19 hours ago, drail14me said:

Any movement on a mobile or online version? I live in a rural area so finding players is difficult. Yeah, I've found Vassal but it seems to be a pain. I'd gladly pay FFG for an online or mobile version.

Have you tried the two most recent patches of Vassal? It has auto-bumping. Way less fidgeting.

Well, it's the same as asking why isn't this an Android or (official) PC one.

Licensing issues and development effort aside, the very point of the game's sales model is creating added value by tossing is physical models to the cardboard that actually counts. I doubt people would be happy to pay even a fraction of the current cost, if they were to get virtual stuff only.

On 10/3/2013 at 10:14 AM, sunny ravencourt said:

Seriously. They sell the dice app for 5 bucks. Why can't they just make an iOS app for this game.

Because they make their money selling models.

It's the exact same reason why, even though there's, like, a hundred Warhammer/40k games, not a single one of them actually replicates the rules of the tabletop game.

If they make it possible to play the game with none of the models, a lot of people will play the game without the hassle/expense of dealing with the models.

They don't want you to spend $5 on an app, they want you to spend hundreds of dollars on models.

Wow, major thread necro! This was started 4 YEARS ago!

But yeah, like others have said, it's not about the $$$- or at least, not the way people are thinking. Yes FFG is happy that you spend hundreds of dollars on miniatures, but digital content- once you've developed it- costs virtually nothing to distribute. FFG could easily adjust their prices and only charge a buck or two for a digital expansion pack and still be making just as much of a profit- if not more, because their market for a digital game would be much larger and reach much farther than for the physical game.

No the reason you haven't seen an X-Wing app, or an app for any of the Star Wars games that FFG produces, is because of licensing. FFG doesn't own the license for creating digital Star Wars Games, somebody else does. End of story.

I found out something interesting the other day- FFG doesn't even have the license to produce Star Wars board games. Hasbro has the license to produce any and all SW board games. All of FFG's Star Wars games are expressly not "board games." Even games like Imperial Assault and Rebellion are distributed as Miniatures games, which is how they get by. If they marketed them as board games Hasbro would eat FFG alive faster than a Sarlacc Pit eats Gamorreans.

I feel like 2 main draws to this game are the amazing miniatures, and the social aspect of hanging out with fellow Star Wars nerds. Much of that would be lost if this were turned into a video game.

Anyone else remember the GBA/DS era of RPGs that adapted kids' card games like Yu-Gi-Oh!, Pokemon, and the like, and made it so that the fate of the world hung in the balance of the games you played?

I'd love to see that approach taken with X-Wing. You start out as a Rebel, Imperial, or Scum pilot (basically a kid in a pilot's outfit,) and you run around challenging iconic Star Wars characters to skirmishes (i.e., duels) to earn points to buy expansions with in the game.

The nostalgia factor alone leaves me feeling warm and tingly.

4 hours ago, DarthEnderX said:

Because they make their money selling models.

It's the exact same reason why, even though there's, like, a hundred Warhammer/40k games, not a single one of them actually replicates the rules of the tabletop game.

If they make it possible to play the game with none of the models, a lot of people will play the game without the hassle/expense of dealing with the models.

They don't want you to spend $5 on an app, they want you to spend hundreds of dollars on models.

They could do a model similar to the pc and mobile versions of Disney infinity, where purchasing a model would give you a code to unlock that ship in app, or you could alternatively purchase them in app for a bit cheaper.

One reason we won't get a mobile version is the same that majorjuggler has talked about for getting a math person like him for balance. I can't imagine they're gonna wanna pay the market price for a good mobile Dev. And you'd probably want multiple

Holy Crap I've been here since 2013?

Yikes.

3 hours ago, StriderZessei said:

Anyone else remember the GBA/DS era of RPGs that adapted kids' card games like Yu-Gi-Oh!, Pokemon, and the like, and made it so that the fate of the world hung in the balance of the games you played?

I'd love to see that approach taken with X-Wing. You start out as a Rebel, Imperial, or Scum pilot (basically a kid in a pilot's outfit,) and you run around challenging iconic Star Wars characters to skirmishes (i.e., duels) to earn points to buy expansions with in the game.

The nostalgia factor alone leaves me feeling warm and tingly.

Video game Yugi-oh was my jam far into my 20's. Loved the cartoon too till they just went waaaay too silly with it.

@StriderZessei remember the old cyberstein/blue eyes ultimate dragon combo? I used to love destroying AI with that just to get coins to buy packs. I miss my gameboy micro so much.

The more important question though is...why bother?

X-Wing is a great game...within the limitations of a tabletop miniatures game. It's a great representation of space dogfighting...for a tabletop game.

But if I actually had access to video game technology, there's no way I'd play a game of X-Wing miniatures...when I could just play X-Wing/TIE Fighter instead.

If I want to play a tabletop game, I'll play X-Wing miniatures. If I want to play a video game about X-Wings, there are way better options out there than a video game port of X-Wing miniatures.

Tabletop to Digital is not an easy thing to port. I think Vassal X-wing mod does a great job but again they do keep several restrictions to avoid C&D however I think most of the limitations are simply that of physical restrictions to programming.

Keep in mind that in a IOS every interaction has to be programmed and with each new expansions you have more interactions that have to be program, Table op has the advantage of using the human brain (still the most complex computer in the known universe) to calculate those interaction but even then there is the unforeseen bugs, hence an FAQ is often required with each release. However on the Table top you can still push through and nullify bugs (for the most part) where on digital such bugs are game ending.

Now could they port more game type mechanics as applications to phone/tablet such as list building and damage deck? Sure but again FFG has already tried something like that with TOME which is supposed to be an all encompassing tournament organization software for all of FFG's table top miniatures games but it has failed and FFG is (I believe) discontinuing the project. So they have tried to do some more IOS integration but as you see their capabilities are rather limited and given the nature of their business it might not be that beneficial to invest heavily into increasing those capabilities. They sell board games after all, not mobile games. If there is a mobile game the cost is added into the board game that it is sold with.

I thought the mobile version of this game was a squad builder?

On 5/12/2017 at 10:54 AM, drail14me said:

I live in a rural area so finding players is difficult. Yeah, I've found Vassal but it seems to be a pain. I'd gladly pay FFG for an online or mobile version.

I have the same problem. Where abouts are you located? Vassal is pretty good once you get used to it. lots of recent improvements.

41 minutes ago, PanchoX1 said:

I have the same problem. Where abouts are you located? Vassal is pretty good once you get used to it. lots of recent improvements.

I'm in North East Mississippi. There's a small group of players in my home town but most are gone in the summer months. I just need to learn Vassal.

4 hours ago, DarthEnderX said:

The more important question though is...why bother?

X-Wing is a great game...within the limitations of a tabletop miniatures game. It's a great representation of space dogfighting...for a tabletop game.

But if I actually had access to video game technology, there's no way I'd play a game of X-Wing miniatures...when I could just play X-Wing/TIE Fighter instead.

If I want to play a tabletop game, I'll play X-Wing miniatures. If I want to play a video game about X-Wings, there are way better options out there than a video game port of X-Wing miniatures.

X-Wing as a mobile game could be asynchronous. To be played out over a longer stretch of time instead of straight through, which I would absolutely play.

I have actual access to video game technology on my computer and I still play X-Wing tmg over X-Wing or tie fighter (though if they gave us a new good flight sim I'd be all over it)

4 hours ago, Marinealver said:

Tabletop to Digital is not an easy thing to port. I think Vassal X-wing mod does a great job but again they do keep several restrictions to avoid C&D however I think most of the limitations are simply that of physical restrictions to programming.

Keep in mind that in a IOS every interaction has to be programmed and with each new expansions you have more interactions that have to be program, Table op has the advantage of using the human brain (still the most complex computer in the known universe) to calculate those interaction but even then there is the unforeseen bugs, hence an FAQ is often required with each release. However on the Table top you can still push through and nullify bugs (for the most part) where on digital such bugs are game ending.

Now could they port more game type mechanics as applications to phone/tablet such as list building and damage deck? Sure but again FFG has already tried something like that with TOME which is supposed to be an all encompassing tournament organization software for all of FFG's table top miniatures games but it has failed and FFG is (I believe) discontinuing the project. So they have tried to do some more IOS integration but as you see their capabilities are rather limited and given the nature of their business it might not be that beneficial to invest heavily into increasing those capabilities. They sell board games after all, not mobile games. If there is a mobile game the cost is added into the board game that it is sold with.

At this point almost everything in the vassal module is automated. The same could be done on iOS

28 minutes ago, VanderLegion said:

X-Wing as a mobile game could be asynchronous. To be played out over a longer stretch of time instead of straight through, which I would absolutely play.

I have actual access to video game technology on my computer and I still play X-Wing tmg over X-Wing or tie fighter (though if they gave us a new good flight sim I'd be all over it)

At this point almost everything in the vassal module is automated. The same could be done on iOS

Yes of course it could be done, but as with TOME I don't think FFG has the human resources to make such an app. Now on hiring/managing/publishing such a thing it could be within FFG's reach, but the question is such an investment worth it and what should they expect in returns.

28 minutes ago, Marinealver said:

Yes of course it could be done, but as with TOME I don't think FFG has the human resources to make such an app. Now on hiring/managing/publishing such a thing it could be within FFG's reach, but the question is such an investment worth it and what should they expect in returns.

Like I said, I don't think they'd actually want to pay the market rate for a dedicated mobile team

10 minutes ago, VanderLegion said:

Like I said, I don't think they'd actually want to pay the market rate for a dedicated mobile team

Well they got a mobile team though. Their integrated app games like Xcom is one example. But with that the cost of the market rate is added into the board game. So where would the cost to such an app for X-wing be added into, the expansion packs?

It is more than just they don't want to spend the money, it is how are they going to get it back with returns.

6 hours ago, NakedDex said:

I thought the mobile version of this game was a squad builder?

The AI app is the closest, squad builder is more like an day planner. ?

12 hours ago, VanderLegion said:

They could do a model similar to the pc and mobile versions of Disney infinity, where purchasing a model would give you a code to unlock that ship in app, or you could alternatively purchase them in app for a bit cheaper.

Disney Infinity folded. And part of the reason why was weird licensing issues.

if you want proof that it is licencing, here it is:

X wing is just a VERY sophosticated version of chess, Star- Wars themed. they could easily modify a chess app and turn it into X-wing without problems. the hardest part woud be building a squad. it would probably be faster, because of dice and falling on the floor and such.

I mean, I've recently been playing FE Heroes, which has a gatcha japanese-style mechanic for heroes combined with stripped down Fire Emblem mechanics for most gameplay. It's got voice acting, music, loads of artwork and sprites and is being updated for new events and characters - and it takes up like 500 mb. You could totally do XWM or a simplified version of it and wrap various ships, pilots and upgrades into various in-game currencies and events, give it some basic campaign and then extra events.

But like so many other people have said, EA has an exclusive license on all Video Games for Star Wars for a few more years. Such a branding would require FFG and EA to cooperate and contract with each other, something they're probably not feeling the strong need to do. If there was a huge demand for it, Lucasfilm/Disney could probably step in and help work it out - but even so that's a complex procedure to share work, profits, etc which neither major company probably wants or needs.

On 13.5.2017 at 2:33 PM, Mef82 said:

Well, it's the same as asking why isn't this an Android or (official) PC one.

Licensing issues and development effort aside, the very point of the game's sales model is creating added value by tossing is physical models to the cardboard that actually counts. I doubt people would be happy to pay even a fraction of the current cost, if they were to get virtual stuff only.

Considering how pretty models and texture backs sell in free 2 play games, I would say the X-Wing game would generate tons of revenue just by selling decals for your ships with squad logos, etc ;-)

Alas there is no licence, EA has an exclusive one, and FFG's X-Wing is not big enough to attract a joint venture between EA and FFG. Especially as FFG has nearly no original IP to cross licence to EA in exchange.