tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125465266690212526.post3775055601615663021..comments2024-03-01T04:40:12.406-08:00Comments on Stay On The Leader: "THE STATE OF X-WING" - PART I: A PHANTOM MENACE?Stay On The Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05450238947689261754noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125465266690212526.post-84493062550163292002017-10-25T09:10:17.803-07:002017-10-25T09:10:17.803-07:00Great read. Very few have considered moving the po...Great read. Very few have considered moving the points scale up and down for tournaments , 95 pts list will look very different to a 105 points list. Another is discounts for more ships. 1-2 Ships no discount, 3 ships 5 points discount , 4 or more 10 points etc. Nickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02678916610009017042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125465266690212526.post-40511262401547022632017-04-08T12:28:55.895-07:002017-04-08T12:28:55.895-07:00I believe FFG has made a slew of thematic and tech...I believe FFG has made a slew of thematic and technical mistakes that are crippling the game. <br /><br />Thematically, the game is now dominated by large base turret ships packing loads of crew and other upgrades to achieve an unrivalled level dice modification. Thematically this is bad because battles aren't supposed to be fought with armed cargo haulers, but by fighters. This has also led to a preponderance of lists with two or more large base ships, taking away from the sense of broiling dog fight and replacing it with a slug fest between heavies. I agree with the points above about the obsolescence of iconic ships being a thematic catastrophe! Jump masters, decimatiors, Ghosts, Shadow casters, aggressors, are thematic curiosities or obscurities, not icons.I know lots of people love bounty hunter scum, but to set bounty hunter against the Alliance or Empire is thematically flawed. Thugs and bounty hunters would never challenge the Empire or Rebel Alliance for in a straight fight.<br /><br />On the technical side, 360° turrets are absurdly powerful. One need only look at the use of defensive turrets on bombers and fighters to know that they are largely ineffective against small fast moving attackers. However, in X-wing they are the weapon of choice because you don't have to face your opponent and never have to lose actions by k turning. You can throw twin laser turret on a ghost and make four 3-dice attacks, and with FCS modify half of them. One ghost loaded in this manner throws more dice and has more hit points than 5 tie fighters or 3 x wings, it is more than a little absurd.<br /> John Calvinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08527932890265627098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125465266690212526.post-88481896865086007572017-02-22T00:39:41.482-08:002017-02-22T00:39:41.482-08:00Step One: Lose
Step Two: Learn
Step Three: Profit?...Step One: Lose<br />Step Two: Learn<br />Step Three: Profit?<br /><br />http://stayontheleader.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/strike-me-down-how-to-lose-at-x-wing.html<br /><br />:-)Stay On The Leaderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05450238947689261754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125465266690212526.post-29437182303526210932017-02-21T15:23:31.140-08:002017-02-21T15:23:31.140-08:00Yes, I suppose I was a bit rambly! I was trying to...Yes, I suppose I was a bit rambly! I was trying to say that the rotation of cards wouldn't be something that I personally would be a fan of. I like the interaction between different sets, and the opportunities to think "oh I wonder what crew I can put on my such and such" or whatever. Of course to a degree it's all much of a muchness, but there we are. <br /><br />Fair point about player skill. Is it something that you'd consider writing about in future? Obviously not in a personally directed way, but more in a, if you're looking to get better on the table these are the things that have worked for me? Prehaps an interview series or two with some of those who are at that end? I'd be really interested in reading that - i used to read a blog and every week he'd interview a different fellow blogger with the same set of questions. I dunno. <br /><br />Regards<br /><br />LukeLuke Darksun https://www.blogger.com/profile/14416275320673777382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125465266690212526.post-62908808325409409372017-02-21T13:25:10.778-08:002017-02-21T13:25:10.778-08:00I'm sure that's true but it's not real...I'm sure that's true but it's not really what the issues are about. Who wins big events is not really relevant to the people who are feeling 'under attack'.<br /><br />I don't think a lack of player skill as a factor has been mentioned a single time in my blog? In fact I just did a Ctrl+F for 'skill' and the only result were in your comment and this reply I'm typing.Stay On The Leaderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05450238947689261754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125465266690212526.post-24369977363280776332017-02-21T06:13:07.593-08:002017-02-21T06:13:07.593-08:00nice article david. I don't know that I whole ...nice article david. I don't know that I whole heartedly agree with you - coming from a long term wargaming background perhaps I have a different perspective, but having played xwing for a few years I can remember most of the way back to wave 4 and phantoms etc. this isn't the first time we've experienced something like this. I think that FFG do quite a good job at controlling the over interaction and of course it gets harder ever wave but there we are. Coming over from Games workshop its much better. <br /><br />I know obviously that you're used to the WOTC way of doing things with your MTG background, but I think that is worse because it invalidates a whole bunch of stuff. I know there are different formats, but if I wanted to get back into MTG I couldn't use the 1000s of cards I spent loads of money on growing up, even though they are competitive (to a point) because they've been shifted out. <br /><br />I ran triple jumps at Yavin with minlink and no manaroo and went 5-2 on the first day, only loosing to double shadowcasters (one of which was tom reed!). I beat paratani and nothing in my list was post jumpmaster (I think). I ran triple jumps at nationals last year and cut through swathes of palp suttles with a different build. The most useful cards in my list are feedback array and intel agent, two non recent cards. If they were churned out id be really annoyed! I think its about reading the "meta" and flying against it, or with it. I chose against it and did ok. <br /><br />I think the thing is, in the wake of a big tourney this discussion will always happen. but if you look at who was at the top, they were similar people to last year. so its as much about player skill as anything else.Luke Darksun https://www.blogger.com/profile/14416275320673777382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125465266690212526.post-56123308308828966522017-02-21T01:46:17.091-08:002017-02-21T01:46:17.091-08:00Great article and very to the point of my own impr...Great article and very to the point of my own impression.<br />I don’t think that the rotation or “churning” of ships/upgrades are necessary. <br />You just have to look at the actual game setup, win conditions and list restrictions.<br />I came into the game when it first came out and bought into all the ships of the first 3 waves. <br />But then I lost interest as the game felt just too simple and too luck/dice dependent. Iconic Star Wars ships to collect and display but a game with very little depth…. <br />Last year I came back into the game, and what a change. Theme wise it now feels very much like a space dog fight should. And the possibilities and variety in list building and play style has really made this game into a very different experience and enjoyment seen from a casual play scene….<br />But the tournament scene is problematic due to increasing power creep, overpowered combo builds and the dominance of only a handful of competitive lists.<br />At the moment there is only one way of winning this game, and that is to kill more points than the opponent within a certain time frame. This favors lists, which (in different ways) maximizes their red-dice efficiency and obstruct the opponent in doing the same. It is actually rather simple…Do more damage than your opponent and win the game. Surprisingly simple and a bit boring…. <br />By adding other win conditions, the list building possibilities would open up immensely. The possibilities are endless and could further more open up for new possible ships and upgrades that cater for other things than just killing the other ships faster than dying…<br />FFG are already on that track in Star Wars armada, where you bring a set of objectives to the game, which will then be part of the game scoring. Same principle could be added to x-wing. <br />Alternative win conditions could be added to the game and could even be rotated in and out on a regular basis in order to freshen up the meta and encourage the use of underpowered ships and new abilities.<br />The initiative bid game could be enhanced by adding more options – say fx. Pre-placement of ships, additional obstacles, enhanced deployment areas, flexible game surface etc.<br />tangopophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06945971080158392348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125465266690212526.post-8533978608276348882017-02-21T01:07:13.071-08:002017-02-21T01:07:13.071-08:00Just between December 2015 and now we've seen ...Just between December 2015 and now we've seen a new core set and 15 new ships in three waves, plus the Imperial Veterans and Heroes of the Resistance packs. That is a LOT of new material to take in. <br /><br />If the C-ROC puts a gap between waves I'm all for it, and I don't see it as evidence of a major shift so much as an indication that FFG's putting some air in the release schedule to avoid a glut. With the next Star Wars movie coming in December and the new competition schedule putting the start of Regionals right around that time, now seems like a natural point for a break.<br /><br />Also, keep in mind that Wave IX wasn't announced (in May 2016) until well after Wave VIII was completely out (in March 2016, over 7 months after the first Wave VIII announcement). So if anything I'd give a Wave XI announcement another month or two before I'd figure on any meaning to the lack of one.Sarcasmoratorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06407851784680747956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125465266690212526.post-61087138583692879622017-02-20T15:43:05.350-08:002017-02-20T15:43:05.350-08:00We are on the cusp of 2.0. We haven't seen an ...We are on the cusp of 2.0. We haven't seen an anything from Wave 11 yet. Sure, a scum epic is nice but I think we will see a major shift. I think you're right though, churn is a good word to use as well. We need to burn through the wave 1-4 stuff that just useless, re release those packs with equitable upgrades. The risk is that the balance of the game, even more so, the competitive scene hangs in the balance. Have guys like Heaver and Torfs make cards is genuinely a great arrangement for the tip top of the meta, Bo Shek has won me 4 games so far. We will see more attacks of the planning phase though, its the more important.<br /><br />I appreciate the input. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12968293121262459169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125465266690212526.post-77781699673924315432017-02-20T14:08:46.246-08:002017-02-20T14:08:46.246-08:00I kinda think the problem is more the flaws in FFG...I kinda think the problem is more the flaws in FFG's design early in the game than the modern ships. I believe modern ships are more interesting, have more options, and more viable builds than ships from the Wave 1-3 era. It's just sad that the first three waves contain every single iconic OT ship, so they sit by the wayside(except for Biggs).Panzehhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08544560793818193551noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125465266690212526.post-35711664258860942832017-02-20T12:40:34.156-08:002017-02-20T12:40:34.156-08:00I have to agree on the churn being the most plausi...I have to agree on the churn being the most plausible way of balancing the game. However, I also think there are a variety of ways to broaden player enjoyment by simply giving more options of how to play.<br /><br />Competitions could benefit from having wave-specific tournaments. I think if there were a Wave 1 Only bracket and on up through the waves, it would allow fans of a certain "era" of X-Wing to have their fun without ruining the fun for fans of other waves. It would also give older ships some exercise without having to constantly make the rules more complex. I think it would also be interesting to combine upgrades from one wave with ships of another. It would be a breeding ground for new strategies without having to constantly have new, more complicated upgrades.<br /><br />To add a bit of in-universe flavor to the churn would also work in the favor of balance. FFG could release articles with each competitive season, giving an in-universe reason why certain ships, upgrades, or even unique pilots are unavailable. Maybe Fenn Rau was injured and won't be as to fly until he has recovered. Maybe a shipment of guidance chips simply disappeared, making supplies too limited for common use. I'd enjoy this, because I for one enjoy the setting of X-Wing as much as the game itself. It would at least appease some people in the community.R25https://www.blogger.com/profile/03801217894177201962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125465266690212526.post-61586036035417412582017-02-20T12:40:33.372-08:002017-02-20T12:40:33.372-08:00I have to agree on the churn being the most plausi...I have to agree on the churn being the most plausible way of balancing the game. However, I also think there are a variety of ways to broaden player enjoyment by simply giving more options of how to play.<br /><br />Competitions could benefit from having wave-specific tournaments. I think if there were a Wave 1 Only bracket and on up through the waves, it would allow fans of a certain "era" of X-Wing to have their fun without ruining the fun for fans of other waves. It would also give older ships some exercise without having to constantly make the rules more complex. I think it would also be interesting to combine upgrades from one wave with ships of another. It would be a breeding ground for new strategies without having to constantly have new, more complicated upgrades.<br /><br />To add a bit of in-universe flavor to the churn would also work in the favor of balance. FFG could release articles with each competitive season, giving an in-universe reason why certain ships, upgrades, or even unique pilots are unavailable. Maybe Fenn Rau was injured and won't be as to fly until he has recovered. Maybe a shipment of guidance chips simply disappeared, making supplies too limited for common use. I'd enjoy this, because I for one enjoy the setting of X-Wing as much as the game itself. It would at least appease some people in the community.R25https://www.blogger.com/profile/03801217894177201962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125465266690212526.post-35229301967121048102017-02-20T12:14:00.261-08:002017-02-20T12:14:00.261-08:00Yes, of course! You will do a better job than Goo...Yes, of course! You will do a better job than Google, I'm sure!Stay On The Leaderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05450238947689261754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125465266690212526.post-14802003742091595642017-02-20T10:56:00.467-08:002017-02-20T10:56:00.467-08:00Very interesting article!
Nice to have again the s...Very interesting article!<br />Nice to have again the same thoughts with you! Can I ask you a favor? Can I translate your writings for Italian community? Let me know!<br />DarioHolly -NES-https://www.blogger.com/profile/02566627775059538975noreply@blogger.com