trustybroom
-
Content Count
466 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Posts posted by trustybroom
-
-
For me I wish there was more support for non-standard formats like epic or scenarios. It would be WAY easier to convince people to try other formats if there was some sort of official prize-support involved. Most people just want to play 100pt deathmatch because that's the only format with any real support. I maybe get to play one epic game every 6 months or so, which makes me sad.
What do you mean by "real support"? They do have Mission Control website. Or do you mean like prize support? Yeah, I'd love a story based tournament or something like that.
Yeah, prize support. Something to incentivize players to give another format a try.
heychadwick reacted to this -
For me I wish there was more support for non-standard formats like epic or scenarios. It would be WAY easier to convince people to try other formats if there was some sort of official prize-support involved. Most people just want to play 100pt deathmatch because that's the only format with any real support. I maybe get to play one epic game every 6 months or so, which makes me sad.
-
Haven't played this game in 6+ months. For me, it is definitely not fun anymore and the reason is honestly the players and their hyper-competitiveness (which is in no way a bad thing, just not my cup of tea).
Even on casual game nights, people only want to play hyper-efficient flavor-of-the month ships in 100pt deathmatches. I would always run crazy lists because they are fun, but I just got tired of playing against the same lists over and over again with the same format. Everyone else just wants to practice for the next tournament. I just want to play Star Wars.
I wish there were more casual formats and more interest in casual play that wasn't just focused on 100pt deathmatches. I would probably come back at that point...but until then...I have a lot of other things to play.
-
The game has always been very "buy what you like" with a few exceptions for important, not-quite-essential cards like autothrusters.
That is crap. Have you ever tried flying a squad of TIE Advanceds against a squad of post-Raider TIE Advanceds? FFG has made progression part of the game. Do not pretend otherwise.
This only matters if you play in tournaments and lots of people don't play in tournaments.
-
Breakfast is best utilized with a breakfast burrito, but tacos also work.
See,
I've never had a burrito either.
Americans don't like it when I say this but, as a displaced Brit who has been here 15 years, most Mexican food is delicious tasting sludge and most of the excitement seems to come from how it is packaged.
If you want a crunchy shell that you have to eat delicately to get to the delicious sludge (or it cracks and explodes and goes all over your lap) then that's a taco.
But if you want your delicious sludge wrapped up in a bandage, that's a burrito.
As a taco snob, crunchy tacos enrage me. It's all about the soft corn tortillas.
And, here we go. As with all my conversations with Americans on this subject (and to be clear, I'm talking wife and inlaws, friends and colleagues, random strangers on bus's and people I play X-wing against) you are missing the point.
It's sludge, and there you are, arguing about the type or texture of shite to wrap the sludge in. And yet it's pretty much this nation's national dish.
Man, I love living here. It never gets old
It adds its own unique flavor that adds to the whole. It's like saying pie crust doesn't matter and if you went that far, I would know that you've totally descended into madness.
-
Breakfast is best utilized with a breakfast burrito, but tacos also work.
See,
I've never had a burrito either.
Americans don't like it when I say this but, as a displaced Brit who has been here 15 years, most Mexican food is delicious tasting sludge and most of the excitement seems to come from how it is packaged.
If you want a crunchy shell that you have to eat delicately to get to the delicious sludge (or it cracks and explodes and goes all over your lap) then that's a taco.
But if you want your delicious sludge wrapped up in a bandage, that's a burrito.
As a taco snob, crunchy tacos enrage me. It's all about the soft corn tortillas.
ViscerothSWG and All Shields Forward reacted to this -
I honestly don't care about the prices changing. If I have to pay more for things, I'll just buy less of them. No big deal.
When I play at a FLGS, I buy from there. When I don't, I don't.
I just don't like this as being framed as "helping out the FLGS," because it doesn't really. They could EASILY have set terms to really move things in favor of the FLGS, but they didn't. You'll still be able to get things online for much cheaper than a FLGS.
What it does do is shut down people on eBay and the like, which I'm totally cool with.
Honestly price isn't a big deal to me, convenience is. As long as I can still buy product online (which seems to be the case), I'm totally cool.
-
So, a reason this new policy exists is to save FLGS from those horrible online stores like MM. Did you know that MM is also a FLGS? Did you know that they have product on display, places to play and hold monthly tournaments? The X-Wing tournaments always sell out early, by the way.
They do all the things that the supposed good FLGS do. So why are they bad again?
BlackSunSyn reacted to this -
Wow. Guidance chips make Concussion Missiles and Proton Torpedoes really, really good.
-
Just read this interesting post on Dakka Dakka written by a FLGS owner: http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/210/673974.page#8335689
I want to point out what I wrote is addressing a very specific problem in the game trade. That problem is other game stores over ordering product because of perverse game industry incentives and then using the Internet as their exhaust pipe, blowing out what they can't sell. Because game stores are doing very well right now, the number of stores has grown tremendously and therefore the number of stores exhausting product onto the Internet has also increased. This has created a devaluation of board games during a boom time, with it not uncommon to see games sold online at around cost.
We sell over 20,000 board games a year and we can palpably feel the effect of this dumping. As a small business, we're not looking for protection. In fact, the usual response to this is to pivot quickly away. That means dropping product lines, like. It might mean moving to other businesses. It's a personal choice.
The publishers know this is happening and know we're talking about the pivot. Asmodee has decided that it's to their benefit to address this problem, even though they make the same amount of money whether it's sold in my store at MSRP or sold online at 40% off. They acknowledge that the FLGS has value in promoting the brand beyond the potential sales loss of huge volumes of online sales.
This allows us to promote their games through events and tournaments, a win-win. I am not claiming online sales are killing game stores. I *am* claiming game stores are killing game stores when they hit this critical dump mass. The FLGS is the worst enemy of the FLGS.
Makes a lot of sense when looking at it this way. It's more to stop the resellers than anything.
Here's some more clarification on what he was talking about: http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/210/673974.page#8335773
For example, they order 50 copies of a game. They order more than they need because their distributor discount is based on volume and there's no risk. They sell 40 copies in their store at MSRP and 10 copies online at 40% off to get their money back, probably as an Amazon seller. Amazon's algorithms responds by selling at 41% off. Everyone erroneously blames/credits Amazon. When enough stores do this, the next game only sells 30 copies in store. Suddenly they have 20 copies they have to dump online. When store owners identify this value spiral, they eventually store owners stop ordering that game as it inexplicably stops selling. Again, a problem for game store owners, caused by game tore owners.
-
For everyone who stops playing X-Wing because they can't buy it for 50% off online there'll be two or three new players who pick the game up because of excellent local support.
And when non-existent support from LGSs that care not one whit for X-Wing combined with increased prices kills the community stone dead? We don't have people walking into our club wanting to play X-Wing due to our LGS but in spite of it. The group there are masters of discouraging people from picking up new games, they enjoy clubbing baby seals too much to support and encourage people. Our new players come from people seeing a Star Wars game on Amazon or their favourite on-line game store and picked it up because it was cheap. Supporting Bricks and Mortar stores sounds all very noble but they are a dead end. Support for clubs and games cafes is what is needed now.
There are no game cafes or clubs in my state.
So now what?
There is no one-size-fits-all solution but Asmodee/FFG can do what they can to support the majority of players out there.
So make one? That's what I did when I was younger and there were no stores with place to play (this was before the internet, too).
I started a weekly group that met in the library. It's totally doable nowadays and the idea of gaming cafes/bars are getting more and more traction. Honestly, I would MUCH rather do some gaming in a bar then hang out at an FLGS.
-
The idea is to stabilize prices, people. A price-war (which is what online sales is) is a race to the bottom. If Shop A offers a 10% discount then in order to compete Shop B marks down 15%. Then Shop A marks down 20%. Then Shop B responds with a 25% markdown.
Before you know it these shops are selling product and they're only making enough money to pay a few warehouse employees $8.25/hour.
What happens to your FLGS during all this? They go out of business because they can't mark down 25%. They need to pay rent. They need to send their kids to school. They need to pay their employees enough to put gas in their car. They need to pay electricity to keep the lights on after 8PM so YOU CAN PLAY YOUR GAMES IN THEIR STORE.
If all you can do is compete on price, than you have other problems that need fixing. If all a store can offer is, "You can play games here". then it has other problems that need fixing.
If you create a good atmosphere, people will go. Sure, some people would still buy cheaper if possible, but those people aren't your customers and never will be. Every time I hear about how we need to help the game stores, I want to scream. The game stores need to help themselves. If a store created an environment that I like to be in, I would GLADLY purchase from them. Most stores though are run by the comic book guy from the Simpsons and I think those deserve to fail. I won't support a store (and think it's foolish to do so) unless they give me a good reason to do it. Having a place to play is not that, as that is something that can EASILY be overcome.
And just think how much better those great stores will be WHEN THEY CAN MAKE MORE MONEY.
Instead of giving your money to a warehouse that hires minimum wage workers you can give your money to a shop that knows your name and provides you with an excellent experience.
I would argue that they won't really. Online shopping isn't going away. The people that only care about price will still buy online because it will still be cheaper. People generally find a FLGS through word of mouth. That isn't going to change. Honestly, this new policy isn't going to change anything relating to the amount of people that frequent a FLGS or what they buy.
-
The idea is to stabilize prices, people. A price-war (which is what online sales is) is a race to the bottom. If Shop A offers a 10% discount then in order to compete Shop B marks down 15%. Then Shop A marks down 20%. Then Shop B responds with a 25% markdown.
Before you know it these shops are selling product and they're only making enough money to pay a few warehouse employees $8.25/hour.
What happens to your FLGS during all this? They go out of business because they can't mark down 25%. They need to pay rent. They need to send their kids to school. They need to pay their employees enough to put gas in their car. They need to pay electricity to keep the lights on after 8PM so YOU CAN PLAY YOUR GAMES IN THEIR STORE.
If all you can do is compete on price, than you have other problems that need fixing. If all a store can offer is, "You can play games here". then it has other problems that need fixing.
If you create a good atmosphere, people will go. Sure, some people would still buy cheaper if possible, but those people aren't your customers and never will be. Every time I hear about how we need to help the game stores, I want to scream. The game stores need to help themselves. If a store created an environment that I like to be in, I would GLADLY purchase from them. Most stores though are run by the comic book guy from the Simpsons and I think those deserve to fail. I won't support a store (and think it's foolish to do so) unless they give me a good reason to do it. Having a place to play is not that, as that is something that can EASILY be overcome.
-
That's an interesting read.
It came across to me that he was saying "gaming stores advertise our products directly to our customers and we give them discounts to 'pay' them for it", followed by "online stores only supply the demand that brick and mortar stores create". So their pricing now works by charging the online stores 'more' to subsidize the brick and mortar stores for doing all the heavy lifting. Online stores have less overheads/more efficient. Brick and mortar have immediacy and community. I get the line of reasoning.
What I don't accept, is that this dichotomy is a result of the specific interface between retailer and consumer and nothing else. There is plenty of room in the digital space to do videos, plan events and generate community interest. Websites can promote the product and create a space for gamers to engage with each other, like hiring community halls for example. Physicality is no longer as necessary as its been in the past. There are also plenty of physical retailers that do nothing more to engage or promote in the community, other than a sign that says "xxx now in stock!!!!"
So while the brick and mortar/online is an aspect,it's not the whole picture by a long shot.
With that in mind, I wonder if any of the current online retailers - such as CSI and MM - would be able to setup tournaments via Vassal to satisfy the community building aspect and then continue to operate under their current model.
Interesting times.
I don't know about CSI, but MM has had monthly in-store tournaments for almost the entire life span of X-Wing.
-
Honestly if the prices go up (which they will) it won't really bother me. I still won't shop at my FLGS (because I don't play there), I'll just end up buying less X-Wing. A lot of the ships I buy now, I buy just because they are so cheap. I honestly wouldn't really mind less ships. I'm kind of running out of storage for them anyway.
My REAL issue with the whole thing is them talking about cutting online sales altogether. We won't find out for sure until April, but just the idea of it is a real GW move. I like ordering online because I like not having to drive to a store and dig through their stock to try and find what I need. I don't like talking to sales people. I just want my stuff.
So as long as I can still order products online (and pay reasonable shipping), I'm good.
-
I honestly don't care about having to pay more for X-Wing. It is what it is and it's a luxury product anyway. I DO care about this being a GW-esque move that does nothing more than frustrate consumers and make it more difficult to get their product.
For example, I'm sure that this would be the end of my Team Covenant subscription, because it's technically an online sale. So when a new Warhammer Conquest pack comes out, I have to get it from my FLGS. Or, just get it from Amazon and circumvent my FLGS anyway.
It really doesn't do anything other than force me to change what online retailer I use (since there's no way they'd cut out Amazon) and remove convenience for me.
Joe Boss Red Seven reacted to this -
I think they did, but it may have been Necromunda... Defo Gothic tho.
Honestly, Mordheim would sell better than AoS...
Gothic might be the biggest flop of them all. First thing people are going to do when it launches is draw paralkels wuth Armada, and I highly doubt GW staff has the knowledge to desugn somwthing even 20% as good.
Specialist Games were the only things that GW did well and they were done really, really well. Since they were done well, GW being the company that they are decided to shut them down. At least they're finally bringing them back.
All Shields Forward reacted to this -
The announcement of bringing back their "specialist games" reeks of desperation to me, especially after what Gadge said led to their demise in the first place.
The way I see it, GW are now casting envious eyes at the producers of other self-contained (and successful) tabletop games, and are wanting to sink their claws back into that share of the market.
It very much is, as the only thing GW cares about is separating people from as much of their money as possible. However, if this mad scheme happens to bring in new Blood Bowl players and new Blood Bowl sculpts I'm all for it.
-
-
-
Holy crap you guys.
Vessery+ Tie/D + cannon + Ruthlessness.
@_@
jut be careful where you're pointing that thing, or you'll end up killing your wingmen
With enough wingmen, a damage here or there isn't a big deal:
Colonel Vessery (35)
Ruthlessness (3)
Tractor Beam (1)
Twin Ion Engine Mk. II (1)
TIE/D (0)
Epsilon Squadron Pilot (15)
Epsilon Squadron Pilot (15)
Epsilon Squadron Pilot (15)
Epsilon Squadron Pilot (15)
Total: 100
-
TIE swarm is still really, really good. You don't see it played much in a tournament because it's an exhausting list to play.
-
Cluster are depending on pilot (NDru) or certain ships (TAdv with corrector)
Concussion, Assault, Homing, APT, Ion Torp are all too expensive; you kinda could get around that with Extra Munition, but then your ships needs to be able to load EM in the first place. That leaves out a number of fighters (A Wing, Z-95, X-Wing, E-Wing). Plus loading EM on top makes your ship even more expensive while you are hoping to get both missiles/torps off.
Proton and Plasma are fine, ok cost/value ratio. The PR because it bypasses one of the biggest problem of the missiles/torps (TL requirement, dice modification), the plasma for the extra damage. I see plasma on Redline only, PR shows on Vader and Jake.
AHM are too difficult to use (no drawback in my eyes though), and are most effective against a small number of targets (if you go for the killing aspect). Still, a nice piece of equipment, but again is only considered because it bypasses the dice modification problem + has low cost + nice extra effect (dealing critical hits).
Flechette really is too situational. If you have a build that sucks against Soontir see if you can get one or two in - problem solved.
So only newer released missiles/torps are really considered "useful", and those are trying to tackle the problems of missiles/torps: too many points spent on single use item, no dice modification, TL requirement (which makes these close to useless for low PS pilots). And even these newer releases are not good enough to regularly make it into tournament lists; while tournaments really shouldn't be the measurement for everything they show very clearly what's effective (for the points spent).
I would argue that ordnance isn't used in tournaments more due to their specialized nature than anything. If you're facing B-Wings, Plasma Torpedoes are pretty awesome. If you're facing Interceptors...not so much.
Flechette's are great against Soontir; pretty useless against a Fat Han.
There are only a couple that can be useful against all-comers (Proton Rockets and Cluster Missiles), but even then you have to use them on a ship that's designed to get good use out of them. If I knew that every list I was playing against was a swarm of some kind, I would happily spend 5 points on Assault Missiles, but tournaments don't work like that.
Punning Pundit reacted to this -
Ordnance isn't as bad as most people think it is.
- Cluster Missiles are REALLY good w/ certain pilots/builds.
- Concussion Missiles are okay. You have to spend your TL, but with the modification you're doing about as much damage as 4 dice w/ focus. The biggest problem is the cost, which is kind of made up with Extra Munitions.
- Assault Missiles are good in Epic, and can more than make up their points.
- Homing Missiles are expensive, but Extra Munitions make them usable. They also have a good chance of taking out Soontir.
- Ion Pulse Missiles are good for the price, especially against Large/Huge ships.
- Proton Rockets are really good on A-Wings and Vader.
- Advanced Homing Missiles are okay. A bit too random for my taste.
- Proton Torpedoes are very similar to concussion missiles. Protons are better if you never plan on having a TL+F stack and Concussions are better if you plan on having a TL+Focus stack at some point.
- Advanced Proton Torpedoes will guarantee you 5 hits with a TL+F stack. I think they're too expensive and difficult to use to be really viable outside of very niche builds.
- Flechette Torpedoes are great for 2 points. You just have to point yourself at Soontir (which is easy to do at range 2-3) to shut him down. You don't even need to hit.
- Ion Torpedoes are really good for Epic. Great way to set up those ramming attacks.
- Plasma Torpedoes are good for the points, though situational. You really only want to use it against large/huge ships.
I think if more people actually gave them a try, they'd realize they aren't too shabby. Just don't assume you can slap any piece of ordnance on any ship and expect to come out fine.
FFG Topic "Fly Casual"
in X-Wing
Posted
The lack of casual players is a big reason why I stopped playing last year. Just sick to death of 100 point deathmatches. A big push towards casual play may cause me to come back...