Topic: SFB GOES SIMPLE!!!

[GDA-S'Cipio]

The high price tag is their own problem not mine, a problem with product value.  I don't value a board game with color pieces when I can buy a fully interactive computer game for the same price.  They need to update their business model in light of online play.

That's a matter of opinion, and one I don't happen to share.  If two friends call me up and one wants to play a computer game and one wants to play a tabletop miniature game, I'm headed for the tabletop every time.

The cool thing about SFC is that I can play it at 10PM on weeknights and still find live opponents/allies.   

The value of the price depends upon what you want out of the game.  Again, Games Workshop (I linked it earlier) is making a bloody fortune selling games with miniature support, and SFB-Lite *is* being marketed as a game with miniature support.  They are even repackaging their miniatures line so that packs exactly match the ships that come in the box of SFB-Lite.   (Which makes them a lot more gamer-friendly than Games Workshop used to do with their Epic line, which seemed to package their miniature so you had to buy tons of miniatures to get the one or two specialists you want.)

If you even think of "how does this compare to a computer game" when you look at SFB-Lite, then you should stop looking at it.  It isn't the game for you.

I'm actually looking forward to it.  SFB was great for four to five ships on a side.  However I always wanted to put fleets of miniatures on the table top and do huge games.  Too slow in SFB, but this looks made for it.

<snip comments about 8 impules with 4 substeps each being equal to 32 impules.>

Dude!  In SFB, all 32 impulses had 22 substeps!  That's 704 "impulses"!(And if you counted each item in a substep, you got well over 300 sub-sub-steps, for  something on the order of 9,000 impulses )

-S'Cipio

[Lepton]

It looks like they might release just a rule book and some charts for those who want to use their existing SFB game pieces.  That I might get if the price is right.  I continue to be amazed at the progress of this release.  Steve Cole hasn't even finalized the map yet with less than two months to the release date.  That does not inspire confidence in the quality of the product.

[Mr_Tricorder]

I would really like to get into this game, but I don't think I can justify spending the money unless they offer a cheap release of basic materials.  It looks streamlined enough that I might actually get other people to play with me (which was nearly impossible with SFB), and it would be a real shame if I and others like me are driven off by the price tag.

[Lepton]

In terms of game mechanics, it may be no small thing that they have moved from 32 impulses to 8 impulses.  I have heard that the intent will be for there to be only one firing opportunity per impulse, but I saw no other specifics in this regard.  The two permutations I see are none to pleasing.  One would be move and fire or fire and move.  Another might be that you could fire during the sub-pulses but only once.  I can see both as leading largely to alpha strikes.  Similarly, with the leaking shield rule, 1 point internal for every 10 shield hits, I can definitely see alot of alpha striking.

[Lepton]

Federation Commander: Klingon Border is now available for pre-order on ADB's online store, if you are so inclined.  I believe it is intended to ship Mid-November.

http://www.starfleetstore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv

[J. Carney]

Not unless the price goes down.

I think SVC is going to see this product sit on the shelves for quite some time if he doesn't give in to common sense and admit that we are NOT going to pay $60 for it.

[Lepton]

I'll add to that.  60 bucks for this game, then any number of additional expansions.  Romulan Border, Distant Kingdoms (Hydrans and Lyrans), Tholian Border, etc.  All at or near the same price point as far as I can tell.  That's a lot of money to play using all the basic galactic races.