Another Star Wars game from Fantasy Flight

Listen: Firefly and Xia are far from the final word in the genre. You may enjoy them, but nobody should be accepting those games or any games as the be-all-end-all of their ilk. There’s always another way to do things and, over time, a better one. I’m not saying this game is it, but everyone’s arguments [read “gut reactions”] against it are, frankly, weak. You’re all better than this.

For all my love for Firefly, it somehow is starting to show its age. The sheer size of it, though I fully stand by expansions completing it, is just as tiring as it is essential. And even at the game’s heart, there are things I used to forgive that I now want to bypass.

Xia, on the other hand...man, I have tried to avoid this because I know it gets some big love, but I was enormously underwhelmed. One of the most disappointing games I’ve played in the last few years by far.

Given the recent stripped down, streamlined approach to design that FFG has embraced I am very interested to see how this game tackles the genre. My Star Wars/Han Solo fandom isn’t playing into that whatsoever.

I think it comes down to your tolerance for this blend of "minimalism" with the personally varying levels of engagement elicited by a license like Star Wars. I don't mind abstraction when it's implemented in a way that forces you to inhabit the space behind the abstraction through other means, like the weird fantasy glamor in Gloom of Kilforth. Sometimes those means don't really work for me, and "just like in Star Wars!" is one of them. Sorry if that's "weak" but that's just like, my opinion, man.

Frohike wrote: I think it comes down to your tolerance for this blend of "minimalism" with the personally varying levels of engagement elicited by a license like Star Wars. I don't mind abstraction when it's implemented in a way that forces you to inhabit the space behind the abstraction through other means, like the weird fantasy glamor in Gloom of Kilforth. Sometimes those means don't really work for me, and "just like in Star Wars!" is one of them. Sorry if that's "weak" but that's just like, my opinion, man.

I hear what you’re saying, but less is more in Star Wars. It should be streamlined and fast paced on the scale the game is set. The minimalism would be just right here.

My post was more of an overall critique of the reaction here, not specific to this game. It’s a shitty way to approach new games.

Doc Aphra is in it? Hmmm...slightly more interested...one of the better non-film characters.

I'm in. Totally impressed with the support they provided Imperial Assault with the app and the kids will definitely enjoy this.

They shouldn't have stuck Ford's face on the Solo though

Jackwraith wrote: Hyperspace shortcuts...?

I was thinking something that joins the ends together. Or a way to piece things together in other ways. Like Starcraft does. I don’t know, just seems to me that the galaxy should be more dimensional. Two at least.

It does look fireflyish so I'll probably wait. But there's always room in my heart to at least try this sort of game.

Oh my word, this looks like it's right in my wheelhouse. I might just have to keep an eye on this one. This is much more the kind of Star Wars game I'm interested in, rather than one revolving around combat or tactics. I'm definitely the intended audience for this.

Josh Look wrote: ...but everyone’s arguments [read “gut reactions”] against it are, frankly, weak. You’re all better than this.

I'd point out something regarding judging other people's gut reaction with your own, but I'm better than that.

Is that a picture of Henry Winkler on one of the cards? I didn't know the Fonze was in star wars.

I think the arc is a great shape. It's perfect to allow the game to travel over sharks.

As far as the map goes, it looks like a slice of a galaxy to me, the outer rim, no shortcuts or anything, you are just seeing the slice you get to play in. Not an expert in starwars geography but that's how I read it.

Sagrilarus wrote:

Jackwraith wrote: Hyperspace shortcuts...?

I was thinking something that joins the ends together. Or a way to piece things together in other ways. Like Starcraft does. I don’t know, just seems to me that the galaxy should be more dimensional. Two at least.

I don't know if it was always the case, but hyperspace in Star Wars is a series of mapped out empty routes. Without using the mapped "lanes" a pilot has a high risk of colliding with a planet. Hence the Kessel Run comment as Solo was using a dangerous "unmapped" route.

Although I agree that from first glance it does appear to be pretty much a line with a choice of two planets at each point. Nothing to stop a houserule connecting the two ends if it makes the game more fun.

$65... totally not worth it. So small a board, so huge character dashboards. No thanks, I prefer huge maps, with simple, small character space.

I thought at first it's going to be something "clever" with that map... but at that price? It's just bunch of piles.

If it can dispense with having to root thru 19 different decks of cards sprawled around the edge of the board it’s already an improvement over FIREFLY.

As someone who played a whole lot of Wing Commander Privateer, never was able to track down a copy of Xia or has much interest in the Firefly licence, I'm looking forward to this game.