Just a few comments on FT Light after looking over it for an
evening......
Likes:
General Concept - It's nice to have a simple sheet of rules that can be
handed out to new players. The rules are abbreviated, but not to the point
that a 'full' game can't be played. Still meaty enough to have fun, while
whetting the appetites for more. And as the complete rules are also online for
free, it's quite easy to upgrade after a few games
Recording Clock Facing - Brilliant! And so simple. After all the
moving around, an easy mechanic to zero your ship to it's proper orientation.
Helps solve questions of whether ships are in arc after a person manually
moves a ship and questions arise if it was
moved/oriented properly....
Dislikes:
No Rerolls - I understand limiting weapon selection to simpler systems
for an easy to play ruleset, but rerolling 6's is a lot of the fun of beam
dice. The look of glee on a new player's face when they happen to string a few
6's together is priceless. And also gives a good building point for additional
rules (shields and armor come to mind)
Icons - Namely, for Pulse Torps. May just be a factor of being used to
what the 'old' icons look like, but it's nice to look down on an SSD and at a
glance know what weapon systems you have. Only time I looked inside the arc
circle would be to see what size beams I have, knowing Pulse Torps were a
line, needle beams a line and a dot, etc.... If this is the way that the
weapons systems are going, then I vote for the old icons, but YMMV.
Unsure:
Two engine slots - I do like that it's easier for new players, that they
don't have to worry about halving an engine on the first hit. My only concern
is the unlucky threshold check rolls (or standard Indy rolls) that take out
full maneuverability with one check. And as there are no repair rolls in FTL,
it kinda sucks for a new player's ship to be dead
in the water after sustaining a first threshold. Granted, that's a 1/36
chance, but some people's 1/36 happen more often than others..... (You
know what I mean....)
Final Question:
These rules are intended to draw people into the game, and ultimately sell
some miniatures. For me, the best spot to do this would be a buddy's comic
book store where he has heroclix games from time to time. We all know how easy
it is to order online from Jon, and quick to boot, but what do I tell my buddy
the store owner that would prefer to sell the minis through his shop? I know
he won't stock them on a shelf, but I could see getting an order together from
people playing. (Granted, this means I need to get myself motivated and PAINT
my minis...... And
then put on some demos. :-))
Conclusion:
All in all, I like the FTL ruleset. It's what I'll use to bring my daughter
into the fold. I have a few concerns, but ultimately they're
minor, and I can always move up when she's ready. :-) Thanks for
making these!
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you wanna be careful.... you sound grateful, & that seems to be a problem in
these here parts...
:D
Andy<html><div></div></html>> Date: Fri, 18 Apr 2008 08:26:36 -0400>
From: mihudak@state.pa.us> To: gzg-l@vermouth.csua.berkeley.edu>
Subject: [GZG] Comments on FT Light> > Just a few comments on FT Light
after looking over it for an> evening...... > > Likes:> > General
Concept - It's nice to have a simple sheet of rules that can be> handed
out to new players. The rules are abbreviated, but not to the> point that a
'full' game can't be played. Still meaty enough to have> fun, while whetting
the appetites for more. And as the complete rules> are also online for free,
it's quite easy to upgrade after a few games> >
Recording Clock Facing - Brilliant! And so simple. After all the> moving
around, an easy mechanic to zero your ship to it's proper> orientation. Helps
solve questions of whether ships are in arc after a> person
manually moves a ship and questions arise if it was> moved/oriented
properly....> > Dislikes:> > No Rerolls - I understand limiting weapon
selection to simpler systems> for an easy to play ruleset, but rerolling 6's
is a lot of the fun of> beam dice. The look of glee on a new player's face
when they happen to> string a few 6's together is priceless. And also gives a
good building> point for additional rules
(shields and armor come to mind)> > Icons - Namely, for Pulse Torps. May
just be a factor of being used to> what the 'old' icons look like, but it's
nice to look down on an SSD and> at a glance know what weapon systems you
have. Only time I looked> inside the arc circle would be to see what size
beams I have, knowing> Pulse Torps were a line, needle beams a line and a dot,
etc.... If this> is the way that the weapons systems are going, then I vote
for the old> icons, but YMMV.> > Unsure:>
> Two engine slots - I do like that it's easier for new players, that
_______________________________________________> Gzg-l mailing list>
On Fri, Apr 18, 2008 at 10:10 AM, Andy Hemming
> <nonsense_factory@hotmail.com> wrote:
Of course some of us sent our attaboys to Jon on the playtest list, when we
suggested manuscript changes and sent, "I can download the PDF okay; looks
great, Jon!" a few days before the main list saw it...
Now, be fair. I think it's obvious that Peter was trying to be helpful, and I
couched my own comments in enough irony, and DID state 'in the future', that
there's a good case that we both thought we were being constructive.
Most of the side comments have had nothing to do with the ruleset offer
itself, of course.
Anyway, Andy, I DID state I'd be sharing the ruleset at my store. I apologize
to Jon if that didn't sound like gratitude.
Heck, even Mike had criticisms...
Nevermind, sounds like I'm upset, rather than amused.
By the way, Mike, thanks for that! I was in the midst of drafting a note
suggesting that tack. Also, I missed the part about possibly taking out thrust
altogether. Nice to see the forced manuevering because of dead fire arc again,
no? At least, it's good for a trial game.
Anyway, on the whole off-off topic discussion of 'lite', in spite of my
being the one that cringes when hearing a sentence started with 'Hopefully',
as it's misused 99% of the time, and am constantly playing interpreter between
folks each mired in their own jargon, I've come to appreciate the usefulness
of the term that specifies 'subset useful for
introduction or ''trying before buying'''. ;->=
I still cringe when it's used in a political context, like, 'Margaret
Thatcher-lite'.
Hmm... Spellchecker doesn't like 'Nevermind'. Or 'Spellchecker'...
The_Beast
P.S. Really? You don't see 'lite' everywhere in the UK? On everything? In
every newspaper article? I just assumed the antipathy started when US
companies brought out lite beer, and you've never forgiven the US for what we
call 'beer' anyway. Foul stuff, that...
P.P.S After weeks of quiet, this has been FUN!
Ken wrote on 04/17/2008 02:17:27 PM:
> Where _I_come from, we don't complain about Free Ice Cream, for Bog's
Andy wrote on 04/18/2008 10:10:33 AM:
> you wanna be careful.... you sound grateful, & that seems to be a
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hey, don't mistake me for someone without a sense of humour!!;)
<html><div></div></html>
> To: gzg-l@vermouth.csua.berkeley.edu
In
> every newspaper article? I just assumed the antipathy started when US
No guarantees: Mistakes-R-Us...
Snickies! Now I'll get hit with trademark infringement.
The_Beast
Andy wrote on 04/18/2008 01:48:56 PM:
> hey, don't mistake me for someone without a sense of humour!! ;)
you want to think your selves licky. if you were to hear the way people speak
out jons way, you would not think its english. and i quote, not sure on the
phonetic spelling but here goes queens english' have you got a light, my good
chap'
suffolk/norfolk english ' haya gotta loyt boy.
round these parts we dont speak english properly fings loik i cant read, i
cant rite but i ken droive a tractor. think like an ork you would be closer.
[quoted original message omitted]
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one of the playtesters, just going to briefly address a couple things.
:-)
On Fri, Apr 18, 2008 at 8:26 AM, Hudak, Michael <mihudak@state.pa.us> wrote:
> Just a few comments on FT Light after looking over it for an
Yeah, but note that there are *no* defensive systems on these ships: no armor,
no shields, etc. This is boiled down, more basic than vanilla FT. Totally an
intro to the game for new players. Once they get used to the basic core rules,
then they can relish and swim in the main rules and
advanced rules. :-) (and optional rules if they want ;-) )
> Icons - Namely, for Pulse Torps. May just be a factor of being used
There was some discussion about the icon on the playtest list, but I think Jon
wants to change things up a little bit, and this is a good place to start. The
more astute amongst you may note that this is the same icon used for S'V
stingers. When we get to those in the main FT3 rules we will address this and
have a different icon for those systems. Sometimes change is good
> Unsure:
(You
> know what I mean....)
The idea was to 'break' from the rigid single box for an engine IF players
wanted to, in order to give different character to ship designs. So, you COULD
have a thrust 4 ship and have one engine block (if it thresholds, though, it
all goes down), or divide it into two engine blocks as per the new SSDs with 2
thrust pts each, or even break it up into four engine blocks of 1 thrust pt
each..
What's in YOUR wallet? :-D
> Final Question:
Well, whaddya waiting for?? Get crackin' ya cracker! :-D
> Conclusion:
I've a friend here who is going to use it to introduce his nephew to the
game. :-) Now he's trying to decide which fleets to buy and keeps
looking
over mine to see what's what. :-D
Thanks for the feedback, Mike!
Mk