It's not the only one out there, but, Dean's got the announcement up on
Starship Combat News, and their release specifically targets FT,
Silent Death, BFG, and B5W. It's not selling as a generic - I don't
think it has a design system at all - but it is selling as fast play.
---
"Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?"
-- H.M. Warner, Warner Brothers, 1927.
Thanks, Noam!
For those as lazy as moi:
http://www.star-ranger.com/Home.htm
http://www.star-ranger.com/FedCom.htm
Well, not exactly gunning for FT, more a nod at, but I'd like a look the game.
Finally, H1 to go with my multiple H2 copies!
Color-coded SSD's? I used highlighters 15 years ago for new players!
*heh heh heh* He said boosters... *heh heh heh*
$60 startup?!?!? *cough* *choke* *gurgle*
*sigh* Ok, lamination is good...
Well, having run the gamut of emotions, I'll patiently be waiting a few
weeks. ;->= Don't think we have any demos locally for it, alas.
The_Beast
Noam, who can right his own damn anagrams, but didn't this time, wrote on
11/11/2005 06:50:48 AM:
> It's not the only one out there, but, Dean's got the
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Gzg-l mailing list
Gzg-l@lists.csua.berkeley.edu
http://lists.csua.berkeley.edu/mailman/listinfo/gzg-lOn 11/11/05, Doug
> Evans <devans@nebraska.edu> wrote:
*grin*
Dunno. I'll reserve full judgement until I see it out. But the SSDs scream
"SFB!" to me. And while it's been nigh 10 years - no, over 10 years -
since I played SFB, I found it scary that I could remember the Fed CA and
Klingon D7 SSDs so vividly when I looked at the sample ones from the link
above
-
same number of warp boxes, shield boxes, phasers, photon torps, etc.
Mk
> For those as lazy as moi:
Well, they say the box is full, there is no air space and if you shake it,
nothing moves. They could have gone the classic SFB way with black and white
printing and no lamination but they are also targeting the RPG and German
Games market who expect high quality components and are currently buying games
just as expensive or hardcover rulebooks for $50.
> Dunno. I'll reserve full judgement until I see it out. But the SSDs
They wanted to allow the use of SFB SSDs in the game and each ship comes in 2
scales, Squadron which are pretty much SFB SSDs and Fleet scale which has half
the number of boxes. One of the FC laminated SSDs has the Squadron scale of a
ship on one side and Fleet on the other. They also plan to have the FC SSDs
available for download on their website.
The SSDs are not the complex part of SFB, it is rules, and they have attempted
to fix that. Most of the obscure rules are not includes and will not be added
later. The FC rulebook is 52 pages with illustrations on every page, so about
40 pages of just rules text. They have also cut down on a lot of the decision
points to speed up play. The following is from their website:
- A typical duel takes one hour, not four hours.
- The largest fleet battles take four hours, not four days.
- Energy is spent "on the fly" via a marker on a sliding scale.
- Damage allocation involves 95% fewer die rolls.
- Each turn has 75% fewer decision steps.
- Ship diagrams are laminated (multiple use, no photocopies!).
- The rulebook is 5% as big; they can learn it in 30 minutes.
- Expansions include more fun, not complex new rules.
I have not played FC yet, I have just been watching the development online. I
don't think it will replace FT in general due to the lack of construction
rules and being tied to one universe, but they are trying to expand their
markets and there are people using FT to play classic Trek games right now who
might move to FC. They are planning a big debut weekend with demo games on
November 26-27
so check your local store if intersted.
Dean wrote on 11/11/2005 09:49:56 AM:
> >> For those as lazy as moi:
Now, Dean, you cut my quote prematurely:
> >>$60 startup?!?!? *cough* *choke* *gurgle*
> >>*sigh* Ok, lamination is good...
I recognized the 'quality' issue, though there are highend games WITH plastic
pieces for about the same. On the other, other hand, those mostly assume high
volume, which I know ADB can't. And those others are often
wrong. ;->=
> > Dunno. I'll reserve full judgement until I see it out.
*plenty of snippage to follow*
Give them credit for learning from other's mistakes there!
> The SSDs are not the complex part of SFB...
Amen, though much of the complication isn't even the rules themselves, as much
as trying to cover every possible combination of them.
That, and feature creep, of course. The Evil Empire(tm) didn't invent 'The
Latest and Greatest' syndrome. ;->=
> - Expansions include more fun, not complex new rules.
Ok, but you HAVE to expect us to be a little gun shy...
> I have not played FC yet...
Relax; the only way we can shed our naked fear of old SFB is with a little
primal scream therapy. We'll look, honest.
> They are planning a big debut weekend with demo games on
I've just become part owner in a local store, and with Hobbytown corporate
also here, I'd have expected to have heard at least a squeak. However, lots
of new board games and that new SW AT-AT just waltzed in; plenty of
diverted attention there.
I know a guy that's considering the AT-AT for conversion to orky
Mecho-Mega-Squiggoth.
Anyway, I've just started calling around; and, lest we forget, thanks for YOUR
effort on SCN!
The_Beast
> > >> $60 startup?!?!? *cough* *choke* *gurgle*
> Now, Dean, you cut my quote prematurely:
Yes, I should have included that line too, but I was addressing the cost
comments in general and not the fact that you saw beyond them ;-)
> *plenty of snippage to follow*
Sure. In the discussions I have read at least it seems that they do realize
that there is huge market of ex-SFB players and people who have never
played SFB who want something quicker and less imposing.
> > I have not played FC yet...
I understand, I was just making sure that my later statements were taken as
copied from ADB and not my opinions.
> > They are planning a big debut weekend with demo games on
First, congrats on the store, and you do remember the saying on how to make
a million dollars in gaming..... ;-)
On the FC Demo Day, it seems to be more of a call to the SFB players to all
get out and demo the game that weekend and not something going through the
stores or distributors, though there have been some messages on the Star Fleet
Universe message board about stores who have contacted ADB and want to find
someone to demo FC for them.
> Anyway, I've just started calling around; and, lest we forget, thanks
Good luck, and thank you and everyone else for stopping by SCN, it would have
gotten old and died long, long ago if not for the feedback and support I have
gotten from the gamers who stop by.