FFG Announces New Expansions & Games

Yeah, an app is a total dealbreaker for me. A game of Descent is probably 2 to 3 hours for experienced players, and my phone isn't going to carry a charge for 2 to 3 hours of continuous app usage. Sure, I could plug into an outlet with my charger, but depending on where we are playing, that may not be practical. Plus, I like to save some charge in case I get an important phone call.

You can get 25,000 mAh batteries for about $20 now.

I don't have a problem with an app, in fact I think it's fertile ground. But it has to work. It has to integrate well. That remains to be seen.

I don't really want to use apps when I'm playing a board game but they can offer better AI opponents or virtual dungeonmasters.

An Android remake using an app could be fun and setting appropriate.

hotseatgames wrote: FFG dropped some info on Descent. It's app driven. Aaaaaaand there goes my interest.

I think this was anticipated. My interest just shot up. My primary audience is playing with the wife and two boys. We played through all the app campaigns for Imperial Assault twice and that was a blast. Every time we have attempted the 1v3 non app version it ended early since whoever was on the other side getting too frustrated with never winning except the completely unbalanced missions*. Given the puzzle like mechanics of a game like IA/Descent skill plays too large a part in victory.

*The way the side missions work is the threat (imperial reinforcements) level is dependent on when the heroes undertake that mission. But there are also staged and event enemies. Some of the side missions are always easy for Rebels or always hard. The balance presupposes that the side mission is not early nor late in the campaign. Some side missions taken early just don't work for the Rebels as their un-upgraded guns don't have enough firepower to punch through certain enemies. For example you have to defeat Bossk in three turns when he has a ton of health and heals every turn (despite being given the "free" allies R2D2 and C3PO). This problem doesn't exist in the app campaign since there are no side missions.

I'm watching the livestream, and I like the art and look of everything. App only absolutely kills my interest personally though. Especially since the app here looks to do tons of heavy lifting, to the point where it looks like you're basically playing a slow/clunky video game that also costs as much as 3 brand new full price actual video games.

Ah_Pook wrote: I'm watching the livestream, and I like the art and look of everything. App only absolutely kills my interest personally though. Especially since the app here looks to do tons of heavy lifting, to the point where it looks like you're basically playing a slow/clunky video game that also costs as much as 3 brand new full price actual video games.

MSRP $175. Wowsa!

That's pretty doggone salty. The hobby is getting expensive.

Journeys in Middle Earth (app) was pretty light in the box vs Imperial Assault ( not app driven) . $175 ? It better be akin to GLOOMHAVE/NEMESIS.

hotseatgames wrote: FFG dropped some info on Descent. It's app driven. Aaaaaaand there goes my interest.

$175? Pass.

App-driven? STRONG fucking pass.

I know this opinion firmly places me in the "grumpy old man" category, but one of the reasons I like playing boardgames is that it effectively forces me to look away from digital screens for a few hours.

Msample wrote: Journeys in Middle Earth (app) was pretty light in the box vs Imperial Assault ( not app driven) . $175 ? It better be akin to GLOOMHAVE/NEMESIS.

There are 16 scenarios, and it's "Chapter 1". My guess is we're not looking at Gloomhaven levels of content here.

$175!?!? Who does FFG think they are, a first time kickstarter with lots of minis?

Good luck to them. That is a massive cost buy-in.

I agree with jason10mm here, I think people are going to freak out about the cost when they would have had no problem paying that same cost (or more!) for a CMON kickstarter. I'm not saying that about anyone here in this thread or anything, to be clear, I'm just saying I personally am going to be a bit puzzled at the level of pushback this is going to get when the same whales complaining will bite a kickstarter hook with "backer benefits" gladly.

I don't think this cost is necessarily out of line with the market---which isn't a market I dive deep in generally so...? But go with god if you are.

All I can say is that with prices like that, just using 5e for all your dungeon delving needs is somehow the cheaper option.

Bets on the plastic "terrain set" add-on shipping at launch, or later?

This is also the word of someone who has moved internationally with a game collection, but I suspect at that cost the box must be the size of an end table. I'm exaggerating of course, but it's still going to be massive. I truly cannot imagine trying to live with a product that big in my life.

Like Gary Sax said, if it's something people really want and they have the money, that's great. I sincerely hope it's terrific. But ever since maybe Cthulhu Wars I've felt more and more frozen out of the hobby because of cost, and so whenever I see one of these big price jumps it always shocks me.

Also, is it just me or are there a surprisingly high number of options at this scale and price point? I feel like there has to be a market for a $60 dungeon crawler that is reasonably tactically satisfying, but doesn't require a storage unit, learning an RPG system like Pathfinder or 5e, or just is suitable for a life where it has to share time and space with other titles.

I know I'm pretty out of touch with the board game industry now, so thats why I ask. It feels like the only market options for the dungeon crawl all cost at least 3 figures, require lengthy campaigns, and take up huge amounts of space.