The next SFB module, August 2012
Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2012 8:31 pm
SVC wrote: The next SFB module, August 2012
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As we mentioned in Captain's Log, this is driven by the need to print counters for Reinforcements Attack. We have to print four single-sided sheets at one time. Those would be the reprint of FCDK, the sheet for Reinforcements Attack, the sheet for Marines 2, and a sheet for a new SFB module. (We might steal half of the SFB sheet for another FC project that I have in mind since 140 will surely be plenty for a new SFB module.)
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Please do remember that anything not done in this round is still being considered for next round. The next round is designed to have a longer cycle time to give us time for one or two meaty long-development modules.
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You're welcome to suggest (or remind us about) other SFB products but do not mention non-SFB products here as this topic is ONLY about the next SFB module.
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the nominees are:
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C? New Worlds ?
This would start with the Borak, Peladine, and/or Nicozians, and/or the GenWar Paravians from CL28.
To those we would add updated rules, some new ships, scenarios, and of course, die-cut counters.
But we're not idiots. We know that the product won't sell without HOT new material, specifically, a new empire.
The leading option is General War Carnivons, perhaps based in the WYN cluster or off map or in F&E hex 0101. In any case, they'd have a real shipyard and real ships, not heavily refitted captured ships and freighters.
The Xorkaelians are really not an option as they need too many pages, having ships from all time periods.
If there is another option for a new empire, we're not sure what it is.
This is the leading candidate because it's the easiest to do (and Petrick really wants to do it).
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X2: Second Generation X-ships
We know that this would be the biggest seller, but we need something we can define to the point of printing the counters with confidence we won't be designing our way out of painted corners, and we don't want to hold FC Reinforcements Attack for next year. This will require scheduling more SVC time in the basic design phase.
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A new galaxy, or a new sector.
Perhaps based on one of the playtest packs already out there.
Or perhaps a new race module in the Sargasso Storm Sector.
In either case, this is probably just too big a project to do in the time period defined by the FC Reinforcements product.
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X1R2
There is a topic in which people were discussing whether there are enough unpublished SSDs from this era to be worth a product. Steve Petrick is reviewing that topic but doesn't think there are enough ships. (Defining enough as "enough interesting ships" rather than "enough ships that nobody wants but which slip through historical cracks." [Yes, you can see a little bit of Mathew Mongoose Marketing rubbing off on me here. We need ships that interest players, not engineers or historians.) This would not be that hard to do but is only worth doing if there are enough INTERESTING new ships to do. Please, any suggestion for new ships go in the topic for this product not in the module decision topic.
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R13
Nobody wants to buy a collection of 80 ships that nobody wanted but which somehow fit into historical nooks, cracks, and crannies. To do this product, we need at least 20 or 30 truly interesting and creative ships, not just "oh my gawd that's so big and mean it makes everything obsolete!" ships. We're not convinced there are enough of those. This would not be that hard to do but is only worth doing if there are enough INTERESTING new ships to do. Please, any suggestion for new ships go in the topic for this product not in the module decision topic.
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Omega 6
Petrick has a plan for Omega as follows:
Three modules, each covering seven empires, giving each 10 SSDs (base, two freighters, tug, pods, ground bases, 3 warships)
Three modules with new empires: 1 (Paravian, Nucian, Vulpa), 2 (Jindarian, Loriyill, Hiver unihive), 3 (Echarri, Scon, Zosman).
Three modules providing X-ships for 1/3 of the empires. If this is done after the new empires, 10 empires per module, 7 ships each)
We could do any of the first six.
We vaguely recall that Scott Tenhoff had an idea for a module focusing on the First Great War, giving every empire a bunch of cool wartime ships. Perhaps he would remind us of this, or perhaps someone else had an idea for an Omega product.
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Y4
There is a topic in which people were discussing whether there are enough unpublished SSDs from this era to be worth a product. Steve Petrick is reviewing that topic but doesn't think there are enough ships. (Defining enough as "enough interesting ships" rather than "enough ships that nobody wants but which slip through historical cracks.") This would not be that hard to do but is only worth doing if there are enough INTERESTING new ships to do. Please, any suggestion for new ships go in the topic for this product not in the module decision topic.
======
Obviously SVC does read here, but your vote is easiest tallied on the BBS.
======
As we mentioned in Captain's Log, this is driven by the need to print counters for Reinforcements Attack. We have to print four single-sided sheets at one time. Those would be the reprint of FCDK, the sheet for Reinforcements Attack, the sheet for Marines 2, and a sheet for a new SFB module. (We might steal half of the SFB sheet for another FC project that I have in mind since 140 will surely be plenty for a new SFB module.)
======
Please do remember that anything not done in this round is still being considered for next round. The next round is designed to have a longer cycle time to give us time for one or two meaty long-development modules.
======
You're welcome to suggest (or remind us about) other SFB products but do not mention non-SFB products here as this topic is ONLY about the next SFB module.
======
the nominees are:
======
C? New Worlds ?
This would start with the Borak, Peladine, and/or Nicozians, and/or the GenWar Paravians from CL28.
To those we would add updated rules, some new ships, scenarios, and of course, die-cut counters.
But we're not idiots. We know that the product won't sell without HOT new material, specifically, a new empire.
The leading option is General War Carnivons, perhaps based in the WYN cluster or off map or in F&E hex 0101. In any case, they'd have a real shipyard and real ships, not heavily refitted captured ships and freighters.
The Xorkaelians are really not an option as they need too many pages, having ships from all time periods.
If there is another option for a new empire, we're not sure what it is.
This is the leading candidate because it's the easiest to do (and Petrick really wants to do it).
======
X2: Second Generation X-ships
We know that this would be the biggest seller, but we need something we can define to the point of printing the counters with confidence we won't be designing our way out of painted corners, and we don't want to hold FC Reinforcements Attack for next year. This will require scheduling more SVC time in the basic design phase.
======
A new galaxy, or a new sector.
Perhaps based on one of the playtest packs already out there.
Or perhaps a new race module in the Sargasso Storm Sector.
In either case, this is probably just too big a project to do in the time period defined by the FC Reinforcements product.
======
X1R2
There is a topic in which people were discussing whether there are enough unpublished SSDs from this era to be worth a product. Steve Petrick is reviewing that topic but doesn't think there are enough ships. (Defining enough as "enough interesting ships" rather than "enough ships that nobody wants but which slip through historical cracks." [Yes, you can see a little bit of Mathew Mongoose Marketing rubbing off on me here. We need ships that interest players, not engineers or historians.) This would not be that hard to do but is only worth doing if there are enough INTERESTING new ships to do. Please, any suggestion for new ships go in the topic for this product not in the module decision topic.
======
R13
Nobody wants to buy a collection of 80 ships that nobody wanted but which somehow fit into historical nooks, cracks, and crannies. To do this product, we need at least 20 or 30 truly interesting and creative ships, not just "oh my gawd that's so big and mean it makes everything obsolete!" ships. We're not convinced there are enough of those. This would not be that hard to do but is only worth doing if there are enough INTERESTING new ships to do. Please, any suggestion for new ships go in the topic for this product not in the module decision topic.
======
Omega 6
Petrick has a plan for Omega as follows:
Three modules, each covering seven empires, giving each 10 SSDs (base, two freighters, tug, pods, ground bases, 3 warships)
Three modules with new empires: 1 (Paravian, Nucian, Vulpa), 2 (Jindarian, Loriyill, Hiver unihive), 3 (Echarri, Scon, Zosman).
Three modules providing X-ships for 1/3 of the empires. If this is done after the new empires, 10 empires per module, 7 ships each)
We could do any of the first six.
We vaguely recall that Scott Tenhoff had an idea for a module focusing on the First Great War, giving every empire a bunch of cool wartime ships. Perhaps he would remind us of this, or perhaps someone else had an idea for an Omega product.
======
Y4
There is a topic in which people were discussing whether there are enough unpublished SSDs from this era to be worth a product. Steve Petrick is reviewing that topic but doesn't think there are enough ships. (Defining enough as "enough interesting ships" rather than "enough ships that nobody wants but which slip through historical cracks.") This would not be that hard to do but is only worth doing if there are enough INTERESTING new ships to do. Please, any suggestion for new ships go in the topic for this product not in the module decision topic.
======
Obviously SVC does read here, but your vote is easiest tallied on the BBS.
]