So I just started to make the TGC product for the Prototype #8 corrections. These are not mistakes but the addition of the *unlocking* rules for starships in the various scenarios. In total ten (10) cards will be affected. The pricing for the correction of all four (4) prototypes is about $6.00 + Shipping.
Not too bad.
I will be working on making the corrected cards tomorrow and will hopefully finish up in the evening. I'll then order the game and hope to get the corrections in a week or two. That's good, Prototype #8 will have the revised cards and I will be happy to be able to send the corrected Prototypes to the Publisher...
So hopefully I still have a couple of weeks before the Publisher requests copies of the game! :P
Comments
Shipping costs are EXPENSIVE
Well I got through all the changes tonight, which means I had time to upload the corrections to the TGC website. I also *bought* the corrections for a price of $5.57. That's the price for forty (40) cards... But wait we need to add "Shipping & Handling" fees.
My total purchase came out to $16.66! That comes out to $0.42 a card... Well it's a little pricey - but I need the corrections. The order is in queue and is scheduled to be shipped on February 10th! There are 504 orders before mine, so it will most likely take one (1) month to get the updated cards.
Okay, so it's not that bad. It less expensive than investing in 1,000+ game sets for certain... And the website is very efficient at storing, uploading, editing, proofing and ordering. So no complaints. Well maybe the shipping could be a little bit cheaper: it cost $11.09 in "Shipping & Handling". The corrections only cost me HALF, so shipping cost me TWICE the value of the corrections. Go figure!!!
I'm happy I should have the corrections next month... These changes will greatly improve game play.
Note: I did not want to stick POST-IT stickers and have to manually write down the corrections... I don't think that would make a very professional impression with my Publisher. Again they are reviewing our rulebook and artwork... I will be following-up with them next week to see their level of interest...
Playtesting *FUN*
The funny thing about the game is that at times I forget certain aspects of the rules and I playtest the game with a slightly different rule set. During this last playtest (solitary one), I decided to allow the Trade role to be able to bank up to five (5) cards from my hand. Originally the game as it was designed only allowed for up to three (3) to be banked on a given turn.
What this did was *speed up* the game. Which is GREAT. Nobody wants to play a game that is slow... Players want to feel as if they are making decisions and progressing in the game. And so I edited my TGC order so that I could get a newer Game Reference Card. So aside from the Trader boost, I also changed the Engineer role to also allow for up to five (5) cards to be recycled. Again speeding up the game and not forcing players to get the impression that they are wasting a turn by choosing this role.
The last change I did was again a *role change*. I altered the Soldier role to force the opponent to discard three (3) cards (and no more bonus draw card). Three cards can make it such that an opponent can stop you from playing a starship (which requires three (3) cards). It's a small change that will have more impact in the two (2) player dual games.
So there might be some*fine tuning* that may be necessary... But overall the game is looking pretty good!
Rulebook update
I also took the time to create a new rulebook (version 0.9) with the minor changes which include:
1. Role changes
2. Starship unlocking
3. The Derelict scenario
4. Initiative rolls (still need to complete)
Obviously changes impact the rulebook's index (especially when introducing an important concept like "Starship Unlocking") and the game's Table of Content... Again the corrections were minor in that they really don't change the fundamentals of the game - it's just a question of better balance and more refined game play.
Good intentions
So originally with the roles as they stood, there was a lot of good thinking involved. For example, the Trader well three (3) cards was so that I player would not trade-in his whole hand on a given turn... But *realistically*, that's exactly what players will want. Why would you waste an opportunity to attack an opponent or buy extra upgrade cards, unless you could bank all the cards in your hand...
That was what the game dictates... Sure the original role was *smart* but it slowed the game. I wanted a faster pace such that we keep players enthralled with playing the game. I didn't want any roles that seem to have little or no relevance in the game.
Personally, I think speeding up the game is good - because you want players to feel as if the game *MOVES*. Why? Well I can only compare this to the upgrade cost change where we HALVED the cost to buy cards. It immediately made the game *faster*. Less time to buy, more time to battle! :P
Now that we force players to trade (in order to unlock more starships), the balance between battling and trading has been restored. Again just minor changes that make the game more refined...!
Finished with the rulebook
I just finished up the newest version (0.9) of the rulebook. The only edits left were with regards to *initiative*. I decided to change those rules a little bit, to make them more *fair*. So *counter-attacks* now only occur when both players roll the SAME dice value (initiative dice). The idea behind this is that in order to predict an opponent's attack, you must roll the same value... meaning you have managed to predict his exact attack.
The odds for a *counter-attack* are now 6 out of 36 or 16.6%. This is a little bit more fair since *counter-attacks* can be BRUTAL!!! That's the price you pay for being an aggressive player - on the rare occasion your fleet can get wiped out because the opponent rolled the same value as you! Haha ;)