Latest News on Blue Shift

[MongooseMatt]

Just to keep you all informed...

We are going to delay the release of Blue Shift, for a handful of reasons.

1. A lot more has been added to the rulebook, and we are going to extend the playtest period into next year.

2. There is a lot happening with Judge Dredd and Victory at Sea at the moment, and we do not want Blue Shift to be buried by them.

3. I don't want just a few painted examples of fighters in the rulebook, covering a few mercenary squadrons. I want LOADS!

4. I keep changing my mind on the actual fighter models - whether they should be one piece or multi-piece, metal or resin (or hybrid) and, I have to admit, I haven't settled on a size for them either

We are going to start some intensive in-house playtesting on Blue Shift towards the end of the year, and hope to have a lot more to unveil to you all in early 2013.

 

[Dave Chase]

That's fine with me.

The New Judge Dredd stuff actually has peaked my interest again abit too.

Ever considered using a 3D printer to prototype some of the models?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQ-aWFYT_SU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmDz7Q9_h6c

Dave Chase

 

[rcbecker1]

Sounds good Matt. I agree on the being buried, if you spread yourself to far apart on projects then none get the attention needed to be a great game.

 

[MongooseMatt]

That's fine with me.

The New Judge Dredd stuff actually has peaked my interest again abit too.

Ever considered using a 3D printer to prototype some of the models?

That is exactly how we did Walter the Wobot, and the Manta Prowl Tank (and, as it happens, how all the Blue Shift models will be done).

 

[Dave Chase]

Oooh, I am jealous, of the 3D printer.

I have been considering a professional 3D printer and ? Scanner.

Figured that a 3D print on demand toys and other house hold items or figure (decorative things) would be very popular. Specially if I lived in a city (as compared to county that only has 7,000 people and we are one of the biggest ones in the surrounding area.)

Dave Chase

 

[MongooseMatt]

Let us know if you go ahead, but be aware ones capable of decent miniatures are still _very_ expensive. The sub $10,000 units will not cut it. To be honest, the sub $50k units will not cut it...

 

[Dave Chase]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQ-aWFYT_SU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmDz7Q9_h6c

Considering these 2. Possibly another make but ??

Not only is the investment (initial cost) an issue, but is there a market. Oh, I am sure that there will be a market in the near future, but being the first to create/build that market is a major risk.

Dave Chase

 

[Lord GreyWolf]

Is there any update on on what is happening with Blue Shift?

LGW

 

[Amcotts]

Sounds good Matt. I agree on the being buried, if you spread yourself to far apart on projects then none get the attention needed to be a great game.

 

[MWojcik]

Forgive my thread necromancy:

but yes...news please?


reading previous posts:

regarding size:
if you want coolness factor, go with close to 1:144 scale
if you wanna pack the field with fighters, or be size/cost manageable, do close to 1;300 scale...

my 2 pence.

 

[Dave Chase]

If this is basically ready, maybe time for a Kickstarter project.

Dave Chase

 

[Lord GreyWolf]

is it ready to go?

with the popularity of smaller scale games maybe its time for them to launch this game.

1/144 scale is popular... look at the likes of X-wing its so popular the company has no more stock available and won't do any reprints till end of July.

if the ships can be customized to a great level then hell this game will take off. add in some bigger type ships and your off to a flying start...but be warned if you don't get in sooner rather then latter you will have Wizkids Star Trek game [uses X-wing engine under licence] to deal with which is due out soon.

LGW

 

[Dave Chase]

Customized space fighters, IMO, will be huge.

If not for the game it self, for players taking bits and making up their own ships/miniatures.

If rules are added (as an extra supplement) that will allow different ships, larger ships, etc (ie to take from other games and add them to Blue Shift), I think it will be a big hit.

With Robotech Tactics (6mm scale) coming out this winter, who knows what might happen with these quick rules and extra figures for a game.

Dave Chase

 

[Lord GreyWolf]

if done right this game could be massive...

Say for example you have 5 factions

each faction has a core or main body type that they use for their ships from:
Fighters
Bombers
Transport plans.

each one of these body types can purchase XX mods/tech/upgrades/weapon options.
Then you can take it the next step by having particular pilots that add in addtional Tech or Weapon or Mod options.

Say you had the following set up:
Pilot GreyWolf [Adds 1 additional weapon option and 1 speed Mod]
Craft: Wulf class ship [1 Additional Tech Mod]

You may choose X mods from the following lists.
Weapons: Xpts Missile Mod, Xpts Laser Mod, Xpts Bomb Mod, Xpts Special Mod,
Upgrads: Xpts speed Mod, Xpts Armour Mod, Xpts stealth Mod, Xpts Transport Mod,
Tech Upgrades: Xpts Sensor Mod, Xpts Targeting Mod, Xpts Evasion Mod

now if Mongoose are cleaver [which i am certain they are] they would try and have this set up from the start as MAGNETIZED.... so you can swap out options on one ship.

Or if they can't do this make the ships affordable so we can have each option.

As one of the pledge levels let one of the kickstarter backers design a ship.

the customization will be amazing but you could still have in your run of the the ships that are cheap and there are plenty of them.

any way they do it i shell be watching and waiting.

LGW