I kinda knew I didn’t like shatterpoint going into the game, but I still think there is enough in there that if you are interested in it it could hook you and the game is interesting to turn over in your mind as a designer that it’s probably worth getting to table at least once. Interesting post #2 right out of the gate, recommending a game that I actually don’t like. 

Things I like about the game

Before we get into what doesn’t work for me, I kinda want to get my teeth into what works about the game. The games attack roll and damage resolution are interesting. It’s fun to be able to pick which options you like out of the tree and it does limit the amount of damage you can do when you roll hot and crit out. There is probably a right answer in every roll that you make, but it is more often than not that there is a decision for you to make. 

Additionally I want to compliment the sculpts. Figures from shows with vastly different animation styles and tones are brought together in a large enough scale that they feel fun and chunky. The sculpts are really cool and it’s a huge temptation to pick up a pack just to paint every time I’m at a game store that sells them.

Now Behold as I Unleash My Inner Star Wars Fan and Complain

The primary problems I have with the game are actually probably intentional design decisions meant to sand the rough edges off a pretty unforgiving genre of game. Like let’s think about it, say you’re a huge star wars fan, and you spend hours maybe even your nights over a couple of weeks learning how to build and paint minis only for in your first game you move darth vader out of place (your only painted figure) only for him to get ganked by half your opponents team and die. 

That is a rough experience. Sure, technically your fault, but also, you didn’t know that Darth Vader could die. He doesn’t do that in any of the movies or shows so it only makes sense to have him wade into a mess of fear and dead men. It isn’t fun to hear “the game has to balanced so he has to be able to die” and the experience could sour you on the whole genre. 

So, from a designer perspective you have been given the license to an incredibly popular franchise likely to have reach outside the space you primarily design for so how do you solve the aforementioned problems? 

Well You Make Shatterpoint

In shatterpoint if a model is reduced to 0hp they get a token. Do that three times and they die. This means that most models spend the whole game on the board doing something. Additionally the semi-random nature of model activations (models are activated based on when their card comes up in a deck) it is harder for your model to get hit three turns in a row by your opponent’s heaviest hitters and die immediately without you sending some help out there. 

These Seem Like Reasonable Design Decisions, Why Are You Complaining? 

In my opinion they also rob the game of some of the juice that I come to skirmish games for. 

Because every model is roughly equally hard to kill Darth Vader can get tar pitted by unnamed clone troopers who he should be able to turn into clone trooper flavored giblets. This robs the game of a lot of the narrative flavor. 

Additionally while models getting removed is a feel bad for the player whose model is removed it also is a huge action point in the narrative of the battle to the player who does the removing. In my estimation the sigh of relief when an opponent kills a problem threat out of your list or the groan of terror when a melee blender lives and gets to fight back is the juice of the game. Yes it can feel bad in cases where your big scary monster gets jumped, but to me it feels worse when what should be a big scary melee blender is just equipped with a double ended wet pool noodle. 

Okay but What’s Horton Doing Over There?

Ah yes, The Elephant in the room. I played judgement for almost a year and a half. I play bushido. I like games for sickos. I don’t mind a game where you pull your opponent’s jersey over their head and lay into them until the ref separates the two of you. I understand from a philosophical perspective that these games can have a new player experience problem. Getting absolutely dumpstered by something that you didn’t even know was in the game feels bad, but I was weaned on that type of game ever since I was a wee lad playing yugioh and Anti-Spell Fragrancing players into the dirt. 

I also know what I’m getting into. When I pick up a game it is very easy for me to see the grease, to find the points where the system breaks and extract enjoyment from snapping the systems over my knee. Not everyone does. And that’s okay.

Introducing people to the world of minis gaming by throwing them in the deep end doesn’t always work. Why not start with something a little more forgiving? And why not design that if you’re making a Star Wars Game. This is why I don’t like shatterpoint, but I think you should try it.