Fantasy Flight Games

The Digital Side of Board Gaming

Published 26 August 2016 | Mansions of Madness

The Digital Side of Board Gaming

Keith Hurley on Apps and Board Games

Tabletop games and video games have long held special places in the hearts of gamers, but for most of their lifespans, these two formats were inherently separate. In recent years, however, Fantasy Flight Games has led the tabletop industry in bridging the divide between tabletop and video, creating app versions of tabletop games and app-enhanced board games.

To get a closer look at this new style of gaming, we sat down with Keith Hurley, Fantasy Flight Games’s VP of Media and Interactive, to talk about the electronic side of board gaming.

FFG: How did Fantasy Flight Games first start making apps?

Keith Hurley: Christian Petersen, our CEO, first approached me about apps when Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 3rd Edition was in development. This was in 2009, so FFG didn’t have an in-house software development team yet. Chris had put together a design document for a dice rolling utility, specifically for use with the WFRP 3rd Edition system. It called for a 3D mobile dice roller that could provide quick results with large pools of dice.

We knew a little bit about the Unity game engine, which is the platform we now use to develop all of our apps, but no one had any real working experience with Unity at the time. All we knew for sure was that it was an increasingly popular development engine that had a lot of cross-platform flexibility.

Eventually Chris got in contact with a software developer, Francesco Moggia, who was living and working in Italy. Francesco had an extensive programming background and was familiar with Unity, so he began development remotely while I worked internally with our designers to put the project together. We ultimately launched the app in 2010 and followed that with the Arkham Horror Toolkit, Hey, That’s My Fish!, Elder Sign: Omens, Star Wars™: Dice, XCOM: The Board Game, BattleLore: Command, and now our Road to Legend and Mansions of Madness companion apps.

FFG: What’s the best part about creating an app?

KH: My favorite part of app development is probably Sprint Review, where we show the work that we’ve accomplished over a given period of time. This usually involves showing our working app up on a big screen in front of the whole team of developers and designers. It’s often a great high-five moment for everyone, where we get to see how a concept has gone from inception to a fully interactive product.

Anything that needs additional work is critiqued and planned for the next review, so it’s a continuing cycle of feedback and improvement until we get it to a point where everyone is satisfied. It’s really rewarding to see how all of the different elements of app development evolve into a finished product.

FFG: On a similar note, what’s the hardest part about creating an app?

KH: Testing! Testing multi-platform apps gets harder every year as more devices and more operating systems come and go. We have a pretty small team of developers and external testers and it’s incredibly difficult for us to test every possible combination of device and operating system. The fragmentation in the Android market alone is a significant challenge—last I checked there were over 24,000 unique Android devices!—so we focus our efforts on the ones that have the largest market share.

Also, as our apps grow more complex, as with Road to Legend and Mansions of Madness, the volume of narrative content that needs to be tested becomes an increasingly large ocean of variables that need review. This testing is not only for game balance and fun, but technical testing as well to ensure that events and activations are firing correctly. Road to Legend, as an example, has about forty-five products in its Collection Manager, all with unique digital content, and they each need to be tested alone and in conjunction with each other.

FFG: What are some of the advantages of using an app to enhance a board game?

KH: One great advantage is that a companion app gives us the opportunity to use all kinds of audio and visual content to support our narratives. In both Mansions of Madness and Road to Legend, for example, all the music, sound effects, narrations, and cutscenes work to develop an atmosphere for the players. When you launch a scenario in either app, we try hard to set the stage, whether you’re investigating a rash of disappearances in a sleepy coastal town or tracking down a mage in the depths of some long-forgotten dungeon.

Additionally, apps allow our content developers to rapidly produce more content using the tools that we’ve developed. When we have a vision for a new scenario, a physical component is no longer a requirement for expansion material. In Road to Legend, for example, we can easily push out new side quests with a simple app update.

FFG: How is designing an app version of an existing game, like BattleLore, different from designing an app that works with a board game, such as Mansions of Madness?

KH: BattleLore: Command was a unique challenge in that we had to take an already established game and re-envision it for mobile devices. This meant having to take a dice system and reinterpret ways it could work during combat, in addition to coming up with alternatives for lore powers or unit abilities that didn’t easily fit in a digital format. The tabletop version of BattleLore has a lot of opportunities for players to interrupt each other during gameplay, and we really wanted to streamline the combat for our mobile version. This meant changing a lot of the abilities and some core mechanics in the digital version of the game.

A game like Mansions of Madness, on the other hand, had no interpretation work because everything was designed with an app in mind from day one.

FFG: How do you decide what to draw from the original game when creating an app version, such as Elder Sign: Omens or BattleLore: Command?

KH: A lot of it really just has to do with ease of implementation. Elder Sign had two major challenges for us when we were designing the digital version: 1) how to use the Ally Deck, and 2) how to resolve the Ancient One battle. Ultimately we made the decision to cut those elements from the digital game as our prototype was already very fun and challenging without those elements.

BattleLore: Command had many challenges with the combat system, in that the original game is a two-player, head-to-head combat game where each player can interrupt the other player’s turn at many points during gameplay. That element alone was something we knew we wanted to streamline for the digital version, and that decision ultimately had a domino effect on many other elements. Things like lore powers, unit abilities, and even the combat system needed to change in order to streamline the experience.

FFG: Can we expect to see more app versions of games and games that harness apps in the future?

KH: Yes! We have several exciting plans for future apps that we’re eager to develop. That said, companion app gaming is really just one tool in FFG’s toolbox. We’ll never completely replace traditional tabletop gaming, nor do we want to. It is however, a really exciting time for software developers, and our ability to create powerful, thematic content through apps is something where we’ve only begun to scratch the surface.

Thanks, Keith!

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Upgrade Your Hyperdrive

Published 3 February 2015 | Star Wars Dice App

Upgrade Your Hyperdrive

The STAR WARS (TM) Dice App Has Been Updated

“They’ve just made the jump into hyperspace.” –Darth Vader, Star Wars: A New Hope

Upgrade your hyperdrive and prepare for the jump to lightspeed! The Star Wars™ Dice app for Android and iOS has been updated to support both Imperial Assault and Star Wars: Armada!

With this latest update, the Star Wars Dice app has been expanded to cover even more of Fantasy Flight Games’ Star Wars RPGs and miniatures games. Now, you can easily roll digital dice for Imperial Assault and Star Wars: Armada, as well as X-Wing™ and all iterations of the Star Wars Roleplaying Game: Edge of the Empire, Age of Rebellion, and Force and Destiny.

Ready for Adventure

Imperial Assault presents six unique dice types for every combat. Attack dice determine how accurate your blaster fire is, how much damage you deal, and how many surges you can use to trigger unique abilities. Defense dice, on the other hand, allow figures to block damage, evade surges, or dodge entire attacks. With newly updated Star Wars Dice app, you can even preset commonly rolled dice combinations, putting every attack or defense at your fingertips.

You command fleets of capital ships and fighter squadrons in Star Wars: Armada, and with the Star Wars Dice app, even the largest turbolasers can be easily calibrated, aimed, and fired. Whether you’re firing at long-range or unleashing a devastating barrage at close quarters, you can quickly roll as many Armada attack dice as you need.

In addition to dice for both Imperial Assault and Star Wars: Armada, the Star Wars Dice app supports both X-Wing™ and every iteration of the Star Wars roleplaying game. Whether you’re engaged in a breakneck dogfight or tense negotiations, the Star Wars Dice app will ensure that you can quickly and easily learn the results of your choices, keeping the action tense and the battles cinematic.

With its convenient radial menu, the Star Wars Dice app allows you to roll up to twenty of these dice in any combination, and even includes standard polyhedral dice in seven types! This means that even when you’re not playing a Star Wars game, the Star Wars Dice app is the only dice roller you’ll ever need.

Into Hyperspace

With top-notch equipment, you can take on the whole Empire yourself. If you haven’t already, pick up your copy of the Star Wars Dice app from the App Store or the Google Play Store, and enter the Star Wars galaxy!

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Revised and Refined

Published 16 January 2013 | Star Wars Dice App

Revised and Refined

A Free Update for Your STAR WARS (TM) Dice App Is Now Available

“This is the weapon of a Jedi Knight. Not as random or as clumsy as a blaster; an elegant weapon for a more civilized age.” –Obi Wan Kenobi, Star Wars: A New Hope

A free update for your Star Wars™ Dice app is now available! Our revisions to the Star Wars Dice app version 1.1 make it an even better accessory for your favorite FFG Star Wars–themed game. This update is available for both iOS and Android devices, so you can start your download today.

The update provides new functionality to make your gameplay experiences even more enjoyable. With the update, your Star Wars Dice app can now sort your dice results for easy reference, and it allows players to modify their dice results. For example, an X-Wing™ player might want to spend his Focus token and use the Dice app’s new Modify Results function to change all his results to results.

Additionally, the update streamlines several settings to make them more intuitive and adds four new backgrounds, as well as a Dice-Only sound pack for players who prefer less active settings than the existing “Jedi” and “Rebel” options.

All of these new settings are fully optional, so your Star Wars Dice app is more customizable and elegant than ever before.

New Functionality

Two new dice functions are included with the 1.1. update.

Die Results
Modify Results

FFG Vice President of Media and Interactive Keith Hurley summarizes the new functionality.

“The biggest feature we wanted to add was to automate the dice counting work required with physical dice. We came up with a Die Results list that appears at the bottom of the screen. After all the dice have rolled, a list of icons fades in at the bottom of the screen and sums up all of the symbols on the dice and display that information to the user. The list is scrollable to accommodate large numbers of dice.

“Users can also now modify the results of their dice. On the radial menu, the old Invert selection function has been replaced with a new icon for Modify Result. This function will only be available if the user has selected a single type of die. Therefore, you couldn't select both an X-Wing attack die and a X-Wing defense die and access this function.

“The above screenshot shows what the dialog looks like when you access Modify Result. In this case the user has selected two X-Wing attack dice with focus results and then selected Modify Result from the radial menu. There is a scrolling list of die face results.

“To change his focus results to hit results, the user taps the hit result once to select the option and taps it again to confirm the chosen result. The dialog closes automatically once the selection is made. The Modify Result function is available for all dice types.

“Meanwhile, you can still invert your dice selection. Simply tap and hold on any die.”

Greater Customization

Version 1.1 of the Star Wars Dice app provides users with more options to customize their experience.

New backgrounds
"Dice-Only" sound pack
Personalized settings

New Backgrounds

Players can choose from four new backgrounds depicting a Starfield, Darth Vader, Princess Leia, or Han Solo.

Click on any of the above thumbnails to view a larger version.

Dice-Only Sound Pack

In response to the requests of our users for a less “active” sound pack, the update introduces a Dice-Only option, which features only the main menu breathing and the “ticks” of the dice as they collide.

Personalized Settings

The settings menu now allows users to select their preferences for each of three new options: Auto Zoom, Show Results, and Auto Orient. You can choose for the Star Wars Dice app to zoom in on your dice automatically after they finish rolling, and to make the function more intuitive the “Add Dice” radial button from the original version has been renamed to “Zoom.” You can also choose whether or not you wish to establish the Show Results function as a default option. However, if you use the function in combination with Auto Zoom, you will need to zoom out to view your results. Finally, the Auto Orient setting rotates the dice after they finish rolling so that all icons are aligned in the same direction for easy viewing.

Download the Updated Star Wars Dice App

The updated Star Wars Dice app is available for iOS devices on iTunes and on Google Play for Android. This update is free for all existing users, all the new functionality is completely optional, and it makes the Star Wars Dice app an even better and more elegant accessory for your favorite FFG Star Wars–themed games.

Download or update your Star Wars Dice app today!

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Make the Jump to Hyperspace

Published 23 August 2012 | Star Wars Dice App

Make the Jump to Hyperspace

Announcing the STAR WARS(TM) Dice App for your iOS and Android Device

“Stay on target!" –Gold Five

Make the jump to hyperspace with the Star Wars™ Dice app for your iOS or Android device, an accessory for your favorite FFG Star Wars-themed game! The ultimate accessory for both the X-Wing™ Miniatures Game and the Star Wars Roleplaying Game, this comprehensive application allows you to quickly and conveniently select and roll custom dice, and even includes an assortment of polyhedral dice for all your gaming needs. This convenient digital accessory is now available on the App Store and the Google Play Store, so you can start your download!

Master Your Destiny

In the X-Wing Miniatures Game, custom eight-sided dice determine the outcome of exciting dogfights. With symbols for hits, critical hits, evasions, and focusing, these red and green dice intuitively convey everything players need to know to keep the action tense and the battles cinematic. Meanwhile, the seven unique custom dice in the Star Wars Roleplaying Game are designed to seamlessly supplement your narrative, offering a range of storytelling options with each and every roll.

With its convenient radial menu, the Star Wars Dice app allows you to roll up to twenty of these dice in any combination, and even includes standard polyhedral dice in seven types! This means that even when you’re not playing a Star Wars game, the Star Wars Dice app is the only dice roller you’ll ever need.

Custom Presets, Audio and Visual Options, and More

What’s more, you can even pre-set your own dice combinations, saving and naming them for future use. Do you have a favorite move your character always uses in Star Wars: Edge of the Empire? Select its dice, use the “preset” option from the radial menu, and name your selection something easily recognizable. You’ll be able to grab just the right virtual dice with a swipe of your finger, whenever you need them. This, along with a range of options for audio and visual customization, makes the Star Wars Dice app the ultimate gaming accessory.

To sum up, the Star Wars Dice app:

Includes a comprehensive dice roller that can be used to roll X-Wing custom dice, Star Wars RPG custom dice, or standard polyhedral dice in seven types
Features a “preset” option, allowing you to save your most commonly used configurations
Includes eight iconic Star Wars backgrounds and six distinct sound packs
Allows you to jump right in with an intuitive radial menu and interactive help guide

When the fate of the galaxy depends on the outcome of your next roll, you don’t want to wait. Visit our Star Wars Dice app description page to learn more, then head to the App Store or the Google Play Store to download the Star Wars Dice app today!

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