Episode 72:This week Steve and Gudda Talk about Maps, Cases and how they are sold and Avengers by Disney XD!

I actually uploaded the wrong file by accident. This is our "raw audio" file without the intro or outro. Sorry guys no ending song!

The game is just as uneven below 300 as it is above 300, it just isn't as apparent because you don't have the bigger atk/dmg pieces below 300 points. That is my opinion as I've seen SR-based teams wipe non-SR-based teams almost purely because the SRs had longer dials, and better special abilities.

The game isn't fun if you can't play a decent sized team for me. I want to play most of the x-force pieces from WoS, not picking three or four. I don't want to be only able to play 3 out of 4 of the Fantastic Four pieces.

I like 500-600 events, as it gives you extra space for full teams and a few people can actually bring bigger pieces but they can't decorate them with a entire extra team with them. I feel 500-600 is more even than 300 is.

In 300, very few pieces see play because everyone is min/max'ing to save points. Look what happened at Worlds. Everyone playing cheap PC for 35-44 points because nobody was willing to play any PC pieces above 50 points, unless it was their main attacker like Black Adam/ Shazam or Metron.

Maybe when the game first came out, 300 points was fine. But post costs on pieces have gone up throughout the years and you just can't fit that much into your team when the average piece costs 80-85 points. How fun are games when each player can only bring 3-4 pieces?

I am not saying that any single Points value is better or more fun to play at. I have talked to Norm Barth on this issue and he has said more than once that there is a lack of play testing veracity put into figures that will not see play in a 300 point format ( those over 300 points). There is a fall off in making sure that 317 points is accurate to Cosmic spidey ... I got the impression that spideys dial could have been presented with any cost... and once totally broken things have been looked at , a points worth / to powers , to game balance issue was really not addressed.

Large point games are fun. Within the realms of 300 points there are figures that do break the formula. ( as much as when special powers are created there points values are created with them breaking the formula) . Your statements are true. I just conduct all my competitive tournaments for what i consider Premiere prizes in the 300 point format. Thanks for listening though.

Wow!!! I love the WORLDS MAP Idea(I also think that everyone who participates should get a map)... This year at Gencon it was like that with a new map because No one in my group of guys had ever saw "The Bridge" map... I also liked bragging about it!!! Batman Beyond was AWESOME... Try the Joker Returns movie!!! That will change your mind. I love marvel!!! But I have to agree with you Gudda the Justice League was great. The U-foes need to have there attack bumped up as well when attacking someone with a 4 or higher damage because there attacks suck....(well Ironclads slides down too fast, come on a 8!!!) . My dice are not loaded I can't play the U-foes very well!!!
Great Cast keep them coming!!!

Thanks we try....I might pitch that idea to Wizkids about Worlds.

Another good podcast.

Yeah, a map specifically for Worlds would be cool, even if it was very similar to an existing map, just with some added elements to shake things up.

I personally like maps that are most mirrored, but with some differences. The Crashed Spaceship is one of my favourites. I also like the Corporation one GR did because it was mostly symmetrical, but had some different strategy possibilities depending on the side you started in. That said, WK produces lots of (mostly) mirrored maps, it would be nice to see the occasional one that wasn't mirrored.

Steve, do you strictly work on "making the maps pretty" or does WK allow you some input on the terrain features of the map too?

They have things I have to stick to, but I do have some freedom as long as the terrain is going where it needs to be....an example would be an office building....they don't care if it's a desk or a filing cabinet that is the hindering terrain as long as it matches their layout.

They are very good to work with, if I think something doesn't make sense they usually tell me to figure out a way to make it work or they change it.
Sometimes they do give specifics though that I have to adhere too. It all just depends.

thanks for listening!

Something that caught my attention:

My dad works in the gaming industry, and the time when gaming as a whole does the best is during a period of economic downturn. The reasoning is pretty simple: Spend 20 bucks to buy a game that you can play with your family over and over again for numerous hours, or go see a movie for 20 bucks that will last two hours.

Just kinda interesting. Not sure how much it applies to collectible games though.

Very interesting fact. It makes total sense too!