Well guys, it's been quite some time since I last pounded out a QJ Speaks, but I'm back. This is the first in a three-part series about my impressions about SE and the situation surrounding it. This first article is a bit of a history that leads up to where we are now.
Special edition was probably the most anticipated expansion set since the beginning of the game. We were all dying to see cards that would show us the new scenes of ewoks dancing around, fireworks over Coruscant, the deformed looking Jabba, and Sy Snoodles big performance. Whenever someone complained that Decipher missed a cool scene or character, the obvious solution was that we would get it in Special Edition. As the release of the set approached, we were even told that we might even get cards from the scenes that Lucas cut out of the original movie. All of the sudden, we were excited about the possibility of Anchorhead, Tosche Station, Camie, and Fixer. Then we started hearing about these new objectives that would help us play out storylines from the movie. The Scrye article made promises of great new game play, a new, unique dark side lightsaber, and scantily clad dancers (which, by the way, was a terribly sexist way to advertise a new product, but I suppose that's another story). SW:CCG fans, both players and collectors were wetting their pants in expectation.
Shortly before the set came out, we began to hear rumblings about the Rules 2.0 and its accompanying glossary ( you can read what I had to say about it at the time this short article I write at the time - you may have already read it). Somehow, we learned that piles existed even if there weren't any cards in them and there was that tense day and a half when we all believed that destiny draws made from empty reserve decks were automatically zeros. It was then that we knew the Rules 2.0 weren't just a cool incorporation of the FAQ and CRD - they had the potential to change the way we played the game. The little warning bell that may have gone off in many of our heads turned into a howling siren when the new Tallon Roll eratta and deck counting rules came to light as the sworn-to-silence world finalists leaked snippets here and there. Players vented their frustrations on the listserv while Decipher's Mark Tuttle continually urged everyone to hold their judgements until we'd read all the whole rulebook and glossary. Unfortunately, Mr. Tuttle also scolded players for voicing their discontent and said that what was done was done and no about of complaining could change it (again, here's a link to an article that I wrote at the time).
For months we had been hearing rumors about the possibility of getting one card or another in SE, but all of the rumors came to a screeching halt when the spoiler list suddenly appeared on the Web. Decipher's response was to threaten to stop all off-site play-testing and then post the full "official" spoiler list. Of course, by this time, most of us had read the spoilers and were calling for the all-important rules, but Decipher stayed silent, content to parcel out card images and promise that we would all stop worrying as soon as we saw how incredible this new set and rules would be. Although I tried not to pay too much attention to the spoilers so that I would be surprised when I opened my packs, I couldn't help but notice these new operatives. A non- unique, unrestricted alien that could deploy for one and drain for +1. My first comment to Beakman was that I thought a Kiffex Operations deck sounded like a lot of fun and might even be tournament worthy (*irony alert*).
Finally November 18 arrived, and those of us lucky enough to have access to SE tore into those shiny, blue boosters with glee. My very first rare was Coruscant Celebration, a colorful card that made a great first impression. Two days, later I tore into four and a half boxes of the cards, then sat around GAWD's house for hours organizing and thinking of strategies. By this time, I had already noticed that the new 30-card boxes left a great many of us wondering why Decipher had ever switched from the old 60-card box. I also noticed how cool the new objectives were and wondered which would be the first for me to play with. I'll admit that as I was sorting through those stacks of brand-new cards, I was impressed with what I saw. The road to getting the set had been rocky, but with my new glossary/rule book in one hand and the new Ben, Leia, Jabba, Vader, and Fett (poop on you Decipher, you owe me a Han) in the other, I pawed through the new interrupts and effects in search of the ingredients for my first decks.
Overall, the cards were beautiful, and I was dazzled by the mountains of sparkly blue paper littering my living room. As I was falling asleep in my bed on the Saturday night after SE came out, I had a vague thought in the back of my head: I wonder if the world finalists will come up with anything interesting?
Queen Jawa