Anyone have any news on Expansions?

[SSG_Huble]

I was just wondering if anyone had any news or gossip on the possibility of expansions to the new release of RoboRally.

[maelic001]

Given AH's previous track record with expansions, I wouldn't count on it...

[gryphon202]

Fortunately, given the compatibility of RR with previous expansions' boards, it should be fairly easy to mix and match expansions as desired.

[extremist]

Fortunately, given the compatibility of RR with previous expansions' boards, it should be fairly easy to mix and match expansions as desired.

From what I understand (as I have not actually played the original RoboRally or its expansions), the expansions to the older editions added more Option Cards as well as boards to the game.

Just from the wording on the Option Cards of the '05 version I would infer that expansions aren't likely. I'm speaking particularly of the Fire Control, Double Barelled Laser and High Power Laser Option cards which state "You may use this option with [any combination of the other two cards]."

In programming terms: This introduces strong coupling between the option cards, which impedes the extensibility of the game. It's silly, I think... Aren't Avalon Hill/WotC shooting themselves in the foot when they design this poorly?

[puggimer]

Actually, I don't think the wording has changed that much from the original. Those three cards are fairly unique in that they modify the main laser, instead of adding another weapon. The one card they replaced in the new set was "Turret" which allowed you to aim you laser in a different direciton for the turn - and it was worded the same I believe.

[iiiHuman]

Actually, I don't think the wording has changed that much from the original. Those three cards are fairly unique in that they modify the main laser, instead of adding another weapon. The one card they replaced in the new set was "Turret" which allowed you to aim you laser in a different direciton for the turn - and it was worded the same I believe.
They replaced TWO Option cards. They replaced both "Turret" AND "Shield" with "Crab Legs" and "Dual Processor" from another set I guess.


iiiHuman

[extremist]

Actually, I don't think the wording has changed that much from the original. Those three cards are fairly unique in that they modify the main laser, instead of adding another weapon. The one card they replaced in the new set was "Turret" which allowed you to aim you laser in a different direciton for the turn - and it was worded the same I believe.

Oh, I see. And even though Turret, FC, HP Laser and DB Laser were that strongly coupled, expansions were still released... Did the expansions for the original add many new Option Cards, or was it mainly about new boards?

What I'm suggesting in terms of Option Cards is that instead of specifically stating on the Card that Turret, FC, etc. may be used together, rather create a class of Option Card that says it modifies the main laser and state that these Option Cards may be used cumilatively. Then create another class of Option Card, such as "Additional Weapon" and state that additional weapons (like Mini Howitzer, Radio Control, etc.) may be used instead of your main laser. And so on...

That way, if you wish to release expansions, the way existing option cards interact with new ones has already been defined and you don't have to explcitly state on the card which other cards it may work with. For instance, if Avalon Hill were to release an expansion with Turret in it, it's text would have to read ("This Option may be used with FC, HP & DB Laser").

Of course, I'm rambling on about the extensibility of the Option Card dynamic when Options are so rare in short games it hardly seems necessary to release additional ones...

[extremist]

Check out this website: http://www.gamingcorner.nl/roborally-optioncards.htm .

This guy lists many more 'classes' of Option Card and defines Additional Weapon differently than I do (by adding the term Optional Weapon). Was this the way the original classified Option Cards or did this guy also just make stuff up?

[PhilFleischmann]

In case you're still out there (been almost six months), here is the answer to your question:

The original RR included 26 options, the same ones that you get in this new edition, except for Shield and Turret, which were replaced with Crab Legs and Dual Processor. There were 6 boards (mounted separately, not three on the backs of three others), which included Cross, Exchange, Island, and Maelstrom. The versions of these in the new edition are mostly the same. The other two boards were called Cannery Row, and Pit Maze. These were more difficult boards.

The first expansion was called "Armed and Dangerous" and included 6 new boards and 26 new options, including Crab Legs and Dual Processor.

Additional expansions were "Crash and Burn" (2 boards), "Grand Prix" (3 boards), and "Radioactive" (3 boards). None of these included any new options.

The options were described in a little more detail, including *types* of options:

Turn Programmed (such as Gyroscopic Stabilizer) - decide each turn whether they are on or off for the entire turn (and in some cases, like with Shield and Turret, which way they face).
Phase Progammed (Such as Crab Legs and Dual Processor) - decide during programming which phases they'll be used on, indicated by the cards in each register, or by tokens placed on the cards.
Run Time (such as Brakes and Fourth Gear) - decide on each phase whether to use the option

Main Laser Modification (such as Double Barrel Laser, High Power Laser, and Fire Control) - changes the way your main laser works
Optional Weapon (such as Scrambler and Pressor Beam) - a weapon you can use *instead* of your main laser
Additional Weapon (such as Rear Firing Laser and Ramming Gear) - a weapon that is used *in addition to* your main laser.

In addition to this, there were:
Launcher (Mini-Howitzer sort of qualifies as a launcher) - usually puts a "device" onto the board, and has a limited number of such devices loaded (the Mini-Howitzer, for example, has five "bullets" it can fire before it's empty). There were options in A&D that layed mines, fired missiles of various sorts that flew around on the board until they hit something (kaboom), and one that dropped "bridges" that would cover up pits and make them into safe floor spaces. Devices launched could be "flying" - they aren't effected by board elements that are on the floor, such as pits and conveyors, or "flat" - they don't block movement or line of sight and aren't affected by pushers or pushed by other robots. There was also the infamous "Big One" a bomb that was neither flat nor flying (but it was plenty dangerous!).
Phase Programmed - Movement and Phase Programmed - Launcher - Crab Legs would be an example of the former, and Mine Layer would be an example of the latter.

The powers the be at HasWotAH eliminate all of these classifications, presumably because they were too "confusing," which is nonsense IMO. They make the rules clearer, less ambiguous, and therefore less confusing.

(and while they were at it, they screwed up a few of the options, but that's another topic.)