Board Game Arena

Is development of this game on BGA still active? Two of the top bugs/feature requests are for the ability to automatically accept beneficial things in the game (such as gaining food from a Belted Kingfisher without confirming it, or always taking a berry with the Northern Cardinal). I think that a very basic version of this would be easy to implement: just have a setting for “Always accept beneficial powers,” and if the user has it set, don’t prompt them to confirm these abilities. In the base game, there are literally no downsides to accepting extra food when you can (if it doesn’t come from the birdfeeder), and there’s no reason to not cache a food on a bird or not to lay an egg on a bird with its ability.

When I started playing several months ago, I assumed this feature would be coming soon because it was suggested so much and was such an obvious improvement (especially for async play). But those same requests are still open from November.

I hope this doesn’t sound ungrateful for the development that has been done so far; I love the game and it’s a good implementation, I play it a ton. I was just wondering if anyone knows whether there still is active development ongoing, or any plans to add features like this.

Yes, development is still ongoing, but I have had less time to focus on BGA development due to important life changes in the last several months. The version I have been working on in Studio has implemented most of the popular feature requests and bug fixes, but I will need to do some thorough testing before deploying it to the main site.

@Paramesis These are some great news for every wingspan player on BGA. Thank you for your work!

paramesis wrote: ↑23 May 2023, 17:23 Yes, development is still ongoing, but I have had less time to focus on BGA development due to important life changes in the last several months. The version I have been working on in Studio has implemented most of the popular feature requests and bug fixes, but I will need to do some thorough testing before deploying it to the main site.

Does this include putting Wood Duck on the OP cards list? Please say it does.

v62 wrote: ↑08 June 2023, 23:52

paramesis wrote: ↑23 May 2023, 17:23 Yes, development is still ongoing, but I have had less time to focus on BGA development due to important life changes in the last several months. The version I have been working on in Studio has implemented most of the popular feature requests and bug fixes, but I will need to do some thorough testing before deploying it to the main site.

Does this include putting Wood Duck on the OP cards list? Please say it does.

Even though I dislike the "ban powerful birds" option, I do sometimes join a table that has that option. If the wood duck were added, then I'd never join such a table. I think it's a bad idea to do that. But then again, I think "ban powerful birds" is already a bad idea, so maybe my opinion on this isn't that relevant since this is clearly an option for other people who I will likely not play with much.

paramesis wrote: ↑23 May 2023, 17:23 ... I have had less time to focus on BGA development due to important life changes in the last several months. ...

Thank you for the work you put into it, and hope the life changes are positive ones

v62 wrote: ↑08 June 2023, 23:52

paramesis wrote: ↑23 May 2023, 17:23 Yes, development is still ongoing, but I have had less time to focus on BGA development due to important life changes in the last several months. The version I have been working on in Studio has implemented most of the popular feature requests and bug fixes, but I will need to do some thorough testing before deploying it to the main site.

Does this include putting Wood Duck on the OP cards list? Please say it does.

The Wood Duck isn't particularly strong. 3 food (2 being uncommon) for a low point bird just to net 1 total card is not overpowered. The card is rarely played at higher levels as the timing for it to be "good" is slim.

TryWhite wrote: ↑09 July 2023, 09:44

v62 wrote: ↑08 June 2023, 23:52

paramesis wrote: ↑23 May 2023, 17:23 Yes, development is still ongoing, but I have had less time to focus on BGA development due to important life changes in the last several months. The version I have been working on in Studio has implemented most of the popular feature requests and bug fixes, but I will need to do some thorough testing before deploying it to the main site.

Does this include putting Wood Duck on the OP cards list? Please say it does.

The Wood Duck isn't particularly strong. 3 food (2 being uncommon) for a low point bird just to net 1 total card is not overpowered. The card is rarely played at higher levels as the timing for it to be "good" is slim.

A few points:
All but 1 of the big 4 is worth less than or equal to what the wood duck is worth and 2 of them require 3 food
Cherries are less rare than rodents because there are more birds that give them out. Both just to you and to everyone.
Yes, it is likely not worth the trouble after round 2, but if you can get it down early, it's very nice
Paired with a Pileated it's very nice, add some caching birds as well, and you're getting 2 pts, 2 eggs, 3 food, and 1 card every pass through the trees. Which is glorious.
The card is free and you get 2 to pick 1 (which is nice if the selection in the tray is bad). One could argue that 1 for free is as good as 2 for a cost.

I still rank it below the big 4 (though some very good players I know do not), but at least consider it a very strong card that I will nearly always take early on.