Netrunner App Ideas

Netrunner General
1

I have always been interested in creating gaming utility apps. If you take a look at my App Store catalog, all of my applications are gaming utilities.

With that, I have been pondering a long time as to what sort of app would go well with Netrunner.

I have two ideas I would like to share with the community, and get feedback of their functionality.

HQ Interface - Mock Up Image

The biggest issue I see in Netrunner is those who poorly randomize access to HQ. You often see people roll d6 to access randomly from 5 cards. What do you do when a ‘6’ result occurs? This app will allow a user to easily randomize their access. As well, it will handle more than 1 card access by enumeration of cards that you should access. How this app benefits from simply using a die is that the cards are physically laid out on the app. No more “which card is 1, and which card is 6”? You physical line up HQ with the cards on the screen.

Short summary of functionality:
Your user has 4 cards in hand. You lower the top number to only display 4 cards. You are performing a legwork. You tap “Access” button 3 times, and randomly, certain cards will be labelled “1”, “2”, “3”. Access those cards in that order. “Clear” will remove all access markers for the next access. The reason I went for multiple access scheme is that it scales well, and doesn’t provide any form of “note taking”. You must remember, and know that you are accessing 2 cards (HQ Interface in play or something like that), and click the Access button twice.

Psi Die - Mock Up Image

This app allows users to construct a weighted roll for them to randomly bid on psi games. The user will also be able to save and manage different weighted schemes depending on their situation.

Short summary of functionality:
You as the runner are participating in a Psi game with the Corp. The Corp only has 1 credit, but you feel that you should weight your bid slightly towards making the corp spend that 1 credit. You decide to create a simple scheme where 0: 60% 1:40% 2:0%, and click “Roll”. The application will now provide you a random outcome taking into account your weighted desires.

This application does nothing more than produce a weighted random value. This could be done using a multi sided die, and unequally distributing Psi outcomes to the roll’s result.

On a note of note-taking. The app could not track your “win” rate as that would be deemed note taking. It would be a cool feature, but knowing you have a 100% win rate at Psi games within your current match could be deemed note taking, and be illegal in standard play.

My intention would be to bundle both of these ideas into one application, and make it easy to swap between the two screens during play. The app would be free for all to use, and available on iOS (I’m an iOS Developer by trade)

To add, these are the following rules that may be applicable to the user of such applications:

Taking Notes
Players are not allowed to take notes to aid memory or gameplay, whether physically or digitally, during a tournament match. Referencing outside material and information during a match is also prohibited, except for official rule documents.

Randomization
Players can use dice or other external aids to randomize results, provided the randomization does not impede the flow of the game. Players cannot force other players to use external aids when randomizing. A shuffle from the Corp and a subsequent choice by the Runner is enough to fulfill the requirements of randomness when accessing HQ.

2 Likes
2

It would be nice for a cross platform draft app for ios/android. I guess the meteor draft on mobile browser is sufficient.

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I would love there to be a good click & game tracker on android, similar to the one on IOS.

1 Like
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This might be a weird opinion to hold in a game all about technology, but I don’t think we really need apps for in-game purposes.

When it comes to randomising HQ accesses using dice, a d6 is typically sufficient. If they have 5 in hand, just re-roll the six. If they have more than six in hand, that can be a pain of course, but d8’s and d10’s exist. It might just be personal preference, but if I have my pile of dice and counters sitting next to me, it’s easier to simply grab the relevant dice, rather than unlock my phone, make sure the app is correct, then work the app, show my opponent what’s going on etc.

As for the psi-game interface, I would be concerned that it would impede gameplay. We get into a psi-game and my opponent picks up their phone and starts fiddling with ratios? How long does this take? What if they’re doing something else, like getting outside assistance? Regardless, I don’t really want to play a game in which my opponent is putzing around with their phone half the time.

Beyond that (and this might just be people in my local meta, I don’t know) even just using dice has made people sigh in exasperation. Can’t imagine how those people would react if people started using an app. Dice are a good compromise, because it’s quick and efficient, even if it irritates some amount of people.

Finally, Netrunner is a space intensive game. Getting multiple phones into the mix on the table/in the play area will just cause even more clutter.

This is all tournament relevant though, so it might be good for just casual Netrunner.

1 Like
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My intentions with the HQ Interface application is alleviate a few issues that you touched upon:

  • Need to “re-roll” dice until they find a value suitable to their needs. This is actually quite a clunky affair.

  • Having to roll a dice in an already crowded game board covered in tokens. My device does not move.

  • I personally use custom tokens. When I meet my opponent, I greet them, and then show them the custom tokens I use. I ask them if it’s ok to use them, or if they have any questions about their value. I always keep the standard tokens if they disallow their use. That is their right as the opponent. The same would be said about the application. They can say, “No thank you, I’d rather you roll a die.” and we’d move onto our game. If my opponent understands its merits, then they are welcome to use it as well on their turn. Just flip the device around and take advantage of its efficiency.

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A lot of this seems like personal preference. I don’t find re-rolling dice to be a particularly clunky affair, especially with how few times you actually need to do it (1 in 6 times on average when they have 5 cards and you use a d6).

The device(s, if both players are using one) will have to take up space. A dice being rolled isn’t hard to track, even on top of cards. It’s certainly goign to create less overall clutter than having one or more smartphones or tablets on the table.

As for custom tokens etc. Sure, that’s just common etiquette. But there’s a difference between saying “I use these tokens, they have these values” and saying “I use this app and will be using it to hide information from you.”

Again, not saying that the app is a bad thing to want to create or have around, but I just don’t really see it as improving on existing methods. Not to mention with the improved tournament rules and judge program (supposedly) coming out, we’ll probably see a ruling saying now use of electronic devices at tournament tables. But that’s an issue for if/when it comes out.

7

have you tried hourglass? takes a second to get used to the UI, but it’s very functional.

3 Likes
8

What if u design an app that can simulate Face2Face ANR? with drag and drop functionalities, options within card click (ex. click then pop an option to add counters), swipe to draw, etc etc… doesn’t have to be online or multiplayer just one player for each device.

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TBH, the only Android app that ANR really needs atm is a tournament manager, preferably something comparable with the Apple NRTM.

Edit: Missed that you are an ios developer… but the android app is still what we really need

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https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/an-click/id879258960?mt=8

This is the one that I wish was on Android also.

1 Like