#557013
i believe the first player advantage used to be *bigger* when the game was less balanced, because games were decided in fewer turns (2-3). competitive games are still decided by a single turn quite often, but personally i don't mind going second nearly as much as i used to.
i also think it would take a lot away from the experience of winning if it wasn't instantaneous but the opponent got another turn to overtake you. (and before that, you'd also get to finish your turn to score as many points as you can. basically, that would change the whole dynamic of the game, turning all games into timed games. sounds awful to me.)
the best way to reduce first player advantage (if we want to do that) would be to reduce the value of the first turn. make it a "half turn" in some ways. (perhaps a limit on free plays and/or card draws on that turn? though without a cost system built into the game everything i can think of to reduce the value of the first turn would affect various deck types differently.)
or there could be some other disadvantage to compensate for the turn advantage (a smaller starting hand? starting with some negative points?)
finally, i find that the first player has a huge advantage in certain interactive scenarios! getting to attack the opponent one turn earlier. getting to lock out a reporting location before the opponent can mount defenses.
Kazon/Hirogen/Vidiians in particular come to mind, getting to attack or even commandeer an empty Voyager/Equinox/Liberty on turn 1, eliminating the opponent's main play engine. this wasn't as much a concern back when Caretaker's Array was still a report-with-crew engine, but these days there's literally no defense against going second in this kind of matchup...
i also think it would take a lot away from the experience of winning if it wasn't instantaneous but the opponent got another turn to overtake you. (and before that, you'd also get to finish your turn to score as many points as you can. basically, that would change the whole dynamic of the game, turning all games into timed games. sounds awful to me.)
the best way to reduce first player advantage (if we want to do that) would be to reduce the value of the first turn. make it a "half turn" in some ways. (perhaps a limit on free plays and/or card draws on that turn? though without a cost system built into the game everything i can think of to reduce the value of the first turn would affect various deck types differently.)
or there could be some other disadvantage to compensate for the turn advantage (a smaller starting hand? starting with some negative points?)
finally, i find that the first player has a huge advantage in certain interactive scenarios! getting to attack the opponent one turn earlier. getting to lock out a reporting location before the opponent can mount defenses.
Kazon/Hirogen/Vidiians in particular come to mind, getting to attack or even commandeer an empty Voyager/Equinox/Liberty on turn 1, eliminating the opponent's main play engine. this wasn't as much a concern back when Caretaker's Array was still a report-with-crew engine, but these days there's literally no defense against going second in this kind of matchup...
"arguing with idiots is like playing chess with a pigeon. no matter how good you are, the bird is going to shit on the board and strut around like it won anyway."