It allows you to search the
messageboards, send and receive private messages, give yourself a
custom usertitle, turn ads on or off, create a custom style for your
profile, get a nifty badge under your username, and gives you a special
warm glowy feeling! Oh, and it gets rid of this annoying message, too!
General RPG Rules Discussion[WAS CALLED "Pathfinder/OGL/D20 GAMES"] Discuss the rules of Pathfinder, d20 Modern and any other game except D&D, such as Arcana Evolved, Mutants & Masterminds, Star Wars Saga, and the like.
I like the Old Republic era (the games I've run have been set a century or two after the video games). You can have lots of Jedi, lots of Sith if you want them, pretend tech you don't like "hasn't been invented yet", avoid stompiing on canon... and I really liked the video games.
I'm currently running an immediately-post RotJ game that jettisons most of the EU, mainly 'cause that gets closest to the "running from Stormtroopers and shooting at TIE fighters" feel I wanted without having to incorporate "known facts of history" into the course of the game.
I expect that at some point I will probably run a Knights of the Old Republic game as well, just 'cause it's a very cool setting.
-The Gneech
__________________ gneech.com -- My writing, comics, and art, including NeverNever, The Suburban Jungle, and the Brigid & Greg Fictionlets.
"Not everybody likes the same sort of games.
Everybody ought to play the sort of games they like.
It's not a stupid idea to sometimes try something you're not sure if you like or not.
Just because somebody likes or dislikes something you feel differently about doesn't make them (or you) stupid or a jerk.
Except Julie Andrews. If you dislike Julie Andrews, you're a jerk. And Golden Retriever puppies." --Barsoomcore
"There is a handsome and mysterious stranger in your future. He will try to kill you and take your stuff." --Sejs
I've played Rebellion-era (after the battle of Yavin) before, and currently am playing the New Jedi Order era (Yuuzhan Vong invasion). I find both are great, depending on what the feel of the game is.
If you like the feel of "shiny heroes" or swashbuckler types, against the system - then the rebellion era works well. The rebellion is powerful enough to give a good support arm to players, and the empire is busy enough that little flies like the players can slip through the net. But the NJO era is total-war-for-survival and very bleak and oppressive. Players failing a mission could result in millions dead and even a success could still end up in tragedy (take the battle of Ithor, where the New Republic won, but the Vong bio-bombed Ithor into nothingness anyhow). Here hope is bleak, but it also makes the players shine much more.
Ie Rebellion-era = small scale, light, fun feel.
NJO-era = large scale, dark, serious feel.
Other advantage is that in rebellion-era games there are few jedi left, and all in hiding. In the NJO the Jedi Academy is re-established and there's about 100 jedi, allowing you to do jedi-focused games with them not having to hide from the empire (though they are in an interestingly precarious spot between the unhelpful New Republic and the Yuuzhan Vong that single them out as their greatest threat).
I've just obtained the Force Unleashed campaign guide (in-between Episode III and IV) and it also has a lot of promise - like the rebellion-era game, but without the hope of the rebellion to back you up (thus a similar feel, albeit lighter, than the NJO).
I'm another who loves Knights of the Old Republic, and would definitely set a game there; second choice (or first, depending on what day you catch me), Legacy Era. Then, finally, Dark Times (between Order 66 and ANH).
The more room there is for GM invention and the less room there is to get swallowed by the "Big Heroes," the happier I am.
__________________ "On second thought, let's not go to Camelot. It is a silly place."
No, really - it works great. Change one thing in the Star Wars timeline, and extrapolate. In my campaign, R2 and 3PO's escape pod was tractor-beamed into one of the Star Destroyers. My game is set about 5 years after that.
As a result, I ended up with Leia and Luke turning to the Dark Side, Vader and the Emperor in a power-struggle, and the Rebellion floating around in 3 (now 2) BSG-style fleets, since they need to keep mobile. After all, at least one Death Star is still around.
Originally, I had a brief-lived game set during 18 BBY; 1 year after Ep. III. The PCs were going to help lay the foundations of the network that would rise & become the Alliance to Restore the Republic (diplomatic missions to get former Seperatists on the side of the Alliance; leading sabotage efforts on the Death Star; and perhaps even help setting up the chain of events that would lead to a copy of the Death Star plans onto the Tantive IV).
Then again, they would've dealt with an outside threat that, if left unattended, would threaten the galaxy far more than the Empire (or even make things more in the Empire's favor).
That game died off after a few sessions (long story—player issues).
Now, however, I'm trying to kick off a new game set during 2 BBY; right after The Force Unleashed, but before Ep. IV. Same basic idea, though the PCs will be "getting in on the ground floor" with the Rebellion. Focusing on throwing a mix of obstacles their way:
staunch die-hard Seperatists who want to see the Empire collapse (not replaced; just collapse, leading to galactic-wide chaos/anarchy);
Imperial forces loyal to the Emperor;
Imperial schemers seeking to overthrow the Emperor;
Dark Side Adepts in service to the Emperor, seeking out hidden Jedi (and perhaps even trying to find a powerful Force Sensitive who could take Vader's place);
Fringe gangsters working for their own nefarious goals (whether alongside the Empire or against it);
Sith heretics who've rejected the Rule of Two & seek to supplant the "ruling" Sith order with their own order (thinking more of a predecessor of Darth Krayt's Rule of One here);
Dark Side Force users of other traditions (not Jedi or Sith), and their own schemes;
as well as various villains with personal agendas against the PCs.
In any case, the PCs won't directly impact/alter the plot, though they could add to the basckstory of events, as well as achieve other big victories that are just as vital to the Rebel cause (just not featured in the films).
Have 2 players so far, & I'm looking for more. Really hoping this game takes off.
__________________ Ageless, Faceless, Gender-Neutral, Culturally-Ambiguous Adventure Person
No, really - it works great. Change one thing in the Star Wars timeline, and extrapolate.
-O
I agree. I've done some fun mini-campaigns that were based of "What If?" scenarioes.
Also, GM Chris of the Order 66 podcast is running an AU campaign, where the "break-off point" was that Anakin didn't stop Mace Windu from killing Palpatine. No Order 66, no Empire, no Darth Vader. He's got a thread rolling over on the d20 message boards with discussion of how the campaign is going, and it's quite entertaining.
Never done a Legacy game, but after reading the Legacy novels, and the Legacy comics, I find both very interesting and worthy potentials for game (esp the Legacy novels with Darth Caedus and the GA civil war). Would like to try one at some point.
Considering my NJO players have allies that would be on both sides of the GA civil war in a Legacy game, that would be really interesting!
If you were going to, or are, playing a SW Saga game which era would you want to play in and why?
A friend of mine and I are thinking of co-GMing a Saga game soon, and we're thinking we'll do either a post-Episode III game (sorta Force Unleashed era) where the Empire is putting their feet down across the galaxy (the "dark times") and the rebellion is quietly growing. One of our players wants to play a junior senator type, and I think that would fit in really well with the nature of the setting.
The other idea is to do a game post-Episode VI, perhaps 10 years or so after, with a new Jedi order established by the Skywalker twins. Unstable new Republic, lots of Imperial remnants, etc. Could be fun.
Every era has its own charms and wonderful parts. There isn't really any era I DON'T like or can't come up with a ton of ideas for.
But I think, for me, my favourite era for games is post-RotJ pre-Vong War. Even with all the EU, there's a TON going on that can be worked with(how I prefer to do things), or just ignored entirely. The era is ripe with stormtroopers, the old fashioned Empire, more chances for Jedi, and still a smaller scale Rebel Alliance early on.
While the Legacy Era is close to this one in most of that, the one thing that always throws me off is I just love the classic starship designs and such a little too much to completely abandon.
As a quick aside, before too long I plan on running a second campaign alongside my current one. I'm thinking a Star Wars version of the Dirty Dozen - with the PCs being convicted death-row prisoners of the Empire.
Every era has its own charms and wonderful parts. There isn't really any era I DON'T like or can't come up with a ton of ideas for.
But I think, for me, my favourite era for games is post-RotJ pre-Vong War. Even with all the EU, there's a TON going on that can be worked with(how I prefer to do things), or just ignored entirely. The era is ripe with stormtroopers, the old fashioned Empire, more chances for Jedi, and still a smaller scale Rebel Alliance early on.
While the Legacy Era is close to this one in most of that, the one thing that always throws me off is I just love the classic starship designs and such a little too much to completely abandon.
Then don't abandon them. If I ever get to run my Legacy-era campaign, the PCs are flying around in an ARC-170 starfighter from the Clone Wars, updated to current technology (i.e., no penalties for being 150 years old), with an astromech droid hardwired into the ship (essentially making the ship an enormous droid).
While Jedi in Legacy often fly Twintails (the scions of the X-Wing), you can bet other pilots still fly X-, Y-, B-, A- and other alphabet soup-Wings.
Then don't abandon them. If I ever get to run my Legacy-era campaign, the PCs are flying around in an ARC-170 starfighter from the Clone Wars, updated to current technology (i.e., no penalties for being 150 years old), with an astromech droid hardwired into the ship (essentially making the ship an enormous droid).
While Jedi in Legacy often fly Twintails (the scions of the X-Wing), you can bet other pilots still fly X-, Y-, B-, A- and other alphabet soup-Wings.
I know that TECHNICALLY, the stuff is still out there...but for me, at least, it seems like just throwing in older stuff when there is all the new stuff kind of defeats the point. And I don't just mean starfighters either. The new Star Destroyers are nice, but there's just something about the rougher, classic look that I love so much more.
In all honesty, there are some things in the setting that I both love and hate on different levels. A big one that fits into that are the Imperial Knights. The concept is awesome, the designs are great, and the use of them in the series so far has just been wonderful. I just...uh...they're jerks.
Like I said, I do love the era, and its a great direction to put a bit more creative license onto things without getting in the way of established EU(if that kind of thing is important to you...it is to me for some reason), but it just has the little hangups for me when I compare it to the Rebellion Era or New Republic stuff.
I know that TECHNICALLY, the stuff is still out there...but for me, at least, it seems like just throwing in older stuff when there is all the new stuff kind of defeats the point. And I don't just mean starfighters either. The new Star Destroyers are nice, but there's just something about the rougher, classic look that I love so much more.
In all honesty, there are some things in the setting that I both love and hate on different levels. A big one that fits into that are the Imperial Knights. The concept is awesome, the designs are great, and the use of them in the series so far has just been wonderful. I just...uh...they're jerks.
Like I said, I do love the era, and its a great direction to put a bit more creative license onto things without getting in the way of established EU(if that kind of thing is important to you...it is to me for some reason), but it just has the little hangups for me when I compare it to the Rebellion Era or New Republic stuff.
The new Star Destroyers (Palleon-class, iirc) can be just the top-of-the-line of the fleet. Specially with TWO Empires and a Galactic Alliance gunning for the same ships, you can have a Classic Trilogy Star Destroyer in the hands of the Alliance, launching X-Wings against a Palleon-class destroyer and its TIE Scimitars.
As for Imperial Knights, the ones that are jerks are the ones we've seen so far (Draco, Ganner). I was disappointed at how Princess Fel because so ruthless once sworn in, though.
The ship I mentioned above? It would be for a group consisting of operatives from three sides of the conflict: a savage Jedi from Dathomir, an Alliance bounty hunter and an Imperial Knight.
The new Star Destroyers (Palleon-class, iirc) can be just the top-of-the-line of the fleet. Specially with TWO Empires and a Galactic Alliance gunning for the same ships, you can have a Classic Trilogy Star Destroyer in the hands of the Alliance, launching X-Wings against a Palleon-class destroyer and its TIE Scimitars.
Course, in pure game terms, the Alliance is basically dead in that fight.
I know what you mean, though. Personally, I just feel like if you go for the era, really dive into it. Especially since there are so many great eras. There's definitely a great situation set up with the Sith's Empire vs. Fel Empire vs. Galactic Alliance, and I think that's the aspect of the Era I truly like the most, its just most of the ship designs and such are just...different. They aren't bad, and I particularly like the GA ships, but I'm just too much in love with the classic stuff and still getting used to the Legacy designs.
Quote:
As for Imperial Knights, the ones that are jerks are the ones we've seen so far (Draco, Ganner). I was disappointed at how Princess Fel because so ruthless once sworn in, though.
Yeah. Its a minor thing, but in a way it kind of fits the Imperial Knights as a whole. They're loyal to the Emperor, they don't have the moral ideals of the Jedi, and they're definitely borderline dark side at times...so they're going to be jerks. Roan Fel is awesome, though.
But I think the one that bothers me the most is:
Spoiler:
That new chick who's name escapes me. I liked her and then...bah. I still like her, but now she's in the 'jerk' column.
Linear Mode
