Star Wars RPG Beta: Are they serious?

One gamer out of our group forked out the dough for this, so our group gets to try it out. For 6 guys, not a bad deal. Plus I'm hoping FFG may have special offers or the like for those that purchased the beta. At least we *may* have some influence on how the system is tweaked. Most of us are old D6'ers so maybe it could take a positive turn based on feedback.

This is a pretty strange beast.

As other have said already the time frame probably means that there'll be no substantial revisions to the system or text; the beta players/customers would be more proof-readers than actual testers.

This would also be a reason - if FFG had any say in this - not to do a free PDF beta. Game fans being what they are, FFG would probably be hit by a storm of comments, critics and wishes impossible to handle in just some months.

You probably can play the FFG SW as complete game with less polish and stuff, thus actually getting it cheaper than next year. I'd say you don't pay for the beta version of the SW RPG but for a physical book which contains the game.

Well, I won't buy it and I won't buy the complete game next year. I just have hopes that FFG SW will be translated to German as the other FFG RPGs are, so that my son can read and play it. If this doesn't work out I'll get it one day.

The reason there is no free PDF and will be no PDFs at all is because LucasFilm considers PDFs to fall under "Electronic Games," and thus, under the authority of LucasArts.

In other words, a company needs TWO licenses to produce a Star Wars tabletop RPG and release PDF versions of the rules.

It's stupid, but a lot of companies are stupid when it comes to releasing PDFs for tabletop roleplaying games.

Is it just me or is there something really just wrong with the idea of a paid beta for any release? Even computer games.

So, let me get this straight. Instead of paying a QA department, you get your customers to PAY and do this for you.

Shouldn't we get PAID instead? Particularly if, like some companies, they will not necessarily listen and put out what they want anyways?

All for betas, but never paid.

Advilaar said:

Is it just me or is there something really just wrong with the idea of a paid beta for any release? Even computer games.

So, let me get this straight. Instead of paying a QA department, you get your customers to PAY and do this for you.

Shouldn't we get PAID instead? Particularly if, like some companies, they will not necessarily listen and put out what they want anyways?

All for betas, but never paid.

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I read somewhere that a guy who picked this up at Gen Con is looking at it like this Beta is D&D 3rd edition and the final version will be 3.5, except FFG is being upfront about a revision coming soon.

Also, I heard Edge of the Empire Beta was a limited print run of 5,000, so eventually, someone will pay a lot of money for it on eBay.

Same on every forum about this game, nothin' but dead bashing. No substance.

Paying for a Beta test of a game . . . sounds like the PHB, DMG, & MM of D&D 4th edition to me.

[sblock= FLAME ON! =v)]

[/sblock]

Greatwyrm said:

It's all actually a plot to drive rpg sales. The more they mess with the core franchise products like the movies, the more disgusted you get. Eventually you'll start buying the rpg materials so you can "do Star Wars the right way".

Sure, it's evil. But it's pure genius.

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I'm telling you FFG joined the Dark Side and isn't afraid to let us know.

Auraword said:

While paying for a beta may seem wasteful to some people, from another point of view it can just be looked at as an opportunity to start playing and enjoying the game early.

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Bingo!

Having plunked down my money for the Beta within hours of its announcement as well has having played and run a few sessions, I can honestly say that this book can stand on it's own merits just fine.

And for those of us that were part of the gaming community before the days of the Internet and PDFs, we used to pay for Betas all the time. Thing was, back then they were called 1st Edition 1st Printings, with the major glaring errors (hopefully) addressed in the 2nd printing, or at the very least the 2nd edition.

FFG has provided no less than three free web updates for the Beta, so that the various changes and clarifications are readily accessible to the point that if you have bought the Beta, about the only thing you'll really be missing from the final product is the fluff elements.

Also, if anyone is interested in reading some reviews of the Beta by folks that have actually played or run the game, there's a couple of them on the GSA website:

Poking Around at the Edge of the Empire | The GSA
Offers both positives and negatives, with the author's POV being that of someone that doesn't have access to the book or the dice for that session. He's since picked up the dice-rolling app, which during our second session he said was a great deal more helpful than trying to convert regular dice rolls to the symbols that FFG uses.

Review – Edge of the Empire Beta | The GSA
This is from the GM that ran the two Skype sessions I've played in so far, and offers a fair and frank view of EotE from a GM's perspective. There's much more of a focus on narrative that's akin to the D6 version, with the combats going a hell of a lot faster than they ever did in any of the d20 versions.

On a related note, while it is pricey at $5, the dice-roller app is pretty neat, and makes rolls for this game a lot easier. It's also not limited to just the EotE dice, but also covers X-Wing and has a standard set of dice for use in other RPGs as well. The sound effects vary from regular dice rolls to SW-themed ones for Jedi (lightsaber clashing as the dice roll), Rebels (blaster fire and Ackbar saying it's a trap when you exit the dice rolling field to the main menu), Imperials (TIE Fighters), and Droids, as well as a quiet option if you so desire. One point I did see made about the cost is that a lot of the $1 dice roller apps are relying on sheer volume of sales to make a profit. Given that the main focus of this app are the specialized dice, $5 is about as low as FFG could probably afford to go and still make some money.

On last item. A few days ago, FFG announced that they have an Intro Box Set for EotE planned for a Q4 2012 release. Much like other intro boxed sets, it'll have parred down rules, but offers a handful of pre-gens and what I can only presume constitutes a "full set of dice" (14 in number, matching the sticker sheet included with the Beta) as well as some poster maps (which really don't bear any real resemblance to tactical minis maps from what I can see), all for $30. So if you don't feel like forking over the money for a "not yet complete" product but are curious to see what the game is like, it's an option.

Sorry if I come across as though I'm trying to sell this game, but the simple truth is that I honestly do think it recaptures some of the lost feel of the old D6 system. It's not a perfect game, as the three updates FFG has provided point out, but at least they are actively listening to the feedback being offered to them. Some of their changes may not make everyone happy (their own forum has a couple mini poo-storms about lack of Jedi Knights and lightsaber stats), but overall the updates have been for the better; Force Powers got a much needed nerfing on several fronts, and quite a few of the species have been beefed up, and the Human special quality is now actually worth something.