Did anyone else notice this about Star Wars?

[The_Universe]

Not just them. Alderaan, anyone?

Agreed. Still, the wookiees seem to be the worst offenders, despite the fact that they seem incapable of pronouncing the name of their planet or race - if it's just a translation, you'd think they'd just spell it phonetically...

 

[Captain Tagon]

Those were great, but that's my original point: how come we only know them as "cool wheeled vehicles?" Do they even have a name referenced in the film? I doubt it. I think i'll dub them CWV's.

How many of the cool ships in the original film did we know the name of just by watching the films?

 

[Larcen]

Not just them. Alderaan, anyone?

Lets not forget Naboo and Tatooine and Dantooine and Dooku and PloKoon. Seems more like a Lucas thing then a Wookie thing.

 

[Warrior Poet]

the Gunship used in AotC is still around too ... kinda like a Huey Helicoptor

They always reminded me of the old Soviet HIND helicopter, but yeah, I think they are definitely an homage to the helicopter as troop transport/assault platform.

Warrior Poet

 

[Aexalon]

Ah, where to start ...

• The Wookiee homeworld is Kashyyyk.
• The CWV (cool wheeled vehicles) was earlier rumoured to be called "turbo tank", but the incredible crosssection refers to it by its old (WEG) name, the Juggernaut (or, properly, the KDY (Kuat Drive Yards) HAVw A6 "Juggernaut").
• The Ep II Jedi Starfighter (or properly, the KSE (Kuat Systems Engineering) Delta-7 "Aethersprite") evolved to both the TIE fighter and the A-Wing via 2 distinct paths, each with some cross-pollination: The Ep III Jedi Starfighter (or properly, the KSE Eta-2 "Actis"), with its telltale octagonal window and radiator panels looks like an obvious step in the direction of the TIE fighter, whereas the V-Wing fighter (or properly, the KSE Alpha-3 "Nimbus") with its swiveling gun mounts and compact form pave the way for the later design of the Dodonna-Blissex RZ-1 A-wing (Blissex being a genius starship designer who deserted from KDY, the parent company of KSE).
• The shapes of the Aethersprite and Nimbus make even more sense if you consider that Blissex was the one who designed the Victory-class Star Destroyer. His daughter, remaining a staunch imperial supporter, was instrumental in the design of the Imperator-class Star Destroyer, greatly improving upon her father's design. Other design avenues taken by KDY include the Venator-class Star Destroyer, a formidable fleet carrier (though its classification is Attack Cruiser), and it's dedicated battleship variant, the Tector-class. The Acclamator-class troop transports (classified Attack Ships) however, despite also sharing the wedge-shaped design, were by RHA (Rothana Heavy Engineering), Rothana being a manufacturing world that the Kaminoans had several trade agreements with. Other RHE vehicles include the 6-legged AT-TE walker, and the LAAT/i gunships, both used to great effect on Geonosis.
• KSE were basically shut down by KDY, after SFS (Sienar Fleet Systems, a division of the company created from Santhe and Republic Sienar Systems) were given the lucrative TIE design contracts; Though, many improvements in KSE's latest ships were incorporated in the SFS designs. Corporate espionage may have been involved.
• The Hyperdrive rings employed by several KSE designs were created by TransGalMech Corporation, and make perfect sense in a mostly peaceful galaxy where carrier vessels were capable of taking starfighters to most of the places where they were needed. For the lone scout role, the (separately upgradable) Syliure-31 and later Syliure-45 Hyperdrive Modules were deemed superior to trying to squeeze hyperdrives into already small fighter craft. It's only due to the rebellion's slash & run tactics that the need for integrated hyperspace capability became a priority, and then only for the Rebel Alliance. Imperial corporations toyed with the idea (e.g. Vader's X1 TIE prototype), but abandoned it on grounds of being cost-ineffective and allowing the pilots too great a level of independence.
• I'll spare you a discussion of Trade Federation, Techno Union & Banking Clan technology

As for how many ships were named in Eps. IV-VI: no on-screen mention was made of Slave One, AT-AT's, AT-ST's, nor any alliance fighter except the X-Wing. The name "Star Destroyer" originally didn't even appear on-screen until The Empire Strikes Back.

So the conclusion isn't: "Why don't the craft in Eps. I-III have kewl names?", but "How come I don't know any of the kewl names the craft in Eps. I-III?". I can only presume that it's for the same reason many "fans" like Eps. IV-VI, but dislike Eps. I-III: viewer age, and the "kewlness" (or lack thereof) of Star Wars these days.

 

[Gunslinger]

I think that part of the reason why the OT was more appealing has to do with the the characters themselves. In the old movies you had a relatively small group of mostly ordinary people, who are thrust into extraordinary circumstances. They learn new things about themselves, and accomplish things they never would have thought possible

The new trilogy is focused almost entirely on Jedi, who wield extraordinary powers and are born heroes. We simply can't identify with Jedi masters in the same way that we can identify with the simple farmboy with dreams of glory, or the the roguish smuggler doing his best to earn a living.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

The name "Star Destroyer" originally didn't even appear on-screen until Return of the Jedi (though later versions of The Empire Strikes Back include a scene were Vader mentions it)

Pretty much everything you've said is dead on...except this.

"Star Destroyers...two of them, coming right at us." - Han Solo, Empire Strikes Back

 

[Aexalon]

"Star Destroyers...two of them, coming right at us." - Han Solo, Empire Strikes Back

I wasn't sure on TESB ... I should have chosen the more conservative statement of the term "Star Destroyer" not appearing in ANH.

My Star Wars movie-fu was never as good as my knowledge of the Star Wars universe

 

[Phaedrus]

Does Han Solo not call them Star Destroyers as they're leaving Mos Eisely in ANH?

I know they are there, but I can't remember if he just called them Imperial ships or by name...

 

[Captain Tagon]

Does Han Solo not call them Star Destroyers as they're leaving Mos Eisely in ANH?

I know they are there, but I can't remember if he just called them Imperial ships or by name...

Off hand I think he says Imperial capitol ships. But what do I know?