Who Should Make The Next Star Wars TTRPG, And What Should It Look Like?

[MGibster]

But those are huge elements of the movies? The scene showing the technical strategy of how to destroy the Death Star is not only iconic, but central to the plot. The introduction of Han and Chewie comes from a shopping scene. The upgrades to the Millennium Falcon are not only part of the history of the ship, but a major driving factor of ESB. Showing off better and different weapons is a major part of so many scenes, from the new ships in the battle of Endor, to Darth Maul and Kylo Ren showing of their custom lightsabers. Even getting new armor is a regular plot point of The Mandalorian.

At least from the original movies, I don't remember a drive for better equipment being an important element. I don't remember the Falcon getting any upgrades in ESB. On Hoth, we saw a Falcon that was poorly maintained and in desperate need of some serious repairs, but for whatever reason those repairs didn't happen until they got to Cloud City. Once those repairs were done, the Falcon wasn't any faster, the shields weren't more robust, nor were the weapons any stronger. It was just fully repaired and reliable again. I don't remember Han and Luke spending time to upgrade their weapons. Han stuck with his blaster and the only change to Luke's lightsaber was the color of the blade.

The obsession with equipment and upgrades to do more damage is something you find in RPGs not in most Star Wars movies or shows. It's just a byproduct of our expectations of getting experience points and better equipment.

 

[Benjamin Olson]

But those are huge elements of the movies? The scene showing the technical strategy of how to destroy the Death Star is not only iconic, but central to the plot. The introduction of Han and Chewie comes from a shopping scene. The upgrades to the Millennium Falcon are not only part of the history of the ship, but a major driving factor of ESB. Showing off better and different weapons is a major part of so many scenes, from the new ships in the battle of Endor, to Darth Maul and Kylo Ren showing of their custom lightsabers. Even getting new armor is a regular plot point of The Mandalorian.

Very much agree. Star Wars has amazing production design and it's a core part of the franchise's appeal. People want specific weapons, spaceships, etc. And since a core part of that production design is being a run down, lived in, and kind of beat up galaxy where a lot of the machines a jury-rigged and/or souped-up, some degree of modability for equipment is appropriate (and I would argue justifies the complexity it brings). And how fantastic for a group imagination game to have a vast host of evocative objects you can reference and all easily visualize.

Simplifying ttrpg mechanics is great, but variety in and shopping opportunities for gear is not where I would try to simplify and streamline for Star Wars. A lot of the character of the universe is in the vehicles and equipment. And if a Star Wars TTRPG isn't going to have a vast catalogue of things then I'd probably rather run the "Star Wars with the serial numbers filed off" mods for Outgunned or use some other rules light solution than buy an official tie-in product just because it had the licensing.

 

[John R Davis]

No one shops in star wars, except as a plot point. There is lots repairs,but no one in the trilogy buys armours, better blasters, droids, ship upgrades, etc. It is just not a feature

 

[Reynard]

Point of order: the Outer Room is run down and "lived in." The Galactic Core has always been Shiny, and the Empire obviously likes it that way.

 

[Bill Zebub]

Late to this discussion, but I have a couple of different thoughts:

• If we're talking established publisher using (recycling) their house rules, I would vote for Free League. I think they do as good a job as possible making YZE feel custom built for different genres, they really nail the feel of settings, and their production quality is high.
• I would vote against Modiphius. I'm not a fan of 2d20, but I also was bitterly disappointed by Conan. I thought it was a lost opportunity to be innovative. Instead of really leaning into the source material (in my opinion) and turning that world into an RPG, they built a largely D&D-like game with Conan flavorings.
• I really, really love the flavor of Scum & Villainy, I struggle to understand and embrace those kinds of narrative-driven RPGs. Mostly, I think, because I'm a forever-GM and I haven't yet figured out how to GM those games. (I'm in the same boat with all PbyA games. I love reading them...can't figure out how to play them.)

Two of the biggest challenges, imo, are:

• Incorporating Jedi in a way that's true to the source material, without letting them steal the show.
• Making space travel engaging/interesting/exciting, without reducing it to a board game of deterministic dice rolling. (I recently brought up this topic in this thread.). I personally am not very inspired by, "You are the Navigator, so let's see your dice roll to see if you succeed, or what the consequences are if you fail."

 

[Reynard]

• Incorporating Jedi in a way that's true to the source material, without letting them steal the show.

This is where the "which source material" question really matters. In the OT, Vader WAS more powerful than everyone else, and Luke, by the end, went toe to toe with him. You can't be true to that source material without embracing jedi as special and more powerful.

 

[nyvinter]

I like Free League but a couple of points.

• I've been told the step dice version of YZE plays better than the dice pool one. It might be better but the dice pool one is at least pretty far from pulpy. It doesn't feel right.
• Free League is terrible at supporting their game lines past one or two books. Granted this isn't required but since people are asking "where's the new books" about a line with 30+ books it doesn't bode well for FL's core set + 2 adventure books and possibly one expansion.

 

[Reynard]

I like Free League but a couple of points.

• I've been told the step dice version of YZE plays better than the dice pool one. It might be better but the dice pool one is at least pretty far from pulpy. It doesn't feel right.
• Free League is terrible at supporting their game lines past one or two books. Granted this isn't required but since people are asking "where's the new books" about a line with 30+ books it doesn't bode well for FL's core set + 2 adventure books and possibly one expansion.

I think 3 books could pretty much cover the SW Universe, assuming you were given tools to easily model things not in the books. Games don't actually need the supplement treadmill.

 

[Bill Zebub]

This is where the "which source material" question really matters. In the OT, Vader WAS more powerful than everyone else, and Luke, by the end, went toe to toe with him. You can't be true to that source material without embracing jedi as special and more powerful.

I agree with the bold part, and therefore the challenge of making it work. In some ways its similar to the problem of High Elves in Middle Earth games.

I do think there could be some paths for making PC Jedi work:
- High cost/risk to using force powers, which lessen as experience increases. (One such risk could be similar to "Eye Awareness" in The One Ring.)
- Roleplaying constraints: sort of like old-school Paladins, Jedi players have restrictions that mean you can't just go around mind controlling and telekinetically strangling NPCs at will. Or that you can, but you'll regret it.

 

[Bill Zebub]

• Free League is terrible at supporting their game lines past one or two books. Granted this isn't required but since people are asking "where's the new books" about a line with 30+ books it doesn't bode well for FL's core set + 2 adventure books and possibly one expansion.

In some cases, yes. They've managed to put out a steady (if slow) stream of TOR supplements.