New Star Wars RPG!

[RodneyThompson]

For the record: any piece of lore or continuity that goes into the Star Wars universe, such as info from comics, books, novels, video games, etc. becomes part of the collective whole. Any licensee can draw upon any part of the collective whole (though prior to Episode III there were some things that were "off limits" due to George finishing the movies) without needing to negotiate a separate license. When you create something for a licensed Star Wars product that becomes part of continuity, it becomes fair game for all other licensees. This is how many of the things I created for the Hero's Guide found their way into Knights of the Old Republic II: Sith Lords without them needing to negotiate for the rights from WotC.

Think of Star Wars continuity as a big soup pot, and when a licensee creates something it gets tossed into the pot, allowing all other licensees to pull out of the pot at will.

 

[Ranger REG]

No it wouldn't: Lucasfilm owns the copyright of everything produced for Star Wars, so that content would be covered by WotC's existing licence.

Lucasfilms may own the copyright but that doesn't mean WotC can simply "steal" specific material from the computer game developed by another licensee. In fact, it would be rude.

If they want to publish an Old Republic sourcebook commercially, then go ahead. There are other [Lucafilm approved] material that WotC can research from (probably the same research material that Bioware used for their KOTOR).

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Lucasfilms may own the copyright but that doesn't mean WotC can simply "steal" specific material from the computer game developed by another licensee. In fact, it would be rude.

If they want to publish an Old Republic sourcebook commercially, then go ahead. There are other [Lucafilm approved] material that WotC can research from (probably the same research material that Bioware used for their KOTOR).

See Moridin's post above.

Its not stealing...all of Star Wars, no matter where its origins, is part of Star Wars and under the same license.

 

[GAAAHHH]

The problem with skill points in the current edition becomes apparent when you want to (or are forced (bad GM)) into a force using class after taking several levels of a non-force using class. There aren't nearly enough skill points (and feats) to split between force powers/skills. And on top of that, the skills you depended on before begin to fall behind in effectiveness.

Example: Pilot 6/Force Adept 2/Sith Apprentice ? (It's been a while so I can't remember exactly)

I took force sensitive, and from then on, the GM pushed me into force classes (private lessons from Emperor Palpitine, anyone?!?!?!)...

Anyway, it turned out I needed to spend a force point on just about every force use I had to do because my skill points weren't enough to split between the skills. And as an evil SOB, those weren't exactly easy to get.

On the plus side, my favorite fighting style: Lightsaber in one hand, activated Thermal Detonator in the other... Go ahead, strike me down

 

[Morgenstern]

Looking at the jedi in the films, it seems pretty clear to me that in any d20M-based addaptation, you should by be buying your ranks in force powers with wealth instead of skill points.

Jedi are plenty skillful - being (gear) poor seems to be the tradeoff they actuallty experience compared to the other archtypes of the setting. Clothes? Check. Lightsaber? Check. hyperdrive-fighter? Sometimes. Handy underwater breathing widget? Once in a while. ANYTHING ELSE? Not really.

Whether its a matter of having them convert wealth bonuses into force power ranks in a fixed ratio or have them literally buy their ranks in force powers with a wealth check (DC 10+desired rank or something) I leave as an exercise to those who understand d20M wealth better than I do. It even lets jedi effectively "take their cut" of mission rewards but they just go meditate for a while afterwards instead of stocking up more gear.

 

[hobgoblin]

more likely then not they have a system similar to chatolic monks, only not formal but encuraged. look at how padme and anakin have to hide that they are together and so on.

their lightsaber they make themselfs as a kind of initiation rite often (luke got his first handed down to him, but buildt a new one after he lost it along with his hand).

the fighters and other gear could be supplied by the order, or by the republic.

anything that can distract them from their study of the force should be avoided. and some of it may even lead to the dark side. greed (for wealth and power), anger (towards people that want to take something way from you or hurt those you care about), fear (for loosing something or someone you care about).

by not having and avoiding anything that can lead to this, you allso have a easier time avoiding the dark side.

but then you allso have the "new way": reaching into the dark side when a extra boost is required, but with enough disipline to pull out in time.

and i dont see the problem of having to choose between being a force user or a normal class. alltho i dont know the full rules i would say that if you want to be both a ace pilot and a force user you should be alternating between classes (if possible). yes you grow slower in both but that is a normal "problem" of class based systems.

 

[Faraer]

Jedi are plenty skillful - being (gear) poor seems to be the tradeoff they actuallty experience compared to the other archtypes of the setting. Clothes? Check. Lightsaber? Check. hyperdrive-fighter? Sometimes. Handy underwater breathing widget? Once in a while. ANYTHING ELSE? Not really.

The Order is wealthy and provides pretty much any equipment a Jedi needs. The fact that they don't use armour and big bombs is a matter of the fictional mode of Star Wars and the Jedi philosophy, not that those things aren't available -- for instance, wearing armour doesn't increase your survivability in the films: it's a symbol. Overuse of technology is a morally degraded and practically inferior substitute for human traits, including spiritual discipline.

I don't know where REG got the idea that SW creators get jealous of others using their work in different media (why would that even matter?). Except when another author seriously distorts the original intent, they tend to love it.

 

[Ranger REG]

I don't know where REG got the idea that SW creators get jealous of others using their work in different media (why would that even matter?). Except when another author seriously distorts the original intent, they tend to love it.

Hey, my bad. But that does beg the question, why didn't WotC take advantage of the KOTOR exposure and set up a supplement for it?

 

[The Human Target]

Speaking as someone who has been running a very long-term d20 Star Wars campaign since the release of the Revised Core Rulebook, I'm really, really hoping that the system is torn down and rebuilt from scratch. Forget back-compatibility with older products - there's just too much non-functional stuff that needs fixing. Really basic, core stuff, like Stun damage, and starship combat, and feebly token DCs on skill checks, a skill list that still reflects its dungeon-crawling origin far too heavily, and the complete imbalance between attack modifiers and defence scores, lightsaber combats being over in about 12 seconds whereas starfighter duels can take hours, and the disaster that is Force Points.

An errata document that's approaching the size of the core rulebook surely indicates that just reformatting the book and including stats for a few of the characters from Revenge of the Sith simply aren't going to cut it. Major surgery is required. I'm not sure to what extent the work on this book has already been done, but I'd advise the writers to go to their FLGS, but a copy of Eden's Buffy RPG, and learn how a cinematic licensed system SHOULD work. Hell, unless this product blows me away, I'll be running my next Star Wars game using a modifed version of Buffy - assuming I run it ever again, considering how burnt out I am on the whole deal after wrestling with the lousy d20 rules for so long.

Knowing Wizards, I'd be pessimistic. But OStephens mentioned playtesting above, and (so long as this playtesting covers characters above 10th level this time round - as the playtesting for the previous version conspicuously failed to do), for that reason, I will remain a little hopeful.

I rather agree with this.

 

[Ranger REG]

I rather agree with this.

By that logic, WotC should not have ordered a reprint of the two Force sourcebooks this summer. It would have been wasted moneywise (for the company and their consumers), except for those who are resistant of upgrading to a whole 'nother rules for Star Wars.