I'm thinking of running a new Star Wars game, using the SWSE rules. I've been a fan of the original trilogy ever since I saw the first movie at the theater when I was a kid. I've seen the other attempts at movies, and read a few Timothy Zahn books, but I haven't watched any of the animated series or read the majority of the EU (extended universe) novels.

I've played a few games before where the other players really knew the EU inside and out and had heard of just about every planet mentioned in the game, and even knew details about them.

If I ran a game, I'd pretty much just make up everything except for perhaps a few well known worlds like Tatooine or Coruscant. Is this going to be a problem? Are most people who are interested in playing Star Wars going to be the die hard fans who know everything there is to know? Will my lack of canon knowledge lead to confrontation with players?

Lastly, I never quite know what time period to set the game in. If the game takes place at the same time as one of the movies, PC actions tend to be overshadowed by the meta-events going on. Any suggestions for good time periods to run things in?

I have aways been a fan of, and have had success with, a kind of "Zen of Star Wars" gamemastering style.

The idea is simple: You take the original trilogy, and you internalize it...and most importantly, you focus on what it's made of, not just what it is.

Star Wars is made out of melodrama, adventure serials, samurai flicks, hot rods and vague mysticism.  It's not made out of hard SF; it's not made out of horror.  Go into it knowing what inspired it, what powered it, what made it Star Wars, retain the basic expectations (i.e. stuff from the moves), and you cannot fail.

Start adding soy sauce to your ice cream, though, and you're on your own.

Speaking for myself, when I play a SW game, I couldn't care less. When I run one, I try to stick to some of the canon, like world names and such, but I don't let the play vs. run affect my enjoyment. And things like midichlorians are Right Out. Always.

Here's a link to a cannonical map of the galaxy, if you think it'd be helpful. The internet is about 28% Star Wars stuff, by my rough estimation.

http://www.starwarss.com/

Quote from: GoOrangeIf I ran a game, I'd pretty much just make up everything except for perhaps a few well known worlds like Tatooine or Coruscant. Is this going to be a problem?

Well I don't see a problem with it, what will your players think? Also it does make using some online resources a little difficult. Like Wookiepedia. But certainly not impossible.

QuoteAre most people who are interested in playing Star Wars going to be the die hard fans who know everything there is to know? Will my lack of canon knowledge lead to confrontation with players?

I have no idea. I can't answer any of these questions about your group. My own group is pretty laid back, and as long as we're having fun they don't care.

QuoteLastly, I never quite know what time period to set the game in. If the game takes place at the same time as one of the movies, PC actions tend to be overshadowed by the meta-events going on. Any suggestions for good time periods to run things in?

I'm running my game in the time just before the Rebellion Era, as I want the Death Star to be large as life, and Darth Vader to be scourge of the universe. (I don't plan on the players ever coming across them ever running across either one, but I like that they're there in the background.)

I've never been a fan of the EU stuff, and take the prequel trilogies with a boatload of salt. So in my case it wouldn't matter at all.

For what it's worth I think Doc Rotwang is bang on the money. You're far better off shooting for an evocative interpretation than a technically accurate one. Just make sure that everyone at the table understands that this is your Star Wars, not the Lucasarts approved version.

Quote from: DrewJust make sure that everyone at the table understands that this is your Star Wars, not the Lucasarts approved version.

Agreed-in fact my game is going to be so horrifyingly evil that George would have my head. We're going to love every moment of it!

I'm running a Star Wars Saga game now, and the first thing I did was smash canon to itty bitty pieces.

I'm running basically an alternate universe Star Wars game where R2 and 3PO got shot down or captured (I'm being purposefully vague) right at the beginning of Episode IV.  So, basically, I got to take all the main characters from the movies and twist them however I felt like doing.

There's a thread about that somewhere on this forum...

-O

I don´t understand the gripes most people have with the EU.
Thrawn and his Empire are totally and way more SW, than the Prequels were.

Especially the gigantic civil war between the New Republic and the Empire is raging for y-e-a-r-s.
There´s a fucking million of planets and 25,000 Sectors with as many Star Detroyers and 72 times that in TIE Fighters.

You can save thousands of planets ind gigantic battles and epic struggles without even crossing paths with the Skywalker bunch.

There´s a lot to do!

Quote from: obrynI'm running basically an alternate universe Star Wars game where R2 and 3PO got shot down or captured (I'm being purposefully vague) right at the beginning of Episode IV.  So, basically, I got to take all the main characters from the movies and twist them however I felt like doing.

Is this yours?

Quote from: SettembriniThere´s a lot to do!

In any era. There's really no dead era in this game.

Quote from: SettembriniI don´t understand the gripes most people have with the EU.
Thrawn and his Empire are totally and way more SW, than the Prequels were.

Especially the gigantic civil war between the New Republic and the Empire is raging for y-e-a-r-s.
There´s a fucking million of planets and 25,000 Sectors with as many Star Detroyers and 72 times that in TIE Fighters.

You can save thousands of planets ind gigantic battles and epic struggles without even crossing paths with the Skywalker bunch.

There´s a lot to do!

I like Thrawn as well. The only EU books I've read were the ones dealing with him.

Quote from: Serious PaulIs this yours?

Holy shit!  No, but it looks a whole damn lot like mine at first glance.

edit:  To expand, I have Leia becoming Vader's apprentice, among other things, and betraying the Rebellion.

-O

Quote from: Dr Rotwang!I have aways been a fan of, and have had success with, a kind of "Zen of Star Wars" gamemastering style.

The idea is simple: You take the original trilogy, and you internalize it...and most importantly, you focus on what it's made of, not just what it is.

Star Wars is made out of melodrama, adventure serials, samurai flicks, hot rods and vague mysticism.  It's not made out of hard SF; it's not made out of horror.  Go into it knowing what inspired it, what powered it, what made it Star Wars, retain the basic expectations (i.e. stuff from the moves), and you cannot fail.

Start adding soy sauce to your ice cream, though, and you're on your own.

I pretty much am trying to take this approach with my new Star Wars campaign.  Nothing is canonical, everything is permissable, so long as it fits into the overall tone and theme of the original trilogy.

Next session I'm having a 'sub hunt' inside a nebula, in the vein of the Mutara Nebula sequence from Star Trek II or the TOS episode Balance of Terror.  Not because I'm intentionally mixing Star Wars and Star Trek, but because 'WWII in Outer Space' is one of thematic threads running through the original film.

Maybe the post-rebellion era would be cool. It would be pretty familiar to most people and would be easier to have stuff happen without the events of the movie looming overhead. I could invent a new Sith Lord and apprentice for bad guys and come up with an admiral (a rank below Thrawn) who is in charge of the sector where most of the action occurs.

There's no reason a few self-made Jedi couldn't start appearing as PCs.

Hmm. Has potential.

Quote from: SettembriniI don´t understand the gripes most people have with the EU.
Thrawn and his Empire are totally and way more SW, than the Prequels were.

I just found them pedestrian. For me the SW saga ended with the death of Palpatine, the toppling of the Empire and the redemption of Vader. Everything  that followed felt like a faint echo of things resolved, and only served to undermine the epic struggle of the original trilogy in my mind.

Of course I'm aware that many people do not share this view. If the EU stuff floats your boat then good for you. Just don't expect me to take any of it into account when it's my turn to GM Star Wars.