Saga is for space opera, where everybody knows (a little) about everything. This is actually a neat implementation of that scheme. For a collection of highly-educated experts, i.e. a more realistic campaign, SW SAGA certainly isn't the right place to go to.

I beg to differ.

I mean, you are right with the rules, no question, I was aware of that.
But I had that degree of skill-based play with the RC.

It seems we extrapolate different things from the same rules. Interesting.

Only Gameplay will tell.

Quote from: SettembriniThe graphics. Nothing filling me with the urgent inspiration I get from, say, a Rifts cover. Some pics look like they took some US college students in robes as their models, in a bad way.

Um, what?

It's star wars, why would you do this when you can use stills from the movies?

Quote from: SettembriniI beg to differ.

I mean, you are right with the rules, no question, I was aware of that.
But I had that degree of skill-based play with the RC.

It seems we extrapolate different things from the same rules. Interesting.

Only Gameplay will tell.

So what part bugs you about the skill system? IIRC, you play D&D, right? It works pretty much the same, except you automatically get a "skill rank" in all skills every-other level, instead of buying them.

Quote from: SettembriniI beg to differ.

I mean, you are right with the rules, no question, I was aware of that.
But I had that degree of skill-based play with the RC.

It seems we extrapolate different things from the same rules. Interesting.

You're referring to my post? Sorry, it seems what we have here is a failure to communicate...

Was answering to MCrow.

MCrow: Yepp, the skill system would be pure gold for D&D, that´s why I made the RC/OD&D allusion.

Sosthenes: Yes, that´s my beef with it. Nothing objective here going on.

Quote from: signoftheserpentUm, what?

It's star wars, why would you do this when you can use stills from the movies?

Most of the book is illustrations.  Pretty cool ones, actually. There are what look like photo montages at the beginning of each chapter. They have been very slightly filtered to give them an illustrated look.  They are stills of actual characters from the movie with some other characters that weren't in the movie, I guess to show examples of PCs that aren't already existing characters.  I believe that is what Settembrini is referring to.  They didn't look all that great, but there are only a few of them.  The bulk of the art in the book is illustration.

I do have to kind of agree with Settembrini about the overall feeling of the art.  The art was good, but only once did I have a moment that was like "Cool!"  I think it was the picture of a firefight in the desert and a wookie or something leaping out from a crevasse.  Though I am pretty done with Star Wars as a setting, so it could be that as well.

Quote from: SettembriniSosthenes: Yes, that´s my beef with it. Nothing objective here going on.

I was quite aware that this is not your preferred sci-fi style, and for purely illustrative reasons decided to post my acknowledgement of that right here. I just didn't get the "extrapolate" part, if that truly was aimed at my particular comment. The reason for the SW SAGA rules seems perfectly clear to me.

Quote from: walkerpI do have to kind of agree with Settembrini about the overall feeling of the art.  The art was good, but only once did I have a moment that was like "Cool!"  I think it was the picture of a firefight in the desert and a wookie or something leaping out from a crevasse.  Though I am pretty done with Star Wars as a setting, so it could be that as well.

The art itself was good, most of the time. The art _direction_ could be better, as there are just too many clashing styles. Movie stills, simplistic art and almost photo-realistic pictures. Not as bad as Shadowrun with its Bradstreet-Laubenstein dichotomy, but it's certainly no unified style like e.g. the D&D core books. And too much re-used art from previous editions. Can't blame them for that, though...

Maybe they thought it looked more futuristic or fit better with design elements they really wanted.

Seanchai

Quote from: SettembriniWas answering to MCrow.

MCrow: Yepp, the skill system would be pure gold for D&D, that´s why I made the RC/OD&D allusion.

Sosthenes: Yes, that´s my beef with it. Nothing objective here going on.

Ok, I misunderstood you.  I thought you didn't like the rules, it sounds like you SW in general isn't your thing.

That's cool.

Quote from: stu2000Just being a little different is a good thing. Game books overall are so uniform it's eerie.

There's a reason for that. They're shown to be what works best for a game manual.

RPGPundit

I mean it´s not a bad shape of the book.
I just wonder what good it does.

Quote from: SettembriniI mean it´s not a bad shape of the book.
I just wonder what good it does.

Well, for me it's easier to hold ( I have smaller hands). It also seems to lay open better and fits my gaming bag better. It could cause problems for stacking though.

Oh.. and part of it may have been to seperate it from other RPGs on the shelves. This thing is pretty enough to pass for a SW coffetable book.

Quote from: RPGPunditThere's a reason for that. They're shown to be what works best for a game manual.

RPGPundit

Well, Saga certainly seems to work in its 9x9 format, at least IMO. Perhaps it'll set a new standard?