FFG SW RPG

[cheshire]

So far the only gripes I've heard about the game seem to be coming from people who haven't played it. I.E., "I don't want to pay that much for an RPG book." and "Why should we have to buy all new dice just to play."

I've not heard anyone say anything negative about the actual gameplay yet. I'd be interested to hear your honest appraisal of it.

Personally, I've run through the beginner game and found it to be fun, but challenging for us all to think on our feet with the narrative dice. That is to say we're used to "X numerical roll has Y game result." Of course there's been flexibility within that, but not quite this much flexibility. But even the beginner game is a far cry from the full RPG.
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Before we take any of this too seriously, just remember that in the middle episode a little rubber puppet moves a spaceship with his mind.

[DougRed4]

I've been playing a lot of Marvel Heroic Roleplaying lately (great game, btw!), and it's quite the change of pace from most RPGs I've become familiar with over the last 3+ decades.

Narrative games like this (and this new SW game) take a bit of getting used to, but they're also a great deal of dun, giving both the GM and the players a lot of flexibility and opening the door for a ton of creativity. They're not for everyone, but once you get the hang of them, they can be tremendously enjoyable!
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Currently Running: Villains & Vigilantes (a 32-year-old campaign with multiple groups) and D6 Star Wars; mostly on hiatus are Adventures in Middle-earth and Delta Green

[gallandro]

I've been running Edge of the Empire steadily for the last 6 months with my WEG group... everyone loves the new system. As DougRed4 said, it's a narrative system so for some old time gamers who are more used to tactical combat and counting hexes, there may be a bit of an adjustment. However, the game flows incredibly well and combat is quick.

The book itself is absolutely gorgeous and dense with detail, so even with the $60 price tag it's a pretty solid value.


Yancy

[Naaman]

WOW! I just googled this game and the artwork is easily the best I've seen in ANY RPG book. Even D&D isnt quite up to this level artwork-wise. That alone is enough to at least get me to try the game.

[cheshire]

And Age of Rebellion just got a product link for the Beta version. A lot of folks are surprised that they've got an open beta for this book. But apparently they're going to have enough new talents and such to make it worthwhile:

http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_minisite_sec.asp?eidm=245&esem=2
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Before we take any of this too seriously, just remember that in the middle episode a little rubber puppet moves a spaceship with his mind.

[Nico_Davout]

I have read and studied the new system and I must say I like it very much. D6 is going to have a deserved, final rest.....I will just add to FFG this and that from D6/D20 .
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Nico,

Han Solo shot first, midichlosomething do not exist, Rebel Alliance was created as in the WEG books and indoctrination theory is the true ending of ME3.

[jmanski]

I disagree- d6 will continue to thrive due to community support. The new game may do well, but d6 is just too beloved.
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Blasted rules. Why can't they just be perfect?

[Red 331]

I also disagree, Nico. I also like many of the elements of the new FFG system, but I still think that d6 is superior. At its core, d6 is still all about determining a difficulty number and rolling to resolve, while always putting the game mechanics as secondary to the story and having fun. That simplicity and focus on the story elements is, I think, still unmatched, even by the FFG system.

While having 448 pages for a core rulebook is impressive, I think it also points to part of the FFG system weakness. I think it's too rule-focused. The narrative dice provide some interesting results, but I also think they may force certain interpretations of the die rolls. In other words, a straight d6 roll may involve rolling against a difficulty that is only known to the GM, whereas narrative dice seem to "lock in" success or failure, without allowing the GM to guide the story, notwithstanding threats or advantages. I think d6 rules allow, and even require, a greater level of creativity, and greater range of possibilities, from the GM, and I think that's a good thing.

The talent trees in the FFG system also seem overly complicated and elaborate, whereas developing a d6 character sheet can be done quickly, with an infinite range of possible configurations. Also, while obligation and duty seem to be interesting game-mechanics ways to drive story plots, I think they are another example of forcing story to fit within a mechanical system. Creative GMs and PCs in the d6 system should be able to incorporate elements of duty and obligation without forced dice rolls.

That's my opinion, but I respect those of other people, and have not played the FFG system - although I have bought basically all of the available material to date, and have listened to the talented Jay Little and others describe the FFG system. I think it's great to see some new ideas, and the plethora of new materials that will be generated by FFG, but I still think one of the most exciting things to see from all of this will be the new conversions to the d6 system that will take place to incorporate these new materials into a time-tested system that oozes Star Wars from its core!

[Dromdarr_Alark]

I agree with Red 331 in every way.

While I absolutely love everything FFG does (particularly with 40k roleplay), I think d6 Star Wars is practically perfect for the type of game I want to run.
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"I still wouldn't have a roll for it - but that's just how I roll."

[DougRed4]

Yes, very well said, Red 331!
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Currently Running: Villains & Vigilantes (a 32-year-old campaign with multiple groups) and D6 Star Wars; mostly on hiatus are Adventures in Middle-earth and Delta Green

[cheshire]

[Nico_Davout]

LOL! Yes, I am going to give D6 a rest .

Red 331,

FFG is too rule-focused? I find it completely opposite when I compare Astrogation, Movement, Space Combat FFG rules to D6, D20 or SAGA. It is for me even a bit too little rule-focused.

I also don't like talent trees and going to skip Obligations mechanics that I find artificial. Prefer to see Obligations as Motivations, something to use to build a background story for a PC.

Anyway, SW D6 rulebook rests in peace on my shelve...but I am not going to sell it ever ever, nor other books ... actually I am still hunting some of them.

[EDIT: Finally I've found a cheap copy of Far Orbit Project !]
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Nico,

Han Solo shot first, midichlosomething do not exist, Rebel Alliance was created as in the WEG books and indoctrination theory is the true ending of ME3.

[Red 331]

Nico - you have the advantage in that it sounds like you've actually run the FFG system, and I've mainly just looked through the books and listened to some of the Order 66 Podcasts from D20 Radio. It's pretty cool to hear Jay Little talk about the FFG system - he seems very passionate about it, and must have really invested a ton of time and effort into it. It sounds like he's had some really bad health problems though - did I hear he was leaving FFG? Incidentally, I think it would have been awesome if they'd had podcasts and similar media coverage from the WEG staff back when they were developing Star Wars material. Did I hear someone was working on a Star Wars d6 podcast?

I took a look at the astrogation section in the FFG Core book, and I agree with you - that looks a little more basic than the d6 rules (at least 2nd R&E). Movement also looks a little more simple in FFG than d6 2R&E, but probably not d6 1st Ed. I'd argue that starship combat is of similar complexity based on a quick look at the rulebooks, and just in the number of pages used to cover it (4 pages in 2R&E and about 8 in FFG).

Similarly, just in sheer number of pages, the FFG rulebook has over 300 pages of rules alone, whereas 2nd R&E is 288 for the whole kit-and-kaboodle (did I spell that right?) Plus there's more text on an FFG page than the WEG rulebooks. Aren't there about a gazillion skills and talents in FFG too, or am I misinterpreting the tables? Again - I'd defer to your understanding, since you've actually played the FFG system.

One thing that also came to mind as I was leafing through both the FFG and 2nd R&E rulebooks yesterday was in terms of overall perspective. The artwork in the FFG book is stunning - absolutely amazing work! It also seems to be very well laid-out and organized. But when I went from looking through the FFG book, and took up the 2nd R&E, it was like being able to take a deep breath. Probably some of this is just familiarity, but I love how the 2ndR&E book emphasizes over and over, if you don't like a rule, make up a new one. It's just a game. And all the in-universe commentary, along with all the examples and self-depreciating humor, it's just great how the WEG folks stressed the fun part of the game - and emphasized that it was, in fact, just a game, and not to take it too seriously.

That said, it's very impressive what Jay Little and the FFG folks put together, and I'm really looking forward to (and will probably continue to buy) future supplements and other materials from FFG. The art in the book alone almost makes it worth it. But I really do hope that folks in the Rancor Pit community continue to do the stat conversions to d6, so that we can buy the FFG books, but run them in d6 if we choose to.

Nico, how would you compare the process of interpreting the narrative dice compared to using the wild die mechanics? Do you think it encourages more creativity or less from the GM's perspective? What about the PCs'? And which WEG books are you still looking for? I may have an extra one I'd be willing to part with, just to make sure you stay grounded in the d6 system.

[cheshire]

[Nico_Davout]