This story has been making the rounds of the internet recently- George Lucas states that Han was never a 'cold blooded killer', and that the scene with Greedo was always intended to play out with Greedo shooting first, then Han. In fact, Lucas now says that there was a wider shot that he didn't use in the final(heh) version that showed this.
To all of this, I say- meh.
I try not to get upset about Star Wars hoopla anymore. I am far past my 'angry fanboy' stage now (for an example of fanboy rage, see my earliest posts on this blog). The only thing that really ticks me off anymore is "The Force Unleashed" franchise.
Whether George is telling the truth about this 'wider shot' or not doesn't change my opinion of the scene as it played out originally:
In the 'real' version of the scene, Greedo takes Han at gunpoint and proceeds to tell him flat out that he's going to kill him. Thus, Han shooting him from beneath the table is an act of self defense- and quite justifiable in any one's eyes. I never for a minute thought "Oooh, Solo is a cold blooded killer!" (though evidently, quite a few others got that...) My thought was. "Yeah, that was pragmatic. The guy says he's going to kill you, so you kill him first. Makes sense to me."
In short, it was again something that didn't need to be 'fixed'.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Monday, February 13, 2012
Star Wars Injuries
One of the main differences between the first and second editions of the Star Wars D6 Role Playing Game is the combat damage system. I won't go into a lot of detail, but suffice it to say that the combat system in 2nd edition is a good deal more lethal than in 1st. The 2nd edition rulebook says this: "Combat in the Star Wars game is fairly lethal. The key to survival is not to get hit." It goes on to stress the importance of defensive skills, like dodge and parry, and concludes with: "Just like in the movies, most characters that get shot are seriously injured or killed. You've been warned!".
This was a large step from the rather forgiving system found in the earlier edition, and one I never agreed with. I also do not agree with the observation that spawned this change. While I agree that NPCs in the Star Wars movies do indeed seem to get dropped, the heroes themselves can and do take a beating- and don't die from it.
Below is a list of the times the various 'Player Characters' of the Original trilogy get injured. Note, this only covers the six 'main' characters of the movies (Luke, Leia, Han, Chewbacca, Artoo and Threepio).
STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE:
1) Leia is Stunned (Incapacitated) by Stormtroopers
2) Artoo is Stunned (Incapacitated) by Jawas
3) Luke is Knocked out (Incapacitated) by Tusken Raiders in melee combat
4) Threepio is Incapacitated by Tusken Raiders (and loses an arm) in melee combat.
5) Artoo is nearly destroyed (Incapacitated/Mortally wounded) by a laser blast from Darth Vader's TIE fighter during the final battle of the Death Star.
STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK:
1) Luke is Incapacitated by a Wampa then mortally injured by exposure to cold
2) Artoo is attacked and swallowed (and then spit out) by a Dragonsnake on Dagobah
3) Threepio is blasted to bits (mortally wounded?) by Stormtroopers on Bespin
4) Han is beaten down (Stunned) by Lando's guards after attacking Lando
5) Luke is Wounded by Vader's telekinetic attacks
6) Luke's hand is chopped off by Vader
STAR WARS: THE RETURN OF THE JEDI
1) Luke is shot in the hand by one of Jabba's henchmen during the battle at the Sarlacc pit.
2) Chewbacca is shot in the leg by one of Jabba's henchmen, again at the battle of the Sarlacc pit.
3) Threepio has his eye ripped out by one of Jabba's henchmen (and yes again, at the battle of the Sarlacc pit.
4) Han is clobbered by a Biker Scout on Endor after he fails in sneaking up on him.
5) Leia is knocked unconscious after falling off her speeder bike during the chase with the Biker Scouts.
6) Luke is severely injured by the Emperor's Force Lightning.
7) Artoo is shot as he tries to open the Bunker door on Endor.
8) Leia is shot as she covers Han at the Bunker door on Endor.
Each of these Episodes constitutes what I would consider a typical Star Wars 'Adventure' in a Roleplaying Game- encompassing one or two play sessions. The numbers of injuries sustained by the player characters are…well, very much in line with my own experience. Heroes in Star Wars DO get beat up, rather regularly, and are able to come back from it relatively quickly. This is one of the reasons I have kept with the 'less lethal' version of combat presented in the first edition. To me, it better reflects the 'cinematic' realism of the movies. I simply can't envision playing (or running) a Star Wars game in which the heroes are constantly getting killed by unlucky rolls. That may be the norm in many other systems and settings (D&D comes to mind) but to me, it just doesn't reflect what we see in the movies- and THAT is what I want from a Star Wars experience.
Anyway, it was just an observation.
This was a large step from the rather forgiving system found in the earlier edition, and one I never agreed with. I also do not agree with the observation that spawned this change. While I agree that NPCs in the Star Wars movies do indeed seem to get dropped, the heroes themselves can and do take a beating- and don't die from it.
Below is a list of the times the various 'Player Characters' of the Original trilogy get injured. Note, this only covers the six 'main' characters of the movies (Luke, Leia, Han, Chewbacca, Artoo and Threepio).
STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE:
1) Leia is Stunned (Incapacitated) by Stormtroopers
2) Artoo is Stunned (Incapacitated) by Jawas
3) Luke is Knocked out (Incapacitated) by Tusken Raiders in melee combat
4) Threepio is Incapacitated by Tusken Raiders (and loses an arm) in melee combat.
5) Artoo is nearly destroyed (Incapacitated/Mortally wounded) by a laser blast from Darth Vader's TIE fighter during the final battle of the Death Star.
STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK:
1) Luke is Incapacitated by a Wampa then mortally injured by exposure to cold
2) Artoo is attacked and swallowed (and then spit out) by a Dragonsnake on Dagobah
3) Threepio is blasted to bits (mortally wounded?) by Stormtroopers on Bespin
4) Han is beaten down (Stunned) by Lando's guards after attacking Lando
5) Luke is Wounded by Vader's telekinetic attacks
6) Luke's hand is chopped off by Vader
STAR WARS: THE RETURN OF THE JEDI
1) Luke is shot in the hand by one of Jabba's henchmen during the battle at the Sarlacc pit.
2) Chewbacca is shot in the leg by one of Jabba's henchmen, again at the battle of the Sarlacc pit.
3) Threepio has his eye ripped out by one of Jabba's henchmen (and yes again, at the battle of the Sarlacc pit.
4) Han is clobbered by a Biker Scout on Endor after he fails in sneaking up on him.
5) Leia is knocked unconscious after falling off her speeder bike during the chase with the Biker Scouts.
6) Luke is severely injured by the Emperor's Force Lightning.
7) Artoo is shot as he tries to open the Bunker door on Endor.
8) Leia is shot as she covers Han at the Bunker door on Endor.
Each of these Episodes constitutes what I would consider a typical Star Wars 'Adventure' in a Roleplaying Game- encompassing one or two play sessions. The numbers of injuries sustained by the player characters are…well, very much in line with my own experience. Heroes in Star Wars DO get beat up, rather regularly, and are able to come back from it relatively quickly. This is one of the reasons I have kept with the 'less lethal' version of combat presented in the first edition. To me, it better reflects the 'cinematic' realism of the movies. I simply can't envision playing (or running) a Star Wars game in which the heroes are constantly getting killed by unlucky rolls. That may be the norm in many other systems and settings (D&D comes to mind) but to me, it just doesn't reflect what we see in the movies- and THAT is what I want from a Star Wars experience.
Anyway, it was just an observation.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
TUESDAY TANGENT: League of Extraordinary Gentlement, 1990s
Once again, I will delve into the realm of geekery to post up who (and what) I would recruit into my 1990s era LXG. While some choices may seem like no-brainers, others will possibly baffle. I will therefore attempt to explain why I chose the people I did. I will also make honorable mention of some of those who did not make the cut (along with reasons why). Again, the ‘rules’ for this are basically that these must be movie or ‘literary’ characters, but not full-time members of any comic book combined universe. So without further ado…
LXG: TEAM 1990s
Special Agent Fox Mulder, FBI (Source: “X-Files” TV Series)
Portrayed by David Duchovney
OOC: 90’s sci-fi/horror? Of course Agent Mulder.
In an LXG universe, Mulder would be mostly unchanged from his TV appearances. He is an agent with the FBI, self-assigned to work on ‘odd’ cases. His success in this area as well as his investigatory skills and occult knowledge would prove invaluable to a LXG team. In fact, he would be the ‘leader’ of the group. Though he isn’t exactly the ‘inspirational general’ type, his passion and drive would be more than enough to compensate and to keep the team on-task. That having been said, he wouldn’t be a huge help in physical altercations. Though trained in firearms and self-defense, he’s no combat monster. He would, however, be the one most likely to know the weakness of any ‘strange’ things faced. He could also call upon his contacts in the FBI- most notably his (former) partner Dana Scully. Though the ultimate skeptic, she would be an invaluable scientific aide.
Buffy Summers, Vampire Slayer (Source: “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” TV Series)
Portrayed by Sarah Michelle Gellar
OOC: An icon of 90’s horror/comedy/drama
Born with the mystical powers of the Vampire Slayer, Buffy has, in just a short while, become an incredibly powerful and accomplished slayer of all kinds of monsters: from Vampires to Werewolves to Demons to Witches. You name it, odds are she’s faced it. It is for these reasons she would be highly sought after to join the League. Her strong personality, intelligence, dedication and moral sense would, in fact, make her an excellent leader for the group. The only thing lacking in that regard would be experience in managing others (and perhaps her independent and self-sacrificing nature). While Mulder would be the ‘brains’ of the operation, Buffy would be its heart and inspiration. Unlike Mulder, Buffy’s personal knowledge of the occult would be somewhat limited. She would, however, be able to call upon her friends (particularly Giles) for assistance in this regard. In fact, her occult resources would probably far exceed the FBI’s own. As a Slayer, Buffy is also supernaturally strong and fast and possesses the ability to ‘sense’ Vampires. She is also highly skilled in hand-to-hand, melee and even ranged combat (with crossbows, at least).
Eric Draven, Vengeful Spirit (Source: “The Crow” Motion Picture)
Portrayed by Brandon Lee
OOC: An icon of 90’s action/melodrama/occult.
Though his exact ‘status’ is difficult to categorize, most occult scholars would classify Eric as ‘undead’. He doesn’t seem to conform to most undead stereotypes, however. He isn’t a vampire, or a zombie, or a disembodied spirit. He has a physical form, but it seems to be impervious to (or ‘heals’ quickly from) any kind of physical injury. His only weakness seems to be his totem animal companion: the Crow that accompanies him and also seems to grant him some form of extra-sensory perception. If it is injured, so is Eric. Draven also seems to possess superhuman speed, reflexes and agility- and possibly strength. ‘Born’ from a great injustice and tragedy, Eric is drawn to right these kinds of wrongs. An artist at heart, Eric wouldn’t be the best candidate for leadership, in fact, he would be one of those most likely to try and go off on his own. Thus, he would require some management by his team leader and mates. Eric is a fair armed and unarmed combatant, but is perhaps a bit too reliant on his invulnerability. He enjoys making big entrances and often gets shot up unnecessarily while doing so. This can, however, be greatly intimidating to some foes, so it has its uses.
Benton Fraser, R.C.M.P. (Source: “Due South” TV Series)
Portrayed by Paul Gross
OOC: A memorable, but perhaps obscure character with a lot of…well, character.
While at first glance the inclusion of this forthright and upstanding Canadian Mountie might seem very odd, there are a number of factors that would make Fraser a powerful addition to the League. Though he believes in non-violent resolutions to most matters, he is nevertheless an accomplished unarmed-combatant and marksman. He is also a skilled investigator and gatherer of clues. Fraser is also a peerless tracker, able to follow the slightest clue to find his quarry, even in urban settings. Likewise, his skills of survival (taught by years spent in the great northern wilderness of Canada) are unmatched. He has also displayed incredibly keen senses (particularly of hearing and sight) and above-average physical abilities (strength, agility, etc.). Beyond these abilities, Fraser is also a very rare thing: a ‘pure spirit’. He doesn’t just preach the ideals “doing good” and “fighting the good fight”, he lives them. This could make him a very potent weapon against many occult powers, particularly those who react poorly to ‘faith’. Though he does not openly reveal it, Fraser also has a form of supernatural perception that allows him to see and actually converse with the dead: or at least his own Father. Though perhaps dismissed as a figment of his imagination, Fraser’s father has nevertheless become a kind of spirit guide, looking out for his son, offering advice and sometimes even providing cryptic information on the situation at hand. Benton is assisted in his adventures by his faithful Wolf: Diefenbaker. Though deaf, the wolf is exceptionally intelligent and capable and nicely complements his human companion in urban or wilderness settings. While at first glance Benton might seem to be a good team leader, his lack of experience with the occult (and other strangeness) would put him at somewhat of a disadvantage compared to the others. Oh, and he’s not a bad singer, either. And yes, of course he knows how to ride horses. Very well, in fact.
Darkman (Source: “Darkman” Motion Picture)
Portrayed by Liam Neeson
A brilliant scientist, Peyton Westlake became the victim of a crimelord’s attempt to cover up his misdeeds. He is left horribly disfigured, with a deadened nervous system and an overloaded adrenal gland giving him a deadened sense of pain and enhanced strength. The trauma of this has also left him mentally unstable. Utilizing his experimental synthetic skin experiment, Westlake (now calling himself Darkman), killed those responsible for his tragedy. Unfortunately, he could not cope with returning to a ‘normal’ life afterward and became a vigilante. Though brilliant and in possession of remarkable abilities (and technology), Westlake is unstable and a ‘risky’ choice for the team. Even so, his ability to impersonate others (as well as his scientific expertise in several areas) is what finally won over the selection committee.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS:
Cole Sear (Source: “The Sixth Sense” Motion Picture)
Portrayed by Haley Joel Osment
Identified by the League for his extra-sensory perception of “Dead People”, Only Cole’s youth (having been born in 1988) keeps him from being recruited. Even so, a watch is being kept upon him as he grows up- and if needed, he could be brought in on special cases to help communicate with the dead.
Halliwell Sisters (Source: “Charmed” TV Series)
Portrayed by Shannen Doherty, Holly Marie Combs and Alyssa Milano
A coven of Witches who only recently inherited their power, the Halliwell sisters are rapidly gaining experience in identifying and defeating supernatural menaces. They have been identified by the League as a ‘backup’ resource for their primary team, but were not recruited for active duty mainly due to their resistance to leaving their home and ‘normal lives’.
Chance Boudreaux (Source: “Hard Target” Motion Picture)
Portrayed by Jean-Claude Van Damme
A former special-forces soldier turned drifter/merchant marine sailor, Chance seems a somewhat odd choice. He was brought onto the team mainly to shore up its combat potential- in both hand to hand and ranged engagements. He is also quite skilled in survival techniques, especially in a swamp setting such a his native bayou in Louisiana. Having grown up in the back woods of this region, he also has a smattering of knowledge of voodoo and other folk-occult/religion practices- though he considers these mostly as superstitions. It was his actions versus a human-hunting conspiracy in New Orleans that brought him to the League’s attention. He is a loner by nature, however, and this is the primary reason he was rejected for team membership. Though he never talks about it, Chance has a twin brother, Luc, who was (supposedly) killed during the Gulf War in which they both fought.
Casey Ryback (Source: “Under Siege” Motion Picture)
Portrayed by Steven Seagal
A former Navy SEAL busted for numerous infractions and insubordinations, Ryback recently retired from the Navy after an incident involving the hijacking of a U.S. Battleship. He has since pursued his career as a cook and hopes to open his own restaurant. Though an incredibly skilled combatant (both armed and unarmed), his attitude and personality precluded him from selection for the LXG team.
Jack Ryan (Source: “The Hunt for Red Oktober” Motion Picture)
Portrayed by Alec Baldwin
A former marine turned analyst for the CIA, Ryan posseses a sharp mind and extensive technical knowledge of the world’s military technology and systems (particularly naval technology). He is also a trained combatant and has proven brave and resourceful in a variety of dangerous situations. He is also a family man, and it is primarily for this reason (and his previous back injury) that he was not recruited into the League. He is, however open as an advisor for missions dealing with the military.
Nikita (Source: “Nikita” Motion Picture)
Portrayed by Bridget Fonda (yes, I know she wasn’t in the original)
A former drug addict and street criminal recruited by a shadowy organization to be an agent and assassin. Nikita is incredibly resourceful, quick-thinking and talented. Unfortunately, she doesn’t work well with others and has (understandable) trust issues. Her association with her current organization also made her less than desirable for recruitment into the team.
John Cutter (Source: “Passenger 57” and “Drop Zone” Motion Pictures)
Portrayed by Wesley Snipes
A U.S. Marshall with accidental but extensive experience in bringing down terrorist cells. This included both a hijacking of a civilian airliner and thwarting a gang of parachute-based mercenaries. Cutter is an expert ad hand-to-hand combat and a talented marksman. He is also extensively trained in skydiving techniques. His main limitation (from the League’s perspective) is his lack of experience with supernatural or other ‘odd’ situations.
Jackie (Source: “Armor of God II: Operation Condor” Motion Picture)
Portrayed by Jackie Chan
Jackie (also known as the ‘Asian Hawk’) is an adventurer. Part archaeologist, part mercenary, part agent, part explorer and part thrill-seeker- his capabilities are broad. When you add to this the fact that he is one of the best martial artists in the world, you have a very powerful candidate for recruitment by the League. He has a penchant for working alone, however, and truth be told he prefers it that way. All the same, the League has kept his name and contact information ‘on file’ should he be necessary to assist or supplement the main team.
So, there you have it. Disagree with my choices? Did I overlook anyone? Let me know what you think.
LXG: TEAM 1990s
Special Agent Fox Mulder, FBI (Source: “X-Files” TV Series)
Portrayed by David Duchovney
OOC: 90’s sci-fi/horror? Of course Agent Mulder.
In an LXG universe, Mulder would be mostly unchanged from his TV appearances. He is an agent with the FBI, self-assigned to work on ‘odd’ cases. His success in this area as well as his investigatory skills and occult knowledge would prove invaluable to a LXG team. In fact, he would be the ‘leader’ of the group. Though he isn’t exactly the ‘inspirational general’ type, his passion and drive would be more than enough to compensate and to keep the team on-task. That having been said, he wouldn’t be a huge help in physical altercations. Though trained in firearms and self-defense, he’s no combat monster. He would, however, be the one most likely to know the weakness of any ‘strange’ things faced. He could also call upon his contacts in the FBI- most notably his (former) partner Dana Scully. Though the ultimate skeptic, she would be an invaluable scientific aide.
Buffy Summers, Vampire Slayer (Source: “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” TV Series)
Portrayed by Sarah Michelle Gellar
OOC: An icon of 90’s horror/comedy/drama
Born with the mystical powers of the Vampire Slayer, Buffy has, in just a short while, become an incredibly powerful and accomplished slayer of all kinds of monsters: from Vampires to Werewolves to Demons to Witches. You name it, odds are she’s faced it. It is for these reasons she would be highly sought after to join the League. Her strong personality, intelligence, dedication and moral sense would, in fact, make her an excellent leader for the group. The only thing lacking in that regard would be experience in managing others (and perhaps her independent and self-sacrificing nature). While Mulder would be the ‘brains’ of the operation, Buffy would be its heart and inspiration. Unlike Mulder, Buffy’s personal knowledge of the occult would be somewhat limited. She would, however, be able to call upon her friends (particularly Giles) for assistance in this regard. In fact, her occult resources would probably far exceed the FBI’s own. As a Slayer, Buffy is also supernaturally strong and fast and possesses the ability to ‘sense’ Vampires. She is also highly skilled in hand-to-hand, melee and even ranged combat (with crossbows, at least).
Eric Draven, Vengeful Spirit (Source: “The Crow” Motion Picture)
Portrayed by Brandon Lee
OOC: An icon of 90’s action/melodrama/occult.
Though his exact ‘status’ is difficult to categorize, most occult scholars would classify Eric as ‘undead’. He doesn’t seem to conform to most undead stereotypes, however. He isn’t a vampire, or a zombie, or a disembodied spirit. He has a physical form, but it seems to be impervious to (or ‘heals’ quickly from) any kind of physical injury. His only weakness seems to be his totem animal companion: the Crow that accompanies him and also seems to grant him some form of extra-sensory perception. If it is injured, so is Eric. Draven also seems to possess superhuman speed, reflexes and agility- and possibly strength. ‘Born’ from a great injustice and tragedy, Eric is drawn to right these kinds of wrongs. An artist at heart, Eric wouldn’t be the best candidate for leadership, in fact, he would be one of those most likely to try and go off on his own. Thus, he would require some management by his team leader and mates. Eric is a fair armed and unarmed combatant, but is perhaps a bit too reliant on his invulnerability. He enjoys making big entrances and often gets shot up unnecessarily while doing so. This can, however, be greatly intimidating to some foes, so it has its uses.
Benton Fraser, R.C.M.P. (Source: “Due South” TV Series)
Portrayed by Paul Gross
OOC: A memorable, but perhaps obscure character with a lot of…well, character.
While at first glance the inclusion of this forthright and upstanding Canadian Mountie might seem very odd, there are a number of factors that would make Fraser a powerful addition to the League. Though he believes in non-violent resolutions to most matters, he is nevertheless an accomplished unarmed-combatant and marksman. He is also a skilled investigator and gatherer of clues. Fraser is also a peerless tracker, able to follow the slightest clue to find his quarry, even in urban settings. Likewise, his skills of survival (taught by years spent in the great northern wilderness of Canada) are unmatched. He has also displayed incredibly keen senses (particularly of hearing and sight) and above-average physical abilities (strength, agility, etc.). Beyond these abilities, Fraser is also a very rare thing: a ‘pure spirit’. He doesn’t just preach the ideals “doing good” and “fighting the good fight”, he lives them. This could make him a very potent weapon against many occult powers, particularly those who react poorly to ‘faith’. Though he does not openly reveal it, Fraser also has a form of supernatural perception that allows him to see and actually converse with the dead: or at least his own Father. Though perhaps dismissed as a figment of his imagination, Fraser’s father has nevertheless become a kind of spirit guide, looking out for his son, offering advice and sometimes even providing cryptic information on the situation at hand. Benton is assisted in his adventures by his faithful Wolf: Diefenbaker. Though deaf, the wolf is exceptionally intelligent and capable and nicely complements his human companion in urban or wilderness settings. While at first glance Benton might seem to be a good team leader, his lack of experience with the occult (and other strangeness) would put him at somewhat of a disadvantage compared to the others. Oh, and he’s not a bad singer, either. And yes, of course he knows how to ride horses. Very well, in fact.
Darkman (Source: “Darkman” Motion Picture)
Portrayed by Liam Neeson
A brilliant scientist, Peyton Westlake became the victim of a crimelord’s attempt to cover up his misdeeds. He is left horribly disfigured, with a deadened nervous system and an overloaded adrenal gland giving him a deadened sense of pain and enhanced strength. The trauma of this has also left him mentally unstable. Utilizing his experimental synthetic skin experiment, Westlake (now calling himself Darkman), killed those responsible for his tragedy. Unfortunately, he could not cope with returning to a ‘normal’ life afterward and became a vigilante. Though brilliant and in possession of remarkable abilities (and technology), Westlake is unstable and a ‘risky’ choice for the team. Even so, his ability to impersonate others (as well as his scientific expertise in several areas) is what finally won over the selection committee.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS:
Cole Sear (Source: “The Sixth Sense” Motion Picture)
Portrayed by Haley Joel Osment
Identified by the League for his extra-sensory perception of “Dead People”, Only Cole’s youth (having been born in 1988) keeps him from being recruited. Even so, a watch is being kept upon him as he grows up- and if needed, he could be brought in on special cases to help communicate with the dead.
Halliwell Sisters (Source: “Charmed” TV Series)
Portrayed by Shannen Doherty, Holly Marie Combs and Alyssa Milano
A coven of Witches who only recently inherited their power, the Halliwell sisters are rapidly gaining experience in identifying and defeating supernatural menaces. They have been identified by the League as a ‘backup’ resource for their primary team, but were not recruited for active duty mainly due to their resistance to leaving their home and ‘normal lives’.
Chance Boudreaux (Source: “Hard Target” Motion Picture)
Portrayed by Jean-Claude Van Damme
A former special-forces soldier turned drifter/merchant marine sailor, Chance seems a somewhat odd choice. He was brought onto the team mainly to shore up its combat potential- in both hand to hand and ranged engagements. He is also quite skilled in survival techniques, especially in a swamp setting such a his native bayou in Louisiana. Having grown up in the back woods of this region, he also has a smattering of knowledge of voodoo and other folk-occult/religion practices- though he considers these mostly as superstitions. It was his actions versus a human-hunting conspiracy in New Orleans that brought him to the League’s attention. He is a loner by nature, however, and this is the primary reason he was rejected for team membership. Though he never talks about it, Chance has a twin brother, Luc, who was (supposedly) killed during the Gulf War in which they both fought.
Casey Ryback (Source: “Under Siege” Motion Picture)
Portrayed by Steven Seagal
A former Navy SEAL busted for numerous infractions and insubordinations, Ryback recently retired from the Navy after an incident involving the hijacking of a U.S. Battleship. He has since pursued his career as a cook and hopes to open his own restaurant. Though an incredibly skilled combatant (both armed and unarmed), his attitude and personality precluded him from selection for the LXG team.
Jack Ryan (Source: “The Hunt for Red Oktober” Motion Picture)
Portrayed by Alec Baldwin
A former marine turned analyst for the CIA, Ryan posseses a sharp mind and extensive technical knowledge of the world’s military technology and systems (particularly naval technology). He is also a trained combatant and has proven brave and resourceful in a variety of dangerous situations. He is also a family man, and it is primarily for this reason (and his previous back injury) that he was not recruited into the League. He is, however open as an advisor for missions dealing with the military.
Nikita (Source: “Nikita” Motion Picture)
Portrayed by Bridget Fonda (yes, I know she wasn’t in the original)
A former drug addict and street criminal recruited by a shadowy organization to be an agent and assassin. Nikita is incredibly resourceful, quick-thinking and talented. Unfortunately, she doesn’t work well with others and has (understandable) trust issues. Her association with her current organization also made her less than desirable for recruitment into the team.
John Cutter (Source: “Passenger 57” and “Drop Zone” Motion Pictures)
Portrayed by Wesley Snipes
A U.S. Marshall with accidental but extensive experience in bringing down terrorist cells. This included both a hijacking of a civilian airliner and thwarting a gang of parachute-based mercenaries. Cutter is an expert ad hand-to-hand combat and a talented marksman. He is also extensively trained in skydiving techniques. His main limitation (from the League’s perspective) is his lack of experience with supernatural or other ‘odd’ situations.
Jackie (Source: “Armor of God II: Operation Condor” Motion Picture)
Portrayed by Jackie Chan
Jackie (also known as the ‘Asian Hawk’) is an adventurer. Part archaeologist, part mercenary, part agent, part explorer and part thrill-seeker- his capabilities are broad. When you add to this the fact that he is one of the best martial artists in the world, you have a very powerful candidate for recruitment by the League. He has a penchant for working alone, however, and truth be told he prefers it that way. All the same, the League has kept his name and contact information ‘on file’ should he be necessary to assist or supplement the main team.
So, there you have it. Disagree with my choices? Did I overlook anyone? Let me know what you think.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Annual Awesomeness
Once more I have left my (now) 'native' Florida to brave the frozen tundra that is South Dakota in late January. I return to you now with tales of adventure and amusement from what has now become an annual gaming pilgrimage. It started four years ago, shortly after I began this blog. A friend of mine (Steve, the other one (TOO)) was going to visit our old stomping grounds of Vermillion, South Dakota. A few of our mutual friends still live and game there. On a lark, I decided to go with him and attend a small gaming convention there called Vermincon. This trip is now a tradition, and every year I marvel at how much fun I have.
DAY 1:
I fly into Denver where I meet with Steve TOO.
DAY2:
Steve TOO drives the 9-10 hours to Vermillion, SD. Along the way, we game. In this case, I ran an adventure in our new 'Next Generation' Star Wars campaign- where he is playing the child of his 'old' Star Wars character. If you haven't tried gaming on a long trip, let me tell you that it is a GREAT way to pass the time. It keeps both driver and passenger engaged without causing an accident. The only thing that really requires figuring out is how to roll dice. This was solved this time by using digital dice rollers. Steve TOO has a tablet, I have a laptop. Between them, there is plenty of juice to last through the trip. The adventure I ran was fun, and in it, we discovered that a young Mandalorian with the 'Stubborn' and 'Overconfident' disadvantages doesn't make the best candidate for handling 'first contact' situations with powerful, alien empires.
Upon reaching Vermillion, we bunked at the house of my other friend (also named Steve). There, we kicked back, shared amusing youtube clips we'd discovered, then watched a 'Rifftracks' version of a truly abominable 80's film called 'Abraxis, Guardian of the Universe' (or something of the sort). This starred Jesse the Body Ventura. Yeah. It was horrible. But the commentary was hilarious.
DAY 3
The next day I slept in, then helped get things set up at Vermincon. Instead of running anything, I signed up to actually PLAY in a game that evening. Steve was running a session of a game he has dubbed "Scooby-Doo Cthulu". The premise of this is as follows: The players take control of members of the Scooby Gang. If there are more than five players, 'Special Guest Stars' are introduced. In our case, this was Don Knots (appearing as a local deputy, of course). Once players are assigned to characters, a situation is introduced. In this case, we were attending the wedding of one of Daphne's friends- which just happened to be in the creepy old Cathedral in the middle of nowhere.
Well, odd things started happening and the 'gang' began to investigate. But instead of men in rubber masks or images projected on the mist created by dry ice it was... well, REAL horrors from the unknown. In this case, a coven of witches and warlocks determined to sacrifice the bride-to-be to their demonic patron. Thus, the gang found itself fighting animated, pumpkin-headed scarecrows wielding scythes. In the end (and much to all of our surprise) the entire gang managed to escape- though Don Knots was almost killed, Velma was wounded and Shaggy had a permanent psychosis. Scooby wound up tearing the throats out of two of the Witch cultists- which really saved the day. The gang, upon escaping (with the rescued sacrifice), burned down the cathedral. Like, ZOINKS!
The game was a LOT of fun. I played Shaggy and Steve TOO played Scooby. We had the rest of the group giggling on several occasions- like when Officer Don Knots drove up to the mystery machine in his squad car. I did my best Shaggy voice: "Like, hide the stash, Scoob! It's the fuzz!"
DAY 4
The next day, I started my Star Wars adventure for the group. The premise was a bit different than anything we'd done before. A series of bad dreams drew the group together. The group included: Rick Oman (Mandalorian Warlord), Arianne Volar (New Republic Admiral and Jedi Knight), Horatio Flynn (Self-Proclaimed Emperor of the Nagai), and Bob (Jedi Knight and Khan of the Tusken Hordes). Following the clues found in their dreams, the team made its way to the ruins of the planet Korriban (destroyed in the last adventure). There, they discovered an ancient, spherical prison that had once been buried far below the surface of the planet. It was now, unfortunately, cracked open and empty. Inside they found a group of Sith also investigating. After some initial tension, however, the two groups talked and pieced together the following: An ancient and powerful evil had been imprisoned here by the Sith, thousands of years ago. It was apparently set loose by the destruction of Korriban. Already, it seemed to be 'calling' to Jedi and Sith both, with some on both sides 'vanishing'.
Searching for clues, the heroes (with one Sith 'ally' in tow), traveled to the ancient Library of Xer. There, they found not only a hidden repository of Sith Knowledge, but also signs that others (some of the missing Jedi) were also investigating this, and had already visited the library. The Jedi in question included Jared (one of my Star Wars group's previous comrades) and Galen Marek (yes, Starkiller- who they had 'rescued' in last year's adventure). The main find of the mission, however, was information on how the ‘prison’ sphere the Entity was housed in worked. The Ancient Sith created the sphere, lured the Entity inside it, then ‘sealed’ it by sacrificing thousands of force-sensitive thralls. The spirits of these beings is what held the entity inside. Thus, in order to put this thing away again, someone was going to have to die. According to the information, the ‘imprisoning’ effect might also be achieved by the ‘sacrifice’ of one very powerful person instead of thousands of ‘lesser’ individuals.
As the group tried to exit the library (with data and a few Sith Holocrons), they found their paths blocked by the normal 'patrons' of the place, all of whom were acting in unison, like zombies. Evidently, the Entity had 'touched' this place as well and spread its influence. Thus, the group had to escape WITHOUT injuring the (mostly) innocent people standing in their way.
As soon as they escaped, the group contacted their various ‘support groups. Oman put his fleet on Alert and moved one of his cruisers into position in case it’s firepower was needed. Horatio called his Nagai and, since they were experts in crystalline structures, ordered them to proceed to Korriban to repair the crystalline ‘prison’ there. Arianne contacted the Republic task force guarding Korriban to alert them of the danger. Bob, meanwhile, delved into the Sith Holocrons, looking for any more clues on how they might defeat the Entity.
Using clues found in the data repository (as well as some information gleaned from a brave/foolhardy 'mind-meld' with the entity, made by Bob), the group proceeded to a remote world housing a Sith Artifact/Temple. There, they discovered that the artifact was a ‘focus’ for Force Powers. The Entity was intending to use it to spread its influence and control across the galaxy.
I essentially stole the core storyline from a snippet I read on wookieepedia about the being ‘Abeloth’- and changed things up (since I never read any of the novels in which it was featured). Essentially, the ‘Entity’ wanted ‘love’- and thought it could get it by forcing people to adore it.
To make matters worse, word came from Korriban that the Republic forces there had fallen under the sway of Abeloth and were preventing the Nagai from entering to fix the prison. A quick call to Luke Skywalker resulted in him personally visiting Korriban to ‘sort out’ the situation there with a group of his fellow Jedi.
On the remote world, Abeloth had already gathered a sizable group of followers and housed them in the temple complex. These included Jedi, Sith and a number of civilians, including children. This complicated matters for the heroes, as they could not simply bombard the temple from orbit. Instead, they went down in person to see what they could do. This forced them into a battle with both Sith and their former comrade Jared- all mind-controlled by Abeloth.
Bob once again engaged Abeloth in ‘conversation’- providing an increasing distraction as the rest of the group went to work. Oman set about placing demo charges on the temple’s arcane generator. Horatio managed to clear the temple of its ‘human shields’- leading them outside as Abeloth’s attention became more and more focused on Bob. Arianne, meanwhile, was able to talk down a mind-controlled Galen Marek and snap him out of his zombie-stupor. Upon learning of the situation, Marek decided that he would be the one to sacrifice himself to imprison Abeloth once more.
The charges went off, the temple was destroyed and Abeloth was pissed. The party fled to their ship, taking on most of the recently freed mind-controlled folks. They then fled back to Korriban. All the while, the Jedi AND Sith onboard the heroes ship were battling mentally to keep Abeloth at bay. Upon arrival at Korriban, Galen Marek used a Nagai teleportation belt to enter the recently repaired prison. Drawn to his power, Abeloth followed. Galen sacrificed himself, sealing Abeloth inside once more.
Uncertain of what to do with Abeloth, the New Republic decided to move her prison to a Deep Space location- with only a handful of people knowing where that is. It is hoped that it will not be discovered- and that if any method of ‘destroying’ Abeloth is found, they can implement it.
And that was the end of the Star Wars adventure. Once more, I had a GREAT time, and my players seemed to have fun, too.
DAY 5:
I had an open schedule for the third day of the convention. In the morning, Steve TOO ran some Mass Effect adventures for me (with Todd sitting in to take control of one of my character’s ship mates). Steve had started this game a while back for me. It is a ‘homebrew’ game, using the D6 system as its base. In it, I play a commander of the ‘MIDWAY’, the second of the Normandy class vessels. So far, we are up against a group of Battarian terrorists working on some kind of bioweapon to use against humanity.
In the afternoon I ran an open session of Star Wars, using the Tatooine Manhunt adventure (shortened and modified by me to fit the limited time available to run it). I had been both looking forward to this and dreading it. I was absolutely CERTAIN that one particular gamer (one that had proven to be a constant annoyance in all the previous visits to SD) would want to play in the game- and would likely ruin it for all involved. Oddly enough, he was absent from most of the con- and did NOT show up for my game. In fact, nobody but Steve TOO had signed up for the game until shortly before it was due to start. Then I got a sudden influx of folks in the form of two 20-something guys (brothers, I think) and an older dude (40’s, maybe 50). I was shocked to find that these guys were both normal and good players. I’d go as far as saying that the older dude was a GREAT player.
The session was quite fun and it was interesting to note that the adventure proceeded a LOT differently than any of my previous run throughs with other groups (and I have run the adventure with quite a few over the years). In fact, this group did a lot to avoid some of the ‘set piece’ combats in the adventure. For example, they notice they are being followed by a speeder in the middle of the desert. The Heroes proceed through a canyon, set a booby trap for the following speeder. They mange to disable it- and as soon as they do, the heroes turn and continue on in their own speeder. Most ‘gamer’ groups would have gone to ‘finish off’ their pursuers. I respected the fact they didn’t use MORE force than was necessary. In fact, by avoiding several of the ‘big’ fights on the way to the final confrontation, the party had managed NOT to use any of its Force points. This resulted in a very quick ‘boss battle’ at the end which might have been much more difficult if the group hadn’t conserved their strength.
This was the first time I had run for a group of (mostly) complete strangers in a long while. I’m surprised and pleased it went as well as it did.
DAY 6:
The voyage home. Steve TOO drives and I run another adventure. Again, we play the ‘Next Generation’ campaign. This time, the hero (or heroine, as Steve’s character is a female) is part of the crew of an exploration ship (corvette sized). This mission is to rescue a team of researchers on a remote world. The ship arrives to find most of the researchers dead. Much strangeness ensues as Steve’s character explores the planet. Eventually, it is discovered that the researchers found an odd ‘stone’ on the planet, one that causes mass paranoia and eventually violence. He managed to get the stone back onboard the rescue ship with him. The heroine manages to get back to the ship and get rid of the stone in the nick of time, just as the entire crew is going berserk. Again, I had a lot of fun with this- and it really helped to pass the time on that long trip.
DAY 7:
I got home, after a hefty delay and a missed connection. As nice as it is to get away and see friends, it is just as nice to get home once more.
DAY 1:
I fly into Denver where I meet with Steve TOO.
DAY2:
Steve TOO drives the 9-10 hours to Vermillion, SD. Along the way, we game. In this case, I ran an adventure in our new 'Next Generation' Star Wars campaign- where he is playing the child of his 'old' Star Wars character. If you haven't tried gaming on a long trip, let me tell you that it is a GREAT way to pass the time. It keeps both driver and passenger engaged without causing an accident. The only thing that really requires figuring out is how to roll dice. This was solved this time by using digital dice rollers. Steve TOO has a tablet, I have a laptop. Between them, there is plenty of juice to last through the trip. The adventure I ran was fun, and in it, we discovered that a young Mandalorian with the 'Stubborn' and 'Overconfident' disadvantages doesn't make the best candidate for handling 'first contact' situations with powerful, alien empires.
Upon reaching Vermillion, we bunked at the house of my other friend (also named Steve). There, we kicked back, shared amusing youtube clips we'd discovered, then watched a 'Rifftracks' version of a truly abominable 80's film called 'Abraxis, Guardian of the Universe' (or something of the sort). This starred Jesse the Body Ventura. Yeah. It was horrible. But the commentary was hilarious.
DAY 3
The next day I slept in, then helped get things set up at Vermincon. Instead of running anything, I signed up to actually PLAY in a game that evening. Steve was running a session of a game he has dubbed "Scooby-Doo Cthulu". The premise of this is as follows: The players take control of members of the Scooby Gang. If there are more than five players, 'Special Guest Stars' are introduced. In our case, this was Don Knots (appearing as a local deputy, of course). Once players are assigned to characters, a situation is introduced. In this case, we were attending the wedding of one of Daphne's friends- which just happened to be in the creepy old Cathedral in the middle of nowhere.
Well, odd things started happening and the 'gang' began to investigate. But instead of men in rubber masks or images projected on the mist created by dry ice it was... well, REAL horrors from the unknown. In this case, a coven of witches and warlocks determined to sacrifice the bride-to-be to their demonic patron. Thus, the gang found itself fighting animated, pumpkin-headed scarecrows wielding scythes. In the end (and much to all of our surprise) the entire gang managed to escape- though Don Knots was almost killed, Velma was wounded and Shaggy had a permanent psychosis. Scooby wound up tearing the throats out of two of the Witch cultists- which really saved the day. The gang, upon escaping (with the rescued sacrifice), burned down the cathedral. Like, ZOINKS!
The game was a LOT of fun. I played Shaggy and Steve TOO played Scooby. We had the rest of the group giggling on several occasions- like when Officer Don Knots drove up to the mystery machine in his squad car. I did my best Shaggy voice: "Like, hide the stash, Scoob! It's the fuzz!"
DAY 4
The next day, I started my Star Wars adventure for the group. The premise was a bit different than anything we'd done before. A series of bad dreams drew the group together. The group included: Rick Oman (Mandalorian Warlord), Arianne Volar (New Republic Admiral and Jedi Knight), Horatio Flynn (Self-Proclaimed Emperor of the Nagai), and Bob (Jedi Knight and Khan of the Tusken Hordes). Following the clues found in their dreams, the team made its way to the ruins of the planet Korriban (destroyed in the last adventure). There, they discovered an ancient, spherical prison that had once been buried far below the surface of the planet. It was now, unfortunately, cracked open and empty. Inside they found a group of Sith also investigating. After some initial tension, however, the two groups talked and pieced together the following: An ancient and powerful evil had been imprisoned here by the Sith, thousands of years ago. It was apparently set loose by the destruction of Korriban. Already, it seemed to be 'calling' to Jedi and Sith both, with some on both sides 'vanishing'.
Searching for clues, the heroes (with one Sith 'ally' in tow), traveled to the ancient Library of Xer. There, they found not only a hidden repository of Sith Knowledge, but also signs that others (some of the missing Jedi) were also investigating this, and had already visited the library. The Jedi in question included Jared (one of my Star Wars group's previous comrades) and Galen Marek (yes, Starkiller- who they had 'rescued' in last year's adventure). The main find of the mission, however, was information on how the ‘prison’ sphere the Entity was housed in worked. The Ancient Sith created the sphere, lured the Entity inside it, then ‘sealed’ it by sacrificing thousands of force-sensitive thralls. The spirits of these beings is what held the entity inside. Thus, in order to put this thing away again, someone was going to have to die. According to the information, the ‘imprisoning’ effect might also be achieved by the ‘sacrifice’ of one very powerful person instead of thousands of ‘lesser’ individuals.
As the group tried to exit the library (with data and a few Sith Holocrons), they found their paths blocked by the normal 'patrons' of the place, all of whom were acting in unison, like zombies. Evidently, the Entity had 'touched' this place as well and spread its influence. Thus, the group had to escape WITHOUT injuring the (mostly) innocent people standing in their way.
As soon as they escaped, the group contacted their various ‘support groups. Oman put his fleet on Alert and moved one of his cruisers into position in case it’s firepower was needed. Horatio called his Nagai and, since they were experts in crystalline structures, ordered them to proceed to Korriban to repair the crystalline ‘prison’ there. Arianne contacted the Republic task force guarding Korriban to alert them of the danger. Bob, meanwhile, delved into the Sith Holocrons, looking for any more clues on how they might defeat the Entity.
Using clues found in the data repository (as well as some information gleaned from a brave/foolhardy 'mind-meld' with the entity, made by Bob), the group proceeded to a remote world housing a Sith Artifact/Temple. There, they discovered that the artifact was a ‘focus’ for Force Powers. The Entity was intending to use it to spread its influence and control across the galaxy.
I essentially stole the core storyline from a snippet I read on wookieepedia about the being ‘Abeloth’- and changed things up (since I never read any of the novels in which it was featured). Essentially, the ‘Entity’ wanted ‘love’- and thought it could get it by forcing people to adore it.
To make matters worse, word came from Korriban that the Republic forces there had fallen under the sway of Abeloth and were preventing the Nagai from entering to fix the prison. A quick call to Luke Skywalker resulted in him personally visiting Korriban to ‘sort out’ the situation there with a group of his fellow Jedi.
On the remote world, Abeloth had already gathered a sizable group of followers and housed them in the temple complex. These included Jedi, Sith and a number of civilians, including children. This complicated matters for the heroes, as they could not simply bombard the temple from orbit. Instead, they went down in person to see what they could do. This forced them into a battle with both Sith and their former comrade Jared- all mind-controlled by Abeloth.
Bob once again engaged Abeloth in ‘conversation’- providing an increasing distraction as the rest of the group went to work. Oman set about placing demo charges on the temple’s arcane generator. Horatio managed to clear the temple of its ‘human shields’- leading them outside as Abeloth’s attention became more and more focused on Bob. Arianne, meanwhile, was able to talk down a mind-controlled Galen Marek and snap him out of his zombie-stupor. Upon learning of the situation, Marek decided that he would be the one to sacrifice himself to imprison Abeloth once more.
The charges went off, the temple was destroyed and Abeloth was pissed. The party fled to their ship, taking on most of the recently freed mind-controlled folks. They then fled back to Korriban. All the while, the Jedi AND Sith onboard the heroes ship were battling mentally to keep Abeloth at bay. Upon arrival at Korriban, Galen Marek used a Nagai teleportation belt to enter the recently repaired prison. Drawn to his power, Abeloth followed. Galen sacrificed himself, sealing Abeloth inside once more.
Uncertain of what to do with Abeloth, the New Republic decided to move her prison to a Deep Space location- with only a handful of people knowing where that is. It is hoped that it will not be discovered- and that if any method of ‘destroying’ Abeloth is found, they can implement it.
And that was the end of the Star Wars adventure. Once more, I had a GREAT time, and my players seemed to have fun, too.
DAY 5:
I had an open schedule for the third day of the convention. In the morning, Steve TOO ran some Mass Effect adventures for me (with Todd sitting in to take control of one of my character’s ship mates). Steve had started this game a while back for me. It is a ‘homebrew’ game, using the D6 system as its base. In it, I play a commander of the ‘MIDWAY’, the second of the Normandy class vessels. So far, we are up against a group of Battarian terrorists working on some kind of bioweapon to use against humanity.
In the afternoon I ran an open session of Star Wars, using the Tatooine Manhunt adventure (shortened and modified by me to fit the limited time available to run it). I had been both looking forward to this and dreading it. I was absolutely CERTAIN that one particular gamer (one that had proven to be a constant annoyance in all the previous visits to SD) would want to play in the game- and would likely ruin it for all involved. Oddly enough, he was absent from most of the con- and did NOT show up for my game. In fact, nobody but Steve TOO had signed up for the game until shortly before it was due to start. Then I got a sudden influx of folks in the form of two 20-something guys (brothers, I think) and an older dude (40’s, maybe 50). I was shocked to find that these guys were both normal and good players. I’d go as far as saying that the older dude was a GREAT player.
The session was quite fun and it was interesting to note that the adventure proceeded a LOT differently than any of my previous run throughs with other groups (and I have run the adventure with quite a few over the years). In fact, this group did a lot to avoid some of the ‘set piece’ combats in the adventure. For example, they notice they are being followed by a speeder in the middle of the desert. The Heroes proceed through a canyon, set a booby trap for the following speeder. They mange to disable it- and as soon as they do, the heroes turn and continue on in their own speeder. Most ‘gamer’ groups would have gone to ‘finish off’ their pursuers. I respected the fact they didn’t use MORE force than was necessary. In fact, by avoiding several of the ‘big’ fights on the way to the final confrontation, the party had managed NOT to use any of its Force points. This resulted in a very quick ‘boss battle’ at the end which might have been much more difficult if the group hadn’t conserved their strength.
This was the first time I had run for a group of (mostly) complete strangers in a long while. I’m surprised and pleased it went as well as it did.
DAY 6:
The voyage home. Steve TOO drives and I run another adventure. Again, we play the ‘Next Generation’ campaign. This time, the hero (or heroine, as Steve’s character is a female) is part of the crew of an exploration ship (corvette sized). This mission is to rescue a team of researchers on a remote world. The ship arrives to find most of the researchers dead. Much strangeness ensues as Steve’s character explores the planet. Eventually, it is discovered that the researchers found an odd ‘stone’ on the planet, one that causes mass paranoia and eventually violence. He managed to get the stone back onboard the rescue ship with him. The heroine manages to get back to the ship and get rid of the stone in the nick of time, just as the entire crew is going berserk. Again, I had a lot of fun with this- and it really helped to pass the time on that long trip.
DAY 7:
I got home, after a hefty delay and a missed connection. As nice as it is to get away and see friends, it is just as nice to get home once more.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
It's the Fan's Fault, Says Lucas
I came across this article the other day.
This is related to a source article here.
In these articles, there are some quotes from George Lucas talking about the Star Wars franchise. The most striking of these is:
"Star Wars” fans can only blame themselves for ending the franchise."
Another interesting tidbit:
“Why would I make any more,” Lucas says, “when everybody yells at you all the time and says what a terrible person you are?"
So yeah, at first, I was a little ticked off at reading this. A knee jerk reaction because I love the setting so much. But you know what? He really does have a point. I've brought this up before in my blog, but it bears repeating.
The original Star Wars trilogy became a part of popular culture. The fact that the movies stood alone for so long before the prequels came out gave fans (like me) a sense of 'ownership' of the material. Every fan had their own ideas about the Star Wars universe, built on the scant information presented in the original three movies. We all had time to build our own 'mythology' of the setting (some of us on a deeper level than others). We all had our expectations of what the setting could become.
So when Lucas came to make the prequels he was already facing an impossible task. The original movies were satisfying his creative vision. The prequels had a whole lot of baggage pre-attached to them. There was no WAY he could make everyone happy. So he did what creative people do: He made something that satisfied his own vision. And unfortunately, that didn't mesh with the vision of a lot of other people.
Now, my profession is a creative one. My designs are based upon my own sense of aesthetics. And when someone else comes in- the client I was making the piece for- and doesn't like that vision...well, that sucks. Since I am in the commercial business, I am bound to change my vision to suit what the client wants. Lucas, in control of his own product, sees himself as the 'end client' of his work. And so, as an artist, he seeks to satisfy himself. It isn't selfish, its just part of art and the creative process.
I just wish that George Lucas could see that he isn't the only 'client' he should be seeking to satisfy. He made something that became part of our culture. It isn't just 'his' anymore. And you know... maybe he's made the right decision here. Just stop.
And then there's the argument that he should just 'listen to his fans'. Well... that won't work either. Since fans have VERY different ideas about the setting and where it should go. Even if you took a 'consensus' view on it- had fans 'vote' on what they wanted to see. I know for a fact that anything 'designed by a committee' tends to water down the idea.
So what's the answer? Hell if I know. I'd love to say that all he needs to do is hire ME to 'manage the brand' and all would be well, but...ahem. Yeah. Same problem.
As frustrated as I get with George Lucas sometimes, I still love the man for all he's done- and for being a very talented and innovative person. I can feel his pain when it comes to this.
I've often wondered what would have happened if the prequels had come shortly after the original trilogy, instead of waiting sixteen years. If Star Wars hadn't had time to 'imprint' as deeply into the minds of its fans, would the prequels have been received better? Would they have been different without Lucas waiting 16 years to write them? I honestly don't know, but its interesting to ponder.
This is related to a source article here.
In these articles, there are some quotes from George Lucas talking about the Star Wars franchise. The most striking of these is:
"Star Wars” fans can only blame themselves for ending the franchise."
Another interesting tidbit:
“Why would I make any more,” Lucas says, “when everybody yells at you all the time and says what a terrible person you are?"
So yeah, at first, I was a little ticked off at reading this. A knee jerk reaction because I love the setting so much. But you know what? He really does have a point. I've brought this up before in my blog, but it bears repeating.
The original Star Wars trilogy became a part of popular culture. The fact that the movies stood alone for so long before the prequels came out gave fans (like me) a sense of 'ownership' of the material. Every fan had their own ideas about the Star Wars universe, built on the scant information presented in the original three movies. We all had time to build our own 'mythology' of the setting (some of us on a deeper level than others). We all had our expectations of what the setting could become.
So when Lucas came to make the prequels he was already facing an impossible task. The original movies were satisfying his creative vision. The prequels had a whole lot of baggage pre-attached to them. There was no WAY he could make everyone happy. So he did what creative people do: He made something that satisfied his own vision. And unfortunately, that didn't mesh with the vision of a lot of other people.
Now, my profession is a creative one. My designs are based upon my own sense of aesthetics. And when someone else comes in- the client I was making the piece for- and doesn't like that vision...well, that sucks. Since I am in the commercial business, I am bound to change my vision to suit what the client wants. Lucas, in control of his own product, sees himself as the 'end client' of his work. And so, as an artist, he seeks to satisfy himself. It isn't selfish, its just part of art and the creative process.
I just wish that George Lucas could see that he isn't the only 'client' he should be seeking to satisfy. He made something that became part of our culture. It isn't just 'his' anymore. And you know... maybe he's made the right decision here. Just stop.
And then there's the argument that he should just 'listen to his fans'. Well... that won't work either. Since fans have VERY different ideas about the setting and where it should go. Even if you took a 'consensus' view on it- had fans 'vote' on what they wanted to see. I know for a fact that anything 'designed by a committee' tends to water down the idea.
So what's the answer? Hell if I know. I'd love to say that all he needs to do is hire ME to 'manage the brand' and all would be well, but...ahem. Yeah. Same problem.
As frustrated as I get with George Lucas sometimes, I still love the man for all he's done- and for being a very talented and innovative person. I can feel his pain when it comes to this.
I've often wondered what would have happened if the prequels had come shortly after the original trilogy, instead of waiting sixteen years. If Star Wars hadn't had time to 'imprint' as deeply into the minds of its fans, would the prequels have been received better? Would they have been different without Lucas waiting 16 years to write them? I honestly don't know, but its interesting to ponder.
Friday, January 13, 2012
Diseases in Star Wars
This is going to be a short post- but I just wanted to put down a thought I had after watching the movie 'Andromeda Strain' a couple nights ago. That movie stressed how dangerous that contact with 'extra terrestrial' germs could be. And when you look at history- like the Spanish exploration/conquest of the "new world", it is easy to see what a huge effect introducing new germs into a previously isolated ecosystem would have.
In the Galaxy spanning setting of Star Wars, I can only imagine what a nightmare disease would be- when you have people living among all manner of different species- to say nothing of the exploration of previously undiscovered worlds. While the 'civilized' galaxy might have sorted out its disease problems over the centuries, one would think that contact with new worlds would constantly introduce new threats.
However, we do not see disease running rampant in any Star Wars stories that I know about—save for a few relatively isolated instances (like where Vader destroys a Faleen city to stop the spread of a particular plague). Now I know that this was probably done for the sake of cinema. Nobody wants to watch an adventure story about people visiting a new world, contracting horrible diseases, and dieing. Even so, I like to have some kind of 'in-character' explanation for these things- without getting TOO 'scientific' about it.
The explanation I came up with is this:
Medical science in the Star Wars galaxy- specifically the science of disease control- has reached a VERY advanced level. The majority of the galaxy's population has been 'immunized' with advanced (species specific) serums, thus giving them protection versus almost all known diseases and most 'new' ones as well. However scientifically implausible this may be, it is a nice, simple explanation as to why there aren't constant epidemics with every visit to a new world.
Of course, this still leaves room for health problems- what if a 'super disease' could overcome standard immunization techniques. And there is still the problem of newly discovered and/or isolated species contracting diseases FROM the 'civilized' galaxy. In this way, you can still include diseases as a threat in your campaign without making them the main focus.
Works for me anyway.
In the Galaxy spanning setting of Star Wars, I can only imagine what a nightmare disease would be- when you have people living among all manner of different species- to say nothing of the exploration of previously undiscovered worlds. While the 'civilized' galaxy might have sorted out its disease problems over the centuries, one would think that contact with new worlds would constantly introduce new threats.
However, we do not see disease running rampant in any Star Wars stories that I know about—save for a few relatively isolated instances (like where Vader destroys a Faleen city to stop the spread of a particular plague). Now I know that this was probably done for the sake of cinema. Nobody wants to watch an adventure story about people visiting a new world, contracting horrible diseases, and dieing. Even so, I like to have some kind of 'in-character' explanation for these things- without getting TOO 'scientific' about it.
The explanation I came up with is this:
Medical science in the Star Wars galaxy- specifically the science of disease control- has reached a VERY advanced level. The majority of the galaxy's population has been 'immunized' with advanced (species specific) serums, thus giving them protection versus almost all known diseases and most 'new' ones as well. However scientifically implausible this may be, it is a nice, simple explanation as to why there aren't constant epidemics with every visit to a new world.
Of course, this still leaves room for health problems- what if a 'super disease' could overcome standard immunization techniques. And there is still the problem of newly discovered and/or isolated species contracting diseases FROM the 'civilized' galaxy. In this way, you can still include diseases as a threat in your campaign without making them the main focus.
Works for me anyway.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Star (no)Wars
I've spoken about this in quite a few other blog entries-namely the question of what do you DO in a Star Wars setting where there is no 'War' going on. I mean, the title of the franchise doesn't leave much room for interpretation on that point. The whole setting boils down to heroic actions taken during war.
So what happens when, for instance, you run a campaign that lasts through the entire 'Rebellion' and the various wars that follow (Thrawn's Campaign, the 'Rebirth' of the Emperor, etc.)?
Well, in the 'official' expanded universe, the answer to this is: have more wars! Every series of books therefore has a new set of wars going on, usually galactic in scale: The Vong Invasion, the Swarm War, the Second Galactic Civil War, the...whatever the hell War it is going on in the Legacy Era, etc., etc..
As I have mentioned before, I think that having the Galaxy constantly in a state of open war and crisis strains the credulity of the setting. Yes, I know I'm talking about a setting that has mystical energy fields and giant space worms, but still. To me there was always a feeling of realism, or at least an allegory of realism, in the Star Wars saga. There was an 'Era of Peace' during the Old Republic. Then there was the Rebellion. In my mind, it only seems logical that another era of peace would follow.
The alternative is a downward spiral into the breakdown of the fabric of galactic society. In my mind, at least, you simply can't continue to have Galaxy-Shaking wars every few years and NOT have everything fall apart. Unfortunately, that seems to be where the 'official' universe has gone. I won't go into that further here, as I have long railed against the trend to bring 'gritty realism' or a 'darker edge' to the Star Wars galaxy. Yes, there is war and death and sacrifice, but overall, I've found the tone of the franchise to be one of hope for the future- at least in the original trilogy.
But this post isn't about any of that. No, really. It's about what there is to do DURING an Era of Peace in the Galaxy, such as the one that has finally come to my own, very long-running, campaign. Below are just some of my thoughts on angles to take for adventure in a time like this.
Political Corruption
Hopefully, the downfall of the Old Republic due to its own corruption was a huge lesson for the people of the Galaxy. In a New Republic, there would have to be a concerted effort to avoid and root out corruption within the government. As far as adventures go, this would involve Player Characters who are agents of the New Republic (or its allies), or perhaps even politicians themselves. Missions would involve investigating rumors of corruption. Checking up on those Senators with shady dealings and exposing them to the light of day. Likewise, the huge corporations of the Galaxy would need someone to check their more avaricious behavior. Stealth, tact, true idealism and diplomacy would be at the heart of these kind of adventures-otherwise you run the risk of becoming a 'McCarthy Era' inquisition. But the latter even provides another adventure opportunity. What if an agency, committee or group of senators starts taking things too far? Your heroes would have to deal with these threats as well.
Criminal Organizations
With the Galaxy just recovering from a series of devastating wars, Criminal organizations are sure to abound- profiting off the chaos and misery while the 'large powers' have their attention diverted elsewhere. Agents of the New Republic would be needed to battle these criminals, be they isolated smugglers and pirates or full-blown criminal syndicates. Missions here would involve investigation (possibly undercover work) and raiding missions versus criminal bases and the like- as well as the protection of normal citizens. With some of the larger organizations (the Hutt Cartels for example) this might almost necessitate military intervention.
Cold War
Though the war between the Republic and the fragmented Empire may be officially over, there is no love lost between the two factions. Imperial Warlords may not make overt war against the might of the New Republic, but they could still carry on covert campaigns to undermine its presence and attempt to expand their own power. You have to look no further than any James Bond movie for inspiration for a lot of different adventures. The trick here is conducting operations in a manner that WON'T start a full-blown war.
Brushfire Wars
Though I see the New Republic as the most powerful single entity in the Galaxy during this period of peace, it is by no means in control of the entire Galaxy. There are hundreds of smaller powers that must be dealt with- and many of them have their own agendas. Whether it is expanding their power or settling old scores, these smaller powers may go to war with each other. Unfortunately, such things tend to destabilize everything around them— including the Republic. Thus, agents would be needed to go in and help stop these wars with quick, decisive action. This fits in well with the cold war gimmick as well- what if Imperial agitators are stirring up trouble? The trick then is to eliminate the Empire's influence without widening the scope of the conflict (Korea? Vietnam?).
Terrorists
Can't see why they wouldn't exist in the Star Wars galaxy. They could range from political idealists working for some specific agenda to pure anarchists who only wish to see the universe burn. Defending the galaxy from these kinds of threats is certainly a heroic task- and missions could range all over the place, from investigation to infiltration to raids and surgical strikes to rushing to stop some attack on a political figure or landmark.
Sith
They're always there. They had it pretty good for 20 years or so, running the entire Galaxy. With the downfall of the Emperor they have lost that power, but there are now (in my setting at least) dozens, if not hundreds of Sith vying to become the next emperor, through whatever means they can. This again can overlap with the other angles. Perhaps a Sith takes up politics and attempts to work his way into power within the Senate. Perhaps another is a terrorist seeking nothing but vengeance for the fallen Emperor. Another might seek to forge a criminal empire. Etc..
Supernatural Threats
Since I loved Dark Conspiracy (another horror RP games), I can't help but include this idea. The galaxy is a big place, and there are a lot of unexplained things out there. Force Spirits have been used in some stories. Monsters in others. Much like the criminal angle, the Empire and New Republic would have been distracted from such concerns during the war. And indeed, all the death and destruction caused could have opened the door (as it were) for all kinds of nastiness to emerge from the shadows. I could see the New Republic forming a 'taskforce' to deal with this kind of threat- tracking down strange and unexplained things at the fringes of the galaxy- or in those dark corners at its very heart.
Exploration
Here you have the Star Trek angle, and to me it makes sense. The Old Republic had a policy of exploration, but all of that got derailed by the rise of the Empire. Now, with things finally 'settling down', effort would be put back into this arena. New worlds will be needed for their resources and scientific value. More pragmatically, the New Republic may wish to avoid any more surprise attacks from alien races from the 'unknown regions'. Who knows what is out there- especially in my own campaign, where the Republic has unlocked the secret to intergalactic travel via hyperspace gates.
Diplomacy
This may not be particularly 'Star Wars', but missions to meet with foreign powers and solidify relationships would be a large part of a galaxy at peace. It would also offer interesting constraints to the activities of heroes, who would definitely have to think twice about going in, guns blazing.
So, there you have it, just a few of the ideas I have off the top of my head. I personally think there is a lot there to keep any heroes busy. In fact, the average 'mission' undertaken by heroes during this era wouldn't be much different from the scope of adventures that took place during the war(s). Only rarely did my PCs ever participate in large scale battles anyway.
The only thing I see 'lacking' is that sense of desperation that a huge war can bring about. Where every decision could mean the lives of thousands. Then again, maintaining peace seems to be as much a challenge as achieving it.
For some, the idea of a Galaxy at peace might also throw out another Star Wars staple: The idea of the PCs being the underdogs. It is kind of hard to see them that way when they have the resources of the entire Republic at their disposal. But to that I have only to say that the Republic, while huge, is limited in its resources. Especially in the period directly following the war(s). Yes, it may have entire fleets of starships at its disposal, but it can't commit them whilly nilly to counter every threat and 'back up' every team in the field.
Anyway, I'm thinking that Star Wars without the Wars still works.
So what happens when, for instance, you run a campaign that lasts through the entire 'Rebellion' and the various wars that follow (Thrawn's Campaign, the 'Rebirth' of the Emperor, etc.)?
Well, in the 'official' expanded universe, the answer to this is: have more wars! Every series of books therefore has a new set of wars going on, usually galactic in scale: The Vong Invasion, the Swarm War, the Second Galactic Civil War, the...whatever the hell War it is going on in the Legacy Era, etc., etc..
As I have mentioned before, I think that having the Galaxy constantly in a state of open war and crisis strains the credulity of the setting. Yes, I know I'm talking about a setting that has mystical energy fields and giant space worms, but still. To me there was always a feeling of realism, or at least an allegory of realism, in the Star Wars saga. There was an 'Era of Peace' during the Old Republic. Then there was the Rebellion. In my mind, it only seems logical that another era of peace would follow.
The alternative is a downward spiral into the breakdown of the fabric of galactic society. In my mind, at least, you simply can't continue to have Galaxy-Shaking wars every few years and NOT have everything fall apart. Unfortunately, that seems to be where the 'official' universe has gone. I won't go into that further here, as I have long railed against the trend to bring 'gritty realism' or a 'darker edge' to the Star Wars galaxy. Yes, there is war and death and sacrifice, but overall, I've found the tone of the franchise to be one of hope for the future- at least in the original trilogy.
But this post isn't about any of that. No, really. It's about what there is to do DURING an Era of Peace in the Galaxy, such as the one that has finally come to my own, very long-running, campaign. Below are just some of my thoughts on angles to take for adventure in a time like this.
Political Corruption
Hopefully, the downfall of the Old Republic due to its own corruption was a huge lesson for the people of the Galaxy. In a New Republic, there would have to be a concerted effort to avoid and root out corruption within the government. As far as adventures go, this would involve Player Characters who are agents of the New Republic (or its allies), or perhaps even politicians themselves. Missions would involve investigating rumors of corruption. Checking up on those Senators with shady dealings and exposing them to the light of day. Likewise, the huge corporations of the Galaxy would need someone to check their more avaricious behavior. Stealth, tact, true idealism and diplomacy would be at the heart of these kind of adventures-otherwise you run the risk of becoming a 'McCarthy Era' inquisition. But the latter even provides another adventure opportunity. What if an agency, committee or group of senators starts taking things too far? Your heroes would have to deal with these threats as well.
Criminal Organizations
With the Galaxy just recovering from a series of devastating wars, Criminal organizations are sure to abound- profiting off the chaos and misery while the 'large powers' have their attention diverted elsewhere. Agents of the New Republic would be needed to battle these criminals, be they isolated smugglers and pirates or full-blown criminal syndicates. Missions here would involve investigation (possibly undercover work) and raiding missions versus criminal bases and the like- as well as the protection of normal citizens. With some of the larger organizations (the Hutt Cartels for example) this might almost necessitate military intervention.
Cold War
Though the war between the Republic and the fragmented Empire may be officially over, there is no love lost between the two factions. Imperial Warlords may not make overt war against the might of the New Republic, but they could still carry on covert campaigns to undermine its presence and attempt to expand their own power. You have to look no further than any James Bond movie for inspiration for a lot of different adventures. The trick here is conducting operations in a manner that WON'T start a full-blown war.
Brushfire Wars
Though I see the New Republic as the most powerful single entity in the Galaxy during this period of peace, it is by no means in control of the entire Galaxy. There are hundreds of smaller powers that must be dealt with- and many of them have their own agendas. Whether it is expanding their power or settling old scores, these smaller powers may go to war with each other. Unfortunately, such things tend to destabilize everything around them— including the Republic. Thus, agents would be needed to go in and help stop these wars with quick, decisive action. This fits in well with the cold war gimmick as well- what if Imperial agitators are stirring up trouble? The trick then is to eliminate the Empire's influence without widening the scope of the conflict (Korea? Vietnam?).
Terrorists
Can't see why they wouldn't exist in the Star Wars galaxy. They could range from political idealists working for some specific agenda to pure anarchists who only wish to see the universe burn. Defending the galaxy from these kinds of threats is certainly a heroic task- and missions could range all over the place, from investigation to infiltration to raids and surgical strikes to rushing to stop some attack on a political figure or landmark.
Sith
They're always there. They had it pretty good for 20 years or so, running the entire Galaxy. With the downfall of the Emperor they have lost that power, but there are now (in my setting at least) dozens, if not hundreds of Sith vying to become the next emperor, through whatever means they can. This again can overlap with the other angles. Perhaps a Sith takes up politics and attempts to work his way into power within the Senate. Perhaps another is a terrorist seeking nothing but vengeance for the fallen Emperor. Another might seek to forge a criminal empire. Etc..
Supernatural Threats
Since I loved Dark Conspiracy (another horror RP games), I can't help but include this idea. The galaxy is a big place, and there are a lot of unexplained things out there. Force Spirits have been used in some stories. Monsters in others. Much like the criminal angle, the Empire and New Republic would have been distracted from such concerns during the war. And indeed, all the death and destruction caused could have opened the door (as it were) for all kinds of nastiness to emerge from the shadows. I could see the New Republic forming a 'taskforce' to deal with this kind of threat- tracking down strange and unexplained things at the fringes of the galaxy- or in those dark corners at its very heart.
Exploration
Here you have the Star Trek angle, and to me it makes sense. The Old Republic had a policy of exploration, but all of that got derailed by the rise of the Empire. Now, with things finally 'settling down', effort would be put back into this arena. New worlds will be needed for their resources and scientific value. More pragmatically, the New Republic may wish to avoid any more surprise attacks from alien races from the 'unknown regions'. Who knows what is out there- especially in my own campaign, where the Republic has unlocked the secret to intergalactic travel via hyperspace gates.
Diplomacy
This may not be particularly 'Star Wars', but missions to meet with foreign powers and solidify relationships would be a large part of a galaxy at peace. It would also offer interesting constraints to the activities of heroes, who would definitely have to think twice about going in, guns blazing.
So, there you have it, just a few of the ideas I have off the top of my head. I personally think there is a lot there to keep any heroes busy. In fact, the average 'mission' undertaken by heroes during this era wouldn't be much different from the scope of adventures that took place during the war(s). Only rarely did my PCs ever participate in large scale battles anyway.
The only thing I see 'lacking' is that sense of desperation that a huge war can bring about. Where every decision could mean the lives of thousands. Then again, maintaining peace seems to be as much a challenge as achieving it.
For some, the idea of a Galaxy at peace might also throw out another Star Wars staple: The idea of the PCs being the underdogs. It is kind of hard to see them that way when they have the resources of the entire Republic at their disposal. But to that I have only to say that the Republic, while huge, is limited in its resources. Especially in the period directly following the war(s). Yes, it may have entire fleets of starships at its disposal, but it can't commit them whilly nilly to counter every threat and 'back up' every team in the field.
Anyway, I'm thinking that Star Wars without the Wars still works.
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