In entertinament (literature and movies and video games), the settings for stories typically grow and change along with the characters- sometimes in very radical ways. In most adventure-type stories, this is particularly true. We usually come into such settings when they are in the midst of, or on the cusp of, some great upheaval. Star Wars, for instance, brings us in on the first real victory of the Rebellion and carries us through to the fall of the Emperor. This will bring great change to the Star Wars universe as a setting.
In many role-playing games, however, the setting presented (at least by the gaming companies who publish works for it) is usually relatively static. The World of Greyhawk, for instance, was presented for quite a few years as a ‘static’ setting. This allowed gaming groups to make their own story with their individual campaigns. In the late 80s, this began to change. The first ‘metaplots’ began to emerge- published works that pushed forward the timeline of various settings. This was especially true of the Forgotten Realms game, where events from various novel series were incorporated into the cannon of the setting. The venerable Greyhawk setting also experienced change- with the “Greyhawk Wars” and “From the Ashes” re-writing the map and setting in many cases.
While I generally don't mind metaplots such as these, they can (if mishandled) take away the feeling of ‘ownership’ of a campaign that players should feel. I don’t mind ‘world shaking’ events, but the players should have some ability to interact with them, not just be ‘witnesses’ to changing times. A campaign world should be influenced by the actions of the players in it- in a degree commensurate to their ‘power’ within that world.
Running a Star Wars campaign set during any of the now established ‘eras’ is, by its nature, running within a ‘metaplot’. As a GM, you need to strive to find a balance between following the movies and allowing your campaign to grow organically. It can be tricky, and for some people, too confining.
But whatever the problems with metaplots, for me, the alternative is much worse. And unfortunately, it seems to happen in a lot of ‘official’ settings. Star Wars, for instance. The Expanded Universe of Star Wars seems to be a constant effort to prolong the whole ‘galactic warfare’ thing to ridiculous lengths. I’ve railed against this before, but will do so here again. According to the canon established in the various novels, the Star Wars galaxy is constantly in the throes of galaxy-shaking conflicts. For hundreds of years, it seems. And for me, it all begins to run together. First it's the Ssi’Ruk, then Thrawn, then the Resurrected Emperor, then the Yevethans, then the Vong, then the Killiks, then the Sith Empire of Darth Kraynt, etc., Etc.. Every successive war tries to upstage the one before it. But in the end, it just proves the old adage: The more things change, the more they stay the same. And that, unfortunately, is a problem for me. Star Wars seems to be constantly ‘resetting’ itself. And in the end, for all its upheavals, it just remains ‘static’.
Another great example of this is the BattleTech universe. Initially presented, the setting was ‘static’, with five reasonably well-matched powers vying for control of known space. But as novels came out, things began to change. First with the alliance of two great powers that almost resulted in a reunification of the old Star League. But before this could happen, an invasion took place by forces calling themselves the ‘clans’. This added yet another dynamic and set the stage for some really BIG changes. Instead, as the metaplot progressed, events occurred that essentially broke up what had happened before and set everything back almost to the way it had been, with various, equally matched entities all squaring off once more. The universe just ‘reset’ itself and all the big events seemed to be for naught. From a purely ‘gamist’ point of view, I can understand this. The whole game was based on this premise of continual warfare. So they just set up instances that would allow this to go on and on. But in the end, that really just killed my interest in the setting.
In this latter instance, I would have preferred more source material and less plot material in my gaming supplements. I would have preferred they continue to expound upon the details of a ‘static’ universe and allow gaming groups to shape it as they would. As it stands, they set up a universe where you have NO say whatsoever in what goes on- even to the point of releasing books that detail EVERY battle that happened in a particular war- thus seeming to discourage such things from being fought out by characters or risk stepping on the toes of ‘canon’.
In any case, I’m starting to ramble, so I’ll sum up. Metaplots are fine and well, but shouldn’t be so detailed as to destroy player involvement or influence. In fact, after a point, I would prefer that developers did NOT keep driving changes in the world. I would also warn against the tendency to constantly return things to the way they used to be- to give the illusion of change but really just keep things static.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Friday, March 9, 2012
Dakotatooine
Fair warning, there isn’t a lot of ‘meat’ to this post, just some observations.
I had been curious about Dantooine since the first time I saw Star Wars, back in 1977. Even then, at age six, I wanted to know MORE about this world than what was presented in the movies. Of course, at the time, there wasn’t a lot to be known. The very thought of an ‘expanded universe’ hadn’t crossed anyone’s mind. Dantooine in particular seemed to be doomed to obscurity.
The first mention of the planet outside of the movies was (as I recall) in the Jedi Academy novels (which came out in 1994). There, the planet is described as being inhabited by primitive ‘cavemen-like’ Dantari tribesmen. It was also used as a place to house refugees- who were subsequently killed by Admiral Daala. Other than that, not much was revealed about the planet. It remained kind of ‘generic’, much to my chagrin.
It wasn’t until Knights of the Old Republic (released in 2003) that Dantooine really came into its own. Here we are (in true Star Wars fashion), shown a planet dominated by one over-arching terrain type. Tatooine was a desert world, Endor was a forest world, Yavin a jungle world, etc.. Dantooine, we discover, is a world of endless, rolling plains. This gave it a distinct look- a ‘hook’ I could really buy into. It was no longer generic.
Now, coming from South Dakota as I do, I grew up on the Great Plains. I couldn’t help but draw parallels between Dantooine and my own ‘homeworld’. There is something truly remarkable about those plains, a sense of expanse and scale you just don’t get anywhere else. For this (admittedly subjective) reason, Dantooine has become one of my favorite planets in the Star Wars galaxy. I especially love the way it was portrayed in the KotOR video games and even the Clone Wars 2D Animated series- with a scattering of farmsteads and small towns nestled away in the rolling plains.
Though I was never that thrilled with the native Dantari tribesmen as an original concept, I can’t help but draw more parallels between their presence and the presence of ‘Native Americans’ in South Dakota. I grew up on an Indian Reservation in South Dakota. I could easily see this kind of social situation on Dantooine as well: with the native tribes ‘displaced’ by new colonists centuries (millennia) ago and still struggling to adapt to the new situation. Suddenly, the Dantari have a depth to them (in my mind) that they never had in the way they are ‘officially’ presented.
Dantooine is made even more interesting by the fact that it contains the ruins of several very important places. Many thousands of years ago (according to Knights of the Old Republic), it was part of the Rakatan Infinite Empire. There are still incredibly ancient ruins on the planet, including one in which Darth Revan began his career as a Sith Lord. Though this ruin was explored, there may be others, with their own secrets, still hidden beneath the rolling plains.
Dantooine was also home to a Jedi Enclave. For a time (during the events of Knights of the Old Republic), this was actually the headquarters for the entire order. It was subsequently destroyed by Darth Malak, but the ruins themselves could still exist. In fact, it was retconned that the Rebel Base mentioned in Episode IV was actually built near the ruins of the enclave.
So you've got unique terrain, interesting social dynamics, ancient ruins...but that's not all. Dantooine also has a selection of creatures to threaten and wonder visitors.
Kath Hounds are perhaps the best known- in fact, during the Old Republic, vicious and or tenacious beings were referred to as "Kath Hounds". Then there are the truly alien (but neat), flying manta-like creatures (Brith), seen slowly plying the skies above the plains. There are the vicious laigrek and kinrath (both insectoid types). And though never seen in the games, there are various herd animals as well- the antelope-like Iriaz and the large Thune herd beasts. All in all, a nice cross section of critters to help make the place more unique.
For something that began so ‘generically’, as just a name, I have really enjoyed the way Dantooine has developed over the years, even if a lot of that is only due to my own ‘take’ on the world. Dantooine is the closest Star Wars equivalent of South Dakota, and that gives me all kinds of ideas on how to use it in a game should I ever decide to.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Ralph McQuarrie
The death of this Artist is truly a loss. Along with John Wiliams and George Lucas, I'm hard pressed to think of anyone else who had such a huge impression on my imagination and those of many of my generation. A really great blog I visit has an awesome tribute to McQuarrie here.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Bantha Slippers
Why. Why were these a 'rejected' merchandising concept! I want a pair! I would walk single file, to hide my numbers!
As Fry from Futurama would say: "Shut up and take my money!"
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
TUESDAY TANGENT: League of Extraordinary Gentlemen 1950s
For those getting tired of these posts, rest assured that I will eventually run out of time periods for different Leagues. But for now, suffer through yet another list of who /I/ would recruit if I were making a League of Extraordinary Gentlemen(and women). This time, I’m looking at the 50’s era.
Again, the 'rules' for this are basically that the choices must be movie or 'literary' characters, but not full-time members of any comic book combined universe. And as before, I reserve the right to ‘tweak’ aspects of the characters’ backgrounds to suit my own needs. So without further ado...
Agent Robert Graham
From the movie “Them”
Played by James Arness
Agent Graham is a decorated veteran of the second world war and an experienced FBI Agent. His first brush with the extraordinary came when he investigated a strange case of disappearances in the desert southwest- only to discover the culprits were giant ants, an entire colony of them, grown to gigantic proportions by radioactive fallout from nuclear tests. Graham was instrumental in tracking down and eliminating these beasts before they can multiply and spread. As both a lawman and soldier, Agent Graham has a wide range of experience and a capability for keeping his cool even under the most dangerous (and strange) circumstances. For these reasons, he is chosen to head up this particular incarnation of the league.
Professor Bernard Quatermass
From the movie “The Quatermass Experiment
Played by Andre Morell
A brilliant scientist and pioneer for the British Space Program (via his British Experimental Rocket Group). Though middle aged and ‘scholarly’, Quatermass is in rather good shape and does possess skills acquired while serving with the British Intelligence Service during the second world war. His greatest asset, however, is his brain. Quatermass is not only capable of scientific work, but is also a quick thinking, able to react to and think through even the most bizarre and threatening cases. He has personally dealt with extraterrestrial threats to the planet on several occasions- and it is for this reason he was recruited for the team. Though an ex-soldier, Quatermass is no big fan of the military, especially when it comes to his life’s work of exploring space. He serves as second in command of the team, advising Agent Graham in most matters.
Victor Marswell
From the movie “Mogambo”
Played by Clark Gable
Victor Marswell is an accomplished big-game hunter working in Africa. Though he does lead paid hunting expeditions, his main income is through the live capture of animals for zoos. As with many in this era, Marswell is a veteran of the World War, having served in North Africa and Europe. He is a maverick, fond of doing things his own way. He is also a ladies man, often romancing the wealthy society ladies who come on his expeditions. He is a master marksman with nerves of steel, easily able to face down charging elephants. Marswell is also an expert survivalist, able to hunt, camp and forage in a variety of terrains. He is also at least partly versed in the superstitions and traditions of numerous African tribes. Though not necessarily a team player, Marswell’s other skills make up for this, hence his recruitment into the league.
John Robie
From the movie “To Catch a Thief”
Played by Cary Grant
John Robie is the alter ego the infamous burglar known only as “The Cat”. Though American, Robie operated in the South of France until he was captured by the French authorities and imprisoned. He was released, however, in the confusion during the German invasion at the start of World War II. Robie and many of his criminal associates worked for the French resistance throughout the war— and in this way, he earned a pardon when the conflict finally came to an end. Using wealth pilfered prior to the war, Robie thought to retire, but found himself pulled into several ‘capers’ against his wishes. He is an incredibly skilled thief with experience in combat, sabotage and even undercover work. He is also charming and suave, easily able to mix with people of any social strata. Though now in his middle ages and a bit past his prime physically, he is still very capable— a fine addition to the team.
Dr. Clayton Forrester
From the movie “War of the Worlds”
Played by Gene Barry
Though he works as a physicist, Dr. Forrester is an expert in several different scientific areas, including biology, astronomy and even medicine. He is also an avid outdoorsman, athlete and skilled pilot. Forrester is not, perhaps, as brilliant as Professor Quatermass, but he is likewise quite capable of thinking on his feet. His only real ‘weakness’ is his tendency to extrapolate on scarce facts before having the data to back himself up. Even though, his ‘hunches’ turn out to be right more often than not. Though he did not serve on the front line during the War, Forrester did work closely with the Military on the Manhattan Project. He has also been consulted in the past on the issue of possible contact with extra-terrestrial life.
TEAM ALTERNATES
Dr. John Holden
From the movie “Night of the Demon”
Played by Dana Andrews
An American physician and scholar living in England, Dr. Holden was involved in a terrifying encounter with the supernatural while attempting to debunk a cultist by the name of Karswell. The encounter spurred the skeptical doctor into a real study of the ‘truths’ behind the supernatural. Though this occult knowledge would be useful, Holden is not considered a prime ‘field operative’, and thus was not chosen for the team.
Mike “By this time, my lungs were aching for air” Nelson
From the TV Show “Sea Hunt”
Played by Lloyd Bridges
Mike Nelson is an ex-navy diver, decorated for bravery several times during the war. He now runs an independent diving/salvage/rescue team. He has extensive experience in underwater operations and even combat. However, his area of expertise was deemed ‘too narrow’ for inclusion on the main team. Rather, he is to be considered as a possible resource for any cases which require experience with aquatic operations.
OTHERS BRIEFLY CONSIDERED
Johnny Strabler
From the movie “The Wild One”
Played by Marlon Brando
A young motorcycle gang leader.
Steve Martin
From the movie “Godzilla”
Played by Raymond Burr
A field reporter with contacts in Japan and the far east.
Daisuke Serizawa
From the movie “Godzilla”
Played by Akihiko Hirata
A brilliant, but tormented scientist who has stumbled upon the technology for a weapon he deems too powerful to entrust to mankind.
NOTES:
As you can see, it was rather slim pickings for this era compared to the others. I also was ultimately stumped when it came to famous archetypes for women or non-caucasians to join the league. This isn’t to say there were none of these characters, just that they didn’t fit the ‘action’ mold that I see as necessary for a role within the League.
Again, the 'rules' for this are basically that the choices must be movie or 'literary' characters, but not full-time members of any comic book combined universe. And as before, I reserve the right to ‘tweak’ aspects of the characters’ backgrounds to suit my own needs. So without further ado...
Agent Robert Graham
From the movie “Them”
Played by James Arness
Agent Graham is a decorated veteran of the second world war and an experienced FBI Agent. His first brush with the extraordinary came when he investigated a strange case of disappearances in the desert southwest- only to discover the culprits were giant ants, an entire colony of them, grown to gigantic proportions by radioactive fallout from nuclear tests. Graham was instrumental in tracking down and eliminating these beasts before they can multiply and spread. As both a lawman and soldier, Agent Graham has a wide range of experience and a capability for keeping his cool even under the most dangerous (and strange) circumstances. For these reasons, he is chosen to head up this particular incarnation of the league.
Professor Bernard Quatermass
From the movie “The Quatermass Experiment
Played by Andre Morell
A brilliant scientist and pioneer for the British Space Program (via his British Experimental Rocket Group). Though middle aged and ‘scholarly’, Quatermass is in rather good shape and does possess skills acquired while serving with the British Intelligence Service during the second world war. His greatest asset, however, is his brain. Quatermass is not only capable of scientific work, but is also a quick thinking, able to react to and think through even the most bizarre and threatening cases. He has personally dealt with extraterrestrial threats to the planet on several occasions- and it is for this reason he was recruited for the team. Though an ex-soldier, Quatermass is no big fan of the military, especially when it comes to his life’s work of exploring space. He serves as second in command of the team, advising Agent Graham in most matters.
Victor Marswell
From the movie “Mogambo”
Played by Clark Gable
Victor Marswell is an accomplished big-game hunter working in Africa. Though he does lead paid hunting expeditions, his main income is through the live capture of animals for zoos. As with many in this era, Marswell is a veteran of the World War, having served in North Africa and Europe. He is a maverick, fond of doing things his own way. He is also a ladies man, often romancing the wealthy society ladies who come on his expeditions. He is a master marksman with nerves of steel, easily able to face down charging elephants. Marswell is also an expert survivalist, able to hunt, camp and forage in a variety of terrains. He is also at least partly versed in the superstitions and traditions of numerous African tribes. Though not necessarily a team player, Marswell’s other skills make up for this, hence his recruitment into the league.
John Robie
From the movie “To Catch a Thief”
Played by Cary Grant
John Robie is the alter ego the infamous burglar known only as “The Cat”. Though American, Robie operated in the South of France until he was captured by the French authorities and imprisoned. He was released, however, in the confusion during the German invasion at the start of World War II. Robie and many of his criminal associates worked for the French resistance throughout the war— and in this way, he earned a pardon when the conflict finally came to an end. Using wealth pilfered prior to the war, Robie thought to retire, but found himself pulled into several ‘capers’ against his wishes. He is an incredibly skilled thief with experience in combat, sabotage and even undercover work. He is also charming and suave, easily able to mix with people of any social strata. Though now in his middle ages and a bit past his prime physically, he is still very capable— a fine addition to the team.
Dr. Clayton Forrester
From the movie “War of the Worlds”
Played by Gene Barry
Though he works as a physicist, Dr. Forrester is an expert in several different scientific areas, including biology, astronomy and even medicine. He is also an avid outdoorsman, athlete and skilled pilot. Forrester is not, perhaps, as brilliant as Professor Quatermass, but he is likewise quite capable of thinking on his feet. His only real ‘weakness’ is his tendency to extrapolate on scarce facts before having the data to back himself up. Even though, his ‘hunches’ turn out to be right more often than not. Though he did not serve on the front line during the War, Forrester did work closely with the Military on the Manhattan Project. He has also been consulted in the past on the issue of possible contact with extra-terrestrial life.
TEAM ALTERNATES
Dr. John Holden
From the movie “Night of the Demon”
Played by Dana Andrews
An American physician and scholar living in England, Dr. Holden was involved in a terrifying encounter with the supernatural while attempting to debunk a cultist by the name of Karswell. The encounter spurred the skeptical doctor into a real study of the ‘truths’ behind the supernatural. Though this occult knowledge would be useful, Holden is not considered a prime ‘field operative’, and thus was not chosen for the team.
Mike “By this time, my lungs were aching for air” Nelson
From the TV Show “Sea Hunt”
Played by Lloyd Bridges
Mike Nelson is an ex-navy diver, decorated for bravery several times during the war. He now runs an independent diving/salvage/rescue team. He has extensive experience in underwater operations and even combat. However, his area of expertise was deemed ‘too narrow’ for inclusion on the main team. Rather, he is to be considered as a possible resource for any cases which require experience with aquatic operations.
OTHERS BRIEFLY CONSIDERED
Johnny Strabler
From the movie “The Wild One”
Played by Marlon Brando
A young motorcycle gang leader.
Steve Martin
From the movie “Godzilla”
Played by Raymond Burr
A field reporter with contacts in Japan and the far east.
Daisuke Serizawa
From the movie “Godzilla”
Played by Akihiko Hirata
A brilliant, but tormented scientist who has stumbled upon the technology for a weapon he deems too powerful to entrust to mankind.
NOTES:
As you can see, it was rather slim pickings for this era compared to the others. I also was ultimately stumped when it came to famous archetypes for women or non-caucasians to join the league. This isn’t to say there were none of these characters, just that they didn’t fit the ‘action’ mold that I see as necessary for a role within the League.
Monday, February 27, 2012
REVIEW: Star Wars Galaxy Guide(s) 1,3 and 5
The Galaxy Guides were some of the first source materials ever produced for the Star Wars D6 RPG. In fact, they stand as some of the first source materials ever produced for the Star Wars universe. In the late 90's, the 'glut' of materials present today simply did not exist. Thus, for a Star Wars fan like myself, these books were simply awesome. Each one focused on (and essentially created) a particular 'slice' of the Star Wars universe. I have already made a brief post on my feelings about the guides as a whole, but I will now delve into each individually (or in this case, as a related group).
I will begin with Galaxy Guides 1, 3 and 5. These respectively cover Episode IV, V, and VI- detailing the various characters presented in the movies- providing both gaming statistics and a wealth of background information. The books do not simply focus on the major characters, either, but go on to detail even minor characters like R5-D4 ("Red", the droid who blew his motivator?) and Momaw Nadon (aka the "hammerhead" guy in the cantina). As a fan and a GM, I found this to be incredibly fun- and useful when creating my own NPCs (or using ones from these books!).
Interspersed with character descriptions were various short stories or other tidbits of informations that further expanded on the characters and situations shown in the movies. For example an 'interview' with "Camie", one of Lukes friends on Tatooine, wherein she reminisces about Luke's exploits as a youth. The books also had a fun framing device for the introduction, conclusion and as lead-ins to each section. These three works are presented as the research notes of a young historian (Voren Na'al) working for the Rebel Alliance. Thus, we are actually following his exploits as he follows in the footsteps of the 'Heroes of Yavin'. I liked this little personal touch, and was amused to see that the historian was even given game stats. I used him as an NPC in my own game on a couple occasions.
The artwork for these books also bears mentioning. You don't just get names and stats for the various characters, you get full-bown black-and-white custom illustrations. In some ways, I even prefer this to the screen-captures used in most other sourcebooks- especially in those cases where the 'costume' for a character looks particularly bad on-screen (hey, those cantina folk were only on-screen for a few seconds, still photos of them are another matter).
The original versions of these three guides were produced in 1989-1990. In the mid 90's, however, new versions of them were released. These included statistics 'upgraded' to the second edition of the game. These 'version two' guides had more information contained in them as well: In the form of game statistics for various creatures and vehicles that were NOT included in the previous versions of the guides. I personally like the addition of this information, though in truth it is pretty much duplicated from the main rulebook and sourcebook.
What I didn't particularly like about the version two galaxy guides was the revised layout. In the original version, each character was typically given their own page- or sometimes two pages. But in all cases, the information was presented in a manner that was easy to use as a reference during play. You didn't have to go flipping from page to page to follow the stats of a particular character. In the second version, the character profiles flow from page to page, with breaks sometimes occurring right in the middle of a character stat block. It is a minor inconvenience, and no doubt this new layout allowed the book to 'economize' its space to keep printing costs lower than they might have been. But even so, I prefer the older method. I also missed the custom illustrations- only a few of which were used in version two, with most being replaced by stills captured from the movies.
What really set the second version guides apart from their predecessors, however, was the inclusion of a short adventure at the end of each. This is something I really do like. Though I have never run any of these adventures, I have read through them several times. I find them to be pretty solid in their construction, and moreso I enjoy the fact that each was sculpted to fit into the 'Episode' in which it was presented. Below are the adventures:
Episode IV: The Battle of Wayfar
Here, we have the heroes enlisted by a remote moisture-farming townstead on Tatooine- to help them defend against an imminent tusken raider attack. Included are maps of both a typical farmstead and of the small town of Wayfar itself. The whole scenario is rather open ended, presenting the heroes with a list of problems and resources and leaving it up to them how to deal with the situation. I especially like that the adventure includes a lot of Tatooine 'cliches', like skyhoppers and jawa sandcrawlers and the like.
Episode V: Freedom No More
In this adventure, the heroes, having made it to the rendezvous with the Rebel fleet after the battle of Hoth, are sent BACK into the system to try and find a lost transport with a valuable cargo. There, they find the ship, but not the cargo. They must proceed to Cloud City to try and pick up the needed supplies before returning to the fleet. This all takes place in the time right before Han, Leia and the rest arrive at Bespin, thus placing the characters ALMOST into the movie. As with the previous adventure, there are a lot of ESB clichés at work here: the asteroid field, bounty hunters, intrigue on Cloud City. Generally good stuff, though there are some aspects I would handle more subtly- I think the adventure has the Empire announce its presence on Cloud City just a BIT more than it did in the movies. Heck, if I were to run this in a campaign, I might just set the adventure DURING Han and Leia's visit.
Episode VI: Remnants of the Empire
This adventure picks up while the celebration party on Endor is still going on. Though the second Death Star has been destroyed, the Rebel fleet has picked up strange sensor readings on the surface of Endor. The party is sent to investigate and discover a secret Imperial base. This is a solid enough adventure, though I’m not real thrilled about the supposed importance of the mission. Evidently, the Imperial base on the planet is trying to get word off to the ‘Imperial Fleet’ as to the disposition of the Rebels. This seems somewhat silly to me, as it has long been assumed that a good portion of the Imperial fleet survived and fled the battle. Thus, they already know where the Rebel fleet is. But in any case, there are once again lots of fun cleches at work: Biker-scout chases, infiltrating secret bunkers, etc.
As you can see, my reaction to these works is generally positive. The writing is great and inspires a lot of ideas (or at least it did for me in my campaign). Though I still somewhat prefer the ‘original edition’, both are great and very fun for gamers and fans alike.
I will begin with Galaxy Guides 1, 3 and 5. These respectively cover Episode IV, V, and VI- detailing the various characters presented in the movies- providing both gaming statistics and a wealth of background information. The books do not simply focus on the major characters, either, but go on to detail even minor characters like R5-D4 ("Red", the droid who blew his motivator?) and Momaw Nadon (aka the "hammerhead" guy in the cantina). As a fan and a GM, I found this to be incredibly fun- and useful when creating my own NPCs (or using ones from these books!).
Interspersed with character descriptions were various short stories or other tidbits of informations that further expanded on the characters and situations shown in the movies. For example an 'interview' with "Camie", one of Lukes friends on Tatooine, wherein she reminisces about Luke's exploits as a youth. The books also had a fun framing device for the introduction, conclusion and as lead-ins to each section. These three works are presented as the research notes of a young historian (Voren Na'al) working for the Rebel Alliance. Thus, we are actually following his exploits as he follows in the footsteps of the 'Heroes of Yavin'. I liked this little personal touch, and was amused to see that the historian was even given game stats. I used him as an NPC in my own game on a couple occasions.
The artwork for these books also bears mentioning. You don't just get names and stats for the various characters, you get full-bown black-and-white custom illustrations. In some ways, I even prefer this to the screen-captures used in most other sourcebooks- especially in those cases where the 'costume' for a character looks particularly bad on-screen (hey, those cantina folk were only on-screen for a few seconds, still photos of them are another matter).
The original versions of these three guides were produced in 1989-1990. In the mid 90's, however, new versions of them were released. These included statistics 'upgraded' to the second edition of the game. These 'version two' guides had more information contained in them as well: In the form of game statistics for various creatures and vehicles that were NOT included in the previous versions of the guides. I personally like the addition of this information, though in truth it is pretty much duplicated from the main rulebook and sourcebook.
What I didn't particularly like about the version two galaxy guides was the revised layout. In the original version, each character was typically given their own page- or sometimes two pages. But in all cases, the information was presented in a manner that was easy to use as a reference during play. You didn't have to go flipping from page to page to follow the stats of a particular character. In the second version, the character profiles flow from page to page, with breaks sometimes occurring right in the middle of a character stat block. It is a minor inconvenience, and no doubt this new layout allowed the book to 'economize' its space to keep printing costs lower than they might have been. But even so, I prefer the older method. I also missed the custom illustrations- only a few of which were used in version two, with most being replaced by stills captured from the movies.
What really set the second version guides apart from their predecessors, however, was the inclusion of a short adventure at the end of each. This is something I really do like. Though I have never run any of these adventures, I have read through them several times. I find them to be pretty solid in their construction, and moreso I enjoy the fact that each was sculpted to fit into the 'Episode' in which it was presented. Below are the adventures:
Episode IV: The Battle of Wayfar
Here, we have the heroes enlisted by a remote moisture-farming townstead on Tatooine- to help them defend against an imminent tusken raider attack. Included are maps of both a typical farmstead and of the small town of Wayfar itself. The whole scenario is rather open ended, presenting the heroes with a list of problems and resources and leaving it up to them how to deal with the situation. I especially like that the adventure includes a lot of Tatooine 'cliches', like skyhoppers and jawa sandcrawlers and the like.
Episode V: Freedom No More
In this adventure, the heroes, having made it to the rendezvous with the Rebel fleet after the battle of Hoth, are sent BACK into the system to try and find a lost transport with a valuable cargo. There, they find the ship, but not the cargo. They must proceed to Cloud City to try and pick up the needed supplies before returning to the fleet. This all takes place in the time right before Han, Leia and the rest arrive at Bespin, thus placing the characters ALMOST into the movie. As with the previous adventure, there are a lot of ESB clichés at work here: the asteroid field, bounty hunters, intrigue on Cloud City. Generally good stuff, though there are some aspects I would handle more subtly- I think the adventure has the Empire announce its presence on Cloud City just a BIT more than it did in the movies. Heck, if I were to run this in a campaign, I might just set the adventure DURING Han and Leia's visit.
Episode VI: Remnants of the Empire
This adventure picks up while the celebration party on Endor is still going on. Though the second Death Star has been destroyed, the Rebel fleet has picked up strange sensor readings on the surface of Endor. The party is sent to investigate and discover a secret Imperial base. This is a solid enough adventure, though I’m not real thrilled about the supposed importance of the mission. Evidently, the Imperial base on the planet is trying to get word off to the ‘Imperial Fleet’ as to the disposition of the Rebels. This seems somewhat silly to me, as it has long been assumed that a good portion of the Imperial fleet survived and fled the battle. Thus, they already know where the Rebel fleet is. But in any case, there are once again lots of fun cleches at work: Biker-scout chases, infiltrating secret bunkers, etc.
As you can see, my reaction to these works is generally positive. The writing is great and inspires a lot of ideas (or at least it did for me in my campaign). Though I still somewhat prefer the ‘original edition’, both are great and very fun for gamers and fans alike.
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