In celebration of May the 4th and 5th, I wanted to share an idea I've been developing in my...um...I was going to say 'spare time' but we all know that isn't a real thing, now don't we?
A key element making many of the installments of the Star Wars VISIONS anthology so amazing is the fact that they don't have to be connected to the greater Star Wars canon and in fact, aren't.
The 'Ninth Jedi' takes place in a distant (though undefined) future.
'Journey to the Dark Head' seems to be set in the Old or High Republic. Again, seems.
'Aau's Song', 'Akakiri', and 'Screecher's Reach' take place in indeterminate times and places.
In my opinion, this is a major factor in why these entries are so awesome.
Looking back on my many Star Wars campaigns, all the best ones were run in the real world era wherein we didn't have any 'canon' beyond the original film trilogy. Everything else - from the books, to the comics, and of course the West End Games RPG - were myths and legends describing someone's own take on a galaxy 'Long Ago and Far, Far Away'.
For some time now I've been thinking, 'I wish I could go back to that time.' Essentially, I'd like to run a TRPG campaign in the Star Wars universe but not necessarily in the Star Wars canon. Would that work nowadays? Could it?
These thoughts led me to postulate how I could use a system other then my beloved Star Wars D6 to give such a campaign both a distinctly different feel and, simultaneously, imply a separate 'non-canon' version of the setting.
Star Wars D6 is, for me at least, 'real Star Wars' as far as Star Wars tabletop RPGs go. It was the only widely shared and accepted source on information about the Star Wars universe for years. It informed Timothy Zahn's 'Heir to the Empire' trilogy, the Prequels, and even some content that was actually good (Ooh! Not he didn't!) like the Rebels episode 'Wings of the Master', based on the WEG adventure 'Strikeforce Shantipole'. (He did by the way. I read it again to make sure).
So, the idea is that using another game for Star Wars automatically makes it a another kind of Star Wars for me. Does that make sense to anyone else? It makes sense to me but I know sometimes I think oddly. lol The question then becomes, 'What game and what sort of Star Wars am I considering?' Well...
I'd like to use the Japanese Doujinshi TRPG 'Space Ship Story' to run a Star Wars VISIONS: The Roleplaying Game. I'm thinking lots of Anime/Manga influence, kinetic combat, melodrama, and of course lots of cool art/visuals.
Star Wars VISIONS 'Original Manga'
Art by Tomohiro Shimoguchi
More on this as it develops but I really believe this idea will work. Fingers (and maybe Lightsabers) crossed.
AD
Barking Alien
As ever, you have my interest...
ReplyDeleteBizarrely and coincidentally, I'm rewatching Rebels and this morning's episode was Wings of The Master!
Clearly it's the will of the Force. :D
DeleteI think I've mentioned my reaction to that episode in the past. I was like, "Holy #@$%! I've run this episode!" It further confirms my theory that Star Wars Rebels was just somebody's Star Wars D6 campaign. I mean, you can see the Templates! The Failed Jedi, Smuggler, the Kid, Bounty Hunter, Alien Mercenary...
Anyway, thanks as always for coming by Tim. Means a lot.
A) I plan to attend the Star Wars Celebration next year, since I'm pretty close already.
ReplyDeleteB) I've been considering rebooting my SW d6 game in a very much non-canon universe. My idea is to mix Romance of the Three Kingdoms with Star Wars. The galaxy is divided into the Old and New Republics, the Galactic Empire, the Sith Empire, the Confederacy of Independent Planets, etc. Just throw it all in a blender and have fun gaming.
An interesting setting Dennis. Not quite sure how that would play out (with all the factions you mentioned), though simply 'Star Wars: Romance of the Three Kingdoms' sounds awesome.
DeleteWhat I'm considering, which I will discuss further in a follow-up post, is all the things that make Star Wars 'STAR WARS' but none of the things that define a particular era in the Star Wars canon.
It makes sense in my head but I'm not sure it will work in reality. lol
I used to play (still occasionally play) Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds, the RTS game. It mixes up all the factions so the Empire can fight the Trade Federation, or the Gungans vs the Rebels. That's part of the inspiration for this idea. Visions is the other.
DeleteLooking forward to your next post.
I realize I am late to the party here but this is a solid idea, especially if any of the potential players are familiar with your d6 games. Changing up the rules but keeping the setting (to whatever degree) reinforces to your players "this is something different".
ReplyDeleteI think my first try with something like this was running a superhero campaign using M&M for the main game but running the same general setting in ICONS as "The Animated Series" and it worked pretty well. Hope you get to give this a whirl sometime soon.