
![]() |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |

Benchak the Nightstalker wrote:** spoiler omitted **** spoiler omitted **
Or whatever. This is a series that recycles elements to a degree a Fremen stillsuit would envy.
Plus, how do we know Rey's real name is Rey? The helmet she's wearing on Jakku has the name "Reah" written on it, Rey could be a nickname.
Besides, like Irontruth said, brother/sister is a lot more poetic than cousin/cousin.

Drejk |

Laurefindel wrote:Is that canon or was it thrown out with the EU?JoelF847 wrote:On a different note, what was up with Chewie's bowcaster being so badass?In Edge of the Empire's (FFG's Star Wars RPG) language, it got fully modded.
IIRC Edge of the Empire should based on a new license, post EU purge.

![]() |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |

Cole Deschain wrote:** spoiler omitted **Benchak the Nightstalker wrote:** spoiler omitted **** spoiler omitted **
Or whatever. This is a series that recycles elements to a degree a Fremen stillsuit would envy.
JJ himself has said in many different interviews that neither Kylo Ren or Rey are their real names (that's not a spoiler - it's been said a number of times actually in interviews etc)
What their real names are, however, is a different matter!

Irontruth |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |

baron arem heshvaun wrote:Pretty nifty Directors Guild of America Q and A with JJ Abrams and Lawrence KasdanThat was really interesting! I would recommend that everyone give it a look - JJ pretty clearly addresses his less in more approach to plot exposition (interestingly, that advice came from Kasdan) and his and Kasdan's intentional mirroring of the main themes of A New Hope in order to introduce new characters and a new story.
You also really get a sense of how big a Star Wars fan he is, how talented and creative he is, and how much of a decent, nice guy he is.
Like I said, really interesting video
JJ has always had some really creative and interesting ideas. Some of them just didn't pan out as well, or lost steam and became too convoluted.
I fully agree with the "less is more" approach. The few times that characters explain the plot to each other, they're usually doing it while being chased and shot at. It's a great way to do exposition, because you get it, but you have something else to pay attention to as well.
I'm also impressed by how different this feels from Star Trek. The visual style, method of dialogue, and lots of little details. It doesn't feel like the same director (though I haven't watched any of the new Star Trek's recently).

![]() |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |

Benchak the Nightstalker wrote:Cole Deschain wrote:** spoiler omitted **Benchak the Nightstalker wrote:** spoiler omitted **** spoiler omitted **
Or whatever. This is a series that recycles elements to a degree a Fremen stillsuit would envy.
JJ himself has said in many different interviews that neither Kylo Ren or Rey are their real names (that's not a spoiler - it's been said a number of times actually in interviews etc)
What their real names are, however, is a different matter!

Irontruth |

Hmm, idle speculation...
** spoiler omitted **

![]() |
5 people marked this as a favorite. |

On a different note, what was up with Chewie's bowcaster being so badass? In prior movies it pretty much was just another blaster. Also, how did Han not know it was so badass, he and Chewie worked together for decades - but it was as if he had never seen the thing fire before.
Upgrades my dear. Always upgrades.
Without the Falcon to maintain, fuss over and keep in flying fighting form, Chewie had to focus on something.
Enter bowcaster Mark IV, the Chewienator (Kashyyyk patent pending).

![]() |

I like this thread. At least no one down here is brushing me off saying I'm getting too intense over a movie. And I can talk about all my theories without people going,"Dude, what you doing, just wait till the next movie."
BNW:
The Jedi apprentice series and some other during the Empire series states the living force is all around us. And there be lots of Force sensitive people, just most don't ever learn to use it. I can't believe Han and Leia having another child and putting her in foster care with a base run by Hutts.
Also, I'm easily impressed by any feats of operating machinery, since I'm a Real Life Luddite. Anything I don't understand, I chalk it up to the force. My friend said that you need force sensitivity to activate a lightsaber. Is that true? I thought it was just turn on, turn off?
I didn't like the yuuzhan vong series, but at least Jacen had good reason to fall, unlike a certain somebody.

MeanDM |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |

MeanDM wrote:The D20 Wizards of the Coast one.
But not other good ones... :)
I hate the d6 version myself - in the hands of a 'new toy' obsessed GM, you get screwed one roll out of 6.
All my good memories of playing Star Wars are from SAGA.
Fair enough. I was mostly being tongue in cheek. The SAGA edition is a solid game. I just like the mechanics of the D6 game. But I completely understand what you're saying.

![]() |
For the D6 game either everyone has to be a jedi or no one gets to be a jedi. They're ridiculously overpowered
Muggle: Yay! i spent 87 points getting a 4d6 repair!
Jedi: oh look i dipped into force repair for 6 points and now i use my force stat to repair stuff... hand me that bucket of dice.
That wasn't how it worked. At all.

Drejk |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |

I like this thread. At least no one down here is brushing me off saying I'm getting too intense over a movie. And I can talk about all my theories without people going,"Dude, what you doing, just wait till the next movie."
BNW:
** spoiler omitted **
Also, I'm easily impressed by any feats of operating machinery, since I'm a Real Life Luddite. Anything I don't understand, I chalk it up to the force. My friend said that you need force sensitivity to activate a lightsaber. Is that true? I thought it was just turn on, turn off?
Han used Luke's lightsaber on Hoth to cut the Tauntaun without any problem. There is no Force as such in the lightsaber, it's just that Jedi and Sith used combat reaction enhancing techniques to wield them more efficiently than non-sensitive users, which allowed for such feats as consistent deflection of blaster bolts, even when blinded (e.g. Luke training during the flight from Tatooin to Alderan).
Extended Universe part: During the construction of the lightsaber Jedi often meditated over the process to attune to the particular lightsaber which might helped with using Force on it and with it. Sith also used Force-based alchemy to create synthetic crystals for their lightsabers.
Of course it could be possible for a particular Jedi to build a lightsaber that would have internal switch that has to be activated with a force telekinesis, but none of the lightsabers seen in the movies seems to have such security measure.

The Wyrm Ouroboros |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |

My friend said that you need force sensitivity to activate a lightsaber. Is that true? I thought it was just turn on, turn off?
No. Turning it on is a matter of a switch; anyone can do it. Han did it in Empire, in order to save Luke from the cold. The issue comes with wielding a supremely deadly weapon where the weapon part is at odds between your sight (which can see the blade) and your sense of kinesthesis (balance, for want of a better summing-up word), to which the dangerous part doesn't exist. It's difficult to use a lightsaber well if you don't have a sense of the Force to help guide it; you're as liable to slice off your own hand or permanently part your hair (and a section of your skull) as you are to lop off your opponent's limbs. You CAN do it, but it's frickin' dangerous.
The official explanation seems to be that Finn is just trained in a lot of weapons, so he's going off brute general skill, Rey is untrained but powerful in the Force, and Kylo Ren is more experienced, but not really trained, and hasn't a lot of self-control.
I give it a 7 out of 10 Death Stars.

Freehold DM |

Freehold DM wrote:** spoiler omitted **baron arem heshvaun wrote:** spoiler omitted **Krensky wrote:Point of order...
The cheapest space fighter in use at Yavin was the TIE. The X-Wing was the most expensive and advanced production star fighter at in that engagement.
Actually there are two types of TIE fighters seen in The Force Awakens.
One the "standard" TIE and the second the two seater TIE/SF "Special Forces" variant that Finn and Poe took.
The TIE/SF combines standard dual laser cannons with a heavy anti ground turret and warhead launcher. Special Forces TIEs do have hyperdrives, deflector shields and high yield cells that provide additional power to onboard systems.
These versatile attack ships are used for everything from lead reconnaissance to surface combat operations.

![]() |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |

OK, so here's an article on io9 about it needing a second viewing to get maximum enjoyment, particularly if you were on the fence the first time around (like myself):
So see Star Wars: The Force Awakens a second time if you haven’t already. Especially if that first screening wasn’t everything you wanted it to be. This was the most hyped movie of all-time, released in a world where microscopic slivers of information become trending topics on Twitter.

Irontruth |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |

The official explanation seems to be that Finn is just trained in a lot of weapons, so he's going off brute general skill, Rey is untrained but powerful in the Force, and Kylo Ren is more experienced, but not really trained, and hasn't a lot of self-control.I give it a 7 out of 10 Death Stars.
Rey isn't trained with lightsabers, but remember we're shown early on that she is skilled in hand-to-hand combat. She fights off two attackers who were taller and probably had a few pounds on her.

![]() |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Mark Moreland wrote:** spoiler omitted **Freehold DM wrote:** spoiler omitted **baron arem heshvaun wrote:** spoiler omitted **Krensky wrote:Point of order...
The cheapest space fighter in use at Yavin was the TIE. The X-Wing was the most expensive and advanced production star fighter at in that engagement.
Actually there are two types of TIE fighters seen in The Force Awakens.
One the "standard" TIE and the second the two seater TIE/SF "Special Forces" variant that Finn and Poe took.
The TIE/SF combines standard dual laser cannons with a heavy anti ground turret and warhead launcher. Special Forces TIEs do have hyperdrives, deflector shields and high yield cells that provide additional power to onboard systems.
These versatile attack ships are used for everything from lead reconnaissance to surface combat operations.
It was a slow, ungainly, myopic hanger queen when new and it didn't age well at all. Its cheaper and easier to find parts for it than the X, B, or A Wings though. Which I guess counts for a very little bit.

![]() |
2 people marked this as a favorite. |

To be fair the two seater Y Wing "Long Probe" scout variant was an exceptional long range reconnaissance fighter for its time.
The BTL A4 had the capability of several hyperspace jumps, sophisticated (for its time) scanning equipment, heavily armed and shielded compared to other scout ships, and the two seater pilot/copilot and astromech combo meant the scouts would not get too lonely out there in space.

![]() |

![]() |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |

baron arem heshvaun wrote:I still can't believe how much Harrison is involved in the promos for this.Jimmy Fallon, the Roots, the cast of The Force Awakens sing "Star Wars" Medley
I love Chewbacca staring into the camera.
I think when he asked to be [redacted] he had to pony up some promotional air time.
Man, Ford looked jubilant to be in some of those comedy skits, must be the legalization of herbal green in Cali.

Freehold DM |

Freehold DM wrote:** spoiler omitted **Mark Moreland wrote:** spoiler omitted **Freehold DM wrote:** spoiler omitted **baron arem heshvaun wrote:** spoiler omitted **Krensky wrote:Point of order...
The cheapest space fighter in use at Yavin was the TIE. The X-Wing was the most expensive and advanced production star fighter at in that engagement.
Actually there are two types of TIE fighters seen in The Force Awakens.
One the "standard" TIE and the second the two seater TIE/SF "Special Forces" variant that Finn and Poe took.
The TIE/SF combines standard dual laser cannons with a heavy anti ground turret and warhead launcher. Special Forces TIEs do have hyperdrives, deflector shields and high yield cells that provide additional power to onboard systems.
These versatile attack ships are used for everything from lead reconnaissance to surface combat operations.

MeanDM |

Imbicatus wrote:baron arem heshvaun wrote:I still can't believe how much Harrison is involved in the promos for this.Jimmy Fallon, the Roots, the cast of The Force Awakens sing "Star Wars" Medley
I love Chewbacca staring into the camera.
I think when he asked to be [redacted] he had to pony up some promotional air time.
Man, Ford looked jubilant to be in some of those comedy skits, must be the legalization of herbal green in Cali.
Friend of mine said she partook with him at a party once when she was in college, and he's not a good passer.

![]() |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |

Does that use a unique system, or D20 rules?
Original system. Here's an ad page.
I would like someone more familiar with the three games ("edge of Empire" "Age of Rebellion" "Force and Destiny") to explain the differences between the games. I own one of them. Do I have to buy the other two? Are they compatible?

Laurefindel |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |

MeanDM wrote:Does that use a unique system, or D20 rules?Original system. Here's an ad page.
I would like someone more familiar with the three games ("edge of Empire" "Age of Rebellion" "Force and Destiny") to explain the differences between the games. I own one of them. Do I have to buy the other two? Are they compatible?
It's the same game packaged in different themes
All use the exact same rules and character creation toolkit, but with different careers and specializations each introducing slightly different abilities. The main difference is the obligation/duty/morality concepts (which should be seen as "flaws" for the characters, but rather opportunity to tie in with the story)
obligation (used in Edge of the Empire) is your relation with the galaxy's underworld (with great ships comes great debts)
duty (used in Age of Rebellion) is your relation with the rebellion (with great ranking comes great responsibilities)
morality (used in Force and Destiny) is your relation toward good and evil (with great powers comes great moral conflict)
The games are completely compatible, but you don't have to buy the two other books. About 80% is repetition of the same rules and guidelines. The remaining 20% is mainly about careers and specs, a few ships and equipment, a few adversaries and background information.
Force and Destiny introduces Jedi-like careers and specs, combine the force powers introduced in Edge of the Empire and Age of Rebellion plus a few more. I've heard quite a few people (including myself) purchasing F&D in addition to either EotE or AoR.
Our present game has two F&D character and one EotE in a cat-and-mouse game between us, gangsters and imperial inquisitors.

Laurefindel |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |

Laurefindel wrote:Does that use a unique system, or D20 rules?I'm really digging the new FFG's Star Wars RPG series (Edge of the Empire, Age of Rebellion and Force and Destiny)
Original system using custom dice (with no numbers). Chris Mortika's link has it all.
TL:DR version: You build a dice pool according to your Abilities (stats) and skill. You declare your intended action, roll the dice then narrate how you succeeded or failed based on the result. Unlike most RPGs, the outcome is not binary. You can succeed but with a threat (something bad), fail but with advantage, succeed the roll with a despair (which typically trigger an opponent or environmental reaction etc. Its a very narrative game.