WEG Star Wars?

[fmitchell]

"Level" systems just feel so artificial and restricting to me after spending my formative years with a "point-allocation" progression system.

Slight threadjack, but I eased into RPGs with Metagaming's Melee and Wizard (later expanded into The Fantasy Trip), with later introductions to Traveller and RuneQuest. Most systems outside D&D's sphere lead to that realization.

But yeah, D6 is one of the cleaner systems, and the wild die insures that even a whiny kid from a desert planet has a tiny chance of doing something amazing.

[malchya]

I picked it up the day it hit the shelf at the local game shop. Bought most of the sourcebooks as they came out, then upgraded to 2nd edition (Woo Hoo!) as soon as it was out. Couldn't get my old group to play it, though. They wanted me to run AD&D or FASA Star Trek. Over the years I've run maybe six sessions of D6 SW. Now, however, my boy is old enough to play and is really into Star Wars. I've owned both d20 editions and find D6 to be much closer to my idea of how I would want Star Wars gaming to feel. Can't wait to get it going!

[Ellanon]

I recently picked up the PDF versions of the D6 Space/Adventure/Fantasy from RPGNow.com I played WEG D6 Star Wars over 15 years ago. Between WEG D6 and Shadowrun I have a deep appreciation of classless/leveless systems - despite AD&D2 being the first RPG I ever played.

I too have found that all anyone wants to play is D&D. I have tried 4e, and am not a fan. I barely tolerated 3.x. 2.x used to annoy me, but the games were a lot more fun (although I attribute that to our age and playstyles rather than the game system).

My question for anyone still reading this excellent thread: How does WEG's new D6 offerings compare to the old Star Wars D6? I assume without the Star Wars license I have to do a little interpretation (which gives me a little breathing room to combine a few genre and ideas, i.e. BSG, Star Wars, Star Trek, Riddick, etc). That aside, does it stand well?

[Etarnon]

Seems to me, it's a more refined version of the d6 system that they were doing at the tail end, that was separate from WEGd6.

You'd need to do some conversion.

If your pdf isn't enough, books can be had for cheap on eBay.

I'm more of a fan of d6 WEG than d20 SW by far. SAGA is allright, but it bogs downwith different calculations, and such and is more wargamish than WEG d6 ever was, since the latter was designed to be a ref centered cinematic deal.

Good luck.

[Dytrrnikl]

Right now the company is just getting started, but there is a d6 system being worked on called Cinema6 that appears to be an update to the WEG d6 rules. They did say they were in talks to acquire licenses...mayhaps they'll land Star Wars and return it to it's rightful place with a truly cinematic system. Saga is good, don't get me wrong, however, it still falls short of the mark with Star Wars for me - primarily the class-level format.

[Citadel]

wow....to see this thread is to bring back memories. SWD6 was the first table top I ever played, D & D never did anything for me. I tried plaing the D20 but it wasn't the same, Saga on the other hand has it's potential but didn't fill the void that the D6 did for me. IMO D6 out ranks them all so I'll be keeping my books and play when I can. As for the most of you has anyone played much?

[Holocron]

I agree Citadel, Star Wars D6 is where its at. A coworker started a D20 SW campaign and I was tempted to join, but then as I reviewed the rules for character creation, I was reminded and turned off by the whole concept of classes and levels... and random attributes... To be fair, I've never actually tried SW D20, other than KOTOR and KOTOR 2, but those are a lot different from the D20 RPG.

I've actually been playing my SW D6 campaign just recently, the most recent session was about a week ago. This is the same storyline that's been ongoing off and on for years. I've been rolling out some new villains and deep complicated plots, so its been fun.

[Max_Writer]

Yes, D6 was the best version of the game so far. I've played d6, d20, and Saga and the latter two pale in comparison to the first imho. Level-based and class-based systems can't hold a candle to the skill-based and rules light d6 version.

[I. J. Thompson]

Ah, I've just read this whole, wonderful thread. Such great memories of this game, which I played from 1992-2003...

[ThatGuy]

Hi there. Long time lurker first time poster.

Star Wars D6 was the first RPG book I owned. I was just starting to explore RPGs with my cousin who is 10 years older then me. My mother, knowing my love of all things Star Wars at the time and being rather enlightened bought me a copy of WEG Star Wars Second Edition for Christmas in 1992. I still have that old, beat up, worn blue cover First Printing on my shelf in my office.

I ran the living hell out of that game. I always seemed to have a game of it running from right around when I got it all the way up until around 1999 or so. Most of the players where I was at that time where big DnD fans, so I used the D20 Star Wars to get their toes wet and then moved them to the D6 system eventually. Sadly, though, it's fallen by the wayside for me as other games have come up and my focus shifted from Science Fantasy/Space Opera to more Horror. However in recent months I've been looking at that shelf (yes, I have a shelf mostly dedicated to WEG Star Wars) and considering doing something with the books. My first thought is Darkstryder. I've always been a fan of that series of books and honestly it would probably suit my group amazingly well, not to mention I've been running gritty horror games for a decade or so at this point. :-p

The only downside I'm facing is that most of my group sees the old WEG Star Wars as a dinosaur. Great for it's time, but it shows it's age. They are a bit of a progressive bunch, more likely to try/play newer systems then older ones. Maybe I can do that D6-SAGA Darkstryder conversion I've always thought of? anyways, I'm rambling.

In short, WEG Star Wars was the game I really cut my teeth on as a GM and will always hold a spot on my shelf.

[bigjawhite]

Lots of love for Star Wars D6 WEG - how about convening our own mini-convention?

[straxus]

Ahh there is a thread here about WEG Star Wars! Couple friends of mine and I dug the books out and started a new campaign.
I have been hoping to track down some of the old modules again as my old modules were stolen by past players...

[Golden Age Superhero]

I've been reading the posts and they are really good. I've garnered many good ideas from reading the things all of you have posted.

The GM I play under is a good friend. We have been friends for almost 25 years and have gamed most of that time (various genre). Our favorites are 2nd Edition AD&D and WEG D6 Star Wars.

In the most recent Star Wars game, one of the players asked the GM if he would allow him to play a Jedi of an alien race who was corrupted by a Dark Ritual which caused him to become a Vampiric Dark Jedi.

The original premise was supposed to tie the character to a story arch involving an ancient artifact of unknown origin. (the artifact was created as a plot hook).

The GM told the player that he does not like players playing Dark Side Jedi. The player assured the GM that he was not going to unbalance his campaign.

It was explained that the character he wanted to play was an alien, whose people had succumb to the Dark Side through a rift in the Force created when they tried to open a direct connection with the Force through a ritual. But something went horribly wrong and the volunteer through whom the intended connection was to become established was instead filled with Dark Side energies and transformed into a Vampiric Lifeforce Energy draining humanoid, who began feeding on his own people until he was driven off world.

The player's character left off world to search for an artifact rumored to be capable of closing the rift and restoring his people to normal. His people had been transformed into Vampiric Lifeforce Energy draining humanoids who feed on the Midi-Chlorians of Force Sensitives by draining their blood.

The player assured the GM that as soon as he located the ancient artifact, he would return to his home world and use the artifact to close the rift and restore his people.

The player was persuasive and the GM was curious as to how this would play out, and he allowed the player to play the character. Within 3 sessions the player located the artifact and rather than return to his home world as soon as he could, he instead went about systematically unbalancing the campaign. When the GM called him on it, he accused the GM of railroading and being a bad GM.

We (the other players) didn't see the harm in allowing the character to have a little off world fun before returning to his home planet to complete a ritual that would effectively retire his character from the game. (The vampiric character was created specifically to save his people and close the rift). The GM prefers to maintain the peace so he agreed to allow the character to delay his return home.

A few sessions after that, we (the other players) regretted our decision. The Vanpiric character began to systematically destroy the campaign. The GM tried to stop it but by that time (for reasons that are far too detailed to go into without taking up a lot! more space) the player had become rude and hostile to any suggestion that his character was overpowered and disruptive. The player kept insisting that the GM was being unfair and singling him out just because his character was clever enough to outwit the GM's plans and the GM's NPCs.

Meanwhile, the other players said nothing and seemed to be enjoying the new power level that the player had introduced. But now we all see how this player has abused the game, rules, and GM's willingness to allow a player to play an unusual character. The rogue player does not see that he is doing anything wrong.

The GM has tried to amp up the power level of his campaign in an effort restore the balance. Each time he has attempted to do so, the power player has become biligerent and accusational.

At one point the GM was 'told' by that player that he would strand him at the game location if he tried to bring in anything that the player did not want brought in. In other words, anything the GM tried to use to re-establish control over the game the player of the Vampiric character shot down with threats.

The GM told the other players (since the one out of control won't listen to him anymore) that the next time the player threatens him over anything in-game, he is out of the game permanently and will never be allowed to play in any other game the GM holds.

(it might help the reader to know that the offensive player was the GMs only source of transportation up until recently, and we have been playing at the home of one of the other players.)

Now that I've filled you all in on the basics, I'd like your feedback as to what should be done in the future to prevent this type of abuse from happening again.

Just say no to munchkin players. This guy is being a jerk.

[Etarnon]

Classic Narcissist. He wants power nobody else has, "Jedi, and Vampire" and once you try to take it away, you're wrong. You're the GM and he agreed, but so what, you're wrong anyway. If smearing like "Railroader" and "PC Nerf" doesn't fly, he threatens the GM and the game with lack of a ride, ie. cave in, GM, like you did, or we all stop playing.

Mistake 1, when the guy did not go back to planet, GM's JOB right there is enforce the contract. It's a NPC character for a minor arc. Next scenario, okay so that Jedi guy went back and saved his homewolrd, Period, end of story. What a great guy and warm fuzzies we have for him.

Too many people as GM let things like this slide because of poor boundaries.

He's not a 'tard or a jerk or an idiot, he's a manipulative person with a Personality Disorder. Nothing you do, say, or threaten will make him back down. If you dump him from the group, he "loses" and can't stand to lose, so the solution for future (since that was 3 years ago) Tell him firmly to go, he's not wanted, and don't come back. change your phone number. refer any other potential matters of stalking, etc to the police.

I say this as I had a guy I kicked out of a 3.5 game, he started mailing me dead animals, verbal sexual threats to my wife, etc till I got police involved. On the 1 year anniversary of him joining my game, he mailed me a "Birthday" card . "Happy Birthday." I would laugh if it didn't happen to me. Many people do not believe something like this can happen, that this only happens to women. Google it.

I have also had family members like this. they say one thing, you point out they are wrong/incorrect. They say, "No, I never said that." You might have it on video or tape. You show the tape they will flip out, at the evidence that they have a flaw and are wrong, and will be beyond agitated.

The guy obviously did not respect the GM. Prevention.. hard to do since they lie, cheat and steal to get in. and jump on and take advantage of any kind of weakness, lack of boundaries, or neeediness in the GM at hand. They will play on "You beg for players or need a game to feel wanted."

If you are a GM that likes to get along, and does not like confrontation, these guys will run all over you.

Part of being a game judge / referee, is to get in the face of someone that is potentially upset, and who isn't seeing the game in the context of it's a game, and has too much emotional involvement in the fate of the PC.

You have to be able to say, "No, you are badly hurt, in a coma, broken sword, lost ship, burned house...I have ruled. That's the way it is." A good player will see it as a plot twist and challenge. A poor player will say, you are screwing me over. Except unless GM is a killer GM, there is no screw over, that's all meta gaming.

If you can't do that, you'll have a real problem with the above personality type. Stick to your guns. It doesn't matter what the other players think. If so, you are not GMing the group is. If you are fair, it's a good call. If you are not fair and detached, you are not a good GM.

[Holocron]

Dang... yeah, this original topic was posted over three years ago... I'm really glad now that I only ever gamed with my actual friends, and that they were all good dudes.

Etaron, wow... I'm sorry you had to go through such a terrible experience :'( I'm amazed and disgusted that something like that could actually happen to someone

In general, yeah good GM methods to enforce the GM's authority and support from the players is important, but, almost equally important I'd say is being selective about who you allow into your game.