I recently put my homebrew SF game on hold to get back to our previous Star Wars Saga campaign. Now I like Saga in a lot of respects, but all in all I think it has too many rules, requires too many “build” style decisions and limits my ability to improvise while drawing from the full rules set. I was hoping to gradually migrate my game back to something as light as Microlite20 or my own Quick20 (which is sort of my “fork” of Microlite, since I was around during the original ENWorld discussions). I told them I’d gradually introduce stuff. I explained I wanted more stunts, looser Force powers.
So I put it to the group. I didn’t do a great job of explaining what exactly I wanted in some respects. Some of my players read a rules change as learning a new system (I want to stick to the D20 base) and maybe more complexity (obviously, I want less!) but I got the basic idea across. They had . . . mixed feelings about switching.
(Incidentally, I hope my players who read the blog click the Microlite link so they can see the kind of thing I’m talking about – maybe that’ll make it clearer.)
Aside from the aforementioned adaptation issues, the main concern was niche protection. We have two Jedi, and the rules are good at letting them develop in different directions. And y’know what? It was a fair point. I could design some loose systems to develop this sort of thing but it might take some time (though I do think I would do it.
So I think some things are definitely going to get axed (some skills, the injury track), but the Saga system is going to stay more or less intact. I’m pretty happy with the way the discussion went even though I didn’t get my way. I’ve often talked about the importance of listening and cooperation, though I have privately wondered if it has really come down to the fact that we’re all friends who have developed complementary interests. Now I’ve had the first chance in a while to put that to the test. We didn’t agree, and that’s okay. A better game will come of it.
(Though I must say, really guys, wouldn’t rules-light be snazzy? I have plenty of other ideas . . .)
I am glad that you managed to discuss decisions like that in an informed fashion. If my system was about another 6-12 months further ahead I would toss a copy your way as it sounds like you are looking rules-wise for something similar.
My first reaction was: “So what’s the difference between Obi-Wan, Quigonn and Anakin? What are their distinct niches?”
But that was unfair. If we’re restricting ourselves to the movies (the Extended Universe, yeesh, fuggedaboudit), Yoda, Luke and Obi-Wan do some pretty damn different things. And anyway, even putting aside the fiction, characters with different power options are cool, as are characters who can all attempt the same things basic things, but who each have some areas in which their ability is vastly increased, a la Obi-Wan changing the minds of a group of troopers and Yoda lifting the whole dang ship and the Emperors FORCE FUCKING LIGHTNING (caps obligatory).
But! From the “mixed reviews” you describe, I fear you may have a solution in search of a problem. Your ideas sound awesome to me, and I know there are players who would think them great, but you might not be playing with those people yet/for the time being.
I certainly hope you’ll tell us how it shakes out!
Whoops. I, uhh…see now that you did tell us how it shook out. Go go gadget reading comprehension.