JJ Abrams wasn't "fooling around" with the designs of the new X-Wings. He brought them back to a look similar to the Ralph Mcquarrie art for Star Wars. That art was based upon the designs of Joe Johnston, who made drastically different looking X-Wings than Colin Cantwell.

Source: http://www.starwars.com/news/an-annotated-guide-to-the-star-wars-portfolio-by-ralph-mcquarrie

And George made choices with the original trilogy that Ralph would not have and that's why hardly anyone who is a Star Wars fan knows who Ralph is but they know who George is, and they know what the original trilogy looks like but not what Ralph's art looks like.

You have to point it out because Ralph McQuarrie's art isn't the original trilogy, George Lucas' original trilogy is star wars.

This is what the Millennium Falcon would have looked like. The CR90.

Thank Lucas they didn't go with Ralph McQuarrie in that instance either.

I really don't understand the argument that FFG will not stray from the civil war era, for example see Tie Defender, Tie Phantom, and E-wing fighter. Or maybe I just some how missed those in the movies all theses viewings over nearly 40 years. I'm pretty sure that we will see new ships from the new movies and it won't take a new starter or a companion game to accomplish it. As I've posted in other threads, look at Star Wars miniatures, started as a classic game and immediately brought in the clone wars at the same time those movies and television shows were being pushed. Anyone who doesn't see this coming is merely fooling themselves, just like the arguments that said we would never see a third faction. For curiosity how did that argument pan out?

JJ Abrams wasn't "fooling around" with the designs of the new X-Wings. He brought them back to a look similar to the Ralph Mcquarrie art for Star Wars. That art was based upon the designs of Joe Johnston, who made drastically different looking X-Wings than Colin Cantwell. Source: http://www.starwars.com/news/an-annotated-guide-to-the-star-wars-portfolio-by-ralph-mcquarrie

Another great example of JJAbrams messing with Star Wars, since Ralph Mcquarrie isn't the maker of Star Wars, George Lucas is.And George made choices with the original trilogy that Ralph would not have and that's why hardly anyone who is a Star Wars fan knows who Ralph is but they know who George is, and they know what the original trilogy looks like but not what Ralph's art looks like.You have to point it out because Ralph McQuarrie's art isn't the original trilogy, George Lucas' original trilogy is star wars.This is what the Millennium Falcon would have looked like. The CR90.Thank Lucas they didn't go with Ralph McQuarrie in that instance either.

Actually the story goes that this design was scrapped because of the similarity to the spaceship in space 1999. And how can anyone that was a fan of the original trilogy , when it was new, not know who Ralph was. I've never met a fan that grew up with it that didn't know who this was.

I really don't understand the argument that FFG will not stray from the civil war era, for example see Tie Defender, Tie Phantom, and E-wing fighter. Or maybe I just some how missed those in the movies all theses viewings over nearly 40 years. I'm pretty sure that we will see new ships from the new movies and it won't take a new starter or a companion game to accomplish it. As I've posted in other threads, look at Star Wars miniatures, started as a classic game and immediately brought in the clone wars at the same time those movies and television shows were being pushed. Anyone who doesn't see this coming is merely fooling themselves, just like the arguments that said we would never see a third faction. For curiosity how did that argument pan out?

Ah, so that's what they were talking about when they said the original Falcan design became the Tantive design. Interesting.

JJ Abrams wasn't "fooling around" with the designs of the new X-Wings. He brought them back to a look similar to the Ralph Mcquarrie art for Star Wars. That art was based upon the designs of Joe Johnston, who made drastically different looking X-Wings than Colin Cantwell. Source: http://www.starwars.com/news/an-annotated-guide-to-the-star-wars-portfolio-by-ralph-mcquarrie

Another great example of JJAbrams messing with Star Wars, since Ralph Mcquarrie isn't the maker of Star Wars, George Lucas is.And George made choices with the original trilogy that Ralph would not have and that's why hardly anyone who is a Star Wars fan knows who Ralph is but they know who George is, and they know what the original trilogy looks like but not what Ralph's art looks like.You have to point it out because Ralph McQuarrie's art isn't the original trilogy, George Lucas' original trilogy is star wars.This is what the Millennium Falcon would have looked like. The CR90.Thank Lucas they didn't go with Ralph McQuarrie in that instance either.

Actually the story goes that this design was scrapped because of the similarity to the spaceship in space 1999. And how can anyone that was a fan of the original trilogy , when it was new, not know who Ralph was. I've never met a fan that grew up with it that didn't know who this was.

Ah, so that's what they were talking about when they said the original Falcan design became the Tantive design. Interesting.

My point, which was sidestepped to push McQuarrie, is that McQuarrie had to change is design for Lucas' vision and it's not McQuarrie's Star Wars.

Origin and design

According to Star Wars creator George Lucas, the Millennium Falcon's design was inspired by a hamburger, with the cockpit being an olive on the side. The ship originally had a more elongated appearance, but this design's similarity to the Eagle Transporters in Space: 1999 prompted Lucas to change the Falcon '​s design. The original model was modified, re-scaled, and used as Princess Leia's ship, Tantive IV.

Notice there is no mention of Ralph McQuarrie in that quote.

JJ Abrams wasn't "fooling around" with the designs of the new X-Wings. He brought them back to a look similar to the Ralph Mcquarrie art for Star Wars. That art was based upon the designs of Joe Johnston, who made drastically different looking X-Wings than Colin Cantwell. Source: http://www.starwars.com/news/an-annotated-guide-to-the-star-wars-portfolio-by-ralph-mcquarrie

Another great example of JJAbrams messing with Star Wars, since Ralph Mcquarrie isn't the maker of Star Wars, George Lucas is.And George made choices with the original trilogy that Ralph would not have and that's why hardly anyone who is a Star Wars fan knows who Ralph is but they know who George is, and they know what the original trilogy looks like but not what Ralph's art looks like.You have to point it out because Ralph McQuarrie's art isn't the original trilogy, George Lucas' original trilogy is star wars.This is what the Millennium Falcon would have looked like. The CR90.Thank Lucas they didn't go with Ralph McQuarrie in that instance either.

Actually the story goes that this design was scrapped because of the similarity to the spaceship in space 1999. And how can anyone that was a fan of the original trilogy , when it was new, not know who Ralph was. I've never met a fan that grew up with it that didn't know who this was.

Because as a kid who is a fan of the movies you don't have to be a fan of a coffee table art book also.

But in the seventies when we didn't have things like the internet and message boards all there were to find info on Star Wars were sci-fi mags and Bantha Tracks, all of which featured Ralph's work rather prominently, no coffee table books, just all the info available at the time. I know as a child I saw more pics of his work in mags then anywhere else.

Wow, I hadn't realised how far they got - figured it was changed at the concept stage before they made models.

*EDIT* spelling

If you had taken the time to read the article, you'd have seen that Ralph's concept art was based upon someone else's designs. Originally, Colin Cantwell. However, the designs for some things, like the X-Wing, Y-Wing and Millennium Falcon were changed once Joe Johnston's designs were accepted instead. Ralph was basically just there to draw out concept images of it, so revisions were made. So the decisions of how it looked really wasn't even up to Ralph, he was just the guy that painted it all based upon another guy's designs. So Lucas did go with his concept art, he just changed his mind later on, because, you know, Lucas.

*EDIT* spelling

Exactly, it's George Lucas' Star Wars, and back to the original point, why isn't JJAbrams respecting that?

He's going with something "more like Ralph McQuarrie's art,"

so as I said, another change from the original trilogy, for his own reasons.

Actually Ralph was hired to paint the images of Lucas's vision to have something to show to the movie exec's while trying to sell the idea to studios. All of these were the original ideas of Lucas to have something to show. This has really gotten way off subject and not really relevant, so I'll bid you all good luck in this. I'm gonna go back to my coffee table books and look forward to flying my new X-wings by years end.

If you had taken the time to read the article, you'd have seen that Ralph's concept art was based upon someone else's designs. Originally, Colin Cantwell. However, the designs for some things, like the X-Wing, Y-Wing and Millennium Falcon were changed once Joe Johnston's designs were accepted instead. Ralph was basically just there to draw out concept images of it, so revisions were made. So the decisions of how it looked really wasn't even up to Ralph, he was just the guy that painted it all based upon another guy's designs. So Lucas did go with his concept art, he just changed his mind later on, because, you know, Lucas.

*EDIT* spelling

Exactly, it's George Lucas' Star Wars, and back to the original point, why isn't JJAbrams respecting that?

He's going with something "more like Ralph McQuarrie's art,"

so as I said, another change from the original trilogy, for his own reasons.

Because it's no longer George Lucas' Star Wars.

*EDIT to add more*

Also, it's kind of funny to talk like it's such a bad thing that JJ Abrams is changing designs in Star Wars without mentioning the fact that George Lucas changed things himself... after the movies had already been out about 20 years. 20 years for people to watch them over and over, enjoying them as they were. What he changed wasn't designs but adding extra bonus dlc content nobody wanted (cg in every scene, sound effects, that whole song thing in Return of the Jedi) and rewriting scenes that were fine as they were.

If you had taken the time to read the article, you'd have seen that Ralph's concept art was based upon someone else's designs. Originally, Colin Cantwell. However, the designs for some things, like the X-Wing, Y-Wing and Millennium Falcon were changed once Joe Johnston's designs were accepted instead. Ralph was basically just there to draw out concept images of it, so revisions were made. So the decisions of how it looked really wasn't even up to Ralph, he was just the guy that painted it all based upon another guy's designs. So Lucas did go with his concept art, he just changed his mind later on, because, you know, Lucas.

*EDIT* spelling

Exactly, it's George Lucas' Star Wars, and back to the original point, why isn't JJAbrams respecting that?

He's going with something "more like Ralph McQuarrie's art,"

so as I said, another change from the original trilogy, for his own reasons.

Because it's no longer George Lucas' Star Wars.

oh, and that's not a contradiction of anything, hmm?

What is he a fan of then? It may as well be Lego Star Wars

if it's not George Lucas' Star Wars.

Show me some Ralph McQuarrie art of the new X-wing, or the Crossguard lightsaber.

I just don't get this. Yes, the designs are different. Guess what, the movie is 40 years later. It is okay for designs to be different. It isn't the end of the world.

No, this isn't Lucas's universe anymore. Kathleen Kennedy seems to be doing the correct thing in growing the Star Wars universe. Bringing in talent to let them grow and place their own mark on the universe. That looping Falcon shot, THAT is what Abram's biggest contributions will be.

I just don't get this. Yes, the designs are different. Guess what, the movie is 40 years later. It is okay for designs to be different. It isn't the end of the world.

No, this isn't Lucas's universe anymore. Kathleen Kennedy seems to be doing the correct thing in growing the Star Wars universe. Bringing in talent to let them grow and place their own mark on the universe. That looping Falcon shot, THAT is what Abram's biggest contributions will be.

That looping shot had a lens flare. Just sayin'.

I just don't get this. Yes, the designs are different. Guess what, the movie is 40 years later. It is okay for designs to be different. It isn't the end of the world.

No, this isn't Lucas's universe anymore. Kathleen Kennedy seems to be doing the correct thing in growing the Star Wars universe. Bringing in talent to let them grow and place their own mark on the universe. That looping Falcon shot, THAT is what Abram's biggest contributions will be.

That looping shot had a lens flare. Just sayin'.

sure, the new catch phrase "Holy Looping Falcons!"

Sometimes too much change is a bad thing, we'll see where Abrams draws the line.

And sometimes it's needed. Abrams can 100% mimic the style of the OT and Lucas. He was able to do a pretty good Spielburg impersonation with Super 8.

And the OT was good because Lucas got actual input, not just yes men. Including McQuarrie. To deny McQuarrie's influence on Star Wars is just insane to me.

If you had taken the time to read the article, you'd have seen that Ralph's concept art was based upon someone else's designs. Originally, Colin Cantwell. However, the designs for some things, like the X-Wing, Y-Wing and Millennium Falcon were changed once Joe Johnston's designs were accepted instead. Ralph was basically just there to draw out concept images of it, so revisions were made. So the decisions of how it looked really wasn't even up to Ralph, he was just the guy that painted it all based upon another guy's designs. So Lucas did go with his concept art, he just changed his mind later on, because, you know, Lucas.

*EDIT* spelling

Exactly, it's George Lucas' Star Wars, and back to the original point, why isn't JJAbrams respecting that?

He's going with something "more like Ralph McQuarrie's art,"

so as I said, another change from the original trilogy, for his own reasons.

Because it's no longer George Lucas' Star Wars.

oh, and that's not a contradiction of anything, hmm?

What is he a fan of then? It may as well be Lego Star Wars

if it's not George Lucas' Star Wars.

Show me some Ralph McQuarrie art of the new X-wing, or the Crossguard lightsaber.

George Lucas had a vision...and it was kinda lame...but he was surrounded by great artists and professionals that took that vision and refined and changed it. If you don't believe me check out 2 things: "The Star Wars" comic by Dark horse ...it is based on the ORIGINAL treatment that Lucas wanted to go with.

then watch the prequel trilogy...also his work without much interference from others.

both are kinda terrible.

JJ is a good choice to start the new Trilogy...Rian Johnson is a great choice to continue them.

*EDIT to add more*

Also, it's kind of funny to talk like it's such a bad thing that JJ Abrams is changing designs in Star Wars without mentioning the fact that George Lucas changed things himself... after the movies had already been out about 20 years. 20 years for people to watch them over and over, enjoying them as they were. What he changed wasn't designs but adding extra bonus dlc content nobody wanted (cg in every scene, sound effects, that whole song thing in Return of the Jedi) and rewriting scenes that were fine as they were.

Which is also terrible. Just because someone else is making revisionist crap doesn't make it any better.

SWEU, because without the Expanded Universe ("Legends", nonsense), there is no Star Wars Universe.

Before episode vii talk started I'd never heard of Ralph, and honestly I've not been a big fan of any of the designs based on his art be it rebels or elsewhere.

Just because something's old does not mean it's worth anything.

The EU had bad bits sure but if it wasn't for the books and comics and computer games it wouldn't be a universe those added so much depth and life into the franchise, fun as the OT is it does not give a great deal of details such as the clone wars being only a throw away line, of course the EU clone wars was far more interesting than what Lucas gave us.

I'd like vii to be good but the prequels burnt me so badly I have no massive anticipation inside me, instead there's a low level dread that what happened to trek will happen to wars.

Show me some Ralph McQuarrie art of the new X-wing, or the Crossguard lightsaber.

OK, it's not 100% the new X-wing, but close, with the single nacelle on each side of the fuselage that splits into two:

McQuarrie Illustration:

Ep. VII:

The Crossguard lightsaber abomination is all JJ.

Bytheway, that picture shown by gabe69velasquez is outdated. I fixed the wings and the engines to fit more to the design in the trailer (just little tweaks)

Before episode vii talk started I'd never heard of Ralph, and honestly I've not been a big fan of any of the designs based on his art be it rebels or elsewhere.

Just because something's old does not mean it's worth anything.

The EU had bad bits sure but if it wasn't for the books and comics and computer games it wouldn't be a universe those added so much depth and life into the franchise, fun as the OT is it does not give a great deal of details such as the clone wars being only a throw away line, of course the EU clone wars was far more interesting than what Lucas gave us.

I'd like vii to be good but the prequels burnt me so badly I have no massive anticipation inside me, instead there's a low level dread that what happened to trek will happen to wars.

This is interesting...I wonder if it is a generational thing. I was 7 when ANH came out and it transformed my young mind...never seen a sci-fi movie where everything was grungy and that guy Han Solo was the coolest.

people in their 20's and 30' never got to experience Star Wars like that...some had their first Star Wars movie experience with the prequels. (dear god no...)

For me Ralph Mcquarrie was one of the pillars of Star Wars...I had seen his images early on and fully understood how important his work was to forming the look of Star Wars. I am very glad to see his designs being used in Rebels and the new movie.

but back to the subject (Stay on target!) A starter set with the new Force awakens branding would be great...include a revised rulebook and maybe a new model/card for the X-wing and you are good to go.

Before episode vii talk started I'd never heard of Ralph, and honestly I've not been a big fan of any of the designs based on his art be it rebels or elsewhere.

Just because something's old does not mean it's worth anything.

The EU had bad bits sure but if it wasn't for the books and comics and computer games it wouldn't be a universe those added so much depth and life into the franchise, fun as the OT is it does not give a great deal of details such as the clone wars being only a throw away line, of course the EU clone wars was far more interesting than what Lucas gave us.

I'd like vii to be good but the prequels burnt me so badly I have no massive anticipation inside me, instead there's a low level dread that what happened to trek will happen to wars.

This is interesting...I wonder if it is a generational thing. I was 7 when ANH came out and it transformed my young mind...never seen a sci-fi movie where everything was grungy and that guy Han Solo was the coolest.

people in their 20's and 30' never got to experience Star Wars like that...some had their first Star Wars movie experience with the prequels. (dear god no...)

For me Ralph Mcquarrie was one of the pillars of Star Wars...I had seen his images early on and fully understood how important his work was to forming the look of Star Wars. I am very glad to see his designs being used in Rebels and the new movie.

but back to the subject (Stay on target!) A starter set with the new Force awakens branding would be great...include a revised rulebook and maybe a new model/card for the X-wing and you are good to go.

I think a good chunk of my generation (late 20's, early 30's) just grew up with Star Wars. My father showed me the movies a LOT when I was young. And I was about the perfect age when they started to release Star Wars action figures again.