Many moons ago, back in 2000 (or thereabouts), back when WEG was still our poison of choice, my group started up a new campaign, set just before The Phantom Menace around a group of Padawans fresh out of the temple. The plan was for our game to unfold in real time at the same time as the movies did. We had a general idea of where we were going (fall of the republic, extermination of the Jedi, the game wrapping up with the GM doing his darnedest to kill the players) - but the specifics on how we got there? We'd find out as we went.

I havent talked to the group yet, but it might be kind of fun to try that again with Episodes 7-9 starting in 2015. Mind you, I'm not sure there's as strong a story arc to follow along with (Trouble quietly brewing, then clone wars, then everything goes to hell) this time, but we had fun enough the first time for me to want to make this work.

So - what do you think sirs?

So - what do you think sirs?

I think I really appreciate this reference.

Oh, and your post suggests an interesting idea.

I'm hopeful FFG is Johnny on the Spot with Ep an 7+ sourcebook to do just this.

Sounds interesting, though you almost lost me when I read WEG.

Here's something that may help this idea.

Below is a link that has a detailed plot synopsis of episode VII. This is not guaranteed to be true, but fair warning: once you click that link, forever will it dominate your destiny...

http://makingstarwars.net/2015/05/a-compiled-synopsis-of-star-wars-the-force-awakens/

Yeah, the key to pulling it off will be having enough ancillary material to make it work. There's a couple of hardcover novels coming this fall that should give you a grasp of what happened in between 6 and 7, and of course the flood of material afterwards - so there should be enough to work with, even if FFG doesn't do a sourcebook (which I can't imagine them not doing in some manner or another).

So if we launch our campaign sometime quarter one 2015, that'll be enough time to get our heads around the new universe while still riding high on the New Movie Buzz.

Sounds interesting, though you almost lost me when I read WEG.

Here's something that may help this idea.

Below is a link that has a detailed plot synopsis of episode VII. This is not guaranteed to be true, but fair warning: once you click that link, forever will it dominate your destiny...

http://makingstarwars.net/2015/05/a-compiled-synopsis-of-star-wars-the-force-awakens/

There are some elements in that "synopsis" that are reminiscent of A New Hope, which somewhat meshes with the rumors that many working on Episode VII were not entirely happy rehashing old plot items and themes, perhaps even Abrams himself.

Yeah, the key to pulling it off will be having enough ancillary material to make it work. There's a couple of hardcover novels coming this fall that should give you a grasp of what happened in between 6 and 7, and of course the flood of material afterwards - so there should be enough to work with, even if FFG doesn't do a sourcebook (which I can't imagine them not doing in some manner or another).

So if we launch our campaign sometime quarter one 2015, that'll be enough time to get our heads around the new universe while still riding high on the New Movie Buzz.

I'm hopeful FFG is Johnny on the Spot with Ep an 7+ sourcebook to do just this.

I wonder if they're going to? We've all watched the Slow Boat From China update page, as we eagerly waited for a book to drop, so we know - roughly - how long it takes something to go from Dev to print to on the boat to store. If they had an E7 sourcebook coming, presumably they'd want it for the Synergistic Marketing Push in December or January.

Except everything we see for future releases - Strongholds of Resistance and Chronicles of the Gatekeeper - all show Q2 '15 as the shelf date. Unless FFG is developing a book in total secret, they've already missed the E7 blitz window.

I wouldn't gauge anything in relation to the new movie(s) and possible gaming supps by the announcement/release standards we've seen to this point. I'm sure the Mouse is keeping a tight lid on information announcements.

Plus occasionally the 'on the boat' to the 'shipping' has made it seem like 'the boat' had to be a hydrofoil.

I wouldn't gauge anything in relation to the new movie(s) and possible gaming supps by the announcement/release standards we've seen to this point. I'm sure the Mouse is keeping a tight lid on information announcements.

Yes and no - I can easily see them keeping a cone of silence over any gaming E7 books. On the other hand, they've been pretty open (to a point) with their plans for potential E7 material in the next 6 months. They would understandably be vague on the details, but saying "There's a Force Awakens sourcebook coming Q2, '15" seems in line with what they've been announcing.

Really, I hope I'm wrong. I'd love to be wrong.

I have thought about this idea also. and if you want to lose a few weeks of free time i suggest checking out Darth and Droids they had some interesting story twists with the prequal movies.

What I also thought of is to have one of the players Fall, one get killed, and one defeat the fallen. Then in the next campaign dealing with the Rebellion and similar to ANH, the Jedi who defeats the fallen, becomes Obi-wan, while the other two become Luke and Liea. Or at least one is a hidden Jedi, while the other is a leader in the Rebellion.

I wouldn't gauge anything in relation to the new movie(s) and possible gaming supps by the announcement/release standards we've seen to this point. I'm sure the Mouse is keeping a tight lid on information announcements.

Yes and no - I can easily see them keeping a cone of silence over any gaming E7 books. On the other hand, they've been pretty open (to a point) with their plans for potential E7 material in the next 6 months. They would understandably be vague on the details, but saying "There's a Force Awakens sourcebook coming Q2, '15" seems in line with what they've been announcing.

Really, I hope I'm wrong. I'd love to be wrong.

FFG is also still pushing content out for the OT books. I think when I added up the sort of pattern they have, we won't be done with what you would expect based on what they've done so far until about this time next year. So I could see them save the Ep 7 sourcebook as a Gencon launch 2016.

It's conceivable that there may be something planned as part of Force Friday (4th of September), Force Friday is the start of the merchandising push, midnight openings to launch a veritable flood of episode VII merchandise.

I'm going to be the stick in the mud here and point out one flaw with following your plan for the sequel trilogy, as opposed to the prequel trilogy:

For Episode I, even if you didn't know the details, you knew how it was going to end. There would be the Clone Wars, the Empire, and the fall of the Jedi. You also knew it would be a while in coming, given everyone's age in Episode I. That gave you plenty of time to do your own thing while you waited for the movies to come out and give you a direction.

Having that early guidepost is important as the GM. For the new trilogy, you'd essentially be running blind. We have no idea of where it's coming from or where it's going. We don't know what bits will be important and see it through to the end. While I agree it would be wicked fun to run that game and see what happens in it versus what eventually happens in the movies, if the goal is to play along with the story it'll be very difficult to accurately guess where it goes.

That said, I would totally play in that game. I just wouldn't want to run it.