I do half expect a few characters like Thrawn may return though probably not quite in their original capacity. It's looking like the story is going to go that the Empire attempts to carry on without Poppa Palpy and while there's some infighting, the whole New Republic thing is a no-go too, so there's room from some familiar faces to pop back up...

but we'll see...

Really? That's definitely more to my liking... I tried to read the Thrawn trilogy and couldn't get through the first book. I would much prefer that they take the ideas and do something different. No New Republic wins in under 3 yrs or random alien invasions, no bloody Vong. All of those stories make me cringe. Give me a good drawn out war anyday... that's a good RPG setting. New Republic struggling against the Empire, Empire struggling to survive, and lots of independents and nasty places to get smashed in the middle.

Okay, I'll take the Dark Adepts from Byss in that stew also... we need more lightsabers!

But cloning the Emperor and World Devastators... /yawn. Just because you can't create a better villain is no justification for soap-opera revivals of old villains.

I get it, at the time, it was just a bunch of cool stories that were in comics and continued the legacy of star wars. Excellent. But since it's not canon, I sure hope it's not treated like it.

That is kinda the nice thing about he canon wipe, if you spend any time actually thinking about it you can tell what has hope and what is probably gone forever, at least in the form it was if not totally.

Right now we know for certain:

-The new supposedly canon video/mobile game shows the Empire attempting to maintain control by pretending the Emperor is still alive and Endor was just propaganda, and not really succeeding.

-TFA shows "The First Order" with a very very very Imperial look and feel and the "Resistance" with a very very very Rebellion look and feel. (Almost too much in both cases making me a little worried JJ is just duplicating the original trilogy, but that's another thread)

-The canon wipe announcement said the New Republic isn't a thing anymore.

So it's probably not too crazy to assume:

Endor happens

The Empire attempts to maintain control and power

Various uprisings and infighting breaks out as it becomes clear Palpy is toast

The Rebellion is never able to solidify itself as a new government. (with possible infighting on that front too, though other reasons are also possible)

The First Order comes out mostly-totally on top (either by infighting, transition, coup, or any other number of options), the Rebellion comes out about where it was give or take.

So looking at that alone locks in a lot of little odds and ends, killing plenty of older EU story options (largely good riddance) while leaving plenty of room for characters, locations, and materiel to return should it be decided it's worth the trouble.

So the Vong war destroying half the galaxy over a long weekend... yeah, gone, almost without doubt. But a certain blue art critic attempting to consolidate Imperial power, and ultimately failing... I'm not holding my breath, but it's certainly possible...

So the Vong war destroying half the galaxy over a long weekend... yeah, gone, almost without doubt. But a certain blue art critic attempting to consolidate Imperial power, and ultimately failing... I'm not holding my breath, but it's certainly possible...

haven't read anything about the Vong. I've heard mixed reviews.

but any good SW fan truly hopes that the Blue guy makes an appearance, and that's its a proper appearance.

So the Vong war destroying half the galaxy over a long weekend... yeah, gone, almost without doubt. But a certain blue art critic attempting to consolidate Imperial power, and ultimately failing... I'm not holding my breath, but it's certainly possible...

haven't read anything about the Vong. I've heard mixed reviews.

but any good SW fan truly hopes that the Blue guy makes an appearance, and that's its a proper appearance.

Yeah Vong are pretty divisive. Either you liked that they were a new and interesting threat that connected with everything, or you hated that they were Mary Sue shadow in the warps obvious threat is obvious, that dipped their meevonks into every tray on the buffet line.

During Celebrations, Dave Filoni discussed some of the stories they were wanting to tell in future seasons of Star Wars: The Clone Wars before it was cancelled. Judging by some of the details and concept art, we almost got the Vong in canon.

During Celebrations, Dave Filoni discussed some of the stories they were wanting to tell in future seasons of Star Wars: The Clone Wars before it was cancelled. Judging by some of the details and concept art, we almost got the Vong in canon.

We dodged that blaster bolt...

i enjoyed that series. was a shame that it ended the way it did... a little bit of a let down... but good none the less. and Rebels is shaping out to be great too

Here is some slightly spoiler-rific text about the First order storm troopers, from the Comic Con black series exclusive figure;

Shock troopers clad in white armor first appeared on the galactic stage during the opening battles of The Clone Wars. Clone Trooper™ armor became iconic almost immediately: its stark white design stood for hope that peace and stability might be restored to a galaxy at war. But this dream of peace died with the Republic, and the Empire that rose to take its place imposed order by any means necessary. Soldiers within the Grand Army of the Republic were given a new name: Stormtroopers™. As these former protectors of galactic peace mercilessly crushed resistance across the galaxy, their white armor came to symbolize oppression and the indomitable power of The Emperor's will. Yet the tyranny of Imperial rule sparked a rebellion, and the stormtrooper legions were scattered in the aftermath of the Empire's fall. Now, the rise of the First Order ushers in the next chapter in the Stormtrooper's legacy as a new era of ruthless brutality begins.

Coupled with the plot of the Uprising Game, it seems the Empire's slightly fractured, and I suspect the first order is going to rise to attempt to take control of the empires forces.

Perhaps after the fall of Palpatine, pun intended, many of the moffs did whatever they could to maintain control. Similar to the EU legends warlords, but didn't have the resources of the empire and raised their own armies. The first order, managed to keep the ranks of the stormtroopers intact, as well as improving them.

As to the vong, i actually didn't mind the concept, but it was a tad overdone. They had too much going on. They were extra galactic invaders, immune to the force, pain worshippers, who used biotech ships and weapons. Now, the vong came into play because the Star Wars legends had already done imperial super weapons, resurrected Sith Lords, and warlords to death. If was stale. The Jedi characters were also really powerful and nothing was a challenge for them any more. So something new was created. Enter the vong. Now having all the qualities I listed above was too much, though I had heard that the pain worshipping was supposed to be the modus operandi of only a single clan/domain of the vong, which the writers that be mistakenly applied to EVERY vong, Couldn't have different viewpoints and cultures in s galactic invading gigantic army now. Unified cultures for aliens for the win. No varying factions allowed.

Now if you give the bdsm shtick to a single group it isn't as bad. Take away the galactic invasion, and you could have a decent enemy, for say the chiss, to be fighting. Have the chiss be independent, but trying to ally with the empire to defeat their foe and the vong could work.

Ok if the link I read on another board is correct there will be a New Republic though how big it is, how long it lasts and whether or not it is still around by episode VII is unknown.

http://makingstarwars.net/2015/07/star-wars-the-force-awakens-spoilers-from-the-battle-of-endor-to-the-battle-of-jakku-galactic-conflict/

Cool! Thanks for the link!

Ok if the link I read on another board is correct there will be a New Republic though how big it is, how long it lasts and whether or not it is still around by episode VII is unknown.

http://makingstarwars.net/2015/07/star-wars-the-force-awakens-spoilers-from-the-battle-of-endor-to-the-battle-of-jakku-galactic-conflict/

Thanks for this!

This story is much better than the old EU and much more plausible than there only being a First Order and the Resistance.

Ok if the link I read on another board is correct there will be a New Republic though how big it is, how long it lasts and whether or not it is still around by episode VII is unknown.

http://makingstarwars.net/2015/07/star-wars-the-force-awakens-spoilers-from-the-battle-of-endor-to-the-battle-of-jakku-galactic-conflict/

That's interesting I'll agree, but I'm not going to believe it yet. There's just too many fine details there that not enough people give a poop about.

During Celebrations, Dave Filoni discussed some of the stories they were wanting to tell in future seasons of Star Wars: The Clone Wars before it was cancelled. Judging by some of the details and concept art, we almost got the Vong in canon.

I don't really dig the Vong, but hearing about more Clone Wars episodes that didn't get to happen always makes me a little bit sentimental. Thanks for the link!

I think Filoni could have pulled it off without making them as ridiculous as they were in the NJO novels.

It sounded like it was going to be a story similar to x-files. Strange alien creatures bombing around the galaxy and doing unusual stuff and the heroes were sent to make sense of it all.

Ok if the link I read on another board is correct there will be a New Republic though how big it is, how long it lasts and whether or not it is still around by episode VII is unknown.

http://makingstarwars.net/2015/07/star-wars-the-force-awakens-spoilers-from-the-battle-of-endor-to-the-battle-of-jakku-galactic-conflict/

Thanks for this!

This story is much better than the old EU and much more plausible than there only being a First Order and the Resistance.

If true, this could create a nice campaign era for a Star Wars RPG set sometime after the Battle of Jakku but before Episode VII. Instead of being restricted to only the Rebellion and Empire, you have a setting where the GM is unrestrained - pirate/smuggler kingdoms, ex-Empire "pocket empires" that can vary drastically from each other, a few systems ruled by a once-mercenary captain, etc, etc.....plus a New Republic "safe" area to retreat to. The PCs could even carve out their own domain without fear of the Empire or a Galaxy-wide New Republic taking notice and putting an end to it.

If that's not enough, the setting would also be great for force users. No restraints of most force-users being secretive sensitives (Empire era) or part of the Jedi Order (Clone Wars). Force user back stories can vary much more widely in one setting - "Hands" of an Imperial pocket empire, trained within the New Republic's new Jedi Academy, pupil of an independent aging Jedi hermit that hid throughout the Dark Times, etc.

Gear? Also unlimited. You've got old and brand spanking new stuff with few setting restraints for players to be using any of it. For example, a PC during the Imperial-era probably wouldn't be flying around in any TIE fighter model without major hurdles. In this setting it would not be odd at all, perhaps even common with all of the old surplus, to find PCs in a TIE fighter, wearing battered laminate armor, using an old Imperial shuttle as a party ship, etc.

Very unshackled setting. Anything goes here.

Why they gotta do comics though. I, personally, hate comics and would much rather see a novelization of what happened.

I think they are doing novels about just that. I have "Aftermath: Star Wars: Journey to The Force Awakens" on my kindle pre-order list, and it's scheduled to be released in September.

In fact, just glancing at Amazon I see a whole bunch of "Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens" novels in the pipeline.

Ok if the link I read on another board is correct there will be a New Republic though how big it is, how long it lasts and whether or not it is still around by episode VII is unknown.

http://makingstarwars.net/2015/07/star-wars-the-force-awakens-spoilers-from-the-battle-of-endor-to-the-battle-of-jakku-galactic-conflict/

That's interesting I'll agree, but I'm not going to believe it yet. There's just too many fine details there that not enough people give a poop about.

Perhaps but maybe they set those fine details down early to try to avoid the issues they had in the old EU of authors stating contradictory things?

From my read of it if the information is correct my guess is that the New Republic forms early but the mention of Imperial forces in borders defined by a treaty makes me suspect that many in the New Republic felt that finishing the Empire off wasn't worth the cost or effort required so they offered a ceasefire. The Imperial remains accepted because they needed time to reorganize and rebuild becoming the First Order while those in the New Republic who felt that the Empire needed to be destroyed once and for all formed the Resistance.

I really want an Imperial book. Ideally one that allows you to also play the Empire. I think it would be fun.

What are you missing in the AOR book that you can't do that now?

In what way would you expect an Imperial soldier, spy or commander to differ from an Alliance one?

What are you missing in the AOR book that you can't do that now?

In what way would you expect an Imperial soldier, spy or commander to differ from an Alliance one?

Pretty much this. Everything about the careers is completely interchangeable between the Empire and the Rebellion. Why would you need a whole new book just to create Imperial characters?

I see no need for another big "Core Book" for either Imperial campaigns or the new movie era (or any other era of play for that matter). What I'd like to see are sourcebooks to cover those things as add-ons to the existing core books. Something roughly the size of the "region books" (Sons of Fortune, Lords of Nal Hutta) ought to have enough space to cover the additional material and GM suggestions for running an alternate era or viewpoint campaign.

The only argument I can see for putting the complete rule set into a product with a focus like this is "What if somebody wants to play that focus exclusively, and doesn't want another book for the rules?" I think that's a flawed outlook though, as pretty much all game companies work on the idea of "Create a game, hook players on it, produce more books to grow the game and keep interest high." It works too, judging by how much people get excited over upcoming products and new releases here. I think that making those products as sourcebooks is more likely to encourage people interested by the new movies to expand into other products (thereby making more money for the publisher and feeding our habit), where making it a new (and more expensive) core book might just turn off some of the existing fan base who could decide "I don't need to buy a book that is 2/3 stuff I already have and 1/3 stuff I can probably figure out myself from wookiepedia."

FFG seems to be pretty much on the ball so I'm sure they're weighing those considerations. I don't doubt we'll get some interesting products either way.

I didn't say I wanted a new core book, just that a book on the Empire would be useful. It could collect all the info on the Empire that is scatered between other books. Consolidate and expand on how the Empire works. Notes on rank, new equipment, specializations unique to the Empire, the Emperors Hands maybe.

Being as how the Empire can serve as the enemy for all three lines it would be a **** useful book. As a bonus notes for playing and running an Imperial game would be nice.

Sure this is all info I could gather from the Wookiepedia but that can be said of any give sourcebook for this game.

Dollars to donuts we see a charismatic and well-intentioned leader of the Empire (probably leading an off-branch group) who sees a fascist power structure as the only way to maintain peace and prosperity in the galaxy.

I didn't say I wanted a new core book, just that a book on the Empire would be useful. It could collect all the info on the Empire that is scatered between other books. Consolidate and expand on how the Empire works. Notes on rank, new equipment, specializations unique to the Empire, the Emperors Hands maybe.

Being as how the Empire can serve as the enemy for all three lines it would be a **** useful book. As a bonus notes for playing and running an Imperial game would be nice.

Sure this is all info I could gather from the Wookiepedia but that can be said of any give sourcebook for this game.

This. Focus on the various departments and military branches of the Empire. Give us some setting information on the major core worlds, new equipment and ships. I wouldn't create an entirely new set of careers, but maybe include one specialization for each of the AoR classes that focuses on Imperial characters. In WW these were called "fat splats", books that included factional information that was essentially the size of a core book if you stripped out the core rules.

Why they gotta do comics though. I, personally, hate comics and would much rather see a novelization of what happened.

Who hates comics? That's such a broad medium to be disgusted by. It's like saying you hate movies.

In all seriousness, where's the disgust coming from? What aspect of comics turns you away from the medium entirely?

its not that im turned away, i just prefer to sit down with a book. i like to see things imagined. i like how i imagine character/ships/etc look like.its all mind visual for me... and like i say, a comic can cost the same as a book... and id rather fork out the price once, for a book, rather that monthly...

its not that im turned away, i just prefer to sit down with a book. i like to see things imagined. i like how i imagine character/ships/etc look like.its all mind visual for me... and like i say, a comic can cost the same as a book... and id rather fork out the price once, for a book, rather that monthly...

You're either buying cheap books or overpriced comics. Most of the books I buy are about $8-9 US, where the comics are $3-4 US.