I posted this before, but ran headlong into the Information Embargo Police, who killed the thread stone dead. But now the lid is off, so lets have at it!

Over in X-Wing, you might have noticed that they're doing a E7 starter set, with a Neo Empire TIE fighter, one of the Resistance X-Wings and a bunch of E7 cards to go with it. Since clearly they have the licenses for E7 stuff, does that mean we've got some sourcebooks coming down the pike at us?

Let us speculate!

I know some folks said "New Core Rule Book!" but put me down in the "that's a terrible idea" camp. While I don't mind the strategy up till this point with the three systems, we don't need to drop 60 bucks for 30 bucks worth of material and 30 bucks for a fourth copy of the rules.

Career sourcebooks? Probably not - I cant think of anything that we've heard or seen that hasn't been adequately covered in the other three systems. I know that folks are asking for a set of Empire/Bad Guys trees, and this would seem the logical place for that if FFG was so inclined - but it still seems that a rebel re-skin would be the easiest way to go for that.

if this were WotC or WEG, I'd say we'd get a book full of NPCs - but FFG seems disinclined to do that for any trilogy. So also unlikely.

So that pretty much leaves us with region books - and those we probably wont see until early 2016, since I cant imagine them not being being kind of spoiler heavy. If they are going that route, with 4 weeks at the printer, 6 weeks on the boat, 2 weeks to the store, if they're going to announce something, we'll hear about it any time. They're running out of calendar year.

. . .unless they're operating in top secret product mode, shipping something without telling us about it. Swearing the playtesters to an oath of utter silence. Oooh, conspiracy!

****EDIT***

I suppose they could also go with an E7 era adventure, but that seems even less likely than the other options - at least until we get more information about the setting and get comfortable with the era. If they were inclined to go that way, I couldn't see it be any sooner than summer '16. And that would seem silly to sit on a license for that long without it generating revenue.

I'd go setting book over new core rule book.

We don't know enough to speculate on all the changes (unless you read the new books but who knows how far they go?), but a setting book to establish the time period, new ships, weapons and planet descriptions are the most likely inclusion.

Perhaps some background on the Knights of Ren if only to explain why they're the replacement for the Sith in this era and whatever new mods lightsabers have to explain why they want Vader's pre-Sith Armour so particularly!

Anyway should be an interesting thread once more information comes to light!

September (so right now) is the first time Disney is releasing anything new canon that takes place after Return of the Jedi. They intentionally avoided it up to this point. By now, they know what is happening in Episode VII enough to let others tell stories that fit between VI and VII.

Tough call.

The businessman in me says "Release alongside the film" but the businessman also says "If it's going to come out with the film, it's got to be a Core/Beginner box, or else the new impulse customer will be confused."

That said, the X-wing mats aren't as spoilerriffic as a sourcebook/core potentially can be, so it's easier to allow that when you're trying to keep something under wraps. Everyone at this point pretty much knows there's going to be new X-wing and TIE fighters, so it's no big woop.

I handled a call a while back form Nat Geo asking if TFA had been shot on my employers property (Some "locations of Star Wars article), and when I suggested she contact Lucasfilm, she said they refused to even say where they'd shot until the film was released. So TFA info is on lockdown to a level I doubt LFL would risk releasing the info to FFG they'd need to even make a supp. (remember, you need raw info for the writers, and designs and photos for the artists, that's a lot of risk to assume).

So I'm kinda of a mind that we'll see new supplements for stuff like X-wing right away (like we are) with something like Imperial Assault to follow shortly after (First order troopers, Resistance Troopers, a couple odds and ends). The RPG might get something small (Perhaps a "promotional PDF" explaining how to adapt to the new material, with perhaps an adventure to go with it) up front, but nothing big enough to require more then minimal staffing supporting it. Then maybe 6 months later (maybe alongside the blu-ray release, or summer rerelease) we'll see an actual supp or a new core.

To me it's the Core, or Not to Core that's the real question.

Core makes a hella lotta sense as the new movie is likely to spike new fandom, and encourage new buyers, but the game is pretty solid as is...

Possibly we'll see a new Core that's a smattering of existing material? Containing something like a new neutral Background mechanic and a mix of exsting Careers/Specs like Smuggler, Soldier, Fringer, Consular, Warrior? It'd be not so fancy for us established players, but a noob would get a lot of mileage out of it while still getting a nudge toward the existing products....

Possibly we'll see a new Core that's a smattering of existing material? Containing something like a new neutral Background mechanic and a mix of exsting Careers/Specs like Smuggler, Soldier, Fringer, Consular, Warrior? It'd be not so fancy for us established players, but a noob would get a lot of mileage out of it while still getting a nudge toward the existing products....

Okay, thinking about it over lunch, I have an idea that would still get that Shiny New Product in front of Impulse Buying Consumers and still not piss off the long term fans: two books! Do a full blown core rule book reprinting what they need from the other three product lines - species, talent trees, and game mechanics. And then of course fill up the rest of the book with color about new setting, new planets planets, new species, the new 15 page canned game, and so on.

But then, take all that new materia, release it on it's own as a 30 dollar sourcebook! Strip out all the rules and redundant stuff we already have, cut the page count by 2/3rds and release just a E7 sourcebook with those planets, settings, new aliens and canned game.

Problem solved!

I've been waiting for FFG's "News" page to update all day. Its kinda surprising we hear about through another venue, I figured FFG would want to be the ones to drop this info... Oh well.

I assume this was the product "On the water" we heard about at GenCon. I was really hoping for some RPG material would get released, but I think it's reasonable that we'll have to wait till the movie for RPG material since it would, by necessity, be packed with spoilers.

Here's hoping they at least *announce* some RPG material today, or soon.

I've been waiting for FFG's "News" page to update all day. Its kinda surprising we hear about through another venue, I figured FFG would want to be the ones to drop this info... Oh well.

I assume this was the product "On the water" we heard about at GenCon. I was really hoping for some RPG material would get released, but I think it's reasonable that we'll have to wait till the movie for RPG material since it would, by necessity, be packed with spoilers.

Here's hoping they at least *announce* some RPG material today, or soon.

The "on the water" was the X-Wing core set that they couldn't legally talk about until today.

The "on the water" was the X-Wing core set that they couldn't legally talk about until today.

Yeah, I know.

I thought it was clear that's what I meant since that was product in the OP, but I guess not. The E7 Xwing core set was I was talking about when I said:

"I assume this was the product "On the water" we heard about at GenCon."

As a business plan a new core still seems like the only smart announcement to make. Do not forget that FFG had no idea a new movie was coming when they paid for the license and started the line.

Also what people here 'want' should not influence anything at all for them because I am pretty certain each and everyone of us would buy a $60 dollar CRB no matter what. Thus they would have new and old fans buying it. Especially since it would be a 450 page book for $60 instead of a $40 region book that have thus far been 150 pages. I'd pay it in a heartbeat...

A new core book wouldn't offend me in the slightest. Not sure I'd buy it (as I like the OT era just fine), but if it brings new people into the hobby, then have at 'er!

As a business plan a new core still seems like the only smart announcement to make. Do not forget that FFG had no idea a new movie was coming when they paid for the license and started the line.

While I tend to agree, I can't see how they could pull it off. What I mean is: it took three full CRB's to fully cover all the various material that they needed to. How could you put all the important pieces of that a single CRB without cutting too much?

That is the one thing I keep wondering about...

Perhaps a complete new system?

Man.... I hope not.

Do not forget that FFG had no idea a new movie was coming when they paid for the license and started the line.

No kidding. I bet the announcement of TFA was followed by a miraculous "cha-ching" noise echoing through the FFG building.

Also what people here 'want' should not influence anything at all for them because I am pretty certain each and everyone of us would buy a $60 dollar CRB no matter what. Thus they would have new and old fans buying it. Especially since it would be a 450 page book for $60 instead of a $40 region book that have thus far been 150 pages. I'd pay it in a heartbeat...

Actually that brings up another interesting possibility. What about a supplement/beginner box hybrid? Say a sourcebook that covers the new material, a 1-page hand out covering how to integrate the existing system into the new period, along with maps, tokens, dice, pregens, and a starter adventure?

Enough to play the game right out of the box.

New source material for old hats to crave.

But still enough missing for a newbie to want to buy more.

Maybe?

Anyone know if the existing box sets are loss leaders or not?

A rerelease of the current books updated for the new era with all new background and races perhaps?

So a second edition with a different setting maybe?

Disney are releasing 20 books (of varying size) this year to bridge the gap between the OT and TFA.

The first of them is out now, surely FFG have enough access to write a sourcebook covering the same period.

That would keep me happy until the TFA CRB arrives.

As a business plan a new core still seems like the only smart announcement to make. Do not forget that FFG had no idea a new movie was coming when they paid for the license and started the line.

While I tend to agree, I can't see how they could pull it off. What I mean is: it took three full CRB's to fully cover all the various material that they needed to. How could you put all the important pieces of that a single CRB without cutting too much?

This. If a new core book, what careers or specs? What species? What is the theme beyond the new movie?

Personally I could see a beginners box set that cherry picks characters from all three lines combining them into an adventure informed by the new movie. To be followed by a setting book with details on the new species, planets, equipment, droids and vehicles and whatever else.

Also what people here 'want' should not influence anything at all for them because I am pretty certain each and everyone of us would buy a $60 dollar CRB no matter what. Thus they would have new and old fans buying it. Especially since it would be a 450 page book for $60 instead of a $40 region book that have thus far been 150 pages. I'd pay it in a heartbeat...

**** you for knowing my CDO so well.

Three new CRBs, one based on each of the three new movies. Bend over, fanboys, grab your wallets, shove another cinderblock under your makeshift basement bookshelf because it's about to get even heavier...

Well if it will be one CRB a year (reskinned or totally new) then I would be quite happy.

Do I 'need' it? Nope. Is it 'necessary'? Nope. Would I buy it? Hell yeah!

I think a new CRB would cause too much frustration in the future for the new players coming to the system, so much as to be detrimental. Because all the rules would essentially be a reprint there would just be too much doubling up from edge, age and fad. A 4th beginners box seems much more likely to me

It could then be in 2 region style books: 1 about the Resistance and it's important planets, gear and people. Then a second about the First Order and its primary planets, people, and equipment. Follow it up with an adventure or 2 and perhaps a universal specialisations book way down the line that's got the spoilers in it they could not publish early.

Timeline I would assume to be beginners box released with the movie (least amount of detail required, just names and places, it's essentially a place to tell a story about the beginning of the resistance). Then the othe books over the next 2 years leading up to Ep VIII.

I think a Beginner Box is possible, but where do they direct people from there? "Hey, check out this awesome Star Wars RPG system by playing along in an Episode 7 Adventure! And when it's done you can continue your adventure with.... well... these other products that really don't have anything to do with Episode 7, sorry..."

Setting book seems like the most likely choice. New planets, new gear, new NPCs, new factions, new Modular Encounters.

The Aftermath trilogy is supposed to deal with the period in between OT and TFA with the first book due out prior to the E7. I would imagine they could do a region and adventure kind of sourcebook just based off that first novel.

The Aftermath trilogy is supposed to deal with the period in between OT and TFA with the first book due out prior to the E7. I would imagine they could do a region and adventure kind of sourcebook just based off that first novel.

This first book came out today, but I wasn't aware it is supposed to be apart of a trilogy.

Sam seemed to joke/hint that he and the rest of the FFG staff was hoping JJ Abrams would pop on by and let them know what's going on with Ep 7.

I think that's very telling, right there.

I don't think we're going to see anything for TFA material until (well) after the movie comes out.

If experience with other FFG products has pointed out anything, the concept of a full CRB and a stripped source book will never happen. Despite years of pleas we've never seen a "third copy" pack for LCGs and other various things of similar nature. The closest we've seen is XWings/TIE fighters for XWM, but even those contain exclusive material to each other. Similar with the upcoming Stormtrooper pack for IA.