Ok, so now that Episode 7 is out, and we are looking fwd to 2 more installments of this franchise, here is my question:

Will we see an RPG that is time-set in the Sequels Ep 7, 8, 9??? Will we see the new vehicles and now have Luke w/ his current stats, Rey and hers etc???

Would FFG do this?? I think it would make money, and I do believe the Mouse is into that sort of thing?!

Your thoughts...

FFG has generally stayed away from statting up major characters except when really necessary (ie. if you're in Cloud City during the default time frame of the game and stirring up trouble, you're going to bump into Lando, no doubt about it). So I wouldn't count on them suddenly changing their stance on that.

As for an RPG... if you mean a new core book, probably not. I mean, they definitely are capable of doing it, since they should have enough fluff, vehicles, and enemies by the time they get the info for Episode VIII. But WOULD they? Probably not. They'd need to throw in either 2+ existing careers from each existing core, or make 2+ new ones each focused around the general themes of the cores to give some balance and options to players who would just pick up that single core. And while there'd probably be a nice number of sales for the book, it means people more interested in playing in the new era might be less likely to pick up the existing cores, which means a lower chance of people picking up career supplements for those cores, not to mention it might be hard for people to justify another $60 core book, a big chunk of which is just repeating existing rules.

It'd make more sense for them to put out a big, beefy supplement that works with existing cores. It helps encourage current people to take the existing cores into the new timeline, it gives future people reason to buy into the older stuff.

IMHO FFG is missing out on a large market by avoiding putting out Era Source books.

Clone Wars

Tales of the Jedi (not canon but well known)

New Republic/Resistance (would wait till all 3 movies are out for this one)

ETC.

but you get my point.

IMHO FFG is missing out on a large market by avoiding putting out Era Source books.

Clone Wars

Tales of the Jedi (not canon but well known)

New Republic/Resistance (would wait till all 3 movies are out for this one)

ETC.

but you get my point.

Who says they are avoiding them? More likely just don't have the resources to spare yet.

No. Doesn't fit their methodology.

IMHO FFG is missing out on a large market by avoiding putting out Era Source books.

Clone Wars

Tales of the Jedi (not canon but well known)

New Republic/Resistance (would wait till all 3 movies are out for this one)

ETC.

but you get my point.

Who says they are avoiding them? More likely just don't have the resources to spare yet.

And yet they have the resources to put out Adventures, Talent cards and system splat books.

Don't get me wrong i think the Adventures and Splat books are great but if the have the resources to do them instead of Career books then they have them for ERA books.

now to me the Talent cards are a money grab but thats just IMHO

now to me the Talent cards are a money grab but thats just IMHO

+1... I've been rp'ing enough years to see cash grabs I even think the core rules for each line is the same thing...

I am going NO-WHERE near AoR for 2 reasons,,, 1) It doesn't figure in my campaign arc (if the players want to go there one of them can buy it and run an AoR story) and 2) FFG have had enough of my cash with EoTE and F&D anyway.

Yes heaven forbid a company try to make money! Can you imagine the alternative?

Yes heaven forbid a company try to make money! Can you imagine the alternative?

No one is saying that FFG should not be allowed to make money.

but to waste resources that could used to make Career books on useless cards just to get more money is a bit much.

How does anyone arrive at the conclusion FFG isn't developing new stuff, or that they won't do era books? They haven't even gotten their OT line out the door for goodness sake. I can't go into details but trust me, they're working on more book(s) with content. People should clear their minds, use the Force, and be patient.

No one is saying that FFG should not be allowed to make money.

but to waste resources that could used to make Career books on useless cards just to get more money is a bit much.

The Specialization decks likely have different people working on them. They're not going to have the writers who create fluff and design stats sit through copy-pasting from the books into the cards' template and sifting through for appropriate images for each card. And honestly, even if they did, it probably wouldn't be THAT massive of a draw on time.

And while I personally would never use the decks, I can tell from some of my players that are new to RPGs that they are helpful in them getting used to remembering and using their talents. So don't assume the cards are being made solely because FFG is hoping to sucker people into paying for them.

No one is saying that FFG should not be allowed to make money.

but to waste resources that could used to make Career books on useless cards just to get more money is a bit much.

The Specialization decks likely have different people working on them. They're not going to have the writers who create fluff and design stats sit through copy-pasting from the books into the cards' template and sifting through for appropriate images for each card. And honestly, even if they did, it probably wouldn't be THAT massive of a draw on time.

And while I personally would never use the decks, I can tell from some of my players that are new to RPGs that they are helpful in them getting used to remembering and using their talents. So don't assume the cards are being made solely because FFG is hoping to sucker people into paying for them.

I was not saying that the writes are working on them but Books need layout and graphical teams and if my exp. with other game companies can be called on then there is normally only one layout and graphical team otherwise the cost would be to high.

How does anyone arrive at the conclusion FFG isn't developing new stuff, or that they won't do era books? They haven't even gotten their OT line out the door for goodness sake. I can't go into details but trust me, they're working on more book(s) with content. People should clear their minds, use the Force, and be patient.

Patience...Yeah, Yeah, How long will that take??!!!

I was not saying that the writes are working on them but Books need layout and graphical teams and if my exp. with other game companies can be called on then there is normally only one layout and graphical team otherwise the cost would be to high.

And the Specialization decks all use the same basic layout across them and I'm sure most of them use assets used in prior books, the LCG, or Imperial Assault. The point is, is that preparing a batch of decks isn't going to take near as much time or attention from somebody as preparing an actual book. So FFG isn't "wasting resources" by having people work on specialization decks "instead" of working on supplements.

I expect a second edition of the core rules that includes info on TFA-era gaming. Much like they did with X-Wing. As the new movies come out, interest in the OT-era will start to fade.

As for the cards, if FFG didn't make them, a fan would have. FFG might as well get money for it.

Considering how little détails about the time frame of the sequel we got in episode 7, I think waiting for the release of the entire trilogie for releasing rpg stuff would be the best idea.

Considering how little détails about the time frame of the sequel we got in episode 7, I think waiting for the release of the entire trilogie for releasing rpg stuff would be the best idea.

Are the new movies going to be split into trilogies or just continuing on one after another ala Fast & Furious or James Bond? But, in either case, you're talking about waiting 5 or 6 years to sell a product based on the current license. That doesn't make much sense financially. You could run 2 or 3 campaigns in that time. WotC, for example, released a new version with each movie.

IMO, the lack of details is the best thing about the current era of SW. The PCs aren't forced to sit on the sidelines.

I bet we'll see a sourcebook at least announced next year.

IMHO FFG is missing out on a large market by avoiding putting out Era Source books.

Clone Wars

Tales of the Jedi (not canon but well known)

New Republic/Resistance (would wait till all 3 movies are out for this one)

ETC.

but you get my point.

Are they really missing out on a large market? The problem with era books is that they take a niche market and make an even smaller niche out of it. A Clone Wars book only sells to people who liked Clone Wars. I'm not convinced that the Clone War era market is so large as to make a difference in the grand scheme of market share. I think the same can be said of any given setting book.

Are they missing out? Maybe. But I dare say that I wouldn't describe the market they are missing out on as large.

How does anyone arrive at the conclusion FFG isn't developing new stuff, or that they won't do era books?

Well I don't think anyone thinks that FFG isn't developing new stuff. But there are some, like myself, who feel that they have no interest in era books. They aren't following an era book friendly business plan. If they wanted era books then I think they would have created a main system core book and spin off different eras from that one main book. Instead they picked out a rough time frame and spun out a separate core book for each aspect they wanted to focus on. Since they have yet to make books that are general purpose books (as opposed to line specific) it seems to indicate that their current interest are in making the lines they currently have.

It just doesn't seem likely based on how they are currently marketing their Star Wars rpg line. I guess it could happen at some point, but I'm not convinced that we've yet reached a point where they want to explore a new timeline (which would likely prompt them to make a new core book). When they start pitching more neutral products I'll reconsider, but right now everything they've shown us has pretty much focused on the OT era and small aspects of it at that.

Are they really missing out on a large market? The problem with era books is that they take a niche market and make an even smaller niche out of it.

Exactly. FFG has learned some good lessons watching the death spiral of WEG and Saga. If you make books too specific, the risk of low consumer appeal is far higher. Have too many "misses" and the entire product line is dead because the margins are too low to tolerate them. The lesson they learned is that every book needs new species, new equipment, new ships and vehicles, new locations, new NPCs. This ensures the broadest appeal.

Monolithic books risk limited appeal. Not to mention they become outdated as new media is produced. If you make a Starships of the Galaxy book, the next episode of Rebels or the next feature film will contain new ships, and you're stuck either waiting for enough ships to accumulate to do a Starships of the Galaxy 2. It's a poor way to run a product line like this one.

IMHO FFG is missing out on a large market by avoiding putting out Era Source books.

Clone Wars

Tales of the Jedi (not canon but well known)

New Republic/Resistance (would wait till all 3 movies are out for this one)

ETC.

but you get my point.

Are they really missing out on a large market? The problem with era books is that they take a niche market and make an even smaller niche out of it. A Clone Wars book only sells to people who liked Clone Wars. I'm not convinced that the Clone War era market is so large as to make a difference in the grand scheme of market share. I think the same can be said of any given setting book.

Are they missing out? Maybe. But I dare say that I wouldn't describe the market they are missing out on as large.

How does anyone arrive at the conclusion FFG isn't developing new stuff, or that they won't do era books?

Well I don't think anyone thinks that FFG isn't developing new stuff. But there are some, like myself, who feel that they have no interest in era books. They aren't following an era book friendly business plan. If they wanted era books then I think they would have created a main system core book and spin off different eras from that one main book. Instead they picked out a rough time frame and spun out a separate core book for each aspect they wanted to focus on. Since they have yet to make books that are general purpose books (as opposed to line specific) it seems to indicate that their current interest are in making the lines they currently have.

It just doesn't seem likely based on how they are currently marketing their Star Wars rpg line. I guess it could happen at some point, but I'm not convinced that we've yet reached a point where they want to explore a new timeline (which would likely prompt them to make a new core book). When they start pitching more neutral products I'll reconsider, but right now everything they've shown us has pretty much focused on the OT era and small aspects of it at that.

You realize of course they launched EoE beta 2 months before Disney bought the IP, so I'm sure the EU purge notion was under way and they were probably told to work just within the product they proposed. The Mouse was still making up its mind on how to proceed with the IP so it wasn't like FFG was going to be allowed to just use whatever portion of the universe they wanted to.

You realize of course they launched EoE beta 2 months before Disney bought the IP, so I'm sure the EU purge notion was under way and they were probably told to work just within the product they proposed. The Mouse was still making up its mind on how to proceed with the IP so it wasn't like FFG was going to be allowed to just use whatever portion of the universe they wanted to.

Yes but they designed EotE with the idea that they were doing a timeline specific game. They never designed EotE to be a core book that they could spin off other timelines with. They then followed that up not with 1 but 2 more core lines designed exactly like EotE. Well after Disney had made their choices. Over the course of this time they could have easily changed gears and made the product line more era sourcebook friendly. But they didn't. It's clear that they aren't in on the TFA loop so all the new stuff they have to avoid. But they have free reign over older material that they could have developed a long time ago if their interest lied in anything but the OT timeline.

At present they don't have a era sourcebook friendly product. The entire design of what they have is counter intuitive to doing era specific sourcebooks.

But assuming they were told to work within the product they proposed, what makes you think that directive has changed? We've seen no evidence of a change in marketing direction for the RPG line or an opening up of the Star Wars rpg to be more user friendly in regards to running another timeline.

How do you get FFG is not producing TFA product? They're putting out Xwing stuff. A little tougher to do RPG stuff at the moment since it's story driven.

In regards to other eras I dont want to start another PT pissing match, but Disney torpedoed TCW mid season-mid production, so that should be a hint as to their interest in seeing product produced for it.

In regards to KOTOR I personally don't think Maz having run her outpost for "1000" years was just a number someone threw out. It happens to be right about the time Yoda became a Jedi, no coincedence, so I'm thinking there are plans for the past and likely Disney didn't want that time period monkeyed with by licensees.

My point is that a lack of era focus has likely has nothing to do with FFG and everything to do with the house of the Mouse.

Exactly. FFG has learned some good lessons watching the death spiral of WEG and Saga. If you make books too specific, the risk of low consumer appeal is far higher. Have too many "misses" and the entire product line is dead because the margins are too low to tolerate them. The lesson they learned is that every book needs new species, new equipment, new ships and vehicles, new locations, new NPCs. This ensures the broadest appeal.

Thing is - I dont think it was the product line that killed WotC and it certainly didn't kill WEG. WotC was just fed up with the onerous demands that LFL put upon them, that it was more hassle than it was worth. WEG was killed not by focusing on certain areas of the game, but mismanagement from outside the complany. It was the parent shoe company going bankrupt that killed WEG.

How do you get FFG is not producing TFA product? They're putting out Xwing stuff.

This is the rpg forum and we are discussing the rpg line. I shouldn't have to qualify my statements for the X Wing stuff when the topic of discussion is specifically the rpg line and how they manage it.

My point is that a lack of era focus has likely has nothing to do with FFG and everything to do with the house of the Mouse.

What evidence do you have to support this? Remember from the start they seemed to have planned to do the 3 core book system. They developed EotE well before Disney was in the picture. Well before Disney put the fate of the EU in jeopardy. They developed EotE as a stand alone product that was not complete enough to embody all of Star Wars at least a year before Disney muddled things. EotE being a slice of the Star Wars life set specifically in the time frame it is in was done well before the House of Mouse did anything. I find the concept that the current set up is the result of Disney troublesome if you consider that FFG walked down this path at least a year before the change over (most rpg's I know spend at minimum a year in development before they are anywhere near ready for a public beta as EotE was two months before the announcement of the Disney buy).

With all that said, the current model is still not very "user friendly" in regards to producing other eras.