A funny thing happened earlier this year. I finally told one too many stories about gaming and my parents said they wanted to try.

I began with pregen PCs and kept almost all of the mechanics behind the curtain by asking them what they thought this character would try to do and then presenting them with dice to roll. Thanks to said dice we had a good story going.

Then I explained that role playing a character's behavior was only part of the experience. If they wanted to get the full experience then we would have to begin to learn some rules. They were in.

So we continued forward with just the three of us. I made characters based on their concepts and we were off. I chose a generic start with the two of them being paid to pick up some wookies and smuggle them to the outer rim.

When they were alone my mother(real age 65) (bothan assassin) immediately suggests they sell the wookies to a slaver. That's my mom.

I used this game as a context for forming dice pools, highlighting talent uses, etc. Unfortunately, that put the rp portion on the back burner.

We've trained hard (not really) and now we are ready to start fresh and do it for real. I have three players (the third experienced) and want to start everyone as humans on a remote colony. Descendants of CIS who fled the insanity by going deeper into space. The result is a somewhat primitive beginning planetside before seeing the stars. It also helps avoid much sticky lore.

So I suppose my question to you people is how can I make such a restrictive beginning more palatable? I've considered group creating the colony with the PCs so it feels more like home. Giving a second spec for free.

Ty for any replies

well seems like your parents or at least your mom anyway has no problem with the darker aspects lol.. perhaps give them a hidden bunker? something along the lines of, yea they had a community, empire found them sent a platoon of troopers, their leaders sent them to escort the children and elderly to some sort of underground safehouse or something like that, and when they secure them they could find their leader being killed and in a frenzy they wipe out the battalion and capture their ship ;3. would ground their group together and give them an active reason to explore and cause massive havoc, and plus could always do missions to "recolonize" or strengthen their colony, and the bunker can be their "homestead"

We've trained hard (not really) and now we are ready to start fresh and do it for real. I have three players (the third experienced) and want to start everyone as humans on a remote colony. Descendants of CIS who fled the insanity by going deeper into space. The result is a somewhat primitive beginning planetside before seeing the stars. It also helps avoid much sticky lore.

So I suppose my question to you people is how can I make such a restrictive beginning more palatable? I've considered group creating the colony with the PCs so it feels more like home. Giving a second spec for free.

I'm not sure why you think it is unpalatable. I did something similar for my group. I think I can safely say that "size matters not". It's not about how much freedom of choice they have to do anything or go anywhere they want, it's about what they do with the choices they are presented with. In any case, my players aren't Star Wars fans per se, so going any place in particular wouldn't mean anything to them.

I did also ask them all to be Force Sensitive, so I gave that spec for free, plus a bit extra XP post chargen.

The basic setting was a planet on which colonists had crash-landed a few centuries earlier, and only recently had found a way to navigate the various nebula and debris that hides their planet from the rest of the galaxy. The players were couriers who did a little smuggling on the side. I gave them a "homestead" (Far Horizons) and a ship, though they owe some credits each month for leasing the ship. Getting to the nearest civilized planet (Eriadu) is expensive, but economics isn't really what keeps them on their planet, it's the relationships they have with the locals. In their case, high school friends, patrons from a former life, or comrades from the military academy, all at some point or another have needed their help or requested their services. The economics of needing to support their ship does demand that they take jobs that come up, but if you really want to keep the group local it's important to invest some time into the local NPCs. Even then you can weave a pretty large plot from humble beginnings.

If you want an idea how simply it started:

The planetary scan view is that the Empire has become interested in the resources this planet has to offer, and, just like on Lothal, is "encouraging" mine owners to sell, but at this point they are using local intermediaries. But that's too big a picture to run an adventure on so...

The weather satellite view is that a local politician (a former patron of one of the PCs) is one of these intermediaries. He's not sure who is financing his "investment", but he sure likes the cash. He's starting to wonder if it's the best thing for the planet, but in the meantime he's hiring his own people to get results. But again, that's too big a picture so...

The bird's eye view is that the local bar owner, Ira Janks, has some connections to the underworld. Word has come down that putting pressure a local mine owner (Saks Bingley) to sell his stake will be lucrative. Janks has done prison time in the past, and doesn't want to do more, plus he's mellowed a bit, so he's not out for blood yet. He hires a team to sabotage the mine owner's droids, ruin the mine's operating efficiencies, and just let nature take its course. Meanwhile, though, as extra insurance and a fun recreational exercise, he's having an affair with Saks' wife. Saks' wife married into what she thought would be money...and it's not working out. She's bitter, and more bloodthirsty than Janks. If she could inherit the mine...

We're getting more personal, but still too far removed, so in the first session:

A high school friend of the PCs, Saks Bingley, asked for their help with two things. First, his mining operation isn't going well, and he needs to smuggle some of his ore onto the black market in order to make ends meet. Time is of the essence because (export restrictions, duties, fees, etc yada yada). Between pirates, Imperials, and other interstellar hazards, never mind dealing with customs on Eriadu, this filled a couple of action-packed sessions.

Second, the reason his mining operation isn't going well is because his droids keep overheating and shutting down, working only half the time. The mechanic he brought in to fix it couldn't figure it out. The PCs remember Saks as kind of gullible and naive, but a nice enough fellow, and he'll pay them well, offering them a cut of the smuggling job. A bit of investigation (Mechanics, Perception, etc) revealed a crucial part in the droid was inverted, a bit more investigation revealed it was intentional, a bit more and the part had a camera added on, etc.

Subterfuge, stealth, investigation, and a barely averted assassination attempt later, and the PCs were seeing the bird's eye view, with hints of the weather satellite view. At this point I they were fully invested in the local story and I haven't had any hints they just want to go running off into the void. But of course YMMV...

Different species, but this was my idea for having everyone on an isolated planet:

https://community.fantasyflightgames.com/topic/219144-bombad-bombardiers-ooc/?p=2201430

One of my 5 groups has my parents in it as well as 2 other couples. It's been great. I've been running all the groups off the same campaign I wrote out. It's a bit restrictive, similar to yours. The group is practically forced to work a job for a Hutt with no way of their own to get off-planet or find other work, they have all accepted the job. Eventually they will earn a ship among other rewards but just getting them involved in the plot at hand will make it easy to ignore that they're stuck in 1 place.

If your parents liked the movies at all, I would try to find a way to integrate some elements of the movies into your game instead of having it be a Star Wars version of "Swiss Family Robinson" (which is still a great idea though).

Who are the antagonists in their starting campaign and what is the group's goal? Are they trying to get off planet eventually or do they not initially care about leaving and need some motivation to go?

Random ideas to explain why they are all there.

They are descendants of a group of exiles, who fled authority to avoid prosecution, and started a "hole in the wall" colony, specifically meant to be off the grid as much as possible.

Or, if you want something a bit more mysterious, use the Homeworld plotline. Have them find some ruined starship, and this makes them realize they are part of a larger community.

Are you planning on having them be totally clueless about the galactic community? Or just from the backwater redneck town?

I remember back in the day, when I was a kid (sometime in the early 90's) playing roleplaying games.

There was a flood of morality outrage in the media about how roleplaying games were violent and dangerous and turning kids into murderers (sound familiar?).

So, my friends dad decided he wanted to play to see if it really was that bad.

They start playing DnD.

My friend is the GM and his dad is playing a character with the rest of the group.

They start out walking down a road.
They meet a traveller, who stops and asks if they could help him.

The dad decides to stab him and rob him and then dump the body in the woods.

My buddy had to sit there, as a teenager, and explain to his dad why you can't just stab people willy-nilly and rob them.


Parents tend to be "darker" players than most hehehe.

I apologize for my delayed response. My work schedule defies any norms.

Thanks to everyone who responded. I am happy to find out that others have had this experience. I have to say I'm enjoying it.

We've trained hard (not really) and now we are ready to start fresh and do it for real. I have three players (the third experienced) and want to start everyone as humans on a remote colony. Descendants of CIS who fled the insanity by going deeper into space. The result is a somewhat primitive beginning planetside before seeing the stars. It also helps avoid much sticky lore.

So I suppose my question to you people is how can I make such a restrictive beginning more palatable? I've considered group creating the colony with the PCs so it feels more like home. Giving a second spec for free.

I'm not sure why you think it is unpalatable. I did something similar for my group. I think I can safely say that "size matters not". It's not about how much freedom of choice they have to do anything or go anywhere they want, it's about what they do with the choices they are presented with. In any case, my players aren't Star Wars fans per se, so going any place in particular wouldn't mean anything to them.

I did also ask them all to be Force Sensitive, so I gave that spec for free, plus a bit extra XP post chargen.

Thanks, I wouldn't propose any game I wouldn't want to play in. I guess its the type of players I have around. I was asked if we were beginning as slaves. We are not.

What we are is descendants from the rich elite of Raxus Prime. The sane ones who just wanted some freedom from the core and did not intend to enter a questionable conflict without a plan B. Corporate resources were secretly diverted into unknown space until an unknown, life supporting planet was found. When the war went south, they knew how it would end and fled to their planet.

Part of character creation would be fleshing out the colony so it feels like home to everyone. Keeping it more general than homestead rules. I found that those rules brought up more questions than it answered. Using some loose logic I figure 5 years of droids helping to build everything after which they are inop for one reason or another. No energy weapons.....One of my permutations has the colonists not actually be the rich, but the advance party supposed to build the settlement. The workers turn on the rich or the rich never arrive. No energy weapons lets us play with slug throwers and would be a control measure to keep the workers underarmed. Also, wheeled vehicles. They can distill a gas substitute.

The story begins several days prior to the 40th anniversary of the landing. The anniversary Itself is a celebration. Excerpts from the Martyr Mirror are read. I've prepared some historical accounts of the war for independence slanted from the CIS perspective. Then, the next day, all those turning 21 years of age sometime that year are assembled into groups and tasked with returning to the site of their crashed ship (3 sites, varying difficulty/reward) and return with something that will somehow help the colony. Leaving the expectations somewhat vague.

Beginning a few days prior will allow me to begin with the monotony of their usual lives. I figure they would send people a few years after they were in a job so they had some idea of what the colony could use.

From there departure plans are many. They can discover a ship 10 different ways. Be notified that their planet was annexed by the corporate sector lealding to many opportunities. Pirates could conscript or take volunteers. It depends on the group they build.

My mother scares me most of all. She beat up a Wee Quay in the bathroom even after the woman begged her to stop. My father, who went charmer, ends up using his skills to clean up after.

Happy gaming to all

As far as modifying beginning characters I prefer to handle the obligation concept at my discretion vs randomly. I will probably grant a second specialty when they leave the planet. Most of my ideas warrant a small flash forward at that point.

I have also decided to give a family heirloom that will in some way violate the low tech nature.

I also seem to have omitted the fact that our party will be one of the assembled groups. I figure the quest wouldn't have existed until the colony began to run out of its resources. Maybe year 15. It was resourced well initially, so there is a good foundation, but sooner or later stuff is going to run out. So after 25 quests the near site is probably worthless and the expectations have gone up. Scrap metal won't cut it anymore.

And finally....In the spirit of new players starting later in life. This is fantastic

My parents introduced me to RPGs, actually, my dad telling stories about ADnD and 2nd Edition; we got the little 3rd (3.5?) starter box and my mom GM'd a little 2-room adventure centered around my dad and I trying to rescue a unicorn from goblins. It was magical.

Now I'm about to be 23 and my mom is 50 and one of my most avid players of my little merry band of friends and family that play FaD. Getting her involved has been exceptionally fun, and she always has interesting ideas and a knack for character... but I have noticed that she is sometimes the darkest (or least patient) member of the group.

Best of luck in your game! I look forward to hearing how it goes.

And finally....In the spirit of new players starting later in life. This is fantastic

That's just brilliant!

If your parents liked the movies at all, I would try to find a way to integrate some elements of the movies into your game instead of having it be a Star Wars version of "Swiss Family Robinson" (which is still a great idea though).

Who are the antagonists in their starting campaign and what is the group's goal? Are they trying to get off planet eventually or do they not initially care about leaving and need some motivation to go?

They have seen the movies, but nothing beyond that. Rest explained below

Are you planning on having them be totally clueless about the galactic community? Or just from the backwater redneck town?

Their complete ignorance makes even common planets and alien species an explanation. I've expedited this before by having images and one page planet summaries, but I'd like the characters to start out more ignorant than the players.

For the characters, any understanding of the galaxy will come from the perspective of some disillusioned individualists. They probably know nothing beyond the clone wars. Its all core world BS.

I'm putting the "new" planet just outside the corporate sector and was likely annexed when Palpatine expanded it. I'm hoping the group creation will help them define a destiny and I would be find if they stayed on planet or left immediately. I planned on trying to represent some monotony in their daily lives during the first session. My guess is they will try to leave immediately. I can see them 1.Working for CSA 2. Working as a privateer for one corp or another 3. Be Pirates (In this case I have a ship built by droids inside an asteroid I may use as a pirate enclave.

If they want to play with the corporations I may track their rep(obligaton) individually by each corporation. Let them walk a fine line if they can.

I also enjoy the possibility that they learn they are not the descendants of the wealthy families, but of the workers that double crossed the wealthy who arrived later. I often leave th(at kind of stuff to the dice.

I love those silly dice.