So there's always weird situations coming up in Star Wars that would be easily solved by modern technology. Or even tech from several decades ago. Like radar. Star Wars doesn't seem to have radar. I'm not sure they have thermal imaging either. Now I haven't explored the EU, so I'm basing this purely off what we see in the movies and shows. I was thinking it would be handy for GMs though to have a list of all the stuff Star Wars seems to not have that we take for granted.

So here's a start:

Radar: meaning ships are basically blind in fog, clouds, or any bad weather, and ship guns all need to be aimed by a person.

Thermal imaging: You can just detect a space ship's ambient heat against the coldness of space. Also, no knowing if a building is occupied based on how hot the walls and windows are.

Paper: It does exist, but is very rare. Your not just going to find notes laying around, and very few people will have a pen or pencil on them.

DNA testing is the one that I have had to remind my players of a few times. "Stop looking for skin flakes; this is not 'CSI: Outer Rim'. You're going to have to actually look for clues and talk to people."

Also, not sure I agree with you about radar. Characters are always talking about 'picking up (whatever) on sensors / scanner'. The only time we've ever seen anyone messed up by clouds was when Luke crashed on Dagobah. Padme's ship managed to descend through a thick cloud layer on Coruscant without smacking into any buildings.

I find it helpful to think about Star Wars technology as an alternate branch of what might have been in our own world. So, the way steampunk is an imagining of what it would be like if we had to replicate contemporary technology with steam engines, Star Wars is doing the same thing using the technology of the '40s through '70s.

In other words, when trying to do something in Star Wars, players need to think "How would someone have done this in the late 20th century?" Everything is higher powered and more fantastical—achieving results analogous to other science fiction. But ultimately, any technology that came out since about 1982 is pretty much foreign to the setting's ethos, so you have to think how you could accomplish your goals in an alternative future that still has mid-century modern technology at its core.

16 minutes ago, Vorzakk said:

DNA testing is the one that I have had to remind my players of a few times. "Stop looking for skin flakes; this is not 'CSI: Outer Rim'. You're going to have to actually look for clues and talk to people."

Also, not sure I agree with you about radar. Characters are always talking about 'picking up (whatever) on sensors / scanner'. The only time we've ever seen anyone messed up by clouds was when Luke crashed on Dagobah. Padme's ship managed to descend through a thick cloud layer on Coruscant without smacking into any buildings.

Kannan had to guide the Ghost through fog in one episode of Rebels also. And there's back few times when ships have confused fighters using clouds. Then theres the issue that if they had radar they could have the kinds of radar guided air defense guns we have on modern ships today. They definitely have "sensors" but they don't seem to work like radar does. Granted most things in Star Wars work based on the needs of the writers, and the rule of cool.

Ships have sensors/radar. We see tracking images on Vader's targeting computer in Star Wars, we see the big war map in Rebel HQ on Yavin of the Death Star's position, we see tracking info on Jango's scope in Attack.

Until Rebels we never saw anyone poop or pee, I just went ahead and assumed they had bathrooms.

Star Wars makes clone armies, they're genetic engineering knowledge is vast.

Star Wars deploys droid armies and controls them remotely, they're automation/AI/ and wireless data output tech is vast.

They fly planet sized ships through hyperspace, they're math and ability to actually manipulate gravitational fields is arcane in it's abilities.

They have real time conversations across galactic distances, they're data throughput/networking knowledge is vast.

I've never seen anyone make a convincing argument about we have something they don't, we just use different names than we see in the movies.

They barely have security cameras. Ezra and Sabine were able to sneak into the TIE Defender base and steal it, using only Lothcats for distraction. And they certainly have no guard rails on their catwalks.

Personally I'm not sure it's that important. The media sometimes shows them suddenly having something that could have been useful in numerous other situations. Basically, it's all plot driven. So if you want radar, give 'em radar.

28 minutes ago, whafrog said:

They barely have security cameras. Ezra and Sabine were able to sneak into the TIE Defender base and steal it, using only Lothcats for distraction. And they certainly have no guard rails on their catwalks.

Personally I'm not sure it's that important. The media sometimes shows them suddenly having something that could have been useful in numerous other situations. Basically, it's all plot driven. So if you want radar, give 'em radar.

That's a good point about cameras. They only seem to use them inside very secure areas of buildings. They don't use many fences either.

In ship radio/CD player.. ok you have that 'space chess' game for entertainment, tbh I like music on any road trip... but you get no hint of Fig'rin Dan & the Modal Nodes coming out over the ship P.A. system

.... although isn't there an option in Fly Casual?

4 minutes ago, ExpandingUniverse said:

In ship radio/CD player.. ok you have that 'space chess' game for entertainment, tbh I like music on any road trip... but you get no hint of Fig'rin Dan & the Modal Nodes coming out over the ship P.A. system

.... although isn't there an option in Fly Casual?

I feel like "what do Han and Chewie listen to while space truckin'" could be a hilarious thread on its own. Lando probably has the best taste in music though.

8 minutes ago, ExpandingUniverse said:

In ship radio/CD player.. ok you have that 'space chess' game for entertainment, tbh I like music on any road trip... but you get no hint of Fig'rin Dan & the Modal Nodes coming out over the ship P.A. system

.... although isn't there an option in Fly Casual?

Going into the other media, a ship in Last Shot definitely has a music system. The ship’s pilot tries to win Han over to the sound of what can probably best be described as Star Wars heavy metal.

2 hours ago, 2P51 said:

I've never seen anyone make a convincing argument about we have something they don't, we just use different names than we see in the movies.

I largely agree with you. Although I'm not a fan of space Google in my Star Wars games. But whatever, it doesn't break it, it just takes me out of it.

2 hours ago, Vorzakk said:

DNA testing is the one that I have had to remind my players of a few times. "Stop looking for skin flakes; this is not 'CSI: Outer Rim'. You're going to have to actually look for clues and talk to people."

For what it's worth, the description of "fingerprint masques" at page 50 of Fly Casual implies that DNA scanning is a thing in this game, if not in the larger Star Wars universe of canon. "Advanced masques can also be embedded with false DNA in order to circumvent more sophisticated biometric scanners and readers," it says.

13 minutes ago, kaosoe said:

I largely agree with you. Although I'm not a fan of space Google in my Star Wars games. But whatever, it doesn't break it, it just takes me out of it.

Sure, not saying anyone can't do their own vibe, just saying there isn't anything we have they don't. I wouldn't think there is as much need for Google, if you've got a protocol droid programmed with 6 million forms of communication, I wouldn't expect a database with the best micro breweries on every planet takes up much extra 'space'....

You can let them have modern technology and all the stuff in typical sci fi but the ramifications will multiply and at some point you will realize that it's not really looking like Star Wars any more. I have noticed over the decades that my friends always go back to D&D instead of sci-fi and it's mainly because it is a simpler time without all the modern shortcuts and ways to bypass adventure. Science Fantasy requires some willful editing of certain elements of what would logically exist, omitting them for feel. My suggestions for Star Wars:

• No Free and Open Internet, Almost No Wi-Fi, no conventional email. If you need an explanation I just use the explanation that it's far too dangerous.
• Comlinks and other Communications work based on Story not on Technology.
• You don't have to explain things in terms of how they work. It's supposed to be a world that is alien to us but not to the characters.
• Don't let Slicers become hackers, just have them function as the Star Wars equivalent of the D&D Trap Monkey combined with the guy you knew in college who can rip off ATM machines without chaining them to a truck.
• Goods have to come to Market. Don't have Amazon or Ebay in space. Don't let them make everything they need.
• Identification and Investigation are not the easy task they are on earth. Millions of planets, thousands of species and cultures, and competing needs for ID and accountability make for a census and ID nightmare. This also is a function of story and you can make it work how you need to for the story, but I feel that establishing perfect ID and 100% Bureaucratic Efficiency makes for problems.

6 minutes ago, Archlyte said:

You can let them have modern technology and all the stuff in typical sci fi but the ramifications will multiply and at some point you will realize that it's not really looking like Star Wars any more. I have noticed over the decades that my friends always go back to D&D instead of sci-fi and it's mainly because it is a simpler time without all the modern shortcuts and ways to bypass adventure. Science Fantasy requires some willful editing of certain elements of what would logically exist, omitting them for feel. My suggestions for Star Wars:

• No Free and Open Internet, Almost No Wi-Fi, no conventional email. If you need an explanation I just use the explanation that it's far too dangerous.
• Comlinks and other Communications work based on Story not on Technology.
• You don't have to explain things in terms of how they work. It's supposed to be a world that is alien to us but not to the characters.
• Don't let Slicers become hackers, just have them function as the Star Wars equivalent of the D&D Trap Monkey combined with the guy you knew in college who can rip off ATM machines without chaining them to a truck.
• Goods have to come to Market. Don't have Amazon or Ebay in space. Don't let them make everything they need.
• Identification and Investigation are not the easy task they are on earth. Millions of planets, thousands of species and cultures, and competing needs for ID and accountability make for a census and ID nightmare. This also is a function of story and you can make it work how you need to for the story, but I feel that establishing perfect ID and 100% Bureaucratic Efficiency makes for problems.

Some solid advice I think. And all consistent with what they show on screen. Except for the ID bit. The empire, and republic before it, definitely had a way of ID people and had records of who they were, where they lived, and what job they had, and a photo. That kind of thing comes up quite a few times the shows.

6 minutes ago, Tesoe said:

Some solid advice I think. And all consistent with what they show on screen. Except for the ID bit. The empire, and republic before it, definitely had a way of ID people and had records of who they were, where they lived, and what job they had, and a photo. That kind of thing comes up quite a few times the shows.

Thank you Tesoe. Yeah I feel like having that ability to just look people up makes the galaxy too small. Also what about Identification for someone born in the Outer Rim in some little mining settlement where they are trying to avoid official notice? I do use bio-metric or Bio-Sig information but the person generally has to have that done by some official entity (willingly or as a result of capture). One of my players in my current game has cultivated several Identities and his Imperial ID was under a made up name like in Solo.

Also thanks for the thoughts about Radar, I missed that one

5 minutes ago, Tesoe said:

Some solid advice I think. And all consistent with what they show on screen. Except for the ID bit. The empire, and republic before it, definitely had a way of ID people and had records of who they were, where they lived, and what job they had, and a photo. That kind of thing comes up quite a few times the shows.

And Rogue One. Bohdi’s scandoc even indicated he was a “local boy” to Saw on Jedha.

Railings on walkways. *Mic drop* ?

5 minutes ago, warchild1x said:

Railings on walkways. *Mic drop* ?

5 minutes ago, Archlyte said:

Thank you Tesoe. Yeah I feel like having that ability to just look people up makes the galaxy too small. Also what about Identification for someone born in the Outer Rim in some little mining settlement where they are trying to avoid official notice? I do use bio-metric or Bio-Sig information but the person generally has to have that done by some official entity (willingly or as a result of capture). One of my players in my current game has cultivated several Identities and his Imperial ID was under a made up name like in Solo.

Also thanks for the thoughts about Radar, I missed that one

I would bet that the farther away from the core the less complete imperial records might be. For the most part we also only see people working for the government, Jedi and Imperial ofiiciers/agents, looking people up. So it's probably not something just anyone can do. It's probably a lot like getting at DMV records today.

The Pantoran poobah in the one TCW episode is able to ID and locate Greedo with a blood sample. Granted he was a head of state but the information exists.

8 minutes ago, warchild1x said:

Railings on walkways. *Mic drop* ?

Classic

2 minutes ago, 2P51 said:

The Pantoran poobah in the one TCW episode is able to ID and locate Greedo with a blood sample. Granted he was a head of state but the information exists.

Good catch!

13 minutes ago, Tesoe said:

I would bet that the farther away from the core the less complete imperial records might be. For the most part we also only see people working for the government, Jedi and Imperial ofiiciers/agents, looking people up. So it's probably not something just anyone can do. It's probably a lot like getting at DMV records today.

I mentioned it earlier, but Saw popped Bohdi’s scandoc into a little light emitting doodad And was able to get some info out of it.

And, for what it’s worth, anybody can sign up for a publicdata.com account. ?

12 minutes ago, Nytwyng said:

I mentioned it earlier, but Saw popped Bohdi’s scandoc into a little light emitting doodad And was able to get some info out of it.

And, for what it’s worth, anybody can sign up for a publicdata.com account. ?

Yeah, but Saw is a rebel, and one known for being pretty extreme and using radical methods of getting things done. I would not include him in the "just anybody" I was referring to.

Edit: but it is possible the info is publicly available.