This is kinda what I was hoping for and is along the lines of the old West End Games Galaxy Guides and the more recent Saga books, the trouble is I now want a book for each career and I wants it now!

It would be nice to see a bit more info on the future of the release schedule but its nice to know that we have Beyong the Rim adventure and appropriate splat book to go with it. I also think it would be a no brainer to include more races, and creatures and adversaries, oh my!

I survived WFRP so surely I can survive this... but ****... my bleeding GM's wallet.

On one hand: Yay!

On the other hand: a splat book for every career? Ugh. No thanks. Do we really need a full book about the Colonist? (Yay, Simon, Inara, and Book, I suppose...) Separate books for the Bounty Hunter AND the Hired Gun?

If they do it, I hope they'll follow the model that WotC followed, where each book also introduced a concept, not just more character crunch.

Interesting also that FFG is picking up where WotC left off (Unknown Regions --> Enter the Unknown).

This is VERY exciting. Keep in mind, this book is not just exploring the Explorer class (see what I did there?) but also adding THREE new specializations, gear and ships. I would put real money on them adding a race or two as well. This game just gets better and better.

I'm on board for a "one sourcebook per career approach."

After all, I think Saga Edition proved it was both doable and such things could be used by other classes with the Galaxy at War, Scum & Villainy, Galaxy of Intrigue, and Unknown Regions sourcebooks, which were geared towards the Soldier, Scoundrel, Noble, and Scout classes specifically. Even the "Jedi focus book," Jedi Academy Training Manual, had a bunch of stuff for Force-users in general and not just the Jedi (though much of the focus was naturally on the Jedi).

Even if it wasn't directly mentioned, I'd be surprised if FFG didn't take the opportunity these sorts of sourcebooks provide to include at least a few playable species per book. The 8 listed in the core rulebook are nice, but one of the key elements of Star Wars is the sheer diversity of species to be found in the galaxy, and players should have a chance to dip into that. It was one of the reasons why Cyril and I combined our efforts to create the Unofficial Species Menagerie; we wanted to provide a set of species to be used by the players to expand upon possible character ideas beyond those offered by the 8 core races.

As for cost... the way work is going with all the mandatory OT, affording these sourcebooks won't be a problem. Having time to read them, however... that'll be the real trick.

The cover looks beautiful. As for the speculation on species, I imagine they are going to want to cover all of the popular Star Wars species as quickly as possible. That said, IMHO, Chiss don't really rate unique species stats. They are more or less just humans with blue skin and red eyes. There isn't much about them that would set them apart, stat wise.

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Chiss

That said, anything popular is probably going to get some love, and quickly.

On one hand: Yay!

On the other hand: a splat book for every career? Ugh. No thanks. Do we really need a full book about the Colonist? (Yay, Simon, Inara, and Book, I suppose...) Separate books for the Bounty Hunter AND the Hired Gun?

If they do it, I hope they'll follow the model that WotC followed, where each book also introduced a concept, not just more character crunch.

Interesting also that FFG is picking up where WotC left off (Unknown Regions --> Enter the Unknown).

This is the same thing we heard when they announced 3 separate Core books. "Separate books for Outer Rim and the Rebellion and Jedi!?" and they totally rocked it with what is in EotE.

But the most famous Chiss was Thrawn, who was a Grand Admiral of the Empire, which is why I say Age of Rebellion would make sense.

I also feel all the Species are going to be in the Core books, but I could be wrong.

I hope they restrict that to the core books. I know I am in a minority I was excited in a new system that seemed all inclusive. Three books were all I would have to buy. Maybe a book on the setting (worlds and such). I am a old WOTC player (of D&D) and didnt like the power creep and book a month mentality that they have there. A very large and nicely done book a year (or 2 a year) would be enough for me. Of course no one is forcing me to buy... but how can I resist? I swear its like crack. :-)

Of course no one is forcing me to buy... but how can I resist? I swear its like crack. :-)

I know There is no way I'm not going to buy every single one of these books and supplements, I'm a proper materialist and consumer... it's just that... It's so PRETTY!

I just hope that the emphasis is more on the Explor ing than the Explor er . I am not keen on having talents, specializations gear and races spread across a half dozen books, but if the DM support, as in 'here is how to run an exploration based adventure and campaign', is good, then I am willing to do it.

Exploerer was not even considered by a single person in our group. Is it that populrar to warrant being first? I'll hold off on this since I want other supplements for things more. Though eventually I will grab it.

It's so PRETTY!

Their production quality is second to NONE. I wish everything I bought for games was on this level.

I'd rather have too many supplements than too few. RPG creators can't win - if they don't make additional books they are not supporting the product, if they do, they are money grabbing

As a busy GM, I'd like to see more adventures, over more PC options.

Exploerer was not even considered by a single person in our group. Is it that populrar to warrant being first? I'll hold off on this since I want other supplements for things more. Though eventually I will grab it.

Perhaps instead of being "most popular" being a deciding factor, maybe FFG felt "career most in need of some extra loving." That and if one of the themes of the book is exploring the Unknown Regions and/or Wild Space, then the Explorer career is a natural fit for a career to expand upon in said book. Much like how many of WotC's "class books" added a lot of material around a theme instead of just being a purely class-based splat book. Case in point was Scum & Villainy, aka the Scoundrel book, and it added a lot of options and gear usable for players and GM's that weren't running a criminal-heavy campaign. Same too with Unknown Regions, adding material that didn't rely exclusively upon adventures that took place in that region of space.

The first thing I thought of when I saw this was my old 'Thief's Handbook' for 2nd Edition D&D. Man, I loved that book...

I'm wagering there will be a few new species in there. If SAGA taught us anything, it's that gamers will buy books they don't even particularly want , if there are bits and bobs in there that they can use.

I can see saving the major species for the core rulebooks, but there's no harm in giving us more minor species (like Arcona, for example) in the supplements.

Waiting to preorder!

Chiss as a playable race (if that is what happens) seems somewhat odd, as I thought they were largely unknown at this point.

I think this looks great and actually addresses my only concern with the core rulebook... Lack of a sniper rifle, lol.

The problem with these type of supplements is that I always want to reboot the character or go back and change things when I see the new shinies.

Definitely will buy though, sounds awesome.

I can't wait for it. So when is the fourth quarter of 2013 ?

I like the idea of an explorer/exploration-themed sourcebook as an EOTE supplement. The implication of seedy, profit-driven exploration is so nicely different from the Star Trek approach....

I can't wait for it. So when is the fourth quarter of 2013 ?

In the US, Q4 is between July 1 - September 30. The beardless manboy Fischer might be done developing the book in Q4 but I'd be pleasantly shocked if we actually had it in our grubby thankless mits before Q1 2014 (Oct - Dec).

I'd rather have too many supplements than too few. RPG creators can't win - if they don't make additional books they are not supporting the product, if they do, they are money grabbing

As a busy GM, I'd like to see more adventures, over more PC options.

I love having lots of supplements but SAGA taught me that too many character choices over too many books becomes a PITA; especially if you're trying to get into the game when many of these books are already out. Having the abilities for the Run 'n Gun Talent Tree (for example) spread out over five books isn't doing a player any favors. Force Talents and Powers were even worse. Half of character creation and gameplay was spent passing around books trying to remember where things were located. Having 13 books filled with options became a strain on even the veteran players and too many noobs just walked. I don't want that to happen again.

I'd rather have too many supplements than too few. RPG creators can't win - if they don't make additional books they are not supporting the product, if they do, they are money grabbing

As a busy GM, I'd like to see more adventures, over more PC options.

I love having lots of supplements but SAGA taught me that too many character choices over too many books becomes a PITA; especially if you're trying to get into the game when many of these books are already out. Having the abilities for the Run 'n Gun Talent Tree (for example) spread out over five books isn't doing a player any favors. Force Talents and Powers were even worse. Half of character creation and gameplay was spent passing around books trying to remember where things were located. Having 13 books filled with options became a strain on even the veteran players and too many noobs just walked. I don't want that to happen again.

I would actually bet that we'll get complete reprints of the original Explorer Specs in the splatbook, due to all of them getting the Expert Talents added on to the bottom of them. And if we do, that makes all of that a whole lot easier, because you just grab the Explorer book, and boom, you're good to go.

I can't wait for it. So when is the fourth quarter of 2013 ?

In the US, Q4 is between July 1 - September 30. The beardless manboy Fischer might be done developing the book in Q4 but I'd be pleasantly shocked if we actually had it in our grubby thankless mits before Q1 2014 (Oct - Dec).

That's Q3. Q4 is Oct thru Dec.

I can't wait for it. So when is the fourth quarter of 2013 ?

In the US, Q4 is between July 1 - September 30. The beardless manboy Fischer might be done developing the book in Q4 but I'd be pleasantly shocked if we actually had it in our grubby thankless mits before Q1 2014 (Oct - Dec).

Its not referencing the financial quarter, its referencing the calendar quarter.

That means Q4 is Oct-Dec.

That's Q3. Q4 is Oct thru Dec.

I spend so much of my time dealing with governmental fiscal quarters that your real world seems strange to me . Thanks for the sanity check.

I'd rather have too many supplements than too few. RPG creators can't win - if they don't make additional books they are not supporting the product, if they do, they are money grabbing

As a busy GM, I'd like to see more adventures, over more PC options.

I love having lots of supplements but SAGA taught me that too many character choices over too many books becomes a PITA; especially if you're trying to get into the game when many of these books are already out. Having the abilities for the Run 'n Gun Talent Tree (for example) spread out over five books isn't doing a player any favors. Force Talents and Powers were even worse. Half of character creation and gameplay was spent passing around books trying to remember where things were located. Having 13 books filled with options became a strain on even the veteran players and too many noobs just walked. I don't want that to happen again.

Except its impossible to get it all in one book from the beginning when its a new game. This game is going to grow and expand over many years - to expect all that growth in the first class book is irrational. This is one aspect of RPGs that people need to just accept. I'm sure at some point they will offer a compilation of all existing information (perhaps a 2nd edition way down the line) but its going to cost more money which other people will complain about.

I'd prefer they release it incrementally like this. Its not much of a stretch to imagine a dedicated fan making PDF updates of all the info in the books as they release.