In 1977, unsuspecting moviegoers sat down to watch Star Wars. No one could have predicted the magnitude of success this movie would have, and that it would continue to have over 40 years later. It shaped and changed filmmaking forever with it brash special effects, took model and prop making in unexplored directions, and created new revenues through tie-in deals with toy manufacturers, amongst other things. And it is here that our story begins.

As children, our first exploration of roleplay is with toys. For those of us of a ‘certain’ generation that meant we re-enacted the adventures of Luke, Han, Leia, and the gang on cluttered floors on Christmas morning. This paved the way for more adventurous games as we grew older, often turning to roleplaying games and wargaming to satisfy the itch. The one problem we had, however, was that there was no way for us to be grown-ups and still play Star Wars, at least without getting some strange looks from others. That all changed in 1987.

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The OG Star Wars Roleplaying Game

In 1987 we saw the first release of a Star Wars Roleplaying game. West end games had taken the D6 system they had used in their Ghostbusters game and adapted it. It was met with great critical acclaim and won the Origins Award for Best Rules in 1987. The core rulebook contained a lot of background information based on the movies and it was quickly followed up with a dedicated sourcebook that expanded upon it, but the content was limited to the original movie trilogy, and players were left to their own imagination to create worlds outside of the familiar settings.

There was a need for more, and with Lucasfilm’s blessing, West End Games began to create official supplements that would take the game outside the familiar movie settings. In 1988 we saw the first supplements appear, there were campaign packs, Galaxy Guides, adventures, and more. Each expanded upon the established lore, and much without the direct interference of Lucasfilm. By the time the second edition of the game was released in 1992, there were over 30 publications available. As the game continued to grow we also saw some offshoots in a live-action roleplay game and a miniatures game, using the source material from D6 as reference.

In 1991, Timothy Zahn released the first book in what would become the original Thrawn Trilogy. As part of the background material provided by Lucasfilm, he was sent copies of all the Star Wars Roleplaying Gamebooks. The game had cemented itself within Star Wars canon. Planets and alien races used in many Star Wars novels, games, and even the movies first appeared in one of West End publications.

However, there would be a disturbance in 1998. West End Games declared bankruptcy and lost the license as a result. By this time over 140 publications had been released, a revised second edition had been released in 1996 and is seen as the definitive edition for D6 Star Wars. There is a large community of players still who have continued to release unofficial supplements based on later works, but the only way to pick up the official rules and sourcebooks is eBay… Or from the anniversary release of the original first edition rules and sourcebooks by Fantasy Flight Games.

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Wizards of the Coast Era

As the new millennium approached, there was a new hope for Star Wars roleplaying games: Wizards of the Coast. Fans hoping for a revival of the D6 game were met with disappointment, however, as a D20 system was used as the basis instead. Players of other D20 such as Dungeons & Dragons system felt right at home. The core rules contained more than ample reference material. One could play a wide variety of species and careers as well as align themselves to the light or dark side of the Force.

Game designer Bill Slavicesk worked on both D6 and D20 Star Wars and, while it wasn't as groundbreaking as West End Games' version, D20 Star Wars did find a loyal fan base.

In all, three versions of the game were released: the first edition in 2000, revised edition in 2002, and the Saga edition in 2007. Changes between the first two editions were mainly editorial, rule clarification, and tweaks to improved flow and gameplay. However, the Saga edition featured far more drastic changes, with it becoming much easier to play games and with a focus on miniatures. Many of the changes replicated those found in the D20 modern system, another system published by Wizards of the Coast until 2006. The Saga edition is considered the best of the D20 games, with the awards to match! It received Gold ENnie awards for Best Game, Best d20/OGL Product and Best Rules as well as a Silver ENnie award for Product of the Year.

In 2010 Wizards announced they would not be renewing their license for the game and stopped releasing content later that year.

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Fantasy Flight Era

In late 2011, Fantasy Flight announced they had acquired the rights to produce Star Wars-related games. A year later they announced their first roleplaying game, Edge of the Empire. What was different this time, was the planned release of three stand-alone roleplaying games. Edge of the Empire was set after A New Hope, Age of Rebellion around the time of Empire Strikes Back, and Force and Destiny covering the events surrounding the death of Obi-Wan Kenobi and destruction of the first death star. These were joined by a fourth book, The Force Awakens Beginner Game, set just before The Force Awakens.

For the most part, the games are cross-compatible, but combining the four core rules can be a bit confusing and is too complex to explore in this article. Needless to say there are plenty of advantages, and disadvantages, to this approach. Commercially at least, it appears to have worked for Fantasy Flight.

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Conclusion

Each incarnation of the Star Wars Roleplaying Game will remain the only choice for some people, and that is a great shame. Knowing where we have come from helps us appreciate what we have now. All the games are enjoyable and as long as you are having fun, it shouldn’t matter which iteration you play. It takes a great GM to make the universe feel real, and that should be the case irrespective of the system played. The story should be told no matter what, and it is this that binds us together, Star Wars Roleplayers. May the Force be with you!

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Source: Wikipedia