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IC: The Far Orbit Project (Star Wars)

Posted by Scoop
Scoop
member, 14 posts
Sun 12 Nov 2017
at 03:10
  • msg #1

IC: The Far Orbit Project (Star Wars)

For those here under the age of 40, a long time ago - back when Han shot first and Anakin's ghost still looked like a chubby old man - West End Games published a Star Wars RPG using the d6 system.  This was the system that encouraged GMs to type up "scripts" for players to read at the beginning of the session to "set the scene."  Because being a role-playing Star Wars fan in Junior High in the late 80s wasn't quite awkward enough....

But I digress.  The old books had some quality substantive writing and the Far Orbit Project, in particular, was always my favorite.  The players are officers and other characters on-board an Imperial Nebulon-B frigate that - in the early stages of the Rebellion - defects and becomes a privateer operating in the Core Worlds under a Letter of Marque from the Alliance.

Obviously this features some ship-to-ship combat and boarding actions, but there are plenty of important non-combat decisions to be made.  How many of your credits do you set aside to upgrade your ship, and what upgrades do you buy?  How do you choose your targets?  How do you recruit and maintain your crew?  Once the Imperials realize that there is a legitimate threat to the Core Worlds, how close do you cut it before it's time to cash in your chips and retire?

I stumbled across a whole box of d6 Star Wars books in my attic yesterday, and immediately I started thinking about whether Far Orbit would work for PbP.  I'm still not sure.  It has been decades since the last time I played this system, so there would be some early legwork just re-familiarizing myself with everything... and before I invested the time, I wanted to see if there would be any initial interest.

Knowledge of the d6 system would not be necessary for players.  I'd just be looking for a small group, probably 2-4 players... tabletop, we had each player eventually play a few characters so that everyone was doing something no matter what the situation.

I think that's all the necessary information for now.  Thank you for your time!
LonePaladin
member, 668 posts
Creator of HeroForge
Sun 12 Nov 2017
at 04:16
  • msg #2

IC: The Far Orbit Project (Star Wars)

My first encounter with the D6 system was unique. The GM had a whole bunch of stuff set up for us to play scavengers on Tatooine -- he had maps of derelict ships, price-lists for everything we could possibly salvage, and made up his own rules for tracking things like thirst and hunger. He kept us hungry; there was never quite enough left over at the end of the day for us to start accumulating wealth, barring the occasional improved blaster or engine part we could use.

We mostly scavved around junked starships and freighters. Competed with the local Jawas for droids and parts. Skirmished with Sand People over our chunk of territory. Had the occasional run-in with Imperial Stormtroopers trying to 'clean up' the area. If things were really lean, we'd have to resort to banditry to get by. We weren't quite "scum and villainy", but it was a fine line.

Then we hit a small motherlode. A crashed civilian escape pod, blasted to smithereens, with a fully intact survival kit and the shattered remains of a couple old droids. A fully intact vocabulator from a protocol droid (worth a bunch), some salvageable tools from an astromech droid, along with a partially-intact memory core from it. Might have juicy data like ship schematics or encryption protocols.

Our resident tech-head managed to recover fragments of data from the memory core, and found what looked like schematics for an Imperial space station -- just one that looked about fifty times bigger than necessary. With something that looked an awful lot like a really big turbolaser. Like, a focusing lens the size of Mos Eisley.

We thought plans like this might fetch a nice sum from the Rebellion. And, while we were at it, why not get the Empire involved and let them have a bidding war? Play both sides against each other for maximum profit, maybe score enough to get off this sand-pit. 'Course, that decision led to one side trying to recruit us, and the other sending assassins our way.

Here's what happened behind the scenes.

Remember in the first movie (ANH), when the droids have just taken off in the escape pod, and some no-name Imperial gunner spots them? His superior tells him to hold his fire as the pod has no life-forms. Well, in this guy's game, the gunner didn't wait -- he shot the pod, totally destroying it.

Which means the droids never got picked up by Jawas. Or sold to moisture-farmers. The Princess's message was never found, so ol' Ben Kenobi never got involved. So a certain smuggler never got his lucrative offer that led him to join the Rebellion. A princess was never rescued. Basically, the entire plot hinged on that one event, so in his game he derailed it and let us pick up the pieces.
Knight_Vassal
member, 379 posts
Sun 12 Nov 2017
at 05:11
  • msg #3

IC: The Far Orbit Project (Star Wars)

 Heck yeah I loved WEG for Star Wars. Had a Jedi who built his academy while Thrawn ran amok. If you get it up and running I would definately love a chance to join.

   Far Orbit was great. Liked Tapani Sector myself and the Tales time period.
GreyGriffin
member, 176 posts
Portal Expat
Game System Polyglot
Sun 12 Nov 2017
at 05:31
  • msg #4

IC: The Far Orbit Project (Star Wars)

I really, really enjoy the WEG d6 Star Wars universe.  They "got it" in a way that really seeps through the pores of the game.  Although it has its lumps, it's really ahead of its time in a lot of ways, thematically and mechanically.

I am not exactly laden down with supplements (I think I own 3 books for it?) but I have really been craving some Star Wars in my RPG diet, and the setting you're proposing sounds uniquely great.
Knight_Vassal
member, 380 posts
Sun 12 Nov 2017
at 05:57
  • msg #5

IC: The Far Orbit Project (Star Wars)

  They actually were required reading for the authors. Timothy Zahn had first prints delivered to him so he could weave Thrawn into that.

 Urias Xhazshin(?) It's been bugging me.
seraphmoon
member, 36 posts
I've Been Touched By
His Noodly Appendage
Sun 12 Nov 2017
at 07:19
  • msg #6

IC: The Far Orbit Project (Star Wars)

This sounds like an interesting concept, and I'd be down to play.
evileeyore
member, 45 posts
GURPS GM and Player
Sun 12 Nov 2017
at 10:05
  • msg #7

IC: The Far Orbit Project (Star Wars)

I haven't WEGed in over a decade.  It'd be good to roll the old d6 again...



Even if it is just virtually.
Big Brother
member, 408 posts
Who controls the past...
... Controls the future.
Sun 12 Nov 2017
at 13:47
  • msg #8

IC: The Far Orbit Project (Star Wars)

I love this boxed set. I'd play in a heartbeat.
jkeogh
member, 69 posts
Sun 12 Nov 2017
at 15:21
  • msg #9

IC: The Far Orbit Project (Star Wars)

Seems like you've got some pretty substantial interest here!
Scoop
member, 15 posts
Sun 12 Nov 2017
at 22:37
  • msg #10

IC: The Far Orbit Project (Star Wars)

Lone - Those "What If" games are some of the best campaigns.  I played in a relatively short-lived game that followed the Empire winning the Battle of Endor... the game ended before we got too far, but I loved the direction it was going.

And speaking of past campaigns, I've GM'ed Far Orbit once and played twice, all via tabletop.  The first time I played, probably beginner's luck, we were fantastically successful and all ended up retiring to the Outer Rim in relative luxury.  The second time, a few bad decisions in a fight with a Victory-class Star Destroyer ended in a loss of all hands.  Sometimes you're the spider, sometimes you're the fly.

Anyway, yes, I'm happy to see such an interest!  Give me a few days to put the game together, and I will let everyone know when we can get this campaign rolling.
mofo99
member, 395 posts
May the hair on your
feet never fall off
Mon 13 Nov 2017
at 14:02
  • msg #11

IC: The Far Orbit Project (Star Wars)

I'm not familiar with Far Orbit, but I've always loved WEG SW. Count me as another interested.
Knight_Vassal
member, 381 posts
Mon 13 Nov 2017
at 15:06
  • msg #12

IC: The Far Orbit Project (Star Wars)

In reply to mofo99 (msg # 11):

For those who are unfamiliar with Far Orbit. Pirates and Privateers has a character named Urias Xhashin repeatedly in the book. Similar to Plaat O'Keefe from the core. Pirates was so popular that WEG built a campaign around Xhashin and his ship The Far Orbit. You take on the command crew spots of The Far Orbit while it is acting under a Letter of Marque for the Rebellion against the Empire.

  Slots include generally
Executive Officer
Chief Engineer
Security
Ground Commander
Starfighter Commander
And so on
Telsij
member, 11 posts
Star Wars: WEG!
Wed 15 Nov 2017
at 15:35
  • msg #13

IC: The Far Orbit Project (Star Wars)

Please do count me interested as well! As soon as the game opens up, firing the torpedoes. Targeting computer on or no!

EDIT: Was in the DarkStryder game that was running here for a while, and that game had enough PCs to fill many of the "important roles" without anyone doubling up. The big cast/crew gave the game a nice Star Trek: TNG feel.
This message was last edited by the user at 16:22, Wed 15 Nov 2017.
Knight_Vassal
member, 382 posts
Thu 16 Nov 2017
at 16:07
  • msg #14

IC: The Far Orbit Project (Star Wars)

In reply to Telsij (msg # 13):

I miss DarkStryder. Myst and the Kathol Sector and all. Corellian Corvette. Ah.. classic Star Wars.
Kaithulhu
member, 5 posts
Fri 17 Nov 2017
at 18:26
  • msg #15

IC: The Far Orbit Project (Star Wars)

Count me interested as well!

I never played d6 Star Wars "back in the day", but I am an old-school-minded gamer and a massive fan of the original Star Wars EU, so upon stumbling across an archive of West End PDFs, I promptly fell in love. My actual hands-on experience with the game is minimal, but I've read the REUP rules back-to-front and have been perusing the splatbooks in my spare time. Honestly if I hadn't found this interest check, I probably would have made one myself!
Aslanii76
member, 139 posts
Sat 18 Nov 2017
at 02:05
  • msg #16

IC: The Far Orbit Project (Star Wars)

Interested too, have the rulebooks,no adventures.
branmac
member, 52 posts
Sun 19 Nov 2017
at 14:30
  • msg #17

IC: The Far Orbit Project (Star Wars)

I loved the old WEG d6 star wars! It worked fairly smooth and was flexible enough to stretch and bend where needed. I miss having the chance to play it, would certainly be uo wor giving it a run!
Telsij
member, 13 posts
Tue 21 Nov 2017
at 18:48
  • msg #18

IC: The Far Orbit Project (Star Wars)

In reply to Scoop (msg # 10):

Looks like there are enough shipmates on this thread to crew a capital ship already!
Will keep an eye out for the Far Orbit game, Scoop. Got my RTJ PC ready to go even....
Aslanii76
member, 141 posts
Wed 22 Nov 2017
at 01:28
  • msg #19

IC: The Far Orbit Project (Star Wars)

Kool, if an RTJ is coming.  I will be out this Wedneday to Friday with the turkey food processors ...
Brygun
member, 2018 posts
RPG since 1982
Author & Inspiration
Sat 2 Dec 2017
at 02:05
  • msg #20

IC: The Far Orbit Project (Star Wars)

Waving a hello and possible interest too

I did a lot with d6 over the years including scads of ship designs and things. Tons already and the setting is loss on ship designs anyway.

You can rmail me if you start up. I might not see this thread again for a bit.
modestmouse
member, 233 posts
The Gods come summoned
or not-Jungs office sign
Sat 2 Dec 2017
at 03:03
  • msg #21

IC: The Far Orbit Project (Star Wars)

Yes please, Rogue Trader Traitor Star Wars. I will even read an opening if need be.
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