Star Wars role-playing game (WEG)
Encyclopedia
The Star Wars Roleplaying Game is a role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...

 set in the Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...

universe, written and published by West End Games
West End Games
West End Games was a company that made board, role-playing, and war games. It was founded by Daniel Scott Palter in 1974 in New York, but later moved to Honesdale, Pennsylvania...

 (WEG) between 1987 and 1999. The rules system was slightly modified and rereleased in 2004 as D6 Space
D6 Space
D6 Space is a generic science fiction role-playing game based on the D6 System. Although derived, in part, from material originally presented in The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, D6 Space is published as a stand alone rulebook and is supported by its own line of supplements.-Setting:Being a...

, which used a generic space opera
Space opera
Space opera is a subgenre of science fiction that emphasizes romantic, often melodramatic adventure, set mainly or entirely in outer space, generally involving conflict between opponents possessing advanced technologies and abilities. The term has no relation to music and it is analogous to "soap...

 setting rather than the Star Wars setting. An unrelated Star Wars RPG
Star Wars Roleplaying Game (Wizards of the Coast)
On June 5, 2007, Wizards released the Star Wars Roleplaying Game: Saga Edition. The game was streamlined to be easier to play and a greater emphasis was placed on miniatures. Some of the major changes include:...

was published by Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...

 in 2000.

History

The game, based on WEG's earlier Ghostbusters RPG
Ghostbusters (role-playing game)
Ghostbusters is a comedy role-playing game designed by Sandy Petersen, Lynn Willis and Greg Stafford and published by West End Games in 1986. It is based on the 1984 film Ghostbusters....

, established much of the groundwork of what later became the Star Wars Expanded Universe
Star Wars Expanded Universe
The Star Wars Expanded Universe encompasses all of the officially licensed, fictional background of the Star Wars universe, outside of the six feature films produced by George Lucas. The expanded universe includes books, comic books, video games, spin-off films like Star Wars: The Clone Wars,...

, and their sourcebooks are still frequently cited by Star Wars fans as reference material. Lucasfilm considered their sourcebooks so authoritative that when Timothy Zahn
Timothy Zahn
Timothy Zahn is a writer of science fiction short stories and novels. His novella Cascade Point won the 1984 Hugo award. He is the author of nine Star Wars Expanded Universe novels, including seven novels featuring Grand Admiral Thrawn: the Thrawn Trilogy, the Hand of Thrawn duology, Outbound...

 was hired to write what became the Thrawn trilogy, he was sent a box of West End Games Star Wars books and directed to base his novel on the background material presented within.

By the end of the game's run around 140 sourcebook
Sourcebook
The term sourcebook is used to describe many different kinds of books such as collections of core articles , bibliographies, biographies, printed archival sources, directories and so on...

 and adventure
Adventure (role-playing games)
An adventure is either a published or otherwise written collection of plot, character, and location details used by a gamemaster to manage the plot or story in a role-playing game. Each adventure is based upon a particular gaming genre and is normally designed for use with a specific game or gaming...

 supplements were published for the game during its run through three editions.

In addition fifteen issues of a magazine series, the Star Wars Adventure Journal, were published between 1994 and 1998. The Adventure Journal was published in novel format of around 280 pages, and consisted of adventures and articles for the game, plus short stories intended to provide inspiration for gamemasters and news relating to Star Wars.

WEG's license to produce Star Wars material was lost after the company declared bankruptcy in 1998, and the license was later picked up by Wizards of the Coast, who held the license until 2010. On 2 August 2011, Fantasy Flight Games
Fantasy Flight Games
Fantasy Flight Games is a Roseville, Minnesota-based game company that creates and publishes role-playing, board, and card games. Fantasy Flight Publishing was founded in 1995 by its CEO, Christian T. Petersen. Since the release of its first game product in 1997, the company has been doing...

 announced that they had entered into "comprehensive licensing partnership with Lucasfilm Ltd. for the worldwide rights to publish card, roleplaying, and miniatures games set in the popular Star Wars universe".

The Star Wars Roleplaying Game won the Origins Award
Origins Award
The Origins Awards are American awards for outstanding work in the game industry. They are presented by the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design at the Origins Game Fair on an annual basis for the previous year, so the 1979 awards were given at the 1980 Origins.The Origins Award is commonly...

 for Best Roleplaying Rules of 1987.

Game system

The Star Wars Roleplaying Game uses the D6 System
D6 System
The D6 System is a role-playing game system published by West End Games and licensees. While the system is primarily intended for pen-and-paper role-playing games, variations of the system have also been used in live action role-playing games and miniature battle games...

, originally developed for the Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters is a 1984 American science fiction comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. The film stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, and Rick Moranis and follows three eccentric parapsychologists in New York City, who start a...

roleplaying game.

List of core rule books

1st Edition Rules
  • Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game (1987) ISBN 0-87431-065-2


2nd Edition Rules
  • The Star Wars Roleplaying Game: Second Edition (1992) ISBN 0-874-31181-0
  • The Star Wars Roleplaying Game: Second Edition, Revised and Expanded (1996) ISBN 0-87431-268-X

List of supplements

  • The Star Wars Sourcebook (1987)
  • Campaign Pack (1988)
  • Tatooine Manhunt (1988)
  • Imperial Sourcebook (1988)
  • Strike Force Shantipole (1988)
  • Battle for the Golden Sun (1988)
  • Star Fall (1989)
  • Otherspace (1989)
  • Otherspace II: Invasion
  • Scavenger Hunt (1989)
  • Riders of the Maelstrom (1989)
  • Crisis on Cloud City (1989)
  • The Far Orbit Project (1998)
  • Black Ice
  • The Game Chambers of Questal
  • Domain of Evil (1991)
  • The Isis Coordinates (1990)
  • Death in the Undercity
  • Rebel Alliance Sourcebook (1989)
  • Graveyard of Alderaan (1989)
  • Death Star Technical Companion (1991)
  • Cracken's Rebel Field Guide
  • Flashpoint! Brak Sector (1995)
  • The Rules Companion
  • Galaxy Guide 1: A New Hope
  • Galaxy Guide 2: Yavin and Bespin
  • Galaxy Guide 3: The Empire Strikes Back
  • Galaxy Guide 4: Alien Races
  • Galaxy Guide 5: The Return of the Jedi
  • Galaxy Guide 6: Tramp Freighters
  • Galaxy Guide 7: Mos Eisley
  • Galaxy Guide 8: Scouts
  • Galaxy Guide 9: Fragments from the Rim
  • Galaxy Guide 10: Bounty Hunters
  • Galaxy Guide 11: Criminal Organizations
  • Galaxy Guide 12: Aliens - Enemies and Allies
  • Fantastic Technology: Guns and Gear
  • Planets of the Galaxy Volume 1
  • Planets of the Galaxy Volume 2
  • Planets of the Galaxy Volume 3
  • Wanted by Cracken
  • Dark Force Rising Sourcebook
  • Heir to the Empire Sourceook
  • The Last Command Sourcebook
  • Thrawn Trilogy Sourcebook
  • Dark Empire Sourcebook
  • Movie Trilogy Sourcebook
  • Creatures of the Galaxy
  • Cracken's Rebel Operatives
  • Han Solo and the Corporate Sector Sourcebook
  • Heroes and Rogues
  • Goroth - Slave of the Empire
  • The Planets Collection
  • Platt's Starport Guide
  • Alliance Intelligence Report
  • Hideouts and Strongholds
  • Rules of Engagement: The Rebel SpecForce Handbook
  • Fantastic Technology: Droids
  • Shadows of the Empire Sourcebook
  • Secrets of the Sisar Run
  • Cracken's Threat Dossier
  • Platt's Smugglers Guide
  • Pirates and Privateers
  • Stock Ships
  • Wretched Hive of Scum and Villainy
  • Black Sands of Socorro
  • Fantastic Technology: Personal Gear
  • Alien Encounters
  • Lord of the Expanse
  • The Player's Guide to Tapani
  • The Darkstryder Campaign
  • Darkstryder: Endgame
  • Darkstryder: The Kathol Outback
  • Darkstryder: The Kathol Rift

Spinoffs

The Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the original film trilogy of the Star Wars franchise, where he is portrayed by Mark Hamill. He is introduced in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, in which he is forced to leave home, and finds himself apprenticed to the Jedi master...

 and Han Solo
Han Solo
Han Solo is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise played by Harrison Ford. Introduced in the film Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope , Solo and his Wookiee co-pilot, Chewbacca , become involved in the Rebel Alliance against the Galactic Empire...

 adventures were a kind of Choose Your Own Adventure
Choose Your Own Adventure
Choose Your Own Adventure is a series of children's gamebooks where each story is written from a second-person point of view, with the reader assuming the role of the protagonist and making choices that determine the main character's actions and the plot's outcome. The series was based on a...

book. The Imperial Doublecross gamebook
Gamebook
A gamebook is a work of fiction that allows the reader to participate in the story by making effective choices. The narrative branches along various paths through the use of numbered paragraphs or pages...

 used the Star Wars d6 rules
D6 System
The D6 System is a role-playing game system published by West End Games and licensees. While the system is primarily intended for pen-and-paper role-playing games, variations of the system have also been used in live action role-playing games and miniature battle games...

 and character's die codes. The Lightsaber Dueling Pack and Starfighter Battle Book were picture gamebooks, presenting viewpoint series of pictures and the possible next courses of action, similar to Ace of Aces.

Four board games - Star Wars: Star Warriors (1987), Star Wars: Escape from the Death Star (1990, not to be confused with the 1977 game), Star Wars: Assault on Hoth (1988), and Star Wars: Battle for Endor (1989) - were published and coincided along with the RPG, and a miniature wargame
Miniature wargaming
Miniature wargaming is a form of wargaming that incorporates miniature figures, miniature armor and modeled terrain as the main components of play...

 was written in 1989, called Star Wars Miniatures Battles
Star Wars Miniatures Battles
Star Wars Miniatures Battles is a tabletop wargame produced by West End Games in 1989 and republished in a 2nd edition version in 1990. It was winner of the 1991 Origins Award for Best New Miniatures Rules. West End Games lost the license to produce any more "Star Wars" games in 1999, and the...

.

In the early 1990s, before the advent of the modern Internet, the FidoNet Star Wars Echo
FidoNet Star Wars Echo
The FidoNet Star Wars Echo was a FidoNet "echomail" message forum distributed on bulletin board systems in the 1990s. Discussing George Lucas' Star Wars saga and pre-dating the modern Internet, it was one of the earliest influential forms of Star Wars on-line fandom.-Contributors:Noteworthy...

 ran a message forum for playing the West End Games Star Wars Roleplaying Game on-line on computer bulletin board system
Bulletin board system
A Bulletin Board System, or BBS, is a computer system running software that allows users to connect and log in to the system using a terminal program. Once logged in, a user can perform functions such as uploading and downloading software and data, reading news and bulletins, and exchanging...

s. The game also gathered a large internet following via such mailing lists such as the SW-RPG Mailing List.
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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