So a while ago, after falling in love with Star Wars Saga Edition (which, btw, is the system I used to run the short-lived PbP on this blog), I started working to convert my favorite game setting/system into a Saga version. Monte Cook’s Arcana Evolved and the Diamond Throne setting contained within – a pretty ambitious goal. It’s been a long time since I updated any of it on my Wiki.
Not my first priority, obviously. After falling so far down the Cortex Plus rabbit hole, I’m not sure what to think about d20 any more. Having played a total of only ten or so hours of Saga, it doesn’t seem the be-all end-all of the game systems. Now, is there a space for a hybrid of sort? Perhaps. I think the Condition Track is actually very similar to Stress Tracks. Force Points and Plot Points share a similar role. Advancement in both Saga and Leverage is through class (role) limited “talents”.
Is that something I want to focus my time towards? Is it something I should wait for the Cortex Plus Hackers Guide before tackling? Would I even play this game any more? I’d be more inclined to simply use Fantasy Heroic RP for a Diamond Throne campaign at this point. Possibly a Drama hack for a more political/intrigue focused game.
And, of course, with FFG’s Star Wars RPG convincing the Order 66 folks to throw Saga under a bus? Those guys? With the narrative dice system replacing Saga, and Fantasy Heroic replacing… uh, other fantasy games… I just don’t think I will have the passion or the energy at any time in the future to pursue Arcana Evolved Saga Edition. Which makes me a little sad.
Much as I love Saga Edition, game systems are also impacted by externalities. If the community moves on, there’s nothing stopping you from using a game system, but there’s nothing supporting it either. So you have to make your own choice as to what to do.
These days I’m using Savage Worlds for most of my gaming. Its manta is “Fast! Furious! and Fun!” and it mostly lives up to that– and there are fan conversions for everything under the sun, including Star Wars, so there’s a lot to draw from.
I agree, it’s sad to see Saga Edition go this way; it was the best d20-engine game I’ve ever seen. But c’est la vie. The game is at the table, not in the books!
-The Gneech
“The game is at the table, not in the books!”
Too true! I’ve even been playing in a D&D 3.5e (not even PF!) game lately, and enjoying it because of the character interplay and storyline, even though there are elements of the system I’ve learned to despise.
I have to say though… Cortex Plus is enabling me to run fun games with little work, and the players are already masters of the mechanics with little effort. Just sayin’.