Ushgarak
Play seems a little slow right now, due to various commitments- as much from me as anyone else. So, to fill the time, I plan to do some fun activities in the meanwhile.We're a bit quizzed out right now, but I have a different idea now. I present to you... The Greatest Moments poll!
Vote for what was your favourite moment from my Star Wars game, either from personal experience, reading about it here, or hearing others ***** about it...
Aside from the poll itself, this is an excuse for a nostalgia exercise, in looking at some of the high points of the game.
Here are the candidates.
---
THAT DAMNED VOLCANO
Situation: The pirate base at Jaglon Beta is built around a long dormant volcano. There are two parts- around the base of the volcano, the settlements for all the scum. Up in the carter at the top, the base for the pirate leaders- and Kuylen's base also. The two levels are connected by cable car.
The Jedi, led to Jaglon Beta by Master Kellan Gundark's vision, have found the base, and the existence of Kuylen. Not long afterwards, though, the pirates have tired of both Light and Dark Side, and turned traitor to the bad guys, and simple opponents to the Light. Not a spectacular career move for the pirates, attacking both Jedi and Dark Siders, but 'tis the way of things.
A slightly botched Jedi escape attempt from the upper levels led to their cable car being shot down. The Jedi cling to the steep slope of the volcano, confident that Master Gundark will soon find a way out...
Some three months (real time) later, they are still waiting.
Reason: Aside from being part of the first major action sequence in the game (although the Dark Side had a short one first), the sheer unpleasantness of the Jedi stuck on that volcano and their complete inability to actually find a safe way off of it, combined with Dark Side hilarity at their predicament, led to this event being seared into Gundark';s mind so much that she is still convinced that I am sneaking a volcano into every episode. Sadly, no players are still here from that time (though Gundy still pops in), but for a while, the 'That damn volcano' was basically code for anything I put into the game that was unpleasant. Which was quite a lot.
---
BALEK- ACTUALLY QUITE DANGEROUS
Situation: In a grudge match duel in the upper levels of Faylar's
headquarters in K'rra Chi, Galder has finally become triumphant over his hated foe, Lance Windu. Before he can deal the death blow, however, Balek makes his first move against a character in-game. Well, Galder just beat a Jedi, so how much trouble can Balek be, right? Unfortunately, Balek's tailored anti-Jedi tactics are a new experience for our 'hero', and the fight does not go entirely well...
Reason: The first time genuine player threats were really being introduced into the game (the sabre bad guys hadn't really had a genuine outing yet), along with fights that were more about tactics than just wading in and hoping for the best- as true then as it is now, even though the rules were invisible in those days. Also notable because Balek was a pretty cool villain, and inventing all the various toys he used to fight with made the whole experience feel very Star Wars indeed.
---
THE FANS GET WHAT THEY WANT- LIGHTSABRE DUELS EVERYWHERE...
Situation: The end of Episode III saw a three-way faction war on the planet Malastare. Kuylen's agents- Takuan, Chion and Galder- are there to nab the Astrolabe owned by businessman (and Force-Master-on-the-quiet) Kir Ascar (once the ex-Padawan Mal Sannan). They need the Astrolabe to navigate properly the Sith maps they recovered from Avalar. The Jedi (Gundark, Marcus, Mah and Xeth) hunting the Dark Siders on general principles (which turned out to be Darth Sidious' principples, but that's the Dark Side for toy) have cottoned onto the Astrolabe deal and have come to stop it. Meanwhile, Ascar's indisciplined and very much Dark Side pupils Persis and Majora have decided to nab the Astrolabe for themselves. After a load of betrayals, fake astrolabes and a pod race, the final confrontation takes place in the plaza around Ascar's headquarters. Persis is backed by his private security force, the Dark Siders by the elite Order of Miramar, and the Jedi by the local police. All three sides are packing small armies and Lightsabres, and only one side can come out on top...
Reason: Well, everyone likes Lightsabre fights, and picking are pretty slim in the PT due to the restricted number of combatants. Here, the bar was pushed as far as it reasonably can. Episode III was the first episode that the game really hit its stride in, and the interposing of Persis in the way of both Light and Dark Side contributed to making the game very good indeed. Ascar's manipulations were highly amusing but hard-wired into the plot; this final fight, however, could have gone anyone's way. There were four seperate lightsabre fights going on- one involving four combatants, a genuine two vs. two duel. Neat. Historically, this event also has significance, as the bad press the Jedi got for starting a small war on Malastare was the birth of the Bureau plotline, whose legacy lasts into the OT game, with the current story, and will continue in the PT game for some while.
---
DUEL OF THE ILL-FATED
Situation: From looking at lots of sabre duels to focussing on one... well, what was the best duel of them all? Kuylen's fights were never lacking in drama, but he was superior to the point where they were somewhat wanting for tension. Galder's fights against Lance? Sadly, never progrssed into the later game where they could have really bedded down. Galder losing an arm? Well, that was a fight that really didn't seem to go very well for Galder. The fans were upset- they wrote in and complained. So in my opinion, the best sabre duel was... Roan and Galder. it had to be Galder, of course, in this one.
Roan and Galder meet at the door way to the Tomb of Demnos, within the Mausoleum that has caused so much death and hardship- and still yet bears disappointment. As Chion's insanity reaches its height. the energies from the Vengeance Device feed back into the Mausoleum, tearing it apart. Amidst this chaos fight Galder and Roan, as the room disintegrates around them, great chunks of the floor lifting up beneath their feet- and both sides certain that the future of the Galaxy depends upoj the victor
Reason: Sheer drama and tension. What more is there to add? Also was generally observed to be a favoured duel as the time
---
WE CAME ALL THIS WAY FOR THAT?
Situation: The culimnation of an entire campaign, a target that has been on people's lips since the middle of Episode II, confirmed as the crux of the story in Episode III. For over a year, a thread hangs at the top of the Star Wars RP area, to discuss the true meaning of the Mausoleum of Demnos... and what truth lies within the mythology of his Cult. And now, finally, the time for revelation has come. Dark and Light alike enter the tomb- the Dark in greater numbers- to see the dark secret of Demnos that has caused this destructive rampage across the Galaxy.
It turns out that a day at the races would probably have been of more use to both sides- at least you can only lose money there, not the entire reason for your existence.
Reason: The end of a campaign. The end of Kuylen's tenure. The culmination of plots lain in place for years. The sheer triumph of actulaly starting this Star Wars RP at KMC and actually making it through to a conclusion which all the players had a stake in.
But above all... just to pull the Blake's 7 twist on a new generational group of gamers- and not just to watch it, but to experience it first hand... call it cruel, mean, deprecating, even pointless... but all in all, it made for one hell of a story. And absolutely everyone, from me as the game runner, to tpt as the newest player, could learn from it. The biggest moment of the game there has ever been, maybe the biggest it will ever see. Does that make it the best or most favoured moment though? We'll see.
Vote for what was your favourite moment from my Star Wars game, either from personal experience, reading about it here, or hearing others ***** about it...
Aside from the poll itself, this is an excuse for a nostalgia exercise, in looking at some of the high points of the game.
Here are the candidates.
---
THAT DAMNED VOLCANO
Situation: The pirate base at Jaglon Beta is built around a long dormant volcano. There are two parts- around the base of the volcano, the settlements for all the scum. Up in the carter at the top, the base for the pirate leaders- and Kuylen's base also. The two levels are connected by cable car.
The Jedi, led to Jaglon Beta by Master Kellan Gundark's vision, have found the base, and the existence of Kuylen. Not long afterwards, though, the pirates have tired of both Light and Dark Side, and turned traitor to the bad guys, and simple opponents to the Light. Not a spectacular career move for the pirates, attacking both Jedi and Dark Siders, but 'tis the way of things.
A slightly botched Jedi escape attempt from the upper levels led to their cable car being shot down. The Jedi cling to the steep slope of the volcano, confident that Master Gundark will soon find a way out...
Some three months (real time) later, they are still waiting.
Reason: Aside from being part of the first major action sequence in the game (although the Dark Side had a short one first), the sheer unpleasantness of the Jedi stuck on that volcano and their complete inability to actually find a safe way off of it, combined with Dark Side hilarity at their predicament, led to this event being seared into Gundark';s mind so much that she is still convinced that I am sneaking a volcano into every episode. Sadly, no players are still here from that time (though Gundy still pops in), but for a while, the 'That damn volcano' was basically code for anything I put into the game that was unpleasant. Which was quite a lot.
---
BALEK- ACTUALLY QUITE DANGEROUS
Situation: In a grudge match duel in the upper levels of Faylar's
headquarters in K'rra Chi, Galder has finally become triumphant over his hated foe, Lance Windu. Before he can deal the death blow, however, Balek makes his first move against a character in-game. Well, Galder just beat a Jedi, so how much trouble can Balek be, right? Unfortunately, Balek's tailored anti-Jedi tactics are a new experience for our 'hero', and the fight does not go entirely well...
Reason: The first time genuine player threats were really being introduced into the game (the sabre bad guys hadn't really had a genuine outing yet), along with fights that were more about tactics than just wading in and hoping for the best- as true then as it is now, even though the rules were invisible in those days. Also notable because Balek was a pretty cool villain, and inventing all the various toys he used to fight with made the whole experience feel very Star Wars indeed.
---
THE FANS GET WHAT THEY WANT- LIGHTSABRE DUELS EVERYWHERE...
Situation: The end of Episode III saw a three-way faction war on the planet Malastare. Kuylen's agents- Takuan, Chion and Galder- are there to nab the Astrolabe owned by businessman (and Force-Master-on-the-quiet) Kir Ascar (once the ex-Padawan Mal Sannan). They need the Astrolabe to navigate properly the Sith maps they recovered from Avalar. The Jedi (Gundark, Marcus, Mah and Xeth) hunting the Dark Siders on general principles (which turned out to be Darth Sidious' principples, but that's the Dark Side for toy) have cottoned onto the Astrolabe deal and have come to stop it. Meanwhile, Ascar's indisciplined and very much Dark Side pupils Persis and Majora have decided to nab the Astrolabe for themselves. After a load of betrayals, fake astrolabes and a pod race, the final confrontation takes place in the plaza around Ascar's headquarters. Persis is backed by his private security force, the Dark Siders by the elite Order of Miramar, and the Jedi by the local police. All three sides are packing small armies and Lightsabres, and only one side can come out on top...
Reason: Well, everyone likes Lightsabre fights, and picking are pretty slim in the PT due to the restricted number of combatants. Here, the bar was pushed as far as it reasonably can. Episode III was the first episode that the game really hit its stride in, and the interposing of Persis in the way of both Light and Dark Side contributed to making the game very good indeed. Ascar's manipulations were highly amusing but hard-wired into the plot; this final fight, however, could have gone anyone's way. There were four seperate lightsabre fights going on- one involving four combatants, a genuine two vs. two duel. Neat. Historically, this event also has significance, as the bad press the Jedi got for starting a small war on Malastare was the birth of the Bureau plotline, whose legacy lasts into the OT game, with the current story, and will continue in the PT game for some while.
---
DUEL OF THE ILL-FATED
Situation: From looking at lots of sabre duels to focussing on one... well, what was the best duel of them all? Kuylen's fights were never lacking in drama, but he was superior to the point where they were somewhat wanting for tension. Galder's fights against Lance? Sadly, never progrssed into the later game where they could have really bedded down. Galder losing an arm? Well, that was a fight that really didn't seem to go very well for Galder. The fans were upset- they wrote in and complained. So in my opinion, the best sabre duel was... Roan and Galder. it had to be Galder, of course, in this one.
Roan and Galder meet at the door way to the Tomb of Demnos, within the Mausoleum that has caused so much death and hardship- and still yet bears disappointment. As Chion's insanity reaches its height. the energies from the Vengeance Device feed back into the Mausoleum, tearing it apart. Amidst this chaos fight Galder and Roan, as the room disintegrates around them, great chunks of the floor lifting up beneath their feet- and both sides certain that the future of the Galaxy depends upoj the victor
Reason: Sheer drama and tension. What more is there to add? Also was generally observed to be a favoured duel as the time
---
WE CAME ALL THIS WAY FOR THAT?
Situation: The culimnation of an entire campaign, a target that has been on people's lips since the middle of Episode II, confirmed as the crux of the story in Episode III. For over a year, a thread hangs at the top of the Star Wars RP area, to discuss the true meaning of the Mausoleum of Demnos... and what truth lies within the mythology of his Cult. And now, finally, the time for revelation has come. Dark and Light alike enter the tomb- the Dark in greater numbers- to see the dark secret of Demnos that has caused this destructive rampage across the Galaxy.
It turns out that a day at the races would probably have been of more use to both sides- at least you can only lose money there, not the entire reason for your existence.
Reason: The end of a campaign. The end of Kuylen's tenure. The culmination of plots lain in place for years. The sheer triumph of actulaly starting this Star Wars RP at KMC and actually making it through to a conclusion which all the players had a stake in.
But above all... just to pull the Blake's 7 twist on a new generational group of gamers- and not just to watch it, but to experience it first hand... call it cruel, mean, deprecating, even pointless... but all in all, it made for one hell of a story. And absolutely everyone, from me as the game runner, to tpt as the newest player, could learn from it. The biggest moment of the game there has ever been, maybe the biggest it will ever see. Does that make it the best or most favoured moment though? We'll see.