General Discussion

[Vergence]

So i'm looking for an obligation that could show that Guy can't go back to the Chiss ascendency and only has his music to rely on. I was going for bounty due to him being a deserter, but that could make problems for us as a group, but do you think taking criminal and having him be a criminal in the ascendency would be enough?

Disgraced - could work in the colonist book Far Horizons.

[SavageBob]

Yeah, my big hangup about Bounty is that it forces the character to keep a low profile, and the aim of the game is to make a bigger profile, to get the music out there and to the fans! Disgraced seems like a good fit for what Boutrose is going for. If it triggered, the character's past would rear its ugly head in some way, forcing Guy to deal with it. Another possibility would be Betrayal; the Chiss betrayed someone, and they are now angry about it. Not a true bounty to the point that the character has to wear a disguise all the time (that might get old and prove difficult), but enough to keep the character on his toes.

As for fitting a Chiss into the group, I'm not that concerned. I agree with Vergence; it's a big galaxy, and folks are likely to just mistake him for a Pantoran or another random near-human species. If the Obligation triggers, he may be spotted as a Chiss by someone he doesn't want to know he's a Chiss...

(I'll get to reviewing characters soon. Hopefully tomorrow. I teach Tuesdays and Thursdays, so Mondays are over-busy preparing!)

[Boutrose Saba-Norr]

Nice I will look at disgraced when I get home from the grocer

[Boutrose Saba-Norr]

Oh yea, disgraced is perfect, I’ll add that as the obligation and then adjust the backstory slightly to match.

But also I got to say, after looking into the colonist book I could be really keen on the idea of gming a Wild West frontier kind of game.

[DeepSpacer]

But also I got to say, after looking into the colonist book I could be really keen on the idea of gming a Wild West frontier kind of game.

The Wild West like Federal Marshals, Wyatt Earp, Billy the Kid? Or, more like Little House on the Prairie? High combat, land barons, and Gunslingers or more small town survivalist?

[SavageBob]

In your various character builds, would you mind indicating what you purchased with the +30 XP GM grant in some separate section? Integrate it into your stat block, but just indicate somewhere how you've spent this "earned XP" (as opposed to character-generation XP). I'm a Mac user, so I can't use OggDude's, but I want to start reviewing the builds and hopefully getting some characters moved to the approved area.

[Vergence]

Now that we are narrowing down our character concepts down, we still need to decide a planetoid for the business, a band name, and what roles do we need to fill with our party resource NPCs? I'm fine with any of the suggestions from @ThreeBFour and @SavageBob for a planet.

[Boutrose Saba-Norr]

But also I got to say, after looking into the colonist book I could be really keen on the idea of gming a Wild West frontier kind of game.

The Wild West like Federal Marshals, Wyatt Earp, Billy the Kid? Or, more like Little House on the Prairie? High combat, land barons, and Gunslingers or more small town survivalist?

I was thinking a mix of both.

[LaGouache]

Now that we are narrowing down our character concepts down, we still need to decide a planetoid for the business, a band name, and what roles do we need to fill with our party resource NPCs? I'm fine with any of the suggestions from @ThreeBFour and @SavageBob for a planet.

Nar Shaddaa

For my part, Voron can be performing organ (Red Ball Jett Organ) and be the negociator for the band

[Vergence]

Nar Shaddaa

I'm open to Nar Shaddaa however, I'm more curious as to your thought-process on selecting the moon. As the Entrepreneur, did you see more roleplay opportunity? My personal concerns were we might have to be sponsored by a powerful criminal entity in order to 'make it' within that environment.

Band wise, based on the descriptions so far I'm picking up a Big Gigantic (Sax, Drums, Synths), Pretty Lights, and Odesza sound vibe in my head. Most with classical training who branch out to the newer fringe music styles while still carrying traditional elements.

[DeepSpacer]

Band wise, based on the descriptions so far I'm picking up a Big Gigantic (Sax, Drums, Synths), Pretty Lights, and Odesza sound vibe in my head. Most with classical training who branch out to the newer fringe music styles while still carrying traditional elements.

Briefly looking at those three suggestions, Odesza look to be the most suitable. BG & SL seem too much for the character that have been created thus far (IMO). Seems like we do not have the head-rockin' jammers for the heavy paced stuff. We seem to be more of the subtle, play background music and stay out of the way band (Kenny G, easy listening). Blue Man Band?

Part of Jessa's ensemble did have glow rods and a sort of light show. It could maybe work if the others have some sort of musical talent on-stage. Lights and such could cover up other such subterfuge. Lots of plotlines where us (or others) need the darkness, sound, and light distractions to something mischievous.

[ThreeBFour]

Have we decided on a planet yet? How about Vagran (pg 78 SoF)? Several dense metro areas with big space in between.

This is what I suggested the other day as a planet. Relatively unknown to us as players, so gives @SavageBob the ability to make up just about any venue needed. It's back ground in Sons of Fortune is that of a tourism-style planet with multiple large cities separated by even larger wilderness areas and lots of resorts that we could play as well as city venues.

[SavageBob]

As for musical style, y'all are free to say you invented one! It might be one of the reasons all of you are so passionate; you want to make sure you get the music out there as you intend before your sell-out former lead waters it down. That said, an established genre is fine, too.

I'm definitely leaning toward setting the game in the Corellian sector. Talus and Tralus is still tempting, as they're described as a wild-and-woolier Corellia. Plus, Centerpoint Station is right there to give us some of the "in space!" vibe when we want it. Vagran would work, but its relative obscurity is a turn-off for me to an extent. It doesn't have the same "wow" factor as a planet that was mentioned in a movie or a book. But I need to read its entry in SoF to get more of a feel for it. Finally, what about Nubia? A lot of you have a classical background or music that might be enjoyed by high society, and Nubia fits that bill. Plus there's room for business intrigue with all the companies that have capitals there.

[Boutrose Saba-Norr]

It looks like the instruments are three b 4 and myself on droid synthesizer and drums respectively? Honestly 3 could mimic any instrument if he’s got a dcent soundboard so I’m not too worried about that, and ds has the dancer?

[Boutrose Saba-Norr]

So actually we have a keytar, a drummer, a pianist, and a dancer.

I am going to be having so much fun looking to see if I can find bands who match this.

But honestly I do get a bit of a smooth jazz feel from this, kind of lounge music, espeacially since the way the guy was holding the keytar in the picture looked like a guy holding a jazz double base

[SavageBob]

I agree -- "smooth jazz" is not only what y'all are aiming at, it's also quite Star Warsy. Maybe you've invented a variant of jizz or jatz music (Figrin D'an and Max Rebo's styles, respectively -- roughly equivalent to swing and funk)?

I'd like to see the "piano" and "drums" switched out for Star Wars equivalents. Need to run now, but we can search for something appropriate.

[Boutrose Saba-Norr]

I agree -- "smooth jazz" is not only what y'all are aiming at, it's also quite Star Warsy. Maybe you've invented a variant of jizz or jatz music (Figrin D'an and Max Rebo's styles, respectively -- roughly equivalent to swing and funk)?

I'd like to see the "piano" and "drums" switched out for Star Wars equivalents. Need to run now, but we can search for something appropriate.

The piano is already the Max Rebo one, can’t remember the name. I tried to look up a drum and all I could find was a woolipedia article saying that star wars has drums.

[SavageBob]

Yeah, so piano becomes Red Ball Jet Organ? I'll check on drum alternatives; most of the ones in SW lore are primitive ones, like Ewok drums and stuff. That could work if it's a "primitive" vibe, but it's not the same as a full set in a jazz or rock band.

[Boutrose Saba-Norr]

so this is what drums apparently look like in starwars, the first one seems more like and electric drum like this one:


there doesn't seem to be a different name for them other than drums, and I'd imagine that guy would probably be playing something like the one the wookie is playing with maybe one of these big ones on the side.

[Boutrose Saba-Norr]

the ones being played by the drummers in jabba's palace remind me a lot of taiko drum players

[Boutrose Saba-Norr]

Looking up images the Ewok drum appears to resemble some native American drum circles, which could be a source of inspiration due to the fact that the name Ewok is derived from the native American tribe name Miwok, however, there could be Vietnamese inspiration since their military tactics are supposed to be based on the Viet Kong. Will have to look it up more, but I think I will have the electric drum set and a taiko to the side.

I don't know if the horn looking device is part of the drum, but it could be an amplifier, or it could be a wall pipe?

[Boutrose Saba-Norr]

oh yea, that Ewok drum could totally be based on Vietnamese drums

[DeepSpacer]

Going jazz band certainly leaves the story more with circumstances surrounding the band than competition with other bands. I can't imagine a jazz band face-off battle like I would a heavy metal show down.

Looks like our lounge music group can get into some great situations with the movers and shakers of a planet.

[Boutrose Saba-Norr]

it depends honestly, there is a lot of different kinds of jazz and rock even developed out of jazz and blues so it's not all that far off, the main thing about jazz, i think it could be very interesting if we start off playing one genre and then start developing into new ones, like having our group change with our experiences.

[Boutrose Saba-Norr]

think like how the beetles developed their genre over time, or how Bruno Mars used to sing ballads and now he sings more pop songs, or how linkin park sounded different every album.