When running games set within the realm of an established intellectual property a question that you need to address before you even sit down to plan the first session is whether or not the game is going to cleave to existing canon or if the players are free to do as they will and rewrite history. Are the players characters going to be able to rub elbows with the big movers and shakers in the story? Or are they going to be the movers and the shakers instead?
Because of its status as a pop culture icon recognized by nearly everyone in the modern world in one sense or another, one of the more trotted out examples is Star Wars. The universe of Star Wars is massive, with lots and lots of details that are only hinted at in the movies and other various media that are just ripe for further exploration. You could easily run a successful game deep in the Outer Rim or Unknown Regions of space without referencing any bit of established lore or existing canon. Or you could run a game where the players are thrust into the biggest battles of the Rebellion, fighting to stay alive on Hoth or in a fighter squadron above the forest moon of Endor keeping enemy fighters away from a support frigate. Or you could run any number of games that straddle that line
I personally like to sprinkle canon into my games without over-saturation. There are a number of reasons for this. but the big three are the following reasons –
1. It Creates a Feeling of Verisimilitude
As I stated above, a GM could craft a game that takes place completely in an unexplored system of the universe that was mentioned once in a book and never explored any further from that, not touching anything from the films and other media and do so very successfully and only taking cursory nods from the setting material. But that doesn’t necessarily feel like Star Wars to me. Star Wars is about the epic conflicts – the Republic versus the Separatists, the Empire versus the Rebels, the Jedi versus the Sith. Doing something in some unexplored part of the galaxy that has no correlation or tie in to anything that is happening at the center of the universe… well, I could be playing any science fiction setting at that point. Having those connections to the established setting that the players can draw on and potentially interact with helps them to remember what they’re playing and more importantly why they’re playing.
2. It Feels Comfortable
I grew up with Star Wars. More than anything else, it has been a constant in my life. I’m willing to bet that if you’re sitting down to play such a game that it has somehow impacted your life as well. Being able to put those familiar elements into a game to be accessed and interacted with can help the setting feel more comfortable for those that may not be as familiar with roleplaying games; where they may not be as comfortable in a game with a more unfamiliar setting or backdrop.
3. It’s Just Cool
Let’s be real. Sometimes it’s just plain cool to fit some bit of canon into a game. Whether it’s a throwaway scene such as walking down the hallways of a Rebel base only to pass by a couple loudly arguing (“You could use a good kiss!”) or meeting and receiving guidance from a leader like Luke Skywalker or Princess Leia, such scenes can add to the enjoyment of a game and be remembered for some time to come.
Now, all that said, a GM can go too far. Rubbing elbows with Han Solo can quickly lose it’s appeal. And it’s hard to be noticed for your work when you’re constantly being shown up by someone like Skywalker. The PCs still need to be the heroes in their story. And while this can be hard to do in a game that is being run strictly by canon – well there are plenty of other battles that the Rebellion needed fought that were just as important as the ones we saw played out on the big screen.
I’m also not above twisting existing canon and running a slightly more unfamiliar story in a familiar setting. I’ve run several “Infinities” games where key changes happened in the story we all know in order to thrust the PCs in the center stage. For example, in one game, Luke was killed by the Tusken Raider attack while they were out searching for R2-D2. Obi-Wan spiraled into a deep depression at the death of Anakin’s son and heir and never left Tatooine for Alderaan and as such, never found the Death Star. Princess Leia was executed and the Rebellion all but extinguished. And the PCs were able to take center stage as they wandered the universe chasing down leads on a droid that was rumored to be carrying the secrets to destroy the Empire’s super weapon. It was still Star Wars, and I was still able to insert other pieces of canon as I wanted to, but I didn’t have to worry about the established players of the saga stepping on the PCs’ toes.
And, sometimes, no matter what decision you make, you just have to accept that the PCs are going to do something crazy like assassinate Jabba the Hutt and roll with it. No campaign ever survives contact with the players after all.
Ben Erickson
