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Pen & Paper Roleplaying Central => Pen and Paper Roleplaying Games (RPGs) Discussion => Topic started by: Fiasco on August 23, 2013, 03:33:39 AM

Title: PDF of WEG Star Wars 1E RPG?
Post by: Fiasco on August 23, 2013, 03:33:39 AM
Hi guys,

I know there are a number of WEG Starwars fans here so I thought I would ask the question.  Is there anywhere where a legal PDF of the 1E star wars RPG can be purchased?  Not interested in illegal file share sites but a genuine store where this could be had.  I know of a couple of sites that have lots of WEG SW material but for some reason the 1E version of the rules is notable for its omission.  I have a hardcopy of that edition but when I run a game I hope to find a PDF for my players to refer to.

Drivethru RPG is a bust unfortunately.
Title: PDF of WEG Star Wars 1E RPG?
Post by: FASERIP on August 23, 2013, 03:43:25 AM
Strange. I'm not sure I'm reading you right.

Are you finding purchasable copies of non-1e WEG Star Wars? I ask because I would imagine Lucas/Now Disney would put the kibosh on any such things, because the original licensing agreements are long out of date.

It should all be in the same legal limbo as MERP: no one to claim it, no one with much interest to protect it.
Title: PDF of WEG Star Wars 1E RPG?
Post by: TristramEvans on August 23, 2013, 03:50:58 AM
No legal way, no. Lots of easy ways that I cannot officially admit to recommending.
Title: PDF of WEG Star Wars 1E RPG?
Post by: Fiasco on August 23, 2013, 04:00:35 AM
Sorry for my confusing 1st post.  I hadn't considered that the license had lapsed and so might be in a legal grey area.

Just wondering if anyone has seen it posted at a forum or fan site.
Title: PDF of WEG Star Wars 1E RPG?
Post by: jeff37923 on August 23, 2013, 04:09:13 AM
Honestly? West End Games lost the license for Star Wars before PDF Sales became a viable market. What was considered an Awesome Internet Resource while they still had the license was the Star Wars RPG Mailing List, now defunct.
Title: PDF of WEG Star Wars 1E RPG?
Post by: TristramEvans on August 23, 2013, 04:20:08 AM
Quote from: Fiasco;684731Sorry for my confusing 1st post.  I hadn't considered that the license had lapsed and so might be in a legal grey area.

Just wondering if anyone has seen it posted at a forum or fan site.

I think it would get us in trouble with the mods to post links.

Btw, sometimes for fun I go to torrentz at eu and browse the various completely legal downloads they have there.
Title: PDF of WEG Star Wars 1E RPG?
Post by: jadrax on August 23, 2013, 04:57:38 AM
AFAIK, no PDF of 'any' version of a Star Wars RPG is legal.
Title: PDF of WEG Star Wars 1E RPG?
Post by: Novastar on August 24, 2013, 03:58:44 AM
Quote from: jadrax;684750AFAIK, no PDF of 'any' version of a Star Wars RPG is legal.
This is correct.
The rights to electronic distribution are not covered in the RPG license, due to Lucas Licensing creating these licenses decades ago, and "electronic distribution" is covered under their video game license.

WotC had problems even getting Java generators, and the Q&A ("Jedi Counseling") and Web Enhancements, thru LL.
Title: PDF of WEG Star Wars 1E RPG?
Post by: RPGPundit on August 26, 2013, 05:28:32 AM
Yeah, we won't be posting any links here.
Title: PDF of WEG Star Wars 1E RPG?
Post by: Ben Rogers on August 26, 2013, 06:01:34 PM
Yeah... No illegal files.

As a possible workaround...  They used the same mechanic (with some minor tweaks) in the "Metabarons" game sometime later -- and that game may have a PDF legally available.  It won't be the same setting, but the game mechanic is very, very close.
Title: PDF of WEG Star Wars 1E RPG?
Post by: Lynn on August 26, 2013, 09:17:16 PM
This is why those books are so collectable. Stroke them gently...
Title: PDF of WEG Star Wars 1E RPG?
Post by: Dirk Remmecke on August 28, 2013, 11:39:09 AM
Quote from: Ben Rogers;685885Yeah... No illegal files.

As a possible workaround...  They used the same mechanic (with some minor tweaks) in the "Metabarons" game sometime later -- and that game may have a PDF legally available.  It won't be the same setting, but the game mechanic is very, very close.

And the (oversized!) Metabarons book is gorgeous - full of color artwork by Juan Gimenez!
Title: PDF of WEG Star Wars 1E RPG?
Post by: Piestrio on August 28, 2013, 12:00:52 PM
Also D6 Space which IS available legally and is pretty close to 2eR&R at least:

http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/20447/D6-Space?it=1
Title: PDF of WEG Star Wars 1E RPG?
Post by: Ben Rogers on August 28, 2013, 12:02:02 PM
Quote from: Dirk Remmecke;686467And the (oversized!) Metabarons book is gorgeous - full of color artwork by Juan Gimenez!

Indeed. It's quite a beautiful tome. I like the universe, which feels to me like a slightly less heavy-handed Warhammer 40K universe.
Title: PDF of WEG Star Wars 1E RPG?
Post by: Dirk Remmecke on August 28, 2013, 03:55:38 PM
Quote from: Ben Rogers;686479Indeed. It's quite a beautiful tome. I like the universe, which feels to me like a slightly less heavy-handed Warhammer 40K universe.

I'd describe it as "Star Wars with a heavy dose of The Fifth Element".
Title: PDF of WEG Star Wars 1E RPG?
Post by: thedungeondelver on August 28, 2013, 07:01:34 PM
Quote from: Lynn;685915This is why those books are so collectable. Stroke them gently...

I looked on ebay and saw more than a few copies for $.99 starting.
Title: PDF of WEG Star Wars 1E RPG?
Post by: TristramEvans on August 28, 2013, 08:08:17 PM
Quote from: thedungeondelver;686704I looked on ebay and saw more than a few copies for $.99 starting.

Yeah I come across used copies for lower than cover quite frequently. But then, I frequent used bookstores more often than most I guess. They are rarely there for longer than 2 wks. Meanwhile one could probably insulate a house with the number of 2eds lying around
Title: PDF of WEG Star Wars 1E RPG?
Post by: J Arcane on August 29, 2013, 05:47:56 AM
Quote from: TristramEvans;686727Yeah I come across used copies for lower than cover quite frequently. But then, I frequent used bookstores more often than most I guess. They are rarely there for longer than 2 wks. Meanwhile one could probably insulate a house with the number of 2eds lying around

Blue 2e was a terrible edition of the game. Just awful.
Title: PDF of WEG Star Wars 1E RPG?
Post by: Fiasco on August 29, 2013, 08:12:06 AM
Quote from: thedungeondelver;686704I looked on ebay and saw more than a few copies for $.99 starting.

It's the finishing price that matters and in any case shipping to Australia can easily cost as much or more than the purchase.

I got my copy from Nobleknightgames. Not cheap but their service is excellent.
Title: PDF of WEG Star Wars 1E RPG?
Post by: RPGPundit on August 31, 2013, 01:40:19 AM
Metabarons was very pretty, its true.
Title: PDF of WEG Star Wars 1E RPG?
Post by: Dirk Remmecke on September 01, 2013, 10:48:48 AM
Quote from: RPGPundit;687226Metabarons was very pretty, its true.

Too bad that the setting book was never translated into English. I didn't see it but it was a stat-less universe sourcebook aimed at both gamers and fans of the comic book.
(At one point Fanpro thought about doing a German edition of Metabarons, and I remember one of their reps raving about especially the second book. They translated the full color quickstart booklet but apparently the market response was not enough to follow through with the full game.)
Title: PDF of WEG Star Wars 1E RPG?
Post by: Lynn on September 01, 2013, 02:45:06 PM
Quote from: thedungeondelver;686704I looked on ebay and saw more than a few copies for $.99 starting.

Yes - depends also on the edition. My group's been using the 2nd Edition Expanded and Revised, and that tends to go at a higher price than the 1st or 2nd edition.
Title: PDF of WEG Star Wars 1E RPG?
Post by: Endless Flight on September 01, 2013, 05:54:58 PM
There's nothing wrong with 2nd edition. It's perfectly fine. I prefer how initiative and reactions work in 2e rather than 2e R&E.
Title: PDF of WEG Star Wars 1E RPG?
Post by: TristramEvans on September 01, 2013, 06:39:05 PM
Quote from: Lynn;687510Yes - depends also on the edition. My group's been using the 2nd Edition Expanded and Revised, and that tends to go at a higher price than the 1st or 2nd edition.

Yeah I've actually never seen a physical copy of 3rd edition, though I've heard good things about it for years.
Title: PDF of WEG Star Wars 1E RPG?
Post by: jeff37923 on September 01, 2013, 07:10:22 PM
There never was a 3rd Edition of d6 Star Wars.
Title: PDF of WEG Star Wars 1E RPG?
Post by: TristramEvans on September 01, 2013, 07:22:04 PM
Quote from: jeff37923;687599There never was a 3rd Edition of d6 Star Wars.

2nd expanded and revised mr Pedantic :p
Title: PDF of WEG Star Wars 1E RPG?
Post by: jeff37923 on September 01, 2013, 07:37:07 PM
Quote from: TristramEvans;6876032nd expanded and revised mr Pedantic :p

I deserved that.

I totally thought that you meant an actual 3rd edition of the game.
Title: PDF of WEG Star Wars 1E RPG?
Post by: fellowhoodlum on September 02, 2013, 09:56:14 AM
Quote from: Dirk Remmecke;687435Too bad that the setting book was never translated into English. I didn't see it but it was a stat-less universe sourcebook aimed at both gamers and fans of the comic book.

There is a fan-translated PDF of the universe book out there online. Don't know how legal it is so I won't paste links or anything >.>
Title: PDF of WEG Star Wars 1E RPG?
Post by: Dirk Remmecke on September 02, 2013, 10:17:53 AM
Quote from: fellowhoodlum;687756There is a fan-translated PDF of the universe book out there online. Don't know how legal it is so I won't paste links or anything >.>

I was more interested in seeing a huge oversized book with the same production quality as the rule book. PDFs don't do much for me.

(The only fan translation of an RPG that I felt ok about was Ryuu Tama because it was only shared with people who proved that they had bought the original Japanese book.)