Does anyone still think like that? With the Sith and the Jedi not really influencing things on a large scale, and indeed changing quite a bit themselves, that which makes TRF all that Star-Wars seems to be in decline.

I mean, it is true that the planets are from Star Wars, and indeed the Empire sprang from the series, but the really authentic Star Wars elements - be it most of the technology, the way in which stories unfold, the emphasis on characters and the nature of the galaxy itself - seem to be fading in the face of change.

I'm not saying it's a bad thing, it's just that - with a little work, like rename hyperspace Lightspeed, and spell a few Alien things's names backwards, and visitors would have no idea whatsoever it was related to the films.

Anyways, it's just kind of interesting. But if you still think TRF is very Star Wars-like in tone and appearance, watch the trilogy again. Do you feel any connection between what you write and the films? In the films, a small band of heroes battle big, bad villains and their hordes of faceless villains. At TRF, various anti-heroes and bitter powermongering warlords constantly maneauver around each other, trying to gain leverage to increase their own personal strength. Jedi and Sith are at most seen as pawns in much larger plans, weapons to be unleashed in battle to tip the tide.

The tone is darker, the characters less important, the nature in which business is conducted and events occur has shifted to a more cautious, probing style. Star Wars we are not. With deft ease, I could take the existing political situation and characters here and build my own setting from it, which could match TRF amazingly well yet be connected in no way to Star Wars.

Any thoughts on this?

Bah Humbug!!!

The fleet is my life.

To each his own.

And having read Black Fleet Crisis, yes this still feels like Star Wars.

He's got a point. When I told someone the plots of the two stories I'm writing here he said, "how is that Star Wars?"

I still think of TRF as Star Wars if in most ways a far darker and grown-up version of the U-rated universe portrayed in the films.

However many tales on TRF can read like they could come from any given sci-fi genre, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

At TRF, various anti-heroes and bitter powermongering warlords constantly maneauver around each other, trying to gain leverage to increase their own personal strength. Jedi and Sith are at most seen as pawns in much larger plans, weapons to be unleashed in battle to tip the tide.

TRF, sometimes unfortunately, is geared heavily toward group play which can lead to the main direction of stories down the path of who can gain more ground over the other, whether it be IC or otherwise.

I'd wage heavily that if group play wasn't as big a factor, or was indeed non-existent, that the Star Wars theme of Good and Evil, Sith and Jedi would be far more prominent.

I think we need to incorporate more Jedi and Sith into our large group and fleet battles and stuff, then when we get high enough, we could try to break off. What we need right now are more Sith. *Goes to check up on a training thread*

Isn't that, to some degree, what the Astoria is for?

Eh?

We need more force users, period. And TNO did manage to use Sith in the last war (At Corellia the Sith took at least one command ship, either a Yunos or a Viscount)

And I'll admit it does seem that we are straying away from the movies, but the expanded universe strayed away from the movies. In it the New Republic was formed, and larger scale fleet battles became a more regular occurance. For example the Yevethan Crisis, or even during the Thrawn trilogies they had larger scale battles. However even in the movies there were large scale fleet battles. The Battle of Endor was capital ships vs. capital ships, and tons of them.

And under the new rules, developing heroes is encouraged. Hence why they have the rule or suggestion or whatever that if a group's main/best fleeter goes against some random NPC admiral you make up, the group with their main/best fleeter will have an advantage. This promotes developing a more obvious heirarchy within your group and making heroes. Which is kind of the point of the White Knights and Praetorian Guard. Elite units meant to safeguard the Coalition, but also a military group people can look at, be inspired by, and say "Those guys are cool, I want to join the military and become like them."

Wait... this is STAR WARS?

I hate Star Wars!

TRF is the part of Star Wars you don't see in the movies. It's like the expanded universe with a divorced Han.

Personally I think way too much focus is put on snatching planets and the like, though I understand that's pretty much what TRFs 'purpose' was.

Thing is, for some folks like me, we end up feeling a bit 'left out' and ignored in part because we don't want to join a group (a fleeting group anyway). Plus with groups like TNO pretty much dominating the galaxy, you feel a bit intimidated when it comes to this fleeting stuff. I mean, what if TNO decides to take Trandosha? Granted, I don't 'own' the planet, but since just about all my characters are there I would be obilgated to fight back however I can, but it would be like termites against an anteater if you get my drift.

I like focusing on the stories of the characters themselves, not the 'I have more ships/planets then you!' game. The Separatist series was the closest I have come to an actual 'fleet' storyline. But it doesn't help that I'm the only Trandoshan RPer around here it seems and I seem to have bad luck when it comes to the people that 'do' join me in my RPs (you know who you are :P). And the one time I attempted to get hopefully some board wide particpation (The Spread): ignored completely.

It's like you guys get bored with non-fleeters like me :( and kick us to the curb.

Sorry...I ended up ranting a bit...*slinks away*