Running Star ORE

[Addled GM]

Anyone have an idea as to how to balance Jedi/Sith with a guy who will not use the force?  The game seems rather one sided in this regard.  I'm having the "If you play a game with mech in the title you better play a mech" problem.

[Tadanori Oyama]

There isn't any need to balance it if the player is refusing to use an element of the game. If everyone sits down to play a wizard themed D&D game and one guy refuses to play a wizard then that's not a game balance problem, that's a player problem.

It's not up to the storyteller to make sure every player is maximumly effective. If he isn't spending points on Force powers than he has more points for other things, it's as simple as that.

[Mckma]

If the player realizes he may not be as powerful, and is okay with that, I don't really see a problem with that.  "Power" in the combat sense does not always translate to ability in game.  I mean if you look at Star Wars, Han Solo did a lot and he didn't have Force powers.  Depending on the player's attitudes and what their motivations are, you could kind of do the whole, "super powerful, but not quite sure how to interact with others vs. not quite as powerful, but really knows how to manipulate others/work in society" dichotomy...

[Addled GM]

There isn't any need to balance it if the player is refusing to use an element of the game. If everyone sits down to play a wizard themed D&D game and one guy refuses to play a wizard then that's not a game balance problem, that's a player problem.

It's not up to the storyteller to make sure every player is maximumly effective. If he isn't spending points on Force powers than he has more points for other things, it's as simple as that.

The main problem is finding a balance where both players can enjoy the game.  Try to have a star wars game and tell the players that they can't play force users and see how fast they turn on you.  Without both force users and nonforce users the game becomes a bit dull.When a player sits down at a Star Wars table they are expecting both.

If its all force users why not just play a supers game? If there are no force users why use Star Wars at all?  Why not call it generic space fantasy or some other thing?  There should be some kind of balance to make the game fun instead of stilted.  That's what made the prequels so bad: no balance between those who used the force and those that did not. All the characters were either throw away or Jedi/Sith.   

If the player realizes he may not be as powerful, and is okay with that, I don't really see a problem with that.  "Power" in the combat sense does not always translate to ability in game.  I mean if you look at Star Wars, Han Solo did a lot and he didn't have Force powers.  Depending on the player's attitudes and what their motivations are, you could kind of do the whole, "super powerful, but not quite sure how to interact with others vs. not quite as powerful, but really knows how to manipulate others/work in society" dichotomy...

I'm gonna tailor the game with this in mind. hopefully i'll be able to balance both...

 

[Tadanori Oyama]

The main problem is finding a balance where both players can enjoy the game.  Try to have a star wars game and tell the players that they can't play force users and see how fast they turn on you.  Without both force users and nonforce users the game becomes a bit dull.When a player sits down at a Star Wars table they are expecting both.

If its all force users why not just play a supers game? If there are no force users why use Star Wars at all?  Why not call it generic space fantasy or some other thing?  There should be some kind of balance to make the game fun instead of stilted.   

If your players expect it than what's the problem? One players a Jedi and one players somebody who's not a Jedi. The one not playing the Jedi is going to have more skills or higher skill values because they didn't have to spend points on magic powers.

[Mckma]

If the player realizes he may not be as powerful, and is okay with that, I don't really see a problem with that.  "Power" in the combat sense does not always translate to ability in game.  I mean if you look at Star Wars, Han Solo did a lot and he didn't have Force powers.  Depending on the player's attitudes and what their motivations are, you could kind of do the whole, "super powerful, but not quite sure how to interact with others vs. not quite as powerful, but really knows how to manipulate others/work in society" dichotomy...

I'm gonna tailor the game with this in mind. hopefully i'll be able to balance both...

It'll help if your players realize this too and they want to run with this.  The biggest think I've noticed in gaming is when players and the GM fill in the gaps for each other, it tends to make for better gaming...