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Original D&D Discussion :: Science Fiction :: Star Wars Original (1977) :: [SW/MA] Metamorphosis: Death Star

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Topic: [SW/MA] Metamorphosis: Death Star (Read 474 times)

barrataria
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[SW/MA] Metamorphosis: Death Star
« Thread Started on Dec 21, 2010, 9:34am »

Quote:

"Uh, uh... negative, negative. We had a reactor leak here now. Give us a few minutes to lock it down. Large leak, very dangerous."

So... what if there were a third Death Star, bigger than the first (9.9 mi. diameter), but smaller than the second (55.8 mi.)? Perhaps more ovoid in shape, like an upscaled torpedo sphere, configured for research and colonization rather than war (perhaps a design prototype used to deceive Old Republic budget bureaucrats, called Project: Life Star)?

Commanded by Admiral Warden? And what if the reactor leak caused a chain reaction of weapons malfunctions (

), mutations among crew and creatures, and various freak-outs? And what if the hyperdrive and navicomp systems malfunctioned and went on permanent autopilot?

I wonder what would happen.

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Finarvyn
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Re: [SW/MA] Metamorphosis: Death Star
« Reply #1 on Dec 21, 2010, 11:39am »

So, I take it that your concept would be that of Jedi Knights and Wookies and Imperial Stormtroopers stomping around the Life Star in the era of the original Star Wars movie (AKA "A New Hope") but with mutations running amok?

Imagine a mutated Jedi.

Interesting notion. Indeed, one wouldn't even need to have a "Life Star" but could have an alternate universe where the original Death Star ran into a radiation cloud or something. I guess I was just thinking that Stormtroopers would be a lot of fun but wouldn't fit on a research "Life Star" ship very well.

Kind of like those Resident Evil movies, only with Star Wars!

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barrataria
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Re: [SW/MA] Metamorphosis: Death Star
« Reply #2 on Dec 21, 2010, 7:45pm »

Dec 21, 2010, 11:39am, Finarvyn wrote:

I guess I was just thinking that Stormtroopers would be a lot of fun but wouldn't fit on a research "Life Star" ship very well.

Sure they would! How else would the scientists "collect" their "specimens"?

Actually I've been thinking it would be cool just using the Warden as a long-lost Republic colony ship for a "Tales of the Jedi"-era one-off. And I dug out "Expedition to the Barrier Peaks" too... something I never used BITD but I've thought about it for space/future games before.

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keltset
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Re: [SW/MA] Metamorphosis: Death Star
« Reply #3 on Dec 23, 2010, 8:20am »

Wasn't there a Tim Zahn book called "outward bound" or something like that with a lost colony-ship of jedi knights?

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barrataria
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Re: [SW/MA] Metamorphosis: Death Star
« Reply #4 on Dec 27, 2010, 12:07pm »

Dec 23, 2010, 8:20am, keltset wrote:

Wasn't there a Tim Zahn book called "outward bound" or something like that with a lost colony-ship of jedi knights?

Yes indeed, and I actually just finished reading it yesterday... maybe it was subliminal inspiration for the other idea

I really wasn't crazy about the ship design, but maybe it's worth pursuing.

Incidentally the book wasn't too bad for an EU story. I liked the Thrawn trilogy and enjoyed seeing that character appear in this book.

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Finarvyn
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Re: [SW/MA] Metamorphosis: Death Star
« Reply #5 on Dec 28, 2010, 1:21pm »

I think that the best EU Star Wars books by far are the ones written by Zahn.

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chicagowiz
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Re: [SW/MA] Metamorphosis: Death Star
« Reply #6 on Dec 28, 2010, 5:28pm »

Wait, there's a new T. Zahn book out and it has Thrawn in it?

True story re: Timothy Zahn...

BITD, there was a very nifty "flight simulator" called X-Wing. It rocked. It wasn't true 3d (that had to wait for Tie Fighter and later) but it was the d**n nearest thing we had to flying XWings in an Star Wars universe-correct flight physics. I can't tell you how many hours I spent on that game.

Anyway, this was also when the dial-up online services were at their peak. On Compuserve was a forum called FSCOMBAT for Flight Simulator Combat forum. The XWing geeks hung out there and together we figured out a way of making customized missions. Oh yea. We loved/adored and worked our asses off to create customized missions. We formed "Squadrons" based on the books/movies. We had even a semi-OK-nod from LucasArts on the deal. This was before software game companies became asses.

Anyway, a couple of us put together a set of customized missions and ran a contest where we based scores on inflight videos of the battles. Typical SW type fare, but it was glorious. The best part was going to GenCon, I think it was 1994, to get Timothy Zahn's autograph on some original artwork done by a couple of contributors. He was a very nice gentleman and I had the pleasure of walking with him through GenCon talking about the XWing modding community. He graciously donated his autograph and the winners who got the artwork were ecstatic.

Those were good days.

I wish I could find the old websites and links to show you my old "Green Leader" days, but it seems like the files are gone. I found the old MECantina.com where some of the FSCOMBAT Xwing guys hang out... hopefully they'll have some archives and I can share the geek

« Last Edit: Dec 28, 2010, 5:29pm by chicagowiz »

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Finarvyn
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Re: [SW/MA] Metamorphosis: Death Star
« Reply #7 on Dec 28, 2010, 11:02pm »

Dec 28, 2010, 5:28pm, chicagowiz wrote:

Wait, there's a new T. Zahn book out and it has Thrawn in it?

Not so new. My hardback of Outbound Flight is copyright 2006.

And I don't recall if I've ever actually read it, so I can't personally confirm or deny whether Thrawn is in it. However, wikipedia says this about Timothy Zahn:
Quote:

He is the author of eight Star Wars Expanded Universe novels, including six novels featuring Grand Admiral Thrawn: the Thrawn Trilogy, Hand of Thrawn duology, and Outbound Flight. The Thrawn trilogy marked a revival in the fortunes of the Star Wars franchise, bringing it widespread attention for the first time in years; all three Thrawn-trilogy novels made the New York Times best-seller lists, and set the stage and tone for most of the franchise's Expanded-Universe content. While many of Zahn's characters have been embraced by franchise writers and readers, some still appearing in novels written seventeen years later, Thrawn has been particularly influential.

And also:
Quote:

Thrawn trilogy
* Heir to the Empire (1991)
* Dark Force Rising (1992)
* The Last Command (1993)
Hand of Thrawn series
* Specter of the Past (1997)
* Vision of the Future (1998)
Other Star Wars novels
* Survivor's Quest (2004)
* Outbound Flight (2006)
* Allegiance (2007)
* Choices of One (July 2011)

Of particular note is the fact that there is a new Zahn Star Wars book coming out next July!

Starwars.com says:
Quote:

Timothy Zahn returns to the Star Wars galaxy next year with all new hardcover novel release, Choices of One. It's a classic Star Wars adventure set in the time between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, featuring Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia and Mara Jade.

« Last Edit: Dec 28, 2010, 11:14pm by Finarvyn »

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barrataria
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Re: [SW/MA] Metamorphosis: Death Star
« Reply #8 on Dec 29, 2010, 10:15am »

Dec 28, 2010, 11:02pm, Finarvyn wrote:

Dec 28, 2010, 5:28pm, chicagowiz wrote:

Wait, there's a new T. Zahn book out and it has Thrawn in it?

Not so new. My hardback of Outbound Flight is copyright 2006.

And I don't recall if I've ever actually read it, so I can't personally confirm or deny whether Thrawn is in it.

Thrawn is indeed a major part of the story.

I enjoy Zahn's stories a lot and I think the Thrawn Trilogy really fooled me into reading a lot of other EU books that were nowhere near as good (looking at you, Jedi Academy Trilogy!).

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chicagowiz
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Re: [SW/MA] Metamorphosis: Death Star
« Reply #9 on Dec 29, 2010, 10:32am »

Oh gods, I agree with that - KA's books turned me off to the Star Wars book universe as much as TZ's books turned me on. When Tie Fighter came out, we were all thrilled to see Thrawn be a part of the story line of the game.

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Ronin84
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Re: [SW/MA] Metamorphosis: Death Star
« Reply #10 on Dec 29, 2010, 10:43am »

Now I have to say that I really do hate the EU stuff that has come out...but not Zahn's writing!

I felt he got it and understood the universe more than the other writers...my kids read some of that stuff and they want me to look at it and I tell them that, that is there Star Wars universe not mine. I do encourage them to read it and my one son loves to draw and does a lot of Star Wars so while I won't read them my kids are getting something out of it!

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