This website is rated PG-13 for sci-fi violence and some hot nubbin'

You know, if I were to apply a MPAA rating to our website I think it would weigh in at a respectable PG-13. Truth is, after looking back at some of our fiction, and the fiction that is to come, there are a lot of complex characters and some “adult” situations (and no fanboyz, not just physcial interactions- though there is some of that) that arise that may be too deep and mature for a lot of the SWRPG Community.
Now, while that may sound like a slam, it’s really not. Or if it is, don’t take it personally, or if you do at least hear me out, as it certainly doesn’t apply to everyone in the community.
Fact is, is that Star Wars is generally directed at younger audiences, and the Raptor Squad game was played by adults, who, while enjoying themselves and sticking to the overall feel of Star Wars, found themselves in more morally and emotionally questionable situations facing NPC’s villains that had more psychologically complex profiles than what you saw in the films.

And, not to go off on a tangent, but I think that is one of the reasons the prequels didn’t go over as well- Old George wanted to shoot a 3-film psychological profile of why Vader became Vader and after all was said and done, folks realized it wasn’t really that great of a story- but let’s be honest, after the mystery and buildup of TWENTY freaking years, there was little he could write or create that would live up to most fan’s expectations.

Oh, and the fact that there was no one you could really relate to in the prequels, unless you were a monk (Jedi) or a teenage girl with a thing for psychotic ten year-olds (Amidala).

Anyway, I think at the end of the day, what was begun around our gaming table and what I’m creating now with the site and fiction is more rich, full and artistically satisfying than what I saw in the prequels- because there is simply more meat to it and I have a venue that lends itself to this kind of character development. Yeah, I know this is a given, but it certainly explains my drive to continue the story…because, the characters are damn good characters and the story is a damn good story.

I also think this is one of the reasons why it’s hard for some folks to jump into our fiction and give it a try- there is so much history and complexity that it would take some thought and even emotional investment on a readers part to immerse themselves in the Raptor Squad universe.

But I also believe (based on what others have told me) that the investment is worth it. I like to think it is.

Otherwise I wouldn’t continue to create our own mythology.

Hopefully in the future (near future) I’ll be able to create a “Raptor Squad” primer-something that folks will be able to look at and read and get the general gist of the story and then jump in without having missed much (Marvel Comics had to take the same approach about ten years ago when their characters just accumulated so much history it was impossible to just pick up a simple comic and start reading). I think something like that would help folks get into our fiction without being lost and then allow them to go back and re-read the previous volumes to see the intricacies and dynamics that you can only understand and appreciate through reading the actual stories.

Basically a Raptor Squad Cliff’s Notes.

Just make sure Mr.Berg doesn’t catch you with it, or else he’ll toss it dead in the trash. Trust me, I seen him do it.