Order 66, the first podcast dedicated to the Star Wars RPG, ended their Saga Edition exclusivity this past week. They're transitioning over to Edge of the Empire, after toying with the idea of running two separate podcasts. Not surprisingly, they decided the didn't have time for that.
I remember catching their first episode, after getting in to podcast listening around the same time. It was...going to get better. No, really, it was a rather typical first podcast episode, with a lot to develop, but interesting enough that I kept listening. After all, aside from forum feedback and the occasional con, it really provided a window into what the players and fans were finding fun, interesting or otherwise. It also provided an in depth look into the game as played and interpreted at the table. No matter how much design work went into the game ahead of time, there are are always combinations of rules or situations that can't be (easily) anticipated or (exhaustively) tested.
The podcast steadily improved and tried out different formats, episode length and subject matter within the confines of the RPG. Things really took off with the interviews, and not just because I was in a few...ok, quite a few. I met Vader's Secret Apprentice Sam Witwer through the show, without which, Star Wars Celebration VI this year would have been a lot less...amazing. Rodney Thompson brought the official Wizards of the Coast presence, while us freelancers weighed in from time to time.
The show kept all things Saga going after the cancellation of the game line. Now, they've picked up the new game, Edge of the Empire, and already forged a great relationship with Fantasy Flight. It will be interesting to see how the show develops, given how much it has already grown over the years. The listener generated content is entertaining and always bringing something new. Stormtrooper poetry? Fragments from the Rim? Species Menagerie? And more.
And now with new movies also in the works, Order 66 should keep going for a long time yet. Congratulations, guys, and keep having fun with it.