Clubs in Star Wars

Last week, the wife and I went to Central 111, a local club, for my friend’s 30th birthday. Now, mind you, it’s my first time in a club.

I’ve been to bars (quite a few in Manhattan), but never a club. It was an experience, let me tell you.

But, as always, I immediately thought of how this could be used in game. In Star Wars, characters always end up in cantinas and bars, but when was the last time the characters went into a club to look for their informant/contact? Try it out. Here’s some tips:

1. Go to a club

This is the best way you’re going to be able to really see what the club scene is like.

2. Employ dancers

There was a girl in a bra and hot-pants dancing around on a stage elevated above the dance floor, and after a while, she moved up onto the bar. One thing Bridget noticed, however, is how bored she looked. I imagine that if I had to stand there and gyrate for hours on end, I would get bored too. Put that into your game. A Twi’Lek dancer drawing all eyes to herself, but if you roll a high perception check, she appears to be completely disinterested in anything around her.

3. LASERS!

The club had a lot of lasers. They were shooting everywhere, getting in your eyes, and casting cool images all over the ground and walls. There was a lot of smoke, and other than that, it was very dark. You know what that means: concealment. If you’re trying to look for someone in the crowd, you’re going to have a tough time of it.

4. “Pardon me…”

Clubs are crowded! You’ll have a difficult time moving through a crowd. Perhaps reduce all speed by half. The mass of bodies always seems to close in on you just as you are trying to get by. Use this in your game.

5. “WHAT?!”

Clubs are LOUD! Good luck hearing your comlink ringing. You’re not going to be able to hear most (if any) of what someone else is saying to you. If your character and whoever they’re trying to talk to are Twi’Leks, using their lekku should alleviate that, but if not, you’re out of luck. You’re going to have to roll a high Perception check to hear anything. If all else fails, nod and pretend you know what the other person is saying. Maybe during the game, employ some really loud techno to set the scene. If you can stomach techno, that is. You’d be a bigger man than me.

6. Intoxication

There are hundreds of drink possibilities. What does this mean in your game? Lots of drunk girls. Drunk girls dancing on tables, drunk girls dancing with each other, drunk girls waiting for the bathroom and hitting on drunk guys. Let your players make up names for drinks, and have the bartender and waitresses know exactly what they’re referring to. Have the PCs constantly getting hit on by all kinds of girls: humans, zabraks, and… hutts… *shudder*

That’s about all I can think of. Do any of you have any further advice for making your clubs in Star Wars more realistic?