My enthusiasm for this is beginning to wane. Not because people disagree with me - rather, because all this argument over what's "too sci-fi" has made me realize how truly unnecessary the prequels are to begin with. Any prequels are, well, just not needed. All the information necessary for the story presented in Star Wars/Empire/Jedi is given in those movies.
Let me demonstrate what I mean:
The Clone Wars were a war or wars in the past that the Jedi (a group of people who are sensitive to the Force, an energy field created by all living things that the Jedi can tap into in order to perform amazing feats and have a life of inner peace) were involved in. Obi-Wan fought as a general in them for Leia's [adoptive] father, as did Anakin.
It is implied that from these wars sprang the Empire, a governmental system headed by Emperor Palpatine, a user of the Dark Side of the Force (the path of fear, anger, and hatred, the "bad" or "evil" side). The Empire replaced the Old Republic, which had been governed by a Senate.
Obi-Wan had trained Anakin, thinking he could teach him as well as Yoda, but failed, and Anakin turned to the Dark Side. Anakin had twins that were separated at birth to hide them from the Empire. Anakin became Darth Vader, becoming "more machine than man" at some point apparently due to injuries, and served the Emperor, hunting down and killing all the Jedi, save for Obi-Wan and Yoda.
There is a rebellion against the Empire full of people trying to restore the good of the Republic.
Obi-Wan tried to turn Anakin back to the good side, unable to let his friend turn without trying to help him.
Hmm ... I think that's about it.
Anyway, my point:
Why do you need to see all of this? You know it happened. Does it really matter that much "how" or "why?" And why would you care enough to sit through three movies whose entire point is just to explain things you already basically know?
Maybe I'll get my zest for this project back after thinking about it more, but after really thinking about it, I just don't really care how all that happened, because clearly the more interesting story has already been told. If that's not true, then why did Lucas make "IV-VI" first instead of "I-III"? And don't tell me the whole "technology" bullshit, if that were truly the case then the prequels we got are proof that they didn't need to be made anyway.
I'll sleep on it and see if I still care in the morning, or if I'd be content with pretending there's only 3 "Star Wars" movies for the rest of my life (I think the latter will win out).