If Palladium made a free Quickstart book For RPG day:

[jade von delioch]

I will have to say that the two they should try to push the most in the market is Fantasy and beyond the supernatural. Many people here will say that it should be rifts, but rifts has no problems with getting sold/players. Most non-palladium gamers will recognize the name "rifts" but never any other game made by palladium; or even the name Palladium Books.

[Natasha]

PFRPG all the way. No question.

[MikeM]

I think quickstart rules are a fantastic idea.
I think Palladium should do one for each one of their lines.

I also like the idea of releasing a line of Rifts setting books with no system in it. That way you can get folks who just want the story but not the crunch to pick it up.

MikeM

[Sentinel]

I vote Heroes Unlimited.

Palladium has a wonderful take on the super-hero genre that originally was a little different from the stuff you'd find over at TSR and Mayfair games.
Not to put those two down, or sound insulting, because I both played and enjoyed those games.
But Palladium had a slightly different philosophy, and I think a "quickstart" would be very beneficial to help players who don't quite "get it" in terms of what makes Palladium different from other super-systems.

Plus, a Heroes Unlimited quickstart could be used as a segue into the other games in the megaversal system, and draw players to other genre settings as well.
Heroes (unlike other systems) makes use of not only super-powers, but Martial Arts, Magic, Psionics, aliens, immortals, super-science, and skill-hounds. It packs in a lot of different character archetypes, and encompasses a wide range of genre conventions.

[Natasha]

That's a really good point.

I found PB's approach to Fantasy much in the same light.

[Sentinel]

That's a really good point.

I found PB's approach to Fantasy much in the same light.

There are a lot of good things to say about Palladium Fantasy.

[The Beast]

What, no Robotech?

[Sentinel]

What, no Robotech?

I have nothing against the book, but Robotech does not have the same diversity (and thus does not have the same complications) that Palladium has in a game like HU or Rifts.
I do not know if Robotech will be following the same path of evolution as the previous incarnation did, or if the new set will have a totally different direction (will there ever be magic in the Robotech Universe? Who knows...)

[MikeM]

I don't think you need magic to be in Robotech for there to be a quickstart. You include some back story, some nice art, some stats for pregenerated characters, some bad guys, some mecha and a simple adventure and presto! Robotech Quickstart.

I personally Palladium should make a quickstart for ALL their games. As well as making some fancy Computer Deskstops. C'mon, some of those Rifter covers are just begging to be converted to a desktop! Add some decent character sheets and you got some good stuff.

MikeM

[Killer Cyborg]

I will have to say that the two they should try to push the most in the market is Fantasy and beyond the supernatural. Many people here will say that it should be rifts, but rifts has no problems with getting sold/players. Most non-palladium gamers will recognize the name "rifts" but never any other game made by palladium; or even the name Palladium Books.

Rifts is the gateway game to other Palladium games.
The more people who can get into Rifts, the more people will filter on to the rest of the megaverse.

[The Beast]

Rifts is the gateway game to other Palladium games.

My first group started on Robotech, and then HU before finding Rifts

[MikeM]

Back in the day (1988) my friends and I found Robotech and TMNT before moving onto Heroes Unlimited, Ninjas and Superspies. Eventually we got involved with Rifts. Ah, I remember the day World Book Atlantis came out. Sadly I sold all my Rifts books when I stopped buying Palladium years ago. (I was only going to stick with one game). The news of Palladium getting the Robotech license brought me back though.

Things have changed since then however. Most people probably know of Rifts, but not much else Palladium does....although I'm hoping the Robotech game does really well. Shortly before I stopped buying Palladium games, Robotech was hardly supported and when Palladium decided not to renew the license, I was gone.

Good to be back though.

MikeM

[Sentinel]

I don't think you need magic to be in Robotech for there to be a quickstart. You include some back story, some nice art, some stats for pregenerated characters, some bad guys, some mecha and a simple adventure and presto! Robotech Quickstart.

I wouldn't suggest that Robotech needs magic. Simply that a quickstart for a game that has it will more useful in incorporating many more Palladium game system mechanics than a game without (such as Robotech).

I personally Palladium should make a quickstart for ALL their games. As well as making some fancy Computer Deskstops. C'mon, some of those Rifter covers are just begging to be converted to a desktop! Add some decent character sheets and you got some good stuff.

MikeM

A Quickstart for all the other games would be cool, if the idea caught on.

[jade von delioch]

sorry, i knew i forgot one. But seeing how its not even out yet, oh well.

I don't really see alot of people who go into rifts taking the leap to something less than maga damage..

[Sentinel]

sorry, i knew i forgot one. But seeing how its not even out yet, oh well.

I don't really see alot of people who go into rifts taking the leap to something less than maga damage..

I've actually talked with several Rifts players (who are not posters here) who prefer not to use the MDC system.
And some posters here as well.

[jade von delioch]

i had put rifts up as a options for this poll, but its not up there for so reason..


I (said out loud)wish one of the palladium board gods woulf fix this for us.

[Entiago]

I disagree....or differ from that. PF is what got me hooked. I bought the RIFTS main book long ago, but didnt like all the hoppla in it, so stuck with PFRPG. From there I filtered into all the other lines (Nightspawnbane, Beyond the Supernatural, Heroes Unlimited, Splicers, and others). I still stay away from playing or GMing RIFTS, but once in a while will pick up a boook if there is something in it I want to convert to PF, or of that sorts.


BTW, I voted for PFRPG. I think quickstart rules would be a great addition for PF and really any of PBs books. Especially for things like RPG Day and convention stuff....that would be a great addition to the Megaversal Ambassadors program as well.

[Sentinel]

The only problem is it's not really post-apocalyptic anymore, it's a science fiction/fantasy setting now.

I'd have to agree.
With only a little effort, it CAN be a post-apocalyptic setting, but it has moved beyond that to a large degree it seems.

[The Beast]

BTW, what's this RPG day the title speaks of?

[jade von delioch]

http://www.freerpgday.com/

[Killer Cyborg]

Rifts is the gateway game to other Palladium games.

My first group started on Robotech, and then HU before finding Rifts

And what year did you start playing those games?

[The Beast]

Rifts is the gateway game to other Palladium games.

My first group started on Robotech, and then HU before finding Rifts

And what year did you start playing those games?

Somewhere around '89 or '90, if I remember correctly. The other games we were playing at that time were Star Wars, CyberPunk, Call of Cthulu, and Car Wars (which was pretty popular in that area at the time)

[Killer Cyborg]

Rifts is the gateway game to other Palladium games.

My first group started on Robotech, and then HU before finding Rifts

And what year did you start playing those games?

Somewhere around '89 or '90, if I remember correctly. The other games we were playing at that time were Star Wars, CyberPunk, Call of Cthulu, and Car Wars (which was pretty popular in that area at the time)

So it was probably before Rifts came out, then.

There are probably still some people out there who picked up one of Palladium's games after 1991 or so, and didn't come through Rifts, but I'd bet it's the minority.

[jade von delioch]

when did rifts first come out?

[The Beast]

Rifts is the gateway game to other Palladium games.

My first group started on Robotech, and then HU before finding Rifts

And what year did you start playing those games?

Somewhere around '89 or '90, if I remember correctly. The other games we were playing at that time were Star Wars, CyberPunk, Call of Cthulu, and Car Wars (which was pretty popular in that area at the time)

So it was probably before Rifts came out, then.

There are probably still some people out there who picked up one of Palladium's games after 1991 or so, and didn't come through Rifts, but I'd bet it's the minority.

I bought my copy of the RMB off the guy who introduced it to us, and it's a fourth printing from '92. That seems around when we started playing it.

[The Beast]

when did rifts first come out?

Earliest copyright I've seen is '90.

[Armorlord]

when did rifts first come out?

Earliest copyright I've seen is '90.

Earliest copyright I've seen is '83, though First Printing was early '90 I believe. My Second Printing was September '90.

[Sentinel]

The earlier copyright date is for the Megaversal stuff that Palladium already had.
As a retailer, I didn't have Rifts stuff until late 1990, if memory serves.

[Snuffy]

'90 Seems about right for the first release of Rifts if my memory serves me correctly. Like others, I started with Robotech in '86.

I voted for Heros Unlimited, but it would be a great idea for all PB to have all its title games done.

The reason I voted for HU was there isn't (IMHO) any dominating game system for a super hero type game. Therefore, people who are familiar with other game systems wouldn't already have a predisposed frame of mind while giving the game a try. If they were to make PFRPG where there is a dominant gaming system already, I think people would just say it's just another version of D&D and would move onto another type of game. I also think there is too much in Rifts to shrink down enough for a quick start and may loose its flavor.

[Killer Cyborg]

I also think there is too much in Rifts to shrink down enough for a quick start and may loose its flavor.

Just focus on one angle.
For example, a quickstart game focused on the CS being sent against D-Bees.

[Snuffy]

I also think there is too much in Rifts to shrink down enough for a quick start and may loose its flavor.

Just focus on one angle.
For example, a quickstart game focused on the CS being sent against D-Bees.

That scenario could work, but I'm not sure it would portray how vast the world of Rifts. But maybe it would work.....the CS is sent after D-bees that have some magical spells that when they get close to a Ley Line get additionally powerful (ie, maybe the CS grunts have the upper hand until this twist of the Ley Line changes the tide). Something that would give a good spread of different ingredients in Rifts.

Back to my vote for HU, it's a SDC world and is easier to convey in a mini-rpg rules wise.

[jade von delioch]

ya, rifts would not work since kevin would never change the MDC rules and the mass majority of players on the boards who play rifts ignore the MDC rules. So in turn, if the fans don't like MDC why should someone want to play the game if they don't like MDCs either since they have only read the quickstart.

[Killer Cyborg]

I also think there is too much in Rifts to shrink down enough for a quick start and may loose its flavor.

Just focus on one angle.
For example, a quickstart game focused on the CS being sent against D-Bees.

That scenario could work, but I'm not sure it would portray how vast the world of Rifts.

It wouldn't have to portray the whole thing; just enough to give them a taste for more.

[Killer Cyborg]

ya, rifts would not work since kevin would never change the MDC rules and a small minority of players on the boards who play rifts ignore the MDC rules.

Fixed that for you.

[sasha]

I would go with Rifts because it is a gateway to the megaverse.

Although it's far from my favourite or even preferred game, I can see the usefulness of using Rifts - if I had to choose only one.

I'm only running it because I bought D-Bees and a certain someone opened right up to the Faerie Bot D-Bee. So if it leads to playing PFRPG or BtS, great. If not, well, it's not like I hate playing Rifts.

[jade von delioch]

ya, rifts would not work since kevin would never change the MDC rules and a small minority of players on the boards who play rifts ignore the MDC rules.

Fixed that for you.

haha, the always right (sarcasm) killer cyborg speaks.

That point of view depend on who you speak to.. Some say its the majority; your the first to say otherwise.

[Killer Cyborg]

ya, rifts would not work since kevin would never change the MDC rules and a small minority of players on the boards who play rifts ignore the MDC rules.

Fixed that for you.

haha, the always right (sarcasm) killer cyborg speaks.

That point of view depend on who you speak to.. Some say its the majority; your the first to say otherwise.

Then I'm the first to be right.

Don't believe me?
Go to the Rifts forums and start a poll.

[sasha]

ya, rifts would not work since kevin would never change the MDC rules and a small minority of players on the boards who play rifts ignore the MDC rules.

Fixed that for you.

haha, the always right (sarcasm) killer cyborg speaks.

That point of view depend on who you speak to.. Some say its the majority; your the first to say otherwise.

Then I'm the first to be right.

Don't believe me?
Go to the Rifts forums and start a poll.

Thought about that, then I broadened the scope to any MDC setting.
It's in this forum.

One in Rifts and compare the difference might be interesting.

[jade von delioch]

You kind of missed the point. If the player who knows nothing about rifts or any other palladium game who reads a set of quickstart rules for rifts will 1) assume that all palladium games use MDC damage (unless otherwise noted in said rules), 2) that without any type armor or if their armor is destroyed that they will be disintegrated in one shot. Which, once they read this, will be turned away from the game (this, as aways, depends on the personality of the reader).
It would be better for the company to offer players who have never played a palladium to test the waters as it were in a setting that did not have the capability to disintegrate them in one shot.

I would also like to point out that rifts was one of the options, but for some reason it did not populate. I had asked earlier for one of the mods to fix it but that has not happened as of yet.

[Killer Cyborg]

You kind of missed the point. If the player who knows nothing about rifts or any other palladium game who reads a set of quickstart rules for rifts will 1) assume that all palladium games use MDC damage (unless otherwise noted in said rules), 2) that without any type armor or if their armor is destroyed that they will be disintegrated in one shot. Which, once they read this, will be turned away from the game (this, as aways, depends on the personality of the reader).

1. Only if they're morons.
2. IF there are a lot of morons out there, all that would need be done to fix things would be to, in the part describing Mega-Damage, add a line saying something to the effect of "Unlike many of Palladium's other games, Rifts also uses Mega-Damage Capacity..." as an introduction to the section explaining how MDC works.

[jade von delioch]

......................
Ok, so what your saying is that anyone that does not like MDC damage is a moron.

Good to know.

[The Beast]

ya, rifts would not work since kevin would never change the MDC rules and a small minority of players on the boards who play rifts ignore the MDC rules.

Fixed that for you.

haha, the always right (sarcasm) killer cyborg speaks.

That point of view depend on who you speak to.. Some say its the majority; your the first to say otherwise.

Then I'm the first to be right.

Don't believe me?
Go to the Rifts forums and start a poll.

[sasha]

......................
Ok, so what your saying is that anyone that does not like MDC damage is a moron.

Good to know.

Not what he said.

[MikeM]

My very first Palladium RPG (and second RPG ever) was Robotech. I believe Robotech is where MDC came from. Myself or my players never had a problem with it. Even in Rifts. If you didnt wear MDC armour or had some kind of protection, we knew you would be dead if you got shot by a MDC weapon. In fact I remember one combat situation where the whole fight the Glitterboy pilot spent the whole fight trying to get to his Glitterboy and not get shot. It wasnt very funny for him, but the rest of us found it hillarious.

To sum up: I don't think MDC will be a problem, and I don't believe that most players ignore MDC rules.

This is however, just my opinion,
MikeM

[The Beast]

Well you can take a look right here.

[Killer Cyborg]

......................
Ok, so what your saying is that anyone that does not like MDC damage is a moron.

Good to know.

Not what he said.

Yeah... not even close.

I'm guessing that Jade just saw the words "MDC" and "Moron" and decided that he didn't need to read any of the rest of the post, just take a shot in the dark what it was about.

[Spinachcat]

Free Quickstarts are a very good idea.

Quickstarts do NOT have represent the actual rules of the game. Just the flavor. White Wolf quickstarts often use a very abbreviated version of the rules to just get people into the flavor of the game.

Forget all the MDC / skills / OCC fiddly of Rifts. Translate Rifts into the same chargen as the original Mechanoids / Valley of the Pharoahs where the character is just a sketch. Explain in the Quickstart that these are "Fast Play" characters and it is the "Fast Play" system to just get people into the game. Give no ability to level or do more than just play the intro adventure.

But focus on the coolness of the fluff and have a one page sales sheet that lists out all the supplements. Throw in lots of cool art and viola!

But yeah, you gotta start with Rifts. No sense in going with anything else because Rifts is the flagship game. In later years, you can do quickstarts for the other game lines.