Who actually plays the RPG?

[bielmic]

Just checking to see the play habits (or wants) of the community here on the forums. I check in every once in a while and it seems like the most active threads have almost nothing to do with actual RPG play and are more mental exercises about Robotech or the original anime series (like the fusion thread)... or are "what if?" wish listing threads. Does anyone here actually play on a regular basis in person with a regular group? I've got nothing against play by email or remote play (nor about the type of threads described above) but I'm just genuinely curious about the frequency of local in person groups for Robotech.

[Chronicler]

Been trying to get my local players to play. I most likely to start when I'm in college to get a group. A lot of people heard of rt here at hga here.

[drewkitty ~..~]

I am currently in a RT:NG game that is running every friday in the PB chats.

[bielmic]

I am currently in a RT:NG game that is running every friday in the PB chats.

Are you the person who answered yes in the poll by chance?

[Seto Kaiba]

Just checking to see the play habits (or wants) of the community here on the forums. [...]

Eh... my answer was that I've never played the current edition of Robotech. Mind you, that comes with an asterisk or five. I do use the "2nd Edition" of the Robotech RPG... just not for its intended purpose. My players and I use it as an obvious starting point for games based upon the original Japanese Macross and, to a lesser extent, MOSPEADA... after a fair amount of conversion and correction. The mechanics are solid enough, and since the 2nd Edition's content from the core book and Macross Saga sourcebook is more OSM than Robotech these days it's not exactly hard. I'm poking around at revisions to my heavily errata'd version of the old Macross II game to bring it into line with 2nd Edition, and working on a story for a future campaign set after Macross 30.

I check in every once in a while and it seems like the most active threads have almost nothing to do with actual RPG play and are more mental exercises about Robotech or the original anime series (like the fusion thread)... or are "what if?" wish listing threads. Does anyone here actually play on a regular basis in person with a regular group?

Oh, there are some that do... but, as with the previous edition, the vast majority of the people who buy it will never run a single session of the game. Many Robotech fans purchase the RPG not as a game, but as a sort of ad hoc reference series for the Robotech universe in the absence of anything approximating a real anime franchise's art books in either content or quality.

(You could think of the kind of discussions that go on here as extended brainstorming sessions.)

I've got nothing against play by email or remote play (nor about the type of threads described above) but I'm just genuinely curious about the frequency of local in person groups for Robotech.

I can honestly say that the last time I personally encountered or sat in on a session of the Robotech RPG was back in 2004... but they seem to either be somewhat stealthy or they come and go in waves. The Macross stuff I'm using 2E for... last playtest session was two days ago, though the start of an actual campaign may be pushed back as my players have expressed an interest in doing a Star Wars game for a bit... which has forced me to do a LOT of homework as GM, since I'm not a SW fan.

[bielmic]

Using it live in person for Macross counts as a positive in my book as well. At least one of the "weekly" responses though is a mistake as I was looking for people who play live in person together physically in the same room. No worries (and no insult intended for pbp/pbm/chat/online games) but I was trying to gauge the relative size of in person Robotech 2e groups. I haven't had any luck drumming up interest locally and was curious. Thanks for the responses in any case.

[Seto Kaiba]

Using it live in person for Macross counts as a positive in my book as well. At least one of the "weekly" responses though is a mistake as I was looking for people who play live in person together physically in the same room. [...]

'bout half-and-half on the physical presence part of it for me... my long-running Macross II game and the Macross 30-era game are both play-by-post with guys from all around the planet, but I've done in-person sessions too (my SW game will be in-person at my house). My test group/guinea pigs for the Macross 30 game playtest is in-person, five players at present (enough for a single VF platoon and an ace pilot).

I haven't had any luck drumming up interest locally and was curious. Thanks for the responses in any case.

It seems to vary a lot... the really active area for Robotech is SoCal, while most of the rest of the country ignores the heck out of RT most days. I'm practically in Palladium's backyard and my local game store special-orders the RT stuff for me because nobody else who goes there asks for it.

[bielmic]

It seems to vary a lot... the really active area for Robotech is SoCal, while most of the rest of the country ignores the heck out of RT most days. I'm practically in Palladium's backyard and my local game store special-orders the RT stuff for me because nobody else who goes there asks for it.

Lol, an anime IP more popular in the region of the country with the highest Asian decent population? Sounds as good of a reason as any... unless it's the Persians!

[jedi078]

I've been running a Macross era game on www.rpol.net for almost 8 years now come February 8th. I'm also running a 2nd Robotech War game set on Mars, and I just started a New Gen era game set in 2038 just prior to the 10th Mars Division arrival to Earth.

[SailorCallie]

I've been running a Macross era game on http://www.rpol.net for almost 8 years now come February 8th. I'm also running a 2nd Robotech War game set on Mars, and I just started a New Gen era game set in 2038 just prior to the 10th Mars Division arrival to Earth.

[jedi078]

I've been running a Macross era game on http://www.rpol.net for almost 8 years now come February 8th. I'm also running a 2nd Robotech War game set on Mars, and I just started a New Gen era game set in 2038 just prior to the 10th Mars Division arrival to Earth.

Well I'm always looking for new players.

I run my games in such a way that it is often easy to add new player characters as replacements fresh from training or transfers from other units.

[Pouncer]

My group is playing on Mondays.

-POUNCER

[Alrik Vas]

I haven't played 2nd Edition, but I run Rifts and some of the rules from that have been carried over. Plus i like to use the tech in that setting more like they use military tech in Robotech (larger scale battles, using the right tool for the job vs armor etc...).

[Raiden]

Due to my work schedule, I've had to run my games as Play by Post. Currently have a Robotech game that's just over a year old now using the 2nd Edition, based on my idea of what happens after Shadow Chronicles.

[Seto Kaiba]

Lol, an anime IP more popular in the region of the country with the highest Asian decent population? Sounds as good of a reason as any... unless it's the Persians!

Actually, as far as I've been able to ascertain, there are very few Asian Robotech fans... the SoCal group is mostly white and Hispanic, though I'm not sure how many of them actually play the RPG. Those guys are the single largest concentration of Robotech fans on the map, but they're mainly 85ers in their 30s or 40s now.

[Alpha 11]

Only know a handful who play up here. And that's not Robotech, but Rifts and Nightbane, mostly. Only time I've got the play the game so far, has been at the OH. And that was at the last 2 times they had it and the only 2 times I've went.

Lol, an anime IP more popular in the region of the country with the highest Asian decent population? Sounds as good of a reason as any... unless it's the Persians!

Actually, as far as I've been able to ascertain, there are very few Asian Robotech fans... the SoCal group is mostly white and Hispanic, though I'm not sure how many of them actually play the RPG. Those guys are the single largest concentration of Robotech fans on the map, but they're mainly 85ers in their 30s or 40s now.

That last part, is me.

[Seto Kaiba]

That last part, is me.

Yeah, I'm only in my 20s... I keep gettin' told that I'm a young'un.

[Chronicler]

That last part, is me.

Yeah, I'm only in my 20s... I keep gettin' told that I'm a young'un.

I'm probably the youngest here since I just turned on the drinking age. I'm surprised that people think I don't know robotech (or other older cartoons) when I've actually watched it with my father and on toonami when they rerun them in the early 90's (or was it mid?).

But on topic, I've been trying to get people to play RT or Rifts just to try something different. But the local gamers want to play pathfinder or the one game my friends been developing for the past 10 years (which is really good by the way). It's not easy to drum up a game when this would be my first time GMing.

[Kryptt]

I'm in SoCal and I've seen more support over the last couple of years for macross than RT. I'm not surprised if there is a large RT following. Its huge in the Latin countries. My 10yr old only knows macross not RT. Thanks to the video game and the RRT ks. Whenever I pass by HG I always get the urge to stop by say hello and to tell them to leave macross alone.lol Next time I'm on the strip maybe I should just pop in.

Im currently participating in a PbP game. Once I make sense of the rules I'm going out to my local shop and see if I can sucker in some folks to try it out. Guess I'll be my own MA.

Seto is right. Were mostly in our 30's and Asian, Latin, and White. Although no one mentions RT unless it's to mock it. Man it's like you have to be a closet RT fan. Still I and many here prefer macross over RT.

[Alpha 11]

I'm in SoCal and I've seen more support over the last couple of years for macross than RT. I'm not surprised if there is a large RT following. Its huge in the Latin countries. My 10yr old only knows macross not RT. Thanks to the video game and the RRT ks. Whenever I pass by HG I always get the urge to stop by say hello and to tell them to leave macross alone.lol Next time I'm on the strip maybe I should just pop in.

Im currently participating in a PbP game. Once I make sense of the rules I'm going out to my local shop and see if I can sucker in some folks to try it out. Guess I'll be my own MA.

Seto is right. Were mostly in our 30's and Asian, Latin, and White. Although no one mentions RT unless it's to mock it. Man it's like you have to be a closet RT fan. Still I and many here prefer macross over RT.

I'm not assamed to be an RT fan and will shout it from the top of my house. For me its Robotech 1st with Macross and Gundam in close 2nd and 3rd. I'm just a big robot fan, period.

[13eowulf]

I have to ask, why does the question specify 'in person'?

it is just meant to refer to actually playing not just owning, or is it explicitly referring to 'physical gathering of groups' as opposed to Chatrooms or skype?

And if the latter definition is being used, why?

[Seto Kaiba]

I'm probably the youngest here since I just turned on the drinking age. I'm surprised that people think I don't know robotech (or other older cartoons) when I've actually watched it with my father and on toonami when they rerun them in the early 90's (or was it mid?). [...]

Yeah, there's a good chance you're the youngest... I've only known one fan younger, and that guy gave up on RT a couple years back after Shadow Chronicles came out. I'm not really surprised that folks wouldn't think of people being aware of RT via its Toonami airing... it did so poorly there that Toonami actually dropped it from the lineup.

I'm in SoCal and I've seen more support over the last couple of years for macross than RT.

Not really surprising... the anime industry started turning against rewrites as far back as 1991, and the way Harmony Gold has been lashing out at fan projects and has interfered with rather more popular franchises like Macross and MechWarrior hasn't endeared them to the audience they're trying to appeal to.

I'm not surprised if there is a large RT following. Its huge in the Latin countries.

Yeah, I've noticed that too... the Spanish-speaking fan sites seem to be where the last of the Robotech franchise's life is. Unfortunately, the actions of a few bad apples have given a bad reputation to the Spanish-speaking fandom among anime hobbyists in general.

I have to ask, why does the question specify 'in person'?

Presumably the OP's wondering how many of us actually sit down, face-to-face with our players, and play the game. Robotech fans are few and far between these days, so it's much more common to have play-by-post.

[Alpha 11]

I'm not surprised if there is a large RT following. Its huge in the Latin countries.

Yeah, I've noticed that too... the Spanish-speaking fan sites seem to be where the last of the Robotech franchise's life is. Unfortunately, the actions of a few bad apples have given a bad reputation to the Spanish-speaking fandom among anime hobbyists in general.

This is the first I've heard of that. Can you give more details, if possible?

[bielmic]

I have to ask, why does the question specify 'in person'?

Presumably the OP's wondering how many of us actually sit down, face-to-face with our players, and play the game. Robotech fans are few and far between these days, so it's much more common to have play-by-post.

Pretty much that. I'm personally only interested in local RPG campaigns and was curious if others have had the same poor luck as I've had in finding the same. I specifically excluded the other types of games several times in the first post and poll but I've still gotten several poll false positives from people who voted yes anyways. As I've said multiple times, I have nothing against the pbp, chat room, remote play, pbm or any other type of games (if you're having fun doing it, who am I to argue?) but that's simply not what I was inquiring about.

[SailorCallie]

Yes I've played the Robotech RPG, both 1st and 2nd editions. Have yet to play in person, but have done so via Play-by-Post in the past.

[bielmic]

Yes I've played the Robotech RPG, both 1st and 2nd editions. Have yet to play in person, but have done so via Play-by-Post in the past.

So you voted "No...never"?