Arcanum and Tome Grotesque for Beyond the Supernatural

mrloucifer · Unread post by **mrloucifer** » Thu Feb 27, 2014 2:10 pm

Cybermancer wrote:I gotta be holding one before we can talk about it being reality. Since I'm not, it's not.

LOL! In my defense of that last message, it sounded funnier late at night while I was sleep deprived.

Cybermancer · Unread post by **Cybermancer** » Thu Feb 27, 2014 3:36 pm

mrloucifer wrote:
Cybermancer wrote:I gotta be holding one before we can talk about it being reality. Since I'm not, it's not.

LOL! In my defense of that last message, it sounded funnier late at night while I was sleep deprived.

BtS is always best discussed late at night, is it not?

auyl · Unread post by **auyl** » Fri Feb 28, 2014 12:08 am

mrloucifer wrote:
Cybermancer wrote:I gotta be holding one before we can talk about it being reality. Since I'm not, it's not.

LOL! In my defense of that last message, it sounded funnier late at night while I was sleep deprived.

I'm just going to say it was the effects of the swamp gas

gaby · Unread post by **gaby** » Fri Feb 28, 2014 10:42 am

I will Not let BtS die,I hope Arcanum will be made first.
That took out all the magic info to put it in Arcanum plus to add New things.

What New things do you Want them to add?

Sorcerous profricioncies and Limited,this will show it,s not just for Nightbane.

Cybermancer · Unread post by **Cybermancer** » Fri Feb 28, 2014 12:23 pm

I'm less concerned about what they add and more concerned with what they might try to leave out.

gaby · Unread post by **gaby** » Sun Mar 02, 2014 6:34 pm

OK Cybermancer what do you fear will be left out?

Trent · Unread post by **Trent** » Sun Mar 02, 2014 7:29 pm

Many people bought the new BTS 2nd Ed with the promise of two other very important books to soon follow only to wait and wait and be disappointed . Many built whole campaigns based on false promises . That is TIME and MONEY invested in good faith . Your fans are loyal and supportive of your line of products and they deserve better . Plus its just poor business practice . How many time have your fans had to be extreamely patient ? Yet we are still here . There is not much from palladium books that I haven't bought and have introduced your products to friends and family . With all the donated material sent into the RIFTER it seem much of the work has been done for you . We understand you have to make a living and run a business but remember the loyal fans that got you there . Thank you for your time

Cybermancer · Unread post by **Cybermancer** » Sun Mar 02, 2014 8:53 pm

It's already been said.

Cybermancer · Unread post by **Cybermancer** » Sun Mar 02, 2014 8:54 pm

Trent wrote:Many people bought the new BTS 2nd Ed with the promise of two other very important books to soon follow only to wait and wait and be disappointed . Many built whole campaigns based on false promises . That is TIME and MONEY invested in good faith . Your fans are loyal and supportive of your line of products and they deserve better . Plus its just poor business practice . How many time have your fans had to be extreamely patient ? Yet we are still here . There is not much from palladium books that I haven't bought and have introduced your products to friends and family . With all the donated material sent into the RIFTER it seem much of the work has been done for you . We understand you have to make a living and run a business but remember the loyal fans that got you there . Thank you for your time

You're double posting here. You don't need to make a thread and then post in another thread the exact same statement. It's basically spam.

mrloucifer · Unread post by **mrloucifer** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 11:32 am

Cybermancer's right, this is a dead horse that keeps getting beaten. Your preaching to the choir Mr. Trent.

Jefffar · Unread post by **Jefffar** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 9:01 pm

Merged related topics and removed double post - carry on.

Trent · Unread post by **Trent** » Tue Mar 04, 2014 1:08 am

I was neither selling or advertising . I was simply trying to get a valid point across . But fine . I apologize and will refrain from further post . Feel free to ban me .

Cybermancer · Unread post by **Cybermancer** » Tue Mar 04, 2014 10:48 am

Trent wrote:I was neither selling or advertising . I was simply trying to get a valid point across . But fine . I apologize and will refrain from further post . Feel free to ban me .

Good grief. No one's talking about banning you. But even a casual search of this forum (or even this thread) would have revealed exactly what we've said. Your valid point has been brought up time and again by many people, myself included. And it's just poor netiquette to make double posts like you did. By the way, the definition of 'spam' is not necessarily limited to advertising or selling. It includes things like deliberately making double posts. No one has actually disagreed with your valid point, just pointed out that we're all well aware of it and that double posting is distracting and unnecessary.

If you have any more valid points to make, then by all means make them. Don't be surprised when people respond to them as they see fit.

Jefffar · Unread post by **Jefffar** » Tue Mar 04, 2014 7:10 pm

The functions of the Moderation team are not strictly disciplinary. We are essentially chat janitors as well. If there are two nearly identical topics, merging them is often wise in order to centralize all the discussion in one spot to make the discussion itself easier to find. Similarly, when a thread deviates into multiple different topics, it is sometimes necessary to separate those topics into their own threads for clarity.

Neither of those actions will typically promote any sort of disciplinary response from the moderation team.

mrloucifer · Unread post by **mrloucifer** » Wed Mar 05, 2014 12:07 pm

Cybermancer wrote:
mrloucifer wrote:
Cybermancer wrote:I gotta be holding one before we can talk about it being reality. Since I'm not, it's not.

LOL! In my defense of that last message, it sounded funnier late at night while I was sleep deprived.

BtS is always best discussed late at night, is it not?

TOUCHE!

Natasha · Unread post by **Natasha** » Thu Mar 06, 2014 8:37 pm

Trent wrote:I was neither selling or advertising . I was simply trying to get a valid point across . But fine . I apologize and will refrain from further post . Feel free to ban me .

You didn't do anything wrong.

How have you coped with with the lack of books?

gaby · Unread post by **gaby** » Wed Mar 12, 2014 10:24 am

What do you think is a Must for Arcanum?

Hendrik · Unread post by **Hendrik** » Thu Mar 13, 2014 4:48 am

gaby wrote:What do you think is a Must for Arcanum?

That there is Arcanum soon

Essentially, everything that was in BtS-I, only expanded, and then some.

BtS style

I would love to see, BtS style

I am not such a big fan of the sorceror proficiencies from Nightbane, but something like that .. why not.

Cybermancer · Unread post by **Cybermancer** » Thu Mar 13, 2014 5:47 pm

Hendrik wrote:That there is Arcanum soon

Essentially, everything that was in BtS-I, only expanded, and then some.

Arcanist revisited and expanded
Scholar type Arcanist
Arcane Detective
Digital Mage
etc
etc
Spells, lots of spells BtS style, not just translations from other Palladium systems
Rituals / Summoning
Magic Places / Ley Lines
Demonic Pacts
Runes
Relationship of Arcanists to "ambient" PPE: the lure of power (arcanists may actually have a tendency to be close to the supernatural for the power rush)
Arcanist real estate lore (why choose which "sorcerous tower" / abode)
"Beacon to the Supernatural" effect (the supernatural may be drawn to an arcanist)

I would love to see, BtS style
demonic "servants"
"familiars"
magic items

I am not such a big fan of the sorceror proficiencies from Nightbane, but something like that .. why not.

I would tend to agree with all of this, though I am a fan of sorcerer proficiencies-especially when paired with the flaws as well. They can provide quite a bit of flavor to a character.

I want to see expanded magic and with a flavor that is consistent with psionics from BtS2. I don't want to see that at the expense of the magic system that already exists in the Palladium megaverse. I'm all for adding new material but part of the appeal of the Palladium system is being able to use material from other settings if desired.

Which leads me to the next thing that needs to be in Arcanum. Conversion notes for magic from other systems. There is a rich and diverse amount of magic that already exists in the megaverse. Everything from druids to summoners, diabolists and calligraphy. These types of magic can add diversity to a BtS setting and campaign.

One thing that was sorely lacking from BtS-1 was magic items. Really, aside from Rifts and Palladium Fantasy, Palladium hasn't done a lot with magic items. This would be a great opportunity to remedy that. I'd like to see new ways for technology and magic to interact, that isn't techno-wizardry (something I never personally liked) or psi-mechanic devices.

I hope that Palladium keeps to its strength in this and makes the magic system as open and compatible with the rest of the megaverse a possible. I hope that they remember that there is more than one way to play BtS and don't wind up catering to just one style of play. Fortunately keeping play options open is a strength of Palladium and I suspect that they will maintain that openness.

It is interesting to note that BtS-1 was the first introduction of the magic system that would be adopted into Rifts and then the rest of the megaverse. So it will be interesting to see what new innovations they come out with.

That is, if the book ever comes out.

gaby · Unread post by **gaby** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 9:21 am

I for Sorcerous Proficiencies and Limitions Too.
In a loww Ppe world like BtS magic user need to use ther magic in start ways,it take time for them to built up ther ppe,and known when ther at ther strongest and weakest.
I also like Magic items,maybe ther could be magic item that can be rechanged by killed someone close to it.
Arcanum is the One I like to see come out first.

Trent · Unread post by **Trent** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 12:06 am

A shaman and voodoo system . Also Native American spiritualism (no its not the same as shamanism) . And maybe a modern druid . As far as magic items also add cursed artifacts and items . A secret society that collects such things to keep them out of the wrong hands could lend to tons of adventures .

Cybermancer · Unread post by **Cybermancer** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 9:34 am

Trent wrote:A shaman and voodoo system . Also Native American spiritualism (no its not the same as shamanism) . And maybe a modern druid . As far as magic items also add cursed artifacts and items . A secret society that collects such things to keep them out of the wrong hands could lend to tons of adventures .

All awesome ideas. Yeah, I'd love to see all of these especially the Druid and the society that collects dangerous artefacts.

Trent · Unread post by **Trent** » Tue Mar 18, 2014 1:51 am

Did you ever see the old Friday the 13th TV series ? Had nothing to do with the movies and I never really understood the name but for a B-ish TV show it had a good idea . A small group of people with a special understanding of cursed objects recovering them and keeping them safe . If they were psychics and / or mystics on top of it the scale of the adventures would be awesome . In real life you have the Warrens who have a small collection of items said to be cursed . Just think of the trouble (and fun) a gateway from hell disguised as a antique mirror could be . Cursed mardi gras mask that slowly change people's personalities (become a killer librarian ?) after they become helplessly addicted to some special (and temporary) ability it gives them . A dog collar that turns cute fluffy poodles into rabid hell hounds . A tie that turns a quiet and kind person into a lawyer (ohhh the evil) . So many possibilities .

Trent · Unread post by **Trent** » Tue Mar 18, 2014 2:02 am

Small cursed tent that appears in the middle of the night under a fool moon on unknown ley line nexus points outside small towns . While small on the outside , inside is a large fair ground complete with evil circus intent on luring those with sinful thoughts into their own private hell .

Trent · Unread post by **Trent** » Tue Mar 18, 2014 2:16 am

Cursed Vintage Vinyl Albums ! Backmasked to cast a summoning spell when played backwards .

Wōdwulf Seaxaning · Sat Mar 22, 2014 2:11 am

Trent wrote:Did you ever see the old Friday the 13th TV series ? Had nothing to do with the movies and I never really understood the name but for a B-ish TV show it had a good idea . A small group of people with a special understanding of cursed objects recovering them and keeping them safe . If they were psychics and / or mystics on top of it the scale of the adventures would be awesome . In real life you have the Warrens who have a small collection of items said to be cursed . Just think of the trouble (and fun) a gateway from hell disguised as a antique mirror could be . Cursed mardi gras mask that slowly change people's personalities (become a killer librarian ?) after they become helplessly addicted to some special (and temporary) ability it gives them . A dog collar that turns cute fluffy poodles into rabid hell hounds . A tie that turns a quiet and kind person into a lawyer (ohhh the evil) . So many possibilities .

Kind of like Warehouse 13?

gaby · Unread post by **gaby** » Sat Mar 22, 2014 1:02 pm

You can have a Museum that is on a Magic fade,sothe powers of Crused Artifacts are Reduced.
I love ideas for Crused and Magic idems and Weapons.

Trent · Unread post by **Trent** » Sat Mar 22, 2014 4:41 pm

Lucifer_Drake wrote:
Trent wrote:Did you ever see the old Friday the 13th TV series ? Had nothing to do with the movies and I never really understood the name but for a B-ish TV show it had a good idea . A small group of people with a special understanding of cursed objects recovering them and keeping them safe . If they were psychics and / or mystics on top of it the scale of the adventures would be awesome . In real life you have the Warrens who have a small collection of items said to be cursed . Just think of the trouble (and fun) a gateway from hell disguised as a antique mirror could be . Cursed mardi gras mask that slowly change people's personalities (become a killer librarian ?) after they become helplessly addicted to some special (and temporary) ability it gives them . A dog collar that turns cute fluffy poodles into rabid hell hounds . A tie that turns a quiet and kind person into a lawyer (ohhh the evil) . So many possibilities .

Kind of like Warehouse 13?

Yes . Very much like that .

Trent · Unread post by **Trent** » Sat Mar 22, 2014 4:42 pm

gaby wrote:You can have a Museum that is on a Magic fade,sothe powers of Crused Artifacts are Reduced.
I love ideas for Crused and Magic idems and Weapons.

Like a fade town ?

gaby · Unread post by **gaby** » Sat Mar 22, 2014 7:36 pm

yes,I think so.

Trent · Unread post by **Trent** » Sun Mar 23, 2014 4:54 pm

gaby wrote:yes,I think so.

Interesting idea .

Gallahan · Unread post by **Gallahan** » Sat Jun 21, 2014 4:39 am

It was interesting to read this thread. I remember waiting YEARS for BTS2, returning over and over again to Hobby Town in Tampa, Florida to see if it had been shipped... And, then, *finally* I had it in my hands! Fantastic product. While *magic* and *monsters* were promised and mostly left out, I simply used BTS1 to fill in the gaps. But, no one really wanted to play an Arcanist anyway, and like Mr. L stated, you really can play BTS2 without magic without missing any of the fun. In fact, it adds to the unique flavor of the genre.

So, what are we missing: *MAGIC.* *MONSTERS.* Magic and Monsters. Monsters and Magic.... Hmmmmmmm....

Someone mentioned that Monsters (Tome G) might be released in a *series* instead of one big book... Good for the pocketbook, good for publishing. Here's what I'm thinking, for what it's worth. I understand fan demand. I understand publishing realities (SALES!). Let's compromise. Here is an idea...

Release "MONSTERS & MAGIC for BEYOND THE SUPERNATURAL" as a series of sourcebooks highlighting a theme and/or geographic region. Each one would be the size of a standard RIFTER or perhaps double. Palladium could even release them as "MONSTERS & MAGIC" --or-- "MAGIC & MONSTERS" without stipulating BTS ---so these spells and critters could be used in other 2nd Edition worlds, too. The point is to release them in palatable stages: ten monsters, ten spells, a class (specialized class/OCC) or two, some source material, ideas and a mini (or decent length) adventure. Toss in some real world tidbits under the heading of THE SUPERNATURAL (?) IN OUR WORLD... (for purely entertainment purposes only!). Charge $11.95 or $14.95 for it. Hey, this is a marketing dream because by the time us fans by this THING entirely, we would have spent DOUBLE what the two tomes would have cost, but done so in INCREMENTS making our collection STRONGER by providing the fun to us in manageable BABY HORROR STEPS.

I now work at a publishing company that produces magazines and newspapers, and get that it has to make money. I believe this strategy of producing BTS2 fun as MONSTERS & MAGIC (or the reverse of the title) in *affordable* bits is a great thing. It also allows KS and Palladium to spend a LITTLE time to produce it over a long period of time, keeping BTS2 alive and well as the source material grows... WHICH LEADS TO THE ULTIMATE POWER IN THE BTS UNIVERSE OF SALES AND MARKETING...

Once, say, six (6) SIX! of these "small" fries are produced... Guess what. Compile them into separate, singular editions: you now have enough material to create a TOME GROTESQUE and an ARCANUM book(s). With very little effort, there's enough source material to RE-MARKET these two TOMES. Sure, ya gotta ad in a some EXTRAS that make their debut in these tomes to make it worth the while, plus some new, dazzlingly HORRIFIC artwork from all these cool artists.

Build it small. Grow it. When it's ready: REINFORCE it and dominate the BTS and Palladium world. Fans and accounting should be quite happy. And the game doesn't fizzle.

I run a BTS2 game at Bardic Tales in Hopewell, Virginia every other Wednesday, and it's some of the best roleplaying fun I've ever had. And, we use the RANDOM BTS TABLES (see HANDY DANDY RANDOM GENERATOR in the BTS forum) in RIFTER #63 to let players generate four *random* occupations (and other things) to help them choose their OCCs/backgrounds. Just about everyone is a "victim" or "normal" PC in my game, and they/we/I have a blast. Dim the lights, play some horror CDs, set out the pizza: GAME ON.

This might be the strategy for fans and publisher alike to rekindle interest, generate new excitement and enliven a game system in need of NEW ENERGY in a way that makes fans happy and the coffers filling with well-earned gold. Yes, some screams, terror and horror should be involved... But hey, it's what we love.

Chai

gaby · Unread post by **gaby** » Fri Jul 04, 2014 12:26 pm

I am still Hoping for them

MurderCityDisciple · Thu Aug 21, 2014 2:18 am

After 10 years of waiting, I've thrown in the towel on BTS and Palladium in general. For my supernatural needs, I have Call of Cthulhu...of which the new 7e version is gonna be quite 'b!tchen.

I've actually converted Dead Reign over to Chaosium's system and it works brilliantly.

Here's a question...can I run Chaosium Dead Reign at the Open House or is it Palladium only zone? I figure it is...I just hate the hour it takes rolling up NPC's and Pre-Gens.

gaby · Unread post by **gaby** » Sat Oct 04, 2014 7:58 am

Well maybe it will be in 2015.

gaby · Unread post by **gaby** » Fri Oct 17, 2014 12:06 pm

If Arcanum and Tomb Grotesque is too hard to make in 2015,Maybe it will be better if they just make a book about ideas for BtS,s Adventures,remake some of the BtS,adventures from Rifter,plus some all New Ones,they can also make rifter,s PCC canon.

runebeo · Unread post by **runebeo** » Tue Oct 28, 2014 2:09 am

Released in January 2005 and in just over 2 months it will 10 years, not a single sourcebook. I love the setting, mechanics and the classes. Its such a shame that something so great couldn't get finished because of a greedy employee embezzling. Good news Palladium still in business a decade later and while the books are often have lengthy delays the quality is superb.

gaby · Unread post by **gaby** » Mon Jan 12, 2015 10:16 am

I think they will spit Tome Grotesque into two books.
Book1,will have the hunters,pranksters,pradators and lesser demonic servants.
Book2 will have the greater demonic servants,Ancient evil and alien intelligences.
maybe instend of hades,s demons or dyval,s deevils and can make demons unique to Bts.

Cybermancer · Unread post by **Cybermancer** » Thu Jan 22, 2015 4:20 pm

Waiting indefinitely for two books about monsters is about the same as waiting indefinitely for one book about monsters.

Mechghost · Unread post by **Mechghost** » Fri Jan 23, 2015 12:12 am

I hope they get their act together, I got BtS-2 in my grab bag and am looking forward to playing, and getting my wife into it (she gets the setting better than other games). I really hadn't looked in this section of the forums and when I found no magic in the book and almost no critters, I looked here and was shocked to realize than it is 10 years and no source books.

drbelanger73 · Wed Jan 28, 2015 12:53 pm

Really, it is way past time to poop or get off the pot.

My sympathy for hard times is over, has been over for a while. With the amount of stuff that has come out, the entirely new games (hmm, zombies?), with multiple source books, this Arcanum book must be the mother of all source books. I am expecting a gilded, five hundred page volume, which teleports itself to my desk free of charge. Though, at this point, I would rather send my BtS books back to Palladium for a refund.

That seems a good option. Kevin, can the BtS people have our money back?

Anything else I might say would be nasty and uncalled for.

Never gonna see them people, give up.

(BtS hate thread #9999999)

edit:

We should come up with a canned response pool, place bets and such. Which blah blah will it be this time? Or just silence? My bet is on silence...

Mr. Jays · Unread post by **Mr. Jays** » Wed Jan 28, 2015 7:33 pm

MurderCityDisciple wrote:Here's a question...can I run Chaosium Dead Reign at the Open House or is it Palladium only zone? I figure it is...I just hate the hour it takes rolling up NPC's and Pre-Gens.

Certainly not as one of the official games, but there is the open gaming section where anyone can run a game. Failing that, there is always the reserved meeting rooms at the hotel.

Tearstone · Unread post by **Tearstone** » Thu Feb 12, 2015 8:40 pm

*spills more blood and PPE on the altar*

gaby · Unread post by **gaby** » Fri Feb 13, 2015 6:23 pm

I think Victor Lazlo,s books will be notes in Arcanum and Tomb Grotesque.
I hope One can come out before 2016.
I still hope ther will also be BtS,s Adventures idea books.

gaby · Unread post by **gaby** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 12:16 pm

I will keep hope that the books will be Maded and will keep talking about them.

Why are these books so hard to make for palladium books?

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 10:38 pm

Because Palladium Books is not vanity press where authors pay to have whatever they throw up/vomit fourth is printed, and thus every book is a financial gamble. Ideally, a publisher wants to back ideas that can be fully developed and for which they can sense there is a better than passing interest in, and that enough people will actually buy over time to justify the investment in printing and the ongoing expenses of storing stock and paying author fees/royalties. And if a publisher has multiple lines and limited manpower to handle business and proofread manuscripts, they'll dedicate their efforts to the product lines most likely to pay the bills and keep the lights on. That means that some product lines may wane and suffer lack of attention, or bottlenecks in putting new material out.
That's even before they parse manuscripts to see if anybody's re-inventing the wheel, plagerizing, will turn off or alienate the fanbase, simply serving up the same old material re-warmed, or are pumping and padding a one-trick pony/single idea book.
And they're not going to publish for those three or four loud demanders in left field constantly wanting books specifically for them in mind, and for which other folks really could pass.
It's the ecology of the publishing industry.

Trent · Unread post by **Trent** » Fri Jul 24, 2015 2:36 am

taalismn wrote:Because Palladium Books is not vanity press where authors pay to have whatever they throw up/vomit fourth is printed, and thus every book is a financial gamble. Ideally, a publisher wants to back ideas that can be fully developed and for which they can sense there is a better than passing interest in, and that enough people will actually buy over time to justify the investment in printing and the ongoing expenses of storing stock and paying author fees/royalties. And if a publisher has multiple lines and limited manpower to handle business and proofread manuscripts, they'll dedicate their efforts to the product lines most likely to pay the bills and keep the lights on. That means that some product lines may wane and suffer lack of attention, or bottlenecks in putting new material out.
That's even before they parse manuscripts to see if anybody's re-inventing the wheel, plagerizing, will turn off or alienate the fanbase, simply serving up the same old material re-warmed, or are pumping and padding a one-trick pony/single idea book.
And they're not going to publish for those three or four loud demanders in left field constantly wanting books specifically for them in mind, and for which other folks really could pass.
It's the ecology of the publishing industry.

The fact that people keep asking for (and were promised) these books proves its not a one trick pony . Palladium has a bad habit of making promises they dont keep . They have a loyal fan base then few have . And should be proud of . Keeping that fan base takes commitment .

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Fri Jul 24, 2015 9:07 pm

Trent wrote:[
The fact that people keep asking for (and were promised) these books proves its not a one trick pony . Palladium has a bad habit of making promises they dont keep . They have a loyal fan base then few have . And should be proud of . Keeping that fan base takes commitment .

What I mean by 'one trick pony' is a book based around one idea and not much else....Say, if I tried to make a book about my fan company Paladin Steel...all very good, a lot of material, but as it comes out it's all tech-wank, lists of stuff it builds, and not much else. Unless I throw in adventure stuff, world details, and more world-building, or I've had several previous books establish the company's place in the game universe and fan interest in it(as with the Rift Triax books), I doubt many people would buy what amounts to a shopping catalogue based on one company.

BTS, IMHO, is a lot more fun to game in because GMs can use their everyday surroundings to make adventures that much more intimate and immediate ("There's a rash of mysterious beheadings on the next town over from yours, Jerry...."), but also harder to write to write for, because it can't overpower the setting. The threats have to be serious and dangerous, bit not so blatantly obvious that the player characters are muscled aside by the authorities with the firepower of the military and the media is all over the place, covering Godzilla's rampage. At that point it becomes more akin to Dead Reign...Games like Rifts, you can throw out all constraints and run wild. BTS has to be more constrained, but still interesting and intriguing.

But yeah, promised books and Palladium? Some of us still await Mechanoids: Space....

Trent · Unread post by **Trent** » Fri Jul 24, 2015 10:10 pm

taalismn wrote:
Trent wrote:[
The fact that people keep asking for (and were promised) these books proves its not a one trick pony . Palladium has a bad habit of making promises they dont keep . They have a loyal fan base then few have . And should be proud of . Keeping that fan base takes commitment .

What I mean by 'one trick pony' is a book based around one idea and not much else....Say, if I tried to make a book about my fan company Paladin Steel...all very good, a lot of material, but as it comes out it's all tech-wank, lists of stuff it builds, and not much else. Unless I throw in adventure stuff, world details, and more world-building, or I've had several previous books establish the company's place in the game universe and fan interest in it(as with the Rift Triax books), I doubt many people would buy what amounts to a shopping catalogue based on one company.

BTS, IMHO, is a lot more fun to game in because GMs can use their everyday surroundings to make adventures that much more intimate and immediate ("There's a rash of mysterious beheadings on the next town over from yours, Jerry...."), but also harder to write to write for, because it can't overpower the setting. The threats have to be serious and dangerous, bit not so blatantly obvious that the player characters are muscled aside by the authorities with the firepower of the military and the media is all over the place, covering Godzilla's rampage. At that point it becomes more akin to Dead Reign...Games like Rifts, you can throw out all constraints and run wild. BTS has to be more constrained, but still interesting and intriguing.

But yeah, promised books and Palladium? Some of us still await Mechanoids: Space....

There is so much you can do with BTS .

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Fri Jul 24, 2015 11:01 pm

Trent wrote:[
There is so much you can do with BTS .

Yes. But it requires more thinking, planning, and discretion. Unless you've set the campaign in a warzone, you can't just say "we go and buy some tactical nukes and start blowing up stuff" with the same abandon you might have in other game settings.