Existing fiction that would make good dimension books

[Tor]

This isn't a call out for conversions, but rather, an idea for brain-storming via name-dropping any series which people think would mesh good with Rifts by presenting it as sort of a Wormwood-style dimension book (or dimension book series, if a franchise has multiple worlds).

I think if something is promising, it might be looked into if the license could be got cheaply enough to make it feasible if there were a writer willing to flesh out the universe. Some stuff that comes to mind:

*Adventure Time
*Di-Gata Defenders
*He-Man+She-Ra
*Steven Universe
*Thundercats

What I'm thinking is stuff that has the kind of magic/tech that we come to expect from Rifts. Anything that didn't fit that mold would be possible but more as a palladium sourcebook in general and not a "Rifts" dimension book specifically.

[say652]

I kinda want an Olympia vs Asgard series. To powerful selfish Pantheons fighting to the death (of some) over a cheating husband a vengeful wife a doped up goddess and of course a stolen artifact.
Like watching General Hospital with madukes back in the day. Wow now I need beer and icecream.

[glitterboy2098]

Outlaw Star.. you have magic users in the Castergun's and Pirates, as well as advanced technology weapons, robots, and starships. this would also include parts of the Angel Links companion show.

[taalismn]

Outlaw Star.. you have magic users in the Castergun's and Pirates, as well as advanced technology weapons, robots, and starships. this would also include parts of the Angel Links companion show.

Casterguns are pure TW, and the Kei Pirates come across as N&SS Mystic China-empowered martial artists.
Plus you get to combine starship piloting AND giant robot combat with Grappler-ships.

[flatline]

The world of Vlad Taltos (Stephen Brust's creation).

--flatline

[Silvananthus]

The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers - one of the first Anime style cartoons produced in the USA. I loved it as a kid. I thought it would probably be a good fit for Rifts Dimension Book or stand alone product.

If you look carefully Most of the really cool children's cartoons where originally produced in the 80's or early 90's. That is not to say that some of the reboots aren't better than the originals.

[Silvananthus]

Blackstar was an early 80's cartoon predecessor to He-Man that could be pretty cool as an intellectual property for development.

[taalismn]

Orguss 02(though I gotta confess, I once already did a write-up of the latter).
Rather short and mediocre anime series involving the fall-out from a previous Rifts-style dimensional transposition of several different worlds, but it had potential for other shennanigans involving d-bees.
As one of Studio Nu's less-loved stepchildren, it should qualify for the 'cheap' requirement, but as much of the design was done by Noboru Ishiguro of Macross fame, licensing any of his stuff to an American RPG company already involved in a controversial adaptation is asking for possible grudge-refusal-by-association.

[DhAkael]

Blackstar was an early 80's cartoon predecessor to He-Man that could be pretty cool as an intellectual property for development.

LOVED the art design of that series. It fits as either dimension book or add-on for Phaseworld / Tri-Galactic.

[glitterboy2098]

Orguss 02(though I gotta confess, I once already did a write-up of the latter).
Rather short and mediocre anime series involving the fall-out from a previous Rifts-style dimensional transposition of several different worlds, but it had potential for other shennanigans involving d-bees.
As one of Studio Nu's less-loved stepchildren, it should qualify for the 'cheap' requirement, but as much of the design was done by Noboru Ishiguro of Macross fame, licensing any of his stuff to an American RPG company already involved in a controversial adaptation is asking for possible grudge-refusal-by-association.

the first Orguss would also be a good one.. you have pre-event human mecha from two different factions (even if the Bronco is the only one that didn't look stupid), plus several factions of post-event mecha using groups. plus the dimensional mashup setting lets you exploit other palladium lines for material as a GM.

[taalismn]

If you look carefully Most of the really cool children's cartoons where originally produced in the 80's or early 90's. That is not to say that some of the reboots aren't better than the originals.

The New Adventures of Flash Gordon or simply 'Flash Gordon'(1979) qualifies as a 'cool' Worldbook-suitable world IMHO, with the added prestige of pure Golden Age Flash Gordon action(although that removes the 'cheap licensing' from the equation). Cut the 'cutsey' and dumbed-down second season from the description, and you got a very good basis for world-building(although I still like the live action Max Von Sydow-endowed later movie with the various kingdoms of Mongo being captured moons, rather than surface territories).

[Jerell]

the first Orguss would also be a good one.. you have pre-event human mecha from two different factions (even if the Bronco is the only one that didn't look stupid), plus several factions of post-event mecha using groups. plus the dimensional mashup setting lets you exploit other palladium lines for material as a GM.

I always thought ending a space campaign with a space/time oscillation bomb would be fun.

[taalismn]

the first Orguss would also be a good one.. you have pre-event human mecha from two different factions (even if the Bronco is the only one that didn't look stupid), plus several factions of post-event mecha using groups. plus the dimensional mashup setting lets you exploit other palladium lines for material as a GM.

I always thought ending a space campaign with a space/time oscillation bomb would be fun.

Especially if you give it a stupid codename like "CHOCOLATE PARFAIT MONSTER".

[VR Dragon]

While not a book I think something inspired by pirates of darkwater would be rather awesome. A water world having its surface devoured by black sludge like monster stuff. Only magic relics can save the world.

[Jerell]

Elements from Regular Show.

I use the Royal Park in the Main City on a planet as the home base for the group, and there's a Borg named Major Benson that is their supervisor. I did it on a whim, on the fly when I wasn't planning on running the adventure that day, but it's been really fun so far.

The newer Thundercats would work well.

[Tor]

I thought Regular Show was just about some giant blue-jay, maybe I should watch more of it...

[Alrik Vas]

Centurions would have made a neat HU adaptation.

[guardiandashi]

the "main chars of regular show" are the giant blue jay, and the raccoon thing (I think its a raccoon)
there is a char who is a walking gumball, a ghost, an Orc (sort of) and I want to say a gumball machine person

[Tor]

Walking gum machine sounds like an Adventure Time connection. Let the speculation begin.

[Jerell]

I thought Regular Show was just about some giant blue-jay, maybe I should watch more of it...

Some episodes are good, some are kind of meh. It's not as consistently good as Adventure Time. And actually the Gumball machines make me think of Tom Servo from MST3K.

Also, it's more about the Blue Jay and Raccoon's adventures while working (or as often attempting to avoid said work) in the park. Crazy stuff, lot's of 80s references and dimensional rifting is not uncommon for Regular Show.

[Slight001]

Code Lyoko could be a fun book. I know my niece and nephew enjoyed the mini-campaign I ran that was inspired by the series.

[Tor]

Considering the computer fighting/hacking rules in the rifter are canon, that could be done Digimon's also digital, as is the Persona series. Many anime, so long as BESM hasn't touched them, are open to incorporation if Palladium will seduce them.

[DhAkael]

Yukikaze... nuff said.
Oh and 'Vampire Hunter D' particularly the era shown in 'Blood Lust'

[Tor]

Psh, 80s movie was way more Rifts, even had space-warping mutants.

[glitterboy2098]

Samurai Jack

[Jerell]

Samurai Jack was good. And I had totally forgotten about it until you just mentioned it. Samurai slicing up robots is just good.

[flatline]

How is it that nobody has mention the wizard of Oz?

Or did I miss it?

-flatline

[Jerell]

Well we do have the wicked Slugorth of the East that sends out flying Monkeys already... And Archie, ignore that computer behind the curtain!

[DhAkael]

Samurai Jack was good. And I had totally forgotten about it until you just mentioned it. Samurai slicing up robots is just good.

R.I.P. Mako ... You WERE Aku till the very end.

[say652]

Soooo that asgard vs olympia pantheon WAR.............

[glitterboy2098]

Samurai Jack was good. And I had totally forgotten about it until you just mentioned it. Samurai slicing up robots is just good.

R.I.P. Mako ... You WERE Aku till the very end.

also Iroh..

if i though palladium could handle it rules wise, i'd suggest Avatar last Airbender.. but i don't think palladium's magic/psionic/martial arts rules are suitably fluid and flexible enough to handle Bending...

[Alrik Vas]

It easy. You just make warlock elemental spells into chi powers in martial arts, granting them at certain levels. That's the quick/dirty of it.

[say652]

Or just keep them warlocks and add in a spiffy japanese style hand to hand.

[Tor]

How is it that nobody has mention the wizard of Oz?

TBH when I think of Oz I just think of that old 40s/50s movie and it seems like a boring setting.

When I remember the content of subsequent books which were adapted into the anime Oz no Mahou (I've only seen the dub though, I don't think the original JapAudio has ever been subtitled) I see your point, it had some interesting tech.

That and Wonderland.

Or just keep them warlocks and add in a spiffy japanese style hand to hand.

I don't think we should discuss what Bending would be since it bridges on conversions, but due to the Elemental link (and many spells making elemental fragments) I'd think it more the psionic-based route, which would explain why it's racially inherited and not teachable to anybody.

[say652]

I used an Earth and Fire walock with the Japanese ninjutsu hand to hand. The gm let me sacrifice skills to learn body hardening (but not arts of stealth?) Was pretty badass but his pack of skills to me made the character eh. Any who.

Thunder Cats. Voltron. The movie Dredd. Any steampunk. And SHREK.

[Tor]

If Shrek gets in then Once Upon a Time.

[say652]

I watched rise of the guardians today. Adding a vote FOR 5th element and 300

[Shorty Lickens]

Almost anything from Futurama. In fact I even tried making a Futurama campaign.

If its books-only, perhaps the Naked God Trilogy. But that would be hard to role-play for one small group.

[Tor]

Oh man... just remembered... the entire world of Nosgoth from the Legacy of Kain series.

[eliakon]

Any fiction that the whole group likes. No seriously trying to list the 'would make good world fiction' is easy just get a list of all fictional worlds. Great there you go.

[Chronicle]

Cowboy bebop

[Tor]

Ooh... more anime needed...

Asura Cryin.

[taalismn]

Just for the obscuro factor:

Neal Asher's Polity series; no magic, but a variety of cyber-augmented humans, transhumans, and A.Is of various flavors. Enigmatic and dangerous ancient alien artifacts.
If set during the Prador Wars, you have a perfect built-in alien enemy; the damn-near unkillable nasty human-eating and enslaving Prador whose society has them killing off most of their own kids before they can kill their parents.
Set later in the series, you also get the damn-near unkillable Hoopers...humans infested with a virus that makes them darned near unkillable and immortal, but also ties them to anti-viral medicines, or else they turn into carnivorous alien leeches.
There's also a cult of animated techno-zombies/liches; people who refuse to give up their old dead flesh, even though there are more comfortable ways of continuing to exist.
Though the favorite RCC I imagine would be playing a Polity combat drone, that tend to be heavily armed and decidedly snarky.

All that and anti-matter weaponry too!

It's like an earlier and nastier version of Iain Banks' Culture.

[Nightmask]

Any fiction that the whole group likes. No seriously trying to list the 'would make good world fiction' is easy just get a list of all fictional worlds. Great there you go.

Well I imagine the question is based on getting ideas from others particularly since many good works are surprisingly unknown (say from being published before someone else started reading).

[Tor]

Ah, with Yamato we could also pull in Harlock/Millenia/Galaxy Express and stuff. I can never remember how much of the Leijiverse is in the same continuity.

[SpiritInterface]

Babylon 5, The Honorverse (David Webber), 3X3 eye, Blood of Heroes, The Dark Tower series (Stephan King), The Stainless Steel Rat series (Harry Harrison), Hammers Slammers series (David Drake), Bolo series [the Annals of the Dinochrome Brigade](Keith Laumer), and The Mote in God's Eye (Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle) should make a good start.

[taalismn]

Babylon 5, The Honorverse (David Webber), 3X3 eye, Blood of Heroes, The Dark Tower series (Stephan King), The Stainless Steel Rat series (Harry Harrison), Hammers Slammers series (David Drake), Bolo series [the Annals of the Dinochrome Brigade](Keith Laumer), and The Mote in God's Eye (Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle) should make a good start.

Honorverse is better suited for spacebattles of the big, grueling, epic scale, unless you're vastly overkill-missile-spamming your opponents. Of course, you can always play Peep or Manticore Marines, or play at being part of the Audobon Ballroom in the secret war against the Mesan Alignment, where it can get downright close and personal.

Likewise, the Bolo universe, anything NOT a giant sentient tank tends to get overshadowed by the same big massive sentient tanks. Also there's the issue that most people seeking that experience already gravitate towards the original Steve Jackson OGRE tabletop game, and the GURPS OGRE RPG(where infantry actually amount to something more than crunchiness under the treads), which has notes on adapting OGRES to other settings(including steampunk and deep space).

Stainless Steel Rat would have to be played hard and loose; the universe itself isn't particularly detailed beyond the planet/population-of-interesting-schmucks-to-be-fleeced, since it's all backstaging to Slippery Jim DeGriz's antics. And how many Slippery Jims can a universe handle?

Playing in Larry Niven/Jerry Pournelle's Mote universe....well, that covers a LOT of ground and possibilities, from the earliest days of the CoDominium(enforced technology limits, involuntary deportations and forced colonization, and the rise of private mercenary companies), the post WW3 rise of the Empire of Man, the Sauron War, followed by the dark ages and the rise of the next Empire. Lot of bloodshed and adventure possible there. Ultimately, of course, it all ends up with the contact with the Moties, and the ray of light at the end(sure, you can always play what would happen if a rogue Master tried to escape the Worm and start their own colony, but it's generally assumed that the nascent Empire of Man and Motie gets a MASSIVE kick in the pants ushering in a renewed age of prosperity).

What one really wants to look for in a playable RPG universe is what other possibilities are there aside from the known storyline? Is the background as intriguing as the characters shoved into the foreground? And can there be potentially world-changing events outside of the known storyline? Or is everything of interest and consequence locked into the known storyline, so much so that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to shorehorn in anything/anybody else?

[Slight001]

Star F.I.S.T. and Demon Tech universes have a lot of potential.

[SpiritInterface]

Babylon 5, The Honorverse (David Webber), 3X3 eye, Blood of Heroes, The Dark Tower series (Stephan King), The Stainless Steel Rat series (Harry Harrison), Hammers Slammers series (David Drake), Bolo series [the Annals of the Dinochrome Brigade](Keith Laumer), and The Mote in God's Eye (Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle) should make a good start.

Honorverse is better suited for spacebattles of the big, grueling, epic scale, unless you're vastly overkill-missile-spamming your opponents. Of course, you can always play Peep or Manticore Marines, or play at being part of the Audobon Ballroom in the secret war against the Mesan Alignment, where it can get downright close and personal.

I agree for the most part but the conflicts between the Kreegor and the other empires lead to that kind of battles. it also allows for smaller single ship adventures such anti piracy, or other peace keeping operations. I was thinking more of the Audobon Ballroom and also the Mesan shadow war on Earth.

How ever maybe the Kris Longknife/Jump Universe (Mike Shepherd) would have been a better choice.

Likewise, the Bolo universe, anything NOT a giant sentient tank tends to get overshadowed by the same big massive sentient tanks. Also there's the issue that most people seeking that experience already gravitate towards the original Steve Jackson OGRE tabletop game, and the GURPS OGRE RPG(where infantry actually amount to something more than crunchiness under the treads), which has notes on adapting OGRES to other settings(including steampunk and deep space).

True but as has been pointed out in a previous post having a sane, honorable, and supportive AIs would be so nice.

Stainless Steel Rat would have to be played hard and loose; the universe itself isn't particularly detailed beyond the planet/population-of-interesting-schmucks-to-be-fleeced, since it's all backstaging to Slippery Jim DeGriz's antics. And how many Slippery Jims can a universe handle?

But it would be so much fun...

Playing in Larry Niven/Jerry Pournelle's Mote universe....well, that covers a LOT of ground and possibilities, from the earliest days of the CoDominium(enforced technology limits, involuntary deportations and forced colonization, and the rise of private mercenary companies), the post WW3 rise of the Empire of Man, the Sauron War, followed by the dark ages and the rise of the next Empire. Lot of bloodshed and adventure possible there. Ultimately, of course, it all ends up with the contact with the Moties, and the ray of light at the end(sure, you can always play what would happen if a rogue Master tried to escape the Worm and start their own colony, but it's generally assumed that the nascent Empire of Man and Motie gets a MASSIVE kick in the pants ushering in a renewed age of prosperity).

What one really wants to look for in a playable RPG universe is what other possibilities are there aside from the known storyline? Is the background as intriguing as the characters shoved into the foreground? And can there be potentially world-changing events outside of the known storyline? Or is everything of interest and consequence locked into the known storyline, so much so that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to shorehorn in anything/anybody else?

Fortunately I have been gaming with a group that can take almost any setting and expand it. However you make a valid point that I admit I didn't think of.

[say652]

Soo that Olympia vs Asgard pantheon war.....