Post Release Support

[yanko128]

With all the issues coming up with this KS, I am wondering what is post release support of this game looking like? I know there have been mentions of some sort of tournament circuit, but I have no clue whatever happened to that.

Any clue what kind of store presence will this game have? Are game store looking at preorders, or are they treating it like any other PB product and staying clear of it/special orders only?

Are Megaversal Ambassadors still supposed to run organized play? If so, where can I find those Ambassadors?

[Kryptt]

From what I've seen it's the MA's who will promote RRT. Which is just you an your buddy playing the game in public so folks now it exists. My LFGS is planning on stocking some RRT models when they come out. I'll also be playing there myself to promote macross RRT. As for telling new players about the RPG... I'll be frank and honest and they can make up there own mind if they want to jump into the RPG side of things. Although even the game stores know about the problems with RRT. One owner even said its typical PB. The only PB books they had were the manga versions of RT that's been there since 08' or 09'. I'll do what I can to get word of RRT out to the masses but if PB doesn't jump on the next era then I feel like interest will dwindle because all you can play is two factions. Three with malcontents but no new models will quickly kill this game besides the companies bad rep. At this point I'm sure PB is regretting getting into the wargame business because the fanbase isn't as willing to take the usual excuses from the company. So if sc doesn't come out soon to appeal to other wargamers then there won't be much of a future for the game.

[Forar]

Throughout last year, Palladium news releases mentioned that ND would be helping with tournament/competitive play support. This was changed without fanfare around January this year to note that MA's would be filling that role instead.

I know of one local store that has had the wave one boxes listed since last summer or so, when Alliance Distributing started spreading the word to retail stores they work with and someone leaked it to the backers, and I know of a few online only shops that have had it listed for a while, though I don't think many of them are taking money for it yet (and they'd be smart not to; we still have no idea when wave one will actually get to backers, let alone retail, and for all we know there'll be a second MSRP adjustment).

There's at least one large ebay seller that has been taking pre-orders since last summer as well, which I'm sure has been nothing but a headache for them, ebay and/or paypal at this point. Normally one isn't allowed to pre-sell things this far in advance, but with the backsliding delivery date, perhaps that one just got grandfathered in on a technicality.

There have been players and MA's alike commenting about looking forward to demo'ing the game at local stores and conventions alike, though obviously that'll be a harder sell until official rules are available and models start getting delivered.

[Jerell]

This is just my own wild speculation, but I think ND will continue to be involved in a number of projects. I would think they would support RRT on some level, depending on how many other projects they pick up between now and then, and depending on how many resources Dungeon Explore will take of theirs. If they have the time, I hope they do support RRT play. That being said, RRT game play was PBs side of things, it makes sense on some level they would try to organize what they could. I think PB and ND would do well to stick together supporting the game post release.

I wonder if Southern Cross or New Generation will be next? I wouldn't mind seeing either one next. Assuming the game does well of course.

[Forar]

Honestly, if that were the case, they probably would've been showing it off at Adepticon. Even a demo table or two.

Which isn't to say that Palladium couldn't get them back on board. I'm sure with the right contract or financial incentive it could be arranged (at least, as long as rumours of there being some bridge burning in the recent past aren't true) going forward, but we have very recent evidence before us indicating that it's not happening now.

[Jerell]

Yeah, that would make sense, since I think ND gets it's money from just the design stage.

Something else I was just thinking about, I wonder what the cost of getting RRT done in the US would have been verse getting it done then shipped from China? I honestly have no idea, but I was just thinking about it.

[Morgan Vening]

I think the fact that Ninja Division have apparently completely distanced themselves from both Palladium, and Robotech Tactics, doesn't bode well for them participating in any meaningful way in an aftermarket tournament/promotional way.

There's literally no mention of RTT or Palladium on their home site, not even a bounce link to the Kickstarter, or mention of it in the News section. Now, that could be because it hasn't been officially released, but I would have expected a "Coming Soon" on there, or something. The silence doesn't inspire confidence for the future.

[Jerell]

Larry you've got a good point. If it's not on shelves, like getting new players is going to be troublesome.

There's literally no mention of RTT or Palladium on their home site, not even a bounce link to the Kickstarter, or mention of it in the News section. Now, that could be because it hasn't been officially released, but I would have expected a "Coming Soon" on there, or something. The silence doesn't inspire confidence for the future.

I was just thinking that their hands might be full with the designs still, since it's running a little long on RRT and they've got other projects like Dungeon Explore going at the same time. Since PB could handle the PR, why not let them if it takes a little off their plate. Or maybe HG is picky on who gets to say what about it? Either way I do think you're right, in that on a professional level you'd think they would have a link on their site. <shrug> Who knows?

[Forar]

Either way I do think you're right, in that on a professional level you'd think they would have a link on their site. <shrug> Who knows?

Last I checked, their site is a rather middling work in progress.

Far more interesting is looking at their Facebook page, where they have been fairly diligent about noting when a new RRT update has gone out, or other information is newsworthy.

Even funnier, go look at PB's own FB page. Last time I looked there, RRT was mentioned maybe 5 times in the last few months, and showed up a fraction of the number of times it shows up on ND's.

Maybe ND screwed up royally somehow and it's taking all PB's self control to not throw them under the bus, but I've seen progress charts on their other projects, I've seen some of the sprues they've been knocking off as well. I'm not particularly convinced the fault lies with them, based on what we can tangibly see.

Is Relic Knights super late? Sure is! But y'know what? They also gave their backers the rules (apparently in full) a few months into those delays, and the sprues don't seen to require two dozen parts for a figure an inch and a half tall.

Again, I'm not ruling out the possibility, but it simply doesn't add up.

[Jerell]

Far more interesting is looking at their Facebook page, where they have been fairly diligent about noting when a new RRT update has gone out, or other information is newsworthy.

That. Is a very good point. They may not have the time, will or expertise to care to put that much work into a website when FB servers most of their needs.

[jaymz]

As a former MA.......I do not see the MA program being able to properly handle the promotion this game is going to need for a variety of reasons. It just isn't set up in any way to be able to do so.

[Jorel]

bummer. Too bad they had acted like ND would be a bigger part.

[yanko128]

First I need to state that I have no horse in this race, as I did not back the KS, not because of PB, but because I have no attachment to Robotech, and I cannot stand the mech designs. I cannot play a game if I can't stand to look at the minis. I am however following this out of morbid curiosity.

I wish this game best of luck, since there are a lot of people excited about despite PBs handling the game. Just remember that Privateer Press did not have the Press Gangers at the beginning, at least not in any meaningful way. Unfortunately I cannot imagine in my wildest dreams PB have a fraction of organizational skills that Privateer Press does.

Of course at this point the game has to be amazing, with amazing models to get past the initial bad publicity. I am looking forward to unboxing videos.

[Forar]

Yeah, it'll be nice to finally see everything (full sprues "in the wild", full rules books/breakdowns, etc) in the next 2-3 months, at least for wave one. 'Cause July is approaching swiftly, and Gencon's only a few weeks after that passes.

[bielmic]

The official delivery date is still "definitely June", Forar. If palladium wants to delay it any further, they can feel free to post an update about it. Let's not put too much credence into an off hand comment made by wayne over a month ago that hasn't been backed up since. Heck, we can't even put much credence into delivery dates posted as "definitely" in updates let alone off the cuff remarks.

Palladium knows the best way to communicate further failure to deliver in a timely fashion and that method is an official update. My guess is that we won't see any word on the backsliding delivery date till "definitely June" is upon us and impossible even with if the Lord Almighty decided to intervene.

[Forar]

Oh, I'm definitely being generous. However, note that in the weekly newsletter, the delivery target is no longer "Spring 2014", but now "Summer 2014", which is defined as late June to late September. I'd say that's as close to an admission we're going to get that June is a writeoff at this point.

Plus the fact that it would probably take a miracle to punch out a couple hundred thousand sprues and ship them across the ocean in the next 8 weeks. Even doing it in 12 is going to require them firing up production, like, immediately.