World Book 34: Northern Gun 2 is absolutely brilliant!

[popscythe]

I got Northern Gun 2 on Monday and have been enjoying it a great deal.

Reading NG1 and NG2, it strikes me that the gaps in Rifts are slowly being filled in. With things like Atlantis and South America being within the first 10 world books, I understand where the myth of power creep came from. However, if you look at the whole catalog now, with NG1 and NG2 being at the end, all of the technology in the Megaverse has a really nice balance curve. Now that the Northern Gun is finally fleshed out, there is an absolute wealth of balanced open market equipment available for "average" users ranging from the poor to the very rich high powered mercenary groups. NG2 brings us all of the vehicles and armor that we could possibly need, everything that feels "missing" or under-represented equipment-wise in Rifts Ultimate Edition is present in the Northern Gun books. That in combination with NG1's wealth of Robots and Weapons gives us a very nice platform as GMs to seed our campaigns with goodies and uniquely-armed opponents.

Between them, the Northern Gun books add a layer of solid, dependable complexity to the "equipment for your average Rifts character" scene that I didn't know that I wanted so badly until it was in my hands. A friend of mine remarked that the book is a "must have" and I agree. I would absolutely advise all Rifts GMs to get NG1 and NG2 if they intend to run games that will involve humanoid characters with armor and guns and vehicles (which are pretty common in my experience).

I think the the NG1 and NG2 books are extremely solid and contribute a great deal to the Rifts franchise. Even the gear that is reprinted in NG1 and NG2 is done so in a way that is easy to reference and adds some new insight into the equipment (and in some cases brings old equipment up to code with new versions, new prices and etc for 109 PA). I know that much creativity has been flowing and so I'm not sure who to thank specifically, but I know that besides KS as usual bringing us great stuff, that MC and CW have been hard at work on the Northern Gun books and to you three (and anyone who I have missed) I will say: Friends, you've successfully achieved what some would have said was impossible. You've contributed to Rifts in a way that modernizes it without screwing it up, that improves it very solidly without throwing the baby out with the bathwater and "rebooting" it. You have done extremely well. Other RPG writers, artists and designers throughout the industry should take note of the way in which these newest Northern Gun books add to the Rifts franchise in such an excellent way without sacrificing anything in the process.

Thank you for your work on the NG books. I am proud to be a Palladium fan as always and these books are extremely solid strides in a very good direction that we can be proud of as fans and that you should be very proud of as artists, writers and game designers. As always, keep up the good work.

I know this is off topic, but while I have your attention, I think that a detailed youtube series that demonstrates creating a Rifts character with RUE and gearing it up with the Northern Gun books from start to finish could bring in a ton of positive attention. The more people who know how most-excellent the NG books are the better!

Thanks again for the excellent work.

[taalismn]

Now I'm wishing I'd placed an advance order.
Have to get an order off tomorrow.

[Pepsi Jedi]

Looking forward to my PDF

[The Galactus Kid]

Going to place an order over the phone tomorrow.

[sirkermittsg]

I too am looking forward to my PDF.

[Tor]

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