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Chaos Earth™ First Responders
Chaos Earth™ – Zombie Apocalyse Rifts-style during the Great Cataclysm.

I'm looking forward to First Responders (and eventually Brothers in Arms).


The "Zombie Apocalypse" book I'm guessing is the one being worked on by RoadWarriorFWaNK? At any rate I'm not sure this is a book I'll really need, I'd like to hear more details about it first.

I am looking forward to First Reponders, but really don't care that much for the idea of the zombie one. I am currently using Dead Reign for this, and it is working just fine. I would prefer that Psychic Storm is the next one after First Responders.

Taylor's zombie book is going to be a pretty sweet addition, I think. CE can use some specific, overarching type villains that aren't pulled from Rifts. And, it being written doesn't impact Psychic Storm (or other CE projects) at all. As soon as First Responders is published, I'll get to work knocking out Psychic Storm.

Jason Richards wrote:Taylor's zombie book is going to be a pretty sweet addition, I think. CE can use some specific, overarching type villains that aren't pulled from Rifts. And, it being written doesn't impact Psychic Storm (or other CE projects) at all. As soon as First Responders is published, I'll get to work knocking out Psychic Storm.

I realize why PS was not on the list, was just commenting that I wish it was. I am currently running a campaign from day 1 of the apocalypse, and having that book would come in really handy. Fortunatly, Rifter 50 contains just enough info to get me by.

I am also looking forward to First Responders, and the plagues. This should be really fun for my group.

The zombie book i wrote was titled "The Resurrection" when i handed it in. I'm really hoping they decide to keep that title. I don't think it's fair to just label it "another zombie apocalypse book" it's so much more than that.

It will be cool to play NEMA characters fighting Chaos Earth Zombies, but fighting them as First Responders will be even better.

My recently introduced Roscoe NEEDS First Responders STAT! I for one am completely stoked to get my grubby little hands on 'The Resurrection' (love the title)! Dead Reign zeds are nice and all, but they don't quite mesh with how I see the risen dead in a more cataclysmic setting. The biggest difference I could imagine between the zombies of CE vs. those of DR is that the CE zeds could have been longer dead and still resurrected (maybe even in a big second coming kind of way) whereas the DR zeds have to be killed by one or the wave to come back. I see a lot of golden age civilians killing themselves to avoid becoming 'one of them' only to be brought back anyways due to the rampant, surging energies that caused the resurrection in the first place!

So until the day I can unleash that material upon my hapless group of heroic survivors, it's blue zone animated legions for now!

I think it's gonna be pretty cool having these two books come available around the same time (hopefully). Taylor and I are VERY different writers and gamers, and we did these books totally independent of each other. However, the subject matter does cross a bit, and campaigns using one book should be able to gain a lot from the other. You'll get two different perspectives (one human survivalist, one undead plague), serving two purposes (mine is more of a GM/player resource to flesh out the setting, while Taylor's is more about adventure and threats) from two different authors who were writing from essentially the same inspirational place.

All the more reason to send Kevin a PM, letter, Facebook message, or all three and tell him how excited you are to see these two books, and encourage him to publish them as early as possible! Trust me, the fan voice does move the needle when it comes to Kevin deciding which manuscript he'll be grabbing next from his pile.

Oh, I just threw down some mad facebook love for the Chaos Earth. Now we play the waiting game!

Jason Richards wrote:All the more reason to send Kevin a PM, letter, Facebook message, or all three and tell him how excited you are to see these two books, and encourage him to publish them as early as possible! Trust me, the fan voice does move the needle when it comes to Kevin deciding which manuscript he'll be grabbing next from his pile.

I did just that earlier this year, and was told that First Responders was coming out in 2011. Somehow, I don't think it is going to make it, since we are 1/2 way through July, and there are still 3-4 books ahead of it in the schedule.

I'm wondering how much material in First Responders is going to relate directly to the Fire and Rescue class though. The equipment list in the CE core book is pretty general. I'd love to see a detailed breakdown and description of the response kit and the bio comp/harness they carry.

Fair warning, this is based on MY manuscript prior to any additions or ediits by Kevin.

I didn't really revisit the Roscoe overall. What I did was fill in a lot of gaps in equipment. Some of it is basic stuff, but the focus is on gear that would be used in a game that actually affects the outcome of skill rolls, or provides a measurable effect.

For example, I did include the quick breakdown of a couple of different First Aid kits, but the really important stats for these kits in game terms are 1) availability and 2) bonus to skill rolls if a stocked kit is available. Pretty much every piece of emergency gear provides some sort of bonus to medical or survival skills, and they all indicate how common they were in the Golden Age, and note their value now that society has crashed.

There is also plenty of gear that gives information on how the medical profession worked. There are automated diagnosis gadgets and robots, and machines that read from subdermal chips that patients have installed with their history.

Maybe most important in equipment is emergency gear that allows for people with broken legs to walk off a battlefield, or equipment that allows a paramedic to safely amputate a limb without causing long-term damage to the patient.

With the information in First Responders, playing a (non-supernatural) support character (like the Medic in so many coop shooters/rpgs) becomes a real option for maybe the first time in a Rifts RPG. Such a charcter, whether a Roscoe or Paramedic or just a skilled Civilian, can quickly (not instantly) buff, heal, or otherwise aid fellow characters with a few skill rolls and the proper gear.

Jason Richards wrote:Fair warning, this is based on MY manuscript prior to any additions or ediits by Kevin.

I didn't really revisit the Roscoe overall. What I did was fill in a lot of gaps in equipment. Some of it is basic stuff, but the focus is on gear that would be used in a game that actually affects the outcome of skill rolls, or provides a measurable effect.

For example, I did include the quick breakdown of a couple of different First Aid kits, but the really important stats for these kits in game terms are 1) availability and 2) bonus to skill rolls if a stocked kit is available. Pretty much every piece of emergency gear provides some sort of bonus to medical or survival skills, and they all indicate how common they were in the Golden Age, and note their value now that society has crashed.

There is also plenty of gear that gives information on how the medical profession worked. There are automated diagnosis gadgets and robots, and machines that read from subdermal chips that patients have installed with their history.

Maybe most important in equipment is emergency gear that allows for people with broken legs to walk off a battlefield, or equipment that allows a paramedic to safely amputate a limb without causing long-term damage to the patient.

With the information in First Responders, playing a (non-supernatural) support character (like the Medic in so many coop shooters/rpgs) becomes a real option for maybe the first time in a Rifts RPG. Such a charcter, whether a Roscoe or Paramedic or just a skilled Civilian, can quickly (not instantly) buff, heal, or otherwise aid fellow characters with a few skill rolls and the proper gear.

I have faith in you Mr Richards

Just some more information, and an example.

First Aid Kit (Standard): This basic first aid kit is likely to be found in kitchen cabinets, workplace break rooms and tucked into a storage space of a car and includes common remedies for minor injuries and discomforts. Exact contents vary, but the kit typically includes a pair of gloves, roll of sterile gauze, small pair of scissors or a utility knife, small LED flashlight, bottle of sanitizing gel, adhesive bandages, soothing antibiotic ointment, spray bandage and a variety of mild medicines for head and body aches, upset stomach, allergies and other minor ailments. Includes written instructions on the use of all included items. Contained in a sturdy plastic box with a built-in shatterproof mirror. Bonus: Adds a bonus of +5% to the First Aid skill, or provides a base skill equivalent of 20% for treating minor injuries and illnesses. Cost: 6 credits for a personal kit (enough for two or three treatments per product) or 20 credits for a family-sized kit (enough for as many as eight or ten uses per product). Excellent availability.

In terms of medical/rescue equipment, sections include:

Medical Equipment (33 items total)
- Medical Diagnostic and Monitoring Equipment
- Emergency Medical Equipment
- Basic Medical and Surgical Implements
- Emergency Medication
- Nano-botic Systems

Survival and Rescue Equipment (22 items total)
- includes survival equipment for hot and cold weather, entry and demo tools, firefighting gear, and simple items like survival knives and flares.

Jason Richards wrote:
Pretty much every piece of emergency gear provides some sort of bonus to medical or survival skills,

That sounds excellent! I'm glad I'm not the only one that applies skill bonuses relatable to on hand equipment and I'm glad it MAY finally see print (to my eyes at least)!

Thanks for sharing, that's exactly what my Roscoe needs.

Always happy to discuss the book and CE in general.

Jason, Are any of these medical devices going to, in addition to adding bonuses to skills, also going to increase the healing rate (IE add additional HP/SDC healing if used)?

I would imagine so...

strtkwr wrote:Jason, Are any of these medical devices going to, in addition to adding bonuses to skills, also going to increase the healing rate (IE add additional HP/SDC healing if used)?

Some. There is little in the way of large medical gear (hyperbaric chambers and stuff) that could only be housed in a hospital, but plenty of emergency stuff that stops bleeding, adds a bonus to save vs Coma/Death, etc.

Awesome. The medic in my group is going to love this.

I love playing medics, so looking forward to this.

Medics are the most over looked, under used and most ignored role in the party. Personally, I love them and like to give good incentive to play one in games I run.

Playing medic classes has always been tough in Rifts, I think. The mods in First Responders can easily be taken into the rest of Rifts as well.

Jason Richards wrote:Playing medic classes has always been tough in Rifts, I think. The mods in First Responders can easily be taken into the rest of Rifts as well.

Yes it is. My wife is currently playing a medic in Rifts. She will patch us up, then the mages will come along and heal us, rendering her work pointless. This should help with that.

Not if you run it so that having a medic to properly set the bones before the mage casts heal is important. In some games if you heal the wound without propper preporation its healed wrong, like your bones reconect in the current configuration, IE the arm is now useless, so you have to rebreak the bone to fix it.

Took a look through the manuscript regarding playing a medic, and here are some of the features:

- There are a number of new (well, mostly not BRAND new, but new to CE) Medical and/or Science skills that apply to medicine. Not emergency medicine really, but some application there.
- One of the new OCCs is explicitly for emergency medicine, and others have application in that arena.
- There are several emergency vehicles and bots
- I count roughly 18 devices and/or drugs that directly relate to emergency medicine, with some emphasis on quickly diagnosing, treating, or even buffing wounded in a battle or disaster area. There are others with emergency applications, but that are more general medical devices (jet injectors, diagnostic tools, etc.). Most of these offer either some sort of bonus to save for the victim, or a bonus to First Aid/Paramedic/Field Surgery to the medic.

Also, it should be stated that there is a fair amount of carryover from Rifts into this book, at least in terms of some of the equipment and skills. I mean, when rubber gloves are detailed in FR, they're going to be the same as in Rifts. They're even going to be based on the same description. Likewise for a skill like Genetics, it's going to basically be the skill from Rifts. That just makes sense, since it's the same game world.

However, there is no copypasta here. Anything that I imported was carefully looked over and adjusted where it needed to be to either 1) fit the Golden Age version of Rifts, or 2) make it more useful to gamers by assigning bonuses and such to it. This process is probably better suited to its own topic at a later date, but I thought I'd mention it.

Warmaster40k wrote:Not if you run it so that having a medic to properly set the bones before the mage casts heal is important. In some games if you heal the wound without propper preporation its healed wrong, like your bones reconect in the current configuration, IE the arm is now useless, so you have to rebreak the bone to fix it.

That's a pretty good idea, but that's not how the GM running our Rifts game does it. And in my CE campaign, none of the characters are magic (we started it just before the outbreak, and they have not gotten to magic developing yet).