Chaos Earth Ultimate Edition

[Sureshot]

Anyone interested in buying a UE of Chaos Earth. Where PB combines the core material. The magic sourcebook. The Monster book and the psychic sourcebook in one.

[drewkitty ~..~]

No.

[eliakon]

I would rather that any attention to the line be in the form of some of the promised books (First Responders would be very welcome for instance) There is no need to submit to Revisitis, especially for something with so little support as is.

[Warshield73]

I would rather that any attention to the line be in the form of some of the promised books (First Responders would be very welcome for instance) There is no need to submit to Revisitis, especially for something with so little support as is.

I agree. I would rather see more world information, maybe some OCCs and equipment for US military (I can't stand NEMA).
Some of the early d-bees that first arrived on rifts earth would be cool too.

[JimmyB]

Honestly, I find the Dead Reign source books to be awesome resources for Chaos Earth.
But I do agree, it would be nice to see some new ones like First Responders, and the
Psionics book, And the other two supposed books on the back burner.

[Warshield73]

Honestly, I find the Dead Reign source books to be awesome resources for Chaos Earth.
But I do agree, it would be nice to see some new ones like First Responders, and the
Psionics book, And the other two supposed books on the back burner.

I have always used the old 1st edition After the Bomb & Robotech books for ideas on a post apocalyptic setting, but I can see how the DR SBs would work too.

A book or a Rifter article with a few survivor camps would be a nice thing to have though.

[jaymz]

A book or a Rifter article with a few survivor camps would be a nice thing to have though.

I agree. They've done it for System Failure why not CE? Mind you that's assuming anyone wants to write such an article.

[Riftmaker]

Chaos earth feels incomplete to me. Those psioncs rules from rifter dont feel right and dont fit imho with the magic stuff from rise of magic.

[rosco60559]

Gotta agree, screw the ultimate ed. Get the magic book back into print and get the books that have been on preorder done and out.

[Riftmaker]

Let me be clear Yes id buy it if it was as cleaned up as the UR and with a finished psionics system

[Warshield73]

Let me be clear Yes id buy it if it was as cleaned up as the UR and with a finished psionics system

Agreed, also more world info like stats for a few cities over the first year or so and I would totally buy it. I just think it makes more sense to do all that in supplements.

[jaymz]

48 page splat books would be awesome for CE in general. Cheap to produce, less time consuming to write and keep kept really focused to an area. THAT I would buy in a heartbeat.

[jaymz]

Actually it's 300 years.....

[Warshield73]

I think something that would work rather well would be to present CE in a "yearbook" type format, that explains world as the events happen. We're talking about 200 years between the Great Cataclysm and Rifts. I think it could be be easily presented with a "this is the state of the planet, this is the status of NEMA, this is how many humans we think are still alive, these are the new D-Bees we've seen come through the Rifts" POV.

I pitched a similar idea in a different thread a year or so ago. To me this is the only way to really cover the chaos of Chaos Earth, especially the first few years.

In addition to what you said it could include new monsters & threats as the emerge.

[Warshield73]

Actually it's 300 years.....

So according to my Triax 2 book, first printing April 2010

December 22, 2098 is when the Great Cataclysm begins.

January 2286 The Post Apocalyptic Calendar is started by the Coalition States in North America


I get 188 years.


Has this been revised?

You are correct. The year 101 PA is 2387 CE. That is in several books including Japan and Mutants in Orbit.

I think most people are thinking of the text from many books that says it is "nearly 300 years since the coming of the Rifts" and of course most characters in North America have no idea how many years the dark age was. Most say between 100 and 300.

[jaymz]

You said 200 years between cataclysm and rifts. Not beginning of pa calendar. From cataclysm to rifts is about 300 years. Not 200.

[jaymz]

No worries. Most people I know here and elsewhere consider when you say rifts to me the time frame of the game is all.

It;s all good

[Spinachcat]

CE needs a reboot and an overhaul. It would be a good place for a rebuilt system too.

I do agree with the 48 page or even 96 page splats as a support concept.

[runebeo]

I've been mainly using sourcebook one to cover the missing tech on CE, yet it definitely needs more of its own sourcebooks. I was put off by how the magic sourcebook was so different and my past Rifts group didn't gel well. We started up a totally new CE campaign from scratch last winter. THE MISSING component that spruced up setting was using Dead Reign's MOS & occupations and it was a major hit with us bring back an open world, fresh and new. My advice to anyone trying Choas Earth is to start new and that how u get the most bang for your buck. As Rifts world is filling up with world books (Still missing Lazlo WB lol) this setting is way closer and relatable to us, as we can foresee our future cities in 80 years even if they lay in ruins. It sure be nice to see a book on CE Germany but I guess World Book 5 is a great start to build backward pre Dark ages tech levels.

[Acid0philus]

I would like to see that, and would buy it.

BUT

There needs to be a printing of the NEMA Missions book, First Responders, AND the Psionics book, before we even consider an Ultimate Edition.

That said, I love Chaos Earth! To me, this is a more palpable and emotionally involved setting. That, and it also is the perfect way to get a better grip on the world of Rifts Earth, and the history behind it. I love playing a Silver Eagle pilot, and taking wing to fight against the horrors that are plaguing humanity.

[Warshield73]

I would like to see that, and would buy it.

BUT

There needs to be a printing of the NEMA Missions book, First Responders, AND the Psionics book, before we even consider an Ultimate Edition.

Agreed, I would also add a book on survivors. Sort of a civilizations gone book for CE. We need to know what places with survivors (cities or camps) are like.

That said, I love Chaos Earth! To me, this is a more palpable and emotionally involved setting. That, and it also is the perfect way to get a better grip on the world of Rifts Earth, and the history behind it. I love playing a Silver Eagle pilot, and taking wing to fight against the horrors that are plaguing humanity.

While I do not like CE as much as Rifts I have to say it is a great setting. I always liked the old Invid Invasion game and this is like Invid Invasion with magic & demons.

While I must agree that playing the Silver Eagle I have to say that I really, REALLY, hate NEMA. I really think that CE would be a lot more fun if we could play US military or police or other groups we are familiar with.

[Tor]

I don't know if 'Ultimate' was some way of Kev expressing 'I do not plan to make a 3rd so I will not leave it open-ended by writing 2nd' but I much prefer '2nd edition' labelling.

Kind of wish 'Revised' would be ditched too. Should I think of that as 'edition 1.5' or something? Meh.

[Warshield73]

I don't know if 'Ultimate' was some way of Kev expressing 'I do not plan to make a 3rd so I will not leave it open-ended by writing 2nd' but I much prefer '2nd edition' labelling.

Kind of wish 'Revised' would be ditched too. Should I think of that as 'edition 1.5' or something? Meh.

I have to admit, while I like the "Ultimate" label, I would prefer 1.5, 2nd, 3rd, etc. editions rather than the kind of amorphous hard to define Revised & Ultimate versions. Easier to determine which sourcebooks and world books are updated if it says "created for 2nd ed." sort of thing.

[Jason Richards]

It's always refreshing to read fan takes on what they would like CE to be and find that it jibes with my own ideas.

I was just checking the boards and had missed this old thread, so being in a giving mood, I thought I'd hit a few points.

1. I think First Responders is just the book that many of you want, but I confess that I've always been concerned that it wouldn't be massively popular because of the subject matter. In many ways, FR is a book that is NEEDED more even than wanted. I mean, I want to play CE as a dude who was an accountant who has managed to scrap together some supplies and runs from monsters rather than chasing after them. But, many many many gamers are not like that. Hell, ten pages (or so) of the manuscript is skills for regular people that didn't make it into the core RPG. Many familiar, but some new. I think you need to be able to play a character from BEFORE the world collapsed. That's why there are rules for picking up a new OCC after abandoning your old life.

Anyway, I think the people in this thread, at least, would love it.

2. I actually pitched "Ultimizing" CE many years ago, but Kev passed for many of the reasons mentioned here. He's right, I think. The only exception would be if CE were to go to an electronic format, exclusively. Re-release the core book with magic and psychic rules, then release all supplements in 10-20 page micro-books. Maybe collect them in hard copy limited runs every couple of years. In THAT case, I think doing it Ultimate-style would make sense. I've actually pitched First Responder as an e-book as well, and Kevin has at times seemed receptive. Haven't talked about it in a while, though.

3. I think Systems Failure is maybe the best Chaos Earth sourcebook. One of my projects on the shelf is doing conversions of all of the OCCs for a Rifter article.

4. Sorry that not everybody loved the psychics in the Rifter. I think they rule, though a bit of a leveling glitch in the Teke Freak was pointed out and needs to be corrected, and I guess I wasn't nearly clear enough on what the Reactionary was really all about. I think they actually fit the generally theme of CE and the powers that the Cataclysm unleashed on the world, because they are all immensely powerful with very little control over abilities that are purely instinctive. The MAIN reason that they rule, imo, is that they're totally different from anything in Rifts. I've said this a lot, but I'm not going to write a CE version of a Burster. Not gonna happen. Y'all don't need me to write that, because we already have a Burster. I also am not going to write the same Psi powers that have been printed in every core RPG from Palladium for the last 30 years or more. Booooorrrrrriiiiiiiing! That's just my take on it. We've covered that ground enough.

5. I share the dislike for NEMA. Especially for the name. Why wouldn't it be NAMA? The Eagle thing is weird. I actually have an in-game explanation for the choice not to call it NAMA, but it's kinda weak and I probably wouldn't publish it.

6. For those that mentioned desiring some military, non-NEMA stuff, you get a bit of that in FR, but it's the main focus of the book I want to write that I call Brothers in Arms. It would come after Psychic Storm. Lots of focus on the Golden Age military, which was very Special Forces-oriented.

Thanks to everyone for supporting Palladium's best setting. Anybody have any questions or anything? I'll check back in off and on this week to see if it gets any traction.

[Riftmaker]

Glad to know someones watching JR.

[Warshield73]

JR - Brothers in Arms sounds exactly like what I was hoping for Chaos Earth. I just think CE would be a lot more fun if players can player OCCs that they are more likely to identify with, like a SEAL or PJ or better yet Marine Force Recon.

I just hope that the equipment in the book is truly "Golden Age" and it should truly stand out against Rifts tech while not being completely ridiculous if you put it in Rifts. Better capabilities - sensors, self repair nano systems, unique features - not necessarily more MDC or damage. just my 2 cents worth.

[Tor]

Dead Reign being used for CE makes a lot of sense, in the midst of apocalypse finding MD tech would be pretty hard for the average person, has not had time to re-equip like Rifts has.