Converting Rifts over to Dragonstar setting?

[Dwarven Godfather]

I would like to know if there are others like me who would interested in helping convert the Rifts system over to Dragonstar genre even though they are the same genre. I would even possibly look into a seperate site that we could post our convertions to for others to download the info from. Please respond if you are interested in this little project of mine.
I have been in the past, been a big supporter of Rifts, but the system has some flaws that have not been fixed in over the 12+ years that I have been a loyal supporter of the system. Now with the D20 system, I think there would be an increase back into this world after the convertion to the D20 system.
If you know anything about Rifts, the main thing has always been the long and dragged out combat system and the simple thing is that everytime a new book comes out, the classes are more powerful than the previous classes
I know the D20 system would do justice to Rifts that has been a favorite game system of mine for a long time and the times to come. Maybe even this will be a world within the Dragonstar Empire or even an outworld of the Dragonstar Empire. It's up to the individual GMs to decide.
Dwarven Godfather

 

[Psychotic Dreamer]

Well in every post about converting any Palladium System over to any D20 system it is always brought up as not being a good idea. Not because the two ideas are not compatable in anyway. Not because it's a silly idea. It is because the people from Palladium have said they do no wish for their stuff to be converted to D20 and have brought up the idea of copyright lawsuits.

 

[hellbender]

Exactly. Palladium has a RABID anti-conversion policy. Way back in the day, they didn't care at all, as long as you followed the internet policy of the time, but the past 4-5 years or so they have clamped down, and have zero tolerance.

Putting up anything Palladium associated with any other game is a patently bad idea.


hellbender

 

[trancejeremy]

There have been a few attempts at conversions in the past, but they've all been halted by Palladiums dreaded term of legal commandos.

 

[Dwarven Godfather]

Rifts Conversion is a flop, unless you want your own conversion. I requested permission from the Vice-president at Palladium Books and like everyone else has said it's the Lawyers speaking, they said something about there is something wrong with D20 licensing that forbids the development to an other system. She did not say it couldn't be done though as long as I do it for my own campaigns.
She also said something about not posting it to the internet. So my hopes are not busted, it just means that it can't be done by the community or die-hard Rifts fans that wanted a new game engine that is more understandable to use. Dwarven Godfather

 

[hellbender]

Rifts Conversion is a flop, unless you want your own conversion. I requested permission from the Vice-president at Palladium Books and like everyone else has said it's the Lawyers speaking, they said something about there is something wrong with D20 licensing that forbids the development to an other system. She did not say it couldn't be done though as long as I do it for my own campaigns.
She also said something about not posting it to the internet. So my hopes are not busted, it just means that it can't be done by the community or die-hard Rifts fans that wanted a new game engine that is more understandable to use. Dwarven Godfather

The vice-president, being the president's wife, gives such answers at any mention of d20. They are very against it, and on their boards, she has banned mentioning other game systems, unless it is, say, to compare a PFRPG elf to a DnD elf. Totalitarian? Perhaps.

I play various rpg systems, and I must say, Palladium has the weirdest way to go about things. There is nothing wrong with not embracing the d20 system at all, but to put up the wall like they do is just silly. Considering that Palladium books are extremely scarce in a 150 mile radius from me after they used to have heavy support amongst distributors, if I were them, I would drop the shield and at least give it a try. I was a hardcore non-munchkin Rifts/PFRPG GM/player, but the lack of support dropped the market out on Palladium and everyone plays 3E, Deadlands, WoD or Gurps.


hellbender

 

[Apok]

Saint Kevin the Paranoid

I find it terribly, terribly sad that a great game like RIFTS has to suffer because the president of Palladium (YOU, Kevin! I'm talking 'bout YOU here!!!) is a paranoid control freak whose ego is so fragile that the mere thought of someone out there converting his pet project to a system not of his own creation drives him into fits of apoplexy.

Seriously, though, the RIFTS ruleset is a dinosaur and needs a serious overhaul. I think conversion to d20 with a few minor adjustments would be a wonderful thing for the game, but since putting such a conversion out publicly will likely get you crucified by Palladium's legal SS, I plan on doing it in private for my own personal use.

If one wanted to do this as a collaberative effort, some kind of mailing list would probably be the best way. Any ideas or suggestions on how a clandestine conversion effort could be organized?

Disclaimer: the above post is considered to be the Opinion of the poster and is not based on proven fact. (just covering my arse legally, here. I don't trust Palladium as far as I could throw a truck)

 

[Brutorz Bill]

A mailing list won't work either, there used to be one on converting Rifts to d20, Palladium joined the list ...demanded the files be deleted and eventually the whole list basically shut down.

 

[hellbender]

There is no way to collaberate on conversions with any Palladium material in any way, via the internet. There are eyes everywhere, and I would be willing to bet this thread is already being observed, if not directly, then by one of the loyal mad dog fans.

In the end, Palladium never really put out anything that special that can't be tweaked and renamed. I have played their games for years and came to the conclusion that they are fairly simple and cover very universal themes. It would be much easier to just scoop up the themes, lay down background, and build up from there than to decide what you would try to convert anyway.


hellbender

 

[Zarrock God of Evil]

You could put up ezboards at varying locations and only share the url with each other through email. Kinda like SW rebel base tactics

-Zarrock