ROBOTECH RPG - its back, and its new

[direrodent]

Regardless of your opinion of Kevin, it is exciting to see Robotech return to the RPG table. That being said, I have some major concerns:

1) Are the Game Mechanics fun? Or will be it a mega-damage fest that Rifts is?

To me, the mega damage rules actually worked well in Robotech. The somewhat limited (compared to RIFTS) proliferation of variant mecha, and the presumed presence of military organizations to better regulate access to the powerful gear just allowed me to regulate things better than in RIFTS.

I'd prefer the new material be as compatible with the old as possible.

2) Will the 5x7 format be acceptable to the audience? I don't think it will. Players want big books, 8.5x11 minimum.

It worked for Traveller back in the day, but I'd prefer to have the books line up nicely on the shelf with my older Robotech stuff.

4) Can it be successful in a world where RPGs are down and World of Warcraft is up? Hard to say. I think it depends on the the above three questions.

Well, Palladium, like some other smaller publishers, knows its role as a niche publisher. The continued popularity of Anime and the presumed compatibility with RIFTS and other Palladium games should allow it to have moderate success. It won't compete with D&D, but really, what does?

These days though, to be honest, I'd be tempted to buy the book and convert it to Heavy Gear to actually play it.

 

[Atreides]

Battletech:

Takes place in a alternate galaxy/universe/whatever that has nothing to do with earth. There are 5 main houses that are always fighting. They fight primarily with Mechs. Major plotlines typically center around bloodlines or mercenaries fighting between the houses.

There are three main types of mechs: small (the Locust), medium (Pheonix Hawk), and large (Maurader). Mechs are humanoid, but only loosly so in some cases. Small and medium mechs sometimes have "jump jets", but the mechs are otherwise ground based. Weapons follow the same small/medium/large pattern as the mechs. Heat is always an issue when piloting a mech, and damage to parts of the mech (arms, legs, head, torso) is a common theme.[/QUOTE]


A few corrections regarding Battletech:
The 'Inner Sphere' does include Earth (it is in the center, marked as Terra) and the timeline is 'based' on our own history, the 4th Succession War occurs in the year 3028. Mechs are grouped by 4 categories - Light (Wasp), Medium (Phoenix Hawk), Heavy (Warhammer), Assault (Atlas). The Wasp Land-Air Mech (LAM), the Phoenix Hawk LAM, the Rifleman, and the Warhammer were all IP properties related to Robotech. FASA did produce and showcase them for several years (the Warhammer being the most famous of these) and after a string of lawsuits did terminate their use of the IP in the late nineties.

Aliens are a major theme of Robotech, they are not part of Battletech. The 'menace' in the Battletech universe are the Clans which are the human descendants of a splinter military faction which fled the Inner Sphere 300 years prior to the 4th Succession War.

Sorry, just had to get my Battletech Geek hat on.

 

[Ranger REG]

Sorry, just had to get my Battletech Geek hat on.

Been wondering why we're talking about BT in a RT thread.

The only connection they have between them, metagame-wise, are the images of the mecha. FASA thought they could get away using Robotech/Macross images (with some alterations).

Other than that, they're two entirely different universes, two entirely different franchises.

Having said that, I miss the LAMs.

 

[Relique du Madde]

Here's to hoping that the new Robotech license doesn't drive an other nail into Palladium's coffin. Although I liked the earlier Robotech books, it is extremely unlikely that I will buy the new books since I have no interest in using Palladium's rule set, nor do I have any interest in an other rpg product that recycles art from a) an anime's Artbook, b) an anime's footage, C) an anime's production stills, or d) 20 years worth of Palladium books.

 

[Mr. Beef]

[imager]http://icv2.com/images/274402supercyclone_shootingMD.gif[/imager]After protracted negotiations, Palladium Books and Harmony Gold have announced that Palladium has once again acquired the rights to produce roleplaying game products based on Robotech. The license includes both the TV series and the recent feature Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles.

Well this is good news. I've been wanting to let my inner Robotech geek out. The only thing I don't like is that the first books is based on The Shadow Chronicles.

Palladium's first release will be Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles RPG, planned for late November release. In homage to the Japanese origins of the Robotech property, the RPG will be released in a 192-page, manga-size trade paperback. It will be written by Palladium founder Kevin Siembieda, who also wrote the original Robotech RPG, with cover by Apollo Okamura.

A 192-page manga-sized trade paperback? This seems more like a gimmick to me. I can't stand small books. My eyes are not as good as they were about 20 years ago when the first Robotech RPG Books were released.

Palladium has indicated that its new Robotech books will use some of the best artwork and text from its previous Robotech RPG releases, but says that "all of the new books will be substantially rewritten, expanded upon, and illustrated with much new artwork." All will be released in 5" x 7" formats, with the hope that they will appeal not only to Robotech RPG fans, but also to Robotech fans that just want more info about the world. Special larger-sized deluxe editions are under consideration.

Some of the artwork was good for it being black and white and in the 1980's, and now that I go back and look at some of it I really liked the drawings of the Destroids and Veritechs, but it just seemed so random and put in for no reason in some parts.

I would like to throw my hat in to see the larger format, and maybe a hardcover please.

The timeline of the new game books will be brought into line with current continuity. Rules will be modified and updated from the original, and statistics adjusted. Palladium promises that considerable attention will be paid to the Southern Cross segment of the Robotech storyline. No reprints of old Robotech sourcebooks or games are planned.

Does this mean we will see things like cutting the MDC to 10% of standard, and leaving the weapon damage the same? This gives the more realistic combat where one shot will basically kill you.

Why is there going to be considerable attention paid to the Southern Cross segment of the storyline? I

Here is the planned order of release for Palladium's Robotech line:
Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles RPG
New Generation/Invid Sourcebook
The Macross Sage RPG
Southern Cross Sourcebook
Plus more sourcebooks for them all, rewritten and retold.

What about the Robtech II The Sentinels? Will we see a book for that one, or will that be integrated in to the New Generation book? I only really liked Macross and the Sentinels.

In addition to the recent attention to the property from the new Shadow Chronicles feature, which FUNimation distributed theatrically and on DVD, there's also word of a live action Robotech feature in development (see "Robotech Live Action").

Robotech Live Action? When did this come about and is it going to be true to the original?

I cut my gaming teeth on Robotech and really want to see this succeed, but I'm not going to be picking it up because I have the originals and unless there are major changes to the game I'll just play with those. I'll just wait.

 

[Ranger REG]

A 192-page manga-sized trade paperback? This seems more like a gimmick to me.

Of course it is. Though I don't know if Borders are going to stock the RTCR manga edition in the Manga section of their stores. They might if their employees are clueless (like so many Borders employees I know in my area).

I can't stand small books. My eyes are not as good as they were about 20 years ago when the first Robotech RPG Books were released.

Upgrade your glasses with reading specs.

Robotech Live Action? When did this come about and is it going to be true to the original?

Tobey Maguire have expressed interest in producing the anime into live-action film(s) for his production company. So far, no deal has been set nor are there any pre-production work going on.

 

[TheLe]

Palladium's first release will be Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles RPG, planned for late November release.

So, is it out yet?

-The Le

 

[Wik]

You know, the Robotech Rules were one of the few Palladium games that actually *worked* - the MDC rules were more or less in scale, unlike say in Rifts (I really don't like how the MDC armours seem to follow different scales of damage...).

Really, the fwe times we played it, we had a fair amount of fun blowing stuff up and adventuring in a loose game. Truth be told, though, we had more fun playing BATTLETECH and MECHWARRIOR.

 

[Aazenius]

So, is it out yet?

-The Le

Not yet. This was posted over at the Palladium homepage:

The first book will be out end of January or early February. Count on it. We are excited about doing Robotech® again, and have big plans for this RPG line. You are going to love what we are doing with it. Just remember, the first new RPG is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Robotech. There will be more. Much more. You’ll see it develop all year long.

There was a tentative date of February 8, 2008 listed for the first book.
I hope that helps.

 

[Treebore]

Nope. Got caught with this with RIFTS. Ain't doing it.