The Missing Mediterranean?

[Josh Sinsapaugh]

I agree that the chance of PF ever being a movie property is very low. As far as the contamination goes, you already have Wolfen in Phase World, and mentioned as NPCS in Rifts.

The Wolfen in Phase World are "Space Wolfen" and were thus a seperate property, though Palladium has gone a step further, they are now known as "Wulfen."

~ Josh

[Jason Richards]

I agree that the chance of PF ever being a movie property is very low. As far as the contamination goes, you already have Wolfen in Phase World, and mentioned as NPCS in Rifts.

Like Josh said, plus Palladium can retcon them out.

[Jason Richards]

Still nothing has made Palladium do that, they're doing it to maximise the potential for profit through licensing. They shouldn't worry about it too much because nobody's ever going to license Palladium Fantasy, it's a good game but not interesting or popular enough to make anything else out it.
A PF movie, book, comic, or computer game? I doubt it.

On the other hand they could forget about licensing stuff and focus on what the people who keep the company in business want; good Rifts products.

Let's not pretend that the reason Palladium's still in business is the Rifts line and the fans (us) that buy every single book in that line.

You're right. Palladium shouldn't "sell out" by protecting their properties and maximizing their license opportunities. They're a charity after all, not a business.

No Jason, I mean in a business sense most of the money comes from selling books from the Rifts line, and it's a pity if that line suffers for the purpose of hoping to one day sell the PFRPG license which I think will never happen anyway. I'm not trying to give PB business advice, I'm just sharing my opinion on what would be better for me as a loyal fan who gives heaps of money to Palladium's products, which is my right.
Oh and thanks for another pleasant and forthwright answer

I appreciate that you're looking out for you, but you should state that up front if that's the case. While you say you aren't trying to give Palladium business advice, that's exactly what you do when you criticize them for protecting the exclusivisity of their product lines at the cost of not living up to your personal preferences. That's advice that you're not qualified to responsibly provide.

You also shouldn't speculate as to what property offers are, or are not, on the table for Palladium, particularly not with such definitive language (e.g. "nobody's ever going to license Palladium Fantasy"), as you aren't party in any way to that type of information. Feel free to issue an opinion, but recognize that it's an uninformed one.

[Aramanthus]

Wonder what Taalismn is going to do next?

[grandmaster z0b]

Still nothing has made Palladium do that, they're doing it to maximise the potential for profit through licensing. They shouldn't worry about it too much because nobody's ever going to license Palladium Fantasy, it's a good game but not interesting or popular enough to make anything else out it.
A PF movie, book, comic, or computer game? I doubt it.

On the other hand they could forget about licensing stuff and focus on what the people who keep the company in business want; good Rifts products.

Let's not pretend that the reason Palladium's still in business is the Rifts line and the fans (us) that buy every single book in that line.

You're right. Palladium shouldn't "sell out" by protecting their properties and maximizing their license opportunities. They're a charity after all, not a business.

No Jason, I mean in a business sense most of the money comes from selling books from the Rifts line, and it's a pity if that line suffers for the purpose of hoping to one day sell the PFRPG license which I think will never happen anyway. I'm not trying to give PB business advice, I'm just sharing my opinion on what would be better for me as a loyal fan who gives heaps of money to Palladium's products, which is my right.
Oh and thanks for another pleasant and forthwright answer

I appreciate that you're looking out for you, but you should state that up front if that's the case. While you say you aren't trying to give Palladium business advice, that's exactly what you do when you criticize them for protecting the exclusivisity of their product lines at the cost of not living up to your personal preferences. That's advice that you're not qualified to responsibly provide.

You also shouldn't speculate as to what property offers are, or are not, on the table for Palladium, particularly not with such definitive language (e.g. "nobody's ever going to license Palladium Fantasy"), as you aren't party in any way to that type of information. Feel free to issue an opinion, but recognize that it's an uninformed one.

I take objection to "I'm looking out for me". I actually think I speak for quite a few fans (I don't see any of the fans on this thread being pleased by the seperation of the two properties) and I think your confusing what I'm saying.

I feel that the Rifts fans would be better served without this and I'm not totally missinformed to think they represtent the majority of people who buy Palladium products. By advising Palladium of what I would prefer to see as a consumer I'm giving the best advice as a company constantly needs the input of it's market. Therefore I'm not looking out just for me but a lot of people who buy these books. If we're not happy you wont sell as many books, therefore it is a valid opinion.

IMO you should cease with this patronising attitude, stating that my opinions are "uninformed", that I'm "not qualified to responsibly provide (advice)". You can either let me have an opinion and respect it or you can try to inform me of your better perspective but there is not reason to be sarcastic or dismissive.

Anyway why shouldn't I speculate?
Are you saying that Rifts isn't by far the biggest selling line of Palladium?

[AlexM]

I appreciate your opinions and comments but "nobody's ever going to license Palladium Fantasy" is presented as a factual statement in that it does not include any other possible outcome. All of our game lines are available for licensing.



Alex Marciniszyn

[grandmaster z0b]

I appreciate your opinions and comments but "nobody is ever going to license Palladium Fantasy" is presented as a factual statement in that it does not include any other possible outcome. All of our game lines are available for licensing.



Alex Marciniszyn

Which is my opinion which I'm entitled to.

According to Jason's sig his opinion is his own and NOT that of Palladium therefore he has no more right to dismiss mine as "uninformed" than any other poster.

If I was having this discussion with yourself or another member of Palldium staff I wouldn't have objected and honestly I think that as an employee you would be more subtle in your handling of the situation. He can speak as a poster or as a member of Palladium's staff, not both.

[Mack]

Before things get testy, how about we just drop that subject? Mmm'kay?

[Sureshot]

Like Josh said, plus Palladium can retcon them out.

To be honest I wish Palladium would not. Wolfen are too much a part of PF to be retconned out. I understand why it would be done though.

[Sureshot]

All of our game lines are available for licensing.
Alex Marciniszyn

This is good to hear. May I suggest you go on other rpg message boards and advertise this. As not everyone frequents these boards and you would get more exposure by letting others know about it.

[Jason Richards]

Like Josh said, plus Palladium can retcon them out.

To be honest I wish Palladium would not. Wolfen are too much a part of PF to be retconned out. I understand why it would be done though.

I actually meant they would be retconned out of Rifts, replaced with some other canine race or something similar.

[Kelorin]

Yeah, any Wolfen in N. America could be retconned in to CS mutant wolves, or Wolfboys or some such. It might be a bit harder to retcon away the Wolfen / Roman Republic.

On the other hand, Palladium could end just not mentioning them every again, and removing any references to them in any future reprints of the Conversion Book, and Triax, and let them fade away.

[Josh Sinsapaugh]

Yeah, any Wolfen in N. America could be retconned in to CS mutant wolves, or Wolfboys or some such. It might be a bit harder to retcon away the Wolfen / Roman Republic.

The Wolfen Roman Republic is not canon.

Triax mentions that there are Wolfen in Italy, however the book never says that they have a nation or country there. (IIRC)

~ Josh

[taalismn]

The Wolfen Roman Republic is not canon.

Triax mentions that there are Wolfen in Italy, however the book never says that they have a nation or country there. (IIRC)

~ Josh

Fine.....Rifter Material is considered non-canonical, but open to use.... then let's speculate what effect a Wolfen Roman Republic WOULD have on affairs in the Med and Low Countries IF it DID exist in the canonical Rifts Europe?

It could be a minor power with little if any influence beyond the Italian peninsula, or it could be an up-and-coming player(I vote the latter) that Triax and other powers will begin noticing in the next few decades or so...

[Kelorin]

The Wolfen Roman Republic is not canon.

Triax mentions that there are Wolfen in Italy, however the book never says that they have a nation or country there. (IIRC)

~ Josh

Fine.....Rifter Material is considered non-canonical, but open to use.... then let's speculate what effect a Wolfen Roman Republic WOULD have on affairs in the Med and Low Countries IF it DID exist in the canonical Rifts Europe?

It could be a minor power with little if any influence beyond the Italian peninsula, or it could be an up-and-coming player(I vote the latter) that Triax and other powers will begin noticing in the next few decades or so...

This seems to make the most sense. Palladium can plant the idea or rumor of the existence of wolfen in southern Italy without mentioning specifics, and any enterprising GM and player familiar with the Wolfen Empire in PF will make the leap of logic and connect the dots.

But if questioned directly or asked for specifics, it can be written out as rumor, falsehood, inaccurate intel, within the storyline.

[Jason Richards]

The Wolfen Roman Republic is not canon.

Triax mentions that there are Wolfen in Italy, however the book never says that they have a nation or country there. (IIRC)

~ Josh

Fine.....Rifter Material is considered non-canonical, but open to use.... then let's speculate what effect a Wolfen Roman Republic WOULD have on affairs in the Med and Low Countries IF it DID exist in the canonical Rifts Europe?

It could be a minor power with little if any influence beyond the Italian peninsula, or it could be an up-and-coming player(I vote the latter) that Triax and other powers will begin noticing in the next few decades or so...

A Roman Empire-esque Wolfen Republic wouldn't, I don't think, be much in the business of expansion, as they couldn't possibly hold a candle to Triax and their technology. Maybe if you involve the Olympus Pantheon to support them, but too much direct involvement would fly in the face of Roman history.

Remember the tie-in that's made (usually) is that Romulus and Remus were raised by a Wolfen, rather than an actual wolf, and it's the Wolfen that taught the Romans how to fight and such. As such, making the Wolfen a high-tech power, or one with lots of magic, seems to be out of sync with that parallel.

[Sureshot]

I actually meant they would be retconned out of Rifts, replaced with some other canine race or something similar.

My mistake. I stand corrected.

[taalismn]

Fine.....Rifter Material is considered non-canonical, but open to use.... then let's speculate what effect a Wolfen Roman Republic WOULD have on affairs in the Med and Low Countries IF it DID exist in the canonical Rifts Europe?

It could be a minor power with little if any influence beyond the Italian peninsula, or it could be an up-and-coming player(I vote the latter) that Triax and other powers will begin noticing in the next few decades or so...

How aggressive would they be about Northern expansion? Would they stick to subduing the immediate area of the Italian peninsula with forays into the greater Mediterranean sea, or would they make a point of crossing the Po river and setting up fortifications along the Alps to stop Blood Druid and Gargoyle incursions?

Anti-aircraft artillery...lots and lots of crude old-fashioned tube and SDC-rocket AAA with megadamage explosive warheads...pointing at anything that comes out of the Alps....Using Stott's NRR as the basis, he writes them as really sticking to their own territories, and expanding only when they get an important city or community to join them and expand their borders accordingly to better defend the new part of themselves,,,,Sicily is an exception, but that's a matter of argument as to what constitutes the real government of Sicily...the town civic leaders(who don't want terms dictated to them by the heavyhanded Mafia) or the Mafia(who don't want to relinquish power)..
AS the NRR expands its trade and resource sources network throughout the Med region, however, it will find itself increasingly under call from both its less-advanced trade allies and its domestic corporations(especially those with Senate connections) to defend the trade routes, Roman trading posts, trader enclaves in foreign lands, and the people who mine/gather the commodities...that will mean setting up forward bases, outposts, coaling/fueling/transport transit points, and airfields in a sort of slow military expansion...which will draw its own share of problems...If an outpost comes under attack, is it time to withdraw from a region which may have become too hot to handle and too expensive to protect with limited funds and resources, or does the Roman Republic put its foot down, hang the expense, for pride and to avoid future trouble(just as the infant United States set out to deal with the pirates of Tripoli to avoid being blackmailed as a matter of policy in the future), and get embroiled in a foreign adventure?

Of course, that's where another option, the hiring of wandering adventurers with lots of firepower and a certain degree of 'plausible denialibility' and 'expendability' can come in handy(and in the matter of that first action in the 'Halls of Tripoli', the squad or so of Marines were backed up by a hundred or so North African logistics personnel(laborers) and mercenaries....)

[taalismn]

And I thought, in Rifts, Sicily is mob-run......

Again, I mustr refer to my baseline Stott material, which has the occupation mcuh akin to what it is now...the Mafia running terrorism campaigns against the local constabulary and Roman peacekeepers...or more like the British Army and the IRA...with the Roman Army protecting Roman residents and sympathetic communities of Sicilians, arrayed against the Mafia and their network(with connections to and of the Black Market) and their own familia loyalties, with a larger proportion of Sicilians who, like most post-Rifts peoples, just want to be left alone and not make trouble....

Sure, it has the potential to go very wrong for both sides, it's violent, and it's dangerous, but what on Rifts Earth ISN'T?

IMHO, by the time of the Cretan Campaign, Sicily has largey quieted down...The Mafia has either figured out that selling to the Romans is either better business, while infiltrating the Peninsula, or it's bad policy to start trouble while the Romans are jumpy about foreign invaders and more likely to respond to local backyard troubles with maximum force...
Plus the local families are somewhat scattered and at odds with the best approach to take...
Some of the Mafia families are doing good business black market wise, smuggling in refugees from North Africa, others want to cut deals with the Phoenix Empire, trading non-aggession against Siciliy for renewed guerilla attacks on Roman interests...while some other Families want to join forces against the Empire, and may even offer to help the Romans by using their black market network connections to get operatives into the Empire and intel out...in exchange for the Romans giving them a freer hand in running things in Sicily and elsewhere...
What's really needed to decide things is a convocation of the Families, but that's sure to have its own hijinx, from maneuvars to rob out other Families, to local Roman POlice INtelligence finding out about it and smelling an opportunity...so far, probably knowing the difficulties of such a congress, the various Families can't agree to it either way, and in the meantime, any concerted effort is effectively paralyzed...

[Mech-Viper Prime]

HMM....i always thought the Nightlords would make a good enemy to have control of parts of the middle east

[taalismn]

HMM....i always thought the Nightlords would make a good enemy to have control of parts of the middle east

NOw the man's talkin'.....that would be a demonic dynamic with potential!

[Aramanthus]

Yeah it would be pretty nasty having a Nightlord in the middle east.

[taalismn]

Yeah it would be pretty nasty having a Nightlord in the middle east.

Of course, you'd need some heroes straight out of the Arabian Nights to oppose something that evil....