Robotech suggestions.

[Pepsi Jedi]

In his latest murmer Kev did ask for any fan suggestions for the ((hopefully)) Upcoming Robotech books.


I thought I'd start a thread for us here so we could amass them in one place.

I'll start off with my own.

1) Seriously rethink the "Gimmic size" of the books. I get what you're trying to do. I really do. I get it that you're trying to assioate them with the manga market and what not. I toally get it.

I just don't like it. They'll be small, the art will be smaller and we'll loose content.

make um the traditional size.

Secondly, the new Star Wars Sega edition went with a 'weird' size... and noone likes it. Everyone complains about it. How it doesn't fit with the rest of their RPGs and it went over like a lead brick. The book? is good. The strange size, one of it's main "bad points" that crops up over and over again.

2) Lots of good art.

Note I said GOOD art. Stuff that looks like robotech. Not the more "Organic" of artists. Get the good ones that can draw a straight dark line. Get the ones that have the feel. Don't just accept art from "The standard list" because they're your standard artists.

With out going into detail (( as some get angry)) There are SOME Palladium artists more suited to drawing native americans and plants.

And some that are better suited to drawing big F-in' robots and jets.

The art is probably about 40% of what's going to sell this book. Don't drop the ball there.

3) Get your ducks in a row. then produce the books. Do not....

Do not.....


DO NOT>......... Give RELEASE DATES you cannot hit ON THE DAY, no QUESTIONS, no EXCUSES, no ACTS OF GOD, that might interfear.

if you think you'll be done by December. Wait till december to see if you'll be done. If it rains. Snows, sleets, if the wind blows hard. If white squirrels cross your path. If your car explodes, if your house falls over. If your uncle morty marrys a beautian from long island, if one of the great lakes jumps it's shores and floods, if Detroit catches on fire, if the presses are eaten by grimlins, what ever...

Do not.... give a release date... you cannot HIT. Don't guess. Don't be hopeful. Don't "TRY"

A wise dude once said. DO... or DO NOT... there is no TRY.

Don't give a release date till you know, even if F22 raptors open up on the werehouse with rockets, that you can STILL ship that book on that day.

That being said. It would probably be wise, to get more than one duck in a row, before you let the first one out of the gate.

1) your first book hits shelves ON TIME, base book, rules, setting
BAM
30 days later
2) You have your first suppliment hit. ON TIME. (( Yes guys this means you start it before you finish the first book and basicly have them BOTH DONE before you ship the first book.)) It might mean holding that first book a month or two, but if you get your base book out, quickly followed by a suppliment, it'll get you off to a running start and not a "False start" which can kill you in the gates....




Anyway, those are my suggestions.

[xmen510]

Well, my suggestions would be:

Consistant Art - Good art.
Keep the flavour of the Series - No over the top weird O.C.C.'s
Use the Shadow Chronicles as the Basis for the Campaign Setting main timeline or provide different points for settings and the characters involved.

[The ineffible GM]

Suggestion: Focus on opening up the world to the players and the GM, rather than focusing on the characters already existing in the series. Those original characters are important, don't get me wrong, but don't put too much of the emphasis on them.

Suggestion: keep a real military feel, at least for the main book and stuff dealing with the RDF.

Correction: Not everyone hates the Star Wars saga edition size and shape. There have been compliments on it, as well as negative remarks. I myself rather like it, I find it interesting and different. Yes, most of the feedback has been negative, but it's unfair to say everyone hated it. That being said...

Suggestion: Don't go Manga size/shape for the books. It's too small, and as pointed out earlier will definately detract from the art. At least, not for the main books. If you want to use it as a gimmick, use it for small adventure books perhaps. Not for books that have to deal a lot with stats.

[maasenstodt]

Suggestion: Don't go Manga size/shape for the books. It's too small, and as pointed out earlier will definately detract from the art. At least, not for the main books. If you want to use it as a gimmick, use it for small adventure books perhaps. Not for books that have to deal a lot with stats.

Hasn't what is still perhaps the definitive anime RPG, BESM, been released in such a format?

[Jefffar]

It was until the company went out of buisness, the current edition from the new owners is same format as most RPG books.

My concern is "Howmuch material is it going to be?"

If it's as much as any of the other robotech core era books - might as well go full sized - because it will be a pretty thick little book in Manga size.

Perhaps the adventure modules could be done Manga size.

[Apollo Okamura]

If you're worried about the art - who do you want to see?
Worried about the book printed smaller - tells us why.
No micronized, ninja, Zentraedi, killer-bunny hybrid R.C.C.s, - Got it!
Dump the "Sparks, Unauthorized Biography: The Tale of a Communications Officer and a Broken Lightbulb" - Consider it dumped!!

Keep the suggestions coming!!
Keep 'em constructive, and feel free to ask for specifics.

Other than that, I know nothing about any Robotech licence...

[Library Ogre]

Actually, I think a recurring, non-VT-pilot character like Sparks in the art would be interesting.

[AlexM]

"... marries a beautician from Long Island..." I'll have to remember to mention that one.





Alex Marciniszyn

[Brian Manning]

The only thing I can think of is more air-to-air rules. Take real world dog fighting maneuvers and mix'em in with anime-style dogfighting moves (like converting to guardian mode and watch the enemies fly by you, right into your sights).

Spycraft has an awesome set of rules for things like car chases, but something that complicated isn't necessary for what I was thinking of. Just list a maneuver (offensive or defensive), explain what bonuses/penalties it gives the pilot, and have them make a piloting roll to "enter" the maneuver (along taking any bonus or penalty into account, based on how hard/easy it is). That way, it's more like a "stance" that the pilot can adopt in combat. It's based on anime, so it would work better fast and loose like that, plus you can have maneuvers for specific configurations, or even incorporate switching configurations into the maneuver (like switching to battloid as part of a missile volley counter). Just throwin' stuff out there.

I'm guessing there will be more air combat, since I didn't see many destroids in Shadow Chronicles. Cyclones are awesome and all, but they've always been more of an espionage type of unit or, of course, an emergency vehicle for when your alpha/beta crash lands.

Destroids!! Forget what I was saying above about awesome air-to-air combat...I love destroids and I want to see some big beefy destroids. Veritechs have speed and agility, give the destroids firepower and just plain toughness.


* more stuff I just thought of*
This would also be a great system to incorporate something to account for target sizes. I'm guessing MDC will be used, but the Gallant H-90 should really be an anti-personnel weapon, body armor should be more in the 25-30 range, and large vehicle mounted weapons should really only be able to hit other large vehicles accurately. MDC on the level of individual soldiers and even Cyclones should range from 150 down, and vehicles should start at 300-350 on up.

If a weapon is listed as anti-armor, it should inflict some serious damage (no more tank cannons doing 1D6x10), but it would be very difficult to hit an individual soldier darting across the field, or a Cyclone working it's "leap dodge" magic (it would have something like -10 to strike). If it's listed as Anti-Personnel, it should probably be a burst firing weapon that does something in the neighborhood of 2D6 - 4D6 per round (or something like 6D6 per burst, or perhaps 1D6x10 for larger vehicle mounted anti-personnel weapons). Perhaps they should only do half damage to larger vehicles, but they are +5 to hit them. Anti-Aircraft should be a happy medium, with the ability to hit fast moving (or smaller) targets and inflict a moderate amount of damage (like pretty much all rail guns in Rifts).

I'm thinking it's only really necessary for three sizes: man/power armor, combat vehicles (destroids, veritechs) and freakin' huge war machines (naval warships, space cruisers, SDF-1, etc).

*unnecessary addition*
[shameless begging plug]I hear those Manning kids used to wake up at 6am to watch Robotech before school, and then rush home to watch the same episode again repeated in the afternoon. Also, I heard a rumor that Robotech was the first RPG they ever played/GMed/Loved in the late 80's. They're OK at drawing tech/straight lines too. [/shameless begging plug]

[Nemo235]

This suggestion is for Robotech and all future Palladium rule books.

Please do not cut and paste the same text blocks you have used in the past.

Organize the rules into distinct chapters.
Put all the character creation rules together, all the combat and injury rules together, vehicle combat, etc., into chapters.
Review how the rules are written. Can someone who has never played an RPG before understand them, or do they have to search through the book to find another reference?

In other words, use all the Palladium rules that work, but rethink how you format and layout the book.

It may seem like a trivial thing, but I think it may make the game easier to read and understand.
And if the game looks easier to play to the person in the store checking it out, it could make the difference in a sale or no-sale.

[NMI]

Moved to the proper forum.
Made sticky so as to not get lost.

Keep the comments constructive folks. The ideas look great so far.

[Grand Paladin]

Couple of my thoughts to keep Robotech unique in the Palladium games Megaverse.

1. Keep "protoculture" a mysterious and unique power source that keeps Robotech mecha from being (for lack of a better term) lost, among other giant robot RPG's (aka Rifts... not that I have ANYTHING against Rifts ) The mecha-man symbiosis idea was something that gave the original game something special. Perhaps add some simple rule that if a mecha pilot uses the same veritech or destroid throughout their career, there would be some progressive bonuses for the mecha being familiar with the pilot and vice versa.

2. Throw in some of the anime style manuvers, like it was mentioned in the posts above. The Veritech fighter's ability to throw itself into guardian mode for a rapid breaking maneuver should be statted out and be given a pilot meca skill check to sucessfully excecute.

3. For capital starships, like the REF Garfish, etc.. The capital scale weapons should be adjusted to levels akin to Zentraedi. And we can't forget about upgraded Expeditionary force Garfish crusiers that have retro fitted medium Synchro Cannons.

thats all I can think of for now

[drewkitty ~..~]

Etched pint glasses like the ones you did for rifts.

[Colonel Wolfe]

Couple of my thoughts to keep Robotech unique in the Palladium games Megaverse.

1. Keep "protoculture" a mysterious and unique power source that keeps Robotech mecha from being (for lack of a better term) lost, among other giant robot RPG's (aka Rifts... not that I have ANYTHING against Rifts ) The mecha-man symbiosis idea was something that gave the original game something special.

and was something added to Rifts. the Man-machine link is also a factor that exists in Rifts, the Text in the 1st rifts main book is a cut-and-paste from robotech, except key words are changed to keep it from being robotech. (IE, Robot instead of Mecha)

3. For capital starships, like the REF Garfish, etc.. The capital scale weapons should be adjusted to levels akin to Zentraedi. And we can't forget about upgraded Expeditionary force Garfish crusiers that have retro fitted medium Synchro Cannons.

but these Synchro-Garfish prolly suffer from the same fate as synchro beta's.... Haydonites make them overload-go-boom.... Excelent agaisnt an Enemy that is no longer a threat, useless against your current enemy... (reminds me of the albino-White Dragon thread over on WOTC....)

[Grand Paladin]

Couple of my thoughts to keep Robotech unique in the Palladium games Megaverse.

1. Keep "protoculture" a mysterious and unique power source that keeps Robotech mecha from being (for lack of a better term) lost, among other giant robot RPG's (aka Rifts... not that I have ANYTHING against Rifts ) The mecha-man symbiosis idea was something that gave the original game something special.

and was something added to Rifts. the Man-machine link is also a factor that exists in Rifts, the Text in the 1st rifts main book is a cut-and-paste from robotech, except key words are changed to keep it from being robotech. (IE, Robot instead of Mecha)

3. For capital starships, like the REF Garfish, etc.. The capital scale weapons should be adjusted to levels akin to Zentraedi. And we can't forget about upgraded Expeditionary force Garfish crusiers that have retro fitted medium Synchro Cannons.

but these Synchro-Garfish prolly suffer from the same fate as synchro beta's.... Haydonites make them overload-go-boom.... Excelent agaisnt an Enemy that is no longer a threat, useless against your current enemy... (reminds me of the albino-White Dragon thread over on WOTC....)

Indeed, Colonel.

But moving on.. I'd also like to see a WP Mecha Weapons instituted for the next version of the game. Similar to what was used in the Macross II, and currently in Rifts with the WP: Heavy Energy Weapons. In essence a specialized WP available only to military (RDF, ASC, REF) trained mecha pilots that add a progressive strike bonus to all mecha weapons (like gun/energy pods, missile pods, etc). Nothing too rapidly advancing but an extra edge for the highly trained pilots.

[Rabid Southern Cross Fan]

1. Keep "protoculture" a mysterious and unique power source that keeps Robotech mecha from being (for lack of a better term) lost, among other giant robot RPG's (aka Rifts... not that I have ANYTHING against Rifts ) The mecha-man symbiosis idea was something that gave the original game something special. Perhaps add some simple rule that if a mecha pilot uses the same veritech or destroid throughout their career, there would be some progressive bonuses for the mecha being familiar with the pilot and vice versa.

The one problem with that idea is that it removes what made the Bioroid so special. If human mecha (not to mention Zentraedi and Invid) have this sort of man-machine link, why is it they neither reference it in the series (Roy says the VF-1 has over 57 controls), but also why did the Bioroid control mechanism seem so exotic to the best minds in the UEG?

[maasenstodt]

Perhaps add some simple rule that if a mecha pilot uses the same veritech or destroid throughout their career, there would be some progressive bonuses for the mecha being familiar with the pilot and vice versa.

I've not heard that suggestion before, but I think it would make an excellent addition to the game!

[Colonel Wolfe]

Why did the Bioroid control mechanism seem so exotic to the best minds in the UEG?

Easy... it was the ASC sci department looking at it... had it been Lang or Burke, they would have gottne it in a second... heck even rand would have, he did figure out the Protoculture-invid targeting link...

[AlexM]

Etched glasses, check.





Alex Marciniszyn

[Sureshot]

Agree with Pepsi Jedi suggestions but will add. Proofread and check the book for errors. If there is errors in the book DO NOT take 2 years to release errata like you have been doing for RUE. I repeat no errors or very little otherwise I'm not touching the book. Second use Desktop software to publish the book instead of the traditional one you use. Machinations of doom is the most professional looking book PB has ever produced and the new Robotech book deserve to be produced the same way.

[Tiree]

Keep the game internally consistent. If that means you have to add or reduce MDC compared to Rifts - so be it.

Check what your goal is for the book - Cinematic, Purism, Anime-Feel, whathaveyou... Keep that throughout the books.

MOS System and a Life Choice system. IE - if the character is from the Military - make them a military character. If they are civillian - did they go to college, high school, trade school?

I would also rethink multiple OCC's rules - Maybe even rethink OCC's: Soldier, Civilian, Civilian Warrior?

[glitterboy2098]

feel free to up the armor and weapons damage on the big tough mecha (like destroids) and big guns (anti-mecha/tank), but leave the infantry stuff about the same as the old. no one will complain about a cyclone with 200 MDC if a X-cal can strip it of most of its MDC in one hit with a PBC. it'll also remove complaints about veritechs and destroids taking hours to sand away armor, as the big guns would be able to take out opponents in fewer hits. (which is why destroids should have more armor. they're walking tanks, and are heavily armored. a VF has the advantage of manuverbility, but a doesn't carry much armor. and so on.)

please noe that in robotech technology shrinks as it improves, and doesn't really get tougher. an RDF X-cal and an REF X-cal would be roughly the same regarding armor and firepower, but the REF X-cal would be half the size. much like a Vf-1 and an alpha are comparable in armor and firepower, but the alpha is half the size.

likewise, i'd impliment the CS 'enhanced' missile chart for ASC and REF era's. to reflect technology improvements in missiles.

any groups that shouldn't get better armor (like most zentreadi mecha, bioroids, or invid) should get dodge bonuses and other manuverbility advantages to balance. (for example, bioroids could get autododge, working off the show, to make up for the lower MDC.)


likewise, leave the old mechanics of PP and HTH bonuses adding to mecha combat bonuses intact. it reflects the protoculture enhancement of mecha. (or the advantages of telemental helmets). if you include non-protoculture/non-telemental mecha, don't make the bonuses stack, to reflect the lack of protoculture enhancement.

[Colonel Wolfe]

size Scaling bonuses/penealties.
Alpha is 25ish feet tall in Battilod, should be a tougher target to hit comparied to the VF-1. surely this make little diffrnece at 500 miles, but alot of Robotech's "ceminatic" styles involes upclose and personal mecha to mecha combat....

and no "manga Sized" books... thats dumb.

[Pepsi Jedi]

I must second a few ideas that have popped up since i started the thread.

YES USE THE SOFTWARE you used on Mech of Doom. Use it! Learn it! Buckel down and take a week and learn it! It was the best looking book in ages. Just do it. Use it. We all know you're used to the "other" style but it's the 2000s, get with it! lol. Use the new stuff and RUN THAT SPELL CHECK! lol


Do keep the inturnal flow as well. I like the MoS thing myself but how ever you do it. Stick to it. And don't go QUITE as minimalistic as you did in the original RPG. I flipped though it the other day and kinda laughed. It was a fun game but Palladium has.. "Grown" since then.


And yeah sit down and think about the items in relation. Destroids are supposed to be slow moving walking tanks that can throw down. The Jets are the ultra manuverable flyers that can go anywhere but arn't quite as strong.

Think of them as Destroids being battle tanks and the jets being super advanced attack chppers they can hover, they can jink they can sneak but can also wail, just.. not as hard as a WALKING BATTLE TANK.

And lastly

By all things holy and good.

Do not

Under any cirumstance

Cut and paste anythng

From that 20 year old RPG and stick it on a page in the new one....

Even if you like the flow of the stuff in the old book. Rewrite it.... do not cut and paste chunks from the old book into the new.

We're gonna know and it's gonna tweek us off if you do.

[Tiree]

Fix some of the mistakes that have been shown time and time again in posts and on various fan sites as to what Mecha have what abilities. If need be call them variations.

And please make the sensors up to current standards... 10 miles on an Alpha is just way too wrong when a Logan has 200 miles!

But - besides fixing - In later publications I would love to see a kitbashing set of rules on building Stingers and various other mecha. And if you do decide on Mecha construction rules - put it into Rifts but make some notes on how to change it for Robotech.

[glitterboy2098]

i second on sensors. for example, nearly all fighters today have IRST, or infrared search and track, a thermal camera used to target aircraft. we see such in shadow chronicles wen scott attacks the shadow's wing-fighters. and that with a normal alpha.

all veritechs should have regular camera's, night vision, IR, thermal, and at least a 50 mile range radar. things liek the Beta with long range weapons should have radar ranges that let them use such weap0ns at max range.

[DocTom]

Apollo is the best current Palladium artist for the Shadow Chronicles.

He draws mecha the right way, better that Breaux, and better than a lot of Long's Robotech work. If Apollo is doing most of the art, which was the rumor I heard, then all should be well.

[Colonel Wolfe]

Apollo is the best current Palladium artist for the Shadow Chronicles.

He draws mecha the right way, better that Breaux, and better than a lot of Long's Robotech work. If Apollo is doing most of the art, which was the rumor I heard, then all should be well.

thou KL used to much Macross Movie influence on his VF-1... he still was better than Breaux... thou i liked WB's strikeforce stuff, even thou its out of canon....
anyone have an example of Apollo's work... i'm out of the loop...

[AuroraKet]

Apollo is the best current Palladium artist for the Shadow Chronicles.

He draws mecha the right way, better that Breaux, and better than a lot of Long's Robotech work. If Apollo is doing most of the art, which was the rumor I heard, then all should be well.

thou KL used to much Macross Movie influence on his VF-1... he still was better than Breaux... thou i liked WB's strikeforce stuff, even thou its out of canon....
anyone have an example of Apollo's work... i'm out of the loop...

I'm rather hoping that Strike Force and the experimental Mecha from the updated edition of Return of the Masters stay in the game (perhaps added to the experimental stuff in Strike Force?). Lotta cool stuff in there, makes them two of my favorite books.

[Pepsi Jedi]

I second that apollo is good for mecha. I've seen some of his stuff and like it.

For some reason I never liked Beux... I think it was his human faces and shading.

Love Kevin Longs stuff. Get him to do some of it again. His stuff in the REF Field guide was sweet

[Tiree]

Maybe I am the odd one out - but I actually liked Wayne's art.

Unfortunately I do not know what Apollo's art is like. But I am hoping that we can put in Rifter Submissions that will work for Robotech.

Robotech is going to be an icon for Palladium's return. I know Kevin is going to work hard into trying to make this game better than it was, and better than Rifts UE. My only concern is that he wants to have a quick turnaround time. So, I hope that the guys at HG are better than LFL for Wizards.

In either case what I would like to see in the books:
Utilize the Robotech.com's data on starships as canon. Yes - it does suck and they seem to change it at a whim. At least this way we can say - hey we looked at it here.

I would like a "Mook" mechanic/mecha.

I know that's basically what Battlepods were, but we need to make PC's and Important Characters stand out among the mooks! This will also quickly show why important characters only lost tires, or minor grazes to their mecha and can be repaired rather quickly.

[Apollo Okamura]

Hey guys,
I've posted a sample of Robotech Shadow Chronicles art up on my web-site, in the Colour section (it's the last picture). It's not a mech though (I may post one later), but I hope you still like it.

[Jefffar]

I like Apollo's art

I liek Wayne's art.

If the two of them shared the illustration duties on most of the new boosk I'd be really happy.

[MikeM]

Things I want to see in the new Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles RPG are:

Timeline. History of the Robotech universe. Maybe a recap of whats happened so far. Why? Because some people will pick up the book who have never seen the series. You want them to know what the hell the world is about.

Also, the mecha stats should be the official cannon that is posted on www.Robotech.com. I think this goes without saying.

Do NOT just reprint the old books.

Break up the books into proper sections so its easy to find a certain rules. I.E Chapter 1. The Robotech Universe. Chapter 2. Character creation. Chapter 3. System rules. Chapter 4. Combat. Chapter 5 Mecha
Chapter 6 Equipment. etc.

Art - Use good art that feels like it came from the series. Apollo's Janice looks great. Get stills from the series if possible.

CHARACTER SHEET! I can't stress this enough. Nothing pisses me off more than when I get an rpg and there is no character sheet available in the book or online.

Size - I personally have no problem. Guardian of Orders BESM 2nd Edition is one of my favourite looking rpg. Manga sized, big page count, colour artwork throughout. If the new Robotech RPG looked like that it would be a HUGE success.

Thanks for listening.

MikeM

[Robroy]

Zentraedi, Aliens and Destroids, don't lose them

Ships , check out the stats at Robotech.com, anti-spaceship cannon should do Zent laser turret damage ( I know I am repeating some people ) and give us cruise missiles

Colonies, we see references to colony ships, new meaning to "world book"

Skills, use MOS system maybe a variation of the skill package system from Splicers

Stay canon as much as possible and use 2nd canon ( comic, books and moves) were it does not contradict the shows ( love the Garland 7 )except the Southern Cross batteloids make there speed more in line between Macross and Sentinels

Clean up and tweak the rules for air to air combat, give aircraft bounses to dogfight maneuvers ( like in Phase World )

An easy fix for gun pods and cannon I used in my games is instead of short / medium / full melee burst, change to single shot / short / long ( 2 actions ) damage (i.e. 4d6 / 1d4*10 / 2d4* 10 ) and number of short burst stays the same and a long burst =4 short

Missile Combat, again in my games

-2 to dodge pre volley of 4 missiles

shooting down missiles

single shot 30%
machine gun/short burst 50%
missiles/auto-cannon/long burst 70%

+5% to hit difference

total % is number of missiles shot down
+1 per counter missile fired

OK I know the missile thing is a little math intensive but it reflect the show where we see shooting down all but 1 or 2 missiles

[Rabid Southern Cross Fan]

I know Kevin already stated this wouldn't be so to me personally at Open House (but it bears repeating), but no more Peter Simon artwork for the Southern Cross portion of the RPG. I cannot draw to save my skin, but dear lord, I think some of his art turned people OFF to Southern Cross.

Also, please, for the love of Mike, power scaling that makes sense! Despite the blatherings of some people, it is NOT true that the Southern Cross-era is one in which the Earth is in decay. Nothing could be further from the truth as this is the era that shows the most technical advancement. The UEF uses incredibly high end technology (hover vehicles among other things), especially in comparison to The Macross Saga.

[glitterboy2098]

if you can pull it off with HG's layers, please try to preserve the EBSIS, zentreadi control zones, kingdom of york, ect from the old game. those little touches made the game playable beyond "oh look, another alien invasion...yawn..." the splinter groups made the game more intresting because it meant humanity was still its own worst enemy and that the world hadn't fallen into this star trek like peace just because the zentreadi arrived.

and i'd like to see more on the global war (not civil war). and please try to find a good reason for it, not the "it was fought over a space station" bit from the old rpg.

in the same vein, more on the anti-unification rebels. the new comics have some neat things dealing with them, implying that at least one secret society was involved in formenting so much of the war and strife of the global war.

and further, since these anti-unification guys aren't going to be using much robotechnology, and after dolza's attack advanced robotechnology is mostly limited to the earth gov, please include more 20th century tanks, fighters, and weapons. things like the F-14, F-22, the M1, ect.

[Tiree]

Guys Why get bent out of shape about what size and shape the books take.... the fact of the matter is WE GET NEW BOOKS we should be happy about that alone

I have already suggested a digital format, Why not have them release a normal format book and a special edition manga sized books so that way there is something for everybody.

I am a little concerned with the size of the book. I have to admit I like the full sized images and what not. Would I rather see the books of the same old size - hard bound, and in color? Yes!

But what does this do for the new gamers - young gamers?

Well it means it can be easily carried. Manga books are common for teens now. And I know when I was in Jr. High RPG's were practically a sin, thus hiding them to bring to school was needed. This can do so for the new hideaway gamer.

But don't worry - I still want a full sized book. I understand the lure and the possibility of going for a smaller format. I just hope it was a size restraint that HG said Palladium had to take in order to get the deal.

[Pepsi Jedi]

Guys Why get bent out of shape about what size and shape the books take.... the fact of the matter is WE GET NEW BOOKS we should be happy about that alone

I have already suggested a digital format, Why not have them release a normal format book and a special edition manga sized books so that way there is something for everybody.

See I don't see it that way. Yes we're getting new books but it's not like a personal favor to us. Kevin and all are gettin' paid guys. lol Our buying them pays their (( Probably not high enough)) Salerys. So the "We get new books don't complain" Thing doesn't work.

We're the customers. They've asked us for suggestion. So we give it.

I personally won't like the manga size if it goes to that. The art will be that much smaller so that much more detail will be lost. The text can only go so small before it's unreadable so we'll be loosing text. Sure they could make it 400 pages thick to fit the text in there but then we only have art like every 20 pages... and that's alot of page turning with no visuals to stirr the imagination.

I say stick um the same size as "normal" RPGs and don't put your eggs on a "Gimmik" Gimmiks are neat when you first see them "Awww it's a manga sized RPG" but after an hour or two or a week or two the gimmick has worn off nad you're like 'Hand me the magnifying glass I wanna look at this art." or "Dude, I've been reading the stats on this mecha for 14 pages, and it started a new one but the picture didn't come for 3 more pages and I missed it and am all confused."

Or "Where is ____ " in there? "Oh.. some where in the 400s, about... yeah an inch from the back"


Again. I get the gimmick. I really really do. "Lets latch our cart to the Manga Train and see if it helps pull us along" I get it. I just don't think it'll go over that well with gamers.

YES..... I realize ___MANY___ Gamers are also anime and manga fans but not all. I myself am not.... nor are 5 of the 6 people in my RP group. (( the lone girl is. Go figure.)) So of us.. 5 out of 6 of us won't like the manga size. It'll be a gimmick that gets old.

Think of how much a "Core book" Gets flipped though for rules. Now imagine those rules being on 500 pages instead of 250. Imagine how much more flipping is required and how much stress will go on the book.

There's just many many reasons not to go Gimmick size and the one "Gimmick" reason to do it.



So I hope they don't.

If they're CONTRACTED to go Manga (( it might have been in that contract that took like a year to finalize and sign)) Then THey have to do it.... but I'd much "Prefer" the standard size.

[Pepsi Jedi]

I'm not dreadfully aginst change. I'm aginst a gimmick that will get old.

and the reason to make a book shouldn't be "So it fits in my pink back pack better when I trot over to the girls house for a sleep over"

The standard size will let the information be there, the art be there and not have to worry about fitting it all in. More over I really... REALLY......

Really really really hope that they put more background and rules into Robotech this time around than it was in the first one. I pulled out my original copy of Robottech RPG the other day and literly laughed at how light it was on that stuff. It was fun, when I played, don't get me wrong, but the game has matured 20 years since then. I don't want a cut and paste ANYTHING Manga or normal sized.

Change is fine. They're starting with shadow chronicles. That's fine. I'm all for it, but changing the size of the book to manga for no reason what so oever other than to try and sell a hand full more because somone mistakes them for real manga isn't cool.

The art would suffer and the ammount of info would suffer.

At BEST we'll end up getting the same information over 3 or 4 books.


Look at the RUE, LOADS of information good art, good size, Thick book.

it's about 4 times as thick as the original Robotech.

I want a Robotech RPG that big. The good art. The detailed setting. More than stamp sized art and "Here's stats for your mech. You play the humans. Here's the stats for the bad guys. You're killing the bad guys. What more do you need? Oh OOCs. Ok here's a pilot, a destorid pilot, a special forces, and a mechanic. Go sick um boys"

[AuroraKet]

Someone mentioned that a Shadow Chronicles book would be as thick potentially as RUC, so I'm not terribly worried about that. Rather happy in fact. The more Shadow Chronicles the better, imho.

[Colonel Wolfe]

Looking back at my Old Robotech RPG books... I noticed tou they were cheap, the Page count was on the low side, and the books didnt have that much in them, half th SC and Invid book was a re-print of the Skill Lists found in the main book. by Invid invasion the book was sporting a 13-14 point font. great for us old timers these days.... but i have reading glasses, so i dont need Large-print books just yet.

Say no to Cut-and-Paste Editing.

But i would Like to see the Old Series have a Single Main book that lightly Touches on the Entire Origonal Series. none of the Book1:Macross crap from the Old RPG. I'd hate to have to Pay for a Core-Rules book that contains 50% infomration I'm never going to use (meaning Macross stuff).

[Rabid Southern Cross Fan]

Well,

if the stuff we (the fanbase) have uncovered in the intervening years for The Masters War and The Invid Invasion is any indication, Palladium will have a good deal of extra stuff to pack into the books. Not only spaceships and mecha, but also small arms, vehicles and tons of little odds and ends. Assuming each has at least 1 piece of art accompanying its description, I would assume each of the era books will be significantly thicker than before (and for the 2 later era books, no reprinting of skill lists to).

[Colonel Wolfe]

(and for the 2 later era books, no reprinting of skill lists to).

[Robroy]

Didn't someone say the main books would be standard size but the source books may be magna

[Colonel Wolfe]

Didn't someone say the main books would be standard size but the source books may be magna

a standard sized Hardback collectors edition....

[Apollo Okamura]

The first book will be manga-sized, with the possibility of a special full-sized collector's version due out later. As for the format of later books, I don't think it's been decided yet. We're working on one book at a time...

As to the artwork, we'll be doing whatever we can to ensure that you'll still get the same level of quality that you're used to in Palladium's full-sized books. Even if it comes down to drawing 2 sets of images between the maga-sized and full-sized editions!

[Pepsi Jedi]

Thanks for the info Apollo.


*Thinks on it a bit and wonders how many people will hold off buying in hopes of that "regular sized edition"*

I know I would, as much as it pains me. I just don't want the gimmick book.

[MikeM]

My prediction would be that manga size game book doesnt hurt sales at all. Now I have looked up dimensions for manga size games and BESM 2nd Edition is 6 x 9. Most actual manga is 5 x 7.5.

Im assuming Palladium is going with 6x9, the same as BESM, Spirit of the Century, Pulp Era and a slew of other games that are not the standard size but are still nice looking books.

MikeM

[Tiree]

Thanks for the info Apollo.


*Thinks on it a bit and wonders how many people will hold off buying in hopes of that "regular sized edition"*

I know I would, as much as it pains me. I just don't want the gimmick book.

I know the feeling - but because I am a fan of Robotech - and Palladium, I'll drop the cash on both.