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So the Marines sourcebook has been pushed back until March? (Probably later)

I thought it was supposed to be a 2014 release.

Get used to disappointment.

I for one have been wanting to start a new Rift-Tech game where the rifts erupt on Robotech Earth after the Battle of Reflex point and the Minion War spills into it. As a result, many humans (player characters) start exhibiting magical and psionic traits which didnt exist before (mostly Warlock, Mystic, Burster, Zapper, Psi-Tech type powers). Then, the Sentinels aliens come to Earth to help the micronians understand their new powers as the UEG fights off hordes of Devils and Demons while also searching for the SDF-3 and putting the Haydonite threat to rest.

Problem is, my idea of "RUE-like" versions of the Sentinels aliens are prolly different than what will actually be presented in the Marines book and I want continuity the players and myself can fall back on. This just delays that game till march.

I gave up on ever seeing that book in my lifetime. I'll be surprised if it DOES get released.

MikeM wrote:So the Marines sourcebook has been pushed back until March? (Probably later)

I thought it was supposed to be a 2014 release.

2014 release? Try earlier. But things do seem to get pushed back/around as other projects come to light from other lines.

From what I understand, Marker submitted his manuscript and then was let go. Now Jackson is taking a run at it.

Arnie100 wrote:I gave up on ever seeing that book in my lifetime. I'll be surprised if it DOES get released.

*Sigh* I so fondly remember the good ol' 1st edition, bad as it was, days when that first summer, WHAM! Basic Rules! WHAM! RDF Guide! WHAM! Zentraedi! All in under three months.
Now one of the essentials, the Spacecraft book, isn't even on the horizon.
(turns to cry into his late night iced tea)

Kagashi wrote:Problem is, my idea of "RUE-like" versions of the Sentinels aliens are prolly different than what will actually be presented in the Marines book and I want continuity the players and myself can fall back on. This just delays that game till march.

Do we even know if the Sentinel Races will be in the Marines book?

jedi078 wrote:

Kagashi wrote:Problem is, my idea of "RUE-like" versions of the Sentinels aliens are prolly different than what will actually be presented in the Marines book and I want continuity the players and myself can fall back on. This just delays that game till march.

Do we even know if the Sentinel Races will be in the Marines book?

Not entirely. I am making an assumption that "Alien species and allies" from the latest Weekly Update are the Sentinels Aliens. Aside the Zentraedi, Tirolians, and Invid, I really dont recall any other aliens in Robotech and those three mentioned were already covered in existing books. Although the Sentinels story arc in the first 3 episodes and the notes from Art of RT Bk 3 are now secondary canon, we know the Sentinels Aliens are part of the main continuity as they make an appearance in the Prelude to the Shadow Chronicles comic (which is canon) and L'Ron even has a speaking role. So putting all that together, I am 95% certain that the Sentinels aliens are the ones we will see (at the least).

Arnie100 wrote:I gave up on ever seeing that book in my lifetime. I'll be surprised if it DOES get released.

So did I, just just did up my own Marines. Spec'd out the Mecha and OCC's.

Tiree wrote:From what I understand, Marker submitted his manuscript and then was let go. Now Jackson is taking a run at it.

But even back in March last year it stated that Jackson was writing it so that can't be the delay this time. I know it was delayed a while back, but for most of 2014, Kev was saying it was coming out this year, then it slipped to Jan, then Feb, now March.

I think they would get a lot less frustrated fans if they just stopped announcing release dates until the book was at the printer.

MikeM wrote:

Tiree wrote:
I think they would get a lot less frustrated fans if they just stopped announcing release dates until the book was at the printer.

Agreed.

then the fans would be freaking out that they're not kept up to date.. wining incessantly about the lack of updates, most likely.

glitterboy2098 wrote:then the fans would be freaking out that they're not kept up to date.. wining incessantly about the lack of updates, most likely.

You are probably right. It's just so frustrating seeing the release date get pushed back constantly.

MikeM wrote:

glitterboy2098 wrote:then the fans would be freaking out that they're not kept up to date.. wining incessantly about the lack of updates, most likely.

You are probably right. It's just so frustrating seeing the release date get pushed back constantly.

Like every year since it's been first announced. What, almost five years now? Or something like that?

Now if I remember correctly wasn't the Robotech®: UEEF Marine Corps Sourcebook (first name used) first slated for release way back in 2008/2009.......

This has turned into a total joke, its now 2015 and once again the dates been moved to a March release, odds on bet, it will be moved again & again & again.....

Way to go guys.....

Why keep dangling the carrot.....

If you have had production problems just say so.....

If a writer up and leaves in the middle of a book tell us that etc etc.....

If its been delayed again, tell us why its been delayed......

Take it off the Latest News if necessary.

Don't post useless information in Latest News....

Wait if necessary, until you have something worthwhile and relevant to the release, then put it in the Latest News.

Enough said.....

I went through all the Palladium updates since Jan 2013. If there is no mention of the Marines book, I did not include it.
Jan 25, 2013 - Should have the finished manuscript anytime now. Want it in your hands by Spring 2013
Feb 7, 2013 - Book is almost done
Mar 7, 2013 - Summer release - lined up a long term contributor for the Robotech RPG line (what happened to that person? Was that person, Jim?)
Apr 4, 2013 - Approved manuscript for a 96 page sourcebook from Jim Sorenson (what happened to that sourcebook?)
July 13, 2013 - Coming in the Fall
July 18, 2013 - Coming in the Fall
July 25, 2013 - Coming in the Fall
Aug 1, 2013 - Coming in the Fall
Aug 8, 2013 - Coming in the Fall
Aug 22, 2013 - Coming soon
Aug 29, 2013 - Assigning artwork soon
Sept 5, 2013 - Had a meeting about this book and several additional sourcebooks for all eras of Robotech. Matthew Clements will be taking a run at some of them (what happened with that?)
Sept 13, 2013 - Need to assign art and do final edit and send to Harmony Gold for final approval
Sept 20, 2013 - Assigned the cover and will be assigning artwork soon. Shooting for a 2013 release.
Sept 26, 2013 - Sketch for cover was approved. So was a full page of interior art. Still need to assign the rest of the artwork. Shooting for a Dec 2013 release.
Oct 4, 2013 - Still shooting for a Dec release though it may slip in to 2014.
Oct 12, 2013 - Still shooting for a Dec release though it is likely to slip in to 2014.
Oct 17, 2013 - Still shooting for a Dec release though it seems likely to slip into early 2014
Oct 24, 2014 - Cover is done
Nov 1, 2013 - This will be a hot, early 2014 release.
Nov 8, 2013 - This will be a hot, early 2014 release.
Jan 30, 2014 - Name changed. Looking to get released in the Spring.
Feb 6, 2014 - Looking to get released in the Spring.
Feb 20, 2014 - Not forgotten. Looking at a Spring release
Feb 27, 2014 - Not forgotten. Looking at a Spring release
Mar 6, 2014 - Not forgotten. Looking at a Spring release
Mar 13, 2014 - Not forgotten. Looking at a Spring release
Mar 18, 2014 - This will be a Spring or Summer release. Still looking at a Spring release
Apr 25, 2014 - 160 Pages. Will be a Summer release. Count on it! Anticipating June or July release
May 1, 2014 - Will be a Summer release. Count on it! Anticipating June or July release
May 29, 2014 - Yes we are still planning this as a summer release. I look forward to working on it.
June 5, 2014 - assigned a few pieces of artwork. A summer release
June 12, 2014 - I'll be assigning the artwork this weekend, I think. A Summer release
June 19, 2014 - I was unable to assign more artwork last weekend but it will be assigned this weekend. A Summer release (Gen Con?)
June 26, 2014 - Artwork is being assigned. Summer release
July 10, 2014 - Summer release
July 17, 2014 - Fall release. Now shooting for an October release
Aug 1, 2014 - Diving into this title full-bore after Gen Con for release later this year
Aug 7, 2014 - Diving into this title full-bore after Gen Con for release later this year
Aug 23, 2014 - Hope to start my final edit on this highly anticipated title in the next week or so. Fall 2014 release
Aug 28, 2014 - Hope to start my final edit on this highly anticipated title in the next week or so. Fall 2014 release
Sept 12, 2014 - I have not had a chance to start this yet. Still planning on a 2014 release.
Sept 18, 2014 - It's coming. Still planned for a 2014 release
Sept 25, 2014 - It's coming. Still planned for a 2014 release
Oct 2, 2014 - It's coming. Still planned for a 2014 release
Oct 10, 2014 - It's coming. Still planned for a 2014 release
Oct 16, 2014 - This book is NOT forgotten. Still shooting for a 2014 release
Oct 23, 2014 - This book is NOT forgotten. Still shooting for a 2014 release
Oct 31, 2014 - This book is NOT forgotten. Still shooting for a 2014 release but it seems likely to slide into a Jan 2015 release
Nov 7, 2014 - As soon as I'm done with the above titles (Rifter 68, Bizantiam and the Northern Islands) I'm on to finishing this book! Likely to be a January 2015, release
Nov 14, 2015 - Been thinkinga lot about this title and others for Robotech. Likely to be a January or February release
Jan 9, 2015 - Jan/Feb release
Jan 11, 2015 - March (tentative)
Jan 17, 2015 - March (tentative)
Jan 24, 2015 - March (tentative)
Jan 30, 2015 - I expect to start (?) assigning artwork by end of next week. I want this book out in March. April the latest.

So......

I'm guessing early 2016.

Don't forget. Right before they let go of Jason Marker, he had turned in his manuscript.

Now - in the past, there was very little rewrites. But apparently with this last manuscript, someone deemed it unacceptable for publication and needed a massive rewrite.

Then they hired Irvin Jackson to do the work. From what I can tell, the manuscript was turned in as well. Kevin has also stated the same thing about Mr. Jackson's work.

I'm not a fan of New Generation and Genesis Pits. Even though I feel like these books go fairly decent with TSC. It goes better with 1e Robotech.

i preferred Mr. marker's style over Mr. jackson's. i liked the greater technical details scattered through, how he tried to include features capabilities for them beyond what we saw directly in the show.

Mr. jackson's work certainly was creative, but to me it lacked the more engaging elements of mr. marker's work.

i'm curious as to how the new writer's work will be.

I wouldn't hold my breath.

Yeah, until we see it, I'm calling it vaporware. It may not be Palladium's fault if the hold up is on HG's approval process.

I have said it before and will say it again....Palladium should have worked the contract so HG had a specific amount of time to give the approvals and if they are not given in that time frame then Palladium would publish what they want.

Chris0013 wrote:I have said it before and will say it again....Palladium should have worked the contract so HG had a specific amount of time to give the approvals and if they are not given in that time frame then Palladium would publish what they want.

yeah.. there is no way HG would have signed that kind of contract. they seem to be trying to avoid the "rubber stamp" created mess of the old continuities by exerting extra control of the content of robotech products..

"In the absence of Protoculture we shall power the UEEF by tapping the near-infinite pool of empathic energy available by channeling the frustration of a certain community of RPG fans!"
"That's BRILLIANT, Doctor Penn!"

mech798 wrote:Yeah, until we see it, I'm calling it vaporware. It may not be Palladium's fault if the hold up is on HG's approval process.

Circumstances being what they are, I would actually say a release this year would be all but guaranteed... I'd almost be surprised if Harmony Gold weren't leaning on Kevin to get it kicked out the door already.

Why? This is Robotech's 30th Anniversary, and it's become something of an expectation in the entertainment industry that long running franchises trot out some kind of big new release to commemorate the big anniversaries. The creative staff needs something new to show off, and the Marines book is pretty much the only new thing they've got in the pipe for 2015. With Shadow Rising and Robotech Academy officially on effectively canceled ("on indefinite hiatus") for lack of a budget. and no signs of production planning from the proposed live action movie, the Marines book is all they've got on deck.

Chris0013 wrote:I have said it before and will say it again....Palladium should have worked the contract so HG had a specific amount of time to give the approvals and if they are not given in that time frame then Palladium would publish what they want.

Palladium doesn't have that much clout, and one of Harmony Gold's main goals with RT2E (according to their powerpoints about it when it was first announced) was to make sure it conformed more closely to the official Robotech setting. With that as their goal, it's unlikely they'll let Palladium slip the metaphorical short leash.

Seto Kaiba wrote:

mech798 wrote:Yeah, until we see it, I'm calling it vaporware. It may not be Palladium's fault if the hold up is on HG's approval process.

Circumstances being what they are, I would actually say a release this year would be all but guaranteed... I'd almost be surprised if Harmony Gold weren't leaning on Kevin to get it kicked out the door already.

Why? This is Robotech's 30th Anniversary, and it's become something of an expectation in the entertainment industry that long running franchises trot out some kind of big new release to commemorate the big anniversaries. The creative staff needs something new to show off, and the Marines book is pretty much the only new thing they've got in the pipe for 2015. With Shadow Rising and Robotech Academy officially on effectively canceled ("on indefinite hiatus") for lack of a budget. and no signs of production planning from the proposed live action movie, the Marines book is all they've got on deck.

Chris0013 wrote:I have said it before and will say it again....Palladium should have worked the contract so HG had a specific amount of time to give the approvals and if they are not given in that time frame then Palladium would publish what they want.

Palladium doesn't have that much clout, and one of Harmony Gold's main goals with RT2E (according to their powerpoints about it when it was first announced) was to make sure it conformed more closely to the official Robotech setting. With that as their goal, it's unlikely they'll let Palladium slip the metaphorical short leash.

My overall point is that is is good for the brand to get product out to the fans....it isn't like HG is pushing ahead with a new series or a add'l movies.

Chris0013 wrote:My overall point is that is is good for the brand to get product out to the fans....it isn't like HG is pushing ahead with a new series or a add'l movies.

Absolutely right... but Robotech is Harmony Gold's brand, and after all the fuss and noise they made of what their licensees did back in the 90's, it's only natural they'd want to keep overall control of new developments. They certainly don't want to let Kevin and company write them into a corner or spoil the plot of the their next planned feature.

I think they'll lobby quite hard to get the Marines book out in 2015, though I would not dare hazard a guess as to what month. After jumping through all those hoops at Tatsunoko to get approval to use the MOSPEADA concept art, they're not gonna let the book get forgotten.

Of course one problem with the Marine sourcebook, given how narrative tiny HG has made the setting, is that there isn't a lot to do with it. The old Sentinals, for all of its problems had scope. With the effective elimination of the sentinals from the currenlty published material, if not the official canon, what can you do as a marine? Deal with earth? There are no nations on earth to deal with-- in most places the population could be handled by a few cops, not marines.

Combat rogue zentraedi? All but gone.

in fact, just about anything but "Find our magic box before all of our mecha fall over and die" is deadended by canon. Granted, the genesis pits tried to come up with some good options, but fundamentally the new version of robotech is a pretty dry well with very little for many characters to do.

mech798 wrote:Of course one problem with the Marine sourcebook, given how narrative tiny HG has made the setting, is that there isn't a lot to do with it. The old Sentinals, for all of its problems had scope.

Eh... it didn't have THAT much more scope than we have now... there might've been a few more planets to play with, but the only real plot was "evil aliens [are invading/have invaded], sic 'em".

mech798 wrote:With the effective elimination of the sentinals from the currenlty published material, if not the official canon, what can you do as a marine? Deal with earth? There are no nations on earth to deal with-- in most places the population could be handled by a few cops, not marines.

Well, considering that the RPG already made the UEDF aviators of the first war Marine aviators... there's technically a whole war for them to star in.

I do see your point about Earth, it's hard for the non-Invid living there to be much of a threat to powered exoskeleton-infantry with laser weapons when the average civilian seems to have weapons no more threatening than a Colt single-action Army revolver...

mech798 wrote:Combat rogue zentraedi? All but gone.

Harmony Gold understandably wants to de-emphasize ties to Macross after the Macross Saga era, because that material can't legally be used in new animation.

mech798 wrote:[...] fundamentally the new version of robotech is a pretty dry well with very little for many characters to do.

Sadly, there just isn't that much material for Palladium to work with if they want to keep it official... they basically ran out of the 100% official material halfway thru the New Gen book, but with no viable continuation of the series in 30 years there's a limit on what Palladium can do.

mech798 wrote:Of course one problem with the Marine sourcebook, given how narrative tiny HG has made the setting, is that there isn't a lot to do with it. The old Sentinals, for all of its problems had scope. With the effective elimination of the sentinals from the currenlty published material, if not the official canon, what can you do as a marine? Deal with earth?

Well there is, presumably all the stuff that the REF has been doing for the last few decades.....all that 'non-stop warfare' and the like has to be against someone. So they could offer some new foes to fight. The Regent? Bits of the Masters Empire? Relic Zentradi fleets? Unaligned worlds? All are great options for new places to see, new people to meet, and new targets to shoot.

Jan 30, 2015 - I expect to start (?) assigning artwork by end of next week. I want this book out in March. April the latest.

Only 2 weeks left and I doubt we will see it come out this month. It looks like Kevin dropped it to behind the Chaos Earth book now.

MikeM wrote:Jan 30, 2015 - I expect to start (?) assigning artwork by end of next week. I want this book out in March. April the latest.

Only 2 weeks left and I doubt we will see it come out this month. It looks like Kevin dropped it to behind the Chaos Earth book now.

You need to stop watching the time tables. you will only be disappointed. You need to be excited when a book sees print and ignore everything else. Unless you like to be disappointed.

Well, its been nearly three years since the book was announced.

Well if it gets published then it will have beat a lot of other titles that have been announced years before that. Be happy with what we have and be excited when we actually get it.

Otherwise you will always be disappointed.

Lt Gargoyle wrote:Well if it gets published then it will have beat a lot of other titles that have been announced years before that. Be happy with what we have and be excited when we actually get it.

Otherwise you will always be disappointed.

Let's just cross our fingers and hope it comes out this year... it'd be bad if the one "new" release on tap for Robotech's big 3-0 failed to materialize.

Seto Kaiba wrote:

Lt Gargoyle wrote:Well if it gets published then it will have beat a lot of other titles that have been announced years before that. Be happy with what we have and be excited when we actually get it.

Otherwise you will always be disappointed.

Let's just cross our fingers and hope it comes out this year... it'd be bad if the one "new" release on tap for Robotech's big 3-0 failed to materialize.

Oh I'm wishful. I just don't like being disappointed or angry with the constant delays and push backs. I get Rifts is PBs big seller, and I even enjoy Rifts, but I think if you want to sell the other games you need to give them some love too. So i just switched my attitude.

I will ALWAYS be disappointed unless they get product out on time, like the good, old days...oh, that would be a miracle.

Arnie100 wrote:I will ALWAYS be disappointed unless they get product out on time, like the good, old days...oh, that would be a miracle.

I do not remember a day when they had books out on time.

Well, I cast my "vote of confidence" and just ordered the Raw Preview manuscript.

tobefrnk wrote:Well, I cast my "vote of confidence" and just ordered the Raw Preview manuscript.

Thinking of getting it for my own amusement. Just called the office to see if it's still available, which it is, but for how long who knows?

I'm set on getting a copy if there's any left...(have to wait till i get paid next week)

just placed my order. Hopefully UPS doesn't ruin this one.

Chronicler wrote:

tobefrnk wrote:Well, I cast my "vote of confidence" and just ordered the Raw Preview manuscript.

Thinking of getting it for my own amusement. Just called the office to see if it's still available, which it is, but for how long who knows?

I figured I should get it since it's something that actually exists, and support the company to boot. Who knows how much longer the finalized copy will take. Sure, when that's released, I'll have effectively paid for the book twice, but I've got a soft spot for a company that tries and I've always had a special place for Palladium in my heart. The RPG, even with all its faults, is the only thing that has consistently help kept Robotech "alive" between the releases of new material from HG.

Some may see the preview release as a money grab, I see it as Palladium trying to serve us as best they can. Thank you.

tobefrnk wrote:
Some may see the preview release as a money grab, I see it as Palladium trying to serve us as best they can. Thank you.

I bought 2, because they may be the only copies of the book to ever materialize...

ok, I ordered it as well. and when the other is finished I will get it as well.
i agree tobefrnk, its good to support a company which brings us so much entertainment. even with its faults.

remember, Palladium had 2 books in the pipeline when they lost the license before... its a very good reason to buy this version of the book.

Colonel Wolfe wrote:remember, Palladium had 2 books in the pipeline when they lost the license before... its a very good reason to buy this version of the book.

that's a good point.

Its not a money grab. They only printed 128 copies.

Now printing manga edition after the majority said not to, then offering full sized later...that was a money grab.

I did order mine (with the CS Rifts book(s) too). I like collecting odd things like that.

a money grab would be rewriting all your books and calling it a new edition every five to six years.

Lt Gargoyle wrote:a money grab would be rewriting all your books and calling it a new edition every five to six years.

Re: Games Workshop.

But no I really hope they get the book out and others. Still wish HG would give them a little slack with content, rpg's of existing IP's don't always follow it's source, especially shows or movies. (If they did I would defiantly start writing stuff myself.)