Forums of the Megaverse®

The following is from Kevin...

Bring back Robotech®? You tell us.

Would you like to see Palladium publish Robotech® RPG books again?

Don’t get excited, but we’ve been thinking about it and we need YOUR input. We need as many people to respond as possible, and we want honest and accurate responses.


Sincerely,

Kevin Siembieda - President

From NMI - Please keep any and all comments constructive. Non-constructive posts will be tossed into their own thread - Thanx!!!

Hardcover, but rules brought into line with Rifts Ultimate Edition. Whats more, the main book needs to contain information for all eras of Robotech (from The Macross Saga to the upcoming Shadow Chronicles).

Mecha need revamping (armour/damage wise, plus correcting all the myriad of mistakes/goofs from before). Every last missing item from the Tv series should at least have a modest chance of being catalogued. This will allow for a radically more diverse and much richer playing experience. It will also allow for stand-alone enemy books (Zentraedi, Robotech Masters, Invid) that are packed with information.

Line art sketches from animation sheets, stills from the Tv series (since we now have crisper, cleaner Restored images) and some new artwork to round out the book.

Updated and current Robotech canon information, disregarding the older material where necessary. That way we won't have the knock-down, drag out, flame ridden threads that currently inhabit the forum.

Given the staggering amount of information that is only hinted at in the Tv series (The Anti-Unification League, space colonies, rogue Zentraedi fighting with the reconstituted UEF starfleet as early as 2013, The Disciples of Zor <the Robotech Masters REAL enemies>, Space Pirates) there could be numerous new sourcebooks. That doesn't even begin to cover the stuff that would logically be applicable such as a book on Test Pilots (including new experimental mecha like those in the old Strike Force book).

Edit: Thought of a few more things....

Completely streamline the character classes. Do away with the old system of 1 OCC to 1 military occupation, because it simply did not work. Have a generic set of 'Other Skill/Secondary Skill' templates that, depending upon base type (Air Corps, Army, Navy et al) can simply have the MOS added to as the OCC Skill List. Have a big list of MOS's that represent all the various paths capable. Whats more, as time goes on, with subsequent books, the list of MOS's can be expanded.

Sure, you can also include retreads of various civilian/merc OCCs, but the main characters need to be sort of pick and choose military path that is universal throughout the game. That way there are no problems of gaining additional skills as levels progress.

Something else is that the technology HAS to progress. The Macross Saga was the base of the technology, not the highest level.

2nd Edit: I dont know why I didn't think of this before. For God's sake, no more 200 MDC Cyclone's if Battlepods only have 50 MDC, Bioroids 100 and the VF-8 Logan 150! The armour values are so out of whack that they need to be either increased (from the base as presented with body armour being 50, combat shields 100 and Cyclones with 200) or completely hacked to pieces (which I prefer) and brought to 1/4 to 7/8ths what the base is now (body armour with a 5-10, shields with 10 and Cyclones with 25).

The other thing is the small arms damages are completely off balance as well compared to the larger guns.

Basara_549 wrote:Another item would be to actually flesh out an "RDF colony" setting in other star systems, based on Gloval's comments and the fact that the REF, even for a 2040s return, would HAVE to have other sources than the REF mission crew for staffing the return divisions.

Hehe, funny enough Khyron's Revenge shows an Earth-type planet in the Delta Pavonis star system (the system was said to be 20 light years from Earth, which means DP) with at least one moon (that the Masters are hiding behind and surveying the wreckage of a new UEF Ardennes-class Battlecruiser). Would be a perfect starting point for a colony (though my bet is still on the first colony being founded on a planet circling Alpha/Beta Centauri).

Um. Which option do I pick for reprinting previous material but with all the errors corrected?

You know, like the Lancer space fighter.

If we're talking new revised rules main book in hardcover, then all three sagas in the same book please. Shadow Chronicles in a seperate volume, revised books after that.

Given that HG will have to sign off, I assume the books will follow their present view, so I take revised and repair of "mistakes" as standard.

No offense, but apart from Wayne Breaux IMO not many of the present PB artist can replicate Robotech designs that actually look like Robotech designs, though admittedly that's based on their other art. Ideally I'd want a even mix, series lineart for info pages and new art for flavor, but clear clean lineart is vital.

Print an update mini-book, a "Rules-Lite" so those of us who aready HAVE the series can easilly be brought up to speed.

Put "out-of-print" themed books in compilations;
RDF Manual, Accelerated Training Program, Zentraedi; Zentraedi Breakout, Ghost Ship, New World Order & Strike Force, plus updated info about the Macross/Reconstruction Era.

"Robotech Worldbook-The Malcontents"-- a Return of the Masters-like book on what's been going on with the Zentraedi resettlement, the Malcontents (& all the details on how the h*ck they made those cyber-wasps to spread the Madness Plague), & a nice sized adventure about the nuking of Oasis City. More about running an RDF/REF Infiltrator special agent, sent in to find out what's going on. And not just the Zentraedi are Malcontents....there's quite a few Terrans too.....

"Robotech Worldbook-EBSIS"---a look at the villians of the post-Reconstruction/Lancer's Rockers eras, their structure, status, Mecha & what the ramifications were of the Sonic Cannon fiasco (from Lancer's Rockers).

PRINT IT ALREADY!!! YES!!!!!!!!!!!

*Get on knees and claps hands in front of him* Yes, please go back and print the Robotech books. I would support anything at this point. Mostly, put the complete weapons package on the mecha as seen in the TV series, like the Beta arm guns and the stage 5 Invid mecha head lazer. Things like that. And boy, are those choices up top hard to choice from.

I'd like to see the old material cleaned up, with errors removed.
I would like the rules to work well with Robotech, and I don't think that the RUE rules would. The GI Joe rule and the lack of burst/spray rules, for example, would not fit in well.

I mentioned this in the other thread and I'll mention it again (maybe it needs it's own poll):
I do NOT want to see the power level of mecha or weapons increased!
Decreased, sure. Increased? No.
The original rules and stats were pretty darn good, IMHO. Not entirely without problems, but there is absolutely no reason to upgrade the overall power level.

Killer Cyborg wrote:I'd like to see the old material cleaned up, with errors removed.
I would like the rules to work well with Robotech, and I don't think that the RUE rules would. The GI Joe rule and the lack of burst/spray rules, for example, would not fit in well.

I mentioned this in the other thread and I'll mention it again (maybe it needs it's own poll):
I do NOT want to see the power level of mecha or weapons increased!
Decreased, sure. Increased? No.
The original rules and stats were pretty darn good, IMHO. Not entirely without problems, but there is absolutely no reason to upgrade the overall power level.

Totally agree with you.

I would really love a hardcover version of the rules.

Killer Cyborg wrote:I'd like to see the old material cleaned up, with errors removed.
I would like the rules to work well with Robotech, and I don't think that the RUE rules would. The GI Joe rule and the lack of burst/spray rules, for example, would not fit in well.

I mentioned this in the other thread and I'll mention it again (maybe it needs it's own poll):
I do NOT want to see the power level of mecha or weapons increased!
Decreased, sure. Increased? No.
The original rules and stats were pretty darn good, IMHO. Not entirely without problems, but there is absolutely no reason to upgrade the overall power level.

Well if you remove errors like the GU-11 useing clips and restict it to its own internal ammo supply your going to run into issues with the ammo supply, so I suspect that will be bumped up, along with the head lasers. Fixing the BETA will mean changing the gun layout to 3 "fixed" and 2X3 arm mounted weapons, and completly redoing the missle payload to include the wing mounted weapons, dito with the Alfa, converting the Vindicator to a "shadow drone" the list goes on and on.

Drakenred®™© wrote:

Killer Cyborg wrote:I'd like to see the old material cleaned up, with errors removed.
I would like the rules to work well with Robotech, and I don't think that the RUE rules would. The GI Joe rule and the lack of burst/spray rules, for example, would not fit in well.

I mentioned this in the other thread and I'll mention it again (maybe it needs it's own poll):
I do NOT want to see the power level of mecha or weapons increased!
Decreased, sure. Increased? No.
The original rules and stats were pretty darn good, IMHO. Not entirely without problems, but there is absolutely no reason to upgrade the overall power level.

Well if you remove errors like the GU-11 useing clips and restict it to its own internal ammo supply your going to run into issues with the ammo supply, so I suspect that will be bumped up, along with the head lasers. Fixing the BETA will mean changing the gun layout to 3 "fixed" and 2X3 arm mounted weapons, and completly redoing the missle payload to include the wing mounted weapons, dito with the Alfa, converting the Vindicator to a "shadow drone" the list goes on and on.

Understood.
What I don't want is for the MDC of every vehicle to increase, or for body armor to increase, or for laser rifles to inflict Rifts level mega-damage.

my point being that fixing things(especialy the Alfa and Beta) will tend to force up the damage level that they can dish out, thus reduceing the survivability of their respective oponents, (for expample it would be logical that the guns on the Beta do 3D4X10/6D4X10 if that SMG on the Alfa does 1D4X10) which brings us to the problem that most invid units going up against one will be like having unarmed naked 1D4th level Zentradi going up against REF Excalibers

Besides the stuff from Shadow Chronicles, I would also like to see some extra stuff for the Sentinels taking extra material from both the novels and comic books.

The thought of some new RT books, excites me. I want some new material with updated mecha and other goodness.

YES! Please bring it back

I'd love to see a second edition with updated rules, but without any inflation to try and make the power level comparable to Rifts.

I would like to see it updated, and the mistakes fixed.

Yes! Yes! OH, DEAR GOD YES!

*ahem*

I voted for an Ultimate-type treatment. Going back and giving the whole thing a rewrite/update, based on the experience gained from years of other RPG books (please remember that Robotech was the first game with MDC).

I'd also like for some more background material to be included in the main book, especially about the world state at various points in the timeline (ie: blurbs about the United Earth in the first generation, the divided but cooperating Earth in the second generation, and the lawless wildlands of the third generations). That's the best thing that Palladium ever did for Robotech: fleshed out the rest of the world that the shows didn't care to. The books on Africa, Thailand/SE Asia, the ghost ship in the debris ring... all of those brought a richness and colour to the Robotech world that it was lacking before.

And while Wayne Breaux Jr. does some amazing Robotech artwork, Kevin Long's original drawings will always be the ultimate in RT art, even surpassing the line-art from the various shows.

there needs to be a "yes" option...

YES

Just correct all the mistakes and goofs. Use the Robotech.com canon information, to start, so that the game more closely resembles the Tv series. This is especially true for the Southern Cross and Mospeada sections.

That and correct stats and information on Colonel Wolfe from Robotech, not that pansy version from The Sentinels.

I didn't get to vote, but I would vote [b]NO[/b] to new or reprinted Robotech material.
There's a lot out there already on ebay and 2nd hand stores.

I say Palladium is better served to put their money into pre-painted RIFTS minis or getting RIFTS to a PC game platform or getting out some of the other books that people have been wanting for quite some time.

I don't think the Robotech license would be a good use of their resources (time, money and energy).
There is a very vocal crowd here, and I loved Robotech too, but in the relatively flat and suffering RPG market I doubt a reprint of Robotech would take off.

If it absolutely has to happen, then I say do a compilation of the books into a big hardcover, fix the errors and leave it at that.

If they re-up Robotech, I'm sure we'd also have a plethora of Rifter articles that the RT crowd would suddenly be able to submit...

Who knows? I might even have an article or two as well, and would love to do some RT art myself...

I'd say yes to a Ultimate Edition version of Robotech with corrected stats for Mecha, armor, and weapons; good air and ground combat rules; MOSed character OCCs; and full compatibility with the animated series.

Edited: Forgot One. Please give us either type specific or generic mecha combat sheets that includes: Base MDC, damage taken, starting missile load, missiles expended, starting ammo, ammo expended, and finally, random location charts for everything. The random location charts really become perfected with the use of RUE's "Standard" non-Aimed, non-Called, shots.

Bring it back.

Clean up the rules, the typoes and the mistakes. Let some of the Robotech Experts/Fanatics here give you a hand in spotting what needs a clean up, we'll be happy to.

Good sized main book covering each of the 3 (or 4 if Sentinals is included) main elements with lots of art work.

Era or topic specific books to follow for additional world information, adventure ideas and similar.

But most importantly, bring it back.

Oh, by the way, don't loose the EBSIS, they are the source of lots of great adventure ideas, even if they don't fit well into the origional storyline of the TV series.

I would definitely agree with bringing it back. My brother in law drew me into Palladium Books with that game. I would love to see new material for the game, not to mention knocking the dust off of my old Damian Traldan character and getting him back into a Veritech again.

Must go poke my friends who don't post here and get them to sign up and vote now!

Regarding how to bring it back I think I would like compiled versions of the older books, and new material going forward in a Robotech Ultimate fashion.

-RS

Yes, bring them back. I have almost all of the original ones that were published by Palladium and I still read them, play the RPG, etc...

Oh, about Shadow Chronicles, it'd be nice to include that stuff too, if the lisence can allow for it.

And yeah, we need burst rules i Robotech.

We also need a clear progression in technology. A Veritech Fighter of 2010 vintage needs to be outperformed by an Alpha Fighter of 2022 vintage which needs to be outperformed by a Logan Fighter of 2025 vintage.

Personal weapons and body armour can be MDC - but make them low level MDC please. No tank killing pistols.

Thanks for asking for our input.

Hardcover core rule book whether it is a compilation, reprint or Ultimized. Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hmm did the the Deal with the other company fall thru (please say yes please say yes)

YES YES YES

I will buy but only if its done right

what I want to see... is for Stuff to allow Crossovers.

Conditional Yes.

ONLY! If Kevin Long's art makes the transition to any new material.

I voted Option 3.


I am concerened that we only have 73 votes so far. I mean I figured even the lurkers would be coming out of the wood work to vote. 73 seems kind of low.

Preacher wrote:I am concerened that we only have 73 votes so far. I mean I figured even the lurkers would be coming out of the wood work to vote. 73 seems kind of low.

Have you looked at the numbers on other polls? They usually get only 20 or 30 votes, this one ahs done double that so far. Not bad.

I sure would like to see new Robotech books, even if they are simply remakes of old ones with new/updated rules and materials, although new books compiled together with old and new stuff.
Overall, the Robotech Ultimate Edition looks like the most interesting option (except maybe the 'name').

devillin wrote:

Preacher wrote:I am concerened that we only have 73 votes so far. I mean I figured even the lurkers would be coming out of the wood work to vote. 73 seems kind of low.

Have you looked at the numbers on other polls? They usually get only 20 or 30 votes, this one ahs done double that so far. Not bad.

Considering how many books Palladium probably needs to sell per month to make it a viable product then 77 (when I wrote this) is still LOW.

This is not compariable to most polls, far from it in fact.

This is not a poll about what vehicle is the best or who your favorite character is from all the series.

It is a poll on the Robotech boards asking if they should try to reaquire the license originating from the Owner and head writer CEO of Palladium.

I would really like to see this product renewed but the poll so far is making me nervous and doubtful.

Preacher wrote:This is not a poll about what vehicle is the best or who your favorite character is from all the series.

It is a poll on the Robotech boards asking if they should try to reaquire the license originating from the Owner and head writer CEO of Palladium.

Yeah, I was wondering about that myself as I was reading along.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Oh, yes I do want a licence renewal (my main comments regardnig the renewal are here).

Preacher wrote:

devillin wrote:

Preacher wrote:I am concerened that we only have 73 votes so far. I mean I figured even the lurkers would be coming out of the wood work to vote. 73 seems kind of low.

Have you looked at the numbers on other polls? They usually get only 20 or 30 votes, this one ahs done double that so far. Not bad.

Considering how many books Palladium probably needs to sell per month to make it a viable product then 77 (when I wrote this) is still LOW.

I doubt Kevin would have even mentioned it had he not already ben considering it. His message was probably more about what type of renewal we want. I doubt he would make such a huge decision based on what the few people that frequent this board think. Although we might be able to effect the type and manner in which the material is presented.

I personally just missed that there were two separate threads. But since Kev's initial post on murmurs has only had 260ish views, I'd say the number of votes that have been tallied is a good number.

Tetsuya wrote:Ditch Robotech: Go Macross. there is a lot more playability in a pure Macross liscence (70 colony fleets outbound) and a better overal story too.

Not that i dont like RT, and i'd love to see RT come back, but if the option is there, tell HG to get bent and go Pure Macross.

they do not have the option to develop a true macross game.

Mech-Viper wrote:Hmm did the the Deal with the other company fall thru (please say yes please say yes)

An excellent point. As far as I knew that other company was still planning to bring out a new rpg, has this changed? Because if it hasnt then this poll is moot.

Mech-Viper wrote:Hmm did the the Deal with the other company fall thru (please say yes please say yes)

YES YES YES

I will buy but only if its done right

If your talking about Guardians of Order there was never any proof to back up that rumor.

Would the RIFTS Air to Air Combat rules found in Rifter 33 possibly be applied to the Robotech setting?

Okay, okay, I'm wishing. Leave me be - dreams are free, which is good, that's all I can afford right now! *L*

Regards,

Edward A. May

Jesterzzn wrote:

Preacher wrote:

devillin wrote:

Preacher wrote:I am concerened that we only have 73 votes so far. I mean I figured even the lurkers would be coming out of the wood work to vote. 73 seems kind of low.

Have you looked at the numbers on other polls? They usually get only 20 or 30 votes, this one ahs done double that so far. Not bad.

Considering how many books Palladium probably needs to sell per month to make it a viable product then 77 (when I wrote this) is still LOW.

I doubt Kevin would have even mentioned it had he not already ben considering it. His message was probably more about what type of renewal we want. I doubt he would make such a huge decision based on what the few people that frequent this board think. Although we might be able to effect the type and manner in which the material is
presented.

'
Actually its probably an inquiry to see if theres a huge (or any) interest. We did much the same thing when TMNT 2nd edition was being considered, Kevin is probably also talking to stores and distributors about whether or not its a viable product.

Tetsuya wrote:Ditch Robotech: Go Macross. there is a lot more playability in a pure Macross liscence (70 colony fleets outbound) and a better overal story too.

More playability? Thats a laugh. You realise the Macross fanbase is alot smaller than that of Robotech, don't you?

Not that i dont like RT, and i'd love to see RT come back, but if the option is there, tell HG to get bent and go Pure Macross.

Would be kinda hard for Palladium to do this considering the only companies with the rights to develop merchandise outside Japan over SDF Macross (and apparently DYRL?) are Tatsunoko/Harmony Gold. Kinda hard to go 'Pure Macross' without SDF Macross.

I have all the originals, and I'd love to see new stuff too so long as it is updated and is made sure to flow with current Robotech continuity.

Shawn Merrow wrote:

Mech-Viper wrote:Hmm did the the Deal with the other company fall thru (please say yes please say yes)

YES YES YES

I will buy but only if its done right

If your talking about Guardians of Order there was never any proof to back up that rumor.

I dont know if there was a rumor, and we all know how protective KS is of Palladium Books, .............(caution my thoughts only coming up)..............................................
I'm think Harmony Gold cancelled their contact with GOO then called PB to see if they might be interested in restating the Robotech RPG and KS is testing the waters with us, but that is what i get out of this

I would pick up anything as long as there was something new in it, so a compilation combinding old and new material, or a reworked of the old with new for an Ultimate edition would be great.

Considering I just saw it for the first time a few minutes ago, I think the response if fairly large.