Forums of the Megaverse®

I play test as much as I can. I only game one day a week and between working full time and writing part time its difficult to find time to work on a game. I do have very reliable players who help to edit my work and they don't pull punches. They know Rifts (and Palladium) as well as I do so I can count on them to do a good job.

My Three Galaxies stuff was actually stuff from various Phase World games I ran and I just kept the notes on stuff.

Megaverse Builder was derived from a long inter dimensional campaign I did with a couple of the Dimension Riders (who were actual players). We visited many dimensions including Spires and Hades the most. I actually had a few trips to Hades with the players always running into some sort of trouble and having to run back to Rifts Earth. Its good to have a Shifter in the group.

The Shadow stuff in the Rifter did not get tested and was stuff I was saving and putting aside for a trip to the Plane of Shadows. Never did get to do that, but Kevin asked if I had anything that would fit that Rifter. Who am I to refuse Kevin

As for the Minion War, Hades did get very well play tested. My players were some where in the 9th to 12th level range and they still got their buts handed to them. I think Hades is going to be a blast and I hope Dyval will surprise and delight everyone because I had total freedom to develope that dimension as I wanted. I didn't get to play test much of that, but I know its on par with Hades. Those two books are really a ton of setting material. Hades has one O.C.C. and I felt it was needed and Dyval has none! Each book has little in the way of actual new game mechanics, or O.C.C.'s. Its just a lot of material on the the settings themselves.

The last game I ran was testing my Minion War 3G stuff. That went very well and the players didn't see a lot of stuff coming. Again no O.C.C.'s or game mechanics, just setting info and info on the Minion War.

I'll have to do some real serious game testing on HU. I have that book about half written and I played around with some of the magic power categories so I need to see if/how they work out. But that's down the road. I'm letting one of my other players run a game so I'm on break.

Right now my favorite book is Three Galaxies. Maybe because its my first book, but I really love the setting and the book came out just as I had intended. A source book to provide all kinds of useful source material.

I like Megaverse Builder, but now as I look back I think there could have been more. So maybe down the road I'll do a Megaverse Builder two. I just have to see how much material I can put together and it would be a few years anyway cause I have some other things I want to do first. Like finish the Minion War and take some time off

Yes Spires was mine. So far all of my stuff has been just me with Kevin doing any changes or rewriting as needed. I did contribute to Rifts China 2, Rifts Ultimate Edition, and soon D-Bees of North America.

Hope that answers all your questions!

Carl

gadrin wrote:I'd wish you'd do a "technology book" on Phase World, not so much an A+ B + C type of thing with "technobabble" like Trek, but sort of a basis to explain how things work. I think it'd be neat to have the hooks so that gamers who want to develop technology that works dimensionally have something that can go that way. That might be too ambitious and/or too bland...but so is the umpteenth retread OCC.

So are you talking like how a Phase Drive compares to a CG drive? That sort of stuff? Not a bad idea. I don't know if this is something that Braden may have done in his Phase World source book. We'll have to wait and see.

gadrin wrote:Ah well. Thanks for taking the time and I'll wait for the Minion Books.

Anytime

Carl

I would resolve the Naruni question by having them employ rift drives. Theoretically you could, if using rifts to travel from one place to another, go anywhere even cross dimensions. You would simply need to know where you are going. As such shifters on bord a ship with a rift drive are the ultimate navigators. Anyone not employing a shifter could open a random rift and go someware but you would still need to figure out how to get home, no a fun thing to do so people dont generally do it as such rift drives are not only uncommon but not used to their full potential.

Why not just give the Naruni the equivalent of a "Dimension Drive"? It works like a fold drive, but goes to pre-programed Dimensions instead. Now yes that works great in space, but I know you'll ask what about Rifts Earth. For now I'm sure the Naruni use the D-Gates in Center, but whose to say they don't have their own version of the D-Gates? There you go its all tech. Hmm, maybe I should take notes on this stuff

Carl

Darkmax wrote:Carl, Just out of curiosity... what is the Artifact in the Three Galaxies Book for? What was your original thoughts on it?

If I tell ya it might ruin the surprise and wonder of it. If you really want to know send me a PM.

Carl

gadrin wrote:

Carl Gleba wrote:Why not just give the Naruni the equivalent of a "Dimension Drive"? It works like a fold drive, but goes to pre-programed Dimensions instead. Now yes that works great in space, but I know you'll ask what about Rifts Earth. For now I'm sure the Naruni use the D-Gates in Center, but whose to say they don't have their own version of the D-Gates? There you go its all tech. Hmm, maybe I should take notes on this stuff

Carl

well sure handwave is easy... of course then there's no reason to pay $20+ to Palladium either...I mean why stop there...

I was hoping Minion Series might drop a few tidbits, but...I doubt it needs to go there.

Looking at the beast on the cover of the Dimension Book 2 seems to indicate those gates are fairly good sized... hmmm.

The Naruni actually do play a role in the upcoming Minion War book, but sorry its nothing on their tech. There are a few ships that Naruni sells so people can see what it is that Naruni sells in that category. And to peek the interest a Naruni city sized industrial space station is statted out!! Its big, its bristling with weapons and ..... it disappears

Carl

gadrin wrote:

Carl Gleba wrote:And to peek the interest a Naruni city sized industrial space station is statted out!! Its big, its bristling with weapons and ..... it disappears

Carl

oh, very cool ! <drools>

wait...disappears ! arghhhhh ! must...have...more...info...

I can't give to much away without ruining some of the surprises in the book. But the station is a major ship yard and lets just say a certain...um ... faction needed ships in a fast way!!

I don't know if Kevin will use it, but one of my friends who is an aspiring artist drew up some of the ships and the station for me. It was very inspirational and I hope Kevin uses it.

...can't give any more...info...away...the curse of the NDA is upon me....

Carl

That sounds very cool! I'm looking forward to seeing that reach our hands!

Darkmax wrote:cloaking?

Nope!

Now now! Darkmax. We ned those people to use as foot soldiers in the future wars with the TGE or other bad guys.

Carl Gleba wrote:So are you talking like how a Phase Drive compares to a CG drive? That sort of stuff? Not a bad idea. I don't know if this is something that Braden may have done in his Phase World source book.

Hell, no!

After I spent three days comparing every published PW starship to every other one, trying to find some common rules betwixt the lot... that was as close as I got to "technical explanations".

How does the Heisenburg Compensator work? Just fine, thank you.

LOL That is a good one Braden!

Braden, GMPhD wrote:

Carl Gleba wrote:So are you talking like how a Phase Drive compares to a CG drive? That sort of stuff? Not a bad idea. I don't know if this is something that Braden may have done in his Phase World source book.

Hell, no!

After I spent three days comparing every published PW starship to every other one, trying to find some common rules betwixt the lot... that was as close as I got to "technical explanations".

How does the Heisenburg Compensator work? Just fine, thank you.

start a thread with the questions and i'll give it my best shot. (heck, i have to explain all this stuff over and over again around here anyway.)
keep in mind this won't be official, just my take on the stuff.

just don't ask about magic based systems. palladium magic is odd, and my attempts to make it make sense kinda gets into odd territory.

Darkmax wrote:you mean it is too scientific?

quite the opposite.

my attempts to apply scientific principles to the system makes things odd.

basically, i discerned a pattern connecting PPE, ISP, Bio-E, and temporal energy together.

temporal energy was the core. TE is entropy, the force of change and time.
the others were entropy applied to an end, either naturally or artificially. this explains how PPE can be used to perform magic. you are converting Entropy (via PPE) to alter reality to a specific result.
ditto for ISP and Psionics, and Bio-E for mutation.


basically i got bored and my wandering mind stumbled over a neat game mechanic. with this, you could use PPE to explain mutations caused by magic (see the 'blueprint of a dragon' rifter article). it also explained why a high PPE level encourages the development of psychic powers. inapplying the laws of thermodynamics (energy cannot be made or destroyed, only converted from one for to another, primarily) it got odd, but still made sense. entropy eventually converts over to PPE, ISP, or Bio-E, but you can't increase the amount of enetropy.

thats usually where it broke down. it was a neat mechanic, and might make a good in character philosiphy, but it really had no bearing on how the game played.

That is an interesting idea Glitterboy!