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Tell me about the Dead Reign preview in Rifter 40!

How many pages of setting info do we get?

How much rules stuff?

How many pages total of Dead Reign in the issue?

Josh Hilden wrote:designed a sliding AR scale based on how rotted the zombie is.

That's gotta be one of the juiciest bits of game design I have seen for a long time!

BTW, what do I gain / lose by using Systems Failure OCCs and gear? Obviously not the Norad characters, but the others seem like a fine fit for a zombie game.

Josh Hilden wrote:

Spinachcat wrote:

Josh Hilden wrote:designed a sliding AR scale based on how rotted the zombie is.

That's gotta be one of the juiciest bits of game design I have seen for a long time!

BTW, what do I gain / lose by using Systems Failure OCCs and gear? Obviously not the Norad characters, but the others seem like a fine fit for a zombie game.

Systems Failure is a great companion to Dead Reign.

Great idea! Palladium's megaverse system sure does make things convenient at times.

I'll bet any modern setting game would have good stuff too in the way of equipment and supplies.

I read the section on this and its pretty inspiring and I could see myself running this game. I've been on GM burnout for the last few years.
(Heck, I can barely get excited GMing a very simple game with my two young kids. They love a cable TV show where a kid can turn into lots of aliens. I like the show too, I don't feel my brain cells rotting when I watch it with them so I put together some information and role play with them.)

Anyway, the several pages of info and history are pretty darn cool. As I was reading, I was trying to guess ahead as to what was behind "The Wave". It was pretty inspiring. I can't wait to see the main book.

I just got my copy a couple days ago (mail service here is terrible). Woo! Love it! A trip to the zombie world for my players is a nice twist in our campaign. They will be floored! Muwahaha!

Imagine Dead Reign and Heroes Unlimited?
Flying, fireball slinging Zombies!!

That is a pretty nasty comcept to think about Mr. NMI!

First and foremost it is a great Zombie idea and I am getting ready to use it ASAP.

I do have one queation about Zombies needing 5 PPE each day or will loose 1 PPE per day until reaching zero, then collaspe and rot away. When all the people are gone (dead, converted or left the city) all the zombies will be dead within a week. Only way they don't die is if near a Ley Line or other magical source of PPE. This means millions of zombies would be gone in one week or two. This means all the survivors have to do is wait this out and avoid areas like Ley Lines.

I am reading this wrong? Shouldn't zombies last longer than 5 to 6 days without eating?

I would suggest zombies have a base PPE of 5 but crave more. All excess is drained to their leader. This way they stay "alive" until "killed" and do not need to die in a week due to lack of PPE.

What does everyone else think? Feedback welcome

I got Rifter 40 last week, but I just got around to taking a look. I gotta say, I'm really pumped about the final book. I looked through the article, and I thought to myself "Really? that's all they had to do to make a Palladium zombie book?", but then I realized even though they're simple rules, it's pretty clear that a lot of thought was put into it, and the rules are straight forward, clever and dare I say, elegant. Great work, guys.

I would love to see all this material in it's own mood-setting book, full of all the necessary zombie gore, gritty survival-horror and all that raw, broken-down feeling that will really kick my lazy GMing skills into overdrive.

I know Mike Mumah, Nick Bradshaw, and Jeffery Russell have this whole horror-art thing locked down, so the book's going to look fantastic, but I would also love to do something for this book as well. I need brush up on my decomposing flesh and rusty gear and start hinting to Kevin.

Damn, no zombie dogs? I wonder if Kevin was making sure it didnt get to close to the previous "Blank of the Dead" movies/Resident Evil, etc...

No zombie animals in the official rules is kind of a good thing, because where does it stop, lions, tigers, bears, shrews, mosquitos OMG!!!!!!

Personally, I'm having visions of dobermans jumping through the plate glass windows.

Misfit KotLD wrote:

Josh Hilden wrote:

Nxla666 wrote:No zombie animals in the official rules is kind of a good thing, because where does it stop, lions, tigers, bears, shrews, mosquitos OMG!!!!!!

Personally, I'm having visions of dobermans jumping through the plate glass windows.

Only humans can become Dead Reign style Zombies.

A good chunk of my neighborhood is safe then...

Josh: By the book yes, by my GM, hell no.


Misfit: And you.

I was re-reading the Dead Reign in Rifter #40. In prep for a campaign. I noticed it stated that the zombies ate animals if no humans were about. Then it further stated that the Z-virus cannot infect the dead animals to rise as undead zombie animals.

I would suggest (and I am going to allow) that dogs only can be infected.
Say about 10-20% chance. Or if the dogs survive the attack (just bitten) they will become as rabid dogs being ignored by the zombies and they ignore them. The rabid dogs in effect become carriers of the Z-virus.

After all, characters being chased by Z-dogs is scary stuff and GM mean

Big Bob...........................

TheyCallMeTrevor wrote:

Wangfucius wrote:I dunno
I just read through the article for the second time (just to make sure I got everything). So far, this is very different from any other game pb makes. Just flavor alone is pretty good. Zombies are great so far. I too like the high AR/low SDC/ 1 HP thing. GREAT mechanic for zombies. I hope to see the setting fleshed out more. Good set up for follow up books (zombies on the high seas/ outback zombies would be cool as hell).
Tell you what fellas: I'll buy it and try running it once I get the finished product.

I just re-read it also, and your right. That hadn't occured to me, but that is a great mechanic.

As for hooks, besides the cruise ship and mall (gotta love dawn of the dead), how about zombies in a prison or zombies on a plane.

Great Stuff, thanks for the ideas, Big Bob........................

1) If the zombie virus affects humans, how about primates? There is barely any genetic difference between you, me and Koko!

Yeah baby, zombie gorillas! I am so using that!!

2) Zombies on the train? Cool...but first rent Runaway Train which is an awesome movie and will give you lots of kewl ideas.

3) I imagine that a Principled Zombie would be a Blade-like avenger guy who chewed on scumbags trying to harm other survivors. Or maybe he'd be the sorrowful angst guy who tries to hold back his nature until it destroys him. Could be a cool tragic figure.

Ninjabunny wrote:

Spinachcat wrote:1) If the zombie virus affects humans, how about primates? There is barely any genetic difference between you, me and Koko!

Yeah baby, zombie gorillas! I am so using that!!

2) Zombies on the train? Cool...but first rent Runaway Train which is an awesome movie and will give you lots of kewl ideas.

3) I imagine that a Principled Zombie would be a Blade-like avenger guy who chewed on scumbags trying to harm other survivors. Or maybe he'd be the sorrowful angst guy who tries to hold back his nature until it destroys him. Could be a cool tragic figure.

(Please keep in mind I don't have Rifter 40, I am just a huge zombie fan and know lots about it and these are only my thoughts and in no way should effect someone elses game.)
1.) Well the small Genetic versions between Primates and humans is enough to effect the Z-Virus. The Z-Virus seems to only effect Humans, so Zombie monkeys while scary in thought may not happen.
2.) Yes the idea of getting off a train while flesh eatting ghouls come after you would be great!!
3.) A zombies mind is controlled by the Virus, the Virus has transformed the human brain into a Autontom with one thought Eat the flesh of the living. A Good zombie would be immpossible under this mind thought.

There are "Thinker" zombies in the game, actually three types of zombie (at least so far).

Slouchers = Romeroesque zombies, slow and stupid.
Runners = Dawn of the Dead remake, fast and stupid.
Thinkers = Land of the Dead leader type or the one from Day of the Dead.

Josh Hilden wrote:

Nxla666 wrote: snip ..
Thinkers = Land of the Dead leader type or the one from Day of the Dead.

Actually no, the thinkers retain all of their previous intellect an skills. As well as their personality at first. But they need to feed, so unless they have access to unlimited amounts of animals they will eventually be forced to consume people or kill themselves.

Physical stats of the thinker depend on how well they maintain their PPE balance.

I was being general in my statements, trying to entice him to pick up #40.

Josh Hilden wrote:

Nxla666 wrote:

Josh Hilden wrote:

Nxla666 wrote: snip ..
Thinkers = Land of the Dead leader type or the one from Day of the Dead.

Actually no, the thinkers retain all of their previous intellect an skills. As well as their personality at first. But they need to feed, so unless they have access to unlimited amounts of animals they will eventually be forced to consume people or kill themselves.

Physical stats of the thinker depend on how well they maintain their PPE balance.

I was being general in my statements, trying to entice him to pick up #40.

My whole group picked it up after we played a test game Go get it. Any rough rough, super rough time table for final product release?

April 2008??!!....But I want it...NOW!!! WWWaaaaahhhhhh!!.(kicking & screaming on floor). huh...huh....WWWaaaaahhhhh!!.....huh...huh...WWWaaaahhhhhhh!!....oh, look, shiney.............Hee...Heee....(shaking Grab Bag)....
"What do we say??"
Thank you Kevin Santa..

Josh Hilden wrote:April 2008

Awsome, not to far off
Can I pre-order now?

I have to admit, that little sample was excellent reading.

Misfit KotLD wrote:

asajosh wrote:

Josh Hilden wrote:April 2008

Awsome, not to far off
Can I pre-order now?

I wouldn't. As much as I love Palladium, I don't pre-order anymore.

Did ya order a product that went into the blackhole that's out back of the PB offices?

I do not like a Zombie only game series.

It must be part of BtS.

I hope Kevin Siembieda and gang go back to wokr on the two BtS,s books,Tome Grotesque and Arcanum.

in regards to other animals getting infected, and the issue of apes..

humanity has a 3% genetic differance from Chimps, our closest genetic relative. since the Z-virus was engineered, it would not be too outlandish to beleive that it was designed so that the marker segments needed to activate the zombification infection come from that 3%, thus making it human specific.

alternately, you could assume that apes can carry the virus, but are immune, thus making them dangerous walking hotzones.

well, duh.

but in universe you can't exactly say "we would have, but we'd be eaten alive by lawyers..."

Misfit KotLD wrote:

glitterboy2098 wrote:in regards to other animals getting infected, and the issue of apes..

humanity has a 3% genetic differance from Chimps, our closest genetic relative. since the Z-virus was engineered, it would not be too outlandish to beleive that it was designed so that the marker segments needed to activate the zombification infection come from that 3%, thus making it human specific.

alternately, you could assume that apes can carry the virus, but are immune, thus making them dangerous walking hotzones.

I would think the inability to affect animals has more to do with copyright law than any genetic differences.

I assumed it ws to:
A) Give the humans a fighting chance.
B) Food (for people and zombies)
C) An added difficulty for surviving humans (escaped zoo animals, feral dogs/cats, etc).
D) An homage to "the Omega Man"?

RAZON wrote:after finally reading the Dead Reign Article. A few things Annoyed me.
the backstory is retarded.
Ireland Being Self sufficient? Hello? since when!.. They are Rich now cause they funnel money for the EU!..


Winnipeg being a bastion of Canada? HELLO? This is so wrong. it's the Crime capital Of Canada, more rapes, murders etc occur there.


The Authors simply made their friends' homelands impervious to plague and Ignored Reality much as possible.


and just how much **** ppe do they need to free a demon if a nightlord Can enter and do far much worse with a mere 1000!
I think the authors just suck at math, logistics, and just wanted a zombie setting.

If I were KS I'd Demand a rewriting of the setting to make it less Wrong.

about the only thing i liked was the zombies. If I were to run it, I'd completely ignore the setting as described and make another reason. A Cure for Cancer would not hit 25% of america, Not in a million years.
It would affect the rich and famous. then their zombies would eat the rest.

RAZON wrote:after finally reading the Dead Reign Article. A few things Annoyed me.
the backstory is retarded.
Ireland Being Self sufficient? Hello? since when!.. They are Rich now cause they funnel money for the EU!..


Winnipeg being a bastion of Canada? HELLO? This is so wrong. it's the Crime capital Of Canada, more rapes, murders etc occur there.


The Authors simply made their friends' homelands impervious to plague and Ignored Reality much as possible.


and just how much **** ppe do they need to free a demon if a nightlord Can enter and do far much worse with a mere 1000!
I think the authors just suck at math, logistics, and just wanted a zombie setting.

If I were KS I'd Demand a rewriting of the setting to make it less Wrong.

about the only thing i liked was the zombies. If I were to run it, I'd completely ignore the setting as described and make another reason. A Cure for Cancer would not hit 25% of america, Not in a million years.
It would affect the rich and famous. then their zombies would eat the rest.

Have you ever heard of "constructive criticism"? Try using it next time. This is a warning.

I have started Dead Reign at our last gaming session. The players had no idea what was about to happen. They all loved the it! Started at a food court in a local mall. They opted to get to the roof and then made it to the security office through air ducts. (Which collapsed before the last t 2 PC's and 1 NPC made it. ). They found a security guard that had his zombie brother (also security guard) hand cuffed to a pipe in the small arms room). Local police also use this office as well. They killed the zombie, subdued the brother (broken nose) and gathered a few weapons. 2 each .357 mags w/36 rds total. 2 riot shotguns w/50 rds total. They have spent 6 gun rds and 5 shotgun rds with killing only 2 zombies. The brother and one who was locked in the mall surveillance room. The fight there destroyed most of the monitors . There are now 4 PC's (bounty hunter, UFC boxer, extreme sportsman, and an espionage agent). Plus 7 NPC’s (The security guard, his boss, female news reporter, her cameraman, an old man (cook), young teenage boy, and one army corporeal (base nearby).

The setting is Savannah, Georgia at a mall. Happened at noon on 12 July 2012. The agent was bitten and the UFC boxer beat the zombie in the surveillance room head in after the zombie was shot with revolver and shotgun. Zombie blood splatter splashed into his eyes, mouth and open cuts. The others locked them both in the arms room to see what happens. The agent made his saving roll (he doesn’t know yet).

The session ended with the two locked up and the rest waiting the night out trying to sleep with the ever-present zombies outside the office. And the lights are dimming and browning out.

The UFC boxer failed his roll (a Nat one). I haven’t made my mind up if he will change since he was just splattered and NOT bitten. What do you all think?

Big Bob…………………………….

bigbobsr6000 wrote:I have started Dead Reign at our last gaming session. The players had no idea what was about to happen. They all loved the it! Started at a food court in a local mall. They opted to get to the roof and then made it to the security office through air ducts. (Which collapsed before the last t 2 PC's and 1 NPC made it. ). They found a security guard that had his zombie brother (also security guard) hand cuffed to a pipe in the small arms room). Local police also use this office as well. They killed the zombie, subdued the brother (broken nose) and gathered a few weapons. 2 each .357 mags w/36 rds total. 2 riot shotguns w/50 rds total. They have spent 6 gun rds and 5 shotgun rds with killing only 2 zombies. The brother and one who was locked in the mall surveillance room. The fight there destroyed most of the monitors . There are now 4 PC's (bounty hunter, UFC boxer, extreme sportsman, and an espionage agent). Plus 7 NPC’s (The security guard, his boss, female news reporter, her cameraman, an old man (cook), young teenage boy, and one army corporeal (base nearby).

The setting is Savannah, Georgia at a mall. Happened at noon on 12 July 2012. The agent was bitten and the UFC boxer beat the zombie in the surveillance room head in after the zombie was shot with revolver and shotgun. Zombie blood splatter splashed into his eyes, mouth and open cuts. The others locked them both in the arms room to see what happens. The agent made his saving roll (he doesn’t know yet).

The session ended with the two locked up and the rest waiting the night out trying to sleep with the ever-present zombies outside the office. And the lights are dimming and browning out.

The UFC boxer failed his roll (a Nat one). I haven’t made my mind up if he will change since he was just splattered and NOT bitten. What do you all think?

Big Bob…………………………….

Outstanding!
My group played PCs based on ourselves at Diwneyworld (where I used to work and they were there for fun). We started out at a restaurant in MGM studios.
Eating lunch when all the folks around us started gagging and coughing. then dropping over dead. Muwahaha.
Long story short we made it out to the state roads out side the parks (a miracle considdering how badly we were rolling driving rolls). We have "rescued" some people (more or less an under class in our new society) and have comandeered a small Fish and Game station on a 2.5M square foot island on the inter-coastal water way in Florida. We have to decide whether to stay and fortify the island, or make our way toward the Atlantic and then north. Good Times.

Thanks, asajosh. Yours sound really great as well.

Big Bob..............................

"Look!! Zombie Dogs!!"

(Man with group) "No, they're not! They look like 'Zombie Dogs'. But, they are animated dead dogs! Due to copyright laws."

"Run!! It's Zombie Dogs!!....."

"No, there not."

"Er.....Run!! It's animated dead dogs??!!"

"That's right." (Man with group smiles as light glints for a second off his bright smile.)

Thus endth the lesson, Big Bob..........................

Misfit KotLD wrote:You stole that from Austin Powers!

Are you suggesting that GMs and Gamers "barrow" ideas and stuff from books and movies?

So I was watching this really sweet documentary on the history channel, Earth without People (or whatever the title was, its on me DVR).
The basic premise is: What would happen to all the animals and man-made structures if all the humans suddenly vanished. Not important HOW they vanish, just there one day, gone the next.

What struck me was the how long certain automated systems will continue to run, especially power plants.
ALL power plants in the US are automated to some degree., the problem is fuel.
Coal Plants will run for a day to a week, nuclear may go for several weeks, solar and wind may run for months to a year. Here's the best part: The southwest US will remain lit possibly for decades(!) thnks to the Hoover Dam power plant. That whole system is automated and the only thing that will shut it down is the clogging of the cold water intakes in Lake Meade...

In the event of Zombie Apocalypse, head toward the desert.

Rift Jumper wrote:

asajosh wrote:So I was watching this really sweet documentary on the history channel, Earth without People (or whatever the title was, its on me DVR).
The basic premise is: What would happen to all the animals and man-made structures if all the humans suddenly vanished. Not important HOW they vanish, just there one day, gone the next.

What struck me was the how long certain automated systems will continue to run, especially power plants.
ALL power plants in the US are automated to some degree., the problem is fuel.
Coal Plants will run for a day to a week, nuclear may go for several weeks, solar and wind may run for months to a year. Here's the best part: The southwest US will remain lit possibly for decades(!) thnks to the Hoover Dam power plant. That whole system is automated and the only thing that will shut it down is the clogging of the cold water intakes in Lake Meade...

In the event of Zombie Apocalypse, head toward the desert.

viewtopic.php?t=84023&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=0

Check out one of the lists about it so far.

And by the way, it was about a year before the cold water intakes were too clogged to function. But the Dam lasted.

I'll watch it again when I get home, could have sworn it was a decade for those muscle things that like the water to overgrow the vents... oh well in any case its still cool

And its almost April, with no word on the PB storefront about Dead Reign... Any news?

Josh Hilden wrote:They have had the manuscript since the end of January and the last three or four press releases are saying May/June.

TY, Josh, I was just glancing at the store front

Fun Fact:
Aberham Lincoln wrestled over 350 matches before his presidency, but none afterward.

I would hope there would be a few more.

Finally got a copy of Rifter #40 and I'm so looking forward to DR's release now.

I really enjoyed what you've done with it, keeping enough of the familar Zombie coolness with a few fresh twists - nice Kudos to Josh and Samford.

I do have two questions though that came to mind after my first reading.

1. Did "the wave" of pain and nausea affect all the world's population, or just those inoculated? I thought maybe the magical trigger (ritual casting?) might hurt everyone but only "zombify" those inoculated. And would those inoculated get the chance to save when the wave hit?

2. If bitten, you need to save or become the undead. What about blood infecting an open wound, is that automatic "zombification" or do still get the save?

Otherwise, thanks for bring zombies to Palladium Books!