Whew, so much has been going on. We got Robotech® Expeditionary Force Marines™ Sourcebook to the printer and I have already approved the printer’s proof, been working Chaos Earth® Resurrection, Gen Con prep, Gen Con exclusives, and more! Read on for the latest, though I’m going to try to keep this fairly short. There is so much to do before Gen Con. And nothing goes easy. Nothing. Grrrr.
Our first Flash Sale starts today. It is the Wake the Dead sale – zombies and the supernatural. I was going to make it Rifts®, but this type of limited, one weekend only sale is something new for us and I didn’t want to start with a big Rifts® sale as the very first offering. The Rifts® Hardcore Flash Sale will be next weekend (the RUE RPG and 12 other “core” titles!), with different Rifts®, Robotech® and other game line flash sales to follow in the weeks ahead. Yes, it is the 25th anniversary of Rifts® and the 30th for Robotech®, but we’ll try to make most game lines part of this celebration over the next couple of months (especially since I didn’t think of it for Palladium Fantasy® or Heroes Unlimited’s 30th anniversaries). Not all sales will be a steep 50% off, but they will all range from 30%-50% so keep your eyes peeled!
For one weekend only, you can purchase any and all Dead Reign® titles and the Beyond the Supernatural™ RPG for half off! This is a great way to try a new game setting or to expand the world and adventures with sourcebooks. They also make wonderful gifts, especially for friends who love zombies, apocalyptic settings and modern horror.
Dead Reign® is an excellent introductory game that is easy to learn, fast to play and fun to read. If you are looking for a zombie game that truly captures the feel of survival after the apocalypse and the nightmare of being stalked by zombies, Dead Reign® is it. One of the game’s mechanics, the Zombie Moan which gathers the undead hordes, creates a real sense of escalating terror, dread and suspense. Fun stuff and one of my personal faves. Dead Reign® is more than what you might expect. Give it a try. The sourcebooks expand the world, as well as offer adventure ideas and new zombies and dangers.
Prices for 3 days only:
(An insider’s tip: Wayne doesn’t always take the sale down till sometime the next day, so a lot of times you can sneak in a last minute purchase within 8-24 hours after the sales has officially ended. As a couple of people discovered after the Christmas in July Sale ended. Keep your eyes peeled for Rifts® and/or Robotech® Flash Sales coming next week and in August.)
The 160 page Robotech® Expeditionary Force Marines™ Sourcebook is at the printer. We worked all weekend and basically pulled an all nighter, but it was in the printer’s hands first thing Monday morning. When I met with our printer rep to review and sign off on the digital proof, she made the comment, “Wow, this book is really something. It looks awesome.” Nice. And it is.
I think you’ll love the finished book. I want to thank the many people who made constructive comments or pointed out things they saw as potential issues or lacking, so that we could address them. For example, we added a brief UEEF specific time-line, a lot of background text and history to the various mecha, adventure ideas and, of course, there is a great deal of dynamic artwork. All of the artists – Ben Rodriguez, Brian and Allen Manning, Chuck Walton, Mike Wilson and Apollo Okamura, were on fire. I had hoped to do a couple pieces of art myself, but I couldn’t squeeze it in.
I meant to post about the book going to the printer and the long weekend as a Murmur from the Megaverse® on Monday (started writing it Sunday!) but then the week got away from me, and Wayne, Chuck and I were all pretty burnt out on Monday. The first part of the week is a blur.
This book is back into full swing production with editing and rewrites underway. Art has been assigned. I approved a few sketches this week. I’ve got Chuck Walton, Mark Dudley, Tanya Ramsey and Apollo Okamura working on art right now. I have not been able to work on the manuscript as much as I have hoped this week, but it’s coming along and is a pretty sweet book. You guys will love it. August release.
Working on it. Amy Ashbaugh cover.
These are the two books most likely to come out next. Followed by . . .
It think I’ll start assigning art for this book soon.
We have all kinds of things boiling behind the scenes for Splicers®. Probably need to start figuring out which Splicers material is coming next and then zip out 2-3 sourcebooks in a row.
We have a telephone conference with the manufacturing broker next week to discuss a number of Wave Two related details. Rules, stats and other things are also coming your way. Working on a number of things related to this game line.
We are posting images of the convention exclusives as they become available. Grell was posted this week and Breetai should be available next week. We’re trying to get a painted sample for each one in time for the event, but Breetai may be cutting it close. We’ll see.
Deadline extension for Kickstarter backers to acquire convention exclusives (new and old). Because we have been taking longer than we’d hoped to post the final stats and related rules to these special releases, we have extended the deadline to August 15, 2015. (And if necessary, we may extend it again. We don’t want backers to get left out.)
I cannot believe that we leave for Gen Con Indy in only 12 days. We’re wrapping up a number of convention prep items and details. We’ll probably spend much of next week double-checking everything, and finalize appointments, meetings and logistics. As noted in previous Updates, Palladium’s 50+ gaming events have earned Premium Event status, including Robotech® RPG Tactics™ games. This is entirely the result of the hard work and dedication of Palladium’s Megaversal Ambassadors and volunteer Game Masters. Thank you, one and all.
All these convention exclusives will be available at Gen Con® Indy to ANYONE on a first-come, first-served basis. Each is metal/pewter, 1/285th scale (6mm). RRT Kickstarter backers can pre-order them now from the comfort of their home and in any quantity (no limit) and have them shipped right to their doorstep. NOTE: We would like to get pre-orders from our RRT Kickstarter backers by August 15, 2015. Thanks.
For instructions on how to order the exclusives (sorry, RRT Kickstarter backers only), click here.
We’ll be adding dozens of Rifts® titles and other material to DriveThruRPG.com every week or so for the next few months, so keep your eyes open for them. DriveThruRPG.com already offers 100+ Palladium Books products available as PDFs with more coming soon. Plus FREE support for Robotech® RPG Tactics™ and other Palladium game lines with supplemental material, FREE previews, Game Master packages, paper miniatures and book titles like the Coalition Wars®/Siege on Tolkeen™ series, Splicers® RPG, The Rifter® issues #1-62 (with more to come), and first edition rules of the Rifts® RPG, Beyond the Supernatural™ RPG, Heroes Unlimited™ RPG, The Palladium Fantasy RPG®, and related 1st edition sourcebooks for each. And more! Like what? Like Fantasy Paper Miniatures and Game Master Kits for digital download. They are available only as PDF files and were designed special to help you run your games and build campaigns. There are also sneak previews of books and other good stuff. Check it out! And let other gamers know they are available too. We’ll be making more available on DriveThruRPG in the weeks and months to come, so take a look on a regular basis.
My thanks to those of you who participated in the Christmas in July sale, and had such kind words to say. I hope you enjoy the smaller flash sales just as much. I have a half dozen already plotted out.
This was a week of ups and downs. We were happy and excited to get Robotech® Expeditionary Force Marines™ finished and to the printer. It’s an excellent new edition to the Robotech® game line and should please a great many people. And we will have it in time for Gen Con. I had delusions of having an advance copy of Chaos Earth® Resurrection™ at Gen Con as well, but that’s not going to happen. A number of minor problems cropped up this week, but a number of other things panned out nicely. The worst part of the week was finding out that the wife of a very dear friend is seriously ill. It’s a frightening situation and our hearts and prayers go out to her and the family. They are still waiting for word from the doctors, but optimism is running high. Makes you realize, again, that it is people and all the things that bring us joy, that are truly important. Have a wonderful weekend.
– Kevin Siembieda, Game Designer, Writer, Publisher
Expeditionary Force Marines™ is a riveting Robotech® sourcebook that carries you to alien worlds. Your characters can pilot the early Cyclones and next generation of Destroids, liberate alien worlds and engage the merciless Invid Regent, his Inorganic shock troopers and Invid swarms. Epic, planet-hopping adventure awaits.
The Robotech®: Expeditionary Force Marines sourcebook is set in space with the UEEF (United Earth Expeditionary Force) led by Admiral Rick Hunter, Lisa Hayes, Breetai and Exedore. This valiant force of mecha-clad heroes travel across the galaxy liberating planets from the bondage of the Invid Regent, the Robotech Masters and other tyrants and monsters. New alien people are introduced and become part of the Expeditionary Force Marines. In between their ongoing war with the Regent and his Invid and Inorganics, they explore planets, battle space pirates and face treachery on many fronts.
The Earth Defenders blister packs expand the scope of combat, strategies and tactics, and are ideal for gamers looking to play the Malcontents faction or who want to bring Micronian troops into play on any battlefield. Stats and rules coming any day now. Note: None of this has any negative impact on Palladium finishing and manufacturing RRT Wave Two, but does plenty to enhance your battlefield options with your current game pieces.
Reminder: Palladium is taking pre-orders from Kickstarter backers for the convention exclusives (with no limit on quantity) and the six Earth Defender Blister Packs online, now through July 15, 2015. When we make these Earth Defenders available at retail in the Fall, they will probably sell at a retail price of around $12 or so per blister pack.
For instructions on how to order the exclusives (sorry, RRT Kickstarter backers only), click here.
What’s next? The Comanchero Helicopter and combat vehicles like the Cat’s Eye Recon and other Macross war machines. We had initially included the Comanchero Helicopter as one of the items our Kickstarter backers could pre-order along with the six listed above. However, after further discussion involving its development we realized we could not, at this time, pinpoint a specific date of release or its true cost, so we have decided to remove it from the schedule until we can verify all the details and get a good handle on a realistic release date. So while the Comanchero Helicopter will be in development, it will no longer be available for pre-order for the time being. Those initial few who were charged for that item will be contacted to arrange the refund of that portion of their orders.
Full color mouse pad that looks dynamic on any desk. This art is the famous Glitter Boy™ in flames that was made into a poster and is the cover to the Rifts® Chaos Earth® RPG.
Full color mouse pad that looks dynamic on any desk. This is the powerful art depicting a Minotaur and Old One from the cover of the Old Ones™ Fantasy Sourcebook. The claw-like tentacles in the background is an Old One rising. Be afraid.
Full color mouse pad that looks dynamic on any desk. This one is a zombie rising from a graveyard to stalk the living. It is from the cover to the Dead Reign® Sourcebook: Graveyard Earth™. Are you a survivor?
A sharp-looking, black dog tag, laser etched with the CS skull and lightning bolt, with the words “Coalition States, Hero of Humanity” on one side. The image and words are silver.
A sharp-looking, ley line blue dog tag, laser etched with the full Rifts® logo and the words “Celebrating 25 years” on one side. The image and words are silver.
Celebrate the Palladium Fantasy RPG® with the red and black image from the original RPG that gave Palladium its start. This is a favorite of Kevin Siembieda. The slogan, “Living the Fantasy” comes from fan and freelance writer, Travis Guerrero. Art by Kevin Siembieda.
This shirt exudes both power and nobility, and a sense of wonder that captures the spirit of role-playing. Art by Freddie Williams III.
We wanted an image that said Rifts® and more adventures to come. This Ramon Perez artwork captures that nicely. And we love the grin on that Headhunter and the sparkle in his eyes that seems to say, “Oh yeah, there are adventures to come.” Art by Ramon K. Perez.
This was not Kevin’s idea. In fact, he felt a bit embarrassed by it, but people loved it. This commemorative 2015 Open House T-shirt is perfect for those of you who attended the event as well as those of you who were there with us in spirit. It features the infamous Kevin Siembieda signature dragon that graces thousands of books around the world with his signature; complete with Kevin’s signature and the words, “2015 Open House.” It seemed especially appropriate to us if this was, indeed, the last Open House. This shirt is not likely to be reprinted, so available only while supplies last. Art by Kevin Siembieda.
The cover to the new Bizantium sourcebook.
A hero on her night patrol to protect the innocent.
An epic battle as a NEMA Chromium Guardsman (Glitter Boy) battles a legion of bizarre zombies.
Buckle your seatbelt for this wild ride.
The iconic Kevin Long “Red Cyborg” can now hang on your wall.
The iconic Kevin Long “Ley Line Walker” can now hang on your wall.
The aftermath of a skirmish between Coalition forces and the minions of Hell. SAMAS scourer the sky for enemy forces as a Rift closes in the sky.
The iconic Kevin Long Calendar center-spread can now hang on your wall.
People have enjoyed the Rifts® dice bag for years, so we thought we’d do one for Robotech®. The Robotech® Dice Bag debuted at AdeptiCon and went over very well. Now it is available in the Palladium store for everyone. This is just one tiny thing we’ve been working on behind the scenes for Robotech®. More to come.
Kevin pulled this amazing offer out of mothballs for the Open House and immediately sold a few copies. This is the most unbelievable deal we have ever heard of. In fact, we don't think anybody has EVER done anything like this before, and it's all John Zeleznik's idea.
Each copy of the Collector's Masterwork Limited Edition includes an original piece of artwork by John Zeleznik! Most are concept sketches tipped (glued) into the book itself, by hand, done personally by Kevin Siembieda. That's right, YOU will have an original sketch/drawing/concept artwork from one of John Zeleznik's paintings or illustrations that appears in this very book!
"I've never heard of anything like this,” said Publisher, Kevin Siembieda. "It's remarkable. A true collectible with a piece of original art and Palladium history all rolled into one. This is a deal of a lifetime, NOW more than ever before, because the $125 dollar price is the same low price when this item was first offered back in 2007! Today, this book would sell for $175-$200. Each piece of art has to be worth $50-$100, and is a piece of Palladium history. John Zeleznik is such a great guy, he wants us to keep the price low so Palladium fans can afford one. How cool is that?”
To the civilized world, Bizantium and the waters and lands around it are frightening. A realm of sea serpents, monsters, and barbarians. To the heroes and people who live there, it is a realm of adventure, beauty and opportunity. One might consider Bizantium as the center of adventure and mystery in the North.
North of Bizantium are the Icy Ocean and Great Ice Shelf, places where only a handful of the bravest Bizantian sailors have ever set sail, and the rest of the world knows nothing about. For kingdoms in the south, only a few scholars have ever heard of the Great Ice Shelf or the cannibalistic Necromancers known as the Iceborn who make the frozen wasteland their home. Those who have heard tales of the land of ice and death are convinced they are nothing but the stuff of myth. Very soon, they will find out otherwise. And these are but a few of the revelations presented in Bizantium and the Northern Islands™. Discover for yourself the wonders and horrors that await.
If you love Robotech®, you’ll want to take a look at this game. Beautifully detailed game pieces of your favorite Robotech® mecha, and fast playing rules that capture the Robotech® experience in a new, exciting way. And this is just the beginning. We have so much more planned. Available NOW – in game stores across the USA, Canada, UK, European Union, Australia and New Zealand.
The First Six Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Expansion Packs are available to retail along with the main box game. Here are the SKUs and retail prices.
In the shattered depths of Wisconsin, survivors are besieged by the dead come back to life. Zombies. But not just any type of zombie, zombies done Rifts-style. And unless the source of the zombie plague can be found and neutralized by NEMA defenders, North America may be overrun by the dead.
This was actually something Taylor White and I have been kicking around for years, even before we released the Dead Reign® RPG line. We think you’ll love it.
The events unfolding in World Book 35: Megaverse® in Flames threaten to change the entire landscape of Rifts® Earth as the demonic minions of Hades and Dyval seek to bring Hell on Earth, and turn the planet into a dimensional gateway to Armageddon!
The Coalition States, along with Northern Gun and Lazlo, take the lead in the defense of North America. Heroes of Humanity explores the good and bad in the Coalition’s efforts to save humanity and send this new threat back to the pits of Hell.
“Desperate times require desperate measures. War has nothing to do with morality or justice. It’s all about winning or dying. We cannot bind our hands with high ideals, even our own, or worry about the laws of renegade nations or the rights of alien people. We must fight fire with fire. And you are the match.” – Colonel Lyboc addressing a Disavowed team
The Disavowed are so Top Secret that their existence is known only to a handful of the Coalition States’ most elite, top echelon, with Joseph Prosek II the mastermind behind the Disavowed operation, and Colonel Lyboc its shadowy face. Find out who these men and women are. How the Disavowed get away with using magic, traveling to other parts of Rifts Earth and even to other dimensions in pursuit of enemies and strategic information that cannot be had through conventional means. Learn about the secret parameters in which these hard-boiled warriors, secretly hand-picked by Joseph Prosek II, operate, why almost every mission is considered a suicide mission, and why they must forever be the Disavowed.
True Atlanteans are descendants from Earth’s past. The survivors of the sinking of Atlantis (really a dimensional mishap) and travelers of the Megaverse, wielders of Tattoo Magic and other lost mystic arts. Most people regard them as heroes, but are they? The Sunaj Assassins are mythic villains feared by all, yet they too are True Atlanteans who serve dark forces.
For the first time, much of the story behind True Atlanteans and their secrets are revealed.
The Great Cataclysm has devastated civilization, but humanity fights for survival. The struggles of civilian law enforcement, fire and rescue, and everyday men and women are some of the most epic tales to be told in a world gone to hell. They fight monsters, aliens, the paranormal, the elements, and each other, all with the hope of reclaiming their lives from the Chaos.
We’ve all played “post” apocalyptic games. Now imagine playing as the apocalypse is happening. As the world you know is crumbling. As magic and monsters from myth become real and your world is reshaped by forces beyond your comprehension. That is the premise behind the Rifts® Chaos Earth® series. That YOU play through the Great Cataclysm as the apocalypse happens.
Rifts® Chaos Earth®: Rise of Magic™ is a key book in that continuing story (new books are coming this Spring and Summer). In Rise of Magic™, humans, particularly children, are discovering they can draw upon mystic energy and cast magic. The thing is, they don’t really know what they are doing. Magic is just part of the chaos and the impossible that is happening all around them. Meanwhile, others have found they can summon and control monsters and demons, while still others make pacts with supernatural beings to become witches and worse. And some have learned they can harness the magic to animate and command the dead. Madness and more chaos ensues. All of this only complicates things for NEMA, Earth’s defenders, as the line of distinction between “good guys” and “bad guys” begins to blur, and things go from bad to worse.
The origins of Rifts® start here! It is a new beginning. But first everything that human civilization had become during the Golden Age of Science, more than eighty years in our future, must come to a crashing end. The Earth is in the process of being transformed into a place more alien than a thousand alien worlds. Ley lines erupt with even more power and ambient energy than what is known on Rifts Earth 300 years later. Rifts – tears in space and time – appear along ley lines to unleash legions of aliens, monsters, dragons, supernatural horrors, and ancient gods of myth and legend in a mad symphony of chaos and transformation.
You play survivors or the heroes of NEMA. The men and women of the Northern Eagle Military Alliance equipped with their Chromium Guardsmen (Glitter Boys), Silver Eagles (SAMAS) and host of other robots and power armor to stand against a rising tide of enemies and alien invaders. They are humanity’s last and only hope to survive the apocalypse that will become known as the Great Cataclysm. These are the heroes you play in a world that can only be described as Chaos Earth.
This awesome sourcebook is, in effect, Rifts® Atlantis Part Two. It is said that anything you may desire – especially if it is dark, magical or alien – can be purchased, for a price, at the Splynn Dimensional Market. Anything. ‘Nuff said.
This is a great resource for getting out of print Palladium titles and other select books. We’ve made 100 titles available as PDF digital downloads from DriveThruRPG.com, as well as Fantasy Paper Miniatures, Game Master resources and other good things with more to come. This is a great way to try Palladium products and get access to out of print RPG source material. Some notable titles include:
© Copyright 2015 Palladium Books Inc. All rights reserved.
Rifts®, The Rifter®, RECON®, Splicers®, Palladium Books®, The Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game®, Phase World®, Powers Unlimited®, Nightbane®, Megaverse®, The Mechanoids®, The Mechanoid Invasion®, Coalition Wars®, Dead Reign®, Chaos Earth®, and After the Bomb® are Registered Trademarks of Palladium Books Inc. RPG Tactics™, Beyond the Supernatural, Coalition States, Heroes Unlimited, Ninjas & Superspies, Minion War, Mysteries of Magic, SAMAS, Thundercloud Galaxy, Three Galaxies, Vampire Kingdoms, and other published book titles, names, slogans and likenesses are trademarks of Palladium Books Inc., and Kevin Siembieda.
Robotech® and Robotech® The Shadow Chronicles® are Registered Trademarks of Harmony Gold USA, Inc.
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Rifts®, The Rifter®, RECON®, Splicers®, Palladium Books®, Phase World®, The Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game®, Megaverse®, Nightbane®, The Mechanoids®, The Mechanoid Invasion®, Chaos Earth®, Coalition Wars® and After the Bomb® are Registered Trademarks of Palladium Books Inc. Beyond the Supernatural™, Dead Reign, Heroes Unlimited, Ninjas & Superspies, Minion War, Mysteries of Magic, The Three Galaxies, Warpath, and other published book titles, names, slogans and likenesses are trademarks of Palladium Books Inc., and Kevin Siembieda.
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