» Robotech RPG returns to Palladium
Friday, September 28, 2007
Robotech RPG returns to Palladium
That’s right, and I get to launch the first missile at Lynn Minmay. Er… In yesterday’s press release (also copied below), Palladium announced a new licence with Harmony Gold to begin publishing Robotech RPG products once again. According to Kevin Siembieda, publisher and founder of Palladium Books, the company’s goal is to “make the upcoming new Robotech and Robotech The Shadow Chronicles RPGs even more fun and exciting than the original RPG to please long-time gamers and enthrall a new generation of fans.” There may well be a new generation ready for Robotech, considering the success of another recent transforming robot movie whose name escapes me right now. Hollywood’s thinking along the same lines, after all: Warner Bros. has optioned the property for a live-action film. Competing with Optimus much? You better believe it.
Palladium Books press release text follows:
Robotech Returns to Palladium!
It’s official! Palladium Books and Harmony Gold USA are proud to announce a new license for pen-and-paper role-playing games and sourcebooks based on the Robotech television series and its latest sequel, Robotech The Shadow Chronicles.
Palladium’s Robotech RPG, first published in 1986, was the game that introduced many gamers to the role-playing experience. “Palladium has a long tradition of working with Robotech and we are thrilled that they have this license again,” said Tommy Yune, creative director at Harmony Gold and director of Robotech The Shadow Chronicles.
“We look forward to working with Tommy Yune and Harmony Gold to create a brand new series of RPG titles for the next era of Robotech gaming.” said Kevin Siembieda, publisher and founder of Palladium Books. “It is our intention to make the upcoming new Robotech and Robotech The Shadow Chronicles RPGs even more fun and exciting than the original RPG to please long-time gamers and enthrall a new generation of fans.”
Robotech made its debut in 1985 as a blockbuster animated television series that attracted an audience of all ages, from children to adults. The cutting-edge saga of war, love, and the indomitable human spirit spanned three epic generations of heroes battling to keep Earth safe from alien invaders. Robotechnology is the synthesis of human science and alien technology to create robotic vehicles, power armor, aircraft, and spacecraft to defend the Earth. Among the most famous of these mecha are the transformable Cyclones, Veritech Fighters, and Shadow Fighters.
Robotech then blasted into the new millennium with the highly-anticipated continuation of the saga through Robotech The Shadow Chronicles, and the recent announcement that Tobey Maguire’s (Spider-Man) production company and Warner Bros. Pictures had optioned the rights to produce Robotech as a live-action motion picture. Maguire is said to be considering the lead role. Palladium Books is aiming to release its Robotech The Shadow Chronicles Role-Playing Game in time for Christmas.
Robotech The Shadow Chronicles RPG will pick up where the DVD movie begins. The return of the Robotech Expeditionary Force, the separation of Rick Hunter and the SDF-3 from the rest of the fleet, and everything else that is part of the universe of Robotech The Shadow Chronicles.
Written by Robotech RPG creator Kevin Siembieda.
Cover by veteran artist Apollo Okamura.
Packed with detailed illustrations throughout.
Comprehensive character, mecha, spacecraft, and vessel statistics and images.
Mecha pilots and other fleet personnel Occupational Character Classes (O.C.C.).
Additional background information and detail as space permits.
Fast-playing RPG rules. Mega-Damage setting.
Printed in popular manga size for easy portability.
Late November release for holiday season (tentative).
192 pages – $16.95 retail – Cat. No. 550.
Available in the U.S. and Canada only (other territories to follow).
Palladium Books’ plans for Robotech
Here are the answers to frequently asked questions about Palladium’s future Robotech plans:
At this time, Palladium has no plans to reprint the past Robotech role-playing games and sourcebooks in their original form. The upcoming RPG books will be new.
Palladium will use some of the best artwork and text from the original games, but all of the new books will be substantially rewritten, expanded upon, and illustrated with much new artwork.
The timeline will be brought into line with Harmony Gold’s current Robotech continuity.
Statistics will be adjusted and tweaked, rules will be modified and updated, and fan input will be taken into careful consideration.
Much more attention will be devoted to The Southern Cross segment of the Robotech saga.
The current, but evolving plan is to release Robotech RPGs and sourcebooks in the following order: Robotech The Shadow Chronicles RPG, a New Generation/Invid sourcebook, The Macross Saga RPG, and Southern Cross sourcebook followed by more sourcebooks for them all, rewritten and retold.
The manga size: With the popularity of manga and anime, this compact format will pay homage to Robotech’s Japanese origins. The games and sourcebooks will contain about 192-224 pages and will measure approximately 5 x 7 ½ inches. They will read front to back with art and text at a readable size, sell for $16.95 retail, and contain material that should appeal, not just to gamers, but to anyone who enjoys Robotech.
Other advantages of the manga size: Portable and easy to carry in a jacket pocket, backpack, etc. For collectors of manga, the game will fit conveniently on the shelf with their books. Furthermore, the format is expected to attract manga readers who have never played a role-playing game. Many first-time gamers discovered the genre with the original Robotech RPG and sourcebooks in comic-book stores.
Deluxe editions: Palladium is also considering producing special “deluxe” printings of the new Robotech role-playing games and sourcebooks in the traditional 8½ x 11 size with 160-224 pages (or more), featuring additional artwork, mecha transformation sequences, and details.
Palladium has been conducting research for months in anticipation of the new Robotech RPG, and is ready to dive into the production of the first of many new Robotech titles.
5 Responses to “Robotech RPG returns to Palladium”
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James S. Says: September 29th, 2007 at 2:34 am
I wonder how this is going to hold up? I remember playing Robotech quite a bit back in my later years of high school and I enjoyed it. I expect nostalgia won’t be as kind to me now. I’m definitely not sure about the manga-sized books though. I’ll probably hold out for the “deluxe” version.
Josh Street Says: September 29th, 2007 at 6:01 am
I’m in - even back then, we modified the rules pretty heavily (and we were primarily a Palladium group at the time!). I expect to do the same here, but that doesn’t dim the excitement one bit.
As a note, has anyone noticed the wave of gaming nostalgia that’s been going on lately? 30th anniversary Gencon special, Top 100 Games of All Time, big box release of Battletech, etc. As excited as I am by a lot of it, I find myself not buying much of it when the time comes. Not sure if there was a point there - just an observation.
Chris Says: September 29th, 2007 at 8:23 am
Wasn’t it Tobey McGwire’s production company who is attached to this title (in movie terms?) Dude supposedly wanted this one bad…may not suck.
Pookie Says: September 29th, 2007 at 9:37 am
“As a note, has anyone noticed the wave of gaming nostalgia that’s been going on lately? 30th anniversary Gencon special, Top 100 Games of All Time, big box release of Battletech, etc. As excited as I am by a lot of it, I find myself not buying much of it when the time comes. Not sure if there was a point there - just an observation.”
LATELY???
The past two years have virtually been all about nostalgia and gaming.
Re-workings of most of the World of Darkness settings, a second edition of WFRP, new editions of RuneQuest, Elric, Hawkmoon, and the Lankhmar setting, Castles & Crusades, a new edition of Talisman, and so on.
You need to look hard to spot the new and interesting games appearing on the shelves of your local games store these days.
Dai Oni Says: October 1st, 2007 at 1:31 pm
Played Robotech RPG when I was younger. It was okay, but noticed some errors that didn’t click with the series. I later come to intensely dislike All Things Palladium. I was hoping someone other than Palladium to score the license.