Robotech: The Macross Saga sourcebook

[AlexM80]

The first sourcebook for the Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles pen and paper RPG has gone to press. It is not a reprint of the original Palladium material. It has been rewritten. It is manga size (5 x 7 1/2 inches) and 256 pages. See www.palladiumbooks.com for all the details and a look at the cover.

The Shadow Chronicles RPG is needed to play. This book comes in two formats: manga size and 8 1/2 by 11 hardcover with some additional material and spacecraft. It is not available as an 8 1/2 by 11 softcover.

Regards,

Alex Marciniszyn

[daeudi]

The first sourcebook for the Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles pen and paper RPG has gone to press. It is not a reprint of the original Palladium material. It has been rewritten. It is manga size (5 x 7 1/2 inches) and 256 pages. See www.palladiumbooks.com for all the details and a look at the cover.

The Shadow Chronicles RPG is needed to play. This book comes in two formats: manga size and 8 1/2 by 11 hardcover with some additional material and spacecraft. It is not available as an 8 1/2 by 11 softcover.

Regards,

Alex Marciniszyn

I wonder if Siembeda fixed the whole Space Destroyer vs Space Fighter issue...

(re: the Oberth)

[Penguin]

I wonder if Siembeda fixed the whole Space Destroyer vs Space Fighter issue...

(re: the Oberth)

I wonder if he fixed the whole "Palladium system sucks" issue...

... sorry. I couldn't resist.

[yellowlightman]

I wonder if he fixed the whole "Palladium system sucks" issue...

... sorry. I couldn't resist.

I doubt that problem will ever be fixed.

Sounds like these new Robotech RPG releases are a big disappointment. Some new art, new size and the same crappy rules. Would it kill them to at least fix the bugs in it? I don't think any other company in the industry has gone as long as Palladium has without a revision.

[Penguin]

I doubt that problem will ever be fixed.

Sounds like these new Robotech RPG releases are a big disappointment. Some new art, new size and the same crappy rules. Would it kill them to at least fix the bugs in it? I don't think any other company in the industry has gone as long as Palladium has without a revision.

To give Palladium some credit, they've taken the tack where they remain more or less forever compatible with their back catalog. Good for gamers who are really into the system since their investment remains intact, which might be a valuable factor for a smaller company. Then again, maybe they'd attract more business if they'd update it. I'd give a new Robotech RPG a look see if it was a different system. Though I gotta say, the "manga size" is a real turn-off for me.

[AlexM80]

This book has shipped!

Alex Marciniszyn,

Editor

Palladium Books

[daeudi]

This book has shipped!

Alex Marciniszyn,

Editor

Palladium Books

I'm surprised that he doesn't get his account deleted....

Moving on-

Those of us who already own the original Robotech RPG (and all of the supplemental material) would love an explanation as to why we would even consider spending more money on "the Macross Saga Sourcebook".

[frans42000]

Those of us who already own the original Robotech RPG (and all of the supplemental material) would love an explanation as to why we would even consider spending more money on "the Macross Saga Sourcebook".

First off, Im a long-time Palladium Books buyer/player. It was the game system of choice in our play group, becuase the game worlds rocked (Rifts, Macross, typical fantasy).

I suspect that this new sourcebook has new and improved mecha stats that are more in keeping with the canon of Macross. Like the Super Pack is a jettisonable space only, add-on booster/weapon system and not an entirely new design of mecha. I'm sure they also fixed the lancer/oberth mix-up. Especially since I believe the newer books are being written by guys who have a passion for all things Macross.

Edited October 27, 2008 by frans42000

[daeudi]

First off, Im a long-time Palladium Books buyer/player. It was the game system of choice in our play group, becuase the game worlds rocked (Rifts, Macross, typical fantasy).

I suspect that this new sourcebook has new and improved mecha stats that are more in keeping with the canon of Macross. Like the Super Pack is a jettisonable space only, add-on booster/weapon system and not an entirely new design of mecha. I'm sure they also fixed the lancer/oberth mix-up. Especially since I believe the newer books are being written by guys who have a passion for all things Macross.

I have a lot of of Palladium stuff as well-

Prefer OLD Rifts and older.... it got way too Monty Haul.

Sounds like you intend to get the SC:MSS.... so, if they fixed it:

Be sure to let us know!

Edited October 28, 2008 by daeudi

[Roy Focker]

I bought this. I owned all their previous Robotech/Macross RPG and played the hell out of them.

I'll submitting a full review to RPG.net soon. Here's what would have been a deal breaker for me. If it doesn't seem like a big deal to you buy the book:

The Tomahawk is listed as having a crew of two. In the animation we see the crew appear at least twice. There is only one crew member both these times.

Robotech.com lists one crew member. Guess who list two crew members? The Robotech Reference Guide. Great accurate source. I then read someone

pointing this error out on Palladium's message boards Here is what the author had to say:

“That was a game design decision I made. There's no way in the world that one man could pilot that thing and fight it in any sort of efficient way.

I don't care how smart your computers are, there are too many weapon systems on that thing for one man to use and pilot the battloid and use any

sensors/radio/etc.”

Now I just want to scream stupid RPG hack! Robotech is anime. Ever heard of “Anime Magic” if the source material indicates one Crew Member you go

with it. The guy refuses to believe one crew man can do it all but has no problems with transforming robots that fight giants? Palladium's old Robotech

and Macross II rpg were known for gross mistakes. Lancer Space Fighter, size of the Macross Cannons etc. We use to think it was just bad research now we find out that some mistakes are intentional. It is one thing to increase M.D.C. armor ratings for character survival it is another to intentionally

present inaccurate information. Palladium will always have their loyal RPG customer base. A Robotech RPG will appeal to Robotech fans as well. Even

with the differences between Macross & Robotech fan I think I know one thing common with both groups. They like to talk about Mecha and crap. How many missiles does this have? Was that Minmay flying in the background? They give a crap that a ship is the correct sizes, etc. We can expect RPGs to fill

in the blanks. What this hack did is inexcusable. After reading that I now doubt the accuracy of the rest of the book.

Still it is good to see an official Macross Saga RPG book. Even with that deal breaker it still feels good to flip through a Macross Saga book.

[Einherjar]

Never played the Robotech/Macross RPG or any role-playing style game before, has the game ever worked before? I'm a noob about these kind of things, but how do you play either series in that style?

[Beltane70]

The author obviously never played a Battletech simulator on the veteran difficulty.

[CoryHolmes]

I've got both this book and the Shadow Chronicles books. As a longtime Palladium buyer/player, the system isn't that horrible for me. Though somewhat clunky compared to newer ones, it still gets the job done. For the most part, I enjoy the new Macross book. Can't really say for any particular reason, but I like it.

There is one downside, however. I enjoyed the original RPG's names for the Destroids and can't quite wrap my brain around the original names now used

[ruskiiVFaussie]

Really? So they changed the Excalibur to Tomohawk for example? What made them do that?

Veritech to Valkyrie?

Edited November 10, 2008 by ruskiiVFaussie

[Roy Focker]

It's because Robotech.com is using the original names.

Even with its flaws it does feel good to flip through a Macross Saga book. This opinion may change after reading. A perfect Christmas gift for a illiterate friend maybe?

[ruskiiVFaussie]

So, what else have the changed? Not that there would be much, but veritech is the main one, did they swap it back to Valkyrie?

[CoryHolmes]

So, what else have the changed? Not that there would be much, but veritech is the main one, did they swap it back to Valkyrie?

Yeah, they did. Based on the assumption that "Veritech" is the name for all transforming mecha (much as Destroid is the name for non-transforming mecha), and Valkyrie is the class name for the VF-1.

[ruskiiVFaussie]

Ahh fair enough. Thanks for that. VF is still Veritech Fighter instead of Variable F, and they now call the VF-1 the Valkyrie.

Edited November 10, 2008 by ruskiiVFaussie

[Roy Focker]

Did anyone find this part strange?

Minmei has a very pleasant mix of Chinese and Anglo features that makes her exotic and interesting.

Minmei's is a White Chick?

[Morpheus]

Did anyone find this part strange?

Minmei's is a White Chick?

Coming from Robotech, I found that not strange at all.

[Gubaba]

Minmei's is a White Chick?

Well...she does have blue eyes. I guess contact lenses don't exist in the Robotech universe.

[Einherjar]

/facepalm

[Morpheus]

/facepalm

Here you go:

Anyway, since I got trapped by most Macross/Robotech RPG websites in the past I found many mecha/vessel addition to the Robo-verse that is not on the original animation, does these mecha is covered on the Palladium book?

[Roy Focker]

Only new Mecha is the VF-1R Variant from the video game. All other Mecha is from Robotech the Macross Saga.

They adopted names for some Zentradi Mecha from the Robotech Reference Guide. Nearly every Mecha has a Chaff/Flame System. Only things they omitted was lesser RDF NPCs , Zentradi NPC, some Zentradi ships, grand cannon. They did invent some infantry weapons.

[sketchley]

I'm not surprised that they decided to add a bunch of infantry weapons. It's one of the things in Macross that the creators haven't really embelished. Though, as I'm still in the mind-set of the original version (aka pre-Rifts), I hope that they are not MDC weapons!

[Roy Focker]

Sorry to tell you this but they are.

The new infantry weapons of the machineguns & launcher types. The guns have SDC ammo & MDC ammo. Some of the MDC damage is pretty close to what the Mecha can dish out. Clearly they added these to allow Infantry to fight mecha but this never happen the Macross Saga. they had Mecha to fight Mecha.

[VF5SS]

Now I just want to scream stupid RPG hack! Robotech is anime. Ever heard of “Anime Magic” if the source material indicates one Crew Member you go

with it. The guy refuses to believe one crew man can do it all but has no problems with transforming robots that fight giants?

Clearly that one crew member put his thinking cap on.

[Einherjar]

Sourcebook my butt, all of this sounds like a poorly designed marketing scam... again.

[Mr March]

I'm quite surprised RPG source books still make money these days. With all the resources available on the internet and the affordable home office software/hardware available to the average player, there's far more that can be done and done better by enthusiastic gaming fans. Particularly in terms of Macross, there are fans on this board far more knowledgeable and qualified to write Macross RPG information, ESPECIALLY after 25 years. RPG information was basically the first widely sold form of fan fiction. As I've grown older and read published work by "professional writers" for franchises like Star Wars or Dune, I've come to the conclusion that most fans are better off creating their own fan fiction and certainly couldn't do any worse

[Roger]

As I've grown older and read published work by "professional writers" for franchises like Star Wars or Dune, I've come to the conclusion that most fans are better off creating their own fan fiction and certainly couldn't do any worse

I don't think we've been reading the same fan fiction.

[Mr March]

Give me some credit; I know well the horrifying awfulness of fan fiction, which is why it makes such a great analogy to the current state of published genre entertainment

Perhaps the "paid writers" produce fewer numbers of Plan 9 From Outer Space, but to my mind, an example like Kevin J. Anderson is in the same league as the internet's Star Wars vs. Star Trek

[Roger]

So you were being sarcastic?

[Mr March]

About what?

[Roger]

About the part that I quoted.

[Mr March]

This is fun