Robotech: The Macross Saga sourcebook

[Roger]

I think you could use a "professional writer" for your posts.

[Mr March]

"Why Ike, whatever do you mean?"

[Roy Focker]

Yeah like umm are you two finish?

[Einherjar]

It looks like everyone is playing the blame game on the Robotech and Palladium forums. IP stuff, book size limitations, lack of communication, etc.

Look out for supplements a la D&D books in the foreseeable future.

[Roy Focker]

Kinda funny to read that on their forums.

I can understand both arguments. HG wants to keep a tighter control our Robotech because they did a crappy job maintain even the most crappist level of continuity but they have to either give tell Palladium more official stuff or allow Palladium to expand things on their own. I think they also say that the copied line art drawings was another request of HG. You know I can see this line dying a couple of years not because of Palladium mistakes/lack luster work but from restrictions imposed by HG. Palladium seems limited in what they can do. Which makes me wonder why didn't HG just license the use of a game system, hire a few RPG writers and publish their own game? They could have the best control over things that way.

[yellowlightman]

There's still a lot more Palladium could do, namely update their terrible system.

I mean, compare any licensed Palladium product with stuff like R. Talsorians Bubblegum Crisis RPG from 10 years ago (or hell, ANY licensed RPG product of the last 15 years) and Palladium's efforts look woefully amateurish. If it weren't for the diehard Palladium losers, Palladium would have gone under long ago as they're the only RPG company nowadays who have yet to realize the 80's are over and their half-assed products don't cut it.

[Chet]

It looks like everyone is playing the blame game on the Robotech and Palladium forums. IP stuff, book size limitations, lack of communication, etc.

Can anyone summarize the drama that's going on there? Haven't read up on tabletop RPG's in quite a while...

[Roy Focker]

Btw the Cats Eye now has crew of 5.

Over at Palladium's own forum, a Palladium Freelancer called Braden (Who didn't write this book) had the following to say about the Tomahawk's crew and complaints.

I see no facts or numbers presented by you, Subadar. The only authority I would accept would be some kind of original animation sheet which clearly shows one pilot's seat. Otherwise, as a non-writer of the series, you have no authority to state things one way or the other. Jason does because he not only works for Palladium, but has the blessings of Harmony Gold (as they must approve every word he writes or it doesn't see print). Therefore, if he makes a creative call, and Harmony gold sees no problem with it, then all's well. it is beyond pointless to argue with him about it.

Frankly, given everything that's gone down on the boards this week, I've had it with readers who think they know better than Freelancers. We don't pull these numbers out of thin air, I'll have you know. Sure, sometimes we have to make guesses or interpretations, but they are always educated and based on some kind of research. We are not simply a gang of irresponsible goons intent of messing with your conceptions of a certain intellectual property. We are writers trying our best to create believable and enjoyable game setting.

If you folks find serious flaws in the new line of Robotech books, by all means let us know. But keep the nitpickings to yourselves (in fact, this thread condemned itself by even putting the word "nitpick" in its title). All they do is make us not want to write anymore for the seemingly unappreciative masses.

[Mr March]

Yeah, I saw that Looks like more than a few fans may be getting an education in the dubious credentials of "freelancers"

In all seriousness, I can sympathize with the "freelancers" point of view; fans do nitpick the crap out of everything and are well known for making a big deal out of what is essentially trivial. And MOST IMPORTANTLY, it's the freelancers who actually DO THE WORK. There's definitely more qualified people than those Palladium chose for this project, but they are they willing to do the work? Of course, all this nitpicking is an occupational hazard (especially in the sci-fi genre) and I'm really shocked to find these "freelancers" basically losing their cool over something they should have long since come to expect.

I will say this; it is an RPG they are discussing and the "requires multiple crew to operate realistically" defense is pure BS when the Valkyries are all single pilot machines of greater complexity than a Destroid. And from an GAMING perspective, a mecha requiring more than one person to pilot is much more of a big deal than it would be as just "trivia for a 25 year old anime"

Plus the freelancer's "research" obviously didn't include a five minute Google search to find the Macross Compendium and all the official English research they would ever need.

An entertaining read

[bsu legato]

So this is what Robotech fandom has come to? They've gone from trying to desperately catalog and justify every single frame of miss-drawn Anime Friend animation as some unique variant, to blatantly drawing facts and figures out of thin air.

[sketchley]

(...)

Plus the freelancer's "research" obviously didn't include a five minute Google search to find the Macross Compendium and all the official English research they would ever need. (...)

They may have been contractually forbidden to use the Compendium or any other resources that are not named or specifically dedicated to "Robotech".

I'm not coming to their defense here (as it's also entirely possible that the writers never looked beyond the few links they were given by the staff at Palladium and/or HG).

The whole thing is muddled, and I encourage fans to track down copies of the original.

[Mr March]

Not sure how that would work, since the freelancers and HG are clearly taking from Macross terminology and trivia with this new publication ("Valkyrie", for example). Still, I agree the whole thing is rather messy and I do mirror bsu's criticism about the source material for Robotech; they really need to build more of the RT franchise rather than selling the scraps of a 25 year old anime as "new product".

[lord_breetai]

you know if it's such a big deal the GM could just ignore the "crew of 2" stated and say that one character can operate it... house rules exist for a reason.

[yellowlightman]

you know if it's such a big deal the GM could just ignore the "crew of 2" stated and say that one character can operate it... house rules exist for a reason.

Exactly. People put up with rampant errors in the original edition of the book for 20 years, no reason they can't keep doing it.

[ruskiiVFaussie]

What, so we are encouraged to track down the original now? just what changes have been made for better or worse? (any for the better?)

Agree with this "if a valk pilot can operate byhimself why the f can't a destroid pilot handle something relatively basic (one mode) in comparison."

I got the original, not that i would use it any time in the foreseeable future, was cheap and came with Macross II deck plans.

Edited November 17, 2008 by ruskiiVFaussie

[Roy Focker]

One problem about House Ruling.

You shouldn't have to. Excluding omissions any licensed RPG product should be accurate and playable without the need to house rules or taking a red pen to write in the correct data. Palladium made changes and were just sloppy. Robotech & Macross fans like accuracy. Don't believe me go to the Toy section and see how many people are looking at the latest picture for accuracy from Yamato. This was Palladium's chance to make up for 20 years of infamous mistakes.

Here's another Crew Error:

Bridge Crew of the SDF-1

Ship's Captain (1), XO/Airboss (1), Helm (1), Nav (1), Comms/Sensor (1) Security (4). Not counting the 4 Security Guards. They only list 5. There were 6 feature Bridge Crew character. Maybe they are ignoring Vanessa she does look a bit like Meg.

[ruskiiVFaussie]

and DYRL? crew, it seemed like there was alot more... and the SDF series Pinpoint Barrier crew, not related to Bridge crew?

[Gubaba]

and DYRL? crew, it seemed like there was alot more... and the SDF series Pinpoint Barrier crew, not related to Bridge crew?

Yeah, but it's Robotech, not DYRL. And I don't think the Pinpoint Barrier girls were anywhere near the bridge...

Maybe Palladium figured that Shammy was security, and that one Shammy equals four rent-a-cops.

[Einherjar]

Not sure how that would work, since the freelancers and HG are clearly taking from Macross terminology and trivia with this new publication ("Valkyrie", for example). Still, I agree the whole thing is rather messy and I do mirror bsu's criticism about the source material for Robotech; they really need to build more of the RT franchise rather than selling the scraps of a 25 year old anime as "new product".

Agreed, it is HG's franchise and if they want to keep it going they should be more creative with its future. You can't rely only on nostalgia if you haven't made anything new for the last 25 years. There has to be somebody in there who can make a new, decent mecha, ship, etc., especially with their connections with the U.S. comic book and animation industry. That is, unless they don't have them anymore and don't want to spend money to be original.