Palladium Books® Weekly Update – September 6, 2012

By Kevin Siembieda

I think we all started the week a bit sluggish. Wayne returned from his vacation and I think I was fighting off a bug of some kind. But we were up to full speed by Wednesday and are moving releases forward.

Palladium is back

I continue to hear from fans and industry people alike, that “Palladium is back.” As in, back on its feet and releasing impressive product. You betcha. And there is nothing but raw excitement among Palladium’s staff and freelance writers and artists about the books coming out this Autumn and next year already. We’re keeping many projects on the QT for the moment, but I think it is fair to say you can count on 2013 being bigger and hotter than 2012.

UPDATE: Rifts® Black Market – available now

This title is hot, hot, hot. Everyone who has picked up a copy of Rifts® Black Market loves it. And why shouldn’t they? It is packed with a wealth of useful information about the Black Market that can be used in just about any game setting, not just Rifts®. And the Rifts® specific material like Black Market Factions, Bandito Arms, weapons, armor and magic . . . epic. Moreover, I think the excitement about Rifts® Black Market is reminding people to pick up Rifts® Lemuria (another dynamic book) and other Rifts® titles, as well as Endless Dead™ and books from other game lines.

UPDATE: Free Rifts® Black Market Sneak Preview available NOW at DriveThruRPG.com

The FREE Rifts® Black Market Sneak Preview is available on DriveThruRPG.com for your viewing pleasure. It’s free, fun and you get the complete description and stats for the Shadow Boy. As soon as we can, you’ll see free Sneak Previews of other upcoming releases. Activity at this site has remained strong and it is your place to get PDFs of older product and sneak previews of upcoming books. Many back issues of The Rifter® are available on DriveThruRPG.com (issues #1-52), as are more than 90 out of print titles such as Rifts®, BTS™ and Palladium Fantasy® first edition rule books and sourcebooks. A sneak preview of Rifts® Vampires Sourcebook should also be coming soon. We plan to add a few more items in the coming months that should please Palladium gamers. We are also planning to move forward with PDF only editions of The Rifter® #0.1 and The Rifter® #0.2 – both are big, juicy digital editions of new, fan created material for the Palladium Megaverse® of games.

Don’t forget, DriveThruRPG.com also offers the Rifts® and Palladium Fantasy® Game Master Kits (both written by Carl Gleba and complete with maps, combat matrix, character sheets, spell list, and 20 pre-rolled characters created by Julius Rosenstein; $5 each). Of course, there are FREE Sneak Previews of Endless Dead™, Rifts® Lemuria, Rifts® Vampire Kingdoms™, and Thundercloud Galaxy™, as well as 90+ out of print titles, including back issues of The Rifter®, and first edition rule books for Rifts®, Palladium Fantasy RPG®, Heroes Unlimited™, The Mechanoid Invasion® Trilogy, and lots of other good things. ALL available as PDF downloads at reasonable prices. And there is MORE to come.

UPDATE: Dead Reign – available now

The Dead Reign™ game line is only growing in popularity, which is exciting to see. Endless Dead™, the newest sourcebook for the series, has remained a hot seller all summer long. Then again, the entire zombie game line has been on fire. At Gen Con, if not for the coupon driven sales of Robotech®, Dead Reign™ would have been our number two best selling game line. (Rifts® was number one.) That’s impressive. And with Halloween coming up, sales should stay strong or improve.

If you don’t think fighting zombies in a post-apocalyptic world is for you, think again and give Dead Reign™ a try. It is an amazingly fun and infectious (uh, oh) game. Most people who give it a try fall in love with it. And it’s not just about killing zombies, it’s about survival in a world gone mad. I had hoped to come out with a sourcebook for it in October, but I don’t think that will be possible. Maybe early in the New Year. I NEED to get the next six books out before anything else.

UPDATE: Nightbane®

Horror themes are popular and we’ve seen an increase in sales and attention to the Nightbane® game line. I hope we get at least one Nightbane® manuscript turned in soon. Count on 2-3 Beyond the Supernatural™ titles in 2013.

UPDATE: Rifter® #60

I’ve been working on and assigning artwork for The Rifter® #60 as Wayne Smith turns in the fan material he has selected for this issue. This is going to be another great issue with a couple of impressive articles for Rifts® (new TW inspired O.C.C.s and gear, along with the community that creates them), Splicers®, and others. Wayne’s eyeballing a Heroes Unlimited™ adventure for inclusion right now. I spent four hours tweaking and adding to one of the articles yesterday, and Mike Mumah, Mark Dudley and John Zeleznik are busy on artwork. Good stuff. I sometimes wonder if Palladium gamers realize how much useful source material is contained in every issue of The Rifter®. And even if it’s stuff for a setting you don’t game in, it is likely to give you ideas for your own gaming experiences or provide material you can use with just a few modifications. The Rifter® is an excellent role-playing resource. If you’re not familiar with it, you should consider taking a look at a couple. Issues from the last few years are available from Palladium and issues #1-52 are available as PDFs on DriveThruRPG.com.

UPDATE: Robotech®

There is a lot going on for Robotech® and a great deal of heat growing around this property. At Palladium Books, I have been busy editing and tweaking Irvin Jackson’s Robotech® Genesis Pits Sourcebook. Which, by the way, is fantastic. I’m already through 30-40% of the book, which includes the introduction material, Inorganics and a vast array of information and tables for Genesis Pits. Great stuff. My plan is to have my end of the editing and minor writing additions completely done by Monday. I decided to get Robotech® Genesis Pits done before I dive into Rifts® Vampires Sourcebook with full force because it is a quick, fun edit (thanks, Irvin) and because there will be a waiting period until we get approvals. I’m trying to keep all projects moving forward.

We are busy plotting the fundamentals for the Robotech® Tactical Role-Playing Game with game pieces of mecha. We will get into our first big development discussion with the design team early next week. I’m still not in a position to reveal our preliminary plans or who’ll we’ll be working with, but you WILL love it when I do.

Meanwhile, at Harmony Gold, I know they are busy with final work on the next Robotech® anime movie, Love Live Alive. I, for one, can hardly wait.

UPDATE: Rifts® Vampires Sourcebook

I can hardly wait till next week when I jump back into finishing this highly anticipated Rifts® sourcebook. I don’t stop working on it until this bad boy is done. And man oh man, are the ideas in this title going to shake things up. The last of the artwork will be in by then, too. The art coming in so far has been excellent and includes work by Allen and Brian Manning, Kent Burles and Mike Wilson. Though I’m still hoping for an end of September release, odds are this title will be an October release.

UPDATE: Rifts® Northern Gun One and Two

I had a pulse-pounding meeting with Chuck Walton just this past weekend. The concepts for mecha and gear in the two NG books will make fans swoon. Author and chief architect of the NG titles, Matthew Clements, turned in some new written material for the NG books and so has Carl Gleba. And the finished artwork by Chuck Walton is mind-blowing. As I noted earlier, I’m working hard to keep ALL projects moving forward.

UPDATE: Rifts® Megaverse® in Flames

I want ALL SIX books promised by the end of the year out by the end of the year. And that includes Rifts® Megaverse® in Flames. I will continue to assign art for this world-changing tome and can hardly wait till I’m in the saddle editing and tweaking it.

UPDATE: Online Sales

Sales have remained up and down, but mostly lousy the last few days. Hey, fear not, that is always the case in September. You can sometimes mitigate the September sales slump with a new release, which is why were were shooting to have Rifts® Vampires Sourcebook out in September, but that’s not likely to be the case. Anyway, don’t forget about us as some of you are busy enjoying events in the last days of summer or going back to school (or dealing with your children going back to school). Be prepared, we’ll have new books hitting store shelves in October and November for sure. ;)

UPDATE: Back in Print

Though we may not get a new release out in September, you can probably count on 2-3 titles coming back in print. Likely candidates are Rifts® Aftermath, Rifts® China Two and I’m considering The Rifter® #50. Even though The Rifter® #50 is available as a PDF from DriveThruRPG.com, we get regular requests for it from fans.

UPDATE: Kevin’s Online Toy & Collectibles Store – selling like crazy

Alex and I are endeavoring to keep Palladium collectibles stocked in my online store. We are almost out of the Rifts® Lemuria Emerald Edition and many other items such as the Rifts® Machinations of Doom Gold hardcover, Rifts® RPG Silver hardcovers, BTS Gold, Rifts® Ultimate Gold, Erick Wujcik’s Amberzines, and others. Most of which I have only a dozen or fewer to offer. That’s why we continue to dole them out one at a time. Once they are sold out, they are GONE! Other collectibles include first printings of books, signed books, proofreader copies of books, original artwork, and other collectible odds and ends.

There are also a large number of collectible toys and action figures in my online store. All are from my personal collection. More toys and collectibles are added on a weekly basis.

http://stores.ebay.com/kevinstoys-artandcollectibles

Odds and Ends.

I spent much of last week doing paperwork and getting things ready for the filing of our extended taxes. Ugh, I dislike paperwork but it is a necessity of doing business. Wayne and I also did some new ads and we are preparing for a few local conventions and a trade show coming up fast. We like to support conventions any way we can. Speaking of which, have I mentioned that I will be one of the guests at Anime North in Toronto next year? Well, I am. The event takes place Memorial Day weekend, May 24-26, 2013. This will be my first time back at a convention in Canada in something like 15 years. Too long.

Stay tuned in to the goings-on at Palladium with my almost daily Murmurs from the Megaverse® and Facebook postings. Gotta get back to work finishing new books for release. Game on.

– Kevin Siembieda, Publisher

Rifts Black Market

Rifts® Black Market – Available Now

Rifts® Black Market™ is an epic, 192 page sourcebook that contains a wealth of information about the inner workings of the Black Market, the Five Factions, new Bandito Arms/Black Market weapons and gear, how to make any O.C.C. a Black Marketeer, special abilities of the Black Marketeer, criminal enterprises, Black Market loans, merc and crime jobs, and much more. This book has it all. AND best of all, a lot of it can be easily adapted to just about any world setting, not just Rifts Earth.

Rifts Vampires Sourcebook

Rifts® Vampires Sourcebook – End of September or October Release

Unknown to most humans, deep within Mexico the vampires have established entire kingdoms. There they live like tyrants and gods, dominating an underclass of cattle people used as slaves and food stock. Learn more about the vampires, their rivals, allies and the humans who willingly serve their supernatural masters for a chance to join the undead. A must-have guide for those who wish to travel deeper into the Vampire Kingdoms or play as vampires and their human minions. In final production right now with art and text coming in and final editing and writing restarting next week.

The Rifter #60

NEW! The Rifter® #60 – October Release

The Rifter® Number 60 is an action packed issue that delves into adventure, magic, monsters and strange war machines. In production right now.

The Rifter® is an idea factory. The key to unlocking the unlimited resources of the imagination for numerous Palladium RPG world settings. It helps players and Game Masters to generate new ideas and keep their games fresh, and provides useful, ready to go, source material gamers can just drop into their ongoing games.

Every issue of The Rifter® offers new monsters, villains, characters, O.C.C.s, powers, magic, weapons, adventure and ideas for your use in games and campaigns. There is usually source material for at least 2-3 Palladium game lines, often more.

The Rifter® #60 includes:

Robotech® Genesis Pits Sourcebook – October Release

An in-depth look at the Invid Genesis Pits, their purpose, function and the creatures they create. Many, many avenues of adventure and ideas to spice up your Robotech® campaign with unexpected menaces and intrigue. In production right now!

Rifts Northern Gun One

Rifts® World Book 33: Northern Gun One

Northern Gun™ is the largest independent manufacturer of high-tech weapons, robots and vehicles in North America. Outside of the Coalition States, one could argue, no other kingdom is as powerful or influential, at least when it comes to technology and weapons. The manufacture and sale of Northern Gun weapons and vehicles has given virtually every kingdom, town, colony of settlers and adventurer group a chance to survive and prosper. Located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, NG has been the premier outfitter of mercenaries, adventurers and upstart kingdoms for generations. Now, for the first time ever, learn Northern Gun’s history, goals and plans for the future. Of course, that means new weapons, robots, power armor, vehicles and gear.

Rifts Northern Gun Two

Rifts® World Book 34: Northern Gun Two

More information about the weapons, vehicles and practices of Northern Gun, including the new rage of robot gladiatorial combat.

Rifts® World Book 35: Megaverse® in Flames

The Minion War spills across Rifts Earth, where demons and infernals hope to recruit allies and use the Rifts as gateways of destruction. Their influence shakes things up across the planet, especially at locations where demons and Deevils already have a strong presence. Demons, Deevils and supernatural beings run rampant and wreak havoc across the world.

DriveThruRPG

PDF downloads from DriveThruRPG.com

This is a great resource for getting out of print Palladium titles and other select books. We’ve made 90 titles available as PDF digital downloads from DriveThruRPG.com. This is a great way to try Palladium products and get access to out of print RPG source material. Some notable titles include.

What’s next?

The following are in development:

Recent Product Releases – available now

Rifts Dice Bag - Black

Rifts® Dice Bag

– Back in print – Available now

Everyone at Palladium has a Rifts® Dice Bag, shouldn’t you? It is a good size, sturdy, drawstring bag made of imitation black velvet emblazoned with the famous Rifts® logo in gold. 

Rifts Mystic Russia

BACK IN PRINT: Rifts® World Book 18: Mystic Russia

– Available now

Russian mythology and magic come to life in this fan favorite Rifts® World Book. The book includes all kinds of demons, monsters, new magic character classes (O.C.C.s), and nine different types of gypsies – some of whom are adventurers, others mystics and mages, some psychics and one is even a beguiling shape-shifter. Plus more background about Russia and the Sovietski.

Rifts Coalition Wars 1: Sedition

BACK IN PRINT: Rifts® Coalition Wars® One: Sedition

– Available now

Magic vs Technology. The infamous Coalition/Siege on Tolkeen story arc starts with this 160 page sourcebook. Not only does it lay the groundwork for the Coalition’s all-out siege on the kingdom of magic, but it includes a vast number of Techno-Wizard weapons and vehicles, powerful magic artifacts, demons, monsters, magic and a historic Crisis Time-Line from 12 P.A. to 106 P.A.

Rifts Coalition Wars 2: Coalition Overkill

BACK IN PRINT: Rifts® Coalition Wars® Two: Coalition Overkill

– Available now

The Siege on Tolkeen goes into full swing as the Coalition Army makes the first devastating attacks on Tolkeen. Coalition Generals, Special Forces squads, and strategies are presented with a wealth of adventure ideas.

Rifts Coalition Wars 4: Cyber-Knights

Rifts® Coalition Wars® Four: Cyber-Knights

– Available now

We didn’t want you to forget about this excellent sourcebook in the series. The Coalition’s siege on Tolkeen has had a devastating impact on people across North America. None have been more affected than the Cyber-Knights. This sourcebook reveals not only the history and secrets of the Cyber-Knights, but the schism the war has created among the fabled warriors.

Rifts Xiticix Invasion

Rifts® World Book 23: Xiticix Invasion

– Back in print – Available now

Earth is home to thousands of alien species from beyond the Rifts. One of the strangest and most dangerous is the Xiticix. A danger nobody seemed to realize until the sprawling Hivelands began to encroach on the territories of other people. Armed with new breeds of aggressive warriors, new weapons and legions of insectoids willing to fight to the death, people are beginning to wonder if they are the next threat to humanity.

Rifts Triax Two

Rifts® World Book 31: Triax Two

– Back in print – Available now

The war between the people of the New German Republic and the Gargoyle Empire rages on, but only the heroes of the NGR seem to be getting the upper hand. See where things stand in the year 109 P.A. and get a closer look at the NGR Army, government, society and people. This World Book also presents the latest weapons, combat vehicles, power armor and robots of the NGR as well as commercial vehicles, robot helpers, and more.

Rifts Sourcebook 2: The Mechanoids

Rifts® Sourcebook Two: The Mechanoids®

– Back in Print – Available now

Archie 3 and Hagan Lonovich are two of the most beloved villains (anti-heroes?) in the Rifts Earth setting. This sourcebook highlights their strange relationship, plots and blunders. One of which is inadvertently unleashing The Mechanoids® into the world!

The Mechanoids have one driving goal: To destroy all humanoid life! This book has it all. Source material, the Mechanoids, new equipment, monsters, adventure and cryptic prophecies.

Dead Reign Sourcebook 3: Endless Dead

Dead Reign Sourcebook 3: Endless Dead – Available now

Endless Dead™ is a new 96 page sourcebook that will send your Dead Reign™ campaign in new directions or add depth (and zombies). What are you waiting for? Order your copy today. And if you haven’t taken a look at the Dead Reign™ RPG yet, but love zombies, you need to give this dynamic game a try.

Other Recent Releases

New! Rifts® PencilCat. No. 2561 – 50 cents per each pencil. People love this item and often buy them in sets of 10. Enjoy.

New! Palladium Fantasy RPG® Coffee Mug – red on a black, 15.5 ounce mug – Cat. No. 2560 – $10.00.

New! Dead Reign™: “Survive or Die Trying” T-Shirt – Cat. No. 2556 – price varies with size: Medium: $18.95, Large: $18.95, XL: $18.95, 2XL: $20.95, 3XL: $22.95, 4XL: $24.95, 5XL: $26.95

New! Rifts® Wilk’s Laser Technologies™ Logo T-Shirt – Cat. No. 2557 – price varies with size: Medium: $18.95, Large: $18.95, XL: $18.95, 2XL: $20.95, 3XL: $22.95, 4XL: $24.95, 5XL: $26.95

New! Imagination Unleashed T-Shirt – black image on a red T-shirt – No. 2558 – price varies with size: Medium: $18.95, Large: $18.95, XL: $18.95, 2XL: $20.95, 3XL: $22.95, 4XL: $24.95, 5XL: $26.95

New! Rifts® Northern Gun™ Logo T-Shirt – Cat. No. 2559 – price varies with size: Medium: $18.95, Large: $18.95, XL: $18.95, 2XL: $20.95, 3XL: $22.95, 4XL: $24.95, 5XL: $26.95

Property of the Coalition™ T-Shirt – Cat. No. 2528 – price varies with size: Medium: $18.95, Large: $18.95, XL: $18.95, 2XL: $20.95, 3XL: $22.95, 4XL: $24.95, 5XL: $26.95

Back in Print – Available Now

New Rifts® Miniatures

The following new Rifts® miniatures have never before been released by Palladium Books.

MI8021 – Rifts® Shadow Beast – $12.00

MI8022 – Rifts® Mystic Knight – $6.00

MI8023 – Rifts® Lord Magus – $6.00

MI8024 – Rifts® High Magus – $6.00

MI8025 – Rifts® Coalition Psi-Stalker (new-style Dead Boy armor) – $6.00

MI8026 – Rifts® Coalition Dog Boy in DPM-D1 Armor – $6.00

MI8027 – Rifts® Coalition Dog Boy #2 (with energy rifle) – $6.00

MI8028 – Rifts® Coalition Dog Boy #3 (with rifle and Vibro-Knife) – $6.00

MI8029 – Rifts® Coalition Dog Boy #4 (German Shepherd with rifle and Vibro-Claws) – $6.00

MI8030 – Rifts® Coalition Dog Boy #5 (Bulldog with energy rifle and Vibro-Claws) – $6.00

Classic Rifts® Miniatures – Back in stock

The following favorite Rifts® miniatures are back in stock. Some, like the Glitter Boy, have sold on the collector’s market for as much as $50-$120. They are being re-released for the first time in a decade.

MI8031 – Rifts® Glitter Boy Power Armor – $20.00; this is a large, heavy figure.

MI8032 – Rifts® Glitter Boy Pilot – $6.00

MI8033 – Rifts® Kydian Overlord (Atlantis) – $20.00; this is a large, heavy figure.

MI8034 – Rifts® Dragonsaurus (Atlantis) – $10.00

MI8035 – Rifts® Slaver and Slave (Atlantis); 2 figs, no plastic bases – $10.00

MI8036 – Rifts® Crazy – $6.00

MI8037 – Rifts® Juicer #1 (with laser pistol) – $6.00

MI8038 – Rifts® Juicer #2 (with Vibro-Sword) – $6.00

MI8039 – Rifts® Cyborg #1 (with Rail Gun) – $12.00

MI8040 – Rifts® Cyborg #2 (with gun hands) – $12.00

MI8041 – Rifts® Cyborg #3 – $6.00

MI8042 – Rifts® Coalition Officer (old armor) – $6.00

MI8043 – Rifts® Coalition Grunt #1 (old armor) – $6.00

MI8044 – Rifts® Coalition Grunt #2 (old armor) – $6.00

MI8045 – Rifts® Coalition Grunt #3 (old armor) – $6.00

© Copyright 2012 Palladium Books Inc. All rights reserved.

Rifts®, The Rifter®, RECON®, Splicers®, Palladium Books®, The Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game®, Phase World®, Nightbane®, Megaverse®, The Mechanoids®, The Mechanoid Invasion®, Coalition Wars® and After the Bomb® are Registered Trademarks of Palladium Books Inc. Beyond the Supernatural™, Chaos Earth, Coalition States, Dead Reign, Heroes Unlimited, Ninjas & Superspies, Minion War, Mysteries of Magic, SAMAS, Thundercloud Galaxy, Three Galaxies, Vampire Kingdoms, Warpath, 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.

This press release may be reprinted, reposted, linked and shared for the sole purpose of advertising, promotion and sales solicitation.