Robotech® The Shadow Chronicles® RPG is nearing completion, although final production and the approval process is going a little bit slower than any of us would like.
All artwork is all done, complete with changes as requested by Harmony Gold. At least 90% has gone through the approval process and has been approved.
The writing is nearly finished. Here too, 90% of the “Robotech” portion of the book is done (Invid, mecha, weapons, background, characters, etc.).
Kevin Siembieda is working through the weekend to finish and fine tune the rules, skill descriptions and character creation sections. Jason Marker is working on adventure ideas, and Wayne Smith and Alex Marciniszyn are working through the weekend on editing.
After that, it’s wait for approvals, lay it out and send it to the printer! Everything is really coming together and looking fantastic. We are so pleased with it, we can hardly wait for it to come out and get fan reaction. We hope to get approvals in time to take the book to the printer by next Friday!
Our thanks to Steve and Tommy Yune for their attention to details, input, and hard work on getting the approvals to us as quickly as they can.
Erick remains positive and strong. He has been working on video game projects for Totally Games, went to New York for a couple days on business, and is back in California where he’s been dealing with a number of personal and business issues. Erick says he feels very focused and that he is accomplishing a great deal. He hopes to rest a bit this weekend, before another round of chemotherapy next week, and then it’s back to game designing, concept development and dozens of other things.
It’s gloomy out there. Word from numerous reliable sources reports that game and hobby stores continue to go out of business or reduce the range of role-playing game products they offer. First quarter sales, so far, have been soft.
That’s sad news, because it limits availability and easy access to gamers. The great thing about brick and mortar stores is that they allow you to actually pick up and thumb through RPGs and sourcebooks, and get a feel for a wide range of RPG products and companies.
We understand that stores must do what they feel they need to do to survive and prosper, but carrying less is not a good answer. Still we wish retailers well and encourage gamers to support game and hobby stores. Especially the really excellent ones out there.
Soft sales for the beginning of 2008 hasn’t been helped by a lack of product. New sales drive the sale of backstock, and for stores, the sale of other products.
Palladium Books® had planned to release one hot product after another (Dyval, Dimensional Outbreak, Robotech RPG, etc.) every month starting in January, but as you know, we’ve hit a couple of snags and our new releases have been held up. (Sorry folks, we’re working hard to change that pronto.) However, once Palladium products start to be released, we are confident they will keep coming every month.
Despite the industry-wide downturn, Palladium is seeing a record number of gamers “returning” to play our games as well as a record number of “first-time gamers.” We are seeing a few new customers just about every week and have been getting letters and comments with orders informing us they are getting back into gaming or are new to RPGs and are happy to try Palladium’s RPG offerings. We just picked up a new distributor, and our regular stable of distributors are hungry for our new releases and tell us back stock is selling well. That means sales growth for Palladium in the months to come.
Of course, February, March and April are notorious for SLOW sales throughout the industry. And Palladium’s cash flow is hurting from lack of new releases. Grrrr. We’re hoping our special bundles, the Collectibles auction (with some truly amazing offerings) and new limited edition prints (the Dog Boys playing cards is fantastic) will give us a boost until Robotech® The Shadow Chronicles® RPG, Dyval and Dimensional Outbreak finally hit store shelves over the next two months.
– Kevin Siembieda, Publisher, Game Designer & Gamer
Erick has donated a hunk of his personal art collection, TMNT® RPG books and other role-playing game items for us to sell. One of Erick’s goals is to see Palladium get completely on its feet. We’re getting there, but he knows February through April are slow sales months and that Palladium will have big moving expenses in March. The incredible friend and wonderful person that he is, Erick is still doing whatever he can to help Palladium Books®.
So with Erick’s blessing and our appreciation, here is your opportunity to purchase Amber items, original artwork, rare RPG books and odds and ends from Erick Wujcik’s personal collection.
- Amber limited edition print, by Mike Kucharski, #5 of 5.
– Amber original artwork.
- Amberzine #11 & #12.
- Uncut Amberzine covers.
- Michael Kucharski original art; Palladium and Amber.
- Kevin Long Robotech art – three beautiful illustrations.
- Kevin Long original art, other.
– Old promotional signs/photocopies and photostats promoting Amber Diceless, plus some uncut Amberzine covers.
- Kevin Siembieda Robotech art – unpublished Robotech illustration.
– An old Kevin Siembieda fantasy print that even Kevin forgot ever existed.
- A Palladium Fantasy® print of the fabled Defilers – #5 of 50.
- Ninja Turtles® RPG and Sourcebook Set, signed by Erick Wujcik and Kevin Siembieda (from Erick’s own archives).
- Transdimensional TMNT® – the rarest sourcebook of the TMNT sourcebooks, signed by Wujcik & Siembieda.
- Transdimensional TMNT Giant Color Print – 1 of 2 – made special one for Erick and one for Kevin Siembieda. Gorgeous, suitable for framing and comes with a signed copy of the actual, rare, Trans-D sourcebook.
- TMNT® Adventures poster and sourcebook, both signed by Wujcik & Siembieda.
– Erick’s copy of RiftsworkZ art portfolio – #25 of 2000.
- Plus other items.
Note: All items come with a certificate of Origin and Orignality that they are from Erick’s private collection.
From Kevin Siembieda’s Collection:
- Heroes Unlimited Hardcover – #7 of 500.
- Rifts® Ultimate Gold – #675 of 1500.
- Plus a few items from Kevin Siembieda’s or Palladium’s archives.
This is a rare opportunity to get art, prints and books from the impressive personal collections of Erick Wujcik and Kevin Siembieda. Comes with a certificate of origin and authenticity.
Note: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles® & Other Strangeness RPG is becoming scarce. Palladium had none to sell until Erick gave us the two dozen he had in storage. See the Wujcik & Palladium Collectibles auction for other rare, out of print, signed TMNT® items, artwork and other items.
This is one of those secret projects we’ve been talking about. We went wild over it, and we think you will too. Funny, beautifully rendered, a must for Rifts® fans everywhere!
A quiet night of fun, cheating and cards for a pack of Psi-Hounds at a Coalition Army barracks. A Psi-Stalker Pack Leader brings a bone and can of dog food. A poster of Emperor Prosek hangs from the wall. Epic.
It has been talked about for years and will finally see print later in 2008, the Mysteries of Magic™ sourcebook for The Palladium Fantasy RPG®, by Mark Hall. But you can own the limited edition print of the ominous cover right now! This was another one of our secret projects.
She’s beautiful and mysterious and in the midst of casting a spell of dark magic.
This your last chance to get the Space Adventures Bundle #1:
Phase World® – $22.95
Phase World Sourcebook® – $13.95
Rifts® Dimension Book 6: The Three Galaxies™ – $17.95
A $54.85 value for only $32.91 (a 40% savings) plus shipping and handling. Rifts® and Phase World® books are easily compatible with Robotech®.
Available now. Back orders already on file shipped today, February 15, 2008. Get yours today. Wolfen Empire™ is one of the most popular of the Palladium Fantasy RPG® sourcebooks.
Robotech® role-playing games are back, and it all starts with The Shadow Chronicles® RPG – spread the word.
The Shadow Chronicles® role-playing game picks up where the DVD movie begins. The return of the Robotech Expeditionary Force (REF), the separation of the SDF-3 from the rest of the fleet, the battle of Reflex Point, space combat, treachery and everything else that is part of Robotech® The Shadow Chronicles®.
Palladium has not seen so much anticipation for a new role-playing game release since the debut of Rifts® in 1990.
Robotech® The Shadow Chronicles® is a NEW role-playing game, not a rehashed, retooled printing of the original RPG from the 1980s. Furthermore, the release of the Robotech® The Shadow Chronicles® DVD Movie, the release of the Deluxe DVD, Shadow Chronicles® Art Book, and the announcement of a Robotech® Movie in development at Warner Bros. Pictures has ramped up interest and excitement for Robotech®.
This new RPG should appeal to role-players and Robotech® fans of all generations.
Dyval™ is another dimension of Hell, the next book in the Minion War™ series, and is every bit as fantastic as the first, Hades.
Dyval is a hellish dimension very different from Hades, but just as exotic, dangerous and horrible. The Deevil Host, evil monsters and minions, Deevil society, monstrous War Steeds, magic, adventure settings and more. Interest among Palladium fans is high.
The Minion War spills into Phase World®, the city of Center and the Three Galaxies™. The epic scale of the Minion War just got bigger and even the Worlds of Warlock, the Splugorth and Naruni are involved.
War factions from the Hells, Hades and Dyval, have discovered the existence of a great mystic artifact that has been hidden and protected by the Cosmo-Knights of the Three Galaxies. And both sides want it.
The artifact is an ancient Rune Book that contains the names of the 2000 greatest heroes the Megaverse® has ever known. But it is more than a historical document, it is a magic item of unparalleled power.
According to legend, the tome has many great powers. One such power is that reading the name of any one person inscribed, while evoking the proper magic, will give the reader the knowledge and power of that great hero. And many are the powers of the 2000.
The artifact also has its dangers. It is said if the List of Heroes™ is wrested from the Cosmo-Knights and kept locked in the pits of Hell, then the Knights and all heroes of the Three Galaxies will lose hope and flounder. If the book is destroyed, it is said, the Cosmo-Knights will cease to exist within a generation and the forces of Chaos shall reign. Needless to say, the Lords of Hell, the Splugorth and many others who serve Chaos would do anything to get their hands on the List of Heroes.
Rumor also suggests that the artifact may hold clues to the location of the Cosmic Forge, perhaps in some sort of code or the memories of the heroes who can be evoked. And there are many other tales of cosmic power, healing and knowledge all associated with the book and the ghosts of the heroes named on its pages.
As circumstance would have it, the List of Heroes has fallen into the possession of the Player Characters. The question is, can they keep it safe from the forces of two Hells until it can be returned to the safekeeping of the Cosmo-Knights? Or will they misuse it for their own, personal gain? How will this scenario unfold? Who is on that list? Buy a copy, play out the scenario and find out.
- Robotech®: The Shadow Chronicles® RPG – February 27, 2008. In production.
- Rifts® Dimension Book 11: Dyval™, Hell Unleashed – March, 2008. In final production.
- Rifts® Dimension Book 12: Dimensional Outbreak™ – March or April 2008. In production.
- The Rifter® #42 – April, 2008.
- A new Robotech® sourcebook (tentative) – April or May 2008.
- Heroes of the Megaverse® (Minion War™ – tentative) – April or May 2008.
- Dead Reign™ RPG (Zombie RPG – tentative) – May, 2008.
- The Rifter® #43 – July, 2008.
Note: Additional titles may be added to the line up above.
- Armageddon Unlimited™ (Minion War™)
- Fleets of the Three Galaxies™
- Rifts® Shemarrian Nation™
- Rifts® Lemuria
- Rifts® Delta Blues™
- Rifts® Dark Woods™
- Rifts® Voodoo
- Rifts® Triax™ 2 (World Book)
- Mysteries of Magic™ (Fantasy)
- Monsters & Magic™ (Fantasy)
- Nightbane® Survival Guide (Nightbane®)
- Atorian Empire™ (HU2)
- Robotech® sourcebooks.
- Deluxe Robotech® RPG (8˝ x 11) – Summer.
- Rifts® Anthology Book.
- Chaos Earth novel.
- A variety of new products available only online directly from Palladium Books.
- And a lot more.
Like we keep saying, The Rifter® keeps getting better and better, and more and more desirable as a collectible. The Rifter® #39, our second annual swimsuit issue, is still available. And if you don’t want to miss out on any issue, subscribe today!
Right now you can get a subscription to The Rifter® at a special price and walk away with a FREE GIFT worth $22-$31 (and US subscribers, we’ll even pay the cost to ship your Rifter® to your doorstep)! So what are you waiting for? Subscribe!
Robotech® and Robotech® The Shadow Chronicles® are Registered Trademarks of Harmony Gold USA, Inc.
© Copyright 2008 Palladium Books Inc. All rights reserved.
This press release may be reprinted, reposted, linked and shared for the sole purpose of advertising, promotion and sales solicitation.
Rifts®, The Rifter®, RECON®, Splicers®, Palladium Books®, Phase World®, The Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game®, Megaverse®, Nightbane®, The Mechanoids®, The Mechanoid Invasion®, Coalition Wars® and After the Bomb® are Registered Trademarks of Palladium Books Inc. Heroes Unlimited, Beyond the Supernatural, and other published book titles, names, slogans and likenesses are trademarks of Palladium Books Inc., and Kevin Siembieda.