News and Updates first . . .
Books are selling, the new website is getting close to going live, a lot of Palladium gamers are voting on our poll and offering very helpful observations and suggestions about Palladium products, as well as ideas for the future. Awesome, keep them coming. As for the staff, we continue to work like maniacs and could use a break, but can’t afford to take the time. In fact, Wayne is coming in on Saturday to get some extra work in. I hope to be writing vampires, vampires, vampires!
UPDATE: New Palladium Website goes live next week. The website is almost done and ready to debut. Mark Dudley saw it yesterday for the first time and thought it was outstanding, saying, “This will turn some heads.” We think so too. The new look is more dynamic, cleaner, easy to use, updated, and fun. That’s the good news. The bad news, I’ve spent most of the week working with Rex and Wayne on it. Whew, there’s a lot more work to these things than you’d think, and I’m not even doing the heavy lifting. If all goes according to plan, the new website will go live Monday or Tuesday evening. Keep your eyes peeled.
UPDATE: Palladium’s Facebook numbers are increasing. We are only TWO people away from hitting 2500 people who like the page, we’re seeing around 2,000 active users a month, and I’ve been posting a lot more the past two weeks, as are Alex and an increasing number of freelancers. Plus, we plan to do more with the page in the months ahead. Join the fun.
UPDATE: Online sales. I’m happy to report online sales are up this week and finally hovering around the level we like to see them. With any luck, sales will remain strong for a while or even continue to climb. They should, as Palladium continues to build momentum with the regular release of new titles, and growing excitement over our plans for the future. Best of all, folks are clamoring for the two Rifts® Vampire titles, as well as Rifts® Lemuria, Robotech® New Generation™ Sourcebook and Rifts® Megaverse® in Flames. So I guess I’d better start writing and editing faster!
UPDATE: Rifts® Thundercloud Galaxy™ – the book shipped last week, gamers are loving it and we’re seeing a lot of positive response to it. As we had anticipated, people are surprised but delighted with the content. We continue to see a large number of gamers purchasing one or two additional books with their Thundercloud Galaxy™ order; typically Armageddon Unlimited™, Dimensional Outbreak™, Rifts® Japan, Rifts® Lone Star™ or The Rifter #54. Get your copy today.
For a preview of the book, go to DriveThruRPG.com to get the free PDF download. It is easy to create a free account and only takes a couple of minutes. The free Armageddon Unlimited™ Sneak Preview is also available. DriveThruRPG.com is a good resource for getting The Rifter® #1-48 and to fill in your RPG library with first edition copies of Rifts®, Palladium Fantasy®, Heroes Unlimited™, and other game lines as well as books such as Nightbane® Book Four: Shadows of Light™ and both versions of the The Mechanoids® RPG (1985) and The Collected Mechanoid Invasion® Trilogy (1981-1983).
UPDATE: Rifts® Japan and Rifts® Lone Star™ are back in stock and also selling well.
UPDATE: Rifts® Vampire Kingdoms™. I’ve spent most of the week clearing my schedule so that I can finish rewriting Vampire Kingdoms with little interruption in the next week. I’m burning with ideas and writing is going well.
UPDATE: Rifts® Vampires Sourcebook. I’m kinda working on this book at the same time as Vampire Kingdoms, making notes and kicking material that doesn’t fit in the Kingdoms’ rewrite into the sourcebook.
UPDATE: Robotech® New Generation™ Sourcebook. No movement on this title this week as my energy has been spent elsewhere. I did have a nice talk with Tommy Yune and he was glad to hear we want 2-4 Robotech books out by the end of the year.
UPDATE: Rifts® Lemuria. Must assign art.
UPDATE: Rifts® Megaverse® in Flames. I approved the new cover composition and color sketch for it Wednesday. It will be another crowd pleaser. Epic. And scary. I look at the cover and I think, holy $%@+ that’s happening on Rifts Earth! Oh yeah. ;)
UPDATE: Dead Reign™ Sourcebook Three. I actually made a few notes for this book this week.
UPDATE: Alex. Work is progressing well at Alex’s fire damaged home. A new roof goes on next week and interior work continues. I think electrical (whole house needs to be rewired) and furnace happen next week. Alex has been handling the mounting costs and is starting to get excited now that very visible progress can be seen. He hopes to be back home by the end of the month. The strain on him and his family has been difficult. Fingers crossed.
BACK IN PRINT: Two popular Rifts® titles are back and ready to ship:
- Rifts® World Book 8: Rifts® Japan™
- Rifts® World Book 13: Lone Star™
Also recently brought back in print:
- Rifts® Dimension Book™ 6: Three Galaxies™
- Rifts® Black Vault™
- Rifts® Mercenaries™
- Aliens Unlimited™ – A Heroes Unlimited™ sourcebook
- Rifts® Baseball Caps
Murmurs from the Megaverse®. As promised, I have been posting a lot on Facebook, but haven’t posted in Murmurs from the Megaverse® yet this week. I’ll try to remedy that today or over the weekend.
Palladium Presence at A-Kon – June 10-12, Dallas, Texas. Reminder to fans in the Dallas-Houston area that Megaversal Ambassador, Kenneth Haun, is running Palladium gaming events at A-Kon. Join the fun. Sorry, none of us can make the event.
Palladium to attend Gen Con Indy – August 4-7. We mention this every week because we want to make sure everyone knows and swings by our booth. Spread the word. Even though there are no “official” Palladium gaming events there are always a bunch of “unofficial” games. Please stop by the Palladium booth to chat and get autographs, pick up new books and back stock titles, and have some fun. Palladium people you’ll get to meet include:
- Kevin Siembieda
- Wayne Smith
- Nick Bradshaw (artist)
- Michael Mumah (artist)
- Brandon Aten (writer)
- Matthew Clements (writer; tentative)
- And others to be announced.
QueenofGhouls.com – Kathy Simmons has another 2-3 new zombie creations going up on her store by Sunday (two just sold!) – including one of her popular “crawling zombies” suitable for outdoor and indoor display. Kathy creates astonishing, real looking, life-sized Halloween props. I can’t tell you how often these “ghouls” have scared the heck out of me. In fact, it happened just last week.
Happy Birthday Wayne. That should have been part of last week’s Update because Wayne’s birthday was last Sunday. We’re celebrating it tomorrow. Hmm, is it my imagination, or is Wayne moving a bit slower since his birthday?
That’s the news and specific updates I can think of; now read about what’s happening Behind the Scenes.
We are thrilled with the amount of input we are getting from our last two Weekly Updates about the future of Palladium and what YOU would like to see, as well as our online poll and the suggestions and comments that have come with it. Keep ‘em coming.
On the subject of possible changes to the core rules, Alex started three new threads: Rules changes – a little, Rules changes – medium level and Rules changes – a lot.
Momentum. We feel like we are making strides on a number of projects and target milestones already. The new Palladium website goes live next week (shooting for Monday or Tuesday), our Facebook page is attracting an audience, sales are up, and we are collating a ton of data on numerous projects and ideas. I think we have more new books in waiting for final editing and printing, and more in development than at any time in our history.
Palladium is making a buzz. I have asked you to make some noise and spread the word about Palladium and our plans. Well, you are doing a good job, because there is a lot of excellent discussion. Let’s keep it up! Do not underestimate the power of word of mouth. Keep talking about Armageddon Unlimited, Thundercloud Galaxy, the upcoming Rifts® Vampire books, your favorite games and sourcebooks and positive movement at Palladium Books. Posts and chatter by freelancers, staff, YOU and me on Facebook, the Palladium website and elsewhere (especially elsewhere) is creating mounting excitement and positive discussion.
I’m even happy to hear from Palladium’s critics and nonbelievers. We need to hear what people think, believe and want. I’m sure many of the things we are researching and considering will delight a lot of people. I’m also certain we won’t go far enough or give some people everything they want. I learned a long time ago you can’t please everyone, but we listen to EVERYONE and consider every point of view. In the end, all you can do is what you think is best and try to satisfy as many people as you can, and that’s exactly what we plan to do.
I don’t blame the doubters for some of their assumptions and negativity, especially those who have commented that they’ve heard some of this before and nothing ever came of it. They’re right.
We’ve had a lot of plans over the last several years after the Crisis of Treachery that we have been unable to make a reality. Some of the things we are talking about now include some of them. All are things I’ve wanted to do for a long time, but couldn’t. I’m not making excuses, I’m trying to explain that not only did we have to face the emotional and economic aftermath of the Crisis of Treachery, but we were clobbered with one disaster, loss and crisis after another, and it took its toll. It took its toll on all of us.
I wish people could understand everything Palladium has gone through. Palladium has faced one debilitating challenge after another since the Crisis of Treachery, and as much as we strived to do more, we just couldn’t. It’s been a crucible, but we’ve come out of it stronger and more driven.
So why can you expect results this time? For a number of reasons.
1. I’m different. Somehow my head is sharper and more focused than it has been in a long time. Somehow I’ve been able to recharge my creative batteries and I’m fired up on every level, from the creative to business.
2. I don’t know about you, but the Palladium crew and I, as well as our freelancers and friends,are sick and tired of disaster. We’re tired of limping along. We want Palladium strong. We want to stretch our creative wings and produce products, in a variety of mediums, that will blow your minds and make you squeal with delight like a child on Christmas morning.
3. I’m taking charge to shape Palladium’s destiny into one of rebirth, creativity and success. I’m soliciting input and ideas and seeking inspiration from my staff, my writers, my artists, and from you, as well as other resources.
4. I’ve empowered my brilliant freelancers to cut loose like they never have before and create amazement. I want them to dream and dream big.
5. I’ve challenged the Palladium creators to strive to meet your expectations and then exceed them. Only their “A” game is acceptable.
6. Palladium’s freelance writers, artists and other associates have never been as committed and driven to create for Palladium and make things happen. Plus Palladium has seen an influx of highly motivated new talent helping us to turn aspirations into reality. Rex Barkdoll and his work on the new website is just one example.
7. We are taking action. For those who might think these are just words, they are mistaken. We are highly motivated and making things happen action. Even before the Creators Conference, we’ve been researching, organizing, formulating plans and setting the groundwork for a better future.
Just words? Hardly. You are seeing thing happening already.
- The Creators Conference was dynamic action that has set into motion many positive endeavors.
- The efforts of Mark Dudley and our weekly meetings move Palladium closer to doing comic books every week. My many other meetings and telephone calls every week are more action.
- The Facebook page is tangible action.
- The new Palladium website going live next week is positive action.
- The release of upcoming books is welcomed action.
- Will there be stumbles and delays, yes. Will it stop our forward movement, no.
8. YOU are the final part of the equation for success. And we need you to make it all possible. You can start by telling us what we’re doing right and the areas you’d like to see changed or improved. Don’t stop there, offer suggestions on how we can make those changes. Tell us what types of products you’d like to see. Should we be doing new T-shirts, coffee mugs and prints? Do you want to see other items? If so, like what? Tell us your ideas for celebrating Palladium’s 30 Year Anniversary (an accomplishment worth celebrating). And fear not, our Number One goal is RPG products for all of our game lines.
Please take a minute to participate in our poll. Indicate what products and areas you would like to see Palladium expand into.
Click here to vote in our ongoing poll.
If the Crisis of Treachery taught me anything, it’s that we can accomplish anything when we work together. Where there is a will, there is a way. We know that to be true. Your response to the Crisis has proven it.
I keep saying, exciting times are coming, but I think they are already here. Thank you for being part of it. Keep those imaginations burning bright and game on.
– Kevin Siembieda, Publisher
This is the ultimate guide to magic for Rifts Earth. All the magic spells, magic tattoos, Techno-Wizard items, magic weapons, equipment, body armor, restraints, parasites, symbiotes, magic items, Bio-Borgs, Automatons, Iron Juggernauts, and more from Rifts® World Books 1-23, Sourcebooks 1-4, and Siege on Tolkeen 1-6, collected into one big reference.
The book is sitting in our warehouse waiting for you to order. It is packed with great ideas, great art, unique, new alien races available as player characters, weird creatures and monsters, secrets of the Gene-Tech, weapons of the Dominators, ancient ruins, colony creation rules, adventure galore and much, much more.
The Scramble is the mad dash to claim and colonize the thousands of worlds of the Thundercloud Galaxy. Colonists flock to the Thundercloud filled with dreams. Space Pirates and an array of cutthroats also flock to the galaxy, guns in hand, ready to rob and fleece the colonists. Lawmen and heroes are in great demand, and the opportunities for clever adventurers are said to be without limit. As the civilizations of the Anvil and Corkscrew Galaxies scramble to colonize the Thundercloud, they are beginning to realize the galaxy holds more riches, beauty, horrors and secrets than anyone has ever imagined, making it a place of discovery, adventure and treachery like no other.
Thundercloud Galaxy™ is a perfect companion to the rest of the Phase World®/Three Galaxies™ based Dimension Books as well as the Minion War™ series. Players can be pirates, raiders, brigands or hired guns, or they may be explorers, adventurers, Spacers, or any number of heroes trying to protect the colonists or the indigenous peoples of countless worlds and colonies. The possibilities are truly limited only by your imagination.
This fan-favorite sourcebook is filled with high-tech wonders, magic and monsters. There are 20 O.C.C.s (Occupational Character Classes) that range from the traditional ninja and samurai to power armor, giant robots and cyborgs.
The Coalition State of Lone Star is a wild and woolly place of contrast and conflict. The Coalition States claims the entire State of Texas as their own, but they only control a small corner of it. It is here, at the Lone Star Complex, that the CS engages in genetic engineering and creates the famous Dog Boys and a host of other mutants. The rest of the state is held by the Pecos Empire – an empire of bandits, outlaws and rebels. The perfect companion to Rifts® New West™, Rifts® Spirit West™ and Rifts® Machinations of Doom™.
This is another landmark issue of The Rifter® filled with epic source material, exotic places, strange critters, adventure settings, good stories and ideas.
The Rifter® is your doorway to unlimited imagination and numerous Palladium role-playing worlds. It offers new heroes, powers, weapons, magic and adventure for your games. It presents new villains, monsters and dangers to battle, and new ideas to consider.
The Rifter® #54 includes:
Kevin Siembieda is reorganizing, tweaking, expanding and updating one of the most popular Rifts® World Books ever published: Vampire Kingdoms™. This will include some new artwork, rewrites throughout, much new material and an expanded page count. The book will be updated and expanded in much the same way as Kevin did with Rifts® Sourcebook One a few years ago. Best of all, it will be quickly followed by the Rifts® Vampires Sourcebook™.
Trouble is stirring in the Vampire Kingdoms as ambitious vampire lords, ladies and misanthropes seek to expand their power to dominate more mortal life forms.
Written by Kevin Siembieda and a handpicked selection of other writers, this sourcebook explores the vampires of Mexico and their kingdoms in ways you never imagined. Tons of new data, adventure ideas and revelations.
This Robotech® sourcebook will be a Summer 2011 release.
At last, the underwater realm of Lemuria. The people and history of Lemuria, new magic, sea herbs and healing, sea monsters, and more.
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. More details to follow, but for now, ‘nuff said.
Data about the chaos and madness of the early days of the Great Cataclysm, and the brave men and women who tried to stem the tide of destruction and save lives, the First Responders.
Armageddon Unlimited™ is the ultimate good vs evil setting and adventure. The fate of the world hangs in the balance and only you can stop its destruction as demons and Deevils fight for control of the Earth and bringing about the end of life as we know it.
Armageddon Unlimited™ is more than an epic world-saving adventure, it is also a sourcebook jam-packed with new powers, magic, weapons and Power Categories that can be incorporated into any Heroes Unlimited™ campaign. This book can be used as a standalone adventure sourcebook for Heroes Unlimited™ or as a pivotal plot in an expansive Minion War™ campaign. Get a free sneak preview of the book from DriveThruRPG.com.
Back by popular demand. A black Rifts® Logo on a khaki baseball cap with black trim. Looks great and fans love it! Makes a great gift.
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.
- Splicers® RPG
- Beyond the Supernatural™ RPG, First Edition Rules.
- Boxed Nightmares™ for BTS, First Edition Rules.
- Nightbane® Book Four: Shadows of Light™.
- The Mechanoids® RPG and The Mechanoid Invasion® RPG Trilogy.
- Palladium Fantasy RPG®, First Edition Rules and select 1st Edition sourcebooks.
- After the Bomb® RPG and sourcebooks.
- The Rifter® issues 1-48.
- The Best of The Rifter®
- Deluxe Revised RECON® RPG and Advanced RECON® Sourcebook.
- And more – go to DriveThruRPG.com and check ‘em out.
- Rifts® Dimension Book™ 14: Thundercloud Galaxy™ – New – Available now!
- Armageddon Unlimited™ – New – Available now!
- The Rifter® #53 – New – Available now!
– The Rifter® #54 – New – Available now!
- Aliens Unlimited™ – A Heroes Unlimited™ sourcebook – Back in print – Available now
- Rifts® World Book 20: Canada – Back in print – Available now
- Rifts® Dark Conversions™ – Back in print – Available now
- Palladium Fantasy RPG® – Back in print – Available now
- Rifts® Game Master Guide – Back in print – Available now
- Rifts® World Book 5: Triax & The NGR™ – Back in print – Available
- Rifts® Bionics Sourcebook – Back in print – Available now
- Rifts® China One – Back in print – Available now
- Rifts® Megaverse® Builder – Back in print – Available now
- Rifts® Baseball Cap – Back in stock – Available now
- Rifts® Dimension Book™ 6: Three Galaxies™ – Back in print – Available now
- Rifts® Black Vault™ – Back in print – Available now
- Rifts® Mercenaries™ – Back in print – Available now
- Rifts® World Book 8: Rifts® Japan™ – Back in print – Available now
- Rifts® World Book 13: Lone Star™ – Back in print – Available now
- Rifts® WB One: Vampire Kingdoms™, Expanded & Updated
- Rifts® Book of Magic – BACK IN PRINT
- Rifts® Vampires Sourcebook™
- Rifts® World Book™: Lemuria (tentative)
- Robotech® New Generation™ Sourcebook (tentative)
- The Rifter® #55
- Rifts® Megaverse® in Flames (Minion War™ crossover)
- Rifts® Chaos Earth™: First Responders Sourcebook (as soon as we can slot it in)
- Dead Reign™ Sourcebook Three
- Robotech® UEEF Marines and other Robotech® sourcebooks.
- Rifts® sourcebooks
- Rifts® Chaos Earth™ sourcebooks
- Palladium Fantasy®: Mysteries of Magic™ Two & Three
- Palladium Fantasy® other sourcebooks
- Warpath™ Urban Jungle RPG
- And other good stuff. Lots of other good stuff!
Check out the new creations by Palladium’s very own Kathy Simmons. See her new zombie, Jack Skellington and Sally, with more new creations on the drawing board. Each Halloween prop is truly life-sized (most are 6 feet or taller – Jack is almost 8 feet) and seem almost alive.
Each is an all-weather, life-sized Halloween prop that can handle rain and snow, and is a one-of-a-kind work of art (no two are exactly the same). Each looks frighteningly “real.” All come apart and fold down to slightly larger than a king-size pillow for easy storage. Comes with easy instructions, a plastic storage bag, and the lawn stake to stand it up in your front yard. Indoor stand sold separately.
Types of “Ghouls” include: Zombies (all kinds!), killer clowns, wizards, witches, devils, grave ghouls, scarecrows, executioners, mad doctors, deadly nurses, vampires, werewolves, and more. Kathy’s also now offering an array of hand-painted Halloween signs, signs with heads and bodies hanging from them, witch’s brewing pots, Halloween centerpieces and more. Best of all, her high quality creations are much more affordable and imaginative than most competitors or mass produced items in a store, making them affordable Halloween fun.
If you think the photos online look good, you should see them in person. A typical “ghoul,” as she calls her creations, costs $129-$259. You can see some of her work at her Queen of Ghouls™ Ebay store – queenofghouls.com.
© Copyright 2011 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.