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Glitter Boy for 34 points- is that sick?


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Re: Glitter Boy for 34 points- is that sick?

 

Um, everyone is aware that several folks have put up RIFTS/HERO conversions on the Internet, right? There's actually quite a lot out there, as you can see on my RPG conversion list (link in my sig below), under the RIFTS listing.

 

I completely understand not wanting to draw the ire of Kevin Siembieda, and I applaud anyone motivated by respect for Palladium's wishes regarding their intellectual property. However, for those who consider their "house rule" restrictions excessive, note that this website is not as high-profile as RPGnet or ENWorld; I doubt that discreet posted exchanges of conversion data would come to the attention of Palladium, any more than they have in the past. (No disrespect intended to Hero Games, of course.)

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Re: Glitter Boy for 34 points- is that sick?

 

The problem here is that this is a "conversion." Palladium has cracked down on posting house rules' date=' to the point that you can't post them at all; conversions fall into that category. How far back did you publish such stuff?[/quote']

 

Ok, well you've got me there -- it was 1993-ish, and it was with the Rifts system, not a conversion. But you can still see the article here:

 

http://guyverfour.t35.com/guyverforrifts.php

 

Hardly a hotbed of Rifts/Palladium traffic.

 

-- Cappy

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Re: Glitter Boy for 34 points- is that sick?

 

Does anyone have a copy of such a letter? I'm curious on what grounds they can demand removal of the material. Wouldn't this constitute fair use? IANALbmwi (but my wife is).

 

If you are reposting all the background material and what not that's one thing. If you say GlitterBoy: , or list weapon stats I can't see how that is a problem.

 

At any rate, here is their Internet Policy: http://www.palladiumbooks.com/policies.html

 

It states clearly that derivitive works are allowed, as long as they aren't for profit, and they have the Rifts copyright clearly displayed. I say convert away.

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Re: Glitter Boy for 34 points- is that sick?

 

From that page there is this link:

http://www.palladiumbooks.com/conversions.html

 

That basically says "bottom line don't do it". If you say Juicer: though I honestly don't know what they'd be suing you for since you can't copyright a gaming system (only the concepts therein). Though IANALnimw (neither is my wife)

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Re: Glitter Boy for 34 points- is that sick?

 

Nah, I'm not buying it. If Juicer is trademarked, that's one thing. Now I want to do it just because. I think it can be done without infringing on their copyright.

 

Even if I say "Autoinjectedchemicalman, aka juicer, junker, chemer", they haven't trademarked the "recipe" and it isn't a trade secret. I don't have to use any of their product identity to do a conversion.

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Re: Glitter Boy for 34 points- is that sick?

 

Yep. Palladium Games sucks.

 

Kevin Siembieda could "Fight the Power" by allowing fans of RIFTS to convert to other systems, but he doesn't.

 

He says how "bad it sucked" to have a copywrite snatched out from under him, then he does the exact same thing to fans of his own work.

 

And he knows good and well that none of the people doing these conversions are going to profit from it. They are doing it out of love for the game setting.

 

What a hypocrite.

 

In his defense though, it is his copywrite. He has the right to do these things. I just think he should be a little more understanding about it...

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Re: Glitter Boy for 34 points- is that sick?

 

Nah, I'm not buying it. If Juicer is trademarked, that's one thing. Now I want to do it just because. I think it can be done without infringing on their copyright.

 

Even if I say "Autoinjectedchemicalman, aka juicer, junker, chemer", they haven't trademarked the "recipe" and it isn't a trade secret. I don't have to use any of their product identity to do a conversion.

 

 

You're on to something.

 

Change the names and the situations.

 

Its "Rifts-like" but not Rifts...

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Re: Glitter Boy for 34 points- is that sick?

 

I'm not sure what you mean by Rifts Norway, but if it is in the Rifts system, and you post the copyright, you can make all the fan stuff you want. However, if you then turn around and offer stats in Hero then you apparently have crossed the line.

 

Rifts-like would be without question the way to go without any issue. Dragons, demons, cyborgs? Those aren't his. "Glitterboy" is his invention, but reflective powered armor guys are not.

 

The big issue is that most of the unique names in Rifts, including Rifts, are all trademarked and have been indicated as such for years in the marketplace meaning that Palladium can enforce the non-use of that word. However, the concepts of Rifts are not excluded from publication - just the particular arrangement of trademarked phrases and game mechanics and literal text/history.

 

So, you could create a setting called Gates, with Glimmerlords and Confederate States and Psykers and Cyber-Ronin and Juiceriders.

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Re: Glitter Boy for 34 points- is that sick?

 

Thanks for your answer. Sounds like they don't want you to convert their stuff to other rules than Palladium. I doubt that they are as mean that you make them out to be, but on the other hand a poster by the name Rifter is browsing this thread the same time as I am :fear: he joined jun the 24 though so it is just not somone who signed up just for this thread that is good right?

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Re: Glitter Boy for 34 points- is that sick?

 

Hi,

yes i'm browsing this threat :) .

I've just statet my first Hero System session with my friends in the Rifts Environment. I'm a long time fan of the Rifts World and we've played that ugly system of Palladium for about 8 years :).

Some months before i've bought the Hero System 5th Edition and i like it. I've just started my conversion of the Rifts system, so i follow every thread wich can help me with that task.

 

I must say, that everything said about Siembieda is true :) and i've followed the the threads on the palladium mailing list for many years (since there was a time when his wife Maryann participated on that list).

 

Anyway, I'm interested in any conversions of Rifts to the Hero System ;) .

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Re: Glitter Boy for 34 points- is that sick?

 

Heh, we thought you were a spy :bmk::stupid:

 

I'm too involved in another project to do much in Rifts right now, but as a fan of kitchen-sink post apocalypse I am very attracted to the setting and feel that Hero is probably the best system to handle the range of characters and abilities.

 

How many points were your guys?

Are all the players new to the system?

Since all your players know the setting, was it fairly easy to say "I'm gonna play a Juice--" and just stat it out or were they looking to have lists of options they could just pick and choose from?

 

Welcome.

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Re: Glitter Boy for 34 points- is that sick?

 

yes, I'm a spy, but not for palladium ;) .

 

It was only a test session and the players had 100 point-characters (75+25) and all played Coaliton Grunts. We've played only a small scenario with one fight against a lesser demon.

 

Yes all players are new to the hero system. All play for many years with different systems, but never Hero.

 

I created the first characters and they where really basic, just right for beginners.

But i saw, that they where to weak for the violant world of Rifts, so the next session will start with maybe 175 point charakters. But i think we first will stay with the Coaliton Grunts or Coaliton Ranger.

 

When we've played the first session we liked the rules from the

Hero system. We discussed a long time about the Stun damage of 3d6 laser rifles with hit locations. We think the damage ist to high an we will reduce the stun damage 1 or 2 levels, but only if the defender has any kind of armor.

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Re: Glitter Boy for 34 points- is that sick?

 

You might take a look at http://www.starherofandom.com/h_traveller/index.php

 

The nice thing about Traveller is that the equipment ranges from modern to ultrascifi, which is very appropriate for Rifts. The authors of that conversion did an excellent job of balancing weapons and armor. Also on that site are some links to Robotech http://www.starherofandom.com/h_robotech/index.php and Shadowrun http://www.starherofandom.com/h_shadowrun/index.php. Combine all those and you have a pretty good start.

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Re: Glitter Boy for 34 points- is that sick?

 

Hi,

yes i'm browsing this threat :) .

I've just statet my first Hero System session with my friends in the Rifts Environment. I'm a long time fan of the Rifts World and we've played that ugly system of Palladium for about 8 years :).

Some months before i've bought the Hero System 5th Edition and i like it. I've just started my conversion of the Rifts system, so i follow every thread wich can help me with that task.

 

I must say, that everything said about Siembieda is true :) and i've followed the the threads on the palladium mailing list for many years (since there was a time when his wife Maryann participated on that list).

 

Anyway, I'm interested in any conversions of Rifts to the Hero System ;) .

 

Yeah, I was old school on the Pal List way before the website- back to about 93 or 94 anyways- I hated MS and her arbitrary changes to the way the system worked although it doesn't really matter anyways since the Palladium system always has been the epitome of suck, except maybe in the Fantasy game.

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Re: Glitter Boy for 34 points- is that sick?

 

yes, I'm a spy, but not for palladium ;) .

 

It was only a test session and the players had 100 point-characters (75+25) and all played Coaliton Grunts. We've played only a small scenario with one fight against a lesser demon.

 

Yes all players are new to the hero system. All play for many years with different systems, but never Hero.

 

I created the first characters and they where really basic, just right for beginners.

But i saw, that they where to weak for the violant world of Rifts, so the next session will start with maybe 175 point charakters. But i think we first will stay with the Coaliton Grunts or Coaliton Ranger.

 

When we've played the first session we liked the rules from the

Hero system. We discussed a long time about the Stun damage of 3d6 laser rifles with hit locations. We think the damage ist to high an we will reduce the stun damage 1 or 2 levels, but only if the defender has any kind of armor.

 

Most starting classes that I have been stating out have required 250 point characters plus use of the old package rules where package disadvantages don't count against the character's disadvantage total. I don't use EC for the powers, although that would save points it just doesn't feel right to me, not anymore leastways. So far, Juicers and Crazies will have the least amount of variation amongst themselves due to the high cost of their packages, while the Non Combat classes are the ones that are likely to have the most variation(points) available to them, as it should be. I do use resource pools, with the same starting levels as the Dark Champions game, and then certian character classes will buy up their pools(like the CS Grunts and other CS agents, and the GB pilots).

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Re: Glitter Boy for 34 points- is that sick?

 

I know I was the one who originally posted the idea about using Elemental Controls to get the stat bonuses for Juicers and Crazies, but now I feel that they aren't necessary. Simply increase the starting points (RIFTS can still be "Heroic" at 250pts. 125 base points with 125pts in disads) and their characteristic increases should be bought with limitations (the juicers harness and crazies side effects) that should bring the cost down to a reasonable level for a 250pt game (but still over-expensive for a 200pt game..the reason I brought up the idea of Characteristic based EC's in the first place. A higher point game wouldn't need them)

 

Unfortunately at 250pts, you get over-skilled Wilderness Scouts and City Rat's, but hey, I don't think I've ever played a RIFTS game that had characters of that nature who didn't have some sort of power or special ability (Cybernetics, etc)

 

I'll come up with a package soon for my latest version of the "Roid Rager" and "Psycho"

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Re: Glitter Boy for 34 points- is that sick?

 

I know I was the one who originally posted the idea about using Elemental Controls to get the stat bonuses for Juicers and Crazies, but now I feel that they aren't necessary. Simply increase the starting points (RIFTS can still be "Heroic" at 250pts. 125 base points with 125pts in disads) and their characteristic increases should be bought with limitations (the juicers harness and crazies side effects) that should bring the cost down to a reasonable level for a 250pt game (but still over-expensive for a 200pt game..the reason I brought up the idea of Characteristic based EC's in the first place. A higher point game wouldn't need them)

 

Unfortunately at 250pts, you get over-skilled Wilderness Scouts and City Rat's, but hey, I don't think I've ever played a RIFTS game that had characters of that nature who didn't have some sort of power or special ability (Cybernetics, etc)

 

I'll come up with a package soon for my latest version of the "Roid Rager" and "Psycho"

 

I have the feeling that your versions would be much lower leveled than what I ended up with, since before package limitations, my Cyber Knight, Crazy, and Juicer packages were all in the 300+ point range.:sneaky:

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Re: Glitter Boy for 34 points- is that sick?

 

This may have already been said, but I found using vehicle rules for a Glitterboy armor to be rules-rapey. Since a Glitterboy is a defining characteristic of a character and not just a vehicle any old person can just climb into, I would say it's OIHID or OIF, perhaps Universal.

 

Just my .02.

 

- Cap

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Re: Glitter Boy for 34 points- is that sick?

 

Doing it as simple Powered Armor (the Armor power with characteristics bonuses and sensors) isn't tough enough to accurately simulate the durability of the Glitterboy. The only way to really do that poperly is to treat it as a vehicle.

 

At least thats the way I see it. Lots of Armor and 75% Damage Reduction might work for some campaigns.

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Re: Glitter Boy for 34 points- is that sick?

 

Isn't that a little powerful for a piece of hardware a PC will be running around with? I shudder at the thought of letting a PC run around in 75% resistant powered armour vehicle...O_o! Good luck anyone stopping him or giving him a good challenge.

 

Rob

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