News from all the Major RPG companies
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November 18, 2006:Silven Publishing is Releasing Free Massive 109 Page Edition of TrumpeterSilven Publishing is releasing the largest issue in the four year history of the Trumpeter. Featuring publisher exposés, interviews, and thorough coverage of Gen Con Indy, this edition of the Trumpeter is the best source of information about the game industry in 2006. This edition of the magazine will be available as a free download on Monday, November 18 at the Silven site and at RPGNow.
The
Silven Trumpeter has been the largest free online RPG magazine since
2003. Coordinated by Editor-in-Chief Elizabeth R.A. Liddell and laid
out by Silven CEO Kosala Ubayasekara, the Trumpeter continues to be a
cutting edge publication. It features articles and columns by both industry veterans and fresh newcomers. November 14, 2006:DEVIL’S DUE BRINGS HORROR ICON CHUCKY TO COMICS! Look Who’s Stalking Comic Stores Chicago, IL – November 14, 2006 – Something has moved in with Devil’s Due Publishing, Inc., and that something is terror! The ink is dry on a licensing agreement between Devil’s Due and Universal Studios Consumer Products Group, sealing the deal to resurrect horror icon Chucky and bring the killer doll to comic books. The 1988 feature film Child’s Play garnered an immense cult following, spawned many sequels, and now becomes a terrifying new comic book. Wounded by police, “Lakeshore Strangler” Charles Lee Ray stumbled into a toy store. Just before his death, the serial killer used voodoo to transfer his soul into a Play Pals “Good Guy” doll. When the doll was brought home as a child’s birthday gift, horror ensued, and hasn’t stopped since. “In light of a popular resurgence of both horror movies and, more recently, horror comics, we thought fans might be ready for more Chucky,” says DDP President Joshua Blaylock. “Devil’s Due’s infatuation with the horror genre isn’t a new one; the breakout cult success of Tim Seeley’s HACK/SLASH sparked more than enough interest to follow up with horror/occult themed LOST SQUAD, BLACK HARVEST, and NIGHTWOLF, as well as a brief revival of the dormant Chaos Comics ghouls. We’re excited as can be to bring Chucky to comics. Coming up with ideas for the character is ‘child’s play’.” Look for more information in the coming months, as well as the advent of a new series in early 2007… This winter, you’ll wish it were only make believe. View sample art here – http://devilsdue.net/promo/CHUCKY/ November 10, 2006:Wizards of the Coast, the company behind the premier trading card game Magic: The Gathering, launches The Great Designer Search
Online “Elimination-style” competition launched to potentially fill a paid design internship as the next great R&D designer for Magic: The Gathering. November 10, 2006 (Renton, Wash.) – Wizards of the Coast, the company responsible for the premiere trading card game Magic: The Gathering®, recently answered an important question for millions of its fans: "How can I get an R&D internship at Wizards?" Over the past couple of months, Wizards has been hosting an online search called "The Great Designer Search," with the hopes of discovering the next great R&D designer to staff a paid Magic design internship position at their headquarters in Renton, WA starting in 2007. As part of the initial stages of the search, candidates had to meet the following basic requirements: The search, as designed by lead Magic R&D designer Mark Rosewater, initially included over 1,000 candidates who were tasked with assignments that tested their knowledge and skills relative to the game. On October 23rd, Wizards made the announcement of the final fifteen (15) candidates during the live web cast of the finals at Pro Tour Kobe (Japan). While their backgrounds and geographic locations may vary, their one shared quality is their passion for Magic: The Gathering® and the potential of filling this much-coveted design internship. They finalists included: Since the finalists have been announced, the candidates now participate in something of an online "reality show" where Wizards provides design challenges once per week. At the end of each challenge, one or more participants are eliminated from contention. The final three candidates will advance to the interview stage with potentially one of the three winning a paid design internship starting in January, 2007. The events of 2006 continue to keep causing delays in releases of new product. We apologize for your disappointment and want you to know that new product will per coming very soon. New product is absolutely vital to Palladium’s recovery, and we have some great books in the pipeline.
Kevin and the Palladium staff have been working hard on the log jam that has continuously delayed product throughout the year. Our printer being swamped and on an extended 5-6 week turn-around print schedule isn’t helping our cause, either. There has just been a lot of work getting Palladium through these difficult times, rebuilding our foundation, establishing a sales network in the book trade, and working on contracts and deals behind the scenes, including the Robotech RPG license, among other things. The delays have been frustrating for all of us (agonizing for Kevin), but once that’s all in place we can focus on product, product, product!
Rifts® Sourcebook Three: Mindwerks™ is back in stock as a special printing to satisfy sale demands on line until we can do a full print run.
The Rifter® #21 is back in stock as a special printing to satisfy sale demands and save fans some of their hard earned dollars. This hot, fan favorite issue sells for as much as $70 bucks on the collector’s market so get it while you can for only $15.95.
Rifts® Free Quebec™ is next to come back in stock on line, and should be available in 2-3 weeks. Others select titles will be added over the weeks to come.
Rifts® Juicer Uprising™ should be going to the printer for a reprint soon and back in stock by December, 2006.
This revision and expansion of Palladium’s best selling sourcebook ever, is going to surprise and please a great many Palladium fans. More of A.R.C.H.I.E. Three’s history is revealed (and hints about his future), the Republicans (throwbacks to NEMA and Chaos Earth) are revealed at last, and . . . well, see for yourself when it comes out.
A dozen freelancers contributed to create a book with 30+ new D-Bees along with updated stats and information on 60+ D-Bees of North America collected from other Rifts® World Books.
This will be a handy reference for players (especially those looking to play a particular D-Bee) and Game Masters.
The demons and monsters of Hades have been part of Palladium role-playing games for 25 years. Now, for the first time ever, we explore the demons’ home dimension, the landscape of Hades, the evil denizens who populate it, and their plans for conquest and war across the Megaverse®.
A stand-alone sourcebook designed for use in Rifts®, Rifts® Chaos Earth™, Phase World®, and Heroes Unlimited™, but easily adapted to the Palladium Fantasy RPG®, Beyond the Supernatural™ and all other Palladium games. Part one of the Megaverse® spanning Minion War saga.
Rifts® Hades also sets the stage for an epic, five or six book crossover adventure theme called the Minion War. The Minion War series will have Dimension Book Hades, Dimension Book Dyval, Dimensional Outbreak (Phase World®), Armageddon Unlimited (Heroes Unlimited), and a Rifts Earth finale, Megaverse in Flames, plus a possible Minion War Aftermath book. Keep your eyes peeled, it all starts with Hades.
The following is part two of the most comprehensive listing of books Palladium has ever revealed so early in advance. We feel confident in doing so because most are already in the process of being written even as you read this.
Note: We plan to support ALL of Palladium’s RPG lines in 2007, as you can see from this line up. We’re still keeping quiet on the titles for Palladium Fantasy®, Nightbane®, Heroes Unlimited™ and Chaos Earth™ until we have definite release dates.
Others titles may be added to February, March and April releases.
Rifts® D-Bees of North America™ December or January 2007.
The Rifter® #37 – January 2007
Rifts® Phase World®/All Palladium settings, Minion War™ 1: Hades™ – January 22, 2007.
Rifts® Phase World®/All Palladium settings, Minion War™ 2: Dyval™ – February 16, 2007.
Robotech® RPG – March 2007 – That’s the plan. With sourcebooks to follow quickly.
The Rifter® #38 – April, 2007.
Robotech® Sourcebook One – April, 2007.
Rifts® Delta Blues™/Deep South coming early 2007.
Rifts® Dark Woods™ coming early 2007.
Rifts® Triax™ 2 coming early 2007.
Rifts® Sovietski™ coming 2007.
Rifts® Voodoo coming Summer 2007.
Phase World®/Minion War™ 3: Dimensional Outbreak™ takes place at Phase World®.
Heroes Unlimited™/Minion War™ 4: Armageddon Unlimited™ carries the adventure to the Heroes Unlimited™ setting.
Rifts® Minion War™ 5: Megaverse® in Flames™ goes to Rifts Earth, and Carl’s thinking about a possible sixth book in the series. Minion War™ books 1, 2, 3 are written and awaiting rapid-fire release every month or two, starting December 2006.
Phase World® Spacecraft coming 2007.
Rifts® Secret Project Number One: A storyline and setting that will blow your mind! Spring 2007.
Rifts® Secret Project Number Two: Todd Yoho, author of the two Rifts® Dinosaur Swamp™ books, is working on a pair of Rifts titles.
Chaos Earth™ sourcebook by Jason Richards, followed by at least two others for Chaos Earth.
Nightbane® sourcebooks are being developed even as you read this.
Heroes Unlimited™, BTS-2 and Palladium Fantasy RPG® are NOT forgotten, and there are plans to release at least 2-3 sourcebooks for each.
Tome Grotesque™ and Beyond Arcanum™, Kevin Siembieda hopes to finally write the next two BTS-2 core books in 2007.
Warpath: Urban Jungle™ – Spring or Summer 2007.
This will be a magnificent, full color, hardcover book collecting John Zeleznik’s Rifts® and other Palladium paintings, and also includes color concept pieces, sketches and pencil drawings. Rescheduled for 2007 release. We will continue to take advanced orders for this product and the Rifts® and the Megaverse® – Collector’s Masterwork Limited Edition. (An unbelievable deal in which each copy of the Collector’s Masterwork Limited Edition will include an original piece of artwork by John Zeleznik! Most will be concept sketches tipped (glued) into the book itself, by hand, done personally by Kevin Siembieda.)
You will not be charged for either book until this item is ready to ship. Placing genuine orders will help insure these two books’ release.
Apparently part of the problem is game distributors are leery about picking up an “art book” – the book trade could make a difference. Kevin is confident once people see the finished product they will want it, but Palladium is too shaky at this time to risk the costs of a full color hardcover that might sell poorly in the marketplace.
We’ve packed up and shipped out more than 130 Christmas Surprise Package/Grab Bags in just the first three weeks they’ve been offered. If you haven’t heard about this awesome annual Christmas offer, you have to read about it. If you’ve never ordered one, you are really missing out.
So far, Santa Kevin, insane with the Christmas spirit, has been packing Grab Bags full o’ goodies and Christmas cheer, with the typical Surprise Package containing $75-$85 worth of fun, sometimes more! We can’t control him!
Goodies include a selection of books from your “want list,” autographs from the staff if you want them, recent “gold” editions, original art, T-shirts, back issues of The Rifter®, weird stuff like proofreader copies of books (signed by the guys), 25 Year Anniversary Laser-Etched Glasses, bumper stickers, wooden pins, prints, posters and other odds and ends.
Click here to check out the details.
This is Palladium’s last exhibition at a convention for 2006. Youmacon is an anime/gaming convention that expects 1500-2000 attendees. They have awesome guests like the voice actors of Robotech’s Rick Hunter and Roy Fokker, among several others.
Kevin Siembieda is an official guest and participating in a few panel talks, Wayne Smith, Julius Rosenstein and Tony Falzon will be working the booth and all will be available to chat with fans and sign autographs. Megaversal Ambassadors Dennis Hughes and Lonnie Langston will also be in town, with Lonnie hosting a number of FREE Palladium Books role-playing game events throughout the weekend. We greatly appreciate Dennis and Lonnie coming in all the way from Indianapolis, Indiana, to give Palladium a hand.
Come on down to say hello, bring books to get signed, buy Japanese animation cells and model kits, dress up in anime costume, and come to see all the anime guests. This is a cool, growing event Palladium is pleased to support.
Palladium staffer, Julius Rosenstein, and Megaversal Ambassadors James Brown and Jason Marker will be running at least a half-dozen Palladium RPG events Rifts, HU2, BTS-2, at U-Con in Ann Arbor, Michigan on the campus of U of M. Alex M., Wayne S., and Kevin S. may also make an appearance there.
Going to conventions is a double-edged sword that swings both ways. On one hand, they are great for promoting your products, introducing new players to your games, making contacts and having fun. On the other, they are a lot of work, take up an entire week (or more for the really big conventions) and are tiring.
In 2007, Palladium Books will be REPRESENTED at more conventions than ever. We hope the Megaversal Ambassadors™ will be running Palladium Gaming Events at two or three dozen conventions, and Adventure Retail (a high quality convention vendor) will be selling our product at all the big shows. Convention Organizers, please contact us about supporting your shows. However, Kevin and crew will only be attending a tiny handful.
Palladium attended a lot more conventions and trade shows than usual; something in the neighborhood of a dozen combined, and must have turned down invites to another dozen. We were glad to attend. We love meeting fans, playing games, hosting panel talks and clowning around. Unfortunately, conventions steal away a lot of time and energy, and play havoc with our schedule.
Take Youmacon this weekend for example. This is a convention just 35 miles away from the Palladium offices and is a comparative breeze to prep for and attend. Yet even for a convention in our own backyard, we have spent two days prepping for it, will spend a couple hours driving in and setting up tonight and spend the next three days working the show. Plus there were several hours spent here and there meeting with one of the very helpful convention organizers, doing an advertisement for the program book, doing flyers for the 2007 Palladium Open House Role-Playing Game Extravaganza and discussing various logistics.
How much Palladium might make at any convention is always a crap shoot, and many conventions are considered a successful PR event if you break even. To get Palladium completely on track next year, Kevin and crew will be focused on work and attending 4 or fewer conventions in 2007 (the 2007 Palladium Open House and Gen Con Indy being the only two for certain at this point). We hope to pick up the pace with guest appearances again in 2008, but take advantage of Megaversal Ambassador gaming events everywhere throughout 2007! |
