Looking at that era of late 80s early 90s fantasy art is like looking at something from a lost, more advanced, civilization. We did not know how good we had it.
The problem with running Rifts is the lack of defined procedures. So going to OSE and using those wilderness travel rates for dismounted travel and encounter tables is a big step up. I would also suggest looking at the Carcosa encounter tables for maximum science fantasy wyrd. Also, Anomalous Subsurface Environment is a decent tentpole dungeon to start with. However, I'm now leaning away from an OSE/ACKS base and towards Gamma World and Twilight 2000 1E smashed together for a future attempt. What I can say, is that Palladium classes and skills are not the problem. Nor even the combat, despite individual initiative and multi attacks per character being a drag. It's the lack of campaign procedures and the complete lack of support for zero prep or solo play.
Thanks for the recommendations. I agree that Rifts combat is fine *once you find all of the correct explanations for how it works scattered throughout the books.* For example, it took me years and several books to figure out that Parrying is an opposed roll but that a 1-4 still automatically fails. I also think there's way too much number tracking with gradual MDC/SDC depletion, especially with huge vehicles like in Rifts. That is besides the in-universe absurdities of firepower imbalance (stray laser pistol shots disintegrating swaths of forest; why does every small encampment have MD armor and weapons but no MD buildings, etc...).
You are right that the lack of procedure and extensive pre-gen stuff in the core books is the biggest downfall. I assumed that Siembieda's assumptions were based on AD&D DM guide assumptions, but having purchased the Rifts Adventure Book, that does not appear to be the case and I'm not 100% convinced that the core Rifts group ran long term campaigns that weren't bait and railroad. There are some decent random monster and treasure generation tables like in the core book, but nothing as simple as an environment/terrain specific random encounter table that should be the core of every World Book.
With Hasbeen/WotC aiming the next D&D version at the hand-held Gachapon audience, these rediscoveries are not only timely, but extremely helpful to the TTRPG communities left behind for real-world play. I'm going to check out the Night Owl guys' materials.
Also, props for Keith Parkinson image posting.
Pour one out for the dude.
He's been dead for almost 20 years and I didn't even know. Lord have mercy!
Yeah, went hard for me when he passed. Grew into a substantial artist over 15 or so years prior.
Looking at that era of late 80s early 90s fantasy art is like looking at something from a lost, more advanced, civilization. We did not know how good we had it.
Roll in the SF art from the 50s through the 70s and we were in the Renaissance compared to today's CalArts Cancers.
The problem with running Rifts is the lack of defined procedures. So going to OSE and using those wilderness travel rates for dismounted travel and encounter tables is a big step up. I would also suggest looking at the Carcosa encounter tables for maximum science fantasy wyrd. Also, Anomalous Subsurface Environment is a decent tentpole dungeon to start with. However, I'm now leaning away from an OSE/ACKS base and towards Gamma World and Twilight 2000 1E smashed together for a future attempt. What I can say, is that Palladium classes and skills are not the problem. Nor even the combat, despite individual initiative and multi attacks per character being a drag. It's the lack of campaign procedures and the complete lack of support for zero prep or solo play.
Thanks for the recommendations. I agree that Rifts combat is fine *once you find all of the correct explanations for how it works scattered throughout the books.* For example, it took me years and several books to figure out that Parrying is an opposed roll but that a 1-4 still automatically fails. I also think there's way too much number tracking with gradual MDC/SDC depletion, especially with huge vehicles like in Rifts. That is besides the in-universe absurdities of firepower imbalance (stray laser pistol shots disintegrating swaths of forest; why does every small encampment have MD armor and weapons but no MD buildings, etc...).
You are right that the lack of procedure and extensive pre-gen stuff in the core books is the biggest downfall. I assumed that Siembieda's assumptions were based on AD&D DM guide assumptions, but having purchased the Rifts Adventure Book, that does not appear to be the case and I'm not 100% convinced that the core Rifts group ran long term campaigns that weren't bait and railroad. There are some decent random monster and treasure generation tables like in the core book, but nothing as simple as an environment/terrain specific random encounter table that should be the core of every World Book.
With Hasbeen/WotC aiming the next D&D version at the hand-held Gachapon audience, these rediscoveries are not only timely, but extremely helpful to the TTRPG communities left behind for real-world play. I'm going to check out the Night Owl guys' materials.
Thanks for another great article, Michael!
I had never really looked at RIFTS until just recently. I always liked the idea of combining GURPs to play whatever we wanted.
I’ll definitely take a look at these and see how it goes.
GURPS would certainly work, but it doesn't offer random character creation and also tends to take a long time to create a character.
And Steve Jackson hates us, so I won’t deign to even use his products.