Bit of Analysis: Rifts

[Ahriman238]

I'm insane. It's the only explanation for beginning a new project while the OA thread isn't quite dead, while trying to juggle life, work and school. Madder than the very worst Momma's Boy. But here I am, and here you are and I can't seem to work on lesson plans til I've gotten some of this down.

A long time ago, Palladium Games was working on a post-apocalyptic campaign called Boomers, where characters would wear the power armor of the now dead and gone US Army and roam the wasteland upholding the weak, righting wrongs etc. The game was nearly scrapped a couple of times before being combined with a mega-crossover of all Palladium's RPG games, the end result was the world of RIFTS.

Our story begins about a hundred years into the future, just as we're finally moving into the post-scarcity thing with liberal use of robotics, nanotech and yet-primitive GE. A shiny new Golden Age... you already know where this is going don't you? As several nations made interesting strides into transhumanism, it occurred to everyone that not all superhumans were equal, that the emerging transhumans had terrifying military capabilities and could upset the balance of power. So everyone immediately classified their programs and started desperately investing in bionics, psionics, GE, drug enhancement, lest there be a superhuman gap.

Eventually the tensions grow too high, a squad crosses a border somewhere and the nukes fly.

As it went, someone was intelligent or lucky. The nukes weren't nearly as bad as they could have been, the bulk of humanity survived and there's quite a list of major cities that weren't turned into radioactive craters. Not that it made much difference in the long run. For the first time in living memory over three billion people died almost simultaneously, and it seems the woo-woo New Age crowd weren't talking completely out their asses after all, because the psychic deathscreams of that many people flooded the ley lines of Earth with energy to two effects. First, the magical energies that had existed only in un-reproducible fits and starts since the Fall of Atlantis returned in full force. Second, rifts in space time began opening up all over the world, dumping beings from all over the Megaverse: angels, demons, elves, goblins, dragons, zennbahk, hawrks, xiticix, and stranger. Aliens and fairies and elementals and energy beings all plucked up and dropped on Earth with no way home.

For the first decade there were terrible disasters of every sort, hurricanes, tsunamis, floods, earthquakes, firequakes, volcanoes forming where volcanoes have no right to be. The oceans rose ten feet pretty much overnight, and it was a long time before anyone knew why. Plus all the Demon Lords and Lovecraftian Horrors trying to rule the world. Records from the period are somewhat fragmentary.


200 years after the Great Cataclysm, there form just a couple of worthwhile nation-states, as opposed to the bit kingdoms and walled city-states that have become the norm for mankind. We are not alone, and the Earth is sort of crowded with over 10,000 species of alien and/or supernatural life. Life is hard, no doubt, and competition for limited space and resources is fierce. Luckily, humanity has adapted a fair bit over the years, with technology and magics and a few other things to give us a fighting chance in a world where monsters eat people.

[Ahriman238]

So quickest of world overviews, will fill in the dragons on the map later.

Australia: may be in some trouble. The Inland Sea is back, so most of the Outback is underwater. The Barrier Reef has become sentient and possibly undead (the bits that are supposed to be dead are moving.) Something about a Bunyip and a Rainbow Serpent? I have no idea. Perth and Melbourne remain as technologically advanced city-states, but each are convinced they are the sole remnant of civilized humanity and as such do not receive visitors, make radio calls or explore the world beyond their walls.

Other than that, it's basically Mad Max there, with a lot more firepower, and magic-using Aborigines. Oh yes, everyone with even a little Aborigine blood had visions telling them to get out of cities before the Cataclysm, and with shamans who use real magic, some are quite enthusiastic about reclaiming the continent.

Asia: Russia is divided by cyborg warlords, and has become the 2nd most magical land in the world, haunted by all the spirits of Slavic myth, plus a vast number of new ones. And all the Witches and Necromancers aren't helping. Somehow, somewhere there's a faction calling for the rebirth of the Soviet Union.

China is the most magical land, a slice of Hell on Earth. Eleven Hells, to be precise. 10 very powerful demon lords calling themselves the Yama Kings emerged at the head of armies of the demonic and the damned. Now they all war over which is the rightful master of the One True Hell and will preside over humanity's final fall. All of China feels their boot and curses save Henan Province, which was liberated by Shaolin Monks with a Taoist Immortal and a Dragon to lead them, and Shanxi (sp?) Province which is the domain of the Reborn First Emperor and his terracotta legions.

Japan has become again a land that never really existed with ninja, samurai, and more troublesome spirits than you can shake a stick at. A few high-tech enclaves remain, protected by giant mecha and powerful magic users, a disproportionate number of whom are school-age girls with bizarre hair. In short, Japan has become what every eight-year-old thinks it is.

India is apparently engaged in some titanic magical struggle on which the fate of the whole world rests. No further details have been published at this time, except that whatever's going on involves the Hindu Gods somehow.


Europe: Mostly belongs to the goblins, Brodkil and Gargoyles. France and Italy are more-or-less gone. There are hold-out kingdoms in Poland, all surrounded but doing alright for themselves. Plus the Neue Deutsch Repulik, which is probably the most technologically advanced human state in the game, very accepting of mages and psychics, but has a bad track record with 'Auslanders' (D-Bees=Dimensional Being= anything intelligent that came through the Rifts.)

The Mediterranean is a major Rift Triangle, and new aquatic monsters appear on a nearly weekly basis.

England has become a cross between a high fantasy novel and Arthurian Myth. In fact, there's a New Camelot, with an Arthur and Merlin. Ireland belongs to the Fair Folk now, but some people live in Tarramore (Dublin) yet. Wales belongs to goblins and orcs. Scotland is overrun by Dabugghs and Fomorians, and there's a quarter of Celtic Gods running around causing trouble.

Not aware of any official word regarding Scandinavia. Lot of European Mountains are home to Gargoyles or Dwarves though.


Africa: Let's see... a very old and obscenely powerful dragon claimed the Sahara and all within as his property. So far nobody has successfully argued the point. There's a "Phoenix Empire" built around restoring the ancient glories of Egypt, including worshiping the returned Gods, particularly Set. There are a wide variety of rather weird D-Bees who control most of the continent, a few human villages in the Congo, and depending on when you visit, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.


Atlantis: When magic returned to this world, so did the continent of Atlantis. The ancient Atlanteans begin to return from their self-imposed banishment, but unfortunately for them, the Spulgorth got there first. All you need to know aobut the Splugorth right now is that they are very powerful, very mean, and very much like human slaves, pets, janissaries, and medical experiment fodder. It is not recommended to visit Atlantis without a very powerful magical being to sponsor and protect you.


South America: Mostly belongs to Lizard-men and other D-Bees. Human civilization survives in Argentina. Mexico belongs a Vampire Empire that keeps humans as reusable cattle.

North America: The Greatest Power in North America is the Coalition of States (CS) which is sort of like the 40K Imperium-lite. Not quite there with the oppression and senseless GRIMDARK waste of life (but they do try) but with very similar ideas on the topic of aliens, mutants, sorcerers, and dissenters. Plus the vast number of lasgun-armed cannon fodder and the skull motif stamped over everything.

There is also a Federation of Magic (sort of, it's complicated) and various independent kingdoms and cities through the old US. We have the most data here and I'll go over it in detail later.

Canada is home to 5 or 6 major kingdoms, very influential on the storylines, and also to the alien bugs the Xiticix, who will probably reproduce enough to devour the world like a swarm of locusts in the next 20-30 years.

[Darmalus]

Ahhh, Rifts. My introduction to RPGs from way back when.

You are slightly off on the timeline. Only a few million people died due to the nukes, but they died in the wrong place in the wrong time (directly on top of ley line nexuses during a once in a century planetary alignment). A massive flash-flood of released psychic energy caused a sudden chain of natural disasters, which killed more people, and so on and so forth until the world was so magically saturated entire cities were being time-shifted into the distant future and spells were spontaneously casting themselves.

Fun times.

[khursed]

One thing alone ruined many a campaign in RiFTs, the damn auto-dodge...

[Ahriman238]

Ahhh, Rifts. My introduction to RPGs from way back when.

You are slightly off on the timeline. Only a few million people died due to the nukes, but they died in the wrong place in the wrong time (directly on top of ley line nexuses during a once in a century planetary alignment). A massive flash-flood of released psychic energy caused a sudden chain of natural disasters, which killed more people, and so on and so forth until the world was so magically saturated entire cities were being time-shifted into the distant future and spells were spontaneously casting themselves.

Fun times.

I'll take your word for it, I never played Chaos Earth.

...

I was going to say the precise details don't really matter centuries later, then realized I was dismissing the difference between millions and billions of people dying. Maybe it does matter at that.

One thing alone ruined many a campaign in RiFTs, the damn auto-dodge...

I'm looking more at plot-setting, with technical details usable in vs. scenarios, less so game-mechanics if I can avoid them. Will probably have to do something with the SDC/MDC gap eventually.

[gigabytelord]

What sparked the urge to make a thread about Rifts? Not that I'm complaining, I'm currently in an epic campaign right now anyways.

My job you ask? To help kill a magical monster who eats lay lines and all other forms of magic, making himself stronger in the process.
However on the way to the objective our resident Crazy decided to commit murder, while our friendly Russian Heavy Cyborg and Coalition Monkey Boy thought that holding up a merchant in down town Camelot was a good idea...

My character is an Intelligence Officer (Sneaky/Sniper) in the NGR (New German Republic), and I'm best buds with Lady named Joe, who is a 'Glitter Girl' in the army of Republic of Free Quebec.

Always remember Glitter Boys/Girls, they have really big guns...

[Starglider]

RIFTS was a favourite for furry roleplayers back in the day, as it had mutant (anthro) animals as a big thing (rules taken from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles RPG as I recall). There wasn't a lot of furry material around back then, Toon a couple of years previous and (to some extent) WW:TA a couple of years later, Ironclaw wasn't published until 1999 and got very little distribution originally.

[Ahriman238]

What sparked the urge to make a thread about Rifts? Not that I'm complaining, I'm currently in an epic campaign right now anyways.

Why, finding a whole bunch of rulebooks available free online, which I've whiled away too much time I should have spent on papers. I only ever played one interrupted campaign in college, so I was curious. I'm starting with the "Ultimate Edition" sourcebook then the splat books, maybe I'll eventually work my way back to first edition.

Anyway, don't have tons of time, so not a very in-depth update, sorry. Should do better on the weekend.


Glitter Boy

Legend tells us of a band of warriors who fought impossible odds every for months on end during those first years of the Rifts, and saved many millions of lives. Many say the Neemans were benevolent warrior god-kings who came through the Rifts. In any case, though they faced cosmic horrors all the time, the Neemans were eventually pulled down by sheer numbers during the Fourth Wave of demonic incursion. But, so the legend says, they left their great power armor to worthy mortal champions who would continue their tradition of heroism.

Unknown to most residents of Rifts Earth (but known, of course, to us) the Glitter Boy power armor began life as the Chromium Guardsman, the 22nd Century US Army's very last word in AA/AT warfare and NEMA was a last desperate military alliance trying to hold the world together during the Cataclysm. Good thing they built them to last, which is why so many are still functional after 300 years.



The armor, by the way is 10 feet tall. The pilot's limbs reach out not quite to the knee/elbows. The armor can run at speeds of up to 60 mph (96 kph) and while the user can become tired and out of breath it takes 10x longer. The suit can leap 12 feet high or long in a standing jump, 20 feet with a running start and 80 with rocket assist. The suit is fully enclosed enviromental, with food air and water for 3 weeks, though the pilot can get vitamin deficiencies and lose muscle tone. The armor's mirrored chrome look is meant to protect it from the lasers that were the most common weapons of the 22nd Century, and to an extent still are.

The suit can "swim" on the surface of water using it's jets to reach and sustain 13 knots, the jets don't work underwater. Or it walk along the bottom. The suit can withstand water pressure of up to 1 mile's depth.

The large dispenser of fun on the right shoulder is called a Boom Gun, and the Glitter Boy was designed as a mobile heavily armored platform for this weapon. When the trigger is pulled, the big railgun launches 200 steel flechettes, bird-shot style, at a bit over Mach 5. The Boom Gun does not allow for automatic fire or bursts, it's strictly semi-auto (pull the trigger once and it fires once.) There's an internal magazine belt-fed to the gun with 1,000 rounds. There are also 400 round drum magazines as a backup in case the belt-feed (one of the few real vulnerable points) is damaged. Armor repair facilities are few and far between, but the ammo can be reproduced everywhere they work steel.

The Boom Gun has a range of over 2 miles. Even that is more a limitation of accurate targeting rather than a physical limit on the flight of the flechettes.

Everyone standing within 200 feet of a firing Boom Gun, unless immune or inside the insulated Glitter Boy armor, is deafened by the blast.

The recoil of the Boom Gun is so fierce, the Glitter Boy is built with rocket-jets at it's back, the same useful for leaping and swimming, which fire automatically when he pulls the trigger. Even so, the Glitter Boy must drive 3-foot pitons, that retract into the heel, into the ground before firing or be knocked on his back 30 feet (9 m) form his firing position. Underwater, where the jets don't function, the Glitter Boy goes spiraling off randomly as far as 400 yards.


For many years the secrets of Glitter Boy manufacture were elusive, and most suits belonged to active heroes trying to make the world a better place. The Free City of Quebec recently cracked it, and has built around a division of suits, including 8 or 9 variations on the theme like Glitter Girls (female pilots should have armor with a narrow waist and large bust, right?) and a number of different weapon loadouts.

[weemadando]

And that's why the CS developed the Glitter Boy Killer.

[gigabytelord]

Don't forget, the NGR now has the ability to build Glitter Boys now thanks to Free Quebec, and as always, the NGR techs took one look at the units and said "I know just what this needs, more missiles!"

[SAMAS]

The countries that actively use and can build Glitter Boys are as follows:

Free Quebec: USA(QGB) G-10 and six variants
New German Republic: Traded with Free Quebec for the tech. Builds three variants
Republic of Japan: Subcontracted for development in pre-Rifts days. G-10 and two variants.
Freedom Station: Owned by the company that originally made the Glitter Boy. Space-capable version of the G-10 and two more Space variants.

They are also found in South America and the Three Galaxies.

Don't forget, the NGR now has the ability to build Glitter Boys now thanks to Free Quebec, and as always, the NGR techs took one look at the units and said "I know just what this needs, more missiles!"

Recently, they looked at the units again, and said "I know just what this needs, another Boom Gun!" and "I know just what this needs, the ability to fly!". Then they mounted two of them on their new version of the Devastator mech for shits and giggles.

[Highlord Laan]

And that's why the CS developed the Glitter Boy Killer.

Which, ironically enough, can't beat GB's unless they have two or preferably three to one odds. The recommendation to use built up terrain or urban environments is kind of a throwaway line of bullshit, given that the GB can simply shoot through hills and buildings at will.

It's kind of like the tactics taught to tankers that might somehow end up facing the Abrams in combat. 90% of the time, it's just there to make you think you have a chance before getting blown to hell. The last 10% if for nations with access to the LeoII and ChallengerII.

The best way to fight a Glitter Boy is with another Glitter Boy.

[SAMAS]

So quickest of world overviews, will fill in the dragons on the map later.

Australia: may be in some trouble. The Inland Sea is back, so most of the Outback is underwater. The Barrier Reef has become sentient and possibly undead (the bits that are supposed to be dead are moving.) Something about a Bunyip and a Rainbow Serpent? I have no idea. Perth and Melbourne remain as technologically advanced city-states, but each are convinced they are the sole remnant of civilized humanity and as such do not receive visitors, make radio calls or explore the world beyond their walls.

Much, anyway.

Other than that, it's basically Mad Max there, with a lot more firepower, and magic-using Aborigines. Oh yes, everyone with even a little Aborigine blood had visions telling them to get out of cities before the Cataclysm, and with shamans who use real magic, some are quite enthusiastic about reclaiming the continent.

Also, there's a race of Techno-Wizardry-using Crocodile men who will eventually want to conquer the world. Boy will they be surprised to find that they're on the ass-end of the planet.

Asia: Russia is divided by cyborg warlords, and has become the 2nd most magical land in the world, haunted by all the spirits of Slavic myth, plus a vast number of new ones. And all the Witches and Necromancers aren't helping. Somehow, somewhere there's a faction calling for the rebirth of the Soviet Union.

Not so much calling for the rebirth of the Soviet Union, as being all that's left of it. Apparently, Russia decided to give Communism another shot shortly before the Cataclysm.

Japan has become again a land that never really existed with ninja, samurai, and more troublesome spirits than you can shake a stick at. A few high-tech enclaves remain, protected by giant mecha and powerful magic users, a disproportionate number of whom are school-age girls with bizarre hair. In short, Japan has become what every eight-year-old thinks it is.

Well, not the magical girls that I can recall.

Europe: Mostly belongs to the goblins, Brodkil and Gargoyles. France and Italy are more-or-less gone. There are hold-out kingdoms in Poland, all surrounded but doing alright for themselves. Plus the Neue Deutsch Repulik, which is probably the most technologically advanced human state in the game, very accepting of mages and psychics, but has a bad track record with 'Auslanders' (D-Bees=Dimensional Being= anything intelligent that came through the Rifts.)

Thanks to the industrial giant Triax (who apparently were the guys who invented MDC), Germany is the one nation on Earth that technically didn't fall in the Cataclysm. Sure, it got shook the hell up, but the people were able to rally and regrow quickly around Triax. As such, the company has a hell of a lot of pull in the affairs of the NGR, which it tries not to abuse. So much so in fact that when the Prime Minister of the NGR was assassinated by Gargoyles, the people swiftly selected Triax's CEO to run the country.

England has become a cross between a high fantasy novel and Arthurian Myth. In fact, there's a New Camelot, with an Arthur and Merlin. Ireland belongs to the Fair Folk now, but some people live in Tarramore (Dublin) yet. Wales belongs to goblins and orcs. Scotland is overrun by Dabugghs and Fomorians, and there's a quarter of Celtic Gods running around causing trouble.

It should be noted that while the new Authur is a nice guy, Merlin is an evil alien intelligence out to rule the world.

Also, London is now occupied by the minions of Atlantis.

Also, Giant magical trees and laser bugs.

Africa: Let's see... a very old and obscenely powerful dragon claimed the Sahara and all within as his property. So far nobody has successfully argued the point. There's a "Phoenix Empire" built around restoring the ancient glories of Egypt, including worshiping the returned Gods, particularly Set. There are a wide variety of rather weird D-Bees who control most of the continent, a few human villages in the Congo, and depending on when you visit, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

It should be noted that the Phoenix Empire is pretty much just like Atlantis mentioned below, only populated by Demons.

South America: Mostly belongs to Lizard-men and other D-Bees. Human civilization survives in Argentina. Mexico belongs a Vampire Empire that keeps humans as reusable cattle.

South America is a little more complicated than that. The Colombia/Venezuela area is the present site of a war between a Human nation and the southernmost of the Vampire Kingdoms. The Amazon river has flooded it's banks and can now be seen from space. Much of Northern Brazil is either part of the river or a network of thousands of islands inhabited by pirates, Lizardmen, Jungle Elves, and a nation that follows the practices of Voodoo.

Southern Brazil is mostly dominated by four Cities:

New Dragcona is a nation of Dragon-worshipping replile folk (of various types) who have enslaved many of the peaceful Lizardmen in the area. They are supported by Atlantis, which gives them technology and uses their city as a staging point for slave raids into the continent.

Then there are the three El Doradoes: Omagua is a city of Cat-People, mostly Werejaguars and mutant refugees from a Pre-Rifts Argentinian Super-Soldier project. Three feline Gods rule this city.

Manoa is a city founded by the descendants of the original Human denizens of Atlantis. They live with honest-to-goodness Amazon warriors and a few other races.

Cibola is ruled by an alien intelligence that wants to make his city a rival to the capital of Atlantis.

Over in the Peru-Chile-Boliva area, there is a war between the returning Inca gods and an invading alien race called the Arkhons. In the middle of that is the headquarters of an army of trans-dimensional mercenaries, whom neither side likes all that much. But since they've got the biggest guns on the continent, both sides usually leave them alone.

North-East Argentina is a conglomerate of various nations, too detailed to go into here. The southern tip of the continent is ravaged by a horde of alien barbarians.

[weemadando]

And that's why the CS developed the Glitter Boy Killer.

Which, ironically enough, can't beat GB's unless they have two or preferably three to one odds. The recommendation to use built up terrain or urban environments is kind of a throwaway line of bullshit, given that the GB can simply shoot through hills and buildings at will.

It's kind of like the tactics taught to tankers that might somehow end up facing the Abrams in combat. 90% of the time, it's just there to make you think you have a chance before getting blown to hell. The last 10% if for nations with access to the LeoII and ChallengerII.

The best way to fight a Glitter Boy is with another Glitter Boy.

Or to play a Fennodi Justice Ranger who phased when a Glitter Boy tried to take a shot at him, then later tracked down said outlaw Glitter Boy pilot and tarred and feathered his Glitter Boy while the pilot was getting drunk.

Ah Rifts, you are the dumbest RPG setting.

[Ahriman238]

And that's why the CS developed the Glitter Boy Killer.

Okay, what in Valen's name is that? I mean, I assume it's a Glitter Boy killer, but I don't remember one from our game.

I thought the Coalition had a range of anti-GB tactics with such classics as "hit and fade" "charge and some of us will live to melee" and "bend over and kiss your ass goodbye" and used Sammie suicide squads and lots of skele-bots.

The best way to fight a Glitter Boy is with another Glitter Boy.

Don't be ridiculous Highlord, the best way to fight a Glitter Boy is with a Mind-Melter.

It should be noted that while the new Authur is a nice guy, Merlin is an evil alien intelligence out to rule the world.

I was going to leave that tidbit for later but, yeah, Merlin is an aspect/avatar for a Lovecraft-horror called Zazshan. So's the Lady of the Lake, otherwise known as the logical person to run to if you were to learn that Merlin is evil.

Also, Giant magical trees and laser bugs.

I like the Millenium Trees as a concept.

Thanks to the industrial giant Triax (who apparently were the guys who invented MDC), Germany is the one nation on Earth that technically didn't fall in the Cataclysm. Sure, it got shook the hell up, but the people were able to rally and regrow quickly around Triax. As such, the company has a hell of a lot of pull in the affairs of the NGR, which it tries not to abuse. So much so in fact that when the Prime Minister of the NGR was assassinated by Gargoyles, the people swiftly selected Triax's CEO to run the country.

Yep. Of course, Triax is the one book I haven't really been able to find free online. There are some download sites but I'm having issues with that.

Ah Rifts, you are the dumbest RPG setting.

Play a game of Toons sometime. Or Paranoia.


I'm actually sort of surprised there are 8 people on this board who know what I'm talking about.

[weemadando]

I fucking love Paranoia. Rifts is dumb because it is such a hodgepodge. It's the adorable, drooling dog kind of dumb.

[Crossroads Inc.]

RIFTS FUCK YEAH!!!

I Was GM for a rather hard core RIFTS Gamer group back in middle school. Man That was KICK ASS.
The whole concept of RIFTS that you had "Rifts" meant it was idea for Crossovers and bringing in outside people or characters.

My crowning achievement was a campaign that lasted a whole Summer. It mixed elements of FF3/6 "Kefkah" Somehow got into the RIFTS world and become a trusted General of Karl Prosek. There were generals from Secret of Mana I brought in (I was so happy when three months in one of the players realized who they were). The various "Missions" involved collecting some special artifacts that were needed.. I introduced a secret organization called "Crimson Realities" that was based in the rocky mountains that was largely made up of D-Bees.

Oh god that whole summer was crazy. Some of the highlights were going to the ruins New York and fighting a tribe of savage mutant Squirrel people in central Park. Also on the ruins of the Brooklyn Bridge they had to fight a Giant Taxi Cab monster made up of the haunted souls of countless Dead Cabbies.
There was another mission that had "Air Pirates" were I got them fighting evil techno mages in flying FF style airships, their guns were all stollen so they had to use vibro swords
Then there was the mission that ended up with, God, I had them tract down a "Macross Protoculture Energy Matrix" That attracted all manor of weird insect demons were ever they went. They had to take it to the Crimson Realities headquarters safely. That was the one where the were captured by a Clan of sapient Dancing Cheese monsters...

God damn I have to see if I can find those text files!

EDIT: Also FUCK YEAH PARANOIA!
""Happiness is mandatory. Failure to be happy is treason. Treason is punishable by summary execution. Are you Happy??"
I remember some of the awesome useless weapons you would get.. I once got a "Paper Chainsaw" Oh god those were fun days...

[AMT]

The best way to fight a Glitter Boy is with another Glitter Boy.

Carpet of Adhesion and walk behind the Glitter Boy FTW

[Connor MacLeod]

I've never looked into Rifts but I've heard a ton about it on SB. I'll be keeping an eye out of this with interest.

[gigabytelord]

I've never looked into Rifts but I've heard a ton about it on SB. I'll be keeping an eye out of this with interest.

I know how you like story fluff, maybe you should take a look at some of the less fantastical back story, the world books that focus directly on major factions would definitely be a good read.

Carpet of Adhesion and walk behind the Glitter Boy FTW

The problem with that is, no intelligent right minded GB commander would ever take one into combat alone, take a look at Free Quebec for instance, they literally have thousands of the damned things, and generally operate them in squads, with anti infantry/air units supporting, as well as gun crews specifically trained to reload GBs while in combat.

[Ahriman238]

Recently, they looked at the units again, and said "I know just what this needs, another Boom Gun!" and "I know just what this needs, the ability to fly!". Then they mounted two of them on their new version of the Devastator mech for shits and giggles.

Well, you do have to account for the need to make every sourcebook more over-the-top ridiculous than the last.

I fucking love Paranoia. Rifts is dumb because it is such a hodgepodge. It's the adorable, drooling dog kind of dumb.

EDIT: Also FUCK YEAH PARANOIA!

*sound of crickets defending Toons*

I wouldn't call Rifts dumb. Over the top, sure, but in a much more fun way than GRIMDARK!

I've never looked into Rifts but I've heard a ton about it on SB. I'll be keeping an eye out of this with interest.

Aww, I'm touched Connor.

[Crossroads Inc.]

DOn't feel bad about TOONS Ahriman, it was an Awesome concept.. AWESOME concept, but it was really hard to be "serious" about it and so was hard to get followers. Paranoia and Rifts were just easier to get into and thus more popular.

Also for anyone interested I actually did manage to dig up my original mission notes.
Originally played in 1996, wrote down in 1999, lost to computer crash in 2005 and slowly rebuilt mostly from memory.

Dancing Cheese, mutant squirrels, haunted taxi cabs, air pirates and video game badguys. GOD It was fun!

[gigabytelord]

Dancing Cheese, mutant squirrels, haunted taxi cabs, air pirates and video game badguys. GOD It was fun!

Oh god the mental images! Why god, why?

Back on topic, I've never heard of TOONS before, what was it about exactly?

[Ahriman238]

Dancing Cheese, mutant squirrels, haunted taxi cabs, air pirates and video game badguys. GOD It was fun!

Oh god the mental images! Why god, why?

Back on topic, I've never heard of TOONS before, what was it about exactly?

Toons is a pen-and-pencil RPG where you play as, well, a cartoon. Always thought you could've caught that roadrunner? Find out (in a way that won't inspire WB to sue.) Get in wacky misadventures because, hey, nobody ever dies. When you run out of hitpoints you get squashed into a pancake person, or make a character-shaped crater in the ground, or get covered in soot. Sit out play for a minute unless you can come up with a deadpan one-liner!

It's sort of an "everything goes, as long as it's funny" sort of game. And it's way more ridiculous than Rifts, if you're doing it right anyway.

[gigabytelord]

Good god, sometimes I wonder what exactly is going through the heads of the people who makes these games... Perhaps their asses as they slam head first into the windshield of logic?

Anyways, it sound like an evening of drunken fun, because there's no way I'd play that without downing a couple beers.