From: tfv0@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (Theodore F. Vaida ][)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: regarding RIFTS
Date: 29 Jul 92 21:02:40 GMT
Organization: Lehigh University

In article <1992Jul29.011630.35555@slate.mines.colorado.edu>, bkropp@hematite.Mi
nes.Colorado.EDU (Bryan Kropp) writes:
>Regarding RIFTS, by Palladium Games...
>
>In a misc article, Chris Beauregard writes:
>>The sheer destructive capabilities of the hardware in the game didn't help all

>>that much.  Full conversion Borgs should not be PCs, IMHO.  Ditto for Glitter

>>Boys.
>In another article,  Skeksis writes:
>>Another thing I hate about Palladium's stuff is this insistance on this MEGA
>>damage concept.  Oh boy, another way to make poor
>>insignificant humans feel like dirt!  If the best the designers at Palladium
>>can do is create yet another stilted, stultifying, and restrictive way to
>>allow referees to pass out moral judgements and limitations, count me out.

>It is extremely important to remember that in any role-playing game, the game
>master and (hopefully) the players are in complete control of the gaming
>system.  Kevin Siembieda may have the copyright on the books themselves, but it
>is up to you to adapt the game to suit your own (and your players) wishes and
>desires.  K.S. even suggests you make any changes you wish.

        YES YES YES YES!!!! I dont completely agree with the system
        but as  Game Master (as the name implies) i can strech/ignore
        and bend thes rules to help my players enjoy the game, and
        satisfy my desire for playability.

>If anyone has any comments about this idea of a 1:10 MEGA damage ratio, please
>post and let me hear them.
>_______________________________________________

YES! I like it, i have been playing with the regular ratio for a while
and the players are getting a little cockey ("ill just knock this WHOLE
town off with my pistol..." etc.).  I'll be playtesting it this fall
with my group!

>As far as Glitter Boys and Borgs being too powerful, take a look at some of the
 ...deleted...
>to mess with them in a non combat situation.  Even the most powerful character
>can be injured because of his own stupidity.  You can't wear armor all the
>time, and it doesn't help against some things.

Thats the whole point, the designers knew that you have to balance things
and so for every insanely powerful weapon, there is an even more insanely
powerful monster/enemy/power.  You dont have to have every weapon in the book
The shopkeeper can say "wellp, we ran outa those a long timago, and i cant
get anymore in stock, suorry guys....".

>As far as RIFTS goes, I think the world presented to adventure in is superb,
>colorful, and well thought out.  If you get tired of Earth, go to another
>dimension!  The world description provides a basis on which to build very
>intriguing scenarios without being too restrictive.  The combination of magic
>and tech leaves a great deal of opportunity for really creative and strange
>methods and ideas to be used.  The combat system could use improvements, which
>you can do on your own or with the help of others.

Thats exacly why I play RIFTS. Period, end type.
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