Dead Reign - the Fan's Choice?

[barna10]

KS mentioned in Rifter #45 that he went with a mundane setting for Dead Reign because fans wanted
a zombie game with broad appeal and classic elements. Based on our research, demons, magic, psionics, highly intelligent zombies, and an Alien Intelligence invaders were NOT what the majority of zombie fans wanted."

Do you agree with this? I don't, and no one I know does. We could have taken any system and done this. Why a whole new game? I love Palladium for it's psionics, magic, and other freaky stuff!

Also, why not just make it a supplement for BTS? Let the fans decide what elements to include or not. Why dedicate time to a totally new product (which admittedly was an offshoot of BTS)?

[auyl]

KS mentioned in Rifter #45 that he went with a mundane setting for Dead Reign because fans wanted
a zombie game with broad appeal and classic elements. Based on our research, demons, magic, psionics, highly intelligent zombies, and an Alien Intelligence invaders were NOT what the majority of zombie fans wanted."

Do you agree with this? I don't, and no one I know does. We could have taken any system and done this. Why a whole new game? I love Palladium for it's psionics, magic, and other freaky stuff!

Also, why not just make it a supplement for BTS? Let the fans decide what elements to include or not. Why dedicate time to a totally new product (which admittedly was an offshoot of BTS)?

I can see your point, but in most (not all, notice I said not all) zombie shows/films in today's media culture, psionics and magic isn't included in the overall scope of the setting. So I can see Kevin wanting to stick as close to that thread as possible. I'm not saying that having it as a BTS supplement would have been a bad idea, just that I can see the logic here. I personally prefer it as it is, but would have accepted it however it came out.

[Shawn Merrow]

I'm glad they went the way they without the magic and the invading alien intelligence has already been heavily done in the other game lines. I personally like the way it came out.

[flatline]

Think how non-scary zombies would be if you can fly...

--flatline

[Pepsi Jedi]

KS mentioned in Rifter #45 that he went with a mundane setting for Dead Reign because fans wanted
a zombie game with broad appeal and classic elements. Based on our research, demons, magic, psionics, highly intelligent zombies, and an Alien Intelligence invaders were NOT what the majority of zombie fans wanted."

Do you agree with this? I don't, and no one I know does. We could have taken any system and done this. Why a whole new game? I love Palladium for it's psionics, magic, and other freaky stuff!

Also, why not just make it a supplement for BTS? Let the fans decide what elements to include or not. Why dedicate time to a totally new product (which admittedly was an offshoot of BTS)?

I'm actually one of those people. I love zombies. Have bunches of movies and dozens of zombie books, and probably 100s of Zombie short stories (( 5 or 6 compalations of Zombie short stories)).

I wanted a nice "Generic" if anything Zombie RPG game. With OUT the magic. I don't prefer "Magical" Zombies. I personally prefer the 'traditional' "We don't know what made them" Zombies. Had Kevin published the version where they were magical, I wouldn't have liked it as much.

I'd still have bought it, but very likely would have cut that out of the game. So yes, I'm one of the ones that prefered it the way we got it. (( I think it was kinda a stinker how it was handled. With it being hyped up as the best thing since the written word, then at the last moment re-written and the original authors given second billing))

In our games we even take a bit of the magic that Kevin retained and take it out. "The GLOW". That effect where zombies can apperently see your life energy as if you were a 40,000 lumen spotlight and even clothes doesn't blank it out? Too "Magical" to me. Our group talked it out and it just didn't go well with the fact that they're not magical aside from that.

We took out the "Heals with PPE" thing too. Again. Too magical. It's just not what we wanted to play when we played zombies.

As for why not just add it onto BTS, well my above post should point it out pretty well. Some people don't want magic in their zombie game. Or Psionics or "Everything else" that comes with BTS. If that's how you want to play? By all means, do it. Seriously, that's cool. I said I don't PREFER magic with my zombies but I know some people might. And if that's how others wanna play it you can simply add it onto BTS.

For me, I welcomed the stand alone system. I very much welcomed the 'Lack of magical stuff" all packed in there, the alien intelligence and what not that was taken out was cool with me. As I'd have just taken it out and had to house rule it out anyway. I'm not saying others might not like it. I can just speak for myself and my group.

I guess we were the target audience for what kevin was going for. (( If even a little more so, as I said we take out the 'GLOW" and the PPE healing)).

Another reason for the stand alone system instead of just a "BTS" supplement is.. well a Zombie PLAGUE, instead of just one or two (( or 100 or 200)) means it pretty much takes over the planet, or huge portions of it anyway. That'd totally blow most BTS games out of the water. If you want cataclysmic change, you can toss some zombies into rifts. A true Zombie rise would change BTS.. into.. Well. Dead Reign+Psionics and demons and stuff. Wich again, you can do, but is a different thing.

Lastly.... Palladium is in it to make money. They like their jobs (( I'm assuming)) but they go to work 9-5 to get paid, to pay their rent, their car payments, food, electric, their kids college, ect. Zombies are big right now. Vampires took the "Glitter hit" and are on a bit of a down swing (( though they (vamps) Never really bottom out)) Zombies are 'BIG" and have been for a few years. Palladium wants to make money and Zombie RPG Plays off that. I know I've bought every one as soon as they've come out.

They're actually pretty good. Palladium FINALLY edged past the 'PG' Type writing into PG 13. Even the most vile demon in Rifts or something is written like he's out of a disney cartoon or something. "Oh they're vile. They kill and enslave people. They might *GASP* eat one now and then. Rar!" Type. (( which IS a part of Demons, ect) but it doesn't really grasp all that demons are or how evil they are. I'm not saying Palladium has to go splatter punk. But they just briefly gloss over the evils that their 'EVIL" things do.

In Dead Reign, they go just a bit further. The story in the first one about the family trying to get away and the one kid being impaled on the fence post, then coming back to life and trying to get at people, even though it was impaled on the pole... that's more Badass than anything they've ever printed in rifts. lol and they have full out demonic armies and alien intelligences in rifts.

So.... I guess I'm one of the guys you've never met. I prefer my zombies nice mundane and non magical. I like the option of having shamblers or sprinters. and I actually like some of the other options, like the mock or smart zombies. (( use them SPARINGLY!!! )) The Zombie story is never 'about' the zombies... it's about the PEOPLE. Always has been.

[barna10]

Nice to hear the other side! Thanks.

[Snake Eyes]

I love the Dead Reign rpg too. I want a zombie apocalypse game similar to how its shown in the movies and books, and i think dead reign has hit the mark.

[Rockwolf66]

Honestly I wanted Josh Hilden's origional setting insted of a generic one. I've played a few Zombie games including one where Some Necromancer was trying to bring back the old ones and the whole "Mysteriously caused Zombie Plague" gets rather old rather fast. Unless you are going with the whole "plague" Zombies who are just sick humans the cause simply has to be either supernatural or some form of science that might as well be magic in nature.

Unless Humanity is 100% wiped out any zombie apocalypse is a temporary thing as Humans are very adaptable and very good at killing things. Plus in the history of mankind it seems that all 9 billion people can be traced back to one of 40 females. Meaning that should there only be 100 people of breeding age left on earth by the time the zombies are all wiped out we can rebuild the spiecies.

[Grell]

I like Dead Reign as it is. It is a great setting that really makes the game about the characters and very little else. I feel it adds to the sense of isolation, among other things.

I did not enjoy the original Rifter material and am glad KS decided to give it the overhaul. I think it resulted in a far superior product.

[dargo83]

me personaly i use a combo of both along with a few things of my own and things from a few games and movies. me i love the game both ways

[Colt47]

I personally prefer the dead island variety of zombie, where the older the zombie the weaker it becomes.

[cornholioprime]

KS mentioned in Rifter #45 that he went with a mundane setting for Dead Reign because fans wanted
a zombie game with broad appeal and classic elements. Based on our research, demons, magic, psionics, highly intelligent zombies, and an Alien Intelligence invaders were NOT what the majority of zombie fans wanted."

Do you agree with this? I don't, and no one I know does. We could have taken any system and done this. Why a whole new game? I love Palladium for it's psionics, magic, and other freaky stuff!

Also, why not just make it a supplement for BTS? Let the fans decide what elements to include or not. Why dedicate time to a totally new product (which admittedly was an offshoot of BTS)?

I'm actually one of those people. I love zombies. Have bunches of movies and dozens of zombie books, and probably 100s of Zombie short stories (( 5 or 6 compalations of Zombie short stories)).

I wanted a nice "Generic" if anything Zombie RPG game. With OUT the magic. I don't prefer "Magical" Zombies. I personally prefer the 'traditional' "We don't know what made them" Zombies. Had Kevin published the version where they were magical, I wouldn't have liked it as much.

I'd still have bought it, but very likely would have cut that out of the game. So yes, I'm one of the ones that prefered it the way we got it. (( I think it was kinda a stinker how it was handled. With it being hyped up as the best thing since the written word, then at the last moment re-written and the original authors given second billing))

In our games we even take a bit of the magic that Kevin retained and take it out. "The GLOW". That effect where zombies can apperently see your life energy as if you were a 40,000 lumen spotlight and even clothes doesn't blank it out? Too "Magical" to me. Our group talked it out and it just didn't go well with the fact that they're not magical aside from that.

We took out the "Heals with PPE" thing too. Again. Too magical. It's just not what we wanted to play when we played zombies.

As for why not just add it onto BTS, well my above post should point it out pretty well. Some people don't want magic in their zombie game. Or Psionics or "Everything else" that comes with BTS. If that's how you want to play? By all means, do it. Seriously, that's cool. I said I don't PREFER magic with my zombies but I know some people might. And if that's how others wanna play it you can simply add it onto BTS.

For me, I welcomed the stand alone system. I very much welcomed the 'Lack of magical stuff" all packed in there, the alien intelligence and what not that was taken out was cool with me. As I'd have just taken it out and had to house rule it out anyway. I'm not saying others might not like it. I can just speak for myself and my group.

I guess we were the target audience for what kevin was going for. (( If even a little more so, as I said we take out the 'GLOW" and the PPE healing)).

Another reason for the stand alone system instead of just a "BTS" supplement is.. well a Zombie PLAGUE, instead of just one or two (( or 100 or 200)) means it pretty much takes over the planet, or huge portions of it anyway. That'd totally blow most BTS games out of the water. If you want cataclysmic change, you can toss some zombies into rifts. A true Zombie rise would change BTS.. into.. Well. Dead Reign+Psionics and demons and stuff. Wich again, you can do, but is a different thing.

Lastly.... Palladium is in it to make money. They like their jobs (( I'm assuming)) but they go to work 9-5 to get paid, to pay their rent, their car payments, food, electric, their kids college, ect. Zombies are big right now. Vampires took the "Glitter hit" and are on a bit of a down swing (( though they (vamps) Never really bottom out)) Zombies are 'BIG" and have been for a few years. Palladium wants to make money and Zombie RPG Plays off that. I know I've bought every one as soon as they've come out.

They're actually pretty good. Palladium FINALLY edged past the 'PG' Type writing into PG 13. Even the most vile demon in Rifts or something is written like he's out of a disney cartoon or something. "Oh they're vile. They kill and enslave people. They might *GASP* eat one now and then. Rar!" Type. (( which IS a part of Demons, ect) but it doesn't really grasp all that demons are or how evil they are. I'm not saying Palladium has to go splatter punk. But they just briefly gloss over the evils that their 'EVIL" things do.

In Dead Reign, they go just a bit further. The story in the first one about the family trying to get away and the one kid being impaled on the fence post, then coming back to life and trying to get at people, even though it was impaled on the pole... that's more Badass than anything they've ever printed in rifts. lol and they have full out demonic armies and alien intelligences in rifts.

So.... I guess I'm one of the guys you've never met. I prefer my zombies nice mundane and non magical. I like the option of having shamblers or sprinters. and I actually like some of the other options, like the mock or smart zombies. (( use them SPARINGLY!!! )) The Zombie story is never 'about' the zombies... it's about the PEOPLE. Always has been.

Now this man here sounds like the kind of person that absolutely LOVED the 2004 "Dawn of the Dead" remake with Ving Rhames and Sarah Polley.
(Don't worry, I did, too. No slow "Shambler Zombies" for me, please, I'd like to see them coming on at full human speed as soon as they see a living being.)

[Pepsi Jedi]

KS mentioned in Rifter #45 that he went with a mundane setting for Dead Reign because fans wanted
a zombie game with broad appeal and classic elements. Based on our research, demons, magic, psionics, highly intelligent zombies, and an Alien Intelligence invaders were NOT what the majority of zombie fans wanted."

Do you agree with this? I don't, and no one I know does. We could have taken any system and done this. Why a whole new game? I love Palladium for it's psionics, magic, and other freaky stuff!

Also, why not just make it a supplement for BTS? Let the fans decide what elements to include or not. Why dedicate time to a totally new product (which admittedly was an offshoot of BTS)?

I'm actually one of those people. I love zombies. Have bunches of movies and dozens of zombie books, and probably 100s of Zombie short stories (( 5 or 6 compalations of Zombie short stories)).

I wanted a nice "Generic" if anything Zombie RPG game. With OUT the magic. I don't prefer "Magical" Zombies. I personally prefer the 'traditional' "We don't know what made them" Zombies. Had Kevin published the version where they were magical, I wouldn't have liked it as much.

I'd still have bought it, but very likely would have cut that out of the game. So yes, I'm one of the ones that prefered it the way we got it. (( I think it was kinda a stinker how it was handled. With it being hyped up as the best thing since the written word, then at the last moment re-written and the original authors given second billing))

In our games we even take a bit of the magic that Kevin retained and take it out. "The GLOW". That effect where zombies can apperently see your life energy as if you were a 40,000 lumen spotlight and even clothes doesn't blank it out? Too "Magical" to me. Our group talked it out and it just didn't go well with the fact that they're not magical aside from that.

We took out the "Heals with PPE" thing too. Again. Too magical. It's just not what we wanted to play when we played zombies.

As for why not just add it onto BTS, well my above post should point it out pretty well. Some people don't want magic in their zombie game. Or Psionics or "Everything else" that comes with BTS. If that's how you want to play? By all means, do it. Seriously, that's cool. I said I don't PREFER magic with my zombies but I know some people might. And if that's how others wanna play it you can simply add it onto BTS.

For me, I welcomed the stand alone system. I very much welcomed the 'Lack of magical stuff" all packed in there, the alien intelligence and what not that was taken out was cool with me. As I'd have just taken it out and had to house rule it out anyway. I'm not saying others might not like it. I can just speak for myself and my group.

I guess we were the target audience for what kevin was going for. (( If even a little more so, as I said we take out the 'GLOW" and the PPE healing)).

Another reason for the stand alone system instead of just a "BTS" supplement is.. well a Zombie PLAGUE, instead of just one or two (( or 100 or 200)) means it pretty much takes over the planet, or huge portions of it anyway. That'd totally blow most BTS games out of the water. If you want cataclysmic change, you can toss some zombies into rifts. A true Zombie rise would change BTS.. into.. Well. Dead Reign+Psionics and demons and stuff. Wich again, you can do, but is a different thing.

Lastly.... Palladium is in it to make money. They like their jobs (( I'm assuming)) but they go to work 9-5 to get paid, to pay their rent, their car payments, food, electric, their kids college, ect. Zombies are big right now. Vampires took the "Glitter hit" and are on a bit of a down swing (( though they (vamps) Never really bottom out)) Zombies are 'BIG" and have been for a few years. Palladium wants to make money and Zombie RPG Plays off that. I know I've bought every one as soon as they've come out.

They're actually pretty good. Palladium FINALLY edged past the 'PG' Type writing into PG 13. Even the most vile demon in Rifts or something is written like he's out of a disney cartoon or something. "Oh they're vile. They kill and enslave people. They might *GASP* eat one now and then. Rar!" Type. (( which IS a part of Demons, ect) but it doesn't really grasp all that demons are or how evil they are. I'm not saying Palladium has to go splatter punk. But they just briefly gloss over the evils that their 'EVIL" things do.

In Dead Reign, they go just a bit further. The story in the first one about the family trying to get away and the one kid being impaled on the fence post, then coming back to life and trying to get at people, even though it was impaled on the pole... that's more Badass than anything they've ever printed in rifts. lol and they have full out demonic armies and alien intelligences in rifts.

So.... I guess I'm one of the guys you've never met. I prefer my zombies nice mundane and non magical. I like the option of having shamblers or sprinters. and I actually like some of the other options, like the mock or smart zombies. (( use them SPARINGLY!!! )) The Zombie story is never 'about' the zombies... it's about the PEOPLE. Always has been.

Now this man here sounds like the kind of person that absolutely LOVED the 2004 "Dawn of the Dead" remake with Ving Rhames and Sarah Polley.
(Don't worry, I did, too. No slow "Shambler Zombies" for me, please, I'd like to see them coming on at full human speed as soon as they see a living being.)

I actually did. Dawn '04 is one of my faves. I even have the unrated version on my Ipad so I can take it with me. Great movie.

[Icefalcon]

I also like Dead Reign the way it is. Some of the elements of the system are still in place for the more magical games and it bugs me a little bit but I can get over them. I would like to see a more realistic representation of the every day man/survivor. Most of them are light on skills. As most of us know, many people go through several jobs/occupations over the years and amass a surprising amount of skills and talents. I would like to see that better represented in the game.

The zombies are well done. Also I am glad that this was not made as a supplement for any of the other games because it has the potential of changing the entire dynamic of any of those games. At least this way, the world can carry its own atmosphere without overdoing the themes of the games that are already out.

As long as the current lack of magic and psionics stay out of the game, I will continue to buy the books. I would love to see more attention given to wild animals and other sources of danger in the changed world. It must be remembered that zoo animals will eventually escape and permeate the wilds. Imagine trying to escape in a canoe out into the Mississippi river and then being attacked by a hippo!