4.1: THE ROLE-PLAYING GAMES
4.1.1: What is the Robotech
RPG?
4.1.2: Who makes it?
4.1.3: How many books/supplements
are there?
4.1.4: What discrepancies
are there between the RPG and the series?
4.1.5: What's Macross II?
Is it a sequel to the Robotech RPG?
4.1.6: What's Rifts? Is
it a sequel to the Robotech RPG?
4.1.7: Where can I get
copies?
4.2: THE ROBOTECH SOUNDTRACK
4.2.1: Was a soundtrack
for Robotech ever produced?
4.2.2: Who produced it?
4.2.3: What songs are on
the album?
4.2.4: Where can I get
copies?
4.2.5: Is there a NEW Robotech
CD? (YES!)
4.3: ROBOTECH TOYS, MODELS,
AND OTHER STUFF
4.3.1: Isn't the Transformer
"Jetfire" toy a Veritech?
4.3.2: What happened to
the Robotech action figures?
4.3.3: Are there any other
toys that were produced for Robotech?
4.3.4: What are these Revell
"Robotech" Models I remember seeing? Most of them never
appeared in the show! A few of them look like they were
ripped off from Battletech!
4.3.5: Where can I get
these toys and models?
4.3.6: Are there any Robotech
video games?
4.3.7: Are there any Robotech
muds, mushes, etc?
4.1: THE ROLE PLAYING GAMES
4.1.1: WHAT IS THE ROBOTECH RPG?
The Robotech RPG is a role-playing adaptation from the TV
show. It allows players to pretend to be a character living
in the Robotech universe, and to live out through the game
the adventures of people from that fictional setting.
4.1.2: WHO MAKES IT?
The Robotech RPG is published by Palladium books, and its
principal author is Kevin Siembeda. The game mechanics are
derived from his earlier games (the Palladium Fantasy RPG,
Heroes Unlimited, etc). See below for information on how to
contact Palladium books.
4.1.3: HOW MANY BOOKS/SUPPLEMENTS ARE THERE?
The books released in the series, in chronological order
of setting, (to date) are:
- _Macross_: Game mechanics and mecha for the First Robotech
War and years immediately after.
ROBOTECH: The Role-Playing Game, Book One: Macross. Copyright
1986, by Kevin Siembieda. 110 pages, $9.95. Cat. No. 550,
ISBN 0-916211-21-5
2) _RDF Manual_: Source material on Post-holocaust Earth,
new rules, and equipment for the RDF, and rival governments.
Book Two: RDF Manual. Copyright 1987, by Kevin Siembieda.
48 pages, $7.95. Cat. No. 551, ISBN 0-916211-23-1
3) _The Zentraedi_: Source material on these warrior-giants.
Book Three: Zentraedi. Copyright 1987, by Kevin Siembieda.
48 pages, $7.95. Cat. No. 552, ISBN 0-916211-22-3
4) _Southern Cross_: Game mechanics and mecha for the Second
Robotech War and the periods before and after, and source
material for the era.
Book Four: Southern Cross. Copyright 1987, by Kevin Siembieda.
112 pages, $11.95. Cat. No. 553, ISBN 0-916211-27-4
5) _Invid Invasion_: As above, but for the Third Robotech
War and Invid occupation.
Book Five: Invid Invasion. Copyright 1988, by Kevin Siembieda.
112 pages, $11.95. Cat. No. 556, ISBN 0-916211-28-2
6) _Robotech II: The Sentinels_: As above, but for the Robotech
Expeditionary Force's adventures on Tirol and other Invid-
occupied worlds.
ROBOTECH II: The Role-Playing Game, The Sentinels. Copyright
1987, by Kevin Siembieda. 160 pages, $14.95. Cat. No. 557,
ISBN 0-916211-33-9
7) _REF Field Guide_: An illustrated reference work for
the _Sentinels_ book.
ROBOTECH II: REF Field Guide. Copyright 1989, by Kevin Siembieda.
144 pages, $14.95. Cat. No. 558, ISBN 0-916211-36-3
Adventures published for this game include: _RDF Accelerated
Training Program_, _Ghost Ship_, _Zentraedi Breakout_, _Return
of the Masters_, and _Lancer's Rockers_.
ROBOTECH RPG Adventures: Ghost Ship. Copyright 1988, by
Kevin Siembieda. 48 pages, $7.95. Cat. No. 554, ISBN 0-916211-29-0
ROBOTECH RPG Adventures: RDF Accelerated Training Program.
Copyright 1988, by Kevin Siembieda. 56 pages, $7.95. Cat.
No. 555, ISBN 0-916211-32-0
Book Six: Return of the Masters. Copyright 1989, by Kevin
Siembieda. 88 pages, $9.95. Cat. No. 559, ISBN 0-916211-37-1
ROBOTECH RPG Adventures: Lancer's Rockers. Copyright 1989,
by Kevin Siembieda. 48 pages, $7.95. Cat. No. 560, ISBN 0-916211-42-8
ROBOTECH RPG Adventures: Zentraedi Breakout. Copyright 1994,
by Kevin Siembieda. 64 pages, $9.95. Cat. No. 561, ISBN 0-916211-67-3
4.1.4: WHAT DISCREPANCIES ARE THERE BETWEEN THE RPG AND
THE SERIES?
There are a number of minor ones, which are collected in
an essay called "A Collection of Comments...", referenced
in section IX of this FAQ.
The largest discrepancies, however, are two-fold: Firstly,
the RPG claims (in _Invid Invasion_) that the Invid returned
some years after the Regis' departure, contradicting both
letter and spirit of the last episode, providing an artificial
reason not to end the role-playing campaign when the show
ends. It is this liberty that has drawn the most fire from
fans (though others have accommodated it into their campaigns).
Elsewhere, (in _The Sentinels_) Siembeda takes liberties
with the number of ships that supposedly departed with the
SDF-3 to Tirol. According to all the known Sentinels reference
material, the SDF-3 was supposed to be alone. However, Siembeda
seems to be attempting to address problems in Macek's version
of the Sentinels; one ship leaves, and hundreds (fully crewed)
return. Likewise, he has the REF spend an indeterminate time
sweeping the Galaxy clean of the Regent's Invid, where in
the outlines for the Sentinels TV show, the REF was to have
returned not long after the capture of the Invid's home-world.
4.1.5: WHAT'S MACROSS II? IS IT A SEQUEL TO THE ROBOTECH
RPG?
The _Macross II RPG_ is based on the Japanese TV series
Macross II, which was based on the movie Macross: Summer '84,
which was based on the Macross TV series, from which Robotech
was derived. In other words, the scenarios are not related,
though they use similar game mechanics and mecha (being both
published by Palladium and written by Siembeda, and the mecha
designers in Japan were the same for both TV shows, this is
not surprising). The plot of the Macross II TV show is detailed
elsewhere in this FAQ.
4.1.6: WHAT'S RIFTS? IS IT A SEQUEL TO THE ROBOTECH RPG?
Well, not exactly.
RIFTS could be called Palladium's seminal game, incorporating
as it does elements from most of Palladium's prior role-playing
games (Heroes Unlimited, Beyond the Supernatural, Ninjas &
Superspies, TMNT/After the Bomb, the Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing
Game, and, yes, Robotech).
It is set several hundred years in the future, a century
or two after a magical apocalypse triggered by nuclear war.
The earth has been transformed into a magic-supercharged dimensional
nexus, infested by monstrous creatures of all descriptions.
Magic, psionics, mutants, and supernatural creatures abound,
as well as all sorts of giant robots. Civilization consists
primarily of scattered small villages and settlements, with
a couple of large communities made up of magic-users and the
more benevolent supernatural creatures, and several fascist,
pro-human dictatorships.
RIFTS could be considered a sequel to Robotech in that it
was Palladium's next giant robot project once Robotech lost
its popularity. Rather than let this new system of mega-damage
and gameplay mechanics go to waste, they incorporated it into
their new super-RPG. However, RIFTS has no actual connection
to the Robotech universe (though there do exist rules for
bringing Robotech mecha into that universe, in the RIFTS Conversion
Book).
(Although there is no _official_ connection, my stories
and the Robotech RPG net.supplement that Dave Deitrich and
Chris Meadows are writing hint that the RIFTS universe is
where the SDF-3 ended up after misfolding and vanishing on
the way to earthspace. But this is completely non-canonical
(if anything in Robotech can be described as "canon"), so
feel free to make up your own interpretations.)
4.1.7: WHERE CAN I GET COPIES?
Palladium's games are widely available in most gaming and
comics stores, Robotech included. Failing that, try writing
them at:
PALLADIUM BOOKS 2455 Universal Drive Taylor, Mi 48180
Unfortunately, Palladium does not make international mail-order
shipments. If you live outside the U.S. and want to order
the Robotech RPG books via mail-order, try the following mail
order RPG store and ask for a catalog:
Mail Order Hobby Shop
P.O. Box 756
Lake Geneva, WI 53147
USA
Enclosing some money for return postage would be a good
idea as well.
4.2: THE ROBOTECH SOUNDTRACK
4.2.1: WAS A SOUNDTRACK FOR ROBOTECH EVER PRODUCED?
Yes, US Renditions (A division of Books Nippan) released
first an LP, and later a CD of the Robotech soundtrack. This
CD is now out of pring, but there will be a NEW Robotech CD
coming soon. Please read section 4.2.5 for more info. Information
in sections 4.2.2 through 4.2.4 all relate to the ORIGINAL
soundtrack and not the upcoming release.
4.2.2: WHO PRODUCED IT?
Both were pressed and released through US Renditions, however,
they are Copyright 1985 Harmony Gold USA, Inc./Tatsunoko Productions
Co. Ltd. And the CD bears both the US Renditions and Harmony
Gold logos.
This is from the first page of the CD liner:
Hello and Welcome to the Robotech BGM Perfect Collection
Compact Disc! First of all, we at Nippan/U.S. Renditions would
like to thank everyone who purchased the Robotech record and
we thank you for your continued support.
In the spring of 1987, Books Nippan approached Harmony Gold
about creating a new Robotech product. Because of the overwhelming
interest from the fans in a Robotech soundtrack, we decided
that a background music album would be the best selection.
In a joint effort between Harmony Gold and Books Nippan, the
first American BGM album was produced. In the process, many
of the Robotech instrumentals had to be given new names. Titles
such as "Mechastorm," "The New Mission," and "Red Alert" were
created to give identity to the most popular Robotech music.
Shortly after the release of the album, fans offered a great
deal of favorable comments and constructive criticism. Some
felt that there should have been more vocal tracks from the
Robotech characters Lynn Minmei and Yellow Dancer. Others
did not understand the significance of the Sentinels Medley
and how it fit into the Robotech Universe (The Robotech sequel,
The Sentinels, is now available on home video [Editors note:
They mean the one tape.]). "Together", the wedding song of
Rick and Lisa, was such a moving composition to some fans
that they played it during their own wedding ceremonies. Mark
- Weiss, one of the most enthusiastic Robotech BGM fans
had this comment about "Together": "This song touched something
deep within me. The melody, the words, a very beautiful
voice... a very romantic song about lasting love and commitment
- all done with perfect orchestration!"
This Compact Disc collection is Nippan/U.S. Renditions'
way of saying "thank you" to all of the fans who made Robotech
not just another animated series, but an actual phenomenon.
Enjoy, David Keith Riddick Special Projects Producer Nippan/U.S.
Renditions
4.2.3: WHAT SONGS ARE ON THE ALBUM?
Both the CD and LP have:
- Robotech Main Theme
- Mechastorm
- Flower Of Life (Regis Theme)
- Enemy Attack
- Love Theme I
- We Will Win
- Robotechnology Theme
- Love Theme II
- Rick Hunter Theme
- Roy Fokker Theme
- Earth Government At Work
- Lonely Soldier Boy
- Macross Theme
- Robobumper
- Red Alert
- The Way To Love
- Together
- The Sentinels Medley
In addition, the CD has the following bonus tracks.
19. My Time To Be A Star 20. We Will Win (Minmei Extended
Version) 21. It's You 22. Look Up (The Sky Is Falling) 23.
We Will Win (Lancer Version)
4.2.4: WHERE CAN I GET COPIES?
US Renditions sold out several years ago. Your only hope
is to find a dealer who still has some, or find them used
at a convention. You can also try asking on rec.arts.anime.marketplace
and/or alt.tv.robotech, but be warned, it will be very expensive.
The CD has sold for over $150 US online.
4.2.5: IS THERE A NEW ROBOTECH CD? (YES!)
The following text is reprinted from a post by Todd Hill
on the Robotech mailing list.
To: All ROBOTECH soundtrack fans
From: Tom Bateman - President, ROBOCON IO
In an effort to clear up any confusion about the ROBOTECH
songs, I am providing this information based on my own extensive
research into ROBOTECH's musical scores. Over the past year
I have had the opportunity to interview several of the people
who actually made the music that we have all clamored for.
Among these are: composer/orchestrator Arlon Ober, composer
Ulpio Minucci and music editor John Mortarotti. All of whom
are scheduled to appear at ROBOCON IO later this year.
After pouring through tape libraries, cue sheets and music
notes, I have come up with a list of ALL songs that were made
for the show, by the above composers. This is to dispel any
rumors that circulate and to keep people from chasing ghosts.
Here is a the most complete list available and what I will
call:
ROBOTECH : THE COMPLETE VOCAL COLLECTION
1.* MY TIME TO BE A STAR - performed by Reba West written
by Arlon Ober and Ulpio Minucci
2. TO BE IN LOVE - performed by Reba West written by Arlon
Ober and Ulpio Minucci
3.* THE MAN IN MY LIFE - performed by Reba West written
by Arlon Ober and Ulpio Minucci
4.* IT'S YOU - performed by Reba West written by Arlon Ober
and ulpio Minucci
5. THE RIGHT MOVE - performed by Reba West written by Arlon
Ober and Ulpio Minucci
*NOTE: This song was never completed and the final recording
lasts all of :45 seconds. What you heard in the episode "Reconstruction
Blues" is all that there is.
6.* WE WILL WIN - performed by Reba West written by Arlon
Ober and Ulpio Minucci
*NOTE: There is an additional stanza that was recorded seperately
from the regular song, that brings the song to a finale, but
for whatever reasons, it was not used in the show. Here it
is:
Now that we have reached this last encounter
Where are we now?
What shall be now?
How could we have come so far to give up?
We won't give up
We can win
CHORUS
7. THE WAY TO LOVE - performed to Reba West written by Arlon
Ober and Ulpio Minucci
*NOTE: The Minmay version of the song was not used in the
show, though the instrumental orchestration can be heard while
Dana is in the shower in an episode of the Robotech Masters
segment, though I can't remember which one. A cover of this
song was done by Lancer and is featured at the end of "Symphony
Of Light".
8. LIFELINE - performed by ? written by Arlon Ober and Ulpio
Minucci
*NOTE: The vocal version of this song was never used, though
the instrumental is heard quite often.(i.e.: when Dana takes
Zor to the amusement park)
9. THE FLOWER OF LIFE - performed by ? written by Steve
Wittmack and Michael Bradley
*NOTE: This is the vocal version sung by Musica when she
is in Bowie's quarters.
10. MACROSS ANTHEM written by Arlon Ober and Ulpio Minucci
*NOTE: This song was done for the original Macross direct-to-video
release and is quite similar in tone to the original japanese
theme. The instrumental was on the old ROBOTECH Perfect Collection
CD.
11. TOGETHER - performed by Sunny Hilden written by Steve
Wittmack and Michael Bradley
*NOTE: Used as Rick and Lisa's wedding song in THE SENTINELS
12. LOOK UP! (THE SKY IS FALLING) - performed by Michael
Bradley written by Steve Wittmack and Michael Bradley
13. DON'T GET ANY BETTER - performed by Michael Bradley
written by Steve Wittmack and Michael Bradley
14. LONELY SOLDIER BOY - performed by Michael Bradley written
by Steve Wittmack and Michael Bradley
15. THE WAY TO LOVE - performed by Michael Bradley written
by Arlon Ober and Ulpio Minucci
16. WE WILL WIN - performed by Michael Bradley written by
Arlon Ober and Ulpio Minucci
These are the six songs that were done for ROBOTECH : THE
MOVIE - THE UNTOLD STORY There are no plans at this time to
include these on the new release of the ROBOTECH soundtracks,
which is a shame, because they are very good.
17. IN MY HEART - performed by Three Dog Night written by
Steve Wittmack and Michael Bradley
18. UNDERGROUND - performed by JoAnn Harris and Michael
Bradley written by Michael Bradley
19. SAVED BY SCIENCE - performed by JoAnn Harris written
by Steve Wittmack and Michael Bradley
20. CALL ON ME - performed by JoAnn Harris written by Steve
Wittmack
21. ONLY A FOOL - performed by Gigi written by Jack Alan
Goga
22. THE FUTURE IS NOW - performed by JoAnn Harris written
by Steve Wittmack and Michael Bradley
I hope that this information will clear up things for all
you ROBOTECH music
fans. Note: There was no Robotech version of "My Boyfriend's
a Pilot"; this line in the show was not changed from the original
Macross script. I am currently writing the liner notes for
the upcoming CD project, which should be out before the ROBOCON
IO convention in October of this year. If anyone has any more
questions about the songs or the music in general, please
contact me through my friend Todd Hill at: todd.hill@columbiasc.attgis.com
Tom Bateman, President - ROBOCON IO
P.S. At some future date I will include the times for all
the songs.
Note: Finding detailed information on a project over a decade
old is difficult, there may be some "slight" discrepancies,
but they only pertain to songwriting or singing credits. I
will correct and update these things in the future.
4.3: ROBOTECH TOYS, MODELS, AND OTHER STUFF
4.3.1: ISN'T THE TRANSFORMER "JETFIRE" TOY A VERITECH?
Yes; Hasbro bought the rights to the large Valkyrie toy
from Bandai, a Japanese toy company licensed to make and sell
Macross toys, before Harmony Gold ever got involved with Macross.
4.3.2: WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ROBOTECH ACTION FIGURES?
Matchbox's action figure line was generally unsuccessful,
and was eventually canceled. They just didn't sell. Some blame
demographics (Robotech fans tended to be older and less interested
in toys, as opposed to collectibles), and the rendering of
the figures was widely seen to have been of middling to poor
quality.
4.3.3: ARE THERE ANY OTHER TOYS THAT WERE PRODUCED FOR
ROBOTECH?
Matchbox put out several lines of toys. One of the first
were 1/100 or so scale die-cast toys of the Macross Destroids,
small egg-Valkyries (with stubby cartoonish limbs and torso),
1/35 or so and 1/72 scale toy Alphas and 1/6 scale Cyclone-and-rider
toy. All of these toys were made in Japan and were repackaged
here. Later lines included toys manufactured specifically
for Matchbox, including Bioroids, a Hovertank, Invid Scout
and Shock Troopers, and the action figures. The second line
of toys was of mixed quality.
4.3.4: WHAT ARE THESE REVELL "ROBOTECH" MODELS I REMEMBER
SEEING? MOST OF THEM NEVER APPEARED IN THE SHOW! A FEW OF
THEM LOOK LIKE THEY WERE RIPPED OFF FROM BATTLETECH!
At the same time Hasbro acquired the Valkyrie toy, Revell
acquired the rights to several Bandai model lines. This included
three Valkyries (from Macross), a mecha from Orguss (a series
done by some of the same team as Macross), and a host of mecha
from a Japanese series that was never widely seen outside
Japan, Dougram. These models were the first 'Robotech' anything;
the Harmony Gold concept was only called Robotech after pressure
from Revell. When FASA was trying to come up with authentic-looking
designs for its Battledroids game (eventually to be renamed
Battletech), they took designs from Macross, Dougram, and
a movie called Crusher Joe (quite without permission - a suit
was avoided through an out-of-court settlement). Hence the
overlap.
4.3.5: WHERE CAN I GET THESE TOYS AND MODELS?
While Macross and other Robotech-related models and toys
were readily available from convention dealers' rooms (and
in the case of the Matchbox toys, toy stores) in the late
1980's, they are rare now. One can often still find them overseas,
or from well-stocked distributors. One place to look might
be:
NEWTYPE TOYS AND HOBBIES 1531 B 10th Ave. San Francisco,
CA 94122 Phone: (415) 731-3077
Another place you can try is:
KIMONO MY HOUSE 1424 62nd St. Emeryville, CA 94608 Phone:
(510) 654-4627
4.3.6: ARE THERE ANY ROBOTECH VIDEO GAMES?
Not currently. Harmony Gold has licensed a US game company
to produce a CD-ROM, interactive Robotech game. However, at
this time it is still in the preliminary stages and nothing
definite is known.
4.3.7: ARE THERE ANY ROBOTECH MUDS, MUSHES, ETC?
Yes, there is a Robotech MUSH based on PennMush 1.50. Listed
below is a message from one of the MUSH "wizards."
After a too long downtime, and a nearly complete rebuilding
and restructuring of the Mush, we have finally decided it
is time to open it for the Public.
So come live the Robotech Saga...
-Start as one of the civilians of the SDF-1 and create history with
the rest of the players as you face the great challenge, to
simply survive.
-Join the RDF and experience the glamour (and long hours
;) of the military as you fight the Zentraedi in their attempt
to reconquer the ship and kill every human aboard in the process.
-Or make the lives of the puny micronians hard by taking
the role as one of the gigantic Zentraedi warriors as they
try to fulfill their main objective; To reclaim what was once
theirs, to capture it intact at any cost.
We are available at: MARVIN.DF.LTH.SE 2142 (IP:130.235.88.94
2142)
the theme is Robotech, and the focus is on Roleplaying the
lives of the humans aboard the SDF-1. Although combat is _not_
the primary objective, it will in some form be availabe, but
I stress the focus on Roleplay over either code/building/or
combat. We're running PennMush 1.50, pl-10 presently.
The Robotech Masters have brought their war to earth. The
saga has begun...
/Vedui@Robotech - Head-wiz/God/dabbler *8)
(Mail goes to: tommy@df.lth.se or robotech.df.lth.se)
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