THE SETUP: In 1985, a deep space probe returns to Earth after being thought lost in a spacetime anomaly. It returns to Earth, dropping otherworldly debris in its wake. Across the globe, zones on anomalous phenomena and monstrous creatures are created!
Twenty years later, only special UN troops stand between humanity and the destruction of civilization as we know it!
It’s Roadside Picnic meets 50s monster and sci-fi movies/kaiju and 60-70s action figures like G.I. Adventure Team and Big Jim.
THE HEROES are mostly buzz cut military men like the MARS Patrol but with code names and personalities more like 80s G.I. Joe. Their ranks many be augmented by beings that appeared from an anomaly (Kirby-esque amazons, aliens) or people enhanced by barely understood and dangerous technology acquired from them (Atomic Man, THUNDER Agent sorts)
THE DANGERS are strange environments, monsters of all sorts of 50s and 60s sorts, from Zanti misfits to human mutates to giant mutant dinosaurs.
This is a refinement/re-imaging of my Rifts 1970 campaign idea, just a little more militarized and more informed by the early 60s.
On a vaguely related note, are you familiar with the somewhat thematically similar 1987 cartoon Spiral Zone?
ReplyDeletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiral_Zone
That setting always struck me as having a distinctly "Palladium" feel to it ala System Crash or even Mechanoids. There's probably some alternate universe where it was hugely successful instead of a one-season wonder and Kevin licensed it for an RPG. Same place where Nelson Mandela died in prison in the 80s and those kids' book authors spell their name Berenstine. :)
Okay, so I went back and read my comments on the original post (August 2017) AND on the Rifts 1970 post, and my thoughts on the ideas haven't changed.
ReplyDeleteAt the time, you commented that this game concept was "a distinct possibility. When Sholtis gets Operation Unfathomable behind him."
Well, I have a copy of OU sitting on my desk as proof that Sholtis has finished that up. So when are you getting to work on this one? Id be happy to help with the writing/design/editing (I'm crap for artwork).
; )
Alas, the entirety of the OpUn KS is yet to be behind Jason.
ReplyDeleteToo bad. This last year, I've thought often about writing a B/X-style re-skin of Rifts, but it always ends up making me angry/melancholy (Palladium nonsense has a tendency to do that).
ReplyDeleteTHIS idea, however, I find to be VERY inspiring. I simply don't trust my own ability to execute it!
[man, I really dig on that old GI Joe artwork]
I was going to post about Spiral Zone too, but Dick beat me to it.
ReplyDelete@Cross Planes Thank goodness, there are times I'm afraid I'm the only one who even remembers that show. :)
ReplyDelete