TheRPGSite

It seems to me, now that Palladium has lost the Robotech license, that:

a) Robotech isn't really popular enough for anyone to really find it worthwhile to handle the cost (and the hassle of the notoriously difficult IP owners) of getting the license for a new Robotech RPG. There's probably other anime-mecha licenses that would be more profitable.

b) No one could actually do as great and thorough a job of handling the Robotech setting as Palladium did, over the whole course of its having the license.

Robotech should die and be left dead.

Macross however, should be separated from Robotech and made into a new game line with rules done by R.Talsorian Games since their Mekton products emulated the feel of mecha anime the best. All of the Macross series should each become its own high page count splatbook which further and further details the Macross universe.

Robotech is a great name. Macross not so much.

That said, I look forward to Macross being revived...if it can be. It's been a looooong time.  

Anyone who grabs the Robotech license has 3 years to make all their profit. Thus, its useful for a boardgame that goes for a gonzo, we're the last chance dance. However, I doubt such a project could use Kickstarter, thus their avenue to gain an audience would be limited.

BTW, there is a Robotech game coming out in July 2018...
https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/235653/robotech-force-arms

However, I believe we will see a new Robotech after 2021, but it won't have any references to the original, just use the name and whatever concepts owned by Harmony Gold.

Quote from: Spinachcat;1028650Robotech is a great name. Macross not so much.

If you want to tap into the next generation of gamers and increase your marketability, you'd use the name Macross. Robotech is really only known to older gamers and Palladium fans. The current, and I would bet next, generation of gamers is pretty anime savvy.

1: Robotech was popular only for a short while and then as anime got more popular it fell massively out of favour as people realized just what a mess had been made of not one but three series. And it paved the way for more of these butcher jobs that finally culminated in Power Rangers. Now-a-days everyone with any sense is pissed off at Robotech for both mangling the series and more importantly for blockading any release of the Macross series in the US for nearly thirty years now.

2: Filling Palladiums boots would be hard. Best bet would be R.Talsorian and the Mekton system which can pretty much emulate most equipment based anime.

X: The real reason not to deal with Robotech is that Harmony Gold/Sunrise are absolutely not trustworthy. Sooner or later they will screw you over. It just happened to be much later for Palladium.

HG did with Macross what Abrams did with Micronaits. They blockaded it for decades without actually doing much with the material they were laying claim to. and what they did try to do tended to be less than optimal, even less than sub par at times.

Quote from: Omega;1028703And it paved the way for more of these butcher jobs that finally culminated in Power Rangers.

Sorry but Gatchaman has Macross beat by a full decade, and even Battle of the Planets started airing in the late 70s, predating even Macross let alone Robotech.

I agree with Omega that Harmony Gold are untrustworthy.  They have squandered the license for decades, doing the bare minimum required to keep it, emptying the wallets of the dedicated fans and the nostalgia crowd.

I love Robotech.  I saw it before the anime boom and still appreciate it after my interest in anime has vanished, entirely due to the role playing game.  But if it is even possible for Robotech to continue to exist as a viable franchise after 2021, it needs to be in the hands of someone else.

Nah, it wouldn't be worth it at this point unless the license could be had for very cheap and without the onerous restrictions that it has at present. We're talking about something about thirty years past the peak of its popularity. There will always be at least a little interest from the fanbase, but probably not enough anymore to invest a lot of money in it.

Quote from: jeff37923;1028651If you want to tap into the next generation of gamers and increase your marketability, you'd use the name Macross. Robotech is really only known to older gamers and Palladium fans. The current, and I would bet next, generation of gamers is pretty anime savvy.

Yeah, but it wouldn't be Robotech, or even Macross that we knew.

[video=youtube_share;NV9l3vBxU2Y]https://youtu.be/NV9l3vBxU2Y[/youtube]

Nothing wrong with that, but a modern Macross RPG would have to be based on the current anime to appeal to the current fans. No more original mecha or Zentraedi.

Quote from: Ratman_tf;1028718Yeah, but it wouldn't be Robotech, or even Macross that we knew.

[video=youtube_share;NV9l3vBxU2Y]https://youtu.be/NV9l3vBxU2Y[/youtube]

Nothing wrong with that, but a modern Macross RPG would have to be based on the current anime to appeal to the current fans. No more original mecha or Zentraedi.

I wouldn't mind that it won't be the Macross that we knew. I think that playing in the Macross setting as it has currently evolved into would be very cool. It is like why I enjoy playing in the Star Wars setting, it is a huge sandbox with just enough structure to keep players from flailing about.

Probably a moot point with the underlying media with all of the nostalgia impact going away in 2021.  That said, there is a lot of anime that could be the basis of interesting games.  I like Space Battleship Yamato and Harlock, myself.  Savage Worlds was able to adapt RIFTS, which is a good sign for being able to handle anime well, given that they would need to solve many of the same problems in adaption.

It's been dead for decades, let it stay that way.

A Voltron license would make more sense.

Or going for nostalgia, Battle of the Planets.

Quote from: Ratman_tf;1028718Nothing wrong with that, but a modern Macross RPG would have to be based on the current anime to appeal to the current fans. No more original mecha or Zentraedi.

There is also Macross: Frontier.  You don't have to stay trapped with Macross Delta of all things for anything new to come out.  Macross Delta would have to have a heavy focus on idols, but there should be a fresh series coming out this year or early next for the 35th anniversary.  Hopefully that one will have more to do with the classic mecha, some zentradi, and maybe a new threat.  The Vajra were a good set of antagonists, but going back to Zentradi wouldn't be amiss either.

Quote from: Omega;10287031: Robotech was popular only for a short while and then as anime got more popular it fell massively out of favour as people realized just what a mess had been made of not one but three series. And it paved the way for more of these butcher jobs that finally culminated in Power Rangers. Now-a-days everyone with any sense is pissed off at Robotech for both mangling the series and more importantly for blockading any release of the Macross series in the US for nearly thirty years now.

2: Filling Palladiums boots would be hard. Best bet would be R.Talsorian and the Mekton system which can pretty much emulate most equipment based anime.

X: The real reason not to deal with Robotech is that Harmony Gold/Sunrise are absolutely not trustworthy. Sooner or later they will screw you over. It just happened to be much later for Palladium.

HG did with Macross what Abrams did with Micronaits. They blockaded it for decades without actually doing much with the material they were laying claim to. and what they did try to do tended to be less than optimal, even less than sub par at times.

Quote from: Krimson;1028710Sorry but Gatchaman has Macross beat by a full decade, and even Battle of the Planets started airing in the late 70s, predating even Macross let alone Robotech.

While it wasn't the 1st I would agree that it defiantly is the show that paved the way for the idea that continued and culminated in the 4kids fiasco.

Quote from: Ratman_tf;1028718Yeah, but it wouldn't be Robotech, or even Macross that we knew.

[video=youtube_share;NV9l3vBxU2Y]https://youtu.be/NV9l3vBxU2Y[/youtube]

Nothing wrong with that, but a modern Macross RPG would have to be based on the current anime to appeal to the current fans. No more original mecha or Zentraedi.

Quote from: Manic Modron;1028754There is also Macross: Frontier.  You don't have to stay trapped with Macross Delta of all things for anything new to come out.  Macross Delta would have to have a heavy focus on idols, but there should be a fresh series coming out this year or early next for the 35th anniversary.  Hopefully that one will have more to do with the classic mecha, some zentradi, and maybe a new threat.  The Vajra were a good set of antagonists, but going back to Zentradi wouldn't be amiss either.

While I agree that it would defiantly focus on the newer series I bet it would have splats made to cover the other series if for no other reason then the fact there has never been A proper Macross rpg.
[video=youtube;3x-ZClLqSKY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3x-ZClLqSKY[/youtube]
I say this because I have read enough of the Robotech rpg to know that Robotech IS NOT Macross.

Anime sucks. Don't need any RPGs for it.

Quote from: Krimson;1028710Sorry but Gatchaman has Macross beat by a full decade, and even Battle of the Planets started airing in the late 70s, predating even Macross let alone Robotech.

Yes. But those were standalone instances where overall the imports were alot less heavy handed aside from some obvious editing and of course dialogue and name changes. It wasnt till Robotech that we got increasing amounts of mangling. This even extended to shows like Thunderbirds.

Gatchaman is a victim of the gradually increasing censorship that was going on at the time and you see it in alot of stuff around then.

While I'd personally want a different game system to run it, if it was to continue I think it only be right to have Palladium keep it going. It will be interesting to see what happens between Tatsunoko  and Harmony Gold between now and the expiration of the deal.

Quote from: Krimson;1028710Sorry but Gatchaman has Macross beat by a full decade, and even Battle of the Planets started airing in the late 70s, predating even Macross let alone Robotech.

Uh, Gatchaman is Battle of the Planets/G-Force.

The wikipedia entry on Harmony Gold and Robotech is quite interesting. Read the entire entry though to see just how slippery they are.

Palladium Books had the Macross license at the wrong time.  Few people were interested in 1993.  The audience would be bigger any time afterwards as it become better known and appears to be popular still, while Robotech has been allowed to die.

Had timing been better, the company could have shifted focus from Robotech to Macross.

Quote from: Shawn Driscoll;1028766Anime sucks. Don't need any RPGs for it.

Superhero Comics suck. Don't need any RPGs for it.

But to get back on topic, I think the time for a viable Robotech RPG has passed.

Quote from: Doc Sammy;1028815I think the time for a viable Robotech RPG has passed.

Agreed. Robotech as a media property is dead, and as soon as Harmony Gold loses their rights (in a few years IIRC), Macross could be properly introduced as a "new" media property. From there, a Macross RPG would be possible. (I also echo the upthread sentiments about Mekton Zeta. IMO, that's the best mecha RPG ever done (and a reasonable universal-but-not-generic system in its own right).

Don't underestimate the value of a descriptive name for expanding to new customers. I know nothing about any of this, and I know "Robotech" is about people piloting giant robots to fight each other. "Macross" is a terrible name. I'm already bored just by hearing about it.

Someone smart could probably make a lot of money off Robotech by not caring too much about details of the anime, much like Guardians of the Galaxy made a lot of money mainly by capitalizing on being in space and Chris Pratt playing himself, not so much drilling down into the lore of the comic book.

Quote from: fearsomepirate;1028828Don't underestimate the value of a descriptive name for expanding to new customers. I know nothing about any of this, and I know "Robotech" is about people piloting giant robots to fight each other. "Macross" is a terrible name. I'm already bored just by hearing about it.

Someone smart could probably make a lot of money off Robotech by not caring too much about details of the anime, much like Guardians of the Galaxy made a lot of money mainly by capitalizing on being in space and Chris Pratt playing himself, not so much drilling down into the lore of the comic book.

The genius of the Marvel movies is that they do pull from the best of the source material, while making allowances for the needs of live action filmmaking.

And much as I love the source material, "Robotech" sounds awfully goofy. Like "Go-Bots".

Quote from: Ratman_tf;1028840And much as I love the source material, "Robotech" sounds awfully goofy. Like "Go-Bots".

Maybe Robotech sounds better in Japanese.

Quote from: Bren;1028842Maybe Robotech sounds better in Japanese.

I believe that would transliterate to Robotekku.

Quote from: Krimson;1028845I believe that would transliterate to Robotekku.

That doesn't sound better.  It sounds like a dated fad dance from the early days of Youtube.

Quote from: Malleustein;1028852That doesn't sound better.  It sounds like a dated fad dance from the early days of Youtube.

I'm willing to bet there's at least two guys in Japan who are Robotekku Hipsters, preferring it to the more mainstream Macross. It would take some searching but I bet a Japanese dub of Robotech exists somewhere. :D

Quote from: Krimson;1028845I believe that would transliterate to Robotekku.

OK, now I can't get the chorus of "Mr. Roboto" by Styx out of my head.

Quote from: Krimson;1028853I'm willing to bet there's at least two guys in Japan who are Robotekku Hipsters, preferring it to the more mainstream Macross. It would take some searching but I bet a Japanese dub of Robotech exists somewhere. :D

I hope so. It would be poetic. :)

Quote from: Krimson;1028853I'm willing to bet there's at least two guys in Japan who are Robotekku Hipsters, preferring it to the more mainstream Macross. It would take some searching but I bet a Japanese dub of Robotech exists somewhere. :D

I am almost certain this is true too.  There must be a small group insisting that Macek 'got' Macross better than the Japanese studios. The fan dubs must be glorious to behold.  Especially if the Japanese dubs could be dubbed back into English again.

1. I always liked Robotech WAY more than Macross. Maybe because in spite of the animation use and the strictures of having to follow the animation, there was something more western about Robotech.  I never liked any other big-robot anime series as much as Robotech. I definitely did not find the overall Macross setting or later sequels nearly as much.

2. As a series, Robotech is dead. Harmony Gold will never do anything, because they've never been capable of actually doing anything after the initial Robotech series.

I'm very sad that Palladium has lost the rights to Robotech, but I really don't think it's worth it for any other RPG company to get the rights.

I bought most of the Palladium run. It's good stuff, but let's not kid ourselves: the licence is not much of a draw these days. There was one generation that watched the show. It has never been expanded upon and therefore lacks the generational transcendence of something like Star Wars or Battletech.

I wonder if Sony is going to pull the trigger on the Robotech movie before 2021.

You might as well hold the funeral for the IP as a whole now. There is no way that Harmony Gold is going to get its shit together to salvage it before what rights they do have finally expire. You're better off making a proper RPG for the original components' series than for Robotech now, especially since Macross fandom is far more widespread (especially outside of North America).

Honestly, Robotech vs. Macross is pretty much just Flash Gordon vs. Buck Rogers, with a splash of 'is the original interpretation inherently better than what someone morphed it into?' along with a bit of 'legal shenanigans/who's the good guy' bitterness thrown in.

Both Robotech and Macross are ancient properties, as far as popular anime series go. There's nothing wrong with still loving one or the other, but I need a new TTRPG based on them like I need a new Star Trek: TNG or Firefly sci fi RPG. I'd much rather see a good general big fighting mecha RPG* that would work for both series, G-Force, Voltron, Battletech and maybe even Transformers .
*One that actually catches on.

Quote from: Willie the Duck;1029282Honestly, Robotech vs. Macross is pretty much just Flash Gordon vs. Buck Rogers, with a splash of 'is the original interpretation inherently better than what someone morphed it into?' along with a bit of 'legal shenanigans/who's the good guy' bitterness thrown in.

Both Robotech and Macross are ancient properties, as far as popular anime series go. There's nothing wrong with still loving one or the other, but I need a new TTRPG based on them like I need a new Star Trek: TNG or Firefly sci fi RPG. I'd much rather see a good general big fighting mecha RPG* that would work for both series, G-Force, Voltron, Battletech and maybe even Transformers .
*One that actually catches on.

The new Voltron is, IMO, a good take on an old franchise. Keeps the fun (sometimes a little too fun) and serious in good measure, updates without making it all GRIMDARK or ANTIHERO.

And a part of me wonders what a reverse Robotech would look like. Say if a Japanese TV company took Buck Rogers, Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica (all the 70's-80's series) and tried to make them all set in one universe. At least it would be interesting. :D

Quote from: Willie the Duck;1029282Both Robotech and Macross are ancient properties, as far as popular anime series go. There's nothing wrong with still loving one or the other, but I need a new TTRPG based on them like I need a new Star Trek: TNG or Firefly sci fi RPG. I'd much rather see a good general big fighting mecha RPG* that would work for both series, G-Force, Voltron, Battletech and maybe even Transformers .
*One that actually catches on.

I'd like to see something along the lines of Code Geass, with the Knightmare Frame and a near future feudal world with all the intrigue and family tension amongst the monarchy. Amusingly the Manga didn't have mechs (though in this case, the anime came first) but doing the opposite could work well, having mecha and scrapping the weird divine psychic powers.

Quote from: jeff37923;1028651If you want to tap into the next generation of gamers and increase your marketability, you'd use the name Macross. Robotech is really only known to older gamers and Palladium fans. The current, and I would bet next, generation of gamers is pretty anime savvy.

Negative Ghost Rider this property is old.

I love me some old-school japanese anime, but I believe if you want to tap into the next generation of gamers you would nab a license like Pacific Rim. Or Transformers (OK, scratch that, maybe that's been overdone now...). You need to tap something popular in current media.

Quote from: Ratman_tf;1029317The new Voltron is, IMO, a good take on an old franchise. Keeps the fun (sometimes a little too fun) and serious in good measure, updates without making it all GRIMDARK or ANTIHERO.

And a part of me wonders what a reverse Robotech would look like. Say if a Japanese TV company took Buck Rogers, Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica (all the 70's-80's series) and tried to make them all set in one universe. At least it would be interesting. :D

Does the new show still have the voice of optimus prime doing the intro?

Quote from: Ulairi;1029345Does the new show still have the voice of optimus prime doing the intro?

Nope.  No vocals during the intro.

Quote from: Celestial;1029348Nope.  No vocals during the intro.

That's sad. A big part of my childhood has that intro branded on my brain.

Quote from: trechriron;1029334Negative Ghost Rider this property is old.

I love me some old-school japanese anime, but I believe if you want to tap into the next generation of gamers you would nab a license like Pacific Rim. Or Transformers (OK, scratch that, maybe that's been overdone now...). You need to tap something popular in current media.

Macross Delta was TWO YEARS AGO.

Macross Frontier? 2007-2008. So TEN YEARS AGO.

Macross Zero? 2005. 13 years.

And that's just TV shows, OVA series, and related materials. Add in manga, light novels, radio plays, videogames, LIVE CONCERTS, and OSTs and it's rarely NOT part of the scene.

The only reason they didn't blow up in North America (as Macross Plus did) was Harmony Gold cockblocking all things Macross, much like they do to BattleTech, due to legal fuckery enabled by US courts and some creative legal interpretation. Despite that, the anime fandom in North America regards both of them well (to varying degrees; Delta isn't as loved as Frontier), so it's still a better deal to go with a Macross RPG than a Robotech RPG.

And remember, you're going to sell that shit WORLDWIDE now- especially if you somehow got a license to do it at all. (There is no way you won't; the license won't be issued otherwise.) Macross has global reach. Robotech does not. Macross is still adding to the franchise in multiple media; Robotech is not. People hold and attend massive concerts for Macross OSTs. Robotech? You're lucky to get a song at a shit con appearance.

Macross, like Gundam, is current. You're fucking retarded to the point of delusional to claim otherwise, so of course a RPG would find more purchase for Macross than Robotech now.

MACROSS: Frontier introduced the Strategic Military Services group.  That could be a pretty fun set up for a bunch of PCs.

Macross Delta was adapted as a Robotech spinoff.
http://www.animemaru.com/harmony-gold-to-adapt-macross-delta-as-robotech-spin-off/

:D

Quote from: Bradford C. Walker;1029379And remember, you're going to sell that shit WORLDWIDE now- especially if you somehow got a license to do it at all. (There is no way you won't; the license won't be issued otherwise.) Macross has global reach. Robotech does not. Macross is still adding to the franchise in multiple media; Robotech is not. People hold and attend massive concerts for Macross OSTs. Robotech? You're lucky to get a song at a shit con appearance.

Does Macross have a strong following in countries with strong RPG sales?

Quote from: Spinachcat;1029401Does Macross have a strong following in countries with strong RPG sales?

No it does not.  Let's leave it that way.

I'm all for a Macross RPG.

Anime rules, Marvel and DC suck. End of story.

Quote from: Doc Sammy;1029430I'm all for a Macross RPG.

Anime rules, Marvel and DC suck. End of story.

I mean they don't even make Marvel or DC girly pillows

Quote from: Ulairi;1029437I mean they don't even make Marvel or DC girly pillows

Gotcha covered, fam.

(https://img1.etsystatic.com/111/1/5553073/il_570xN.1020791221_7611.jpg)

Does that fall under rule 34?

Quote from: Ulairi;1029437I mean they don't even make Marvel or DC girly pillows

Eh, who would want them? Marvel and DC characters are ugly anyway.

Anime rocks, Capeshit sucks.

Suck it, Neo-Puritans!

But to get back on topic, I will re-iterate that the goose is cooked as far as Robotech is concerned. No need to make a new RPG for it.

Robotech is a dead letter.  With three years left on Harmony Gold's license there isn't really time to put a proper new Robotech RPG into production and get it to catch fire enough to pay for itself.
Giant Mecha RPG? Sure but it would have to be something current.

Quote from: Doc Sammy;1029430I'm all for a Macross RPG.

Anime rules, Marvel and DC suck. End of story.

(https://media.giphy.com/media/I5xVnGJRHZZf2/giphy.gif)

BUT...

Yes we* need a Macross RPG.  Throw in Macross Plus, too.  Macross-II and Macross 7...eh, less so.

...

*=I, ME, I NEED IT.

Quote from: Ratman_tf;1028856I hope so. It would be poetic. :)

Happened with Transformers big time. Micro-man imported to the US as Micronauts and Transformers, then the animation picked up and lived on and on and on in Japan. While Microman trekked along but was blockaded from any exporting to the US.

Quote from: Doc Sammy;1029481Anime rocks, Capeshit sucks.

Yeah your Rapeime is so much better you feel compelled to piss all over yourself every chance you get.

Quote from: Omega;1029913Happened with Transformers big time. Micro-man imported to the US as Micronauts and Transformers, then the animation picked up and lived on and on and on in Japan. While Microman trekked along but was blockaded from any exporting to the US.

That's true.

I'd love to see Pinnacle Entertainment Group get the license and Savage it for Savage Worlds using their Walker/Spaceship rules from the Science Fiction Companion while adding in a half walker/half spaceship vehicle for the middle mode.

In south america, or at least the southern cone spanish countries, Robotech was way better known than Macross.

Robotech has been killed via neglect.  Harmony Gold shut it away in dark room and kept all who cared for it away as it grew sickly and died alone and without affection.  They horribly damaged the brand with bad merchandise and projects.  Not even talking about the RPG or Shadow Chronicles here.  Tactics, Robotech Academy, Toynami, the last Macross Saga DVD release: all serious blemishes to the brand.

I look forward to Harmony Gold losing their squatter status on the Macross IP, and hope the future will lead to the whole Macross franchise seeing a North American push.  I don't think there will be any future pen and paper Macross RPG, but if it at least makes it easier to order variable fighter toys then it will be worth it.  

Snagging a DX Chogogin VF-31A was a little more difficult than I would have liked.

I kinda of hope HG is able to renew the license (again) just so we can here folks cry.

I don't want PEG to get it because I know they are going to feature their fugly artwork when the Palladium Robotech stuff features glorious art.

Quote from: Ras Algethi;1031786I kinda of hope HG is able to renew the license (again) just so we can here folks cry.

I can pretty much guarantee there's no way in hell that will happen the owners of Macross have hated the way HG has fucked with there ability to make money of of there property.

Quote from: kosmos1214;1031900I can pretty much guarantee there's no way in hell that will happen the owners of Macross have hated the way HG has fucked with there ability to make money of of there property.

They've done it two or three times already...

Quote from: Ras Algethi;1031914They've done it two or three times already...

I think they will again. For as much as the fans of Macross bitch about it the property's only have value in the largest market based on Robotech.

Quote from: Ulairi;1031922I think they will again. For as much as the fans of Macross bitch about it the property's only have value in the largest market based on Robotech.

For some reason, the typical pro-Macross crowd has this idea that HG is squatting on the license/IP and not that they've done two or three transactions with Tatsunoko. HG hasn't blocked Macross to the US, it just seems Tatsunoko has had little interest in exporting it here.

Quote from: Ras Algethi;1031924For some reason, the typical pro-Macross crowd has this idea that HG is squatting on the license/IP and not that they've done two or three transactions with Tatsunoko. HG hasn't blocked Macross to the US, it just seems Tatsunoko has had little interest in exporting it here.

Wrong HG literally went around the world and trademarked Macross every where they could manage and used that to deliberately block the sale of Macross related merch ect. For example there was an intention to bring one of the (main line not the og saga) SRW games state side back during the ps2 days the deal fell apart when HG used there "owner ship" of  Macross to try and force the company localizing the game to change all of the Macross characters to there robotech equivalence at which point the company dropped the idea rather then deal with the bull shit.

Robotech should die and fade away so the actual Macross series can finally be shown without all the baggage.

Quote from: kosmos1214;1031927Wrong HG literally went around the world and trademarked Macross every where they could manage and used that to deliberately block the sale of Macross related merch ect. For example there was an intention to bring one of the (main line not the og saga) SRW games state side back during the ps2 days the deal fell apart when HG used there "owner ship" of  Macross to try and force the company localizing the game to change all of the Macross characters to there robotech equivalence at which point the company dropped the idea rather then deal with the bull shit.

This explains how the SRW crew finally got around that problem.

Singapore.

For some reason, HG didn't succeed in pulling this stunt there. There's a significant Anglophonic population in and around that place, so a lot of English-language media that doesn't get released officially elsewhere comes out there and gets freely distributed (legally).

This is how SRW V and the new SRW X got to the West, albeit at the cost of about a month's delay and the translations being sub-only. (Also, some Engrish.)

Better than the alternatives, so I'll live with it. Fuck Harmony Gold.

Quote from: Omega;1031934Robotech should die and fade away so the actual Macross series can finally be shown without all the baggage.

Not just Macross. Southern Cross, Mospeada, and Megazone 23 ("The Movie") are all better in their original sources than their Mackered adaptations.

Quote from: Doc Sammy;1029481Eh, who would want them? Marvel and DC characters are ugly anyway.

Anime rocks, Capeshit sucks.

Suck it, Neo-Puritans!

Don't mix Fizzies and dish soap.

Quote from: kosmos1214;1031927Wrong HG literally went around the world and trademarked Macross every where they could manage and used that to deliberately block the sale of Macross related merch ect. For example there was an intention to bring one of the (main line not the og saga) SRW games state side back during the ps2 days the deal fell apart when HG used there "owner ship" of  Macross to try and force the company localizing the game to change all of the Macross characters to there robotech equivalence at which point the company dropped the idea rather then deal with the bull shit.

Keep drinking the kool-aid.

Quote from: Ras Algethi;1031944Keep drinking the kool-aid.

Okay my last post was A touch knee jerky.  yes they have in fact dealt with HG off and on mostly because they only had 2 choices.  
1# deal with HG
2# fight it out in court and try to end HG pretending they own the entirety of Macross out side of japan.
And I will point out that Tatsunoko was involved in the lawsuit against HG IE they wanted there property back. Now they may write A new agreement that is true but if they do so I'll bet my ass to wont give HG near the control they have had over the license.
A A couple of things I found related to this that may interest every one here.
The History of Robotech Vol. 1: Harmony Gold & The Birth of Robotech (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrIm5lYSdTQ)
The History of Robotech vol 2: The Movie, A Lawsuit and Government Trouble (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKJIOJwoep8)
Megaton: Harmony Gold Loses the Rights to Macross in 2021 (https://www.animeherald.com/2017/09/14/megaton-harmony-gold-loses-the-rights-to-macross-in-2021/)
Robotech sues Battletech over Mech designs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPou5WuE-Y4)
Robotech: Tatsunoko v. Harmony Gold (short version) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoMs6iYXyng)
A Harebrained Battletech Update (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZrfOtJyJpM&t=167s)
Why Macross Hasn't Come to the USA in 20 Years (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVd44TTEVyA)
Harmony Gold vs Macross Pt One "Devil in the Details" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmDBYEpnAcQ)
Harmony Gold vs Macross pt 2 "The Neverseen Saga" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9ouRFvuHx0)

and finally A very long running thread over on MWO that is relivent.
https://mwomercs.com/forums/topic/255291-harmony-gold-v-weisman-pgi/

Note : i am still working threw thoughts vids / articles but they all help to give A grasp of this case and the insane complexity involved.

Also res this might surprise you but I have no I'll will twords robotech I simply hate Hgs bull shit.

Quote from: kosmos1214;1031953Also res this might surprise you but I have no I'll will twords robotech I simply hate Hgs bull shit.

What bullshit? They've negotiated the rights, on more than one occasion, for a product. Tatsunoko was more than willing to deal with HG.

There is no reason somebody couldn't launch a Robotech RPG (or other game) in 2018 and make their money before 2021 ends the license.

Especially if they did it as a Kickstarter and got most of the money for the game line upfront.

AKA, something akin to the 7th Sea RPG.

I suspect any Robotech kickstarter would have angry RTT trolls shitting all over it.

Quote from: Ras Algethi;1031996I suspect any Robotech kickstarter would have angry RTT trolls shitting all over it.

I would disagree. The hate is not so much towards the IP and more the complete and utter bungling of how PB handled the situation imo.

To answer the OP I hesitate to say the license is done yet if someone else does get the license the rpg really needs to model the anime better imo. I had with the PB version of Robotech to be sure I never felt like it emulated the TV show. I was not asking for the rpg to be exactly like the show yet firing at Battle Pods and taking away MDc points for damage never really felt like it was Robotech.

To add insult to injury. They kept quiet all this time yet they sure as hell don't forget to keep sending me emails to buy their Robotech products before the license runs out.

Quote from: sureshot;1032056I would disagree. The hate is not so much towards the IP and more the complete and utter bungling of how PB handled the situation imo.

The Robotech Academy Kickstarter shows that you are incorrect.

Quote from: Celestial;1032059The Robotech Academy Kickstarter shows that you are incorrect.

Well I know absolutely nothing about that Kickstarter. From what I can see doing some small amount of research it seems more hate towards HG then PB.

I represent the minority vote here, apparently. But I think Robotech is much better than Macross, or the other animes Robotech is based on.

I do totally agree that HG grotesquely mismanaged it, though.

Quote from: sureshot;1032056I would disagree. The hate is not so much towards the IP and more the complete and utter bungling of how PB handled the situation imo.

To answer the OP I hesitate to say the license is done yet if someone else does get the license the rpg really needs to model the anime better imo. I had with the PB version of Robotech to be sure I never felt like it emulated the TV show. I was not asking for the rpg to be exactly like the show yet firing at Battle Pods and taking away MDc points for damage never really felt like it was Robotech.

To add insult to injury. They kept quiet all this time yet they sure as hell don't forget to keep sending me emails to buy their Robotech products before the license runs out.

I think the bulk of the hate is tied to Palladium Games but I think there are a lot of gamers out there that don't separate the IP from the "creator". 5,000 people backed RTT and only a few dozen actively post on the KS or go around the internet trying to put Palladium out of business.

Also, unless it's somebody like PEG....the chances of the next Kickstarter not being delayed or running into issues is basically 0 so if they got the rights today, had a completed product, KS it, got it to print, and got it to backers...they'd be looking at like ~2 years to make their money back. I don't see a lot of firms wanting to do that but I'm sure somebody will.

If HG gets the rights again and the movie ever goes anywhere.....my Robotech Tactics figures are going to be much more valuable so I'm on team HG!

Quote from: RPGPundit;1032376I represent the minority vote here, apparently. But I think Robotech is much better than Macross, or the other animes Robotech is based on.

I do totally agree that HG grotesquely mismanaged it, though.

I like Robotech. I've never seen Macross. I really don't have any interest in Macross because I already like Robotech and the chances of me watching Japanese cartoons at my age unless my wife or daughter watch them is 0.

Quote from: Ulairi;1032500I like Robotech. I've never seen Macross. I really don't have any interest in Macross because I already like Robotech and the chances of me watching Japanese cartoons at my age unless my wife or daughter watch them is 0.

Makes sense.

I mean, Macross is OK, but there's something different about Robotech's story that makes it more appealing to me.

Some news on Harmony Gold and their various legal issues. (http://www.sarna.net/news/more-news-on-harmony-gold-vs-battletech/amp/)

Quote from: jeff37923;1033348Some news on Harmony Gold and their various legal issues. (http://www.sarna.net/news/more-news-on-harmony-gold-vs-battletech/amp/)

Jesus that article is about as balanced as a MSNBC article on the current administration.

Quote from: Ras Algethi;1033352Jesus that article is about as balanced as a MSNBC article on the current administration.

Well, dummy, if you read the article it says right in the beginning that it is written by the defendants of the lawsuit. Of course it is biased, it doesn't mean the base information is untrue.

Although, you could be just mad that so many people hate what Harmony Gold has done, since you seem to really want to defend them. :p

Quote from: jeff37923;1033363Well, dummy, if you read the article it says right in the beginning that it is written by the defendants of the lawsuit. Of course it is biased, it doesn't mean the base information is untrue.

Although, you could be just mad that so many people hate what Harmony Gold has done, since you seem to really want to defend them. :p

I enjoy both Battletech and Robotech. I don't understand the need to be all-in on one side or another. Early Battletech "borrowed" a number of mech designs (the Unseen (http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Unseen)) from various anime shows including Macross/Robotech but others too. What I don't get is the Battletech fans anger at HG defending its licenses all the while giving FASA a pass for doing the same thing against Playmates (http://www.sarna.net/news/did-you-know-tale-of-the-unseen-mechs/).

Quote from: Ras Algethi;1033391I enjoy both Battletech and Robotech. I don't understand the need to be all-in on one side or another. Early Battletech "borrowed" a number of mech designs (the Unseen (http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Unseen)) from various anime shows including Macross/Robotech but others too. What I don't get is the Battletech fans anger at HG defending its licenses all the while giving FASA a pass for doing the same thing against Playmates (http://www.sarna.net/news/did-you-know-tale-of-the-unseen-mechs/).

Because Harmony Gold just sits on license and does nothing with it. Playmates at least did something, illegal though it was. During the Playmates case, Harmony Gold got involved just to use FASA as a sockpuppet to muddy up the case to the point that Playmates settled out of court while causing FASA to dig itself deeper into legal mud.

Quote from: jeff37923;1033397Because Harmony Gold just sits on license and does nothing with it. Playmates at least did something, illegal though it was. During the Playmates case, Harmony Gold got involved just to use FASA as a sockpuppet to muddy up the case to the point that Playmates settled out of court while causing FASA to dig itself deeper into legal mud.

HG has done a number of things, from toys, collectibles, comics and movie. I am not sure what you mean by "does nothing with it".

Quote from: Ras Algethi;1033398HG has done a number of things, from toys, collectibles, comics and movie. I am not sure what you mean by "does nothing with it".

Since the license agreement with Harmony Gold, Macross has become almost as popular as Space Battleship Yamato or Gundam in Japan and across the world - but due to the license, none of the rest of the Macross franchise can be exported legally to the US. They will milk Robotech for all that it is worth, but the profits could be so much greater if they loosened up a little.

Quote from: jeff37923;1033399Since the license agreement with Harmony Gold, Macross has become almost as popular as Space Battleship Yamato or Gundam in Japan and across the world - but due to the license, none of the rest of the Macross franchise can be exported legally to the US. They will milk Robotech for all that it is worth, but the profits could be so much greater if they loosened up a little.

How would HG benefit from other Macross properties? And, again, how does not seeing other Macross derivatives come to the US equate to "doing nothing with it"?

Quote from: Ras Algethi;1033412How would HG benefit from other Macross properties? And, again, how does not seeing other Macross derivatives come to the US equate to "doing nothing with it"?

I think you are being deliberately obtuse, but I'll play along.

If HG allowed their license agreement to be renegotiated into allowing Macross to split off of Robotech and become a separate line then they would also be placing themselves in the best position to license that line and bring an entire franchise into a new market which could be extremely profitable. Robotech, as a brand and a property, has been played out by now - especially with the lawsuits involved with it because no new material can be made without dealing with the mountain of legal crap that has been dumped on it since the '80s.

Quote from: jeff37923;1033430I think you are being deliberately obtuse, but I'll play along.

If HG allowed their license agreement to be renegotiated into allowing Macross to split off of Robotech and become a separate line then they would also be placing themselves in the best position to license that line and bring an entire franchise into a new market which could be extremely profitable. Robotech, as a brand and a property, has been played out by now - especially with the lawsuits involved with it because no new material can be made without dealing with the mountain of legal crap that has been dumped on it since the '80s.

You assume they have the rights to the other Macross series and/or that they somehow could gain those rights. Let's not even get into brand confusion when the same mecha/mech/vehicle might be see in multiple different franchises (Robotech, Macross and Battletech for example).

Maybe you should question Tatsunoko's deals with HG and be pissed at them giving, on multiple occasions, HG the rights to do what they've done.

I love, I fucking love, Robotech.  But I think Harmony Gold is absolute shit. And they've pissed away Robotech's potential while doing all kind of bad practices.

Quote from: Ras Algethi;1033434You assume they have the rights to the other Macross series and/or that they somehow could gain those rights. Let's not even get into brand confusion when the same mecha/mech/vehicle might be see in multiple different franchises (Robotech, Macross and Battletech for example).

Maybe you should question Tatsunoko's deals with HG and be pissed at them giving, on multiple occasions, HG the rights to do what they've done.

FYI Hg doesn't have claim to the rest of the macross franchise But there official standing has been that they own the entire series out side of japan. This is where the opinion they are squatting on the macross property comes from they are.

Also there's this.
[video=youtube;yVphRmbx9Uo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVphRmbx9Uo[/youtube]

Quote from: RPGPundit;1033625I love, I fucking love, Robotech.  But I think Harmony Gold is absolute shit. And they've pissed away Robotech's potential while doing all kind of bad practices.

Agreed robotech could have under proper management been A very successful franchise. Frankly I find it rather sad personally.