Somethings I never thought Palladium Books would do that they now do.

1) Put books together using digital software.
2) Make PDFs of their books available for purchase.
3) Have VTT support. (Just announced in the latest update that they have signed a deal with Fantasy Grounds to bring Rifts, Palladium Fantasy, and others to that program.)

Any guesses on how Siembeida will mess this up? 

Foundry really needs to get monetization in order.

It's amazing that someone who is such a massive Luddite also wrote some of the most technology-based RPGs ever. Maybe there's a lesson in there...

Glad to see them on Fantasy Grounds. Though I saying they embrace new technology is a stretch. It took them forever to release books in PDF and had to be shamed to into making a Facebook page. I was hoping for a new edition or barring that modernized and streamlined edition of their current rules. The big release for Rifts anniversary is hardcover version of the Rifts Main Book

Quote from: Brad on March 20, 2021, 06:52:49 PM
It's amazing that someone who is such a massive Luddite also wrote some of the most technology-based RPGs ever. Maybe there's a lesson in there...

Ive commented on this part before in an older thread.

What it may really be is very simple. Familliarity with a certain system and finding newer ones either hard to get into, or lacking in some way.

Example. I still use MS paint for some editing simply because it gets the job done without having to click 6 different sub tabs just to move something around. And the older MS paint was actually a bit more functional for my sprite projects way back as it supported certain older file types where the last version of MS paint does not, and also lacks some other functionality. Newer is not allways better.

That said I use other editing progs for things that do not require finesse. Such as base cleanup and more. I use GIMP at a friends suggestion and while it works. It lacks both fone control and ease of use. Just to get simple things done can take several steps.

Odds are Kev has some system or even just an editing method that hes used to and can do this stuff relatively smoothly via. And odds are also that hed use something else if he ever found something that works better without hassle.

Quote from: Omega on March 21, 2021, 04:54:34 AM
Odds are Kev has some system or even just an editing method that hes used to and can do this stuff relatively smoothly via. And odds are also that hed use something else if he ever found something that works better without hassle.

(If my brain isn't completely failing me this morning)

That was the story with how they did the layout of their books. They had done them all by hand, cutting the sections up and pasting them in place to create each page. When they were first introduced to computer software they tried it and gave it a pass because it was quicker by hand, simply because they were so use to doing it that way and didn't really know how best to use the software. That lets be honest when the software first came out it was rather slow and crude. It wasn't until years later that they were convinced to give it another go (I think because of the printer they use).

I've had this mental image of Siembieda furiously working away at an old, hand crank mimeograph machine trying to make some deadline or other.

Quote from: Ratman_tf on March 21, 2021, 08:21:22 AM
I've had this mental image of Siembieda furiously working away at an old, hand crank mimeograph machine trying to make some deadline or other.

Last time I was in his office, c. 2008c he had a desktop PC of some model at his desk, so not THAT primitive.

The main thing that always struck me about his office was the walls of reference books. Myths and legends from all over the world, books on science, history, philosophy... you name it. It was like Wikipedia in printed form (only not subject to political editing at any time).

The impression I've always had of him is that it's not that he disdains the new, rather, that he appreciates the value of older things.

The Hobby could use more Kevins and less WOTC/Paizos.

Quote from: JeffB on March 21, 2021, 09:47:45 AM
The Hobby could use more Kevins and less WOTC/Paizos.

I agree with this. For all his faults, KS seems to really want nothing more than to share his love of gaming with everyone. Dude is an RPG fanboy through and through.

Quote from: Brad on March 20, 2021, 06:52:49 PM
It's amazing that someone who is such a massive Luddite also wrote some of the most technology-based RPGs ever. Maybe there's a lesson in there...

Once you reach a certain level of understanding of technology, Ludditism becomes more and more attractive. Ask anyone who works in IT infrastructure or cybersecurity. And ignore the software devs. They don't understand the tech; they cargo-cult.

Quote from: JeffB on March 21, 2021, 09:47:45 AM
The Hobby could use more Kevins and less WOTC/Paizos.

While I agree less of Wotc/Paizo definetly not more Kevins.

Kevin has an:

-ability to stick to release schedules even after 30 + years in the business.

-refuses to admit that Mechanoids Space and the missing BTS 2 boojs are vaporware or close to it. Even going so far as claiming that just because they are more than 20+ years late they are "still being worked on". EXcuse me while not one but an entire squardon of flying pigs passes by my window.

-Ignores books the fans want and release something that only he, the freelancer and a few fans want like Rifts Antarctica that imo no one was really interested in.

-Seem barely able to release any new material it took forever for the Rifts Bestiaries to be released and much of those books was reprint. For Rifts 30 year anniversary we get a bunch of hardcover reprints of existing material.

more guys like Kevin very hard pass

Quote from: Ratman_tf on March 19, 2021, 11:45:53 AM
Any guesses on how Siembeida will mess this up? 

All of it.  All the ways.  All of them.  Every way possible.

And then he'll blame, in no specific order:

- Adobe
- Fantasy Grounds
- Microsoft (or Apple; he gives off that "We only use Powermacs running OS 9.x" vibe)
- Everyone else on the internet
- some stupid bastard who tied himself to the mast of the SS Palladium in an attempt to gain experience and work history in RPGs
- Usenet groups
- You
- Me

...but what he absolutely, positively will not do is take any blame himself.

Quote from: thedungeondelver on March 21, 2021, 09:11:27 PM

Quote from: Ratman_tf on March 19, 2021, 11:45:53 AM
Any guesses on how Siembeida will mess this up? 

All of it.  All the ways.  All of them.  Every way possible.

His relationship with the Savage Worlds group has worked so far, and he has final say on all of their Rifts-related products.