Who's read it? Who played it?
Is it Palladium's best RPG ever?
I hath read it and I hath played it!!
I've combined Systems Failure with Chaos Earth, and I've used the Bugs in Rifts too. I much prefer the Bug Apocalypse to zombies.
I am surprised Palladium didn't do more to support the game.
SF is a very good game, but Palladium's best? I am interested in why you give it that moniker.
Read it but didn't play it. The opening fiction in the book is awesome. And I usually find 99% of game fiction to be a waste of space.
Had it. Lost it with alot of gaming stuff stolen.
Was a pretty interesting setting. Felt though like it was lacking a bit of spark Wormwood, Nightbane or Scraypers had. Lack of personality for the aliens? Not sure. Easy enough to flesh out though. But it has that "incomplete" feel to it.
I suspect that is being Bill Coffin's game and his departure from Palladium is the reason it received no support and is no longer available through the company's store.
I was in a great campaign ran by a friend and had a lot of fun. I liked playing the Sawbones so much that I bought the original artwork for it from Scott Johnson.
As for lack of supplements it was planned as a stand alone game from the start. There are Rifters with additional content for System Failure.
It was a gem, loved it back in the day (tm). It's up there with TMNT and N&SS as my all time favorites. Pre RIFTS.
Quote from: Spinachcat;885202SF is a very good game, but Palladium's best? I am interested in why you give it that moniker.
I think it was the best single-book product in terms of just how much was in one package.
have it and use it and if its not the best Palladium game it certainly ranks near the top right up there with Beyond the Supernatural and Ninjas & Superspies and Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles. Palladium made some fun, fun games and their rules work just find despite all the naysayers. Yeah, they could stand a better organization but so could Gygax's DMG and PHB. Never stopped anyone from playing that game.
I loved a lot of Palladium's games, for sure. This one just stood out to me as a weird lost gem.
I own it. I think it is one of their best. Definitely an under appreciated gem.
The Y2K Bug premise may be a bit of a dated joke these days, but as a unique apocalypse for PA gaming it holds up just fine.
I put it up there with The Mechanoids for fun from Palladium.
See, on the other hand I always felt like the Mechanoids was over-rated. I think maybe that's because I discovered it later, and maybe at the time it actually came out it was very special. But by the time I came along to it, the premise seemed very old.
I think it may have been that I discovered Mechanoids back in '81 or '82. Also I ran some very fun campaigns with it, which can definitely add a rosy glow to any system.
If I were coming to it today I think it wouldn't seem so special. Giant robots are kind of passe now.
I loves me some post-apocalyptic games. I still have and cherish my original copies of the first printings of Gamma World 1E and Metamorphosis Alpha. The 1992 edition of Gamma World is my favorite. Though the second edition of After the Bomb has the best mutant animal creation rules ever. Spider-goats! What I don't like are PA settings that take place during and immediately after the Apocalypse, whatever that may be. Why? Because I 'project' myself into the setting. I start down this really dark rabbit hole of, "what would I do?" It pushes all of my anxiety buttons with a sledgehammer. System Failure was well done, no question. It just fell into that category of PA settings I can deal with. Give me a nice, nonsensical 'two hundred years after the Death, Thundarr the Barbarian' vibe.
Quote from: RPGPundit;888217See, on the other hand I always felt like the Mechanoids was over-rated. I think maybe that's because I discovered it later, and maybe at the time it actually came out it was very special. But by the time I came along to it, the premise seemed very old.
It may be that most of the positive was from the first and maybe second books?
All I know is that the Rifts version was underwhelming.
I'm only familiar with Palladium from Rifts, TMNT, and Robotech and a one shot of Fantasy. Did they seriously make a game called "Systems Failure"?
I think we've found a winner for the "Bitingly Honest RPG Game/Setting Titles" thread.
Yes, they did. Its premise was that the Y2K bug was actual "bugs" that travelled in energy form through electrical wiring.
The jokes write themselves about this one...
The premise might seem ridiculous but the game itself was awesome.
I was amazed on first reading what a great game it is. If you find a copy of it, buy it!
It is a postapocalypse game for those who want a truly different apocalypse. You will never look at a landline phone quite the same way again... And just where are the electrical outlets in the room?
Quote from: RPGPundit;890222The premise might seem ridiculous but the game itself was awesome.
All RPG premises are ridiculous.
Shadowrun: You know how many Utes are alive today? 20,000. NO WAY the Utes (and other Amerind tribes) kick out all the whiteys and still have functioning countries. They'd barely have functioning TOWNS.
So, yeah, the
Systems Failure premise (as described above) is more than a little odd. Doesn't matter. If it makes for a great game, GO FOR IT.
Quote from: RPGPundit;890222The premise might seem ridiculous but the game itself was awesome.
i was going to say some thing.
Quote from: Daddy Warpig;890474All RPG premises are ridiculous.
Shadowrun: You know how many Utes are alive today? 20,000. NO WAY the Utes (and other Amerind tribes) kick out all the whiteys and still have functioning countries. They'd barely have functioning TOWNS.
So, yeah, the Systems Failure premise (as described above) is more than a little odd. Doesn't matter. If it makes for a great game, GO FOR IT.
but daddy beat me to it.
in truth just reading about this game makes me want to play it pretty bad i sounds super cool
It was just like the perfect model in a single small book of everything that's totally great about Palladium's stuff.
Man, this is one of the few Palladium games I haven't played or even looked at. I remember when it was announced and thinking that the premise was stupid; a blatant grab at the ridiculous Y2K hysteria.
However, everything I've read about it has been positive, and you guys are making me want to buy a copy, 'cause it sounds fun.
Can someone explain the setting in a little more detail, though? The hows and whys?
Man, this is one of the few Palladium games I haven't played or even looked at. I remember when it was announced and thinking that the premise was stupid; a blatant grab at the ridiculous Y2K hysteria.
However, everything I've read about it has been positive, and you guys are making me want to buy a copy, 'cause it sounds fun. I like most of Bill Coffins other stuff, so I wouldn't be surprised that it's good.
Can someone explain the setting in a little more detail, though? The hows and whys? The bugs travel through electricity, is that right? Are they artificially created? Wouldn't the act of simply destroying or turning off devices end the bug threat? How does one even fight something like that?
Quote from: everloss;891825Man, this is one of the few Palladium games I haven't played or even looked at. I remember when it was announced and thinking that the premise was stupid; a blatant grab at the ridiculous Y2K hysteria.
However, everything I've read about it has been positive, and you guys are making me want to buy a copy, 'cause it sounds fun. I like most of Bill Coffins other stuff, so I wouldn't be surprised that it's good.
Can someone explain the setting in a little more detail, though? The hows and whys? The bugs travel through electricity, is that right? Are they artificially created? Wouldn't the act of simply destroying or turning off devices end the bug threat? How does one even fight something like that?
It's been a long time, but I seem to recall that the bugs are a type of alien race. The setting is post-apocalyptic, but very shortly after the apocalypse, which gives it a very different style from RIFTS. You can play normal average people trying to avoid being captured or killed by the bugs, or there are also classes to play agents of the remaining human government, including some types of super-agents.
Are the bugs trying to enslave humans, or use them as food?
I guess I didn't even realize it was a post-apoc game. I don't know why that didn't occur to me before. I guess I thought it was like Nightbane with secret wars going on while everyday life continued.
Sounds great. Love post apoc.
I've been inspired and ordered a used copy on amazon.
Quote from: everloss;892386Are the bugs trying to enslave humans, or use them as food?
I guess I didn't even realize it was a post-apoc game. I don't know why that didn't occur to me before. I guess I thought it was like Nightbane with secret wars going on while everyday life continued.
They had people enslaved and one type of bug called the Silkworms that could take over a human body.
Systems Failure is now available (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/257178/Systems-FailureTM-RPG) in PDF on DriveThruRPG.
I know Rifts pays the bills yet between Splicers and System Failure sad to see both not getting enough support. Actual support. Not a grouping and rehashing of old Rifter articles than publishing it as a sourcebook like Palladium did recently with the Splicers sourcebook.
And it's getting a reprint (http://palladium-megaverse.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1014:palladium-booksr-weekly-update-november-2-2018&catid=52:weekly-updates&Itemid=183), so should be even easier to come by.
Quote from: Apparition;1063810Systems Failure is now available (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/257178/Systems-FailureTM-RPG) in PDF on DriveThruRPG.
Cool thank you.
Scraypers was another one of Palladium's odd side settings that I liked alot. Sci-fi Superheroes vs alien invaders.
Quote from: Omega;1064143Scraypers was another one of Palladium's odd side settings that I liked alot. Sci-fi Superheroes vs alien invaders.
Scraypers was hurt by being developed as a Heroes Unlimited supplement and turned into a RIFTS Dimension Book because those sold better. You can almost hear the book creak under the weight of the M.D.C.
I have promised myself to do the necessary conversions back to Heroes Unlimited for a campaign but have yet to do so.
Quote from: Apparition;1063810Systems Failure is now available (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/257178/Systems-FailureTM-RPG) in PDF on DriveThruRPG.
Awesome. It's very strongly recommended to anyone who hasn't got it yet.
Systems Failure is now available in a limited print run on Palladium Books' store here (https://palladium-store.com/1001/product/650-Systems-Failure-RPG.html). I just ordered two copies.
Palladium is having its annual Christmas Grab Bag and if you wanted to introduce Systems Failure to your crew, you might want to get a copy for everyone in your group as holiday gifts. The book is $23 each, but the Grab Bag is $46 and you could get 4 copies of Systems Failure as your goodies. Just tell Santa Kevin you are starting up a SF campaign and want everyone to have a book. He'd be thrilled.
https://palladium-store.com/1001/product/XMAS-X-Mas-Surprise-Package.html
As for the actual game, I've highly recommended it in the past and that hasn't changed. I'd run Systems Failure over any zombie apocalypse game. In Systems Failure, you get all the post-apoc madness of a fallen modern world, but with swarms of giant semi-sentient bugs.
Quote from: Spinachcat;1064970As for the actual game, I've highly recommended it in the past and that hasn't changed. I'd run Systems Failure over any zombie apocalypse game. In Systems Failure, you get all the post-apoc madness of a fallen modern world, but with swarms of giant semi-sentient bugs.
Mix it with Dead Reign and you get Zombies as well.
The Systems Failure bugs also make great Rifts monsters.
Quote from: Spinachcat;1065252The Systems Failure bugs also make great Rifts monsters.
Siembieda sure does like his bugs.