FAQ
Updated: 10/09/98

The following is a list of some of the most frequently asked questions about Palladium and our products. I want to thank Brandon (Looney) Seifert and Robotechie from the Palladium Mailing List for their help in compiling these questions and their answers. Also any answers to game questions which are given here are not meant to subvert any house rules or gamemaster decisions. This page will be updated as needed. Please feel free to pass along any other questions you feel should be answered here.

Q. What is the Palladium Mailing List and how do I subscribe?

A. The Palladium mailing list is something which was started out in Berkeley, CA (or at least thats where I found it). Recently it has been moved. To subscribe send a message to pml-request@ground-zero.mit.edu. In the body of the message should be subscribe. If you don't want a LOT of e-mail this is not the list to subscribe to. It averages between 50-200 messages a day.

Q. Why was the name of Nightspawn changed to Nightbane?

A. Todd McFarland decided that Nightspawn was too close to the name of his comic character and threatened a major lawsuit. Instead of spending the money winning that case we decided to redirect the money that would be spent on a lawsuit into products.

Q. What happened to the Rifts® Game Master Companion (RGMC) thing?

A. Its dead. It was discontinued after many failed attempts at debugging it. We had sent it out to three different sources to try and save it and we even had a couple of people look into completely rewriting it. Unfortunately, all attempts at resuscitation failed. HOWEVER... Recently we've decided to accept submission for a new version of a character generation program. This doesn't mean it will happen, just that we're reconsidering it.

Q. Can I make my own Palladium related freeware and distribute it on the web?

A. No. Distribution of any software (even freeware and shareware) that uses a Palladium trademark, a Palladium world setting, rules from the RPGs or a character that has appeared in any of Palladium's copywritten books, is illegal and could get a horde of lawyers stampeding out of Michigan and onto your doorstep. You CAN however make stuff for yourself, but only as long as it doesn't find its way onto the web (or into any kind of distribution). Even distributing stuff that other people made that has trademarked/copywritten material in it is illegal.

Q. Will there be more computer products from Palladium?

A. Wait and see ...

Q. Will the 2nd Editions of Adventures in the Northern Wilderness and Further Adventures in the Northern Wilderness be combined into one book?

A. No. It would create legal problems; different writers.

Q. Why won't there be anymore Rifts Manhunter books from Myrmidon Press?

A. Because Myrmidon broke their contract and the license was terminated.

Q. The now-dead RGMC has some kind of game shields and an adventure book packed with it. What happened to them?

A. They became the Game Shields and Adventure Book.

Q. Will we ever see CJs adventure that didn't fit in SA2, the one about Augusto Cudbury?

A. I don't know if we even have a copy around here.

Q. Arrg! I need Lemuria. Why is it taking so long?

A. The author is also Palladium's sales manager and he has decided he can't finish the book. Never fear though ... we'll hopefully find another writer for it.

Q. When will we see new (a) Robotech books, (b) Ninjas & Superspies and (c) TMNT and Other Strangeness.

A. (a) Two (maybe three) are being worked on right now. (b) Erick Wujcik wants to write more, but no dates are set. (c) TMNT may be repackaged in 1998, we're talking to Mirage now.

Q. What happened to the new BTS books we've been hearing about for so long? Darkings, Nostromo: Agents of Darkness, The Lazlo Agency and the UFT Conspiracy?

A. The Lazlo Agency and the UFO Conspiracy are being worked on at the moment. Alex Marciniszyn is working on the UFO book and will hopefully have it done soon. Darklings and Nostromo were both products proposed by a former employee, we still don't know what we want to do with these two.

Q. Who works for Palladium?

A. We have nine full time employees and about 25 freelance writers and artists. For more info on the key people at Palladium see the Company Profile section of this page.

Q. I've heard that CJ Carella, Vince Martin and Kevin Long are no longer with Palladium.

A. Yes this is true. I have found it takes a lot longer for news to travel than I ever thought. Kevin Long was fired from Palladium in August of '95. CJ left in February of '96 to pursue his own projects and Vince left in May of '96.

Q. What ever happened to Newton Ewell?

A. Newton was a freelancer for Palladium. I had heard he was working for a computer company and recently saw that he was in Texas.

Q. What was going on with Marvel Comics and Palladium a while ago?

A. We were negotiating with Marvel to do the new RPG based on their comics. Unfortunately, terms could not be reached.

Q. Why doesn't Kevin Siembieda want to make an Official Palladium Books Website?

A. Its here!!!