The BattleTech RPG returns - and with an amazing deal for early buyers...

Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:

No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
Times and dates in your local timezone.
Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.

If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

**H.B.M.C.**

I think this is the most awesome-est deal ever:

"BattleTech has an amazing community," said Randall N. Bills, Managing Developer. "Their attention to detail is phenomenal, enabling us to publish better books at every step. That dedication to helping create the highest quality books deserves attention."

With that in mind we're formalizing the process, releasing A Time of War: The BattleTech RPG in a "Beta Release" PDF (players will notice there's no index yet, for example). We've started a thread on the www.classicbattletech.com forums at http://www.classicbattletech.com/forums/index.php/topic,58066.0.html. Until the 15h of October [end of day, PST] we'll be watching the thread to see what problems the community discovers. At that point we'll address those issues that need work and the book will ship to the printers. Keep in mind, though, that there's a difference between "error/broken" and "don't like it that way" when it comes to the rules; the prior is what well be addressing, not the latter.

To help thank players for all they've done over the years--and for the help in ensuring the highest quality RPG for BattleTech--we'd like to invite all players to submit adventure seeds for potential publication. Once you've bought and downloaded the PDF, take a look at pages 347-348. You'll notice two adventure seeds there and then most of a blank page waiting to be filled with a few more dynamic adventure seeds. Anyone interested in getting an adventure seed published should generate a seed using the two in the PDF as a format guide and posting them to the thread we've started on the www.classicbattletech.com forums at http://www.classicbattletech.com/forums/index.php/topic,58067.0.html (when you post your seeds, please include your name as you wish it to potentially appear in the book if yours is accepted). Catalyst will review those adventure seeds they find most unique and fitting and will publish two or three in the book (tweaking and editing as appropriate to fit our publication style).

In order to ensure maximum exposure, Catalyst Game Labs is releasing the PDF at $10 for a limited time. Once a street date for the book is determined (i.e. it's in our warehouse), Catalyst Game Labs will release the final version of the PDF, with the price returning to the standard price of $25. Anyone that previously purchased the PDF at $10 will automatically receive a free upgrade to the final PDF.

Purchase the PDF:
- BattleCorps
- DriveThruRPG

Emphasis mine.

That's right, if you buy the beta of the game, you get the final version of the book (when released) for free. Wouldn't it be nice if a certain other company cared enough about its products to include the community in its rules development, and offered special deals like this as well.

**Kilkrazy**

I think £35 for a rulebook is very special

The free upgrade is for the PDF version, not the printed version, isn't it?

**ShumaGorath**

Will the game be out of the 80's finally? I've seen some art from the book, and it looks like a new art direction. It needs it badly. Feathered hair and leather sleeveless vests aren't cool any more.

**Kilkrazy**

They will be in another 5-10 years.

**robertsjf**

ShumaGorath wrote:Feathered hair and leather sleeveless vests aren't cool any more.

What planet do you live on? Obviously not the same one I do!

**Oxfordseth**

Feathered hair and sleeveless vests will never go out of style!

...Now I'm off to watch my White Snake videos!

**PanamaG**

H.B.M.C. wrote:Wouldn't it be nice if a certain other company cared enough about its products to include the community in its rules development, and offered special deals like this as well.

Then go play this game instead.

**H.B.M.C.**

PanamaG wrote:Then go play this game instead.

*pinches Panama's cheecks*

Aren't you just adoreable! :d

You bumped this whole thread just to take a half-assed shot at me.

**ShumaGorath**

H.B.M.C. wrote:
PanamaG wrote:Then go play this game instead.

*pinches Panama's cheecks*

Aren't you just adoreable! :d

You bumped this whole thread just to take a half-assed shot at me.

You bumped it again to take one back.

**chris_valera**

H.B.M.C. wrote:That's right, if you buy the beta of the game, you get the final version of the book (when released) for free. Wouldn't it be nice if a certain other company cared enough about its products to include the community in its rules development, and offered special deals like this as well.

While charging for the PDF is criminal, you do have a point about including fans in the playtest process, as Privateer Press does.

--Chris
www.chrisvalera.com

**augustus5**

I really wouldn't want to pay 25 dollars or 10 dollars for a game that will get as much support as a 12 year old girl gets from her training bra. Or that gets about as much support as chaos dwarfs.

**Mattlov**

augustus5 wrote:I really wouldn't want to pay 25 dollars or 10 dollars for a game that will get as much support as a 12 year old girl gets from her training bra. Or that gets about as much support as chaos dwarfs.

You'd rather shell out a LOT more money to a company that doesn't give a flying crap about what you think? Good plan.

And where exactly is your information from that there will be "no support?" The Battletech franchise has a nice long history of actually supporting it's side products. Far more than you could EVER say about GW.

**H.B.M.C.**

augustus5 wrote:I really wouldn't want to pay 25 dollars or 10 dollars for a game that will get as much support as a 12 year old girl gets from her training bra. Or that gets about as much support as chaos dwarfs.

You don't know much about Catalyst Games then, do you?

**BAWTRM**

Chiming in with H.B.M.C. and Mattlov here, the Battletech product line has a great history of support for it's products and a very consistent rule-set. Take the rules from 20 years back and look at the current rules and you'll notice it's all about tweaks, no strange overhauls, nerfbats or army-creep.

Add to that a fluff timeline that has actually evolved throughout the years. A battle (in the fluff) on planet X actually has meaning in the larger scheme of things.

Maybe it's because the producers make their money through the rules and background material instead of miniatures.

**Miguelsan**

Oh no! God save us from companies that write rules to make money rather than to pimp the latest 50$ block of lead.
And evolving timeline? What´s next tournaments that get to change the fluff?

M.

**sebster**

Does anyone know if this is a revised version of the old Btech rules or a completely new approach?

Because I'm a long time fan of Btech, but the old RPG really sucked. The difference in modifier between little skill (+0) and elite (+4 or +5) meant almost nothing when you were rolling 2D10. If this is similar to that system, I'll just move on, but if its a whole new system...

**Balance**

Catalyst did some cool stuff with their 'Eclipse Phase' game they recently released. If I was more into the Battletech setting I might check it out.

**carmachu**

Good deal...but I dont do PDF's. Oh well.

**Nosferatu**

sebster wrote:Does anyone know if this is a revised version of the old Btech rules or a completely new approach?

Because I'm a long time fan of Btech, but the old RPG really sucked. The difference in modifier between little skill (+0) and elite (+4 or +5) meant almost nothing when you were rolling 2D10. If this is similar to that system, I'll just move on, but if its a whole new system...

The system has been revised to run off of 2D6 just like the Battletech & Aerospace Games. Catalyst is working very hard to integrate the various elements of Battletech so that it is easier to jump from one gaming system to the next one.

I've been playing battletech since the late 80's and the guys at Catalyst blow FASA away in terms of fan input, product quality, and rules development.