DriveThruDeals: Dream Pod 9 discounts

Date: Apr 20, 2020 (included because these deals may expire)
Discounted Cost: Various

Type: Discounts

I was browsing through DriveThruRPG looking for some deals that might get me through the ECQ-related stress and boredom, when I stumbled upon Dream Pod 9's page, and noticed that all the Hottest Titles are heavily discounted (66% discount or more, if I'm eyeballing it).

Now, I'm a big fan of their work, so I dove right in. Here are a few you might want to pick up and complete your digital collection, while they're on sale -- or perhaps get ready for some online gaming!

JOVIAN CHRONICLES

Of course I'd mention this first, as I've been a fan of the setting from the days when it was a Mekton supplement!

In addition to the artwork and mecha designs (including all the different ships, not just the powered armor suits), the setting made a decision to go semi-hard SF in terms of space travel: no hyperspeed, and no artificial gravity.

It makes for an interesting juxtaposition against the fantastic spectacle of humanoid-looking ships fighting one another, but it feels true to some of the original anime inspiration as well.

You may even wish to pick up the Jovian Wars Beta Playtest Rules Package while you're at it!


 ALTERNATE REALITY CYBERPUNK

I was a big Cyberpunk fan back in the day; picked it up when it came in a box and hand three separate books and dice. So when Cyberpunk 2020 came out, you bet I picked it up again! And it looks like I'll be welcoming the return of Johnny Silverhand when the videogame comes out too!

You may not know this, but Dream Pod 9 came out with an Alternate Reality Night City setting for Cyberpunk.

Here, you can run into vampires (and perhaps other creatures of the night) that can give a change of pace from the monsters that you normally run into when Running the Bleeding Edge.

Perhaps you'll hunt them, perhaps you'll become them. Either way, Night City'll never be the same...


Are you a Heavy Gear fan (it had a TV show, you know)? Or perhaps, like me, you used to collect MechaPress -- their old magazine dedicated to mecha of all types? Those are on sale too!

On the Radar: Jovian Chronicles in a Bundle of Holding

 And, as if in answer to my plan of ships in the same fleet having different tech levels, there's a Bundle of Holding for Jovian Chronicles!

The bundle covers the following books:

• Silhouette CORE Deluxe Edition
• Jovian Chronicles Player's Handbook 2E
• Mechanical Catalogs 1-2
• Spacer's Guide
• Space Equipment Handbook
• Earth Sourcebook
• CISLunar Space
• Jovian Chronicles Companion
• Four Jovian Planet Sourcebooks
• Ships of the Fleet 1-3
• The Chaos Principle
• Jovian Chronicles GM Handbook

This will give a comprehensive set of materials for the rules and the setting, one that's surprisingly hard SF, despite the presence of humanoid mecha used as fighters.

Also, since the human homeworld is lost to the rest of the world in Stars Without Number, it's not much of a problem to set up a different solar system with the same setting elements. And I would do that, because the setting building is so well done -- it feels like a very well thought out set of interlocking political, economic, and social factions, along with the aforementioned hard SF approach. It's nice to have a semi-stable "home base" for the campaign that characters can refer to in their backgrounds, or return to from the front lines.

Of particular interest to me are the different ship designs for the setting. I like the designs for the Jovian ships, and I'm always interested in the Tender-class ships of any given setting. They'll form the regular ships of the fleet, with the ability to use jumpgates. This is unlike the Star Trek-inspired starships that will have Warp capability.

Not sure where to start aside from trying to build an idea of how many fleets there are, and what ship composition each would have.

OSR Entry 2013-02: Jovian Chronicles

The Jovian Chronicles RPG is one that combines the 'space mecha as weapons in a war' genre (from anime and manga popularized by the first trio of Gundam anime series and shows like AT Votoms) and a kind of accelerated hard science fiction future.

So think near-light travel. Think space navies with giant robots like fighter planes in skirmishes. Think in-solar-system Robotech and Gundam battles between solar nations, with soldiers and civilians alike caught in a web of interplanetary politics and interpersonal intrigue.

Now, kick the level of detail up a notch with superbly executed art of the suits and ships of war in action, along with clean, clear, meticulously detailed technical drawings and specs of all their gear. Mix in a clear sense of generational progression and forking of mecha designs for nearly all things space-based. Add well-crafted logos and insignias of the companies and nations that make up the setting, and cement it together with a solid, yet ever-improving layout -- that's what Jovian Chronicles was all about to me!

Sadly, while I really enjoyed the ruleset for PC skill resolution and interpersonal combat, the 3D mecha combat rules were a bit of a steep learning curve for me, and certainly provided a barrier to entry for most of the people I knew.

Interestingly enough, it didn't start out as its own RPG. Jovian Chronicles began as a Dream Pod 9 / Ianus Games supplement to the mecha RPG and construction ruleset known as Mekton II. Mekton II was put together by R. Talsorian Games (of Cyberpunk / Cyberpunk 2020 and Castle Falkenstein fame).

This green-colored supplement provided rules additions and modifications to the Mekton II ruleset, to better reflect the feel and technological reality of their setting. It provided page after page of illustrated, cleanly laid out pre-generated PCs, important NPCs, and all key mecha used in the suggested epic storyline for the adventure. It was a slim, compact supplement that somehow managed to give the feel of a well-researched, lovingly detailed setting just waiting to be explored.

And so the only actual experience I have of playing in this setting that I love -- a setting that made SF adventuring in a single solar system interesting -- was only ever played in the Interlock ruleset of Mekton and Cyberpunk.

Here's a detailed review, with some behind-the-scenes stories and insights, on this fabulous setting.

Links to the core products, available on RPGNow:

• the original green Jovian Chronicles book for Mekton
• the 1st Edition Jovian Chronicles RPG