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> General Unisystem > Rifts conversion

Well, I've been looking around for a Rifts conversion, preferably to cinematic. I haven't had any luck so far, but I'm still looking. If anyone has any idea where a conversion is or might be, please, I'd greatly appreciate it if you'd drop me a PM.

Now, I'll give it a bit, but if no conversion comes through, I'll probably start working on one myself. I'm well aware of Palladium's crazy IP policies though, and don't want to get in trouble here or to get this forum in any trouble either. If I end up needing to make my own conversion, I'd be appreciative if anyone wants to lend a hand. I'll post again later if I end up going this route, and then if anyone offers to help, we'll see about setting something up for a collaboration. Maybe a yahoo group or something. If I end up making my own conversion, I can't post it openly, but per Palladium's IP policy, I can share it with my friends, so long as I don't post it openly on the net or try to turn a profit from it. Anyhow, I'm cross-posting this over at [Link], where I've been a member for years. I'll keep this thread updated as well, so anyone interested can keep up with the progress. Stat

Here's my two cents... Create a Rifts-like setting, with the serial numbers filed off (heck, change things you don't like), then adapt to Cinematic Unisystem. Then you can post your cool setting + rules anywhere you want. [Link] (.org) should be up this week, and we'll be looking for people to share content. Perhaps a "cross-dimensional post-apocalyptic magically active post-earth setting of triumph and struggle" is a good community project?

I just recently started undergoing a slight conversion for my upcoming Coalition based campaign, trying to keep true to the setting (Rifts) and the system (Unisystem), its not an easy task to accomplish, but its fun. I've used some of the body armor and weapon conversions from the above link... I'm actually torn between both Unisystem systems, who knows, as of right now its mainly cinematic, skills and damage. I'll post some of it later. Seran

RIFTS Character Types There are three character types that I will be using in my conversion, they are Men at Arms, Adventures & Scholars and last but not least Practitioner of Magic; for Psionics I'm using the Classic Powers from ATZ (5 pts per level/10 pts per level and not requiring Psionic Qualitiy) but there are some abilities that aren't covered in this case Cinematic Versions can replace; Psychics can be Men at Arms and Adventures/Scholars, too. I've made them all using 80 points total, which I added in the use of Drama Points from Cinematic Unisystem. I will be using the Cinematic Skills (with Piloting added in) with access to Skill Specialties (costs one point as in AFMBE) with Rifts names for flavor, so a SAMAS Pilot's Piloting Skill might be 3, and he has specialties in Robots, Power Armor, Robot Combat (SAMAS) for a total of 6 Skill Points.

Here's the character type break downs: Men at Arms Attribute Points: 20 Quality Points: 20 Drawback Points: up to 10 Skill Points: 30 Drama Points: 10 Adventurers & Scholars Attribute Points: 15 Quality Points: 10 Drawback Points: up to 10 Skill Points: 35 Drama Points: 20 Practitioners of Magic Attribute Points: 10 Quality Points: 10 Drawback Points: up to 10 Skill Points: 20 Metaphysic Points: 30 Drama Points: 10 I've decided to use the Classic Unisystem for the Metaphysics, but there will most likely be modifications. Let me know your thoughts ... Seran

Notes on Robots, Robot Vehicles & Power Armor As I sit here looking through the main RIFTS rpg and my Unisystem Books, a thought occured to me: "How should I do the above mentioned?" My answer is really quite simple; 1) Robots (and Full Conversion Borgs) are created by using the Robot Quality (BtVS/ ATZ) with the Demon Creation Rules (Angel Corebook) to modifiy accordingly. 2) Power Armors are created with using the Robot Quality (BtVS/ ATZ) at a reduced cost (-2) to represent that the construct is a shell worn by a human (or Race) with the bonus ability of Natural Armor 2 (which puts it back up to normal cost) and modified with using Demon Creation Rules accordingly. 3) Robot Vehicles are created using the Starship Creation Rules (ATZ) but slightly modified. (Weapon Damages for Power Armors and Robot Vehicles may be converted over using Patchlord's conversion notes) So, I look forward to hearing your thoughts... Seran

Pretty much what Trech said, with the caveat that you're going to have to scale the power levels down, massively so. One shot from a handgun in Rifts would vaporise a modern tank (bit like a 29th Century had phaser did to a car in that Voyager episode). So you may be better removing the concept of megadamage from your game entirely and essentially making Rifts / Phase World more akin to Aliens Unlimited = Star Wars. Now as there are rules on this site for the latter somewhere IIRC, they should help you immensely.

Yeah, I've been going through that dilemma lately. At first I was like this would be cool (Mega-Damage), but then I started to look at the conversions and started to think that the damage out put may or may not be good enough versus the armor capabilities' For example a energy rifle versus armor; A C-12 Laser Rifle (Damage: 45; AP: 1/3) versus The Huntsman (Armor Value: Physical/Energy: 50/55; Damage Capacity: 40); here's the break down, CS Grunt hits doing 45 points of damage cuts armor by 3 and remaining damage goes half to DC of armor and half to Life Points (in tis case 14 (13.5 ROUNDED UP) to Damage Capacity and 27 (doubles after penetrating armor) to Life Points of character. More to come, just looked at time, work, yikes... Seran