Bubblegum Crisis is a near-future cyberpunk role-playing game published by R. Talsorian Games in 1996 that is based on the anime television series Bubblegum Crisis .
Bubblegum Crisis is a near-future cyberpunk role-playing game published by R. Talsorian Games in 1996 that is based on the anime television series Bubblegum Crisis .
R. Talsorian Games (RTG) had originally been founded by Mike Pondsmith in 1986 to publish the anime role-playing game Mekton . RTG then went on to other non-anime products such as Cyberpunk 2020 . It was not until ten years later, in 1996, that RTG re-entered the anime-related role-playing game market with Bubblegum Crisis, the first of several licensed anime properties produced by the company, and the first to use the company's new Fuzion rule system. [1] : 335 In the 2014 book Designers & Dragons, author Shannon Applecline said the game "marked a new push into anime for the company, bringing it back to its roots". [1] : 211
Bubblegum Crisis is a 188-page softcover book designed by Benjamin Wright, David Ackerman-Gray, Ray Greer, George MacDonald, Steve Peterson, and Mike Pondsmith. In the game, set in Japan in 2033, players take on the roles of "Knight Sabers" who oppose the evil megacorporation Genom and its deadly Boomer robots. [2]
The book is divided into three sections:
A player can create a character's personality and worldview using random die rolls, or simply select them. The player then distributes a limited number of stat points amongst the abilities of Strength, Intelligence, Reflexes, and Willpower. A set of secondary characteristics — Luck, Resistance, and Endurance — are derived from the primary abilities. The player finishes the character by spending a limited number of campaign points on Skills, Talents & Perks, and equipment. A character can gain more Campaign Points by choosing one or more Complications.
To determine the success of a given action, the gamemaster assigns a Difficulty Level to the task which then defines a Target Number. The player rolls three 6-sided dice, and adds the character's relevant ability and skill rating. If the total equals or surpasses the Target Number, the action succeeds.
In the Christmas 1996 edition of Arcane (Issue 14), Andy Butcher commented on the "stunning visuals and its amazing designs of technology." However, he pointed out that role-playing is not, by its nature, a visual medium, and "it's going to be hard to replace this vital element." Butcher concluded by giving the book an average rating of 7 out of 10, saying, "For fans of Bubblegum Crisis, this is probably a dream come true, and you'll almost certainly love it. Those with less experience in Japanese anime may find it all a bit overwhelming and difficult to get across to their players, though." [2]
In the November 1997 edition of Dragon (Issue #241), Rick Swan thought the game "combines clever mechanics, a flashy setting, and an interesting premise." Swan also liked the "sharp writing and generous number of examples". Pointing out that this was a game that "favors simple adventures as opposed to intricate campaigns", he suggested that Bubblegum Crisis would work best with short scenarios such as the ones included in the book. He concluded by giving the book an average rating of 4 out of 6. [3]
Bubblegum Crisis is a 1987 to 1991 cyberpunk original video animation (OVA) series produced by Youmex and animated by AIC and Artmic. The series was planned to run for 13 episodes, but was cut short to just 8.
Cyberpunk is a tabletop role-playing game in the dystopian science fiction genre, written by Mike Pondsmith and first published by R. Talsorian Games in 1988. It is typically referred to by its second or fourth edition names, Cyberpunk 2020 and Cyberpunk Red, in order to distinguish it from the cyberpunk genre after which it is named.
CyberGeneration is a follow-up to the R. Talsorian's Cyberpunk 2020 role-playing game. CyberGeneration was originally published as a supplement for Cyberpunk, but later re-released as a fully featured game in its own right under the title CyberGeneration Revolution 2.0. It is set in the year 2027, 7 years after the events in Cyberpunk 2020. The game's timeline doesn't correspond with that of the later third edition of Cyberpunk, which makes no mention of any of its contents or setting elements.
Castle Falkenstein is a steampunk-themed fantasy role-playing game (RPG) designed by Mike Pondsmith and originally published by R. Talsorian Games in 1994. The game is named for a legendary unbuilt castle in the Bavarian Alps. Players play the roles of gallant adventurers who take on quests of intrigue and derring-do in the spirit of Victorian adventures such as The Prisoner of Zenda.
R. Talsorian Games (RTG) is a publisher of role-playing game books and accessories. Originally based in Berkeley, California, but moved to Renton, Washington in 1997. Their titles include the Cyberpunk 2020 series and anime-related titles such as Dragonball Z. Their major product line today is the Fuzion system.
Fuzion is a generic role-playing game system created by the collaboration of R. Talsorian Games and Hero Games. The rights to Fuzion are jointly held by Mike Pondsmith of R. Talsorian Games, along with Steve Peterson and Ray Greer of Hero Games. Fuzion is a combination of the Interlock System,, and the HERO system. Fuzion is an adaptable system which can be played in any genre and setting imaginable.
Michael Alyn Pondsmith is an American roleplaying, board, and video game designer. He is best known for founding the publisher R. Talsorian Games in 1982, where he developed a majority of the company's role-playing game lines. Pondsmith is the author of several RPG lines, including Mekton (1984), Cyberpunk (1988) and Castle Falkenstein (1994). He also contributed to the Forgotten Realms and Oriental Adventures lines of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, worked in various capacities on video games, and authored or co-created several board games. Pondsmith also worked as an instructor at the DigiPen Institute of Technology.
Cthulhu Live is a live-action roleplaying game (LARP) version of the popular horror roleplaying game Call of Cthulhu, based on the works of horror author H. P. Lovecraft.
Conspiracy X is a role-playing game (RPG) originally released by New Millennium Entertainment in 1996, and since revised and released by several publishers including Steve Jackson Games and Eden Studios, Inc. In all versions, the setting posits that aliens are insiduously taking over the world, reminiscent of The X-Files.
Dream Park: The Roleplaying Game is a role-playing game published by R. Talsorian Games in 1992. It was designed by Mike Pondsmith and was based on the 1981 novel Dream Park, which is itself about a live-action role-playing game amusement park. The player characters take on the roles of the players in this holographic game, simultaneously playing both the character and the character's alternate persona.
Dragon Ball Z: The Anime Adventure Game is a role-playing game published by R. Talsorian Games in 1999 that is based on the Dragon Ball Z anime.
Heroes of Steel is a supplement to the 2nd edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.
Hardwired: The Sourcebook is a supplement published by R. Talsorian Games in 1989 for the dystopian near-future science fiction role-playing game Cyberpunk.
Ashes to Ashes is an adventure module published in Q3 1991 by White Wolf Publishing for use with their tabletop role-playing game Vampire: The Masquerade.
The Book of Sigils is a supplement published by R. Talsorian Games in 1995 for the Victorian steampunk role-playing game Castle Falkenstein.
Constantinople by Night is a supplement published by White Wolf Publishing in 1996 for the medieval horror role-playing game Vampire: The Dark Ages, a spin-off of Vampire: The Masquerade.
Digital Web is a tabletop role-playing game supplement originally published by White Wolf Publishing in February–April 1994 for their game Mage: The Ascension. A second edition, Digital Web 2.0, followed in October 1998.
The Risen is a tabletop role-playing game supplement published by White Wolf Publishing in June 1996 for use with the horror game Wraith: The Oblivion. It adds the risen as playable characters: wraiths that inhabit dead bodies to become walking dead.
GURPS Psionics is a supplement by David Pulver, published by Steve Jackson Games in 1991 for GURPS.
Shadowrun Companion is a sourcebook published by FASA in 1996 for the near-future cyberpunk role-playing game Shadowrun.