''The Mechanoid Invasion'' (and its source books, supplements and sequels) was the first
role-playing game
A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within ...
from
Palladium Books
Palladium Books is a publisher of role-playing games (RPGs) perhaps best known for its popular, expansive '' Rifts'' series (1990–present). Palladium was founded April 1981 in Detroit, Michigan by current president and lead game designer Kevin ...
, conceived and written by
Kevin Siembieda
Kevin Siembieda (born April 2, 1956) is an American artist, writer, designer and publisher of role-playing games.
Career
Siembieda is a third-generation Polish American. He attended the College for Creative Studies in Detroit from 1974 to 1977. ...
, with contributions from
Erick Wujcik
Erick A. Wujcik (January 26, 1951 – June 7, 2008) was an American designer of both pen-and-paper and computer role-playing games, and co-founder of Palladium Books.
Gaming career
Wujcik started off as head of the gaming society at Wayne S ...
.
Concept
''The Mechanoid Invasion'' centered on a powerful, malevolent, and numerous race of bio-driven machines that had come to invade a planet called Gideon E that was colonized by humans. In its original edition, published in 1981, the game was published as a series of three comic-book sized sourcebooks:
#the first, ''The Mechanoid Invasion'', dealt with the eponymous invasion of Gideon E
#the second, ''
Journey
Journey or journeying may refer to:
* Travel, the movement of people between distant geographical locations
** Day's journey, a measurement of distance
** Road trip, a long-distance journey on the road
Animals
* Journey (horse), a thoroughbred ra ...
'', dealt with human survivors living within a mechanoid mothership after the destruction of the Gideon E colony and introduced "minor magic and some psionics",
#the third, ''
Homeworld
''Homeworld'' is a real-time strategy video game developed by Relic Entertainment and published by Sierra Entertainment, Sierra Studios on September 28, 1999, for Microsoft Windows. Set in space, the science fiction game follows the Kushan exil ...
'', dealt with the Mechanoid homeworld itself.
Legacy
The first book was revised and republished in an expanded form in 1985 as ''
The Mechanoids''.
In Spring 1991
Caliber Comics
Caliber Comics or Caliber Press is an American comic book publisher founded in 1989 by Gary Reed. Featuring primarily creator-owned comics, Caliber published over 1,300 comics in the decade following its inception and is ranked as one of America ...
also produced a 3-book series called ''The Mechanoids'' which adapted the RPG into comic book stories.
In the early 90s "Sourcebook Two" of ''
Rifts'' was released, titled ''The Mechanoids'', and it included MDC conversions for the Mechanoids for use in a Rifts Earth setting, along with a storyline on how they got there.
In Winter 1998 a Collected ''Mechanoids RPG'' was released, compiled as the ''Mechanoid Invasion Trilogy'' which is still available.
''Mechanoids Space'', a complete RPG first announced in 1993 for release the following year, was last promised for publication in December 2002 as late as September 2002.
[The Palladium FAQ Version 4.00: September 1, 2002 Section 11: The Mechanoids on Stan Bundy's Website](_blank)
retrieved 20 June 2015: 11.02. When is the Mechanoids RPG going to be reprinted? it is still available in the store labelled "coming soon".
Reception
William A. Barton reviewed ''The Mechanoid Invasion'' in ''
The Space Gamer
''The Space Gamer'' was a magazine dedicated to the subject of science fiction and fantasy board games and tabletop role-playing games. It quickly grew in importance and was an important and influential magazine in its subject matter from the la ...
'' No. 42.
Barton commented that "If you can overlook its amateurish production (and the price helps in this), I think you'll find ''The Mechanoid Invasion'' worth the investment. It should provide some enjoyable role playing in an SF setting as a break from ''Traveller'' or your other favorite SF RPG."
Review
*''
Different Worlds
''Different Worlds'' was an American role-playing games magazine published from 1979 to 1987.
Scope
''Different Worlds'' published support articles, scenarios, and variants for various role-playing games including ''Dungeons & Dragons'', ''Ru ...
'' #31
References
External links
*''The Mechanoid Invasion'' official discussion board a
Palladium Books ''Forums of the Megaverse''*''The Mechanoid Invasion'' a
RPG Geek Database*''The Mechanoid Invasion'' a
RPGnet Game Index
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mechanoid Invasion, The
Megaverse (Palladium Books)
Role-playing games introduced in 1981
Science fiction role-playing games