Gamma World!

Frost · Post by **Frost** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 12:58 am

Hey, so after pulling all my gaming stuff out of storage and putting it on my shelves, I've refound my Gamma World stuff. I don't have much, but I do have the 3rd edition box set and the 4th edition core book. I never had luck with the 3rd edition. I never understood the Action Table (I was in my teens at the time and it was just too foreign from D&D). I really loved the 4th edition though.

What do you guys think is the best edition?
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serleran · Post by **serleran** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 1:02 am

Depends. 4th is the closest to C&C in terms of direct compatibility but 1st is the most original of them and also has some neat advancement rules. 2nd and 3rd also offer different things, and the ones after 4... well, they suck. Except maybe the Amazing Engine version.
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Frost · Post by **Frost** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 1:41 am

Anyone try the Alternity version? The reviews aren't too good, which surprised me since Alternity itself is typically well thought of.

I think I'll pick up the 1st edition one of these days.
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concobar · Post by **concobar** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 9:49 am

I have the 2nd edition, 3rd edition and the 4th edition and of the three much prefer the 4th. Like many of us I did not care for the spectrum chart deal in 3rd, did not like it in the marvel rpg either which is why i prefer villains and vigilantes.
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Frost · Post by **Frost** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 11:21 am

What is the difference between the 1st and 2nd editions?
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tylermo · Post by **tylermo** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 11:46 am

I own all of the editions, however my 4th is rule-book only. I never actually "played" 1st, and 4th edtions. It's been so long since I played any 2nd or 3rd that I couldn't tell you a lot about it. Does seem like 2nd was better. Played a little of the Alternity. Sort of felt like the GW I knew, but not as much as I would have liked. Sword and Sorcery's D20...They tried to go in a different direction(probably thinking that the old end of the world/Mad Max/Thundaar the Barbarian style was out-dated). Truthfully, that's what most of the GW audience wanted. What they did was fine, and well fleshed out, but...

Initially, I saw the title of your thread("Gamma World!"), and you had me thinking there would be a new edition. I was excited at first, but realized that if WOTC still owns it....Well, you know. It would probably be 4E, or the somewhat better SAGA System. Oh well. THere's a Savage Worlds conversion out there that's pretty decent. That's all I need.

Dagger · Post by **Dagger** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 12:31 pm

Frost wrote:
What is the difference between the 1st and 2nd editions?

It's been a long time since I've looked at them, but the one thing I do remember is that 2nd edition bumped up Pure Strain Humans a bit to make them more appealing to play. I seem to remember the game being pretty similar in most respects, tho.
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Traveller · Post by **Traveller** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 1:52 am

2d Edition is the best version of the game, but its scarcity makes it tough to find. The only real negative to 2d edition was that they removed level advancement, but if you ask a friend, I'm sure they can make a copy of the level advancement tables to add back into the game.
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TheMetal1 · Post by **TheMetal1** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 2:55 am

I say go for Goblinod Games Retro Clone of Gamma World - Mutant Future! Best of all it's a free download, but you can buy both hard or soft cover versions as well. Here's the link:
http://www.goblinoidgames.com/mutantfuture.html

tylermo · Post by **tylermo** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 7:17 pm

I haven't looked at ebay in awhile, but I don't recall 2nd edition being tremendously scarce. Then again, maybe I'm wrong. Definately need some pdf back up's of these historic gaming gems!

concobar · Post by **concobar** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 8:34 pm

gamma world rpg is rare on ebay.
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Frost · Post by **Frost** » Fri Sep 25, 2009 12:04 am

I've seen the 1e boxed set pop up from time to time. I have yet to see the 2e rules though.
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Traveller · Post by **Traveller** » Fri Sep 25, 2009 4:52 am

In the pre-ebay days, it took me four years to finally acquire a copy of the 2d edition. The other editions were far easier to find.
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Philotomy Jurament · Post by **Philotomy Jurament** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 9:26 am

I've played 1st and either 3rd or 4th (don't remember which). I own 1st, and prefer it. (And I agree that Mutant Future is great, and an excellent option.)
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Zudrak · Post by **Zudrak** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 2:37 pm

Traveller wrote:
2d Edition is the best version of the game, but its scarcity makes it tough to find. The only real negative to 2d edition was that they removed level advancement, but if you ask a friend, I'm sure they can make a copy of the level advancement tables to add back into the game.

That was the version of the game that I played. Loved it. I did not miss the leveling because I did not know there was leveling in the first edition of the rules. I'd love to play GW again - in any edition from 1 - 4.
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Traveller · Post by **Traveller** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 7:33 pm

I forgot where I pulled this from (possibly The Acaeum), but this explains how to add level advancement from 1st edition Gamma World into 2d Edition.

Quote:
Just to contribute a small domar or two to make this a BIT more than a "me too" post though, 2nd IS much better when you add back in the level advancement from 1st; just use the 1st game's mechanics but ALSO award all the benifits from 2nd when an increse is gained, except the mandatory +1 CHR (this is replaced by the 1st's bonus). Works like a charm. I might keep the 2nd's terminology or "ranks" just for the feel, but that's just an astethic issue.......

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dachda · Post by **dachda** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 8:16 pm

Anyone know which edition of Gamma World, Mutant Future is most akin to? I never played Gamma World, but recently downloaded Mutant Future, seems pretty fun. Do all the GW modules work with MF? Or is that dependent upon which edition of GW the module was for? Thanks.
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serleran · Post by **serleran** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 8:23 pm

In theory, any of the GW modules could be used with any version of GW... with some slight tweaking. The 4th+ editions are the more convoluted and different than previous.
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Frost · Post by **Frost** » Wed Sep 30, 2009 12:23 am

Quote:
Anyone know which edition of Gamma World, Mutant Future is most akin to?

I think that 4e GW is the only one that has classes, to it's likely the most similar to Mutant Future.

Quote:
Do all the GW modules work with MF? Or is that dependent upon which edition of GW the module was for?

Hmm... I would think the 3e ones would be hard to adapt since they are based on that Action Table thing, but I could be wrong.
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Sir Ironside · Post by **Sir Ironside** » Wed Sep 30, 2009 12:47 am

serleran wrote:
Except maybe the Amazing Engine version.

People laugh at me because I liked the Amazing Engine stuff. A lot of their books were very original. Sure some of the rules were broken but it didn't stop me and my friends from having a blast with it. We even used the cross-over experience points as we jumped from genre to genre. It made for some interesting decisions. I did read through the Metamorphosis Alpha to Omega (The Gamma World book) but we never got to play it as my group disintegrated after 2 years together. Had a nice long run with Bughunters and The Galactos Barrier, we had just started Magitech when the group fell apart. I always wanted to play Alpha but with Bughunters and Galactos Barrier my players wanted to move onto something not sci-fi. Tabloid would've been next.

I did have a earlier version, but I really don't remember exactly what it was like, I just remember wanting to play it after reading it. Later on I did get the d20 version by Bruce Baugh, but it didn't maintain the same feel that the earlier versions had and being d20 kind'a turned me off. When I told Mr. Baugh about it he seemed genuinely hurt. He is such a nice man and I do like his work on other games but this was a swing and a miss if you ask me.
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serleran · Post by **serleran** » Wed Sep 30, 2009 1:05 am

I almost liked the Amazing Engine system... just not for Gamma World. That, and the recycled art used repeatedly for GW made me start not liking the line.
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anglefish · Post by **anglefish** » Wed Sep 30, 2009 3:02 am

I only played 2nd edition, but it was actually my first campaign so to speak. The first time we tried to make towns with regular NPCs and come to have our PCs call home.

In some ways, it could have been called the "Caveman" campaign, because we simply went out survived, brought home the goods and got hailed by the chieftain for it. Eventually the PC got married, kids, the whole nine yards.

While C&C is heavy on the nostalgia, I think Redline is more in line with a C&C style game. Simpler skill set, more Mad Max than Kitchen Sink, and the Creep is something to be feared, not a source of powers.

Treebore · Post by **Treebore** » Wed Sep 30, 2009 3:41 pm

You know until yesterday I had forgotten that Jim Ward co wrote Gamma World 1E.
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Frost · Post by **Frost** » Thu Oct 01, 2009 3:15 am

Treebore wrote:
You know until yesterday I had forgotten that Jim Ward co wrote Gamma World 1E.

He gets author credits on up to 4e, actually.
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BLOOD AXE · Post by **BLOOD AXE** » Fri Oct 02, 2009 8:46 pm

On a related note. there was a site with a bunch of cool GW articles from old Dragon mags. I cant find it anymore.

Anyone know of it?

Traveller · Post by **Traveller** » Fri Oct 02, 2009 11:24 pm

Because the site (if it's the one I'm thinking of) that hosted those articles was taken down for violating copyright. After all, they did have copies of 1st edition and 3d edition rules on the site as well as a copy of Metamorphosis Alpha.
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BLOOD AXE · Post by **BLOOD AXE** » Sat Oct 03, 2009 12:27 am

Traveller wrote:
Because the site (if it's the one I'm thinking of) that hosted those articles was taken down for violating copyright. After all, they did have copies of 1st edition and 3d edition rules on the site as well as a copy of Metamorphosis Alpha.

Well that sucks. They werent going to make any money off it or use it anyway. too bad they dont want to support the hobby. I have the Dragon on discs anyway. Oh well.

Traveller · Post by **Traveller** » Sat Oct 03, 2009 2:37 am

Except that the copy of the Metamorphosis Alpha rules on the site was a direct competitor to the (at the time) current version Jim Ward wrote and published. It would continue to be a competitor to the current hardcover edition.
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