Gamma World

[Shieldmaiden]

Why Gamma world is awesome:

http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0042/9942/files/10-13-2010.jpg?1286943385

I picked this up in the week and I thought I'd scribble down a few thoughts. I'll get the bad out of the way first. As a boxed product, it's highly disappointing and rather wasteful. It contains a 160 page rulebook that I believe is the same size as the D&D Essentials books, 80 cards, two sheets of counters (the only things that take up anything like the whole area of the box, but they could have easily been cut down), four character sheets, two double-sided maps and an 8-card booster pack. The box could have been half the size and still have plenty of empty space inside. More importantly, there are no dice. I'd have expected an allegedly self-contained RPG to contain a set of polyhedrals. I clearly expected wrong.

The contents of the box fare much better in the quality stakes. The softcover book feels well-bound and the counters are thick, sturdy cardboard. The power cards seem a little flimsy, which is kind of odd considering WotC's CCG roots. Everything does seem like it'll stand up to repeated use.

I've not had a chance to play the game yet, but after reading through the rules, I'm really looking forward to giving it a shot. It's 4E based and entirely compatible with existing 4E products (it's entirely feasible to have D&D and Gamma World characters adventuring together) but it has enough twists of its own to give it a unique feel. Gone are the usual race/class choices, which are replaced with an origin system. Players generate their characters by randomly determining two origins from a list of 20. They then figure out how those two origins are combined in their character. An example from the book is that a character made from "rat swarm" followed by "felinoid" could be an intelligent swarm of kittens. Origins dictate both traits and powers and material is provided to take characters up to tenth level.

Equipment is heavily streamlined, with weapons and armour being reduced to broad categories such as "light one-handed melee weapon" or "heavy gun." As with character generation, players are expected to flesh out the details; weapons can be traditional swords and bows, or they can be bits of junk found in the wastelands.

The other reason for the lack of long equipment tables is that mundane gear plays second-fiddle to the two kinds of special powers represented by the cards that come in the box; Alpha Mutations and Omega Tech. Alpha Mutations are powers that are spontaneously acquired by characters during play. They usually only last for a single encounter, whether they are used or not. Omega Tech items are found as "treasure" and are often weapons or armour. They aren't discarded until used, but aren't automatically replaced either. Some Omega Tech can be scavenged after use, converting it to a permanent item that sits somewhere between mundane gear and Omega Tech in terms of power.

As a whole, the game gives the impression of fast, furious play with a strong emphasis on humour, although there isn't anything preventing a more serious tone. While it is a standalone product and pretty simple, it doesn't compare to the Red Box as an introductory RPG. It strikes me as something you'd give to a gamer with a bit of 4E experience under their belt who wanted something different without having to learn a whole new game.

I won't make any recommendation until I've had the chance to play the game, but my hypercog senses tell me I'll be coming back with a thumbs up.

[J Arcane]

I seriously considered this, but after discussing it at some length with some folks who got early copies, I've decided to stick with the REAL Gamma World 4th Edition (this new one is actually 7th).

The randomization of the Alpha Mutations on a per encounter basis is retarded, and the game sounds rather incomplete. Not enough monsters, not enough setting (and what there is I find rather offputtingly asinine), not enough equipment.

It feels like 4e D&D feels: A game made by someone who didn't really understand the original in the first place. It seems like it's poking fun at the games instead of taking them at face value, the same way GW6 did, only in a less serious direction. Where as GW6 took Gamma World and decided it was stupid, and set about making it into "proper sci-fi", GW7 seems to decide that Gamma World was stupid, and so let's just make it a comedy boardgame like Fluxx or something, and make it even stupider.

[mightbe]

Excellent writeup on the box set, BJ. The box does clearly state that this is a D&D game boxed set and you'll need to BYODice.

Disclaimer: I work for Wizards of the Coast.

I picked up my copy yesterday and I'll be playing it today. It's a 4th Edition D&D re-skin with fun random character creation and a neat card system that will constantly have your characters mutations (called Alpha Mutations) and equipment (called Omega Tech) changing as you play.

Like the OP said, there's a card deck and a enough content for eight sessions of adventure complete with maps, tokens, and a rule book. Regular players are encouraged to make their own card decks either by purchasing their own boxed set or picking up 8-card boosters if they'd like to have a bit more control over what mutations and tech their characters will access. After that, you're on your own to pick up more boosters of cards and create your own adventures. Luckily, any 4th edition monsters, maps, and content can be easily adapted or you can write your own wasted world scenarios.

For the $40US MSRP price tag (currently $25 on amazon) it's a pretty slick and wonderfully humorous 4th Edition setting. It is probably not for the extra serious role-player who doesn't want copious amounts of random elements and large doses of absurd humor injected into their game on a regular basis. Any group that does find themselves in the throes of healthy bouts of laughter or wants to explore a whimsical post-apocalyptic setting will probably find this game a fantastic addition to their role-playing library.

You can watch my twitter for updates from the game table as we do our first few Gamma World Scenarios tomorrow morning. If I get the chance, I'll wander back by here and post how things went.

[Ink Asylum]

Wow, is that pulled right from the back for the box? :D

[J Arcane]

It is probably not for the extra serious role-player who doesn't want copious amounts of random elements and large doses of absurd humor injected into their game on a regular basis. Any group that does find themselves in the throes of healthy bouts of laughter or wants to explore a whimsical post-apocalyptic setting will probably find this game a fantastic addition to their role-playing library.

Or, they enjoyed those things just fine in the previous editions, but don't enjoy the folks at Wizards exploiting the property for it's own amusement by dragging it completely off the deep end into a level of absurdity that borders on that of Toon or Tales from the Floating Vagabond.

[Shieldmaiden]

Or, they enjoyed those things just fine in the previous editions, but don't enjoy the folks at Wizards exploiting the property for it's own amusement by dragging it completely off the deep end into a level of absurdity that borders on that of Toon or Tales from the Floating Vagabond.

It's absolutely nothing like that silly. I get a Strontium Dog/TMNT vibe from it, except that there aren't useless mutations like in SD.

[J Arcane]

It's absolutely nothing like that silly. I get a Strontium Dog/TMNT vibe from it, except that there aren't useless mutations like in SD.
Fair enough. I just don't appreciate being maligned as humourless just because I don't like the thing, but it is typical behavior for Wizards' staff since early 4e press, I suppose. Being a jerk to your former customers might be an employment requirement by now for all I know.

I just find the Alpha Mutation system as written to be taking things way too far, and destroys any sense of persistence of character to an unacceptable and extreme extent, that resembles more something like a comedy game.

And that, combined with the completely ridiculous setting, leads me to believe that the designers severely missed the mark and failed to understand the original game, and mistook old-school gonzo post-apoc for something more like Toon or Tales.

Gamma World was not a "humour game", it was a game with humourous elements. 7th Edition seems to rather miss that point, and makes a joke of the whole concept instead, which saddens me.

And when you combine all that with the fact that the only way to fix the problem without house ruling is buying their bloody collectible cards, it just straight off into money-grubbing territory as well.

[Shieldmaiden]

All characters have a set of very permanent mutations, including one at will power from each of their origins. If you start the game as an android hawkman, you will always be an android hawkman. Alpha mutations are extras and they strike me as a very good way to introduce more variety to combat encounters. I can't see myself buying any boosters, but that's down to them being unnecessary and overpriced. If they had larger, non-random packs of cards that were a little more reasonable, I'd likely pick them up.

As for the setting, there really isn't much of one. It's partly because of the lack of detail that I can't understand any complaints about it being too silly. There is a small amount of background that tells you why the world is in the state it's in, but everything else is inferred from the kind of characters, powers and monsters in the game, much like D&D. It's a world that has talking mutant animals with psychic powers. That suggests a level of humour to me, but I've had games of TMNT that had pretty serious moments.

[J Arcane]

I just find the whole "Big Mistake" concept to be ridiculous and unnecessary, and the description of it reads like the kind of "let's hinge all the game on a bad joke" concept that undermines so many attempts at "humour RPGs".

If you ever get the scratch, I really recommend checking out the original 4th Edition Gamma World. It's much more straight forward without going too far into the silliness 7e does, but with plenty of gonzo fun to be had.

Sadly, this new version seems to have driven 4th prices through the roof (my corebook has now increased in value by 800% over the original price I paid), and Wizards' post-4e policy against releasing PDFs of their old work means it's not likely to come down any time soon.

GW4 is one of my all time favorite games though, and I really recommend it to anyone to track it down.

[Karak]

I just find the whole "Big Mistake" concept to be ridiculous and unnecessary, and the description of it reads like the kind of "let's hinge all the game on a bad joke" concept that undermines so many attempts at "humour RPGs".

If you ever get the scratch, I really recommend checking out the original 4th Edition Gamma World. It's much more straight forward without going too far into the silliness 7e does, but with plenty of gonzo fun to be had.

Sadly, this new version seems to have driven 4th prices through the roof (my corebook has now increased in value by 800% over the original price I paid), and Wizards' post-4e policy against releasing PDFs of their old work means it's not likely to come down any time soon.

GW4 is one of my all time favorite games though, and I really recommend it to anyone to track it down.

Sadly I would have to say I agree. I spent some cash on this and came away with a pretty bitter taste in my mouth. Once again it feels like actual data has been replaced with a strange "hinted at" mentality when it comes to the writing. I didn't feel lost as much as I felt that they didn't have any clue as to where to go. Like they just released it and said...uhm lets just sit back and see if it sells.

After our 4th game of the Ravenloft boardgame I feel somewhat the same. It is funny that many games (NOT TSR) in the 80-90's had sections with quick rules and basic data as to the questions any normal person may have. Instead this game and Ravenloft and many other recent WOTC games appears to be written so basic that you literally have to make house rules the first game. Not because of balance(though that's an issue) but because its like their editors are in love with themselves and no one is watching out to make sure things are actually right/wrong or clear.

Sadness was the name of this weekend.
But its awesome Big likes it. Everything is not the same for everyone.

[The Doctor]

$4.00 for eight random cards in a booster pack to get new powers == no purchase.

Only way I'd play is if I printed off proxies. I'm not going to make my players spend that kind of cash to get stuff beyond the core rules.

[J Arcane]

Technically, player-built decks are an optional rule.

But if you want to stick to any kind of character concept as a player, it's the only by-the-book way of doing so. You can stack your own Alpha deck essentially, so that the stuff that pops up fits the character, rather than it being a complete grabbag.

[Panthera]

The only experience I've had with Gamma World was a one-off session in whatever edition used the Alternity system. I never got a proper sense of the setting since most of the time was spent wrestling with Alternity - which was really confusing but pleasantly and evocatively brutal. It definitely didn't seem like a comedy game, though.

I've come to believe that the 4e take on the Dark Sun wasn't as destructive as I thought it would be, but this? I mean, I'm always glad to see people having fun with a beloved setting, but this is a bit much.

[J Arcane]

The only experience I've had with Gamma World was a one-off session in whatever edition used the Alternity system. I never got a proper sense of the setting since most of the time was spent wrestling with Alternity - which was really confusing but pleasantly and evocatively brutal. It definitely didn't seem like a comedy game, though.

Man, I loved Alternity. The die mechanic was weird and the generic classes took a bit to wrap one's head around, but it was a cool system with some clever ideas.

I seem to be like, the only one, though.

And yeah, Gamma World can be pretty brutal in 4th edition too. It's best not to get too cocky, because despite all the mutations and powers and such, there's almost always something out there far nastier than you, so even if you roll a mutant shark with psychic powers and lazer beam eye, chances are you'll still get owned in the first encounter.

Then there's survival to worry about, keeping fed and so forth, and the danger of misinterpreting some bit of ancient tech and blowing your face off . . .

It's a proper post-apoc game, just one taken to 11 on the weirdness meter.

I've come to believe that the 4e take on the Dark Sun wasn't as destructive as I thought it would be, but this? I mean, I'm always glad to see people having fun with a beloved setting, but this is a bit much.

Yeah, from what I've heard, Dark Sun is a pretty straightforward adaptation to the 4e rules. Only reason I haven't looked into it more is because I understand it to be written for the standard 4e rules, so I dunno how well it would interface with the new classes and design philosophy of the Essentials stuff, which I'm really far more interested in.

[J Arcane]

I just bought all 4 of the original Gamma World Endless Quest books on Amazon.

[zarathstra]

Oddly enough, I found my boxed set of the original Gamma World in a box of stuff today. Good times.

[Drayven]

I picked up the new Gamma World set for my fiance as an early part of her bday present. What I didn't know was that her and her brother used to play when they were young so it turned out to be a better present than expected. On Saturday her brother came over and I ran a brief campaign for them. It was my first time DM'ing anything so that was pretty fun. Overall I'd say I like what I've seen so far. We only played for a few hours but it seems like a good way to get back into pen and paper gaming after not playing anything for 4 or 5 years. Her brother hasn't played anything tabletop in probably like 20 years and he was able to get into it pretty quickly.

The random character generation is fun. We ended up with a pyrokinetic yeti and a telekinetic rat swarm. I ran them through a Fallout 3 style subway station. I picked this up as a way for us to ease into 4th edition and I think as a fairly cheap package it's a fun thing to have around. The way the mutations and powers are constantly changing around also makes it a bit more challenging, both for the DM and the players. It's hard for me to plan out certain types of encounters because I never know who's gonna have what power when they get there. I can see that it's going to require alot of on the fly decisions and a very flexible campaign.

If you have a few people interested in a tabletop session I'd say give it a whirl.

[Shieldmaiden]

I've posted a Gamma World game on my games club forum. I've put it up for the first three-week slot of next year, which will be at the end of February. Here's the synopsis for Gamma World: The Thundering Devil Motorcycle Club.

The TDMC are the baddest muddy funsters to ride the wastes around the small town of Hobbs End, San Andreas. Or at least they were until a massive gang of nomad Porkers, calling themselves Hog's Angels, descended on the town. The Devils were decimated, with only a small group of newbies making it out alive, by running like the girly wuss-babies they are. Making it over the state border they arrive in Morganville, North Tacoma. They're beaten and shamed, but they're still alive. Too weak to take the fight to the Angels just yet, the TDMC need to recover, rebuild and rearm.

First on the agenda, however, is finding new bikes!

My plan is to build my own GW setting by mashing together assorted pop-culture elements. All my town, city and state names are going to be pre-existing fictional locations. The set up is a good example of how I plan things; there is a short-term goal (find bikes) and a long-term goal (get revenge) but everything in the middle is undefined. I'm equally open to the players going for a road game or trying to stake out territory and going all Sam Crow. The bike gang concept allows me to run sessions in the future that may or may not have the same PCs, but it will be able to develop a degree of continuity.

[Drayven]

How do you handle vehicles? One of our characters rolled a truck as part of her initial loot. I know they can use it to travel around but I'm just not sure how you would handle random encounters on the road. Car to car combat seems tricky :P

[Panthera]

I'd recommend just house ruling it as you go. Don't worry about vehicle damage unless there are big guns in play, and give anybody inside the vehicle a cover bonus to their AC. If you've got two vehicles moving alongside each other, don't worry about moving them each round - just figure out what their relative speed is and assume they can keep up with each other.

[Shieldmaiden]

How do you handle vehicles? One of our characters rolled a truck as part of her initial loot. I know they can use it to travel around but I'm just not sure how you would handle random encounters on the road. Car to car combat seems tricky :P

I've not quite worked that out yet. I might dispense with grid based combat altogether, which means I can easily abstract the vehicle combat. Otherwise, I'm considering using pieces of card cut to size as vehicles. A small bike might only take up one square, a large bike would be 1x2, other vehicles would be 2x2 and up. Assuming that at least one side is trying to keep pace with the other, you don't have to worry about how fast the vehicles are going, just how fast relative to each other, which is much easier to work out (this bike can move two squares a round faster than this truck, so if the bike rider chooses, he can pull away from the truck at two squares per round.) The vehicles are treated like platforms that the two sides fight from and may have to jump between. Powers that push, pull and slide become very dangerous, so the resistance rolls for being pushed into dangerous terrain (or off the side of a speeding truck) may need to be bumped up a bit.

After that it's just a case of working out what players are likely to do. What happens when they shoot at a tire, engine or fuel tank? What if someone wants to pull a handbrake turn? 4E reduces most of that stuff to "make skill roll X at difficulty Y to achieve result X" so it shouldn't be too much work.

[Panthera]

I'm excited, I picked up a copy of the 1983 boxed set of this at an auction this weekend. I think my AD&D players are going to be in for a surprise when they walk through the next strange portal.

[Wilkz07]

is this what you guys are talking about: Gamma World Game (http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Gamma-World-Roleplaying-Game-Genre-Richard-Baker-Bruce-R-Cordell/9780786955084-item.html?ikwid=gamma+world&ikwsec=Home). saw it at chapters yesterday and was tempted to pick it up.

[J Arcane]

is this what you guys are talking about: Gamma World Game (http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Gamma-World-Roleplaying-Game-Genre-Richard-Baker-Bruce-R-Cordell/9780786955084-item.html?ikwid=gamma+world&ikwsec=Home). saw it at chapters yesterday and was tempted to pick it up.
That's the current version, yes.

I prefer this one: http://www.amazon.com/Gamma-World-Rules-Book-7514/dp/1560764015/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1308630298&sr=8-14

[Dahzer the Cosmic Fool]

Hmm I appear to have missed this thread when I went meandering down the analog gaming isle, wonder if I could get a group of people playing this. Sound pretty interesting.

[Wilkz07]

That's the current version, yes.

I prefer this one: http://www.amazon.com/Gamma-World-Rules-Book-7514/dp/1560764015/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1308630298&sr=8-14

i'm sure that is the better version but in order to get my wife to play a game requires pieces and a board (even if you have to put it together).