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Miniatures Adventure => Post-Apocalyptic Tales => Topic started by: Faust23 on July 25, 2015, 11:43:19 PM

Title: Gamma World - Where do you stand?
Post by: Faust23 on July 25, 2015, 11:43:19 PM
Hi guys! I've been lurking here off and on since I spend most of my time in the Fantasy or Other Adventures forums. However, I've been recently re-reading through 4 editions of the Gamma World RPG I own, and thought it might make for a rather fun sword & blaster backdrop to PA skirmishes.

I see a lot of Mad Max & Fallout threads, and was just curious where you guys stand on something more Sci-Fantasy PA like Gamma World? Stuff like this:

(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5aTSVdxDRcs/URMJ3yZfjJI/AAAAAAAAA04/rufg4xxZHho/s1600/GWcover.gif)

(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u275/TMcCambley/Far-Go.png)

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/69/Gamma_World_Book.jpg)

(http://40.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7oaeiMvfZ1rsxhido1_1280.jpg)

Comments are welcome!

Thanks,
Bob
Title: Re: Gamma World - Where do you stand?
Post by: Hat Guy on July 26, 2015, 01:45:28 AM
I always liked the look of Gamma World and I had a couple of the novels, but never got to play it. I think it would work well with elements of other Fantasy Post-Apoc like Khamandi at Earth's End and Adventure Time worked in, but maybe that's because I'm a hopeless genre-masher.  ::)
Title: Re: Gamma World - Where do you stand?
Post by: Sinewgrab on July 26, 2015, 05:02:29 AM
I always felt Gamma World was a fun world to run games in - besides, it was kind of tailor made to run Thundarr as a PC in!
Title: Re: Gamma World - Where do you stand?
Post by: The Dozing Dragon on July 26, 2015, 05:17:36 AM
Still trying to pick up the old Gamma World blisters by Grenadier from back in the day.
Title: Re: Gamma World - Where do you stand?
Post by: HerbyF on July 26, 2015, 05:26:24 AM
I have a bunch of the original figures painted from back then. I was part of a team that introduced the game on the west coast for TSR when it first came out. Back then the only other Sci-Fi games were Star Guard & Traveller.
Title: Re: Gamma World - Where do you stand?
Post by: Sinewgrab on July 26, 2015, 05:39:32 AM
I have a bunch of the original figures painted from back then. I was part of a team that introduced the game on the west coast for TSR when it first came out. Back then the only other Sci-Fi games were Star Guard & Traveller.

That's because you are OLD, Herby.   ;)

I first started playing it in middle school - about '84 or '85.
Title: Re: Gamma World - Where do you stand?
Post by: cuchulain23 on July 27, 2015, 12:13:45 AM
I would say that it was a fun game to play. I still have my TSR boxed set of Gamma World, have not played it since I was stationed in Korea back in 93 though.
Title: Re: Gamma World - Where do you stand?
Post by: Van-Helsing on July 27, 2015, 01:16:12 AM
Gamma World is one of my favourite RPG's of all time a true timeless classic.
Title: Re: Gamma World - Where do you stand?
Post by: Arundel on July 27, 2015, 01:50:55 AM
Though my set is long, long gone (oh I wish I still had it!), I have very fond memories of Gamma World. I've always liked the Post-Apocalyptic atmosphere: totally agree that Thundarr was probably the most wonderful cartoon ever (for the ruined cities and relics alone), which has a great deal of potential for tabletop games.  Just in case you've never read them, Hiero's Journey and The Unforsaken Hiero by Sterling Lanier are two of the best novels one could ever read in the genre. Tremendous amounts of inspiration in both. I think I learned of them from my old GWorld rulebook!
Title: Re: Gamma World - Where do you stand?
Post by: The Dozing Dragon on July 27, 2015, 02:24:26 AM
PM sent Herby.
Title: Re: Gamma World - Where do you stand?
Post by: dexter on July 27, 2015, 05:15:14 PM
We played it extensively as teens . I remember there were two campaigns running one set in the USA and another in Australia . I still have a memory of smart mutant kangaroos playing a version of cricket against the pc's lol
Title: Re: Gamma World - Where do you stand?
Post by: styx on July 27, 2015, 11:55:06 PM
Wow, flashbacks here to my youth, when I was 10 playing Gamma World, we played the crap out of the game and had a blast. We even had a cross D&D game where they ended up in the future including 1980s England, Gamma World and Boot Hill....it was a spin off Ravenloft when they finally got out.

Loved the game, it had flavor and depth that was always a favorite of mine.
Title: Re: Gamma World - Where do you stand?
Post by: Faust23 on July 28, 2015, 07:11:35 AM
I'm reading a lot of misty eyed recollections here. Yes, we broke our teeth on it as kids. Who here is gaming it for PA skirmish?
Title: Re: Gamma World - Where do you stand?
Post by: pahvivalmiste on July 28, 2015, 09:04:36 AM
Hello!

I've played (GM'ed) the third edition with friends this year. It was quite funny and so I also started a miniatures project - the figs are usable in some Post-apocalyptic skirmish games. There's a thread somewhere here.
Title: Re: Gamma World - Where do you stand?
Post by: Dr Mathias on July 29, 2015, 03:10:31 AM
I had the 80's version with the great elmore cover

That's the set I have- one of my all time favorite illustrations.
Title: Re: Gamma World - Where do you stand?
Post by: Faust23 on July 29, 2015, 06:23:56 AM
yes it totally kicked some serious 'A' that cover. That being said I have a massive massive soft spot for Elmore's artwork. To me his artwork is all tied to my early RPG gaming memories so there is a big nostalgia thing going down.



I only like the cover of Star Frontiers from Elmore. Can't stand the rest. Erol Otus and Bill Willingham nail it for me.

Scurv have you done any Gamma World-esque PA skirmish gaming?
Title: Re: Gamma World - Where do you stand?
Post by: Arundel on July 29, 2015, 01:35:59 PM
I'm not much on the Elmore cover. Though this could largely be due to memories alone, I far prefer the original illustration (not sure who did it) of the men approaching the ruined city.

Of course, anything by Erol Otus is also top notch!
Title: Re: Gamma World - Where do you stand?
Post by: Centaur_Seducer on July 29, 2015, 02:30:30 PM
For most of us Swedes, Gammaworld is the predecessor for the game known as Mutant. Which later evolved to Mutant Chronicles (that was shitty to be honest). The license have recently been reworked and released in english under the title Mutant: Year Zero. It still has it's amount of anthromorphs, post-apocalyptic feel, and evil rabbits...

(http://frialigan.se/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/kapitel_2.jpg)
Title: Re: Gamma World - Where do you stand?
Post by: Eric the Shed on July 29, 2015, 02:43:50 PM
Worth noting gamma world is a rehash of TSR's metamorphosis alpha. The background was taken off the lost generation ship and put on a PA earth as M.A. campaigns generally followed the same path of the players discovering it was a generation ship and acting accordingly etc etc.

One upside gamma world does have with PA gaming is it light hearted stuff. As mentioned its perfect for all those saturday morning cartoon style genres and far less depressing than gaming something more akin to the road like the aussie PA game of the same era, Aftermath.


Gosh that cover brings back memories - I still recall the intro piece in rules...

Just the other day I was flicking through my old White Dwarfs and read up the review for M. Alpha  - so long ago...

Still have Aftermath - one of the best RPG's ever - Matakishi's campaigns were something special ! I reckon that was 25- 30 years ago !!

Thanks for posting
Title: Re: Gamma World - Where do you stand?
Post by: mysteriousbill on July 29, 2015, 11:09:02 PM
Still run it. Of course I messed around with the rules (doubled damage on regular weapons- you shouldn't be able to take a dozen crossbow bolts and walk away) and the setting (Dropped strange radiation for strange nano-tech).
Title: Re: Gamma World - Where do you stand?
Post by: Corporal Chaos on July 31, 2015, 12:08:30 AM
Gamma World is one of my all time favorite settings. It has been many years since I played and still want to do something with it. I have never considered it as a skirmish but reading through this thread it may just manifest into a place for me to exercise some creativity and lure some of my friends into the PA world of GAMMA WORLD. The gears are turning.....
Title: Re: Gamma World - Where do you stand?
Post by: Kamandi on August 05, 2015, 03:58:15 AM
Still love GW and Metamorphosis Alpha. I reminds me of home  ;)
Title: Re: Gamma World - Where do you stand?
Post by: BlackWidowPilot on August 05, 2015, 06:36:01 AM

(http://frialigan.se/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/kapitel_2.jpg)


Excuse me, but how the Hell did you get that group shot of my former co-workers from back in the day when I worked private security at a shopping center...?! lol


I do miss Gamma World, and regret that I ever sold off my original 70s vintage rules set and figures.... :'(
Title: Re: Gamma World - Where do you stand?
Post by: kenohhkc on August 05, 2015, 04:12:36 PM
We play Mutant Future, retroclone version of GAmma World.

The 2nd Edition was my introduction to the idea of a PA. I loved it. Still have all of my stuff.
Title: Re: Gamma World - Where do you stand?
Post by: palaeomerus on August 06, 2015, 02:10:37 AM
I recently garage-sale shopped a $15  used box set of the "4th Ed: version of Gamma World.

The box I bought had stuff (books counters an some cards and maps) from two expansions, Famine in Far-Go and Legion of Gold. Might be complete given how nicely all the pog-style counters were arranged.

Anyway this was a weird 'off the beaten path' version of the game where players got new disposable super powers each encounter in the form of mutation cards. Loot was also card based. I think the idea was that you could borrow superpowers of alternate universe versions of yourself in nearby universes. None of the powers you could get seemed to be traps, curses, or pranks. They work like finding potions or scrolls, so you gain new temporary enhanced mobility options, armor, a distance weapon, enhanced perception roles, or stuff like that. Some of them are over the top wacky though, like you get robotic-treads for feet, or become made of bees for one encounter. It's not about consistency or subtlety.

Apparently WoTC intended to sell booster packs of what should have been a loot/power table and there don't seem to be many booster packs around so it may well have worked! Amazon has booster packs with 8 cards (blind packed of course) for $6 which is an order of magnitude more than I'd want to pay.

Still the ideas were weird enough to be momentarily engaging on top of the old "I have a fox head, and a robot arm, and I can see radiation" foundation of previous versions of the game.

I would not mind a cleaned up -no cards- compendium of this edition.
Title: Re: Gamma World - Where do you stand?
Post by: Kamandi on August 07, 2015, 03:46:26 AM
That's actually Gamma World 7th edition from 2010 based on D&D 4th edition.
Title: Re: Gamma World - Where do you stand?
Post by: Sir_Theo on August 19, 2015, 10:14:38 AM
We play Mutant Future, retroclone version of GAmma World.

The 2nd Edition was my introduction to the idea of a PA. I loved it. Still have all of my stuff.

I've also got this. Never played it but I've had loads if fun messing with the character creation!
Title: Re: Gamma World - Where do you stand?
Post by: VoodooInk on August 23, 2015, 05:52:56 PM
Quote
I see a lot of Mad Max & Fallout threads, and was just curious where you guys stand on something more Sci-Fantasy PA like Gamma World?
I like to stand on Rogue Planet. 8)

(http://voodooink.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/rogueplanet_brentspivey_derelictplanetedition.jpg?w=300&h=290) (http://www.blurb.com/b/5920227-rogue-planet)

(https://voodooink.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/rogueplanet_brentspivey_web_preview.jpg?w=231&h=300) (http://www.wargamevault.com/product/139359/Rogue-Planet)
Title: Re: Gamma World - Where do you stand?
Post by: Arundel on August 24, 2015, 01:08:17 PM
Partly inspired by this thread, I went and bought a copy of Mutant Futures by Goblinoid Games. It should come any day, and I'm excited to see it. Now if I can just find some of those old GW adventures for further inspiration; I have very fond memories of Legions of Gold, and Famine in Far-Go looks interesting (how could mutated chickens in a nuclear meat-packing plant not be?).
Title: Re: Gamma World - Where do you stand?
Post by: Terence Gunn on April 30, 2016, 06:12:02 AM
I have fond memories of Game Mastering Gamma World scenarios between 1979 and 1982. My imagination really ran wild – far more than with AD&D, which I also played at the time, in addition to numerous other RPGs I owned and tried out. I remember one of my favourite Gamma World scenarios included (for the players) an underground base with computers, generators, and other forms of ‘lost’ technology, inhabited, maintained, and controlled by Hoops, that was accessible only via cleverly disguised lift shafts within giant red wood (Sequoia) trees. The course of action was (for the players) to find these entry points and explore and learn about these underground, self-sustaining technological labyrinths.

I actually prefer the original Gamma World rules and system to the subsequent ones: keep the foundation simple and leave the rest to the imagination.