2005 WotC d20 Modern product: d20 Apocalypse

[Krieg]

Technically I can't even confirm the existence of that book they have listed on Amazon or my alleged involvement with it, although we are all familiar with Amazon's accuracy.

If Amazon is correct, it would never be my intention to steal any of DW 2's thunder. Obviously some overlap would have to exist in such a product, but were I involved with such a thing, I would do my best to add rather than to compete.

LOL That makes me feel like I am still working for the government.

 

[Michael Morris]

Relax Darrin. Aren't you in the clear once WotC posts it on their own site??

 

[Sketchpad]

Now that it's been put in WotC's catalogs can you say anything further? I had also heard there were supposed to be four books for d20 Modern in '05 (though where I heard this I can't remember). If this is the case, I'd love to see a Mecha manual using the rules from d20 Future .... or perhaps a Starships guide with the cut construction system

 

[BrooklynKnight]

In the d20 future chat that occured tonight Chris Perkins mentioned that the format from now on will be the 96 page softcovers. They decided to do it that way because if they did a large hardcover they could only do 2 a year. With these smaller books they can cover more specific topics and more often. Approx 4 d20 modern books are planned for 05.

d20 Past, d20 apoc, and he mentioned the theme of one of the other books was futuristic.

 

[Darrin Drader]

Relax Darrin. Aren't you in the clear once WotC posts it on their own site??

Ah, I see that they have posted it now. http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=products/d20m/880460000

OK, I will confirm that I was on the design team for this book. Beyond that, I am still bound by my NDA until after it has been released.

 

[Darrin Drader]

I've never lost my love for Gamma World, but man, oh man, did I come close with some of the recent offerings, particularly 4th edition, the Alterntiy edition (5th edition), and Sword and Sorcery's debacle, the 6th edition/d20 edition. I'm not going to get into why I loathed Sword and Sorcery's version of Gamma World...most people seem to have shared that opinion, and it's well-documented on this and other forums.

Suffice it to say that I am hoping, truly and completely, that D20 Apocalypse is the Gamma World I once loved...and will love again.

Man, I wish I could tell you that it will be. I have a very strong appreciation for the previous versions of Gamma World, but I would like to stress one of the statements on the Wizard's site about this 96 page product:

The book provides new rules for barter, scavenging, equipment, mutations and robots. Three ready-to-play campaign models are included.

In other words, here's the toolkit and the framework. Its really up to you to flesh the setting out the way you see fit. That means you'll be able to break out the 1st edition Gamma World materials (or 3rd edition, or the Alternity version) for background and you should be happy. If you are hoping for a recreation of that incarnation of Gamma World for D20, I'm sorry, but that is not what it will be.

This is one project that I spent a lot of time thinking about, planning for, and sweating over. I spent a lot of time working with Eric, Owen, and the others at Wizards RPG R&D so that this would shape up to be the best offering possible within the parameters were were given. I am happy with the outcome, but I want to make clear that this will not be an updated Gamma World v.x. It will have its own identity.

There, now I've said too much.

 

[trancejeremy]

It's kinda weird that WOTC can only put out 2 hardcovers for 2 Modern a year (or 4 96 page books). I mean, Mongoose puts out what, 2 hardcovers a week? (okay, not that many, but more than 2 a month.)

Anyway, good, I found Darwin's World (1st edition at least, haven't seen 2nd) to be well done, but not to my taste.

 

[BrooklynKnight]

If you want an exact quote, head to the log of the chat which i've posted on this forum.

As for Mongoose, well, One could argue that Mongoose and WOTC arent the same quality.

(note, i'm not saying which of the two is better )

Edit:

Also lets remember, How many D&D Products do they have going?

They have 4-5 Eberron books a year, 3 Forgotten Realms books a year, how many Base D&D Books a year? I'm not sure at the moment. You've also got the miniatures which falls into the same dept.

Chris feels that with that workload they can only handle 2 large modern books or 4 modern small ones, well, as the boss (and he is currently the boss for RPG dev i think) thats his decision.

Frankly I'll take what I can get. There are a plethora of 3rd party books for Modern that I cant even afford. So I think we're in a pretty good position. My only gripe is that Past shoulda been another hardcover. Past, Modern, Future makes for a good "core" arc of books that should all be hard cover. D20 Apoc can really take place in any of the 3 era books, though its predominatnly future.

(exuse the spelling at 4am)

 

[Bill Scott]

If you are interested in running the genre, but are daunted by the immense size of Darwin's World 2, then you might want to take a look at Redline by FFG.

It's one of their little, self-contained Horizon brand games, and it's a very good one if you like "Road Warrior" type stuff.

I second TB's suggestion. Although it's a little on the thin side, which is not a problem with the lower price, it's a great book if you want to run a basic post apolyptic campaign. Now if you want to add a bit of meat to the campaign, add some DW2 to it for a awesome campaign

 

[MrFilthyIke]

Man, I hope those guys are talking to Jonathan Tweet or at least taking a close, hard look at his awesome work on Omega World!

I hope they don't, Omega World was too 'Toon-ish, as I've stated in other posts. Nothing against Mr Tweet, that's just not what I'd like to see in d20 Apocalypse. Give me something more Mad Max-ish, or maybe similar to The End since most d20 is compatible.