So what is the difference between Gamma World d20 and Darwin's World?

[Vigilance]

That said, it's not a whole lot like Gamma World (any edition). Gamma World always seemed kind of "Goofy" (And I mean that in the absolute best sense of the term).

Darwin's World[ hews a little closer to "Grim" than "Goofy"

I agree, and that was always something I loved about Gamma World, that "through the looking glass" feel that it had.

Unfortunately, I felt like the new edition of Gamma World lost that whackiness without replacing it with anything charming enough to take it's place. I think that's why it didn't quite work for me. They were afraid to go all the way and embrace what made their source material good. It's like making "Snakes on a Plane" but calling it "Flight 191". You can't go right to the EDGE of doing a thing, pull back and tell yourself you did it.

Either do it, or not do it.

IMO, there's two workable flavors of post-apoc gaming: Gamma World and Road Warrior. Darwin's World is the latter and previous editions of Gamma World were, rather obviously, the former.

The newest edition of Gamma World tried to split the difference between whacky and grim and wound up just not delivering.

Chuck

PS I'm obviously biased, but I was a fan of DW before I worked for RPGO, so take my opinion with the grain of salt you feel it deserves.

 

[Teflon Billy]

I agree, and that was always something I loved about Gamma World, that "through the looking glass" feel that it had.

Ditto. I didn't really realize how much we liked it's goofball feel until we picked up the nigh-unplayable (but inarguably grim) Aftermath.

Unfortunately, I felt like the new edition of Gamma World lost that whackiness without replacing it with anything charming enough to take it's place. I think that's why it didn't quite work for me. They were afraid to go all the way and embrace what made their source material good. It's like making "Snakes on a Plane" but calling it "Flight 191". You can't go right to the EDGE of doing a thing, pull back and tell yourself you did it.

Exactly. I wish I had put it that well.

IMO, there's two workable flavors of post-apoc gaming: Gamma World and Road Warrior. Darwin's World is the latter and previous editions of Gamma World were, rather obviously, the former.

Yeah. I actually think that Darwin's World was supposed ot be the same feel as the videogame Fallout (I think Posterboy mentioned that around here once). I guess it's could be debated pretty easily that Fallout is Road-Warrior based though.

...and now that I think of it; Damn, but The Road Warrior was a good movie

The newest edition of Gamma World tried to split the difference between whacky and grim and wound up just not delivering.

Yeah...(to paraphrase Spinal tap) They tried to combine Fire and Ice and got a puddle of lukewarm water.

 

[Jack Morgan]

i haven't seen either game, but i have fond memories of playing a six foot tall, cigar smoking, mutated black rabbit wielding a blaster rifle in GW 1e. Good times. There was always something about the art in the original Gamma world that I liked, too.

 

[yojimbouk]

Gamma World d20 suffered from a bad lack of focus. The designers didn't know whether they wanted to do a Fallout style game, an update of the original, or a generic toolkit for Post-Apocalyptic gaming.

To my mind, if you want something similar to Fallout, you're best off with Darwin's World 2. If you want an update of the original, check out Omega World in Dungeon 94. If you want a toolkit, buy d20 Apocalypse.

I prefer d20 Apocalypse and Darwin's World 2 myself but then I prefer Fallout over giant mutant badgers with frickin lasers coming out of their eyes

 

[Vigilance]

I prefer d20 Apocalypse and Darwin's World 2 myself but then I prefer Fallout over giant mutant badgers with frickin lasers coming out of their eyes

Mmmmm giant badgers with lasers.

Nothing beats rabbit men with a lit cigar hanging out of his mouth, raybans and a M-16 though.

That was what was great about the old GW, you were through the looking glass. It could be funny, it could be absurd, it could be terrifying and often was all three in a short span.

Chuck

 

[Plane Sailing]

I'm one of the few people who were disappointed with the very original Gamma World - but I put that down to my love affair with Metamorphasis Alpha by Jim Ward, my first ever RPG purpose (I couldn't afford D&D in 1976!). Gamma World, by comparison, was too big a canvas and didn't have any large-scale direction to it.

I even picked up the Amazing Engine version of Metamorphosis Alpha, just because it was about that 'ole generation ship

Back to Gamma World d20 though. I've not seen it, but the following threads might be helpful:

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=126415

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=106310

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=97722

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=67134

It looks as if the majority of people probably prefer Darwins World 2 to Gamma World for their post apocalyptic stuff.

Cheers