Alternity clone?

[dm4hire]

So I was strolling down memory lane on Amazon and came across Alternity; a game with such great potential and doomed to fail because of destiny. There's been a lot of talk about clones for older versions of D&D lately and while the prospect of picking up a copy of the two core Alternity books is appealing (I just can't justify it outside of collecting a memory) I have to wonder if anyone has done a clone. Does anyone know if a clonehas been done for Alternity? If so could you provide a link? Thanks.

 

[DMH]

No, there hasn't been. There was some mention of someone thinking about it, but nothing more.

If a clone is to be released, I will write supplements for it. I love Alternity, am a major player on A.net's forum and doubt I will ever get tired of the system.

 

[dm4hire]

Dang, I was hoping someone might surprise me with good news. Oh well, thanks for the response.

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

Actually, the guys behind the new Cortex system worked on Alternity and it uses a lot of the same concepts.

In particular, it also uses the "dice step" mechanic.

I highly recommend it!

 

[Mark]

I picked up a box of the Alternity Adventure Game: StarCraft Edition at a garage sale last weekend. It's essentially quick start rules with characters and adventures and dice, ready to go. Something like that might be just what is needed for a one-shot (or two) without all of the fuss and bother of reinvesting time and money in a full system or seeking out a new and simple clone that allows fast play for a short time.

 

[dm4hire]

I still have the Alternity Gamma World book which is a pretty good little one shot campaign book but I got rid of everything else a long time ago. At the time I saw no point in keeping the stuff since it wasn't being supported and didn't have anyone to game with interested in that system. I purchased the Coretex system book a couple of weeks ago as well as have the BSG and Serenity games. I like what they have done, but don't really see it as a good comparison to Alternity. Alternity was really a head of it's time and it is sad that the system got shelved like it did. I appreciate that WotC didn't want to have two sci-fi games competing with each other due to Star Wars, but I think they could have done it. Star Wars could have easily used the system as the Force providing a step bonus to make rolling under the target would have definitely reflected the nature of the system.

Mark I saw your post in another thread about your scoring the Starcraft box set; nice haul. I agree about it's use as a one shot or short campaign set. The Gamma World book would do the same. I was just hoping that if someone had done a clone they would also have toyed with tightening the system a bit. Maybe streamline the skills or something. I did aquire the PDF of the fast play rules from somewhere which does provide enough to allow for a short session as well.

 

[Hawke]

I'm really hoping once 4E is pretty settled in (2011?) that they'll begin work on an alternity system using 4E mechanics retooled for a sci-fi setting.

I wonder how interested they are in that, though... Alternity was fantastic but didn't seem to sell as well as they would've liked, same with d20 modern. Maybe they're seeing that the sci-fi stuff doesn't seem to sell quite as well... or perhaps there were other reasons for those pieces not doing quite as well. Or maybe they don't do as well with a D&D focus too much, it gets lost in the fray.

 

[slwoyach]

I wonder how interested they are in that, though... Alternity was fantastic but didn't seem to sell as well as they would've liked, same with d20 modern. Maybe they're seeing that the sci-fi stuff doesn't seem to sell quite as well... or perhaps there were other reasons for those pieces not doing quite as well. Or maybe they don't do as well with a D&D focus too much, it gets lost in the fray.

Alternity was doing fine until TSR collapsed. It died for the same reason Birthright did, timing.

 

[Amphimir Míriel]

I'm really hoping once 4E is pretty settled in (2011?) that they'll begin work on an alternity system using 4E mechanics retooled for a sci-fi setting.

I also believe that a "4th edition D20 Modern/Future/Supers" engine would be a very good idea...

I missed Alternity... I stopped playing rpg's around the mid nineties and started playing again a couple of years ago... What made it so great?

 

[Knightfall]

I've been considering getting the Alternity Science Fiction Adventure Game boxed set. A local store has it and I'd only have to pay CAN $5 for it.

It is in its original shrinkwrap too. (However, I'd open it if I get it.)