d20 Apocalypse vs. Darwin's World

[Committed Hero]

Have you read the latest incarnation of Gamma World? I'll give it kudos for concept but the rest is just very disappointing.

Yeah, but I was just noting that it wasn't invluded in this comparison. The group rules were pretty well received, but I thought it was too edgy, especially compared with prior editions.

 

[scourger]

Anyone looking for PA d20 must see Omega World from the Polyhedron side of Dungeon #94. Brilliantly designed by Jonathon Tweet & still on sale as a back issue for just $10,

http://paizo.com/dungeon/products/issues/2002/94

it is d20 Gamma World done right. I bought 2 copies in addition to my subscription, an extra for me and one for a friend who bought an extra to use for games. Boy, do I miss playing it & running it!

 

[ClintforMayor]

I have nothing against Gama World, but it’s too futuristic for what I am looking for, in the death lands world the nuclear war happens Jan. 20, 2001. I like that, and the technology in my game is going to be kept around that year; so I won't be having ray guns and Iron Man type armor and such. I'm trying to put together a more realistic stetting where life is going to be hard and dieing will be harder and frequent. Me and my friends have a dungeon and dragon campaign going and its all fun and I'm still going to be running that game, but with healing potions and healing magic to save the characters the threat of death is not as heavy a burden. This game I am designing will be deadly, there are no miracle cures for a bullet wound and characters will have to heal normally. If you’re hit, you’re hit and down for the rest of the game, unless time passes in the game long enough for the character to heal normally. These games will be different then the D&D games we are playing, the purpose of the game is Survival and experience will be rewarded to those that survive for just surviving, but extra experience will be rewarded for heroic acts. There are no resurrections or anything else that can bring a character back and death is eternal.

ClintforMayor

 

[scourger]

I still recommend getting a copy of Omega World. It is easy to take out the high-tech (ray guns) and leave in the stuff that currently exists (firearms). Also, if there are no mutations, then leave those out, too. I think some kind of "powers" (magic, psionics, the Force, etc.) are what make RPGs compelling for players; but they can certainly be curtailed or eliminated altogether.

You may also be able to make your game using what is in D&D 3.x. The DMG has a section on modern weapons. I think the feat is Exotic Weapons-Firearms. The rest is pretty portable. There are simple rules for dynamite, shotguns & full-auto (maybe even grenades). (If you want more detail, take it from the d20 Modern SRD.) You could even use the NPC classes, warrior & expert in particular, for the PCs. From the PHB, the fighter (maybe an ex-soldier), & rogue (a skilled survivor) could be used for a PA game without magic. You might even drop in the barbarian (a savage) and the monk (a wanderer). The best bonus of all is that you & your group already know the system, so there is no new material to master. All you have to do is use the game you're already playing in new ways to make the setting come alive. I've considered this many times.