Gamma World - Disappointment

[Voneth]

I think there are something like 20 or so mutations and many of them are very weak and almost worthless to have and some of the major ones are very "strange" and have little affect on the game. Previous editions have close to 200 mutations (I counted last night). Yes! I know they have a book coming out with tons of equipment but the core book should have some good material as well. There are no lists of treasures or "babbles" that have excited GW'ers for years with the past editions. There's more, but you get the

Oddly enough, that is similar to some of the responses to WarCraft, also done by WW. Even down to the "I realize there will be more down the road, but I was hoping for more in the core book."

Perhaps WW needs to even out it's pacing a little. More in the core, thinner on the suppliments?

 

[drnuncheon]

Of course they are not exciting, they are negitive feats. If they were useful, the they would not be a negitive mutations

Exciting and useful are two different things. Even a drawback can be exciting if it inspires interesting thoughts about your character, etc.

For example, cowardice as a mutation is not exciting. In fact, it sounds annoying. If I wanted to play a cowardly character, I'd choose to do it. (Are the mutations random like in previous editions?)

The old negative mutation that gave you a second head with a different personality - that's exciting. Having no skeleton, that's exciting, or at least interesting. Having a 'bum leg'? That's...kind of mundane. And mundane is the last thing you want in Gamma World.

J

 

[d4]

Oddly enough, that is similar to some of the responses to WarCraft, also done by WW. Even down to the "I realize there will be more down the road, but I was hoping for more in the core book."

Perhaps WW needs to even out it's pacing a little. More in the core, thinner on the suppliments?

well, you could say the same thing of any of their Storyteller games, so i don't think the problem is only in their d20 lines...

like Psion, i always thought the original version(s) of Gamma World were a bit too "silly" for my tastes. i'm hoping to get the print version of Darwin's World (the d20 Modern edition) at some point, but i was planning on skipping GW. if this incarnation of GW is significantly less "silly" than previous ones, i may take a look at it now.

 

[VorpalBunny]

Oddly enough, that is similar to some of the responses to WarCraft, also done by WW. Even down to the "I realize there will be more down the road, but I was hoping for more in the core book."

Perhaps WW needs to even out it's pacing a little. More in the core, thinner on the suppliments?

I agree. The community rules, while nicely done could have been put in the GM Guide.

Hey VB, nice to see ya. I like your new Avatar!

Well I ordered my book from Amazon so it should be here next week. I will wait and give my spin on it after I read it. Gamma World, well really Metamorphosis Alpha was the first RPG game I ever played in. (would you believe I checked it out of my junior high school library ) so I have alot of fond memories of it. I guess that puts me in the Grognards camp.

Wassup YS?

You shouldn't be dissapointed. No RPG (especially new editions of classic games) fails to leave some players wanting more, but GW is definitely playable. Even to old GW grognards like us.

 

[Gallo22]

Exciting and useful are two different things. Even a drawback can be exciting if it inspires interesting thoughts about your character, etc.

For example, cowardice as a mutation is not exciting. In fact, it sounds annoying. If I wanted to play a cowardly character, I'd choose to do it. (Are the mutations random like in previous editions?)

The old negative mutation that gave you a second head with a different personality - that's exciting. Having no skeleton, that's exciting, or at least interesting. Having a 'bum leg'? That's...kind of mundane. And mundane is the last thing you want in Gamma World.

J

Exactly, this is what I ment by them not being exciting. On a side note there are afew new mutations that are pretty cool. Check out arachnofiber, just to name one. The problem is, there are so few of them!

Gallo22

 

[Yellow Sign]

like Psion, i always thought the original version(s) of Gamma World were a bit too "silly" for my tastes. i'm hoping to get the print version of Darwin's World (the d20 Modern edition) at some point, but i was planning on skipping GW. if this incarnation of GW is significantly less "silly" than previous ones, i may take a look at it now.

I had always thought the best way to run a Gamma World campaign would be like the "Hieros Journey" and "The Unforsaken Hiero" books. Now that was a neat setting. A destroyed world with mutants, neat bad guys, heroes with strange but powerful abilities, and a Mutated Moose!!!

 

[Tom Cashel]

I'm an old-school GW fan, and I love how they reinvented the milieu. The intro grabbed my attention and held it.

And keep in mind that this is only the Player's Handbook! All those super-cool goodies that are missing will undoubtedly show up in the Game Master's Guide (also a "core" book, no?).

 

[Luddite]

Exciting and useful are two different things. Even a drawback can be exciting if it inspires interesting thoughts about your character, etc.

For example, cowardice as a mutation is not exciting. In fact, it sounds annoying. If I wanted to play a cowardly character, I'd choose to do it. (Are the mutations random like in previous editions?)

The old negative mutation that gave you a second head with a different personality - that's exciting. Having no skeleton, that's exciting, or at least interesting. Having a 'bum leg'? That's...kind of mundane. And mundane is the last thing you want in Gamma World.

J

Okay. I see your point. My next question about the negitive mutations, is how many of the negtive mutations are "role-play only." Does Cowardness actaculy give you some game mechanic modifer, or do you just play a coward.

Also I would venture to guess that the negitive mutations are unexciting because they had to be limited in both "power" and have some modifier to what was in the game. I don't know who else has down any type of "Flaws" (or Anti-Feats) for d20.

-The Luddite

 

[Staffan]

Hmm. Sounds like I'd do well to stick to my Mutant: Undergångens Arvtagare (Swedish post-apocalyptic game based on the BRP engine, and with a feel closer to 19th century/early industrial stuff rather than Mad Max).

 

[drnuncheon]

I don't know who else has down any type of "Flaws" (or Anti-Feats) for d20.

There was an 'anti-feat' system in the Villain Design Handbook, but it was exceptionally crummy.

J