Gamma World - Thoughts? Review?

[fanboy2000]

I don't know about Gamma World from S&S, but I loved Omaga World. It's a little too toung-in-cheek for many people, but it's captures the spirt of the game for me.

The rules emphsize randomness and mutations. Class and feats take an unusual backseat in this game. The GMing advice though, is priceless. Tweet emphasizes and rewards exploration and risk-taking, and does of good job of it. On top of that, it has some of the best monster write-ups this side of Terra Incognito.

Because Omaga World was a mini-game, it focuses on one-shots and short campaigns. A short, story focused, campaign is quite doable, however.

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

Gamma World d20 is the bitterest disappointment I have ever had with any d20 product. It was a complete departure from the Gamma World setting, and, in my opinion, was not particularly good as a stand-alone Post Apocalyptic game.

The section on mutations was threadbare and poorly written; I can understand the desire for realism (or, at least, plausability), but these do not belong in Gamma World, and with the way they were handled in-game, they would have been better off not using mutations at all.

They were forbidden from using mutant plants by their editors, but this does not excuse the piss-poor handling of mutant animals. We are not even given stats for mutant animals, but instead referred to the Moreaus in d20 Modern-- without even getting stats for new moreaus. There is, to my recollection, also no provision for additional mutations on Moreaus.

Thus, we are left with a more or less generic Post Apocalyptic game that incorporates some Gamma World ideas. I'm not entirely certain, due to how long ago I looked at it, but iconic Gamma World races like the Sleeth and Dabbers were not presented as playable races. The psionics rules were poorly designed, unbalanced, and did not work within the class/level framework of d20 Modern or even similarly to the class/level framework of Gamma World 4th edition or Alternity.

If you want a good d20 Post Apocalyptic game, buy Darwin's World, or wait for d20 Apocalypse and hope for the best. (I am doing the latter.) If you want Gamma World, hit eBay for a copy of either 4th edition or the Alternity version, as long as you can find the issue of Dragon that gave you the mutant animal rules. If you want d20 Gamma World, I'd recommend picking up both 4th and Alternity editions of Gamma World and converting it yourself.

If you absolutely must pick up Gamma World d20, buy it used so that you don't reward S&S for abusing the enthusiasm of Gamma World fans.

 

[DMH]

- I'm a huge fan of Fallout and this is the closest thing to a polished project that can be used for Fallout-esque gaming.

One of the problem with GW d20 is that is isn't goofy enough for a lot of GW fans. The first edition I owned was the 4th and so I was exposed to that kind of game after I started playing GW, and I hate it. GW maybe goofy and silly for a lot of people, but not me. For me, it is an alien setting that has hints of the familiar with hope and terror.

You want to run a Fallout type game, both GW and DW will provide it in different ways. Avoid Omega World unless you want the zany bits.

 

[Nisarg]

One of the problem with GW d20 is that is isn't goofy enough for a lot of GW fans.

No, the problem with GW D20 is that its not Gamma World, for countless reason besides "goofiness". Bruce Baugh INTENTIONALLY went out of his way to create something that had nothing to do with the original spirit of Gamma World. Its like he wanted to screw the fans.


Darwin's World does a reasonable imitation Gamma World without being "goofy". Gamma World was really a broad spectrum, playable as everything from a Darwin's World level of seriousness to an Omega World level of gonzo.
The problem is that if the scale is from 1 to 10, GW d20 is a "&". It isn't even on the spectrum.

Nisarg

 

[Krieg]

- I'm a huge fan of Fallout and this is the closest thing to a polished project that can be used for Fallout-esque gaming.

Going over some ground already covered but anyways...

If you are a fan of Fallout as well as GW, then Darwin's World (2nd Edition) is the book that you want.

The GW PHB is by far the worst book in the line. If you like it the rest of the GW line will blow your socks off, if you don't like it (join the club ) you still might want to take a look at some of the other books as they are an improvement over the PHB.

Omega World is great fun but Darwin's World is definitely a better fit given the interests you have mentioned thus far.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

They were forbidden from using mutant plants by their editors, but this does not excuse the piss-poor handling of mutant animals. We are not even given stats for mutant animals, but instead referred to the Moreaus in d20 Modern-- without even getting stats for new moreaus. There is, to my recollection, also no provision for additional mutations on Moreaus.

Why in the world did they decide to have no mutant plants?

The Auld Grump

 

[VorpalBunny]

Why in the world did they decide to have no mutant plants?

The Auld Grump

TPTB at White Wolf thought the were "silly", and were left out of the game for that reason.

 

[Nisarg]

Why in the world did they decide to have no mutant plants?

The Auld Grump

Its white wolf. Mutant plants don't fit in with the beret-wearing clove-cigarrette-smoking vermouth-drinking crowd.

Nisarg

 

[papakee]

Gamma World D20

I too bought Gamma World d20, tried to read it, and immediately sold it on eBay. It was not even close to the original Gamma World and was poorly written. Yuck!!!! Thank goodness for ebay.

 

[Kanegrundar]

I wasn't happy with GWD20 either. However, I do rob bits and pieces for my homebrew campaign. Mutants and Machines is a great book, however. DW2 is an excellent book, though, that I can give no higher recommendation.

Kane