Gamma World - Thoughts? Review?

[Nisarg]

Bruce made some comments about the criticism, but the worst by far was one of the other authors (don't recall which) who was actively flaming anyone who said anything negative about the book.

Wish I could remember who it was, pricks deserve to be remembered.

Well, Bruce Baugh was sufficiently pissed to get me banned off RPG.net for allegedly attacking him (I wasn't, I was banned for a theoretical example I was using where someone banned Bruce Baugh's work, my mistake for using a real person, and an extremely thin-skinned one, as an example).

He's had a beef with me long before that though, and seems to have the standard WW party-line position that anyone who doesn't like his work must be a half-wit moron with no capacity to appreciate his brilliance.

Nisarg

 

[Samuel Leming]

Now that I've had a chance to scan over my free Gamma World Player's Handbook PDF, I can honestly say that it was worth every bit of what I've paid for it.

Sam

 

[Emiricol]

Whether it's the writing or the editing or the license they had, I couldn't say, but regardless, even free my feeling is that Gamma World is still overpriced.

Sadly, I bought the book in hardcopy >.<

 

[scourger]

I hate to say that I'm not even inclined to download GWd20 for free. It just boggles the mind that it could be so bad whereas Omega World was so good. In my opinion, WW would have done better to expand OW into a bigger game and then support the heck out of it with adventures. Paizo should reprint OW and sell it as a game on its own.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

Free? I'm getting it right now. Can't complain about free... and it's digital too so it won't take up space on my shelves. Almost downloaded completely...

 

[Sea Devil]

Was it Baugh, on rpg.net?

He's had similar reactions to people criticizing his work in the past; I was sympathetic until I paid thirty-five dollars for the GWd20 PHB.

I don't remember who it was. I do remember that whomever it was commented that they almost quit the gaming business because of the criticism GWd20 got.

 

[Emiricol]

I don't remember who it was. I do remember that whomever it was commented that they almost quit the gaming business because of the criticism GWd20 got.

Darwin's World II is so unbelievably better* than GWd20 that I find it difficult to feel bad for whoever the whiny author is.


* "Better" being entirely personal and subjective, but my opinion is the right one

 

[PosterBoy]

Regardless of what d20 PA rule set you prefer. I just wanted to point out that we have over a dozen PA web enhancements and demos that are FREE for download. Check them out.

http://www.rpgobjects.com/index.php?page=downloads

Enjoy.

 

[King of Old School]

Just to give the opposition a voice, I'm one of many people who are quite happy with GWd20. The PHB admittedly had some editing problems, and the authors admittedly said some really dumb things in the wake of its release, but to be fair a lot of the criticism of the book at the time was just shrill hysterics and blatant ad hominem by people who refused to allow that some people might have a different take on their precious old-school GW. It's just a friggin' game, if you don't like it then don't play it and feel free say so, but acting like S&SS are personally insulting your genealogy and religious beliefs by publishing it just makes you look stupid. Grognardy burns my behind.

The GWd20 line gets a lot better when you throw in some of the other books, esp. Machines & Mutants and Out of the Vaults. I like d20 Modern a lot, so GWd20 gives me what I need to run the kind of PA game I want (i.e. not something out of an '80s cartoon). I don't agree with all of the development decisions the game made either, and in retrospect I think the game would have been a lot better received if it hadn't been saddled with the GW name (and the legacy of grognardy that comes with it), but if you take it on its own merits it's a fun game and that's ultimately what I'm looking for.

I've looked over Darwin's World 2e with the intention of buying it, but I didn't find anything in the hardcover that compelled me to make the purchase or want to use it instead of (or with) GWd20. But then, "is more like old-school GW than GWd20" isn't a selling point for me. I think it's cool that people like it, but I'd be interested to know if there's anything more to recommend it than the aforementioned.

KoOS

 

[C. Baize]

Now that I've had a chance to scan over my free Gamma World Player's Handbook PDF, I can honestly say that it was worth every bit of what I've paid for it.

Sam

I quite agree.

Actually... there are some good bits in there. It's not crap on a stick as I was lead to believe. It's just .... different.

Let's take a VERY small comparison between it and (my personal favorite PA game) Darwin's World.

Darwin's World = Gritty and harsh world where survival is an every day struggle against not only the things in the world, but also the lack of things in the world. From the creatures to the lack of water, to the water available being poisoned beyond any semblance of sane usage, Darwin's World really sets the tone of Post Apocalyptic gaming.
Gamma World = Mostly shows a partial melting of the polar ice caps, and a few areas of irradiated badlands... For the most part, the ground is arable, the water is potable, and you really only have to watch out for a couple of badlands and the occasional insane robot. And of course the Hoops and Arks. This isn't necessarily a bad thing in and of itself. I had many many fun hours as a kid playing the previous versions of Gamma World.... Nort and Scar, anyone? My players shuddered at the very names.

Darwin's World = Most of the creatures in Darwin's World are harsh, deadly... and dying... and they know they're dying.... For the most part... they hate it, and they're maliciously trying to take everything with them, too. They're rarely intelligent, but they lash out in instinctive violence against everything around them. The creatures in Darwin's World are truly fearsome. From the Screamers, to the Rad Wolves... the last thing you want to meet in Darwin's World is a creature that isn't domesticated.
Gamma World = I'm a bit less than impressed with most of the range of creatures in the Gamma World PHB, and can only hope that this is rectified in further supplements for the line. Most of what underwhelmed me (and this may certainly be because it's the PLAYER'S handbook) was the proliferation of mansized and human intelligence level creatures. Everything shouldn't be smart. And if the description for the Hoppers holds out for the rest of the setting, then there are few unintelligent creatures left in the world. I would rather have a creature that was a canny hunter or had an interesting defensive knack than to be human level intelligence. Hoops and Arks are certainly exempt from this... Although I didn't see any cactus men, and that saddened me.
Also... where are Nort and Scar???

Those are my two major gripes with what I've seen, thus far. I'll be anxiously waiting to see if the other Gamma World products get the free treatment. If I like what I see from another supplement, it may move me to actually purchase the others.
I have many many fond memories of Gamma World gaming in previous editions. I'd like to see if the new one can compare.
Though I may indeed be jaded by the greatness that is Darwin's World 2.


Oh, one more thing....
I was lead to believe that Gamma World was base D20... I was VERY pleasantly surprised to find that it was built for D20 Modern.
Kudos on that point!


EDIT -
Oh yeah!
Watermark GOOOOD.
DRM BAAAAAAAAAD.

I LIKE the watermarking scheme. I'm not bothered in the LEAST by having my name attached to my copy of the PDF. It's fully functional, and THAT is what I'm concerned with.
VERY VERY good move, there. I wouldn't be opposed to all PDFs being watermarked with the buyer's name watermarked on the pages.
BIG thumbs up on that point!