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How many editions of Gamma World were made and which is the best?
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the Jester
Legend
I preferred 2e, but I never played anything past 3e.
Krieg
First Post
http://www.geocities.com/hobbit_lands/gwpro1.htmldead said:
The above link has a very good history of Gamma World including it's predecessor Metamorphosis Alpha. Pretty much the only thing not listed is the Omega World mini-game found in Dungeon Magazine.
In a word...HellHound said:
No.
Last edited:
Hi there,
1 There were six, seven, or eight editions, depending on whether you count "Omega World" and "Metamorphosis Alpha" as "editions".
2. The original creators of GW have NOTHING to do with the current edition.
3. Not really a hardcore of 1st edition players, but a lot of 3rd and 4th edition players out there, and also a strong contingent of Omega World fanatics (like me), who feel that the current edition of GW is apalling and NOT Gamma World at all.
4. 3rd and 4th editions are both good, having systems that will appeal to different groups of people. Omega World is D20. Setting wise, any of these three are the "real" GW. 5th edition and the current version by Bruce Baugh are in settings so different that they can't really (IMO) be considered Gamma World. Why they chose to steal the GW name for these settings rather than let their post-apocalyptic settings stand or fall on their own merit without having to try to use brand recognition disingenously is beyond me.
5. No Idea.
6. My brother is a big SF fan. He says its good. Then again, he's 18 and thinks pop-punk, big pants, and living in your parent's basement are all "good", so take his opinions for what they're worth.
Nisarg
1 There were six, seven, or eight editions, depending on whether you count "Omega World" and "Metamorphosis Alpha" as "editions".
2. The original creators of GW have NOTHING to do with the current edition.
3. Not really a hardcore of 1st edition players, but a lot of 3rd and 4th edition players out there, and also a strong contingent of Omega World fanatics (like me), who feel that the current edition of GW is apalling and NOT Gamma World at all.
4. 3rd and 4th editions are both good, having systems that will appeal to different groups of people. Omega World is D20. Setting wise, any of these three are the "real" GW. 5th edition and the current version by Bruce Baugh are in settings so different that they can't really (IMO) be considered Gamma World. Why they chose to steal the GW name for these settings rather than let their post-apocalyptic settings stand or fall on their own merit without having to try to use brand recognition disingenously is beyond me.
5. No Idea.
6. My brother is a big SF fan. He says its good. Then again, he's 18 and thinks pop-punk, big pants, and living in your parent's basement are all "good", so take his opinions for what they're worth.
Nisarg
dead said:
I had the 1st edition back in the day, but it (sadly) left my collection long ago. More recently, I bought the Alternity edition. I loved the story but did not quite grasp the Alternity rules. However, I though it was brilliant that the whole game, including adventures, was in one book. Then Omega World (from Dungeon/Polyhedron #94) enabled me to run the Alternity adventures using a d20 system. In my opinion, Omega World is brilliant. I bought the d20 Modern Gamma World (published by Sword & Sorcery), read it and immediately sold it on eBay at a loss as I found it totally unappealing.
So, my advice to you is to get Omega World first for a great d20 game mechanic.
Second, get Alternity Gamma World if you might enjoy some adventure conversion work.
So, my advice to you is to get Omega World first for a great d20 game mechanic.
Second, get Alternity Gamma World if you might enjoy some adventure conversion work.
Sebastian Ashputtle
First Post
Most of your questions have been answered already, but let me chime in with my own story of hatred for the Sword and Sorcery Gamma World:
It blows.
One of my very first RPGs was Gamma World. That was back in 1981, when most of you young punks weren't even born yet. [Starts sniffing, takes out hankie, wipes tears of nostalgia away] Every time I see that black-and-white picture of the Buck Rogers dudes approaching the ruined city, I get all misty-eyed.
Fast forward to 2003. I was one of the first in line at my FLGS to buy the "new" Gamma World from Sword and Sorcery. After finding over two dozen typos in the first three chapters and marvelling at the awkward mechanics (the game uses D20 Modern but the authors didn't really understand *how* to use D20 Modern...their added-on psionics system, for example, is dreadful) I promptly sold my copy. Never looked back.
Oh, and the Alternity version of Gamma World is interesting, but not really Gamma World. There are no rules for playing a mutated animal, and only humans can use advanced technology, and the nuclear holocaust was started by aliens (!) . . .
If you *really* want to play Gamma World, buy D20 Modern and D20 Future. That's all you need, baby. One of the campaign settings in D20 Future is, essentially, Gamma World with the numbers filed off. Obviously WotC was disappointed at how Sword & Sorcery butchered Gamma World and tried to make it right, albeit in a small way...
Omega World is great, but far too comical to be Gamma World. In my view, it's more of a parody of Gamma World. And a good one, at that. Worth picking up if you can find that back issue of Dungeon that features it.
It blows.
One of my very first RPGs was Gamma World. That was back in 1981, when most of you young punks weren't even born yet. [Starts sniffing, takes out hankie, wipes tears of nostalgia away] Every time I see that black-and-white picture of the Buck Rogers dudes approaching the ruined city, I get all misty-eyed.
Fast forward to 2003. I was one of the first in line at my FLGS to buy the "new" Gamma World from Sword and Sorcery. After finding over two dozen typos in the first three chapters and marvelling at the awkward mechanics (the game uses D20 Modern but the authors didn't really understand *how* to use D20 Modern...their added-on psionics system, for example, is dreadful) I promptly sold my copy. Never looked back.
Oh, and the Alternity version of Gamma World is interesting, but not really Gamma World. There are no rules for playing a mutated animal, and only humans can use advanced technology, and the nuclear holocaust was started by aliens (!) . . .
If you *really* want to play Gamma World, buy D20 Modern and D20 Future. That's all you need, baby. One of the campaign settings in D20 Future is, essentially, Gamma World with the numbers filed off. Obviously WotC was disappointed at how Sword & Sorcery butchered Gamma World and tried to make it right, albeit in a small way...
Omega World is great, but far too comical to be Gamma World. In my view, it's more of a parody of Gamma World. And a good one, at that. Worth picking up if you can find that back issue of Dungeon that features it.
Thotas
First Post
I played a game of one version of GW, I don't know which one it actually was. It was one of the early ones, though -- that session took place in 1981, plus or minus one year. It was amusing, but not a game I could take seriously to play for extended campaigns. My character was an electro-blasting skunk man, for the love of Mike!
I have, but have not played, the "Alternity" rules version. Interesting read, I'd give it a try if schedule allowed and I knew some one who was willing to play it.
I have, but have not played, the "Alternity" rules version. Interesting read, I'd give it a try if schedule allowed and I knew some one who was willing to play it.
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