tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post9007236991253246222..comments2024-03-19T07:56:00.031-04:00Comments on GROGNARDIA: Gamma World, Cover to Cover (Part VIII)James Maliszewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-85347937872089818112022-01-16T18:48:18.710-05:002022-01-16T18:48:18.710-05:00Great series of posts! Thanks for sharing your tho...Great series of posts! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on GW. Just so you know, this seems to be the 2nd Part VIII. So I'm guessing it should actually be part 9 and therefore all the articles in this series after this one, are out by 1.donjondohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15561863774966720825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-83347447274357224022012-09-19T21:07:47.797-04:002012-09-19T21:07:47.797-04:00"Of course, this may simply be one of those a..."Of course, this may simply be one of those areas where it's best that <br />each referee come up with his own method of handling it rather than <br />resorting to these charts."<br /><br />Sorry about commenting in a long cold post, but I couldn't help it this time.<br /><br />I never played Gamma World (I prefer Cadillacs & Dinosaurs for my post-apocalyptic); but reading about how the characters have to determine what the artifacts do, made me remember how Paranoia characters have to deal with the experimental equipment they receive from Research and Development. No hard rule that I remember, they just describe what they do to try and make the piece of equipment work, and the GM explains what happens. Explosions, maiming and hilarity ensues.Jorgemannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-5471433087769082592011-06-06T02:34:52.485-04:002011-06-06T02:34:52.485-04:00I'm delighted you're spending this much ti...I'm delighted you're spending this much time on Gamma World. I only ever played 1st edition, but I reread the book so many times as a child I think it's practically a part of my body.<br /><br />So two things. One, the artifact flowchart things. I like the idea in some vague general way, but I think the problem with them is that it's not especially fun to work through them--contrast with Traveller character creation, which has a kind of similarity to it but is exciting and enjoyable at every step. You could compute the overall probabilities of the end results of those charts and do the whole thing with one die roll with no loss of entertainment. If the individual steps were somehow bulked out, or if there were intermediate decisions to make, the artifact charts would work much better--as is, they're a complicated way of getting to a result you could achieve more simply.<br /><br />Two, the 20th century stuff. There are about a thousand things to hate about the new edition of Gamma World, and the whole dimensional-mashup thing is, in the end, one of them. But one thing I like about it is that it makes a kind of sense out of the coexistence of 20th century toasters and 25th century sentinel robots. For all that I dislike about the new edition, I keep finding things that strike me as responses to something half-cool and half-stupid in the original game, attempts to make them 100% cool--much as it's not my kind of thing, I can't dislike it.motortreehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00231385275327332486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-38484926249043235632011-06-02T11:19:49.757-04:002011-06-02T11:19:49.757-04:00I don't often comment on them, but I enjoy rea...I don't often comment on them, but I enjoy reading all your non-D&D posts.Tomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17116795932377593506noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-85780599583786143662011-06-02T02:03:06.193-04:002011-06-02T02:03:06.193-04:00MOAR GAMMA WORLD!!MOAR GAMMA WORLD!!Dethandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15359776006450845073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-20103955216462079392011-06-01T22:20:07.003-04:002011-06-01T22:20:07.003-04:00James, you left out the most interesting and probl...<i>James, you left out the most interesting and problematic result on the radiation chart</i><br /><br>Indeed I did, once again proving that I was very tired and not at all on my game yesterday :)James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-40396853143835230022011-06-01T22:13:10.076-04:002011-06-01T22:13:10.076-04:00You may be interested to note that the artifact co...<i>You may be interested to note that the artifact complexity charts don't actually originate with Gamma World. They are actually the technology research charts for Star Empires, a set of strategic space campaign rules published by TSR.</i><br /><br>I did not know this, but then I've never actually seen <i>Star Empires</i>, despite my desire to do so. It seems a very rare and difficult to obtain game.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-79943255490043716452011-06-01T10:09:37.030-04:002011-06-01T10:09:37.030-04:00just wanted to add some support for the Gamma Worl...just wanted to add some support for the Gamma World coverage. my earliest gaming memories involve GW 1st and i always look to it as a sentimental favorite.<br /><br />thanks again for the coverage :)el Mīkohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05135143408412212815noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-59152860497039851242011-06-01T10:06:11.790-04:002011-06-01T10:06:11.790-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.el Mīkohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05135143408412212815noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-32627966831471862082011-06-01T03:51:28.707-04:002011-06-01T03:51:28.707-04:00I haven't commented the Gamma World posts even...I haven't commented the Gamma World posts even as little as I comment other posts, because I haven't played Gamma World in over 20 years.<br /><br />It sure sounds like an interesting game, but I don't feel like playing postapocalyptic games that much. I'd probably play the Stalker RPG for that (for which there will be an English PDF at some point). It's also fun to read these as we did play the game in the end of the 1980s, and I don't remember that much about it.<br /><br />I think my character was a large mutant, and that the game (I *think* it was the 2nd edition) wasn't completely clear on how the mutations worked, really. My character had a size mutation and it increased "size ranks" or something, and we never really understood how it should properly work. <br /><br />We didn't play the game much, moving on to RQ, Star Frontiers, Shadowrun, MERP and other stuff, including AD&D. (I played some (Cyclopedia) D&D about ten years ago for nostaly, might pick up some new rewrite, probably Flame Princess some time).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-39920093169541727592011-05-31T22:40:37.941-04:002011-05-31T22:40:37.941-04:00Ah, once again I'm late to the party and this ...Ah, once again I'm late to the party and this discussion is stone cold dead by the time I get here. None the less I feel obliged to point out that by lumping the Poison and Radiation charts together, James, you left out the most interesting and problematic result on the radiation chart, the "M" result which "...indicates the mutant has received a new mutation..."<br />This is interesting because it is always exciting and one of the few ways to become more mechanically powerful. My GM would give us a stapled slip of orange paper that read "Open in 1 game week", the suspense always killed me.<br />This is also problematic because a given intensity radiation would always result in a mutation. The rules don't specify anything else about this, like how many times can I do that? Now granted you could roll a defect, but players will abuse this sort of thing if you let them. I took to assigning random intensity to poison and radiation, expressing it as a range like "Intensity 3d6" or "Intensity 10+1d8" and rolling randomly for each exposure. Ah well, enough of that. I'm starting a new GW 3rd edition game next week and there's still much to do. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.Zarcanthropushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15779352383475388486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-5155366442545543082011-05-31T18:37:40.319-04:002011-05-31T18:37:40.319-04:00"I always liked the artifact complexity chart...<i>"I always liked the artifact complexity charts in principle, but their use was somewhat tedious, because of the timeframe involved and because they lacked much in the way of color or flavor."</i><br /><br />I totally agree with you, on this. It would have been nice to have some of the boxes trigger other effects ("something snapped off", "power-supply fell out", and such) or to allow success in stages ("you found the on/off switch", "you figured out how to reload/recharge it", "you figured-out the settings"). I generally like to have the players figure things out through role-playing (at least with basic functions), and use the charts for more complex items, like computers. I find both methods - roll-playing and role-playing - to be somewhat tedious, as I tend to pile junk (damaged artifacts, and sorted treasure) around working artifacts (and ), and players have to figure EVERYTHING out, even if it obviously broken beyond recognition (then again, you have to be really thorough in my games XP).Malcadonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03111796978336546944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-20154878479587904012011-05-31T18:35:37.568-04:002011-05-31T18:35:37.568-04:00The system for learning new artifacts is interesti...The system for learning new artifacts is interesting, but I agree that it seems to be missing something. If there were more player choices involved, it might work better.faoladhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-62176441117066269592011-05-31T17:48:04.039-04:002011-05-31T17:48:04.039-04:00My favor quirk about the GW Radiation system invol...My favor quirk about the GW Radiation system involved a butterfly like monster called the Blaash that emitted level 18 radiation in a 5 meter radius.<br />A giant bug that can kill the whole party but by fluttering into the room!Captain Jackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10682678777940123469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-5836318316048614702011-05-31T16:33:30.098-04:002011-05-31T16:33:30.098-04:00You may be interested to note that the artifact co...You may be interested to note that the artifact complexity charts don't actually originate with <i>Gamma World</i>. They are actually the technology research charts for <i>Star Empires</i>, a set of strategic space campaign rules published by TSR. <br /><br />Well to be precise, charts A, B, & C in <i>Gamma World</i> are Research Flow Charts 1, 3, & 4 from <i>Star Empires</i>. The only difference is with Chart A, which returns to the first square after the start instead of the start. Oh, and Gamma World characters don't have to pay a financial penalty (ranging from 50 to 300 Megarons) when they reach a "Return to" square.<br /><br />If you think the charts are clumsy when evaluating GW tech, try thinking about a game where all research uses these charts, from general TSL (Techno-Social Level), to special projects (such as developing a Nova Device, or a Hyperspace 24 Field Projector, which "alters the natural laws of the system, causing science to be an uncertain art and the magic arts to be reliable*"), is done using these charts. And with most empires funding as many research teams as they can afford. And before computers were generally available to most people to comfortably automate the process.<br /><br />[* They do go on to suggest using <i>Dungeons & Dragons</i> for adjudicating the use of magic in the system.]Reverance Pavanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01217657347160811310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-62769124250909448002011-05-31T16:17:49.275-04:002011-05-31T16:17:49.275-04:00I've never read nor played Gamma World, in any...I've never read nor played Gamma World, in any incarnation; which is odd, as I've always liked post-apocalyptic settings. I find these posts interesting, as it shows me something I don't know much of. So thanks for sharing.Simon Forsterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01243845335993440168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-29802397786043594322011-05-31T15:50:24.556-04:002011-05-31T15:50:24.556-04:00(In fact, I'd love to see cover each and every...<i>(In fact, I'd love to see cover each and every version....)</i><br /><br>Well, I down all of them except the <i>D&D</i> IV-related one ... :)James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-78571965413932960072011-05-31T15:45:13.422-04:002011-05-31T15:45:13.422-04:00I'm fond of the Gamma World posts. Thanks for...I'm fond of the <i>Gamma World</i> posts. Thanks for doing them.<br /><br />(In fact, I'd love to see cover each and every version....)Justin S. Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14881276106170920830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-30086906545885838292011-05-31T13:56:35.532-04:002011-05-31T13:56:35.532-04:00That "D" result in the radiation effects...That "D" result in the radiation effects column is a pretty major mechanical flaw in Gamma World. It means that a high Constitution is far more important than any other ability score. Also, because radiation is an environmental effect there will be places that characters with a lower CON will never be able to go. As a GM you're forced to eliminate high radiation from your campaign setting or all of your players must have boosted CON scores. Either way, it defeats the purpose of multiple radiation levels. Thankfully, Mutant Future has much more playable rules that involve varying damage levels from radiation without a game ending "D".Blayne Fleminghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11330429093758634994noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-30145646673287405822011-05-31T13:49:09.569-04:002011-05-31T13:49:09.569-04:00I have to say that I'm always more interested ...I have to say that I'm always more interested in the non-<i>D&D</i> pieces as I've always very much been in the "everything else" camp, so please do keep doing them.thekelvingreenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01928260185408072124noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-2750554708871080662011-05-31T13:25:58.108-04:002011-05-31T13:25:58.108-04:00Thanks! :)Thanks! :)Deltahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00705402326320853684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-28464706445161317922011-05-31T12:31:55.468-04:002011-05-31T12:31:55.468-04:00You know, I'm not clear on what fix you think ...<i>You know, I'm not clear on what fix you think the [sic] represents. Can you elaborate?</i><br /><br>Another error on my part. I forgot that the End occurred in the 24th century, even though the game is set in the 25th. This just isn't my day for clear thinking ...James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-73851700488803502612011-05-31T12:29:53.591-04:002011-05-31T12:29:53.591-04:00"a healthy mix of 24th century [sic] version ..."a healthy mix of 24th century [sic] version of such items..."<br /><br />You know, I'm not clear on what fix you think the [sic] represents. Can you elaborate?Deltahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00705402326320853684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-53355835482478847582011-05-31T12:22:11.341-04:002011-05-31T12:22:11.341-04:00Here's an interesting idea: Grab a SkyMall ma...Here's an interesting idea: Grab a SkyMall magazine (those free mags you get on airplanes that advertise all sorts of semi-useless and marketed items) and randomly flip to a page and select an item as an artifact.<br /><br />GM: Okay, you defeated a squad of mutated bunnies. Let's see what treasure they were guarding. Some form of high-tech container (7 quart electric wok - excellent condition) and a robot (voice activated R2-D2 - no batteries, does not respond to vocal commands).Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08863118245243138750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-56263342909529672532011-05-31T12:04:44.667-04:002011-05-31T12:04:44.667-04:00"Intriguingly, the rules state that
Because o..."Intriguingly, the rules state that<br />Because of the large number of poisonous creatures in GAMMA WORLD, most inhabitants will wear light body armor of some sort<br />This suggests that armor prevents, or at least impedes, poisoning, but, if so, there are no specific rules in the game to reflect this."<br /><br />Well, if one doesn't get hit, then poison does not apply. This does not help against gas, of course. But that they might be what they meant.Anthony N. Emmelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14017952532295866111noreply@blogger.com