Why, indeed?

[athelind]

I confess that I was a little disappointed when the new edition of Gamma World decided to use a collectible card model to implement random mutations. Gimmicky mechanics like that tend to keep a niche game limited to a niche market.

I was also a little dismayed when the game description included adjectives like "wacky" and "rollicking". On the day of its release, one of my store's regular customers, looked at the blurb on the box, and summed up exactly what I'd been thinking: "Aw, jeez. We always played it straight."

On the other claw ... one problem with the White Wolf version of the game was that they took it too seriously, downplaying the frankly comic-book super-power mutations of "classic" ΓW, trying to treat it as semi-hard SF.

And ... certainly, Back In The Day, we "played it straight" -- but only as "straight" as we played D&D. In those ancient days of yore, there was always a level of whimsy at the tabletop. A D&D adventure could include a Burma Shave sign or an encounter at Monty Python's Bridge of Doom, and it didn't derail the game or detract from the atmosphere. A game like Gamma World wasn't played so much "straight" as "deadpan", and surely, Gabe and Tycho's tale of a Funeral for a Deceased Laser fits perfectly with that style.

The new game uses D&D4 "as a foundation". I hope it's a solid foundation that leaves it essentially D&D-compatible; a huge chunk of the critters in any given Monster Manual fit a post-apocalyptic science-fantasy setting far better than they fit the Tolkien Bar Sinister motifs that the "traditional" D&D settings try to ape.

And, yes ... I'd love to be able to effortlessly treat one game as a supplement for the other, and run a setting with the mix of "sorcery and super-science" of Thundaar the Barbarian.

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I have half-a-dozen entries with the "Gamma World" tag, but somehow, I've never managed to link any of them to Bigfella Machine's Mutant Bastards gallery. WotC really should have hired the Bigfella to create the look and feel for the new book.

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Comments

[araquan.livejournal.com]

In those ancient days of yore, there was always a level of whimsy at the tabletop.

Alas, the lack of this among the players involved is why my one attempt at D&D did not last long, and was not terminated with much regret. It hasn't been repeated.

[drakegrey.livejournal.com]

I miss Gamma World. Lots. If nothing else it was wonderful for a atmosphere of uncontested surrealism - I mean, in D&D or Traveller or Champions there was always a little bit of 'fill-in-the-blank doesn't work that way!', but in Gamma World, you just accepted and ran with things like a evolved plant with superintelligence, the leafy equivalent of opposable thumbs, and a 300 year old computer that somehow was in working, *showroom perfect* condition.

(That was my brothers character, btw.)

... and I'm going to admit that with this cartoon, I don't get it. Especially in that, neither Gabe nor Tycho does a 'oh noes TEH FURRY' comment.

[pyat.livejournal.com]

Oooh! I married a cat woman, and we started a farm! I always wanted to run a Hoop, but my GM wouldn't let me. Many fond, fond memories of Gamma World. :D

[thebitterguy]

You never did look at those community rules, did you?

I'm curious about this game. Curious enough to buy with no chance of play.