Will there be any supplement for additional mutations in the future? Can't have enough of these!
Also, how long do they have the license for GW for? Do they have the option to renew the license? Just curious how long we can enjoy seeing new GW products!
Thanks! :D
All 4 volumes' rulebooks
The 3D+D Core rulebooks (especially the Monster Manual)
A public library full of books, some of which are about Biology and Zoology.
If there are a bunch of 'old' mutations which have not been converted to d20M, perhaps they could be compiled and published as a magazine article?
Years ago, I looked to the A D&D player's handbook for the psionics section. There were some really nice ideas there.
I wish I had the time to compile all of them again like I did for the first three versions of the game and Metamorphosis Alpha.
Originally posted by neomags
I looked to the A D&D player's handbook for the psionics section.
One of these days, I will have to do that. I have NEVER actually read a Psionics manual.
So all my really cool mutations are on my Physical and Plant charts. Some of them are even unplayable - like Hibernation(D).
I have wanted to convert, and more importantly compile, a better list of the numerous mutations that have been published in various magazines over the years for all to use. (I probably should do something about this since web hosting is just a few dollars per month without banner ads like most sites have such as the google hosted pages. Seems like too many come and go far too often)
In a way I like the concept of the D20 rules. The whole idea of a universal game system that can be used as the foundation for many different types of RPGs is great. I mean really, reinventing the wheel each time a game is updated or a new game is developed seems a bit much to expect in my opinion. I have all but two of the Gamma World versions and the second version of Metamorphosis Alpha (not for long in either event) and I have seen some things I like and dislike in each version of the mechanics.
I do confess that I don't have anything at the moment that uses the D20 rules. But I expect to get the newest version of the Gamma World game and will probably see about posting some of my ideas for the game since I have yet to see anyone in over twenty years put out one thing that I feel is important to making the game more enjoyable. What with the internet and such I think it is long over due for me to convert the various game ideas to something that can be easily distributed so others may enjoy them too. (maybe a few can even help me smooth over some of the rough edges too)
If you, or anyone else, are interested in seeing any of my ideas, the fastest way of getting me to convert the stuff from text files to html is to let me know. The only time I shared some of it goes back to the days of the BBS.
OOPS. Sorry for the length. I got carried away. haha
I find that psionics and spells can give ideas for mutations. And for creatures, converting many of them to mutations should be simple enough. Some things are fairly simple and just require creativity.
I mean really what is the difference between a Wand of Fireballs and a FGMP-15 from the Traveller game (fusion gun man portable tech level 15 if you are wondering)? Both shoot very similar projectiles and can easily incinerate the target.
Converting nearly any creature, or item, from a fantasy game to a sci-fi game is simple enough. An advanced enough technology can easily duplicate an enchanted sword that can talk to you telepathically and be optimized against a particular type of creature/material object.
I showed the Players Manuel and Mutants and Machines to my RPG mates and they were really excited about it. Though disapointed at no Plant Genotypes. They are all into Cyberpunk and were really into the idea of nanites everywhere.
So now they really want to play it - which means I gotta get my head round the d20 Modern rules
One odd thing, the cover is almost identical to the Players Manual! It's got a darker green blob in the middle and a pencil drawing of a machine in it. It's gonna get very
if the Gamemasters Manual is like that as well....Originally posted by neomags
Hey BRJN
If you, or anyone else, are interested in seeing any of my ideas, the fastest way of getting me to convert the stuff from text files to html is to let me know. The only time I shared some of it goes back to the days of the BBS.
Please do.
I have a homerule set (which I cannot possibly put on the net anytime soon, the only copy is on paper and just the mutations runs about 20 pages of tiny print) that includes the stuff I really liked from v1, v2, v3, v4, and GammAlternity. For all intents and purposes, I use v4 rules, v1 background text, and v2 flavor text. However, any given mutation or creature description may vary, based on my editing skills and alertness to mechanic-changes needed.
If this is what you meant by 'polish the rough edges', I would enjoy helping.
Sorry for the long delay.
I am very willing to work with others to create a place where we can share and preserve our collective ideas. Certainly for Gamma World/Metamorphosis Alpha, but probably others also.
I am really sad when I follow links from the web rings to GeoCities and other places where pages have moved or just stopped existing.
I am thinking strongly about paying the web hosting fees and webmastering the site (which would not have pop ups, banner ads, and other forms of irritating solicitation). I have a site right now where I could get started, and my hosting company has reasonable rates for the space I get.
By the way, I have always liked the original background from version 1.
I have to agree with you about the green globe/blob in the center of the book. I don't mind the layout being largely or completely the same. I am just more conderned about the color. Green, yellow, and orange would have been good choices. Or Red, green, and blue would have been good too. Just something to make them diferentiate at a glance.
Oh, well. As long as the story line and content are really good.
Toxic Snot- The mutants sinuses are home to a nanotech colony or symbiotic germ of some kind that produces various effects, the host being immune to it's own snot.
You can have: Poisonous Snot, Irradiated Snot, Acidic Snot, Flame Snot, Foul Snot (stench), Nano Snot-produces various effects,...any others?
Snot can be sneezed or hacked up and spit as a short range attack. :D
Ok. Did I miss something when I was looking thru the new GW PHB? What on earth happened to all the mutations? Particularly the physical ones?
The rest of the detail and other books was really nice. More monsters, more ideas and more gadgets.
It's going to take a while to get used to the whole nano-tech idea being so much a part of the game. I think I will be adding things from previous versions of the game. I think what I like of all of the versions was the history of the first version where humanity stood on the edge of the cliff of change and jumped off the edge without thinking.
Any way those are just my initial thoughts
Originally posted by neomags
It's going to take a while to get used to the whole nano-tech idea being so much a part of the game.
I agree. I did not like the nanites and nano-tech much. But I intend to see what I can exchange for some other technology (biogenetics &c) and use that way. Anything that I don't understand the science behind, I don't use. This way my players can't take advantage of my fields of ignorance.
My conception of the Final War has more biogenetics in it. I also went for fewer AIs because I like the excuse provided in The Man-Kzin Wars (I forget which installment) that AIs tend to go catatonic in a finite amount of time, a few weeks.
I am not completely against nanites but some of the things that are attributed to nanites just don't seem feasible to me. I think it is harder to accept nanites than radiation or other mutagens for mutation like powers. I have always viewed the spontaneous mutations as a combination of the two. I have read two very similar ideas to my own in the past. One in a Dragon Magazine, and the other on the web. My idea is very much the same, but my history regarding how it came to be seems a bit more likely (at least to me).
My idea is that a series of projects, or several separate, yet overlapping ones, were underway, that were trying to correct and, more importantly, prevent various cancers and other ailments like influenza, and certain viral infections. One of the most important projects had to do with preventing damage to the DNA itself. After centuries of fighting a losing battle against cancer, technology and attitudes had arrived at a point where fears and taboos regarding tampering with our very own DNA were reluctantly set aside in order to combat this, and other, genetic conditions that had existed for decades or centuries. Research had shown that some of the conditions that arose were due to the extending of the average lifespan beginning in the late nineteenth century. Some environmental factors associated with urban living created or exaggerated preexisting potential weaknesses.
A supplementary ‘mechanism’ was developed to enhance, and act on a similar principal to, our immune system’s white blood cells and the various other safeguards and maintenance components our bodies already have but on a different level. This mechanism would routinely check and verify the integrity of the various DNA strands in our bodies to prevent cancers from forming and spreading. Should a cell be found to be defective, the DNA would be repaired or replaced as necessary. This mechanism almost always worked perfectly and proved to be safe for mass distribution. Coupled with this goal was the desire to repair and completely remove all genetic defects. Virtually every single hospital and clinic was equipped with the ability to correct genetic defects by directly repairing or replacing the defective gene sequence. Although this could have more widespread applications, it was used only to prevent future generations from carrying on traits that were commonly accepted as defects. Altering genes to improve future generations was strictly prohibited. This form of gene therapy was reminiscent of the chicken pox inoculations of the late twentieth century, yet had the greatest amount of promise for eliminating so much suffering. In short order, hemophilia, sickle-cell, and even downs syndrome, and so very many other problems were a thing of the past.
There were two differing ideas on how best to achieve this end. One dealt with making the ‘checksum’ actually integral to our own DNA, and thus, completely self replicating for future generations. However, this would forever alter our genetic makeup as we have existed for eons and many people had strong reservations about such a direct and permanent change. The other idea dealt with making it like a retro virus that could be administered after birth. To appease people who felt very strongly either way, both versions were created. This resulted in a condition where there really were two distinct races. Two races separated by something far more important and fundamental than simply complexion and bone structure, but harder to see. The first and primary race was the older, established, race of man that was prone to genetic problems; while the newer secondary race was devoid of sudden genetic changes from random mutation or genetic drifts that result in defects and cancers. It was generally accepted that, given sufficient time, eventually, the people with the ‘checksum’ genes would eventually genetically dominate as people came lose their phobias regarding having their own DNA overwritten, and since the genes for the checksum were dominant, it was just a matter of time before the new ‘breed’ of man is all that remained.
On the heels of the ‘checksum’ project was another undertaking to enhance the human bodies healing capabilities. By the time of the ‘apocalypse’ this project had not been completed, or more importantly, had not been distributed en mass in the final form. The project was intended to help ensure that injuries would heal completely. In fact, they would heal so completely that even scars would disappear as well. This would compete directly against such things as prosthetics, bionics and cybernetics since those industries help individuals who have suffered injuries that leave them missing body parts and organs. This was the project to take healing to a new level, advancing healing to the point of regeneration. With this project fingers, hands, and even complete arms and legs would re-grow again given enough time. This was perfected in the advanced form, but never released due to civilizations demise.
The last in a series of projects, called the Methuselah project, was intended to initially extend the adult and middle aged portions of the normal human lifespan. The plan was to first extend the expected life span to about two hundred years at first, then five hundred, later nine hundred years, and finally to eliminate old age and dying completely. This project actually funded all the prior projects due to its potential. One, or more, of the wealthiest individuals in the world funded this project and the preceding projects in the quest of immortality and perfect health. In and of itself the goal was a grand one, and like all advances, would eventually be available for everyone, even if not for centuries.
How does all of this relate to our beloved Gamma World? The combination of the first project, and a preliminary version of the second project, when introduced to humanity worked amazingly well. Each did as it was expected to do. The only ‘flaw’ that existed was due to mutation within the gene repairing mechanisms of the viral form. Alteration of the checksum allowed cells to be overwritten with new code until the old code was no longer recognizable. The rapid healing enhancements, when combined with this, allowed for ‘supposedly’ missing or malformed body parts to be reformed and even grown afresh. This side effect was never intended and only occurred due to the limitations of the viral version of the genetic lock. Under normal conditions, this was never a concern, however, the floods of radiation, chemical, and biogenetics used during the ‘apocalypse’ created the most extreme conditions imaginable, and the very limited access to medical assistance for the masses allowed the resultant mutations to persist in nearly all of the affected. Those who possessed the genetic versions of both projects, would only sicken, or died, due to the various toxins. Mutation was never a concern for them. That group obviously became the pure strain humans currently alive. The limited version of the advanced healing is the explanation for the increased endurance and better constitution of the pure strain humans.
The rest of humanity became mutants, or ‘latent’ mutants capable of mutating under the proper circumstances, or having already mutated, and showing the various signs of being mutants due to lack necessary medical facilities to halt and reverse any mutations that occurred.
It is also noteworthy that, much like in the late twentieth century, and the beginning of the twenty first century, the desire to individualize ones body with tattoos, body piercing, and hair coloring, also existed up until the final wars era. However, some learned how to make various changes more permanent and truly make their bodies unique. These clever and ingenious individuals learned how to use retro virii to alter the newly introduced genes to reshape their own bodies. This allowed for mutations like gills, wings among other. Some even embraced such mutations, expecting them to be temporary, for assignments or various long term jobs, with the understanding that they would receive proper treatment to restore them to ‘normal’. Many never received the restoration treatment since the proper facilities were quickly gone.
There were also experiments on animals and plants to test the boundaries of the possible, many of these experiments escaped or were simply created after civilizations collapse when the normal safeguards and restraints were wiped away.
Well that is all for now, and that is my explanation of how Gamma World came to be. The mechanism could be a nanotech creation. I just think that nanites are too simple and less advanced than virii are. There are other things I could comment on but might do so later when I have more time.
If anyone likes my ideas, please let me know, I am curious to learn what you think. I’ll see about posting more of my ideas for everyone in time.
Thanks for your kind words.
I have some ideas for a few adventures that would lead to descovering much of what I wrote. And acquiring the 'regeneration' gene would be more useful than the 'immortality' gene.
And then there are my ideas for an adventure that takes place in the past, before the fall of civilization. Now that is one I really like working on.
Hopefully I can find the time to post some of my other ideas in a coherent form.
They should have created templates.
Originally posted by beavis123
Mutations, crossbreeding, genectic mistakes, all the bread and buuter of this genre.
They should have created templates.
Well, then let's kick around some concepts for templates...
The first thing that comes to mind for me were the mutant labels in Omega World; Hairy, Clicky, Scaly, and I'll add Veggie, cause I like veggie PCs and NPCs too. Now, it seems these would pretty much apply to just to whatever species one would choose to play, but by slapping these on as templates, we can come up with some interesting critters or PCs. For example, a hairy turtle mutant, a gorilla with a chitious carapace, your PC riding a scaly reptilian horse, or a pack of Podog-like venus fly traps...
See what I mean? You can work out your own details, but it's basically the same bit that was in Dragon not long ago for sprucing up various races in fantasy settings. Really, you could use that article, or any template applied to D&D for GW, it's just that the change comes from mutation instead of magic or whatever.
Originally posted by neomags
... acquiring the 'regeneration' gene would be more useful than the 'immortality' gene.
Especially since being immortal is usually seen as a curse, not a blessing. There is always some side-effect of aging - or the immortality process - that cannot be foreseen until it comes up and bites you. Then you wish you were
but you can't.Originally posted by neomags
My idea is that a series of projects, or several separate, yet overlapping ones, were underway, that were trying to correct and, more importantly, prevent various cancers and other ailments like influenza, and certain viral infections.
The REALLY good ideas are identical to mine. :D
It's all right now, I've got my ego back under control.
I like your discussion and background work. My background, although not yet in coherent printed form, also assumes medical stabilization projects. Some of these were more thorough than others, some were more widely-available than others. One project, a DNA optimizer, created the Pure Strain Human. Other projects were for fun or style (which I discuss in dismissive tones). Other projects were part of the sophisticated torture techniques available to A.D.2300 tyrants. (For instance, I have an NPC race of chimpanzee-smart ex-humans.) All these DNA and sub-cellular projects would work correctly ONLY under laboratory conditions. Put them outside where dust &c can affect them, or in the conditions of the Final Wars - loose energy, radiation, &c everywhere - and the mechanisms will warp. So you get some semi-familiar semi-random results.
Originally posted by beavis123
I subscribe to Dragon, which article waa that in. I remember it vaguely.
Now that I have my issue back from a friend... It was the Sept/Oct issue of Dungeon#94/Polyhedron#153. The Poly side was the Omega World mini-game which is essentially the D20vised Gamma World 4th ed I believe. I kinda like it myself, and I'm using the cost/value mutation tables in my campaign. It's a good fast 'n' dirty intro to Gamma World, or any post-apocalyptic type setting. Even though I don't use D20 myself, I've gotten alot out of this article.
Skin color
1d6 Roll Result
1-3 Normal skin color
4-5 Roll 1d6 to find new skin color
6 Roll 1d6 for primary color and 1d8 for
secondary color
Colors Die roll
Red 1
Orange 2
Yellow 3
Green 4
Blue 5
Purple 6
Brown 7
White 8
How's that for minor weirdness?
Just a thought passing through my mind.
Originally posted by BRJN
Especially since being immortal is usually seen as a curse, not a blessing. There is always some side-effect of aging - or the immortality process - that cannot be foreseen until it comes up and bites you. Then you wish you were
Hey BRJN
Immortality, like many things, is subjective. It can be a great blessing or a curse. If one is prone to depression then it would probably end up being some sort of curse since it will usually be viewed in a negative way.
I would lean in the direction of it being a blessing. It might be sad to outlive others, but there is always the opportunity to meet new people and oversee slow or long ranged projects. Like rebuilding civilization. Conquest can be a long term project also. It all depends on ones intentions.
Some might bore of immortality or near omnipotance in a game. However, being largely indestructable can have many advantages if one leans in the direction of conquest or rebuilding. Getting attacked regularly by weaker oponents can have its own challenges, be they making peace or simply target practice.
I still think it as a curse.