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Post by The Bear Hawk on Jul 7, 2017 12:03:44 GMT -5
Who on here has Played Metamorphosis Alpha? Would like to find out more about how the game plays and how it is run. You know, all the good stuff that is not in the rule book.
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Post by mormonyoyoman on Jul 7, 2017 22:48:17 GMT -5
The times I did play it were pre December 1980, and I don't remember our GM referring to any rules or rules book. Very gonzo, including an alien who WAS Henson's Great Gonzo.
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Post by cadriel on Jul 8, 2017 11:41:30 GMT -5
I've run two one-shots, one as a Google Hangout game and the other one as a convention game. I've also played in a Hangout game.
The thing about Jim Ward's games is that, if you can't kill something in one or two shots, you're probably better off not fighting it. That's especially true in MA. Everything tends to have a good number of hit points, so combat is a lengthy process and attrition gets deadly. But with the right mutant powers or high-tech weapons you can neutralize a lot of threats.
Generally the most fun we've had was the pure exploration parts. It's fun to sort of comb through an area and find all kinds of stuff, and use trial and error to see what it is and what it does. The rules oversimplify the process a bit, but I can understand why you'd want to switch to that in a lengthier game.
If you want to get into a good MA game quickly, the Round House Modular Dwelling Unit (RHMDU) is a perfect structure for the PCs to explore. It's small enough to contain just enough for an adventure, and the booklet "The House on the Hill" has terrific tables for stocking it that the players will have a lot of fun with. My default recommendation for someone interested in MA is to whip up an RHMDU, make a mutant creature to live nearby, and detail out a robot in the house. It's a simple setup for an adventure but works really well.
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Post by finarvyn on Jul 10, 2017 7:06:08 GMT -5
I got my copy of Metamorphosis Alpha in the 1970's when I went to visit the DUNGEON HOBBY SHOP in Lake Geneva, WI. My friend already had the OD&D rules, so rather than buying another copy I decided to spend money on a different RPG and MA is what I picked. So, for a while he was the "fantasy guy" and I was the "scifi guy" when our group wanted to play something.
Cadriel has hit the nail on the head with his "The thing about Jim Ward's games is that, if you can't kill something in one or two shots, you're probably better off not fighting it" comment. Jim likes to say that he never kills characters, but instead players kill characters. MA is a game about exploration and making mistakes and then paying for your mistakes. Characters die a lot, sometimes even when they are extra careful.
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