Back in the day I ran a lengthy Gamma World campaign using the Phoenix Command system for the joy of realism. I dropped the more ridiculous stuff like army bunnies and such to make it more like Mad Max with some horrible mutated monsters here and there. We had a blast and it all ended on a high note.

I liked the 4th edition best.  Not 4th edition as in D&D 4e, but the TSR release that replaced the faserip version.  I liked 2nd pretty well too.  Wasn't a fan of faserip gamma world though, but a lot of people seem to like it best.

That being said, if/when I get to run Gamma World again, I suspect that I'll just use Mutant Future.  Everyone can get a copy and I don't have to risk passing around non-free PDFs.  It's very much like 2nd ed GW.

I liked first and fourth edition and actively disliked the others.

Quote from: David Johansen on October 26, 2022, 08:48:04 PM
I liked first and fourth edition and actively disliked the others.

Aside from the "language drift" obsession they had and took too far in 4e. It was not a bad effort overall. One of my players gave me theor badly beat up copy years ago. Ironic that it looks like something that survived a post-apoc setting.

3e for some reason just never clicked with me. I didnt like the "crystal tech" obsession and the MSH-esque colour system just did not grab me for some reason. I liked Gammarauders more. Though that is purely a wargame.

I've played most of the old editions of GammaWorld many years ago. Was lots of fun.

I did run the 7th Edition, based off 4th Ed DnD. sometimes. Mostly for sort of RPG party weekends, which involved lots of Gonzo style games, drinking , partying etc.
Whilst I did not like 4th Ed DnD, it's use for 7th Ed GammaWorld worked quite well really.  Very easy to run. Fun powers.
When I ran it, I based it in the Fallout 3 setting PC game. So I more used the rules, some factions from it and then the setting for Fallout 3.

I used to love Gamma World. The problem with me running it today is I suspect I'd be making changes to it and it would end up resembling Rifts... at which point I'd just run Rifts.

Gamma World definitely had a lot of innovation going for it. Of course this depends on the editions of preference.

Quote from: tenbones on October 27, 2022, 10:29:20 AM
I used to love Gamma World. The problem with me running it today is I suspect I'd be making changes to it and it would end up resembling Rifts... at which point I'd just run Rifts.

Gamma World definitely had a lot of innovation going for it. Of course this depends on the editions of preference.

Aren't the Palladium rules overcomplicated?

Also, I didn't realize the 7e setting had a similar premise to Rifts until you guys pointed it out. My brain is just not working today.

Quote from: tenbones on October 27, 2022, 10:29:20 AM
I used to love Gamma World. The problem with me running it today is I suspect I'd be making changes to it and it would end up resembling Rifts... at which point I'd just run Rifts.

Gamma World definitely had a lot of innovation going for it. Of course this depends on the editions of preference.

Guess what?

4e D&D GW, AKA 7e, which it aint, WAS Rifts. With a dash of Torg. And a CCG! yaaaay!
In the year Two Monkey Slap Slap The Large Hadron Collider is fired, causing multiple parallel dimensions to overlay on Earth.

QuoteHilarity ensues.

Of which the actual RPG... aint hilarity.

Abject setting failure aside... its still 4e done right. Or as right as 4e could ever get to an actual RPG.

We play weekly on my show's livestream on Friday nights (although we're taking a hiatus here in October to play some classic Call of Cthulhu).

Almost two pages and nobody has mentioned (unless I missed it) Rabbits with rifles. That may be a record.

Quote from: FingerRod on October 28, 2022, 03:48:25 PM
Almost two pages and nobody has mentioned (unless I missed it) Rabbits with rifles. That may be a record.

You missed it.

Quote from: Neoplatonist1 on October 28, 2022, 08:20:04 PM

Quote from: FingerRod on October 28, 2022, 03:48:25 PM
Almost two pages and nobody has mentioned (unless I missed it) Rabbits with rifles. That may be a record.

You missed it.

So I did!!! Sorry man. You nailed it a few posts above.

I liked that fourth edition was more about automatic rifles and real technology and less about black ray pistols and death machines.  From what I recall the mechanics were just a reasonably clean D&D implementation.  But for me it'll always be first edition with its bizzare esthetic and D&D mechanics.  Really, Gamma World 1e is a part of OD&D rather than anything that came later.

Quote from: David Johansen on October 28, 2022, 10:22:25 PM
I liked that fourth edition was more about automatic rifles and real technology and less about black ray pistols and death machines.  From what I recall the mechanics were just a reasonably clean D&D implementation.  But for me it'll always be first edition with its bizzare esthetic and D&D mechanics.  Really, Gamma World 1e is a part of OD&D rather than anything that came later.

From my somewhat hazy understanding, 4e was pretty much 2e AD&D with ascending armor class

Quote from: Tasty_Wind on October 28, 2022, 11:31:23 PM

Quote from: David Johansen on October 28, 2022, 10:22:25 PM
I liked that fourth edition was more about automatic rifles and real technology and less about black ray pistols and death machines.  From what I recall the mechanics were just a reasonably clean D&D implementation.  But for me it'll always be first edition with its bizzare esthetic and D&D mechanics.  Really, Gamma World 1e is a part of OD&D rather than anything that came later.

From my somewhat hazy understanding, 4e was pretty much 2e AD&D with ascending armor class

Correct. They originally touted it as semi compatible with 2e. Though I think they drifted outside that box a little by time of reliease. It definitly had the feel of 2e and I think they even use kits.

sigh. I'll go dig it out... *insert "sounds of someone getting up and digging through boxes" here.*

Yep. 2e system. THAC0. Classes, levels. Though no proficiencies though at a quick glance through chargen?

And sorry, No. Theres alot more zappy than shooty guns in 4e. But as with at least 2e, projectile weapons were easier to come by. Depending on the locale and luck of course. 6 in 20 chance of finding vs 2 in 20. And being mostly tech 4 they were nominally easier to figure out if found.

Comparing it to 2e GW I think 4e has about the same amount of modern-ish guns vs zappers of you include the ones from the 2e pack in module.