Gamma World 3rd Edition - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.

[@RPGElite]

Hey, hey! Question - have you played Gamma World 3rd Edition? If so, what has been your experience? What did you like? What didn't you like? Shout out.

[@derekburge5294]

One of my first experiences was 3e GW... But it was some kitbashed, it was barely recognizable mechanically. Still had a complete blast!

[@TheTimeshadows]

I love the Conditions, Injuries, and so on. But, 3e does need work. Please do share your fixes for 3e GW!

[@Onimatapia]

Yes! Please post a video explaining your 'fixes' to the rules. I'm working up a North American campaign right now and was just looking at how to change the ACT table to better resolve most actions in the game when I came across this video.

[@doomdriverband]

Hello, I just discovered your channel; excellent stuff! I too started with 3rd edition Gamma World back in the day. You're spot on about several points, i.e. the amazing cover art, how TSR arrived at the ACT table (via Marvel RPG), and just about everything you covered in this video. Yes, I would like to see a new video on how you edited this version of the game. In my opinion, this is my favorite version. I also play 1st, 2nd, and 7th editions. I'm a GM, and some players have told me they find this version of the game to be better, and easier for them, believe it or not! Basically it's because of the varying degrees of success, and they thought it was easier once they learned how everything works because successful rolls are 'ascending' and it's strictly a percentile system. This game however, has a bit of a learning curve of course, and it's a little more work for the GM (which I don't mind). I'm currently running a campaign of 'Mutant Future' which is a Gamma World retro-clone. It would be interesting to to hear what you think of that game too.

[@RPGElite]

Hey, hey! Thanks for stopping by. You know, with all the problems it has, I'm in the same boat as your players. I still like this system. It's easy, and things can move quick because of that. And like you mention, I like the Result Factor mechanic when things scale up according to the color you rolled on the ACT. I'm not familiar with Mutant Future so thanks for the heads up on that. I'll have to add that to the list. It's not like I don't have enough content for the next five months and beyond. Oh wait … I do. :-)

[@doomdriverband]

@@RPGElite Awesome. I'm looking forward to more of your videos!

[@lazarus-lake]

I would love to see a video on your edits to the GW3e rules!

[@RPGElite]

Hey, hey! Thanks for your input. I'm not sure I'll get to that soon, but if I can squeeze it in, I will. Plus, I'd like to add a few more before I do it. Happy gaming!

[@lazarus-lake]

@@RPGElite No worries, looking forward to seeing it if and when you release it!

[@jackkreeger6617]

I agree would love to see the changes you made whenever it easily fits into your context schedule.

[@tinear4]

In 1984, my friends went all in with Marvel Superhero, and that was our game for a few years. It’s funny to hear people thought it was about the system, because it was all about the superhero RP for us. We could go multiple sessions with nobody ever rolling for anything.

[@JohnAmerisun]

I definitely want to see the addendum and how you fixed the game! I want to run Gamma World, but I don't want to run the 7th edition at all, and trying to find the best edition to run at the moment.

[@derekburge5294]

Hell yes. I'd love to see the addendum.

[@NoNumbersAfterName]

Oh yeah, Gamma World 3rd Edition is where I started as well. And it was fun! Lots of fun! HOWEVER, there were a bunch of things that weren't even begun to be described. Talents, you mentioned. Artifacts were poorly implemented, and there weren't much described. Cryptic Alliances? Maybe a paragraph each? You wanna join one? Like, maybe it matters? Bonparr is big, but where? Eh, who knows? I gotta revisit my postapocalyptic games and work on something new. Thanks for this!

[@Lustvig]

Yes please on the video of the changes you made to 3rd Edition!!

[@RPGElite]

👍🏿

[@FURognar]

Good to see some people out there fondly remember Gamma World 3. I believe it was unfairly maligned. The ACT system was actually quite brilliant and quite a bit ahead of its time. I actually started with GW2 and played GW3 before I ever saw the Marvel Superheroes game. I loved GW3 instantly. The ACT chart was so different and interesting to me. Plus the Mutations were handled so much better than any other game at the time. Leagues ahead of the previous editions.

[@darth_zorg]

Great video, very helpful and entertaining.

[@RPGElite]

Glad it was helpful!

[@trioofone8911]

My super rpg of choice was always Champions. The Hero System, by Hero Games

[@ronwisegamgee]

Very insightful video. Speaking of the ACT chart and superhero RPGs, there's a superhero game called Ascendant that combines the ACT chart from MSH along with the logarithmic scaling found in the DC Heroes RPG (called MEGS: Mayfair Exponential Gaming System). Basically, every +1 rank of a category doubles the value of that category, whether it's lifting capacity, wealth, information, distance, popularity, mass, etc. With some simple math, you can figure out things like "how fast will it take my character with 9 SP (supermetric points) in Speed to cover a distance of 4 SPs?" In that case, 9 SP of Speed - 4 SP of Distance = 5 SP of Time, which you'd look at the chart or figure out in your head if you know the base value of 0 SP of time. There have been variations in other games that use MEGS that change up the value of increasing a category by +1 on its scale, to something like 1.5 times for something a bit more grounded than superhero comics. Still, it's a great concept that can be incorporated into many tabletop RPGs.

[@MalakyoftheOSR]

Just found your channel dude, your awesome content got me to subscribe. I would love to hear about your house rules for the game, I enjoy hearing about how people tweak their games. As for organization of RPG products...have you read a Palladium book?? They can be some of the worst organized books out there. Rifts is one of my favorite games and those books can be a nightmare when trying to find information.

[@AlternityGM]

I enjoyed 3rd Ed Gamma World. It had a lot of adventures. I enjoyed most editions of GW. It would be great if WOTC released a new GW campaign book or boxed set.

[@eightman0]

Really enjoying you exposing some classic games I haven't experienced! Love your approach and trying to soak up some of your knowledge to bring to my sessions.

[@jackleg2007]

I played the 1st edition GW. I remember seeing the advertisement for the 3rd edition in Dragon magazine. I loved that cover! But for some reason, I never saw it in the stores. The system was used in TSR's Conan rpg and used as a supplement for Star Frontiers.

[@Ravencross06]

My best friend and I played (religiously) 2nd edition Gamma World for two years. We never got into third edition though.

[@RPGElite]

Like I said in the video, it's a mixed bag. For me and some others, we thought it is the best iteration out of the seven, even with all of its problems. And that's saying something. It's why in my online gameplay sessions, I use 3rd Edition. Check out the Gamma World Playlist if you want to check out a couple minutes of each. Third installment coming up this month, God willing. Happy gaming. 👍🏿

[@williamlee7482]

I had to make up skills instead of using the talents it game My players more options and I created a table for occupations based on what you might find in a tribal setting . I had occupations such as shamens , warriors , scouts , scholars just to name a few that gave players starting skills . Skills were based on skill points that used the act table and could start at up to rank 3 with the use of skill points every player got at 1st level ( 8+int/2 ) in skill points . Indivual weapons were also included in skills with a character untrained in a weapon at skill rank 1 . Advanced skills like computer operation had to be learned from a high tech society such as a restorationist base or some other tech based group or base . We played gamma world 3e for a while before switching back to 2e just because it was a bit easier for our new players at the time to learn . But I did use the charts for things like random omens and such because they were very useful

[@RPGElite]

Hey, hey! That's awesome you made the game work because like I said in the video, you pretty much have to do that with GW 3rd Edition. I changed quite a few things when we played ours for a while: rank implementation which was the one that bothered me to no end, the ACT (I made a new one), how to attack with melee and ranged weapons, and few other things. When we wrap up this series, we'll probably be playing 4th Edition with our session play though I'm now thinking about doing a raw 3rd edition session as well. Still up in the air. Keep it real and happy gaming!

[@williamlee7482]

@@RPGElite Awesome , can't wait for the 4e

[@JScottGaribay]

Great video. Just found your channel. Great content! Thank you.

[@RPGElite]

Hey, hey. Thanks for the love, my man. I'll meander over and check out your channel here in a minute. Thanks for watching!

[@CBs_Bill_from_Montana]

I had a giant Venus fly trap that rolled spikes 3 times in a row as a mutation. He ended up being able to take on a death machine. Killed by a thunder lizard roar but rolled the replant (resurrection).

[@gregoryhuelsenbeck337]

I would love to see a video of your house rule edits!

[@RPGElite]

Noted! I will get to this, God willing, maybe later this year. 🙂 Happy gaming.

[@whitleypedia]

Great video! Thanks bro

[@chaoshead87]

LOVE the gamma world game. We did play a rather long campaign using the 3rd ed rules but since I was a player and not the GM I'm not exactly sure what, if any changes the GM made to the system. Liking what I have seen from your channel so far, thanks for creating content for games that are not fantasy.

[@shanewinter7251]

They also tried to do the action table system into Star Frontiers with Zebulon’s Guide.

[@RPGElite]

Not familiar with this, but this is the second time I heard it. I'll keep that in mind when I cover Star Frontiers. Who knows when that will be.

[@charlesr6748]

You should append this with the Delta Fragment supplement that gave a bit more on the outline on skills and talents (pages 83-96) Not to mention the Epsilon Cyborgs, where it outlines cyborg characters too. Also do you house rules!

[@danielboiardini3389]

hi like your channel i use to play the 3 edition of gamma world and still got it but if i want to play again is it better the 2rd edition ?

[@RPGElite]

Hey, hey! Thanks for the love. As far as which is “better”, depends on your taste. As I said in the video, Gamma World 3rd Edition is a whole different monster form the others. Personally, I'm partial to 3rd edition despite the hot mess it is organizationally. The system is simple but not simplistic. If you wanted to try out 2nd Edition, click on the link below that will take you to Drive-Thru RPG. The PDF is $5.00. Happy gaming!

[@torenatkinson1986]

12:00 definitely want to know your fixes for 3rd Edo

[@suggiethames9870]

Now I know that nothing official was ever published along these lines, but has anyone ever done anything like thos old D&D ecology of articles but for Gamma World or even just a bit more elaboration on the culture of things like the Hoops, Badders, etc?

[@R.PaulStone]

My two novels are inspired by Gamma World.

[@justinankeney6344]

My group is currently taking a break from Traveller 2nd Ed and is trying Gamma World 3rd Ed. After two unsuccessful and frustrating sessions or trying to get combat correct, we agreed to try one more session to see if we can make it work, if we can’t we move on to something else. Part of the group stayed long to theorize what we could do to improve our experience, but I am not sure if it is going to be enough. Any suggestions to help us out?

[@SirRadd]

I'd love a video about your 30 page addendum for The One Ring.

[@brandonr8269]

Played this back in the day and remember feeling so dumb trying to keep up with the flipping back and forth in the rule books and stuff like that. So it WAS the game's fault, lol. I just changed things as I saw necessary to keep the flow of the game. Most of the changes had to do with eliminating some of the talent requirements altogether, like the boring ones for identifying local plants and things, instead just making it a straight up roll on the ACT if I thought it was pertinent to the story.

[@jerrydouglas7867]

Definitely make the edits video

[@scotth4713]

Ugh. Hated the ACT system so much, but loved everything else in 3rd edition.

[@fritzhoffmann9746]

I'm old school, ran Gamma World in 1984, 3rd edition was horrible. It was source material only for me. The best system was the HERO system.

[@chicksandwich]

Great video. Thanks man

[@RPGElite]

Thank you for watching. 🙂👍🏿