Original D&D Discussion - MA cover-to-cover

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May 26, 2013, 1:49am

Original D&D Discussion :: Other TSR Classics :: Metamorphosis Alpha (1976) :: MA cover-to-cover

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Topic: MA cover-to-cover (Read 941 times)

perdustin
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Re: Things I'm Learning about Metamorphosis Alpha
« Thread Started on Nov 13, 2011, 4:42pm »

In my blog, I am analyzing Metamorphosis Alpha cover-to-cover. With regard to character advancement, I have linked to this thread. Also, I have...quoted some material.

Thanks!

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perdustin
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Finarvyn
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Re: MA cover-to-cover
« Reply #1 on Nov 13, 2011, 6:50pm »

This sounded interesting enough to me that I didn't want it lost in the other thread, so it gets its own thread instead.

Oh, and an "exalt" for this project!

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perdustin
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Re: MA cover-to-cover
« Reply #2 on Nov 14, 2011, 9:37pm »

I'm honored.

For many people, 'OSR' means 'early D&D.' One of the reasons I started this project was to bring attention to other 'old school' games. By looking at these other games, I think that we can gain a better appreciation of the RPG hobby as a whole. Granted, D&D is and was a very big part of the hobby, especially in the early days. I think that Metamorphosis Alpha was important in many respects, not the least of which it was a 'single book' game prior to the release of Holmes Basic.

I am thrilled that these forums accommodate the other early influences upon our hobby.

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perdustin
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perdustin
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Re: MA cover-to-cover
« Reply #3 on Nov 16, 2011, 8:52pm »

Aside from creating Metamorphosis Alpha, Jim Ward was a contributor to early D&D products. Now that he is in ill health, he deserves our contributions. In this season of giving, please consider donating.

http://bailoutthewardenfund.bbnow.org/index.php

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perdustin
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perdustin
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Re: MA cover-to-cover
« Reply #4 on Nov 16, 2011, 9:19pm »

Compared to modern RPGs, Metamorphosis Alpha is quite compact. 'Old school' games provided a bare minimum of rules and a collection of guidelines. The assumption was that referees and players develop anything else they needed. This concept is foreign to more recent gamers who expect a codified and comprehensive set of rules.

Other indicators of MA's 'old school' status are the suggested number of players (2 - 24) and -- by today's standards -- a nearly non-existent system of character advancement. What MA did offer in terms of character advancement is discussed elsewhere on these boards as well as on my blog.

Rather than developing the character, Metamorphosis Alpha was more focused on developing the player. Metamorphosis Alpha is not far removed from the wargaming origins of RPGs in that a character is little more than an expendable unit; if one dies, roll up another one.

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perdustin
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Finarvyn
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Re: MA cover-to-cover
« Reply #5 on Nov 16, 2011, 10:19pm »

Nov 16, 2011, 9:19pm, perdustin wrote:

Compared to modern RPGs, Metamorphosis Alpha is quite compact.

Amen. Actually, due to font size MA is a little bit too compact. Jim Ward and Craig Brain are planning a revised edition soon with (as I understand it) larger font size and information from old Dragon Magazine articles integrated into the text. Should be awesome.

The thing is, in the old days folks just assumed that you'd figure out how to play by reading an example of play and trying the game out. Now they spend pages explaining what imagination is and how to use it.

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Zenopus
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Re: MA cover-to-cover
« Reply #6 on Nov 16, 2011, 11:59pm »

Nov 14, 2011, 9:37pm, perdustin wrote:

I think that Metamorphosis Alpha was important in many respects, not the least of which it was a 'single book' game prior to the release of Holmes Basic.

Good point! MA may have influenced Holmes Basic in some ways (frex, Dex for inititative and 10 sec combat rounds) - see here. Since MA came out in '76, Holmes could have had a copy of it in hand when preparing the Basic D&D edit.

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Cameron DuBeers
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Re: MA cover-to-cover
« Reply #7 on Nov 17, 2011, 12:11am »

MA is a strong contender for the finest game besides D&D that TSR ever produced. I'd be hard put to choose between MA and Boot Hill for first runner up.

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Finarvyn
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Re: MA cover-to-cover
« Reply #8 on Nov 17, 2011, 6:40pm »

Nov 17, 2011, 12:11am, Cameron DuBeers wrote:

MA is a strong contender for the finest game besides D&D that TSR ever produced. I'd be hard put to choose between MA and Boot Hill for first runner up.

Agreed. OD&D, MA, and Boot Hill would have to be my top three TSR RPGs in terms of (1) how much I like them, and (2) how much I have played them.

I love the concept of Warriors of Mars, but haven't played it nearly as much as MA or BH. Likewise for Top Secret and Gamma World.

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perdustin
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Re: MA cover-to-cover
« Reply #9 on Nov 21, 2011, 8:36pm »

In my latest post, I discuss the 'sandbox' nature of the ship levels. There is also a discussion regarding the assumptions one can make about the levels and their operation.

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perdustin
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Baron
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Re: MA cover-to-cover
« Reply #10 on Nov 21, 2011, 10:21pm »

Well, I loved, played and ran D&D and Gamma World. Didn't even see MA or Warriors of Mars until decades later. Wasn't interested in Westerns or spies.

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perdustin
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Re: MA cover-to-cover
« Reply #11 on Nov 27, 2011, 2:00pm »

In my latest post, I discuss the differences between human characters and mutant characters (other than the obvious difference of mutations). Humans have 'social' advantages. First, only humans have the Leadership Potential ability (which allows them to have followers). Also, human characters begin the game as a member of some organized society, such as a tribe or settlement. This allows human characters to have starting equipment while, according to the rules, mutant characters start the game "with no material goods."

I also discuss the possibility of mutant humans without obvious mutations being perceived as 'normal' humans, which is suggested in the rules. Robots and the ship's computer treat humans and non-humans differently. How 'non-human' does a person have to be before the robots or computer no longer consider the person to be human?

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perdustin
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perdustin
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Re: MA cover-to-cover
« Reply #12 on Dec 6, 2011, 9:07pm »

In my latest post, I discuss skills in Metamorphosis Alpha. Although there is a section on the character sheet to list skills, the rules do not provide information about skills.

As is, the only skills derive from what a player learns about the setting and from a character learns about using technological items.

Jim Ward's article, “The Total Person In Metamorphosis Alpha,” from The Dragon 14 (5/78), provides a means to establish backgrounds for player characters; however, there are no game mechanics to implement the skills suggested by those backgrounds.

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perdustin
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perdustin
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Re: MA cover-to-cover
« Reply #13 on Dec 11, 2011, 7:44pm »

In this week's post, I muse about human society aboard the Warden before the disaster. I think that the color band system would divide the passengers and crew into various factions. Given their responsibilities and the fact that the colonist-to-crew ratio is 30:1, the crew would be the social elite.

Now that I think about it, the pre-disaster Warden might make an interesting role-playing setting by itself. Of course, it would be a completely different game than Metamorphosis Alpha.

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perdustin
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perdustin
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Re: MA cover-to-cover
« Reply #14 on Dec 12, 2011, 10:16pm »

One of my readers has pointed out the similarities between Metamorphosis Alpha and Paranoia. It's obvious (now) that MA was a primary inspiration for Costikyan.

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perdustin
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