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Post by greentongue on Oct 23, 2013 12:03:00 GMT -6
This game has existed for years and yet is almost unheard of by many new players.
I hear that a problem that Sci-Fi games have, is that it is hard for people to agree on what "Sci-Fi" actually means.
Unlike Fantasy, there is no generic version.
One of the advantages of Metamorphosis Alpha is that it is very specific.
A generation ship is something that most people "get".
The game as written, starts players as indigenous people, which works only if the players don't metagame.
This may be a problem since it worked best when the game was new and nobody expected it.
The original creator still is involved with the game which limits the scope to an "approved" version.
(There are many unexplored possibility for expanding the setting.)
For me the feeling that "I have to know how things actually work" makes it feel less like entertainment
and more like a test. Getting people willing to take a test when they could be doing something else is an issue.
Why do you think such a "diamond in the rough" has languished all these years?
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Post by talysman on Oct 23, 2013 12:18:38 GMT -6
Is it being held back?
Whenever people ask "what's holding back Game X?" there is always the assumption that Game X should have a much wider audience. But the problem with most Game Xs is what you list as the advantage of Metamorphosis Alpha: being specific. It's a setting, really, not a game.
SF games don't gain a wide audience not because no one can agree on what SF is, but because they can't agree on what they like. Cyberpunk future, space exploration future, and post-apocalyptic future all cater to different tastes. Each sci-fi game finds the audience with the same taste as the designer and then stops growing, because it got to where it wanted to go.
There's no sin in finding your audience.
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Post by Finarvyn on Oct 23, 2013 16:25:23 GMT -6
Think about the total number of different RPGs which have been written over the past 40 years. So few build a large fanbase, and sadly MA is no different.
1. I think that MA was in the shadow of D&D at the first, then was replaced by Gamma World. While MA got a bunch of articles in Dragon early on, this soon fizzled and MA didn't get the kind of extended support of either D&D or GW. If you don't offer product, lots of folks won't think your game is alive and thriving.
2. MA has had too many versions with different rules. Whatever group we have is fragmented by having too many editions. 1E didn't get much support. 2E was based on Amazing Engine, a rules set that didn't catch on. 3E was published by a somewhat obscure company, then didn't get any support. 4E was published by a somewhat obscure company, then didn't get any support. 5E has seen delays of 2 years or so and can't find a direction. Is it based on D&D 4E? "Yes", then later "no". See the pattern? Too many rules sets, not enough cool products to go along with them.
Instead of 5E, I'd rather see "1E cleaned up" pitched as the flagship for the Metamorphosis Alpha product line. Then have a bunch of support products all geared to the same core rules set. It's hard to build a fanbase when the rules change all the time without getting much product support. I'd like to see modules, GM screen, blueprints of the Warden, or whatever. If folks try MA, I think they would like MA.
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Post by greentongue on Oct 23, 2013 17:08:00 GMT -6
I think the focus should have remained on it as a Setting and not as a rule system. While it included a rule system, it should not be locked into one.
There is no reason that the Traveller rules could not be used. Same for Savage Worlds or other "modern" rule systems.
After all these years every gaming aide known to humans should be available for it.
There should even be a Lego set.
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Post by Finarvyn on Oct 24, 2013 8:16:11 GMT -6
I totally agree, but it was marketed as a stand-alone RPG and clearly has been undergoing multiple reboots instead of extended growth.
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Post by Craig J. Brain on Oct 28, 2013 12:30:38 GMT -6
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Post by greentongue on Oct 28, 2013 18:01:59 GMT -6
Great new start. Hope it takes off.
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Post by Craig J. Brain on Nov 4, 2013 2:47:45 GMT -6
Marv mentioned quite some time ago the idea of doing a three little book set of Metamorphosis Alpha.
Once I finish off the oft-mentioned but far from finished hardback, I'll have to revisit that idea.
Craig J. Brain
WardCo.
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Post by Finarvyn on Nov 4, 2013 11:08:03 GMT -6
The solo adventure is a lot of fun. Hopefully folks will support the game's growth by picking it up.  Marv mentioned quite some time ago the idea of doing a three little book set of Metamorphosis Alpha. Once I finish off the oft-mentioned but far from finished hardback, I'll have to revisit that idea. When you get to that point, Craig, we ought to chat. I've been tinkering with which topics would go into which volume and maybe my ideas can help save you a little legwork. |
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Post by Craig J. Brain on Nov 4, 2013 12:45:38 GMT -6
Marv, I certainly will The little book format is too darned nifty to ignore. Craig J. Brain |
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Post by sniderman on Dec 22, 2013 9:47:57 GMT -6
Two years ago, I was hoping that Metamorphosis Alpha was about to undergo a revival of sorts when I (and nearly 450 others) backed the Signal Fire Met. Alpha Kickstarter for the new edition. Now, almost 2 years after funding and the book STILL not done, I have no "warm fuzzies" connected with the game. So what's holding the game back? I'll posit that this may have been a factor as 450 Met. Alpha fans have become 450 screwed-over, disgruntled funders.
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Post by angelicdoctor on Dec 24, 2013 22:49:48 GMT -6
I think that it was eclipsed by Gamma World even receiving endorsement from Mr. Ward as a successor, if you will, to the Metamorphosis Alpha game in an issue of Dragon, I believe. That probably did not help its earliest adoption. I'll see if I can't find that issue.
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Post by Finarvyn on Dec 27, 2013 21:17:02 GMT -6
Two years ago, I was hoping that Metamorphosis Alpha was about to undergo a revival of sorts when I (and nearly 450 others) backed the Signal Fire Met. Alpha Kickstarter for the new edition. Now, almost 2 years after funding and the book STILL not done, I have no "warm fuzzies" connected with the game. So what's holding the game back? I'll posit that this may have been a factor as 450 Met. Alpha fans have become 450 screwed-over, disgruntled funders. I'll admit a lot of frustration over this kickstarter, to the point where I really don't have much interest in ever seeing it in print (except for the "I've paid for it" part). Part of the problem was that the game was pitched as a 4E-compatible version of Metamorphosis Alpha, and when WotC switched to Next this left the MA project hanging. There wasn't much point in releasing a new edition of a game in an obsolete rules set. This meant that Jamie returned to square one and re-designed a system from scratch. A project which had been really overdue became even more so. Personally, I'd have rather seen a 1E MA revival. Go back to the 1976 rules and reorganize, then support the game with modules and GM screens and the like. I really don't see a huge advantage in yet another rules set that isn't compable with older rules sets. We already have 2E which is orphaned (based on Amazing Engine) and 3E/4E which are its own thing. We have choices for core rules and I don't see a real selling point in continually reinventing the wheel, but it wasn't my call. Anyway, just my two domars. |
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Post by greentongue on Dec 28, 2013 13:27:20 GMT -6
I agree with the 1E MA call. As we see all the time, "Old" is the new "New". A little cleanup, some polish and voila, revived interest.
(I think it would also help if the "Canon Police" were not involved.)
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Post by Craig J. Brain on Jan 3, 2014 16:58:06 GMT -6
I agree with the 1E MA call. As we see all the time, "Old" is the new "New". A little cleanup, some polish and voila, revived interest. (I think it would also help if the "Canon Police" were not involved.) = Greentongue, I am not too sure what you mean by the "Canon Police", or who exactly you are referring to. What I do expect is that MA5e has to walk a fine line between the setting of MA1e and MA4e, and that some of the displeased people Jamie will get whatever choice he makes will be disproportionally vocal. Mudpuppy went through this with MA4e, and FFE with MA3e. It's funny, everybody's been watching MA5e, but in the last month Gygax Magazine published an MA3e/MA4e adventure, Jim recently published an MA3e/MA4e solo, I've posted a quick preview of an MA1e adventure on the Facebook page and Jim mentioned something special on our forums for MA1e, if you read them carefully  I've also raised the prospect of publishing Bonnie Brown in draft form to raise funds for maps and artwork, rather than go down the Kickstarter path. Sniderman, I can't speak for Jamie of Signalfire Studios. You've got Jamie's contact details. You know that there's a MA Facebook page and you have the option to deal with him directly. You know he doesn't come here. I will not contribute to your attempts to raise more ire here - all that does is lower the tone of this board and undermine support for older versions of the game, which WardCo. has tried to provide since we started publishing. Undermining support for the game seems to be the exact opposite intention of this board. Regards, Craig J. Brain |
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Post by greentongue on Jan 4, 2014 10:08:16 GMT -6
I am not too sure what you mean by the "Canon Police", or who exactly you are referring to. What I am referring to is the people that resist using the concept of a lost generation ship in space and adding your own twists. The ones that strongly proclaim that it has to be "The Warden" or it is NOT Metamorphosis Alpha. On the Metamorphosis Alpha board I posted "Questioning Assumptions" to try and stretch this mindset into a more inclusive form. = |
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Post by Craig J. Brain on Jan 4, 2014 14:48:06 GMT -6
I am not too sure what you mean by the "Canon Police", or who exactly you are referring to. What I am referring to is the people that resist using the concept of a lost generation ship in space and adding your own twists. The ones that strongly proclaim that it has to be "The Warden" or it is NOT Metamorphosis Alpha. On the Metamorphosis Alpha board I posted "Questioning Assumptions" to try and stretch this mindset into a more inclusive form. = Right. I understand now. I enjoyed those threads Craig J. Brain |
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jdjarvis
Level 4 Theurgist
Hmmm,,,, had two user names, I'll be using this one from now on.
Posts: 123
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Post by jdjarvis on Feb 23, 2014 8:25:51 GMT -6
Metahorphosis Alpha is it's own barrier to "support material". Aside from the rulebook itself it doesn't really need more, its in there. I have the 1st to 3rd editions myself and in each you really do have all you need for a campaign in the presented setting.
Sure there can be new mutations and adventures but what fraction of a fraction of the RPG market are they going to appeal to.
Mr. Ward has generally been pretty clear there isn't one official version of the Starship Warden out there as the only place to play every campaign can be it's own Starship Warden, or Sivraj. To me it's a great toolbox game and while a new toolbox may be appreciated what really makes it work is the GM and players.
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Post by Finarvyn on Feb 23, 2014 16:51:01 GMT -6
Craig's done a fine job trying to support the game, but he's basically a one-man operation. Someday a company will put out a rules set along with some regular module support and then I believe that MA will pick up in popularity.
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Post by Finarvyn on Mar 4, 2014 13:47:45 GMT -6
It's worth noting that on Craig's MA boards Jim mentioned a major announcement regarding METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA would be made at Gary Con. Since he didn't give any details I'm not free to elaborate, but I think it's gonna be big news.
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Post by sniderman on Mar 5, 2014 9:13:00 GMT -6
Keen! That's just a couple of weeks away. When the announcement is made, if someone could post an update here, it'd be appreciated.
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Post by Finarvyn on Mar 6, 2014 5:18:32 GMT -6
Be happy to. I won't be able to access my computer until the end of the Con, but as soon as I return home I hope to get some discussion about it going here.
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I've also raised the prospect of publishing Bonnie Brown in draft form to raise funds for maps and artwork, rather than go down the Kickstarter path.