Metamorphosis Alpha
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| Metamorphosis Alpha | |
|---|---|
| Designer(s) | James M. Ward, Slade Henson (Alpha to Omega) |
| Publisher(s) | TSR (1st edition, Alpha to Omega), Fast Forward Entertainment (Alpha to Omega), Mudpuppy Games (4th edition) |
| Publication date | 1976 (1st edition) 1994 (Alpha to Omega) 2002 (25th Anniversary Edition) 2006 (4th edition) |
| Genre(s) | Science fiction |
| System | Custom, Amazing Engine (Alpha to Omega), 3d6 (4th edition) |
Metamorphosis Alpha is a science fiction role-playing game created by James M. Ward and originally produced by TSR, the publisher of Dungeons & Dragons.
Contents |
[edit] Description
The original edition of the game takes place on the generation spaceship Warden that has been struck by an unknown cataclysmic event that killed many of the colonists and crew. Thus, the role-players must survive their missions in this ship (which they believe to be a world) where they no longer understand the technology around them and they encounter numerous mutated creatures. In essence, Metamorphosis Alpha is a dungeon crawl in space.
Player characters could opt to be a human, a mutated human or a mutated creature. There were five common player characteristics: Radiation Resistance, Mental Resistance, Dexterity, Strength, and Constitution. Human players added a sixth characteristic, Leadership Potential, while mutated humans and creatures got to add a random number of mutations, both physical and psychic. Combat was very similar to Dungeons and Dragons combat rules for the time.
It is the intellectual pre-cursor to Gamma World (1978), also produced by TSR.
Metamorphosis Alpha is distinguished not only due to its unique setting but by the fact that it was arguably the first science fiction role-playing game to be published.[1] Empire of the Petal Throne was published in 1975 has been called the first, but is usually classified science fantasy with heavy emphasis on the fantasy rather than science fiction. StarFaring by Ken St. Andre at Flying Buffalo, copyrighted a few months after Metamorphosis Alpha, is sometimes classified as the first by those who deem Metamorphosis Alpha also as science fantasy.[2]
The game's author, James M. Ward, stated that the original inspiration for the game was Brian Aldiss's novel Starship (a.k.a. Non-Stop) (1958). However, it is often suggested that the game was inspired by Robert A. Heinlein's novel Orphans of the Sky (1941).
[edit] Editions
 MA1e to MA4e |
Metamorphosis Alpha was first published in 1976 by TSR. It had no accessories or supplements.
In 1981, James Ward announced plans to rewrite the game as Metamorphosis Alpha to Omega, a supplement for the 1st edition Gamma World rules (Anon 1981). The Gamma World supplement was never completed, but in 1994, TSR used the title Metamorphosis Alpha to Omega for an Amazing Engine supplement (ISBN 1-56076-851-7) written by Slade Henson.
In 2002, Ward's company, Fast Forward Entertainment, published a new version of the game, entitled Metamorphosis Alpha: 25th Anniversary Edition. It was designed by James Ward.
In 2006, Metamorphosis Alpha 4th Edition was released by Mudpuppy Games (ISBN 0-9763601-2-8). This edition contained original material by James M. Ward, contained additional material and photography by Craig J. Brain, and included artwork by Jim Holloway. [1]
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ^ Starfaring (1976 Flying Buffalo Edition). RPGNet. Retrieved on 2007-03-14.
- ^ Starfaring. The Museum of Role Playing Games. Retrieved on 2007-03-14. calls Starfaring the "first traditional science fiction RPG" in contrast to Metamorphisis Alpha as the first.
[edit] References
- Anon 1981. 'RPGA Interview with... Jim Ward.' RPGA News, 3:6-12 (Winter 1981-82).
- James M. Ward's Metamorphosis Alpha Universe, retrieved June 16, 2006.
