Metamorphosis Alpha
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Metamorphosis Alpha is a science fiction role-playing game created by James M. Ward and originally produced by TSR, the publisher of Dungeons & Dragons.
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 the first science fiction role-playing game to be published ( was published, in 1975 has mistakenly been called the first, but was in fact science fantasy, not science fiction.)
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).
Editions
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, the designer of the original 1976 version. This version is different from previous versions as the ship Warden is attacked by an alien vessel, thus altering the premise of the story.
In 2005, Ward announced that development had begun on Metamorphosis Alpha 4th Edition. It is scheduled to published in August 2006 by Mudpuppy Games. [link]
See also
References
- Anon 1981. 'RPGA Interview with... Jim Ward.' RPGA News, 3:6-12 (Winter 1981-82).
- [Jame's M Ward's Metamorphosis Alpha Universe], retrieved June 16, 2006.
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