Metamorphosis Alpha Or What's This Shiny Thing?

A massive colony starship hurtling through the vastness of space, out of control and chock-full of mutated humans, animals, and plants. That's the setting for Metamorphosis Alpha, a game that captured my imagination as a kid growing up in an incredibly mundane suburb of Chicago. I ran the game for some friends back in junior high a few times; it was always fun, but I struggled back then because the rules leave a lot to your imagination.  And I never had the chance to be a player, despite the stacks of characters that I rolled up because there was no Xbox or internet or smart phones, so why not spend a few hours rolling up weirdo mutants?

Heavily armed rabbits are heavily armed.

Never bring a knife to a rifle-and laser-pistol fight. Unless you can blow up their brains WITH YOUR MIND...

Now step back in time to December of 2014: I finally got to be a player in a game of Metamorphosis Alpha, and it was fantastic! Fast, exploratory, violent, and funny. I admit that the GM and fellow players were smart, seasoned players with a great sense of humor--that obviously adds a lot to any game. But the setting held up very well and +Wayne Rossi wrestled the rules into submission nicely.

I'd also read a couple of the short stories, written when sci-fi was still young, that specifically inspired the game: A.E. Van Vogt's "Rogue Ship", Brian Aldiss's "Starship", and Robert Heinlein's "Orphans of the Sky". Skim them to understand the setting of the game and mine for ideas--these books are not fantastic works of literary art, if you get my meaning.

A very good representation of the vast starship world in Metamorphosis Alpha, except the sides and top are neither transparent nor reflective: holograms and actual weather hide the reality.

The game was similar in system, and compatible with, Gamma World which has a much larger following, multiple editions, and plenty of support.

A little about the game we played.  Our party consisted of two Mutants ("Doctor" Shock-Tober and Cubert) and three Humans (Miquel, Mascon, and Keir).

After leaving our village, I was promptly attacked by a metallic bush that hit me with a sonic blast. Then we found a gun, but I was like "Does it fire a projectile, a beam, or summons angels. Possible Angel Gun!"  We crossed the river, and got into a round building with help from the gun, which it turned out fired persistent laser beams, not angels.

Cylindrical metal thing on wheels with arms--turned out to be a Security Robot!

I found a Med bracelet and the Metal Man (Security Bot) got Respect for me, and started calling me Doctor.  I ordered the Metal Man to pursue the Cat People who’d been squatting in the building and had brutally attacked us. Sadly, it never came back. What was your fate, Metal Man?

Our village in the middle, Forbidden Zone south, river and round building to the east. Player-drawn map.

We spent the night in the Security Hut and struck out Forward to the Ramp. We fried an android after he attacked me with a vibro-sword and nearly cut me in half.  DON’T OFFER PEOPLE SQUIRREL MEAT OR VINEGAR CRISPS THEY GET SUPER PISSED. 

Now east of the river, we name the big fortified town north of us "Syracuse" because they are orange. Lake on the right is detail between "Cliff" (side of ship), Syracuse, and the ramp leading to next level of ship.

Ultimately I used my electrical power to electrify an electrical building with electricity and it blew up two cubes of C4 in my Gucci bag, killing the entire party. So it goes!

Light blue line is the ramp, which took us to the Forestry level of the ship. And, ultimately, our doom.

This game took place over Google Hangouts, and one of the players handled all the map duties, first time I'd seen it done that way. It was very fun figuring out what things were, and Wayne did a great job of explaining modern (and futuristic) tech to us. Looking forward to playing again!

By Lindsay Archer

Buy Metamorphosis Alpha Here for 6 Bucks

Into the Odd Twice, Labyrinth Lord Generates Worst Vacation Ever

Many have been the games played in the last couple of months; at least, many by my standards. My Dungeon Crawl Classics campaign at Games Plus in Mount Prospect, IL, restarted, only to be placed immediately back into hiatus for the holidays.  I finished with the customized D&D 4th Edition game held at Chicagoland Games in Chicago, IL.  The D&D 5th Edition game, customized for Clark Ashton Smith's world of Hyperborea, is still going strong.  I enjoy the setting and the system, and I get to play with my wife and good friends while drinking beer or cocktails. Like all of my In Real Life games, it is rated M for Mature.

To look at this requires Maturity.

It is over Google Hangouts where my gaming has increased a great deal. I've gotten very comfortable with the format; I will always prefer to meet in person for a game, but when that's impossible, Hangouts is the way to go. I prefer it when the GM uses a tool of some kind (such as Roll20 or Paint) to show graphics, handouts, or maps but it no longer detracts from my enjoyment overmuch if those tools aren't used.

I'm playing in two long-running campaigns over over the wire: Fantasy Flight's Star Wars and classic, Game Designer's Workshop Traveller. I've also had the chance to play a great DCC module, Prince Charming: Reanimator and for the first time played a (very enjoyable) session of Labyrinth Lord.

I loved that we started the LL game "on vacation", which I don't think has ever been a start for an adventure I've been in. One of the characters had to pound around in the bucolic summer heat wearing plate armor as we investigated clues, explored a tomb, and sought information, leading to his oft-muttered "Worst Vacation Ever!"

I've been excited about Into the Odd for a while now, and finally had the chance to try it out with a couple of great GMs.  In the first case there were three players total and we ran through a dungeon-type scenario pulled from the game designer's blog. We had characters whipped up in a jiffy and they soon developed their own unique personalities, helped along by the weirdness of the environment, a shared near-death experience early in the adventure, and our general sense of paranoia and impending doom.  We ran through the whole dungeon in the time we had allotted and I was able to go through the process of "leveling up" with four quick rolls.

An interesting and diverse assortment of arcana.

The second game of Into the Odd was of a more free-form nature, and I will borrow generously from the report of our GM, Noah Stevens:

We were hired by Mr. Smythewick-on-Smythe, Comptroller of the Adventurers' and Post-persons' guild, to deliver 1 pound of fine green tea - likely magical.  "Viridian Tea of the Jade Brewmancers".  In addition, we have distributed amongst ourselves 100 chocolate bonbons, meant for consumption by Serpent Men (AND ONLY by Serpent Men! as we have since learned).

Both are to be delivered whilst Arcturus hangs in the Southern sky above Bastion, if we are to be paid.

Before leaving we purchased a purple Crocatoo from Mr. Oubilette, at his Fantastic Fowl Emporium.  Also released Odiet Thindo from gravest indenture via bayonet to Mr. Oubilette's abdomen.  Maybe.

A brief moment of air travel by Daemon Zeppelin, and the party docked at the Aerodrome of Bastion, on the Sky Level.  We landed, poisoned the customs agent (accidentally!) and dodged the tax-man.  After nearly getting pick-pocketed, we pressed into service a Deep One hybrid urchin boy named Bertie (possibly the son of a watchman).

Hugo's airship: How Does It Work

We hired Hugo the Aero-captain, and contributed to his untimely death by Crabbird, after destroying a lovely and aggressive mated pair with rocket and blade.

Between the Crabbird attack and the unwanted attention of the Guard, now approaching via airship and firing at us, we temporarily lost one member of the party. As well as permanently losing the previously mentioned Hugo the Aero-captain.

An arcanum, the Dust Mephit Engine, was recovered (still unknown exactly what it does, but it was the engine for Hugo's dirigible.  Odiet damaged the rune-markings in removal from the tiller).

We broke into a private dwelling on a rim-side balcony, and entered into the temple district to avoid the Guard and their Auto-Arquebuses.  Hid in and dealt with the temple of Doubloonus, and the High Priest, for several days but declined his offer of theological and economical intercessions.

Then we got all henna'ed up with currency symbols and dressed in robes (even the parrot) so as to stand out less, and struck out to find the Serpent Men and deliver our packages.

We entered into the Aviary of the Contemptuous Saint, where everything is a bit too tidy and neat.  A nameless Faepog came sidling by with Mr. Fiddler's (probably cursed) fiddle. Nobody came sidling by with my expended rocket, however.  

That's where we left off, until the next time...

One more thing--I played Metamorphosis Alpha today for the first time since I was in junior high school! It was a great time with a good crew; lots of action, investigation, and humor. I'll talk details about it in a future post.