First Look Inside the Gamma World Box
There’s so much to see and do at Gen Con, and I have so much awesome news to share with the Vikings. Most of it will be dished out in heaping helpings over the next few weeks, but some things are too cool to wait. Want to see exactly what you’ll get when the Gamma World boxed set comes out in October?
I spent a fair amount of time at the Wizards of the Coast booth today, talking to D&D and Magic devs atop their steel cocktail lounge that towers above the exhibit hall (I’ve got photos of it and from it to show you later). They were very fun and interesting to talk to and shared a ton of info about upcoming products and plans. You’ll be hearing about it all in the next couple of days. I don’t want to downplay how good those interviews were and the great inside info shared therein.
On the other hand, I’ve not exactly been coy about my excitement for Gamma World, so when I spied a Gamma World box sitting on the shelf of the WotC booth store, I had to ask. Can I peek inside? After determining that it was not just a mockup, I was allowed (by Katie the Awesome D&D PR Sorceress) to take photos of the treasures within.
Keep in mind that this is still a pre-production version of the box — the rulebook, for example, was about ten pages of material and a lot of blank white pages. Still, check out the character sheets, deck of cards, two poster maps, the rulebook plus the two-sided creature counters in the top photo.
That map is full of post-apocalyptey goodness.
So what’s up with the decks of cards? From what I was told, they act sort of like Planechase cards. They come into play and bestow some kind of global or personal effect that will shake up the encounter. This appears to be a box of random 8-card booster packs with more of the cards. Seems a little strange, but I’m going to see if I can track down Rich Baker tomorrow and get some detail on the Gamma World cards.
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August 7th, 2010 10:20 AM
Any chance you stuffed that box in you swag bag and made a discreet exit?
If 4e is that convertible, I could totally convert my adventure to Gamma World in a week.
August 7th, 2010 11:12 AM
I don’t know how I feel about the boxed sets– I’m very conflicted. I personally don’t…don’t want them on my shelf? & fear a descent into board-gaming, which isn’t a BAD thing– just not what I personally want. That being said, I fondly recall Planescape box sets & the like. Conflict! The fact that DnD Essentials seem to…be awesome? Is assuaging my worry somewhat. Gamma World! It will be SOOOO ripe for pilfering in the campaign I play in.
August 7th, 2010 12:34 PM
How much will the box set go for? The Warhammer Fantasy RPG box is $100+ which really stands between me and any ideas of thinking about buying it. I’ve had a hard time believing box sets were worth their price before, but it looks like there’s some useful stuff in there.
August 7th, 2010 6:53 PM
@ggodo It’s only $40 according to Amazon. You can pre-order it there for less.
WotC actually seems to be making their boxes affordable/ useful.
August 9th, 2010 12:55 PM
OOH I might get it for the maps. When does it hit the real word? Oh, Ed says October. Well, maybe I can convince my 4E DM he needs the box, so I can take the maps for Shadowrun.
August 9th, 2010 2:30 PM
Help me to understand why I’d need these blind-purchase booster packs. Why couldn’t I have a table of personal/global effects? Not as pretty, but less random and certainly less expensive.
August 9th, 2010 2:34 PM
I find the booster pack idea rather strange in this context myself.
August 9th, 2010 2:38 PM
It’s a simple way to create revenue. No matter how adamantly WotC insists that you mustn’t collect them all, plenty of people will endeavor to do so. And don’t you dare collect the series two boosters! Series 3-9 are “off limits” to collectors.
August 10th, 2010 7:43 AM
I don’t have any problem with companies trying to collect revenue. There is some weird attitude in the gaming community, like WotC should be a non-profit charity, & that any hint of them trying to make a buck is somehow the Evil Overlords at work. They are a publishing company. It is in my vested interest for them to remain profitable, because I want what they are selling. I want them to keep creating products!
August 10th, 2010 1:00 PM
I have no problem with companies generating revenue, I just don’t think that this is going to get any from me. I might get a ‘starter deck’ and no more because I don’t need or want the inevitable duplicates that arise from blind packs. Some idealist part of me hopes that if I point that out here, someone in a position of authority may notice, and produce a product more likely to generate revenue from me. I am worried that these RPG boosters will be met widely with skepticism and disgust because we nerds have a history of hating change, and flop, costing WOTC money, and threatening their viability as a Producer of Awesome Stuff. If I don’t want them, and everyone I talk to doesn’t want them, I begin to wonder who does want them.
August 10th, 2010 5:54 PM
Yeah, I am definitely not a fan of random cards. I am not sure how I feel about cards at all. Certainly we use our critical hit and miss decks alot which I think I prefer to rolling on a chart in that context, but usually I have no use for them in a game.
I certainly support my favorite gaming company generating revenue but I agree with ggodo that i’ll only spend cash on the things that I want to use. On the other hand, at least you get a starter as part of your boxed set. So that way you can see if you like them before spending any $ to increase your deck size.
August 11th, 2010 9:13 PM
You know I get tons of emails about increasing my deck size. Sorry, that one was terrible, but anyway, having a starter in the main box is a good thing!