Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Treasure of the Ancients

Whenever I get a chance, I like going to Half-Price Books and checking out the games section.  There's usually a few role-playing books and supplements in that part of the store, and I occasionally find a treasure worth picking up.  I'm not a collector in the strict sense of the term, but I do like acquiring gaming materials I never had a chance to own in my youth.

So when I saw this box on the very top shelf, I knew I'd regret it if I didn't snag the item right then and there:
That white blotch is a reflection from the camera flash, not part of the box art.
That's right, it's a first-edition Gamma World boxed set.  It was missing the dice (I already have dice) and the map (which wasn't that great to begin with), but the $17.48 price tag made the game seem like a bargain.  I did get the second edition when it came out, but even then it seemed a little kiddified compared to what I had known about the original rules.  So I was mainly interested in the first edition book, and its approach to the game.  Like I said, I'm not really a collector. 
I've thumbed through it, and first-edition GW has a lot of interesting rules.  I'll have to do an in-depth post once I've had time to look it over.

Oh, and the best part: The particular store I was in had just moved to a new location, and everything was for sale at a 50 percent discount--on top of the usual half off.  So I paid nine bucks and change for a first edition Gamma World rulebook and box.  Definitely a fruitful treasure hunt!

6 comments:

  1. Very nice find. I played the hell out of 1st edition Gamma World back in the day.

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  2. That rocks! And the white blotch makes the cover much more interesting. "Hold up, guys. Lets wait here while Fred scans the heck out of that glowing thing by the ruins."

    Are you familiar with the game that Gamma World was based on: Metamorphosis Alpha?

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  3. nice. i'm pretty sure i've never found anything quite that awesome at a HPB here.

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  4. awesome! a fun fun fun game you got there!

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  5. I've never played Metamorphosis Alpha. I'm familair with MA's concept from Heinlein's Universe. And I first read about MA in an article "What Color is your Mutant?" reprinted in Best of the Dragon Vol. I.

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  6. Later in my blog I will share with you all my Gamma World d20 that came with my Gamma World box set. Boy did we have fun making up the most ridiculous creatures with human intelligence! I think I will make a blog entry for Gamma World (putting it on list).
    You see I have a list of things I would like to make into a blog entry so I don't waste people's time with fluff and get right to the interesting point.
    I am still new at this thing...

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