Fast Forward

I have casually read this book in parts for quite a bit, and then cracked down over the last week or so and read the whole thing front to back. This review is of the 3rd edition of the game (I intend to get copies of both the 1st and 4th editions as well).

This is a 64 page staple bound booklet that contains a full game and system for play. The presentation is mostly good, but it sometimes jumps around a bit or is difficult to follow. For example, sometimes charts are mentioned, that are not on the same page, but must be searched for. There is a reference to a "ship robot chart" that I searched in vain for; it turns out that it is the full descriptions of the different stock robot models.

One of my biggest frustrations is the description and map of Epsilon City. The map has a legend of letters and numbers, but the descriptions are only numbers with the exception of an 'R' for radiation. I tried matching up letters with main topic, but gave up after I had duplicates. The map is very general and is grey scale, so I will create my own map and locate the information points myself.

I appreciate the small examples of play. For example, there are three write ups from the perspectives of robots, androids, and humans (players get the opportunity to play as all three in the game). This helps me to envision how to play and to GM a campaign. I would appreciate write ups of game play - conversation between a GM and players, which give examples of how a situation can be played. I have enjoyed this in other role playing systems.

Metamorphosis Alpha is designed to be a fun environment with a lot of complex things going on, but not to get bogged down in the complexity. Weapons and armor are generalized into a 2-21 range, which is used to determine combat. Many of the other game mechanics are dealt with in a similar manner. Only 3 six sided dice are needed to play the game, which also simplifies things.

I am looking forward to getting a group together to play this game. It looks like a lot of fun and it can be as small or large as the game master desires.… (mehr)

"Complete Monsterous Fighters Companion" by Various.
Printed and Distributed by Fast Forward Entertainment.
ISBN-10: 1-932201-30-0 -- Hardcover -- 128 Pages.

This makes a great companion book to the "Green Races" volume. Now you have expansions to their 'Green Races' characters, providing huge details for the Warrior Class.

Details for Fighters for the fifteen new player character races are included, and there is a Prestige Class associated with each one.

There are four totally new classes, twelve new Prestige Classes (yes, intelligent creatures can and do learn to specialize!), a few new skills, a few new feats, new equipment and new magical equipment, and spells!

The final section of the book deals with playing these Green Races. Their religions, their vital statistics, their motivations, the conflicts between them and other Green Races, and how to use them in a non "Green Races" campaign.

I don't know a single player I've ever met who hasn't at least thought of the idea of using a monster as a player character - and this book lets them do that. =Years= before the idea of allowing all intelligent races to be any alignment surfaced recently!

As an example, the 'new' race in the center of the book is the underused Hobgoblin. Quite a lot here to admire, as their backgrounds, normal regions inhabited, their culture and cultural advancement, a typical tribe called "The Hundred", The 'Buffalo Rider' Prestige Class, The class skills, a typical Hobgoblin Lair, and other information.

The new trend in D&D is towards eliminating the 'requirement' that all of a single entire race needs to be a single alignment was used here first by FFE in about 1972! So this book may have even more usefulness today! Although this race is not included here, one of my favorite PCs used a 'converted' mind flayer as a PC. She 'got Religion' and felt that it was her ultimate goal to bring her new religion to the her fellow Mind Flayers.

At the back is the usual OGL.

It's too bad that Fast Forward Games disappeared from the market, as many of these books also included online material which does not seem to be available anymore. However, these Fast Forward Entertainment books rarely disappoint me. As a companion to my favorite "Green Races" book, this one can't be beat! Recommended.… (mehr)

"Complete Monsterous Fighters Companion" by Various.
Printed and Distributed by Fast Forward Entertainment.
ISBN-10: 1-932201-30-0 -- Hardcover -- 128 Pages.

This makes a great companion book to the "Green Races" volume. Now you have expansions to their 'Green Races' characters, providing huge details for the Warrior Class.

Details for Fighters for the fifteen new player character races are included, and there is a Prestige Class associated with each one.

There are four totally new classes, twelve new Prestige Classes (yes, intelligent creatures can and do learn to specialize!), a few new skills, a few new feats, new equipment and new magical equipment, and spells!

The final section of the book deals with playing these Green Races. Their religions, their vital statistics, their motivations, the conflicts between them and other Green Races, and how to use them in a non "Green Races" campaign.

I don't know a single player I've ever met who hasn't at least thought of the idea of using a monster as a player character - and this book lets them do that. =Years= before the idea of allowing all intelligent races to be any alignment surfaced recently!

As an example, the 'new' race in the center of the book is the underused Hobgoblin. Quite a lot here to admire, as their backgrounds, normal regions inhabited, their culture and cultural advancement, a typical tribe called "The Hundred", The 'Buffalo Rider' Prestige Class, The class skills, a typical Hobgoblin Lair, and other information.

The new trend in D&D is towards eliminating the 'requirement' that all of a single entire race needs to be a single alignment was used here first by FFE in about 1972! So this book may have even more usefulness today! Although this race is not included here, one of my favorite PCs used a 'converted' mind flayer as a PC. She 'got Religion' and felt that it was her ultimate goal to bring her new religion to the her fellow Mind Flayers.

At the back is the usual OGL.

It's too bad that Fast Forward Games disappeared from the market, as many of these books also included online material which does not seem to be available anymore. However, these Fast Forward Entertainment books rarely disappoint me. As a companion to my favorite "Green Races" book, this one can't be beat! Recommended.… (mehr)