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So I now own both of these, and a part of me wonders how they actually work out in play. I've never played them myself, I'm just wondering if the size of the decks allows for long term gaming and exploration, and if fourth ed., plays like Halo, MA 1st ed, or something else entirely.

Yes, the size of the decks does allow for long-term exploration. While your character may be able to walk over 20 miles in a day, it doesn't mean they're exploring - they're just going somewhere. Now, in 1e and 4, you were responsible for determining what is on each deck, 2e showed best how to do it by having the Warden mapped out. While the map was not in great detail, the information was more than enough to lay the ground for the mysteries of the Warden.

As for your next question, imo 4e does not support any particular style of play any more than 1e. While the emphasis in the fluff is different (1e defaults to a wilderness adventure in space while 4e has a purpose behind it), you can do whatever you want. All it takes is changing your attitude towards the setting. If you want to do Halo using 4e, go ahead. Tell us how it works. Just remember, whatever you do will inevitably have your own twist on it.

Actually I'm likely to use the premise from 1st edition in a game using Mutants and Mazes style LL rules. My interest in 4th is primarily academic. It just seems to be very focused on the war betwixt the factions on the ship and the alien menace at the gates (so to speak).

capheind wrote:Actually I'm likely to use the premise from 1st edition in a game using Mutants and Mazes style LL rules. My interest in 4th is primarily academic. It just seems to be very focused on the war betwixt the factions on the ship and the alien menace at the gates (so to speak).

I agree. Each edition of Metamorphosis Alpha has its own special feel.

In many ways I prefer 1E because it's simple. Bad Stuff happened, mutants are loose, good luck surviving the experience.

2E added a lot more background, and changed the rules system quite a bit (Amazing Engine) so it feels very different from 1E.

3E changed the rules and 4E expanded upon 3E, and they added in the alien menace element to the plotline.

I guess it comes down to the flavor you like in your MA. I like to default back to 1E rules (or Mutant Future rules) and pick bits and pieces of background from the other editions.

During the summer I run a MA1e style game using mostly MF rules. My write up from last summer is on the old forum, so look out for me picking it up again this summer 2011. I started the Players as members of a village living in a bio-dome and now they have discovered the greater world around them. The PC's however as well as the Players do not know for sure whether they are in space or a giant underground vault. I got lucky and actually had an entire group with no previous MA knowledge.

I have never seen the rules beyond 2e, but I can tell you that a mix of 1e and Mutant Future works great!

mightyeroc wrote:I have never seen the rules beyond 2e, but I can tell you that a mix of 1e and Mutant Future works great!

A great point!

While the actual rules for the two games only partly fit together, I agree that running MA using MF is a great idea. My group is familar enough with the basic rules for MF and it's a lot easier to use those rules than have them learn new ones.