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MetaScape or MetaSpace
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g026r
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Post Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2007 9:30 pm 
 

Continuing my series of "what the hell is this thing I just spotted on eBay?" posts, the item in question this time is MetaScape (or maybe MetaSpace -- the seller spells it both ways and I can't make out the text on the logo), copyright 1993.



You can see an auction for it here:  
** expired/removed eBay auction **




On thing's for certain, it definitely came in one big box:



Image


"Reader, Carthegena was of the mind, that unto thoſe Three Things, which the Ancients held Impoſſible, there ſhould be added this Fourth ; To find a Book Printed without Errata's."
  

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jasonw1239
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Post Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2007 9:36 pm 
 

Looks like Metascape it is!

http://store.mentalwinds.com/original-m ... e-box.html


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g026r
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Post Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2007 9:45 pm 
 

Apparently there's a MetaScape II that's freely* available.  I may have to look at it (and at acquiring this one) because after reading this blurb on their site, I'm just speechless.  Wow... 8O

http://www.mentalwinds.com/page351.html

That's approaching McCracken-esque levels of self importance crossed with a bit of Gene Ray.  (Don't get the system? That's because you're STUPID!)

You know, I bet I'd catch a lot less flak from the SO if I dedicated myself to something other than collecting terrible RPG systems. :lol:

* Edit: Just looked at it.  It's not quite freely available. Though the rules are available for download, sections of them are missing and the PDFs must be purchased if you wish to actually have the complete rules. :roll:


"Reader, Carthegena was of the mind, that unto thoſe Three Things, which the Ancients held Impoſſible, there ſhould be added this Fourth ; To find a Book Printed without Errata's."


Last edited by g026r on Thu Oct 25, 2007 9:53 pm, edited 2 times in total.
  

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copycat
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Post Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2007 9:51 pm 
 

I so qualify as a master gamer. I had to get it. Thanks! Now, when you feeble whimps fail to grasp the magnificence of a game that says "use numbers instead of 'nuh uh'" then, well, you can go and cry home to momma!


Those who can, don't. Those who should not, do.
  

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Post Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2007 11:23 pm 
 

Wow, I would have assumed that incomprehensible rules are the authors' fault. Now I know it's my fault.

"The backgrounds that go into them stem from private books written by the game author (private = never published.)"

Private books must be of higher quality than published ones, that's why lower types like myself are not privileged to read them.
  

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Post Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2007 12:23 pm 
 

There's a recent thread about MetaScape on RPG.net:

http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=354033

Highlights: The main designer of MetaScape is Blake Mobley, who also did a little AD&D Second Edition work for TSR in the early 1990s.  (He apparently writes a little crazier when he doesn't have an editor).  The game was d16-based, and included miniatures in its 1993 boxed set. (Clearly, this guy believes in swinging for the fences.)  Now he markets "MetaScape II" from his website.
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g026r
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Post Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2007 12:45 pm 
 

Contrarian wrote:Highlights: The main designer of MetaScape is Blake Mobley, who also did a little AD&D Second Edition work for TSR in the early 1990s.

His credits over on Pen and Paper are interesting though not terribly numerous.  Greyhawk Ruins, Feast of Goblins, Complete Bard.  Though I can't help but wonder how many of his MetaScape ideas ended up in the Spelljammer MC.
(He apparently writes a little crazier when he doesn't have an editor).

Also a little more typo-prone, I'd wager.  The PDFs on his site have "Player's Manuel" and "GM's Manuel" on the cover pages.  I was disappointed to find out that this didn't mean that a manservant was provided who'd wade through all 400+ pages for me. :lol:


"Reader, Carthegena was of the mind, that unto thoſe Three Things, which the Ancients held Impoſſible, there ſhould be added this Fourth ; To find a Book Printed without Errata's."
  

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Post Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 4:05 pm 
 

Hey!  I was just looking at that MetaScape II website, and realized: I talked to these guys at Gen Con 1993 (or maybe 1994 -- those were the only years I went in the 1990s).  Mostly because they were giving away this miniature (which I still have).  I did not find the game interesting enough to actually buy anything.

Looking at that website, actually, it looks like Mobley got stuck with all the unsold merchandise -- he's got the original box set ("If you like the work of Blake Mobley, this is about as collectible as you can get!"), the referee's screen, and the minis for sale.

Now I feel bad for the guy.  I'm picturing him living in a house where there's no room to move because it's stuffed full of old MetaScape boxed sets.  On the other hand, I finally know what that miniature's called.
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