Friday, April 20, 2018

OPD 13 Review - Mutant Future! MineCo 3000 Uranium Extraction Complex

Mutant Future! MineCo 3000 Uranium Extraction Complex

So... I have the free copy of Mutant Future! from back in the day... but I've never given it more than a quick look - so I'm not the most qualified to review this as an adventure for MF!, but I'll still give it a once over...

A computer, the AI controlling a uranium mine, has reawakened and is sending out androids to kidnap villagers who, through some kind of advanced mind-control, become zombie-like workers who will work themselves to death in service of the computer.

Organization: This uses the standard organization: Map on the top left, background top right, key bottom. The little piece of art is a nice addition - though a little spurious (one of the original adventurers who doesn't appear in the adventure...)

Clarity: Well, on the map, it's not always clear which number the letters are assigned to - though reading the key makes it more clear... I'd make another appeal to bolding the important stuff.  Several areas have potential encounters (Spider-goats!!) There's some wasted words here too.  In the OPD format, every word is valuable.  Telling us how things used to be (for example, the fence used to be lethal but killed too many workers) might be okay for a longer format, but it doesn't really add to the adventure in any way that is likely to impact the players...

Usefulness: For all my minor complaints, I could see using this - even as is - in a D&D type campaign.  As much as I don't want to mix my fantasy and sci-fi, if I were to do so, I could see an ancient computer - OR even a crashed UFO - searching for uranium for any of a million reasons.  Simply "filing the serial numbers off" this could be a mithral or gold or tin mine run by an insane mind-flayer or some other mind-controlling creature. The "amplifier" becomes a magical bronze ornament near the top of the wall instead of radar...

Subjective: I don't know how it compares to other MF! or Gamma World adventures. I have the GW adventure that Gygax wrote, but I honestly don't remember much about it (bought it because I thought the cover art was cool and it was on closeout sale 20 years ago or more...). That said, it's a decent little mission - could be good for an evening's entertainment.

It occurred to me as I was reading this that this kind of adventure, and I've already reviewed a couple, might be useful for that night when someone is not able to show up to play.  Their PC was kidnapped by, here, the androids.  Some simple clues and off the party goes to rescue their friend...  YMMV


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