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The Lost Sci-Fi RPg's By the Snider Brothers

1/9/2023

40 Comments

 
Picture
Image source: Wayne's Books
Picture
Photo of one of the boxes we found while making Secrets of Blackmoor
Today I just want to tease a couple of RPG games we are interested in publishing.

Mutant by Richard Snider

Star Master by John Snider

I was chatting on reddit and we got onto the subject of Gamma World and other variants.

I posted this:


Metamorphosis Alpha was published in 1976.

TSR had copies of Mutant, but due to conflicts with Dave Arneson they were rejecting any games produced in the Twin Cites.

It is suspected they reverse engineered Mutant to create MA. The author likely had no idea of the previous game, he was merely told concepts. I personally do not believe James Ward willfully copied the concept. He was merely told of a game idea by Gary Gygax in conversation and built from that.

The same is said about the third volume from the Star Probe + Star Empire series titled, Star Master. TSR was in possession of a draft which had been submitted and they never returned. It became Star Frontiers and the original was suppressed. It seems likely even if the mechanical aspects do not match, the idea was plagiarized from the drafts.

Both games are by the Snider brothers who it should be noted were original Blackmoor players before D&D is published.

Thus the sequence for those games is:

Richard Snider, Mutant in the early 70's > Ward with MA by TSR 1976 > Ward with Gamma World by TSR 1978 > full color boxes and drafts exist for a later attempt at publication of Mutant by Adventure Games in the mid 80's.

John Snider, Space Campaign which Arneson dubbed Stellar 7 in 1973 > Star Probe '75 > Star Empire '77 > Star Master draft never published > A print out draft and typed fragments exist of Star Master which was slated for publication by Adventure Games in the 80's > TSR Star Frontiers '82.

The Wikipedia entry states that the artwork for SP and SE was done by Paul Snider and that the layouts were done by MMSA members. 

Perhaps a telling clue about the possible plagiarism is the absence of space ship rules in both the Star Master Draft as well as Star Frontiers. Snider's game was intended as an expansion on his rules for space exploration and empire scale space campaign rules which do cover space travel and space ships. Star Frontiers did not include space ships in the original game, adding them later in an expansion set. We likely will never have a concrete answer, yet, it does lead to conjecture.

The question is whether anyone would want a hard copy of either of these games.

Thanks, from The Secret Team 

As always, tell a friend about Secrets of Blackmoor: The True History of Dungeons & Dragons
40 Comments
Bobby Jackson
1/9/2023 01:13:41 pm

Count me in.

Reply
Marcin
1/9/2023 01:44:03 pm

Yes, me wants! Both! :)

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Michael Nusbaum
1/9/2023 02:28:12 pm

Sounds very cool. I’d support it.

David Collins JR
1/13/2023 02:58:45 pm

Definitely interested in all the above. Can't wait for the Dungeon's of Tonisborg.
Oh and highly anticipating Secrets of Black moor vol.2

Roger C Jones
1/9/2023 06:48:34 pm

Sounds great! I'd be interested.
I actually own Mutant, but didn't know Gamma World may have spawned from it even though I realize they were around about the same time and shared similar elements. Mutant doesn't seem to have the same exact post-apocalyotic vibe.

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Mike Pittek
1/10/2023 11:32:02 am

Yes, please for both Thankyou !

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S.Smith
1/22/2023 02:44:25 pm

I'm VERY interested in Mutant, especially if you keep the original art or 1980's artwork and in hardcover or boxed set. I really hope you guys publish this, seriously.

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telamonides
1/9/2023 01:46:53 pm

I am definitely on board.

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Sam Curry
1/9/2023 01:52:01 pm

Sign me up!

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James Reichstadt
1/9/2023 01:54:00 pm

I’m in for both.

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Robert Miller
1/9/2023 01:59:21 pm

Yeah, I buy into it.

Reply
Blindeyes
1/9/2023 02:00:48 pm

Old school sci-fi? I'm intrigued at the very least. I'm in!

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RPGConnoisseur
1/9/2023 02:14:46 pm

Yes, I would be interested in both.

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Andy
1/9/2023 02:20:51 pm

Sorry, not into sci-fi as much but anything fantasy that you guys are doing I'm in

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Geoffrey McKinney
1/9/2023 02:34:22 pm

I would be interested in these if the price is right!

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Gregg D.
1/9/2023 03:54:11 pm

I would love copies of these. Have been waiting for and looking for Star Master forever.

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David Christopher Lee
1/9/2023 04:22:05 pm

I would love a copies of these.

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Michael Morales
1/9/2023 04:55:37 pm

I’m interested in both.

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Homeworlds
1/9/2023 05:03:25 pm

Absolutely! Both!

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William
1/9/2023 05:31:39 pm

I've seen a rare copy of STAR PROBE, but am not familiar with STAR EMPIRE. FWIR, Star Probe is very complicated, very mathy, and that may have led to its lack of success. However, I'd love to see a "STAR OMNIBUS" with PROBE, EMPIRES and MASTER, plus a revamped, huge hex map to accompany the lot. I'd put some $$$ behind a Kickstarter for the idea! Best wishes.

Reply
William
1/9/2023 05:34:23 pm

ADDENDUM: I would like to offer my services as an editor, if such is needed for the proposed project. Just shoot me an email if interested. Thanks.

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Benjamin Recktenwald
1/9/2023 06:03:24 pm

While I’d like more details (cost, what is included, etc.) I am definitely interested. I love this kind of RPG archaeology!
What about stuff from Daystar West? I’m also interested in their publications.

Reply
Steven
1/9/2023 06:41:40 pm

I didn't want to play it in the 70's and 80's, nor do I now.

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Robert Block
1/10/2023 05:04:05 am

Absolutely. Count me in.

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Jeff Grigsby
1/10/2023 05:27:52 am

I would support this.

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Kenny Marshall
1/10/2023 11:14:42 am

I didn't start playing until 1978, so I missed all this. Thanks for the history lesson!

I have always been interested in Metamorphosis Alpha and Petal Throne, but I have never been able to get my hands on a copy of either.

As to earlier versions, I am not sure how practical either would be at my table. My players are pretty much already hooked into Traveller and Gamma World. I will admit only to a nagging curiosity about both, but my personal preference has always been hard sci-fi over space opera, space opera over post-apocalypse.

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David E Elliott
1/10/2023 11:46:44 am

I would definitely be interested.

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Mike Pittek
1/10/2023 11:55:40 am

Yes Please for both !

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Aaron
1/10/2023 08:02:04 pm

You can mark me as a maybe... i don't see myself playing it anytime soon, but i also like to support my favorite creators...
So, maybe.

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Shane
1/10/2023 08:53:54 pm

The plagiarized games we're crap. I'm not in the market to pay exorbitant prices for garbage...just because it's the FIRST garbage.

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Jeremy
1/13/2023 11:21:54 pm

I'd be interested in learning more.

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A A Ron
1/14/2023 11:25:33 am

I would back these rpgs

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Rich W Goff
1/15/2023 02:01:04 pm

Yes, put me on the list.

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Scott J Abraham
3/24/2023 08:05:52 pm

Ah, Yes!

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Jim Fetzner
3/24/2023 09:22:38 pm

It looks like my original post never made it in here--but I am definitely interested. I have used Star Probe and Star Empires for lots of things over the years, so Star Master is a must. Mutant just looks like fun, so I'm a go for it as well.

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Sam Curry
3/25/2023 07:14:01 am

I accidentally unsubscribed. Please re-sub me!

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Carl Saffer
4/3/2023 09:43:39 am

Hello! Yes, I am very much interested in seeing these published and available again.

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Neale Alexander
1/17/2024 02:30:04 pm

Agree with the comment about a compendium of SP+SE+SM, or would settle for reprints of SP + SE.

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William
1/17/2024 05:01:43 pm

Any headway on this proposed project?

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Brian Harrison
5/12/2025 05:54:22 pm

I know this is now 2 years later, however I would love to see the Snider brothers games published! I would certainly be in for these.

Reply



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