In the Post-Holocaust roleplaying genre, Gamma World is perhaps the best known of the Old School games. Next up would be a tie between Morrow Project and Aftermath, I’d reckon.
Stephen Pennisi (contact info below) recently acquired an early print of Aftermath! Magic! and went looking for more information on this accessory for the Aftermath RPG.
At the Real Roleplaying forum, author David Harmer noted about the Aftermath Magic printings:
1st edition – entitled “Multiverse Sorcery” – 40 copies printed, numbered and signed at the printer, plain brown cover. These were given to playtesters, the copyright office and FGU for review. These were not publicly sold.
2nd printing – still entitled “Multiverse Sorcery”, plain green cover. 16 copies produced.
2nd edition – retitled Aftermath! Magic! Orange cover with tiger. <100 copies produced.
Then I focused on Aftermath! Technology! 1st edition – 1000 copies printed, Dinosaur games published, Mark Poole cover.
Aftermath! Magic! was briefly available as a PDF from RPGNow/RPGEdge.
Aftermath! Technology! 2.0 released 2008 by FGU.
Aftermath! Survival Guide released 2008 by FGU. (It bumped Magic! on the production schedule)
Aftermath! Magic! 2.0 will now be released by FGU in 2009.
Mr. Harmer responded by email to Stephen’s inquiry:
There were 3 versions of what became the “Aftermath! Magic” rules printed and distributed by me. These were done before the formation of Dinosaur Games (that printed the first edition of Aftermath Technology).
The first run – titled “Multiverse Sorcery” was a tan booklet (plain brown wrapper) limited to 40 copies that were numbered and signed. These were intended for use by playtesters. This was the copy that I gave to Bob Charette and Paul Hume for review.
The second run was printed shortly thereafter, with approval by Bob Charrette and Paul Hume in a lime green cover. An unknown number were printed and given to playtesters, and distributed at conventions.
The third run – the one you have, was printed as a “limited edition”. It was intended to be a print run (in batches) of less than 250. Somewhere around 50 were printed before there was an issue with the printer (If I remember correctly). These were distributed at conventions.Years later, after I had been working with FGU for a while, Magic was printed in the new FGU format (8×10) as an official FGU title.
Stephen notes, “Some of my personal observations of the ‘Limited Edition” version; the construction of the saddle-stiched booklet feels handmade like an old style zine. The cover uses an orange cardstock and the interior features a simple layout of two columns of black and white text with no art.”
Stephen Pennisi (contact info):
See also: Aftermath RPG box set – early Phoenix Games edition