Credits

It takes a village to raise an RPG.

Versions in chronological order. Most recent last. Thanks to everyone.

Version 0

Can’t throw enough respect to Metamorphosis Alpha. EXP is a home brew based on this RPG. Eventually I would like to populate this with which seeds lead to EXP.

Version 1

Homebrew 1980 by Hugh MacLeod

Notes: Typed on an olivetti underwood electric typewriter. Photocopied sections contained in D-Ring binders.
Special Thanks: The minds that changed the meaning of what a game meant, and how collective play could work. James Ward (Gamma World, and Metamorphosis Alpha); Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson (Dungeons and Dragons).

While Space Opera came along much later it demonstrated that an organized game with epic, comedic space shenanigans was possible.

Version 2

Diagram of EXP logo from 1983.

Commodore 64 and crafting.

Hard copies built by ED.

Hard copy 1986

Version 3.01

Diagram of EXP logo from 1990.

Before Corel Draw worked.

Version 4.01

Painting of human, robot and humanoid insect standing in front of DNA circuit board.

Front Cover 1993

Painting of human, robot and humanoid insect standing in front of DNA circuit board.

Cerlox copies of the last millennium

All rights reserved. No copies may be made, in whole or in part, without the expressed written consent of the author. This includes digitizing onto super computers, or the ink quill copying made by small furry gremlins. The Game of Technological Chaos, EXP and the EXP logo are all trademarks of MERV Engineering, Inc. Download it here → EXP v4.01 (PDF

Written and Designed: Hugh MacLeod
Editing: Efrosini Drimoussis, Nick Fleming, Afton Lewis, Jason Montgomery, Bruce Murray, Allen Sens, James MacLeod, Patrick Redding, Dave New
Rule Testers: Clint Hocking, Jason Montgomery, Bruce Murray, Allen Sens, James MacLeod
Play Testers: Clint Hocking, Jason Montgomery, Bruce Murray, Allen Sens, James Macleod, Ilmar Weemes, Stephen White, Afton Lewis, Derek Krezeski, Nick Lacoumantas, Randy Parris, Anyone that ever complained, Jason Gilley, Nick Langford, Nick Fleming, Nick Kwan, Mark Kwan, Greg Dunn, Jason Liebert, Dave Bulman, John Sirmul, Karl Innes, Joe Jeffries, plus a few more.
Art Direction: Mike Jackson
Illustrators: Mike Jackson, Patrick Redding, Andrew Brechan, Jim Nelson, Eric Hotz, Peggy Lynn McAasic, Duncan X, Mike Deane, Warren Oddsson
Desktop Publishing: Patrick Redding

Painting of a human in flight suit surrounded by alien bunnies.

Back cover 1993

Version 5.0

Copywrite 2010 Hugh MacLeod
Creative Commons License Share and share alike with attribution.

Head and shoulder painting of alien, human and robot.

Title header for 2010 WordPress site.

Link to it here → EXP V5

Web Development: Hugh MacLeod
Typing: Kimberly Jonasson
Play Testers: Colin, Liam, Jimmy, Benin, Ben, Nigel, Duncan, Rico
Special Thanks: Tobias Bäthge (Tablepress), PDF to text (OnlineOCR)

Version 5.01

Copywrite 2018 Hugh MacLeod
Creative Commons License share and share alike with attribution.

Head and shoulder painting of alien, human and robot.

Title header for 2018 WordPress site.

Unexpected revision required by a database scramble. Many typos, errors, and grammar mangles fixed.

Web Repairs: Hugh MacLeod
Special Un-thanks: Google Cloud Products. Proprietary incomprehensibility. JIBC PCP Program. Bunch of hateful, cruel, racist, sexist destructive creeps.

Version 6.0

Copywrite 2020 Hugh MacLeod
Creative Commons License Share and share alike with attribution.

Head and shoulder painting of alien, human and robot.

Header for 2020 index page.

Link to it here → EXP V6

Static Site Migration: Hugh MacLeod
Special Thanks: Docs as Code. Asciidoctor. Antoradocs.
Rule Evolutions: Hugh MacLeod
Additional Artists: JE Shields, Hugh MacLeod, Studiostoks 2015
Play Testers: Eric Green, Sam Weisbrod, Leanne Zarour, Craig Addison, Jeff Templeton, Susan Carroll, Kathy Garneau, Stephan Smith

Version 6.1

Copywrite 2021 Hugh MacLeod
Creative Commons License Share and share alike with attribution.

Rule Evolution: Refactoring and intense grammar corrections
Automation: Preliminary pythonic automation has been redacted.

Version 6.2

Copywrite 2023 Hugh MacLeod
Creative Commons License Share and share alike with attribution.

Rule Evolution: Hugh MacLeod
Refactoring of vocation gifts and skills. Many tiny irritating typographical corrections.
Rule Automation: Hugh MacLeod
Client side terminal based python tool for persona creation [now redacted].
Play Testers: Arthur Bullock, Eammon Bullock, Liam MacLeod, Craig Addison, Colin MacLeod, Stephan Smith

Version 7.0

Copywrite 2024 Hugh MacLeod
Creative Commons License Share and share alike with attribution.

Head and shoulder painting of alien, human and robot.

Header for 2024 index page.

Link to it here → EXP V7

Special Thanks: Docs as Code
Asciidoctor
Antoradocs
Rule Evolutions: Hugh
letters to words (type A → Strike, etc)
improved 4d2 mechanic descriptors
infilling pre-rolled RPs and TOYs adding alts to
Artists: JE Shields
Hugh MacLeod mashups, Aimaginations (Dolly 2 and Dolly 3)
Studiostoks 2015
Play Testers: Stephen Smith
Liam MacLeod
Colin MacLeod
Craig Addison
Rich Ellis

Version 7.1

Copywrite 2024 Hugh MacLeod
Creative Commons License Share and share alike with attribution.

Play Testers: Stephen Smith
Liam MacLeod
Colin MacLeod
Jamie MacLeod
Rinki Mann
Amber Monteiro
Craig Addison
Rich Ellis
Mike Howie

changes in 7.1

completed by Hugh
letters to words is complete
- Type A → Strike Attack
- Type B → Fling Attack
- Type C → Shoot Attack
  - Type D and E → Sotto Attack
  - Type F → Flotto Attack
- Type G → Area
  - Grenade (Fling no Force Bonus)
  - Aerosol (Shoot)
Armour Rating → Defence Rating
- AR → DEF
Hit Points rationalized
- HPT → HPS
- HPS Max → HPM
Mental Strength → Mind
- MSTR → MND
Physical Strength → Strength
- PSTR → STR

Version 7.2

Copywrite 2024 Hugh MacLeod
Creative Commons License Share and share alike with attribution.

changes in 7.2

completed by Hugh
improved nomenclature
- mental mutations → psionics
- physical mutations → phenomics
- veterinarian equipment → biorepair
- miscellaneous weapons → armaments
- miscellaneous equipment → devices and gadgets
- pharmaceuticals → pharma
- exatmo vehicles → spacecraft
- inatmo vehicles → vehicles
new sections
- Mundane equipment
- Materiel
- Pre Rolls

Three will no further versioning recorded here. Github will keep the changes public, and the doc will be referred to as rules.expgame.com. If folks require more detailed versioning it may appear. HM 2024_0613_1926

Version 2025_0305

Copywrite 2025 Hugh MacLeod
Creative Commons License Share and share alike with attribution.

Play Testers: Stephen Smith
Liam MacLeod
Colin MacLeod
Julie Vorha
Amber Monteiro
Craig Addison
Rich Ellis
Kyle Faas
James Thornton

changes in this version

Corrections of typos
much input on usefulness of vocation:
1. tasks
2. skills
3. expertise

Version 2025_0328

Copywrite 2025 Hugh MacLeod
Creative Commons License Share and share alike with attribution.

Play Testers: Stephen Smith
Liam MacLeod
Colin MacLeod
Julie Vorha
Amber Monteiro
Craig Addison
Rich Ellis
Kyle Faas
James Thornton

changes in this version

Transition to new task numeric difficulty mechanism
1. subsequent changes throughout the text.
2. removed tables reflecting old DD and table driven target numbers
3. associated difficulties with target numbers and not qualitative values.
4. Easy Difficulty is 24, and player must be 24 on 1d100.
Added teamwork and projects for complicated tasks.
rebuilt anthro persona record to reflect these changes

Version 2025_0408

Copywrite 2025 Hugh MacLeod
Creative Commons License Share and share alike with attribution.

Play Testers: Stephen Smith
Colin MacLeod
Julie Vorha
Craig Addison
Kyle Faas
James Thornton

changes in this version

Changes degree of difficulty, maneuver and DD to new skill difficulty system.
Play tested spacecraft creation and spacecraft record sheet.
Updated printables to be more efficient
1. reorganized adoc download to one complete zip file
2. included PDFs in download zip
aggressively edited the roadmap
repairs of typos, grammar, and document logic

Version 2025_0416

Copywrite 2025 Hugh MacLeod
Creative Commons License Share and share alike with attribution.

Play Testers: Stephen Smith
Colin MacLeod
Julie Vorha
Craig Addison
Kyle Faas
James Thornton
Craig Addison
Amber Monteiro
Liam MacLeod

changes in this version

Changed robot offensive and defensive systems to all peripherals
1. Basic, Fancy, Offensive and Defensive
Play tested robot creation and robot record sheet.
Updated printables for new robot record sheet
repairs of typos, grammar, and document logic