Alternity Fast-Play Rules (1997)

User summary:

This exclusive preview was never made available for sale. It was available at GenCon 1997 for playtesting. It contained two halves: the Rulesmaster Guide and the Player's Guide, with one half inverted and starting from the back of the booklet of the other half. The Rulesmaster Guide includes the introductory adventure Cauldron Station.

A second version came out between the con and the appearance of the core rules. It features covers with the ALTERNITY name in its final form, and the term "Gamemaster" has replaced "Rulesmaster."

From the page inside the cover of the "Player's Handbook" section (final version) :

Which Future Do You Want to Play?
Will you lead a crack counterterrorist squad in the fight against earthbound evil? Will you crawl from the rubble of an alien invasion to build a new human civilization? Will you lead an expedition to the farthest reaches of the galaxy? You can do all this and more in the alternate tomorrows of the ALTERNITY game!

This is science fiction roleplaying at its best, with a layered rules system that lets you make the game as simple or complex as you choose! With an all-encompassing core mechanic and a system that emphasizes character skills and abilities over type or class, the ALTERNITY game offers you a vast array of possibilities as you discover what the future holds for you!

From the page inside the cover of the "Gamemaster Guide" section (final version) :

Which Future Do You Want to Play?
Send heroes on a stellar scavenger hunt to solve the mysteries of an ancient alien culture. Put them in the front lines of an interstellar war. Assign them to protect Earth's leaders from assassins. Whatever challenge you decide to confront your players with, the Gamemaster Guide puts you in control.

The Gamemaster Guide contains rules for creating supporting characters, starships, even entire star systems with varying planetary environments for any setting you choose. A detailed tactical vehicle combat system allows you to orchestrate battles between ships in the depths of space. You'll find guidelines for integrating over 30 different species of aliens, creatures, and dangerous animals into your adventures. Complete with charts and tables for easy reference, the Gamemaster Guide puts the alternate tomorrows of science fiction roleplaying at your fingertips!

TSR would go on to split the fastplay book into two parts and release the two parts as free PDFs. The advertising centerfold in the print version would not be included for obvious reasons. The player-related material would later be included unchanged in the Players Guide, while the gamemaster-related material would be included unchanged in the Gamemaster's Guide.