Our Monday group has been playing Vincent Baker and Meguey Baker ‘s Apocalypse World: Dark Age. Given there are about a million hacks of Apocalypse World, it feels somewhat weird to have one that is “branded” so. Setting that aside, the game is pretty damn good, even in beta.
The AW hack that gets the most play around these parts is Dungeon World, and because of that, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that AW does social encounters extremely well (Dungeon World being almost entirely focused on exploring dungeons). This game really drives that home.
Dark Age is a game that sets out to tell a gritty, low-fantasy story of politics, birthrights, and cryptic prophecies. It transparently uses Game of Thrones as its inspiration, and the tropes from that style of fantasy story are peppered throughout. Some of the standout moves in this one, which really help reinforce the flavor, are Claim Your Right, Take Stock, and Take Your Bearings. Claim Your Right is a social move that relies heavily on the idea that your character has claim over certain peoples or lands. Take Stock is all about assessing your current situation vis a vis your rivals (resources, vulnerabilities, etc.). And Take Your Bearings is a nifty move that lets you learn some insight about a new place or situation as you enter it.
I’m also fond of the Draw Someone Out move. It’s a conversation move that lets you learn some more about the character you’re interacting with. It’s a pretty standard AW thing, but some of the hacks we have played (like Dungeon World or Monster of the Week) have no equivalent, and so it’s kind of fun to explore this aspect of play. In fact, this move, more than any other, really makes me want to return to straight-up Apocalypse World, which I haven’t played in awhile.
Anyway, things are going pretty well. I imagine we have about 3 more sessions until we’re done (for a total of 6). There are few minor issues we’re having, but I’m waiting to see if they resolve themselves with more play before I comment on them.
Thanks to Russell Benner Daniel Fowler Daniel Lewis Ferrell Riley and Rob Ferguson !
in three sessions I haven’t used draw someone out. I actually have a move for drawing out a monster, which sounds more like a DW spout lore then a conversation.
in three sessions I haven’t used draw someone out. I actually have a move for drawing out a monster, which sounds more like a DW spout lore then a conversation.
Daniel Fowler You play your guy like the strong, silent-type, hence the not Drawing Someone Out. Personally, I like the idea of your guy trying to hold a conversation with a monster.
Daniel Fowler You play your guy like the strong, silent-type, hence the not Drawing Someone Out. Personally, I like the idea of your guy trying to hold a conversation with a monster.