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{{Under construction}}
{{In_use}}
{{Short description|Play-by-mail fantasy and science fiction game}}
{{Short description|Play-by-mail fantasy and science fiction game}}


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| designer =
| designer =
| publisher = Michael Williams
| publisher = Michael Williams
| years = 1985 to unknown
| years = 1982 to unknown
| genre = [[role-playing]], [[play-by-mail]]
| genre = [[role-playing]], [[play-by-mail]]
| language = English
| language = English
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==History and development==
==History and development==
''Darkworld'' was a roleplaying, play-by-mail game published by Michael Williams.<ref name=Williams85>[[#Wil85|Williams 1985]]. p. 13.</ref> It was [[Play-by-mail game#Closed versus open ended|open-ended]].<ref name=Dunne85a>[[#Dun85|Dunne 1985]]. p. 14.</ref>
''Darkworld'' was a roleplaying, play-by-mail game published by Michael Williams.<ref name=Williams85>[[#Wil85|Williams 1985]]. p. 13.</ref> It was launched in 1982.<ref name=Webber83/> It was [[Play-by-mail game#Closed versus open ended|open-ended]]<ref name=Dunne85a>[[#Dun85|Dunne 1985]]. p. 14.</ref> and [[Play-by-mail game#Computer versus human moderated|hand moderated]].<ref name=McLain83>[[#McL83|McLain 1983]]. p. 28.</ref>

As of the end of 1987, the game had approximately 100 players.<ref name=Williams88>[[#Wil88|Williams 1988]]. p. 20.</ref> By then, only 53 of 900 "blocks" had been explored, with blocks comprising 1,750 sectors.<ref name=Williams88/> The game map included over 1.5 million sectors.<ref name=Williams85/>


==Gameplay==
==Gameplay==
Gameplay occurred on the planet of Darkworld.<ref name=Williams85/> The game map comprised over 1.5 million sectors.<ref name=Williams85/> Players could roleplay one of 40 available races.<ref name=Williams85/> Multiple roleplaying settings were available, allowing players to "take on the gods, fight the evil orcs, delve into the realms of magics, become a king, or just do nothing".<ref name=Dunne85a/> Turns could be played weekly, and included both normal and special actions, the latter requiring narrative descriptions of a desired action.<ref name=Dunne85a/> Game elements included combat, construction, diplomacy, economics, and location (or movement).<ref name=Dunne85a/>
Gameplay occurred on the planet of Darkworld.<ref name=Williams85/> Players could roleplay one of 40 available races.<ref name=Williams85/> Multiple roleplaying settings were available, allowing players to "take on the gods, fight the evil orcs, delve into the realms of magics, become a king, or just do nothing".<ref name=Dunne85a/> Turns could be played weekly, and included both normal and special actions, the latter requiring narrative descriptions of a desired action.<ref name=Dunne85a/> Game elements included combat, construction, diplomacy, economics, and location (or movement).<ref name=Dunne85a/> Magic was also a key part of the game.<ref name=Williams88/> Players could encounter "cities, castles, temples, ruins, dimensional gates, underground valleys, and twelve different types of terrain" with cities as a hub for many activities.<ref name=Webber83>[[#Web83|Webber 1983]]. p. 10.</ref>


==Reception==
==Reception==
Bill Dunne reviewed the game in a 1985 issue of [[Flagship (magazine)|''Flagship'']], praising its diversity of game settings and possibilities.<ref name=Dunne85b>[[#Dun85|Dunne 1985]]. p. 15.</ref> He stated it was a "standard style of role-playing game with little player interaction and with a creative gamemaster, who puts you in a very nonstandard scenario".<ref name=Dunne85b/>
''[[Gaming Universal|PBM Universal]]'''s editor, Bob McLain, reviewed Darkworld in its first 1983 issue.<ref name=McLain83/> He stated that it was "A 'must' for whomever wants non-stop fun."<ref name=McLain83/> Bill Dunne reviewed the game in a 1985 issue of [[Flagship (magazine)|''Flagship'']], praising its diversity of game settings and possibilities.<ref name=Dunne85b>[[#Dun85|Dunne 1985]]. p. 15.</ref> He stated it was a "standard style of role-playing game with little player interaction and with a creative gamemaster, who puts you in a very nonstandard scenario".<ref name=Dunne85b/>


==See also==
==See also==
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{{refbegin}}
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite magazine |last= Dunne|first=Bill|title= Darkworld: Intersection of a Thousand Fantasies|date= Summer 1985|magazine= [[Flagship (magazine)|Flagship]] |number= 7|pages= 14–15|ref=Dun85}}
* {{cite magazine |last= Dunne|first=Bill|title= Darkworld: Intersection of a Thousand Fantasies|date= Summer 1985|magazine= [[Flagship (magazine)|Flagship]] |number= 7|pages= 14–15|ref=Dun85}}
* {{cite magazine |last= Loth III|first=John Kevin|title= A Turn of the Darkworld|date= March–April 1987|magazine= [[Paper Mayhem]]|number= 23|pages= 13–14|ref=Lot87}}
* {{cite magazine |last= McLain|first=Bob|title= Gamealog: Darkworld |date= November–December 1983|magazine= PBM Universal |number= 1|page= 28|ref=McL83}}
* {{cite magazine |last= Webber|first=Dave|title= Darkworld: A Review...|date= March–April 1984|magazine= Paper Mayhem|number= 5|page= 10|ref=Web83}}
* {{cite magazine |last= Williams|first=Michael|title= Darkworld [Ad]|date= Summer 1985|magazine= [[Flagship (magazine)|Flagship]] |number= 7|page= 13|ref=Wil85}}
* {{cite magazine |last= Williams|first=Michael|title= Darkworld [Ad]|date= Summer 1985|magazine= [[Flagship (magazine)|Flagship]] |number= 7|page= 13|ref=Wil85}}
* {{cite magazine |last= Williams|first=Mike|title= Tales from the Dark Side|date= December 1987 – January 1988|magazine= The D2 Report|number= 15|pages= 20–21|ref=Wil88}}
{{refend}}


==Further reading==

{{refbegin}}
* {{cite magazine |last= Dias|first=Dan|title= Darkworld: The Adventures of Talbot Lyle|date= April–May 1987|magazine= The D2 Report|volume=2|number= 3|pages= 23–25|ref=Dia87}}
* {{cite magazine |last= Dias|first=Dan|title= Darkworld: The Adventures of Talbot Lyle [cont.]|date= June–July 1987|magazine= The D2 Report|volume=2|number= 4|pages= 12–13|ref=Dia87a}}
* {{cite magazine |last= Dias|first=Dan|title= Darkworld: The Adventures of Talbot Lyle [cont.]|date= August–September 1987|magazine= The D2 Report|number= 13|pages= 39–40|ref=Dia87b}}
* {{cite magazine |last= Vasquez Jr.|first=Praxedes|title= Darkworld: As the Darkworld Turns...|date= October–November 1987|magazine= The D2 Report|number= 14|pages= 42–45|ref=Vas87}}
* {{cite magazine |last= Vasquez Jr.|first=Praxedes|title= Darkworld: As the Darkworld Turns|date= February–March 1988|magazine= The D2 Report|number= 16|pages= 17–20|ref=Vas88}}
{{refend}}
{{refend}}


{{Play-by-mail games}}
[[Category:American games]]
[[Category:American role-playing games]]
[[Category:Fantasy role-playing games]]
[[Category:Multiplayer games]]
[[Category:Multiplayer games]]
[[Category:Play-by-mail games]]
[[Category:Play-by-mail games]]
[[Category:Role-playing games introduced in the 1980s]]
[[Category:Role-playing games introduced in 1982]]
[[Category:Strategy games]]
[[Category:Sword and sorcery]]
[[Category:Tabletop games]]
[[Category:20th-century role-playing games]]

Latest revision as of 00:04, 24 August 2023

Darkworld
PublishersMichael Williams
Years active1982 to unknown
Genresrole-playing, play-by-mail
LanguagesEnglish
Playing timeunlimited
Materials requiredInstructions, order sheets, turn results, paper, pencil
Media typePlay-by-mail

Darkworld is a roleplaying play-by-mail (PBM) game.

History and development

[edit]

Darkworld was a roleplaying, play-by-mail game published by Michael Williams.[1] It was launched in 1982.[2] It was open-ended[3] and hand moderated.[4]

As of the end of 1987, the game had approximately 100 players.[5] By then, only 53 of 900 "blocks" had been explored, with blocks comprising 1,750 sectors.[5] The game map included over 1.5 million sectors.[1]

Gameplay

[edit]

Gameplay occurred on the planet of Darkworld.[1] Players could roleplay one of 40 available races.[1] Multiple roleplaying settings were available, allowing players to "take on the gods, fight the evil orcs, delve into the realms of magics, become a king, or just do nothing".[3] Turns could be played weekly, and included both normal and special actions, the latter requiring narrative descriptions of a desired action.[3] Game elements included combat, construction, diplomacy, economics, and location (or movement).[3] Magic was also a key part of the game.[5] Players could encounter "cities, castles, temples, ruins, dimensional gates, underground valleys, and twelve different types of terrain" with cities as a hub for many activities.[2]

Reception

[edit]

PBM Universal's editor, Bob McLain, reviewed Darkworld in its first 1983 issue.[4] He stated that it was "A 'must' for whomever wants non-stop fun."[4] Bill Dunne reviewed the game in a 1985 issue of Flagship, praising its diversity of game settings and possibilities.[6] He stated it was a "standard style of role-playing game with little player interaction and with a creative gamemaster, who puts you in a very nonstandard scenario".[6]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d Williams 1985. p. 13.
  2. ^ a b Webber 1983. p. 10.
  3. ^ a b c d Dunne 1985. p. 14.
  4. ^ a b c McLain 1983. p. 28.
  5. ^ a b c Williams 1988. p. 20.
  6. ^ a b Dunne 1985. p. 15.

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Dunne, Bill (Summer 1985). "Darkworld: Intersection of a Thousand Fantasies". Flagship. No. 7. pp. 14–15.
  • Loth III, John Kevin (March–April 1987). "A Turn of the Darkworld". Paper Mayhem. No. 23. pp. 13–14.
  • McLain, Bob (November–December 1983). "Gamealog: Darkworld". PBM Universal. No. 1. p. 28.
  • Webber, Dave (March–April 1984). "Darkworld: A Review...". Paper Mayhem. No. 5. p. 10.
  • Williams, Michael (Summer 1985). "Darkworld [Ad]". Flagship. No. 7. p. 13.
  • Williams, Mike (December 1987 – January 1988). "Tales from the Dark Side". The D2 Report. No. 15. pp. 20–21.

Further reading

[edit]
  • Dias, Dan (April–May 1987). "Darkworld: The Adventures of Talbot Lyle". The D2 Report. Vol. 2, no. 3. pp. 23–25.
  • Dias, Dan (June–July 1987). "Darkworld: The Adventures of Talbot Lyle [cont.]". The D2 Report. Vol. 2, no. 4. pp. 12–13.
  • Dias, Dan (August–September 1987). "Darkworld: The Adventures of Talbot Lyle [cont.]". The D2 Report. No. 13. pp. 39–40.
  • Vasquez Jr., Praxedes (October–November 1987). "Darkworld: As the Darkworld Turns...". The D2 Report. No. 14. pp. 42–45.
  • Vasquez Jr., Praxedes (February–March 1988). "Darkworld: As the Darkworld Turns". The D2 Report. No. 16. pp. 17–20.
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