Publishers | Michael Williams |
---|---|
Years active | 1982 to unknown |
Genres | role-playing, play-by-mail |
Languages | English |
Playing time | unlimited |
Materials required | Instructions, order sheets, turn results, paper, pencil |
Media type | Play-by-mail |
Darkworld is a roleplaying play-by-mail (PBM) game.
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 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]
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]