As a DW GM, should a care to read anything from the Apokalypse World rules or sheets?

As a DW GM, should a care to read anything from the Apokalypse World rules or sheets?

As a DW GM, should a care to read anything from the Apokalypse World rules or sheets? I am not sure if “based upon…” means that they have any valueable content to DW that has not been repeated in the DW book. Thanks

17 thoughts on “As a DW GM, should a care to read anything from the Apokalypse World rules or sheets?”

  3. I’ve read bits and pieces of AW; def. worth reading it. You get a new sense of depth in what you can create in DW. I’ve yet to find those mythical limited edition character sheets tho.

  4. DW is derived from AW, but stands on its own feet. Reading stuff on AW forums about how to GM has been helpful, but only because the core mechanisms are the same, not because DW is dependent on AW.

  6. You don’t need Apocalypse World to run Dungeon World, but I’ve found that PbA systems knowledge reinforce themselves.

    They can be very different games, but are the same family, and the more permutation you know, the deeper you can understand the underlying mechanics, logics and goals.

    And AW is the basis for them all.

    So, you don’t need them, but knowing the member of the family can help you taking you to a deeper understanding of the game.

  7. Read AW for itself, but afrer reading DW. Not necessary to your enjoyment of DW, but as others posted, will flesh out understanding of underlying structure of the game. Agree with Tim to a drgree. It is a “cooler” game from a graphical perspective. AW is like the hipster of the PbA ecosystem, while DW is more like the comic shop manager. It depends on what you like.

  8. Read AW for itself, but afrer reading DW. Not necessary to your enjoyment of DW, but as others posted, will flesh out understanding of underlying structure of the game. Agree with Tim to a drgree. It is a “cooler” game from a graphical perspective. AW is like the hipster of the PbA ecosystem, while DW is more like the comic shop manager. It depends on what you like.

  9. I’ve been running DW for a few months now, with very little exposure to AW. Our game has been going really well, lots of fun! I’d say take a look at it if it interests you, but certainly not required reading.

  10. AW is not for everybody because of the dark nihilistic tone. The brainer has a move that implies rape ( “unilateral intimacy”, if I remember correctly). I know a lot of people say that AW celebrates human spirit that rises above nihilism, but I don’t see it in the text.

  11. If you mean this: 

    “when you have time and physical intimacy with someone — mutual intimacy like holding them in your arms, or 1-sided intimacy like they’re restrained to a table “

    Then the rape implication comes from you. 

    The move allows you to read the dark and terrible secrets and thoughts of a person. Allowing you to ask questions like: 

    “• what are your character’s secret pains?” 

    etc. 

    If anything the move implies interrogation or (mind-)torture.   

  13. The 1-sided option could be the “subject” bound to a chair and the Brainer behind them with their hand on their shoulders/neck – getting a connection. If the subject is also relieving these things that can be a really painful/troubling experience for them. 

    Reliving your worst fears and knowing that someone else now knows can be seen as torture like. 

    But the Brainer is a pretty dark playbook if you want them to be, that is true. 

  14. “intimacy” in this context is a chirurgic, neutral term. It doesn’t mean “shared positive moments” as is sometime the case (“Are you two… intimate”) but just “time alone at physical or emotional contact”.

  15. This said, Wynand Louw, I would really like to say that I don’t find you “silly” or something, am not trying to dismiss your sensibility and am only trying to be didascalic (I don’t know if I managed. If not, I’m deeply sorry). I can understand how you can read that in the Skinner moves and respect your impression. AW is meant to create emotional, sexually charged, leather-and-steel sessions. Any booklet is secualized and the Skinner is meant to be creepy, so… if you are not playing in a safe environment, use some safety device like an X Card.

    It’s just that knowing personally and having played with both Vincent and Meguey Baker I know that rape, implied or not, is never really an AW central theme. Consensual, shallow sex is, non consensual sex… it can creep into, but is never an automatic part of the game.

    I would not play it, if it was.

    This said I think that the most advanced PbA incarnation of the “old paradigma” is Sagas of the Icelanders, and that Apocalypse World: Dark Age will bring forth a change of paradigma.

    I really suggest to read and play those two of you want to really understand the *World engine. 

Comments are closed.