Apocalypse World

Apocalypse World is a post-apocalyptic roleplaying game by D. Vincent Baker and Meguey Baker, published in 2010 with only an implied setting that is fleshed out by the players in the course of character creation. It was the game for which the Powered by the Apocalypse engine was developed. On release, Apocalypse World won the 2010 Indie RPG Award and 2011 Golden Geek RPG of the year.[1]

Apocalypse World
Cover of the first edition
Designer(s)D. Vincent Baker, Meguey Baker
Publisher(s)Lumpley Games
Publication date2010
Genre(s)
System(s)Powered by the Apocalypse

A second edition was successfully Kickstarted in 2016.[2] This edition updated some of the mechanics (HX, battle-moves, threat map, etc.), playbooks (including replacing the Operator with Maestro-D and Quarantine), and brought Meguey Baker on board as co-designer,[3] but retained most of the original's design.

Setting

The game's implied post-apocalyptic setting is fleshed out during character creation.[4] Each playbook involves and provides inspiration for certain details of the setting, such as the Hardholder, who rules the local settlement and therefore has control over its size, population, and appearance. The characters' shared history is also determined in the course of character generation. Themes of the game are survival and relationships, and they come out in the "pure lethality of the game".[5] Notably, the Master of Ceremonies (MC) is not supposed to do any planning before sitting down to the first session, so that all players have an opportunity to shape the game world collectively.[6]

Game play

Apocalypse World is an archetype-based game.

Materials
  • Three to five players (one to play the MC, Apocalypse World's name for the GM)
  • Two six-sided dice each
  • A different playbook for each player[7]
  • Quick reference sheets for "moves" and the MC's "fronts"[7]

Game mechanics

The system uses the Powered by the Apocalypse engine. It features dice-rolling checks for challenging situations of 2d6 plus a relevant stat. Results of 10+ are successes, while 7 to 9 are partial successes or hard choices, and results of 6 or less allow the MC to make a move. A notable feature of Apocalypse World is the inclusion of a "special move" for each class, which triggers when a character of that class meets the appropriate triggers.

The stats are Cool, Hard (Violent, Intimidating), Hot, Sharp, and Weird (Psychic), with each PC having Hx (History) with every other PC. The default playbooks include the Hardholder, the Gunlugger, the Battlebabe, the Driver, the Chopper (Gang Leader), the Hocus (Cult Leader), the Brainer (Psychic), the Savvyhead (Mechanic/Inventor), and the Skinner (artist).

Reception

Reception was positive, with Apocalypse World winning numerous awards. There was praise for the streamlined nature of the game, as well as the MC job, although the inclusion of a sex move was controversial and was explicitly called out as not for children by SFSignal.[5][8]

Awards
  • 2010 Indie RPG Awards - Game of the Year - Winner[9]
  • 2010 Indie RPG Awards - Best Support - Winner[10]
  • 2010 Indie RPG Awards - Most Innovative Game - Winner[11]
  • 2011 Golden Geek Awards - RPG of the Year - Winner
  • 2011 Lucca Comics & Games - Best Role-Playing Game - Winner[1][12]
gollark: They're kind of bad.
gollark: Just don't do doubly linked lists.
gollark: Due to the ownership rules, though, it can know when a thing has nothing pointing to it and deallocate it without GCing.
gollark: Data structures allocate heap space internally.
gollark: Rust is pretty good for GCing, since it doesn't have a GC.

See also

References
  1. RPG Geek page
  2. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/226674021/apocalypse-world-2nd-edition/description Apocalypse World 2nd Edition Kickstarter Campaign
  3. http://apocalypse-world.com/pbta Powered By the Apocalypse Database. Vincent Baker.
  4. Critical Hits review
  5. Flames Rising review of Apocalypse World
  6. "Play Unplugged review". Archived from the original on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  7. Standard Apocalypse World handouts
  8. Roll Perception plus Awareness review - SFSignal
  9. "Indie Game of The Year, 2010". Indie RPG Awards. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
  10. "Best Support, 2010". Indie RPG Awards. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
  11. "Most Innovative Game, 2010". Indie RPG Awards. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
  12. "Best of Show: i vincitori". Lucca Comics & Games 2011. Archived from the original on 9 March 2012. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
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