| Darkworld | |
| Publisher: | Michael Williams |
| Years: | 1982 to unknown |
| Genre: | role-playing, play-by-mail |
| Language: | English |
| Playing Time: | unlimited |
| Materials: | Instructions, order sheets, turn results, paper, pencil |
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. It was open-ended[2] and hand moderated.[3]
As of the end of 1987, the game had approximately 100 players.[4] By then, only 53 of 900 "blocks" had been explored, with blocks comprising 1,750 sectors.[4] 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".[2] Turns could be played weekly, and included both normal and special actions, the latter requiring narrative descriptions of a desired action.[2] Game elements included combat, construction, diplomacy, economics, and location (or movement).[2] Magic was also a key part of the game.[4] 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.[5]
PBM Universals editor, Bob McLain, reviewed Darkworld in its first 1983 issue.[3] He stated that it was "A 'must' for whomever wants non-stop fun."[3] 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]