Darwin's World

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Darwin's World
Darwins World Covers.jpg
Darwin's World covers (1st, 2nd, and "2.5" Editions)
Designers Dominic Covey; 2nd Edition by Dominic Covey and Chris Davis
Publishers RPGObjects
Publication2001 (DW 1st Edition), 2003 (DW 2nd Edition), 2005 (DW 2.5 Edition)
Genres Post-Apocalyptic
Systemsd20 Modern
d20 System
Website http://www.darwinrpg.com

Darwin's World, created by Dominic Covey, is a post-apocalyptic role-playing game first published under the d20 Open Game License in 2001. Originally designed as a quick adaptation of the 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons rules, the game has since been greatly expanded and revised and now utilizes the d20 Modern rules. Several Darwin's World books and supplements have seen print, though most support for the game is still only available in PDF format. In 2010, RPGObjects began producing game books using Pinnacle's Savage Worlds system.

Contents

The online e-zine, Post Apocalyptic Dispatch, continues to provide short articles that support game play for both gamemasters and players alike. The game is still heavily supported with new material coming out on a regular basis.

Mature Themes

Unlike many existing post-apocalyptic role-playing games, Darwin's World is often described as a darker and more "realistic" game system. In specific, its use of real-life deformities and genetic diseases to portray character defects, as well as issues like slavery, racism, and drug use give it a grittier quality than most post-apocalyptic RPGs, which often have a fantastic or "comic book" feel that requires a broader willingness to suspend disbelief.

Versions 2.0 and 2.5

While the original Darwin's World books clearly put forth a timeline and history, the second edition (and most recent edition, v2.5) has a broader focus intending to provide rules, suggestions, and guidelines for any kind of post-apocalyptic campaign setting. The default setting remains a wasteland created by global nuclear/biological/chemical warfare, however (See Weapon of mass destruction). There is a strong focus on regions that once constituted the Midwest and Western United States; numerous modules published for the game are nominally set in "desert" or "wasteland" areas. More specific locations include the desert trade town of Tucumcari, the sunken city of Bakersfield and its strange subterranean monsters, the overgrown ruins of Los Angeles, a San Francisco overrun by anti-technology zealots, and a decadent society thriving in the futuristic domed cities of the Midwest. One supplement went into great detail exploring the fate of the Pacific Northwest.

Game Supplements

A wide range of supplements, sourcebooks, and modules are available for Darwin's World.

Real-Life Inspiration

Numerous adventures written for Darwin's World either briefly feature, reference, or center around real-life places and events. These include:

Reception

Darwin's World won the 2002 Gold Ennie Award for "Best d20 Game. [1]

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References

  1. "The ENnie Awards -- 2002 Awards". www.ennie-awards.com. Archived from the original on 3 August 2009. Retrieved 19 April 2022.