Not at all.  I like curiosity and wonder, I am going to write those up.

Steve, to answer your question, each character starts with two keys.  One positive and one negative.  the only exception is the Warrior-Poet, who may take one of the ways of the warrior as one key, and any of the emotional keys as the other.

THe move the helper can make while running is limited; it has to be something that they could reasonably do while running.  Not controlling a dire situation, or engaging in conversation with the enemy to read them.  If they make a move that requires them to stay or would moot running, they can't run.

___

Yes, the MC has to know when a situation is Dire, but that should be a natural consequence of being engaged in the story. My general rule of thumb is "did something happen that might kill someone?"  If so, it's dire.  In the whoverse, that's a LOT of things.

__

Dang, I *like* that idea of 'giving yourself to your enemy'.  that's sparking stuff off!

I think you may have suffered from not having the latest version of the playbooks.  A lot of your confusion during character generation and experience prompts may have been cleared up.  In no particular order:

You do not highlight stats.  Instead, each playbook has highlighted moves.  When the player makes a highlighted basic move, they mark experience.   There's also in-fiction prompts for marking XP underneath the highlighted moves.  Those need tinkering.  Was that not clear or confusing during play?

You are on to something about 'control a dire situation'.  It's supposed to be the fighting move.  I need to come up with a better name.  But the other ways you mention to nip a dire situation in the bud before it becomes a fight can be done via quite a few basic moves; 'convincing with reason' or 'appeal to emotion' under manipulate a person were designed to cover the kind of situation with the Silurans you described.  You are correct about needing a section of text unpacking how to use the basic moves.

As for History (hx):  Each player adds up the total number of bonds they have for each other player, and that is that player's bond rating.  For instance, if the Agent names the Whiz in two different bonds, the Agent has history-2 with the Whiz.  This is directly lifted from Dungeon World, if you've seen it.  I'm glad they like the text for the bonds! :)  

Oh, and History goes up or down at the end of a session, like AW.  There are one or two moves that change it during play, like the romance move for the Construct.

You also noticed that I need to write up a bit about the TARDIS. :)  The way I run the game, there is no way to pilot it.  In the fiction, the TARDIS is acting on its own, seemingly fulfilling the Doctor's agenda.  A trick I have used at the beginning of the session is that the TARDIS appears and picks up the Companions.   Each one had been a way for a period of time after the Doctor died, so it immediately whipped up an emotional resonance.  (like when Sarah Jane saw it again in the 10th Doctor story with her.)  

If the TARDIS wants someone to pilot her, I generally don't make them roll for it; either it's an invitation to make a hard move, or it goes without incident.  The behind the scenes rule with that is that the TARDIS has to *want* to let them succeed.

Sorry for the brain dump.  It's late, but I wanted to get some of this out before I went to bed.  The main thing I got from your last two posts is that I need to clarify a lot in the text, so thanks for the nudge in that direction :)

Jerry

I do that for two related reasons.  The first is that the majority of stories in the series focus around the Doctor, and I didn't want that happening in the game.  That's a lot of weight for one player, and tends to detract from ensemble play.  The second is that the Doctor tends to have (in my opinion) plot-fulfillment powers.  Kind of like Superman. :)  He's just so powerful that anyone who wasn't a Timelord would generally get pushed aside.  That kind of power and spotlight imbalance tends to make for a bad game, to my way of thinking.

I agree with Simon; the swearing an oath is interesting, but shouldn't replace opening your mind.

In the original fiction, Conan's philosophy is that the gods don't really care that much about us.  In the original film, he tells Crom to go to hell if he won't help him, and doesn't expect anything to come of this.  Given this, I'd frame the move along the lines of impressing the gods.

Get the Gods' Attention

When in a charged situation, swear an oath to your god, then roll +Wyrd.  On a hit, your oath comes to pass.  On a 10+, you have impressed your god and gained their favor, in the form of +1 forward.  The gods are capricious, and keeping their fleeting attention is like trying to hold sand.  On a miss, your opponents have impressed their god instead.  Woe unto you.

I can see Conan doing that, for sure. :D

As for opening your mind, the real weirdness in Conan was almost always sorcery. I'd say keep the move, but frame it within the fiction that way.  Of course, Barbarians hated sorcery, so maybe make it either involuntary on the character's part, but still the player's choice.  Or maybe for Barbarians, frame it so they're listening to their instincts or the voices of their ancestors. 

Ok!  Here's the link to the Google Doc for the setting and rules.  Comments are enabled.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wGbSWxQiWn3jVTFosJFQDugdLGi_5se5PiDO_-mObf0/edit?hl=en_US

Hey, all.  I'm working on a hack of Apocalypse World to tell stories in the universe of Doctor Who, and I would like to share. :) 

The conceit of the setting is that the players play the former companions of the Doctor after his death.  The TARDIS has started acting on its own, and mysteriously fulfilling his agenda, forcing the companions back into their old lives as its agents.  I chose AW as the engine for the game because the idea of making horrible choices is something common to both Doctor Who and AW.

The setting allows for the companions to acquire Timelord-like powers during play, but not as advancements.  Instead, when they die, the TARDIS brings them back with a Vortex move, and sometimes with psychic scars.  This is done via a move, so there's also a small chance they won't come back at all.

Here's an example of one of the playbooks, named the Agent.  It is for playing a Captain Jack-esque Time Agent.  I also have other playbooks for various Companion archetypes.

Meet The Agent

The Time Agency.  Its name alone commands attention and respect across thousands of years and dozens of galaxies.  It selected the best and brightest from the apex of Humanity’s development.  They acted alone in the most hostile of environments, surviving on their charisma, luck and daring.  Naturally, they chose you for duty. 

The Doctor taught you that the Corps doesn’t know everything, and shouldn’t be obeyed without question.  But at heart you are still a Time Agent, even if you find your own way to adhere to the spirit of your mission.  Plus, running around with him was fun!

Rank:
Lieutenant, Major, Captain, Colonel, Commander, or none at all.

Names:
Drake, Bauer, Smiley, Bourne, Steed, Rosenberg, Phelps, Flint, MacLean, Harkness.
Modesty, Mata, Sydney, Vesper, Salt, Nikita, Plame, Marlene, Elektra, Iselin.

Look:
Man, woman, androgynous, trans.
Formal wear, vintage military wear, nondescript wear, modern BDUs, high fashion.
Earnest face, average face, striking face, soft face, lovely face.
Inscrutable eyes, weathered eyes, knowing eyes, dark eyes, dead eyes.
Perfect Body, wiry body, compact body, soft body, graceful body.

Stats:  Choose one set.
(Cool +2, Bold +0, Hot +1, Clever  -1, Vortex +1)
(Cool +2, Bold +1, Hot +0, Clever +1, Vortex  -1)
(Cool +2, Bold  -1, Hot +2, Clever  -1, Vortex +0)
(Cool +2, Bold +1, Hot +1, Clever +0, Vortex  -1)

Agent moves: You get this one.

Not My First Time at the Dance: You’re from the future, with direct experience with technologies from all over spacetime.  When presented with a device from a period other than your place of birth or modern Britain, roll +Clever.  on a 7-9, hold one.  On a 10+, hold three.  Trade hold 1 for 1 to ask the MC questions:

    What is it?
    How do I use it?
    Who made it?
    Is it safe?


This does not apply to items with +vortex.

Then choose one:

Storm of Death:  When you are in combat against a gang, add +area and +loud to whatever weapons you use for the duration of the fight.  Afterwards, if your harm is below nine, raise it to nine.  If it is at nine or higher, it goes to twelve, and you die. 

You Don’t Stand a Chance: When convincing or seducing someone, roll +Cool instead of +hot.  Additionally, you may seduce just about any living thing that values reproduction.

Tradecraft: When you are in a dire situation, roll +Clever, then describe a brief flashback scene, where you foresaw your predicament and used your experience as a spy or available advanced technology to save you.  On a 10+, it works; you get out of the situation without serious harm. On a 7-9, take +1 forward to get out of the jam.   

Been There, Done That:  Cool +1 (Cool +3).

The Voice of Experience: When someone asks you for advice, roll +Cool.  On a hit, they get a +1 ongoing while the advice applies.  On a 10+, mark an experience circle.

Gear:  You start the game with the following:

    Damaged Vortex Manipulator
    Clothing appropriate to your look with integrated armor (+hi-tech), worth 2-armor
    Small holdout weapon (1-harm close reload hi-tech), you describe the details
    Choose 2 weapons from the following:
        Modern sub-machine gun (2-harm close area loud)
        Modern assault rifle (3-harm close loud autofire)
        One of the Exotic Weapons as described in the Savage playbook



You also get the trappings and stuff from the cover story life you have set up for yourself in modern Britain.  The lifestyle is never higher than middle class.  Best to stay under the radar.

Damaged Vortex Manipulator (+vortex +hi-tech +valuable)

This device resembles a large, heavy wristwatch on a stout leather strap.  The technology incorporated into it is the pride and joy of the Time Agency.  Once, it could open the Vortex and fling you across time and space.  Most of its higher functions burned out long ago, but it still has a few tricks left.

When reading a dire situation, it allows you to access information normally hidden to your naked senses.  Magnetic fields, tachyon bursts, perception filters, anything that involves exotic energies or technologies can be detected by this baby.  It also senses dangerous environmental conditions, such as radiation, poison atmospheres or gasses, weapons fire, etc.

It also has sensors that can detect subtle shifts in the physiology of living things, giving you a +1 forward when you use it while reading a person.  It has detailed files on alien anatomy, letting you identify the species or species type of any creature you encounter, even if you’ve never heard of it.

The range of its senses is hundreds of miles.  It used to do whole planets, but the damn thing has been wonky for years.

Bonds & History
Select one or more of the following bonds, filling in the name of one of the PCs for each.  It’s better to fill in more than one, but not required.  Once you are finished, the total number of bonds each character selected for you is your History rating with them.

    ________ knows something about me that I wish they didn’t.
    I once left ________ to die.
    Before I was a companion, the Agency gave me orders to sanction ________.
    ________ and I once fought our way out of impossible odds.



Romance Move:  When you kiss someone with whom you are romantically entangled, gain two hold.  Spend 1 for 1 to instinctively know where that person is.  As long as you have any hold, gain +1 ongoing to any move you are trying to save that person’s life.

Mark XP when:

    You hit with a 12 or more.
    You roll using a stat at 0 or less.
    History with someone resets.
    A move tells you.
    You lie to someone you care about.
    You take harm trying to save someone.