Hello Ebok,

It's okay that it took a long time to respond. Between then and now, I went on an excursion through the "roleplay theory: hardcore" section, which led me to The Forge and a few related web sites. I feel they helped give me a better understanding of how AW "plays", as well as some useful information about roleplaying games and ways they can work. Then again, that's no substitute for actually playing! (Also, please forgive me if I'm speaking oddly? I've noticed that some of these forums are kind of... old. And populated by people who almost certainly have a lot more RPG experience than me.)

Your words on threats make a lot of sense. If I view them in terms of mechanics and moves, rather than focusing on what makes them characters, then of course they'll feel generic.

Asking players questions about the NPCs and how they fit into life is something I'm not quite used to - it's a general assumption on forums I'm on that "the world outside the players" is under the GM's exclusive control - but it can't be that hard with practice and combing the forums. And forming a collective story sounds like... it's really different than what I'm used to, but you've given me some useful tips, so it's not daunting. Like, it seems to be okay that I don't know everything before it happens like some sort of novel, because the game rules tell me how to figure out the game world, the people in it, and how they act, as I play rather than deciding it all beforehand. And they (and you) are telling me it's okay and good to give the players more influence in that world. And it seems very important to pay attention to and be excited about players' characters, because the story is collective rather than "fed" by a GM or MC.

Basically, thank you. This kind of highlighted what I'd been missing. I hope this response is an illustration of me understanding rather than misconstruing what you said.

(Wasn't sure whether to put this here or somewhere else. If it needs to be moved, it needs to be moved.)

Hello all,

Most of my RP experience comes from forum RP, rather than dice-based RP. While I've read a lot of advice on how traditional RPG players can have a better experience with PbtA games, I would like to know tips on how a forum RPer such as myself can get into the right headspace for Apocalypse World. I've played a few PbtA games by post, and face to face, and it gives me the impression that what works for one "medium" doesn't always work for the other. I feel like I'm always struggling to make things up or use the moves in a useful way. Any tips would be appreciated!

"Sparkle Dreams" has a nice ring to it, slips off the tongue readily. (That can be an important feature!)

Ooh, that sounds magical girl-y. I'm trying to find just the right mix of:
-"has a nice ring to it, slips off the tongue readily" like you said
-evokes magical girls (and differentiates it from a normal magic fantasy questing RPG)
-evokes the weird, dark vibes this has

"Sparkle of Dreams" might be it. "Sparkle of Nightmares" is darker, but I don't know if I like the ring or if it's too edgy. "Puellae Tenebris" evokes Puella Magi Madoka Magica, one of the major inspirations, and might attract the attention of its fans, but it also sounds kind of edgy.

Hi Spwack,

Thank you for your kind words, and your squee!

I'm actually most used to playing things in PbP (if you mean play by post?), although I don't have much experience GMing Apocalypse World (most of my experience is completely freeform RPs). So, if you're interested in playtesting, PbP or not, I am willing to be a part of it.

In response to the mild feedback: that part about multiple stat/geist types is pretty much it. That, and I feel like attacking geists is so intrinsic to being a magical girl that it's not really fair to say only one kind of magical girl specializes in it.