The Known World

[Greybeard]

The longest pbm game I have ever been in was run by Bruce Douglas. I played in it for some 25 years, from 1983, but it folded permanently when Bruce became seriously ill. It started long before this as a tabletop game with figurines on bases. The players were all locals in Northumberland. Also in The Known World was Phil Barker, who was a major developer of game rules by The Wargames Research Group.

This is nothing to do with the novel of the same name.

[Valetemoria]

The Known World began around Sheffield (AFAIK) and migrated via Leeds University circa 1974, moving on as that cohort of students dispersed, albeit always run from Bruces's Northumberland home. It spread its player base across continents, and never ceased to find its diplomatic place at the bars of wargame conventions, or in huddled groups - often in the curry houses of Leeds, Margate, Reading, or Sheffield.

The Known World put a team forward for the Sheffield Triples over many years, and many individuals played in the UK National Championships with success (often Bruce or his eldest son Alan).

On a personal note, Bruce was the Best Man at my wedding in 1984, and the gathered throng included many Known World players such as Genghis, Good King John.

The campaign was a great thing, made greater by the players who were in it.

[walter]

WOW!
Interesting facts Valetemoria!

[Greybeard]

I did not know it started in Sheffield. I was there in the mid-1960s, but I began gaming in the second half of the 1960s, first as tabletop airfix figures then metal figures on bases, finally in board games like Avalon Hill, then the early interactive pbm games.

I still have Phil Barker's published Middle Ages game rules covering 3000 BC to 1485 AD and the three volumes of army lists, Book 1 (3000 BC-75 AD), Book 2 (55 BC to 1000 AD) and Book 3 (armies originating after 1000 AD). I think Sue Barker is still working on this, on her home page.

But what I liked most about PBM, PEBM, and Mass online games was to "sub-create" the backgrounds of the characters. A chance to write creatively about it. That was also true of The Known World.But that will require another post.

[tstone]

Yeah, when those long running games fade from sight. Extra pain for the creator falling upon misfortune.

[Greybeard]

This is just an historical oddity about The Known World, that I came across when reading a book authored by Gary Alan Fine "Shared Fantasy: role-playing games as social worlds" University of Chicago Press, 1983 (paperback 2002).

He mentions Phil Barker which made me do a double-take. But this Phil Barker who died this year was the designer of the game Empire of the Petal Throne and Tekumel. Phil Barker of Wargames Research Group fame, Society of Ancients and Slingshot, and player in The Known World is apparently related to the US Phil Barker - distant cousins!

The real world is in some respects a small world...

[Starkadder]

This is just an historical oddity about The Known World, that I came across when reading a book authored by Gary Alan Fine "Shared Fantasy: role-playing games as social worlds" University of Chicago Press, 1983 (paperback 2002).

He mentions Phil Barker which made me do a double-take. But this Phil Barker who died this year was the designer of the game Empire of the Petal Throne and Tekumel. Phil Barker of Wargames Research Group fame, Society of Ancients and Slingshot, and player in The Known World is apparently related to the US Phil Barker - distant cousins!

The real world is in some respects a small world...

Sad to hear about his death, I read his novel, "Man in Gold" set in his RPG and novel universe. I liked it, but never saw his other novels for sale in book stores.