In the Dark
A downloadable game
What is this?
In the Dark is a streamlined, multi-setting roleplaying game, using the Forged in the Dark system.
The game allows you to play as a team of highly-skilled individuals operating on the fringes of law & society. You could be master thieves pulling casino heists, pirates raiding along the Spanish Main, or interplanetary bounty hunters roving the galaxy.
Who is this for?
- Gaming groups who like Blades in the Dark but want to play in a different setting
- Roleplayers who prefer rules-light, improvisational play
- Players who want a simple entry point into Forged in the Dark style RPGs
What does the game include?
- A 2-page rules summary & gamemaster guide
- 9 player character playbooks covering a range of roles (Ace, Burglar, Engineer, Face, Hunter, Mastermind, Medic, Muscle, & Mystic)
- A GM playbook for notes & reference
- A blank playbook & playset to make your own roles & settings
- Several themed playsets, with more to come
How does this differ from Blades in the Dark?
In the Dark takes the core rules of Blades in the Dark and simplifies them. Gameplay is snappier & more improvisational, like a Powered by the Apocalypse Game.
- Individual & crew playbooks are a single sheet.
- Difficulty comes from adding & subtracting dice from a pool, no position & effect.
- Stats, group actions, gear & load, and harm & healing are all simplified.
- Playbook roles cover a wider range of ensemble stories.
- Gameplay flows freely in & out of missions, with streamlined downtime
- Playsets allow you to play in a wide variety of settings.
The game is mechanically easier to play than BitD, but relies more on player collaboration & inventiveness. Think Monster of the Week or Lasers & Feelings.
Where did this come from?
In the Dark originated as a hack of Scum & Villainy. The goal was to make that game more friendly & engaging for live-streamed actual-play. Versions of it have been played on ManaPot Studios Flights of Fandom streams, in settings ranging from Star Wars to Dishonored to Batman.
What's the release status of the game?
In the Dark is currently in public beta. It's been playtested with a small group on ManaPot Studios Flights of Fandom, and is ready for public feedback. Suggestions & play reports are welcome!
Download
Click download now to get access to the following files:
Development log
- In the Dark v0.3Dec 07, 2022
Comments
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Will there be more crew playsets coming soon?
Yes! The next update will add 2 genre playsets – a space opera playset & a jazz age/film noir playset – and 4 free fandom playsets for the Batman, Firefly, Star Wars, and Grishaverse universes.
These will release with version 1.0, which I'll put out when I've finished the game's full how-to-play document.
Is there any understanding - when to expect the next update and v1.0 at least approximately?
I don't have a set timeline, but I'm aiming for early-mid 2025. All the updated game sheets are complete – email me at david (at) davidbrunellbrutman.com if you'd like copies.
Sent an e-mail. Mostly interested in Star Wars and Firefly.
Just sent – see your email!
Is there a form fillable version of the playset sheet and playbooks? I've been trying to get the editable sheets to load and they wont load properly on any programs I've tried.
I'd love to be able to type up a playset instead of filling a sheet with my lousy handwriting, haha.
There isn't yet, unfortunately. I've got form-fillable pdfs roadmapped for a future update
The editable sheets open in Adobe InDesign. They're for editing the layout & design of the sheets if you want to modify or hack the game
Right now the best option for typing on the game sheets is opening in something like Adobe Acrobat. It's pretty good at guessing where the text boxes need to go. Hope that helps until I'm able to release a more polished solution!
That is very helpful, thank you for the response. I really like the Hogwarts game you made too.
how exactly do I open the Editable Sheets? It keeps redirecting me to my browser and doesn't open any form of sheet.
Hm, not sure why your browser would open! These are IDML files that should open in any app that supports Adobe InDesign files
In the Downtime part it says
“When you’re resting in a safe place, like your base or a friendly bar, you can take each of the following actions once:”
Does this mean that each character can do every one of those actions, or do they just pick one?
Each player character can do every action on the downtime list one time.
Note they’re not required to do all 4 actions – they can choose to to 4, 3, 2, 1, or none.
Hope that clears it up!
would love to see the “Streets of Gotham” version…
Oh yeah! Streets of Gotham uses the Operators playset, with custom factions
I'll create a page for for free bonus playbooks & add it
I love the first XP Trigger,
"Addressed a challenge in line with your role."
It gives the players and characters more flexibility on how to solve the challenges.
Thanks! I can barely claim credit; it's just a generalized restatement of the more specific XP triggers in the original BitD playbooks. But I do love an XP trigger that leads to thematic problem-solving
I like this system. It makes the fitd games more welcoming. I have a question about the licence : I would like to borrow the action roll for a game I’m creating. Should my whole game be attribution share alike or only the action roll chapter?
Thanks! For licensing: Any material borrowed or adapted from this game should be released under a CC BY-NC-SA license, but any original material you develop can be released under whatever license you'd like. You can include a note in your copyright section or a footnote in the rules text
And let me know what you make! I'd love to see it
Thanks for the explanation! It’s a game about Vikings trying to create a thriving colony in England. It’s still in early development.
I would LOVE to see an affinity template for playsets!!
I built the sheets in InDesign – let me see what I can do about exporting to an Affinity-friendly format
The Affinity PDF editor seems to work fairly well, but I'd love something a bit cleaner! Thanks for your work!
Sorry this took so long, but I've added a IDML file of the playbook & playset layouts. This should open in InDesign or Affinity and allow you to fill in your own info for custom playbooks & playsets
I'm just glad it's done! Thank you so much!