Okay so the new edition of Kult is coming sometime soon. Given the full title of 'Kult Divinity Lost' and supposedly being done by folks who are long time fans of the game. For those who don't know I'm a long time fan of Kult and, up until recently, owned everything released for it in English. So hearing that a new edition was in the works I was excited, hearing it would have a different system had me even more interested. So I was doing the fan boy dance.
Then they said it would be using the Apocalypse World system. My hands went into the air as I said 'fuck that' and walked away. You see I cannot fucking stand Apoc World at all. So I'm figuring why the hell would I buy a fourth edition of a game with a system I will never ever use and will get aggravated everytime I flip through the book. Already own the setting three times over and they are setting on my shelf. Do I really need a fourth copy of that setting? Hell no.
Let's go on to a bit we've heard from the new folks in charge of the game:
"When I play KULT: Divinity Lost, I want the rules to fade into the background. The number one rule during development is that all rules must support the ongoing immersive story, instead of breaking the flow or draw attention away from the story."
Rules to fade into the background, like they aren't there. I can get that, the old rules were a child of the early nineties clinging onto some of the eighties train of thought when it comes to games. But now let's read a bit they give as an example of the new rules.
"Investigate
When you investigate something roll +Intellect. On a success, you get all open clues. (15+) In addition, ask 2 questions from the list below. (10-14) Ask 1 question, but information comes at a cost. The narrator decides: You need someone or something to get all answers, you have put yourself in danger, or have sacrificed time or resources. (-9) You get to ask 1 question anyway, but you expose yourself to dangers or costs. The narrator make a soft or hard move.
Questions:
• How can I find more information about the object of the investigation?
• What do my gut say about the object of the investigation?
• Is there something weird about the object of the investigation?"
The basic moves includes skills and abilities that the characters in KULT: Divinity Lost use when confronted by the world, and to defeat obstacles in their way. All are built in the same way with an activation phrase, roll, and effects.
The activation phrase tell the players what actions in the story that can activate the move. For example, “When you investigate something” means that the player can roll for the move when the character investigates something, and if the narrator agrees that a roll is needed. Perhaps there is nothing to be found or that clues are so obvious that it isn’t necessary to roll dice, or that the situation does not lend itself for investigation—such as in the middle of a fight. In KULT: Divinity Lost, it is always the Narrator that decides if dice are rolled or not."
How in holy fuck is that 'fade into the background' style of rules. It's A.W. style limiting what you can do and requiring an 'activation phrase' crap in my opinion. Yes because dark horror roleplaying activation phrases are so the thing needed to keep the mood going. Applying the latest "indie darling" system has me turning my back on the game after decades.
Well turning my back on most of it. Seeing the direction they're going I've decided to start culling down my collection. In the end I'll probably keep the first edition books and the rest will eventually be heading towards ebay at some point.
I had the same reaction when I heard about the 'new system'. Kind of annoying in the same way that most trends/hipsters are annoying, but it won't see me ditching my old Kult stuff because I'll still make use of it using a system I do like.
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