Just a little idea I had, think it would be fun. Comment your favourite systems and the rest of us will give you recommendations for something that could possibly fit your interests.
Homebrew World, a Dungeon World hack by Jeremy Strandberg. It has less D&D legacy in terms of moves, which are more PbtA-style and less of “add this points of damage” or “add +1 to roll”. It’s made for oneshots or brief campaigns, playbooks are interesting and fun to actual use. I’ve run a game recently, took 8 hours and was really a blast!
Of you like Jeremy's work I bet Stonetop is on your radar. It was kickstarted a while ago and work is ongoing. Think the rules section is pretty much done and it's only the setting book left. Stonetop is a Dungeon World hack centered around the settlement of Stonetop. The material for that I've looked at really makes it centered around the village, playbooks are based on roles in the village and there are rules for developing the settlement. Looks good and they even have a so far short edited and annotated let's play to highligt the system.
As an adult with particular life circumstances, I don’t have a luxury to play with a same group of people with decent regularity. That’s why HbW is my way to go as a GM. Stonetop needs investment I couldn’t afford… but its well-written and explains core game loops much better than DW rulebook… that’s the result of 10(?) years evolution
It is said that Dungeon World have aged worse than many other 1st gen PbtA, can somewhat agree. Could be that the hacks that have come from it does very much the same but better. And that there never was a 2nd edition that have made us forget 1st edition.
Yes, it's kinda sad. I'd totally love to have my rulebook with all the enhancements from best hacks but alas. As far as I know, creators of DW don't plan to update it
Sage may still be in the buisness but I haven't heard him being involved in anything. On the other hand with DW being "dead" the hack scene can flourish. No new edition can come and reset it.
But I do would need a heroicly epic high fantasy PbtA in my life. Will check out HbW when I have the time.