ABSTRACT
The game Darklands was released by Microprose in 1992 and is still experiencing a good level of popularity. There is a Yahoo! Group for it, and the game is still available via various online game stores. In 1995, initiated by some debates on the comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg newsgroup over the game, four fans of the game got together to write an FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) for it. This FAQ, which is still online at www.darklands.net, quickly went beyond what one would expect of an FAQ and grew into an extensive fan-site for the game. The main driver for this degree of dedication among the FAQ authors was the fascinating historical, immersive experience the game created. This chapter will be a reflection on the fascination with the game, mainly based on the historic accuracy and immersiveness of the gameplay. There will be also a discussion of the historic credibility and the research that went into the game.
