Dungeon World - SAY WHAAA?

       Been reading through the rules to Dungeon World on the iPad and I have to say I am suffering from a sense of system shock as well as some degree of excitement.

• No combat pulses/turns/rounds like in every other RPG I have played
• Thus - no rolling for initiative
• No need for a map and character placement for combat
• Combat is seen as a continuation of the narrative that would normally precede or follow it.
• Experience point for failure - Mind you I am still trudging through the rules, but thus far the game seems to be geared to EXP based on the advancement of the story, fondly called the "fiction" by the creators of Dungeon World.
• Your beginning characters are somewhat accomplished and not the hapless twits and vulnerable noobs that I have seen for the past 30 years. Unlike Dungeon Crawl Classic which is also on my list to try in 2014, Dungeon World does not seem to view the world as a meat-grinder for beginning characters. 

   All of this is very different from my 32 years of playing Dragonquest and other games that resemble small tactical battles when the combat unfolded. That combat could become more fluid is appealing, I have tired to telling new players that they are so limited in their moves. Dungeon World seems to promote: "Go for it buddy, but beware the consequences!"

    I am a fan of the "sheet" setting the boundaries for one's character, but Dungeon World seems to refer to the "sheet o'stats" only for crucial rolls, ones that move along the events of the story.   Dragonquest is my first and strongest gaming love, but certainly not my only game. It's been a while since I tried a new fantasy game, Dungeon World looks more promising than when I first bought the game a year and a half ago.