Re: Programming Languages

From: Ken Mulholland <Flagship@flagship-uk.demon.co.uk>

Date: Sun, 08 Feb 1998 00:00:00 +0000

Hi Phil - Since Bradley is obviously not going to embroider his send up
of your legitimate enquiry I will add a few thoughts of my own. Unlike
Bradley I will try to avoid jargon and acronyms. It seems to me that if
you understand the jargon and acronyms Bradley uses you don't need his
answer to your question.

I am currently running a PBM game playable by E-Mail (Crisis) and am
developing a wholly PBEM game (Elementals). In my opinion a PBEM game
must allow players to receive output from the host GM's (Games
Master's) program and to return their moves to the GMs program via
E-Mail without intervention by the GM. To do this the players must
be given an application program which will allow them to receive
output from the GM, review their position in the game and generate
their next move to send back to the GM (obvious really).
This is the holy grail of PBM at the moment - all the GM has to do is
run the program and take the cheques (checks) down to the bank!

The problem is that the game itself must be fun to play - too many GMs
at the moment seem to be stuck with the wonders of the presentation of
the data and to have lost sight of the underlying need for a good
interesting, challenging, interactive game which will keep the players
playing (and paying) for a good length of time. This is particularly
true of US GMs - I have long known that most Americans value
presentation above all else.

So the only thing that counts in the long run is to create a good game
and have the stamina to keep on running it. Good presentation will get
the punters in but it is only a quality product that will keep them
playing.

Therefore do not worry only about languages and presentation. Get your
game right and stick at it and you will make what little money it is
possible to make running a PBM game - Always remember that the only way
to make a small fortune at PB(E)M is to start off with a large one!

Ken Mulholland

References

Programming Languages
"Phil Harvey" <fil@syroxdev.co.uk>
Tue, 13 Jan 1998 00:00:00 +0000

Referenced By

Programming Languages
"Phil Harvey" <fil@syroxdev.co.uk>
Tue, 13 Jan 1998 00:00:00 +0000