Re: I want to do my own PBEM

From: dmclea1@gl.umbc.edu (Donald F. McLean)

Date: Fri, 28 Nov 1997 00:00:00 +0000

In article <3474bc4d.995928@news.total.net>, americ@total.net wrote:

> I'm a designer/coder. I want to do my own PBEM and need some help
> regarding how to do it.

1. Determine what genre/mechanics you want to use. Pick one from each
   column (add extra items to a column if your favorite is missing):

Column A          Column B          Column C          Column D
   ----------        ---------------   --------          --------------
   Open ended        Science Fiction   Tactical          Armed conflict
   Finite            Fantasy           Strategic         Financial
                     Mixed (SF/F)      Mixed (S/T)       Diplomatic
                     Sports            Role-playing
                     Historical

Column E
   ------------------
   Computer moderated
   Human moderated
   Computer assisted

2. Pick a starting point. You could:

a. Start with a game that you like.
      "It'll be like Monopoly, except it'll have commercial properties
      that you can build stores and factories on."
      "It'll be like Galaxy, but with regular star systems having multiple
      planets."

b. Start with one aspect of the game. You could:
      1. Design a system for generating star systems for a computer moderated
         finite strategic sci-fi game (regardless of what you pick in col D).
      2. Design a hand-to-hand combat system for an open-ended FRP game.

3. Keep going until you've completed something which is nearly useable,
   then find play testers and have them play it.

4. Take Murphy into account.

a. It will always take longer than you want.
   b. It will always have more bugs than you can tollerate.
   c. Your players will never be as happy as you would hope.

Donald McLean
dmclea1@gl.umbc.edu

References

I want to do my own PBEM
americ@NOSPAM.total.net
Thu, 20 Nov 1997 00:00:00 +0000