Re: The end of Play by Mail? <PLEASE READ!>

From: mlwilliams <mwilliams@signal.dera.gov.uk>

Date: Fri, 03 Oct 1997 00:00:00 +0000

Two snips from Paul's post + comments

> Games where beloved characters get killed off are simply not
> popular.  This was never an issue playing RISK or MONOPOLY.

I disagree. Obviously character deaths should not be an everyday
occurence in role-playing PBM otherwise there would be no time to
actually develop a character. Without any chance of ill-judged actions
leading to death though the game would lack a certain thrill.
	I run a PBM where the average life expectancy is probably 2-3 years but
a dozen or so good players still have their original characters after
more than ten years. It is a popular game with a waiting list for new
players to join.

> You mentioned "paying" for
> games (I won't touch a pay-for-play game with a 10 foot bastard
> sword!).

The PBM mentioned above is a paying PBM, the people who pay for it are
not idiots. They are paying to be in a game with continuity, durability
and a scale - i.e number of players - that generates interest one cannot
duplicate by simply packing scores of npcs around your handful of pcs.
Admittedly if one could find a selfless person who was prepared to work
many hours a day year on year to provide such a service and you had
faith that they'd still be there doing it for you the next year and the
one after that.. then you'd be rather strange to want to pay for the
same thing.

References

The end of Play by Mail? <PLEASE READ!>
"Bob Luthardt" <luthardt@clark.net>
Thu, 02 Oct 1997 00:00:00 +0000
Re: The end of Play by Mail? <PLEASE READ!>
pjlareau1@mmm.com (Paul J. Lareau)
Thu, 02 Oct 1997 00:00:00 +0000