The state of play ? From: "Russell Wiltshire" <russell.wiltshire@virgin.net> Date: Thu, 26 Jun 1997 00:00:00 +0000 I used to play It's A Crime, pbm, years ago. It was a long running commercial game which had a following of several hundred players at the time. I've lost touch with the pbm scene since then - but now I've discovered PBeM and I am very interested in setting up a game, i.e. designing the rules and programming the computer moderation software. I've also looked through the thread discussing the pros and cons of free and commercial PBeM games. The general consensus seems to be that the enthusiasts prefer the paid games because the committment all round is much higher - and the quality of the game is usually better. I have done quite a bit of work on a wargame type PBeM, but before I get into it too far I would like some feedback on the market: How many PBeMers are out there ? What sort of games do best ? What are the best bits about successful PBeM games ? How much do you existing players think is an acceptable turn cost ? I'm not just someone who thinks this is a money spinner. I've played RPGs and wargames for years. If I'm gonna do this I will make a real go of it - I'm just wondering what the current state of play is - so to speak. Any feedback will be greatly appreciated, and I'm sure this information will be interesting for many PBeM gamers. Thanks in advance, Russ. Referenced By Up