Re: PBeM

From: soliiigm@aol.com (Sol III GM)

Date: Thu, 10 Apr 1997 00:00:00 +0000

Phil said
>Gary Jones <GJones@manassa.demon.co.uk> writes
>>So what on Earth are we arguing about? We both seem to agree that turn
>>length is not *the* factor which makes a good turn, but that it does
>>seem to matter, and yes some GMs *do* 'boast' (oops!) about turn lengths
>>in their advert (my turn is bigger than yours?).
>
>Sorry, I wasn't aware that we *were* arguing about anything?! I thought I
>said before that length was just one factor, along with things like
writing
>quality. The fact is that the longer a turn is the longer it takes to
write. If
>the GM is trying to make a living they're going to work out how much
>they need to make per turn / hour for the game to be financially viable.
>They can either knock out turns of two or three hundred words at a rate
of
>three or four an hour for a low turn fee, or write longer turns at a rate
of
>one an hour (or more time than that sometimes) for a higher fee. Seems to
>work well enough, all types of players are catered for by the various
games
>available.
>

Careful now, Phil, that is a loaded sentence.  "Knock out" and "write"?
Now, I know you weren't trying to imply that 2-3 hundred word moves are
inferior to 1000 word turns, right?

>>All I was trying to point out was that PBM & PBeM are different mediums
>>and the players have different expectations because of that (which I
>>think is what is being discussed elsewhere on the thread).
>
>Surely they're just different carriers. What the difference between a
PBEM
>turn in an RPG and a PBM one? Only that a) the GM doesn't send you a
>printed copy, and b) neither player nor GM needs to worry about
>envelopes, stamps etc. That's why we charge 50p less for email turns in
>our role playing games. Also of course there's no significant delay in
things
>going to and fro when email is used.

Actually, E-Mail *IS* a difference that means more to the PBM/PBeM side
of things that simply lower costs.  The rapid turnaround time allows some
games to send out return moves at a point that a normal PBM is still
waiting on the Post office to deliver the first turn.  Instant mail allows
companies to shorten turnaround times, increase communications with
players and generally function better and faster.
  Believe me, I have never done anything BUT PBeM RPG's and I am still
figuring out new ways to improve the Sol III game.

Eagle
Sol III Game Master
Sol III Play By E-Mail Role Playing Game
http://members.aol.com/soliiigm/index.html
  (Large site with 45 pages and growing)

Everyone once in a while, everything will go right.  Don't panic.  It passes.

References

Re: PBeM
Phil Shulkind <phil@phildee.demon.co.uk>
Tue, 08 Apr 1997 00:00:00 +0000