PBM List (long) From: lindahl@deshaw.com (Greg Lindahl) Date: Wed, 23 Oct 1996 00:00:00 +0000 Back in the good old days, I used to post the PBM List on a monthly basis. Then I stopped, because I was unhappy with both my speed in incorporating updates and the amount of stale information in the list which had no one sending updates for it. I have since revamped the list completely, and now I will be resuming posting it. New entries are posted separately. -- greg This is the PBM List, which contains details about all the games that I know of. If you know of a game which isn't on this list, please contact me at lindahl@pbm.com. You may access this information via ftp at ftp.pbm.com:/pub/pbm or on the web at: http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/pbm.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Adventurer Kings Type: Fantasy War Game Duration: 15-25 turns Frequency: Weekly for email, 2-3 weeks/turn for snailmail GM: computer-moderated Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, gui, snail, email, fax, computer, wargame, fantasy Email: 71750.1153@compuserve.com (International: Ark Royal Games, David Snell) Email: 100601.3053@compuserve.com (United Kingdom: Ventura Games) Email: 73653.574@compuserve.com (France: Productions Roland Danard) Email: 100141.404@compuserve.com (Holland-Germany: PBM Express) Email: RomaGames@b022.aone.net.au (Australia: Roma Games) Email: llucky@crl.com (USA-Canada: Llucky Llama Games) Email: agonistika@mclink.it (Italy: Strategia e Tattica) URL: http://www.mclink.it/com/agonistika (Italy) URL: http://www.tightbeam.com/llucky/#AK (USA-Canada) URL: http://www.ozemail.com.au/~romapbm (Australia) Last-Update: 1996Sep16 Description: A completely computer-moderated game of world conquest. One of its nicest features is SAGA: the turn input/output program. You can either download your turns from Compuserve, or receive diskmailers. It also helps you avoid many errors. Opinion: An excellent game, with a lot of factors which work well together. The SAGA program makes any entry errors your own, and Dave Snell seems to really work hard to make playing an enjoyable experience. Highly recommended. - minnotte@rice.edu (Michael Minnotte) [ed. note: Dave Snell has sold the game to Lucky Lama] Not terribly complicated, but a good fun game, made more so by the ease of Saga. - ry@attunix.att.com (Ryerson Schwark) An excellent game, much deeper than it first appears. Dave Snell (the GM) is one of the best in the business - joey.browning@datadim.com (Joey Browning) Another Opinion: There is too much luck in this game for my liking, especially in combat between characters. Magic rules, but if you muff your first spell (which can happen to anyone) and your opponent doesn't, you're toast. If you lose a few characters this way, you just can't do anything. -- Keith Wignall (ECON100@cantva.canterbury.ac.nz) Company: Llucky Llama Games 80-Q N. Cabrillo Hwy, #226-I Half Moon Bay, CA 94019-1667 Phone: 415-712-0283 Fax: 415-712-0284 Alternates: England: Ventura Games PO Box 14 Aldershot, Hants GU12 4XN Holland/Germany: The PBM Express PO Box 885 3300 AW Dordrecht The Netherlands Australia: Roma Games PO Box 1171 Stofford QLD 4053, Australia Italy: Strategia e Tattica Via Cavour 250, 00184 Roma France: Production Roland Danard 1 square Albert Einstein 91000 EVRY FRANCE phone/fax : (33) 01.60.77.32.16 Minitel : 3615 AKELA*DANARD or 3615 AKELA*KINGS ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Adventurer's Guild Type: Combat/Adventuring Duration: Open Ended Turns: Once every two weeks. Option of having a "traveler" status which will fight you in the next guild processed (minimum of two weeks in between each turn). GM: Computer moderated Email: HughBayer@aol.com URL: http://users.aol.com/AdvGuild/AGpage.html Costs: $9.75 per turn for the first character, $9.00 for each additional character in the same guild. Rules $3.50. Keywords: commercial, open-ended, computer, snail, email, fax, rpg, fantasy Last_Update: 1996Sep17 Description: AG is sort of like a D&D game. You have numerous races to choose from for characters. You can fight in the guild which will put you in a group of eight with a round-robin format. You may then fight an extra fight (no additional cost) versus a single opponent or many (for both sides). Team fights happen frequently. If you prefer not to fight in the guild you can go adventuring with a party (1 to 8 people) to the numerous adventure sites. Travel between the guilds is possible if you wish a change of scenery. Gods play a role in the AG realm and you may swear devotion to the God of your choice. The turns are laser printed (15 to 20 pages single-sided) and include a newsletter. Opinion: AG is everything that Duelmasters kept promising to add for the three years I played (adventuring, team fights, etc). You have total control of your character and his/her design. The customer service is outstanding. If you send in questions with your turn, you receive them with your results. The GM is constantly adding additions to the game to make it even better. If you like Duelmasters or the concept, AG is for you. -- mburgess@discover-net.net Company: Entertainment Plus More, Inc. P.O. Box 2578 Appleton, WI 54913-2578 phone: (414)749-9597 fax: (414)749-2721 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Age of Discovery Type: strategic, economic/military, 19th century setting Email: doug@dgreenin.hlth.gov.bc.ca URL: http://www.islandnet.com/~dgreenin/emg-game.htm Keywords: free, closed-ended, email, computer, wargame, economic, historical Last-Update: 1996Sep11 Description: Age of Discovery uses the same basic rules as Global Diplomacy. The main differences are: (1) there is a new map for each game, (2) all players start the game with equal size forces and (3) players do not know the layout of the entire map, but must explore to discover it. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Alamaze Type: Global conquest - Fantasy Duration: Max 40 turns, usually around 20-25 Frequency: 2 week turnaround by snail mail, 1-week email games GM: Computer-moderated Cost: $15.00 rules, setup, first 2 turns. $7.00/turn for basic games, $8.50/turn for advanced games. Deposit (refunded on turn 10) of $15.00 for basic and $25.00 for advanced games Email: alamaze@aol.com Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, snail, email, computer, fantasy, wargame Last-Update: 1996Sep08 Description: Alamaze is available in four scenarios. Players may choose to play as an individual, as a team, or on an epic side. There are 15 players in a game. Each position is unique yet balanced to others over fourteen criteria, such as military might, magical talent, economic muscle, diplomatic skill, and others. Important components of the game, such as towns, villages, and artifacts are randomly located in each new game to maintain freshness as well as to be equitable for players. Every position has won multiple times, which indicates good play-balance. Opinions: This is a complex game; the rule book alone is ~50 pages. There is considerable need for player interaction/team games are available. A very good game of its type. RSI does an excellent job at customer service. The games may be pricey for some tastes. - stdaughney@chemical.waterloo.edu (Steve Daughney) [ note: RSI no longer runs games -- gl ] Another truly excellent game, especially since Pegasus took steps to increase their efficiency and customer service. Strongly recommended! joey.browning@datadim.com (Joey Browning) I have played in 3 Alamaze games and I love it. They have great customer service. They really get to know you and the game is great. You can do whatever you want to do. -- Mike Zink <WHSB06C@PRODIGY.COM> (1996Sep23) Company: Pegasus Productions P.O. Box 248 Waynesville, NC 28786 (704) 452-0552 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Amaranth Type: Vampire Roleplaying Cost: (pounds) 4.50/turn Duration: Open-ended Frequency: Minimum once per week GM: Human Email: harlequin.games@dial.pipex.com URL: http://www.interpages.co.uk/harlequin Keywords: commercial, open-ended, snail, human, rpg, modern Amaranth features longer turns than "Exiles", with more depth, for the player who likes atmosphere, emotion, intrigue and tension. Harlequin Games 41 Treherbert Street Cardiff CF2 4JN UK ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Arena Type: fantasy arena combat Duration: open-ended Frequency: run once a day Email: srt@pbm.com (Scott Turner) URL: http://www.pbm.com/arena/ URL: ftp://ftp.pbm.com/pub/arena/ Keywords: commercial, open-ended, email, computer, rpg, fantasy Last-Update: 1996Apr07 Description: Arena burst forth from Scott Turner's fingers after he looked at a Duelmasters' turn. Arena reminds me of the ancient microgame "Melee," designed by Steve Jackson: you begin with a fixed number of points, and spend them to design a gladiator. Unlike Melee, you then send your gladiator off to combat with a set of orders, and the battle is fought without human intervention. Winners grow stronger. Opinions: The battle reports have me gasping with tension. Character design is more complex than it appears and there is a continuing sense of discovery. The game would benefit from further development to introduce more variety to the challenges - there appear to only be 4 different monsters. One of the features is that this is a game which is best played every day, though it takes only a very few minutes. -- Simon Beresford <sb@sophron.demon.co.uk> (1996Sep26) Company: Shadow Island Games P.O. Box 6435 Somerset, NJ 08875-6435 (908) 469-1992 info@pbm.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Atlantis 2.0 Type: strategic economic/military, fantasy setting Duration: open-ended Frequency: one per week Email: atlantis@prankster.com Status: running; NOT accepting new players URL: http://www.prankster.com URL: ftp://ftp.prankster.com/pub/atlantis2 Keywords: free, open-ended, email, computer, wargame, fantasy Last-Update: 1996Apr24 Description: Atlantis 2.0 is a vastly expanded version of Russell Wallace's original Atlantis 1.0 system. Atlantis features multiple faction types, a mostly player-run economy, simple economics, and a simple combat system. As of April 24, 1996, there are 302 players in the game. The GM expects that the next version of the game will be a low-cost commercial game. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Atlantis 3.0 Type: strategic economic/military, fantasy setting Duration: open-ended Turns: one per week, email only GM: computer moderated Costs: $1 per turn Email: atlantis@prankster.com URL: http://www.prankster.com URL: ftp://ftp.prankster.com Last-Update: 1996Jun15 Keywords: commercial, open-ended, email, computer, wargame, fantasy Description: Atlantis is an open-ended computer moderated play-by-email fantasy game for any number of players. Players may attempt to carve out huge empires, become master magicians, intrepid explorers, rich traders or any other career that comes to mind. There is no declared winner of the game; players set their own objectives, and one can join at any time. Atlantis 3.0 is in the early stages of the game, with about 200 players, and openings for any who wish to join. Turns run once per week and cost $1 (US). Atlantis 3.0 is designed based on experience with the Atlantis 2.0 playtest, which ran for over a year, with more than 500 players at its peak. To learn more about Atlantis 3.0, visit either the web page www.prankster.com, or the ftp site ftp.prankster.com . There, you will find the rules, some hints for new players, sample turns, a signup sheet, and player instructions. You can also email atlantis@prankster.com with any questions you have. If you wish to join, be sure that you have read the rules (as they describe the rules of Atlantis 3.0), and the player instructions (as they describe the various policies for playing Atlantis 3.0). Then, fill out the signup sheet, and email it to atlantis@prankster.com. Opinions: My current favourite game. A virgin world and magic system just waiting to be discovered. Either be diplomatic or solitary - it is up to you. The number of units you can control can run into thousands, or only tens, again it up to you. Bug free and regular as clockwork. -- Simon Beresford <sb@sophron.demon.co.uk> (1996Sep26) Company: Merry Prankster Games 15600 NE 8th St Suite B1 #351 Bellevue WA 98008 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Bacteria Type: Abstract Duration: 20-30 turns Frequency: 14 day turns GM: computer moderated Costs: AUST$3.00/turn email, AUST$5.00/turn postal URL: http://www.ozemail.com.au/~pbm/bacteria.html Email: pbm@ozemail.com.au Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, email, gui, computer, abstract Last-Update: 1996Aug29 Description: Bacteria is a PBEM game where each of 9 players play a colony of cells in a drop of water, trying to become the strongest collective organism of the game. Players submit orders for each of their cells to either move, multiply or attack each turn. Each players group of cells is referred to as their "Swab". Each swab starts off with a Nucleus and about a dozen other cells, arguably the most important being Energy cells and Producer cells. Together, these cells can produce either more Enery and Producer cells or Warriors and Absorbers to attack the other swabs in the drop of water, and to defend against pesky virii which can attack at any time. The winner is the last swab left err.. pulsing. A Windows turn viewer and order entry program is required to play. Company: Dynamic Games P.O. Box 707 Dapto, NSW 2526 Australia (042) 61-7148 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Balance of Power Type: Strategic modern warfare Duration: 30-40 turns Frequency: 14 day turns GM: computer moderated Format: snail Costs: AUST$7.00/turn + extra orders URL: http://www.ozemail.com.au/~pbm Email: pbm@ozemail.com.au Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, snail, computer, wargame, modern Last-Update: 1996Aug29 Description: Balance of Power is a 20 player game set on another world with over 100 different battalion types (based on WW1-WW2+ technology) to build up an army from. Each country starts with 75 hexes and around 120 production points. The first country with over 800 production points is declared the winner. Company: Dynamic Games P.O. Box 707 Dapto, NSW 2526 Australia (042) 61-7148 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Battle Master Type: space Duration: open ended Frequency: 10 day turns GM: computer moderated Format: email Costs: free URL: http://www.ozemail.com.au/~pbm/bm.html Email: pbm@ozemail.com.au Status: Under Playtest Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, email, computer, space Last-Update: 1996May21 Description: What's so special about Battle Master? * No waiting list - Start straight away. * Constantly changing galaxy - the galaxy grows as more players join. * Results in HTML (web browser) format. * Each ship individually tailored - players can design each ship based on the task they intend it to carry out. * Special Items - each planet can develop it's own combination of special abilities. From better missiles to faster growth etc. * Seven types of Individuals - Captain, Navigator, Engineer, Bombardier, Scientist, Medical Officer and Security Officer. * Missions - Ships and Individuals can be sent on special missions. * IPBM's - Inter-Planetary Ballistic Missiles! * Biological warfare, space mines, much more. Company: Dynamic Games P.O. Box 707 Dapto, NSW 2526 Australia (042) 61-7148 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Beppiland Email: pol11@agonet.it Type: Electronic soccer simulation Cost: ITL. 2000 /turn Duration: 11/12 turns Frequency: once a month GM: Human / Computer URL: http://www.agonet.it/elsa/beppi/bepp.htm Last Update: 1996Sept13 Status: Full, 5 players waiting. Keywords: free, open-ended, email, mixed, sports, modern Description: NOTE: played in Italian Beppiland is a strang place where is played a particular "United" championship. United is a soccer simulation where you are a team manager: you have to lead your team to conquer all the competitions!! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Beyond the Stellar Empire (Europe) Email: Inquiry@KJCGames.com (use only if new player or for ordering info or free starts) Type: Space Opera Cost: (pounds) 2.5-6 a Turn Duration: Open-ended Frequency: one per week, but "double-turns" per fortnight when desired GM: Partially human moderated. URL: http://www.nvg.unit.no/~cezton/kjc_bse.html Last-Update: 1996Sep25 Keywords: commercial, open-ended, email, snail, mixed, space, economic Description: BSE is a role-playing game in a developing universe. Players start as newly graduated starship captains from some space academy, and start with a small but all-round spaceship. One can chose to align oneself to one of the player-run affiliations that seek to reach their various goals. Players can chose to engage in trade, combat, piracy, smuggling, colonisation, exploration, diplomacy and/or research. It is possible to play multiple positions, ships, ground parties (can be armies, exploration groups or whatever), colonies or political positions. BSE is a game that grows with its players and known space becomes bigger and bigger. It is somewhat expensive, but the pricing system is attempted made so that the more advanced turns are priced higher, while the standard turns that the GM can just punch in are cheaper. Opinion: I have played BSE since it started in Europe and have felt most of its sides, good and bad. First of all, I do not recomend this game to those who want every printout in itself to be exiting. It is what goes on behind everything that keeps me going, the politics and otherwise development. The main advantage with BSE is that things are not set once and for all and that there is great freedom in what one wishes to do. Nothing is impossible because the game does not allow for it, but of course, if you try the craziest thing, you must be prepared to die trying... BSE is in short the game for those who enjoy science fiction and extended player interaction. -- Kjetil Friden <cezton@nvg.unit.no> (player, aka IMP Colonial Director, Lady Iztaca) (1996Sep25) Company: KJC Games Thornton Cleveleys Lancashire FY5 3LJ United Kingdom ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Bloodlust Type: Heroic "Conan" barbarian fantasy Duration: open ended Frequency: twice per week GM: human moderated Costs: flat rate US$5/5 turns URL: http://www.mat.ulaval.ca/jfducre/hpage01.htm Email: aac503@agora.ulaval.ca Keywords: commercial, open-ended, french, email, human, fantasy, rpg Last-Update: 1996Sep17 Description: The action in Bloolust (from a french RPG by Siroz, author of In Nomine) is set in a primitive world where warlike barbarians battle each other by sword and armies. Gods incarnated in weapons drive these races to strange Passions and battle for power and supremacy. The players are Godswords who control domains and incite their Bearers to submit to their wills in epic battles. It is an open-ended pbem mostly in French, but an English version is available also. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: C++ Robots Type: Dueling programs written in C++ Email: pbmserv@eiss.erols.com (with "help" in subject) Status: Down for a portability re-write Cost: free Duration: open-ended URL: http://eiss.erols.com/pbmserv/ Keywords: free, open-ended, email, computer, abstract, wargame Last_Update: 1996Sep18 Description: NOTE: C++ ROBOTS IS CURRENTLY BEING RE-WRITTEN TO BE PORTABLE. It will be down until that's done. Sorry. An ongoing "King of the Hill" (KotH) tournament in which players use the C++ language to create a control program for a robot. Your robot then fights each of the other robots "on the hill". If you do well enough, your robot will "make the hill", bumping the lowest robot from the hill. Robots have the ability to scan for opponents, fire a cannon, move, and determine current position and status. Conceptually based on C-Robots written for the IBM PC by Tom Pointdexter. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Captain's War Type: Science Fiction Duration: open ended Frequency: once per 2 weeks GM: computer moderated Costs: US$3.00/turn, $1.00/per extra ship URL: http://www.tiac.net/users/conquest Email: conquest@tiac.net Keywords: commercial, open-ended, snail, email, computer, space, economic Last-Update: 1996Aug12 Description: Each player takes on the role of a merchant ship's captain and owner. He must find profitable trade routes between 500 colony star systems in order to make money while competing with other players for limited trade resources available. This competition could break out into hostilities which might lead to war amongst the five nations in the area. Profits are made by dealing in trade resources, colony stock markets, asteroid mining, bounty hunting, or piracy and colony raids. Players spend these profits to improve their ships or buy larger or additional ships. Players can run up to 6 ships. Company: Norman Conquest Games Jason Lee Poultney P.O. Box 1064 Gardner, MA 01440 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Celestial Empire Type: strategic economic/military space-opera Duration: close-ended, 30+ turns Frequency: one per week GM: computer moderated Status: No known moderators URL: ftp://yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au/pub/celemp Keywords: free, closed-ended, email, computer, wargame, space Description: Players compete to capture worlds which produce many different types of resources, of which different amounts are needed to manufacture various items. The source code for this game is available at the ftp site, but currently no one is running games. The author, Dougal Scott, may be reached at dwagon@aaii.oz.au, but he is not running any games. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Centurion PBM Email: 100117.1414@compuserve.com Type: Futuristic Grav-Tank Warfare Cost: UK3.50 Duration: 8-12 turns Frequency: 10/14 days GM: Computer Moderated URL: http://www.tightbeam.com/pagoda/cent.htm Last-Update: 1 October 1996 Status: new games starting every 4/6 weeks Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, snail, computer, wargame, space Description: Based on the hit boardgame from FASA, Centurion puts players in control of a Century composed of nine customised Grav vehicles, armed to the teeth with deadly weapons. These combine with infantry units, off world fire support, Thor missions, and treacherous terrain complete with minefields providing a blood bath each turn. Added to this are multiple and varied scenarios, player promotions, solo and team games, graphical vehicle records detailing each vehicle and damage sustained each turn, custom designed vehicles and a colour map of the players position printed each turn. Company: Pagoda Games PO BOX 5155 TAMWORTH STAFFORDSHIRE B77 4QQ ENGLAND ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: ChaosTech Type: Cyberpunk war/crime/economic/character-based game Duration: Open ended (with possible eventual ending) Frequency: Fixed deadline, every 7, 10 or 14 days GM: computer Email: dreamshadows@chaldea.demon.co.uk Keywords: commercial, open-ended, snail, email, computer, wargame, space Last_Update: 1996Sep23 Description: ChaosTech is set in a darkly futuristic city, quarantined entirely from the outside world. Players take the part of street gangs, competing for control of areas of the city - while crime is the easiest method of advancement at first, there are many different options later on; setting up businesses and factories, raising armies and so on. There's also the separate reality of cyberspace to be fought over. A vast variety of different skills, info sheets and items are available - powerful weaponry, vehicles, high-tech equipment, bio-chips, smart drugs, android warriors, mutations, psychic powers and magic. Characters are defined in a highly detailed and innovative manner by the game system, each having a unique personality, description and skills. Each character gives a story-like narrative report on their actions every turn. Company DreamShadows - worldwide 13 Abbey Bridge Nottingham, NG7 2NH UK ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Continental Conquest Company: Agents of Gaming Email: agent1@gnn.com Type: Post-holocaust strategy game Cost: $5/turn, no charges for larger turns Duration: 15-25 turns Frequency: Once every 2 weeks GM: Computer-moderated URL: http://members.gnn.com/agent1/aog.htm Status: Open to all; 3-6 games running with 50-100 players active; custom games available to groups or teams Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, snail, email, fax, computer, wargame, space Last Update: 1996Sep16 Description: In Continental Conquest, civilization has been devastated by a world plague and all cities exist only as independent city-states. Clans of scavengers dominate the land, using convoys of vehicles to impose their will on the survivors, and only one Clan shall rise to conquer the cities and control the Continent. In this Mad Max-style game you build convoys, capture territory and diplome with other players. Several different maps are available (America, Europe, Oceania, and Britain as of this writing). Company: Agents of Gaming PO Box 31571 Dayton OH 45437-0571 (513)233-6886 voice/fax ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Core Wars (King of the Hill Tournament / KotH) Type: battling computer programs Email: pizza@ecst.csuchico.edu (subject of "koth help" or "koth faq") Cost: free URL: http://www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~pizza/koth/ URL: http://www.koth.org/ URL: ftp://ftp.csua.berkeley.edu/pub/corewar URL: news:rec.games.corewar Keywords: free, open-ended, email, computer, abstract Last-Update: 1996Sep15 Description: The Pizza Server gives you access to the ``King of the Hill'' ongoing Core Wars tournament. Core Wars was invented in 1984 by D. G. Jones and A. K. Dewdney. A May 1984 article in Scientific American discusses it, as does a lovely article in my PBEM fanzine. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Die Liga Type: soccer management Duration: open ended Frequency: bi-weekly GM: computer and human moderated Costs: DM 0,25/turn URL: http://www.astro.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/upost/liga Email: Uwe.Post@rz.ruhr-uni-bochum.de Keywords: german, commercial, open-ended, email, mixed, sports, modern Last-Update: 1996Sep11 Status: currently 36 of 36 players - there is a waiting list Description: Note: this game is conducted in German. In the LIGA each player has a soccer team to manage. He (or she) can buy and sell players, put together a team and tell it which tactics to play. The team and player characteristics are detailled, reaching from age and speed to hair color (which has not so much effect on the game). The turns have to be in a certain syntax code, which can either be typed in using a simple ASCII editor or a Windows program called OTTO, which is currently in beta test. The games take place every weekend in game-time, which is bi-weekly in reality. The simulation of the games is done by a huge computer program, producing complex reports about the match. In addition to the league games, there are cup and euro-cup tournaments and more. The 5th season will end in mid October. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Electro-United Soccer League (EUSL) Type: sports simulation, soccer Email: tucker@nando.net (Tucker McKinney) Cost: free Keywords: free, closed-ended, email, computer, sports, modern Last-Update: 1996Oct15 Description: Electro-United Soccer League is a PBeM soccer league game based very closely on Jeremy Billones' UEFL. You create a team of football (soccer) players, each with a position and skill level. Each turn, you pit your lineups against those of your opponents, with relative strengths and random chance determining the final score (same as UEFL). If you win, you get more resources for improving your team. You can trade players and other resources, and press wars abound. Honor and glory for the regular-season champion and the winner of the post-season Cup. In a few minor variations from the original game, I'm considering holding a few short (only 1 or 2 weekends long) tournaments mid-season to give teams an extra source of revenue, however, these tournaments, if not planned for well, may take a strain on some players. Those who sign up soon, that is, if sign-up is slow, will get to play a few pre-season games, do note that some rules (injury, suspensions) will not be in full effect for such games. EUSL, as mentioned before, is very much based on the highly popular UEFL rules. The 48 teams are divided into 4 divisions, novice, intermediate, challenge, and ultra. Managers will setup their teams for the weekend on Thursday or Wenesday, just to give me a time to receive and organize the incoming mail. 2 seasons per year (1 in Fall, 1 in Spring, possibly a summer season (who plays soccer in Summer? We do, of course). Ready to begin. Still a slight modification on the original, still a modification from the simplest. Do note: As the league is just beginning, and we NEED people to play, so as of Oct. 15, 1996, there is NO waiting list. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Electronic Knock Out (EKO) Type: Boxing Simulation Duration: open ended Cost: free GM: computer Email: eko-info@eko.vivi.com URL: http://www.vivi.com/ Keywords: free, open-ended, email, www, computer, sports, modern Last-Update: 1996Sep15 Description: EKO is a boxing management game. Each player manages a fighter, rated for abilities such as "strength", "speed", "height", etc. Every week the manager submits the tactics the fighter will use in each round of the fight. The tactics and the fighter's abilities are used to simulate the bout and a blow-by-blow description of the bout is generated. EKO can be played by email or through a WWW-interface. Opinion: This game is GREAT!!! If you like boxing join! -- Wesley Gabehart <wesley@casscomm.com> (1996Sep25) I like this game. Very interactive, commentaries and a detailed interface, a great game ! -- mdipres@total.net ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: En Garde! Type: Historical Duration: Open Ended Frequency: fortnightly Status: Open, with waiting list. Contact GM Email: dan@ims.uwindsor.ca (Dan Corrin) URL: http://www.ims.uwindsor.ca/~dan/ Last-Update: 1996Feb05 Keywords: free-moderation, open-ended, email, computer, rpg, historical Description: En Garde! is a semi-historical game/simulation representing many of the situations of an Errol Flynn movie set in the Seventeenth or Eighteenth centuries. In En Garde! a player finds himself born into and educated in a world where social climbing is a way of life, and status is a goal to be perused even over money. There are people to be used, friends in high places to be cultivated, enemies to be humiliated, the Cardinal's guard to be trounced, lackies to be abused, the hand of a fair damsel to be won, and the ear of the King to be gained. Come with us now, to those vibrant, bawdy days of yore... The game has been converted to PBM format from a roleplay system devised by GDW. The game mechanics are simple and reasonably easy to grasp: the main fun is the roleplay and player interaction. The game has now been going for about 4 years. Turn adjudication is done by a program, but the orders still have to be entered by hand. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Endgame Type: Magical Arena Game Cost: (pounds) 1.50/turn Duration: 5-12 turns Frequency: 7 day, 10 day and 14 day. GM: Computer Email: harlequin.games@dial.pipex.com URL: http://www.interpages.co.uk/harlequin Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, snail, fax, computer, rpg, fantasy Last_Update: 1996Sep16 Description: Endgame features varied spells to collect and trade, fireballs, monstrous creatures, subversion, resurrection, mutation, illusions. Players control open-ended Houses who sponsor apprentices in the closed-ended arena Endgames. These Houses develop their grimoires, improve their specialist fields, train the apprentices and seek to gain prestige. Harlequin Games 41 Treherbert Street Cardiff CF2 4JN UK ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: European Duelmasters Email: RSEoeg@site33.ping.at Type: Gladiatorial combat Duration: open ended Frequency: one turn every three weeks, one and two times a week for email Costs: 120 Austrian Schillings per 5 warriors ($12.00 USD) GM: Computer Moderated Status: 20 Open Arenas in 3 languages (1 playtesting) Keywords: french, german, commercial, open-ended, computer, snail, email, mixed, fantasy Last-Update: 1996Jul29 Description: Duelmasters is a game of ancient gladiatorial combat allowing managers to equip, train, and fight a team of 5 warriors. There are numerous arenas allowing managers to participate in many games at one time. Duelmasters is now being offered in English and French and there is one German arena currently in Play-test. Players receive results in a series of one minute rounds with blow by blow details of the fights. Duelmasters is not only a game of strategy but also a game of interaction and role-playing. Included with each turn is a newsletter complied of weekly results, fight results, ratios, statistics, as well as personal ads and fiction written by the players. Company: RSE-Duelmasters Postfach 1239 8020 Graz, Austria ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Exile (Saturnalia) Type: Fantasy Roleplaying Cost: (pounds) 3.50/turn Duration: Open-ended Frequency: Minimum once per week GM: Human Email: harlequin.games@dial.pipex.com URL: http://www.interpages.co.uk/harlequin Keywords: commercial, open-ended, snail, human, rpg, fantasy Exile features layers of dark intrigue, heroic and villainous characters, lengthy player generated plots, subtle magic and violent death. Harlequin Games 41 Treherbert Street Cardiff CF2 4JN UK ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Experimental Electronic Baseball League Email: info@eebl.com Type: Sports Cost: Free Duration: 72 Games + Playoffs. Season lasts about 6 Months Frequency: 6 games/week GM: Computer and Human Moderated (soon to be completely Computer) URL: http://www.eebl.com/richard/ URL: ftp://ftp.eebl.com Last-Update: 1996Sep23 Status: Full, but waiting list is short. Currently 24 teams with human managers Keywords: sports, free, open-ended, email, mixed, modern Description: EEBL is a baseball simulation using fantasy players (last year's Cy Young winner was Sahara Desert to give you an example). You coach and GM the team. As coach you call the plays, set the lineup and rotation, and make the call to the bullpen. As GM you draft, decide who gets promoted to the big leagues and what your coaches teach to who. The time committment is low (about 1-2 hours a week) and the rewards can be huge when you win the WorldNet Series. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Experimental Electronic Football League (EEFL) Type: sports simulation, soccer Duration: about 13 turns per season. Frequency: roughly one turn per 2 weeks GM: mixture of computer/human Email: prune@teleport.com (Bill 'Prune' Wickart) URL: http://www.pitt.edu/~ktgst/soccer.html (dead?) URL: http://www.drsj.com/eefl/ Keywords: free, open-ended, email, computer, sports, modern Status: full at 128 players and 55 on the waiting list Last_Update: 1996Apr08 Description: Spin-off of the UEFL for playing with rule changes. More detailed control of player positions, wider variety of team resources, matches run by software (you get a nice match chronology; simple-minded, better than a box score). About 11 days per turn, time off around winter holidays, 2 seasons per year. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Experimental Premier League PBeM Type: sports simulations, soccer Duration: about 18 turns per season Frequency: one turn per week GM: mixture of computer/human Email: glette@online.no URL: http://home.sol.no/glette/pbem.htm Costs: free Keywords: free, open-ended, email, fax, mixed, sports, modern Status: 4 players, room for many more Last update: 1996Sep19 Description: The Experimental Premier League PBeM is a new soccer play-by-email program where you can manage a team in the English Premier League. It is totally free of charge. Each league has room for eight human and twelve computer players. Each turn takes one week. Currently there are four players, and I will start as soon as I've got six players. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Far Horizons Duration: open-ended Type: strageic role-playing galactic exploration/conquest URL: ftp://ftp.eskimo.com/u/r/ram/pbem/FHRules.Z Email: ram@eskimo.com Cost: none Keywords: free, open-ended, email, computer, wargame, space Last-Update: 1996Sep17 Description: My goal has been to design a realistic, open-ended simulation that let's a player play the role of a space-faring species as enjoyably as possible. Compared to similar games, Far Horizons is somewhat modest in its scope, since its goal is realistic role-playing, rather than Monty-Hall-esque space opera. Each ship, even the smallest, has a name, and your fleets are likely to be rather small. To make matters worse, ships get old and eventually have to be replaced or retrofitted. In Far Horizons, you can build normal colonies, environmentally disruptive mining colonies, or lucrative resort colonies. You can also wage war. In playing Far Horizons, you can use any text editor on any computer to read your status reports and prepare your orders - no special software is needed. You will also need a calculator, but the calculations are simple and there are not many of them. We will also have access to a custom-designed list server at eskimo.com that will forward messages to individual species or broadcast messages to all species, anonoymously or non-anonymously. Thus, if you wish, you can keep your real identity and email address secret. You are also free, of course, to communicate with other players directly. The game is free. I am retired, and Far Horizons is one of my hobbies. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Federation Outpost 77 Type: space fantasy Duration: open ended Frequency: two to three times per week GM: human moderated Cost: free URL: http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/6770/index.htm Email: derrikl@worldnet.att.net Keywords: free, open-ended, human, space, email, rpg Description: The Federation Outpost 77 was established as a sensor station and sub-space relay port on the desart planet Sagan II. In it's short exsistance, Outpost 77 has been rumored a place where the outcasts of the Federation are assigned. The Federation Outpost 77 is located on the far reaches of Federation Space, near the Gamma Quadrant border. The main objective of Outpost 77 is to monitor new threats of the Federation, including the Borg and the Dominion. As well as participate in scientific experiments and other research activities. It is one of the most technologically advanced facilities in the Federation. The outpost is far from the hub of Federation activity, but continues to strive with new technologies and close relations. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Feudal Lords Type: Medieval strategy Duration: 6-12 turns. Frequency: 3 weeks between turns Email: games@flyingbuffalo.com Costs: $5 setup. $3.50 per turn. Rule included in the $3 "Lizards" rulebook. GM: Computer moderated. URL: http://www.flyingbuffalo.com/feudal.htm Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, snail, email, fax, computer, wargame, historical Last_Update: 1996Sep16 Description: You are a duke trying to become King Of England after the death of King Arthur. You have a limited number of orders to raise and move your army, build up your castle and fief. Opinion: Okay idea, bad execution. Knowing which actions are good is key. - purtill@dimacs.rutgers.edu Company: Flying Buffalo Inc. P. O. Box 1467 Scottsdale, AZ 85252-1467 (602) 945-6917 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Fire Zone(TM): Ste. Mere-Eglise Email: mtbreault@aol.com Type: World War II man-to-man combat Cost: Between $1 and $1.50 per turn (player determines price) Duration: Variable, 20-50 turns, depends on players and scenario Frequency: Varies from once per day to once per week GM: Computer moderated URL: http://www.ids.net/faxattax Last-Update: 1996Sep08 Status: Currently in testing; playtesters wanted Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, computer, wargame, historical, www, fax Description: Fire Zone is a game of man-to-man combat between American and German soldiers in World War II. There are 50 players, 25 on a side. Each player controls five soldiers. This is strictly mano-a-mano: no tanks, artillery, air power, etc. Soldiers have a variety of weapons--pistols, rifles, machine guns, grenades, and so on. The map consists of almost 10,000 areas, with the player able to see only 81 of them at a time. Soldiers can hide inside buildings, take cover behind obstacles, shoot through windows and doors, take opportunity fire, lay down patterns of smoke for cover, and more! The first scenario takes place in the village of Ste. Mere-Eglise in Normandy during the D-Day invasion. Both sides are trying to take control of the village by pushing the other side out of it. Hit our Web site for the game rules, or have them faxed to you by calling our fax-on-demand system at 1-800-7248-0281. Play is via fax machine or the Web. If you're interested in playtesting for free, contact us! Company: Fax Attax, Inc. 206 West Center Street, Suite 200 Warsaw, IN 46580 (219) 269-7296 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Food Chain Type: evolving, competing organisms Duration: open-ended Freqency: either 1 or 4 per day Email: fchain@pbm.com (one turn per day) (say HELP) Email: fchain-6@pbm.com (4 turns per day) Email: fchain-e@pbm.com (experimental jungle) Email: fchain-n@pbm.com (novice jungle) URL: http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/fchain.html Email: lindahl@pbm.com (Greg Lindahl, game master) Keywords: free, open-ended, email, computer, abstract Status: 4 jungles with around 45 active players; plety of room... Last_Update: 1996Sep23 Description: This is a game of evolution: players design organisms, which eat and are eaten, and mutate. To get a copy of the rules, send a message to one of the email servers above with the word "rules" in the body of the message. The subject of your message will be ignored. Authors: Steve Andrewartha <steve@bass.cc.utas.edu.au>, Martin Gregory <marting@qpsx.oz.au> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Formula 1 Pick 6 Type: Auto racing prediction contest Email: winalski@zko.dec.com (Paul Winalski) URL: http://www.motorsport.com/Pick6/ Cost: free Duration: the 16-race Formula 1 season Frequency: once per F1 race GM: human-moderated with computer assistance Keywords: free, open-ended, email, www, mixed, sports, modern Last-Update: 1996Sep16 Description: This is a straightforward contest to pick the drivers who will finish in the top 6 of the (real life) Grand Prix Formula 1 races. The best way to play is by using WWW with forms, but you may also mail in your guesses. The rules are available at the ftp site in the misc directory: http://ftp.pbm.com/pub/ftp/misc/formula_1_pick_6_rules.gz ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Galactic Conqueror (German language) Type: strategic, economic/military, space opera setting Duration: typically 25-30 turns Frequency: typically 1 per week Email: hz@zardoz.ping.de (Harry Zimmermann) Cost: free Status: new games announce on occasion on de.alt.games.pbem Keywords: free, closed-ended, email, gui, computer, wargame, space Last-Update: 1996Apr20 Description: Galactic Conqueror is strategic SF-PBeM-Game for up to 50 players. Each player starts the game with a small fleet of starships and is the owner of one of several hundred planets. The winner is determined by an point system which gives points for specific actions each turn. The first player who reaches a pre-set winning score will be the winner of the game. Since there are almost no trade options in the game, player interaction mostly concerns negotiations about borders and coordination of attacks or defense. Players can: o invest in science o build industrial facilities and strongholds on planets o build ships (26 different classes) o attack enemy or neutral planets o engage in espionage or corruption o and much more... At the start of the game, each player can see only 4-10 planets, whose coordinates are given relative to his own starting-planet. Every time a new planet is conquered, all planets up to a given distance from this new one are revealed. The rules and an Atari ST and PC Clone client can be ftped from the ftp sites. The clients are graphical point-and-click interfaces to the game. You could play without a client, but this is not recommended. An X11 client is in the works, as is an eventual translation of the rules into English. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Galactic Empires Type: Space Wargame Cost: free moderation of shareware game Duration: closed ended (depends upon victory conditions) Frequency: at the discretion of the gamemaster GM: computer moderated URL: http://www.connect.ab.ca/~empires/ Status: beta-test completed Email: empires@connect.ab.ca (Barry Richardson) Keywords: free-moderation, closed-ended, email, gui, computer, wargame, space Last-Update: 1996Apr09 Description: In Galactic Empires, the Pax Galactica has fallen into decay and the stronger empires have been preparing for war. Players start with eight space colonies and strive to bring the other sixteen colonies in their star constellation under their rule. At the same time, players are exploring the other star constellations in the galaxy and preparing to conquer or ally with other players. Each player uses the graphical interface of the Empire Management System to read their turn report, analyze their situation and prepare their orders. The moderator uses the GameMaster Host System to create the galaxy, process the turns and produce turn reports. Galactic Empires PBEM has nothing to do with the Galactic Empires card game. This game has been developed over the last five years. During that time we have had almost 100 play testers involved in the project. Galactic Empires was originally designed and run as a computer moderated play by mail game. About three years ago we began developing the Empire Management System so that players could read turns and produce orders electronically. Galactic Empires is available in a demonstration version and a registered version. The demonstration version is limited to four players and eight game turns. Registered versions can accommodate one to nine players and twenty four game turns. Our marketing approach is simple. People can have acquire the demonstration version for free. They can play solo games to learn the rules and conduct play by email games to experience the competition. If they like the game, they can purchase a registered version for a nominal fee. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Galaxy Type: strategic, economic/military, space opera setting Duration: typically 50-80 turns Frequency: typically 1 or 2 per week Email: rnovak@indyramp.com (Rob Novak, waiting list) Email: bampton@cs.utk.edu (Howard Bampton, blind galaxy only) Email: arma@mit.edu (Roger Dingledine, blind galaxy only) Email: rwallace@vax1.tcd.ie (Russell Wallace) URL: http://www.indyramp.com/galaxy/ URL: http://www.cs.utk.edu/~bampton/blind.html (blind galaxy) Cost: free, mostly. There are also commercial providers(?) Keywords: free, closed-ended, email, computer, wargame, space Description: The game typically takes place on a 100x100 2D map, with a few hundred planets and 20 to 50 players. Players compete to capture planets, which can be used for economic expansion. You can purchase technology in several different areas, allowing your ships to fight harder and move faster. Galaxy turns range in size from 10kbytes early in the game to 100-200kbytes late in the game. The rules and source code are available for ftp. Several tools exist for reading turn reports and making maps; see the web pages or traditional pbm ftp sites or for details. Howard Bampton has a variant called "blind" galaxy. It features a wraparound map, a double-blind mail-forwarding system, and you received only limited information about other players other than what you can observe at systems where you have ships. Blind turn reports are generally larger (often over 500k), and present their information in a format that is incompatible with most standard Galaxy report reading tools. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Global Diplomacy Type: strategic, economic/military, 19th century setting Email: doug@dgreenin.hlth.gov.bc.ca URL: http://www.islandnet.com/~dgreenin/emg-game.htm Cost: free Keywords: free, closed-ended, email, computer, wargame, historical Last-Update: 1996Sep11 Description: In Global Diplomacy each player guides the destiny of one of the Great Powers of the late nineteenth century (Austria, China, England France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Ottoman Empire, Russia, Spain and the USA). Players must use thier politcal skill and cunning as well as their military might (armies, corps, fleets and squadrons) to become the dominant global power. This is a low complexity, introductory game usually requiring 30 minutes to do a turn. Opinion: Great game!!!! Easy to learn, but difficult to master. There is about 15+ games running at one time, and the GM is VERY reliable. The game is similar to Diplomacy, but on a world map. Player start with different number of armies/fleets, and victory is dependent on % growth. You can play a small country like Austria-Hungary, with limited are of influence and few potiential allies/enemies. Or you can play England, who has possesions all over the world. The game end when one player has achived 300% - 500% growth, or the game has lasted 10-40 turns. This is voted on by the players in turn 1, and not known. You get points for 1st - 4th place, so alliance often last to the end of the game. -- Oyvind Bjartveit <oyvind.bjartveit@actc.ab.ca> (1996Sep24) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Global Supremacy Type: War game Duration: Open Ended Frequency: once every ten days GM: mixed Costs: US $30 monthly average URL: http://www.whidbey.net/~nwsim/nwsim.htm Email: nwsim@whidbey.net Keywords: commercial, open-ended, mixed, snail, email, modern, economic Last-update: 1996Sep08 Description: A battalion level correspondence war game of skill, diplomacy, production, economics and conquest allowing for both tactical and strategic decision making. Up to 60 players compete for world domination attempting to build industrial might while maintaining substantial military forces. Barry Keen DBA Northwest Simulations 1254 West Pioneer Way #144 Oak Harbor, WA 98277 (360) 679-7953 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Godling, Quest for the Realm Type: strategic fantasy Status: Play Testing Duration: open ended Frequency: varies from 1/week to 1/month GM: fully computer moderated Costs: varies from 3.00 - 5.00 Cdn per turn URL: http://www.godling.com/ Email: marketing@godling.com Keywords: commercial, open-ended, email, fax, computer, wargame, fantasy Last-Update: 1996Sep16 Description: Godling: Quest for the Realm takes place on the lands of Affinity, a land of mortals caught between the Realm of the Immortals, the Void and the Netherworld. Players work alone or as a member of a great kingdom to further the power of their deity. Whether they choose to advance through might, magic, espionage or diplomacy is up to the player. Godling: Quest for the Realm features a vast map, simultaneous turn execution, magic, combat, skills, rare artifacts, exploration, trade, strange monsters, etc. Players control 5 characters, a city and some population when the game starts. There is no limit to the number of characters, armies or cities a player controls. What sets Godling: Quest for the Realm apart from other play-by-email games is the game style interface. At no point will the player ever feel as though he/she is filling out orders on a game turn. Company: Mouchet Software Corporation PO Box 51021 Orleans, Ontario Canada K1E 3W4 Fax: 613-830-2983 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Gorlos Type: Fantasy Cost: Different rates Duration: Open-ended GM: computer URL: http://www.xs4all.nl/~vsim Email: vsim@xs4all.nl Keywords: commercial, open-ended, email, snail, fax, computer, fantasy, rpg Last-Update: 1996Sep23 Description: Fantasy game ala Legends. You can be what ever you want, a begger, warrior, archmage or even a feudal lord. The choice is yours. With turn-around up to daily. Company: Virtual Simulations P.O.Box 479 2980 AL Ridderkerk The Netherlands Tel : [31] 180-419910 BBS/FAX : [31] 180-418166 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Haunted House Type: Treasure Hunt Duration: Close ended with victory conditions (About 25 turns) Frequency: 1/2/3 week turnarounds available GM: Computer Costs: $2.50 per turn, no extra costs. You can purchase a complete game for a fixed amount, $40 postal. Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, snail, computer, rpg, fantasy Last-Update: 1996Apr18 Description: 5 to 10 players search an old haunted mansion for clues leading to the secret treasury while either fighting or negotiating with the NPCs and each other. Company: Eclipse Consulting Inc. PO Box 969 Yonkers, NY 10703-0969 (914)-965-1986 Email: 71441.3144@compuserve.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Heroic Fantasy Email: games@flyingbuffalo.com Type: Fantasy roleplaying Cost: $5 setup, $3 per turn. Rules are included in the $3 "Lizards" rulebook Duration: Open ended Frequency: twice a week, once a week, every two weeks, or once a month. GM: Computer moderated URL: http://www.flyingbuffalo.com/heroic.htm Keywords: commercial, open-ended, snail, email, fax, computer, rpg, fantasy Last_Update: 1996Sep16 Description: You direct a party of up to 15 fighters and magic users (humans, elves, dwarves, fairies, gremlins, leprechauns, goblins, even a troll, ogre or giant) through a dungeon maze killing monsters, gathering treasure & experience, and hunting for magical prizes. Your 15 characters can stay together, or split up for faster exploration. (Only one turn fee to move all your characters.) This game has been running since 1982, and there are a lot of subtleties in the game that won't be evident at first. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Housewars Email: vrviper@geocities.com Type: Space strategy/wargame Cost: free Duration: "open-ended" Frequency: once a week GM: the game is human moderated URL: http://www.geocities.com/Area51/4283/houswars.htm Last-Update: 1996Oct18 Status: The rules are in work. The game is open to new players. Keywords: free, open-ended, email, human, wargame, space Description: Housewars takes place in the year 4333. The player plays one house that manages many systems. Every house wants take control of all the systems. The empire that controls the systems around the earth is really powerfull and doesn't allows that the houses destroy each other. So every house has to hide their actions. When the empire notices an action of the houses the houses lose all its military units. The game is free and accepts new members. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Illuminati Email: games@flyingbuffalo.com Type: conspiracy (based on the Illuminati Card Game by SJG) Cost: $5 setup, $4.75 per turn, $2 for rules. Duration: 15-40 turns. Frequency: every two weeks or once a month. Email games also sometimes available. GM: Computer moderated. URL: http://www.flyingbuffalo.com/illumin.htm Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, snail, email, fax, computer, wargame, abstract Last_Update: 1996Sep16 Description: ALL of the really paranoid conspiracy theories you've ever heard of are true. Some people suspect what's happening, but only a few know the REAL truth. You are one of those few, the Illuminated Ones, the masters of the 24 great conspiracies which are struggling for control of the Earth. Using your power, influence, and agents, you probe, infiltrate, and subvert, adding groups to your power structure, destroying organizations and whole nations. You conspire with your fellow Illuminati to dismember another's empire - and then move swiftly to block the knives of your friends. Only the strong and subtle will survive. This game has won the Origins award for best pbm game of the year a record 6 times in a row. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Imperium (canadian) Type: strategic, economic/military, 19th century setting Email: doug@dgreenin.hlth.gov.bc.ca URL: http://www.islandnet.com/~dgreenin/emg-game.htm Keywords: free, closed-ended, email, computer, wargame, historical Description: The Galactic Emperor has just died and as one of the ruling Major Houses, you are seeking to become the new Emperor. Use your starships, armies, leaders and undercover agents to increase the standing of your House in the Imperium. Employ your forces, diplomacy, treachery and guile to expand your House's standing so you are choisen as the next Emperor. This is a moderately complex game and takes about 1-4 hours to do a turn. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: International Test Cricket League Type: Sports Simulation, Cricket Duration: 18 weeks Frequency : 1 per week Status: Starting up, players wanted GM: Computer generated results Email: dant@probe.co.uk Email: daniel@tortyfoo.demon.co.uk URL: http://www.totalweb.co.uk/tortyfoo/itc/pbem.html Last-update: 1996Sep23 Keywords: free, closed-ended, email, computer, sports, modern Description: Managers take charge of one of the 9 test playing countries or a Rest of World squad. Each squad has 16 players. For each Test players nominate a team, batting order, opening bowlers, wicket keeper, individual batting & bowling tactics and team batting & bowling tactics. Season lasts 18 weeks. Players can get injured. Masses of statistics generated plus unique performance points rating to judge current form of all players. Whilst real player names are used each manager starts with the same number of skill points to allocate to his team so all sides are theoretically equal. Player skill levels can be adjusted slightly each turn (uninjured players only). The game is based upon a cricket simulation (International Test Cricket) for PCs I have written that is available as Shareware. ITC is not needed to play but may help managers decide tactics. ITC has its own web page at http://www.totalweb.co.uk/tortyfoo/itc/index.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Iron and Steam Type: railroad Duration: 20-30 turns Frequency: 14 day turns GM: computer moderated Costs: AUST$3.00/turn email, AUST$5.00/turn postal URL: http://www.ozemail.com.au/~pbm/is.html Email: pbm@ozemail.com.au Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, email, snail, gui, computer, economic, historical Last-Update: 1996Aug29 Description: Iron & Steam is a game of Railroads. Each player owns and manages an upstart railroad company in the mid 1800's to early 1900's. Each turn, players must make critical organizational decisions that will govern how well their company functions. Players must buy engines and railcars, lay track and build stations, then set up a route for each train to pick up mail, passengers, coal, oil, etc and put down at stations that demand that commodity. The higher the demand for that commodity, the higher the price, and the faster the developement in that area. Company: Dynamic Games P.O. Box 707 Dapto, NSW 2526 Australia (042) 61-7148 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Island Takeover Type: Strategic simulation Duration: 20-25 turns Frequency: 1/2/3 week turnarounds available GM: computer Costs: $2.50 postal turns, $1.50 email turns. You can purchase a complete game for a fixed amount, $45 postal, $25 email. Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, snail, email, computer, wargame, abstract Last-Update: 1996Apr18 Description: Island Takeover is a territorial takeover game set on an island. Between 7 and 10 players will vie for ownership of this island. The game will last typically between 20 and 25 turns. Company: Eclipse Consulting Inc. PO Box 969 Yonkers, NY 10703-0969 (914)-965-1986 Email: 71441.3144@compuserve.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Keys of Medokh Type: epic fantasy Duration: 80 turns Frequency: 14 day turns GM: computer moderated Format: snail, www Costs: AUST$7.00/turn + extra orders URL: http://www.ozemail.com.au/~pbm Email: pbm@ozemail.com.au Status: PBEM coming soon Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, snail, computer, wargame, fantasy Last-Update: 1996May21 Description: A 42 player mega-strategy fantasy game. Each player starts as the warlord of one of the scattered tribes throughout the land. Players must guide their tribe militarily as well as economically so that when Chaos Winter falls they'll be strong enough to fight off the Mazdrakian Hordes. The avenues for success in this game are many and varied, and no one avenue is guaranteed to win the game. Watch for the Play by e-mail version coming soon. Company: Dynamic Games P.O. Box 707 Dapto, NSW 2526 Australia (042) 61-7148 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Krahlizek Type: strategic war game Duration: 20-25 turns Frequency: 2 and 3 weeks GM: computer-moderated Cost: rules are $6.00, including setup; turns are $5.00 each URL: http://www.tightbeam.com/llucky Email: llucky@crl.com Email: 74044.325@compuserve.com Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, snail, fax, computer, wargame, abstract Last-Update: 1996Sep16 Description: The basic rules of Krahlizek are very simple: you have provinces, armies, navies and money. The depth of strategy is in the innovations one can buy every turn that give new and special abilities. Innovations can be military, economic or informational in nature. Starting positions are customized and a color map of the world is provided every turn. Company: Llucky Llama Games 80-Q N. Cabrillo Hwy. #226-I Half Moon Bay, CA 94019-1667 Phone: (415) 712-0283 Fax: (415) 712-0284 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Land of Nyssia Email: bdrag@he.net Type: Medieval Fantasy RPG Cost: Free Duration: Never-ending Frequency: Once per 7-10 days GM: Human URL: http://www.he.net/~bdrag/nyssia/nyssiato.htm Last-Update: 1996Sep12 Status: DEAD Keywords: free, open-ended, email, human, rpg, fantasy Description: [ Note: this game is currently dead, but you can look over the old moves & maps. ] The Land of Nyssia has been ravished by the Gods. Players are starting at low level in an unknown world. There are over 100 active players, and you can see all the moves & maps on-line for 8 different groups. Company: Black Dragon Games 12413 Old Timber Road Charlotte, NC 28269 (704) 547-1368 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Lanista Email: info@bumblbee.demon.co.uk Type: Roman Gladiator Management Costs: To be set by licensees Duration: Closed-ended, 66 turns. Frequency: weekly by email, fortnightly via postal and email Players: 15-20 per game GM: computer moderated URL: http://www.tightbeam.com/bumblebee Last-Update: 1996Sep21 Status: Beta test. Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, snail, email, computer, sports, historical Description: Lanista is a Play-By-Mail strategy/management game, based on the Gladiators of Ancient Rome. Each player is a Lanista, Manager/Trainer of a Gladiator School. The game is rich in historical detail. The thirteen commonest types of Roman Gladiator are used, including Secutor, Laquerius, Myrmillo, Retiarius, etc., all clearly described in the rulebook. Lanista is a strategy/management game, not a fighting game. Most of the fighting in Lanista happens off stage - reported as a summarised set of results. Lanista is set in the year 22 B.C., in the reign of Augustus, when there were 66 days given up to the Games. Thus the game runs for 66 turns. On the final turn, the schools are measured by several factors: Overall popularity with the people of Rome; Money in the treasury; Number of Gladiators who have earned the coveted Rudis, and are now free men. Company: Bumblebee Games, 17 Carroll Close Newport Pagnell Bucks MK16 8QJ ENGLAND +44 1908 216319 (6pm-10pm GMT) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Legends II Swords of Pelarn Module Type: Fantasy mixed Role Playing and Empire Duration: Averages between 48 and 70 turns. 30 turn fixed also. Frequency: 14 days standard, with 10 day and 7 day fast games. Format: GUI front end called Legends Turn Editor (LTE) free. GM: computer moderated 99.9% with minor GM involvement Costs: flat rate US$6.50/email turn games, Module $25 (for US games) Costs: 8 p/order, minimum 2.30 pounds (UK) URL: http://www.mgames.com Email: info@mgames.com URL: http://www.interpages.co.uk/harlequin Email: harlequin.games@dial.pipex.com Keywords: commercial, email, fax, closed-ended, computer, wargame, fantasy, gui Last-Update: 1996Sep17 Description: Legends: Swords of Pelarn is a 200-player game set in a fantasy world detailed in a 102-page module book. Map is 130x80 with additional unknown areas through Astral Gates. Sequential Turn execution with turns processed not sooner than the games' deadline lag time. Starting Characters choose from 56 races and 11 religions. Factional play and individual goals support victory conditions and achievement goals for all play styles. The NPC world is dynamic approaching AI functionality. Background includes 5000 forces and characters, 3000 unique items, 400 starting standard spells and an in depth game system that allow for the building of cities, guilds, flexible design of troops, characters and positions. Multiple play styles supported in the same system to allow the hero-sidekick lair bash role player to co-exist and cooperate with the Empire building power gamer. Company: Midnight Games PO Box 280 Medford, Oregon 97501 541-772-7872 Harlequin Games 41 Treherbert Street Cardiff CF2 4JN UK ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Lizards! Email: games@flyingbuffalo.com Type: Fantasy wargame Cost: $5 setup, $5 per turn, $3 for rulebook (which also includes the rules for Heroic Fantasy, Feudal Lords, Nuclear Destruction, Galactic Conflict, & Election Year.) Duration: 15-25 turns Frequency: every two weeks or once a month.Turns can be submitted by email, but results are only sent by snail. GM: Computer moderated. URL: http://www.flyingbuffalo.com/lizards.htm Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, snail, fax, computer, wargame, fantasy Last_Update: 1996Sep16 Description: This is a tactical/strategic game of fantasy combat where you are the leader of a clan of lizards who expand across the Lizard Isles, crushing all opposition along the way until you are the sole leader of the Lizard World. Your green lizards cultivate the soil and increase your production. Your grey lizards are your combat engineers and can build bridges and new dens. Your yellow lizards are your artillery (they throw rocks). Your black lizards are your magicians and cast spells. Each turn you get a laser printed graphic map of what you can see. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Lords of the Earth - Campaign 1 Type: Historical/Strategic Duration: Open ended. Frequency: 4-6 week turn-around. Email turns accepted. GM: Human-moderated (contingency orders accepted). Heavily computer-aided. Costs: $5.00(US)/turn (no additional costs) (discounts if in Tucson) $7.00 mapset (large maps also available) $13.00 Rules + $4.00 renaissance rules supplement Keywords: commercial, open-ended, snail, email, mixed, wargame, historical Description: Player runs a country in 1650+ AD. Whole world simulation. This is the original game, started in 1983 and still running. Has switched over to the Rennaissance rules. 60 players and always an opening or two. Company: Thomas Harlan 4858 East Second Street Tucson AZ 85711-1207 (602) 323-8570 Email: 71155.1513@compuserve.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Machiavelli Type: Strategic/political game set in Renaissance Italy Frequency: Every two weeks Email: jaeddy@capecod.net (John Eddy) URL: http://www.capecod.net/~jeddy1/machiavelli.html Keywords: free-moderation, open-ended, email, human, wargame, historical Last-Update: 1996Sep29 Description: This is an e-mail version of Avalon Hill's Machiavelli. Machiavelli is a strategic game similar to the venerable Diplomacy, but includes the added twists of Bribery, Assassination, Plagues...in short, all that made the 15th century so interesting. The games are human-moderated (three active judges as of this update). Players must have a copy of the board game in order to play. Also, there is a revised edition in print- we are currently only using the older version, but we plan to try out the revised edition as soon as enough players come forward 9and one of the judges sticks a crowbar in his/her wallet and buys a copy) Since the moderator uses the Darwin Mark 1 wet-ware processor to run the game there are only two games currently running at one time, but more volunteer judges should expand playing opportunities. If you would like to volunteer contact xias@FOUR.net. There is no pay, no compensation, just the joy of gaming in its purest form. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: MageLords Type: Fantasy wargame Duration: Variable depending on victory conditions Frequency: Fixed deadline, every 7, 10 or 14 days GM: computer URL: http://www.tightbeam.com/dreamshadows/ Email: dreamshadows@chaldea.demon.co.uk (Europe and other) Email: cyber@tightbeam.com (USA) Email: pbm@ozemail.com.au (Australia and New Zealand) Email: 101521.1462@CompuServe.com (France (in french)) Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, snail, email, computer, wargame, fantasy, french Last-Update: 1996Sep23 Description: Fantasy wargame with character elements. Seek out the ancient and powerful Chaos Crystals - evil players must unite them to release the forces of Chaos, while good players must destroy them. Detailed troop types including monsters in armies, and movement system with terrain & weather effects. Nine races and ten deities to choose from. Numerous spells in six different magical disciplines, special features to explore with monsters, traps, gold and magical items to discover. Detailed narrative reports from each of your characters every turn, plus up to eleven different rankings charts and customised order sheets. Companies: CyberVentures - U.S. players Email: cyber@tightbeam.com P.O. Box 288 Hawley, PA 18428-288 USA DreamShadows - U.K., Europe, rest of the world Email: dreamshadows@chaldea.demon.co.uk 13 Abbey Bridge Nottingham, NG7 2NH UK Dynamic Games - Australia & New Zealand Email: pbm@ozemail.com.au P.O. Box 707. Dapto NSW 2530 Australia Guerilleros Associes - France (translated French version) Email: 101521.1462@CompuServe.com 18 rue Michelet 93100 Montreuil France ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Medieval War URL: ftp://ftp.pbm.com/pub/pbm/misc/medwar.zip Keywords: free-moderation, closed-ended, email, gui, computer, wargame, fantasy Last-Update: epoch Description: Very similar to xconq or Empire Deluxe, mentioned above. Can be played single-player, multiple players shaeing the same computer, or play-by-mail; your cities build units and you move them around. In play-by-mail mode, you do one turn, save the game, mail the save-file off to the other players, they play a move, mail it back, and so forth. This means that the game plays somewhat slowly, especially during the initial expansion phase. Requires Windows 3.1. Shareware (US$29.95). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Midgard Type: Political Wargame Email: lordmasa@ozemail.com.au Cost: Aus$7 / turn Duration: open-ended Frequency: once a fortnight GM: Mixed Human/Computer URL: http://www.ozemail.com.au/~lordmasa/ Last-Update: 1996sep16 Status: 1 game with 130(ish) active players Keywords: commercial, open-ended, mixed, snail, email, fax, wargame, historical Description: Midgard is a mixed moderated play by mail game of Medieval intriugue, diplomacy, factional power plays, and hating people from other states. It was started in August 93 and has been steadily growing and expanding ever since. The game has been running for about 80 turns and provides fun and excitement (some would even say fanaticism) for experienced and novice players from Australia, New Zealand, England, and USA, (and one from Thailand) Today, there are over 130 active players and 550 positions scattered all over the Midgard world, all merrily hating either Ring (a religious order), Merc Verk (a Mercenary faction) or Queenslanders (people from the Australian state). New players can instantly get a grip on what is going on in the game (without even starting up) by downloading the many newsletters, or by contacting the players direct. (All relevent information and contact details can be found in the homepage) Nick Horgan PO Box 542 Lindfield NSW 2070 AUSTRALIA Ph/Fax : (061) (2) 874-9727 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Mobius I Type: Science Fiction / Conquer the Galaxy Duration: 25-35 turns. Frequency: 2-3 week turn around. Slow (monthly) turnaround also available. GM: Computer moderated. URL: http://www.flyingbuffalo.com/mobius.htm Email: games@flyingbuffalo.com Costs: $7-10/turn, $5 setup, $3 rules. Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, snail, email, fax, computer, wargame, space Last_Update: 1996Sep16 Description: Fairly complex game involving colonizing other planets and fighting on planets and in space. Also has a role-playing element (you have a bunch of characters to run your empire). Opinions: Having been a long time FBI customer and a Mobius player, I felt that the review for that game was rather unjustified. The game is certainly somewhat more complex than, say Starweb, but considerably simpler that Empyrean Challenge (to stay in the same genre), very well run (FBI's customer service is absolutely the best, their error rate extremely low and their turnaround quite regular) and I would recommend the game heartily. It is interesting for its introduction of some role playing into what is a primarily strategic game. Try it! - Henri_Hayim_Farhi@cup.portal.com Good service, but be prepared to spend a lot of money and a lot of time number crunching. Not bad, but not great either. - minnotte@rice.edu (Mike Minnotte) Company: Flying Buffalo, Inc. P. O. Box 1467 Scottsdale, AZ 85252-1467 (602) 945-6917 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Monster Island Type: Fantasy Exploration Cost: 2 pounds/Turn Duration: Open-ended Frequency: Every 8 business days GM: Computer URL: http://www.nvg.unit.no/~cezton/kjc_monster.html Email: Inquiry@KJCGames.com (use only if new player or for ordering info or free starts) Last_Updated 1996oct01 Keywords: commercial, open-ended, computer, email, snail, fantasy Description: You run some kind of a monster, pretty dumb and just washed ashore onto a huge island (or is it a continent?). You will need to travel eastwards and figure this place out before those sneaky monsters get you. There will be other monsters around and the farther east you get the harder things get, but luckily you got time to prepare. Whatever you find, there is a chance that you will find a way to use it. How about skinning this snake to make a hardy helmet? Or maybe those long teeth would make a good monster-cutter? Opinion: The main part of this game is the fun figuring things out, learning how to use your new stuff and read about all the strange things a monster can do for survival. It is intriguing to first kill the strangest monster ever, and find that you can use its eyeballs to heal your wounds, or make armour from its skin. I did play the game for a while, but was not extatic about it. It was fun, but I'd rather play it alone on my computer. The common opinion is that you will not get or have any reason for communicating with your fellow players before you have played several dozens of turns, and what is then the point playing a game play-by-mail if you don't interact with lots of players? This is the reason I quit, but I happen to know that many don't share my idea of PBM (as a matter of fact, I seem to encounter lots of players in all games, that enjoy playing games without diplomacy or anything), so for those, it's a good game. As you get far into the inland, you will need allies better so, if you endure the drawbacks, you will have lots of fun. -- Kjetil Friden <cezton@nvg.unit.no> (1996Oct01) Company: KJC Games Thornton Cleveleys Lancashire FY5 3LJ United Kingdom ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: MoonBase 9(TM): First Contact Email: mtbreault@aol.com Type: Science fiction combat Cost: Between $1 and $1.50 per turn (player determines price) Duration: Variable, 20-50 turns, depends on players and scenario Frequency: Varies from once per day to once per week GM: Computer moderated URL: http://www.ids.net/faxattax Last-Update: 1996Sep08 Status: Currently in testing; playtesters wanted Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, computer, space, fax, www, wargame Description: In MoonBase 9, space marines in a research base on the far side of the Moon are thrown into a desperate battle against invading hordes of aliens. There are 50 players per game, each of whom controls five space marines. The game is a vicious, man-vs.-alien firefight. The marines have a variety of high-tech weapons, but the aliens have an arsenal of their own. To win, the players need to fight their way through the aliens, find their mothership, and destroy it. Players can also fight each other, but that just makes the aliens' job easier! The map contains almost 10,000 areas, with the player able to see only 81 of them at a time. There's a huge base to explore, as well as the Lunar surface and the interior of the alien spaceship. The first scenario takes place on the Moon. Subsequent scenarios take the players to planets, satellites, asteroids, and space stations throughout the Solar System as all of humanity fights for survival against their implacable alien foes. Hit our Web site for the game rules, or have them faxed to you by calling our fax-on-demand system at 1-800-7248-0281. Play is via fax machine or the Web. If you're interested in playtesting for free, contact us! Company: Fax Attax, Inc. 206 West Center Street, Suite 200 Warsaw, IN 46580 (219) 269-7296 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: NetEuro96 Type: fantasy soccer simulation Frequency: daily during the cup GM: computer moderated Costs: US$10 outside italy (ITL10.000 in Italy) URL: http://www.planet.mi.it/neteuro96/welcome-e.html Email: netlega@planet.mi.it Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, email, computer, sports, modern Last-Update: 1996May23 Description: Till June 7, 1996 you can subscribe to NetEuro '96: in the subscription you have to list the players chosen for your National team. You have 240 credits available to purchase all the players you like, but no more than 4 players from single team. If some real National teams haven't yet declared officially their players, you are allowed to subscribe without specifying all your players and you can go on buying and selling players till June 7, 1996. By the 13:OO of every matchday you have to send your line up to draw up and specifying the first eleven and the substitutes. You can have a max. of 11 regulars (comprehensive of at least 3 defenders and no more than 3 forwards) and a max. of 5 subs. The subs will replace automatically those players who in the reality didn't play. On the basis of your players' behaviour (goals, autogoals, yellow and red cards ...) you'll receive match by match in your mail box the score obtained by your team and therefore the position you reached in the graded list. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: NetGoal Type: fantasy soccer simulation Frequency: weekely during the italian championship GM: computer moderated Costs: US$10 outside italy (ITL10.000 in Italy) URL: http://www.planet.mi.it/netgoal/welcome-e.html Email: netlega@planet.mi.it Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, email, computer, sports, modern Last-Update: 1996May23 Description: The 96/97 NetGoal championships will start in September (one new championship each week): from August you'll be able to subscribe, listing the players chosen from the Italian League. You have 240 credits available to purchase all the players you like. By the 13:OO of every matchday (normally sunday) you have to send your line up to draw up and specifying the first eleven and the substitutes. You can have a max. of 11 regulars (comprehensive of at least 3 defenders and no more than 3 forwards) and a max. of 5 subs. The subs will replace automatically those players who in the reality didn't play. On the basis of your players' behaviour (goals, autogoals, yellow and red cards ...) you'll receive match by match in your mail box the score obtained by your team and therefore the position you reached in the graded list. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Nomic Status: many games available URL: http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/users/mn200/games/nomic/ URL: http://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/~malcolmr/nomic-faq.html URL: ftp://ftp.cse.unsw.edu.au/pub/users/malcolmr/nomic/FAQ Keywords: free, open-ended, email, mixed, abstract, modern Last_Update: 1996Sep16 Description taken from the Nomic Homepage: "Nomic is an abstract, social game which uniquely demonstrates certain principles of logic, truth, and laws. The initial rules of Nomic are about how to change the rules of Nomic. Players propose new rules and change the structure of the game as it is played. To read more about the basic game, see Douglas Hofstadter's articles in Scientific American, also collected in his book `Metamagical Themas'." [ Yes, the keywords I picked for this game are a bit arbitrary. A Nomic game might become a wargame or a sports game or an rpg. ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Nuclear Destruction Email: games@flyingbuffalo.com Type: wargame Cost: $5 setup, $2.50 per turn, rules are included in the $3 "Lizards" rulebook. Duration: 10-20 turns. Frequency: every two weeks or once a month. GM: Computer moderated. URL: http://www.flyingbuffalo.com/nucdest.htm Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, snail, email, fax, computer, wargame, modern Last_Update: 1996Sep16 Description: A strategic missile game with emphasis on diplomacy. The object is to talk the other players into blowing each other up instead of you, and be the sole survivor at the end of the game. You'll have missiles with which to annihilate, anti-missiles with which to survive, and factories with which to forge the tools of war. You'll also have cash with which you must try to influence the non-player countries. This game has been moderated by Flying Buffalo since 1970! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Odyssey Type: strategic and heroic fantasy Duration: 50-75 turns Frequency: once a week & by-weekly (email), 3 weeks (postal) GM: computer moderated Costs: $5.00 per turn (email), $7.50 (postal) URL: http://www.den.com/ody-readme.html URL: http://www.tightbeam.com/llucky Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, snail, email, fax, computer, wargame, fantasy Last-Update: 1996Sep16 Description: Odyssey is a multi-player strategic fantasy game of diplomacy, exploration, heroic adventure, and military conquest. It consists of the game system, called Odyssey, and a variety of fantasy modules containing the story-line and backdrop for your gaming. Heroes' Quest is the first module, and it allows 30-50 players to cooperate and compete on a 90x60 provincial map. You create your position complete with characters, items, spells, statuses, and troops when you sign up for a game. Spend your points a few powerful characters or a swarm of novices. Concentrate in arcane disciplines, covert activities, combative strength, pious fervor, or a little of everything. Then pick where you want to set-up in the world, and when the game starts, you will be on your way. As you play, you may pursue heroic quests, amass military might, gain prestige and glory, lay claim to titles and guilds, fight nasty beasts, collect magical items, and carve out your own niche. Work on your own or with a group of players. Your options are virtually limitless in the detailed fantasy world through the combination of hundreds of orders, spells, and features which Odyssey provides. Email games are provided by Gamer's Den, while postal games are provided by Llucky Llama. Company: Gamer's Den PO Box 1252 Menlo Park, CA 94026-1252 415 324 9290 (phone/fax) For Info: info@den.com Email: support@den.com Company: Llucky Llama Games 80-Q N. Cabrillo Hwy. #226-I Half Moon Bay, CA 94019-1667 Phone: (415) 712-0283 Fax: (415) 712-0284 Email: llucky@crl.com 74044.325@compuserve.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Olympia Type: epic fantasy Duration: open ended Frequency: once per week GM: computer moderated Costs: flat rate US$2.50/turn URL: http://www.pbm.com/oly/ Email: support@pbm.com Email: info@pbm.com Keywords: commercial, open-ended, email, computer, wargame, fantasy Last-Update: 1996Aug27 Description: Olympia features a vast map, simultaneous turn execution, magic, combat, skills, rare artifacts, exploration, trade, strange monsters, etc. Rather than ``phases'', Olympia has realistic time. Each turn has 30 days. Orders are rated for how many days they take to complete. Orders which don't finish by the end of the turn simply continue into the next. Most players control 10-15 characters, and receive a 15-25 page report. The size of the report varies depending on whether the player concentrates development in a few characters, or pursues an empire building strategy. Olympia has been running commercially since June, 1994. Opinions: A superb piece of game deseign, the current game is a well explored world, though with players dropping out there are still lands to be conquered. Roll on Olympia 2... (?) Bug free and regular as clockwork. -- Simon Beresford <sb@sophron.demon.co.uk> (1996Sep23) Company: Shadow Island Games P.O. Box 390983 Mountain View, CA 94039-0983 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Omega Squad Type: Science-fiction / Skirmish Duration: closed ended, 20+ turns Cost: UKP 1.75/turn for email, 2.50 for postal. Players: up to 20 per game Frequency: weekly by email, fortnightly via postal and email GM: computer moderated Costs: eMail Postal Setup: UKP 3.50 UKP 5.00 Turn: UKP 1.75 UKP 2.50 Rules: FREE UKP 3.00 Can also accept payment in non-UK currency. EMail for details. URL: http://www.tightbeam.com/bumblebee Email: info@bumblbee.demon.co.uk Status: undergoing reprogramming Keywords: commercial, open-ended, snail, email, computer, wargame, space Last-Update: 1996Sep21 Description: [ Note: this game is currently undergoing reprogramming and is not available. ] Omega Squad is a Play-By-Mail (PBM) sci-fi skirmish wargame set in the corridors and rooms of a futuristic research facility. In Omega squad you compete with several other players to be the first to recover an alien specimen and return it to your parent corporation. The other squads all have the same objective as you - seek and recover an alien specimen - all other considerations are secondary. In other words, bring back an alien, destroy all competition, the mission is the only concern. Results consist of large detailed maps of each marine's immediate area - one full page map for each marine - with all visible items, personnel, and aliens marked. Omega Squad is fully computer-moderated, so results are available quickly and consistently. The program uses ASCII graphics throughout, so the results can be output on any printer. Company: Bumblebee Games, 17 Carroll Close Newport Pagnell Bucks MK16 8QJ ENGLAND ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: One True Faith Type: dueling deities Duration: ~ 20 turns Frequency: one per 25 days Costs: $10/turn URL: http://www.cris.com/~awaken/otf.html Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, snail, email, mixed, rpg, wargame, fantasy Last-Update: 1996Apr11 Description: One True Faith is a game of competing deities (reviewed in Shadis #14). Players use plagues of locusts, earthquakes, persecution, theological debates, temples, holy wars - all the traditional tools of Divine conflict. Company: Keith Langley 1614 Donovan Pl Longmont CO 80501 (303)776-7987 noon-midnt MST Email: keith.langley@mdcs.com Avalon Rusk (303) 604-2588 Email: awaken@cris.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Online American Football League (OAFL) Email: jerrod@crl.com Type: Sports simulation Cost: free Duration: one season is approximately 12-16 games, plus playoffs Frequency: one game per week GM: mixed Status: looking for players, hoping to start season 1 in early to mid November. Keywords: free, open-ended, email, mixed, sports, modern Description: OAFL is a free PBeM simulation of American football. Players create teams of abstracted players, design plays, trade players, and compete for the chance to win the Online Super Bowl. The game is more in the style of (for example) the EEBL and EEFL than some other sports games; however, it is simple and intuitive enough that a football fan who doesn't care about math could still play and enjoy it. Turns (one turn = one week of the season) are submitted by email approximately once a week; the length of the season is dependent on how many team entries are received. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Ostrakismos Type: negotiating, very simple Duration: open ended Frequency: once per 72 hours GM: human moderated Costs: free URL: http://fsinfo.cs.uni-sb.de/~warnking/ Email: pawa0002@stud.uni-sb.de Keywords: free, abstract, human, open-ended, email, historical Last-Update: 1996May21 Format: email Status: open Description: Based on an ancient Athenian political measure to banish unwanted politicians, this very simple game is all about being a clever and ruthless negotiator. A new game starts as soon as 15 players signed up. The page contains a list of all current players (identified by their e-mail-address). Each turn, players tell the administrator which player (just one) they wish to kick out. Whoever gets the most votes in disfavor is kicked out of the game. 5 votes in disfavor will always kick a player out. Whoever survives until the end wins. Key to survival is the negotiating with other players (that's what the e-mail addresses are listed for). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: PBEMSL (new name being voted on by players) Type: e-mail soccer sim Duration: open ended Frequency: once per week GM: hand-moderated w/ computer assistance Costs: ABSOLUTELY NONE URL: http://www.geocities.com/colosseum/4983/ URL: http://www.tst-medhat.com/~rhubarb/soccer/ Email: darkenrahl@geocities.com Keywords: open-ended, free, mixed, email, sports, modern Last-Update: 1996Sept11 Status: Gladly welcoming and accepting new players Language: English and French (please specify) Format: E-Mail Description: The PBEM Soccer League is a FREE e-mail soccer management sim akin to the EEFL, LEFL, and UEFL, but with many differences. The league started up around May of '96, and we are now into game week 13. The league is still under construction, mostly to give players what they want. Although we've already started, I will begin a second division as soon as 8 or 10 more players sign up, and even a 3rd or 4th if there are enough people. The new divisions will play a shorter, introductory season, and then play a full schedule next season. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Phoenix Type: space diplomacy, economic, and combat game Duration: 20-40 turns Frequency: 1, 2, or 3 times/week for email, 3 weeks for postal mail GM: computer moderated Costs: $2.50/turn email, $5/turn postal, $15 for 150-page rulebook URL: http://www.den.com URL: http://www.tightbeam.com/lucky Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, snail, email, fax, computer, wargame, space Last-Update: 1996Sep16 Description: Phoenix is a PBEM space game of diplomacy, exploration, economic expansion, and military conquest for novice and expert players alike. Each player controls a space empire composed of one of seven different racial types expanding from a single homeworld. The goal is to control over half of the galaxy, either singly or jointly with up to a quarter of the players in the game. The size of the galaxy scales with the number of players. Beginners are encouraged to start in smaller games to become accustomed to the system, and then move to larger games. The Player's Guide is filled with examples and strategy hints. A turn may contain up to 200 orders. Game sizes range from 2 to 20 players. Single player games are available for $1/turn to practice racial strategy, and to help new players learn the rules. The rules may be ftped from ftp.den.com:/pub/phoenix/. A graphical interface for MS-DOS players is available at the same ftp site. Email games are provided by Gamer's Den, while postal games are provided by Llucky Llama. Company: Gamer's Den PO Box 1252 Menlo Park, CA 94026-1252 415 324 9290 (phone/fax) For Info: info@den.com Email: support@den.com Company: Llucky Llama Games 80-Q N. Cabrillo Hwy. #226-I Half Moon Bay, CA 94019-1667 Phone: (415) 712-0283 Fax: (415) 712-0284 Email: llucky@crl.com 74044.325@compuserve.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Powerstar Email: whamel@bluehawk.com Type: Closed ended space opera Cost: flat-rate US$1 per turn Duration: Average 45-60 turns Frequency: PBM 1 turn every 2 weeks, PBEM 1 turn per week currently GM: Computer and human moderation - more sided towards computer moderation with minimal human intervention. URL: http://www.bluehawk.com/users/w/whamel/pbm.html Last-Update: 1996Jul25 Status: Re-introduction under new system Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, snail, email, mixed, wargame, space Description: Space Combat game with a large universe to explore. Many options available for turn submissions, but not so many as to become confusing for new gamers. Each game can have up to 20 players with different races available. Victory points are used to determine 'end game' which does leave a lot of opportunity for games to last quite some time. Company: Wade Hamel 9501 West Sahara #2251 Las Vegas, NV 89117 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Primvs Inter Pares Type: Historical power game. Cost: Startup (pounds) 7.00, (pounds) 3 or (pounds) 4 per month. Duration: open-ended. Frequency: whatever players like, between 7 and 14 days on average. GM: computer moderated. Email: dbwake@cix.compulink.co.uk URL: http://www.tightbeam.com/interesting-times Last-Update: 1996Sep24 Status: Two regions: Rome with Italy, and Carthage with Africa and Aegyptus. 100 players. Keywords: commercial, open-ended, snail, email, computer, wargame, historical Description: PRIMVS INTER PARES is an historical simulation set in the Ancient World of Rome and Carthage. You control a family in either the main city, vying for political power, or in one of the 'peregrine' powers, trying to build your nation. (There are options for slave revolts and barbarian invasions.) The game is run in real time, one ancient year (ten months of the Kalends, Nones and Ides) takes a real month. Players gain an order per day and can stockpile these to submit a turn whenever they wish. We pride ourselves in our playability and historical accuracy, one of our designers has a Phd in Ancient Roman history. Every aspect of the Ancient World is covered: family, politics, legal (players can propose and pass their own laws which adjust the game), religion, games and circuses, civil life, military and economics. It's fully computer moderated and our turnaround is a couple of days. Company: Interesting Times 160 Beaumont Road Bournville, Birmingham. B30 1NY UK ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Quest Type: fantasy role playing Duration: open ended Frequency: variable, 4, 7 or 10 day turns GM: computer moderated Format: email, snail, www, gui Costs: flat rate AUST$2.00/turn by email, AUST$4.00/turn postal 1.80 pounds in UK URL: http://www.ozemail.com.au/~pbm/quest.html (Australia) URL: http://www.nvg.unit.no/~cezton/kjc.html (Europe) Email: pbm@ozemail.com.au (Australia) Email: Inquiry@KJCGames.com (Europe; use only if new player or for ordering info or free starts) Status: Four games running (Australia) Keywords: commercial, open-ended, email, snail, gui, computer, fantasy, rpg Last-Update: 1996Aug29 Description: What's so special about Quest? * Hundreds of players to interact with. * Thousands of monsters to fight. * Vast multi-level dungeons to explore. * Eight powerful gods to worship. * Powerful spells and miracles to learn. * Hundreds of items to buy, sell and experiment with. * Have up to three groups of fifteen characters. * 4, 7 or 10 day turn-around games. You choose how quickly you want to play. * Special holiday mode - don't lose anything if you go on holidays or lose net access for a period of time. * No waiting for a game to start. * 6 free turns. * Payment in any currency by cash, cheque, Visa or MasterCard. Opinion: I played Quest from when it first started, and I will not make any comments on the game mechanics, as it felt like I was playing a pretty incomplete game, and some still do. Quest is ideal for those players that likes to move around aiming to become more powerful than others so they can kick their ass. It is a game for larger alliance and backstabbing of weaker foes. But alas, now newbies can be safe from this as they can use an option to stay away from all player battles. Since I played, many minor features have been added and many bugs fixed, and they have even boosted up the monsters (When I got kind of tired I waded through 5 battles in a turn, first some 5 wyverns, then 11 giant spiders and then I don't remember, but point is that only one of my folks got bruised, and that was kind of boring) so you will have problems with 200 red and angry dragons. As you might see, I think this game lacks aspect, but there are many who find such hack and slash "rpg" games a lot of fun, so I will say no more. Try it out and find out yourself. -- Kjetil Friden <cezton@nvg.unit.no> (1996Oct01) Company: Dynamic Games P.O. Box 707 Dapto, NSW 2526 Australia (042) 61-7148 KJC Games Thornton Cleveleys Lancashire FY5 3LJ United Kingdom ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Realms of Fantasy Email: 100117.1414@compuserve.com Type: Fantasy Wargame Cost: UK2.25 Duration: 30-40 turns Frequency: 10/14 days GM: Computer Moderated URL: http://www.tightbeam.com/pagoda/rof.htm Last-Update: 1 October 1996 Status: new games starting every 6/8 weeks Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, snail, computer, wargame, fantasy Description: Players enter the Realms of Fantasy as an apprentice Wizard, eager to claim the Realms for themselves, starting with just a couple of leaders, a handful of troops and a few known spells. Players can recruit more troops from their newly conquered land, research and cast new spells, recruit new characters and build special features within their growing kingdom. Each game starts with a unique map made up of 15 terrain types. There are 20 races and 60 different troop types within the game, dozens of spells and magical items, characters include thieves, spies, assassins and champions whilst features range from towers, castles, mines and boatyards. Company: Pagoda Games PO BOX 5155 TAMWORTH STAFFORDSHIRE B77 4QQ ENGLAND ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Resolve Conflict Type: Ship to ship space combat game Cost: US$ 1.00 per turn Duration: closed-ended GM: computer URL: http://www.xs4all.nl/~vsim Email: vsim@xs4all.nl Status: more than 55 games have been started Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, email, snail, fax, gui, computer, wargame, economic, modern Last-Update: 1996Apr09 Description: Space combat in it purest form. 5 players per game. Each has one starbase and three ships of their choice. A ranking system gives the player a chance to design their own ships and better weapons. Company: Virtual Simulations P.O.Box 479 2980 AL Ridderkerk The Netherlands Tel : [31] 180-419910 BBS/FAX : [31] 180-418166 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Rich Man / Poor Man Duration: Open-ended Frequency: One per week, breaks around major holidays Status: about 20 players, no waiting, expansion ad lib. Email: ridef@cyberlab.ch Keywords: free, open-ended, email, human, abstract URL: http://www.cyberlab.ch/exchange/rmpm.html Last-Update: 1996sep16 Description: Each player has 2 chips moving on a 25x25 board. If you land on another player's chip, you exchange some resources (usually good for the aggressor). If the square is unowned, the aggressor may buy it. Invent a business that helps others play the game, sell your product, and become rich. Each week, the richest player gets bragging rights. The GM provides the playing field, basic movement, and suggestions. Players create businesses that expand on the capabilities of other players. Items which make you a more potent aggressor, defensive items, or items which allow you to move in new and interesting ways can be bought. Lotteries and treasure hunts are organized. The game takes 1 to 2 hours a week to plan moves. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Richard Rognlie's Abstract Games Server Type: 2 or more player abstract games Email: pbmserv@eiss.erols.com (with "help" in subject) Email: rrognlie@eiss.erols.com (Richard Rognlie, the moderator) Status: continually accepting new players URL: http://eiss.erols.com/pbmserv/ Keywords: free, closed-ended, email, computer, abstract Last-Update: 1996Sep08 Description: This generic Play-By-eMail currently supports a variety of games. The games currently supported are: Abalone Andantino Ataxx and Hexxagon Backgammon Chess, QuickChess, Capablanca and GrandChess Connect4 Connect4x4 Connexxions Dots and Boxes Entropy Firetop Mountain Gomoku Hex Jungle Lines-of-Action Neutron Oddthello Othello Pente and Keryo-Pente Philosopher's Football Plotto Quadrature Qubic Renju Rings Score4 Spangles Survival Susan Tanbo, Tanbo3D and Hexbo Terrace Trax, 8x8Trax and LoopTrax Tug-of-War TwixT To get more information send mail to pbmserv@eiss.erols.com with 'help' as the subject line, or look at the web page. Games Currently Supported Abalone On a hexagonal board (radius 5) two to six players have armies of marbles. Players take turns "pushing" 1, 2 or 3 linearly connected marbles, attempting to push their opponents' marbles off the board. Computer Opponents: AI-Aba General Abalone Interest: Dan's Abalone Page Andantino (Copyright (c) 1995 David Smith) The players take turns attaching pieces of their color to two or more other pieces (in a hex-like lattice) in an attempt to form a line of 5 or more pieces of their color in a straight line, or to fully enclose a group of one or more opponents pieces. Ataxx and Hexxagon On a 7x7 board, the two players of ataxx fight to controll a majority of the board via growth and jumps that flip opponents pieces to their color. Hexxagon is Ataxx played on a hexagonal board of radius 5. Backgammon A classic. Backgammon via eMail. Chess, QuickChess, Capablanca and GrandChess Chess is the classic game. QuickChess is a variant played on a 5x6 board. Capablanca and GrandChess are variants with 2 extra pieces on 8x10 and 10x10 boards respectively. Connect4 On a 7x6 board, two players alternate dropping their pieces from the top of the board, down a column, attempting to form four in a row. Connect4x4 On an 8x8 board, two players alternate inserting their pieces from the edges of the board, across a row or up/down a column, attempting to form four in a row. Connexxions (Copyright? David Gale) On a 13x13 board, players take turns connecting posts of their color in an attempt to connect their sides of the board the board while preventing your opponent from doing the same. Dots and Boxes On a 7x7 board, players take turns connecting the dots to form boxes. Entropy (Copyright (c)1994 Dansball Inc.) Entropy is played on a 5x5 grid. Each player starts with 7 pawns and tries to scatter them about. A player wins if all 7 of his or her pawns are uncharged and unisolated, unless the 7 opposing pawns are also uncharged and unisolated, in which case the game is a draw. If neither player can move and no one has won, the game is a draw. Firetop Mountain On an imaginary hilltop, two players conduct a sorcerer's duel. The two opponents perform magical gestures with their hands to create their supernatural weapons - spells. Some spells are so potent as to be able to blind a man, call forth terrifying creatures, or even kill the unfortunate victim instantly. Consequently, each wizard must rely on his own cunning to be able to time enough defensive spells to avoid the brunt of his adversary's attack, yet deliver sufficient offensive spells of his own to crack the magical armour of his opponent, and kill the wizard outright. Gomoku On a 15x15 board, the two players of gomoku try to be the first to create a line of 5 or more stones in a row of their color. Hex On a 11x11 diamond board, players take turns placing stones of their color on the board. The object is to connect your sides of the board while preventing your opponent from doing the same. Jungle Jungle is sort of a cross between Chinese chess and Stratego. It's popular in China as a children's "stepping-stone" to Chinese chess. It's also an interesting game in its own right. elated Help Subjects: Jungle Jungle.rules Lines-of-Action (LoA) The object of the game is to move all your pieces into a configuration where they are in a single group connected horizontal, vertically, or diagonally. Pieces may move horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, but they must move exactly the number of spaces as there are pieces on the row they are moving in. You may not jump over opponent's pieces, nor may you land on your own piece. If you land on an opponent's piece, it is captured and removed from the game. Other LOA Pages: loa home page Neutron (Copyright (c) 1978 Charles Wetherell) On a 5x5 board, the two players of neutron fight to either move the neutron to their back row or trap it so the opponent cannot move it. The winner is the player who is able to trap the neutron or gets the neutron to his or her own back row. It does not matter if it is your opponent who moves the neutron to your back row -- you still win. Oddthello On a dynamic hexagonal lattice, two players play othello without a fixed board. And with 6 directions for tile flipping. Othello (Copyright (c) 1973,1990 Pressman Toy Co.) On a 8x8 board, the two players of othello fight to control the majority of the board by outflanking and flipping their opponents pieces. Pente On a 19x19 board, the two players of pente try to be the first to create a line of 5 or more stones in a row of their color *or* try to capture 5 pairs of their opponents stones. You capture a pair of stones any time you sandwich the stones between a pair of your stones. Keryo-Pente On a 19x19 board, the two players of keryo-pente try to be the first to create a line of 5 or more stones in a row of their color *or* try to capture 15 of their opponents' stones. You may capture 2 or 3 opponents' stones any time you sandwich the stones between a pair of your stones. Philosopher's Football On a 19x15 board, players take turns either adding men to the field, or moving the football. The football moves by jumping lines of adjacent men (and removing them from the board). The object is to move the football to (or past) your goal line. Plotto (Copyright (c) 1995 David Smith) The players take turns placing one hex shaped piece in turn onto an open space (no board). Pieces are numbered either 1, 2, 3 or 4 and you may play a piece of any number at each turn. The object is to place a pair of pieces with your number in a straight line with two pieces in between. Quadrature (Copyright (c) 1995 Mark Steere) Starting on opposite sides of an 11 by 11 board, players take turns moving their checkers a single space forward, diagonally forward or sideways. Quadrature employs a unique aggressive maneuver called "squaring". To "square" your opponent, you move to form a rectangle on the board with four checkers: three of your own checkers and one enemy checker. Upon doing this you "convert" the enemy checker to one of your own, by removing it from the board and replacing it with one of your surplus off-board checkers. Qubic On a 4x4x4 grid, two players alternate placing their pieces, attempting to form four in a row in any direction. Renju On a 15x15 board, the two players of renju try to be the first to create a line of 5 stones in a row of their color. Rings (Copyright (c) 1995 Stephen Linhart) On an unusual hexagonal board, the players of Rings, place pieces on the board in an attempt to convert other pieces to their color and to control the more rings than any other player. Score4 On a 4x4 grid of pegs, two players alternate dropping their pieces from the top of a peg, down a column, attempting to form four in a row in any direction. Spangles (Copyright (c) 1995 David Smith) The two players of Spangles take turns adding triangular pieces of their color to the board in an attempt to create a 4 piece triangle with their pieces as the three corner pieces. Survival (Copyright (c) 1995 David Smith) Survival is played on a hexagonal board made up of 19 numbered hexagons. Two players take turns placing pieces on the board with the "arrow" of the piece dictating the direction in which the next piece played by that player must be played. The first player who can not move loses the game. Susan (Copyright (c) 1994 Stephen Linhart) On a hexagonal board (radius 5) two players take turns placing or moving a marble in an attempt to completely surround a opponent's marble with a combination of marbles. Tanbo, Tanbo3d (Copyright (c) 1995 Mark Steere) and Hexbo (Copyright (c) 1996 Rognlie/Steere) Played on a 19x19 Go board, Tanbo crudely models a system of plant roots. Roots which are growing, competing for space, and dying. In beginner play, the roots grow much as the roots in a garden. Over time, the roots become shrewd and calculating. To win, a player must eliminate all eight of his opponent's roots. One player will always win. It's impossible to repeat a board configuration in Tanbo. Therefore a game cannot result in a draw. Tanbo3d extends the game of Tanbo into three dimensions. Hexbo is Tanbo played on a hexagonal board. Terrace (Copyright (c) 1995 by Siler/Siler Ventures. All Rights Reserved) Terrace is played on an 8x8 board consisting of 16 'L' shaped terraces. Two corners of the board are "High" and the other corners are "Low". Each player has pieces of 4 sizes ('A', 'B', 'C' and 'D'). 'A' pieces are the smallest, 'D' pieces are the largest. 'T' pieces are the same size as 'A' pieces and are each player's "key" piece. The object of the game is to capture your opponent's "T" or move your "T" to the lowest square on your opponent's side of the board. General Terrace Interest: The Official Terrace Strategy Game Homepage Trax, 8x8Trax (Copyright (c) 1983 David Smith) and LoopTrax(experimental) Trax is a game played with square tiles. Each tile is identical to all other tiles, one side has a white line connecting opposite edges and a black line connecting the other edges, and the other side has a white line connecting 2 adjacent edges and a black line connecting the other edges. The object of the game is to create a loop of your color while preventing your opponent from doing the same. An alternate winning condition is to create a line extending from one edge of the board to the opposite edge of the board when the board is at least 8 tiles wide (or tall). 8x8Trax limits the board to 8x8. LoopTrax is simply Trax with no line wins. Only a loop wins. Tug-of-War (ToW) Up to four players take turns placing "bids". High bidder gets 1 goal point from each other player. First player to take an average of 5 points from each other player wins. TwixT (Copyright (c) Avalon Hill) On a 24x24 board, players take turns placing pegs of their color on the board. Any time a peg is placed a "knight's move" from another peg of the same color, a strut is placed, connecting them. A strut can not cross over (through) another strut. The object is to connect your sides of the board while preventing your opponent from doing the same. Example TwixT Games: Notation, Game 1 (text version), Game 2 (text version) TwixT Puzzles: Puzzles (text version / solutions) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Riftlords Type: Interstellar commodity trading (basic game) and empire building (advanced game). Duration: Open-ended Frequency: 2 weeks, weekly and monthly games also available Cost: $4 per turn for 3 ships; $6 for 6 URL: http://www.flyingbuffalo.com/riftlord.htm Email: games@flyingbuffalo.com Keywords: commercial, open-ended, snail, email, fax, computer, wargame, economic, space Last_Update: 1996Sep16 Description: Riftlords is played on a 2-D map with about 1000 stars. Players start with a small ship and 10,000 credits, and the objective is to make a cool million. Commodity trading is the main source of income, but ships can also carry passengers, smuggle illegal cargoes, or hunt pirates for the bounty. Once the captain has made a million, they can graduate to the advanced game. This allows the player to explore beyond the edges of known space, establish colonies and fight other players. New features are still being added to the game. An autoresponder will send you the rules if you send an email addressed to "rlrules@flyingbuffalo.com" Opinion: I am finding that there just aren't enough decisions to make each turn to justify the fee. You have so little information at the start of the game that you might as well pick your moves at random. Once you know which planets in your area buy which commodities, it is pretty obvious where the money can be made. Several of my ships are close to the million-credit mark now, and I am hoping that the advanced game will give me more to think about. Flying Buffalo's service is exemplary, as usual. -- Keith Wignall (ECON100@cantva.canterbury.ac.nz) Company: Flying Buffalo, Inc. P. O. Box 1467 Scottsdale, AZ 85252-1467 (602) 945-6917 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: SWC...... A New Beginning Type: Modern/Strategy/Economic Duration: Open-Ended Frequency: Will vary.. depending on country GM: Human/ soon to be Mixed Costs: Again will vary depending on country purchased... btw 5-15 p/m UK Email: jason@mail.talk-101.com Keywords: commercial, open-ended, email, wargame, human, modern, economic Last-Update: 1996August21 Description: SWC... is a Strategy/Economic/Modern game. Each player must purchase a Country and then has control over that country's economic/diplomatic and ecological future. Based in a mixture of real time events and simulated one's. Form trade + diplomatic alliances with ANY country you wish/ search for natural resources/ sell the services of your country's scientist's/engineers/Technology + Labour force. This is not a game for people who just wish to shoot the hell out of some poor unsuspecting people it is a game which you can correspond with people from all over the world and form alliances. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Simple Type: Fantasy Wargame GM: computer moderated Frequency: once per week Status: beta-test Costs: free during beta-test Duration: 20-50 turns Language: English or German Email: Michael.Stibane@t-online.de (Michael_Stibane) URL: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/Homepages/Michael_Stibane/simple.htm Keywords: german, free, closed-ended, computer, fantasy, wargame, email Last-Update: 1996Sep29 Description: SIMPLE is a fast and rather aggressive fantasy wargame for 8 players. As the name expresses, the rules are easy to understand. The challenge isn't through the complexity of the rules but through the interaction of the players. Units in SIMPLE include such as guards, horsemen, dwarves, elves, farmers, boars, tigers, elefants, dragons, unicorns, werewolves, giants and - last not least: magicians, who are able to use one spell per game turn. There are thrilling possibilities to enhance the combat strength of a unit by making use of weapon-, landscape- and enemy bonus. Winners of SIMPLE aquire a rank in an eternal Hall of Fame. The output files are Winword-Docs, but if a someone doesn't own software to load Winword-Docs, upload the FREE software WORDVIEW.EXE and join the game. Visit SIMPLEs Homepage for more details. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Singularity Type: science fiction card game Duration: open-ended Frequency: run once a weekday Email: srt@pbm.com (Scott Turner) URL: http://www.pbm.com/singularity/ URL: ftp://ftp.pbm.com/pub/singularity/ Keywords: free, open-ended, email, computer, abstract, space Last-Update: 1996Apr07 Description: Singularity is a card-game-like PBEM in which galactic cultures compete to be the first to reach "the technological singularity". Turns happen once each week day and game play is very simple. This free game is written and run by Scott Turner, and is sponsored by Shadow Island Games, a commercial PBEM game company. Company: Shadow Island Games P.O. Box 6435 Somerset, NJ 08875-6435 (908) 469-1992 info@pbm.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Smuggler's Run Type: Science Fiction / Space Opera Duration: open-ended Frequency: once a week GM: computer-moderated Email: dvistas@aol.com Costs: setup and 2 turns free, additional turns $2. Keywords: commercial, open-ended, snail, email, computer, economic, space Last-Update: 1996Apr08 Description: Independent smugglers ply the galaxy in an attempt to thwart the restrictive Empire and earn riches. Adventure and danger abound. Space pirates, customs inspectors and petty imperial bureaucrats are just some of the many dangers to avoid. A detailed email brochure is available for the asking. Opinion: I have been playing the game for 5 months now and am in 5th place on the reputation and the net worth lists. The game is well valued, at $2 per turn, 2 turns max per week. The game is basically a solo thing, building up net worth through transporting goods from one location to another. It is an enjoyable game but drastically needs to incorporate two items: more player interaction and more discovery. By player interaction I mean that it is very difficult for one position to affect another players position other than by transferring information. Even destroying another player's ship is almost cancelled by the ubiquitous presense of ship insurance. By discovery, I mean that there needs to be a wealth of unknown items/encounters not included in the basic rules. There are some, but not enough. Most of the players seem to reach a plateau and then quit (at least the standings seem to indicate that this is the case), growing bored as they have learned all there is to know about the game. Mark has recently taken a survey and hopefully he will come to the same conclusions. -- Michael Kelly <kelly@lmsc.lockheed.com> (1996Sep23) Company: Distant Vistas P.O. Box 90993 Industry, CA 91715-0993 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Sol III Type: PBEM RPG with 6 separate campaigns Duration: open-ended Frequency: Three Business day Turnaround Time (or faster) GM: human Email: soliiigm@aol.com (Sol III GM) Costs: First two weeks free. $15 per month per character following that. No turn fees. URL: ftp://users.aol.com/soliiigm/sol3 Last-Update: 1996Apr11 Keywords: commercial, open-ended, email, human, rpg, historical, modern, space, fantasy Sol III is an alternate earth with an alternate history. 6 periods have been chosen to adventure in, and all of them are open-ended with no player cap. We have a full staff of 5 GM's to insure rapid responses, and this is our 7th year as a professional Play By E-Mail company. The 6 Time Frames are: 1206 AD, 1651 AD, 1896 AD, 1991 AD, 2026 AD, and 2606 AD. There are no turn sheets since the game is actually more of a true role-playing game than most, and as such, resembles Interactive Fiction. Players may adventure solo, in teams, open shops, engage in politics, and anything else that they can imagine. Certain character types will allow players to switch between Time Frames. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Spiral Arm Type: Space Strategy Duration: 35-40 turns Frequency: two week turns GM: computer moderated Costs: Startup + 5 turns AUS$20, then AUS$6 per turn URL: http://www.ozemail.com.au/~mercuryg/sa.htm Email: mercuryg@ozemail.com.au Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, snail, fax, email, computer, wargame, space Last-Update: 1996Sep21 Description: Spiral Arm is a play-by-mail strategy game of space exploration, diplomacy and tactics. You start with a single fully developed star, a small fleet of warships and a map showing all 650+ stars in the game. From there, you expand your empire until you contact other players, build star ships, colonize new stars, and make (and break) alliances in order to achieve an alliance victory. Note: turns may be submitted by email, but all results are sent by surface mail. Company: Mercury Games P.O. Box N600 Grosvenor Place Sydney NSW 2000 Australia +61-2-9564-1585 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Star Empires II Type: Science Fiction Empire-building game Cost: US$ 3,- per turnsheet Duration: Open-ended GM: computer URL: http://www.xs4all.nl/~vsim Email: vsim@xs4all.nl Keywords: commercial, open-ended, email, snail, fax, computer, space, economic Last-Update: 1996Sep23 Description: A space opera with a great depth in game play. 3D coordinate system, thousends of different worlds, suns, alien races and anomolies. To much to tell here in a few lines. Company: Virtual Simulations P.O.Box 479 2980 AL Ridderkerk The Netherlands Tel : [31] 180-419910 BBS/FAX : [31] 180-418166 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Star Fleet Warlord Type: Space Strategy Game Cost: $6/turn, no extra charges for large turns Duration: 18-30 turns Frequency: Once every 2 weeks, 1- and 3-week variations available GM: Computer-moderated URL: http://members.gnn.com/agent1/aog.htm Email: agent1@gnn.com Status: Open to all; 8 full games with 300+ players plus numerous custom games designed by players or player teams Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, snail, email, fax, computer, wargame, space Last-Update: 1996Sep16 Description: Star Fleet Warlord is a space conquest PBM using the ships and background of Star Fleet Battles, the popular board game by Task Force Games; however, no experience in this game is required (all materials will be provided with the rulebook). Ships of the Federation, Klingons, Romulans, and many others are featured, and are purchased and used to conquer territory and expand one's empire. 50 players participate in each game, and games are customizable for groups or teams. For further information visit our web site; you can also sign up for games via online forms at this location. Company: Agents of Gaming PO Box 31571 Dayton OH 45437-0571 (513)233-6886 voice/fax ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Stargazer Type: Space Empire-Building Cost: Not yet determined/probably US$3/turn Duration: estimated 15-20 turns Frequency: once every 10-14 days GM: 90% computer moderated Last-Update: 1996May30 Status: release to public summer 1996 Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, snail, mixed, wargame, space Description: In Stargazer players control a race that is just beginning star travel. Each player starts with his homeworld and 1 spaceship which he uses to explore and colonize other worlds around him. Players choose from 4-5 different types of colonies, they can design each one of their ships, build bases to defend worlds, spy on their enemies, make alliance with other players, and form mighty fleets. Players compete against each other for control of the galaxy by exploring, colonizing, conquering or making alliances. Some games have special events that add additional detail and complexity. Winning the game depends on military and financial strategy and particularily diplomacy. Don't forget to build those defense bases on your homeworld! Company: Frontier Game Company 2041 Berkley Place South Bend, IN 46616 Voice or Fax -- (219) 289-7013 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Stars of the Dark Well Type: SciFi/Space Opera Duration: Open Ended Frequency: Once every two weeks. Email: mindgate@macnexus.org Costs: $5 per turn URL: http://bbs.macnexus.org/~david_peterson/darkwell/darkwell.html Last-Update: 1996sep16 Keywords: commercial, open-ended, snail, fax, mixed, space Description: In this Play-By-Mail game, humanity's first interstellar empire, the 1st Dominium, was destroyed when a deadly viral plague swept across the stars. Now, some 200 years later, new forces vie for control of Dark Well Space-thousands of star systems in a vast region of old Earth's spiral arm of the galaxy. Dark Well Space holds a teaming society of explorers, colonists, miners, traders, mercenaries, aliens, and pirates. Each player is free to pursue his or her own goals or join one of ten player-controlled allegiances. Current allegiances include companies, corporations, governments, and military outfits. Stars of the Dark Well offers you an infinite variety of adventure. Company: MINDGATE PO Box 1670 Carmicheal CA 95609-1670 USA Fax: (916) 483-1865 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Stars! Type: space opera Duration: ? GM: computer URL: http://www.webmap.com/stars! URL: ftp://www.webmap.com/stars Last-Update: 1996Sep15 Keywords: free-moderation, closed-ended, email, gui, computer, wargame, economic, space Description: Stars! is a shareware strategy game for MS-Windows. It allows up to 16 simultaneous players by email, bbs or network. The goal is to be the most powerful race in the Universe. In order to reach this goal, you first choose a race (reg. version allows a high degree of customization) and you start on a home planet. By allocating resources to research you can develop powerful technologies and build better ships to conquer the Universe with. Mineral management is an integral part of the game. It is similar in vein to VGA-Planets and Master of Orion. Works with Windows 3.1, 95, and NT. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Starweb Type: Science Fiction Simulation Duration: 20-25 turns. Frequency: 2 week turn around. Slow (monthly) turnaround also available. GM: Computer moderated. Costs: $5 setup, $4.50 per turn. Rulebook $2. URL: http://www.flyingbuffalo.com/starweb.htm Email: games@flyingbuffalo.com Last-Update: 1996Sep16 Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, snail, email, fax, computer, wargame, space Description: Award winning (over six awards from at least 4 different organizations) space game of colonization & empire. Different victory conditions for different players. Lots of variants available. Six different player types, 15 players per game. Over 1,500 games have been run to completion by Flying Buffalo Inc. Opinion: Classic! Lots of ways to win, for diplomats and generals alike. - minnotte@rice.edu (Michael Minnotte) Lots of diplomacy, game system simple but not trivial. I like it. - purtill@dimacs.rutgers.edu (Mark Purtill) Not just lots of diplomacy but **LOTS** of diplomacy -- but remember, that's usually by phone (FBI also has blind, net, and other variants). My phone bill was too high! - amead@psych.uiuc.edu (Alan Mead) Company: Flying Buffalo, Inc. P. O. Box 1467 Scottsdale, AZ 85252-1467 (602) 945-6917 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Station Beta Two Type: Star Trek role-playing Duration: open ended Frequency: once per week GM: human moderated Costs: free URL: http://www.geocities.com/Area51/6225/index.htm Keywords: free, open-ended, human, email, space, rpg Description: Station Beta Two was originally built by the Yridians as an observatory to the Uliptite Nebula in the Beta Quadrant, just outside of Federation territory and only ten light years from the Neutral Zone. It soon grew into a vast science research facility, jointly used by the Federation and the Yridians in an ally movement. Ten years ago after a unique catastrophe, the station was utterly destroyed and rendered useless. The Yridian Government had enough troubles with the station and gave all rights to the station to the Federation. They refitted the station and made many modifications. Today Station Beta Two is one of the most popular space stations in the Beta Quadrant. It is used as a continued research facility, observatory, residential complex, and place of respite and refueling to many travellers. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Strategic Postal Australian Rules Football (SPARF) Type: sports simulation GM: computer moderated Email: munch@csua.berkeley.edu (say "rules" in the subject) Cost: free Keywords: free, open-ended, email, computer, sports, modern Last-Update: 1996Sep17 Description: SPARF is a strategically based game based on Australian Rules football. The pariticipant takes on the role of General Manager, and handles the details of drawing up training regimens, lineups, and negotiating trades for his team. The primary focus of the manager is on developing season-long plans (and longer) to build a team with a good allocation of the right kinds of skill in the right positions, and on adapting those plans to account for injuries. munch@csua.berkeley.edu is an automated mail deamon for the game. Send it mail with the subject "help" for a list of commands. The subject "rules" will get you the rules to SPARF. The Gm may be contacted at mel@csua.berkeley.edu. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: TKO PRO BOXING Type: Fantasy Boxing Game Cost: FREE!!!! Frequency: Fights once a week GM: Human + Computer Moderation Status: Open to everyone Format: Played by e-mail Email: wesley@casscomm.com URL: http://free.websight.com/Wes/ Keywords: free, open-ended, mixed, email, sports, modern Last_Update: 1996Sep23 Description: You create, name, and manage a boxer. I schedule weekly bouts for you and YOU send me a strategy for each fight. You try to unify the WBA, WBC, and IBF titles to be the undisputed champion! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Tajar, City of Trade Email: bdrag@he.net Type: Medieval Fantasy RPG, Al-Qadim(TM) Cost: $2.50/mo (4 turns/mo) Duration: Never-ending Frequency: once per week GM: Human URL: http://www.he.net/~bdrag/tajar/tajar.htm Last-Update: March 14, 1996 Status: Game starting week of March 12th. Full Keywords: commercial, open-ended, email, www, human, rpg, fantasy Description: Players are beginning adventure in the Al-Qadim setting (the land of Arabia & desert). Their travels will take them from the prosperous city through the harsh desert to the Genie's anvil. Players also get a free web page included with their game. Company: Black Dragon Games 12413 Old Timber Road Charlotte, NC 28269 (704) 547-1368 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: The Battle of Gettysburg Type: historical wargame (Civil War) Duration: closed-ended, 36 turns Frequency: once per 2 weeks GM: computer moderated Costs: US$3.00/turn URL: http://www.tiac.net/users/conquest Email: conquest@tiac.net Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, snail, computer, wargame, historical Last-Update: 1996Aug12 Description: The Battle of Gettysburg is the first scenario designed for use with the PBM Game Constructor. It is currently in the test stages. It is a two player game which depicts the Civil War battle near the town of Gettysburg, Penn. from July 1st to 3rd 1863. One player plays the Union Army of the Potomac. The other plays the Confederate Army of North Virginia. The game lasts 36 turns. It uses LOS, and morale. Units represent infantry brigades, cavalry and artillery divisions, and indivitual leaders. Company: Norman Conquest Games Jason Lee Poultney P.O. Box 1064 Gardner, MA 01440 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: The Double Email: 100117.1414@compuserve.com Type: Soccer Simulation Cost: UK1.25 Duration: 22 turns per season Frequency: 7 days GM: Computer Moderated URL: http://www.tightbeam.com/pagoda/dbl.htm Last-Update: 1 October 1996 Status: positions available in existing leagues Keywords: commercial, open-ended, snail, email, gui, computer, sports, modern Description: This is a unique soccer simulation, combining Fantasy football and the more traditional strategy style pbm football game. Managers buy and sell real life players using an extensive transfer system, with players being given a skill rating which can then be improved through coaching. Each turn the manager will select his team which will play two games. The first is based on their players real life performance in the same vein as fantasy football simulations. The second match features a complex formula, using the players skill ratings and the tactics chosen by the manager. The aim of the game is to create a team that can win both matches week in, week out. Each league features 36 teams split into 3 Divisions and over 1500 real life players are included in the players database. Each turn managers can coach players, scout their opposition, dabble in the transfer market and improve their ground facilities. A GUI is in development that will allow managers to play completely via email. Company: Pagoda Games PO BOX 5155 TAMWORTH STAFFORDSHIRE B77 4QQ ENGLAND ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: The REEL PBM Lague Type: soccer simulation URL: http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/7735 Cost: free Email: S.R.R.Esdale@uea.ac.uk Last_Update: 1996Oct16 Keywords: free, open-ended, human, email, sports, modern DESCRIPTION : The REEL PBM League is a league based on the FA Premiership and Nationwide Football League teams. Each player selects a squad of their choice from the teams available and then tries to take their team to the top of their league. It is absolutely free, and a match should be played at least every week, if not sooner. If anybody is interested please e-mail me, Steven Esdale, at S.R.R.Esdale@uea.ac.uk with your top three teams. There is a limit of fourty teams, so hurry up and get those entries in ! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: The Red Badge(TM): First Bull Run Email: mtbreault@aol.com Type: American Civil War tactical combat Cost: Between $1 and $1.50 per turn (player determines price) Duration: Variable, 20-50 turns, depends on players and scenario Frequency: Varies from once per day to once per week GM: Computer moderated URL: http://www.ids.net/faxattax Last-Update: 1996Sep08 Status: Currently in testing; playtesters wanted Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, computer, fax, www, historical, wargame Description: In The Red Badge, players control regiments in a tactical wargame of the American Civil War. There are 50 players per game, 25 for the North and 25 for the South. One player on each side is the Commanding General, who has a view of the entire battlefield but no direct control of troops. This player passes along orders to the other 24 players on his side. These players are Line Officers, who control five regiments each but can see only a small part of the whole battlefield. Our unique fog-of-war system enables Line Officers to ignore the Commanding General's orders, but at the peril of going against the advice of the only person with a strategic view of the entire battlefield. The map contains almost 10,000 areas, with most players able to see only 81 of them at a time. All the terrain of the historical battles is represented. The first scenario is the first battle of Bull Run (a.k.a. First Manassas). Subsequent scenarios simulate every major battle of the Civil War. Hit our Web site for the game rules, or have them faxed to you by calling our fax-on-demand system at 1-800-7248-0281. Play is via fax machine or the Web. If you're interested in playtesting for free, contact us! Company: Fax Attax, Inc. 206 West Center Street, Suite 200 Warsaw, IN 46580 (219) 269-7296 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: The Succession Wars Type: Fantasy Strategy/Role-Playing Game Cost: free Duration: 40-50 turns Frequency: roughly once a week GM: human & computer moderated URL: http://www.halcyon.com/sgtpeper/ Email: sgtpeper@halcyon.com (Damon Jones) Status: currently full, waiting list for future games Keywords: free, closed-ended, email, mixed, rpg, wargame, fantasy Last-Update: 1996Sep21 Description: The Succession Wars is a completely original game system set in a high fantasy world of powerful Mages and mighty Knights. Factions strive against one another for control of the throne on a large hex-grid map. Players have completely open contact with one another, and lots of flexibility in designing spells and new units. Creativity and good roleplaying will be rewarded. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: The World of Dengada Type: Fantasy RPG Duration: Open-Ended Frequency: one turn per 14 days Cost: one turn $7.50 email, $8.50 postal. Setup/rules extra. Status: One game running since October '95 Email: bpgames@aol.com (Erik Stephans) URL: http://www.tightbeam.com/bpgames URL: ftp://ftp.dorje.com/pub/mailing-lists/denagda Keywords: commercial, open-ended, snail, email, computer, rpg, fantasy Description: The World of Denagda is a large, open ended game of fantasy role-playing. Players choose from one of three starting positions (Ruler, Guildmaster, or Hero), which determines what the player starts with. From there, players are allowed to pursue just about any course they'd like. The game is extremely versatile and flexible, as well as very detailed. There is also a mailing list for Denagda at listproc@dorje.com, open to any interested parties. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Three Suns Type: Fantasy Duration: Open Ended Frequency: Weekly GM: Hand Moderated Costs: Free URL: http://www.albany.net/~cdp/3suns Email: cdp@ix.netcom.com Keywords: free, open-ended, human, email, rpg, fantasy Last-Update: 1996Oct15 Description: Three Suns has been an ongoing original fantasy campaign for over twelve years. Now present on the web, Three Suns has become an easily accessible free PBEM, with alot of source information for new characters. Some of the web site's features include a detailed map, game updates, information about the various cultural aspects of Three Suns, and links to other Three Suns related sites. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Timelapse Type: Strategic/tribal treasure hunt through 5,000 years of history Duration: Fixed victory conditions (averages 30 turns) Frequency: one per week Cost: free during beta test, commercial after Email: gsf@ftech.co.uk (Graham McPhee) Status: In playtest (Started March 1995) URL: ftp://ftp.ftech.co.uk/pub/games/PBM/tlaphelp.zip (game rules) Last-Update: 1996Sep16 Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, snail, email, gui, computer, rpg, historical, modern xxx tell him to give me the play-by-snail and play-by-disk prices Description: Description: Timelapse is a difficult game to categorise as the game can be played over twelve time periods, from the Bronze age to the Space age. But the object of the game is to collect the fifty parts of your spacecraft that have fragmented when you crashed on the Bronze age world. Up to 450 NPC's can be used as allies against the other 49 players of the game. At set points the game will leap 500 years into the future, until one players has assembled their spacecraft and won the game. Players need a PC with Windows 3.1/3.11/Windows 95 to run the display/game order program and access to email package (with uudecoding). The Gui display program accepts zipped turn files which it unzips for you, and can uuencode your turn prior to you emailing it back. Timelapse currently runs commercially on paper and via play by disk, this is the email playtest and players are playing for free. Timelapse is moderated in the UK by Allsorts PBM Games with paper and disk turns costing #1.50 per turn, email games are still in playtest - no price has been set for these email turns yet. An email playtest is running in the USA prior to the game going commercial there. The rules are available from the ftp site quoted above using anonymous access. Company: Galactic Society Four gsf@ftech.co.uk (Graham McPhee) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Troll Quest Type: Underground Strategy Wargame Duration: 30-40 turns Frequency: two week turns GM: computer moderated Costs: Startup + 5 turns $15, then $3 per turn URL: http://www.ozemail.com.au/~mercuryg/tq.htm Email: mercuryg@ozemail.com.au Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, snail, fax, email, computer, wargame, fantasy Last-Update: 1996Sep21 Description: Troll Quest is a play-by-mail game of exploration, mining, monsters and magic. Troll Quest is primarily a strategy game. There are no alliances, and no need to attack other clans in order to win. Each clan has a single race. Each race produces "men" of various classes at different rates. Miners dig caves and collect minerals; fighters are more effective in combat than other classes; sages search for minerals and other clans; workers build colonies to produce more men. The playing space is a 3-dimensional section of earth. Colonies produce men, and they can grow alone or by using workers. Units hold men up to development limits, which can be increased with money. Monsters can be fought or bribed. Magical artifacts can be found, and can be very powerful if used properly. The objective is to accumulate the most treasure. Note: turns may be submitted by email, but all results are sent by surface mail. Company: Mercury Games P.O. Box N600 Grosvenor Place Sydney NSW 2000 Australia +61-2-9564-1585 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Turbo 2000 (German language) Type: Formula One Simulation Cost: free Duration: ca. 24-30 turns Frequency: one per 5 weeks GM: Human, computer-aided Last-Update: 1996Sep18 Status: Open, new game started June 1996. New players always welcome! Email: rschoen@mathematik.uni-ulm.de (Reinhard Schoen) Keywords: german, free, closed-ended, snail, email, mixed, sports, modern Description: Each player manages a Formula 1 racing stable. Drivers can be hired for the season (6 turns each). The material needed to attend a race (Formula 1, Formula 2, dragster, rallye, etc) can be built or bought from other players. Basic knowledge of the German language required! Results published in the fanzine Postspillion, which is only available by snail-mail, or emailed directly to the player. The Postspillion is published by: Michael Frenzel Schwarzenbergstrasse 130 89081 Ulm Federal Republic of Germany Opinion: In the Rotarius poll 1989, Turbo 2000 was elected the 3rd best pbm game being played in Germany, beaten only by United and Diplomacy. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Twilight 2000 Type: Post-apocalypse Duration: open ended Frequency: daily/weekly GM: Human moderated Costs: Free! Email: Twilight-2000@juno.com Status: game full, 20 lurkers, more lurkers welcome. Keywords: free, open-ended, email, rpg, space, human Last-Update: 1996Sept27 Description: Twilight-2000 is a post-Apocalypse WWIII Role Playing game, taking place in Eastern Europe. This is a heavily military game with a unique and detailed Character Generation System. Other current players will always help new players in the creation of their character if desired. Players E-mail each other often, with a CC to me, and should try to check mail daily. A weekly summary will go out to all players, and to Lurkers. Many players are taking two Characters, one as a pre-war civilian career (though everyone ends up in the military), and the other Character as a career-military type. GM: Jeremy M. 14642A Lakeshore Dr., Ste#113 Clearlake, CA 95422 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Ultimate Football Email: gmdavies@netspace.net.au Type: Football (Soccer) Management Game Cost: Free Duration: 19 turns (subject to change each season!) Frequency: Once a week GM: computer and human moderation URL: http://netspace.net.au/~gmdavies/usoccer.htm Last-Update: 1996Sep12 Status: Just completed first (test) season, now looking for more managers Keywords: free, closed-ended, email, mixed, sports, modern Description: Ultimate Football features a league competition, a cup competition, team tactics, individual player tactics, individual player tactics, and - beginning this season - a transfer market. Rather than relying on statistical and mathemetical genius, Ultimate Football focuses more on the managerial side of soccer. It is a fun and friendly game, and I am always looking to improve it. Create a team and players within the team using the seven skills to describe each player - Passing, Shooting, Intelligence, Control, Tackling, Agility, and Handling. Two league matches and a cup match are played each week. Managers receive a 15 page report of each match their team played in, which outlines match highlights. Also each manager receives a form guide which provides an updated player list, along with a public transfer listing of players being offered on the transfer market, and all transactions taken place each week. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Ultimate Rugby Email: cairnswm@mwp.eskom.co.za Type: Sport Simulation Cost: Free Duration: Open-Ended, approximitly 25 weeks per season. Frequency: Once a Week GM: Computer Moderated URL: http://www.cranfield.ac.uk/public/me/fo942033/UR1.html Last-Update: 1996Sep16 Status: Currently busy with season 2 with 72 teams, new teams are being accepted for mid season start. Keywords: free, open-ended, email, computer, sports, modern Description: In Ultimate Rugby you are the manager of a Rugby Team, your job is to try and win the League competition and the Ultimate Rugby Cup. You are responsible for team selection, telling the captain how to guide the team, as well as training. The game is designed to be a long term "investment" as the team will get better the longer it is managed. To obtain a copy of the rules use the mail address above with "Rugby Rules" as the message subject. If you would like to be added to the Ultimate Rugby mailing list please use the mail address above with "Rugby Subscribe" as the subject. Company: WillCO Games ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Ultra Cricket Type: Sports Simulation Duration: 15 turns/season, seasons start at close of previous season. Frequency: 1/week Cost: free Status: In season 10, 312 teams playing GM: computer Email: ta@ecs.soton.ac.uk URL: http://diana.ecs.soton.ac.uk/~ta/uc_home.html URL: ftp://ftp.ecs.soton.ac.uk/pub/uc Last-Update: 1996Sep23 Keywords: free, closed-ended, email, computer, sports, modern Description: This game simulates Tests and one day Cricket Games. Cricket is very common game in those countries of the former British Empire and has almost come to replace religion in some nations. Each person takes on the role of Selector/Manager/Captain. You have a squad of up to 30 players from which you must choose a team for each game, train the players and decide the batting and bowling order and other team tactics. You also have some say in the pitch conditions. Each week you will be asked to select an XI to play in the upcoming matches. This will be called the team. You also decide whether on winning the toss you want them to bat or bowl first, along with the batting and bowling order. This is all fed into the Main programme which plays the match ball by ball. A ball by ball record is made and a scorecard at the end of each innings compiled. Statistics are generated and Man of the Match decided. Those players not in the first XI return to their "clubs" and play for them. Here you get a brief run down on their performance and any injuries suffered by the players during the week. A season lasts for approximately 4 months. The 10th season has seen me split the competition in two. I hope to get them out of phase and so the waiting time to start playing will be cut to at worst 2 months. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: United Electronic Football League (UEFL) Type: sports simulation, soccer Email: billones@primenet.com (Jeremy Billones) Cost: free URL: http://www.primenet.net/~billones/UEFL.html Keywords: free, closed-ended, email, computer, sports, modern Last-Update: 1996Sep12 Description: United Electronic Football -- this is a USer, PBeM version of Alan Parr's game. You create a team of football (soccer) players, each with a position and skill level. Each turn, you pit your lineups against those of your opponents, with relative strengths and random chance determining the final score. If you win, you get more resources for improving your team. You can trade players and other resources, and press wars abound. Honor and glory for the regular- season champion and the winner of the post-season Cup. UEFL is the original league in the States, 30 teams divided among Upper, Lower, and Rookie divisions. About 2 turns per week, time off for academic breaks, 1 season per year. Currently in season 8. Still the original, still the simplest, still the league that got me addicted in the first place. Warning: The waiting list is currently 6+ months long. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: VGA Planets 3.0 URL: http://www.wilmington.net/vgaplanets/index.html Duration: closed-ended GM: computer Status: over 42,000 licensed copies Keywords: free-moderation, closed-ended, email, gui, computer, wargame, economic, space Last-Update: 1996Sep10 Description: A shareware multi-player strategic space game for PC-Clones. You control a race of beings attempting to conquer the universe. Players use a graphical interface to enter their turns, and then send a binary file to the moderator, who runs them through a program that processes the turn. A review of version 2.1 appears in PBEM volume 92 # 6. Keep in mind that lower ship numbers get to attack first -- this isn't mentioned in the manuals, and it's important to take this into account. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: War of Wizards 1.0 Type: Strategic Fantasy Cost: Free Duration: Until the last creature stands Frequency: weekly GM: currently mixture but becoming computer moderated. Email: phtcdah@lux.latrobe.edu.au URL: http://lux.latrobe.edu.au/~phtcdah Status: Game 1 full and about to begin; lengthy waiting list. Last_update: 1996Oct20 Keywords: free, open-ended, mixed, email, wargame, fantasy Description: War of Wizards is a fantasy wargame in which players take the role of a high mage. Players have the opportunity to study powerful magic, gather great armies and make the most of the lands resources. Both alliances and enemies will be made with other players. In the end though, only one wizard will rule supreme. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Wargames Type: strategic world conquest game Cost: US$ 0.20 per turn Duration: closed-ended GM: computer URL: http://www.xs4all.nl/~vsim Email: vsim@xs4all.nl Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, email, gui, computer, wargame, economic, modern Last-Update: 1996Apr09 Description: WARGAMES is a strategic game, played on a map of the world, divided up into more than 180 nations and over 300 cities. It has a full graphic user interface (286+VGA+mouse required). The contestants play against each other offline by modem. Conquering of course is one aspect, "cooperating" is at least as important. Much more than the "board & dice games", WARGAMES resembles geographical/logistic and economic reality, without making it more complex to play, as the computer processes the dull data. WARGAMES also simulates "international politics" better, as there is no direct personal contact with other players, so there is more time to think over propositions, it is possible to negotiate with several players at the same time (discretely), and opponents cannot see your satisfied grin or hear your nervous tapping. Because communication is vital in controlling conflicts, depending on how much of your identity you want to reveal, you can either choose to contact others: anonymously, by playername or by countryname. Furthermore each player may comment on the world affairs, using the news service. Company: Virtual Simulations P.O.Box 479 2980 AL Ridderkerk The Netherlands Tel : [31] 180-419910 BBS/FAX : [31] 180-418166 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Warlord Email: Inquiry@KJCGames.com (use only if new player or for ordering info or free starts) Type: Wargame Cost: 1.95 pounds/turn Duration: appr. 50-70 turns Frequency: every 12 days GM: computer URL: http://www.nvg.unit.no/~cezton/kjc_warlord.html Last Update: 1996Sep25 Status: About 30 games started in all, most are completed. 100 players in each game. Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, email, computer, snail, wargame, modern Description: Warlords is a wargame set on a world that was not as lucky as us during their Cuba Crisis, and got a nuclear holocaust. 100 years later, leaders in 100 cities come forth to continue the war. However, all have been set back in technology and power, so this will not be easy. Still, they keep deploying forces and waging war, and of course, urging their scientists to nuke once more... Opinion: Warlord is a not-too-advanced wargame in modern environment. You start the game with a sketchy world map and the local area. You are in control of a city and about 20 regiments of various types. There are 99 other players, but still there are 150 neutral cities of which some first must be subdued for you to dominate your neighbours. Warlord can be won as a team victory so diplomacy should be an important factor, at least, the good players use it at a great extent. There is a race for technology and the resources and the early turns are important, but not as crucial as some seem to think. A good start does not mean that you survive and a bad start does not mean that you lose. I have done both, but I have not won a game at this date. Disadvantages with the game is that a significant lot of the players tend to drop out too fast and that it lasts long. This could mean that effectively, a game can be won ten turns before the is declared. But it is easy to learn and relatively cheap, while not being without depth. -- Kjetil Friden <cezton@nvg.unit.no> (player, Nostramania (18) in game 27 right now) (1996Sep25) Company: KJC Games Thornton Cleveleys Lancashire FY5 3LJ United Kingdom ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Warriors and Wizards Type: Fantasy Strategic Duration: Close ended with victory conditions (About 25 turns) Frequency: 2 weeks with up to 25 players GM: Computer Costs: $4.50 per turn, no extra costs. Last-Update: 1996Apr18 Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, snail, email, computer, wargame, fantasy Description: Players start with up to 20 characters in their player-designed home territory. Play takes place on a large grid; the winner is first player to earn the rank of King or Queen. You earn rank by capturing territories, winning combats, finding items, etc. Players can choose from 15 magic users and about 20 military types to start the game. During the course of exploration and recruitment players can find over 250 additional units and 350 magic items. Company: Eclipse Consulting Inc. PO Box 969 Yonkers, NY 10703-0969 (914)-965-1986 Email: 71441.3144@compuserve.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Water Wars 2.0 Type: abstract strategic economic/military Cost: free Duration: 15 turns Frequency: one per week Email: a.earl@cad.canterbury.ac.nz Status: closed beta-test Keywords: free, closed-ended, email, computer, wargame, abstract Last-Update: 1996Apr16 Description: Water Wars is a multi-player play-by-mail hex-based game where players are in control of minor kingdoms in a virtual computer world. Through clever use of your water resources, players build up their kingdoms in an attempt at global water monopoly or world domination. Elements include changing the height of hexes to alter water flow; building villages, nets, rafts, water missiles and crops; shooting other players with the water missiles. To filter out no-shows, there is a multichoice quiz on the rules that must be answered to play. The rules are available from maiser@cad.canterbury.ac.nz by sending some mail with the body of the messages saying only: SEND WW2.UUE The rules will be automatically returned to you Uuencoded and zipped. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: World War II Simulation Type: realistic WWII wargame Duration: 25-50 turns Frequency: 3-4 weeks/snail mail Email: mriley@agt.net GM: Human moderated Cost: $12.50 to $15.50 per turn Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, snail, human, wargame, historical Last-Update: 1996Sep21 Description: A realistic World War II simulation game of world conquest. World War II simulation is strictly a PBM game that offers its players Game maps, forms, national information, game economics, factory production espionage networks, spies, commandos, partisans, military units right down to the regiment level on a world scale. Players are able to send their turns in via the Internet. Company: The Canadian Institute of Strategic Simulations #320-6440 Centre St. N Calgary, Alberta Canada T2K-0V4 Phone: 403-275-6457 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: World War IV Email: 100117.1414@compuserve.com Type: Strategic argame Cost: UK3 / US$4.50 Duration: 25-40 turns Frequency: 10/14 days GM: Computer Moderated URL: http://www.tightbeam.com/pagoda/ww4.htm Last-Update: 1 October 1996 Status: new games starting every 6/8 weeks. Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, snail, email, gui, computer, wargame, modern Description: World War IV gives players the chance to control one of 40 post war countries and try to rebuild their nation. Heavy diplomacy, over 120 different military units, dozens of military and economic missions and thousands of hexes to conquer are important features of this game. The game can be played via email and features a PC player aid for writing orders. Customised variants are being introduced including an all Internet game and also 1 vs. 1 player challenges. Company: Pagoda Games PO BOX 5155 TAMWORTH STAFFORDSHIRE B77 4QQ ENGLAND ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: World at War Type: strategic, economic/military, WWII style setting Email: emg@dgreenin.hlth.gov.bc.ca URL: http://www.islandnet.com/~dgreenin/emg-game.htm Cost: free Keywords: free, closed-ended, email, computer, wargame, historical Last-Update: 1996Sep11 Description: World at War assumes that a global war is about to break out on the planet (similar to WWII on Earth) and each player is in charge of one of the countries. This is a strategic level game, with the map consisting of irregular shaped areas, turns being 3 months, land units being mostly divisions, air units are squadrons and naval units are groups of ships. Some of the items in the game include: o different types of resources (food, fuel, hmetal, lmetal, credits a production) required to build units. o air units have to fly out of airbases to do a mission and return to base after the mission o 9 types of land units (Arm Mech Inf Par Mar Stc AT Art AA o 5 type of air units (Ftr LB TB Bmbr ATrn) o 6 type of naval units (CFlt HFlt LFlt Sub NATr NTrn) o technology gains can be made in each type of unit o units use up supply to do a mission o limited intelligence ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Xarian Adventures Type: fantasy role-playing Duration: open-ended GM: primarily human-moderated Costs: One-page turn CDN$7.25 (US$5.30 approx), 2 page turn CDN$12.00 (US$8.75 approx), 3 page turn CDN$16.75 (US$12.20 approx). Automated turns CDN$5.00 (US$3.65 approx). Startup, rules, and 1 free turn CDN$15 (US$10.95 approx). Email: dave_black@chshq.dfo.ca Last-Update: 1996Apr10 Keywords: commercial, open-ended, email, snail, mixed, rpg, fantasy Description: 'Xarian Adventures' is primarily a hand moderated PBM game of the Fantasy genre. Regular turn results are narrative in style and a great deal of attention is paid to readability. Automated turns are for arena combat tournaments and for auctions. Players may choose from 5 'human' tribes or 4 non-human races (Dwarvrim, Elvrim, Knomes and Ogrim). The 8 character professions are: Armsweilders, Arcanist (Wizard), Ascetic (Monk), Khemist (Herbalist), Knave (Thief), Mystic (Cleric), Performer, and Trader. Turn costs are dependent upon turn length. There are no turn deadlines for solo adventurers. Play unfolds in a natural manner with no arbitrary time constraints. One turn may cover a few moments or many months of game time. No complex codes are necessary to communicate turn instructions to the Gamemaster. There are two free newsletters of which one is published monthly. A 10% discount per active player character per turn is available for Group Adventures. If you'd like to know more a free introductory package is available from dave_black@chshq.dfo.ca or by snail mail. Mailing Address: True North Gaming 220 Woodfield Drive Nepean, Ontario Canada K2G 3W8 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: You Rule! Type: fantasy strategic war game Duration: 20-30 turns Frequency: 2 weeks GM: computer-moderated Cost: rules are $7.50, including setup and turn one snail mail is $5.50/turn, email is $4.50/turn Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, snail, email, fax, computer, wargame, fantasy Last-Update: 1996Sep16 URL: http://www.tightbeam.com/llucky Email: llucky@crl.com Description: You Rule! is a strategy war game with a sense of humor. There are six races that have a scissors-paper-stone relationship. Each province is inhabited by one of the six races and has one of a variety of special features. Victory is obtained by training forces of different races to conquer other provinces. There are ten different character types that can be trained, including wizards that can cast a variety of spells. Other features include castles, magic items, weapons, magic portals, theft and assassination. Turns are laser-printed and include a personalized map. Opinions: I have been participating in You Rule! as one of the playtesters. I have thoroughly enjoyed the game. For me, it has just the right level of complexity. The combat system has no hidden program features that need to be discovered by the players. All of the applicable formulas are made available in the rules, but you do not need to be a number cruncher to play. It is quite interesting trying to balance the economic factors associated with commodities and gold. It also takes some planning to mount an attack on an opponent since your troops need food every turn requiring either a large stockpile or an adequate supply line. I would highly recommend this game to anyone interested in strategic wargames. Thus far, I have been impressed with Llucky Llama. They have been very responsive to suggestions for improvement and have promptly answered any and all game related questions. The ability to play the game via email is also very convenient. -- David Saville (dsaville@argo.unm.edu) Company: Llucky Llama Games 80-Q N. Cabrillo Hwy. #226-I Half Moon Bay, CA 94019-1667 Phone: (415) 712-0283 Fax: (415) 712-0284 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Zombie Zone USA(TM): Pleasanton Email: mtbreault@aol.com Type: Horror game, in a darkly humorous vein Cost: Between $1 and $1.50 per turn (player determines price) Duration: Variable, 20-50 turns, depends on players and scenario Frequency: Varies from once per day to once per week GM: Computer moderated URL: http://www.ids.net/faxattax Last-Update: 1996Sep08 Status: Currently in testing; playtesters wanted Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, computer, fax, www, rpg, fantasy Description: Zombie Zone USA takes place in a town gone crazy. Pleasanton is an ordinary place until tonight, when ravening zombie hordes appear out of nowhere to ravage the town and snack on anyone they catch. There are 50 players per game, each controlling five townspeople who are brave enough (or foolish enough) to fight for their town. Players explore the huge town map, searching for bigger and better weapons, new recruits, and zombies to smash. Your goal is to survive long enough to figure out who's unleashed this horror on your town, and then to do something about it! The tone is one of dark humor. The map contains almost 10,000 areas in the town, plus more in the sewers and catacombs beneath the town. Players can see only 81 areas at a time. The first scenario occurs in Pleasanton, a small town in Indiana. Subsequent scenarios put the players in charge of crack zombie-bashing squads that are sent to real cities across the U.S.A. to combat the nation-wide zombie invasion. Hit our Web site for the game rules, or have them faxed to you by calling our fax-on-demand system at 1-800-7248-0281. Play is via fax machine or the Web. If you're interested in playtesting for free, contact us! Company: Fax Attax, Inc. 206 West Center Street, Suite 200 Warsaw, IN 46580 (219) 269-7296 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Up