Re: freeflow games & "roleplaying" definitions

From: Phil Shulkind <phil@phildee.demon.co.uk>

Date: Fri, 12 Jul 1996 00:00:00 +0000

"Karen J. Cravens" <phoenyx@southwind.net> writes
>
>You've just summed up the Essence Of Usenet.  What's your point?

That we've seen this sort of discussion time and time again. I've never seen
anyone shift their position though.
>
>But, to get back to my original point (which you also missed if
>you missed my original post), what's your definition of
>"roleplaying" as related to PBM?  It seems to be that it's
>different in r.g.pbm versus, say, r.g.frp.misc.  The PBM flavor
>is usually a closer relative to PBM wargames, interbred somewhere
>with so-called "CRPG's" like Ultima, whereas what the OP was
>looking for (and what the Phoenyx sponsors) is closer to the
>usual "tabletop" (I hesitate to say "live" since that confuses
>people with LARP) game, where there's more rule-less interaction.
>I confess to loading up my web browser only in a blue moon, so I
>haven't visited your site to enlighten myself.

You're moving a little outside my field, I process computer moderated
games, my better half runs the role playing<g>. I don't actually like role
playing games, so I don't play them. Some people think that games like
Legends and Odyssey are role playing games, I don't. Our RPG Vampire is
completely statistics free, and there are no wargame elements whatever. (I
can email you the rules if you want to know something about it, doesn't
mean you have to do anything once you've read them!)

I'd say that PBM roleplaying involves living the life of an alter ego - their
thoughts and feelings as well as their actions. Getting right under the skin
of the character and really 'being' it, without having to roll some weird
shaped dice every five minutes! I don't know how possible it is to do that
in face to face role playing and get the same degree of depth?

Phil Shulkind
PHILDEE ENTERPRISES
Professional Play By Mail since 1990
"subscribe" to our mailing list : phildee-l@pbmgames.com
visit our web site : http://www.tightbeam.com/phildee

References

re:freeflow games & paying 2 play
Williams <mlwilliams@taz.dra.hmg.gb>
Tue, 09 Jul 1996 00:00:00 +0000