Re: Help: PBM Design Issues

From: Thomas <thomas.leitgeb@kfunigraz.ac.at>

Date: Tue, 02 May 1995 00:00:00 +0000

Delboy@bumblbee.demon.co.uk (Derek Sorensen) wrote:

Hallo!

I am a regular pbm-player and know some friends, running a pbm-company
(SSV Graz, Austria). At the moment I am plannig to develop a new SF
game - if I can find a person able to do the programming.

Some hints:

> 1) How do I deal with players who drop out of the game, either after
> a few turns, or even in the closing stages of the game?  I think that
> it is quite likely that players who are not doing well might drop out
> if they are obviously losing, and I believe I can cope with that, but
> what about players who drop out who have a major presence?

Try to fill up positions as long as possible. It might be a good idea
to increase the resources of players entering the game at a later
time.
Players dropping out at a later time should be replaced by a standard
computer programm.

> 2) How best to deal with misorders?  For example, if a player orders
> a unit he does not have, and fails to order another one, should I
> refer back to the player asking for checking?  This would obviously
> add to the turnaround time for results.

It is not possible to refer back to players - at least not, if you
want to make some profit running your game.
A good idea would be a computer file which allows to enter data and
print out a file.

> 3) How to deal with late orders?  (I know that Quest RPG uses 'catch
> up' turns, but this seems to have limited use in a game of the size
> of mine.)

Provide the possibility to fax or e-mail turns. But even then, some
turns will be late. The players problem!

Thomas

References

Help: PBM Design Issues
Delboy@bumblbee.demon.co.uk (Derek Sorensen)
Sun, 30 Apr 1995 00:00:00 +0000