The Great PBM List From: gl8f@fermi.clas.Virginia.EDU (Greg Lindahl) Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1993 21:44:27 +0000 This is a list of Play-By-Mail magazines, games, and ftp sites. If you have any additions or corrections, please send them to me at gl8f@virginia.edu. Some of the information on this list is probably out of date, namely the commercial bits. I attempt to keep the information about the free magazines, games, and ftp sites up-to-date, but I depend on my readers to update the commercial information. You can ftp a new copy of this list from ftp.erg.sri.com in the directory pub/pbm, or ftp.cp.tn.tudelft.nl, directory pub/pbm. Thanks to Bryan McDonald for compiling the first edition of this list -- he did most of the work. Index: Non-commercial computer-moderated wargames: Atlantis Celestial Empire Diplomacy Galaxy Judgement Day Magazines: American Gamer DIPLOMAT Flagship Paper Mayhem Postspillion (german language fanzine) White Dwarf Other non-commercial games: Bretton Woods Dividende et Impera Experimental Electronic Football League (EEFL) En Garde! Slocum's GURPS _Tekumel_ S. P. Australian Rules Football (SPARF) Sugar Ray Tim's One Day Cricket Game Turbo 2000 United Electro Football League Vox Populi The Wizard-King's Son Distributed games: VGA Planets 3.0 Plateau Commercial Games: Adventurer Kings Alamaze Black Empire Capitol Duelmasters A Duel of a Different Color Feudal Lords Hyborian War Island Takeover Isle of Crowns It's A Crime! Legacy Of The Panther Legends Lords of the Earth - Campaign 4 Middle-Earth Play-By-Mail (ME-PBM) Mobius I Monster Isle Out Time Days Scavenger: Adventures Across Five Dimensions St. Valentines Day Massacre (United States Version) Stargazer Starlord Starweb Swords of the Gods TAKAMO ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Non-commercial computer-moderated PBEM wargames: ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Atlantis Type: strategic economic/military, fantasy setting Duration: open-ended Turns: one per week GM: rwallace@vax1.tcd.ie (Russell Wallace) Status: accepting new players For those of you who are familiar with Olympia, Atlantis is Russell Wallace's answer. It is a _very_ simple game, one in which the players have to provide most of the flavor. Other than the players, there is no one but peasants in the world. The only economy is that which exists between players. A magazine is generated weekly and is posted to rec.games.pbm. It should also be available at the ftp sites. The rules are also available for ftp. The first turns were mailed in April, 1993. The game is now accepting players... send email to the GM to join. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Celestial Empire Type: strategic economic/military space-opera Duration: close-ended, 30+ turns Turns: one per week GM: Dougal.Scott@fcit.monash.edu.au Status: occasionally starting new games Description: Players compete to capture worlds which produce many different types of resources, of which different amounts are needed to manufacture various items. The author, Dougal Scott, is currently running several games, and he periodically starts new ones. The rules may be ftp-ed from yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au in the directory /pub/celemp. After you've read them, if you still want to join a game, send your name to Dougal.Scott@fcit.monash.edu.au. He's also looking for a new administrator to take over running his games, so he can finish his degree. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Diplomacy Type: email version of Avalon Hill's pure strategy game Turns: frequency varies from one per day to one per 2 weeks for different games. Email Server: judge@morrolan.eff.org, HELP in body of message Email Server: judge@u.washington.edu, the subject is ignored. Description: The Diplomacy Adjudicator is a fully computer-moderated gamemaster for Avalon Hill's Diplomacy boardgame. To get more information from the moderator, send email with the word "HELP" in the body of the message (the subject is ignored) to judge@morrolan.eff.org. Some information is available via FTP from milton.u.washington in the public/misc subdirectory. All of the information up for ftp is also available via the email server. There is also an older diplomacy Judge at judge@u.washington.edu, which is not starting any new games but has lots of standby positions available. Diplomacy is probably the biggest PBEM game out there, with 234 games going as of March 15, a 10% increase over the past month. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Galaxy Type: strategic, economic/military, space opera setting Duration: typically 50-80 turns Turns: typically 1 or 2 per week GM: rwallace@vax1.tcd.ie (Russell Wallace) GM: bampton@cs.utk.edu (Howard Bampton) Email Server: beast-serv@acca.nmsu.edu, Subject: HELP 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 may 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. There is now an automated email server which presumably will be handling a large fraction of games in the future. You can talk to it by sending email to beast-serv@acca.nmsu.edu with the word "help" in the subject. Note: in the subject. This email server runs games as well as mailing lists for the "Galaxy PBeM Development Group", and will let you get at the latest GPDG source code. You can help develop, if you like. If you have problems or want to talk to a human, try beast@acca.nmsu.edu. You can also write to humans who run games; they start games occasionally and also have standby positions. They are: rwallace@vax1.tcd.ie bampton@cs.utk.edu Howard Bampton has a variant called "blind" galaxy. You can ftp the source for it from cs.utk.edu:/pub/bampton. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Judgment Day Type: strategic economic/military, present day setting Turns: one per week GM: rwallace@vax1.tcd.ie (Russell Wallace) Status: beta test. one game running. standby positions available. Description: Judgment Day is a game for up to 25 players. Each player controls an empire which can build weapons and attack each other. When the nukes start flying, remember to duck and cover. Judgment Day is in the first beta-test. Dropout positions are occasionally available; after you have read the rules (available at the ftp sites), write the GM to ask for a position. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Magazines: ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Magazine: American Gamer address? Magazine: DIPLOMAT Thomas Franke Haarenufer 12 D-2900 Oldenburg Available on a cost recovery system, contact publisher for subscription details, or see the periodicals file, ftp.erg.sri.com:/pub/pbm/periodicals.Z. Magazine: Flagship 3860 14th Avenue Oakland, CA 94602 Cost: [$50/12 issues] Magazine: Paper Mayhem 1518 Adams Street Ottawa, IL 61350-4770 Magazine: Postspillion, a german-language PBM publication rschoen@mathematik.uni-ulm.de (Reinhard Schoen) (this is apparently a paper fanzine -- I don't know if he will email it to you or not.) Magazine: White Dwarf Cost: (UK) 2.00 pounds / (US) $4.00 per issue UK: Games Workshop Ltd. Chewton Street, Hiltop, EASTWOOD Nottingham, NG16 3HY US: Games Workshop Inc. 3431 Benson Avenue Baltimore, Maryland 21227 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Non-Commercial Games ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Bretton Woods (German language) Type: Economy simulation Duration: Open ended (started in March 1987!) Turns: 5 weekly Status: Open. Some 30 players active. New players are always welcome. GM: reissen@mathematik.uni-ulm.de (Bernhard Reissenauer) Description: Every player reigns one land which can specialize in agriculture, energy export or mineral resources exploitation. Countries can build up industries to produce and ship goods, but can also build (and use) weapons. Pretty abstract game: No geography, no maps. Basic knowledge of the German language required! Results are published in the fanzine Postspillion. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Dividende et Impera (German language) Type: Finance (stocks and bonds) game Duration: Open ended Turns: 5 weekly Status: Open. 17 players active. New players are always welcome. GM: martin@mathematik.uni-ulm.de (Martin Hasch) Description: The players can buy or sell stocks of corporations (or create new corporations). The corporations battle on two product markets. The more stocks of a corporation you hold, the greater is your influence on its policy. Basic knowledge of the German language required! Results are published in the fanzine Postspillion. Last checked: 16apr93 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Experimental Electronic Football League (EEFL) Type: sports simulation, soccer GM: wickart@ichips.intel.com (Bill 'Prune' Wickart) 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 12 days per turn, time off around winter holidays, 2 seasons per year. About to begin season 8, 92 players in 9 divisions at 4 levels. Last Checked: 01apr93 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: En Garde! Type: Historical Duration: Open Ended Turns: 3 Week turns Status: Open, contact GM GM: A.C.Crook@newcastle.ac.uk 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... Opinion: Our game is played very toungue-in-cheek, and I was tempted to put humourous for type. It's fairly easy to pick up. It has been converted to PBM from an original roleplay system developed by GDW. It's been running for about three years now. (GM) Last Checked: didn't answer April ping. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Slocum's GURPS _Tekumel_ Type: GURPS with homebrew Tekumel modifications Duration: Open ended. Turns: Approx. every 2-3 weeks. Status: Full; waiting list is open (as of April 10th, 1991). GM: slocum@ssdc.honeywell.com (Brett Slocum) Description: Tekumel is the fantasy world created by M.A.R. Barker in the games "Empire of the Petal Throne" and "Swords and Glory", and in the novels "Man of Gold" and "Flamesong". Characters are built using GURPS and GM's Tekumel modifications, but all game mechanics go by the board once a character starts playing. This is a "blind" campaign, where the players don't know who the other players are. PCs are currently somewhere in the Underworld beneath Jakalla, the City Half as Old as the World. Opinions: Tekumel is one of the most detailed worlds ever created rivalling Middle-Earth in scope and depth. (GM) Last Checked: Didn't answer April ping. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: S. P. Australian Rules Football (SPARF) Type: sports simulation, soccer GM: mel@soda.berkeley.edu Description: SPARF is based on the game RAFL, which I wrote in 1985. RAFL was also an Aussie Rules simulation which was intended as a live gaming exercise rather than a PBeM. RAFL had a following of about two dozen players, and died of natural causes around 1987 when I decided I didn't want to run it any more. A few years later, when I got better at UNIX programming, I conceived SPARF and designed it as a RAFL-by-email-with-an-automated server. -- Mel If you'd like to see the rules, send email to munch@soda.berkeley.edu with the subject "help" to receive information about his game. Note that commands to this server go in the Subject: line, not the body of the message. Last Checked: 01apr93 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Sugar Ray (German language) Type: Boxing Simulation Duration: open ended Turns: 5 weekly Status: Open. New boxers are always welcome. GM: rschoen@mathematik.uni-ulm.de (Reinhard Schoen) Description: For each of the five rounds of the fight, every boxer writes down a number describing the strength of his attack and a defense number. If one's attack number exceeds the opponent's defense number, the latter loses endurance points. Unfortunately, high attack/defense numbers also cost endurance. A boxer losing all his endurance points is knocked out. Basic knowledge of the German language required! Results published in the fanzine Postspillion. Opinion: The best game I ever invented! Last Checked: 13apr93 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Tim's One Day Cricket Game Type: Sports Simulation Duration: 14-20 turns/season, seasons start at close of previous season. Turns: 1/week Status: open GM: astley@tasman.cc.utas.edu.au 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 4th season is currently underway, with 60 teams in 5 divisions. Last Checked: 12apr93 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Turbo 2000 (German language) Type: Formula One Simulation Duration: ca. 24-30 turns Turns: 5 weekly Status: Open. New managers are always welcome, 34 already enjoy it! GM: rschoen@mathematik.uni-ulm.de (Reinhard Schoen) 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. 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. Last Checked: 13apr93 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: United Electronic Football League (UEFL) Type: sports simulation, soccer GM: billones@grebyn.com (Jeremy Billones) 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, 20 teams in upper and lower divisions. about 2 weeks per turn, time off for academic breaks, 1 season per year. Currently in season 4. Still the original, still the simplest, still the league that got me addicted in the first place. Last Checked: 01apr93 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Vox Populi (German language) Type: election campaigns in the Federal Republic of Germany Duration: ca. 15-40 Turns Turns: 5 weekly Status: Closed. New game starts in autumn. GM: pieper@mathematik.uni-ulm.de (Thomas Pieper) Description: Each player leads a political party in the Federal Republic of Germany (before 1990). Election campaigns are held in the Bundeslaender. Because it's unlikely to reach absolute majority in the Bundestag (Federal parliament) or the Landtage (State parliaments), you have to cooperate with other parties to achieve your political goal (which is, of course, rise to power and keep it!). Basic knowledge of the German language required! The political system of the FRG is described in the rules; you don't have to know it beforehand. Results published in the fanzine Postspillion? Last Checked: Didn't answer April ping. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: World eMail Hockey Association (WeHA) Type: sports simulation, hockey GM: inb@creare.com (Ian Brown) Description: The first season is in the playoffs. My latest plan is to start the second season in September after a rewrite of the software. (Ian Brown) Last Checked: 01apr93 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: The Wizard-King's Son Type: Fantasy Duration: Open ended. Turns: 1/2 to 1 week Status: Closed. Running smoothly. Small waiting list. GM: inb@creare.com (Ian Brown) Description: A party of adventurers (and a couple would rather not be, but kind of got dragged into things) are working on fulfilling an open-ended prophesy (ie. the prophesy trails off at the end, leaving the conclusion up in the air). The prophecy involves the son of the last of the Wizard-Kings. The game is based on home-grown rules. Last Checked: 11apr93 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Decentralized Game Programs ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: VGA Planets 3.0 Ftp from: ftp.ucsc.edu, directory /PC/vgaplanets-3.0 Description: A shareware game for PC-Clones. 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. A major bug exists in version 2.X which either gives a big advantage or disadvantage to ships with low numbers -- I can't remember which ;-). I'm not sure if it's fixed in 3.0. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Plateau Ftp from: ftp.cd.chalmers.se, directory pub/plateu (note spelling) A 2-player abstract strategy game which can be played by mail. You will have to have access to the utility programs uudecode, uncompress, and tar to read this source, plus a C compiler to compile it. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Commercial Games: ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Adventurer Kings Type: Fantasy War Game Duration: 15-25 turns Turns: Weekly for email on CIS, 2 weeks/turn for snailmail GM: computer-moderated 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) Not terribly complicated, but a good fun game, made more so by the ease of Saga. - ry@attunix.att.com (Ryerson Schwark) Company: Ark Royal Games PO Box 6378-F Aloha, Oregon 97007 Phone: 503-643-3292 Internet address: 71750.1153@compuserve.com Compuserve address: 71750,1153 Alternates: England: Elite Games PO Box 374 Harpenden, Herts AL5 5DA Holland/Germany: The PBM Express PO Box 9159 3301 AD Dordrecht The Netherlands Australia: Roma Games PO BOx 1957 Toowoomba QLD 4350 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Alamaze Type: Global conquest - Fantasy Duration: Roughly 30 turns <not sure> Turns: Optional two or four week turn around - Phone turns accepted GM: Computer-moderated Description: Global conquest with roughly 1000 distinct command options. Players are given command of 1 of 15 races (Dragon, Elf, Witchlord) and victory conditions. The player must balance politics, economics, military and magic in order to be successful. 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) Company: Reality Simulations Inc. P.O. Box 22400 Tempe, AZ 85285 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Black Empire Type: Fantasy Empire-building Duration: 20 turns Turns: 1 turn/month GM: human Cost: $10.00 setup, $3.00/turn (both cheaper in Tucson) Description: Build an empire in a fantasy world filled with large and interesting armies of various races, personages, artifacts and spells. Create your society to reflect your goals, and build your army from 90 possible unit types! From the mundane Human Archers, Pikemen, and Knights; to Naval units like Galleys and Longships, to Centaur Knights, Ogres, Wind Whales and other flying units like Griffons & Dragons, Dinosaur Knights and Pteranodon scouts, Dwarf Axemen, Elfin War Dogs and Walking Trees, Gnomic Slingers and Talking Stones, Rocs, Storm Giants, Ice Worms and Eskimos Militia, Orcic Spearmen and Wargriders, Amazon Guards, Paladins, Chaos Mutants, Werewolf Legions, Vampire Knights, Morlocks, even Deep Ones, Sea Serpents, Shoggoth, and Dolphin Scouts. 12 terrain types, 22 location types (like Ruined City, Dwarf Mines, Necropolis, Elf Wood, and the standard City), 22 metaspells, 36 ancient artifacts, 30 neutral personages you can hire (like Sardior Dragonlord and Harun the Prophet), and lots more. Great fun. Opinion: This is great. A workable system for fantasy armies at last. The rules set is similar to Lords Of The Earth, the historical empire-building pbm from Wanderer, but simplified to make it more fun. I highly recommend this pbm. -- warden@triton.unm.edu <Scott Micheel> Company: Wanderer Games 4858 East Second Street Tucson, AZ 85711 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Capitol Type: Space Opera, strategic Duration: Turns: one per two weeks, generally GM: Computer-moderated Description: Strategic economic/exploration/combat/diplomatic space game. None of the areas is very detailed, but you you get a nice sampling of each. You play as part of a team against other teams. Between teams only limited cooperation is possible. Turns consist of moving resources, combat fleets and exploration fleets, constructing new ships and bases. Strategically, combat strongly favors the attacker so there is lots of action. - bruno@convex.csd.uwm.edu (Bruno Wolff III) Opinion: Well run and good concept but very slow and very little diplomacy. - minnotte@rice.edu (Michael Minnotte) I enjoyed playing the game once, but was frustrated by the way it was run by ABM. They had a large number of data entry errors. They would correct turns, but because of time lags involved this wasn't completely satisfactory. The botched the end of the game and let it continue for another turn after it ended. To play competitively you have to be willing to split your position repeatedly and this will cost you lots of bucks (figure 3-4 positions at the end for each starting position). Detailed team coordination is also essential for victory. - bruno@convex.csd.uwm.edu (Bruno Wolff III) Company: Adventures By Mail P. O. Box 436 Cohoes, NY, 12047 (518) 237-4870 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Duelmasters Type: Gladiator combat Duration: Completely open-ended w/advancement to higher levels Turns: Optional two or four week turn around - Phone turns accepted GM: Computer moderated Costs: $3.25 + $1.50/warrior up to a max. of 5 in an arena Free initial set-up and rules. Description: Players manage a stable of five gladiators within an arena context against other players. The gladiators are assigned an initial 70 points in 7 areas (strength, wit, etc.) and 14 additional points are allotted to personalize the warrior. Beyond this, managers are responsible for training and strategy. There is also considerable space in the game for role-playing and diplomatic interaction with other players. Opinions: Looks simple, but the game is brilliantly programmed and a continuous learning experience. Results are laser printed. RSI does an excellent job with customer service. Although the game is costly, it is very addictive and well worth the price. - stdaughney@chemical.waterloo.edu (Steve Daughney) Duelmasters is one of the friendliest games I've been involved in. Role-playing is highly encouraged, the Duelmasters Sponsor program can put beginning players ("newbies") in touch with the most experienced and successful managers right away, and Customer Service has taken a definite turnaround. The results are beautifully printed, and always full of surprises. A little on the expensive side (as much as $10.75/turn) but for my money, it's definitely worth it! - dfcleary@ucdavis.edu (Dennis Cleary) Company: Reality Simulations Inc. (RSI) P.O. Box 22400 Tempe, AZ 85285 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: A Duel of A Different Color Type: Magical combat simulation Duration: Completely open-ended w/advancement to higher levels Turns: Optional two or four week turn around GM: Computer moderated Costs: $5.00 for 5 students characters Rules $5.00, Initial set-up: Rules and 2 turns for $13.00 Description: Players instruct a team of five students within a duel context against other players for academic advancement. The students are assigned an initial value of 41 points in 4 areas. (strength, dexterity, intelligence, and life points) and additional traits are used to personalize the student. Instructors are responsible for guiding the students development. There is some space in the game for role-playing and diplomatic interaction with other players. The results in this game are very interesting, in that, output is give in a narrative form, rather than, raw statistics. Opinions: This game looks simple, but like Duelmasters, it is brilliantly programmed. FD has taken time with their product and service. The narratives are great and just have to be seen. They claim to use some state-of-the-art story generation system. Also, they claim that their NPCs use Genetic Algorithms and Neural Nets for learning. -- nyctasia@rhostshyl.cit.cornell.edu (Natasha A. Davis) Company: Fractal Dimensions (FD) 17-29 Main Street, Suite 316 Cortland, New York 13045 (607) 753-9246 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Feudal Lords Type: Medieval strategy Duration: 6-12 turns. Turns: 2-3 week turn around. Slow (monthly) games probably available. Turns can be sent and received by email. GM: Computer moderated. 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 MCI: 0001138241 CIS: 70030,240 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Hyborian War Type: Global conquest - Fantasy Duration: Roughly 30 turns <not sure> Turns: Optional two or four week turn around - Phone turns accepted GM: Computer moderated Costs: Dependent on kingdom size: $4, $6 or $8. Free initial set-up and rules. Description: Global conquest in the world of Conan the Barbarian. Not nearly as complex as Alamaze, but still complete with espionage, magic, trade, politics and war. Player interaction is highly encouraged and addresses are supplied. Opinions: This is a fair but not great game. First-time players are often discouraged because the game can be dominated by veterans who have learned the ropes. Not nearly as enjoyable as Duelmasters. RSI customer service is top-notch and the results are laser printed. - stdaughney@chemical.waterloo.edu (Steve Daughney) Company: Reality Simulations Inc. (RSI) P.O. Box 22400 Tempe, AZ 85285 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Island Takeover Type: Strategic simulation Duration: 20-25 turns Turns: 1/2/3 week turnarounds available, email turns available GM: Costs: $2.50 postal turns, $1.50 email turns. You can purchase a complete game for a fixed amount, $45 postal, $25 email. 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. Opinion: Company: Eclipse Consulting Inc. 7701 Tamarron Drive Plainsboro, NJ 08536-4337 (609) 275-1062 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Isle of Crowns Type: Strategy/Tactics Duration: 20 turns. Turns: Bi-weekly turns. Faxes accepted. GM: Computer Moderated Costs: $4/turn, $60 for the entire game paid in advance. Setup is free. No turn phone-in. Description: Player runs a barony on a 24-barony island. Object is to control more sectors than anyone else by turn 20. Game consists of armies, fortresses, outposts, walls, Captains, wizards, dragons, rogue races, and ships. Game has one winner, with no prizes. Opinions: The balance of the game is excellent - maybe too good. Lucky placement plays a significant role in victory, and this may frustrate players determined to win. Skillful play is still the most significant factor, so players determined to do well should have no problems. It will appeal to UCSD empire players. I highly recommend this game. - griffith@dweeb.fx.com (Jim Griffith) Company: Adventures By Mail P.O. Box 436 Cohoes, NY 12047 (518) 237-4870 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: It's A Crime! (Gang vs. Gang) Type: Strategic/modern day Duration: 36 turns or less Turns: Minimum 11 days per turn. Faxes accepted. GM: Computer Moderated Costs: $1.50/turn (4 orders), $3.00/turn for a double order turn (10 orders, competitive players will want to issue double order turns every turn), $1.50 extra for "extended New York Post reports", $1.50 extra for phoned-in orders. Setup is free, first two turns are free. Description: Player is the leader of a 1990's New York street gang. City is a 100x100 grid with 500 initial gangs. Gangs have a number of different orders they can issue to build their strength and hose rival gangs. Opinions: The game parameters are simplistic, because the game was originally intended as a test game. The game does contain "magic numbers" that give an experienced player an advantage over an inexperienced one. The variability of orders makes the game a lot of fun. GAMES Magazine placed it in its top 100 games a few years back. I highly recommend it. - griffith@dweeb.fx.com This is a decent game for people new to the pbm market to cut their teeth on, except for that fact that every time you turn around they have another $1.50 charge to hit you with after advertising that it is an inexpensive game at $1.50 a turn. Being 100% computer moderated also lends an air of sterility to it. - bigmac@erg.sri.com (Bryan McDonald) Company: Adventures By Mail P.O. Box 436 Cohoes, NY 12047 (518) 237-4870 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Legacy Of The Panther Type: Wargame Duration: Close ended, victory conditions apply. Turns: Fortnightly. GM: Computer moderated with GM intervention when players need help. Costs: Approx. 1.25 pounds sterling per turn (est.). Description: Player owns an 'area' of land and begins at level 1. The object is to reach level 5 and have as many areas, troops and wealth as possible. A points system exists and is used to determine the winner of more recent games. Multiple characters are permitted. Opinions: Excellent but expensive. Can get a little stale when the ability to recruit new troops is lost (at level 3) and military action becomes more difficult. Ruthlessness is recommended! - sjw@ukc.ac.uk Company: West Pennine Games 15 Carr Bank Drive Ramsbottom Bury Lancashire BL0 9DG England ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Legends Type: Fantasy RPG Duration: Depends on existence of victory conditions Turns: 2 turns/month allowed, 1 production turn/month GM: various (multiple games in progress) Costs: Description: NOTE:There are two modules, both described below. Crowns of Avalon: Fantasy FRP with action occurring from a strategic level to a personal hero level. An interesting world full of high adventure and political intrigue. There are a number of political factions, each with it's own agenda, or it is possible to start your own if you have enough people rallied around your cause. Plenty of monsters to fight, treasure to be won, and NPC's to convert or conquer. Realm of the Immortals: Same as above, but with a theme. The land as it exists is in peril of being conquered by the Overlord who has been laying siege to various cities for a number of years. The Overlord is generally a nasty person, being concerned with raising undead armies and sending them against his enemies. Opinion: Great game. Plenty of options and directions you can choose for your City/Town/Adventurer Party/Epic Hero. Although busy, the folks at Midnight games are very good about handling special requests and answering questions. Turn handling is prompt. - gcook@garnet.berkeley.edu (George Cook) The game emphasizes flexibility - there are around 200 different orders you can issue, plus "special orders" which let you do non-standard stuff. This is a *lot* of fun to play, especially if you have friends in the same game. Main problem is that Midnight Games' phone line is *always* busy. - griffith@dweeb.fx.com (Jim Griffith) Company: Midnight Games 130 E. Main Street, Suite 305 Medford, OR 97501 (503) 772-7872 Rhann Postal Games P.O. Box 12 Sarisbury Green Southampton ENGLAND S03 6YL ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Lords of the Earth - Campaign 4 Type: Historical/Strategic Duration: Open ended. Turns: 4-6 week turn-around. Email turns accepted. GM: Human-moderated (contingency orders accepted). Costs: $3.50(US)/turn (no additional costs) $5.00 mapset (updates cost this much if unwilling to update) $10.00 Rules New Player startup set: $20.00 (maps, rules, 2 turns) Description: Player runs a country in 1150+ AD. Whole world simulation. Excellent maps. Opinions: Company: Wanderer Games/David G. Adams 209 Alvarado NE #A Albuquerque, NM 87106 (505) 268-0876 seattle@hydra.unm.edu (David G. Adams) XXX compare address? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Middle-Earth Play-By-Mail (ME-PBM) Type: Conquest/Adventure (Fantasy, strategic) Duration: (Averages 25-40 turns) Turns: 2 or 3 week turnaround. Phone turns accepted (+$3) GM: Computer-moderated Costs: $6.50/turn, $25.00/$12.50 for first/following setups (150+ Page Rulebook, 2' * 3' Full Color Map of Middle Earth, 3 Month Subscription to GSI strategy magazine, 2 Free Turns) Description: Conquest and Adventure in J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy world of Middle Earth. In each game, there are 25 players who take on the role of a Dark Servant (10), Free Peoples (10), or a Neutral (5). The goal of the game is for Good to destroy all of Evil (or vice versa). An optional victory is attained by delivering the ONE RING to Mt. Doom or to Sauron. Each player controls a kingdom and individual characters. In many ways similar to Alamaze, but more developed. Opinions: THE BEST PBM I HAVE EVER PLAYED!! Your turns are laser printed and you receive updated kingdom maps every turn w/ updated character sheets for your heroes. If you in in love with Tolkien's books, this is THE GAME for you. ME-PBM has been programmed in consultation with Iron Crown Enterprises (I.C.E.), makers of the Middle Earth Role Playing System. - Zach Harman (zharman@umaxc.weeg.uiowa.edu) Company: Game Systems Inc. (GSI) P.O. Box 160129 Miami, FL 33116-0129 (305) 274-5559 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Mobius I Type: Science Fiction Duration: 25-35 turns. Turns: 2-3 week turn around. Slow (monthly) turnaround also available. Turns can be sent and received by email. GM: Computer moderated. Costs: $7-10/turn, $5 setup, $3 rules. 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: Too complicated to be playable, not complicated enough to be realistic. - purtill@dimacs.rutgers.edu (Mark Purtill) 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 MCI: 0001138241 CIS: 70030,240 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Monster Isle Type: Fantasy RPG Duration: Open ended. Turns: 8 business days (a week and a half). GM: Computer run, human moderator for questions & problems. Costs: $4.00/turn (no additional costs) Description: Player plays a monster (orc, goblin, elf types) washed up on shore of Monster Isle, there to survive, have fun, kick butt, and generally act monsterish. Opinions: Huge mongo game; can accommodate 15,001 monsters in the same game (the map is about the size of Australia). Computer keeps track of over 2100 statistics for each monster, and over 120 for each square. Beautiful custom laser-printed results every turn. - warden@triton.unm.edu (Scott Micheel) Company: Adventures By Mail P. O. Box 436 Cohoes, NY, 12047 (518) 237-4870 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Out Time Days Type: Role Playing - Fantasy/Science Fiction Duration: Open ended (End World Scenario some years down the road). Turns: Once a week. Excellent turn around. CIS/Phone turns accepted. GM: Human Moderated, Computer Assisted. Costs: $15 Startup (professional manual, 5 free turns). $5.00/position, $3.00 for spin-offs Very limited spin-offs allowed, average player cost $8/week. Description: Players run Time Traveler characters stuck in a world with very different rules. Role Playing amongst players is the emphasis, as is team playing. Opinions: Best RPG I have seen on the market. The GM is highly involved and cares about his game and that his players enjoy it. This game is definitely for people wanting to role play with others, not against the game itself. - bigmac@erg.sri.com (Bryan McDonald) Company: Twin Engine Gaming 3254 Maple Leaf Court San Jose, CA, 95121 (408) 270-2466 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Scavenger: Adventures Across Five Dimensions Type: Fantasy/Science Fiction competitive role-playing Duration: Indefinite Turns: Fourteen day turn cycle GM: Human moderated, computer assisted Costs: Free set up package including character generation, rules, and one postal or two e-mail turns. Postal turns cost $2.79. E-mail turns cost $2.50. No hidden fees. Description: Ten characters race against each other to recover items scattered across five dimensions. The game can go even deeper than this, enabling players to question the entire purpose of the Hunt. Other services: e-mail and call-in turns. BBS, fax, and voice mail planned for September '91. Opinions: Company: MAD Turkey Enterprises P.O. Box 948236 La Jolla, CA 92037 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: St. Valentines Day Massacre (United States Version) Type: Gang lord simulation Duration: Closed, victory conditions apply. Turns: ~4 week turn around. GM: Computer moderated. Description: Gang Lords rise in stature base on gang member power and the financial success of various premises and rackets. The system is new to the United States, but established in Great Britain. Opinions: So far I like it, but only two turns have passed. I will update this report once a few more turns have gone by. (May 9, 1991) - bigmac@erg.sri.com (Bryan McDonald) Company: Vortex Simulations P.O.Box 317 Ft. Meade, Maryland 20755-0317 (301) 621-9561 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Stargazer Type: Galactic Empire Building Duration: 2-3 week turns, 20-30 turns Turns: $5 set-up, $3 per turn Description: Players become the leaders of alien races that have just discovered the secret of StarTravel. The players must race to explore and control the galaxy while having to contend with each other and the unknown of deep space. Players find themselves challenged in many ways as they take on the roles of Diplomat, Politician, Head of Military, and Business Person. Success depends as much on diplomacy and behind the scenes deals as it does on military strategy. Company: Frontier Game Company P.O. Box 601 Mishawaka, IN 46546 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Starlord Type: Space Opera Duration: Open ended. Turns: 2-3 week turn around. GM: Computer moderated. Description: You have a command ship that can move around a 2-D galaxy, and a bunch of ships. You can only move those ships with 7 squares of your command ship, and your goal is to become emperor, and then to stay emperor. Opinion: Easy to play and pretty results, but essentially brainless and dull. - minnotte@rice.edu (Michael Minnotte) Nice color printouts only redeeming feature. - purtill@dimacs.rutgers.edu (Mark Purtill) Company: Flying Buffalo, Inc. P. O. Box 1467 Scottsdale, AZ 85252-1467 (602) 945-6917 MCI: 0001138241 CIS: 70030,240 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Starweb Type: Science Fiction Simulation Duration: 10-15 turns. Turns: 2-3 week turn around. Slow (monthly) and email (weekly) turnaround also available. Turns can be sent and received by email. GM: Computer moderated. Description: As one of six types of position, you try to score points (in a different way for each type), using a limited number of fleets. Each world connects to several others in the "web" and can build ships or industry. 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 MCI: 0001138241 CIS: 70030,240 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: Swords of the Gods Type: Fantasy Simulation (World Conquest and Hunt) Duration: Turns: 2 week turnaround (probably other options as well) GM: Computer Moderated Cost: was $3/turn in 1989 Description: Based on Saberhagen's Book of Swords series, each player is a minor noble trying to capture the twelve swords of power (which will presumably lead to world domination; you don't actually have to conquer everything). Essentially a relatively simple wargame. Things are complicated by the presence of spell-casting wizards, the swords (each with its power), and twelve gods which provide boons for their favorites and problems for their most hated lord. You must also balance soldiers to fight for you with keeping enough peasants in the field producing food and increasing your population. Opinion: An inexpensive, simple, fairly interesting game. Nothing spectacular. - minnotte@rice.edu (Michael Minnotte) Company: Galactic Simulations ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Game: TAKAMO Type: Space Empire-Building Duration: Open ended. Turns: From 1/ten days to 1/month, depending on which galaxy. GM: Computer run, human moderator for questions & problems. Costs: $2.50 to $15.00/turn Rules/Setup/2 free turns all for $10.00 Description: Players play empire builders, nomads, pirates, smugglers, traders, agribusinesses, miners, or (ick) cybers in a quest to explore the galaxy and tame it while making lots of bucks and trying to avoid getting into interstellar wars (or perhaps trying to start some). Opinions: Interesting game, not *too* complicated, but full of complex details that may arise during play. Long-running game, the first galaxy started in 1983. There is a closed-ended version too, TAKAMO II. - warden@triton.unm.edu (Scott Micheel) Company: Advent Games PO Box 81674 Lincoln NE 68501 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Up