Re: Good Pbm Fantasy

From: watkins@acsu.buffalo.edu (Rob Watkins)

Date: Tue, 03 Sep 1991 22:15:45 +0000

In article <683736345.1@redstar.FidoNet> Nancy.Feldman@redstar.FidoNet.Org (Nancy Feldman) writes:

>Years ago there was a game called Silver Dawn [...] the game was played by
>your sending in descriptive text about what your character was going to do and
>the GM responding with a descriptive response as to what happens to your
>character.

I played Silverdawn for a couple of weeks back in the early 1980's.
Character generation was interesting, you sent in the description of your
character, and the stats were sent to you by the GM.  I enjoy the manipulation
of magic and such, but the 'rules' for mages were extremely vague which scared
even me away from such endeavours.  Thus, I chose a thiefly character who
dabbled in the minor magics (the magic ability could be developed to a great
extent later, if I chose to follow that pursuit).  I had a spell which
allowed me to fall great distances without harm (like AD&D's Feather Fall).
I selected this ability with visions of daring escapes facilitated by
leaping out of upper story windows or off of roofs to deter pursuit.
	Okay dokay, I had a neato character sheet in hand, and the GM prompted
me for my first three dollar move.  I had *no* information at hand to go with,
so I made an elaborate plan to go to a ball with the intent to purloin the many
jewels and such that the upper-class snobs would be wearing.  Heck, I hired
some helpers to pull off such a magnificent heist.  I was able to procur
lavish clothes, everything was set.
	The GM's response was positive, I was able to get a ticket to the
ball, I was able to get my hired help and such, etc.  While dressed up in
my lavish clothes, I was on my merry way to the ball with high hopes.  Oh joy,
in his infinite wisdom, the GM decided that my character would investigate
the sound of a woman's muffled screech emanating from a darkened alley.  This
led to my abduction, and I was thrust into one of the GM's canned stories.
I went along with the storyline for a few weeks, then I dropped the game.
It was like reading one of those Endless Quest books with a limited number
of decisions to make at each new paragraph.  My input was virtually nil, I'd
rather purchase a good book than pay $3.00 a week to read the GM's story.

Rob

References

Good Pbm Fantasy
Nancy.Feldman@redstar.FidoNet.Org (Nancy Feldman)
Sun, 01 Sep 1991 04:08:06 +0000