Space Exploration pbem

From: silber@p.cs.uiuc.edu

Date: Mon, 12 Feb 1990 17:39:55 +0000

I am interested in running a pb-email game of space exploration
from the period c. 1958 - ?  Turns would be either quarterly or bi-yearly.
The rules would be somewhat based upon TFG's "Liftoff", but more detailed
and realistic.  (Also, largely unknown to the players.)  This would be
somewhat of an economic/logistical game.  In each turn, a country would
a) execute planned missions (or scrub them)
b) take delivery of hardware
c) order new hardware
d) conduct R&D
e) order studies
f) plan future missions.
For instance, a country might decide it needs a multi-stage rocket capable
of lifting 2000lbs to low earth orbit, or 500lbs to lunar orbit.  It spends
$1MB for a study, and three months later gets several options, modifying
an existing launch vehicle, designing a new one (the contractor says that
it will take 12 months, with $40MB start up price, and a per unit price
of $5MB.  There can be a time/price trade off.)  R&D can be accelerated,
costing more money, can be crash (an example would be the Apollo redesign
after the fire.), and, once one moves into the testing phase, fairly
expensive.
Turns would probably be due about every week, I would post "news releases"
to this group as well.  Generally, within a turn one would be planning
launches between 3 months and a year ahead, and R&D efforts at least
one month ahead.  There would be two sides, the USA and the CCCP.  There is
room for up to five players per side (naturally, all of one sides players
should communicate with each other.)  These players would be
1. Space agency head.  Apportions the budget, sets overall goals, can veto
(usually) plans of subordinates.  Responsible for collecting orders from
everyone on his/her team and sending them to me.
2. Launch vehicle head.  Responsible for the procurment, R&D, and testing
of launch vehicles.  May also be responsible for launch facilities.
3. Payload head.  Responsible for all other flight hardware, including
capsules, landing modules, satelites, lunar probes, etc.  Probably works
closely with #2,4,5.
4. Head of unmanned flight operations.  In charge of unmanned flights (both
testing for manned flights and unmanned exploration.)  Decides upon missions,
tells #2 and #3 what equipment need are.
5. Head of manned flight operations.  As for #4, but for manned operations.
Also responsible for astronaut/cosmonaut corps.
Some responsibilities may be shuffled by the agency head.

I will start the game sometime in early march, and will send players
rules arround then as well.
If you are interested, send e-mail to me.  State your preferences as to
country and job (and which you are most interested in).

ami silberman
silber@p.cs.uiuc.edu