New: Lords of Gyrne (commercial, closed-ended, email, computer, fantasy, german, gui, wargame, economic)

From: lindahl@pbm.com (Greg Lindahl)

Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 08:15:28 +0000

Name:		Lords of Gyrne
Costs:		Donation of 50 cents (Euro or US-$) per turn
URL:		http://www.gyrne.de
Frequency:		Variable (ranges between daily and once per 2
weeks, as chosen by players)
Email:		help@gyrne.de
Type:		Fantasy Strategy Wargame
Last-Update:		2003Mar23
Keywords: commercial, closed-ended, email, computer, fantasy, german, gui,
wargame, economic

Description:

The Emperor has died, leaving no heir to the throne! As a true member of
nobility, you cannot let the Empire of Gyrne fall prey to your peers!
Build alliances, and conquer the known world to claim the throne!

"Lords of Gyrne" (LoG) is a Fantasy Strategy Wargame on variable maps for
2 to 30 players (though much more is possible, bigger maps would outspan
most Computer capabilities today). Think of it as a medieval high-brow
"Risk".

LoG 3.1 is currently in its late beta phase, and has been intesly tested.
It features a graphical user client (the "Field Assistant") used to send
the game commands which can be downloaded for free from the Lords of Gyrne
website at

http://www.gyrne.de
or
http://www.gyrne.com

in the "Downloads" section. The client is available for both Microsoft
Windows (95 thru XP) and Apple Macintosh (OS 8.6 thru 9.2) , and features
a very comfortable interface and map viewing capabilities.

Each turn, players receive a result email in intuitive text, written by
the game server, describing your game status, and a beautifully rendered
map image of the current world.  Players wrestle for the control of the
Imperial Throne, and must use their diplomatic, strategic and economic
skills to achieve that goal. A player who has reached a majority of votes
in the "Imperial Council" by conquering counties and gaining control over
the Imperial Insignias (Sword, Crown and Sceptre) is elected Emperor.

Other players can be subdued and turned to "vassals". A vassal can regain
his freedom, but must pay off a debt to his liege in gold; therefore
players are never actually forced to leave the game and can stay in the
game to play an important role, or even rise from the ashes to become
Emperor or Empress regardless.

The game features:
-Beautiful language-based output. We think long lists and tables of
numbers are un-fantasy-like. Instead, receive your result mail in plain
English, containing numbers only where really needed!
-Player Rank and Title system (be a Lord, Duke or King by conquering sets
of counties, provinces and kingdoms)
-Market Economy system (trade with pearls, spices, metal, weapons, horses,
harvests and rations)
-Realistic population migration system, allowing for players to compete
economically for tax payers
-Build up counties with buildings such as fortifications (castles,
citadels and fortresses), manors, mills, mines, temples, quays and wharfs
-Military system (hire generals, knights, paladins, longbowmen, footmen)
-Espionage system (hire spies, turn enemy spies, "sleepers", etc.)
-Curse other player's counties by using magic
-Send fleets via the high seas to attack enemies
-Alliance system allows complex diplomatic relations and allied attacks
-Siege enemy fortifications over several turns, battering them with rams,
catapults and siege towers

In contrast to many other games, fantastic creatures are not abundant; all
players are considered humans, and fantasy takes part only insofar as
curses can negatively affect your enemies by conjuring unforeseen effects
on them.

Lords of Gyrne has been in development since 1992, and is in English. The
program output, our web site, the Field Assistant and its help texts and
everything created by the program is in English; the game rules are
currently (March 2003) only available in German, but we are working on an
English version. The game can be played without having a full copy of the
rules, since there is extensive help available online, from within the
client program and via our email lists at yahoo!

To take a peek at how the game client looks, how a typical turn result
mail and our turn result maps look like, go to http://www.gyrne.de, and
click under "Chronicles" in the "Archives".
Full game play is expected to commence in April 2003. Since the game is
still in beta phase, new players can join the first 5 turns for free, and
will only be asked to donate 50 cents per turn after these.

We are developing this game on a non-profit basis, meaning we do not inted
to make profit with it, but just covering our online costs at this moment.

For any questions and on how to join, send email to:

help@gyrne.de

Regards,
Dorian XIV (Emperor of Gyrne, deceased)

[ This is a new entry for the PBM List. You can find the list
itself, and instructions for adding games or comments, at
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