New: Elsewhere (free, open-ended, email, www, human, fantasy, rpg, abstract) From: lindahl@pbm.com (Greg Lindahl) Date: Tue, 03 Apr 2001 07:13:01 +0000 Name: Elsewhere Email: matthew@nichestream.com Frequency: constant activity, monthly turnsheets Type: whimsical fantasy URL: http://www.siliconhenge.com/elsewhere Contact: matthew@nichestream.com Costs: Free EEmail: elsewhere@siliconhenge.com Last-Update: 2001Mar09 Keywords: free, open-ended, email, www, human, fantasy, rpg, abstract Description: ELSEWHERE PRESS RELEASE http://www.siliconhenge.com/elsewhere elsewhere@siliconhenge.com "Elsewhere is a negative mirror. The traveller recognises the little that is his, discovering the much he has not had and never will have." - Italo Calvino, 'Invisible Cities' Elsewhere is an internet play-by-mail game. It is free to play and constantly active although players are encouraged to submit monthly 'turns'. The game is open-ended and intended to combine role-playing and story-telling and players are encouraged to explore both aspects of the gameplay. Each character will be adding to the life of Zehazel through their interactions with other characters and their life in the city. The diverging plotlines and interactions of the game are recorded in a Chronicle which forms the story of the city. This is now over three years old and the stories it contains display an enduring standard of literary excellence. The game has many features for players to explore and a dedicated fanbase of complex characters eager to initiate newcomers into this addictive and exciting whimsical fantasy game. * * * The characters are the inhabitants of Zehazel, a small city state on a barren coast-line in a world known only as Elsewhere. Some of those characters have been born in Zehazel, others are more recent arrivals who have come through the mysterious veil of mists that begin only a few miles offshore. Players can decide their own level of contribution. Each player submits a turnsheet at the end of each month, detailing their plans and actions for the next. In return the Games Masters send them a synopsis of their achievements in the previous month and a progress report on their ratings in the ten significant stats. In addition to the turnsheeting process there are three areas of the game for players to explore online: the City Real-Time newsgroup, the Tales newsgroup and the interactive Map. The City Real-Time newsgroup is where the day to day life of the city happens. This is where significant events will be announced and where characters gather for conversation and to make plans with each other. The time in Elsewhere corresponds to time in the real world so the game is always going on. The Tales newsgroup is for characters to tell stories. These may be from the past, present or even future of Elsewhere and will be adding to the life of the city and to the grand plot. The Map is exactly what it sounds like: a map of Zehazel. Players will be able to use it to find out more about people and places in the city and discover more about the twists and turns of the grand plot. The game is set up to credit players for any kind of contribution to the world of Elsewhere. Characters gain points in ten significant stats for their various actions, stories and interactions in the game. These also provide the GMs with information on players' preferred areas of interaction and creativity. * * * 'Elsewhere' created in 1997 by Matt Marcus. This version of the game created in 2000 by Matt Marcus, Adam Howard and Rhiannon Lassiter. [ This is a new entry for the PBM List. You can find the list itself, and instructions for adding games or comments, at http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/pbm_list/ -- greg ] Up