Re: Historical Power Games PBM

From: "Kerry Harrison" <kerry@play-by-mail.com>

Date: Tue, 18 May 1999 00:00:00 +0000

Carol Mulholland wrote in message ...

>Far be it from me to quarrel with US popular opinion, but I think that
>powergames are a distinctive type that overlap both wargames and
>roleplaying games, taking elements from each.

I don't think it's US popular opinion by any stretch of the imagination.  A
wargame is a game focused primarly on warfare.  A power game (or powergame
if you prefer) is a game that focuses equally on warfare, economics,
politics, intrigue, etc - i.e. various ways to acquire power over others.  A
power game can be played as a wargame, but it doesn't have to be.  Also I
think most power games tend to be open-ended.

>Powergames are especially suited to PBM/PBMeM as a medium, in that they
>involve a lot of diplomatic negotiation that the GM isn't necessarily
>aware of. Plots within plots, false accusations, red herrings, general
>skullduggery with the more skulls being dug the better... Heck, they
>deserve a category of their own!

I agree, power games are definitely in a category of their own in my book.

Kerry

References

Re: Historical Power Games PBM
Carol Mulholland <Carol@flagship-uk.demon.co.uk>
Tue, 18 May 1999 00:00:00 +0000
Re: Historical Power Games PBM
Carol Mulholland <Carol@flagship-uk.demon.co.uk>
Mon, 17 May 1999 00:00:00 +0000
Re: Historical Power Games PBM
lindahl@pbm.com (Greg Lindahl)
Mon, 17 May 1999 00:00:00 +0000