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A play-by-mail game is a game played through postal mail, email or other digital media. Correspondence chess and Go were among the first PBM games. Diplomacy has been played by mail since 1963, introducing a multi-player aspect to PBM games. Flying Buffalo Inc. pioneered the first commercially available PBM game in 1970. A small number of PBM companies followed in the 1970s, with an explosion of hundreds of startup PBM companies in the 1980s at the peak of PBM gaming popularity, many of them small hobby companies—more than 90 percent of which eventually folded. A number of independent PBM magazines also started in the 1980s, including The Nuts & Bolts of PBM, Gaming Universal, Paper Mayhem and Flagship. These magazines eventually went out of print, replaced in the 21st century by the online PBM journal Suspense and Decision.
Starweb is a closed-end, space-based, play-by-mail (PBM) game. First published by Flying Buffalo Inc. in 1976, it was the company's second PBM game after Nuclear Destruction, the game that started the PBM industry in 1970. Players today can choose a postal mail or email format. Fifteen players per game assume one of six available roles and explore and conquer planets within a universe comprising 225 worlds. The object of the game is to attain a predetermined number of points which are generated by various actions during gameplay. Multiple game variants are available. Starweb is still available for play as of 2021 through the company Rick Loomis PBM Games.
Adventurers Guild was a game created by Hugh Bayer in 1989, and released commercially in 1990. Started as a play-by-mail game, the rise of the Internet gave way for the game's evolution to a play-by-e-mail system. This move from the postal service to electronic medium gave the game a lot of room for growth and advancement, as turn orders could now be submitted via a website instead of needing to be mailed in through the postal service. This move also gave players a chance to participate more in the lore of the land of Varna.
Legends is a turn-based, role-playing game with a medieval setting. It is currently published in English by Harlequin Games. Jim Landes—owner of Midnight Games, the game's first publisher—began developing the game in 1984, eventually publishing it in December 1989 as a play-by-mail (PBM) game after over a year of playtesting. The initial game comprised a module and game system built on the publisher's existing game, Epic, and was run briefly as Swords of Pelarn before publication as Legends. The first of multiple game modules was Crown of Avalon, which allowed up to 200 players per game. Demand by 1991 was "incredible" according to Bruce R. Daniel in White Wolf. Games could be lengthy, initially between three and ten years of play, settling into an average of three years by 2002.
Heroic Fantasy is a computer-moderated, dungeon crawl play-by-mail game. It has been active since 1982 when it was published by Flying Buffalo. The initial edition involved nine dungeon levels. Flying Buffalo published subsequent editions due to challenging gameplay initially, eventually limiting the game to four dungeon levels with a fifth outdoors level where players can assemble an army and capture one or more castles. The game is open-ended; gameplay continues until players decide to stop.
Hyborian War is a play-by-mail game published by Reality Simulations, Inc. It takes place during the Hyborian Age in the world of Conan the Barbarian created by Robert E. Howard. The game has been continuously available for worldwide play since its inception in 1985 and has changed little in its overall format. It uses a computer program to adjudicate player orders. Although it relies on postal mail or email and has turnaround times which are relatively long for the digital age of video games, Hyborian War has remained active into the 21st century.
Space Combat is a play-by-mail game that was published by Twin Engine Gaming. It was computer moderated.
Lords of Destiny was a play-by-mail game created by Maelstrom Games in the early 1990s. It was a "low to moderately complex" game of space conquest for twelve players involving characters, fleets and space battle. The game also injected humor into its turn results, and involved "moderate diplomacy" and "minimal time demands" for players. Normal games lasted between 25 and 29 turns, randomly determined by a computer.
Kings & Things was a computer moderated fantasy play-by-mail game published by Andon Games that was active in the 1980s and early 1990s. In the game, up to twenty players took the role of leader of a kingdom and recruited "things" or creatures to assist them in becoming the next emperor. Combat, diplomacy, and magic played significant roles in this fantasy role-playing game. Reception was generally positive, although there were comments about cumbersome turn results during the late 1980s. The game enjoyed peak reviews and ratings in the late 1980s and early 1990s, winning the Origins Award for best play-by-mail game in 1988.
Monster Island is a play-by-mail (PBM) role-playing game. It was initially published by Adventures By Mail in Cohoes, New York. Jack Everitt, the game designer, came up with the idea for the game in 1985. The game, which was open-ended and computer moderated, was active by 1989, expanded rapidly in North America, and within a few years had spread to Great Britain and Germany. By 1997 it was one of the longest-running PBM games. The game is currently moderated by the UK-based KJC Games.
It's a Crime is a play-by-mail (PBM) game initially published by Adventures By Mail in September 1985. On publication, it was an introductory PBM game that took place in New York City in the 1990s where players attempted to raise a gang leader to the position of Godfather. During its initial decade, gameplay was technically simple at the outset, but added additional possible turn orders if players progressed to higher levels such as "mob boss". The coordination and diplomacy among players added additional complexity to the game. The game won the Origins Award in 1986 for the Best New Play-By-Mail Game of 1986 and a second Origins Award for Best Play-by-Mail Game of 1989.
The Final Campaign is a play-by-mail space-based wargame that was published by Blue Panther Enterprises beginning in 1989.
Victory! The Battle for Europe is a closed-end, military strategy, play-by-mail (PBM) wargame. The game was first published by Rolling Thunder Games, Inc. in 1991 after a period of initial growth in the PBM industry. The game centers on Europe while including parts of North Africa, the Middle East, the United States, and Canada. Forty players start each game with equal resources among countries, although geography causes differences between starting positions. Games last for about three years each. The game received positive reviews and rankings in the PBM magazine Paper Mayhem in the 1990s, including tying for second place in its Best PBM Game of 1995 list.
Company Commander is a play-by-mail wargame initially published by Schubel & Son in the 1980s. Jason Oats Games is the current publisher.
Quest is an open-end, fantasy, play-by-mail (PBM) role-playing game. Initially released in the United Kingdom in 1991, by Adventures by Mail, it later became available for play in the United States, Australia, and other countries in Europe. The game has a First and Second Age, initially comprising about twenty worlds of up to 1,000 parties controlled by players. After the year 2000, the worlds consolidated into four. The current publisher is KJC Games.
The Land of Karrus is a closed-end, computer moderated play-by-mail (PBM) game. It was published by Paper Tigers of Glendora, CA.
Out Time Days is an open-ended, computer moderated, science fiction, play-by-mail (PBM) wargame. It was published by Twin Engine Gaming in September 1985. Players role-played a time-traveller stranded on a planet called Kolob. Exploration, time travel, economics, and combat were part of gameplay. The game received generally positive reviews in various gaming magazines in the 1980s and 1990s, tying for 1st place in Paper Mayhem's Best PBM Game of 1997 list.
Atlantrix is a fantasy roleplaying, play-by-mail game. First published by Atlantrix in 1984, it was later published by Battle-Magic Gaming.
The Next Empire is a closed-end, computer moderated, space-based play-by-mail (PBM) wargame.
Earthwood is a closed-ended, computer moderated, play-by-mail (PBM) fantasy wargame.
References
- 1 2 Spatz 1991. p. 15.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Eisenman 1992. p. 16.
- ↑ Chenevert 1992. p. 10.
- ↑ Danard 2022.
- 1 2 3 4 Morgan 1990. p. 5.
- ↑ Morgan 1990. p. 6.
- ↑ Morgan 1990. pp. 6–7.
- 1 2 Morgan 1990. p. 7.