| Publishers | Maelstrom Games |
|---|---|
| Years active | Early 1990s to post 1997 |
| Genres | Space fantasy, play-by-mail |
| Languages | English |
| Systems | Computer-moderated |
| Players | 12 |
| Playing time | Fixed |
| Materials required | Instructions, order sheets, turn results, paper, pencil |
| Media type | Play-by-mail or email |
Lords of Destiny was a play-by-mail game created by Maelstrom Games in the early 1990s. [1] It was a "low to moderately complex" game of space conquest for twelve players involving characters, fleets and space battle. [2] The game also injected humor into its turn results, and involved "moderate diplomacy" and "minimal time demands" for players. [3] Normal games lasted between 25 and 29 turns, randomly determined by a computer. [4]
As of 1993, Lords of Destiny came in a basic version for beginners and a complete version for more advanced players. [5] Jonathan Walton noted in a 1993 review in Paper Mayhem , a magazine for play-by-mail games, that Lords of Destiny was Maelstrom Games' first game, and that, although customer service had been good and the owner was a long-time play-by-mail gamer, the turn sheets were cluttered and required some improvements which had recently been made. [6]
Lords of Destiny's central focus was on combat and alliances, although it was not focused on building an empire through gaining land or economic growth. [7] Characters were a key aspect of the game, although players did not start with any characters. [8] Characters included: admirals, diplomats, economists, heroes, generals, governors, psionics, scientists, and spies. [8] "Legendary Characters", or "Lords of Destiny", were named after the game and had special abilities. They were achieved after a character became level 10 in a field, although there was only one Lord of Destiny possible per field per game. [6] The game's Victory Conditions were primarily combat-related along with some being resource-related. [1]
Lords of Destiny won the Origins Award for Best New Play-by-Mail Game of 1992. [9] The game placed sixth in the Best Play By Mail Games of 1994 list in Paper Mayhem , a magazine for play by mail gamers. [10] In 1993, reviewer Jonathan Walton opined that, although Lords of Destiny wasn't the most modern or innovative game, "Is it a good, solid, Play-By-Mail game that gives you an excellent value for your money? In my opinion, resoundingly YES." [8]
Dr. Robert J. Bunker reviewed Lords of Destiny (2nd Edition) in White Wolf Inphobia #55 (May, 1995) and stated that "All in all, this is an excellent strategic space game and deserves its ORIGINS award. It's targeted toward the average gamer and provides a great value for the turn cost, especially in the end game when large positions develop." [11]