The Weapon (game)

*The Weapon*
Designers	Dan Ealy
Publishers	4Sight, Fantastic Simulations
Years active	1984 to unknown
Genres	science fiction, play-by-mail
Languages	English
Players	15
Playing time	set limit
Materials required	Instructions, order sheets, turn results, paper, pencil
Media type	Play-by-mail

Last updated August 23, 2023

The Weapon is a closed-ended, science fiction, play-by-mail (PBM) game.

History and development

Dan Ealy designed the game to run on the Apple II.^[1] Memory limitations restricted game design.^[1] Ealy aimed for game complexity between Starweb and Empyrean Challenge .^[1] The game had medium complexity.^[2] Mark Brown programmed the game for ten months prior to playtest beginning in September 1982, taking more than six times longer than initially estimated.^[1] Playtesting began in August 1983 with 15 players from Indiana, and Ealy offered the game for play in May 1984.^[1]

The game was initially published by 4Sight.^[3] By 1988 it was published by Fantastic Simulations.^[4]

Gameplay

The Weapon was a science fiction PBM game of space conquest.^[4] It was closed-ended and computer moderated.^[2] The game allowed 15 players.^[5] Players customized their homeworlds using variables such as economics and military.^[6] Players could create fleets of ships and other devices such as "warp gates" for faster travel across the game's 20×20 hex map.^[6] Players scored points by gaining and holding worlds and destroying the ships of opponents.^[7]

Reception

Bob McLain, editor of Gaming Universal stated in 1984 that this was "one of the few games I can recommend without hesitation ... as a gamer you'll be treated to a top notch space adventure".^[2] He rated it at 4.5 stars out of 5, or "exceptional".^[2] Tim Sullivan of The D2 Report stated that the game was "Recommended for those seeking a bloodier victory-potential science fiction wargame".^[4] Mark Walton reviewed the game in the Summer–Fall 1984 issue of Gaming Universal, stating, "For a game of modest complexity, it is exceedingly thought-provoking".^[5] Flagship editor Nicky Palmer provided a positive review for The Weapon, stating "if you're the wargamer/planner type, you should try The Weapon".^[8]

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References

1 2 3 4 5 Ealy 1984. p. 41.
1 2 3 4 Editors 1984. p. 65.
↑ McLain 1984. p. 3.
1 2 3 Sullivan 1988. p. 30.
1 2 Walton 1984. p. 40.
1 2 Crooks 1984. p. 30.
↑ Walton 1984. p. 39.
↑ Palmer 1994. pp. 35–36.

Bibliography

Crooks, Charles (Winter 1984). "The Weapon: Playtest Review". Flagship . No. 5. p. 31.
Ealy, Dan (Summer–Fall 1984). "Designer's Diary: Assembling The Weapon". Gaming Universal . No. 3–4. pp. 41–42.
Editors (Summer–Fall 1984). "Gamealog: The Weapon". Gaming Universal. No. 3–4. p. 65.
McLain, Bob (Summer–Fall 1984). "Scrambled Thoughts". Gaming Universal. No. 3–4. pp. 2–3.
Sullivan, Tim (February–March 1988). "From the Helm: The Weapon". The D2 Report. No. 16. p. 30.
Walton, Mark (Summer–Fall 1984). "The Weapon: A Primer Course". Gaming Universal. No. 3–4. pp. 38–40.