Welcome to Play-by-mail Gaming

The postal gaming industry has existed for over twenty years. At present, there are over 300 games in operation in the United States alone. From 2 to 2,000 players participate in each game. When a player joins a game, the person or company who moderates the game will inform the player of the nature of his starting position. The player then decides on a course of action, and mails his response back to the moderator. The moderator collects all of the responses from the players, processes them, and sends all players a new status report. This process (called a "turn") is then repeated.

There are many different categories of PBM games, covering many genres. Most are computer moderated, which means that the moderator takes the players’ input and enters it into a computer. The impartial computer performs all calculations and determines the results of the players’ actions, and then prints out a new status report for all players. Players need not have a computer to participate, nor do they need to know "computer language".

Some games end when a predetermined set of conditions has been met, e.g. when the Germans capture Paris, or when someone has found the Sword of Carnage. These games are called "closed-ended" games. Other games, called "open-ended" games, have no set ending, like traditional face-to-face RPGs. There are many great victories and losses, but the game never ends.

The fee charged by a moderator for one turn (sending in one set of orders and receiving one status report) range from under a dollar to over twenty dollars. The average price per turn is currently between four and five dollars. This may seem steep to newcomers, but compare the cost of a PBM turn, which can bring hours of enjoyment on a regular basis, to a movie ticket, or similar entertainment.

Many gamers who insist that they don’t like PBM gaming have never actually tried it. There are many companies who offer no-obligation, no-cost rulebooks and/or turns. With so little to risk, we hope all of our readers will try at least one PBM game.

This is the section of Post Marque where we will be examining new PBM games These are only overviews, based solely on promotional materials received from PBM companies (usually a rulebook; occasionally a sample setup). These overviews should not be construed as endorsements or complete reviews.

"Not just another bloody gladiatorial combat game... " So says Fractal Dimensions of their award winning debut game, "A Duel of A Different Color." Players take on the role of instructors at Catadu university, in charge of a class of five students. The instructors try to guide students through various examinations (combats), with the eventual goal being graduation. The students begin as Hues, and move through the ranks of Tint, Shade, Tone, Pigment, and Color, before eventually graduating. Each student has a number of characteristics that define him, including race, gender, height, weight, age, three cosmetic features, personality traits, and Color. All of these are selected by the player. Color is not indicative of the student's appearance; rather, Color indicates the color of the school of magic that the student is devoted to. Green, for example, is the school of Plant magic, and most of the spells involve plants (e.g. Berries of Wit, Wall of Wood, etc.) Examinations consist of ten rounds. During each round, a student casts one spell at his opponent, and one spell to attempt to gain control over the five Crystals of Nuvaw. A spell cast successfully on a crystal will bring it under the student's control. If the crystal was already under his opponent's control, then it becomes uncontrolled again. If at any point in the match, one student controls three of the five crystals, he has passed the examination. If either of the students become exhausted (or have the misfortune to die) then their opponent is declared the victor. Combat strategy in Duel contains a useful feature called "emotion level." This feature allows an instructor to recommend two strategies per combat round: one that is usually activated when the student is performing well, and one that is usually activated when the student is performing poorly. The most immediately obvious application of this feature is to have an offensive spell ready if the student is winning, and a defensive or healing spell ready if the student is losing

Rather than the typical "John Doe attacks abdomen. John Dose hits!" format, Duel turn output is presented in plain English. The text is well-written and reads like a short story. Examiner's notes , presented in parentheses, discuss the status of both students in game turns.

The rulebook is well-produced, well-written, and pleasant to look at. It is more than complete, featuring many examples, samples, an index, and even a map of Catadu University. The only flaw is that the notebooks are not bound and thus can be difficult to manage at times. Rules, setup, and two turns are $13; subsequent turns are $5.00 and consist of five examinations (i.e. one combat for each of the instructor's students).

More information on A Duel of a Different Color is available from Fractal Dimensions, 17-29 Main St., Suite 316, Cortland NY 13045.

Flying Buffalo seeks a vote of confidence for its new game "Election Year". This game it billed as an introductory-level PBM, and lasts only six turns. Ten players campaign, fund-raise, and photoop their way to the primaries, and (if successful) right to the Oval Office. The rules are sparse (only 2 1/2 sides of paper) but cover everything necessary to play. At press time, FBI was offering one game of Election Year totally free of charge to anyone who has not played any of their games (those who have gamed with FBI pay $25 for the whole game). For further information, contact Flying Buffalo Inc., PO Box 1467, Scottsdale AZ 85252-1467.

Devotees of tactical ground combat can't stop talking about Centurion, the debut game from Fantasy Workshop. Based on the FASA product of the same name, Centurion pits Terran Overlord Government players against Commonwealth and Renegade legions as they struggle for planetary domination. Team play is essential to victory; this game is NOT recommended for "hermit" players. The 95-page rulebook covers every aspect thoroughly and clearly, with the possible exception of how enemy units are spotted. Each turn features highly detailed printouts, including vehicle record sheets for each surviving vehicle under the player's control, location and heading of all known units, reports on combat and artillery fire, and more. An 11xl7 laser-printed color map also accompanies each turn.

The game is pen-ended, but consists of many individual scenarios that have definite victory conditions.

At press time, Fantasy Workshop was experiencing delays due to a recent move to Irving, TX, although this is believed to be only temporary. Those desiring more information on Centurion may contact Fantasy Workshop, PO Box 167506, Irving TX 75016-7506.

HCS Games is bringing the Dark Ages to America. Under a recent licensing agreement, the UK game "Dark Age" is now being offered in America. The game is a closed-ended, medieval game of conquest. Twelve players accumulate victory points by controlling as many population units as they can. Judging from the 13 page rulebook, the game is of medium complexity, containing more options than the standard medieval land-grab game, but none that are excessively complicated. A helpful Quick Reference and Table of Actions are included. Setup and first three turns are $10; subsequent turns are $4.00 each.

The other recent entry from HCS is Stellar Realms. Ten players vie for control of 100 star systems, contained in 512 sectors. Any player controlling 50 or more systems for three consecutive turns wins the game. Turn input is exceptionally easy; each fleet has the option to move, attack, defened, or support another unit. The game consists of eight 8x8 grids, creating a 3-dimentional environment. Each player begins with one fleet and one system, and has the opportunity to build new fleets every third turn.

The 10-page rule book details everything necessary to play the game, which appears simple and straightforward. Setup and first four turns are $4.00; subsequent turns are $4.00 each. For more information about Dark Age or Stellar Realms, contact HCS Games, 89 Lakeview Terrace, Binghamton NY 13904.

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