If you've never played a play-by-mail (PBM) game before, please take a few minutes to read this section. PBM is often very different from what many people expect, and can provide you with many new friends, and countless hours of enjoyment.

PBM gaming as we know it, has been around for over twenty years. There are currently several hundred different games on the market, all over the world (although PBM is most popular in the United States). Many different genres are represented, from fantasy to sci-fi, sports to wargames, economics to historical, and many unique fields in between. Participants in each game can number as few as two or as many as five hundred or more.

HOW IT WORKS

Most PBM games are operated in essentially the same way. A player will learn of a PBM game that interests him, usually through a friend, a review, or an advertisement. He then contacts the company that offers the game for more information. If he decides that he would like to play the game, he provides any information and/or fees that the company requires and then eagerly waits to hear back from the company.

Some games require a certain number of active players, and as such, a company may need to wait to receive a commensurate number of requests before the game can begin. Such a wait might typically take three to five weeks. Often, though, little or no wait is required, and a player will hear back form the company in short order.

When the player is entered into the game, he will receive something called a "setup". The setup is a description of the player's "position" in the game, listing everything that he might be responsible for or have control over.

A new player should also receive a rule book, which explains how to play the game. Some rulebooks are exhaustive, and spell out every a player can do, and exactly how to do it. Some may be quite detailed but will not provide specific information on how everything works. For example, such a rulebook might provide facts such as "Infantry units may not cross rivers," or "A tank is generally superior to an infantry unit in combat," but would stop short of providing detains such as "An infantry unit has a 75% base chance of scoring a hit in combat," or "Three infantry units are needed to have a 50% chance of destroying a tank." Finally, some rulebooks may provide only the information you need to begin the game, allowing you the chance to discover the rest on your own.

Using the rulebook and his setup, a player then fills out a "Turn Sheet". A turn sheet is simply a sheet of paper that is used to describe what actions a player would like to attempt. Many companies provide pre-printed turn sheets that make this an easy task. The length of time that this requires varies dramatically. Depending on the player, his familiarity with the game, the type of game, the player's standing in the game, and several other factors, a turn sheet can take anywhere from five minutes to five hours to complete. The average length of time seems to be between twenty and sixty minutes.

When the company receives a player's turn sheet, it processes the orders that a player has sent for his position. Typically, a computer is used to assist the company, since there are often hundreds of elements of game data to keep track of. Finally, a printout of the player's current standing is produced, and mailed to the player. This is called a "Results Sheet".

When the player receives the results sheet, he can see for himself what results his actions had. He can then fill out another turn sheet and the process repeats.

This process is refereed to as a "turn". Thus, when a company states that is game will cost $4.00 a turn, they are telling you that you may fill out a Turn Sheet and receive a Results Sheet in return for a service charge of four dollars.

IS THERE NO END TO IT ALL?

There are many different ways of classifying and categorizing PBM games. As previously discussed, there are many different genres of games available.

Almost all PBM games can be classified as either "closed-ended" or "open-ended". A closed-ended game has a set of specific conditions that, when met, will bring the game to an end. For a wargame, the condition might be, "when one player controls 50% of the sectors on the map." For a fantasy game, it might be, "when a character retrieves the Chalice of Death and returns it to the High Temple." In a closed-ended game, there are methods of ranking the players in the game that will determine who the winner was and who the other finishers were.

An open-ended game has no specific end. Like most RPGs, there are often many successes and failures - your party slew the Overlord, your troops captured Versailles, the Sheriff caught your boys red-handed - but in spite of all of these, the game continues. In an open-ended game, all players usually participate together, similar to a hundred people sitting down at the same Scrabble board. A closed-ended PBM game will often have players participating in smaller groups, similar to ten Scrabble boards with ten players per board (everybody's playing the same game - Scrabble - but not the same game of Scrabble.)

ALL THINGS IN MODERATION

Another important area of classification for PBM games is moderation. Some games are "hand-moderated," which means that the results of the game are determined entirely by a human moderator. The moderator may use a typewriter or computer to print out results, but the computer would be used for little else. Hand-moderated games offer a greater degree of flexibility, as a human is capable of responding to practically any scenario that a player can devise. the player's options are far more numerous.

Some games are classified as "mixed moderation." This means that the bulk of the game is handled by the moderator, while some aspects are relegated to a computer. Typically, these might include combat, random hazards, and ability score check, etc. This still allows for the creativity of the moderator, and leaves the often complicated task of "dice-rolling" to the computer.

Finally, there are games that are "computer moderated." Such games are run by a computer, using a special program. A human moderator receives the player's orders, and enters them into the computer. The computer then uses the program to determine the outcome of those actions, and prints out the results. This can lead to occasional "input errors" on the part of the moderator, and does not allow for much creativity on the part of the players. Additionally, if a piece of computer equipment fails, the game can experience processing delays. However, the moderator will be able to process turns more efficiently and quickly. Additionally, there is never any question of impartiality, since the computer never plays favorites. A computer is not subject to mood swings, writer's block, or memory lapse.

HOW MUCH, AND HOW OFTEN?

Another important difference between games is turn length. this is the frequency with which players are expected to submit a turn sheet. Some games require a player to provide the company with a new turn sheet every seven days. Usually, the length of time is tow weeks, but can range up to one month.

Of course, cost is an important feature of any PBM game. PBM games generally charge players in one of two ways:

1. Each time a player submits a turn sheet, he will be charged a certain amount of money. this approach is known as "no hidden charges".

2. Each time a player submits a turn sheet, he will be charged a certain amount of money. However, there will also be additional charges in some circumstances. For example, some games will assess an additional charge for a "battle report," which is generated whenever a player initiates combat. Some games will charge an extra .50¢ when a player controls in excess of a certain number of units.

Most games use the "no hidden charges" approach. Players can expect to pay between three and nine dollars a turn, depending on which game they choose to play. The average cost for a PBM game turn is currently between four and five dollars.

WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME?

One criticism that has been voiced about the PBM hobby is that it involves paying money for meaningless pieces of paper. this is similar to saying that RPG gamers make their investment (countless hours of time) in return for meaningless pieces of paper (character sheets). PBM gaming is no more about results sheets than role-playing games are about character sheets.

PBM releases a player from the burden of finding other players with whom to game; the PBM companies take care of this. Additionally, PBM provides a wide range of new people to game with. Many alliances will be formed during a PBM game; some will be broken. Players will make friends, and occasionally bitter enemies. With so many new people to interact with, predictability is seldom a problem to contend with.

PBM can also accommodate all of the creativity , humor, and emotion that a Fantasy Role-playing game can (depending on the game, of course). PBM is like a board game, computer game or RPG, on a larger scale.

SO MANY GAMES, SO LITTLE TIME

Now that you've learned a little bit about PBM games, you may be wondering how to give it a try. The first step would be to find a magazine (such as SHADES) that devotes some coverage to PBM games. There are also two magazines that entirely devoted to PBM games: Flagship Magazine (PO Box 6105WSS, Gainsville, FL 30504); and Paper Mayhem (1518 Adams T., Ottawa, IL 61350).

The next step is to read the reviews and advertisements of the available games. Look for something that appeals to you. Don't concentrate on how a game is run, or what the cost is - just find a few games that you think you would enjoy playing.

Once you have selected four or five games, begin to examine the differences between the,. Are they open or closed ended? Human moderated computer moderated, or mixed? What are the charges? How often are turns run? Sometimes you will have to send for further information, but usually this is provided in a review or ad.

While "open vs. closed ended" is often a matter of personal taste, it is perhaps wise for a PBM novice to select a closed-ended game for his first attempt. this allows a new player to begin with a position comparable to that of all the other players, since everybody will be starting the game at the same time. There will be a definite ending to the game providing the feel of a "complete experience." Additionally, it provides the player with an opportunity to learn about PBM games, without being "committed" to a particular game for a lengthy period. Role-players who cannot abide with boardgames or simulations should be advised to find a game with an emphasis on role-playing; this is not as common amongst closed-ended games as it is in open-ended games.

It is recommended that a new player select games that are processed once every two weeks. New players often find once-a-week games too expensive or too quick, and can often lose interest in once-a-month games.

As for moderation, die-hard role-players will probably find the most enjoyment from a human or mixed moderation game. Those gamers that also enjoy computer simulations and board games should probably try a computer-moderated game first, as the reliability and consistency of the rules will more than compensate for the loss of "creative input."

Finally, for a first game, try to find a game that offers "no hidden charges." In an initial letter of inquiry, one can simply ask if there are "any additional fees." Naturally, the amount of money that one can afford to spend on a game is dependent upon one's income. Be sure to consider the possibility that you might want to contact another player by phone at some point, and this, too, can add to a game's cost.

While the industry has been in operation for over twenty years, and has supported many wonderful companies, it would be a disservice not to provide this brief cautionary not. Due to the skill and attention with which many companies serve their players, it can sometimes seem that moderating a PBM game is a simple thing to do. With this in mind, it is sometimes possible that a sincere, will-meaning individual can attempt an undertaking which is entirely over his head, in attempting to moderate a PBM game of his own. On rare occasions, it has been known for a new company to cease operations, and neglect to return the payments that players have provided them. For this reason, it is strongly suggested that players use caution when dealing with large amounts of money. Generally speaking, players should have no fear of dealing with "established" companies - companies who appear (at whatever ranking) in the "Rating" section of a magazine; companies that have advertised over the course of several issues; companies who have been in business for six months or more. These criteria are by no means definitive, but are a good guideline. Personally, I have joined nearly twenty play-by-mail games over the course of five years, some of them after seeing only the first advertisement. I have yet to be "ripped off."

While this is an inordinately long discourse on a simple topic, it seemed important to be thorough. It's easy for those of us in PBM to lose sight of the fact that much of our jargon can separate us (and our hobby) from those who aren't familiar with it. While PBM isn't for everyone, there are many, many gamers who have never tried it, that would certainly find it a rewarding experience.