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Message no. 1
From: Richard Gaywood r.gaywood@**********.com
Subject: Play by email - how good is it?
Date: Mon, 27 Mar 2000 19:21:32 -0000
As I mentioned in a previous post, I haven't really played for nearly two
years :o( and I'm starting to miss it. Coincidentally, most of my first ever
group are graduating from University, and so I'm trying to put them back
together for some gaming, but it's heavy going.

I'm vaguely interested in some PBEM games, but I'm not really sure how well
it works. For me, RPGs (barring computer ones) are mostly about the
face-to-face interaction, and it seems to me you'd lose too much of that by
going over to PBEM or PBICQ.

Still, I'm open to being convinced. Any takers?


-=R=-
http://www.clmconsulting.co.uk
ICQ: 66545073
UT ngStats: RichBeard
Message no. 2
From: ROGER PERRY smithsguild@*******.com
Subject: Play by email - how good is it?
Date: Mon, 27 Mar 2000 21:50:26 GMT
Richard Gaywood wrote:

>As I mentioned in a previous post, I haven't really played for >nearly two
>years :o( and I'm starting to miss it. Coincidentally, >most of my first
>ever group are graduating from University, and so >I'm trying to put them
>back together for some gaming, but it's heavy >going.

>I'm vaguely interested in some PBEM games, but I'm not really sure >how
>well it works. For me, RPGs (barring computer ones) are mostly >about the
>face-to-face interaction, and it seems to me you'd lose >too much of that
>by going over to PBEM or PBICQ.

>Still, I'm open to being convinced. Any takers?

Richard, I have lived in a gaming sparse area 10+ years and played (GM'd) SR
in a PBEM environment for right at 2+ yrs. To catch a little
of the flavor of what its like might want to check out my page at:

http://geocities.com/smithsguild

Hope this helps, Lilblue

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Message no. 3
From: Rand Ratinac docwagon101@*****.com
Subject: Play by email - how good is it?
Date: Mon, 27 Mar 2000 18:50:29 -0800 (PST)
> I'm vaguely interested in some PBEM games, but I'm
not really sure how well it works. For me, RPGs
(barring computer ones) are mostly about the
face-to-face interaction, and it seems to me you'd
lose too much of that by going over to PBEM or PBICQ.
>
> Still, I'm open to being convinced. Any takers?
> -=R=-

How about me?

I'm what you'd call an experienced PBeM player/GM.
I've been playing for a bit over two and a half years
and GMing for nearly that long. Believe it or not, the
first PBeM I started in November '97 is still going.

Now, here's my opinion on the matter. PBeM is the BEST
format for roleplaying - even better than face to face
on the whole. There's only one serious drawback - it's
slow. But if you can live with that, the
characterisation and interaction you can get into
could only possibly be rivalled by a face-to-face game
if you played with SERIOUSLY experienced gamers, or
impromptu actors.

If time constraints worry you, though, there's one
thing you can do. Find players who are almost always
online at the same time as you.

ICQ (or other online chat-based games) is another
option (because that IS online, so the delay is
shorter), but I think that's the poor cousin of
face-to-face and PBeM games. It's faster that PBeM,
but not so fast as face-to-face (as you have to type
rather than speak). You can get a bit more
characterisation in than with face-to-face (unless you
talk as articulately as you type), but not as much as
with PBeM. An ICQ format would be a good place to go
to find players who'd be online when you are, though.

Anyway, that's just my NSHO. :)

====Doc'
(aka Mr. Freaky Big, Super-Dynamic Troll of Tomorrow, aka Doc'-booner)

S.S. f. P.S.C. & D.J.

.sig Sauer

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Message no. 4
From: Grey metis76@*****.com
Subject: Play by email - how good is it?
Date: Mon, 27 Mar 2000 22:34:18 -0800 (PST)
Actually, the fact that I'm involved in both online
and table top games, I think I can give a good answer
to your question. To tell ya the truth, I like
playing both ways, but just love them in different
ways. Table top is great because you are there with
your friends, hanging out, having pizza and drinking.
Its not just a game, but great social interaction as
well. Also, you get to have a GM right there in front
of you to talk to, which is a bonus because I'm one of
the few people I know that can type as fast as I talk.
On the other hand, online gaming has its bonuses.
I've been the main guide for a White Wolf game that is
on IRC for about two and a half years and have found
that the biggest advantage to online gaming is that
you are forced to clearly describe every movement and
action that your character takes. Its like watching a
book unfold right in front of you, the more
descriptive you get, the better the game. One of the
things I don't like about Table Top is that you loose
some of the descriptiveness. Online, you don't just
walk down the street.. you throw in as many
adjectives as you can to try and out-role play the
other players. I've had Role Play sessions take 30
minutes for every 10 minutes of game time, as everyone
completely describes every little thing your character
does, down to how he places his glasses on the bridge
of his nose, to how his fingers gently curve as they
rest in his lap. You can get as crazy as you want and
everyone else will just eat it up. Heh.. didn't mean
to get on a rant here, but it kinda turned out that
way. Anyways, don't be afraid to give online gaming a
shot (sorry that I can't speak much for play-by-email,
I've just joined ShadowTK yesterday, but any chat
based game is cool). I only know of White Wolf chat
games, does anyone out there know anyplace for
Shadowrun games on either IRC or ICQ? If anyone wants
info on the game that I run, feel free to email me
directly, as I'm not gunna advertise here. Welp, I
hope I've given you a bit on incite to the world of
chat games, sorry if I got a bit wordy =)

Grey

--- Richard Gaywood <r.gaywood@**********.com> wrote:
> As I mentioned in a previous post, I haven't really
> played for nearly two
> years :o( and I'm starting to miss it.
> Coincidentally, most of my first ever
> group are graduating from University, and so I'm
> trying to put them back
> together for some gaming, but it's heavy going.
>
> I'm vaguely interested in some PBEM games, but I'm
> not really sure how well
> it works. For me, RPGs (barring computer ones) are
> mostly about the
> face-to-face interaction, and it seems to me you'd
> lose too much of that by
> going over to PBEM or PBICQ.
>
> Still, I'm open to being convinced. Any takers?
>
>
> -=R=-
>
> http://www.clmconsulting.co.uk
> ICQ: 66545073
> UT ngStats:
> RichBeard
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

====~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There is no Black and White. Only shades of Grey.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Message no. 5
From: baburabi baburabi@********.com
Subject: Play by email - how good is it?
Date: Tue, 28 Mar 2000 02:22:08 -0500
> I'm vaguely interested in some PBEM games, but I'm not really sure how
well
> it works. For me, RPGs (barring computer ones) are mostly about the
> face-to-face interaction, and it seems to me you'd lose too much of that
by
> going over to PBEM or PBICQ.
>
> Still, I'm open to being convinced. Any takers?



well for me i participate in both types of RPG (PBEM and face-to-face) like
you said nuthin beats the good old face to face but for those types who dont
have the time or means to get together on a regular basis PBEM is great I
myself am curently involved in 3 PBEM games and the only real drawback u
have with them is that it takes a while to get anything done but it is
awesome for characterization since you can rewrite anything u plan to send
so it says what u want instead of what slipped out and what not


give it a try man, u just might like it

coming at ya loud and live ...... Bob

"You gave me fortune, you gave me fame, you gave me power in your god's
name"
Message no. 6
From: Dan Grabon djmoose@******.kornet.net
Subject: Play by email - how good is it?
Date: Tue, 28 Mar 2000 23:06:44 +0900
On 3/28/00 4:21 AM, Richard Gaywood at r.gaywood@**********.com wrote:

> As I mentioned in a previous post, I haven't really played for nearly two
> years :o( and I'm starting to miss it. Coincidentally, most of my first ever
> group are graduating from University, and so I'm trying to put them back
> together for some gaming, but it's heavy going.
>
> I'm vaguely interested in some PBEM games, but I'm not really sure how well
> it works. For me, RPGs (barring computer ones) are mostly about the
> face-to-face interaction, and it seems to me you'd lose too much of that by
> going over to PBEM or PBICQ.
>
> Still, I'm open to being convinced. Any takers?

Go for it. I was in a similar situation... I hadn't played for about 6-7
years (since high school) when all of a sudden the Shadowrun bug bit me
again. Having moved overseas, however, meant PBEM was my only real option.
I rounded up one of my old players and two friends who'd never played
before. We've only been going for a little while now but it's great fun.
As others have said, the roleplaying can actually improve-- there's room for
some really involved character development and storytelling. The pace is
definitely slower, but it's also possible to run several campaigns
simultaneously to make up for that.

One additional thing I like about PBEMs is it's easy to introduce newbies to
the game. The GM handles most/all of the dice rolls and mechanics, so you
can jump right into roleplaying. The two new guys in my game had never
played an RPG before but they've picked up on things quickly. If we ever
play a live game they'll need to work on mechanics, but they'll have all the
concepts and themes down-- and that's the fun of the game.

-moose

---
Dan "Moose" Grabon - djmoose@******.kornet.net

Q: What are you going to do with your life?
A: Live a pretty interesting one.
--Jimmy Buffett, "A Pirate Looks at Fifty"
Message no. 7
From: Richard Gaywood r.gaywood@**********.com
Subject: Play by email - how good is it?
Date: Tue, 28 Mar 2000 09:05:11 -0000
To all those who have replied to me, many thanks. Chat based games could get
a little tricky as I'm UK-based, so I'm online at funny times (compared to
the seps, of course. Not you, Gurth). However, PBeM sounds like it could be
quite a hoot, and I hadn't really considered how much more characterisation
can be done.

So, I'm going to take a look at the http://geocities.com/smithsguild link
that Roger posted, and do some web scouting to see what turns up. Any one
what to recommend/warn me about any particular games/GMs?


-=R=-
http://www.clmconsulting.co.uk
ICQ: 66545073
UT ngStats: RichBeard
Message no. 8
From: Rand Ratinac docwagon101@*****.com
Subject: Play by email - how good is it?
Date: Wed, 29 Mar 2000 00:02:40 -0800 (PST)
> So, I'm going to take a look at the
http://geocities.com/smithsguild link that Roger
posted, and do some web scouting to see what turns up.
Any one what to recommend/warn me about any particular
games/GMs?
> -=R=-

Sorry, I'm too modest and nice to do either. :)

Okay, not modest. Busy.

Okay, not busy. Bone idle lazy.

AND busy.

:)

====Doc'
(aka Mr. Freaky Big, Super-Dynamic Troll of Tomorrow, aka Doc'-booner)

S.S. f. P.S.C. & D.J.

.sig Sauer

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