[pnpgm] Stuff to consider..
pnpgm
pnpgm at comcast.net
Sat Feb 28 04:35:49 CET 2015
A couple things to talk about...this is not update related so
can handle as time permits.
1) Formatting -
When I first started PBEMs in the early 1980s we used methods
called posts (why its stuck as a term). We'd post in simple
message databases and then extract and send those posts/replies
via the old 300 baud modems. Back in those days we used BBS
(Bulleting Board Systems which were places folks could hang
out before websites). I ran my own BBS for 15 or so years.
Did many PBEMs including my infamous Gamma World adventures
which were a hit with 17 ACTIVE players (those were the days).
Because of this format was CGA/EGA. So screens were 25x80.
So I'd format posts and such with 80 columns.
Well today obviously we have screens that can read hundreds
of characters wide easy not 80. Email, websites are just plain
bigger now. This is why you may have noticed the 80 small updates
(why is he still so small text? that idiot). This is why.
But with the recent estate map it was shown to go wider and
it worked. So I need some input from you guys.
A) What is your methods of viewing the updates:
Website, email, ipad, phone, etc.
B) Can you handle large width "stuff" posts. Some phones you
see small stuff but websites like mine can be large yet
emails mess up tabs and so "large" blocks get all weird
and screwed up. The biggest issue with emails are those
tabs and characters messing up things like the maps.
C) Would you like a larger format? 200 wide lines not 80. This
would be a shift for me as I still use a old text editor
since its frankly FAR faster than windows. But as I faze
out this old computer and move my pnp files to the new
one I'll have to use the modern editors.
I will try to change the format if consensus wants it for
the next update.
2) IBT Time -
From this update we can see that IBT is a bit more elusive.
So I want to remind folks I do allow partial points. Generally
my rule of thumb is:
A) Full point for a full 8-12 hour session. Actual time will
vary. A person can't do sword for 12 hours but maybe just 8.
But a scribe translating books could for 12 hours with some breaks.
B) Tutors help with another point. Actual tutorship stuff not
just hearing some lecture a block away from the guy yelling
on the street corner about how to bash people with shields. :)
C) If not able to do the full 8-12 hours then time and points
will be relative. A person who uses horsemanship should at
least ride 10.5-12 hours (with eating and stopping) to earn
the full points. But if a person can only ride 5 hours then
I can agree to award 0.5 points. If only 2 hours then maybe
I could allow 0.33. Though any fractions would be rounded up
at the end of the preset IBT and any excess lost.
D) Common sense- If you are riding a horse working on
delicate jewels might be a extreme difficult task and earning
points would be useless. BUT someone reading a journal to
learn a language or speaking to a person could glance down
at the journal or speak to earn language points. Doing
climbing points while your on a horse will NOT be common sense.
So if your riding for days and want to work on some new
armor that could be a problem. One you'd need tools and
a shop at best. At worst you might have what 4-6 hours
at camp to work on it out of the 12 hours. So At best
you might only earn a fraction of a point.
Some things like horsemanship or language I do award
automatically based on time. If you spend a month in
Katai then I have given say 8-10 points free in Katai.
I've done this in past.
So keep this in mind while you select your IBT.
3) Future game
I've opened the Future Adventure voting. I've done this
for 15 years now. I can never really tire of pnp though.
I've done it for what 30 years and still have not visited
and adventure in every Land. This is why I expanded to
Katai and such. But I'm always open if you guys want me
to run ANOTHER system. I've run 26 or so systems. I thought
I had a file on this ancient computer on that but can't find it.
Must be on CD. So here are some from memory.
* Star Wars Expert - Countless games run
* Star Trek Expert - Countless games run
* Gamma World Expert - Countless games run
* Year of the Phoenix Good - Few games
* Traveller/Mega Traveller Normal - Few games
* Elric Good - Many games
* Stormbringer Good - Many games
* Hawkmoon Expert - Many games
* James Bond Normal - Easy and many games
* Cyberpunk Normal - Many games
* Top Secret Good - Many games
* Fringeworthy Expert - Countless games
* Ghostbusters Normal - Few games
* Indiana Jones Good - Many fun games
* Ringworld Poor - Few games
* Timeship Normal - Few games
* Tin Star/Owl Hoot Normal - Few games
* Few others like Paranoia, Toon, etc.
Year of Phoenix - Folks in Space station around earth see
Nukes go off WWIII. Survive and Live - Think of The 100
TV shows many factors like that and fun game.
Cyberpunk - Yep before Shadowrun and such but I think I prefer
CP old school myself.
Fringeworthy - one of my favs named my BBS after it Fringe BBS.
Think of sliders and Stargate SG1 with portals and many
places to explore and bad monsters. Most realistic game
mechanics ever.
Ghostbusters - Ok. Don't laugh it was big in 80s. Its
coming back too! One of the fastest games to learn like only
4 stats that fit on a index card and you can play. Even
ran this at a convention one time.
Ringworld is not as good as Fringeworthy but I have the LEAST
amount of experience. I just wish I had more time to
play/run that world.
Timeship - Time travel game that uses YOU are the characters.
So if your good in computers then your good in computers.
If you fire weapons nice then same thing. Always liked
time travel stuff. Thing of 80s show Voyagers.
Tin Star - My only western game. Cowboys...indians...gun
fights fun times.
I only give these things as a suggestion. There are many
like D&D, Gurps, Fantasy Hero that I tend to play more
than run. Some like Paranoia and Toon can NOT really
be played well in pbem. Call of Cthulu same thing. Hard
to do Horror in pbems.
I will still run pnp but I figure if you guys get tired
of the same stuff then I'm open for other stuff. Who
knows maybe someone like Alex or David can GM some pnp? :)
Let me know what you think of this idea. Some like
Bond, Indy jones might be hard for a party but NOT impossible.
Keep in mind can only do 1 game at a time one is bad enough time
wise. Though somehting like scifi is easier since not as mechanic
oriented..charts..etc.
Back to regular scheduled adventure...
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