The death of pbems...

[drose25]

When did D&D pbems begin to die?

Five years ago there were more pbem postings on pbem.com than you could keep up with. It was a major challenge trying to decide which fascinating game to apply for. Now, the postings are sparse and the choices are terrible. I've been watching for months with little appearing that looked worth following up on.

I applied for one game today which had some promise, only to have the DM suggest I play a triceratops wizard. Huh?

Did I miss a memo somewhere? Are the advertisements hiding someplace else or is the field really this dry? Why?

 

[Brennin Magalus]

When did D&D pbems begin to die?

Five years ago there were more pbem postings on pbem.com than you could keep up with. It was a major challenge trying to decide which fascinating game to apply for. Now, the postings are sparse and the choices are terrible. I've been watching for months with little appearing that looked worth following up on.

I applied for one game today which had some promise, only to have the DM suggest I play a triceratops wizard. Huh?

Did I miss a memo somewhere? Are the advertisements hiding someplace else or is the field really this dry? Why?

I also remember pbem.com being quite busy back in 1997 when I started my first pbem game. I think people either advertise elsewhere these days or they have adopted other online formats such as PBP or even PBIM.

 

[der_kluge]

I wasn't even aware that this existed. I know PBEM is still popular for lots of people, but I can easily see PBP replacing it, since others can "lurk". Last PBEM game I ran (Al-Qadim, a looong time ago), I had a few who joined the distribution just to lurk. Now anyone can do that with a PBP.

 

[Greenbond]

I too remember when pbem.com was THE place to go and you could find a decent (and sometimes excellent) game to play in. I've even continued to try but the last 2 games lasted a whole month combined.

Not sure what the real reason for the reduction in number and quality of games...could be PBP as Brennin mentioned. From what I've seen on ENWorld so far, there are alot of PbP games...maybe online RPGs such as Neverwinter Nights, etc. have also contributed?

Perhaps we'll have enough people interested as a result of this thread that we can get a game started?!

I'm open to playing a variety of games...

>-GB->

 

[drose25]

Hmmm...my initial experience with play-by-post was that those games tended to be more munchkin-esque and less reliable. That's probably changed now. I guess I need to check it out. Would that be www.pbp.com?

I still prefer email because I like to keep a post archive and it's easier to compose posts offline if need be. Lurkers are another issue entirely. Some DMs love 'em, others hate 'em with a vengeance I've never quite understood. In either case, if the game is played via a yahoogroup or something similar, lurkers can watch a pbem game just as easily as a PBP one.

I've been fortunate enough to find some great, long-lasting games. I joined one as a founding player in 1999 and we're still playing today! Just finished the first module of a three-module campaign about six months ago. A couple of others I'm in have been around at least two years. I'd really like to find another quality game if any more are still around.

 

[shaylon]

I play in a PBP that is hosted by Yahoo. I guess I never really thought about there being a difference between PBP and PBEM, but it hasn't been my experience that either are dying. I don't go to PBEM.com but I hear about several other options all the time and they seem to be doing pretty well.

-Shay

 

[drose25]

I consider games played via yahoogroups as pbem, not PBP. PBP, in my mind, is something played on a forum like this one here at Enworld.

If you know of other advertising sites that are doing well, share them here so the rest of us can check them out!

 

[Lars Porsenna]

I currently run a PBEM game using Yahoogroups, and I'm looking to join one as a PC. The nice these particular games are that all the members are prior friends and fellow gamers, most of which meet on our regular gaming night for D&D. We use PBEM to play campaigns of games we normally wouldn't play on a regular basis; we don't need to meet face-to-face, and at least for me, I can be more creative beforehand with dialouge, setting info, and the like. The game I run has very little combat O-L (or in general), and when we do have a major throw-down, we meet face-to-face. One day I'd like to run a combat O-L to see how it works...

Damon.

 

[Ottergame]

I dunno, I'm just one of those people who cannot see how this type of game playing could be any fun at all, PBP or PBEM. I have a hard enough time enjoying chat based role playing, and that flows and moves so much better.

 

[fuindordm]

I dunno, I'm just one of those people who cannot see how this type of game playing could be any fun at all, PBP or PBEM. I have a hard enough time enjoying chat based role playing, and that flows and moves so much better.

I've been playing PBEM with the same group regularly for about four years now. It's a great way to stay in touch with scattered friends.

PBEM and PBP allows for better role-playing, I find. Players have more time to think about what their characters would do and say, and tend to do it in their character's voice.

Ben