Difference between revisions of "Main Page"

From PlayByMail.Net PBM Wiki
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(→‎PBM companies)
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#[[Cobra Games]]
 
#[[Cobra Games]]
 
#[[Coconut Council, Inc.]]
 
#[[Coconut Council, Inc.]]
 +
#[[Colleen Matteson]]
 
#[[Compu-Caper Gaming]]
 
#[[Compu-Caper Gaming]]
 +
#[[Combat Enterprises]]
 
#[[Conflict Interaction Assoc.]]
 
#[[Conflict Interaction Assoc.]]
−
#[[Combat Enterprises]]
 
 
#[[Conquest Games]]
 
#[[Conquest Games]]
 
#[[Constantine Xanthos]]
 
#[[Constantine Xanthos]]
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#[[Enchanted Horizons]]
 
#[[Enchanted Horizons]]
 
#[[Entertainment Plus More, Inc.]]
 
#[[Entertainment Plus More, Inc.]]
 +
#[[Eros Games]]
 
#[[Essentially Racing]]
 
#[[Essentially Racing]]
 
#[[Ethereal Edge Enterprises]]
 
#[[Ethereal Edge Enterprises]]
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#[[Fractal Dimensions]]
 
#[[Fractal Dimensions]]
 
#[[Frank Pompillio]]
 
#[[Frank Pompillio]]
 +
#[[Frazier Games]]
 +
#[[Freelance Games]]
 +
#[[Friendly Fire Games]]
 
#[[Frontier Games]]
 
#[[Frontier Games]]
 
#[[Full Moon Gaming]]
 
#[[Full Moon Gaming]]
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#[[Gemini Systems, Inc.]]
 
#[[Gemini Systems, Inc.]]
 
#[[Genesis Games Design]]
 
#[[Genesis Games Design]]
 +
#[[Global Simulations]]
 
#[[Graaf Simulations]]
 
#[[Graaf Simulations]]
 
#[[Grandel, Inc.]]
 
#[[Grandel, Inc.]]
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#[[HCS Games]]
 
#[[HCS Games]]
 
#[[Head Games]]
 
#[[Head Games]]
 +
#[[Henry Roepke]]
 
#[[HFR Games]]
 
#[[HFR Games]]
 
#[[High Point Games]]
 
#[[High Point Games]]
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#[[Imagery]]
 
#[[Imagery]]
 
#[[ImagiCom, Inc.]]
 
#[[ImagiCom, Inc.]]
 +
#[[Imaginary Sports Competition]]
 
#[[Imagination Unlimited]]
 
#[[Imagination Unlimited]]
 
#[[Imperial Games]]
 
#[[Imperial Games]]
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#[[Interesting Times]]
 
#[[Interesting Times]]
 
#[[Intergalactic Games]]
 
#[[Intergalactic Games]]
 +
#[[International Research Associates]]
 
#[[International Software]]
 
#[[International Software]]
 
#[[Irondragon Enterprises]]
 
#[[Irondragon Enterprises]]
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#[[Jeff Perkins]]
 
#[[Jeff Perkins]]
 
#[[JFH Games]]
 
#[[JFH Games]]
 +
#[[John Justin]]
 +
#[[John Morris]]
 
#[[Jolly Goblin Games]]
 
#[[Jolly Goblin Games]]
 
#[[Kage Interactive]]
 
#[[Kage Interactive]]
 +
#[[Kalei Enterprises]]
 
#[[Karl Zeimetz]]
 
#[[Karl Zeimetz]]
 
#[[Keith Langley]]
 
#[[Keith Langley]]
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#[[Kelstar Enterprises]]
 
#[[Kelstar Enterprises]]
 
#[[Keys of Bled]]
 
#[[Keys of Bled]]
 +
#[[Kimball Simulations]]
 
#[[Kingdoms of Telgard]]
 
#[[Kingdoms of Telgard]]
 
#[[Kings]]
 
#[[Kings]]
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#[[KSK Concepts]]
 
#[[KSK Concepts]]
 
#[[L & L Activities]]
 
#[[L & L Activities]]
 +
#[[L A N Company]]
 
#[[LAMA]]
 
#[[LAMA]]
 +
#[[Lanke]]
 
#[[Leisure Time Unlimited]]
 
#[[Leisure Time Unlimited]]
 
#[[Lightning Games]]
 
#[[Lightning Games]]
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#[[Mitregames]]
 
#[[Mitregames]]
 
#[[Monastic Software]]
 
#[[Monastic Software]]
 +
#[[Nebula Star Productions]]
 +
#[[New Dawn]]
 
#[[Nevanis Games, Inc.]]
 
#[[Nevanis Games, Inc.]]
 
#[[Nevaris Games, Inc.]]
 
#[[Nevaris Games, Inc.]]
 +
#[[NoGate Consulting]]
 
#[[Northwest Simulations]]
 
#[[Northwest Simulations]]
 
#[[Nostromo Games]]
 
#[[Nostromo Games]]
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#[[Opcon Games]]
 
#[[Opcon Games]]
 
#[[Orpheus Publishing Corp.]]
 
#[[Orpheus Publishing Corp.]]
 +
#[[Outerquest Simulations]]
 +
#[[Outlander Software]]
 
#[[Outremer Games]]
 
#[[Outremer Games]]
 
#[[Pagoda Games]]
 
#[[Pagoda Games]]
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#[[PBM Express]]
 
#[[PBM Express]]
 
#[[Pegasus Productions]]
 
#[[Pegasus Productions]]
 +
#[[Pent Alpha]]
 
#[[Perseus Arm Enterprises]]
 
#[[Perseus Arm Enterprises]]
 
#[[Peter Mackay]]
 
#[[Peter Mackay]]
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#[[Play By Mail Sports]]
 
#[[Play By Mail Sports]]
 
#[[Post-It Games]]
 
#[[Post-It Games]]
 +
#[[Post Age Games]]
 +
#[[Prime Time Programming]]
 
#[[Prime Time Simulations]]
 
#[[Prime Time Simulations]]
 
#[[Psi-Decay Games]]
 
#[[Psi-Decay Games]]
 
#[[Quail Canyon Systems]]
 
#[[Quail Canyon Systems]]
 
#[[Quest Games, Inc.]]
 
#[[Quest Games, Inc.]]
 +
#[[R3 Games]]
 
#[[Rampage Games]]
 
#[[Rampage Games]]
 
#[[Randy Gillette]]
 
#[[Randy Gillette]]
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#[[Roy C. Rae]]
 
#[[Roy C. Rae]]
 
#[[Sandgroper PBM]]
 
#[[Sandgroper PBM]]
 +
#[[Sandlot Sports]]
 
#[[Sar-A-Kan Games]]
 
#[[Sar-A-Kan Games]]
 
#[[Sardarthion Press]]
 
#[[Sardarthion Press]]
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#[[Scoresheet Sports]]
 
#[[Scoresheet Sports]]
 
#[[Scott Bowyer]]
 
#[[Scott Bowyer]]
 +
#[[SE Technologies]]
 
#[[Sevenstar Games]]
 
#[[Sevenstar Games]]
 
#[[Shadow Island Games]]
 
#[[Shadow Island Games]]
 +
#[[Shrewd Expanse]]
 
#[[Silvius & Berchtold]]
 
#[[Silvius & Berchtold]]
 
#[[Simcoarum Systems]]
 
#[[Simcoarum Systems]]
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#[[Sloth Enterprises]]
 
#[[Sloth Enterprises]]
 
#[[Slow Motion Games, Inc.]]
 
#[[Slow Motion Games, Inc.]]
 +
#[[Smokey Mountain Strategies]]
 
#[[Soccer By Mail]]
 
#[[Soccer By Mail]]
 
#[[Soccer Star]]
 
#[[Soccer Star]]
 +
#[[South Bay Games]]
 
#[[Spellbinder Games]]
 
#[[Spellbinder Games]]
 
#[[Spyder Games]]
 
#[[Spyder Games]]
 +
#[[Stand & Deliver]]
 
#[[Starlord]]
 
#[[Starlord]]
 +
#[[Starry Knight]]
 +
#[[Stat-Sports]]
 
#[[State of Mind Games]]
 
#[[State of Mind Games]]
 +
#[[Stephen Phillips]]
 
#[[Steve M. White]]
 
#[[Steve M. White]]
 
#[[Strategic Fantasy Games of Australia]]
 
#[[Strategic Fantasy Games of Australia]]
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#[[The Game Anvil]]
 
#[[The Game Anvil]]
 
#[[The PBM Locomotive Srl]]
 
#[[The PBM Locomotive Srl]]
 +
#[[Third Foundation]]
 
#[[Throne Enterprises LLC]]
 
#[[Throne Enterprises LLC]]
 
#[[Time Patterns PBM Games]]
 
#[[Time Patterns PBM Games]]
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#[[Viking Games]]
 
#[[Viking Games]]
 
#[[Vorpal Games]]
 
#[[Vorpal Games]]
 +
#[[Vortex Simulations]]
 
#[[Wanderer Games]]
 
#[[Wanderer Games]]
 
#[[War College Simulations PBM, Inc.]]
 
#[[War College Simulations PBM, Inc.]]
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#[[Wraith PBM]]
 
#[[Wraith PBM]]
 
#[[Yellowseed Games of Canada]]
 
#[[Yellowseed Games of Canada]]
 +
#[[Zan Erskine]]
 
#[[Zephyr Enterprises, Inc.]]
 
#[[Zephyr Enterprises, Inc.]]
 
#[[Zorph Enterprises]]
 
#[[Zorph Enterprises]]

Revision as of 10:19, 4 December 2011

Welcome to PlayByMail.Net's PBM Wiki!

Definition of PBM

Galactic Prisoners was a computer-moderated, open-ended, futuristic game that featured an alien race, the Nibor, destroyed all humans, except for a very few who were placed on a planet to be studied by Nibor observers. The player played the role of a human captain of an All Terrain vehicle (ATV), who was given a crew of 100 human prisoners by the Nibor. As the captain, it was the responsibility of the player to provide his or her crew with survival.

So, what - exactly - is PBM?

PBM is an acronym, one that stands for Play By Mail. It is a reference to a genre of gaming that was - and still is - played through the postal system, which, in the United States of America, is the United States Postal Service.

Whether one says PBM, PBM games, PBM gaming, play by mail, play-by-mail, postal games, postal gaming, play by post, correspondence games, or correspondence gaming, they are all variations on the exact, same thing.

Later (as in newer or more recent) variations on the core genre that is postal gaming have manifested themselves as PBeM (play by e-mail), PBM (play by web - as in the World Wide Web), PBI (play by Internet), TBG (turn based gaming), and even BBG (browser based games).

During its course of existence, play by mail gaming has been covered by a wide variety of sources, and this genre of gaming (which many view to be classic gaming at its very finest, providing a form of quality gaming entertainment still unrivaled in terms of the overall gaming experience that the player has), is still alive and popular with many gaming enthusiasts and gaming adherents, whose interests in gaming entertainment run the gamut from RPGs (role playing games) to wargaming.

Included within this broad range of coverage of the PBM hobby and of the commercial PBM industry were numerous magazines dedicated specifically or largely to coverage of play by mail gaming. Published titles such Nuts & Bolts, Paper Mayhem, PBM Universal, Gaming Universal, Flagship, American Flagship, Campaigner's Newsletter, American Gamer, The PBM Report, Simulacrum, and PBM Worm covered every aspect of PBM gaming, delivering a cornucopia of PBM news to a gaming public thirsting for details of an ever-changing PBM scene.

Within the genre, postal games covered an exceptionally broad portion of the entire gaming spectrum. Space conquest games, fantasy role playing games, and hardcore wargames that would make any grognard proud are but a few of the many popular categories of games that fell under - and to this day are still encompassed by - PBM gaming.

Play by mail gaming shares many similarities with board gaming, as well, the turn based aspect a signature feature of many PBM games. Unlike many modern-day massively multiplayer online games of various types, postal games tended - and still tend - to deliver a more personalized gaming experience, one that did not leave the player lost in a tsunami of player pools that number in the millions, for some of the more heavily populated massively multiplayer online games, particularly where MMORPGs of note are concerned.

Hyborian War wall map showing land provinces, coastal provinces, and sea zones.

Combining a beer & pretzels sort of appeal with a community of both commercial and non-commercial game moderators, PBM left an indelible mark upon the history of gaming. Rich gaming experiences that were unique to postal gaming helped elevate the hobby and the industry to such a place in the public eye that good old correspondence gaming soon carved out a place for itself in the pantheon of gaming genres.

As with many different sectors of the gaming industry at large, PBM has endured its share of periods where the industry would consolidate. Rumors to the contrary notwithstanding, though, play by mail gaming continues to thrive heading into the second decade of the Twenty-First Century. Numerous groups of hardcore PBM gamers can be easily located on the Internet, today, with new industry champions joining PBM's venerated Old Guard in celebrating play by mail gaming in the modern era.

Both nostalgia and a desire to return to the roots of what a true, honest-to-God multi-player gaming experience should be like, are helping to create a Renaissance of the core postal gaming experience for new generations of gaming enthusiasts, even as more and more PBM old timers find themselves returning to the play by mail fold. The resulting diversity can only benefit PBM gaming, as the PBM hobby and the PBM industry chart a new path into the future.

Whether a player's turn results are delivered to him or to her in a paper envelope, or in one of a variety of different electronic equivalents, the PBM experience continues to act as a catalyst for positive change within the gaming industry at large. In this way, PBM continues to push the gaming envelope, after all these many years.

Other definitions of PBM

PBM Associations

PBM companies

This is a list of Play-By-Mail companies and individuals that have run PBM games, over the years. Some of these companies and their games are still up and running, today. Many of them, unfortunately, have fallen defunct with the passage of time.

  1. 4 Sight
  2. 7th Dimension Gaming
  3. Acheron Simulations
  4. Advanced Gaming Enterprises
  5. Advent Games
  6. Adventure Simulation Games
  7. Adventures By Mail
  8. Agema
  9. Agents of Gaming
  10. Aggressive Addiction Games
  11. Aleator Games
  12. Allen Kimball
  13. Alternate Realms
  14. AMM Enterprises
  15. Anarchy By Mail
  16. Andon Games
  17. Apocalypse
  18. Archmage Games
  19. Arden Enterprises
  20. Ares Games
  21. Argus Adventure Simulations
  22. Ark Royal Games
  23. Armageddon Games
  24. Athena's Avatar
  25. Australian Wizard PBM
  26. Balrog Adventures
  27. Bard Interactive Games, Inc.
  28. Baron's Regime
  29. Battle-Magic Gaming
  30. Bill Paspaliaris
  31. Bill Wood
  32. Bizarre Play By Mail
  33. Blue Panther Enterprises
  34. Bob Stribula
  35. Bronze Star Games
  36. C2 Simulations
  37. C-T Simulations
  38. Capitol Consulting/VRL, Inc.
  39. Centurion Game Company
  40. Chain Mail Games
  41. Chameleon Games
  42. Charles Bennett
  43. Circle Games
  44. ChoZen FroZen Games
  45. Classified Information
  46. Clemens & Associates
  47. Cobra Games
  48. Coconut Council, Inc.
  49. Colleen Matteson
  50. Compu-Caper Gaming
  51. Combat Enterprises
  52. Conflict Interaction Assoc.
  53. Conquest Games
  54. Constantine Xanthos
  55. Cosmos Creations
  56. Crasiworld
  57. Create A World, Inc.
  58. Creative Games
  59. Creative Management Services
  60. Creative Simulations
  61. Cutting Edge Games
  62. Cyborg Games
  63. Cyclops Gaming
  64. Damien Games
  65. Daredevil
  66. Dark Magus Productions
  67. Daurada Games
  68. Delta Games PBM
  69. Deltax Gaming
  70. Desert P.B.M.
  71. DFS Productions
  72. DPI
  73. Dragon Games
  74. Dragon Byte
  75. DVS Productions
  76. Dymar Enterprises
  77. Dynamic Games
  78. E-Mail Games
  79. Earnshaw Enterprises
  80. Ebonrock Enterprises
  81. Eckert Gaming Group
  82. Eclipse Consulting, Inc.
  83. Ed Bailey
  84. Empire Games, Inc.
  85. Emprise Game Systems
  86. Enchanted Horizons
  87. Entertainment Plus More, Inc.
  88. Eros Games
  89. Essentially Racing
  90. Ethereal Edge Enterprises
  91. Fantastic Simulations
  92. Fantasy & Futuristic Simulations
  93. Fantasy Workshop
  94. Fields of Nephlim
  95. Final Frontiers
  96. Flying Buffalo, Inc.
  97. Flying Dutchman Games
  98. Fractal Dimensions
  99. Frank Pompillio
  100. Frazier Games
  101. Freelance Games
  102. Friendly Fire Games
  103. Frontier Games
  104. Full Moon Gaming
  105. Furypost Games
  106. GAD Games
  107. Galactic Empires
  108. Galactic Simulations
  109. Galactic Society Four
  110. Game Systems, Inc.
  111. Gamemasters Publishers Assoc.
  112. Gamer's Den
  113. Gamers Guild
  114. Games By Mail
  115. Games Heaven
  116. Games Without Frontiers
  117. Gator Concepts
  118. Gem Games
  119. Gemini Systems, Inc.
  120. Genesis Games Design
  121. Global Simulations
  122. Graaf Simulations
  123. Grandel, Inc.
  124. Grenade Games
  125. Half Time PBM Football
  126. Harlequin Games
  127. Harold Kercher
  128. HCS Games
  129. Head Games
  130. Henry Roepke
  131. HFR Games
  132. High Point Games
  133. Horizon Games
  134. Huscarl Hobbies
  135. ICBM
  136. Imagery
  137. ImagiCom, Inc.
  138. Imaginary Sports Competition
  139. Imagination Unlimited
  140. Imperial Games
  141. Incubus Designs
  142. Infinite Odysseys
  143. Inner Dimension Games
  144. Interesting Times
  145. Intergalactic Games
  146. International Research Associates
  147. International Software
  148. Irondragon Enterprises
  149. Jason Oates Games
  150. Jeff Perkins
  151. JFH Games
  152. John Justin
  153. John Morris
  154. Jolly Goblin Games
  155. Kage Interactive
  156. Kalei Enterprises
  157. Karl Zeimetz
  158. Keith Langley
  159. Kelem Games
  160. Kelstar Enterprises
  161. Keys of Bled
  162. Kimball Simulations
  163. Kingdoms of Telgard
  164. Kings
  165. Kings Guild, Inc.
  166. KJC Games
  167. KSK Concepts
  168. L & L Activities
  169. L A N Company
  170. LAMA
  171. Lanke
  172. Leisure Time Unlimited
  173. Lightning Games
  174. Lucky Llama Games
  175. Madhouse UK
  176. Madhouse Australia
  177. Maelstrom Games
  178. Mailed Gauntlets
  179. Marguerite Dias
  180. Marguerite Hoang
  181. Matteson
  182. Megalith Games
  183. Mercury Games
  184. Mialdian Press
  185. Micro Software Design
  186. Midgard USA, Inc.
  187. Midnight Games
  188. Midnight Sun Games
  189. Mindgate
  190. Mindless Games
  191. MindShift Design LLC
  192. Mitregames
  193. Monastic Software
  194. Nebula Star Productions
  195. New Dawn
  196. Nevanis Games, Inc.
  197. Nevaris Games, Inc.
  198. NoGate Consulting
  199. Northwest Simulations
  200. Nostromo Games
  201. Nova Games
  202. Octagon
  203. On-Paper Baseball
  204. Opcon Games
  205. Orpheus Publishing Corp.
  206. Outerquest Simulations
  207. Outlander Software
  208. Outremer Games
  209. Pagoda Games
  210. Palace Simulations
  211. Paper Tigers
  212. Paspa Games
  213. Patrick Price
  214. PBM Adventures
  215. PBM Enterprises
  216. PBM Express
  217. Pegasus Productions
  218. Pent Alpha
  219. Perseus Arm Enterprises
  220. Peter Mackay
  221. Pfodd Enterprises
  222. Piranha Games
  223. Phildee Enterprises
  224. Play By Electron Games
  225. Play By Mail Sports
  226. Post-It Games
  227. Post Age Games
  228. Prime Time Programming
  229. Prime Time Simulations
  230. Psi-Decay Games
  231. Quail Canyon Systems
  232. Quest Games, Inc.
  233. R3 Games
  234. Rampage Games
  235. Randy Gillette
  236. Reality Simulations, Inc.
  237. Rebel Enterprises
  238. Rebel Games
  239. Red Talon Gaming
  240. Rolling Thunder Games
  241. Roma Games
  242. Round Table
  243. Roy C. Rae
  244. Sandgroper PBM
  245. Sandlot Sports
  246. Sar-A-Kan Games
  247. Sardarthion Press
  248. Saul Betesh
  249. Sceptre Roleplaying
  250. Schubel & Son, Inc.
  251. Scoresheet Sports
  252. Scott Bowyer
  253. SE Technologies
  254. Sevenstar Games
  255. Shadow Island Games
  256. Shrewd Expanse
  257. Silvius & Berchtold
  258. Simcoarum Systems
  259. Sinbad's Games
  260. Sloth Enterprises
  261. Slow Motion Games, Inc.
  262. Smokey Mountain Strategies
  263. Soccer By Mail
  264. Soccer Star
  265. South Bay Games
  266. Spellbinder Games
  267. Spyder Games
  268. Stand & Deliver
  269. Starlord
  270. Starry Knight
  271. Stat-Sports
  272. State of Mind Games
  273. Stephen Phillips
  274. Steve M. White
  275. Strategic Fantasy Games of Australia
  276. Sudden Asylum
  277. Superior Simulations
  278. Supernova Games
  279. Synchronicity, Inc.
  280. Terry Crook
  281. The Barons Australian Midgard
  282. The Dukes of Hell
  283. The Game Anvil
  284. The PBM Locomotive Srl
  285. Third Foundation
  286. Throne Enterprises LLC
  287. Time Patterns PBM Games
  288. Time Space Simulations
  289. Total Simulations, Inc.
  290. Treesahran Industries
  291. Triad Simulations
  292. TribeNet
  293. Tudor Games
  294. Twin Engine Gaming
  295. Undying King Games
  296. Union West
  297. Vigard Simulations
  298. Village Computer Games
  299. Viking Games
  300. Vorpal Games
  301. Vortex Simulations
  302. Wanderer Games
  303. War College Simulations PBM, Inc.
  304. Warlord Strategic Gaming
  305. Warrior Games
  306. Waveney Games
  307. Whitegold Games
  308. White Lion Enterprises
  309. World Games
  310. WoW Games
  311. Wraith PBM
  312. Yellowseed Games of Canada
  313. Zan Erskine
  314. Zephyr Enterprises, Inc.
  315. Zorph Enterprises

External links

PlayByMail.Net
Galactic Prisoners fan site

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