This thread is for discussion of Issue #18 of Suspense & Decision magazine.

The Submission Deadline for articles, news, events, etc. for Issue #18 is: 30 September, 2017

The scheduled Publication Deadline for Issue #17 is: 10 October, 2017

From another thread:

(08-23-2017, 09:53 PM)John M Wrote: The Counselor is an open source java app that can be evolved by anyone.

Forum user Participant-Observer suggested some changes to the forum index. I have begun implementing most of them, and may continue changing the forum index over the few days.

So, if things look moved around a bit, that's why.

Hello all,

I'd be curious to know, if anyone here has tried--or even heard of--the "RPG," De Profundis. It's a letter writing game in which the "players" assume the roles of characters in a Lovecraftian psycho-horror scenario. It's (almost?) entirely rule-less and based upon improvisation. Certainly, not the kind of thing we typically talk about here but I think that it's of interest because ... well, it's ideally played by mail (although later editions do discuss email and blogs).

Here's the RPGGeek entry:

• https://rpggeek.com/rpg/2029/de-profundis
  

The front page of the PlayByMail.Net website is currently a blog, for an extended period of time, very little has actually been posted there. The blog was set up as a way to provide a noticeable way to improve search engine placement during web searches. In recent days, I have begun posting there, and you may or may not yet have read any of the recent posts made there. Check it out, if you get a chance!

Google certainly seems to be responding well to these posts, as noted when I search for the search phrase: pbm

It appears, though, that the progress is short-lived, unless I post about once a day. That's my initial impression, and your mileage may vary.

Dear all,

I'm currently in Flying Buffalo's Riftlords but I'm looking to join one or more additional sci-fi PBMs. Agema's Regime Change looks pretty tempting.

I have a couple of quick questions:

• As I understand it, turns are submitted every month and cost £10 (UK). Do I have this tight?
  
• At this point in the campaign, how significant are most of the events in the first 8 audio files? Should I be listening to them with a notebook in hand or is their main value now to provide atmosphere?
  
• Are you having fun? [Private Messages are OK for this answer.]
  
• Anything else I should know?
  

It's my fault. Trying to do some stuff on this end, The main link to the site may not work for a day or two. Or it could be back up anytime, now. Not sure.

The site isn't going anywhere. It's me trying to make some changes and do some improvements.

Sorry for any inconvenience!

- Charles -

Does anyone else, here, receive Game Informer magazine in the mail?

We receive it, and have for years on end, but nobody, here, ever really picks it up and reads it. So, it's a zombie, even when it arrives in our mailbox.

My son loves video games, but doesn't bother opening it. I enjoy computer games, but I rarely ever even crack the cover. Why? For me, it's the very small font size that they use. I can read it, comfortably. So, I don't even bother with a magazine that I might very well otherwise read regularly.

The magazine seems to be getting thinner, of late.

I was just wondering what your own thoughts about it were, if you feel up to sharing them.

Just precede each idea with a number, and keep the numbering sequence going, from person to person, as more and more ideas get submitted by more and more people as time progresses.

1. PBM Yearbook - Not sure if there would be any actual interest in this idea, in light of the fact that so many PBM gamers and Suspense & Decision contributors and readers seem to be apprehensive about sending in photos of themselves. I thought of the PBM Yearbook concept a few days ago, and I didn't want to get sidetracked and simply forget to mention it, which had the side benefit of causing me to create this forum thread for the collective sharing of ideas that could hold positive potential for growing the overall PBM player base and for promoting play by mail gaming as a hobby and form of entertainment for the public masses.
- Submitted by: GrimFinger - 08/11/2017

2. PBM Report Cards - I have mentioned this idea in the past, and it's something that I still think has merit. It's all in the implementation of the concept, I suppose, as is the case with most other things, and I seriously doubt that a "perfect" incarnation of such a concept is possible. Suspense & Decision isn't a perfect PBM magazine, but I think that it still legitimately qualifies as one. Historically and traditionally, PBM moderators and PBM companies haven't always enjoyed having their games or their service offerings criticized by the public, but a report card for PBM games or PBM companies doesn't have to be something with only negative connotations. PBM report cards might make for useful memes for sharing on social media, for example, and if done at set intervals, they could possibly build a sense of anticipation across the PBM industry.
- Submitted by: GrimFinger - 08/11/2017

3. PBM Tournament & PBM Champion - Players would compete in special games organized by PlayByMail.Net. PBM champions in various PBM games could be declared in those games. Some type of prize or special award or recognition to game winners.
- Submitted by: GrimFinger - 08/12/2017

4. PBM News - where GMs can post any news related to their games. New features, new games, special events, tournaments, etc.
- Submitted by: Angerak - 08/13/2017

5. Perhaps save reviews, interviews, and article-length stuff for Suspense & Decision?  - I guess my concern is that stuff that appears on those sub forums takes good content away from the 'zine. (YMMV, yadda yadda yadda.)
- Submitted by: Participant-Observer - 08/17/2017

Deadline to submit new actions by Tuesday 22 Aug 2017 23:00:00 GMT-07:00.

Holy Hell!

Here I am, revved up and ready to try my hand at Clash of Legends once more, this time as an Orc Warchieftain. But, what do I get?

The Northmen.

Seriously?!

PAH! Well, now what? Looks like I'm going to have to improvise. From the list of e-mail accounts for the various players in this particular game of Clash of Legends, it doesn't look as though Bernd, our ever-absent assistant editor for Suspense & Decision magazine, made it into the game. Mu-hahahahahahaha! I shall take some small delight in knowing that this was one time when he paid the price for his gnoming about.

I'm for the South, but I'm playing the Northmen, of all things. My gut instinct and first impression both agree that this doesn't bode well for my people's fate. Yet, we are a hearty bunch, or so I suppose. I don't even know what kind of accent that I'm supposed to talk with, and they want me to wage war against multiple different kingdoms steeped heavily in evil notoriety? Sure, what could go wrong?

I guess that you'll have to tune into Suspense & Decision magazine and this forum thread, in order to find out.