A reflection on the PlayByMail.Net website

[GrimFinger]

Of late, the PlayByMail.Net website has experienced a noticeable increase in use on a daily basis by multiple site users. My most recent check of the Who Was Online Today feature revealed a total of 15 site visitors to the site, today, myself included - and none of them were automated spambot accounts, either. It's not a huge number, to be sure, but it does demonstrate, I think, there is at least some interest left in play by mail gaming, and that far from killing PBM gaming, the Internet can be utilized to bring the various elements of the PBM diaspora (which are scattered to the furthermost ends of the Internet) together in a way that is meaningful to PBM.

At least, I think so.

The site could still die, of course, and usage and visits to the site by PBM-interested parties could fall off. But, at present, things are looking up, it seems, and I, for one, would like to keep it that way, if at all possible. The best way to accomplish this, I think, is through continuously generating PBM-relevant content, and through encouraging site visitors to both join in the existing PBM discussions, as to start new PBM discussions, if the PBM topics that they want to discuss are not being discussed, already.

Within the last 24 hours, I have received turn results for my respective positions in games of Far Horizons and Hyborian War, and I have published a new PBM News Blurb. The PBM News Blurb has no set publication date. Rather, it is just a feature that I am trying to utilize to gather and to maintain interest in the play by mail genre of gaming, one that is not too intrusive, but one which might be of some use and have some innate value, particularly in light of PBM Gamer's similar Around the Web feature foundering a while back.

Being on a hyper-slow dial-up Internet connection (16.8K to 19.2K), at present, it can sometimes be a rather time consuming process just trying to do something as relatively simple and straight forward as browsing the World Wide Web. So, my inclination at the moment is to perhaps try and limit PBM News blurbs to only five entries, each time. Each blurb may not contain as much PBM news, as might be ideal, but this may be off-set by an increase in the rate of frequency at which PBM News Blurbs get published. I intend to play it by ear, and see how it goes, and revise things as I deem necessary or beneficial.

I have no real control over how often that site users post, or whether they ever bother to post, at all. I would, however, encourage all site visitors to the PlayByMail.Net website - particularly repeat visitors - to remain cognizant of the fact that, if instead of just visiting the site and catching up on the latest postings and logging off, if you will take a moment or three out to post something new of your own, then I think that such would be the surest way to continually grow fresh content of value on the site - plus it would act as a force multiplier in attracting other like-minded PBM parties to the site, as well as help us to retain the interest of existing site users. Don't do it for me, though. Do it for yourself. If you really like PBM gaming, then I think that you will find that this approach will be like fertilizer to this hobby of ours.

And lest I be remiss, if any of you reading this ever have any questions or suggestions pertaining to the site or to PBM gaming in general, feel free to contact me at your convenience at leisure, via either PM or e-mail.

Happy PBM gaming!

- Charles -

[Ramblurr]

Hear Hear! Many thanks to Grim - aka Charles - for hosting and maintaining a great forum for PBM fans to congregate at. Drinks all around!

[ixnay]

Indeed. Grim, if I ever happen to meet you, I will be sure to buy the drinks, in gratitude for your extreme perseverance!

[Hatch]

I think you're providing good content and good conversation and you're keeping the boards free of spammers, which is a really hard job to do, so I hope you keep at it. Eventually people will find it.

Hatch

[GrimFinger]

I appreciate the vote of confidence, gentlemen, such that it is. I have begun to notice that the site is beginning to inch up in the search engine rankings for Google and Yahoo!, for various search phrases. That, in and of itself, should help, particularly over the long term.

On a purely personal level, I don't really mind if the site stays relatively small, in terms of registered users, if the trade-off is a forum that is active with some good quality discussions occurring at least occasionally. Dealing with the automated spambots actually tends to be amongst the easiest of chores, in my experience.

What's harder is trying to track down some good content that's new and PBM related, or to create some from scratch, and simultaneously still have time left over to play PBM games and/or to make progress with designing one.

I came home from work, tonight, and there were 19 new messages that had been posted, since I left for work earlier this afternoon. It may or may not last, of course, but it's a pleasant change of pace to see the overall dialogue on things PBM related starting to grow.

One particular thing worth highlighting, I think, is that there seems to be a growing sense of PBM design presence here on the site, with various individuals now actively talking about designing something PBM or quasi-PBM related. It also seems to be occurring, without existing PBM related forums on other websites suffering a loss of content on their respective sites, in the process. Maybe we're beginning to find our niche here. I don't know. Maybe it will all collapse, tomorrow. Regardless, I will try to enjoy it, while it lasts, however long or short that may ultimately turn out to be.

Thanks for your participation, fellows! You help to make the effort worthwhile.