09-06-2016, 12:19 PM
Rick, is the 3rd cycle fully available for signups now? Your site says it's coming soon, but that was from a blog post in February. I might have to get back into Alamaze for a taste of that.
As for renaming PBM, it's looking like a dead horse to me. I do occasionally run across someone who is familiar with the old PBM term as I chat with acquaintances about my involvement in modern board gaming. On the one hand, people like that might warm up to our hobby given an old familiar handle. On the other hand, if they were disposed to get involved in PBM games, they would likely have done so by now. They would have done like me, after many years absence, and just googled around on PBM and Play By Mail, in which case they will no doubt find this forum.
New players? It's almost a non-issue. PBM doesn't apply, but "episodic gaming" is not really illuminating either. Nor is turn-based gaming. Poker is turn-based, along with Monopoly, Catan, Mage Knight, and Tiddlywinks. For what it's worth, I don't think PBM deters new players. It offers a bit of nostalgia, and the kind of people who enjoy these games will probably recognize and enjoy that.
As for renaming PBM, it's looking like a dead horse to me. I do occasionally run across someone who is familiar with the old PBM term as I chat with acquaintances about my involvement in modern board gaming. On the one hand, people like that might warm up to our hobby given an old familiar handle. On the other hand, if they were disposed to get involved in PBM games, they would likely have done so by now. They would have done like me, after many years absence, and just googled around on PBM and Play By Mail, in which case they will no doubt find this forum.
New players? It's almost a non-issue. PBM doesn't apply, but "episodic gaming" is not really illuminating either. Nor is turn-based gaming. Poker is turn-based, along with Monopoly, Catan, Mage Knight, and Tiddlywinks. For what it's worth, I don't think PBM deters new players. It offers a bit of nostalgia, and the kind of people who enjoy these games will probably recognize and enjoy that.