Greetings,

I've thinking about Solo game mechanics for a while, and I'm really
disapointed so far... Many solo games are, in fact, automatic games,
in a sense they really _don't need_ a player.

Is this the focus of a solitaire game? To let the game play itself
alone while we watch? After some thought I begun to really dislike
games like that. But this is just a random rant, and I don't intend
to be offensive or hurt any game designer.

But I need an example. So I take liberties to use Zak's Way of the
Warrior, a game that I like for its atmosphere and beauty of design,
but not as a player... Let me tell you how the game works:
1. You select a theater of conflict and your nation (ok, there's
player input);
2. You select/create your team and give them their equipment (ok,
again);
3. You roll 1d3+3 to see how many steps the mission will take (random
choice);
4. You roll 2d6 to get an objective (random choice);
5. On each step you roll to see if there are enemies (random choice);
6. If there are enemies, you conduct combat.
...You may change your distance of firing, but this can be selected
at once since you will compare your team abilities with your enemy's
team. You'll select the best option (short, medium or long) and try
to get there and keep there.
...You may choose your target, but again this can be done quickly...
7. If you survive until the final step and objective you win.
Ok, there were choices, but you must agree they were simple ones and
_not the most important_ thing in the game. After all, bad dice rolls
can finish your team soon and the game will be over.
Again, I'm not flaming anyone, as I know Zak is one of the best game
designers around here and his game is one I like (to an extent). My
rant is not aimed to anyone.

What I'm trying to say, I think, it's solo games can't depend _only_
on luck factor. They need strategy, some planning... Not a random
dice roll to determine everything. Rolling dice (lots of dice) can be
fun, but can't be the most important thing in a game.

Ok, but how we do it in a solitaire game? Really, I don't know. I
never found a good answer to this question. Cards can less the random
factor, but they can't dominate every aspect of a game. Maybe if we
can design a game that uses a limited pool of choices every turn
(like movement points, action points or something like that) - and we
are able to compute good ways for a random dice roll to determine
_our opponents' actions_ while _we_ take _our_ decisions we will
follow the right path. If there is a right path to follow.

Was I clear enough? English is not my main language, so excuse me any
mistakes. What I want is the input of everyone on this list. I think
a good brainstorm can help us to be better designers. At least I know
I'll learn a lot from this discussion.

Warmest regards,

Fermmoylle

P.S.: Zak, forgive me to use your game as an example, but I really
like it and I want to see a new and better version soon.

Through the Looking glass cardset added.

Adventures in Wonderland
New game. Link on Top of Fantasy page.
Turned out to be a CCG format of all things.
Tried to do it as a poker or Warpquest first.

Greetings, warpspawners!

I've been a Loyd fan since January 2002, but I've never wrote a
single line thanking him for his great webpage... It's a shame, I
admit, but I'm now doing the right thing.

Zak is another one who deserves my thank you. His games are well-
designed, and he has developing Thoth for a long time, so we can play
a lot online. It's not the case anymore as I'm online fewer and fewer
times but... I still want to see Thoth as a great multiplayer online
game engine soon.

Speaking of games, Zak, do you ever thought of changing something
in "Way of the Warrior"? I've just re-discovered that great game and
since I've playing Battlefield 1942 I've thought the "team speciality
kits" a good add-on that could be used. I personally I'm doing
something about this, but so far it's only a minor and personal
change... Of course, if you give me permission to do something major,
I'll be glad to develop something based on Way of the Warrior...
Maybe even calling it 2.0...

Warmest regards,

Fermmoylle

Boer War posted
Historical
card game

New Game
Around the World in 80 Days
Posted on the 'More Games' page

I am a developer at CCG Workshop and I have put games like Gridiron,
Capitol and my own creation, Sandwich Shop online.  I am currently
working on a number of other games, but when I came across your site,
I thought I would see how difficult it would be to adapt one of your
games.  I took CroMagnon since I liked the theme.  I have a
screenshot available at www.ccgworkshop.com if you would like to see
what I am doing.

The site is not a pay site per-say.  Only when a user reaches a
certain number of games per month (30) do they get charged and this
is to cover bandwidth not for playing of games.

Let me know what you think (we are not corporate america, we believe
in freedom of gaming!)

New Game: Baron Munchausen Plays Cards.
First thing on the Fantasy page.

Space Opera Campaigns & Astrum Imperium by Peter Bunch.
Look on the SF page.
Thanks Peter, Good stuff.

> A little LOTFR)

:)

Lord of the Frelling Rings?

Just kidding.

=====
Peter Cobcroft
curufea@...
Main: http://curufea.com/

http://personals.yahoo.com.au - Yahoo! Personals
New people, new possibilities. FREE for a limited time.

Samurai Quest - New Game
On the Fantasy Page
towards the bottom.
(A little AD&D Oriental Adventures,
A little LOTFR)

what is the problem with the bandwidth of the angelfire set up,
everything the other night was fine... now...no go.

Okay folks, here's a more user friendly version that links to most
pages.

PHP is a bit like Word macros - you have to search for a keyword in a
sentence, and replace it.  So it is occasionally hit and miss.

However, now that it has linking to pages, it is now easier to check.

I am hoping to get feedback of some form about this, or it gets
removed.

Here's the link-
http://www.curufea.com/games/warpspawn/

=====
Peter Cobcroft
curufea@...
Main: http://curufea.com/

http://personals.yahoo.com.au - Yahoo! Personals
New people, new possibilities. FREE for a limited time.

Okay, a proper vignette this time-

Across the gulfs of space and time they came.  The vast unknowable
black emptiness of the void between stars.  Their metalicised alien
hulls gleaming with beweaponed gunports, the fleet of ships headed
for Earth.  The entire might of the Andromeda Galaxy had declared war
on Humanity.  Our days are numbered.  And at a time dilating
percentage of the speed of light, and geological timescales, we are
doomed to a short life and firey, cataclysmic death.  In only two...
hundred... million... years.


=====
Peter Cobcroft
curufea@...
Main: http://curufea.com/

http://personals.yahoo.com.au - Yahoo! Personals
New people, new possibilities. FREE for a limited time.

First off - apologies, it's not a vignette, more a ficlet.  And
possibly too anecdotal.  But I like it :)


From my old Munchausen PBEM-


The Captain's View Hotel of Spaceport Delta-5.

Captain Brro takes a stool, and sits in position 8.  Placing his
hands behind his head, he says, "Well, then, if we're all here, we
should begin.  If you ladies and gentlemen and squids would like to
take a seat, we can get started.  Can I offer you sentients a
Primitive Earth Beer(R)?"

Simon the Technomage gives the appearance of always having had been
there.  Which is an odd look for someone just now sitting down on the
sixth seat at the table.
He rests his staff awkwardly against the table and pulls forth his
wallet (neatly inscribed with the glowing runes of power "Meddle with
this Honky!") and pulling forth a credstick before taking up Captain
Brro's offer.

"The one thing I miss about Earth, in my many and varied travels, is
her alcohol.  There's nothing quite like a pleasant chat, with an
agreeable human, and a mug full of beer."

His conversation pauses as a waiter brings his drink over.

"I must say, Brro, your ship is looking well."

"Simon.  The _Wit_ needs refitting, always does.  The new mods have
been fairly superficial, though they're pretty to look at, but at
these prices it'll take several more runs efore I can afford to
upgrade the comp systems.  May I ask how you are travelling?  I did
not see your ship - strange looking thing that it was."

"Many are the secrets contained in a Technomage ship, Brro.."
Simon leans back and ponders the universe.
"The 5 runes of stealth and hiding inscribed in silicon dances on the
rim of its neural net.  The 12 secret passcodes of the megaterran
conglomerate, and the 3 methods of insuring a windows system never
shows the blue screen of death."
"And, most importantly - it's painted black."


=====
Peter Cobcroft
curufea@...
Main: http://curufea.com/

http://personals.yahoo.com.au - Yahoo! Personals
New people, new possibilities. FREE for a limited time.

Just to have some fun, I thought we could do some nonserious
vignettes (is that how you spell it?).  Basically fantasy, SF, or
other gaming theme, about one paragraph long, humorous, intentially
bad, or otherwise compelling. For examples sake I'll do the first
one...

Kornan the Barbarian stood atop the giant heap of blood spattered,
twitching limbs & torsos. His rippling muscles were coated in gore &
ichor. In one hand he held a gleaming, double bladed, jewel encrusted
battle hatchet. In the other, by their goatees, the severed heads of
the enemy generals. At his feet, her hands clutched tightly to his
lioncloth, the nubile, underage princess, tanned & half-naked, her
full bosoom heaving in the glint of the dusky half-light. Kornan
grunted and then growled. He thought "Kornan gets some tonight".

I've created a formatting parser for Warpspawn games on my website -
as it's a paid website with PHP installed.

It puts headings and paragraphs in, as well as taking card lists and
converting it into a 5 wide table to help with printing cards.  It
also removes the frelling annoying popup code.

It doesn't create multiple instances of cards currently (it's a bit
dumb).

Also - it must be called from the page you wish to convert by adding
the link code-
<p><a href="http://www.curufea.com/games/print.php">Print</a></p>

I will write a version where you can actually enter the URL into a
form - or you choose a game from a dropdown box : but that is
dependant on feedback from the webmaster of Warpspawn - as it would
impact greatly on their site's traffic (ie it may transfer it to my
site, which is not my intention).

Currently the best solution is for the webmaster to add the link if
he wants a printable version (well, my opinion of printable) of the
games.

I have migrated some examples to my site for testing if any wish to
view the results.  Note - the only addition to the original Warpspawn
page is the link to the PHP script.

http://www.curufea.com/games/AGEN.htm
http://www.curufea.com/games/HX.htm
http://www.curufea.com/games/Imp.htm
http://www.curufea.com/games/Matrix.htm

Let me know what you think.

Another quick note - I haven't tested the script on all pages yet,
but most seem to be of similar formatting.

(BTW, posting straight to the Yahoo group as emails direct to the
webmaster have not yet been replied to)

Excellent answer 'Warpspawn'. I see a lot of passion involved there. Nothing
wrong with that.  I have seen your 'underground' culture grow over the last
few years.  I think, for example, that it won't be too long before Americans
stop buying 'prepackaged' music from the corporate world. I think the
mainstream music industy and the movie industry and entertainment industry
is going to experience a revolution that will make the Beatles Mania and
Elvis Presely mania look small compared to the next cultural revolution.  I
think the current entertainment/infotainment industrial complex will find
itself outgunned by the 'Third Wave' technological shockwave.  If the
communication industry is to grow at the rate and volume that has been
predicted for the last 10 years, then there is no way the current culture
will be in control.  That old generation won't know how to function in the
new culture, they have trouble with VCRs and Digital Clock/watches.  Anyway
that is enought from me for now.
________________________________________________________________________

Message: 2
    Date: Sat, 08 Nov 2003 21:11:31 -0000
    From: "warpspawn" <kraz@...>
Subject: Warpspawn Elite

A number of you have recently posted or e-mailed me. Someone asked
me "What do you want?" Good question. If I was a 'real' game company
or a corporation, I would want your money... I would want you to buy
my product. Thats not what I want, I'm an amateur, I want
connections, comaraderie, communication, I want community, I want the
free sharing of ideas. Warpspawn is a manifestation of the next
cultural revolution in America (for all my non-American friends). A
big F-U to the corporations and the government is coming. Its
cyclical, like the 60's Hippies and 90's Grunge. The elements are
there... an entrenched status-quo, a liberal, powerless,
disenfranchised, angry youth, increased communications technology, an
anti-war movement, massive dissatisfaction with the government, grass
roots movements, and energetic activism (look at the Dean campaign -
all that money, from the internet) After Bush is re-elected, and he
will be, there will be an explosion... a large segment of upset
people (mostly college students of course) are going to actively,
purposefully, reject being corporate tools. They'll stop going to
Muvico and Barnes & Nobles and Starbucks... (Spoonfed corporate
culture) Culture will go underground... they'll make their own
coffee, they'll make their own books, and movies and music and share
it amongst themselves in secret societies organized the internet.
There will be those in on it and those on the outside. A Flash Mob
will appear, do something purposeful, and disappear and the onlookers
will wonder why those people are part of some real, dynamic, radical,
subculture community and they themselves belong to nothing, are just
complacent cogs in a corporate machine. It will be a society of
empowered, connected, amateurs, and to fully participate, to have
status, you have to be a producer as well as a user, you have to
freely contribute your ideas, and your talents, and not just be a
part-time user or freeloader. What do I want? I want you guys to be
amateurs like me, I want you to contribute... Games -  the one thing
we all love... I want a Warpspawn Elite (Think Fight Club... that
movie lost money)... Every member of the Elite produces one game a
month (I normally do 4+ a month), good or bad, in warpspawn format,
and I post them on my site. It would be massive, and most excellent.
It would be a model for how things could be in other areas: music,
government, etc. I would be a proud papa. Thats what I want.

---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.537 / Virus Database: 332 - Release Date: 11/6/2003

Enter your vote today!  A new poll has been created for the
warpspawn group:

What are your favorite types of Games?
Pick 1 or more.

   o Board Games
   o Poker type Card Games
   o War Games
   o Role Playing Games
   o Abstract Strategy
   o MTG type card Games
   o Dice Games
   o Warp Skirmish
   o Warp Quest
   o Tactical Combat
   o Strategic Battles
   o Solo Games
   o Two player Games
   o Multi-Player Games
   o Puzzles
   o Gambling
   o Bidding Games
   o Economic Games
   o Long Massive Detail Games
   o Short Beer & Pretzels Games
   o Trading Games
   o Building Games
   o PBEM Games
   o Big Decks
   o Small Decks


To vote, please visit the following web page:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/warpspawn/surveys?id=11412410

Note: Please do not reply to this message. Poll votes are
not collected via email. To vote, you must go to the Yahoo! Groups
web site listed above.

Thanks!

Enter your vote today!  A new poll has been created for the
warpspawn group:

What is your favorite category of games?

   o Science Fiction
   o Fantasy
   o Historical
   o Other


To vote, please visit the following web page:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/warpspawn/surveys?id=11412371

Note: Please do not reply to this message. Poll votes are
not collected via email. To vote, you must go to the Yahoo! Groups
web site listed above.

Thanks!

New game alert...
SF section
Do you guys want me to post about new games or is this just clutter?
After all you can always look at the whats new page on the site.

Hi folks,

My name is Josep M and I live in Spain. I'm very happy to see how
the list was renewed. There I watching and ready for anything. :)
I love play by mail and warpspawn is superb!

--
Best regards,
  Josep                            mailto:jmyepes@...

Hi,
My name is Jonathan. I found the site and games via the net though I can
remember how. I like th simplicity of the ideas used. I do lots of skirmish
wargames and larger campaigns. I am looking for ways to solve the problems
that one can get with this sort of game. I am currently working on ways to
use the rules for French and Indian War, mainly irrelguar opertaions,
Rangers and such. Also Vietnam, Vikings and Modern Special forces.

Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

Cheers

Jonathan

A number of you have recently posted or e-mailed me. Someone asked
me "What do you want?" Good question. If I was a 'real' game company
or a corporation, I would want your money... I would want you to buy
my product. Thats not what I want, I'm an amateur, I want
connections, comaraderie, communication, I want community, I want the
free sharing of ideas. Warpspawn is a manifestation of the next
cultural revolution in America (for all my non-American friends). A
big F-U to the corporations and the government is coming. Its
cyclical, like the 60's Hippies and 90's Grunge. The elements are
there... an entrenched status-quo, a liberal, powerless,
disenfranchised, angry youth, increased communications technology, an
anti-war movement, massive dissatisfaction with the government, grass
roots movements, and energetic activism (look at the Dean campaign -
all that money, from the internet) After Bush is re-elected, and he
will be, there will be an explosion... a large segment of upset
people (mostly college students of course) are going to actively,
purposefully, reject being corporate tools. They'll stop going to
Muvico and Barnes & Nobles and Starbucks... (Spoonfed corporate
culture) Culture will go underground... they'll make their own
coffee, they'll make their own books, and movies and music and share
it amongst themselves in secret societies organized the internet.
There will be those in on it and those on the outside. A Flash Mob
will appear, do something purposeful, and disappear and the onlookers
will wonder why those people are part of some real, dynamic, radical,
subculture community and they themselves belong to nothing, are just
complacent cogs in a corporate machine. It will be a society of
empowered, connected, amateurs, and to fully participate, to have
status, you have to be a producer as well as a user, you have to
freely contribute your ideas, and your talents, and not just be a
part-time user or freeloader. What do I want? I want you guys to be
amateurs like me, I want you to contribute... Games -  the one thing
we all love... I want a Warpspawn Elite (Think Fight Club... that
movie lost money)... Every member of the Elite produces one game a
month (I normally do 4+ a month), good or bad, in warpspawn format,
and I post them on my site. It would be massive, and most excellent.
It would be a model for how things could be in other areas: music,
government, etc. I would be a proud papa. Thats what I want.

Hi Lloyd and everybody!!
My name is Janne Thörne and I live in Insjön, Sweden!!!

My production of graphical work have been down
to almoust zero (iterupted by real life, miniature
painting/modelling and a bad back) but if someone
would have some favorite Warp Spaw Game that not
have been done yet, let me know and could get my
insparation back!!!!!!

Have a nice day!!

Janne

Thanks for killing off the spammers.  To bad we cann't arrange some sort of
'Spammer Hunt' party and go hunting for spammers like the old English Lords
use to go fox or boar hunting.  I'd like to bag myself a few spammers.

What kind of stuff do you want to know?

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Message: 2
    Date: Fri, 07 Nov 2003 03:41:56 -0000
    From: "warpspawn" <kraz@...>
Subject: 80 Members

This thing says I have 80 members.
Who are you people?

Lloyd


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.536 / Virus Database: 331 - Release Date: 11/3/2003

Lloyd,

  Howdy.  My name is Chuck Turnitsa, and I live in Newport News,
Virginia.  I am (professionally) in the IT industry, working for the US
Government on a military contract.

  I am, and have been for almost 30 years, a gamer, and the ideas that
are exhibited in Warpspawn seem pretty cool to me.

Chuck


__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Protect your identity with Yahoo! Mail AddressGuard
http://antispam.yahoo.com/whatsnewfree

warpspawn@yahoogroups.com wrote:

> Message: 2
>    Date: Fri, 07 Nov 2003 03:41:56 -0000
>    From: "warpspawn" <kraz@...>
> Subject: 80 Members
>
> This thing says I have 80 members.
> Who are you people?
>
> Lloyd

Hiya Lloyd,

This is the first time I've received a digest from this list that
actually had messages in it. USually I see message headers, but no content!

Anyway, I am Dale, I live in Prince Edward Island, Canada's smallest but
most beautiful province.

I am also the author (editor?) of Lighter Than Air Warfare, an
adaptation of your Zepplin Wars game.

I have also written a very basic Gladitorial game based on the work of
someone else (oh yeah, I'm bad that way), who have been unable to track
down. I am also the author of a Space Conquest and Colonization game,
which I started writing back in the early '80's, entitled FireFly.

No, no one has offered to sue me, and I don't plan to sue anyone else.
Although I find the parallels between the show and my game quite incredible.

Professionally, I work in the Computer Services department or a small
local university.

What's *your* name? ;)

This thing says I have 80 members.
Who are you people?

Lloyd

Hi All,
I wiped the old Emails and Spam off.
We have a clean slate.
I changed the settings so only members can post.