PBEM video game?

[IntvGene]

I play some board games via email and it's quite fun. It really is the only way to play these days as people have kids, dogs, extremely demanding dedication to watching TV, etc.

Has anyone ever tried to play a videogame via email? I mean, with emulators and save states, couldn't we have a giant game of something with people playing a level and then switching off, etc.?

Has anyone every tried it before? Is there any interest in trying one here? Maybe we could break a record for the most people playing a game of Donkey Kong, or something?

[Six Switch]

how do you play board games through email?

[Nature Boy]

how do you play board games through email?

It's easy if it's Diplomacy. email your moves to the judge, he adjucates everything then sends you back the results. I'd love to try that someday.

[IntvGene]

Yea, it is good for those who love board games but don't have too many friends who are allowed to play board games any more. We play A Game of Thrones online, and I'm looking at doing a Dune one too. BTW, you can check out our AGOT page here. (http://www.intellivision.ca/AGOT/)

For the videogame part, you could email (or post somewhere) the save state for the next guy to download, who would send it back to the administrator to upload again, or send to someone else. It's just an idea... one of those ideas that you have when you start adding kahlua instead of milk to your Cheerios in the morning.

[SoulBlazer]

AGOT sounds interesting. Where did you get it and how much?

I used to play Diplomacy and Axis and Allies and Civilization all over e-mail as well. Just have the board set up on a table in the PC room. :)

[Nature Boy]

Yea, it is good for those who love board games but don't have too many friends who are allowed to play board games any more.

You're talking people who have families now or something, and don't have the time, right? Not people who have been told they're not allowed to by their spouse because they were too mean last time? :)

That AGOT site looks cool. How did you get it running?

[Dahne]

Goodness but that Game of Thrones game looks complex. I suppose it would have to be, though. Having read the books, I can imagine some entertaining scenarios.

("Uh-oh! Your wife is cheating on you with your brother! Do you a) divorce her b) throw a knife at his head c) start wondering why all your kids are blonde or d) go out drinkin?")

[Nature Boy]

Goodness but that Game of Thrones game looks complex. I suppose it would have to be, though. Having read the books, I can imagine some entertaining scenarios.

I suck at it, so yeah, I'd agree it's complex :)

[IntvGene]

AGOT is very much an enhanced version of Diplomacy. The orders are placed in secret on the board and then flipped over and then we all execute them in order. You can support your troops, raid other people's troops, etc. There is no dice rolling, but there is a fair amount of luck in the event cards. It's a nice balance, as I don't like either extreme usually.

You can download the full rules for the game here:
http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/agotbg.html

One of the guys that is in the games doesn't own the actual board game, but he got sick of actually looking at the screen, so he went out and bought the game so he can see it all better. The PBEM wasn't hard to set up. People email me their orders or bids in auctions and once settled, the results are posted on the board. As I said, combat involves no dice, so it's not that hard to do. You can download all of the maps on Boardgamegeek, and they're just layed Photoshop images, so you just drag and drop all the pieces on the board.