Well, straight from the horses mouth... While avoiding work at all costs, I'm perusing the old GSI articles library now linked via MEGames Library/Links page, and came across the article written by Stassun and Field entitled: "The Creation of Middle Earth Play by Mail, circa 1650".
Something that initially appeared to provide support to the Team Firster's out there (I'm generally among them...) was this quote towards the beginning 1/3 of the article:
"We elected a novel format for the game - the idea of 'team play' - and divided the players into 2 distinct sides - The Free Peoples and The Dark Servants"
Before Ed has a fit, this Team aspect is explored more fully below:
"The tales of Tolkien dealt with more than just Good vs. Evil and so too, ME-PBM explores these other areas as well. Besides the primary issue of Good vs. Evil, the nations must deal with the treachery and conflict all too common even on their own side. The constant conflict between the Dwarves and Elves, the Civil War of Gondor, and the bickering between the various armies and leaders of darkness to name just a few. These aspects of Middle-earth were included by allowing for one side to end the game, but only the most powerful nation(s) on the winning side to claim victory. Furthermore, each nation has individual goals that help them toward becoming the most powerful nation on their respective side, and many of these individual goals must only be achieved at the expense of nations on their own side."
In regards to army/character movement:
"Even the movement rates for characters, navies and armies was exhaustively researched to restrict/allow only such movement as was possible for the period. For example, the famous 'Ride of the Rohirrim' was considered the benchmark for cavalry movement that all were measured by. We wanted to be sure that is was just possible to duplicate (under the right circumstances) that glorious ride"
In regards to the market:
"Another important element added to the design is the idea of the market. Each nation is permitted to buy and sell its resource production with the free market - caravans that trade with the nations. The key element is that prices are not fixed, but rather are controlled by the simple factors of supply and demand. This allows the players to attempt to flood the market in order to lower prices, or to corner the market in order to drive prices up. This affords some nations with real economic clout."
And further, for those who hate the market in MEPBM:
"This element of the game proved difficult to properly design since the whole mathematics involved in the study of such dynamic systems is still very much guess work. "
All in all, while mostly generalized, an interesting read. Check it, and other articles from the old GSI Hints section out.
Regards,
Brad Brunet
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