Funny, I happened upon this site while conducting a search completely unrelated to MEPBM, which I haven’t thought about in years. And lo! What do I find? Every single issue of the Mouth, in it’s entirety, laid out for one and all to see.
I never thought this stuff would still be floating about. Heck, I’m one of the original editors (Tom Walton) and I don’t have any back issues in storage.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
Tom Walton
MEPBM is going stronger than ever 
You should sign up for a game for old memories sake 
http://www.middleearthgames.com
Yes, Tom, welcome back to the fold. I think you will find the game played at a level of sophistication that we only dimly perceived a decade ago. s/“An Ancient Enemy”
Hey Tom! Isn’t the other former co-editor just getting back into the game recently? Many more players than the MoS days…give it a go!
Wow, Tom, it’s great to hear from you. I remember when I first got into MEPBM (many moons ago, indeed) and I got all of my information from a website by (I think) Phredd Groves or something like that. I’ve spent quite a bit of time locating all of the old “Mouth” issues and I have always wanted to thank you for all you’ve done for the community.
So thanks.
Tom,
Despite being a new player to ME (10 turns in my first game #69) your editorials and articles - along with your co-writer, Brian - were among the best articles on the subject that I have read.
The superlative quantative analysis of the 1650 starting positions provided me with a good grounding, as well as appreciation for some of the nuances of the game.
While it certainly is - for you at least - a trip down memory lane, it is a snapshot in time and a reminder that the game (well, the players :P) have evolved and become more sophisticated. The early game reports contained horror story after horror story of heinous offences committed against team members. It is truly astounding to suddenly remember that ME is a TEAM game after reading those scandalous reports!
Also, incredibly funny as well!
Hope that the memories were fond ones.
Regards,
Christian
----> Rhudaur #69
<a position to which, I feel a strong, innate connection - for my sins>
Tom
Good to see you! This is Shayne from game 97, Long Rider.
Was a pleasure playing against you and Brian in that game. Game 97 was by far my most enjoyable game I’ve played.
You should come back and play a game. I’ve started playing again after not playing for 7 years or so.
Shayne.
Tom
Guess there are a lot of re-treads here, I have recently just started playing again after about an 8 or 7 year hiatus. You should play again, just as fun as it was back then.
Sven Moravec
Actually, after re-reading bits and pieces of the old Mouth, I remember now why I stopped playing in the first place. I could list a number of reasons and go over them in mind-numbing detail, but if the game is still as it was 7 or 8 years ago I’m not sure I’d want to relive all the frustrations.
Good to see that people are still enjoying it, though.
Tom
TOM,
You bucket of bones! How the heck are you?
I tried all the old email addresses (and even
the double secret probation ones I could find)
last fall.
Yes, as rumored, I’m back in the game!
email me, old pal of mine.
Brian that is called Brian
Hey there Brian!
I’ll be dipped! I happened on this site completely by accident while doing some research for a book; would’ve skipped right by it if I hadn’t seen all the old issues of the Mouth up on the site. Strange days, eh?
By the gods, it’s been awhile! A great many things have changed; email me, if you like. I set up a yahoo mail account just so I could post a ‘thank you’ on this board while covering my tracks (grin). It’s: fromthemouthofsauron@yahoo.com.
As you can see, one of the things that hasn’t changed is my fondness for sophomoric humor.
Tom
Tom,
Long and rambling email just sent to the address you provided (and what other kind of email would you expect from me?).
Christian (and all who remember “From the Mouth of Sauron” fondly),
Thanks for the kind words.
Shayne,
Thanks for a great game! Never have I enjoyed a game as much, and gotten beat senseless, too. Maybe I’m a masochist and don’t know it?
Brian
Actually, after re-reading bits and pieces of the old Mouth, I remember now why I stopped playing in the first place. I could list a number of reasons and go over them in mind-numbing detail, but if the game is still as it was 7 or 8 years ago I’m not sure I’d want to relive all the frustrations.
Hello Tom - nice to hear from you. I’m Clint, one of the GMs for the game. Not sure what your critic of the game was (it’s been a while since I’ve read MoS) and I am pretty sure lots of it is accurate… 
Any constructive criticism very welcome. We’ve upgraded and changed things were we can and as you can see players are still very keen.
Maybe we’ll hear from you in future?
Clint
Tom,
Gee, how much do we want to burden
Clint with? We wrote quite a bit at one
time or another, some me, some you, some both, but the best I can recall did not appear in the mouth. It was a long
really nice writeup you did for Bill many
moons ago detailing three areas of
changes:
Should I send that one along?
As far as the way the game is managed, in my opinion, in the area of customer service (which I think was one of GSI’s short suits), I’ve been quite happy with the level of service Clint et al. provide.
Brian
Brian
Good to see you back playing. I wonder how many of the game 97 alumni(sp) are still playing, Like Steve Latham and Brian Lowrey.
Maybe we’ll run into each other again in game. Though I’m mostly playing grudge matches right now.
Shayne.
Originally posted by Clint
[b]Hello Tom - nice to hear from you. I’m Clint, one of the GMs for the game. Not sure what your critic of the game was (it’s been a while since I’ve read MoS) and I am pretty sure lots of it is accurate…Any constructive criticism very welcome. We’ve upgraded and changed things were we can and as you can see players are still very keen.
Maybe we’ll hear from you in future?
Clint [/b]
Hello there, Clint. As for criticism…well, I’m not playing the game anymore and I don’t see the need to cast stones. Ancient history, and all. If people are enjoying MEPBM then who am I to rain on their parade?
But briefly, my frustrations were lumped into four categories. I have no idea if any of this is relevant anymore; I don’t know if the game still has the same mechanics, or if it’s been changed, or whatnot:
Clearly the last two points weren’t anything the company could do anything about, and they were ultimately the straws that broke the camel’s back. As for the first two - like I said, I’m not playing anymore so there’s no reason to rehash the past.
If people are having fun then that’s all that really counts. I wish them, and you, well.
Tom
Originally posted by Brian Mason
[b]Tom,Gee, how much do we want to burden
Clint with? We wrote quite a bit at one
time or another, some me, some you, some both, but the best I can recall did not appear in the mouth. It was a long
really nice writeup you did for Bill many
moons ago detailing three areas of
changes:
- those requiring no changes to the code,
- those requiring minor changes, and
- those requiring major changes.
Should I send that one along?
As far as the way the game is managed, in my opinion, in the area of customer service (which I think was one of GSI’s short suits), I’ve been quite happy with the level of service Clint et al. provide.
Brian [/b]
Brian:
I don’t even have the original list. I got rid of most of my gaming material some time ago, and everything MEPBM with it. I haven’t even thought about this game in years.
It’d be nice to see the list, though, just for kicks.
BTW, do you remember when we were working on the War of the Ring game, the one we were going to code? The one that GSI threatened to sue our pants off over if we published it? Well, I finished it not long after I quit playing MEPBM, but later deleted it when I dumped most of my old gaming stuff.
However, a couple of years ago I went through a box of old floppies and found a half-completed version of the game, I think the last version I ever sent to you. I kept it for old times sake, although I haven’t actually re-read it in detail. A blast from the past, eh? I even coded part of it (the server side) but I don’t have that any more, either. It’s the “High Kings” version, the one we were thinking about doing to avoid the threat of lawsuit.
Ah, those merry days! The first time anyone ever threatened to sue me! (grin)
Tom
Tom–
I think you will find the game is much better now than it was in the days of GSI. I estimate 50% of your problems have vaporized. As to the last problem… don’t write for Bree and you will stay out of that. <g>. Now stop posting and get in a game so I can give you a sound drubbing!
Brian Hancock
Originally posted by meredux
[b]Hello there, Clint. As for criticism…well, I’m not playing the game anymore and I don’t see the need to cast stones. Ancient history, and all. If people are enjoying MEPBM then who am I to rain on their parade?But briefly, my frustrations were lumped into four categories. I have no idea if any of this is relevant anymore; I don’t know if the game still has the same mechanics, or if it’s been changed, or whatnot:
- problems with certain game mechanics
- problems with GSI, customer service, and a complete refusal to implement any changes, even if they were clearly for the better
- problems with certain players who forgot that the sole purpose of a game is to have fun, else there’s no point in playing it
- problems that had nothing to do with the game or GSI, but with the publication of the Mouth (e.g., tons of hate mail, nasty phone calls to myself and my then-girlfriend, etc.)
Clearly the last two points weren’t anything the company could do anything about, and they were ultimately the straws that broke the camel’s back. As for the first two - like I said, I’m not playing anymore so there’s no reason to rehash the past.
If people are having fun then that’s all that really counts. I wish them, and you, well.
Tom [/b]
MEPBM games are licenced by GSI to only run the games. They don’t have access to the code of the game itself so I’d expect issues you had with the game mechanics may still exist. Alas, MEPBM games cannot do anything about this due to their licence agreement. An active player in the MEPBM community has infact compiled a list of changes that players would like to see in a version2 of 1650. The player is called Laurence Tilley and he’s got a website with these links.
Laurence, if you watching, could you paste the link here ?
Customer service with mepbm games is certainly not an issue anymore. they are real helpful and normally fast to respond. They will correct any input errors they make for example. However; that is rarely an issue now as they also produced an excel tool called automagic which allows the automatic compilation of orders. It checks that the format of each order is done correctly and you can send an .xml file directly to MEPBM games. They then use this file to input in their system automatically without any user input on their end. Most useful tool. I’ve never known GSI but Clint and friends are really good at what they do.
BTW just for the record, i don’t work for MEPBM games. I’m a player and have been for 4 years. Just in cast you thought I worked for them or something…
Anyway, hope you give MEPBM another try as its still great fun.
Cheers
Brendan
http://www.lgtilley.freeserve.co.uk/2nded.htm
Here is the website ya’ll were looking for…
I can tell we are about to open a can of worms here. Let the debate begin!