If there was another Middle Earth product out there, I would agree
with you. There isn't though. I play MEPBM not because it's a good
strategy game (there are better) but because I enjoy team play (not
many team games out there) and I love the Middle Earth background.
And once again, PBM games are NOT a dime a dozen. They are an
increasingly rare breed of game.
Colin
Well, my own experience has been, and remains, to the contrary.
Furthermore, there are many types of Middle-earth game products available to choose
from these days.
Also, a lot of strictly PBM games that have been offered down through
time folded for a variety of reasons, ranging from profit margins to
moderators losing interest to poor service to other reasons. You know this as well as I
do, I'm sure. In some instances, that some games and companies are no longer
with us is a blessing.
A lot of new games go the PBEM route instead of the PBM route simply
for lower overhead. If your goal is lots of players, it is difficult to argue
against the efficiencies offered by the electronic medium, compared to the
paper medium.
But, like a good book, there are still PBMs available out there, if a
person spends time looking. Some game moderators felt that they didn't receive
a good return on investment, when advertising in various mediums, so they
have changed and look for new ways to advertise their games. Some are small
scale, locally-oriented, and which actually don't want a large player base. They
tend to be motivated by more than just profit, though.
And like a good book, if what you offer has value, then I suspect that
PBM games will never be entirely extinct. Some are going to always want to
open that envelope, and read their turn results like a good book.
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