Duelmasters Past and Present

Site Admin Joined: Jun 20, 2002 Posts: 1344

this is a test

Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2003 9:48 pm

I also started playing after the ad in Dragon magazine around 1984/5. But I don't think such magazines reach many folks these days. It's all electronic format these days. God, can you imagine a Duelmasters pop-up when you visit some other game's website? Not pretty...

Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2003 12:44 am

Some form of banner exchange at the RPG mega sites would perhaps generate some players but I think Kat is right that the target audience for Duelmasters is older and able to pay more for their hobbies. One guy who played, went to college in Ariz. and probably picked up the game then, came on board the sub I was stationed on and quickly got four more of us playing the game. The services are a large repository of young, often single, men with disposable income. But you need that first player to gain the value of word of mouth at each command.

I like the fact that the game you mention is player supported without being fee based (I'm one of the moderators of a free-form RPG site with a similar model for paying the bills). I do think such tactics are limited in the number of players they can support, and many such sites have already suffered the burnout of their creators. Most, but certainly not all of them, end up closed down soon after that. I've always regretted that those "planned additional features" the early books talked about were never implemented in this game. The greater the variables, the harder it is to become fundamentally done learning the minimum of what you need to be successful and become stagnant. But the differing results from identical numbers and bonus/hose and hidden variables give a sufficient range of results that you never get to know exactly what your design will produce. This has an underrated affect on keeping players interest.

Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2003 9:11 am

Gergin;

I'm just getting back to this thread. Your off-hand flippant remark wasn’t well thought out. Several of my COUNTERPARTS in the military already play the game. When your overseas (with the wonderful mail service available) slow-arena games are extremely well suited to the time constraints. In addition, being able to play a game that links you back to the states is a wondrous thing.

Besides, us military-types don’t fit into our custom-fit stereotypes very well. To know us is to love us.

Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2003 7:23 am

I was in the Navy for 20 years, and retired in 97.I first started playing DM in 89 while deployed to the Med, took a breakin about 94/95, and then came back just before the Columbia face. I dropped out again for abit after my wife passed away in feb 01, came back for Orlando and then dropped out again when my girlfriend/fiance was diagnosed with cancer last July, she passed away last month. I guess the point I'm trying to make is that, no matter what happens in the real world this game somehow keeps drawing us all back to it at some point, and as long as that keeps happening I think it will stick around.

As for advertising, my idea has always been for RSI to try and setup demo's at a few of the larger bases (Norfolk and San Diego for sure). I know at least in the Navy, Welfare and Rec would probably provide everything they needed to make it work, and all RSI would have to do is show-up with their laptops and start running. I even mentioned it to Lee a couple of times and she was interested, but then we all know how Lee's interest comes and goes.

It looks like I'll be back for the summer face, but because I won't have anything timed. I'll probably just run my normal amount of warriors and enter all rookies (anyone that knows me, probably shuddered after that last statement). This way I can socialize on Saturday (and get very drunk), then on Sunday anything that's still around will get my full attention. See you'all there.

Steve/Rascally Rabbit

Master Poster Joined: Apr 13, 2003 Posts: 209

a sad last couple of years for you Steve. My condolences.

Jim/ Sylvester "used to be Ultraist" Frothingslosh

Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2003 8:34 pm

Ditto what Sly F said, bro. You got serious resilience to stay sane after bad weather like that. Sorry I won't be at the Philly face to buy you a couple rounds. Being an 18 year Air Force man myself, I guess I do tend to drink like a typical military type so maybe I'll get my chance yet. Say, Tempe next winter?

Bert/Darkfist

Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2003 8:17 am

R-Rabbit;

I *might* make the winter F2F - if I do, your first few beers are on me.

Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2003 11:04 am

Speaking of ‘what was’ and ‘what is’; I present the following;

I know most of you are already playing in a plethora of arenas, but I’d like to pass along another invitation; to NORTH FORK (DM47). There are currently 16 active teams with 3 or 4 dropping this turn. The unchartered recognition prizes are there for the seizing for those of you interested in fighting for free – say if you had a recent rookie TV, for instance (*Yes James – aimed at you)

The competition is fierce - with an ongoing Swampvivor and Swamp Jeapordy competitions happening. Several well established managers (Crip, Drake, Fizban, your's truly, Horus-one-Eye, Doc Mabuse, etc.) make this a place to be!

So, toss a team together and come to the hottest spot in slow arenaville!

What's that you say? "I abhor slow arena's"? You know NOT what your missing. If you haven't tried it - isn't it time you did?

The Egyptian Mau of Enticement
The Persian of Provocation
The Balinese of Bribe
The Icecat (*no, it doesn’t exist – shut up*) of Incentive

The-oh-so-ever-loveable-me; Kat

Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2003 3:28 pm

Isn't it a no no to cross post? Question

Unchartered Poster Joined: Jul 02, 2002 Posts: 10

It's funny that you mention some of the more established managers. I don't recognize any of the names. Those that I remember well were Sharky, Doc Steele, Doc LeGrand, Silk, Mob Boss, Guardian, Boss Rat, Sleazee P. Martinee. Now that's a list of established managers.

Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2003 10:35 am

Sharkey retired quite some time ago. Doc Steele is still around, Deke is gone. Silk? Did he become big? Wow, he was your typical one-team manager the whole time I knew him.

Mob Boss is sorta still around, but all of his guys have moved on to other homes. Guardian is still around, I belive the Rat has gone, and I don't recall Martinee. (I played 88-91, then came back last summer with a new name.)

Most of the Old Guard (Mirage, Deke, Phido, Merlin, etc) are gone, and the big names today are folks you'd not have heard from, assuming I can place your play time by the names you listed. I know when I came back I recognized almost NONE of the big players today. Hell, most of them started after I quit!

I. Frothingslosh
fka Tarot, fka Isawa Kage

Master Poster Joined: Apr 13, 2003 Posts: 209

I believe kat meant managers who are established in North Fork...

Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2003 11:47 pm

Seems that quite a few people started off playing (learned of the game) from the Dragon Magazine ad. I am among that group myself. Played for a few years took 8+ years off. I stumbled upon the website and it was back on!

By the way how does that whole DM47 contest work. It seems to be pretty subjective, then again it could be very organized and I just wouldn't know!

Expert Poster Joined: Apr 20, 2003 Posts: 69

There were some pretty complex point system equations that were listed on turn 1 of the contest. The objective was principally to encourage full participation in arena play, while still competing for two prizes. The contest was not advertised in advance, it was simply a "reward" for the long time North Fork managers.