Issue 108 June / July '04 ISSN 1743-6788 Flagship THE MAGAZINE FOR GAMERS Featuring: Roleplaying, Boardgames, Conventions, MMORPGs, Play-by-Email, Computer Games ... ... and as Special Summer Feature, turn to page 40 for a free boardgame! You've read the book ... You've seen the film ... Now play the officially licensed game of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings www.middleearthgames.com Middle Earth is brought to you by ME Games Ltd, under license from GSI. Middle Earth, Lord of the Rings & all characters & places therein are trademark properties of Tolkien Enterprises. Report from FLAGSHIP the Bridge #108 June / July '04 Talking about IN THIS ISSUE ... Games HELLO AND welcome to Flagship 108. There’s FEATURES plenty here and we hope that you’ll enjoy it all! News If you’re a new reader, we hope that you’ll Newsdesk ..................................................................................................................... 4 be impressed both by our coverage and by the Meets & Conventions ................................................................................................ 48 lively independence of our contributors. We Reviews value independence. Flagship started as the Feudal Lords: Right of Kings.................................................................................... 10 independent magazine of the Play-By-Mail Piratical Gaming........................................................................................................ 12 (PBM) hobby, and just as PBM has expanded WWII Open Warfare .................................................................................................. 15 into Play By Email (PBeM), so it’s become Rome: Total War ........................................................................................................ 28 important for us to expand into other types of Continuum ................................................................................................................. 32 gaming. Strategy, Diaries and Guides Whether you’re a new or a regular reader, Lords of the Earth 1: Part 3....................................................................................... 20 do tell us about the games that you play. We StarFleet Warlord: Part 4 .......................................................................................... 22 welcome game diaries, beginners’ guides, Austerlitz Nations: Ottoman Empire ........................................................................ 28 strategy tips, design articles and anything else Featured Articles that you think other players would like to read The Ridley File .......................................................................................................... 16 here. We can send you guidelines if you feel Turning Digital .......................................................................................................... 18 that you need them. We also welcome comments Prisms from Other Galaxies ..................................................................................... 30 on the games that you play for our uncensored On Screen...................................................................................................................31 Rumours from the Front section. Convention Reports ...................................................................................................34 Our contributors are players like you, who Pevans' Perspective ...................................................................................................36 expect you to dispute anything controversial Virtual Worlds: Real Life Money ............................................................................. 38 that they say. Do you disagree with anything What Women Want .................................................................................................... 39 that we print in this issue? Write to tell us so! Free Game: Ghoulash ................................................................................................ 40 As your editorial team, we have strong (and often differing) views of our own, but it’s your REGULAR DEPARTMENTS attitudes that we wish to reflect. We're trying Report from the Bridge (Editorial) ................................................................................... 3 some new ideas this issue, let us know what you Subscription details ........................................................................................................... 8 think. Advertisers Index ............................................................................................................ 39 If there’s any type of game-playing that you The Mighty Pen (Letters) ................................................................................................ 42 enjoy but which we haven’t covered yet, then Feedback (Your views on Flagship) ............................................................................... 43 do write to us about it. Live Roleplaying, for Competition Corner ......................................................................................................... 43 instance, or live Wargaming? Tell us about it! Rumours from the Front (Your opinions on games) ....................................................... 44 Finally, playing games isn’t always Games Shop listings ........................................................................................................ 47 presented as a ‘healthy’ activity. Recently, Galactic View (PBM/PBeMgame listings) ..................................................................... 49 however, we’ve seen a report on the BBC news website that ‘experts’ have designed computer games that will helpfully boost their players’ Founding Editors Contributors Nicholas Palmer MP & Chris Harvey House Artist: Larry Deyell self-esteem by giving them positive rather than Cover Art: ©Madhouse negative feedback. It’s a project that’s being Editorial Team Illustrations: Last World Games (p11), Luis Royo worked on at McGill University in Quebec, Editor: Carol Mulholland [email protected] (p39). All other artwork copyright free, © Larry Consultant Editors: Nick Palmer, Mo Holkar Deyell or © the proprietors of the game or games Canada: smiling faces appear on screen to Assistant Editor: Colin Forbes [email protected] mentioned in the accompanying article. emphasise positive feedback. The researchers’ Regular Correspondents: Paul Evans, Lisa Fordham, Articles & Reviews: Colin Forbes, Mark Gordon, measurements indicate that this really does 'Globetrotter', Eric Ridley Dennis Jones, Ben Lynch, Bob McLain, Robin work. Admittedly, none of the games described Webmaster: Tom Fyfe [email protected] Orman, Dave Panchyk, Christophe Sarazin, Mike Advertising Manager: Colin Forbes [email protected] Suchcicki ... plus our regular correspondents. seems to involve competing against other players. However, even if the designers are Printed by: Excel Printing: 351 Lichfield Road, Aston, Birmingham, B6 7ST experts in psychological assessment rather than in game design, it’s nice to see games being SUBS, QUERIES & CONTRIBUTIONS Copyright © 2004 TimePatterns PBM Games. used for a worth-while psychological purpose. Flagship, 14 The Hollows, Exmouth, Articles submitted to Flagship will be assumed to grant Devon, EX8 1QT copyright for first publication and non-exclusive Maybe these could be worth trying whenever (01395) 276632 (9am-6pm) republication by Flagship, unless otherwise agreed. we lose a game? [email protected] www.pbmgames.com The views expressed by contributors do not necessarily http://www.selfesteemgames.mcgill.ca/ represent the views of Flagship, TimePatterns PBM ADVERTISING: 2A Guinea St, Exeter, EX1 1BS Games or any of the editorial staff. Tel: 01392 420582 [email protected] Contributions welcomed for Flagship 109. By July 9th, please. 4 NEWSDESK PBM graphics but making sure the site is still fast fantasy roleplaying game Chaos Trail. He’s Fantasy to load. They’ve also included materials also in the process of writing a guide to some from the number one player-maintained of the places around the South Ocean Islands. Legends site, Aayko Eyma’s Legends Corner. There’ll be a web update fairly shortly at Wargames There’s a new web based forum too, for www.chaostrail.com AGE Games run the those who prefer to do their chatting online, wargame Medieval but Harlequin will continue to support Warlords, which Bob Whispersofthepalantir, the chat mailing list Bost reviewed for us last issue. They also run on Yahoo, in addition to a play-by-email fantasy wargame called [email protected] (the design list) Power Dragonlords, set in the battle-torn land of and [email protected] (the Kharne. Here, you start as the ruler of one of news list). Games its realms, with plans to carve out an empire They’ve installed a webmail server for for yourself, by conquering the provinces all Legends players. This will allow you to We’ve news of the around you, and subduing any opponents. send and receive your turns without using playtest of a new PBeM, You have armies and fleets, commanders the internet, bypassing all the current designed by Wil and beast-allies to send forth in this noble problems with over-aggressive ISPs' anti- Richardson, which is called purpose. In time, you may be proclaimed the spam filters. Sword & Spirit. We’ve classed dragonlord. this provisionally as a power game, The game is free to play, though a though it could turn out to be more of an donation to the GM will bring you a few Roleplaying