+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| The Olympia Times issue g1-73 |
| November 15, 1995 |
| |
| turn 73 159 players http://www.pbm.com/oly/times/ |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
Questions, comments, to play: info@pbm.com
Olympia PBEM
* * *
Notice:
-------
Shadow Island Games is discontinuing support for the CompuServe PBMGAMES
forum. What this means is:
1) We will no longer be uploading the _Olympia Times_ to the
PBMGAMES forum library.
CompuServe players may issue the "TIMES 1" order to begin
receiving the Olympia Times via email.
2) Shadow Island will not actively participate in the PBMGAMES
forum. Questions directed to us there may go unanswered.
This extends to our CompuServe email address. Queries should
instead be directed to our Internet address "support@pbm.com".
Players from CompuServe are of course still welcome to join and play in
Olympia. This notice applies only to the separately owned and operated
PBMGAMES forum within CompuServe.
We are doing this for several reasons:
o Only a handful of Olympia players continue to use PBMGAMES.
Most of the players who originally joined from there have
moved on to other online services.
o The PBMGAMES forum staff limits what may be said in the forum.
We have always felt this to be an onerous burden. Because
of these restrictions, we may not announce or easily support
our new games, such as the recently launched Arena PBEM.
o The Usenet newsgroup rec.games.pbm is picking up much more
activity from players as well as commercial GM's. Shadow
Island actively reads and posts in rec.games.pbm.
o While our access to the Internet is excellent, the tools to
support CompuServe are proprietary, and primitive by comparison.
In short, PBMGAMES censors what we can say, is technically bothersome
to access, and is largely irrelevant now anyway.
* * *
Note that the Olympia Times may be read on the Web at
http://www.pbm.com/oly/times/, and may be FTP'd from
ftp.pbm.com in directory pub/olympia/times.
If you currently receive the _Times_ via email but read it
elsewhere, you may stop receiving it with the "TIMES 0" order.
* * *
Player-contributed press
So who cleans up after all the baby dragons when they're not
yet potty trained. I think that the buckler is full of water
so he can swish the deck clean.(he he)
-- The day of Rest [ju3]
----------------------
S. CAMARIS Update
----------------------
Monthly notice: any new visitors to our
fair isle should notify us in advance.
-- The Crazy Quilters [vn7]
Customer Testamonial on behalf of the First Bank of Provinia
Greetings, Provinians! My name's Jech Ercheflo the Friendly
Thin Guy. I'm a Trader. I travel Provinia buying and selling
and trading everything from the highest grade avinia leaf to the
cheap woven baskets that I buy off of broke lowlifes in Imperial
City. Now as you might imagine, with half-breeds like Swishbuckler
bending everyone in sight, Provinia is not always as friendly and
peaceful as me. So I don't like carrying large amounts of cash on
a trade run, if you know what I mean. That's why I bank at First
Provinia: low-interest loans, high interest rates, newbie bonuses,
warehouse facilities, shipping services... What else could you
ask for?
So take it from me, Jech Ercheflo the Friendly Thin Guy, don't
wind up lying in the gutters of Imperial City weaving baskets.
Give the the First Bank of Provinia a call. You'll be glad you
did.
-- Jech Ercheflo the Friendly Thin Guy [h3f]
Gentlewind Visitation Policy
Visitors are welcome to the area controlled by the Cohorts of
Colossus [vo4], as long as they obtain travel permits first. Not
all requests will be granted. The affected area includes the
land provinces bx25-bx27, by24-by27, and bz27. Violators of this
policy may be subject to arrest.
-- Sheriff Pelenth of Gentlewind [f3i]
Greetings Fellow Olympiads!
The Liberty Confederacy rules West Ossicus. Peaceful,
law-abiding travelers are welcome. Bandits, pirates, & their associates
are advised to avoid the area for their own protection. Investors of any
kind (merchants, inn-keepers, temple-builders, tower owners, miners,
etc.) are especially welcome to civilize this untamed land. Travelers
wishing to exploit the resources of these lands should contact us so we
don't have harvesting conflicts. Unapproved harvesting is frowned upon.
-- General Norc [z1a]
___ ___ ___
/ / ) / )
/___ /___/ /___/
/ . _ _ /_ / )_ __ / / _ _ . __ . _
/ / / _> / /___/(_>/ //< of / / (_)|// / // (_>
The First Bank of Provinia has offices in some of the major cities
on the continent of Provinia. The FBoP offers the following facilities.
o Special offers for New Olympia Players.
o Excellent Interest Rates on Bank Accounts.
o A Fast and Efficient Courier Service.
o Money Transfers.
o Short and Long Term Loans.
o Insurance Policies.
o Pawn Broking Service.
Call in at your local branch for further details.
-- First Bank of Provinia [v0z]
Illustrated Man,
I sent you email several times regarding a new map and
a special section I was interested in. I have not heard a
reply in two plus weeks. Are you still in business?
What is your current wait time for the next shipment
of new maps?
-- Bayle Domon [g4y]
When I first arrived in Olympia, it seemed like a wild and
dangerous place, but I was wrong. Wilderness is much less common
than I expected. Fortunately, I was an outgoing sort, and made
contacts with other new players and a few established factions.
Of these, there can be no question that the support and service
I got from the Bank of Provinia made a big difference between
my faction and the others who entered Olympia with me. The First
Bank of Provinia, where survivors do business.
- Representing Desdinova and Company
-- Desdinova [g7t]
Rumors
Wait, BtA, you _can't_ drop!
I'm almost ready for you:
ATTACKER (Fighting to the death) :
1 noble (80,80,0) [0.55], with:
275 dragons (500,500,0) [36.47]
Average losses : 239 dragons
LIKELIHOOD OF WIN 54.56%
Almost....
When is Olympia game 2 going to start?
I love it when a plan comes together!
So why do all of mine fall appart at the seems?
This game _IS_ as complicated as it seems.
"Ching! Ching! Ching!"
(You're welcome!)
To room longer would only meet the day in 8.
Enough navel-gazing BtA. Once you are gone,
then we will believe you.
I think I might risk a Noble Point on a Stealthy guy.
Once you've paid the Danegeld, how do you get rid of the Dane?
all the king's horses and all the king's men
couldn't put the aoo together again
Someone asked:
>Who thinks some of these guys with huge numbers
>of characters cheated?
Not me, unless you consider attacking newbies and stealing their
characters to be cheating. It's perfectly legal, given the general
lack of international law hereabouts. Not nice, mind you, but legal.
Someone Else asked:
>isn't it curious that the Sheriff Pelenth of
>Gentlewind didn't post his regular notice last month?
Yes, it does seem odd, but a careful review of recent _Olympia Times_
back issues reveals that he hasn't posted since turn 70, and
Swishbuckler's discourse was on turn 71. So either the Sherif is
being clever (why bother? Why not just make two postings, if he's
thought about it?), or his recent lack of postings is unrelated to
Swishbuckler's posting. Beats me, I just work here.
And Someone Else asked:
>Does Aura Blast only work against mages?
I wouldn't bet my life on it. Maybe my wife.
Yet Another Anonymous Person Asked:
>How come flying stacks can be attacked by stacks on the ground?
Pogo Sticks
Ans Still Another One asked:
>Dragons weigh the same as a person?!?
Of course, or else they'd break the pogo sticks, silly.
And finally, The Answer Guy Poses his own question:
Is BtA *Really* retiring? Could this be the break all decent folk have
been looking for? Or will he just pass on the reins of power (and
maybe his brains of power?) to some new AOO stooge?
-- The Answer Guy [a1a]
Another Oozing Organism
Help!
Help!
Just curious! Do Swishbuckler's dragons wear pink tutus
like their owner does?
Boy, nothing interesting appears here anymore!
>But now none remain who can resist him -- and precious few
>who even begin to understand the full extent of the powers
>which now are his to command. He can barely remember
>the last one who even gave a good fight. This has grown
>tiresome. Time to pass on.
"Pass on?" What's that mean? Planning a little trip, are we? RUNNING
AWAY???
Chicken! CHICKEN!! Boook-BOKBOKBOKBOK-BOKKAAA-BOKAAAA!!
CHIIIIIIIIIIIIII-CKEEEEEEEEEEEEENNN!!! Hee hee!
*whimper* Help me Mommy, I'm scared! I'm scared they're gonna
knock me down! Everyone's against me! I gotta be the greatest! I
gotta! *whine* *whimper*
[three-headed knight] "Who are you then?"
[minstrel] "He is brave BtA, BtA..."
[BtA] "STOP THAT! Uh...no one really..."
[three-headed knight] "Well what do you want?"
[minstrel] "To Fiiiiiight, and..."
"In the face of fear and dread,
he bravely turned his tail and fled,
B-t-A he turned about,
And gallantly he chickened out,
Bravely taking to his feet,
He beat a very brave retreat..."
"Run aw-ayyyyyy!
Run aw-ayyyyyy!
Run away and say goodbye,
RUn aw-ayyyyyy!
RUN AW-AYYYYYY!
Run away, if you want to survive..."
> has anyone else seen the large ship sprouting dragons,
> in the Atnos channel
No, it must be invisible.
>>Dragons weigh the same as a person?!?<<
?
Why so many comments on light weight dragons? Why would
small, super fighter dragons be more implausible than other
fantasy elements?
BTA CAN"T DROP. WITHOUT UPE (ULTIMATE
PERSONIFCATION OF EVIL) WHAT WOULD BE
THE POINT!!!!!
" 2000 gold to the noble who hands over the location of Swishbucklers base.
the Sherrif of Gentlewind."
The AOO is strong, but our union is stronger. They attack
whoever appears to be their greatest threat, but they can't thwart
the rising tide of resentment against them. With this resentment
comes a rising pool of power; rising to drown the AOO
Everyone Welcome In Gentlewind
C'mon by and see the sights!
o Stop in and see the dungeons where Pelenth has
tortured the nobles of countless clueless newbies!
o Visit scenic Gentlewind, and never mind those press
gangs roving the streets; they only capture
lawbreakers, not innocent tourists like you. No siree.
o Stay at the beautiful Terrace of the Zephyrs.
Remember our motto: "Swishbuckler slept here!
(with Marat and Pelenth)"
-- The Gentlewind Visitors Bureau
(formerly the AOO PR Corpse, er, Corps)
What does "sucking brains" mean? Is there some necromancy spell of that
name?
Let me point out to the gentle reader who offered several "reasons"
that the Sherriff is Swishbuckler that, as the Gaurdians of Light
were so fond of saying, even BtA doesn't know who posts rumors. (Say,
where is the GOL? Shouldn't they and the other AOO-killers be out
after Swish and his merry band? Gosh, somebody better wake them up,
they'll miss out on the fun.) Besides, since Swishbuckler is already
a dead man, what's there for him to fear from BtA? In the end, there's
only one way to find out who's running Swishbuckler. That's the part
I'm looking forward to.
(#)
___(#)___
\!/
!
!
|
:
The rules say research has a 25% success rate, but I've researched
now for 9 weeks without finding anything yet. Whats up?
If the final rumor in the last Times means that BtA is
dropping out, I'll sort of miss him. Of course, I haven't
trained any mages, either.
One wonders how to say Kaaa Ching in other languages ??
As many have undertaken to suggest a fix to the combat
system, it seemed good to me to also offer a suggestion.
Perhaps, if the stronger units, knights, nobles, etc. (all
except peasants) would also have a 'combat count' number.
What I mean is this. A noble could be worth 10 peasants
for the purposes of determining which stack gets the
initiativen in the combat.
In example, one stack has one noble and twenty peasants,
the opposing stack has three nobles. Under the current
system the noble/peasant stack has 21 out of 24 chances
of someone from its stack being the unit chosen to attack.
Under my proposal, the noble/peasant stack would have
a 30/60 chance and the 3 noble stack would have a 30/60
chance of being chosen.
Of course, as it is fleshed out so far, it would still need
to be determined what the 'combat count' of each unit
would be. Perhaps Attack strength + Defense Strength
all divided by 16?
Comments on this proposal are welcome.
Does the Answer Guy know what he's talking about?
