What software is needed? Don't you just read letters and then enter moves?

Isnt the USDP still up?

Yeah it is, you can enlist here: http://www.floc.net/dpjudge/

Be sure to play the crystal ball variant, I need more enthusiastic allies to help me put it on webdip ;-)

Well, we could set one up and any of several different PBEM servers, but I thought we might want to do it under webdip so we don't run the risk of getting into different games (the judges do the distribution).

As far as the press, you want to do *real* mail? OK, but remember there is postage involved at $0.45 a letter and that's just for US domestic. PBeM gets the same feel and when done through something like the judges or the WebDip press system I wrote, you can use grey and black press and email to multiple people, etc. etc.

USDP, USAK, others... The judges still run (USAK's where Crazyter and I met).

No, I want serious letters. Honestly, if I'm just getting emails, I'd rather just play a normal game with long phases.

I want to read handwritten letters. I guess we would have to limit it to the US for time and cost, but that's OK.

Well, I'm still in, but we'd want to have it run every two weeks or something to allow for round trip press in the post office. Your being a mod emeritus could auto pause every turn, then unpause it when people's orders were in and *finalized* but run it gunboat and anon (to prevent PM cheating) so we all have to do postal mail.

Abge, how long of phases? I'm happy to play, but will need at minimum two weeks between phases at this point in my life.

Well, anon seems silly. We will know who is who by their mailing addresses.

Really? So when you have my real name and address you think you will be able to equate that to Draugnar? I know I would only be able to do a few people whose actual names I know (like fortknox if he were in it). I don't know most people's real names.

The fact that you have your real name in your profile (email address) doesn't make it too hard to figure out.

If that is his real name... He might be Eugene KasperSky for all we know.

I could easily be [email protected] or [email protected] or [email protected]. I own the domain. The only one I can't be is [email protected] because it goes to my wife. All other's come in to [email protected] which is what I read. So some places, I am Adam, some Baker, some Charlie, some David ... some Paul, some Queen, here Robert, some Sam, some Tom ... some XRay, some Yellow, some Zebra.

Yeah. So, abge will know who is who in game, and we have to know who to send letters to. As much as I trust abge, I would rather play non-anon. It isn't a security matter - we all get the name reveals to attach to addresses and names at the end. It does allow for someone to cheat and PM, but we can all be honorable (I think, as I say this to the guy who got a rule added...). It's non-anon or I'm not in. I don't think abge likes anon anyway.

Not true. It could initially be set up as full press so everyone can share addresses then switched to gunboat to stop in game press.

But we could also run on a gentleman's (and lady's if CF gets involved) agreement not to PM or communicate about the game outside of postal messages.

I will know who everyone is based on their location. If we pick people properly, I see no reason why we can't use the honor system.

I believe 10 days is the longest we can go automatically. Is that long enough, or would it be better if we went with 2 weeks?

I think it could be fun. Would it just be a long phase gunboat on here. All communication otherwise done by post?

Yes, that was my plan.

I'd be down if it was cheap enough. Not in it for the points but for the experience.

Needs to be longer as just one message and immediate reply across country can take 7 to 10 days each way or up to 20 days for the roundtrip.

@Draug

According to the USPS, it should only take 3 days to deliver a first-class letter anywhere in the contingent US. So, you should be able to send a letter to each country twice and get a reply to both.

What should we do about pauses?

First class is pricey isn't it? Anyone need a pause that they know of already?

Also are we limiting this to US only then? I know we have some Europeans that play here as well.

Forever Stamps are First Class. I don't think you can buy cheaper stamps than that, can you?

Yes, I know many people aren't from the US, but I think delivery time and cost will be prohibitive to play with people outside the US.

I'm fine with limiting it to the US. Had no idea forever stamps were first class. You learn something new every day I guess. Who do we have so far? Abge, me and Draug?

Forever stamps are 45 cents. You could do post cards cheaper on the postage but it might cost more for the cards plus you are a lot more limited on how much you could write.

Do we actually have to handwrite or can we type and roleplay a bit?

1) abge
2) Draug
3) CF