Lords of Destiny (game)

Lords of Destiny
PublishersMaelstrom Games
Years activeEarly 1990s to post 1997
GenresSpace fantasy, play-by-mail
LanguagesEnglish
SystemsComputer-moderated
Players12
Playing timeFixed
Materials requiredInstructions, order sheets, turn results, paper, pencil
Media typePlay-by-mail or email

Lords of Destiny was a play-by-mail game created by Maelstrom Games in the early 1990s.[1] It was a "low to moderately complex" game of space conquest for twelve players involving characters, fleets and space battle.[2] The game also injected humor into its turn results, and involved "moderate diplomacy" and "minimal time demands" for players.[3] Normal games lasted between 25 and 29 turns, randomly determined by a computer.[4]

Development

As of 1993, Lords of Destiny came in a basic version for beginners and a complete version for more advanced players.[5] Jonathan Walton noted in a 1993 review in Paper Mayhem, a magazine for play-by-mail games, that Lords of Destiny was Maelstrom Games' first game, and that, although customer service had been good and the owner was a long-time play-by-mail gamer, the turn sheets were cluttered and required some improvements which had recently been made.[6]

Gameplay

Lords of Destiny's central focus was on combat and alliances, although it was not focused on building an empire through gaining land or economic growth.[7] Characters were a key aspect of the game, although players did not start with any characters.[8] Characters included: admirals, diplomats, economists, heroes, generals, governors, psionics, scientists, and spies.[8] "Legendary Characters", or "Lords of Destiny", were named after the game and had special abilities. They were achieved after a character became level 10 in a field, although there was only one Lord of Destiny possible per field per game.[6] The game's Victory Conditions were primarily combat-related along with some being resource-related.[1]

Reception

Lords of Destiny won the Origins Award for Best New Play-by-Mail Game of 1992.[9] The game placed sixth in the Best Play By Mail Games of 1994 list in Paper Mayhem, a magazine for play by mail gamers.[10] In 1993, reviewer Jonathan Walton opined that, although Lords of Destiny wasn't the most modern or innovative game, "Is it a good, solid, Play-By-Mail game that gives you an excellent value for your money? In my opinion, resoundingly YES."[8]

Reviews

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Chenevert 1993. p. 8.
  2. ^ Chenevert 1993. pp. 8, 9, 15.
  3. ^ Chenevert 1993. pp. 8–15.
  4. ^ Chenevert 1993. p. 15.
  5. ^ Walton 1993. p. 42.
  6. ^ a b Walton 1993. pp. 41–42.
  7. ^ Olson 1994. p. 8.
  8. ^ a b c Walton 1993. p. 41.
  9. ^ Origins 1992.
  10. ^ Paper Mayhem 1995. p. 2.

Bibliography

  • Chenevert, Phil (May–June 1993). "Lords of Destiny: A Peek Behind the Scenes". Paper Mayhem. No. 60. p. 8–15.
  • Christy, Cole (May–June 1997). "Character Development in Lords of Destiny". Paper Mayhem. No. 84. p. 6.
  • Olson, Carl J. (July–August 1994). "Lords of Destiny – Another Point of View". Paper Mayhem. No. 67. p. 8.
  • "Origins Award Winners (1992)". Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design. Archived from the original on 2008-04-15. Retrieved 2008-03-24.
  • Paper Mayhem (January–February 1995). "Where We're Heading". Paper Mayhem. No. 70. p. 2.
  • Walton, Jonathan (January–February 1993). "Lords of Destiny: An Initial Look". Paper Mayhem. No. 58. p. 42.