Hey, Good Game
Have You Ever Played A Game By Email?
Nov 19, 2024
Richard Rognlie, creator of Gamerz.net, dives into the nostalgic world of play-by-email games. With a programming background that spans from self-taught BASIC to web development, he shares insights on over 270 games hosted on his platform. Richard discusses the mechanics of asynchronous gameplay, challenges in game design, and the community dynamics of email gaming. He reflects on personal gaming experiences from his childhood, the future of email-based games, and innovative twists to classic games like Risk. A fascinating discussion that blends tech and play!
31:56
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Quick takeaways
- Richard Rognlie's journey from early programming to creating Gamers.net underscores the evolution of technology in enhancing play-by-email gaming.
- The podcast highlights the balance between user engagement and security challenges in asynchronous gaming, illustrating the platform's diverse community and inclusive games.
Deep dives
The Origins of Gamers.net
Gamers.net originated from Richard Rungley's desire to automate email processing for play-by-email games. He created a platform to manage user information and game moves, starting with a simple game called Trax and expanding to a variety of others over time. By converting to object-oriented programming in C++, the site allowed for more complex games and features to be added easily, leading to the development of up to 270 different games. This transition helped streamline game implementation while also ensuring the platform could handle user commands efficiently through email.
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