Crisis (game)

Play-by-mail role-playing wargame

CrisisOther names| CRISIS

|

Designers| Rick Barr
Publishers| Rick Barr (US), Mystery and Adventure Games (UK), Timepatterns (UK
Years active| ~1981 to 2000 or beyond
Genres| Role-playing, wargame, grand strategy
Languages| English
Playing time| fixed, about 8–12 turns
Chance| medium-high
Materials required| Instructions, order sheets, turn results, paper, pencil
Media type| Play-by-mail or email

Crisis (or CRISIS) is a closed-end, computer-moderated, play-by-mail wargame. It was developed and published in the United States by 1981 by Rick Barr. Additional companies later licensed the game in the United Kingdom, including Mystery and Adventure Games and Timepatterns, the latter having sole UK publication rights by 2000. Multiple reviewers found the game similar to the boardgame Risk, while others compared it to the PBM game Nuclear Destruction. About nine players were in each game which last around 8–12 turns. The game setting was 21st century earth with 42 countries, some notional or supranational. Combat, including nuclear missile exchanges, diplomacy, and intrigue were elements of gameplay. It received mixed reviews in various gaming magazines in the 1980s.

## History and development

[edit]

Rick Barr created Crisis.[1] Reviewer Michael Gray thought it similar to Risk and Nuclear Destruction.[1] Bob McLain also compared the game to Risk.[2] Games generally lasted 12–20 turns.[1] In 1988, Ian Lacey announced that a new version of the game was pending launch with increased complexity and features.[3] Added features would include: "paratroopers, professional spies, sabotage, NPC countries that play as players ... continent domination, radiation levels and new turncards".[3] By February–March 1988, Rick Barr had ceased publishing.[4] As of December 1988, Mystery and Adventure Games was publishing Crisis in the UK.[5] By 1995, the game had become popular in the United Kingdom and Timepatterns and other UK companies were publishing the game.[6] In 1995, Bob McLain purchased the game rights from Rick Barr and resold it to Timepatterns which was the sole UK publisher by 2000.[6]

## Gameplay

[edit]

The game was set on a global map comprising 42 countries in the 21st century.[7][a] It was computer-moderated.[5] Each game had about nine players.[7] Players and non-player countries began with an initial population and array of factories and armies.[1] Game speed was high at the outset and remained high.[8]

Actions included factory building, construction of weapons (including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs)), and spying.[1] Diplomacy among players was also an important factor.[1] Losing all population or becoming conquered ended a player's game. The last remaining player won.[1]

## Reception

[edit]

Bob McLain reviewed the game in a 1983 issue of PBM Universal. He praised it for its "straightforward, easily learnable concept, and unpretentiousness", recommending readers to "Try it."[2] In a summer 1985 issue of Flagship, McLain gave it a "good" review, praising it for simplicity and excitement while noting unpredictability as a drawback.[9] Mark England reviewed the game in a 1988 issue of Crash. He felt the game's simplicity could be a drawback, which might actually appeal to the PBM novice.[8] He thought that experienced PBM gamers may be less interested.[8]

## See also

[edit]

* List of play-by-mail games

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Countries also included those such as the fictional "Astrakan", and the European Economic Community.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g Barr 1984. p. 22.
2. ^ a b McLain 1983. p. 29.
3. ^ a b Lacey 1988.
4. ^ Lunsford 1988. p. 16.
5. ^ a b Lacey 1988.
6. ^ a b McLain 2000. p. 19.
7. ^ a b McLain 1985. p. 4.
8. ^ a b c Kavanaugh and England 1988.
9. ^ McLain 1985. p. 7.

## Bibliography

[edit]

* Gray, Michael (May 1984). "PBM: Problems By Mail". Dragon. No. 85\. p. 22.
* Kavanaugh, Brendon; England, Mark (June 1988). "PBM Mailbox: Crisis? What Crisis?". Crash. No. 53.
* Lacey, Ian (November 1988). "PBM Mailbox: New Laboratory". Crash. No. 58.
* Lacey, Ian (December 1988). "PBM Mailbox: Cheap Games!". Crash. No. 59.
* Lunsford, M.T. (February–March 1988). "Taking Inventory: Crisis". The D2 Report. No. 16\. pp. 15–17.
* McLain, Bob (November–December 1983). "CRISIS". PBM Universal. No. 1\. p. 29.
* McLain, Bob (Summer 1985). "A British Christmas: CRISIS, Eggnog, and Dead Algerians". Flagship. No. 7\. pp. 4–7.
* McLain, Bob (May–June 2000). "CRISIS!: Tequila and Dead South Americans". Flagship. No. 85\. pp. 19–20.

## Further reading

[edit]

* v
* t
* e

Play-by-mail games

Arena combat|

* Adventurers Guild
* Arena Combat
* Blood Pit
* CTF 2187
* Death by Starlight
* Duel II
* Gladiators of Death

Crime|

* Crime Lords
* Family Wars
* It's a Crime

Wargames|

* Balance of Power
* Battle Plan
* Centurion
* Company Commander
* Crisis
* Dawn of the Ancients
* Diplomacy
* Empires for Rent
* The Final Campaign
* Global Supremacy
* Horizon's End!
* Moscow '41
* Nuclear Destruction
* Realpolitik
* Sirius Command
* State of War
* Strategic Conflict
* Victory! The Battle for Europe
* Warlord
* World Campaigns
* World Conquest

| Fantasy|

* Alamaze
* Atlantrix
* Battle Cry
* Death & Sorrow
* Domination
* DungeonWorld
* Earthwood
* Epic
* EverMoor
* Fall of Rome
* First World
* Forgotten Realms
* Hyborian War
* Kings & Things
* Kings of Karadon
* Krahlizek
* The Land of Karrus
* Legends
* Lizards
* Loot the Castle
* Lords of the Earth
* Middle Earth PBM
* Odyssey
* Quest of the Great Jewels
* Realms of Fantasy
* Swords of the Gods
* Talwaithe
* Trolls Bottom
* War of the Dark God
* Venom

|

Historical|

* Adventurer Kings
* Aegyptus
* Austerlitz
* Conquest
* Conquest of Insula II
* Feudal Lords
* The Glory of Kings
* LandLords
* Midgard
* Moneylender
* Renaissance
* Strategic Imperial Conquest
* Terra II
* Thunder at Sea

Political/Intrigue|

* Illuminati
* Power
* SpyKor

Railroad|

* Continental Rails

Roleplaying|

* Catacombs of Chaos
* Crack of Doom
* Crasimoff's World
* Crystal Island
* Dark Blades
* Darkworld
* Delenda est Carthago
* Dukes of Hell
* En Garde!
* Firebreather
* Heroic Fantasy
* Kings
* Lands of Elvaria
* Logan's Run
* Lords of Valetia
* Midhir
* Monster Island
* Quest
* Realms of Sword and Thunder
* S.A.B.R.E.
* Saturnalia
* Silverdawn
* Trajan's Treacherous Trap
* TribeNet
* Wofan

| Western|

* Stand and Deliver
* Westworld

|

Science fiction|

* Absolute Power
* Alien Conflict
* The Assassin's Quest
* Battle of the Gods
* Cosmic Crusaders
* Cyborg
* Fleet Maneuvers
* Galactic Prisoners
* The Keys of Bled
* Out Time Days
* Portinium
* Raumkrieg
* Space Battle
* Space Combat
* Starship Command
* Survival Challenge
* Tactical Assault Group
* The Tribes of Crane
* Vorcon Wars
* Warboid World
* Warp Force Empires

| Space Operas|

* Ad Astra
* Belter
* Beyond the Quadra Zone
* Beyond the Stellar Empire
* Capitol
* Cluster Lords
* Continuum
* Eclipse
* Empyrean Challenge
* Galac-Tac
* Galactic Conflict
* Galactic Empires
* Galactic Power
* Galaxy: Alpha
* Infinite Conflict
* Lords of Destiny
* Mobius I
* New Order
* Pellic Quest
* Rimworlds
* Smuggler's Run
* Space 101
* Star Cluster One
* Spiral Arm
* Star Empires
* Star Fleet Warlord
* Starglobe
* Star Trek: The Correspondence Game
* Starlord
* Starmaster
* Star Saga
* Stars of the Dark Well
* Star Venture
* Starweb
* Supernova II
* Takamo
* The Next Empire
* The Orion Nebula
* Universe II
* The Weapon
* Zorphwar

|

Sports|

* Gameplan

Magazines|

* Flagship
* Gaming Universal
* Paper Mayhem
* The Nuts & Bolts of PBM

Companies|

* Adventures by Mail
* Agents of Gaming
* Flying Buffalo, Inc.
* Harlequin Games
* KJC Games
* Reality Simulations, Inc.
* Schubel & Son

Other|

* List of play-by-mail games

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template