(Or Go To Player Survey Results)
Now that I am playing my own character for a while (three months, I think), I am in an even better place to judge what you are doing, and I am still more than fascinated. I do not know whether it is just with me or with anyone else as well, but I have the feeling that you understand the character I am playing like it was your own (most of the times, at least). You let her react in small, detailed ways - the quirk of an eyebrow here, a friendly smile there - and speak in much the same manner I imagine her to, without ordering her. You appear to be reading minds!
I also like the style you write very much, and I also like the style you gamemaster in, not buggering the players with rules and numbers but allowing them to concentrate on pure roleplaying - this is how it is supposed to be!
All of this adds up to a statement I have to make - which is tearing my soul apart and leaving my heart a torn and shredded piece of flesh, because I never wanted to participate in such. But I have to admit, that you have me currently absolutely hooked, and I would remain a player with you even if that meant to pay for my turns. (Gods of Mercy and Money, did I really say that?) Yes, its true. Go on, turn commercial, I am still with you. You earned it. -- Bjoern Loesing (Germany)
You're doing an outstanding job on this PBeM!! - Dan Diggins (Canada)
I just wanted to tell you (if no one else had) you have the most amazing maps and background data of any of the fantasy world internet sites that I have found. From one DM to the other, your work is pretty amazing and I love the graphics. - Matthew Jackson (USA)
It is by far the best PBeM that I have ever played. - Mark Pannell (USA)
I loved how, which by the way is what you usually do (and very well), you transformed a bunch of statistics and dice rolls into a nice, delicately and tastefully described love-making scene. Great! - Carlos Gonzalez (Colombia)
The depth of involvement is great - the fantasy aspect takes on a real form. - Andrew Taylor (Australia)
Yeah, two years are gone. Can it be? It looks like just a few weeks ago [my PC] came into the existence, out of nowhere, just a product of my and your imagination... And now in real-world terms he is already two years old. Time is running faster than I'd like.
These were my best years in RPG'ing. I have really enjoyed your DM'ing and controlling of [my character]. And I hope it will continue like this forever... I just want to thank you for nice storytelling, plotting and creativeness. To tell truth, I'd like to become one day as good DM as you! - Oleg Martos, Finland
I just wanted to say that I think you are doing a wonderful job of running this particular campaign. Case in point: the newsletter. I find it rather entertaining and look forward to reading it whenever I can. - Ron Bailey (Britain)
As I just joined on as a lurker this is my first time writing you; from what I have seen so far this is one of the best if not the best run email game on the net that I have found! My thanks for letting me become a part of the game if only in a watcher position... - Robert Mosier (US?)
Thus far, I do believe this is THE most interesting game I have played since, gee can't remember now. Heck, it's even more interesting then most table top games I've played. I would have to say that this game has a sense of power in a way. It actually makes me feel like I'm there. You are one hell of a DM!! - Vernon Mertens (Canada?)
I agree this is the best PBEM I've played - Anthony O'Donoghue (UK)
Without your input, adventures, plot, work!!!! none of the characters would develop at all. It's a credit to your game and system that we can all create such in depth characters. So "The Best Ref Award for the Millennium goes to!!!!!!............(Drum Beat).... Bruce Bisset"!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks Bruce. PS - With all this sucking up can i have some extra XP please! - James Jones (England)
ONCE again I must thank you for a splendid game, your way with words and that you choose to take me into the game. Seeing how much time you must put into writing each turn, it was with no good conscience I had to skip the previous round. - Tom Haugen (Norway)
WOW...talk about fast reply. What is the time in your part of the world? Are you on the net 24 hours a day? - Tom Haugen (Norway)
The best thing about it is your personal touch in aiding beginners who don't know their left hand from their right. Its an interesting world to explore; you've obviously invested a great deal of time in devising a detailed cosmos. Nice narrative description... Well written (have you ever published beyond electronic realms)? - Rob Stroud (Guam/USA)
It is really well designed. I just like to be one of people of Vagra. The roleplaying is the most important factor since it is easy to communicate with each character personally. This is hard to have with usual "face-to-face" RPGs. You don't have to take player and go with him to another room, meet him privately. And since PBEM is much slower then usual RPG, so battles is not the main part of PBEM. Again: Roleplaying is the most important. I understand that DM is also human, and it is hard for him to keep all us in his hands, but it will be nice if there would be more players (female players! since they will put something exotic in the game). - Oleg Martos (Finland)
I think going commercial with this is a good idea - I am sure there will be a lot of competition to deal with but based on your imagination and eye for details I think a Vagra RPG on CD should do well. In any event good luck with it. - Kevin Rowe (Thailand)
Being so excited at the chance to play in your game, I forgot to thank you. So THANK YOU!!! - Carl Heldebrandt (Holland)
In the last time, there were many big changes for me and my family. One of them was the decision to go to live in America for some time. Actually we do not know for how long, it may be just for half a year, or if we like it, and the jobs are good, for a pretty long time, or even forever. So, actually, I will not be able to continue playing your game. This circumstance makes me quite unhappy, as your game is the best PBM I ever played. I hope that I one day will be able, to restart playing this game, but for now, there is no chance for me, especially as I think, at least for the first time in america, there will be no email for me... Thanks a lot for the fun your game gave to me, and hope once to be able, to play here again... - Florian Baumler (Germany)
Vagra has an international flavour not found in a lot of PBeM games because of the language barrier, however it seems to work in this game. I liked the interaction between players in the beginning of the game although it has waned a little since then. The introduction of the 'Vagran Times' was a very good idea and the contests offered within it just add to the games playability. I myself have not contributed as of yet but I will do my best to contribute something for the next issue. The turn results are very readable and well ordered unlike some games I have participated in. - Tim Bushey (Canada)
I look forward to reading the Vagran Times (the Players' newsletter). I think of it like a news paper. I like it because it tells what's happening all over Vagra not just with my group. But I like not knowing anything about the other players, that way when I meet them in Vagra I can act as I think Bishop would not based on what I know about them. - Donnie Williams (USA)
I like so many things about it, its hard to list em all, and whats really amazing about that is that I haven't even been playing that much and I still think that it blows all other PBEM's that were rpg's away that I have played anyway. This PBEM has the fastest response time of any I have ever played, and the details, the plot, descriptions, everything is so good I don't know how you do it?
The most important thing for me in a PBEM RPG is the roleplaying part, not rules or mechancis but the freedom to take a role and go with ... its usually hard for a dm to see where I am going with something, especially since dm's have their own agendas and ideas, but (in Vagra) I am always left with a feeling of amusemnt and satisfaction when I see my character doing something I didn't say to do but that I would have wanted him to do, your insight is amazing!
I don't even know if I have met a real person yet but a few of them seem like they are real people, so if they are not you are doing a phenomenal job with your NPC's, and the ones that I can tell are NPC's are still excellent, the attention to detail makes all the difference, all those little things add up to something really big :) - Jason Timms (Canada)
The descriptive terms and the almost life-like way that Vagra relates to earth, besides it's animals, are the best thing about it; detail is the most important factor, which this Game certainly provides - Vernon Mertens (USA)
ON! PBEM announcements - Joe Chastain (USA)
Thanks for making this pbem, this is a lot of fun so far, and doesn't interfere with my schoolwork. It has great descriptions, npcs act like normal people, and so forth. You have been a great DM so far, and the world, or what my character has seen of it, has been very interesting so far. - Chris Street (USA)
This has been the best ad&d adventure I've been on. - Chris Street (after a year)
It's the fastest paced rpg/adventure type game I've played in so far, and it's the pacing that ensures player's interest. I get to see the results of my character's actions quickly and moves are made while the events are still fresh in my mind. I also like the fact that you keep very detailed info on each character, and update your list regularly and consistently. The results table is also a big plus, letting us see how our character is doing against the other players. Overall, I think the game is quite near the perfect combination of organization and creativity. The few games I have been in usually doesn't have both -- DM's who are creative writers usually don't place as much emphasis on player character details, which takes away much of the exitement and danger. On the other hand, DM's who manage games that have rules for everything usually have games that gets bogged down in numbers, and this can also loose player's interest when 4 minutes of game time combat takes 4 weeks to resolve. - Kelvin Tan (Philippines)
I don't think you should change the game, as it needs your imagination and input - if you made it wargaming, you'd be joining the totally computer based fraternity, and there are quite a few of them already. Vagra's strength (to me) is its originality. -- James Madill (England)
A Player Survey (done mid-'98) rated The World of Vagra for a variety of factors. Players were asked to rate these categories on a 1-10 scale. Overall results are tabulated below:
| Background/Reference Material: | 8.3 |
| Plot/Sub-Plot: | 7.3 |
| Turn Detail: | 8.4 |
| Consistency/Paradox: | 7.4 |
| Turn Response Time: | 6.9 |
| Momentum/Pace (of Game play): | 6.1 |
| Action Options: | 7.9 |
| Player/PC Privacy: | 7.8 |
| Turn Format: | 7.9 |
| Interactivity: | 7.1 |
| Action Description: | 8.8 |
| "Event" Frequency: | 6.6 |
| Conflict Resolution: | 7.2 |
| GM Moderation: | 8.7 |
| Graphics: | 6.2 |
| Website: | 7.9 |
| Excitement: | 7.4 |
| Interest: | 8.0 |
| Depth: | 8.3 |
| "Feel" (ie how real is it): | 8.5 |
| Enjoyment: | 8.0 |
| Overall: | 8.2 |