Alamaze

Did You Know?

• Alamaze tied for first place with Hyborian War for Best PBM Game of 1987 in Paper Mayhem magazine.
• In 1989, Alamaze tied for second place for Best PBM Game of 1989 with Kings & Things in Paper Mayhem.

Publication history

Alamaze was designed by Rick McDowell, originating as an idea in 1983. An initial playtest involved six local gaming enthusiasts and used two megabytes of RAM. The first official playtest began in 1985 with 15 PBM professionals and experienced gamers, leading to adjustments and a final publication version. In the May–June 1986 issue of Paper Mayhem, Pegasus Productions announced that their first games were filled and proceeding at full speed. The Second Cycle of Magic was reviewed in the November–December 1991 issue of Paper Mayhem, offering experienced players and updates to the world's history and kingdoms. From 2013 to 2015, the game was redesigned as The 3rd Cycle: The Choosing, doubling the number of kingdoms to 24 and introducing a mini-dueling game. By 2017, Alamaze was described as both a fantasy adventure war-game and a turn-based multi-player campaign game, with games reduced to 12 players. In February 2019, Alamaze.co released the 4th Cycle: Maelstrom, set on a new world with 13 regions.

Reception

Bill Flad reviewed Alamaze in the July–August 1986 issue of Paper Mayhem, listing ten reasons he preferred it over standard fare, including computer moderation and challenging gameplay. In the March 1988 Dragon (Issue 131), Michael Gray called the game a treat, praising computer moderation and the priority system for orders, but found high-level spells underpowered and disliked that enemy groups could hit and run before being caught. Gray also considered the $6 per turn expensive for a game lasting up to 40 turns and noted the need for time and long-distance coordination. He still highly recommended the game. Jim Townsend in White Wolf Magazine in 1988 stated that Alamaze was possibly the finest PBM game in existence and the most innovative design since the first PBM game, though experienced players had a massive advantage over novices. In 1991, David Pitzer noted that he had never spoken to a PBM player who thought Alamaze was less than spectacular, but many became dismayed with Pegasus Productions' service issues, which were largely resolved after the company moved from Fort Lauderdale, FL to Waynesville, NC. Stewart Wieck in White Wolf No. 21 (1990) called Alamaze the best fantasy PBM game he had played, rating it 4 out of 5, citing minor program problems and slightly erratic turn-around time.