Play By Email API?

[BlueWaldo]

I have an idea for a small PBEM game that I want to make.

I know, right. This might be crazy, and I do know that it is 2006. Anyway, if you have discussion on the viability of a PBEM game or what would make a good PBEM game, that's great, but let have that discussion in a different thread.

I would like to know if anyone has used or could recommend a good API or engine for making a play by email game. Basically, I want to be able to knock out this game real quick. I don't want to have to worry about how to fetch and send email. I don't want to worry about parsing files for subject lines and from address.

For those of you who have made a PBEM game (maybe a long time ago), what tools did you use? How do you get started?

[whisperstorm]

Actually passive gaming is growing in popularity.

http://www.pbemengine.nl/about.php
http://sourceforge.net/projects/ol-pbem/


Just searched google for "pbem server"

[Sharpfish]

Well the recently released/Reviewed "Naked War" uses play-by-email. I think it's a very interesting and appropriate way to play when people are at their computers for so many hours these days (in work and home) but can't always sit there actively playing a game without giving attention to the environment around them (or a boss who is on the prowl ;) )

It's developer is on these forums so should be a good source of info if you can get his attention and maybe tell you if they rolled their own email stuff or used 3rd party libs.

good luck.

[Polycount Productions]

I know, right. This might be crazy, and I do know that it is 2006.
That's no crazy at all - sounds good to me. Good luck - and let us know what tools you picked.

[JPickford]

We 'rolled our own' solution for Naked War. The game client doesn't actually send or receive emails. The data is uploaded to our server which generates the outgoing email. Incoming emails arrive in your normal email client with a turn attachment which boots the game client when opened.

'Passive gaming'? What's passive about it?