Quest of the Great Jewels

Quest of the Great Jewels is a computer-moderated play-by-mail game. It is a "closed ended wargame" with turn times of about three weeks for regular games and slightly longer for team games. Reviewer Dale A Perkins noted that it was most simply described as a "fantasy wargame centered on hand-to-hand combat". When the game began, the victory condition was to be the first player to gain a specific but unrevealed number of victory points. However, after player complaints that the games were too short, Zorph Enterprises changed the victory condition, making the winner the player with the most victory points when the game ended at a specific but unrevealed point somewhere between Turn 20 and Turn 30. Quest of the Great Jewels was computer moderated, with a turn every 10 days. The initial cost was $10 for the rulebook and the first two turns, $2.50 for turns 3–10, and $3 for subsequent turns. ==Reception==

In the April 1985 edition of Dragon (Issue 96), Mike Gray was enthusiastic about the game, saying that it was "one of my favorite play-by-mail games... I enjoy building up my empire, sending great armies into battle, and capturing special magic items." Gray did question the game balance, noting that as a Slenth "it seems to be very hard to get enough victory points to win... A Slenth must kill and destroy things... this is not as easy a task as it is for an Azoni to build citradels in the safety of his kingdom, or for a Rilris to hoard his money turn after turn." Gray also didn't like the length of time it took to find a key to a Forbidden City and then discover which Forbidden City the key opened. "By the time you find out and fight your way through enemy territory to get there, the game will be close to being over." He ended with a recommendation and a caution: "I like Quest of the Great Jewels very much and recommend it highly. However, it is very much a game of diplomacy. If you don’t spend time and money communicating with other players, you’ll soon have many uninvited guests in your kingdom." In the Sept-Oct 1985 edition of The Space Gamer (No. 76), David Ladyman gave the game a thumbs up, saying, "On balance, let me give an enthusiastic endorsement to Quest of the Great Jewels and to Zorph Enterprises. Their game entertains without annoying, and there aren't many games, especially by mail, of which that can be said." In 1986, Paper Mayhem reviewer Dale A. Perkins stated that "If you are into Dungeons and Dragons' style combat, this is the game for you", recommending trying the game, regardless of gaming background. ==See also==