Rick Loomis passed away

[Diamond Cutter]

I think he was the pioneer of PBM gaming as we know it.

[Ry Vor]

I should probably take more time to consider, than here after midnight.

Loomis was the father of PBM.  Sure there was chess PBM and Avalon Hill games PBM, but in terms of genre as we identify PBM, he was father.

And his children spawned, surpassing their father, as all fathers in their souls desire. 

Rick always fought for PBM, though I think he was shocked when Alamaze, an outsider won instead of one of his games.  And after Alamaze, there was Hyborian War, and Duelmasters, and others I forget. 

But long after Nuclear War and Starweb (which Loomis got awarded several times), this Rick Loomis, who I met at Origins at that time of his dismay and puzzlement and even bewilderment (a Flying Buffalo game had never not won the award previously) when Alamaze won that award, a complete outsider, due mainly to other game designers votes including Michael Gray who penned the Dragon Magazine review of Alamaze, he wanted to meet me at our booth at Origins / GenCon.  He was incredulous that I programmed Alamaze in Symphony.  He and his programmer thought I was kidding.  No.  And while the hobby had advanced beyond simple choices like Starweb's four choices for orders before then, Alamaze replaced Earthwood and others, and was the new target by others like Jim Landis' Legends and RSI Hyborian War.  Flying Buffalo never went there, always very simple stuff that he hoped I assume players could turn four colors into a Rubic's Cube.  

As eulogy, I say again, Rick Loomis did as much as any to bring this hobby to light.  I think or hope in some sense, he appreciated subsequent designs surpassing what he was able to proffer.  And thank him, for being the foremost promoter of our hobby.

[Wookie Panz]

I remember playing nuclear war.  Aside from the Avalon Hill games that was about the only other thing I tried early on as far as P.B.M.  Then later there was Ace of Aces.  I still had that until a couple of years ago.  I think Rick hosted WWIV which I used to play but it was not his creation. 
R.I.P.  Rick Loomis

[Strongwill]

Go easy brother..

[uncledarkseid]

i think i played Earthwood.