h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Very good, very impressive. When I go to London, I will definately read your article again (and print it!!!).

Keep up the good work!

TheD

I like this article very much as well. It is not only very informative it is also written in a quite humourous style.
And if you go to London (which I realy recommend to do!) you will find many of the subtle observations of this article confirmed.

Greetings,

R146533

So THAT's how you play Mornington Crescent! Oh, if you're on the Tube and the train stops at Westminster, and it's at night, get out! Go outside, and Big Ben's towering above you, all lit up. I'm from Scotland, and you don't ususally see things like that here...
OK, you can get back on the train now...

There are two ways you can play proper MC. One is the 'beginner' method. You simply take stations at whim and hope the other players will help you along. The second is to play properly. For this you need a full understanding of the rules, for which you need a lot of time, and a knowledge of where to purchase MC literature. Tell me, have you been listening to ISIHAC?
And I can't get on my train because I'm lost in Euston.

Well done Baldrick! I really enjoyed reading your guide entry and was just about to remind you to mention the "nutters" when, lo and behold, you did! I haven't used the London Underground for ages, but used to a lot when I lived just outside London and almost EVERY time I used the tube on my own, especially late at night, I attracted a resident nutter. Have you ever hear Jasper Carrot's sketch on the subject? Well that applies to me if you have and I think his "nutter lover" sign must be hanging around my neck or something!

Poor you. What was your local station?

Ickenham, a couple of stops before Uxbridge...

Anything to say on the station?

I haven't been there for over thirteen years, so it's probably changed a lot. However, I can tell you that it's five minutes walk from two local pubs (when your sober) and fifteen minutes (when your on the way back and drunk because it's all up hill)!!!

Yup, I listen to it occasionally. It seemed a bit strange, with the players shouting out the names of places in London.
And if it seems a bit wierd to be listening to Radio 4, all I can say is that they were the first people to send out the "Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy" to Britain!

If there's anyone out there who actually knows how to play, or if you're just interested in actually seeing actual games of Mornington Crescent on the web, then there are a few playing servers online.

http://www.pantsmc.cream.org

Mornington Crescent Hosted By Mr Wild Pants - a fun server with plenty of excellent archive games. It was created in 1997 shortly after the server at Delphi (which Yoz on the h2g2 team ran for a year or so) died. In the continuation of the tradition established by Delphi, Pants is friendly, accomodating for those who don't know how to play, and Ruttsborough(a style of play named after its inventor whereby the object is not so much to win, but to create the most destruction in the shortest possible time and generally play dirty) is not played better anywhere.

From here, you can find the URL to Orange MC in the Pants chatter room. Orange is a new server which is a sort of mix between Delphi and the now dead York server. From there, you can also link to:

Mornington Crescent Not At York Anymore - after York died, this York clone was set up. Not bad, but I still think Pants is better for newcomers.

Mornington Crescent in Outer Space - another York clone run by Dan Parslow. My least favourite.

If you're interested in learning how to play MC, then follow this guide. If not, go away now.

1. Go to PantsMC.

2. Browse the site for a while.

3. When you're ready, make up a name and begin playing a non-MC game. There are plenty, all stolen from ISHIAC.

4. After a while, try a Cress game. Work and ask the rules as you play.

5. Then, when you're finally ready, join the Pants Long Game. This is an ideal starting point, as nobody is actually trying to win. From here, you can do one of two things: Find the largest bookshop available and waste several hours browsing for some literature.
Or, just tell the existing players that you don't know how to play and would like to learn. They'll gradually help you along. However, you will need to purchase at least two books eventually - the MC Players' Handbook and a copy of the most recent ruleset - the current one is Holland Park 2000, although the house rules at Not York are still the older Chalk Farm 84 ruleset.

Thanks for reading my useless babble.

Balders.

Sheesh kabob!