reality.com

What reality.com is (and why people mix it up)

Reality.com is the long-running website for Reality Simulations, Inc., a U.S. company that publishes and moderates commercial play-by-mail (PBM) games. The site itself advertises that it has been “producing fine play-by-mail games since 1984,” and it links into rulebooks, setup/order pages, and game sections for titles like Duel II and Hyborian War.

People often confuse it with other “reality”-branded products—especially the mobile livestreaming/avatar app called REALITY that lives on a different domain (reality.app). If you mean that app, you’re in the wrong place. Reality.com is about old-school, turn-based, moderated strategy/RPG campaigns that run for months or longer.

Reality Simulations, Inc.: the company behind the domain

Reality Simulations Incorporated (often shortened to RSI in PBM circles) is based in Tempe, Arizona, and has been operating since 1984. It’s best described as a PBM publisher and moderator: players send in turn orders, the company processes them (historically by mail, later also by email), and then sends back the results.

A few details that matter if you’re trying to understand its footprint:

• RSI has been associated for decades with flagship PBM titles such as Hyborian War, Duel II (formerly Duelmasters), and Forgotten Realms: War of the Avatars.
• Wikipedia’s summary of the company notes a sizeable PBM player base in the early 1990s and highlights that RSI was recognized in PBM community rankings in the 1990s.

Whether you personally care about those history points depends on what you’re looking for. But they explain why reality.com still gets referenced whenever PBM gaming comes up.

How PBM games work, in practical terms

PBM is basically: you play a big strategy or role-playing campaign on a fixed “turn” schedule. Instead of sitting down for a live session, you submit instructions for what you want your faction/realm/team to do this turn. Then a moderator (often using computer adjudication) resolves everyone’s actions together and issues results.

The PBM format exists because it scales to large games that would be hard to run live. The general PBM concept is well documented: orders go in, results come back, and the pace is measured in weeks, not minutes.

RSI’s games fit that pattern, and some are explicitly described as computer-moderated PBM games where you’re managing anything from gladiators to realms on a hex map.

What this means for a new player is simple, but not always obvious:

• You don’t “grind” in real time. You plan.
• Diplomacy matters because many other players act at the same time.
• The fun comes from anticipating human decisions, not from fast mechanics.

What you’ll actually find under reality.com: the core games

Reality.com is basically an entry point into RSI’s portfolio. The three titles below are the ones most commonly associated with the company.

Duel II (DUEL2), formerly Duelmasters

Duel II is a PBM gladiatorial combat management game. You act as a manager who designs and runs a team (commonly described as up to five warriors) and competes against other managers.

The important “feel” of Duel II is that it’s a mix of roster-building, tactics, and meta-game community. Wikipedia’s description emphasizes things like newsletters, standings, and player contributions (fiction, commentary) as part of the culture around turns.

Hyborian War

Hyborian War is a long-running PBM game set in the Hyborian Age associated with Conan lore. It has been available since 1985 and is described as computer-adjudicated with turnaround times that can feel slow by modern digital standards—but it has remained active into the 21st century.

This is the game people often cite when they talk about “classic” PBM empires/diplomacy play: kingdoms, intrigue, alliances, betrayals, and the long arc where early moves can matter much later.

Forgotten Realms: War of the Avatars

RSI also publishes a Forgotten Realms PBM game subtitled War of the Avatars, set in the Savage Frontier. It’s described as a 50-player, computer-moderated PBM campaign where you control realms, forces, and communities across a large map, with diplomacy and combat playing central roles.

A notable historical point: this title won the Origins Award for Best New Play-by-Mail Game of 1994, according to the Wikipedia article on the game.

What it’s like to join: time, complexity, and cost expectations

If you’re coming from modern online games, the biggest adjustment is the pace. PBM campaigns often run for a long time, and some are explicitly described as lasting months to years in terms of real-world time.

Complexity is the second adjustment. These games typically involve:

• reading rules carefully,
• planning orders with incomplete information,
• dealing with other humans whose incentives shift.

Costs vary by game and publisher, and sometimes by the amount of action you take. For example, Wikipedia’s article on RSI’s Forgotten Realms PBM includes an example pricing structure per turn and per move, with a maximum per turn, plus notes on when major powers (avatars) can enter play.
Treat that as a historical/illustrative reference unless you confirm current pricing directly with RSI, because fees can change.

Community resources that make reality.com easier to use

A practical truth: official PBM sites often prioritize rules and order logistics, not modern onboarding. So most new players benefit from community hubs.

One long-running community resource is Terrablood’s PBM Archives, a fan site explicitly focused on RSI games (Duel II, Forgotten Realms, Hyborian War). It explains the PBM loop in plain language and collects reference material useful to players.

Another useful reference point is PBM.com, which maintains descriptions of many PBM games, including War of the Avatars, and summarizes basic mechanics and milestones (like when avatars can be summoned).

If your goal is to actually play (not just read nostalgia), these third-party guides are often the fastest way to get oriented before you touch a rule PDF.

A practical way to approach reality.com if you’re new

1. Pick one game and commit to learning its order format. Trying to absorb all three at once usually fails.
2. Read the high-level overview first (victory conditions, turn cadence, what you control), then circle back to edge-case rules.
3. Use community references (like Terrablood or PBM.com) to sanity-check your understanding before you submit your first serious turn.
4. Plan for consistency, not intensity. PBM rewards players who show up every turn and keep decent notes.

That’s the mindset shift. Reality.com is less a “game portal” and more a door into long-form moderated campaigns.

Key takeaways

• Reality.com is the home site for Reality Simulations, Inc., a PBM publisher/moderator active since 1984.
• The flagship titles most associated with RSI are Duel II, Hyborian War, and Forgotten Realms: War of the Avatars.
• PBM gameplay is turn-based, moderator-processed, and slower by design, often running for long periods.
• Community sites like Terrablood and directories like PBM.com can make onboarding much easier than relying on official pages alone.

FAQ

Is reality.com the same thing as the REALITY anime-avatar livestreaming app?

No. The REALITY avatar streaming app is associated with reality.app, not reality.com. Reality.com is associated with Reality Simulations, Inc. and PBM games.

Do RSI games still use postal mail, or is it email now?

PBM as a category supports both mail and email, and RSI games are commonly described as “play-by-mail or email” formats in modern summaries.

Which game is easiest for a complete beginner?

If you want something more contained and team-focused, Duel II is often easier to grasp than a realm-scale conquest game because your decisions are centered on a roster and matchups. That said, “easiest” depends on whether you prefer tactics (Duel II) or diplomacy/map play (Hyborian War / War of the Avatars).

How long do these games take to play?

Some PBM titles, including Hyborian War, are explicitly described as running over months to years in real time. Expect a long commitment if you want the full experience.

Where should I go after reading reality.com if I’m serious about playing?

Use a community reference first (Terrablood for RSI games is a common one), then go to the official rules/setup pages so you’re not guessing on order formats.