HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: earl@cco.caltech.edu (Earl A. Hubbell)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Explosive rounds
Date: 18 Nov 1992 08:03:24 GMT
Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
NNTP-Posting-Host: alumni.caltech.edu

acgetche@relleno.engr.ucdavis.edu (Adam) writes:

>In article <1dt84vINNcbh@gap.caltech.edu> earl@cco.caltech.edu (Earl A. Hubbell) writes:
>>	Right - so for equal energy for the same volume, we increase the
>>the topic was 'future weapons', it seems easier to optimize the .5*m*v^2

>I believe I was considering masses rather than volume, although you are
>right that densities play a factor.  I was comparing the KE of 1 gram
>(a unit of mass) at 1000 m/s.  Note that if you increase the velocity
>to 1732 m/sec you will nearly double the recoil of the weapon (momentum
>is m*v) ... if you triple the bullet mass you will triple the recoil.

	Recoil ~= m*v, K.E = 1/2*m*v^2 -> recoil not necessarily increased
for increased kinetic energy carried by round - i.e. if recoil is
required to be a fixed quantity, energy of round is then directly proportinal
to velocity.  (3000 m/s round, .3 gram, say - and improves your logistics
for carrying large numbers of rounds.)
	I think we simply have different ideas about what quantities get
optimized for non-gunpowder weaponry.  Shall we agree to differ on
specific optimizations, since we both seem to agree on the physics
(and extrapolating engineering is difficult, at best)?

>>	Explosives only really make sense for low-velocity projectiles,

>Futuristic weapons will be optimized for whatever 'zone of control' that
>future infantry can handle.  However, Urban units will not likely have
>a need for more than 100-200 meter effective range, so low-velocity

	I don't follow the reasoning that short range implies low velocity
weapons - can you provide a more detailed answer?  Certainly the converse
is true...

>>'You can tell I'm educated/I studied at the Sorbonne *earl@tybalt.caltech.edu
>>Doctorate in Mathematics/I could have been a Don     *Earl Hubbell

>|Adam Getchell |Surgery-Radiation Oncology    GETCHELL@radonc.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu|
>| acgetchell   |ez000270@chip.ucdavis.edu        acgetche@taco.engr.ucdavis.edu|
-- 
'You can tell I'm educated/I studied at the Sorbonne *earl@tybalt.caltech.edu
Doctorate in Mathematics/I could have been a Don     *Earl Hubbell
I can program computers/Choose the perfect Time      *Opinions solely mine.
If you've got the inclination/I've got the Crime" -Opportunities, Pet Shop Boys
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: nv91-asa@hemul.nada.kth.se (Anders Sandberg)
Subject: 2300 starmap
Originator: nv91-asa@hemul.nada.kth.se
Organization: Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
Distribution: rec.games.frp.misc
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 10:30:33 GMT

 Earlier someone doubted that anyone would type in all those numbers for the
stars in Near Star Map. I did it a while ago (tells a lot about my infomaniac
tendencies :-) ). If anyone is interested in the data, mail me:

nv91-asa@hemul.nada.kth.se

The stars is in a ASCII file about 30K all 714 of them. They have coordinates,
name (I have tried to use the correct astronomical names everywhere I could),
spectral type and absolute magnitude. 

Anders Sandberg
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: dzik@access.digex.com (Joseph Dzikiewicz)
Subject: Re: Converting a book into a world
Organization: Express Access Online Communications, Greenbelt, MD USA
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1992 20:27:41 GMT

In article <1992Nov18.005454.2837@oz.plymouth.edu> sos@oz.plymouth.edu (Steffan O'Sullivan) writes:
>I always set a three musketeers after the events in the
>book.
>

But after which of the books?  Remember there were many books about the
Three Musketeers, including the original, "After Twenty Years", 
"The Man in the Iron Mask", "Louise de la Valliere", and, I believe,
others still.

I presume you mean after the first book, still under Louis XII, with
Richielieu still running around.  (All the others took place in the 
time of Louis XIV.)



Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: mdouglas@cad067.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Maria Douglas )
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Converting a book into a world
Date: 20 Nov 92 18:37:21 GMT
Organization: Intel Corp.


-- 
I think that the "Thieve's World" RPG is an excellent example
of what you might be trying to acomplish: a complete world with
places, people and deities.  If you look at TW through
"reverse engineering," you will not only need quotes, but
detailed (in your mind, anyway) character analyses.  It sounds
like you will be reading the book more than once, so a detailed
account of geography (as best you can make out) and important
places would be a must.  If I were doing it, I would analyze
the relationships between characters and their attitudes about
government, townships, etc., so that when your players encounter
them, you will know how they should react. 

I'm sure there are many ways to do this.  I personally feel that
the characters create the universe, so to speak, and I especially
revel in my players encountering characters from the book.  That's
more exciting to me than just having them visit the places and
hear about the deities.  (My $.02)

M-


--
Maria E. Douglas	(408) 765-4728		    
Intel Corporation	mdouglas@cadev6.intel.com  

No quote.  Not today.  I've said enough already.

I don't speak for Intel, either.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: tgt33358@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Thanatos)
Subject: Re: Vampire clans question
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Sun, 22 Nov 1992 09:48:50 GMT

In article <168A4BEB8.ADELEKTA@kentvm.kent.edu> adelekta@kentvm.kent.edu writes:
> I was wondering if anyone had experiences with the non-Camarillan clans (in
>the Player's Guide) that they would care to relate? (either playing or GM-ing)
> 
> I recently started running a Setite (finally! My last GM wouldn't let anyone
>play the Player's Guide clans, since they are all pretty universally loathed.)
>*I* think the possibilities for play are great (though I realize all the clans
>would provoke different reactions in Camarillan kindred) and I've got some
>definite ideas (unfortunately, it's my GM's ideas that count) so I thought
>I'd inquire about other people's experiences.
>Thanks.
> 
One of my players just finished playing an Assamite, and was absolutely 
incredible.  He was deaf, and played it to the hilt, never lapsing out 
of character for a moment.  The (sadly) most hysterical moment happened when 
the villain, a mummy, cursed him out for siding with "The Children of
Goshen."  He fumed for five minutes, explaining his "great" plan to ressurect 
Azreal and to avenge the death of his son (yes, he was Ramses).  After this
long tirade, the player held up a card (his means of communication): I'M DEAF.
The mummy just about died.

One word of warning about this clan:  the characters have an unknown mentor, a 
fifth generation guy who's trying to make their life easier.  The assamite, 
his job complete, was heading back to Cairo.  The mentor, realizing that 
he needed blood to advance (200 of a given generation) gave him a point of 
blood.  It was only then that I remembered the exchange rate...

Assamites are bankers.  If you are 13th generation, you need 200 bp of 12th
to become 12th generation.  If you get some 8th, it does you no good, until
you get there, but you can trade it for someone who needs it, according to
this system: 1 11th gen will get you 2 12th.

Let's extrapolate this to 5th generation:

1 5th = 2 6th = 4 7th = 8 8th = 16 9th = 32 10th = 64 11th = 128 12th = 256 13t
AVOID AVOID AVOID...


-- 
I don't mind being the smartest	    / Thanatos, DeathUrge, Master of Unknown
man in the world...I just wish it   \ Time and Space tgt33358@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu 
wasn't this one...	       	    / It's a Zen thing... 
	-Ozymandias 		    \	 you wouldn't understand...  
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: johnf@apollo.hp.com (John Francis)
Subject: Re: SURVEY RESULTS - Point All. vs Random Gen. (PLEASE READ)
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 20:21:00 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Corporation, Chelmsford, MA

In article <BxtMuF.93y@acsu.buffalo.edu> v116qhth@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (I'm not evil...I'm just good looking) writes:
>
>  Here are the results of the survey I have been taking for the last
>  few weeks...
>
>	In favor of Point Allocation : 15
>	In favor of Random Generation : 0!!!
>	No preferance : 1
>
>  I think this shows that either those in favor of random generation
>  don't care to answer surveys (NOT!) or the overwhelming majority (being
>  very liberal) of net readers are in favor of point allocation. I
>  hope that this little bit of info will help squelch the ongoing 
>  debate.
>
>				ShadowSlayer

You missed out the :-)  (I hope this wasn't really a serious posting!).

Since there have been several people posting supporting random generation,
but you have no votes tallied on that side, I think that provides conclusive
evidence that those in favour of random generation don't care to answer
surveys.  In fact, the massive total of sixteen votes is further evidence
that the majority of people in support of *either* position don't answer
surveys, while a good number of those that don't care already have the whole
thread in their killfiles.

-- 
John Francis                                 johnf@apollo.hp.com
with 9 cats to feed, I don't have time to think up a clever .sig
From: ez033072@hamlet.ucdavis.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Conventions
Date: 22 Nov 92 21:26:15 GMT
Organization: Computing Services, UC Davis

In article <1ee7t2INN9mi@charnel.ecst.csuchico.edu> tdunn@ecst.csuchico.edu (I Need a Life) writes:
>icecw@asuacad.bitnet writes:
>Same goes for the more "local" convention DunDraCon, which will be held
>in the San Francisco Bay Area over President's Day weekend in mid-
>February.  I have submitted a proposal for a seminar on Gaming and the
>Internet.  It could be a meeting place for all net'rs who attend as
>well.

If it works, I'll see you there. I'll be running a Phoenix Command
shoot-em up.

Tim Prestero
tjprestero@ucdavis.edu


Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: gdg019@cch.coventry.ac.uk (Ridley McIntyre)
Subject: Re: Harn Scenarios
Organization: Pig Heaven, Coventry, UK
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 11:09:02 GMT

In article <1992Nov21.223154.20267@umr.edu> S096216@UMRVMA.umr.edu writes:
>Greetings.   I am looking for scenarios to be used in Harn produced by
>Columbia Games.  I have a group that is already adventure on the island
>and would like to here other ideas for possible adventures.  I use
>Rolemaster rules.  Please EMAIL me or post it here.  Thanks!

How about The Staff Of Fanon? Now that's a f*cking HARD scenario! Took my
gaming group nearly half a year of Saturdays to complete as beginning 
characters and went through two of my characters and another three from the 
rest of the party. I've never been so relieved to finish a game in my life.

-- 
                  Ridley McIntyre - Ronin Ironpig
*On a Flowery	     gdg019@cck.coventry.ac.uk          Space Trip!*
		 ---------------------------------
   "You can't argue with the King's Singers" - Victor Lewis-Smith
From: dunkelza@titan.ucc.umass.edu (KEITH C MCCORMIC)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: SR2ed, some questions about tech
Date: 16 Nov 92 18:33:06 GMT
Organization: University of Massachusetts, Amherst

In article <1992Nov14.024829.44766@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu> kucloak@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu (Bryan Kennedy Reed) writes:
>In article <10NOV199223435346@venus.tamu.edu>, tap2368@venus.tamu.edu (Saufferin) writes:
>>    1) anyone come up with a way to integrate the wonderful weapons of today?
>>       eg. Calico M-950A, HK-910
>>    2) If not what about the cylindrical magazines made by Calico, capable of 
>>        holding 150+ rounds?
>
>Just make them available to you players.  Remeber that they will be a
>lot less concealable and don't forget to factor in the weight.  

  Actually the Calico M-950 and M-100 models are pretty small.  However, they
are large for a submachinegun, much the same way as a Thompson is.
  The M-950 is a 9mm weapon with a 50 or 100 round magazine, sorry, no 150s.
  The M-100 is a .22 caliber weapon with a similar capacity.  The M-100 was
rifle used by the Spaceballs in Spaceballs.  They just shot them and drew in
laser beams.
  All of the Calico weapons are lightweight, and as sturdy as an M-16.  They
are incredibly cheap for their effectiveness, they M-100 is around $350 and
the M-950 is a couple hundred more. 
  Nice irony that they guy who wrote the weight statement had a Quote from 
that movie in his .sig.
 
Dunkelzahn


-- 
_____________________________________________________________________________
| Dunkelzahn the Greater Western Dragon | "Eternal vigilance is the price   |
| Dunkelza@titan.ucc.umass.edu          |  of Freedom"                      |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: v124pz9t@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (David Cheng, using Mark S Cheng's acct)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: RQ: Divine intervention
Date: 20 Nov 92 17:59:00 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <1992Nov19.193421.12794@news.tufts.edu>, gharris@jade.tufts.edu (George W. Harris) writes...
>In article <1992Nov19.101226.13364@eng.cam.ac.uk> yt1@eng.cam.ac.uk (Y. Tremblay) writes:
>>
>	It is central to Gloranthan mythology that the gods not interfere in the
>doings of those on the mundane plane.  There are certain restricted circum-
>stances in which they may, such as granting divine magic, or answering divina-
>tions.  DI is another such.  However, a deity may only help at a worshipper's
>behest, and then may not affect anyone unwillingly.  Thus, asking your god to
>strike your enemies down won't do you any good.  The gods are sworn to uphold
>this pact (called the Great Compromise), and will not violate it, so even in
>the case of an earth deity opening up a hole to swallow your enemies, well,
>don't count on it.
> 
>	I've seen DI allow the following effects:
> 
>	Teleport up to 10 *willing* human-sized beings, with their equipment
>(not including seige engines, obviously).
> 
>	Heal all physical damage (including to locations and general hit point
>damage; whether it heals disease or drained stats is up to your interpreta-
>tion).
> 
>	Restore all individual magic points (seems trivial, could be com-
>bined with healing above).
> 
>	Raise *one* stat *one* point (this may only be done once, ever).
> 
>	You could probably get your god to duplicate the effects of any
>of hir non-offensive divine magic with a DI as well.  Other effects should
>be judged with comparisons to these above.
> 
>	It has been confirmed by Greg Stafford at the Convulsion of a Trillion
>Tentacles that DI will *not* remove a chaos taint.
> 

Finally a decent RQ thread!

While I agree with much of what has already been posted, I'll toss in 
my own 2 cents:

I think that _sometimes_ a DI could be offensive.  George Harris (cited 
above)thinks that an earth god would not open a hole under some 
enemies.  What is the "Shake Earth" spell of Maran Gor (is that the right
spell name?)?  How about the Tarshite Earthshakers of the Dragon Pass
boardgame?  Their earthquake is one of the most powerful, destructive
magical effects available.

I think a god could make you a better fighter, for instance.  Humakt
could give you Shield, Truesword, Bladesharp, etc.

I don't think a god should be able to act outside his/her sphere of
influence. or runic association.  Only Orlanth and Mastakos can teleport
worshippers!  (Many will disagree with me on this one...)

Hopefully, an essay I wrote on Rune Magic and DI will appear in the RQ
Digest soon.

-DC
drcheng@sales.stern.nyu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: johnson1@cs.uwp.edu (Christina Johnson)
Subject: Re: Srun 2: Vampires
Organization: University of Wisconsin - Parkside
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1992 21:57:32 GMT

I play in a campaign with a shape-shifter PC.  I realize it's not usual to
have them as characters, but the gm likes big PC's so he can have big, bad
villians.  It's actually pretty fun.  At any rate, what happens if this
shape-shifter (she's an elven mage in human form and a tiger in shifted form)
contracts the virus? 

The reason i ask is because we DID encounter a vampire.  No one got
"bitten", but the question was raised.  We didn't know if she would succumb
to the elven nature (ie become a vampire) or if shapeshifters take on a
different form (as orcs become wendigos).  Or if shapeshifters were immune.
We had NO IDEA.  

I think this may be one of the reasons it never came to a combat situation. 
The GM had no idea what to do with it.

By the by...  the character is mine.  So no, I'm not trying to ambush
someone else's character.  :)
From: mmadsen@bonnie.ics.uci.edu (Matt Madsen)
Subject: Marketing of the Generic
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Reply-To: mmadsen@ics.uci.edu (Matt Madsen)
Organization: Univ. of Calif., Irvine, Info. & Computer Sci. Dept.
Date: 19 Nov 92 07:37:31 GMT

I've noticed that one complaint against multi-genre systems (like GURPS) is
that things are...well, generic.  What could GURPS, Hero, and others do to make
their products more palatable to people who really like the feel of a game
tailor-made for one genre.

What could be done in general, and what could be done specifically for,
say, Vampire (hot topic!) and other settings.

Should they have special character sheets, less generic source books (world
books)?

Matt Madsen
mmadsen@ics.uci.edu


Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: rrn@stein.u.washington.edu (X Visser)
Subject: Re: Brain Games and the Intellectually Challenged
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 12:03:54 GMT

Hmmmm. I know most people don't care for where this might lead, but...

One of the oldest problems with RPGs has to do with how to deal with the
difference between a smart/dumb player and a character that is grossly
different is, especially, problem-solving and social skills. Often, the 3 Int
Troll/half-Orc/Space Marine gets played by the imaginative guy, and gets to
have a strong, powerful character, but if allowed (as is uaul) to be more
intelligent than his character, becomes a kind of `unmunchkin'. In short, 
better than everyone else.

The problem is that you really can't make all people play (or can you) people
or creatues with the exact same mental prowess/skills as one's self, if only
because certain of these things should increase faster during game-time than
in real time. And what would be the point of playing yourself every time? Isn't
the idea to be different? 

Skills seem to be a way of dealing with this, by, say, making social
interactions based on skills, with maybe a `roleplaying' modifier (which I
rarely see used) for `good play'. This is still only a half-solution, as you
still have the most aggressive, interesting, or funny player dominating (play
with 8+ if you really want to know how bad this can get). 

Lack of any empahsis for `roleplaying' is often used in games I have played,
and while the most fair, has the side effect of discouraging the kinds of
thoughtfulness and exchanges that make the game fun. On the other hand, nondice
play (the Vampire-I-never-look-at-the-sheet-during-play) is as bad or worse,
since its just Bob and Sue in fancy suits doing what they always do. I once
was in a DnD group, where I seriously considered simply designing a personal
class for each player, since they played their characters the same every time
anyway. The exchanges and interactions can be fun (or not, if you aren't
feeling more verbose than the GM's best friend/girlfriend/ride home. They beg
the question, though? Why bother? If your going to sit around and BS, why not
drop the pretense, and rent a movie and grab some beer? More drama, more 
interaction (more $, though), and certainly better acting.

The only answer that I can see is the unhappy marraige of the two, being
play-modified mechanics. Lack of mechanics simply penalize the unskilled too
much (try setting up a drug deal withot resorting to bad movie cliches, or
maybe busting in a military base unawares - its your BS vs. the GM's), and
too many make the game boring and unrewarding. Sure I want to be rewarded for
a crafty plan, but if I'm in SR and my Samuri has Nuclear Enginneering 16,
I don't think I should have to submit a basic reactor plan based on my total
ignorance. In the same way, if my trisexual Thirymp from planet Q wants to
pick up some dates in a bar, I don't want to be expected to be a master at
their mating rituals. 

And besides, in Vampire (when the silly mechanics aren't used), who does shoot
first?


Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: sos@oz.plymouth.edu (Steffan O'Sullivan)
Subject: Re: Converting a book into a world
Reply-To: sos@oz.plymouth.edu (Steffan O'Sullivan)
Organization: Plymouth State College - Plymouth, N.H.
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 92 00:54:54 GMT

joshua@homespace.mtview.ca.us writes:
>I have found a work of fiction which (almost :-) exactly describes a
>world I want to run an RPG in.  I'm planning on "converting" this
>book into a game world.  
>
>Does anyone have any good ideas on how this should be done?
>Has anyone done this?  If so, what were your experiances?

[technique omitted]

>Does this sound like a good way of translating a book into a world?

It sounds like you don't need any help!  That sounds like a
professional job.

I've translated a few books to roleplaying, with mixed success.  The
major problem is setting the atmosphere for people that haven't read
the book.  You'll need to be a good storyteller to pull that off.
While doing that, you have to impart enough information that the
characters would know, without overloading them.  This is a fine
balance.  I've got it down now for certain books:  for example, I run
Three Musketeers games at least six times a year at Cons for people
who, for the most part, haven't read the book.  After doing it a few
times, I learned the right balance.

If they *have* read the book, then you have a different problem: when,
in relation to the book, is the game set?  I've found that setting the
game at the same time as the book is a bad idea - go earlier or later,
as appropriate.  For example, I ran a Skaith game at an SF World Con,
and set it six months before Simon Ashton landed on Skaith.  It worked
great - but I always set a three musketeers after the events in the
book.

Good luck with it - let me know how it comes out!

-- 
  - Steffan O'Sullivan		         sos@oz.plymouth.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc