From: lunatic@netcom.com (Lunatic Johnathan Bruce E'Sex)
Subject: RFD: rec.games.mecha
Followup-To: news.groups
Organization: Netcom; Renegade User
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 15:40:54 GMT

REQUEST FOR DISCUSSION
----------------------

NEWSGROUP
     rec.games.mecha


PURPOSE
     Discussion of various genres of mecha ("giant robot") games


MODERATION
     This group will be unmoderated.


RATIONALE
     This is the proposal for an unmoderated newsgroup geared towards
the discussion of various games in the genres of board, fantasy role-play,
individual computer, multi-computer/player, coin-op arcade, and large
scale real-time gaming centers that are oriented towards the combat of
large humanoid robotic or piloted war machines.  i.e. "Mecha."

     The reasons for this proposal are threefold:

1) To consolidate into one area the large number of discussions of these
   types of games.  Currently, these discussions are being held on a
   variety of newsgroups, including, but not limited to, rec.games.board,
   rec.games.misc, and rec.games.frp.misc.

2) To generate interest in the variety of mecha combat games outside of
   the main mecha combat game discussed in rec.games.board, BattleTech.

3) To provide a place for expected future discussions of mecha combat
   games due to the increasing market for said games and spin-offs.


CONTENT
     Subjects to be discussed on rec.games.mecha include, but are not
limited to, the following games:

   o   BattleTech and its universe of games and books.
         (AeroTech, MechWarrior, BattleForce, BattleTroops, The
          Succession Wars, the upcoming BattleSpace, all expansion
          modules and novels based in the BattleTech universe)

   o   Mekton and it's variants and companions.
         (Mekton II, RoadStriker, upcoming Mekton rules update)

   o   RoboTech and its companions.
         (RDF Manual, The Zentradei, Southern Cross, New Generation,
          Lancer's Rockers, Ghost Ship, etc.)

   o   Mecha! and its companions.
         (Spirit Warrior)

   o   SF3D.

   o   Japanese board games based on Dougram, L-Gaim, and possibly others.

   o   Adeptus Titanicus, the "giant robot" portion of WarHammer 40K.

   o   Combots.  (:

   o   Various mecha based single-player computer games.
         (MechWarrior, Crescent Hawk's Inception, and Crescent Hawk's
          Revenge by Activision/Mediagenic for various platforms.
          Thexder and Slipheed by Sierra On Line for various platforms.
          BattleForce for the Amiga.
          MechWar for MS-DOS compatibles.)

   o   Multi-player mecha combat computer games.
         (Multi-player BattleTech on GEnie, for MS-DOS compatibles.)

   o   Real-time real-life mecha combat simulators.
         (The BattleTech Centers in Chicago, IL, and Osaka, Japan.
          Additional BattleTech Centers currently in negotiations or
          under construction in Detroit, the San Francisco Bay Area,
          and the United Kingdom.)

   o   Coin-operated arcade games based on mecha combat.

   o   Is GURPS Mecha likely to be far behind?  (:


     Also included in the possible discussions are computer programs
to assist players of these games, design aspects of these games,
troubleshooting problems, and any other aspect of these games not
mentioned.


NAME
       The name "mecha" is a logical choice.  The word "mecha" is the
       original Japanese name for giant humanoid or not-quite-so-humanoid
       robotic and piloted war machines.  In general most of the games to
       be discussed in rec.games.mecha can trace their origins back to the
       Japanese movies, TV shows, comics, etc. that featured mecha. This
       group is proposed under the rec.games.* hierarchy instead of under
       rec.games.board.* or rec.games.frp.* due to the variety of types
       of games intended to be discused.

NEWSGROUP CREATION
       The discussion period will be from October 9, 1992 to October 18,
       1992.  Please post all discussion in news.groups.

       The period of discussion is so short because most of the relevant
       discussion already took place concerning a sim
-- 
   _______________________________________________________
  /         -= Lunatic Johnathan Bruce E'Sex     (:      /
 /  lunatic@netcom.com  GEnie: LUNATIC  CI$: 76170,672  /
/______________________________________________________/
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