HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
Organization: Central Michigan University
Date: Monday, 4 Jan 1993 15:34:48 EST
From: <34ZBTXQ@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU>
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Dr. Who-Time Lord conversion

  Here is a system I use to convert PC's and NPC's from FASA's defunct Dr. Who
rpg to the new TIME LORD game.
   ATTRIBUTES:
   STR=Strength
   END=Size
   DEX=Control
   CHA=Awareness
   MNT=Knowledge
   ITN=Awareness (Average with the score from CHA)

   DW LEVEL                TL Score

   I                       1
   II                      2
   III                     3
   IV                      4
   V-VI                    5
   VII                     6+

   SKILLS/SPECIAL ABILITIES:
   DW Level/2, round down = TL skill level. A DW skill level of 1=no skill.

   DW SKILL                           TIME LORD SKILL
   Administration                     Bureaucracy
   Armed Cmbt. Contact Weapons        Blunt Weapons, Edged Weapons
   Artistic Expression                Artist
   Armed Cmbt Ranged Weapons          Archery, Thrown Weapons, Marsmanship
   Carousing                          ?
   Climbing                           Mountaineering
   Construction                       ?
   Earth Sciences                     Science
   Engineering                        Engineering
   Enviornmental Suit Operation       ?
   Gambling                           Gambling
   Gaming                             ?
   Leadership                         Command
   Life Sciences                      Science
   Medical Sciences                   First Aid, Medicine
   Military Sciences                  Command, Marksmanship, Explosives
   Physical Sciences                  Science, Mathematics, Computing
   Public Performance                 Acting, Eloquence, Musicianship,
                                      Singing
   Security Procedures                Disguise, Tracking, Lockpicking,
                                      Escapology, Stealth, Contortionism,
                                      Cryptanalysis
   Social Sciences                    History, Law, Linguistics
   Space Sciences                     Pseudosceince,Piloting, Astrogation
   Sports                             Sports, Gymnastics, Leaping, Sense
                                      of Balance
   Streetwise                         ?
   Technology                         Pseudoscience,Computing. Electronics
   Temporal Science                   Temporal Science
   Trivia                             ?
   Unarmed Combat                     Brawling, Fisticuffs, Martial Arts
   Vehicle Operation                  Driving, Piloting, Sailing
   Verbal Interaction                 Bargaining, Con, Eloquence
   Wilderness Survival                Wilderness Lore
   Temporal Vehicle Operation         TARDIS (for Time Lords anyway...)

   There are many skills in TIME LORD that don't show up in FASA's game.
When converting characters, be sure to include some of these.
From: paul@sco.COM (Paul Jackson)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Hero Bestiary and other Hero Stuff
Date: 4 Jan 93 17:15:13 GMT
Organization: SCO Canada, Inc.

In article <78981@hydra.gatech.EDU> gt0040a@prism.gatech.EDU (Tom Sorensen) writes:
>No, Killing Attacks are perfectly in line with normal attacks. They are more
>likely to do BODY (they're called Killing Attacks!) but they do considerably
>less STUN on the average. A 10d6 EB will do 10 BODY, 35 STUN on average.
>A 3d6+1 KA will do 10.5 BODY and 26 STUN on average.

I'm sure most people know this already, but which is better in dealing out
STUN depends greatly on the opponents armour. The stun from killing attacks
is much more variable and so is much more likely to occasionally penetrate a
heavily armoured opponent (eg, a 10d6 EB vs a pd of 40). A killing attack is
also MUCH more likely to stun a heavily armoured opponent.
From: hodges@unssun.nevada.edu (Marcus Hodges)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: GURPS: Enchantments questions
Date: 12 Jan 93 00:25:26 GMT
Reply-To: hodges@unssun.UUCP (Marcus Hodges)
Organization: University of Nevada-Reno

This is a semi-repost (due to the fact that I only got two responses) with
a few additional questions about enchantment in GURPS Magic that I would
like people's opinions on:

1)  In the Magic book, in the beginning section on Enchantment (p. 16) it
    is stated that the base power for an item is the creators Enchant skill
    or the skill for the spell being enchanted.  Later in the chapter (I
    believe p. 20) it is stated that if a person wants an item with a power
    of twenty, three time the base amount of energy is required.  The 
    second example assumes that Enchant spell has a maximum effect of 15.
    If this is true, then the only use for a high Enchant skill would be
    for an enchantment using multiple enchanters.  What is your opinion
    on this?

2)  In the Magic book, the Quick Draw enchantment says that any weapon with 
    this enchantment will leap to the weilder's hand, and be ready, at their
    mental command.  The question is, what about missile weapons?  The 
    description of the spell states that the weapon leaps the the wielders 
    hand and is instantly ready.  The enchantment normally costs 300/pound
    of the weapon, but has a special cost for missile weapons of a flat
    2000 energy.  Would the missile enchantment cause an arrow to be knocked
    and ready to fire whenever the wielder pulled back the string, thus
    removing a Fast Draw roll and an action to ready the weapon?  If the
    enchantment just puts the arrow into the wielders hand, I think that 
    2000 energy is way out of line.  How is anyone else handling this?

3)  Can a Golem use magic items?  Not just weapons, shields and armor, but
    what about wands of Fireball or other debilitating effects.  Would they
    be able to power the item with their own fatigue, or would they have  
    to use self-powered items?  What if they had a powerstone inset in   
    their body during creation?  (How many PCs smash the body to rubble
    to see if there is anything inside?)  Can a Golem itself be enchanted
    with spells (i.e. Hawk Flight, Invisibility, etc.)?

Thanks for helping with these questions.

Marcus

"Now, if you play straight with me, you'll find me a considerate employer.
But cross me, and you'll find that under this playful, boyish exterior,
beats the heart of a ruthless, sadistic, maniac."  Blackadder II
From: dddawson@lpl.arizona.edu (Doug Dawson)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: What do you look for in a magic system?
Date: 7 Jan 93 19:56:12 GMT
Organization: Lunar & Planetary Laboratory, Tucson AZ.

In article <1993Jan7.182913.22367@ncsu.edu> jmkaraka@eos.ncsu.edu (JOHN MARTIN KARAKASH) writes:
>The whole AD&D
>concept of 'memorizing' spells is hideously inappropriate.  Off-hand, I
>can think of only ONE fantasy world that uses anything even remotely
>similar. 
 
  For what it's worth, my understanding has always been (based on
  comments by Gygax) that the D&D spell system was essentially lifted
  straight from the fantasy works of Jack Vance.  This agrees well with
  the little Jack Vance I've read.
From: acadams@afterlife.ncsc.mil (Arthur C. Adams)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Small company advertising/smart moves?
Date: 11 Jan 93 15:49:23 GMT
Organization: The Great Beyond

In article <1993Jan11.132428.9992@vela.acs.oakland.edu> mwlucas@vela.acs.oakland.edu (Michael W. Lucas) writes:
>
>We're starting a new game company, and we're looking for cheap ways to
>advertise.  We're looking for fanzines, BBSs that do multi-genre games,
>and so on.
>
>And we've had this nice, long thread about dumb things companies have
>done; how about *smart* things that new, small companies can do to 
>stay in business?

Well, here's a few:

Don't do anything on the dumb things list. :-)

More seriously, have a product unlike anyone elses. I don't mean just
new mechanincs slapped onto a *D&D setting. I mean do something like
White Wolf did - publish a game on a new, intriguing topic (like Vampire.)
Yes, its a risk - what sounds like great fun to you may be horribly
boring to everyone else.

Get a business manager who knows the hobby. If you get someone who
knows accounting, but not gaming, your products will look like T$R's -
you'll seem to to only care about the money, not the quality.
If you have no one who knows business, you've sealed your own coffin. 

Have good production values. I'm not saying you have to print the
first edition in hardback with a Frazetta cover, but do have something
that'll catch the gamer's eye in the store. 

PROOFREAD! PROOFREAD! PROOFREAD! Lots of grammatical mistakes will make
you look stupid, especially if you plan to have a product that appeals
to more mature gamers. Too many young companies don't do this.

Playtest it. And not just among your pals, with you running the adventure.
Send out freebie playtest copies and ask for people's feedback. Just ask
around foir playtesters. Only give them a copy of the rules - no advice
or instructions. If they have to ask you questions, then the rules need
editing. 

-- 
We need not fear those who do evil in the name of evil, but Heaven
protect us from those who do evil in the name of good.
Arthur C. Adams acadams@afterlife.ncsc.mil            	<fnord>
No, I'm not the Arthur Adams who draws comic books. Don't even ask.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: beykema@infonode.ingr.com (Maurice Beyke)
Subject: Re: RQ: The Relation of the Red Goddess and Orlanth
Keywords: runequest,rq,gods
Organization: Intergraph Corporation, Huntsville, AL.
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 20:55:03 GMT

In article <cluther.726511792@morticia> cluther@morticia.cnns.unt.edu (Clay Luther) writes:
>A simple question that probably will generate a long answer.
>
>Why is the Red Goddess killing Orlanth?  And how?
>

 The short answer is that they contend for control of the Middle Air.
 Orlanth, now the source of the Storm Rune, opposes the Red Moon's presence
 between Earth and Sky.

 The long answer is deeply tied in with history and myth.  There has
 always been enmity between the Storm worshipping highlanders and the Sun
 worshipping lowlanders of Peloria.  This dates back to Orlanth's and Yelm's
 earliest encounters.  The Orlanthi see the Red Goddess as just another
 instance of the Pelorian Sun worshippers allying themselves with chaos, as
 in the case of Gbaji.  The Storm gods were always indomitable in fighting
 chaos (indeed, in fighting everybody, but chaos was always their most hated
 foe), while the Sun gods, especially Yelm, sat out much of the Chaos wars
 (to their credit, they had little choice; they were dead, mostly at Storm
 hands).  Since the Red Goddess combines aspects of Chaos and Light, Orlanth
 sees her as someone he must oppose.  The Red Goddess, for Her part, would
 have accepted Orlanth, as She accepts all cults, but He would not accept
 Her, and so She will deal with Him as He forces Her to.

 As to how, well, if all of Orlanth's temples are closed down, and all of
 his worshippers taken away or slain, He will have little power in Glorantha.
 There is probably more to it than just that, but that is much of it.

 Now keep in mind, that even my long answer is simpler than it could be.
 As with all Gloranthan myth, there are many layers, and only the God
 Learners sought for Ultimate Truth.
<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>
< Boris Mikey            |"Here the ways of men part: if you wish to strive  >
< aka Maurice Beyke      | for peace of soul and pleasure, then believe;     >
< mab@batman.b11.ingr.com| if you wish to be a devotee of truth,             >
< These views are mine,  | then inquire."                                    >
< Ingr. doesn't want them|                                  Nietzsche        >
 vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
From: davidc@cs.uwa.oz.au (David Cake)
Subject: Re: RMCVI
Organization: Dept. Computer Science, University of Western Australia.
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 04:08:23 GMT

	I know the guy who wrote Role Master Companion VI, so if anyone has any 
questions, I could relay them to him. Alternatively, we could get him on the 
net, maybe. I'll talk to him about it.

-- 
David Cake		|life is easily understood as bit strings with logical
[WLM] Weird Little Man	|depth greater than their length - Rebis, Doom Patrol
Cognitive science, UWA	|..think about a government entirely of fish - JBC				
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: akuma@netcom.com (Steven E Barnes)
Subject: Yet more killing attacks
Keywords: champions
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 
Date: Sun, 10 Jan 1993 08:42:55 GMT


Besides play balance concerns, another thing that
bugs me about the extreme variance of killing attacks:

"Now, I shall destroy you with my mega blast!" (4d6 RKA)

Zap!  (rolls a 2 on the stun die; attack bounces)
Zap!  (rolls another 1; attack bounces again)
Zap!  (rolls a 3; attack does a couple stun past defenses)
Zap!  (rolls a 6; attack does 80 STUN!!!!; target stunned and
       KOed by one attack)

Isn't this absurd?  Shouldn't the damage from an attack
be reasonably consistent?  What is the real-world explanation
for this amazing variance?

-steve

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: JENKINS@agvax2.ag.ohio-state.edu (Kent Jenkins)
Subject: Re: Brand Names of Cyberware for SRII
Organization: Ohio State Cyberpsycho Rehab Clinic
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 04:54:35 GMT
X-News-Reader: VMS NEWS 1.24

In <lward.726781646@husc.harvard.edu> lward@husc11.harvard.edu writes:
>tmont@cerc.wvu.wvnet.edu (Todd Montgomery) writes:
>>I recently had an idea of adding a little more spice to the
>>ShadowRun cyberware options. The basic idea was to add brand names
>>to the cyberware.
>
>Damn.  Beat me to the punch on this.

Same here, actually.  I have never, EVER liked the way either Cyberpunk 2020
or Shadowrun have handled cybernetics (or, to a lesser extent, equipment).
Though 2020 beats Shadowrun for sheer quantity and variety, they both still
are just <said in dull voice> "same kinds of cyberware available for every
kind of situation."

My solution was to make available "previous generations" of cybernetics at
greatly reduced prices and greatly reduced functionability and safety and
stealing a few ideas from CP 2020 and make 'option space' a concern, not to
mention making cyberlimbs more modular.

If I can find my own file I'll toss it up.  It looks like it might even
work into the "name brand" system.

Ya never know.

>I set up non-rule-based differences bewteen cyberware.  I'll post some of
> it later.  Nice work, though.  Could be interesting.
> 
> Wordman

---
Kent Jenkins	|	I don't want the world,
("Thenomain")	|	I just want your half.
		|
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: Lemming Productions Present... <ratinox@meceng.coe.northeastern.edu>
Subject: Re: Champions: mage special effects
X-Posting-Software: GNUS 3.14.1 [ NNTP-based News Reader for GNU Emacs ]
X-Signature-Virus-Protection: Version 1.51
X-Get-A-Clue: Have two, they're small.
Organization: 3WA, Boston Office. Or Nu Meta Chi. Take your pick.
	<RATINOX.93Jan5174543@splinter.coe.northeastern.edu>
	<1993Jan7.021107.18246@nmsu.edu>
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 15:49:55 GMT

>>>>> On 7 Jan 93 02:11:07 GMT, dleland@dante.nmsu.edu (LELAND) said:

LELAND> In article <RATINOX.93Jan5174543@splinter.coe.northeastern.edu> ratinox@meceng.coe.northeastern.edu (Gone with the Lemming) writes:
>Another method of making "super" mages is with a number of small to
>moderate sized Multipowers. For example, a possible elemental mage could
>have 4 40-Point Multipowers, one each for Earth, Air, Fire, and Water
>spells. Each individual spell is a slot in the Multipower.

LELAND> This is fine, except that a 40 pointer is hardly what I'd call a
LELAND> "small" multipower for a typical Fantasy Hero game.

Note that I mention this is for a "super" level mage, not a FH mage. Drop
it to 20-30 points for them, maybe.

LELAND> By a 40 pointer I assume you mean active points.

That's correct.

LELAND> If we make Wizzo the mage with, say, four of those, plus stats and
LELAND> skills, we're looking at a 250 to 300 point mage with not much left
LELAND> over for other odds and ends.

I do assume that some form of Limitations would be on each Multipower to
bring the real cost down a bit.

--Rat                               PGP Public Key Block available upon request
||||| | | | |  |  |  |   |   |    |    |    |   |   |  |  |  |  | | | | | |||||
Northeastern's Stainless Steel Rat          ratinox@meceng.coe.northeastern.edu
Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over,
pinning you underneath. At night, the ice weasels come.
                                                 --Nietzsche [or Matt Groening]
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: mfterman@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Mutant for Hire)
Subject: Re: Dumb Moves By Game Companies
Originator: news@nimaster
Reply-To: mfterman@phoenix.princeton.edu (Mutant for Hire)
Organization: Mutant for Hire, Inc.
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 21:10:55 GMT

In article <C0rDLL.4JJ@news.cso.uiuc.edu>, irvine@uxh.cso.uiuc.edu (Brent Irvine) writes:
>Space 1889 failed because there is no big market for that kind of game
>really.  It is a bit too silly for a serious game.
>Had they concentrated more on Jules Verne, and H.G. Wells a bit more, they
>would have found probably more audience rather than the more ridiculous
>Victorian Empire over the Solar System!

I thought the concept of creating a Jules Verne type world was neat. Or
maybe closer to the John Carter books. However, I don't think it would
quite make it under its own steam as a full game system. Now if someone
made a GURPS module dealing with aether and the general approach to
physics of that time, with some good idea of the fantastical races that
appeared in that genre, that would be good.

Space 1889 was a neat idea crippled by poor execution.

-- 
    Martin Terman, Mutant for Hire, Mean Ol' Top, Priest of Shub-Internet
    Disclaimer: Nobody else takes me seriously, why should you be the first?
mfterman@phoenix.princeton.edu mfterman@pucc.bitnet terman@pupgga.princeton.edu
"Sig quotes are like bumper stickers, only without the same sense of relevance"
From: lward@husc11.harvard.edu (Lester Ward)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: SRII: Phys Adept
Keywords: slower than street sam?
Date: 12 Jan 93 19:19:14 GMT
Article-I.D.: husc.lward.726866354
Distribution: usa

holden@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (Bradford Paul Holden) writes:
> A physical adept can have his mage buddy put a
> +3 reaction di. spell up on him and the street samm
>cannot.

Why not?  If the sam isn't wired, than what's the problem?

> in SRII how the hell does a narcojet gun
>work, near as I can figure if you hit somebody with one
>(and who knows what number you use to dodge with since the 
>gun has no power level) they resist the 6D from the weapon
>and then assuming they don't roll 2 sixes they go to sleep
>right away, making the narcojet one of the most dangerous 
>weapons around.

House Rule:

A = guy firing narcojet
B = guy A is shooting at

A's T#: normal
B's dodge:  A's firearms skill, using whatever combat pool dice B likes

Subtract B's successes from A's.  If A has more successes than half the
value of B's impact armor, the dart penetrates B and releases it's chemical.

B's resistance T#: 6 minus any toxin filtering
		   B rolls body dice and will likely take damage.

The upshot is that, yes, Narcojets are great.  On the plus side, they are
small, silent, very effective, and non-lethal.  On the down side, they have
limited range, they are very expensive to use (the per shot cost is a lot), and
they are non-lethal.  Some campaigns may wish to rule that Narcrojets cannot
be made smart, or at least only at a loss of concealability.  Oh, also on
the cons side is that they are usually pretty hard to get on the street, not
to mention ammunition for them.  For taking out guard-dogs, nothing beats
them.

Wordman
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: SRII Physical Adepts
From: wintermute@otago.ac.nz
Date: 13 Jan 93 16:15:46 +1300
Organization: University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

dv52151@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (RedSwordTarga) writes (in reply to my post):

>Well, the new rules have elminate the "Samurai Adept", i.e., boost your speed
>with being an adept and then buy a smartgun link and some other gadgets.
>I'd have to say that makes them a good thing. Yes, the Samurai now has an
>advantage in gun combat. *shrug* Every character has to have some edge.
>If you want to play a gunslinger who goes first, play a cyberguy. If you
>want to play a PA because that's the character you want, then not being
>the absolute fastest won't bother you that much. 

This raises 2 questions:

1) Why shouldn't a physical adept be as fast as a cybernetically enhanced
   character?

2) If a physical adept is significantly worse in combat compared to a Samurai,
   what is its raison d'etre? In terms of play: Why would a character bother
   playing a "physical adept" as opposed to a mundane character without cyber
   in a ninja suit, when all that either generally get to do is clean up behind
   the mages and the samurai? In terms of game-world reality, why do they spend
   years earning their black belts when they would be better off earning money
   for some implants?

Also I'd like to point out that I'm looking that this from a GM's point of
view, being the fastest doesn't bother me: giving all my players an even break
does.

mak9@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (MICHAEL A. KAUFFMAN) writes

>This question was brought up recently in our group also. The answer we came up
>with was to allow PA's to use power focuses to increase their magic attribute.
>If the PA takes tech as his A priority he can easily afford to buy a rating 6
>power focus.  Of course this means that his attribute would be somewhat lower
>(priority C or D).
>example: let's says the 10 attribute point differce comes from a reduction in
>quickness and intelligence.  All other attribute stay the same as those in the
>given example.  The PA's natural reaction is now 1 (average of Q & I both 1).
>This can be raised to 8 by using the same 8 by using the same 8 points used
>before.  Admittly not quite as good as the sam but almost.

This is a novel approach, but raises some questions due to the fact that
focus based increases are temporary in two ways: they can be deactivated and
they can be lost or destroyed. How do you treat this with respect to the PA
skills chosen? Do you let them change their skills when their Magic Attribute
goes down and then up again?

Tim Makinson, University of Otago, NZ.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc,rec.games.board
From: alsandor@Micor.OCUnix.on.ca (Michel Boucher)
Subject: Re: Dumb Moves By Game Companies
Organization: M.B. Cormier INC.
Date: Wed, 06 Jan 93 13:44:20 EST

casper@vxcrna.cern.ch (CASPER,DAVI./PPE) writes:

> AH's predilection for dividing game rules into basic and advanced under separ
> covers, requiring incessant leafing through both; for instance see the rules
> to Firepower.
> 

Actually, I don't find that annoying at all.  In fact, it does make 
playing the game somewhat easier for me.  It seems that the particular
games that have that feature were either designed or developed by
Craig Taylor.  

Michel

C. Michel Boucher              | alsandor@micor.ocunix.on.ca
Private user                   |
Ottawa, Canada                 | member, Christina Amphlett fan club
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