HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: mkkuhner@phylo.genetics.washington.edu (Mary K. Kuhner)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: rec.games.frp.campaign
Date: 9 Nov 92 15:39:43 GMT
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle

I think the proponent(s) of rec.games.frp.campaign will be woefully
disappointed by the amount of traffic.  As I see the proposal, the group
is meant to be 'fuelled' by posting of transcripts from pbem games,
neatened up and run together to form coherent fiction.  Having spent
some time doing this, I have these observations:

It's hard work; you can't just run the turns together.

It's not as much fun as writing fiction from a face-to-face campaign,
because you don't get the interesting insights into the game--you've
already written the material, you're just editing it together.

Not very many people post fiction from their FTF games--maybe 3 or 4 at
any given time.  I feel even fewer will be willing to do the work of
posting pbem games--I probably wouldn't.

And net.fiction *never* gets much response or starts much discussion, in
my experience; I think hoping for follow-up or discussion postings in
.campaign is a pipe dream.  It just doesn't happen.  I posted 143
episodes of a continuing campaign and the most discussion that happened
on the net was "Has anyone seen part 112?"  All the actual discussion
was in email.

R.g.f.campaign could also be used for posting of scenario ideas, but it
has been obvious for years that almost no one wants to go through the
huge amount of work to design a fleshed-out module and post it--I've
seen maybe a dozen.  It's just not rewarding enough.

I don't think there will be any traffic on rec.games.frp.campaign, and
this is sufficient reason not to create it.  People interested in
posting pbem compilations or modules should post to r.g.f.archives.
It's not as if the traffic on this group is excessive....

Mary Kuhner mkkuhner@genetics.washington.edu
From: v124pz9t@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (David Cheng, using Mark S Cheng's acct)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Dangerous Journeys - How is it selling? => Traveller:New Era
Summary: I think T:TNE will indeed use T2000/DC mechanics
Keywords: Dark Conspiracy, Traveller
Date: 6 Nov 92 17:42:00 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <1dapbvINN5k0@uniwa.uwa.edu.au>, davidc@tartarus.uwa.edu.au (David Cake) writes...
> 
>	On the other hand, Dark Conspiracy is selling madly, apparently.
>At least it is the biggest selling GDW game by a decent margin. There
>were ugly rumours that Traveller:The New Era was going to use Twilight
>2000/ Dark Conspiracy mechanics, as they outsold Megatraveller. Luckily
>false.
> 
>						Dave Cake

In the latest issue of _Challenge_ (I think: perhaps it was the latest 
GDW catalog...), there was a letter and an editorial response.

My interpretation was the writer was concerned about the rumoured change
of mechanics, and the GDW employee was rationalizing the change.

I think the rumours are no longer rumours, if I am interpreting correctly
what I saw in a GDW publication.

-David Cheng
 drcheng@sales.stern.nyu.edu
From: jerry@teetot.acusd.edu (Stratton)
Subject: Re: Updated List of Superhero RPGs  [and comments]
Organization: usd
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 92 01:36:01 GMT

>bz978@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Charles E Gibbs) writes:
>>
>>Thanks to everyone who supplied info.  The following is the list compiled
>>by myself and the netters.  (Special thanks to Steffan O'Sullivan, who
>>supplied much of the list.)
>
>You're welcome, but I made a mistake, I see:
And I must've, as well.

Brand X (FireBrand Publications)

should be

Brand X (FireBlade Publications)

Jerry Stratton
-- 
jerry@teetot.acusd.edu             GEnii: J.STRATTON6
-- 
jerry@teetot.acusd.edu             GEnii: J.STRATTON6
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: TUK865@maccvm.corp.mot.com (Stephen Gill)
Subject: Re: Solution to Classic Problem: Forget Character Generation
Organization: Motorola
Date: 11 Nov 1992 07:59:36 CST

From: clanti55@ursa.calvin.edu (Christopher Lantinga)
>Subject: Solution to Classic Problem: Forget Character Generation

>Fellows, here's (to my knowledge) a radical idea in roleplaying games;
>I came up with it after reading Umberto Eco's "The Role Of The
>Reader".

>The problem: players very often design characters which look great on
>the character sheet but are unrecognizable in play. Classic
>illustration: in Star Wars, you (the player) are required to actually
>imitate a Wookee roar before you can play a Wookie.  That is one way
>to solve a particular instance of the problem, but how do you prevent
>a player from making a smooth-talking slick thief and then stuttering
>his way through ever NPC encounter?  General advice about "don't make
>something too difficult for you to play" or "are you sure you can play
>that?" often doesn't work, and it discourages creativity.

Interesting idea, but isn't that the way things normally work even with
a character sheet?

The players sort of work out the basics of the character with the numbers
for stats etc, but the full 'character' of the character (apologies but I
couldn't think of a clearer way to put that phrase) only comes out in the
game play. Sort of like red wine really: the best characters get better
with time whilst the bad fade away and tend to get replaced.

Well at least that's how it tends to be in the games I run.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Steve Gill, internet TUK865@maccvm.corp.mot.com  - imitation .sig file

These opinions are mine, mine, all mine   nya,ha,ha !
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: SRUN: Question?
From: lward@husc8.harvard.edu (Lester Ward)
Date: 5 Nov 92 19:23:39 GMT
Keywords: Spirits,Powers,SRUN

jcarl@jabba.ess.harris.com (Joe Carl Jr.) writes:
>This is described sort of like an invisiblity spell.  But its no suppose
>to have benifical side effects.  The description indicates that the
>victem is basically ignored, a non entity.

>I can sorta see that this is like a beggar on the street.  Everyone ignores
>him.

It goes a bit deeper: everyone ignores him no matter what he does.  Nothing
he does has any effect on anyone.  Our group interprets this to mean, he
can't spell cast, he can't shoot, he can't speak.  None of these actions
has any effect. 

>My questions are the following 

>	1) Why would any shaman have his spirit use alienation on someone?

You face a armored man with a HMG on a gyro mount and 7 of his assault-
rifle armed cronies.  A spirit lying around can Alienate the MG guy
while everyone else mops of the 7, then drop the Alienate while shooting
at him (he still can be seen astrally).
   This is .very. effective in nuetralizing heavily armed helicopters, as
the entire copter is treated as one entity.

>   2) If it basically make them invisible then does the shaman still see the
>      victim?  This sounds like a real quick way to get killed.  

We play it that the "does not exist to the world" means he can't be
effected by anything.  There is an example of "traffic will not stop
for him", inplying that they drive right into him and pulverize him,
but we say that other lines indicate more strongly that this is not
the intent.

>   3) Can this be used on the shaman himself?  If so how is it different from
>		the conceal ability?

If differs only in that it can be used on others and is much more powerful.


Some thoughts on making this a less deadly power:
Just one actually: Not existing to the world and being ignoring bullets
and so one implies that you can't move while alientated.  Using this
restrictions makes it still a good attack, but it cannot be used to
get you undetected into the middle of a hostile base. (The movement
power can move alientated things, but pay attention to domain restrictions).

Wordman

"If I could get you to stop cleaning each other and move together..."
    -- wedding photographer, _The_Simpsons_
From: hall@bcstec.ca.boeing.com (Robert J. Hall)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: SJ Games Licenses White Wolf's Vampire
Date: 11 Nov 92 23:24:23 GMT
Organization: Boeing Computer Services, Seattle

In article <loydb.09uy@fnordbox.UUCP>, loydb@fnordbox.UUCP (Loyd Blankenship) writes:
> 	     SJ Games and White Wolf License "GURPS Vampire"
> 
>     Steve Jackson Games and White Wolf are happy to announce a unique
> licensing agreement. White Wolf, the publisher of the best-selling
> "Storyteller" system, consisting of Vampire, Werewolf, and the upcoming
> Mage, Ghost and Faerie, has licensed their world background to SJ Games.
> 
>    SJ Games will produce GURPS versions of all five of these products,
> plus original material set in the same background.

Wasn't there a Star Trek (the walker generation ;) episode along these lines?

  Landrew ... you will be absorbed by the body ... the body is one ...
-- 
 Bob Hall                   |
 Boeing Computer Services   |  Behind every dark cloud,
 root@chicken.ca.boeing.com |  there's a Seattle Skyline.
From: pyuaq@csv.warwick.ac.uk (Mr G S Sutherland)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: GURPS: Armor (Basic vs. Advanced)
Date: 6 Nov 1992 01:53:22 -0000
Organization: Computing Services, University of Warwick, UK
NNTP-Posting-Host: lily.csv.warwick.ac.uk

In article <betel.721005422@camelot> betel@camelot.bradley.edu (Robert Crawford) writes:
+>steph@pegasus.cs.uiuc.edu (Dale Stephenson) writes:
+>>	While armor is heavy, it isn't _that_ heavy. I've seen at
+>>least one person who can run faster in reverse _in_armor_ than most
+>>people can forward.
+>These are SCA people?  One of my favorite medieval stories is the knight who
+>fell of his horse in a battle, and couldn't move.  He just laid on his back
+>in plate armor until a group of enemy soldiers found him.  After unsuccessfully
+>trying to stick knifes through joints his armor, they finally got an ax and
+>chopped him as he lay there.
+
+	Well, the following comes from an exhibit of material from the
+Tower of London -- armor was _never_ that heavy. Wearing a suit of
+armor that is so heavy you cannot move is counter-productive, since
+being unhorsed is not all that rare. In fact, it was a major tactic,
+and not being ready for that would be stupid.

Armour, by the late Medieval period weighed around about 60lbs, later suits
designed to be used in Tournements hit around about 90lbs. I wouldn't call
that `never that heavy'

As for being unable to move, I've heard stories of Agincourt, where people
were simply left in piles after being unhorsed, since they were unable to
move once down.

+Robert Crawford 			betel@camelot.bradley.edu

Graeme Sutherland.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Floating Point Magic Systems...
From: charles.summerhill@grapevine.lrk.ar.us (Charles Summerhill) 
Date: 12 Nov 92 12:06:00 GMT
Reply-To: charles.summerhill@grapevine.lrk.ar.us (Charles Summerhill) 
Distribution: world
Organization: The GrapeVine BBS *** N. Little Rock, AR *** (501) 753-8121


...
   Just a quick question.  With all of the recent posts about the
variety (and there has been quite a variety) of Magic Systems either
used, seen or recently invented--is somebody out there keeping them for
future reference?  Yes, No, Maybe?
...
   In case the answer is No, then I volunteer myself to do just that.
Please send me E-Mail with the Magic Systems that you have previously
posted, or were wanting to post.
...
   If I am stepping on somebody else's toes, sorry--but I wouldn't mind
getting what you have already.
...
   Thanks in advance...

   Charles A. Summerhill
              
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: jmkaraka@eos.ncsu.edu (JOHN MARTIN KARAKASH)
Subject: Re: APPLESEED
Originator: jmkaraka@c00059-100lez.eos.ncsu.edu
Reply-To: jmkaraka@eos.ncsu.edu (JOHN MARTIN KARAKASH)
Organization: North Carolina State University, Project Eos
Date: Sun, 8 Nov 1992 02:52:47 GMT


|>I can see APPLESEED using R.Talsorian's rules (AFTER REVAMPING THOSE RIDICULOUS
|>ENCUMBERANCE RULES!!!  A character with a high REF stat can layer armor
|>until nothing short of a tank gun will bruise him...), MAAAAAYBE Shadowrun
                                                         ^^^^^^^^^

	I'd be even more hesitant than you about putting it in SR.  If SJ
would finish up the vehicles rules and the mecha rules I'd say GURPS, but
since they haven't....

	-john-
From: sulaiman@ecs.umass.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Traveller stuff for sale
Date: 5 Nov 92 14:47:51 GMT


Hi,

I've got some old Traveller stuff that I'd like to get rid off. So
I would like to auction it off. All the stuff is in Good to Excellent
shape. Good meaning that covers are a bit scruffy and I might have 
written inside with a pencil. Excellent, meaning like new or very close
to it. The minimum bid is $2.50 for the small books and $5.00 for the
larger ones. These items are all by GDW for Traveller.

	Book 1	Characters and Combat
	Book 2	Starships
	Book 3 	Worlds and Adventure
	Book 4  Mercenary
	Book 5	High Guard
	Book 6	Scouts
	Book 8  ROBOTS

	Supplement 1	1001 Characters
	Supplement 3	Spinward Marches
	Supplement 4  	Citizens of the Imperium
	Supplement 6	76 Patrons
        Supplement 8	Library Data A-M
	Supplement 9	Fighting Ships
	Supplement 10	Solomani Rim
	Supplement 11	Library Data N-Z
	Supplement 12   Forms and Charts

	Adventure 2	research station Gamma
	Adventure 3	Twilight's Peak
	Adventure 4	Leviathan
	Adventure 6	Expedition to Zhodane
	Adventure 8	Prison Planet
	Adventure 9	Nomads of the World Ocean
	Adventure 10	Safari Ship
	Adventure 12	Secret of the Ancients
	Adventure 13	Signal GK

	Double Adv 1	Annic Nova/Shadows
        Double Adv 2	Across the Bright Face/Mission to Mithril
        Double Adv 3	Argon Gambit/Death Station
        Double Adv 4	Marooned/Marooned Alone
        Double Adv 5	Chamax Plague/Horde

Big Books:
	Atlas of the Imperium
	Alien Module 3 Vargr

Please e-mail to

	sulaiman@ecs.umass.edu

Cost of shipping will be added to overall cost.

Ameer
From: mjung@math.TU-Berlin.DE (Michael Jung)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Rolemaster:THE missing rule!!!!
Date: 12 Nov 92 12:40:45
Organization: FB3, TU-Berlin, Germany.
NNTP-Posting-Host: laplace.math.tu-berlin.de
In-reply-to: 9231196@ul.ie's message of 6 Nov 92 07:56:38 GMT

In article <19881.2afa2537@ul.ie> 9231196@ul.ie writes:
	We have a problem.
   Those nice people at ICE who have given us so many nice companions to 
   buy have,unfortunately,neglected to include any drowning rules.
   But they have a rule for everything else!! Is this an ooops?
   Also,if a decapitated character has been given an "ingest" life-
   preservation herb,what happens to the torso & limbs?
   Rolemaster,it seems,has an optional rule for almost every situation,
   which discourages the age-old tradition of the on-the-spot GM call.
   Thus "holes" in the system like this are more unnerving than they would 
   be in other RPG systems.

There are probably an infinite number of situation not having been dealt
with. I do not own any companions but I, but what about
starving, tiredness, eyesight and everyday diseases for starters? Not to
mention all the odd occurences where rules contradict each other; the
more, the worse.

Maybe there should be an FAQ or such for the former, since they will
pop up in any gamesystem.

Michael


Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: dunkelza@titan.ucc.umass.edu (KEITH C MCCORMIC)
Subject: Re: META:  Swords, etc
Organization: University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 01:32:35 GMT

In article <KETIL.92Nov4160341@sandel.ii.uib.no> ketil@ii.uib.no writes:
>>>>>> On Tue, 3 Nov 1992 23:10:59 GMT, dunkelza@titan.ucc.umass.edu (KEITH C MCCORMIC) said:
>
>	KEITH>       Tell that to the Scotsman who wielded them in
>	KEITH> battle.
>
>Well, I think Loki has a point here. I have never tried this, but I
>think it would be quite possible to get close to the wielder if or
>when he swings past you.
>
>If I remember correctly, the claymores didn't weigh more than around 8
>kg,  and were only wielded by the great heroes (= big and strong men?)
>
>Besides, the scotsmen were kicked to bits by the vikings with shorter
>swords, so there :-)
>
>-ketil
>--
> = Ketil Malde                     In real life:  ketil@ii.uib.no =
> = Nuke the whales!                    Honk if you love unicorns! =
 
   Not the Highlanders who were the ones wielding claymores.  Also, the 
claymore is a weapon of the late middle ages, long after the vikings.

Dunkelzahn



Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: rda822l@nella16.cc.monash.edu.au (J. Wood)
Subject: Re: Shadowrun book.
Organization: Monash University, Melb., Australia.
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 22:21:19 GMT

dunkelza@titan.ucc.umass.edu (KEITH C MCCORMIC) writes:

>       I can't get on to usdcsv.acusd.edu to get the Net.shadowrun.book.
>Does any other site have it?  I would like to get it.  

I too checked out this site and couldn't get in, so if someone could either     
post or e-mail the address it would be great.  Alternatively, if someone
has a copy of the Net.shadowrun.book and could e-mail it to me ...

Thanks, 

Jay ;)
-- 
Jason Wood                   | Home: rda822l@nellads.cc.monash.edu.au 
Digital Technology           | Also: techno@yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au
Monash University            |  
Caufield, AUSTRALIA          |  Techno - the music for the 90's
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: thornley@micro.cs.umn.edu (David H. Thornley)
Subject: Re: META:  Swords, etc
Organization: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, CSci dept.
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 03:08:40 GMT

In article <1992Nov6.034021.19763@trl.oz.au> s.mathers@trl.oz.au writes:
>|> >The fact is you use a shield and armour when you are serious about
>|> >killing people.  Thats why people get nervous when others walk around so
>|> >armed.
>|> 
>|>[Swords are inconvenient, and useful only to kill people.  If you carry one,
>|> you *are* serious about killing somebody under some conditions.]
>
>Id say that in most gaming worlds, walking
>around with a sword at you hip would be considered acceptable behaviour,
>while walking around armoured and carrying a sheild would not be.  

Why?  Again, if you're in a dangerous place, you should be fully equipped,
while if you're in civilized territory you don't need a lethal weapon.

>If you want an analogy, compare the situation to seeing sombody in the
>street with a holstered pistol, to somebody with an assault rifle
>strapped to their back.

Walk down *my* street with a holstered pistol, and I'll call the police.
This may be the central city, but it's a quiet neighborhood and anybody
armed with lethal weaponry is distinctly out of place.

Look, a sword is a lethal weapon.  A sword and shield is merely a small
difference in degree (particularly the buckler over the hilt I mentioned
in an earlier post).  Why the difference?

In my world, BTW, travellers commonly have sword and buckler, adventurers
typically ride armed to the teeth (the entire party is noble, so that
avoids some questions), and people in the cities do not go around openly
armed.

DHT

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: logerius@psykoman.cs.hut.fi (Lord Logerius of Angmar)
Subject: Vampire: Combat.. HELP!!
Organization: Helsinki University of Technology, CS lab
Date: Sun, 8 Nov 1992 00:06:15 GMT


	


  I just finished a session of vampire (First game!!,was damn fun.. never 
shouted so much on combat part before)  OK in the game came forth
couple of questions,as I don't know the rules exactly.

  Scenario was as follows... I (Assamite on a hunt for Garou) had just
killed couple of them were-bastards  (Yup,got them all,surprised them:)
and more were (no pun) coming and I was in kinda hurry to get out
ok I had one (maybe more) tailing me and I had a hunch 'bout it,now
I would like to know what kind of rolls we should make,when I was being
hunted by a werewolf (Player too!!) that was trying sneak up on me,and 
I was running my brains out,trying to stay hidden...

  So what would be the appropiate skill rolls to be made...??

Firstly when the werethingy is trying to get on my tail,and then
when I'm trying to run stealthily (??) or hide from pursuers and then when 
were is trying to close up on me. 
 I knew of him then stopped and pumped a clip of silver bullets in him 
(he was 15 ft away) ,should he get a chance to claw me ?(Well we gave him)

 In the end the werewolf ripped me apart,but I died knowing I didn't go
down alone (Actually there was a bit of crowding on the werewolf side,killed
nine (confirmed kills,silver is nasty) of them werewolves)


  And also,how about Veil,do vampires panic when seeing werewolves?? (I'd say
it's a frenzy thingy)

  Lastly.. can assamites be blood bound?? As other vampires blood is poison
to them I wouldn't think so.



Ps Gotta say that I like vampire,I thought that it would be boring and all
that namby pamby stuff (humanity and all),but it was actually quite intense
and fun.I learned couple of things a) don't mess with werewolves
b) If you do,surprise them! c) Silver is your friend
From: meierdalepau@bvc.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: RE:  Distribution
Date: 6 Nov 92 11:12:31 CDT
Organization: Buena Vista College, Storm Lake, IA

	The only reason I posted that message to this newsgroup was because 
nobody reads the general announcements newsgroup here at Buena Vista.  I 
figured I'd have a better chance of finding a group by posting it to a 
rec.games.frp newsgroup than posting it to a newsgroup where the people who 
read it are either anti-RPG or have no idea what the post is about.

BTW:  This is not a flame either.

Dale Meier
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: meierdalepau@bvc.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: RE:  Barbarian FRP's
Date: 12 Nov 92 15:06:00 CDT
Organization: Buena Vista College, Storm Lake, IA

	At one point in time there was a GURPS Horseclans book, and wasn't 
there a GURPS Conan at one time?

Dale Meier
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: seurer@rchland.vnet.ibm.com (Bill Seurer)
Subject: Re: Conversion from RM to Gurps
Date: Mon, 09 Nov 1992 22:14:17 GMT
Distribution: usa
Reply-To: BillSeurer@vnet.ibm.com
Disclaimer: This posting represents the poster's views, not necessarily those of IBM
Organization: IBM Rochester

I did this when converting characters from MERP to GURPS.

The key is to keep the same flavor for the character.  There is
no easy mechanical way to do it.  Since you aren't that familiar
with GURPS that will make it more difficult.  There are some things
in RM that aren't easy to duplicate in GURPS.

For starters, you are on the right track.  Pick a starting point and
give so many GURPS points PER xxx RM EXPERIENCE POINTS.  Since RM levels
aren't even (e.g., it may take 2000 RM XP to get from 1 to 2 and 10,000
to get from 4 to 5) and GURPS character points are a straight level to
GURPS points conversion falls flat.

Then look at the character in comparison to the "average".  If the
character is REALLY strong in RM then make him REALLY strong in GURPS.
Some RM attributes might be represented by advantages in GURPS.  This
is the trickiest part next to...

Skills.  There are LOTS more skills (and spells) in GURPS than in RM.
Some are the same but some RM skills might expand to several GURPS
skills.  Again, keep the flavor in mind.  If the character is SUPER THIEF 
in RM make him so in GURPS too.

Spells work like skills.  Probably the character won't have as many variations
of spells in GURPS as in RM (there are many simple variations in RM spells
covered by a single GURPS spell) but there are more GURPS spells.  Just let
them choose so they have ones similar to what they actually used in RM.
They definately won't be as powerful.

You may run into a character who comes out much more potent when converted to
GURPS or much less so.  Either ignore this or fiddle with the point totals
until it works out.
-- 

- Bill Seurer     Language and Compiler Development      IBM Rochester, MN
  Internet: BillSeurer@vnet.ibm.com    America On-Line: BillSeurer@aol.com