HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: ratinox@splinter.coe.northeastern.edu (Richard Pieri/Stainless Steel Rat)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Amber (questions and comments)
Date: 1 Sep 92 14:45:47 GMT
Reply-To: ratinox@meceng.coe.northeastern.edu
Organization: 3WA, Boston Office. Or Nu Meta Chi. Take your pick.
In-reply-to: goodwin@orionsci.uucp's message of 31 Aug 92 14:03:34 GMT
X-Get-A-Clue: Have two, they're small.
X-Signature-Virus-Protection: Version 1.51
X-Posting-Software: GNUS 3.14.1 [ NNTP-based News Reader for GNU Emacs ]

>>>>> "BG" == Ben Goodwin <goodwin@orionsci.uucp> writes:

BG> Visual Guide to Castle Amber.  My opinion, not worth the $8.95.
BG> Shows the basic architecture of the castle.  But where are the
BG> bathrooms?

New? New! I've had mine for something like a year now :-).

BG> Anybody know when Prince of Chaos is due out in paperback?

November or December. Check with your bookstores; they get release dates on
them fiches around two or three months in advance.

BG> We had our auction last night.  I had decided that I would
BG> take psyche no matter what.  One of the women wanted it too.
BG> I won it for 65 points!  Ouch!  I have 40 points left to spend,
BG> 50 if I take 10 points of bad stuff?  Double ouch!

Ah, well :-).

BG> I asked before but no one answered.  I am confused about laddering
BG> the ranks above first.  I know that in the Rules book it says number
BG> one ranked is number one ranked.  But it goes on to mention allowing
BG> players to buy above first using a ladder system.  Has anyone done
BG> this?  And how did you set up the ladder?

The GM will do whatever he likes, setting "rungs" as he wants.

--Rat

||||| | | | |  |  |  |   |   |    |    |    |   |   |  |  |  |  | | | | | |||||
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Internet: ratinox@meceng.coe.northeastern.edu   /__  |/ |/ / /| | Welfare Works
    UUCP: ...!northeastern.edu!meceng!ratinox  /   | /| / / / | | Association:
  BITNET: UA_RLP@NUHUB{.BITNET}               /__  |/ |/ / /  | | I will solve
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 ICBMnet: 42 deg 1 min N, 71 deg 0 min W    /    |/ |/ /_//_____| for you.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: markg@vulcan.anu.edu.au (Mark Grundy)
Subject: Re: Dealing with the Uneducated
Organization: Computer Services Centre, Australian National University
Date:  3 Sep 92 03:10:57 GMT

pvanheus@frodo.cs.uct.ac.za (P A van Heusden) writes:

    > I am  running a RuneQuest  3rd Edition  (+all the nice  mods from  the
      RuneQuest Digest)  campaign set  in Dark  Ages Germany,  AD 494.    It
      relies heavily on factual data  about the Germanic belief system,  the
      social structure,  etc.   Which is  fine by  me, I  love the  subject.
      However, here we have the problem: My players do not have a background
      in this  subject matter.   [...]  Any suggestions  for how  I can  get
      everybody into the world, and the mythos, in a reasonable time?

        You're running a genre game.  They're hard to run if the players are
    unfamiliar with the genre.  I suggest that you start with some movies or
    short stories to  get them  interested.   Supplement this  with a  short
    write-up of  what you  think the  game  genre is  about, and  then  just
    persist.   Often, too,  it helps  to write  a short,  one-off game  with
    characters supplied by you.   This will  give the players  a clue as  to
    what sort of issues are  important in the game  world, and what sort  of
    characters fit the game.
-- 

 -----                                                             ---- ------
 markg@arp.anu.edu.au                                              Mark Grundy
From: rb6t+@andrew.cmu.edu (Robert Everett Brunskill)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Another!: Npc for shadowrun
Date: 30 Aug 92 05:51:24 GMT
Organization: Freshman, CIT general, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA

BK Davis (bkdavis@c00478-224wi.eos.ncsu.edu): provided a nasty NPC stating:


>Hey this char is just an npc. I am sure that your players will have
>problems taking him down.

Here's my player-slayer.
Street Name: Pro 2 (Project 2 from a DNA/DOA sequel)
Archtype:Merc
Race:Elf
B - 6(8)
Q - 7(11)x4
S - 6(10)
C - 6
I - 6(10)
W - 8
E - 0.18
R - 6(12) +3d6 (4d6 total)
Natural Armor - +3/+2
Allergy Substance - Sun light
Severity - Severe


Bioware

Cerebal Booster (2)
Muscle Augmentation (4)
Mnemonic Enhancement (1)
Orthoskin (3)
Platelet Factory  (It's fun to see a Player's face light up when they
hit 					       
                    him with a Panther and he keeps on coming.)
Symbiotes (3)
Synthocardium (2)


Cyberware

Bonelacing, Titanium
Boosted Reflexes (3)
Cortex Bomb
Cyberears, Low Frequency
Cybereyes, Thermographic, Low Light, Flare Compensation
Cyberspur, Right hand/arm, Retractable, Dikote*
Encephlaron (3)
Hydraulic Jack (6)
Orientation System
Smartgun Link, Left hand
SPU (Math) (1)


Skills

Armed combat 6
Car 4
Demolitions 3
Firearms 6
Gunnery 4
Military Theory 2
Rotorcraft 3
Stealth 3
Throwing Weapons 3
Unarmed combat 6
English 8
Japanese 4
City Speak 4


Equipment

Form fitting armor (3) with Ruthenium Polymers and a full head hood
Forearm guards
Whatever gun you care to give him if you think he needs one
Whatever else he may need at the time


Contacts
Numerous underworld and street types


Pro 2 was a Merc who was "volunteered" to be converted into a near
perfect soldier, the theory being that the benefit gained from this
special agent would balance the cost.  Pro 2 didn't see it that way, so
when he had the chance he escaped.  My purpose in making this character
was actually not to slay characters, but to make a highly challenging
nemisis for them.  His skills would probably be better, but I just
haven't taken the time to do that yet.

>>>>>[Frag, I still can't believe what I saw last night chummers.  I was
providing some long range back up for a run and before my very eyes some
one - some thing rushes right up to the shadows I was covering and just
takes 'em all down.  I think one of 'em even emtied a clip of ammo into
that thing before he was also taken down.  It was all over in a matter
of seconds, and that thing was the only one standing.  I didn't bother
to try any shots. Why should I?  The mission was already hosed.]<<<<<

  QGrost<14:31:45/3P11P53>

>>>>>[It's best not to mention some things on the Matrix]<<<<<

  QThe Pantom<14:56:24/3P11P53>

>>>>>[I'll get you and you're little dog too.]<<<<<

		Q8(@<TIME DATE SEARCH FAILURE/ACCESS DISENGAGED>

Have fun.
Rob Brunskill Aka. "The Phantom" (not a certain Phantom from other lands)
"This must be Thursday, I never could quite get the hang of Thursdays."
- A certain ape decended being
From: tdunn@ecst.csuchico.edu (Tim Dunn)
Subject: Re: RPG Board Stickums
Organization: California State University, Chico
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1992 09:20:52 GMT

Robert J. Hall writes:
>I've got an idea for a RPG product I'd like to see, and I was wondering if
>anybody knew if such an item exists. The product consists of a set of soft
>transparent plastic shapes that can be overlaid on a typical hex mat to
>produce various terrain obstacles and features. 

Yes, the exist, though they are no longer made. I think they were called
Flextiles, and they were basically colorforms for battlemats and the like.
Made by Hero games, some four years ago or longer. There were cars (looked
like they blew up some of the Autoduel drawings) and shrubbery and mad-
scientist laboratory supplies. Most of this was for Champions, so there
were no dungeon-esque types. All in HO (1/72) scale.

The only snag in your idea is that Hero may still own the idea. I don't
know the legal ramifications (and don't want all the armchair net-lawyers
to jump on me) so I'd suggest talking to a professional.

-- 
"A witty saying proves nothing."
		-- Voltaire
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: maxson@cerl.uiuc.edu (K R Maxson)
Subject: Re: CoC Campaigns
Organization: UIUC Computer-based Education Research Lab
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1992 20:43:19 GMT

In article <Btt5rz.3uE@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu> burdickd@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Dakin Burdick) writes:
>I don't know how some folks can say that CoC does not have a high
>character turnover rate.  If you play the modules, as written,
>you will die a lot.  If you run away from combat all the time, Cthulu
>and his pals will conquer the world.  I guess all this reminds me
>of is a campaign I played in where the two bozos we played with "did
>not believe in combat."  Now, you would think that this would mean
>extensive character development... WRONG!  These guys had no
>character!  They ran away from every battle, no matter how small, and
>no matter how necessary.  Their idea of fun was running away from
>nameless horrors, living small children to be eaten, and screaming
>giddily at the top of their lungs.

Hmm.  People seem to be talking about different things that I am.

In horror, you are seeking an atmosphere of fear -- stark, unavoidable,
spine-chilling terror that crawls up under your counterpane and up your
nightshirt while you're sleeping and fastens itself in some dark,
unreachable portion of your being to feed.

Such fear must be punctuated -- it can't go on solid for a very great
length of time.  And the more lulls there are, the less fearsome the
horror the next time it rolls around.  This is why I, personally, don't
feel CoC makes good campaign material.  I've never run a CoC scenario
within 6 months of my last, and I think this helps everyone involved
enjoy them more.

I'm not talking about running scenarios "out of the box," which is
something I've never done; even if I stumbled across a good module
or sourcebook or whatever, which is something I've never done, I'd
prefer using my own material.  That's why I like to game master --
power, creation, control!  Hahahaha!  Ahem.  And, I'm not talking
about CoC rules combat being particularly bloody or realistic.
It isn't.  It is about as stupid and phoney as any other game system.

I'm talking about the horror genre; seeing Alien for the first time
and being unable to sleep more than a few hours a night for a week,
or never visiting your uncle again at his penguin ranch in the 
Antarctic because you watched Carpenter's The Thing.  THERE IS NO
CONSTANT HORROR.  It is non-sustainable.

I've run and been involved in campaigns that had horror elements;
but, as I feel all campaigns should be, they were built around
characters and not horror.  Stark raving terror was just something
that happened occasionally.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: rnmg1200@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (A Lady and her Walrus)
Subject: Re: NET.BOOKS Request
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 01:14:24 GMT

In article <1992Sep1.145946.18747@ncar.ucar.edu> urban@stout.atd.ucar.edu (Art Urban (PROFS)) writes:
>
>Would the kind folks who archive the Net.GURPS.Spells *and* Net.Plots please
>e-mail me the current collections? I've tried to get these according to
>the FAQ but even mailing the compilers isn't working (my mailer cannot reach
>them, so it would seem).

I can't believe I'm doing this...

Me too!  Me too!  Please.

Thanks.

*gag*

The Walrus
From: mcclure@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Gaeron McClure)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: SRUN: Questions from the Minotaur: The Next Generation
Date: 3 Sep 92 15:32:23 GMT
Article-I.D.: ux1.Bu0DuD.MvG
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana

mancinis@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (steven mancini) writes:

>1.  How do you other GM's deal with the glut of Magically Actives? It 
>    seems more and more people are wanting to play magicals and the 
>    traditional street samurai is losing his appeal. Is this prevalent 
>    in any other gaming groups?

	In a word, yes.  But remember, unless you get criminal perverts
building cybered mages, they're _slow_ compared to sammies.  Hit 'em by
surprise, before they can get those sicko defenses and/or attacks activated.

>2. Do your magically actives assense EVERYTHING? It seems like no matter 
>   what room, it is assensed, no matter who the person is, as soon as 
>   he/she/it is introduced, it is assensed, no matter what the object, 
>   it is assensed. 

	The suggestions already given about keeping things lurking in astral 
to attack are good.  Remember, shifting Mundo to Astral Perception takes
an action.  I also declared that you look sort of funny when you're assensing,
sort of like you're looking through people.  People who are familiar with the
effect know they're being assensed (and may not like it), and even those who
don't know what's going on might think the PC is strange or rude.

>3. Can a person who has a Quickening walk through a non-friendly Ward?
>   How about a spell lock? (We have allowed for people to specially
>   design Wards to allow spirits to pass, but it is written into the
>   Warding, so basically, by non-friendly I mean those wards made up
>   to keep people, spirits, etc. OUT).

	I'd say not.  On a related note, just to nail those people who
wander around with Armor and Increased Reaction Quickened to them, if I
remember correctly an Astral attack could ground into them.

>4. Obviously fire blinds those with thermographic vision. How could you
>   reasonably create something to do the same to Lowlight? Ultrasound?

	Remember, in addition to the flash pack suggestion, Lowlight is just
that:  _Low_ light.  If it's really dark, even those with Lowlight will face
penalties, and if it's pitch black they won't be able to see at all.
The suggestion of using a white noise generator against ultrasound is good.
Unless ultrasound is very common in your campaign, the white noise generators
won't be either, but if everyone is loading up on ultrasound then their
opponents (at least the ones who survived) might start thinking about ways to
get around it.

>4. Okay now to physical adepts. We have enhanced physical sense so people
>   are buying themselves: Lowlight, Mag Eyes, thermo, etc..
>   Does anyone else out there allow people to develop -protective- senses?

	Not yet.  I've been dithering over whether or not to let them take
flare compensation.

>							-Minotaur

GRiM
Gaeron R. McClure (mcclure@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu)
-- 
GRiM	(Gaeron	R. McClure)	(mcclure@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu)
From: ds0c@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (DAVID M. STENGLE)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Warhammer FRP: Where are you?
Date: 4 Sep 92 16:36:09 GMT
Organization: Lehigh University

Just picked up some Warhammer stuff. The system looks nice, and I'd like to
follow chatter on the net on the game. Where does it live out here in netland?

Thanks in advance.

-- 
In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice.
In practice, there is.

David M. Stengle                Email:   ds0c@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu
Work Phone/Fax: (215) 882-2835  Home Phone: (215) 867-2793
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Hero: Vitals HitLoc (Was Re: Champions: Mental Questions...)
From: tdunn@ecst.csuchico.edu (Tim Dunn)
Date: Wed, 02 Sep 1992 14:05:31 GMT
Organization: California State University, Chico

Chris Olson writes:
>I write:
>|> Hmmm, I've always though of it as the "you don't want to be hit there"
>|> region. It could be the genitalia, but I've also ruled it to cover
>|> the throat, the heart, the spine, the kidneys... 
>	Actually, the vitals area (by scanning the armor types which
>cover it in the Fantasy Hero book) seems to be that portion of the torso
>which is not covered by ribs (which defines the chest area).

There is a stomach HitLoc.  I can easily see the case for vitals == pubes,
but I'd like to think that it can also be used for other, 'vital' areas.

-- 
Atlee is a very modest man.  And with reason.
		-- Winston Churchill
From: uplink@cwis.unomaha.edu (John M. Scheibeler)
Subject: Re: IRC/Email RPG games
Organization: University of Nebraska at Omaha
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1992 20:13:48 GMT

   What, no Cyberpunk-genre games (Cyberpunk, Shadowrun, Cyber Hero) ?
 
   Guess not....

----------uplink
======================================================================
"Open the pod bay doors, Hal."
"I'm afraid I can't do that, Dave."
"Hal, I have an axe."
"Yes, Dave, opening the pod bay doors now.  Have a nice day."
======================================================================
From: sl9b4@cc.usu.edu (Deep Six)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Improvisation!
Date: 28 Aug 92 13:09:38 MDT
Organization: Utah State University

In article <1992Aug28.094159.1@wharton.upenn.edu>, 
 millerl@wharton.upenn.edu writes:
> In article <1992Aug27.232312.58456@cc.usu.edu>, 
 sl9b4@cc.usu.edu (Deep Six) writes:
>> In article <1992Aug25.221929.1@wharton.upenn.edu>, 
>>   millerl@wharton.upenn.edu writes:

>> Now, this is probably the third time I have heard this ``I have a life''
>> thing in response to my estimated prep time. As I said, I can usually
>  
>> So enough with the ``life'' flames.
> 
> Here we see why Deep Six is at odds with the entire rest of the net on
> the Improvisation issue. He takes a simple comment that someone has a
> busy life and interprets it as an insult directed at him.

And here we see why people periodically post things like, ``VOTE NOW: 
Have you been irritated by Loren Miller yet?'' You think everything you 
write will immediately interpreted in exactly the way you intended, and 
when that's not the case, you accuse people of being too sensitive, too 
arrogant or too dumb.

As I already said, I had already let other comments like this go by. By the 
time Loren's rolled around I was tired of hearing people say ``I have a life'' 
as if to imply that I don't.
 
> This is why he takes someone else's comment that he improvises 99% of
> the time as an insult directed against all GMs who prepare.

You obviously haven't followed the whole thread. From the first I have 
suggested that this discussion be reasonable and general. You may be
confusing me with someone else. When have I ever said I considered Steve's
comments an insult? I thought Steve and I (and other improv GMs) have had 
a productive, if spirited, conversation. Quit trying to make me out to be 
some sort of flame-freak, Loren.
 
> Good grief, boy. Calm down.
> Read. Reflect. Reply if you must. Never write while angry.

Take your own advice once.

Okay,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chadd VanZanten SL9B4@CC.USU.EDU + ``Charlie don't surf!'' --Big Duke in 
Francis Coppala's Apocolypse Now
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: lib1p@jane.uh.edu (Tammy Stark Blandino)
Subject: Btech muse
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: University of Houston
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1992 23:56:00 GMT

Could someone give some completely detailed info on this?

Walter and I are interested.

Tammy

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: ins894r@aurora.cc.monash.edu.au (Aaron Wigley [Wigs])
Subject: Re: ShadowTech Errata
Organization: Monash University
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL5
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 02:12:06 GMT

MacGyver (macgyver@turtle.cis.ohio-state.edu) wrote:
: Here it is again. (plus a few new ones.)

I would say that the essence cost for the TacComp is a bit exessive myself.
(perhaps .3 and .4, not 3 and 4 essence).

What's the general consensus?

The Wigs of Oz,
Aaron Wigley
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: sos@oz.plymouth.edu (Steffan O'Sullivan)
Subject: Re: Bunnies and Burrows
Reply-To: sos@oz.plymouth.edu (Steffan O'Sullivan)
Organization: Plymouth State College - Plymouth, N.H.
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 92 21:40:07 GMT

v151luy2@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Scott D McGinnis) writes:
>	There is a dir of B&B on the ftp site at Think.Com.
>however it says that permission is denied for access. 
>dows anyone know how to obtain permission to enter, or 
>when it will be public again?

It will never again be public again.  It was a playtest copy of the
(copyrighted) first draft of the GURPS B&B.  Since it was only for
playtest purpsose, and since the final draft is back from the printer's
today, there is no need to have a playtest version available any
longer.

You wouldn't want it anyway: lots changed.

-- 
  - Steffan O'Sullivan		         sos@oz.plymouth.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: dv52151@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Axly)
Subject: Munchkin Hall of Fame (was Re: Orch players)
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 23:27:30 GMT

seawasp@vm2.cis.pitt.edu (Sea Wasp) writes:

>the years, I have had PCs who were:
>	Demons, dragons, klingons, humans, elves, dwarves, phraints,
>saurians, Kzinti, deodanths, werecreatures, hobbits, shapeshifters,
>robots, pure energy beings, and dozens of other races.

>	And that's not nearly in the highest power campaign I've seen or run.

>	What people here post as munchkin characters... god, I have to laugh.
>If it can't obliterate an entire continent to begin with, you can't really call
>it POWERFUL, can you?

Is voting open for the Munchkin Hall of Fame?

Axly

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: jwtlai@jeeves.uwaterloo.ca (Jim W "GrimJim" Lai)
Subject: Re: SRUN: A few observations
Keywords: general comments
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 23:53:15 GMT

In article <BtLtx6.861@acsu.buffalo.edu> v125qj86@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Jeffrey B Rogers) writes:
>	Hi there. This is my first posting, and I hope it works ok. I've been
>GMing SR for about 2 years, playing almost every weekend of the school year
>with some friends of mine. They've offered me more than a few observations
>about the game that I probably never would have thought of on my own. I 
>came to a few other observations myself, and, well, here they are:
>	1) Regarding FASA's modules for the game - I used practically all of
>them as this was the first system i ever GMed. My friends have identifed a 
>common plot pattern to these things that they disagree with. It goes like this
>---job offer, legwork, doing the job, getting paid/getting screwed over. It
>is the last part that bugs them, because they don't expect every single job
>they perform to have some ulterior purpose _that attempts to affect them per-
>sonally_. By my understanding, they seem to be interested in playing runs
>that are exactly as straightforward as their employers claim they are. My
>opinion is that underlying sneaky plots are part and parcel of it being a 
>cyber-punkish game.

Oh, sure plots should be sneaky.  I only own three FASA modules.  I got
Harlequin because it was sneaky, and didn't seem to involve the PCs
personally.  Of course, there were a few other problems with fitting it in
my campaign, e.g. players do not like going on runs where they have no idea
what they are doing because it would be all too easy to be screwed over.  If
an employer gets too uppity about demanding runners be ignorant of their
mission, they can go get new runners; there's enough around.  And runners do
belong to a sort of informal community; screw them around too often and it's
bad for biz.

I'm trying to find plots (sigh, still working on finishing one) that lets the
PCs get a hint at what's going on where things are much bigger than them, and
they are not part of the big picture, unless they make themselves part of it.
The world is impersonal in cyberpunk.  Getting personal can be bad for biz.

Biz.  Sometimes, that's all there is in the end.