From: rg-frp-announce@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu
Subject: [rec.games.frp.*] BBSes of interest to roleplayers
Followup-To: rec.games.frp.misc
Originator: cwatters@top.magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu
Keywords: roleplaying games, official & unofficial BBSes, administrivia
Reply-To: cwatters@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 22:43:42 GMT

Archive-name: games/roleplay/part6
Last-Modified: 10/23/92

                         BBS's for Roleplayers

Contents:
        The Steve Jackson Games BBS -- Austin, Texas, USA
        The Red October BBS (Hero Games) -- Austin, Texas, USA
**      The Harnline BBS (Columbia Games) -- Vancouver Canada
        Blacksburg Tactical Research Center (BTRC) Internet Mail Address
        Necropolis of Dreams (Ragnarok Games)   --   Austin, TX, USA
        The Broken Blade BBS (Unaffiliated) -- Seattle, Washington, USA
        Astral Void BBS (Unaffiliated) -- Mesa, Arizona, USA
        Red Star BBS (Vervan Net backbone) -- Burlington, IL, USA
        Purgatory BBS  (Unaffiliated) --  Salem, Oregon, USA
        Bladerunner BBS (Unaffiliated) -- Waltham, Mass. USA
        The DUNGEON BBS (Unaffiliated) -- western (?) NY State, USA
        TeleDunjon III and IV (Unaffiliated) -- Dallas/Ft Worth, Texas, USA
        Smasher Land BBS (Unaffiliated) -- Athens, Ohio, USA
        U Want What!?! BBS (Unaffiliated), Macon, GA, USA
        StormGate Aerie BBS (Other Suns), somewhere, 310 area code, USA
        The Fantasy Shop (Unaffiliated), Suitland, Maryland, USA
**      The Guild (Unaffiliated), Los Angeles, California, USA
**      Mindvox (Unaffiliated), New York, NY, USA
**      Dunkelzahn's Lair (Unaffiliated) Amherst, MA, USA

GAME COMPANY BBS's

Several RPG companies now run their own electronic bulletin boards.  To
connect to them, you must use a personal computer and a modem.
(Exception: the BTRC address is not a BBS, but a real live game designer
with an internet connection.)

Name:           The Steve Jackson Games BBS -- Austin, TX, USA
Dial:           (512)-447-4449
Comm Settings:  8-N-1 (7-E-1 may work too)
Baud:           300,1200,2400
Info Updated:   3-Dec-1991
Notes:          Steve Jackson Games operates a two line BBS, named the
                Illuminati BBS, with discussion areas for most of SJG's
                games, including GURPS. Much of the playtest feedback
                for new products comes from the BBS.


Name:           The Red October BBS (Hero Games) -- Austin, TX, USA
Dial:           (512)-834-2548
Comm Settings:  8-N-1???
Baud:           300,1200,2400???
Info Updated:   1-Feb-1991
Notes:          Red October is the semi-official BBS of Hero Games. Many Hero
                games supplement authors regularly call and there are several
                discussion boards about Hero Games.
                There are also pre-release beta test versions of most of the
                upcoming supplements from Hero Games, as well as up-to-the-
                minute news.

Name:           The Harnline BBS (Columbia Games) -- Vancouver Canada
Dial:           (604)-998-1703
Comm Settings:  8-N-1
Baud:           300,1200,2400
Info Updated:   20-Sep-1992
Notes:          Columbia Games (makers of the Harn series of campaign
                supplements and the fantasy RPG system Harnmaster) has a BBS
                called Harnline. There are currently about 50 files, mostly
                unpublished material or revisions of published material.  User
                contributions are encouraged.

                The home of Harnline is Duffle Board - Rob Duff runs the board.

                Because of the cost of calling Vancouver, Canada, from various
                parts of North America and Europe, Columbia joined Vervan net
                (see below for information on how to use it).

Name:           Blacksburg Tactical Research Center (BTRC) Email Address
Info Updated:   19-Nov-1992
Notes:          Greg Porter of BTRC is available for any and all questions
                relating to the BTRC's line of games and game products
                (TimeLords and SpaceTime RPG's, Macho Women with Guns, 3G,
                CORPS, WarpWorld, etc.). BTRC is an AMERICA ONLINE (AOL) 
                account, Internet readers can use BTRC@aol.com   .

Name:           Necropolis of Dreams (Ragnarok Games)   --   Austin, TX, USA
Dial:           (512)-472-6905, (512)-472-6220 
Comm Settings:  8-N-1
Baud:           2400, 9600
Info Updated:   4-Dec-1992
Notes:          Necropolis of Dreams has been online for almost 8 years.  It
                features over 50 message bases with a heavy concentration on
                gaming and game design as well as alternative political and
                arts topics.  It is sponsored by Ragnarok Games (publishers of
                Ysgarth, Suburban Slasher, To Challenge Tomorrow, etc), but
                discussion is not limited by that and a wide variety of gaming
                topics are addressed. The user base is very active and much
                fun is to be had by all. Operating 24 hours on both lines.


NON-AFFILIATED ROLE-PLAYING GAME BBS's

There are quite a few Independent BBS's with a strong RPG slant out there in
the great land of telecommunications.  Any comments on the suitability of
including them in this file are welcomed.

Note that the compiler of this list cannot check out these BBS's to
ensure that they work as described.  If you send information about a BBS
to me, please make sure your information is *complete* and accurate.
Thanks.


Name:           The Broken Blade BBS -- Seattle, Washington, USA
Dial:           (206) 781-9424
Comm Settings:  8-N-1
Baud:           300,1200,2400
Info Updated:   31-Oct-1991
Notes:          Mike Owen <dunadan@milton.u.washington.edu> is the sysop
                of the Broken Blade: a free access bulletin board
                system.

                Although the message base is oriented toward
                general-purpose discussions (there are only a couple of
                RPG-oriented message areas), quite a few files are
                available of interest to RPGers.

Name:           Astral Void BBS -- Mesa, Arizona, USA
Dial:           (602) 834-6065
Comm Settings:  8-N-1
Baud:           300,1200
Info Updated:   6-26-1991
Notes:          Tony Hamilton <thamilton@ch3.intel.com> runs a
                Roleplaying BBS.

                The Astral Void BBS is home to role-players who conduct
                games on the message boards, and also PBeM games.  The
                BBS is single-lined, and currently is running 11 games.
                New product information is posted for all the major game
                companies, along with occasional reviews.  There are
                also various text files on-line concerning various
                role-playing topics.

Name:           Red Star BBS (Vervan Net backbone) -- Burlington, IL, USA
Dial:           (708) 683-2390 -- (vervan net is at other sites too)
Comm Settings:  8-N-1
Baud:           1200-9600 -- HST or V.32
Info Updated:   15-Nov-1991
Notes:          There's at least one BBS network devoted solely to
                playing RPGs that you might want to look into. It's
                called V-Net. For information about V-net, contact:

                Joel Veeneman
                P.O. Box 7
                Burlington, IL 60109

                Internet: joel@redstar.marcal.com
                UUnet:    uunet!devcom!marcal!redstar!joel
                Fidonet:  1:115/639.0

Name:           Purgatory BBS  --  Salem, Oregon, USA
Dial:           (503) 370-9739
Sysop:          ???
Comm Settings:  8-N-1
Baud:           300 - 14400
Status:         Down ??? I've heard reports that Purgatory is down
Info Updated:   16-Mar-1992
Notes:          Linked to Vervan's Gaming Network as well as half a
                dozen other nets (including Usenet through a Fido
                Gateway operated by Joel Veeneman -- see entry for
                Vervan Net).

                Main thrust of the BBS is gaming and there are online
                games for about a dozen systems. In addition we also are
                one of the biggest Occult BBSs in the Pacific North-West
                with a great deal of files on the subject. The other
                thrusts are Fantasy/Sci Fi, and current events debate
                and discussion type echos.

Name:           Bladerunner BBS -- Waltham, Mass. USA
Dial:           (617) 891-7338
Sysop:          Laird Popkin (laird@think.com)
Comm Settings:  8-N-1
Baud:           300 - 2400 + PEP (Trailblazer Plus)
Info Updated:   14-Sep-1991
Notes:          Connected to the Citadel and usenet networks (as
                blade.via.mind.org). The BBS runs STadel (a Citadel variant)
                on an Atari ST.

                Topics discussed: Role Playing Games, GURPS, Warhammer,
                AD&D, Call of Cthulhu, Hero/Champions, as well as assorted
                Fantasy and SF and computer-related topics.  There are
                also a number of online games, and discussions of SF, 
                various computers, and whatever other topics arise.
                There are no online time limits or upload/download rations.

Name:           The DUNGEON BBS -- Buffalo, NY State, USA
Dial:           (716) 656-8573
Comm Settings:  8-N-1
Sysop:          Master DaarKhan ???
Baud:           300 - 2400
Info Updated:   14-Sep-1991
Notes:          Western New York's finest board devoted to fantasy role
                playing. Features include over 50 message bases of all
                types, most of which are WWIVnet, the world's second
                largest private network.

                WWIVnet @ 7653

Name:           TeleDunjon III and IV -- Dallas/Ft Worth, Texas, USA
Dial:           (214) 960-7654 and (214) 238-1568
Sysop:          ???
Comm Settings:  8-N-1
Baud:           300 - 2400
Info Updated:   14-Sep-1991
Notes:          The Teledunjon III and Teledunjon IV boards offer
                play-by-modem roleplaying games. They also publish the
                TeleDunjon Journal, an irregular online magazine for
                modem RPG enthusiasts.

                If you're in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex (north
                Texas) or can afford to call it regularly, check out the
                Teledunjon systems and join a game (or run your own).

Name:          Pyramid BBS, DC Metro Area, Virginia
Dial:          (703) 912-9878
Sysop:         Terilee Edwards
               Suite 548, 7010 Brookfield Plaza, Springfield, VA 22150
Comm Settings: 8-N-1
Baud:          300 to 2400 ?
Info Updated:  1 October 1991
Notes:         A free BBS, with two areas dedicated to gaming, with one
               area for live action role playing gaming and discussion
               and bulletins about the Interactive Literature Foundation
               (a live gaming organization).

Name:          Smasher Land BBS (Unaffiliated) -- Athens, Ohio, USA
Dial:          (614) 593-8359
Sysop:         Scott Mash <smash@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu>
Comm Settings: 8-N-1 (Proboard v.1.17) Free
Baud:          300 to 2400
Info Updated:  29-Feb-1992
Notes:         Smasher Land has textfiles and utilities for AD&D,
               GURPS, Shadowrun, Fantasy Hero, Champions, Traveller,
               etc.  As well as a messagebase for each.  Smasher Land
               also offers a variety of online games that are
               accessable by all users.

               Internet/Usenet limited access is now available to all
               users on Smasher Land BBS.  You can send email to any
               internet, bitnet etc. address.


Name:          U Want What!?! BBS, Macon, GA, USA
Dial:          (912) 471-7629 (soon 2 lines)
Sysop:         Richard Weeks <rweeks@logdis1.wr.aflc.af.mil>
Comm Settings: 8-N-1
Baud:          300 to 2400
Info Updated:  15-Feb-1992
Notes:         Several RPG doors are functioning including Barons,
               Axoru (shareware for now), Steller Quest, Trade Wars
               2002, and others.  We have an AD&D and RPG message area
               and I am a 14 yr Dungeon Master for AD&D, as well as
               playing and GM for Dragon Quest, Champions, RIFTS, V&V
               and others.

Name:          StormGate Aerie BBS, somewhere, 310 area code, USA
Dial:          310-822-6729
Sysop:         Nicolai Shapero
Comm Settings: 8-N-1
Baud:          300/1200/2400/9600HST/14400HST
Network:       Fidonet
Info-Updated:  15-Apr-1992
Notes:         OTHER SUNS (sf role playing game) headquarters.
               Several multiplayer role playing games available
               through echomail.  (A FidoNet echomail conference
               is similar to an unmoderated Usenet newsgroup.)

Name:          The Fantasy Shop, Suitland, Maryland, USA
Dial:          301 967 1843
Sponsor:       Washington Metropolitan Area Gaming Society
Contact:       Jon F. Zeigler <jfzeigl@afterlife.ncsc.mil>
Comm Settings: 8-N-1
Baud:          300/1200/2400
Info-Updated:  2-May-1992
Notes:         The Fantasy Shop is a new (less than 2 months old) BBS
               sponsored and operated by the Washington Metropolitan
               Area Gaming Society.  It is devoted to discussion and
               on-line play related to all aspects of the gaming hobby,
               particularly role-playing games.  There are as yet no
               user fees,  although access is greater for members of the
               Society.  The new-user's password is "WMAGS".

Name:          The Guild [FTS]
Type:            CNet 2.x (Amiga 2000)
Location:      Los Angeles, CA
Admin:           Guy Bartoli
To Contact:    gbartoli@guild.socal.com
Ph#/Address:   310-641-6909 (5 lines)
Bps:             300/1200/2400 
Bits/Par/stop: 8N1
Access details: RPG'ers, Cyperpunks, and opinionated people welcome.
Fees:            RPG games and all local discussion groups are free of charge. 
                 Access to UseNet requires a small donation to subsidize paying
                 for my feed.
Desc:            The Guild [FTS] is approximately a year old. It was founded 
                 with the premise that it would be primarily a RPG oriented BBS,
                 but has since evolved into carrying many different SIG's. 
                 The Guild [FTS] >does< pick up the rec.games.frp.* hierarcy and
                 is also a member of the C-Link network (private FIDOnet, over
                 120 nodes world-wide), which also has forums on RPG games.
Notes:           None - Give The Guild a call, and please mention that you saw 
                 it advertised on the UseNet so that I know where you are coming
                 from.


Name:          MindVox
Location:      New York, NY
Administrator: Phantom Access Technologies, Inc.
To contact:    info@phantom.com - 212-988-5987 (voice)
Ph#/Address:   212-988-5030 (or telnet phantom.com)
Access Details:24 local dial-ups @ 1200 - 19.2k / Live on Internet
Fees:          Ranges from $10 - $15 per month - flat rate

Description:   MindVox offers access to about a dozen single and multi
                 player games online, ranging from the classics like Adventure
                 Rogue, Hack, Empire, Larn and UltraRogue, to continuing work
                 on its custom object-oriented virtual world called MAELSTROM.
                 MAELSTROM is currently up and down depending on its testing
                 status but is expected to be solid by late 1992.  Members can
                 also use MindVox to access a list of 10 different Multi-User
                 Dimensions throughout the United States, Germany and Sweden
                 (the latter two come with english-version toggles and various
                 MUD's include 3-d graphics and POV player location charts).
                 A huge variety of material and scenarios to deal with, their
                 development team at Phantom Access includes some of the
                 members of the original teams that designed the first online
                 multi-player games to ever exist.


Notes:         MindVox is the system of Phantom Access.  It's very large
                 and covers a wide variety of features and services that
                 are included in signing on (Usenet, worldwide Chat network,
                 online single and multi-user games, etc).  The main focus
                 of MindVox is on Cyberspace and role-playing.  They have 
                 been covered in dozens of articles both hard-copy and
                 electronically.  One of the principle owners is a writer
                 for Mondo 2000; most of the owners are ex-Legion of Doom
                 and other older hacker groups.  Overall its a very
                 interesting place to hang out even discounting the games.
                 All new accounts are offered demo-time to look through the
                 system and get familiar with its features before subscribing.


Name:            Dunkelzahn's Lair
Type:            TinyMUD hybrid (With message bases, etc.)
Access:          (413) 543-0148 During the School Year.
Location:      University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Description:   For everyone who likes games.  Also offers a
                 reactive environment for posting.
Note:            Is run on a 286, so is not the true MUD, it is a 
                 hybrid version.



MORE LISTS OF BBS'S
     
     If you find a BBS which is of interest to other games, let us know.
        If possible, please use the following template.  Multiple lines
        for each entry are OK.

        Name            :
        Type            :
        Location        :
        Administrator   :
        To contact      :
        Ph#/Address     :
        Access Details  :
        Fees            :
        Description     :
        Notes           :


Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.announce