HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: cn322@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Thomas G Moser)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Dangerous Journeys: Feedback
Date: 12 Dec 1992 02:33:50 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA)
NNTP-Posting-Host: slc10.ins.cwru.edu


I have played almost every major FRPG on the market to date and
have noticed that Gary Gygax of Ad&d 1st edition fame, has just
released his new FRPG called Dangerous Journeys.  I would like
to created some discussion or evaluations of this new game.

Please pull no punches.  If you would like to you can send
me personal mail.  However, I would like to let everyone on
this group to benefit from the discussions that will follow.

Actually, I would have already purchased the Dangerous Journeys
Paperbacks if they were not going for $25 a pop.  I am impressed
with the rate at which GDW is pumping out supporting products
(4 major paperbacks, one module, and a full length novel to date)
which leads me to believe that the game will be around for quite
awhile.  

But I digress ....  LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK.  Thanks!
-- 
I don't feel like having a signiture file thank you...

BYE
From: mak9@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (MICHAEL A. KAUFFMAN)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: SR role-players in RTG-215?
Date: 14 Dec 92 20:13:16 GMT
Organization: Lehigh University


         Our small team (3 characters and 1 GM) of shadowrunners is looking to
    expand.  We have recently generated characters in the SRII system so this
    would be a good time to introduce new players (experienced or
    inexperienced).  We currently run the Reading or Bethlehem area of PA, and
    run approximately every other weekend.  If you or anyone you know would be
    interested in joining this team, contact Guak via e-mail <mak9@lehigh.edu>
    for more information.


    Cheers,

    Guak
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: seurer@rchland.vnet.ibm.com (Bill Seurer)
Subject: Re: GURPS: defenses
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 21:52:53 GMT
Reply-To: BillSeurer@vnet.ibm.com
Disclaimer: This posting represents the poster's views, not necessarily those of IBM
Organization: IBM Rochester

In article <1gaug8INNnn9@early-bird.think.com>, laird@think.com (Laird Popkin) writes:
|> It struck my gaming group as odd that using the above interpretation you
|> get an extra hex of movement by being attacked, and that you could get
|> attacked, retreat and defend, and then immediately step and attack,
|> whereupon the opponent could retreat and defend, then step and attack, with
|> the two fighters bouncing back and forth with no overall movement.  You
|> might as well just give everyone a +3 on their first defense and forget
|> about the retreat!

Actually, this back and forth sort of attacking and defending sort of
matches the cinematic sort of duels you see in movies.  Of course there
is is usually more of the "Good Guy makes several attacks with Bad Guy
retreating each time and then vice versa" sequence.
-- 

- Bill Seurer     Language and Compiler Development      IBM Rochester, MN
  Internet: BillSeurer@vnet.ibm.com    America On-Line: BillSeurer@aol.com
From: doug@abby.chem.ucla.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: lead toy ban      1/2
Date: 17 Dec 92 21:54:07 GMT
Reply-To: doug@abby.chem.ucla.edu
Distribution: rec
Organization: Department of Chemistry, UCLA

In all fairness, I must point out that the text of the New York Department of
Health's ruling *WAS* posted here a couple days ago.


-Doug Gibson
 doug@abby.chem.ucla.edu

Neither UCLA nor the National Science Foundation has a clue what I am doing.
They just pay me to do it.

"We have to tear you to shreds because we care." - EAC
From: valentin@husc8.harvard.edu (Brian Valentine)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: SR:New Releases
Keywords: Grimoire II
Date: 15 Dec 92 22:12:44 GMT
Article-I.D.: husc8.valentin.724457564

Grimoire II is out.   Shipped last week.
Coming soon: Imago (adventure)
Tir Taingire
Paranormal Animals of Europe (before Tir actually)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: samik@maths.tcd.ie (Samik Sen)
Subject: sci-fi game
Summary: sci-fi game
Keywords: sci-fi game
Organization: Dept. of Maths, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 13:26:36 GMT

Could someone please tell me what megatravellers ship to ship combat is like?

Samik'
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: jjohnson@ccscola.Columbia.NCR.COM (Jeffrey H. Johnson)
Subject: Re: GURPS 1/8 and 1/4 Points, & high defaults
Organization: NCR CCSD Columbia SC
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 92 14:52:11 GMT

In article <1992Dec14.061206.24951@nwnexus.WA.COM> phaedrus@halcyon.com (Mark Phaedrus) writes:
>In article <Bz8H1I.B7r@csugrad.cs.vt.edu> kerr@csugrad.cs.vt.edu (Shane Kerr) writes:
>>Just a quick GURPS question:
>>	For characters with Eidetic Memory, should 1/8 and 1/4 points
>>be allowed for use on skills?  
>
>     No.  There's no such thing as a quarter-point or an eighth-point in
>GURPS; half-points is as small as things get.  A character with 60-point
>Eidetic Memory gets a skill at the 2-point level for only a half-point
>expenditure, but still has to spend at least that half-point.  (I wish I could
>find the rule that addresses this; I can't, but I know it's addressed 
>somewhere.  At one point, I was persuaded into allowing this; the character
>in question got 5 points from an adventure, and immediately tried to buy 40
>skills at eighth-point level.  Never again.)
>
As others have pointed out, the official rule is that anythig less than a
half of a point doesn't "stick".  This goes along well with reality checks,
but a case could be made for alien intellects (and I'm using 'alien' to
meaning drastially different -- it does not include elves).
I had a cat character with eidetic memory and some 1/4-point skills.  It
would have been cheaper to buy the skills at the same level without the
eidetic memory, but this would have gone over the 2*age limit for points
in skills.  Since he had already paid around 150 pts. for IQ 14 (starting
from a base of 5), I didn't find this unbalancing.

As to buying new skills with character points gained in play, I simply don't
allow it.  To gain any new skill, some study has to be done.  I suppose
I might make an exception if someone scored a critical success with a skill
used at default during play, but it hasn't come up yet :).

Jeff
--
Jeffrey H. Johnson
jjohnson@ccscola.columbiasc.ncr.com

		"More human than human is our motto."
			-- Dr. Eldon Tyrell
Organization: Penn State University
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 21:07:51 EST
From: <BEA104@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: SRII Is Magic getting out of hand?

    I don't seem to have problems with my mages and shamans.  They generally
pass out long before they do anything severe to thier opponents besides
cranking up thier target numbers.  Now, they are really nasty when they run
into a low willpower character or Insect Spirit, but not until.  Even thier
Fireball spells generally knock them out after one shot.
    Sorry, but I just don't seem to have that problem.

                                        Slash

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: durrant@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (unknown)
Subject: T$R pats theirselves on the back again
Keywords: Gamma World, Polyhedron, RPGA, retch
Organization: Purdue University
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 04:45:52 GMT


Here's just another example of T$R patting themselves on the back and/or
being really ridiculous.  I'm gonna reparts of the article here, and because
I'm not making any money (the only thing they care about) they should mind.

			Polyhedron #78 December '92

				The Third Degree
				A Mutant Holiday
By Jeff Cisneros

I was sitting in Mercer's, having a rye-on-the-rocks, when this guy with three
arms swaggered up to me.  "You Cisneros?" he grumbled.  "Yeah, whatta ya want?"
I replied, lighting a Lucky with a deft flick of my lighter.  The next thing I
knew, I was in my office reading my dirty ceiling tiles and feeling strangely
like checking out this thing called the GAMMA WORLD (r) game.  What got into
my head?  Grimly resolving not to drink that rotgut or hang out at that joint
again, I feverishly piled my way through the game with some interesting results.
GAMMA WORLD game, 4th edition

I won't type in the entire article, but basically CIsneros goes on to praise
the artwork, the charts, the background, character generation, the tech, and
everything else.  With this heaping of somewhat annoying glop is such memorable
quotes as:

	I must admit that I approached the GAMMA WORLD game with misgivings.
	Three times before, T$R has released this game, and each time it
	disappointed me.  However, I was stunned with this Fourth Edition.
	This is the best organized and structured T$R product I have ever
	had the honor of seeing.  Bruce Nesmith was given the task of taking
	a three-time failure and turning it into a winner, a Herculean task.
	He has outdone himself.

and:

	The book sets a new standard for organization and clarity in gaming
	manuals, from its fron page to the complete index in the back.  You'll
	enjoy this one.  It's on my list for the Origins Awards.

I'm sorry, but as sad as the first three Gamma World editions appeared to be,
do you really want to chance your $20 on a new one?  This gushing, overly-
lovey-dovey review seems to me to be yet another chance for T$R to tell itself
how great it is. (the RPGA, which produceds Polyhedron, is sponsored by T$R)

I'll admit, I'm only a member of the RPGA for the express check-in at GenCon,
and because Polyhedron is occasionally amusing (however, if it's not about 
T$R products, specifically AD&D, don't expect to see it.  You can tell that
from the magazine as well as the list of tournaments they run.  I remember looking at the impossibly long list of AD&D RPGA sponsored tournaments, and having
to be in the first twenty entries or so to reach the Con staff to make it into
the *one* Shadowrun tournament.  I just have lost all respect for T$R in the past few years, even though AD&D was the first game I ever played.  Even the
nostalgia doesn't hold me anymore.  T$R has become a dinosaur, full of themselves--it is past due time for the younger companies to take over.

Christine
		--My teen angst bullshit has a body count.
			--Heathers

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: pmwg1641@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Peter M. White)
Subject: Re: C&S Mass Combat System
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 23:54:39 GMT

In article <1992Dec15.195311.21893@walter.bellcore.com> vanguard@midnight.bellcore.com (Mark Schlagenhauf) writes:
>Here's a blast from the past...
>
>Some years ago I bought the Chivalry and Sorcery Sourcebook, 2nd edition.
>In it was the revised C&S mass combat system, which I wanted to use because
>I had been using C&S as source material for my campaign. Well, the melee
>rules say to determine the number of engaged figures on each side, roll a
>d6, modify the d6 by a chart....then nothing! The rules don't say what to 
>do with the result! :-(
>
>I've checked two different copies of the 2nd ed. sourcebook, neither has the 
>information, so it isn't a single-book printing mistake. 
>
>I found a copy of the original C&S rules, which had a mass combat system
>built in, but it's sufficiently different that I don't know if I can use
>the table in there or not.

Those mass combat rules in the original C&S book are for unit by unit
battle resolution.  You want the mass combat resolution rules that
just formulerize it.

>Does anyone have a copy of the rules with the missing information? Or know
>what the information might be? I guess I could write to FGU, but I'm not sure
>they're still around. Anybody have a current address?

I do have the rules sitting in a box, under my bed, in my parents home
in San Diego...

I am trying to remember how the result went.  My recollection was there
were opposed d100 rolls with a formula for a modifier.  And the
difference became a modifier for who won the field. Or was it the
d6*10% became loser casualties and winner casualties were some percent
of that.  And a killed, maimed percent chart by trrop type.

Sorry, that I is the best I can do.
>
>Failing all of that, I still need a system to resolve large battles.  Any 
>suggestions?

Maybe you should just make up some rules.  You already have the formula
modifier don't you?  Just keep in mind that most casualties are neither
maimed nor killed.

--Malthus
______________________________________________________________________________
						|
     "Guards!  Let me draw their fire!"		|	p-white@uiuc.edu
		   --Scapegoat,_Marshal Law_	|
______________________________________________________________________________

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: dmorgan@emunix.emich.edu (Faceman=dead decker)
Subject: Re: SRII Insect Shamans
Organization: Eastern Miskatonic Looniversity
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 17:57:41 GMT

BLECH BLECH BLECH BLECH!!!!!


Me and my chummers Hate Bugs.......

Currently we are endevoring to rid seattle of the UB and their "bugs"

And we are taking heavy losses....

Want some info ....  ask me...


-- 
+---------------------------------+------------------------------------+
| "If love is blind...            | dmorgan@emunix.emich.edu (Faceman) |
|    why is lingerie so popular?" +------------------------------------+
|       --  an anonymous wise man |"Naner Naner Naner...and Wubba Too" | 
+---------------------------------+------------------------------------+
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: burdickd@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Dakin Burdick)
Subject: Re: RQ: Runelords and Heroes question
Organization: Indiana University
Date: Sun, 20 Dec 1992 15:16:47 GMT

I see two problems with changing the past.

Either you go into the past and return to the same future (there is
only ONE future/timeline that can be accessed in this scenario), in
which case YOU as well as everybody else will be affected by the
change.  Thus, you will not remember changing history (in a
timeless era, interesting) but rather your own memory will change
as you return to the mundane plane.  Instead of changing history, you
will remember only reliving the legends.

The other possibility is that you create an ALTERNATE timeline when
you alter the events of the Godtime.  Of course, this can mean that
you MAY be able to return to your own (unchanged) timeline, OR that
you can only go to the alternate timeline (which of course has it's
own YOU as well).  You might have to fight your alter-ego, or
not be able to return to the mundane plane, or as in the first
scenario the Gods may eliminate the anomaly by assuming that your
alter-ego went to Godtime as well, and merge your essence with
his/hers.  Thus you would again remember reliving the legend, not
changing it.

Comments?

Dakin
burdickd@silver.ucs.indiana.edu
From: atmpas@vax.oxford.ac.uk
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: RQ: scripts and written language
Date: 17 Dec 92 10:20:16 GMT
Organization: Oxford University VAX 6620

In article <1992Dec16.000312.1@wharton.upenn.edu>, millerl@wharton.upenn.edu writes:

> For instance a literate Cantonese can speak Cantonese and write chinese
> characters which can be read fluently by someone who speaks Mandarin.
> Even though one who speaks Mandarin and is fluent with characters can
> understand what he writes, he cannot understand what he says, because
> its a whole nother language. And it is very possible to know how to
> write and read chinese characters but not how to speak the language.
> This is because the characters are a separate language, not just a
> phonetic transcript of the spoken language, as with phonetic scripts.


	According to 'Genertela: Crucible of the Hero Wars', this is the 
case for written Western, except that all the associated languages are 
related to some extent.  The written language is the same for all westerners,
is very ancient and includes many terms for things which are no longer possible.
According to the Brithini, their spoken language (which is the root of all the
Western languages) was derived from it.

		- Paul
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: durrell@pinball.arcade.uiowa.edu (Bryant Durrell)
Subject: Re: Palladium/Wizards of the Coast Lawsuit
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 14:50:09 GMT
Organization: University of Iowa

In article <RATINOX.92Dec17175119@kappa.coe.northeastern.edu> ratinox@meceng.coe.northeastern.edu writes:
>>>>>> On 17 Dec 1992 22:22:13 GMT, c188-cr@po.berkeley.edu (Chua Hak Lien)
>>>>>> said:
>Chua> God! What does Palladium think it's doing? 

>They're protecting their rights. You see, if your rights *may* have been
>infringed upon, you *must* prosecute, or you forfeit *all* rights. That's
>pretty much how Copyright Law works.

Um, this sounds pretty nice and all, but if it's true why isn't
every other gaming company with a product mentioned in TPO suing?
I think the proper formulation is "...if your rights *have* been 
infringed upon..."

-- 
Bryant Durrell					   durrell@chop.isca.uiowa.edu
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 I feed on the flesh of the living, and I vote.
From: CX6L@MUSICA.MCGILL.CA (CX6L000)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: GURPS Running (was Re: GURPS 1/8 and 1/4 Points, & high defa
Date: 17 Dec 92 17:19:16 GMT
Organization: McGill University

In article <70750,443-151292140246@3.10.7.22> 70750,443@cis.com (Spike) writes:

>In article <14DEC92.18982847.0087@VM1.MCGILL.CA>, CX6L@MUSICA.MCGILL.CA
>(CX6L) wrote:

>> ...in theory, all of the above can be picked up during play, and
><end of text>

>Senor Kroll, I think you need a new reader.
>You write great, literate posts, but we only
>ever get to read half of them!

Thanx for the support. Alas, ol' Kromm only has access to a
two-bit, smeggy, useless "Music" system news reader, which
takes great pride in cutting every post in half and posting
one half twice!
     Sorry for the immense cost in bandwidth.

>> Senor Kroll, I think you need a new reader.

>This should be Kromm, of course. Half typo,
>half brain fart. Sorry, Doc.

It's OK. True, I am Manfred Kromm here, but, then, I'm Dieter
Kromm on the SJG-BBS, and my friends usually address me either
"Doc" or "Rev" (I am a reverend of the Temple of the Squid God).
-Kromm.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: mavra@cpac.washington.edu (Peter D. Adkison)
Subject: Re: Palladium/Wizards of the Coast Lawsuit
Organization: Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
	<1gquilINNhli@agate.berkeley.edu>
	<RATINOX.92Dec17175119@kappa.coe.northeastern.edu>
	<1gradvINNpl8@agate.berkeley.edu>
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 18:10:20 GMT

In article <1gradvINNpl8@agate.berkeley.edu> c188-cr@po.berkeley.edu (Chua Hak Lien) writes:

   In article <RATINOX.92Dec17175119@kappa.coe.northeastern.edu> ratinox@meceng.coe.northeastern.edu writes:

> >They're protecting their rights. You see, if your rights *may* have been
> >infringed upon, you *must* prosecute, or you forfeit *all* rights. That's
> >pretty much how Copyright Law works.

> I'm not much of a lawyer, but I guess you have a point. This doesn't
> bode well for the smaller game companies who produce supplements for 
> the RPG systems of the big guys. ( Atlas Games, for example. ) 

And they could have offered a much more reasonalbe offer, like simply
removing them from future products.

				--Mavra!
				  Peter D. Adkison
				  Janitor, Wizards of the Coast
				  mavra@wizards.com

The above internet address should be used for e-mail if it is
different from the e-mail address in the header.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: JLOCK00@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU (Joseph L. Lockett)
Subject: Re: Shadowrun Question -- Auras and Spells
Organization: Rice University  
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 23:04:41 GMT

In article <Bz8oL6.C31@rice.edu>
hyatt@owlnet.rice.edu (David Waterman Hyatt) writes:
>
>In article <lward.724315878@husc11> lward@husc11.harvard.edu (Lester Ward) writes:
>>It always makes me kinda roll when, in a system where generating energy from
>>nothing is accepted as fact, something is objected to on the grounds that
>>it doesn't make sense.
>
>The astral energy is drawn from the spellcaster's aura.  That's why
>he rolls drain.  I don't have any problem with this.
 
No, actually.  I don't have the rules in front of me, but clearly recall
from SRI that Drain is a result of _channeling_ astral energy, not of
_producing_ it.  If you try to pass too much power (high-Drain spell)
then you may fry the resister in the circuit (you).  This avoids the
problem Wordman mentioned, of mages as major electrical suppliers. :-)
 
-- Joseph L. Lockett
Rice doesn't speak for me, nor I for them. At least not here....
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: jcarl@jabba.ess.harris.com (Joe Carl Jr.)
Subject: SRII Is Magic getting out of hand?
Organization: Harris Corporation - ISD
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 16:05:14 GMT

I started GM'ing a SRII game.  What I've noticed is that Magic is
overwhelming.  Guns have become deadly true.  But Magic is out of hand.

Magicians have massive dice pools to cast spells.  They practically
never take drain.  And giving Mages increase reflexes I think was
a major mistake.  The speed of a Sam was the only thing that balanced
the two character types.

Anyone have similiar experiences? 
--
Joe Carl Jr.               "It ain't what a man don't know that makes him a
jcarl@jabba.ess.harris.com   fool, but what he does know that ain't so."
                                                           -- Josh Billings
From: eeb1@quads.uchicago.edu (e elizabeth bartley)
Subject: Re: Top Five Poll Results
Keywords: Hey Lemmings!!!
Reply-To: eeb1@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago Computing Organizations
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 13:39:24 GMT

In article <Byn4FK.CFz@acsu.buffalo.edu>
v057qkmm@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Bluerazor) writes:

>>AMBER				7
>    Diceless roleplaying.  Indeed, its an interesting concept and possibly
>this would be a valuable addition to a gamer's shelf because it is different.
>Too bad it's basically unworkable.

Truth by Blatant Assertion....  And why do I get the impression you've
never played it once, let alone enough times and with enough different
GMs, to be entitled to judge Amber and diceless roleplaying "basically
unworkable".

My experience with playing Amber is:

1) If you've got a really good GM, it's great.
2) If you've got an okay GM who's not trying to exercise more control
   over the game than he/she can plausibly do, it's fun.
3) If your GM overestimates his/her capabilities (say, by running a
   challenging episode his/her first diceless session, or by playing
   with people who know more about Zelazny's Amber books than he/she
   does, or running a difficult episode while tired), it can get bad.

I generally prefer low-mechanics systems (Ars Magica being my
favorite) with an understanding that the GM's decision takes
precedence over the dice.  Pure diceless systems *are* harder on the
GM than most systems because the mechanics aren't there as a crutch if
the GM doesn't want to personally make a call.  But Amber can work
wonderfully under the right circumstances.

-- 
Coratha of Twilight, archmaga of Bonisagus and Diedne and amica of Criamon.
Llarana, duchess of Amber and Rebma.   Nimerus of Verditus.  David of Amber.
Mara.  Miranda.  Elspeth of Bonisagus.  Nuron (the one and only).  Iluri.
McSorley.  Lieva, Quaesitor and archmaga of Flambeau and Trianoma.  Tiliana.
From: mppc3@syma.sussex.ac.uk (Duncan White)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: What is TALES FROM THE FLOATING VAGABOND?
Date: 11 Dec 92 15:15:36 GMT
Organization: University of Sussex
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL5

"Tales from the Floating Vagabond" is the ONLY game I know of that lets
you play ANY character you want to (so nnnnyyyyaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!! to
GURPS fans - you're always limited by the setting).
There is one limitation to the character - they must enter a bar at
least once in their lives, though this isn't much of a limitation: hands
up anybody who has never been into a bar/pub or other drinking
establishment (those of more than 2-3 years below legal ages are
exempt).

The entire game is focussed on silly with a capital S,I,L,L and Y - can
it be run as a campaign? Great fun for a one off though.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc