HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: wah2@po.CWRU.Edu (William A. Humphrey)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Traveller:New Era
Date: 17 Dec 1992 17:14:51 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA)
NNTP-Posting-Host: slc12.ins.cwru.edu


In a previous article, mujel@uxa.ecn.bgu.edu (Ranger) writes:
>  I started playing Traveller with the original edition (many, many,
>years ago).  I would I need to convert that to the new system, and what
>is this New Era stuff?

   Ranger, by "the new system" do you mean MegaTraveller?  If so, only your
starship/vehicle designs need major overhauling (read: complete redesign).
The basic character generation system is pretty much the same, and the advanced
character generation is nearly identical to Books 4, 5, 6 & 7 (if you had them).
   As far as the New Era stuff,
In a previous article, eclipse@world.std.com (Mark Urbin) writes:
>   It <the New Era> uses the same rule set as Twilight:2000, 2nd Ed.
>It takes place 40-50 years after the end of the Rebellion of MegaTraveller.
>The Imperium as you knew it is gone.  A computer virus carried by Jump
>ship transponders caused a general drop in Tech level, as did the 5 years
>of fleet warfare throughout the Imperium.
>   GDW is releasing Traveller:TNE in two books.  One is just a backgound book
and the other is the rule book.  To 'convert' (actually rewrite a bunch of
>stuff), all you need is the rule book.

   I must applaud at this approach.  TWO separate books.  Those of us who
have never played Twilight:2000, and like the MegaTraveller set-up do NOT
HAVE to change rules systems.  We can simply buy the background book!  And
people who like the pre-rebellion Imperium, or the Rebellion, or the Hard
Times (by Digest Group Pub.s), but want to use Twilight:2000 rules, CAN;
just buy the rulebook for Traveller:TNE and the Imperial Encylopedia or 
Hard Times!   WOW!!!   I, for one, wasn't looking forward to ANOTHER, MAJOR
rules change.  I have invested literally thousands of hours in designing
vehicles, starships, worlds, etc. for both "Classic" Traveller and Mega-
Traveller.  Since MegaTraveller actually WAS an improvement, I didn't mind.
Especially given the new levels of detail in craft design and world generation
(with the World Builders' book, again by DGP).

   It just goes to show you that GDW hasn't completely llst its collective mind
(although the association with EGG made me wonder).

   BTW, does anyone know if the Traveller Mailing List is up and running again?
-- 
					Bill
50 Years Ago Today (or thereabouts):			     7 December 1942
* The U.S. commemerates the first anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
* * * * December 7, 1992 * * * Fifty-first anniversary of Pearl Harbor * * * *
From: meierdalepau@bvc.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: T$R pats theirselves on the back again
Date: 18 Dec 92 07:11:25 CST
Organization: Buena Vista College, Storm Lake, IA

	I spent the $20 on a rulebook, and I have to say, there's nothing 
sad about it.  In fact, I LIKE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dale Meier
From: jimwong@owlnet.rice.edu (Jim Wong)
Subject: Re: Shadowrun Question -- Auras and Spells
Organization: Rice University
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 04:25:07 GMT

In article <1992Dec13.191723.18804@news2.cis.umn.edu> esper@cs35b.cs.umn.edu (Dave Sherohman) writes:
>
>Not by me it doesn't.  Since when do you make rolls to hit with (non-
>manipulation) spells?  You see it, you hit it.  Cover don't help.
>

Wrong.  SRII explicitly states that the visibility rules for targeting
with ranged weapons also apply to spells.  (I don't particularly like
it, but that's what it says).


-- 
Jim Wong (jimwong@owlnet.rice.edu)


Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: epperly@osnome.che.wisc.edu (Tom Epperly)
Subject: Traveling speeds by horse question
Organization: University of Wisconsin-Madison, Chemical Engineering
Date: 14 Dec 92 11:08:00 CST

I would like to get some well informed estimates about how fast horses
can travel under various conditions.  If you have such information or
a reference, please send email to me.

Here are some specific questions:

What is a typical speed for a horse and rider to travel at on a long
journey in miles/hour(including resting the horse)?

What was the average speed of the pony express?  How often did they
switch mounts?

Assuming that he is on a good path, how far could the best horseman
who ever lived using the best horse(a single horse) travel in one
hour?
	...twenty-four hours(without sleep)
	...two days(with or without sleep(if this is possible))
	...three days(minimal sleep)
	...one week

				Tom
--
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tom Epperly	University of Wisconsin-Madison		Chemical Engineering
(608) 262-8264	epperly@osnome.che.wisc.edu		Graduate Student
Member of the League for Programming Freedom(fighting software monopolies)
	For more info contact me or lpf@uunet.uu.net.
If you feel you must flame, please send email rather than posting.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: mason
Subject: Re: Shadowrun -- Astral Perception and Spells
Organization: Rice University  
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 04:52:57 GMT

In article <1992Dec13.194123.19341@news2.cis.umn.edu>
esper@cs35b.cs.umn.edu (Dave Sherohman) writes:
 
>In article <Bz7HB0.5An@jabba.ess.harris.com>                                   rl Jr.) writes:
>
>Umm...  The SR2 rules (and I think Grimoire also) makes it fairly clear that
>mana-based illusion spells will affect implants _becuase_ essence is paid for
>them.  Consider:  the mana-based invisiblity doesn't change propagation of
>light waves around its target (that would take a physical spell - improved
>invisibilty), it affects a viewer's mind so they don't think they see the
>invisible person/object.  At any rate, I rule that invisibilty and improved
>invisibility affect thermographic vision anyhow.  (Rationale 1:  Considering
>the presence of metaraces with innate termovision and the availability of
>thermoimagers, why would a mage design this spell without extending its
>effects into the IR spectrum?  Rationale 2:  Thermovision is sight-based. The
>spell inhibits sight.  Thus, thermographic _vision_ wouldn't see an invisible
>person, but a dragon's (non-sight-based) thermographic _sense_ would.)
 
Correct in theory.  If you paid essence for your mods, then illusion
spells WILL affect them.  However, the description of the invisibility
spell specifically states that the spell does not work on thermographic
wavelengths.  Thus, a dwarf, troll, or samurai with proper visual mods
will see through the spell.  If you choose to disregard the rule, then
that is, of course, your business.
 
-- mason
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: juola@bruno.cs.colorado.edu (Patrick Juola)
Subject: Re: clo=DECKER FROM HELL
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 22:22:00 GMT

In article <1992Dec13.190150.18622@news2.cis.umn.edu> esper@cs35b.cs.umn.edu (Dave Sherohman) writes:
>>Actually all programs in your active memory are considered to be
>>running.  Think of storage as a harddrive, and active memory as RAM. 
>>Again those programs are then linked to the MPCP so that they can
>>interact with the system.
>
>Bzzt... Thanks for playing!  I can put programs in RAM without running them.
>I'm sure you can too.  Perhaps by loading the program without executing it,
>perhaps by using a task-swiching system, perhaps by starting execution then
>putting the program on hold, perhaps by... you get the idea.  And besides, if
>your Attack program doesn't have any IC to whomp on, why waste the processor
>time having it do nothing?  Just suspend it, don't boot it out of memory...

Perhaps the programs need some sort of frequent situation refresh (i.e. need
to be continuously updated as to the current situation)?   A modern 
example would be the threat sensors on a typical fighter plane.  Millisecond
to millisecond, the situation is not likely to change very much -- perhaps
one new object will appear on the radar and need to be IFF'ed as friendly
or not.  If you didn't have the threat sensor running at all times, when
you finally ran it the situation would be new, radically different, and
difficult for your program to analyze.  Which of these fifty programs that
I see are the dangerous ones?

After all, there's probably lots of programs running around in the system.
It would really suck to unsuspend the Attack program and have it target the
check-printing program while the Black Ice is sucking your brain out your
ears.

	- kitten
From: kerr@csugrad.cs.vt.edu (Shane Kerr)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: GURPS 1/8 and 1/4 Points, & high defaults
Date: 14 Dec 92 05:10:28 GMT
Organization: Virginia Tech Computer Science Dept, Blacksburg, VA

Just a quick GURPS question:
	For characters with Eidetic Memory, should 1/8 and 1/4 points
be allowed for use on skills?  

Hm.  One more quick question:
	Can skills be bought up from high stats just like defaults off
of other skills.  The case in point, can Sir Dudley Doowright, ST 16, 
IQ 9, spend 2 points on his Leadership skill (MA, defaults to ST-5) to
get it at level 12, or is he going to have to get it at level 9, based
off of his IQ?

-- 
kerr();  /* no comment */
From: vanguard@midnight.bellcore.com (Mark Schlagenhauf)
Subject: C&S Mass Combat System
Reply-To: vanguard@midnight.bellcore.com (Mark Schlagenhauf)
Organization: Bellcore
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 92 19:53:11 GMT

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.

I picked up an old FGU game called Broadsword and tried to use its combat
resolution formula, but again, I'm not sure if the results are valid or not.

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?

Failing all of that, I still need a system to resolve large battles.  Any 
suggestions?

Mark Schlagenhauf
vanguard@midnight.bellcore.com
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: rcashman@cs.ulowell.edu (The Jester)
Subject: Re: SRII ?'s "Walking" fire, Ultrasound
Organization: University of Massachusetts at Lowell Computer Science
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 00:19:41 GMT

In article <1992Dec16.160812.89592@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu> mak9@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (MICHAEL A. KAUFFMAN) writes:
>Our group has come up with two questions that we would like feedback on:
>
>1)  SRII p. 93 states "Smartguns never waste rounds." (This is in reference to
>"walking a weapon in full-auto mode.) Does this statement mean that the rounds
>are never fired, and therefore do not add to recoil modifiers? Or, are the
>rounds fired and do not hit anything of consequence, adding recoil modifiers
>to future bursts?  If the rounds are not fired, does that mean a smartgun can
>fire two 5-round bursts (max 10 rounds per action) at separate targets no
>matter how far apart the targets are? (Of course the second target would
>subject to a +2 target modifier because it is a second target.)


Smartguns never waste rounds, meaning that a smartgun user simply does not
waste a round per meter that he walks his fire.  All of the rounds that he
fires have a chance to hit.


>2) Why does the Ultrasound sight only half visibility modifiers due to dim
>light, darkness, and invisibility, as stated in the Sourcebook Updates section
>of SRII?  Ultrasound uses acoustic waves to target objects.  Modifiers based
>on the electromagnetic spectrum (or lack thereof), of which visible light is
>a component, should have no effect on Ultrasound.


I'm pretty certain that this is simply a game mechanical nuance to prevent
the Ultrasound sight from being completely bogus.  Just shrug your shoul-
ders and accept it rather than questioning it.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brett Cashman (The Jester)			    	rcashman@cs.ulowell.edu

"There's a place I like to hide,
 A doorway that I run through in the night."		- Geoff Tate
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: malcolmc@spider.co.uk (Malcolm Campbell)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: GURPS sharp-shooter
Date: 17 Dec 92 13:34:10 GMT
Organization: Spider Systems Limited, Edinburgh, UK

In article <70750,443-141292160553@3.10.7.22> 70750,443@cis.com (Spike) writes:
>That's not at all what I said. What I said was,
>"he misses the first time; having an important
>character die without recourse in the first few
>seconds of an adventure is anticlimactic, to 
>say the least."
>
>Hell, I thought it was a perfectly cinematic 
>thing to do :)

Yeah, I know - I was paraphrasing a little... I just thought it let down an
otherwise brilliant scenario.. A more plausible explanation would have been
possible other than the blatent Deus Ex Machina..

--- Malcolm

-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Malcolm Campbell, Senior Engineer     |   Spider Park, Stanwell Street
  Spider Software,                      |   Edinburgh, EH6 5NG, Scotland
  Division of Spider Systems Ltd        |   Tel: +44 31 555 5166
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: jcarl@jabba.ess.harris.com (Joe Carl Jr.)
Subject: Re: Shadowrun -- Astral Perception and Spells
Organization: Harris Corporation - ISD
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 20:10:39 GMT

In <1992Dec13.194123.19341@news2.cis.umn.edu> esper@cs35b.cs.umn.edu (Dave Sherohman) writes:

>In article <Bz7HB0.5An@jabba.ess.harris.com> jcarl@jabba.ess.harris.com (Joe Carl Jr.) writes:
>>In <Bz6xoG.5q6@rice.edu> hyatt@owlnet.rice.edu (David Waterman Hyatt) writes:
>>
>>I always thought that meant for items that the caster didn't speed
>>Essence for.  I play that if the Mage has spent Essence for thermographic
>>eyes, then he can blast the invisible guy.

>Umm...  The SR2 rules (and I think Grimoire also) makes it fairly clear that
>mana-based illusion spells will affect implants _becuase_ essence is paid for
>them.  Consider:  the mana-based invisiblity doesn't change propagation of
>light waves around its target (that would take a physical spell - improved
>invisibilty), it affects a viewer's mind so they don't think they see the
>invisible person/object.  At any rate, I rule that invisibilty and improved
>invisibility affect thermographic vision anyhow.  (Rationale 1:  Considering
>the presence of metaraces with innate termovision and the availability of
>thermoimagers, why would a mage design this spell without extending its
>effects into the IR spectrum?  Rationale 2:  Thermovision is sight-based. The
>spell inhibits sight.  Thus, thermographic _vision_ wouldn't see an invisible
>person, but a dragon's (non-sight-based) thermographic _sense_ would.)

I like your interpretation

>>If the Spirit is in astral space and your in normal space then neither
>>can effect each other.  A good GM will make a spirit manifest before it
>>can do anything nasty.

>a)  When astrally perceiving, a mage is in both and can act to affect either
>(but at +2 TN for purely physical activities).

True

>b)  What about grounding through magically active objects?  This allows an
>astral being to affect the physical world (semi-)directly.

Most definetly

>c)  Some nature spirit powers (accident, alienation, concealment, confusion,
>fear...) seem like they should be usable without having to manifest.
>>

I don't agree here, any power that the spirit can use on the physical plan
must be done when it has manifested.  If the power is used soley on itself
then it can stay in astral space.  As soon as it extends its powers to
someone besides itself it has to manifest

>Hey, chummer, who says the streets are fair?  If you make a run without
>magical support, you're gonna be deep in the drek and you deserve what you
>get for it.

Oozin Drek, Anyone stupid enough to run without a mage backin' ya up deserve
to be wiped outta the shadows!

Joe Carl
--
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
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: ath@LNS62.TN.CORNELL.EDU (Aron Helser)
Subject: Re: Shadowrun Question -- Auras and Spells
Nntp-Posting-User: ath2@cornell.edu
Reply-To: ATH@cesr10.tn.cornell.edu
Organization: Wilson Lab, Cornell U., Ithaca, NY, 14853
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 14:03:57 GMT

In article <168BD13FC6.MHART00@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU>, mason writes:
>No.  This does not imply that people or objects can be excluded from
>the spell's area of effect, only that the spell can be *centered* on
>a particular subset of the target -- the wheel of a car, for example.
>Options for selective targeting are really only relevant to combat
>spells *without* area-effects.
> 
>Also, an object like a light bulb is a more distinct object than, say,
>a person's head.  The first can be argued to have an independant aura,
>but the second?
> 
>-- mason
But wait!  It says in SRII, in the vehicle combat section, that spell cannot
target a specific part of the vehicle (like a tire).  I would argue that the
simple auras of the components of the car integrate into a total aura for the
car.  If a part of the car is removed, however, then it's aura would split off
and it could be targeted separately.  The same goes for the lightbulb.  If it's
in a lamp, then it is part of the lamp (especially if the lamp is on and 
current is running through it...) but if it is unscrewed then it can be 
targeted separately. 
Aron 		ath@cesr10.tn.cornell.edu

	"There is hopeful symbolism in the fact that flags do not wave
	in a vacuum."  -- Arthur C. Clarke
From: pmwg1641@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Peter M. White)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Cyberspace/the Net/the Matrix/etc
Date: 15 Dec 92 01:36:14 GMT
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana

In article <STXTNT.92Dec14015723@rs733.GSFC.NASA.Gov> stxtnt@rs733.GSFC.NASA.Gov (Nigel Tzeng) writes:

>I wrote some doubletalk science into my cyberspace rules and dumped SR
>matrix rules altogether.  I started with the premise that a very wide
>bandwidth network existed that allowed distributed processing on a
>massive scale.  Process context (and executable for that matter) could
>be sent as one single massive packet to a foreign machine, executed
>and returned.  Network delay would be a major problem but still you
>increase your computing capability to the sum of all the machines
>within some useful distance...or any distance if the problem was large
>enough...

I concur with this theory of Matrix computer architecture.  The way
I see it, the perceived space inside a node vaguely relates to massively
parallel processing and data transfer volume.  Big programs would tend to
crowd the node.  The CPU node doesn't actually accomplish any useful
computing, but rather is responsible for node coordination, enviroment,
security, etc.

>
>It also explains why decking is possible at all...systems designed to
>exchange executables and not just data are a lot more prone to
>cracking...so the theory goes anyway. I figure the network to be
>multiple X megabit/sec fiber lines...oh say 64 lines per link unless
>word sizes are much bigger...hmmm...I wonder what the theoretical max
>bit rate is...
>
(Rambling my personal opinions...)

As far as decking goes, the trick for the hacker is not so much getting
programs/persona to run on a node, rather it is the node's "immune system"
quickly annihilate the running code when it is recognized as foreign
and undesirable.  I see IC as taking samples of the local processing
and trying to ID it.  Instantaneous programs such as attack should
always execute, but the IC is designed to withstand such attacks.

--Malthus

______________________________________________________________________________
						|
     "Guards!  Let me draw their fire!"		|	p-white@uiuc.edu
		   --Scapegoat,_Marshal Law_	|
______________________________________________________________________________
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: jacobus@symphony.cc.purdue.edu (Bryan J. Maloney)
Subject: Re: RQ III - Spirit Magic
Organization: Purdue University
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 02:07:16 GMT




The skill idea doesn't sound too bad, however, I would suggest the following:

Make the base higher--around 40% or so--this makes it closer to the basic
chance of a character with POW 10 casting a spell successfully.

Alternatively, you could have POW be a primary stat for the skill.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: staats@athena.mit.edu ()
Subject: TOON RPG
Keywords: Fun Spoof Toon SJG RPG
Organization: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 20:52:19 GMT

Hi Ho!  I've been the animator for TOON on numerous occasions!  Great game!  

I've never seen a rules fight in TOON, and our group consistently got

normally non-gamers to join our TOON sessions.

Good stuff!

Rich
From: bugs006@bugs.mty.itesm.mx (Maurice S. Villareal)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Fantasy Tools Aclaration
Date: 18 Dec 92 05:24:21 GMT

hi,

    the registration fee is ONLY for the windows interface, and you need
all the book to play anyway.

Gretting.

PD: I don't have problems with TSR and SSI.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Cthulhu: Help Needed
From: traue@otago.ac.nz
Date: 13 Dec 92 15:42:52 +1300
Organization: University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

Hi People,

We're interested in starting a game of Call of Cthulhu down here.
First problem: we need to buy the materials. The stores here
don't carry it, so we must purchase by mail. Could some kind soul
who is familiar with the system and supplements send me some 
e-mail. I've got some simple/dumb questions like:
"What do I get in the 5th ed boxed set"
"What other materials are necessary/ essential" etc.

Thanks in advance,

Murray.
Dunedin,
New Zealand.

traue@otago.ac.nz

P.S Anyone know the address/status of the C.o.C mailing list? The
address in the FAQ is no longer correct.

From: nds@dcs.ed.ac.uk (Neil Stevenson)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: ARS MAGICA
Date: 17 Dec 92 11:36:23 GMT
Organization: Department of Computer Science, University of Edinburgh

How can I get on the Ars Magica mailing list.

Thanks in advance,
		    Neil  (main character 'Oryp' House of Flambeau)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: wogg0743@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (William Shakespeare)
Subject: Re: FANTASY HERO: duration for spells
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 21:55:28 GMT

Some spells you could just use the formula I do, which is to make it a 1/2
advantage to move the duration up one category on the time chart.  This is
not a good idea on attack spells.  A spell that causes damage could be worked
this way (heat armor, for instance, causing damage over a period of time), but
it would be better to buy all the dice that the spell will do over its entire
duration and then make it a -1/4 disadvantage that the spell works over a
period of time.

Long term curses can be done via Transform.  Buy down the healing rate.  Using
transform, you can effectively change an enemy's character sheet for him,
adding disads (unlike, hideous appearence, etc.) and diminishing stats.
After all, it costs as much to transform someone as it does to kill them.  So
you are free to change them how you like (major transform only).

-- 
William ("Shakespeare") Gulstad          /  So where are the C.S. babes?
wogg0743@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu                /  Joni Mitchell for President!
I vote, so I can complain!               /  Did you vote?  Then don't complain!
Republican is the opposite of democracy! /  Tune in, drop out, log on.