HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: repayne@newstand.syr.edu (Robert E. Payne)
Subject: AD&D  Invisibility/Detection
Keywords: AD&D  Invisibility  Spells
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 92 23:57:52 EDT

I will start this post by saying that I have posted a similar question before.  I
did not receive any email on this matter, (and I never saw the post) so I am
assuming that my post never got through.  I am sorry if you have seen this before.

	I GM an AD&D2 game.  Recently the party of character was attacked during
the night by a mage, and some thugs with him.  The mage was losing the battle, so
after a couple of devestating spells, (more or less) the mage cast invisibility
on himself and began to make his escape.  The cleric in the group was persuaded
to try and cast a detect magic spell to see the escaping mage.  I ruled, secretly,
that this spell wouldn't allow the characters to find the mage.  I don't believe
that I did this to make the story progress in any way that I had preordained as
this was not a crucial character, and not a main enemy.
	I brought this ruling up, after the game, and another player said that he
believed that detect magic should have detected the mage as invisibility is
magical.
	My question is this:  What do you think of my decision?  Was I wrong in
ruling this?  If so, why would there be a HIGHER level spell do detect invis, if
the lower level (less costly) detect magic (more general) do it?  If you have any
thoughts on this matter please respond via email as well as posting.  (I am behind
in my news readings right now, because of my course load, but I read my mail
several times a day.)  Thanks in advance.

				-Rob
repayne@mailbox.syr.edu
From: bbs-morpheus@jwt.UUCP (Erik Dahlberg)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: HELP! MegaTraveller and Cyberpunk.
Date: 7 Apr 92 03:36:31 GMT
Organization: The Matrix


    I was just curious if there were any BBSs out there that have IBM 
programs that help with any aspect of gaming in the Megatraveller or 
Cyberpunk games.  Character generators would be splendid.  I know that 
the Megatraveller 2 computer game doubles as a character 
generator/printer, but then again they don't have Aslan nor Solomani 
generation.  (and Vilani, I'd guess... although it uses the Vilani word 
generation chart for human names)
    I have quite a few books and manuals for Megatraveller, and 
personally find it to be a good system.  Then only problem I have run 
into with the Megatraveller world is that when I try to run a game with 
my primarily medieval-type RPG group, there is an enormous difference in 
the size of the worlds.  (a universe compared to a planet.. well, not 
really a whole universe, but you get the idea)  Players seemed to 
obsessed with having a ship at all costs (will complain about rerolling a 
character who did not receive a starship upon mustering out), or if I try 
to run a scenario confined to a planet, they complain that the point of 
SF gaming is to travel the stars.
    Note - these are not my views on the game.  I view Megatraveller as a 
setting.  I'm not sure what my players view it as.  Maybe they view it as 
boring.
    Any suggestions?  Kill my players?  :)

    Thanks in advance.

- Erik


Erik D. Dahlberg  (bbs.morpheus@jwt.UUCP)
".. some say pushing is better than shoving but I'd rather know a shover 
 than a pusher 'cos the pusher's a jerk." - De La Soul.
Xref: sparky rec.games.frp:18149 news.answers:1059
From: khise@cardinal.ksu.ksu.edu (Martin Andrew Shobe)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: 100-DICE
Date: 10 Apr 1992 15:52:46 -0500
Organization: Kansas State University
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: cardinal.ksu.ksu.edu


In article <1992Apr10.201345.28128@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>, rday@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Robert E Day) writes:
>In article <bibaert.702899074@eursus> bibaert@eursus (Hans Baert) writes:
>>Hello Everybody,
>>Can anybody supply me with a 100 sided dice?
>>I need it for ADD. Please reply by mail if you know where i can buy them.
>>Greetings,
>>                          Hans.
>I have never heard of a 100 side100 sided die. what I think that you are 
>refering to is the d100 this is 2 d10s one as the ten and the other as the 
>digits.
>-- 
>If the price that I must pay to obtain my *  Robert E. Day/Syr Otto von    *
>freedom, is to acknowledge that the Gov-  *  Schwartzkatz, Shire Mugmort   *
>ernmet was granted the power to infringe  *  Barony Middle Marches,        *
>on them, then I am not free. Paul Anderson*  Middle Kingdom                *

100 sided dice exist (not 2 d10's).  They look something like an oversized golf
ball.

Khise@matt.ksu.ksu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
From: dbasinge@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu (Mike Basinger)
Subject: Re: Need ideas about devils(Baatezu)
Organization: Indiana University
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 92 00:32:06 GMT


Has anybody converted the more powerful demons and devils to AD&D 2nd
ed.? 

Mike 
-- 
D. Michael Basinger: Not speaking for I.U., UCS, or anybody but myself.
dbasinge@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu		dbasinge@silver.ucs.indiana.edu
dbasinge@ucs.indiana.edu (VAX/VMS)	dbasinge@iubacs.BITNET (Bitnet)
dbasinge@arapahoe.ucs.indiana.edu (NeXT Mail)
From: jacobus@symphony.cc.purdue.edu (Bryan J. Maloney)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: Steve Jackson Games is gone?
Date: 6 Apr 92 15:45:09 GMT
Article-I.D.: mentor.44079
Reply-To: jacobus@symphony.cc.purdue.edu (Bryan J. Maloney)
Organization: Purdue University

In article <1992Apr6.000637.54214@cc.usu.edu> sl9b4@cc.usu.edu (Deep Six) writes:
>
>Awright awright. So this was a gag? I mean as inexplicable as it seemed, and
>despite the fact it was posted on 1 April, I found myself believing it could 
>actually be true. So what is it, yes or no. I could really care less, but I 
>would like to know one way or another.


Sorry, but it's true.

TSR has gobbled up SJG, and rumors abound that they are putting out feelers
for Glorantha from AH/Chaosium.

Of course, they will completely re-write Glorantha to only be compatible with
AD&D3 (which will still have all the hallmarks of AD&D1 and AD&D2.)

Unfortunately, that's how the dollar rules the gaming industry.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
From: dunning@chainsaw.ecn.purdue.edu (GALACTIC COMMANDER)
Subject: HERO: Re: CHAMP:  1/2d6 vs d6-1
Organization: Power-mad lunitics of the Universe, INC.
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 18:31:50 GMT

In article <1992Apr11.213317.19622@ctr.columbia.edu> vcf1@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu (Victoria C Fike) writes:
>In article <-44tj=a@rpi.edu> cleggp@aix.rpi.edu (Paul Jason Clegg) writes:
>Well, if 2d6+1 refers to a killing attack with the "Increased Stun Multiplier"
>Power Advantage, is it not logical to assume that 2d6-1 is a killing attack 
>with a decreased stun multiplier?  (The limitation itself is not stated ex-
>plicitly in the 4th Ed. rules; I daresay it was found in one of the earlier
>versions.  Anyone know for sure?  In any case, it seems reasonable to call it
>a -1/2 Limitation, as the Increased Multiplier is +1/2.)
>
>Tori

But 2d6+1 Does not mean that it is 2d6 with a +1 to the STUN Multiple.  It
means 2d6 and +1 BODY.  A simple look at the various weapons charts in most
of the HERO supplements as well as the 4th edition rules will show that
when a weapon gets the +1 STUNx it is shown under a specific column next to
the damage.

--

-----------------------------\_/-----------------------------
 Elwood H Dunning III         |     I am a pirate, I don't
  GALACTIC COMMANDER          |           DO decency!!
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
From: soholt@phakt.usc.edu (Timothy Soholt)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: SRUN: Silenced weapons
Date: 15 Apr 1992 11:41:38 -0700
Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
NNTP-Posting-Host: phakt.usc.edu
Keywords: None... its' silenced!

In article <1992Apr15.082324@kazoo.ssd.loral.com> 
brunner@kazoo.ssd.loral.com (Brian Brunner) writes:

>4: An automatic makes noise *without* a cartrige being fired...
>    that damned noise is distinctive! Also, automatics work
>    automatically by metal being spammed around by supersonic
>    gas. The best method I know (Danger, Will Robinson! Wild
>    Ignorance approaching rapidly on collision course!) is to use
>    and automatic with the gas-drive welded shut... you reload
>    by cocking the thing by hand.

Hmm. Then how would the nifty ol' Beretta Model 70 from the Street
Sam catalog work? Maybe an electric cartridge-loading system? A
small battery pack in the (specially designed, costs extra) maga-
zine could provide the power. And of course, it being a closed
system, you'd have to vent the chamber every once in a while.
Could cause problems if you want to stay under cover; no corp se-
curity team worth its salt would be without someone with I-R vi-
sion, either naturally or through gear.

-- Tim Soholt (soholt@aludra.usc.edu), The Man With No .sig
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
From: vehaag@crocus.waterloo.edu (Viktor Haag)
Subject: Aftermath!
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 14:29:50 GMT

I am thinking of running a "200 years later" adventure (or series of) and
am thinking of using Aftermath! (sic).  I have been warned that Aftermath!
can cause brain aneurisms in the unwary and unprepared, *especially the
combat section.

If there are any Aftermath! gurus out there (Ronald, are you still reading
this group?), can you give me some advice re:running the game?  Any tables
that you wonked up that help smooth play, any rules that you consistantly
ignore, except when it really counts, any changes in the rules that 
simplify things?  I am dying to know -- the thought of wading in unprepared
makes me shiver all over.



-- 
Viktor Haag 
		            |  "We are not thugs.  We are not fanatics.
vehaag@crocus.uwaterloo.ca  |   We are vitamin supplements to justice."   
viktor@watdcs.uwaterloo.ca  |				: a Selector
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
From: vcf1@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu (Victoria C Fike)
Subject: Re: Inspired character names
Organization: Columbia University
Reply-To: vcf1@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu (Victoria C Fike)
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1992 19:11:22 GMT

In article <15Apr92065528@miracle.com> sue%miracle@merk.com (The Dragon Queen) writes:
>Well, one more thread can't hurt..... :-)
>
>Here's a question:  What's the silliest or most unusual name you've
>ever given a character?

Well, in the ol' Champions group back home, one of our (not terribly witty) 
members had a new character--basically, a super-patriotic guy in a spiffy
set of high-tech armor.  So what did he call him?

Ameritech.

It took him the longest while to figure out why we were all laughing hyster-
ically that whole game....

In the same team was a move-through feller named Comet--not a bad name, in and
of itself, but every time his name was mentioned, someone would chime in, 
"And Cupid, and Donner, and Blitzen."  Well, we couldn't help it. Especially
since that campaign started just after Christmas. :-)

Tori

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Victoria C. Fike                   |  "The band is just terrific,
vcf1@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu        |   That's really what I think,
"The only time I open my mouth is  |   Oh, by the way, which one's Pink?"
 when I want to switch feet."--Me  |      --Pink Floyd, "Have a Cigar"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
From: moonman@camelot.bradley.edu (Craig Levin)
Subject: Re: GURPS: Spontaneous NPCs
Organization: House of the Moss Rose
Date: 13 Apr 92 20:35:58 GMT

In <1992Apr13.180816.4581@ncar.ucar.edu> urban@stout.atd.ucar.edu (Art Urban (PROFS)) writes:


>I want this spontaneous freedom back in my gaming, but I am unsure how to go 
>about it. It seems like I need to make hundreds of standard people types,
>mages of which are the *worst*, and keep them handy. But what about all those
>dang Ads/Disads? I guess I'll make a huge table of them and create some
>guidelines for random generation of them, much like the excellent Heroes of
>Legend type books.

	If I recall correctly, there's a section of the basic handbook
that covers random generation for NPC's and PC's, section 11 in the
3rd edition.

--
Craig\The Moonman\Levin       Lt. Pedro de Alcazar, RN (Portugal)
moonman@buhub.bradley.edu     House of the Moss Rose, Barony of
moonman@camelot.bradley.edu   Illiton, Middle Kingdom
From: jwbutler@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (J.W.)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: 100-DICE: they don't work.
Date: 14 Apr 92 23:55:26 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Purdue University

In <1992Apr14.151451.22291@odin.diku.dk> torbenm@diku.dk (Torben AEgidius Mogensen) writes:

>Anyway, I would never trust a d100 that wasn't constructed in one of
>the two ways I outlined, and I would prefer two d10s over these.

>Rather than making a d100, it would be much more useful to make a dice
>with the numbers 00,10,20,30,...,90 to avoid the arguments after a
>roll is made over which dice was the tens. I might even have seen such
>dice somewhere?

>	Torben Mogensen (torbenm@diku.dk)

Yes, d10's with 00,10,20,...,90 are available, a game shop near me stocks
them. If you habve troubles remembering which die is which, getting one of
these is a good idea.

Joe

jwbutler@mentor.cc.purdue.edu
--
HELLO, I'm a more persuasive signature virus!  Join in the fun and copy me 
into yours!  C'mon, it's really fun!  And such a cool concept, too!  That's
it, just snip me out of this letter and append me to your .sig...PLEEEEZE??
From: apearlma@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Andrew Pearlman)
Subject: SR: Alternate Priority System
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1992 17:57:16 GMT

This is an alternate priority system for Shadowrun, that corrects the bugs
in my opinion.  The goals of it were to eliminate 0 and the Race priority.
I also wanted Tech 4 to be able to buy Wired 3, Tech 3 to be able to buy
Wired 2, and Tech 2 to  be able to buy Wired 1.

	Tech		Attributes	Skills		Magic
4    1,000,000/50	   30		 40		 Yes
(4)    300,000/30	   24		 30		 Yes
3      400,000/50	   24		 30		 Adept
(3)    120,000/30	   20		 24		 Adept
2	70,000/20	   20		 24		 ?
(2)	20,000/12	   17		 20		 ?
1	 6,000/10	   17		 20		 No
(1)	 1,000/6	   15		 17		 No

Now Magicians automatically get the Tech nuyen reduced to the () values.
Metahumans automatically get () values for all priorities.  A Metahuman
mage gets 1/2 the listed() values for nuyen.  If you want a poorer game,
you may want to put in the qualifier: You drop one level of tech, if
you do not have an Etiquette higher than Etiquette(Street).

So, a Corp Mage might get Magic 4, Skill 3, Tech 2, Attribute 1.
This would give her Full mage status, 30 pts of skills, 20000 nuyen, and 20
attributes.  An Elven Corp Mage would get the same thing, getting
Full Mage status, 24 pts of skills, 10000 nuyen(and only 12 spell points),
and 17(+3) or 20 attributes.  The Elf has 6 less skills, 8  less spell points,
and maybe has less contacts.

Andy Pearlman
From: sue%miracle@merk.com (The Dragon Queen)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: DMs AID
Date: 11 Apr 92 22:43:06 GMT
Article-I.D.: miracle.11Apr92174306
Organization: Miracle Computer Consultants

John_Morgan@mindlink.bc.ca (John Morgan) writes:
>> The Dragon Queen writes:
>> 
>> Anything except SSI's DM's Assistant!  Man, is that a lame program
>> or what!!!
>> 
>
>What was in this program?  I have never seen it so I don't know what to say
>about it.
>
>Ciao Ciao
>    J
>
>--
>######################################################################
>#                        #                   ARMY                    #
>#  John Morgan           #              Another fine game            #
>#  a345@mindlink.uucp    #              By Milton Bradley            #
>#                        #                 Ages 17 & up              #
>######################################################################

Basically, it creates monster encounters for you.  Period.  It gives
you the monster and the treasure, depending on what terrain you pick,
etc.....and since it's a combination of a cheesy program and _1st_
edition monsters, _not_ second edition, you get some really lame, really,
REALLY WIMPY monsters, and small amounts of treasure to go with them.
Period.

It's actually not that bad if you want to load the program, take the time
to have it generate the encounters for you, have it print the encounters
for you, then go through the encounters by hand updating the monsters so
they fit the 2nd edition, i.e., NOT wimpy, update the treasure, look 
through the MC to make sure there aren't any abilities that this primitive
program missed.....

If you want to take that effort, then it's okay.  I find it much easier
doing it by hand.



---
|	  _\|/_          |This posting compliments of The Dragon Queen|
|	 /     \         |                                            |
|      	| O   O |        | Any imaginative suggestions about what can |
|__ooo__|___ ___|__ooo__ | be writen in this box are welcome at:      |
|  UUU      U      UUU   |           sue%miracle@merk.com             |
From: vanor@vax1.mankato.msus.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re:stupid PC tricks
Date: 15 Apr 92 21:19:07 GMT
Article-I.D.: vax1.1992Apr15.151908.1731
Organization: Mankato State University

Once when I was DMing, one member of the party had a buckler with a wand of 
wonder in it.  Well I had this runing gag going on during the campaine, it
consted of a gnome (realy a OLD dragon who had nothing better to do) who would
walk around and "give" the party things, like a cream pie in face, or a
shortsword that shot disappearing ink out the tip.  Needless to say the party
was geting quite upset at this gnome, but everytime that they tryed to attack
him, he would disappear.  Well once the guy with the Buckler of wonder deceided
to use it on the gnome, guess what I roled, that's right FIREBALL.  He only
killed one member of the party (he almost killed the rest of them but they
manged to save) but you should of seen the looks of the rest of the players
faces, not to menshion how manged to talk his way out of being killed by the
rest of the crispy fried party.
Vanor - "I have the mind of God, it works in MYSTERIOUS ways"
From: labc-4ac@e260-4c.berkeley.edu ()
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: GURPS: UlTRA Tech ?= Ultra Death??
Date: 10 Apr 1992 20:20:36 GMT
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: e260-4c.berkeley.edu
Summary: Well, my question is . . .
Keywords: GURPS ULTRATECH armor

My original question had more to do with the fact that in Ultra
armor you were either fine or dead.  You could be pepered with
bullets and have none of them get through, then have one manage to
roll better, and be dead!  My main bief I guess is that there are no
rules for battering damage.  If I whack you with a baseball bat while
your in plate mail, you'll feel it!!  People in Flack vests that get shot
(from my memory, no supporting facts at all) get bruised and it hurts, dosn't
it.  The bullet has some amount om momentum that has to be transfered to
the person.  I know we just had a LONG discussion of the forces of a bullet,
but I would still think you would get brused.  What about the outside of the
armor heating up when scored on by a laser??  Or the electric charge of
a taser/stunner/electron pistol??  Can you say static electricity?  It
just seems that there should be some way to slow someone in full armor
down a little.

 -=- Matthew L. Seidl
.
From: ian@utkvx4.utk.edu (Maurer, John Joseph)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: "Rules of the Shadow" in Amber RPG
Date: 15 Apr 92 23:35:00 GMT
Organization: University of Tennessee Computing Center
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <33015@darkstar.ucsc.edu>, hapa@cats.ucsc.edu (Doug Easterly) writes...
> 
>Re: whether Amberites would be affected mentally or physically
>by Shadows they enter.... In the second series, there _is_ a shadow
>where Merlin is mentally affected by a shadow... Luke's "bad trip."
>It is _possible_. Also, Zelazny's books always hint at how 
>dangerous Hellriding is. Presumably, an Amberite can shift to a
>hostile environment. HOWEVER, it also seems likely that when an
>Amberite learns to travel shadows,the Amberite that is taught
>how to avoid stumbling into places that will kill him/her and how
>to keep your wits about them when they travel. 

The "bad trip" scene in the Third book is what I use to draw some ideas from.
Merlin actually could NOT leave the shadow under normal means due to the
unusuallness of the shadow. I was thinking that this would allow Amberites to
be affected by things such as "The Force" (tm) which may just be an odd sort of
sorcery. I suppose all such things as The Law of Drama or such sort could be
explained away by sorcery. I will keep that in mind as I write scenarios for
next semester. (I get to play right now)

>Of course, the next question is "Yes, but do they ADAPT to hostile
>or even other environments?" I'd have to say no. After all, Amberites
>who have walked the pattern have had the pattern and its rigidity/
>order IMPRINTED on them. Also, the mind altering affect I mentioned
>above is not positive... it is, rather, a rather serious threat to
>Merlin's physical and mental well-being. And physical changes seem 
>to affect Amberites not at all in either series (though their shadow
>clothing and personal items change frequently and easily

I would say that some thing would affect them and others would not. Do
Amberites have to learn a new language whenever they go to a new shadow? I
suppose that they could being immortal and having nothing better to do. Some
traps can be put onto shadows by more powerful Amberites (Control a Shadow's
Destiny). These traps presumably would affect other Amberites, creating the Law
of the Shadow effect. 

IAN
From: vanor@vax1.mankato.msus.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Shadow run
Date: 8 Apr 92 22:55:21 GMT
Article-I.D.: vax1.1992Apr8.165522.1682
Organization: Mankato State University

Hoi chumers,  I have GMed Shadow run for some time now but I have one question
(and I know a l t of you love to give advice).  The question is when a person 
takes a skill level of 5 in somthing then gets wired for the same skill what
do you use for the skill rating (I have looked at both ways and can't make up 
my mind )the number of one or the other or both added and then use that as the 
skill level. 
Also in answer to the guy who griped about magic, I don't think you have read 
the rules very well due to the small size of f fy my group I had to 
to include a npc mage (combat mage, very nice) and although he's quite
powerfull (level 1 inate w/ level 1 bosted reflex) he's ran into quite a few 
situtaions where he was totaly useless.  
Also the idea of cyber-ware for mages
or cyber with out loss are dumb at best, although it's a good idea it would
totaly destroy any game balance that there is.  Alu have samuri's 
runing around with all the cyber they can buy and a million nu-yen can buy a
lot of wire

just my two nu-yen worth

VANOR aka Presto "what fools these mundanes be"  
"Of all the things I loss I miss my mind the most"
From: jason@pawnee.ugrad.ee.ufl.edu (Jason Griggs)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: HERO New Magic System advice wanted
Keywords: Hero
Date: 14 Apr 92 19:51:44 GMT
Organization: UF EE Department


   My Fantasy Hero group really hated the system in the book, so we came up with
a system almost exactly like the one you described.  The only problem is that
by spending 1-2 experience a week one the VPP, mages get quite bogus after just
a few months.  We retired our PC mage and now only have NPC mages that leave the
party if they get too bogus.

   I've been thinking about a system involving multipower, but haven't come up
with anything satisfactory yet.  Note that using any power structure at all for
magic involves either placing special powers in the structure (which isn't
allowed) or not having spells like magic defense.

--Jason