HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: tdunn@ecst.csuchico.edu (Tim Dunn)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: APPLESEED
Date: 9 Nov 1992 17:31:40 GMT
Organization: California State University, Chico
NNTP-Posting-Host: hairball.ecst.csuchico.edu


Someone mentioned Phoenix Command.  Don't they have a "BattleSuit"
book out?  I remember seeing at a con a year back, and it had a
cel-painting for a cover.  Now that I think back, it was posed 
a lot like Hitomi's walker armor from the very first pages of the
first volume. Hmmm, any comments?
-- 
Good-bye.  I am leaving because I am bored.
		-- George Saunders' dying words
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: tgt33358@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Thanatos)
Subject: Re: SJ Games Licenses White Wolf's Vampire
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 17:17:01 GMT

In article <loydb.09uy@fnordbox.UUCP> loydb@fnordbox.UUCP (Loyd Blankenship) writes:
>For Immediate Release
>November 11, 1992
>
>	     SJ Games and White Wolf License "GURPS Vampire"
>
>    Steve Jackson Games and White Wolf are happy to announce a unique
>licensing agreement. White Wolf, the publisher of the best-selling
>"Storyteller" system, consisting of Vampire, Werewolf, and the upcoming
>Mage, Ghost and Faerie, has licensed their world background to SJ Games.
>
>   SJ Games will produce GURPS versions of all five of these products,
>plus original material set in the same background.
>
>   "White Wolf has developed one of the most unique backgrounds in FRP
>today," comments Loyd Blankenship, Product Development Manager at SJ Games,
>"and we're excited to be a part of it. The combination of the strong GURPS
>rules and the innovative Vampire world will prove a winner."
>
>   GURPS Vampire is scheduled for release at GenCon 1993 in Ft. Worth, Texas.
>It is being developed by Jeff Koke, Managing Editor at SJ Games and author
>of adventures in GURPS Cyberpunk and Supers adventures.
>
>   For more information, call Loyd Blankenship at 512/447-7866, or email
>loydb@fnordbox.uucp.
>
The reason I left the entire article intact is that I do not want ANYONE
reading this group to miss the utter importance of this post.  Such a 
deal is...phenomenal?  Unprecedented?  Commendable?  Scary?  
I do not play GURPS, but am a DIEHARD Vampire player.  However, this bodes
well for the ENTIRE Role Playing community.  I would only hope this continues.
However, noting that it is not April 1, I still must question the sincerity
of the post.  GenCon in Fort Worth?  Unless someone has eviscerated T$R's
control over that con, I find this doubtful.  Lloyd? 

-- 
I don't mind being the smartest	    / Thanatos, DeathUrge, Master of Unknown
man in the world...I just wish it   \ Time and Space tgt33358@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu 
wasn't this one...	       	    / It's a Zen thing... 
	-Ozymandias 		    \	 you wouldn't understand...  
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: heiramo@lut.fi (Petri Heiramo)
Subject: Re: Role Master Physics question
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 13:23:56 GMT
Organization: Lappeenranta University of Technology, Finland

dv52151@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (RedSwordTarga) writes:
Axly wrote:
>What is really happening is you are changing the M in the statement
>F(y) = mg = ma(y). That means that the more something weighs, the
>faster it accelerates toward the earth. The forward velocity wouldn't
>change, but the object's downward velocity would increase. The flight
>time would thus decrease. There's a very simple set of formula's for
>figuring out something like this in most physics books, and the
>reason I'm not going to attempt it right now is because it's Friday
>damn it.

	Wrong, Axly. In the formula you have shown us, g is the acceleration
of the object toward the ground. The weight of the object has NOTHING to
do with the downward velocity (except that the object is harder to throw
and you can't reach the same velocity and distance). 
	Now there are two approaches to the original problem:
	One: the speed of the object is fixed. This has no effect to the
flight of the object, only the impact it causes when landing (increased
hundredfold). 
	Two: The amount of motion is fixed (mv=constant). This reduces the
forward motion to one hundreth of the original. As the speed is cut to almost
none it is almost stopped in midflight. And, well, everyone knows what 
happens to an object in midair without support. 
	It's the GM's choise which of the options to use. I myself would pick
the first choise (just to make things more interesting by giving the 
possibility), but doesn't make it any better than the second one. I would 
however keep in mind how hard it is to hit a flying object with another flying
object. 
	To further the difficulty of choosing, there is no true physical
way of testing the possibilities for there is no way of increasing target's
mass the way it is done in case of the magic amulet.

	Yours  Petri Heiramo

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: apj6796@tamsun.tamu.edu (Albert Paul Jimenez III      )
Subject: ShadowWorld stuff up for FTP
Organization: Texas A&M University, College Station
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 16:53:32 GMT

This may be a FAQ, but is there a place to FTP adventures from? I'm particularly interested in anything designed for RoleMaster/ShadowWorld, but anything at all would be nice... 

Also: anyone have a dungeon/cavern map generator for a PC or unix machine? 

These may be FAQs, but I haven't seen a FAQ sheet so...

--Paul

-- 
   Reachable As:     | Advice, help, or hints taken are done so | Friends don't
SilverEagle@tamu.edu | at your own risk and may reflect poorly  |  let friends
 (aka Paul Jimenez)  | on your better judgement. --The Mgmt.    |    use VMS.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: sos@oz.plymouth.edu (Steffan O'Sullivan)
Subject: Re: Problems with Disads (was Re: Funny/Strange Campaign...)
Reply-To: sos@oz.plymouth.edu (Steffan O'Sullivan)
Organization: Plymouth State College - Plymouth, N.H.
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 92 18:46:34 GMT

jhk6@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (John H Kim) writes:
>szielins@oracle.com (Stephan Zielinski) writes:
>...
>>(I knew I was doing a good job presenting a villain when 
>>the party looked at me in shock, and the fellow with the Pacifism: Will Not 
>>Kill disadvantage said, "That's it; I'm saving up to buy off Pacifism...")
>
>	Does this strike anyone else as a sign of role-playing gone bad? 

Not me.  Your response [deleted, about assessing the guy negative
experience points for mentioning a disad, what should be in a metarealm
to a character] strikes me as someone who could use a little lightening
up, though.  It's just a game, John.  As long they're having a good
time, who needs RPG police telling them how they must play their
games?  If they want to talk about their characters that way - and are
having a good time, as it sounds like - what business is it of yours?

-- 
  - Steffan O'Sullivan		         sos@oz.plymouth.edu
From: ratinox@splinter.coe.northeastern.edu (Richard Pieri/Stainless Steel Rat)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Armour
Date: 5 Nov 92 21:03:45 GMT
	<LJT3.92Oct19134913@CS1.CC.Lehigh.EDU><1992Oct23.021318.14108@nstn.ns.ca>
	<ALANB.92Oct26114313@swordfish.sdl.mdcbbs.com>
	<1992Oct31.161825.8524@nstn.ns.ca>
Reply-To: ratinox@meceng.coe.northeastern.edu
Organization: 3WA, Boston Office. Or Nu Meta Chi. Take your pick.
X-Posting-Software: GNUS 3.14.1 [ NNTP-based News Reader for GNU Emacs ]
X-Signature-Virus-Protection: Version 1.51
X-Get-A-Clue: Have two, they're small.

>>>>> alanb@sdl.mdcbbs.com writes:

> Rivetted? (Or possibly welded). I know plenty of people with spring
> steel links or wire links just twisted together, but none with
> "real" mail.

That *is* "real" mail. ][t isn't necessarilly the *toughest* mail, but
in 14ga it will stop a sword or knife thrust.

--Rat
||||| | | | |  |  |  |   |   |    |    |    |   |   |  |  |  |  | | | | | |||||
Northeastern's Stainless Steel Rat          ratinox@meceng.coe.northeastern.edu
The music is reversible but time is not. Turn back, turn back, turn back...
                                                            --ELO, Fire on High
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: vputz@nyx.cs.du.edu (Victor Putz)
Subject: Dangerous Journeys... sourcebooks?
Organization: University of Denver, Dept. of Math & Comp. Sci.
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 92 16:38:44 GMT



.. basically , I need critters.  I'm having a hard time with balance "what
is too powerful?  What is cannon fodder?" type stuff, and Epic of Aerth is
no help.

OVerall, though, a very elegant and exciting system.  My players wswitched
to DJ from AD&D and are having a ball.

-->Vputz

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: pmwg1641@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Peter M. White)
Subject: Re: SRUNII: Laser sights and SG links
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 21:18:52 GMT

In article <wilder.721559648@mik.uky.edu> wilder@nx04.mik.uky.edu (jeff wilder) writes:




>
>I also consider it crosshairs.  So what?  The *principle* in game mechanics
>terms is exactly the same.  You don't aim the crosshairs, you aim the
>*weapon*.  (Aiming the crosshairs?!  Now *that* would be a smartgun...)

I recall, at least in SR1, that the smartgun description says that it
uses a feedback loop to correct the gun angle.  So, indeed it is the
*crosshairs* that are aimed.  Pretty Neat-o...but I am not sure that I
but it.  Accurate crosshairs alone are impressive in and of themselves.

>You may indeed ask.  "Improbable" is *really* understating the situation.
>Lessee.  Skill 1 = 16% chance of fumble.  Probably about right for this
>sort of beginner.  Skill 2, a little better, but still a novice: about 3%.
>Too low, but I can live with it, I guess.  The problems begin at skill 3:
>less that .5%.  And they drop into absolutely ridiculous depths after that:
>skill 4: (quick calculation...) about .08%.  Skill 5?  .00012%.  See where
>this is going?  Has *anybody* out there in Netland *ever* seen a skill 6
>person fumble?  Ever?
>
Actually, even you are vastly understating how improbable a fumble is
because in SR2 we can include Combat Pool dice in the success test.
Skill 2 + 2 Pool dice ---> 0.08% chance of fumbling.  Translates into
one fumble per 1296 skill tests.  At skills 5 augmented with the Pool...
one fumble per 60,466,176 skill tests.  A lot of bullets, huh?  If
such a person were firing continuously with *no* rest, say once per
second, he would experience one fumble per 1.92 years on average.


--Peter

______________________________________________________________________________
						|
     "Guards!  Let me draw their fire!"		|	p-white@uiuc.edu
		   --Scapegoat,_Marshal Law_	|
______________________________________________________________________________
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: dunning@chainsaw.ecn.purdue.edu (GALACTIC COMMANDER)
Subject: Magic Systems
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 1992 15:48:15 GMT

There are two aspects of Fantasy Magic to look at:  Effect, Mechanics.

For the Mechanics view, this is dependent on the system:  Basically what
is the difference between the following spells:

	1d4+1, 3d6, 2d6+2

	-Not much but depending on the game system they may mean alot.
	Perhaps the 3d6 is enough to kill adventures; therefore it is
	more powerful than the 1d4+1.

SPECIAL EFFECT:
	This is the most important part of the spell. Special effect is
what makes the damage done by magic seem different from the damage done 
by swords and axes.  If your player cannot see the differences then they
are too caught up in the first part.  Examine the following spells:

	Lightning Bolt:  This spell allows the caster to draw up upon
	the electricity within the very air and launch it at a single
	target.

	/*  What game is this for - who cares it can be any game */

	The next difference is in the casting style.  Are magicians able
to manipulate their magic differently under different situations.  Do
they memorize spell words and use components?  Are they the venerable
powerhouses of fanatasy or can anyone wield magic.

	These are the questions that matter to the game.  The machanics
should be left to the GM and the system choosen.

	For my game I choose HERO since it let me manipule magic to suit
both me and my players.  I could have different styles of magic in
different areas.  I like to change things to suit my style instead of
butchering a previos system into my views.

BASIC QUESTIONS:

1)  What is the power source (words, divine, energy, etc...)

2)  Range of power (all weak, average mix, extremely powerful)

3)  Ease of Access (who can learn magic?)

4)  Method of casting (components, words, circles, gestures)

5)  Interaction (with nonmagicians, magicians, kings, etc...)

6)  Viewpoint (percieved, but not necessarily actual standing of mages)


	I hope this helps!  Good Luck :)

Chip



--
-----------------------------\_/-----------------------------
   Elwood H Dunning III       |  CASE:  Proof that even the
                              |   smartest people can write
    GALACTIC COMMANDER        |   themselves out of a job.
From: cgautier@zeus.calpoly.edu (Kit "Psycho" Gautier)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Clear up Marvel-->Champs (was re: Conversion)
Date: 10 Nov 92 21:54:11 GMT
Article-I.D.: zeus.1992Nov10.215411.110566
Distribution: usa
Organization: California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo


jogle@zia.aoc.nrao.edu (Jim Ogle (Ks. Jim)) comments:
>In article <mumble> cgautier@zeus.calpoly.edu (Kit "Psycho" Gautier) writes:

>>Well, here is my conversion system for Marvel to Champions.  I've
>>play-tested this a few times and it is the best one _I've_ seen or used.
>>It converts Marvel characters to what they would be using Champions 
>>rules, based on a campaign where characters are around 250-400 points,
>>which is what most characters in Champ supplement books are.

>>  Marvel    Champions
>>---------   ---------
>>STRENGTH  =    STR
>>AGILITY   =    DEX
>>ENDURANCE =    CON
>>REASON    =    INT
>>PSYCHE    =    EGO
>>POPULAR.  =    PRE

>>RANK | STR | DEX | CON | INT | EGO | PRE | EB/HA |  KA   | FLIGHT |
>>-------------------------------------------------------------------
>> PR  |  8  | 15  | 10  |  7  |  8  | 12  |  2d6  | 1/2d6 |   5"   |

>What happened to Feeble?

Okay, okay, okay!!!  :)  I guess some explanation was needed for this
chart and information.  This conversion chart was created for SUPER heroes/
villians.  Aunt May would _not_ be good to use with this chart.  Anybody
who runs around in spandex, with powers or just neat equipment, can be
converted from Marvel to Champions with this system.  Most spendex do not
have Feeble stats so I didn't put it in.  If a character does have a FB
stat, look at the chart and you'll get an idea for what to put (5 STR, 12
DEX, 4 INT [or less!], etc.)

>> TY  | 10  | 18  | 14  | 10  | 10  | 14  |  2d6  | 1d6-1 |   8"   |
>> GD  | 15  | 21  | 18  | 14  | 13  | 18  |  3d6  |  1d6  |  10"   |
>[...]

>It's been a while since I played Champions, but isn't a value of 10
>supposed to be average?  If so, a Typical Agility should not translate
>to an 18 - that's way too generous.  Same comment goes for Con too.
>(And Presence I guess but I'd be willing to let that slide.)

As I said above, this is for Superheroes, _not_ normals.  If you go through
all of the character books for Champs, you find out that this system works
well with those books (ex: Ogre would have TY agility in Marvel because he
has 18 DEX).

Sorry I didn't make all of that clear before...  :) :)


  -- The Kitster

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  |
cgautier@zeus.calpoly.edu         | "I will become the fuhrer one day..." 
Kit "I Am Not A Psycho!!" Gautier |          -- Dead Kennedys 
				  |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: mfterman@dae.Princeton.EDU (Mutant for Hire)
Subject: Re: Magic Systems
Reply-To: mfterman@phoenix.princeton.edu (Mutant for Hire)
Organization: Mutant for Hire, Inc.
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 1992 04:48:33 GMT

In article <4119@bcstec.ca.boeing.com>, hall@bcstec.ca.boeing.com (Robert J. Hall) writes:
>Very interesting concept, Bret. Although it would be nice to have more detail
>in the types of words that can be obtained. Ex: find words for "Create",
>"Fire", and "Sphere" in order to cast a fireball. I like how the system
>automatically turns the Wizards into distrusting, isolated individuals in
>order to secure their source of power.

There aren't any different words to do different effects. Words are not
different in their effects. The only difference is in the potency of the
word. There is also a certain amount of difference in the person who gets
their first couple of words. They tend to have one ability that they
really excell at. Three and four word people can do just about anything
they can imagine and have the power for, but as mentioned earlier, three
word magicians can't make it permanent.

Another thing that wasn't mentioned. Four words makes one a wizard. What
happens if you go for a fifth word? You die. No one can handle the power
of a fifth word. As it turns out, two people sharing five words can
survive, and together they become a god, but this is very rare. The two
have to be in love, and considering how nasty most of the people at that
level of power are, well... (incidentally, shouting a word you have at
someone who is already capacity has been used for assassination)

Another thing, as telling the word to another person increases their power,
it also takes an act of will to tell a word. The only time a word is easy
to say is if the possessor is near death. The words want to be preserved,
but they don't want to be subdivided. Someone just about destroyed a few
words by an enormous effort of will shouting them out to a large crowd.
The word's power was so subdivided it was useless.

That's really about it. Words do seem to be losing power over time. Words
were a lot stronger in the old days. They're probably being told to too
-- 
    Martin Terman, Mutant for Hire, Mean Ol' Top, Priest of Shub-Internet
    Disclaimer: Nobody else takes me seriously, why should you be the first?
mfterman@phoenix.princeton.edu mfterman@pucc.bitnet terman@pupgga.princeton.edu
"Sig quotes are like bumper stickers, only without the same sense of relevance"
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: nbruin71@ursa.calvin.edu (Nathan Bruinooge)
Subject: Re: Middle Earth Role playing?
Organization: Calvin College
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 16:05:35 GMT

In regards to your questions about MERP:

	The rules and all the supplements, textwise, do a wonderful job in 
finding Middle-Earth settings and bringing them to life.  Whoever does the
research for all that stuff, and the writing--well, they're all clearly 
devoted Tolkienites who have done their homework, and for that I respect them.

However, the game system is wholly unappropriate to the nature of Middle Earth.
It is a skimmed down version of Rolemaster, which is a game I abhor in the 
first place, but even granting that system legitimacy, it has no intersection
with the Middle Earth mythos.  It arbitrarily assumes that the characters and
narrative structures of M.E. can fit into their system, which was designed for
totally different purposes (i.e., swords and sorcery fantasy).  It is ludicrous
to say that Gandalf is a 50th-level wizard:  He is an Istari, one of the Maiar.
And he doesn't use "spell lists."  His magic is far more magical than that.
That's just an example--in general, the system is wholly inappropriate to the
mythos, though the written background included in the modules is excellent.

Advice:  Buy some modules that look interesting.  Buy the Guide to Middle
Earth.  Don't buy the main rule book, it's just rules.  You can make up 
simpler ones yourself, or don't worry about them at all--your game will move
more smoothly, and you'll be able to capture the Tolkien feel much more easily.

Nathan Bruinooge
nbruin71@ursa.calvin.edu
From: acgetche@taco.engr.ucdavis.edu (Adam)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Silencers and Laser Sights in Shadowrun 2.0
Date: 11 Nov 92 21:40:28 GMT
Organization: College of Engineering - University of California - Davis

In article <1992Nov10.102818.1974@odin.diku.dk> null@diku.dk (Niels Ull Jacobsen) writes:
>Let's try calculating it. A very rough guestimate:
>Muzzle velocity: 2000 m/s (I think this is in the right order for a rifle).
>Distance to target: d
>Time to target : d/2000 sec's (assuming no air drag!)
>distance fallen : 0.5 * 10 * (d/2000)^2 m = (d/90)^2 cm.
>So 50 m gives 0.3 cm drop. Hardly noticable.
>150 m gives 2.7 cm drop. Could be important but probably not.
>300 m gives 11 cm drop. Should be taken into account. 

>If anyone wants to expand on these figures, please do. The two most

The drag force on the bullet is roughly k*v^2, where k is the coefficient
of drag and v is the velocity.  The drag force is rather significant
factor in bullet drop.  The problem with k is it usually has to be measured,
rather than calculated, and can vary according to geometry, material,
air pressure and that sort of thing.
	Standard rifle rounds fire at ~1000 m/s (M-16) or ~900 m/s (.303
Enfield)  I don't have my Shooter's Bible with me, so these are
remembrances.  Most 9mm ammunition fires in the 340-370 m/s range, with
the good ol' .45 about 240 m/s.  Velocities vary with ammunition.
	However, this should all be fairly irrelevant with a smartgun.
Given a ranging laser, some dedicated hardwired ballistics processing, etc
the gun should 'know' the bullet drop at the range you're firing at.
The chief limitation becomes the arcsize of the target (even if you've got
magnification, move the gun a few millimeters and it's way off target;
the formula being s = r*theta, where s is arclength, r is distance to
target (radius), and theta is angle in radians (to convert degrees to
radians multiply degrees times pi/180).
	Again, this too can be gotten around if you can 'designate' your
target.  Then (ala M1A2 Abram's stabilization) you select your target,
sweep your gun in a short arc, and when the barrel lines up with the target
vertically and horizontally (ie impinges on the little laser dot) the
gun fires.
	Hmmmm.  Inspires a smartgun posting.

>   Niels Ull Jacobsen, Dep. of C.S., U of Copenhagen (null@diku.dk)

           -- Adam
+--------------+---------------------------------------------------------------+
|Adam Getchell |Surgery-Radiation Oncology    GETCHELL@radonc.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu|
| acgetchell   |ez000270@chip.ucdavis.edu        acgetche@taco.engr.ucdavis.edu|
+--------------+---------------------------------------------------------------+
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: cleggp@aix.rpi.edu (Paul Jason Clegg)
Subject: Re: Updated List of Superhero RPGs  [and comments]
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 21:18:04 GMT

In article <GOLDM.92Nov10141554@sage4a.rpi.edu> goldm@rpi.edu (Mitchell E. Gold) writes:
>In article <1992Nov10.022921.14807@ncsu.edu> jmkaraka@eos.ncsu.edu (JOHN MARTIN KARAKASH) writes:
>	   You forgot the:
>
>   MOST LIKELY TO PRODUCE VERY ODD CHARACTERS: Villians and Vigilantes
>	   (It Barely beats out Marvel here, ask me sometimes about
>	    Bruce, the mutated Kangaroo with his power-boomerang,
>	    and trusty koala sidekick, Bruce  :)
>--
>
>My personal favorite random V&V character:
>   powers: Stretching, Sonic Powers, Animal Powers (or Control?)
>   his name: Rubber Duck!
>

I actually had a pretty neat character once in V&V; I managed to get 
Vibration Powers (whatever) and Transmutation...  Sure, I only had a strength
of, oh, 6, and about 5 hit points, but I could transform people into glass
and automatically shatter any glass within a hundred yards...  >:^)

...Paul

-- 
+                +        +    +  + + +  +    +        +                +
  Paul Clegg, cleggp@aix.rpi.edu.   Project Galactic Guide Coordinator.
            System One RPG designer.   But generally unknown.
+                +        +    +  + + +  +    +        +                +
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc