HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: stxtnt@rs733.GSFC.NASA.Gov (Nigel Tzeng)
Subject: Re: Cyberspace/the Net/the Matrix/etc
Organization: Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md, USA
	<1992Dec13.172718.7734@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu>
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 06:57:23 GMT

In article <1992Dec13.172718.7734@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu> tratclif@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu (Tracy Ratcliff) writes:

[stuff deleted]

>   This said, I have to agree that unrealistic is probably more fun...

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...

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...

Nigel

--
Nigel Tzeng
.sig under construction
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: stv@unislc.uucp (Steve Spencer)
Subject: Re: Palladium/Wizards of the Coast Lawsuit
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]
Organization: Unisys Corporation SLC
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 15:33:25 GMT

Sea Wasp (seawasp@vm2.cis.pitt.edu) wrote:
: 
: 
: 	GURPS, AD&D, Talislanta, Torg, Arduin, RuneQuest, Ars Magica,
: RoleMaster, WarpWorld, Hero, Warhammer... I think I've forgotten a couple
: others. "Nobody"? Oh, yes, ShadowRun, too. 
: 
: 
: 
:                                  Sea Wasp
:                                    /^\
:                                    ;;;

Ooooooh, he put the draeded names in PRINT! Poor Sea Wasp, you're really
in for it now. Could someone please sue this man! Wait, we're not that
petty... are we? Oh, we are? Okay. 

:)

Sorry folks, couldn;'t resist. 


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
| It's the sputter of a raindrop. It's the sunlight on my face |
| My mind's eye into other realms. It's my paradise escape.    |
| Steve Spencer	SLC, Utah 	stv@unislc.slc.unisys.com      |
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: maw5e@kelvin.seas.Virginia.EDU (Michael Allen Waters)
Subject: Re: Star trek game
Organization: University of Virginia
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1992 23:19:39 GMT

	The problem with SFB was that it had almost nothing to
do with Star Trek, especially the movies.  It was a good game,
but for a Star Trek fan, it was still a bit of a
disappointment.  FASA's Starship Combat Simulator had it flaws
too, but has a much better feel for Star Trek.  It didn't
invent new races to provide diversity like SFB, but instead
simply increases the number of ship classes available to the
three major powers (UFP, Klingons, Romulans).  The rules were a
bit lacking, but were also easily modified to present a more
realistic game to go with the Star Trek atmosphere.  When I
played I personally added stuff for communications, sub-light 
movement, arming time for photorps, etc. to try and incorporate
the best of SFB into FASA's game.  For Star Trek fans, I think
that FASA's system would be a better purchase (if you can find
it--FASA stopped production a year or two ago).  The rules can
be easily doctored to suit the individual's tastes.  If you
want a good game but don't care about whether it adheres to
Star Trek or not, then get SFB. 
				Mike
-- 
_______________________________________________________________________
			Duj tIvoqtaH!
		'Always trust your instincts.'
From: jimfost@matt.ksu.ksu.edu (Jim Foster)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Warhammer FRP - WH40k conversion
Date: 11 Dec 1992 23:16:46 -0600
Organization: Kansas State University
NNTP-Posting-Host: matt.ksu.ksu.edu

mrm70@diag.amdahl.com (Mike McAllister) writes:

>I have just started getting into WH40k, and am wondering
>if any official (GW) rules have been created for converting
>between this and Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay rules. Wounds, for
>example, are different (regular humans have 6 or so in WHFRP,
>only 1 in WH40k). I don't know most of the WHFRP rules, but
>couldn't find any reference to this conversion in any books or mags I
>looked at.

What is the relationship between Warhammer FRP and Warhammer FB? Presumably
you could take the relationship and use it to convert 40k into WFRP as WFB
uses pretty much the same stats as 40K.

I'd be interested in hearing about anything you come up with.


-- 
Jim Foster                [ "I am a meticulous man; when I portray baboons I  ]
jimfost@matt.ksu.ksu.edu  [  leave no stern untoned."                         ]
Kansas State University   [                        -- Ogden Nash              ]
From: reuber@world.std.com (kent b reuber)
Subject: Re: Gurps
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 20:01:33 GMT

dunkelza@titan.ucc.umass.edu (KEITH C MCCORMIC) writes:


>   I figure, with all the GURPS articles that show up here, that a newsgroup:
>Rec.games.rpg.GURPS should be added.  This would cut down on traffic on Rec.
>games.frp.misc, and give GURPS players a place to discuss rules and stuff with
>other people who enjoy it, rather than them having to put up with all sorts of
>anti-GURPS comments and stuff.

>I know nobody else will like the idea, but I figure what the hell...

I'd certainly support it. The other strategy is to move those games with
lots of traffic (I notice Shadowrun having a lot of posts) to its own group.

kent reuber
reuber@world.std.com
-- 
Kent Reuber                   | Schepens Eye Research Institute
Computer Operations Manager   | 20 Staniford St.
reuber@world.std.com          | Boston, MA 02174
reuber@cdv.eri.harvard.edu    |
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: clanti55@ursa.calvin.edu (Christopher Lantinga)
Subject: Re: Palladium/WotC Lawsuit--How You Can Help
Organization: Calvin College
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 04:41:14 GMT

mavra@cpac.washington.edu (Peter D. Adkison) writes:

>Yes, I think following the Palladium-as-a-derivative-of-D&D line of
>logic might be worth checking out!

May I refer you to the first Palladium game, _The Mechanoid Invasion_,
published in the very early 80s, page 44, under the description of an
NPC, "Potang the Great Old ONe Talon Shaman"...  his alignment is
listed as "Chaotic Neutral", a term otherwise undefined in the
rulebook and understandable only by reference to D&D...  Not exactly
what you're looking for but I always thought it an interesting
curiosity.

I say if you really want to look for something like that, check all
editions of the Palladium Weapons & Armor books.  If anywhere you find
an unlicensed reference to an actual game system, you win.

But I would imagine Palladium would check that itself, though before
it brought this suit against you.

Ed Heil

(since everybody else is stating his company preferences, let me throw
a little .advocacy at the end of the msg...

WotC: pro: they're the Little Guy, & they support Talislanta
      con: TPO should not be necessary to anyone, IMHO
Palladium: pro: they have some neat art; Siembeda comes up with some
	        great background material, and they've had lots of
		good stuff by Eric Wucjik
	   con: the cool background is always lost behind a huge mass
		of stats & rules, and Eric hasn't done much with them
		lately, and there was no need for this lawsuit, so fie
		on them.
Blade: the company that produces cool supplements and yet fends off
	lawsuits by means of Storytelling -- Brilliant, Thank-You!

.advocacy now ends.....)

--Ed
Edward James Heil
c/o Chris Lantinga, clanti55@ursa.calvin.edu
"There is nothing wrong with the software that rm won't cure."
		-Arnie Romo
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: mehawk@agora.rain.com (Michael Sandy)
Subject: Re: Champions help needed
Organization: Open Communications Forum
Date: Sun, 20 Dec 1992 08:19:14 GMT

I think we need to know a bit more about
the intended special effect:

Are you just choosing a bunch of advantages and trying to make
a character out of it?

Whatever:
suppose the special effect is that 10 rabbits with _really_ nasty
teeth pop in and start gnawing your arms off.  You could buy it
as Sumoning,  an _autofire_ attack, Or Speed , -1/2 Dependant on
bunny attack, -1/2, only usable to increase number of bunny
damage per turn.

I designed a graivty redirector that way:

EC: Gravity control powers- 40
20 +80 Speed, (to 12) only usable to make Flight take effect
each segment.
60+ 5" Flight +2 1/2, 0 end Persistent, UC, +1 1/2, Usable
against others, ranged. + 1 Fully invisible effects (optional)
+3 x 4,000 mass.  -1/4 Full power.  Can't hover, can't
simultaneously change gravity on different things
on different vectors...  (Ie, He can't have up be
North on one object and South on another at the same time)

If your character is launching a computer virus, or any attack which
has higher reflexes than he does, it makes sense to buy
the Speed that way, only to increase the Continuing attacks.

Michael Sandy

-- 
Michael Sandy
mehawk@agora.rain.com
michaels@m2xenix.psg.com
"The above does not reflect the views of any organization."
From: dripton@csugrad.cs.vt.edu (David Ripton)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: GURPS 1/8 and 1/4 Points, & high defaults
Date: 14 Dec 92 05:42:44 GMT
Organization: Virginia Tech Computer Science Dept, Blacksburg, VA


Of course characters with Eidetic Memory shouldn't be allowed to spend
quarters and eighths of points on skills. It makes them just too
versatile, and complicates point-counting. 

Does anybody out there have a solution to the abuse of running skill, 
other than banning it or charging an Unusual Background? The basic 
problem, as I see it, is that Running-8 (more or less, depending on
the fractional part of your basic speed) gets you +1 to Move, while
c. Running-16 gets you +2. The net result is that just about everybody
puts a point or two into Running skill. This kind of situation is why I
hate half-point skills in general, and no-default skills most of all.
Everybody should have half a point in these skills (for game utility,
not good role-playing. Please don't flame me). Quarter- or eighth-
point skills of any type bug me for this reason.

	David Ripton
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: rcashman@cs.ulowell.edu (The Jester)
Subject: Re: SRII: Matrix rules
Organization: University of Massachusetts at Lowell Computer Science
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 22:00:24 GMT

In article <valentin.724094418@husc10> valentin@husc10.harvard.edu (Brian Valentine) writes:
>Lester Ward made an interesting point.
>Are icons data?  They can travel in data flows, but I don't think they are 
>either.
>I never thought about it before Lester brought it up, but icons are the
>virtual representations of the decker.  Is the icon a moveable I/O port?
>What is an icon in matrix terminology?
>
>-Griff


Shadowrun likens the decker's icon to a mouse pointer: the decker manipulates
data by use of his icon, the same way a modern computer jockey manipulates
data with his mouse or his keyboard.

Now, what is a mouse pointer but more data?  Data is data: that's why the
decker's icon vanishes when you pull cyberdeck's plug.



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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: lward@husc11.harvard.edu (Lester Ward)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: SRII: Matrix rules
Date: 11 Dec 92 19:22:04 GMT
Article-I.D.: husc11.lward.724101724

adam@endor.uucp (Adam Shostack) writes:
>*Everything* is data.  It all boils down to ones and zeros (electrical
>states today, flashes of light 20 years from now, but still data).

No argument there, but my gut feeling is that Matrix hardware works on
a very high objectified level when handling other Matrix entities.  So
while a pipe is still moving data, the data is treated in a very special
way.  Again, this means that it can be hacked and altered not to.

I like this way of thinking, because if sets deckers even farther apart
from users or even system programmers (who likely let icon-based programming
packages do their work).

>Yes.  If you assume that the decker is an I/O port (a good
>assumption, as data moves in and out), and you assume that he is an
>icon, then his icon would be a moveable I/O port.  It might take quite
>a bit of effort to move him, but the icon can be moved by someone with
>enough control of the system.

>You could also build mobile I/O ports in the system, as a defense
>against deckers.

Read: Interactive IC.  Ewwww.

>I would guess that the matrix does not send around lots of 3D images.
>Your deck has a simsence ship in it, and you can program that chip to
>create a reality filter.  So an what you see as an icon would probably
>be any collection of related data.  It could be a system, say the
>Fuchi star, or a node in the system, like a san, or a Ice constuct
>sitting in that san asking for ID.

I can see how this would be true up to a point.  Because reality filters
exist and decks include simsence hardware, it would make more sence for
a node to send a message into your deck saying "I look like a standard
SAN" and your deck looks up a UMC standard SAN icon and displays it.
However, for specific icons, like scultpted systems, or even the Fuchi
Star (funny you should mention the Fuchi Star, Adam....), icon descriptions,
most likely vector maps would have to be uploaded to the simsence software
at least once.

Wordman
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: sos@oz.plymouth.edu (Steffan O'Sullivan)
Subject: Re: Palladium/Wizards of the Coast Lawsuit
Organization: Plymouth State College - Plymouth, NH.
	<1992Dec17.223531.4921@oz.plymouth.edu> <909@blue.cis.pitt.edu>
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 92 13:46:19 GMT

seawasp@vm2.cis.pitt.edu (Sea Wasp) writes:
>
>	They made it up. A capsystem is a system of rules designed to fit
>on top of (like a cap) any existing rules you may be using, to supplement
>you in areas you may not have rules to cover. Right?

Thanks - I was very confused.  It seemed everybody was casually tossing
around this word like I should know what it meant . . .

>>As I said, I haven't seen your product,
>>so I don't know how much space you devoted to system translations, but
>>it's bound to be a waste of space to most people.  If you give stats
>>for twenty systems, nobody will use nineteen of them.

>	GURPS, AD&D, Talislanta, Torg, Arduin, RuneQuest, Ars Magica,
>RoleMaster, WarpWorld, Hero, Warhammer... I think I've forgotten a couple
>others. "Nobody"? Oh, yes, ShadowRun, too. 
>
>	Took up about 18 pages, total? I'm not sure.  Very useful.

My phrasing was poor.  What I meant was that most people will not use
17 of those 18 pages, because most people will play only one system,
yes?  However, I admit that 17 pages, less that 10% of the book, isn't
bad. I was thinking of the old Chaosium Thieves World supplement in
which 80% of the book was useless to any given individual . . .

-- 
  - Steffan O'Sullivan		         sos@oz.plymouth.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: Scheirich Harald <scheirich@eigcl1.una.ac.at>
Subject: RQ: Runelords and Heros question
X-Xxmessage-Id: <A753AA31A301A62B@eigmc3.tuwien.ac.at>
X-Xxdate: Tue, 15 Dec 92 15: 28:49 GMT
Organization: Technical University Vienna
X-Useragent: Nuntius v1.1.1d10
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 14:27:24 GMT

Can anybody here explain to me, somebody with access only to RQ3 stuff,
what on 
earth Runelords and Heros are.
I am posting this for my GM who has most of the books out but only from
the 3 edition on and those crop up from time to time but are not
explained any further so please,
what are they, what can they do, what does it take to be one ....  
I am in Europe and have no access to 2nd edition material.

Thanks in advance 
					     Scheirich Harald
Replies on this list or to
scheirich@eigcl1.una.ac.at
From: seawasp@vm2.cis.pitt.edu (Sea Wasp)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Palladium/Wizards of the Coast Lawsuit
Date: 18 Dec 92 23:43:22 GMT
Organization: University of Pittsburgh
Originator: seawasp@unixd3.cis.pitt.edu

In article <1992Dec18.153325.24165@unislc.uucp> stv@unislc.uucp (Steve Spencer) writes:
>Sea Wasp (seawasp@vm2.cis.pitt.edu) wrote:
>: 	GURPS, AD&D, Talislanta, Torg, Arduin, RuneQuest, Ars Magica,

		[...]

>Ooooooh, he put the draeded names in PRINT! Poor Sea Wasp, you're really
>in for it now. Could someone please sue this man! Wait, we're not that
>petty... are we? Oh, we are? Okay. 

	AAAAAAhahahahahahaaaaaaaaa! I fooled you all! Go ahead, sue me!

	*I'M BROKE!*

                                 Sea Wasp
                                   /^\
                                   ;;;
From: rhr9081@hertz.njit.edu (Ray Rich)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: STAR FRONTIERS:does anyone remember it??
Date: 16 Dec 92 23:13:18 GMT
Organization: New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, N.J.

In article <BzA36K.57v@acsu.buffalo.edu> v124jw4y@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (Benjamin R Pierce) writes:
>In article <Bz9rnz.C2u@news.cso.uiuc.edu>, irvine@uxh.cso.uiuc.edu (Brent Irvine) writes...
>
>>IMNSHO, TSR experimented with the bland Care-Bear whitebread no substance
>>generic game feel, ditched the beta system and took the theme over to 
>>their AD&D game!  [2nd Edition AD&D - blech!, also when they first
>>quietly removed Melnibonean Myths from Dieties and Demigods, and then
>>quietly changed the name to Legends and Lore I knew the end of the 
>>'golden era' of TSR was gone, reploaced by respecability/blandness].
>> 
>>Enough rambling,
>>Brent
>
>
>
>
>Well, the Melnibonean removal had nothing to do with 'respectability'...
>rather, it had to do with TSR attempting to avoid getting their butts
>sued off by the Moorcock estate (TSR knows about lawsuits :).
>
>
>                                                         --Ben

	Actually, I thought TSR would be subject to a suit by whomever
(Chaosium?) had the rights to Moorecock role-play material, and not the
Moorecock estate itself.
	Same goes for the big C.

							Ray
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: barnett@mummy.agsm.unsw.OZ.AU (Glen Barnett)
Subject: Re: NY STATE DEPT of HEALTH--Illegal minis
Keywords: minis,miniatures,ban,illegal,lead,NY
Organization: The Australian Graduate School of Management
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 06:59:58 GMT

So the hearing was on the 15th - what happened?

Glen
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: cwatters@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Coyt D Watters)
Subject: Re: RQ: reversing skill multiplication
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 19:36:45 GMT

In article <Bz3z9o.2zC@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu> burdickd@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Dakin Burdick) writes:
>Frankly Loren, I did away with Debate, Oratory and Fast Talk
>long ago.  To me they seem to be just crutches for player inability
>to roleplay.  I have my players say what they would say, and I then
>judge it for how well they present their case, modified by their
>CHA (which for me is a derived characteristic based on Appearance,
>Social rank, and Fame of the character).  I guess I ought to explain
>the CHA further:

Unfortunately, too many GMs expect a player to be able to do more than
he is able to perform.  If you can out-debate your player because he
gets flustered and unable to keep ahead of you, you should not ignore 
a high Debate score.  Likewise, if a player speaks with a lot of pauses,
because he is searching a vast vocabulary for the right word (my problem B^)
do you ignore the fast talk score?

A near genius character may be played by a player of average intellect.
In this case, the charcter might be able to figure something that the player
is unable to.  Would you penalize the character for that?  Or do you figure
a COS and determine that the charater gets a sudden flash of insight, and 
give the player subtle (or not so subtle) hints.

Now, I don't go for this : "I walk up to the guard and Fast Talk him into
letting us in to the castle."  I'd still require roleplaying, and use how
well the player was roleplaying the encounter modify the COS (chance of 
success).  IF you want to add modifiers to the COS due to appearance, fame,
etc, that's fine. 

The "social" skills/abilities SHOULD act as crutches to help the weak spots
in the player's ability to roleplay a character, but not replace the
roleplaying.  Otherwise, we should never try to play anything beyond our 
limits.

-Coyt

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: johnson1@cs.uwp.edu (Christina Johnson)
Subject: SR:  Laverty
Organization: University of Wisconsin - Parkside
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL8]
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 16:42:40 GMT


ok...  I don't remember where, but somewhere I read that Professor Laverty
(of the Tir) is an excellent teacher of magic, but is mundane himself. 
Yet, in one of the FASA books on the Dog Shamen (the third, I believe) Sam
sees Laverty moving about in the astral plane.  Pr.  Laverty and his
buddies hold a conference there, in fact.  Is Laverty Active or not?

Thank you


-- 
 _______________________________________________
 -Brandywine-                                  
 "Insanity is a perfectly reasonable adaptation
  to an insane world."                            
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: slb22@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Seth "the Lesser")
Subject: Re: sci-fi game
Keywords: sci-fi game
Organization: Generic American College Kids (G.A.C.K.)
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 15:34:13 GMT
Reply-To: slb22@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Seth "the Lesser")
X-Posted-From: cunixb.cc.columbia.edu
NNTP-Posting-Host: sol.ctr.columbia.edu

samik@maths.tcd.ie (Samik Sen) writes:
>Could someone please tell me what megatravellers ship to ship combat is like?
>
>Samik'

Lousy.  It's based on the High Guard system, which was also lousy.  In fact,
it *is* the High Guard system, with a very few changes made to adapt it to the
new rules.  You organize your ships into "front line" and "reserve," then all
the front line ships shoot at each other, then the reserves can shoot at the
opposing front lines.  If a ship in your front line is disabled (no weapons
and no maneuver drive, or insufficient crew), the opponent gets a chance to
shoot at your reserves.  It's based on wind-powered naval battles, IMHO
entirely the wrong model.

Folks on the Traveller Mailing List are trying to come up with a better system
and persuade GDW to use it in Traveller: The New Era, due out at an
ever-receding date next spring.  (What is it now? March? May? August?)

Myself, I use a full three-D "dogfight" system.  When it comes up, which ain't
often.  See, when PCs get in starship battles with their dinky Free Traders,
they *die.* In droves.

Seth L. Blumberg          \ Warning: This posting has been determined to cause
slb22@columbia.edu (play)   \ cancer in laboratory animals.  Please make sure
sethb@ctr.columbia.edu (work) \ that no white mice are allowed to read it.  
    > No one I know shares my opinions, least of all Columbia University. <
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc