HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: dunning@chainsaw.ecn.purdue.edu (GALACTIC COMMANDER)
Subject: Re: Idiots Re: Was Re: BattleMech Game ... MS-DOS Vs Amiga
Keywords: People to Stupid to Read
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network
Distribution: rec.games.frp.misc
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 01:57:15 GMT

In article <1992Sep1.030014.6868@pimacc.pima.edu> ppugliese@pimacc.pima.edu writes:
>In article <1992Sep1.111923.10488@waikato.ac.nz>, mperry@waikato.ac.nz writes:
>> In article <1992Aug27.194529.6851@pimacc.pima.edu>, ppugliese@pimacc.pima.edu writes:
>>> In article <NIGEL.92Aug27190943@rs733.GSFC.NASA.Gov>, nigel@rs733.GSFC.NASA.Gov writes:

	I guess some people in the world are to stupid to even read.  I mean
it is VERY obvious that rec.games.frp is actually a discussion for the
pros and cons of the IBM over the Amiga.  Afterall isn't that what everybody
is here to talk about?

	Take it somewhere else!!!


Chip
--

-----------------------------\_/-----------------------------
 Elwood H Dunning III         |     I am a pirate, I don't
  GALACTIC COMMANDER          |           DO decency!!
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: tmartin@nyx.cs.du.edu (Thomas Martin)
Subject: Call of Cthulhu Archives?
Organization: University of Denver, Dept. of Math & Comp. Sci.
Distribution: na
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 92 05:06:10 GMT

Okay people, the answer never got posted to the newsgroup, so I'll ask again-
is there a CoC archive somewhere? And is there an *active* mailing list for
Call of Cthulhu?

Thanks.
From: braca2@cspyr1.cs.adfa.oz.au (BRAY CHRISTOPHER)
Subject: Interface
Organization: Australian Defence Force Academy, Canberra, Australia
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 11:45:11 GMT

OK, I just received interface vol1 issue 4, I agree that the stuff on
legality of weapons is cool.  

What I was mostly impressed about is the subordinate character skill 
groups.  It is an easy, and interesting way to add a little life to a 
character class.  Although interested in making my own (prizefighter boxer
for example) I was interested in what some of the past groups were like.

If anyone would like to post it here, or mail it to me for personnel use,
or tell me where I can get a copy, please feel free to contact me.


                              -=[   hook   ]=-
-----------------------------                  ----------------------------
 braca2@cspyr1.cs.adfa.oz.au          |    "If you've got it shake it" - hook
       ========			      |    "My heart beats just like yours, 
      /        \                      |    When I dream, my mind soars,  
      |        |                      |    but no fantasy will pay my bills
      \        /                      |    Another dream unfulfilled"
       ---  ---                       |                - Living Color
	 / /                          | "Right now there are hundreds of
	 | |                          | sceptics falling of the edge of the 
	 \ \   /|                     | Earth"  Clem Turner (LEUT, RAN)
	  \ --/ |                     |
	   \---/                      |
copy this sig and help `Just Say No' to Big Brother monitoring public bandwidth
      NSA KEYWORDS:  AVIARY, OCELOT, KIT GREEN, JOHN ALEXANDER, ED DAMES
From: v125qj86@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Jeffrey B Rogers)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: SRUN: A few observations
Keywords: general comments
Date: 26 Aug 92 19:55:00 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41


	Hi there. This is my first posting, and I hope it works ok. I've been
GMing SR for about 2 years, playing almost every weekend of the school year
with some friends of mine. They've offered me more than a few observations
about the game that I probably never would have thought of on my own. I 
came to a few other observations myself, and, well, here they are:
	1) Regarding FASA's modules for the game - I used practically all of
them as this was the first system i ever GMed. My friends have identifed a 
common plot pattern to these things that they disagree with. It goes like this
---job offer, legwork, doing the job, getting paid/getting screwed over. It
is the last part that bugs them, because they don't expect every single job
they perform to have some ulterior purpose _that attempts to affect them per-
sonally_. By my understanding, they seem to be interested in playing runs
that are exactly as straightforward as their employers claim they are. My
opinion is that underlying sneaky plots are part and parcel of it being a 
cyber-punkish game. Opinions?
	2) A recent discussion thread dealt with melee combat and splitting
dice. This brought up in my mind a particular conundrum with the way the ess-
ential dice mechanic of the game is handled. The numbers in SR seem to have
conflicting definitions. Things like attributes, skills, spells, etc. have 
numerical ratings that act simultaneously as potential (a number of dice, 
which may or may not succeed at any given moment) and as concretely descrip-
tive (as target numbers, or as descriptive levels). Am I saying this clearly
enough? For instance, a long-standing character in my campaign has an Intell-
igence of 10 (don't ask how, its a long story). If I treat this as a descrip-
tive level, then this character is automatically assumed to be brighter and
more observant than most, or all, of the humans on the planet. This would be
reflected in npc's trying to use a Social Skill on him, with their T# = 10.
BUT, at the same time, it must be treated as a potential (although large)
which could possibly be outpeformed by someone else who rolls good when he
(the PC) rolls bad. Do you see what I mean? What are y'alls thoughts and 
feelings on this paradox-of-sorts?

	I have more, but perhaps i've rambled on a bit more than i should have.
 Later.
							J.B.Rogers
	sig. in planning, 'til the right people get their cut. 
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: seah@fraser.sfu.ca (Simon Seah)
Subject: Re: Champions: Some Mental Questions, sort of!
Organization: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., Canada
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 05:25:00 GMT

king@rtsg.mot.com (Steven King, Software Archaeologist) writes:

>sl859@cc.usu.edu publicly declared:
>>Also, Can mind control be used to tell people things they might not
>>ordinarily be able to do conciously, 
>>like go to sleep, unconscious, be hungry, heartburn, stress headaches
>>things that are not necessarily physical or intellectual but subconcious
>>commands???

I agree.  I think the effect wanted (hunger, heartburn, etc..) is probably more of a Mental Illusion that needs verbal suggestion, perhaps +10 level of "Major
Change to Setting" or +10 "can take STUN from illusionary attacks",
substituting STUN for some minor physical effect, say, Drain DEX. (MAJOR
hunger or heartburn here).

>>Also, Can you use telekinesis to throw people around, and how many points
>>need to be spent to throw a person 6 stories(sp?) for example...  Can you
>>force peoples eyes shut or mouths closed with it?  If I want to make my 
>>friend fly do I have to pay some strange amount of points or can I just 
>>pick him up with telekinesis?

Forceing eyes shut is probably Flash to Sight Group.
Forcing mouths might be Drain or Suppress "Powers requiring speech", at +2
level (all such abilities).
Throw around :  the way I understand the description, it is essentially
application of STR at range.  You can do whatever you want with TK,
as if YOU were at the location and had that amount of STR.
It's actually a little more limited than that, but that's essentially it.
Making friend fly :  you can make him fly temporarily by throwing him, but
he'll have no control since it's not real flight.  Probably DCV 0 for that
brief span of time before he splats into something.

>We've got a character in my Fantasy Hero world with telekinesis.  She
>likes to use it to pick up bad guys and let the fighters use them as
>pinatas.  Usually the fighter's attacks are strong enough to break the
>bad guy out of the TK and they go flying.  (She's only got a 10 STR TK.)
>Fun stuff!
Don't they get STR vs. STR as soon as you grab them?


Simon
:)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Invisible Champions
From: alanb@sdl.mdcbbs.com (Alan Braggins)
Date: 28 Aug 92 15:09:37 GMT
 <Aug25.172939.16920@yuma.ACNS.ColoState.EDU><1992Aug26.210115.29068@news.columbia.edu><1992Aug27.201811.58447@cc.usu.edu>
Distribution: usa
Organization: Shape Data (Division of EDS), Cambridge UK
In-reply-to: sl859@cc.usu.edu's message of 27 Aug 92 20:18:11 MDT

>>>>> On 27 Aug 92 20:18:11 MDT, sl859@cc.usu.edu said:

>> If the player insists that he is invisible to everything, then 
>> tell him that that is unreasonable, and don't allow it. 

> 	Or you could say, after he spends another point on his powers,
> that he pushed his powers soooooo far that he has become so invisible
> to everything that he has ceased to exist!  You know he desolidifies
> himself into nothing, not even a sentient thought since that might be 
> detectable as well!!!  

Or allow it so long as he is also totally blind and deaf (with no 
possibility of compensating senses - he can't see because light passes
right through his eyes with no interaction, he can't hear because being
invisible to sonar means sounds passes through with no interaction etc.)

"Normally" invisible characters actually see using N-rays (or whatever it
is they are visible to), its just that the brain compensates to make it
seem like normal senses.

--
Alan Braggins, Shape Data (A Division of EDS Ltd), Cambridge, UK +44-223-316673
   "Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced."
 "My employer does not necessarily share my views - but I'm working on it."
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: mpk9716@rigel.tamu.edu (Health Man)
Subject: Regaining Heka in Dangrous Journeys
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: Texas A&M University, Academic Computing Services
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 16:59:00 GMT

	Can someone clearly explain what Gygax's new game, Dangrous Journeys,
is saying about regaining used Heka?  Help, I really don't understand
this game!!

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Organization: Penn $tate Univer$ity
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1992 09:53:12 EDT
From: Brian Panulla, MooCow <BJP108@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Call of Cthulhu Archives?

Are there any? The FAQ has long since vanished from our site, so I can't
check it.

Has anyone out there ever written their own campaigns? I'm in the process
of doing so right now, and wouldn't mind swapping ideas.
______
Brian Panulla                                              Hail Sinfonia!
Kilgore Trout...RIP
bjp108 @ psuvm.psu.edu / ender @ vivaldi.psu.edu / ender @ wilbur.psu.edu
(The opinions expressed above are mine alone, and do not reflect those of)
(Penn State University, or the Center for Academic Computing, so there!  )
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: oze3@quads.uchicago.edu (J. Daniel Ozeran)
Subject: Re: Cubington Cross
Reply-To: oze3@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago Computing Organizations
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 22:53:16 GMT

In article <1992Aug26.153514.688@ccsvax.sfasu.edu> z_copeab@ccsvax.sfasu.edu writes:
>In article <1992Aug26.175851.20147@ntmtv>, weitzeka@ntmtv.UUCP (Keith Weitzel) writes:
>> 
>> 
>> Did anyone see the new show on ABC, I think, called
>> "Cubington Cross"?  The setting of the show is in

>The show is "Covington Cross", and it isn't an earth-shaker. While the fight
>scenes are okay, there is very little character development, as each character
>is basically a standard cardboard Hollywood stereotype (albiet in a different
>setting than the character types would normally appear in). The show seems
>pretty middle of the road of me: a lot of shows better, a lot of shows worse.
>
>Brandon Cope
>
I'd have to agree with you on your appraisal.  I was hoping for a
bit more in the way of characters who fit with the times (unlike a
daughter who, in addition to refusing to be a Lady, just plain
can't hold up an accent.)  Oh well.  It was fun to watch anyway,
but I won't make it a regular.

Dan

-- 
J. Daniel Ozeran	   |	Dept. of Biochemistry and
dan-ozeran@uchicago.edu    |	Molecular Biology and 
oze3@midway.uchicago.edu   |	The Joseph P. Kennedy Jr.
jozeran@biovax.uchicago.edu|	Mental Retardation Research Center
Organization: Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Date: Wed,  2 Sep 1992 01:49:29 -0400 
From: "Anthony S. Polito" <ap38+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: NET.BOOKS Request

>Special Request:
>
>Would the kind folks who archive the Net.GURPS.Spells *and* Net.Plots please
>e-mail me the current collections? I've tried to get these according to
>the FAQ but even mailing the compilers isn't working (my mailer cannot reach
>them, so it would seem).
>
>Thanx very mucho!
>

I also would be very interested in this, please.
From: breaker@pdnfido.fidonet.org (Guy Sisalli)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: music and roleplaying
Date: 23 Aug 92 19:17:44 GMT
Organization: The Source for Source Pub Access Unix

In article <1684AE3C9.ADELEKTA@kentvm.kent.edu> adelekta@kentvm.kent.edu writes:
> Using movie soundtracks as background music seems to work pretty well for my
>group - Alien is good, so is Phantom of the Opera. Other music we've played
>with success is Enigma (much more upbeat than straight Gregorian Chants), and
>classical music of all sorts.

My personal favorite is Wierd Al Yankovich during the combat scenes of
Paranoia(gets them in the right mood)

-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  "Never underestimate the power of human stupidity" - Some old dude   ///
USENET: breaker@pdnfido.fidonet.org                Amiga 2000         ///
       "At your service, citizen!" - The Computer                    ///
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: marrou@cs.ucf.edu (Lance R. Marrou)
Subject: HELP: painting figurines
Organization: University of Central Florida
Distribution: rec
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1992 14:00:50 GMT

I'm not aware of any newsgroups for this particular subject, but it
doesn't come up very often (if at all) so I can see why.  Instead I
will just post it here and see what kind of response I get. :)

I need help painting a few figurines of mine.  I read about a technique
called "washin" to help you shade a figurine.  You are supposed to wash
the figurine in a blackish (or at least a dark) mixture and then paint
on the prominent features of the figurine in a light color.  This wash is made
from the watered-down dark paint.  

For some reason, though I can't seem to get this to work right.  If I don't
make the paint thick enough it goes all over the place.  If I make it thick
enough then it sticks everywhere.  *sigh*  I guess making it "just right"
is the problem but I can't get to that point.

What I do instead is paint (thick paint) the figurine in particular color,
then lighten up THAT color a little for the highlights.  This works pretty
good but it doesn't really match the other techniques I have seen.

--
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Lance R. Marrou
   Work   - Marrou@IST.UCF.edu
   School - Marrou@Eola.cs.UCF.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: spzkny@lims01.lerc.nasa.gov (JAMES ZAKANY)
Subject: Re: Improvisation, do I do it?, do I not?
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: NASA Lewis Research Center
Date: 28 Aug 1992 14:08 EST  

In article <1992Aug27.172320.1@wharton.upenn.edu>,
 millerl@wharton.upenn.edu writes...

>(Loren Miller)
>I still have to do some prep on background, but don't even write down
>anything for NPCs besides their names and any physical or personality
>quirks. I use a 3x5 card for each, and have an alphabetically arranged
>card box. Most NPCs are invented on the fly. Their names are easy to
>make up, and that's the hardest part.

I do this too.  It's VERY convienient and I'd certainly suggest keeping 
such a box.  I even have my PC's stats on 3x5 cards.  One good source for 
names is a dictionary!  Just flip it open and chances are that there's a 
good, name-sounding word on the open page.

>I think I'll start treating factions like NPCs and give them 3x5 cards
>of their own, with a spot on the upper right of the card for alliances
>or allegiance information.

I know someone who kept his towne/village data on 5x7 cards.  Rough map on 
one side, notable merchants on the other.  I make maps, though...

>Any plotting I do is on a single sheet of paper with compact notes so
>that I don't have to shuffle papers to run the game.

What I like to do is make a rough outline for the night's adventure.  This 
works REALLY well!  Who'd have thought that outlining would be useful? 

                                                  James S. Zakany
From: sl9b4@cc.usu.edu (Deep Six)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: GURPS character questions
Date: 1 Sep 92 16:12:30 MDT
Organization: Utah State University

Hello,

I have some questions for GURPS GMs about experience points, character
generation and character developement.

First, in your campaign, how many points and how much starting money 
do your players get to build characters? How many characters do the
players have? Please mention the type of campaign/setting when you 
answer.

Second, how much experience do you award? Do you award individual 
experience to players/characters who play well or do something out-
standing? What do you award experience for? What things do you look 
for when deciding how much experience you will give?

Finally, when do you give experience? Let's say you begin a sceanrio --
the players leave on a trip, go into a battle or embark to solve some
problem. You get half way through the event and the game ends for the
evening. Do you award experience? Must the characters seek training to
use their experience points? If you do award experience ``mid-adventure,''
do you put limits on how the characters can use their points? Limits
such as they are only able to improve skills they have used during that
session/game? 

I know the guidelines that the Basic Set gives, so no quoting please. I 
know other GMs who depart from the rules, and I am just looking for more 
opinions. Thanks.

Okay,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chadd VanZanten SL9B4@CC.USU.EDU + ``Gentlemen!  You can't fight in 
here, this is the War Room!''   --Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove
From: paul@sco.COM (Paul Jackson)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Improvisation!
Date: 27 Aug 92 16:48:36 GMT
Organization: SCO Canada, Inc.

In article <1992Aug24.133937.58351@cc.usu.edu> sl9b4@cc.usu.edu (Deep Six) writes:
>On the other side, prep GMs have insisted that a GM who uses improv only
>cannot run a satisfactory game. Improv GMs don't really have a defense for
>that, and have been forced, time and again, to fall back on the ``well, it
>works for me,'' line.

Isn't that a perfect defence? Person A claims that it is impossible to run a
satisfactory game using improv, person B gives a counterexample. This
therefore disproves person A's point.
From: hine@netcom.com (Graham L. Hine)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Pacificon '92
Summary: tell me about it...
Date: 26 Aug 92 21:52:45 GMT
Followup-To: sender
Distribution: ba
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest)

Hi folks,
	I understand there is a convention (Pacificon) coming up this
weekend at the Dunfey hotel in the bay area. I am interested but the
above is the extent of my information on the subject.
	Could anyone tell me a bit more about it? Specifically, cost,
exact dates and times, major events, entering tournaments, and phone
numbers.
	I would appreciate an email response because my rn is somewhat slow
until Netcom gets some new toys to speed things up.
	Thanks much!!!!
	-Graham
From: dhenry@plains.NoDak.edu (David Henry)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Humorous bumper sticker...
Keywords: Cthulhu president humor
Date: 29 Aug 92 05:12:53 GMT
Article-I.D.: plains.19957
Organization: North Dakota Higher Education Computing Network

In article <28AUG199219302387@jane.uh.edu> lib1p@jane.uh.edu (Tammy Stark Blandino) writes:
>In article <1992Aug29.000924.29243@pony.Ingres.COM>, dwilson@Ingres.COM (It's up to me.) writes...
>>Seen on a bumper sticker plastered to a light post in 
>>Hayward, CA:
>> 
>>Vote Cthulhu for President!  Why vote for the *lesser* evil?
>> 
>
>That's even better than the button I have (which I am sure
>everyone has seen or heard of) which reads......
>
>Cthulhu for President!
>..If your tired of choosing the lesser of two evils.
>
>--Tammy--

And, yes, folks, it's.... ATTACK OF THE CLUELESS CTHULHU FANS!!!!

The button, which I am the proud owner of, says "Why settle for the lesser
evil." It, along with the bumper sticker, campaign press articles, and
detailed examinations of the various candidates, were in the Elder Party's
"Cthulhu for President" supplement released by their mortal slaves, Chaosium.
Nominations for the highest office included the Big C himself, Abhoth, two
avatars of Nyarlathotep (last time we counted), He Who Must Not Be Named, and
everybody's friend, Mr. Shiny.

I am happy to report that the Elder Party successfully convened under the
right stars at the mystic congruence known to elder sorcerors as GenCon,
whereupon I'm proud to say that delegates chose (in absentia) the Might
Cthulhu to carry the party's proud banner to the Fright ... um, White House.

More convention news as it breaks.... remember, it's a thousand points
of fright out there --- "No More Years!!!!"
-- 
David R. Henry - Rogue Fan Club - CTHULHU in '92! Why vote for LESSER evils?
For Kate is a jealous God, and requires sacrifice./What was your question?--K
"All you of Earth are IDIOTS!"-P9fOS // Thanks... for the memories.--Rogue
dhenry@plains.nodak.edu * ud137927@ndsuvm1.bitnet * ud137927@vm1.nodak.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: SRUN: Too many mages
From: bkreed@oread.cc.ukans.edu
Date: 2 Sep 92 18:45:35 CDT
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Kansas Academic Computing Serces

In article <1992Sep2.221739.10362@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu>, praxis@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu (Laura L Perkinson) writes:
> 	Who's to say that magically active folks make more interesting
> characters than those with more steel in them than the average Honda?
> 	Heck, who's to say magicians are the only ones who deal with the
> higher powers? Our Evil GM (Hi, Evil GM) even allow "mundanes" to have a
> few bonuses for being devoutly religious (which involves some moral
> guidelines for the character, some tithing, practicing - whatever the
> particular faith dictates.)
> 	A street samurai whose more of a paladin than a fighter will give
> the mages fits. And isn't that the real goal of the game? ;>
> 	Besides, mages drain off lots of $$$. Elementals, spells etc are
> expesive. Ammo is cheap.
> 
> 		Nightfall
> 		"Yeah? Well try spell defending a Colt M22."
-- 
Not only do mages drain off lots of NuYen, but they suck a lot of Karma.
You need it to learn spells.  And have you ever tried to initiate.
That's five or six good runs right there.  And that's if you don't
have to use karma to save your butt.
	We just got rid of the increase reaction spells and that made
Mages and Shamans on par with the rest of us.  Sure they could take
out a lot of people at one time, but when we're going off three times
to their one, we wreak a lot of mayham ourselves.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
There are very few personal problems  |	Ghostrider@f120.n280.z1.fidonet.org
that cannot be solved by suitable     |      bkreed@oread.cc.ukans.ed
Aplications of plastic explosives.    |            EGARC/BKREED
   ---Anonymous                       |          Bryan Kennedy Reed
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc