HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: cwatters@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Coyt D Watters)
Subject: NetNews identifier button Ideas
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 21:23:27 GMT

In article <1992Nov19.183530.27054@spartan.ac.BrockU.CA> bchapman@spartan.ac.BrockU.CA (Bruce Patrick Chapman) writes:
>how about just using a net (ie: black button with white net?)
>

I believe that the gentlefolk of the Rialto (read - the SCA newsgroup) have 
presented that as an idea for them to wear as a insignia, for the same reason
we are discussing this.  Don't know if they have registered it though.

This could work though, maybe using a net which can be flattened as hexes:
			__	
                     __/  \__
		    /  \__/  \
		    \__/  \__/
                    /  \__/  \
		    \__/  \__/
		       \__/

which just becomes a jumble at the edges (like the real net B^)  ).

Each of the surrounding hexes could contain the suffix of one of the subgroups,
Advocacy, Announce, Archive, Dnd, Marketplace, Misc - in a slightly different
color than the background (i.e. dark grey on a black background), so from
a distance it looks like net on the button, up close you can tell what it
is.

-Coyt

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: matoh@lysator.liu.se (Mats hrman)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Shapeshifting trap/item ideas needed
Date: 22 Nov 92 14:48:16 GMT
Reply-To: matoh@sssab.se
Organization: 3S AB

phaedrus@halcyon.com (Mark Phaedrus) writes:
>     I posted this about a year ago, but I may have a chance to use this same
>scenario again soon, so I'm hoping for more ideas (last time, I got about
>five suggestions and fifteen requests for copies of whatever I received :) ).


The Belt of the Merpeople.
-------------------------

A magical belt, that can give some minor bonuses (strength or similar)
so that people will wear it. It's primary power, however, is that
whenever the wearer becomes thoroughly wet, his/her body below the
belt will become a fish-tail, turning him/her into a merman/mermaid.
It will also give the wearer the ability to breathe under water (and,
of course, swim fast, fight under water, etc...) The hitch is that it
will take some time for him/her to change back. Set this time to hours
or days according to how much you want to inconvience the victim...
:-)

Add to that a water trap. You could even use such a simple one as a
bucket atop a door... :-) Or you can be as nasty as to place something
the players want under water, unreachable by "hold-your-breath-diving"
and letting them know what the belt does...

If you want to be nice, you can add some kind of levitate/fly...


Hat of nine tails.
------------------

Around the brim of this hat are nine miniature tails (A horse's tail,
a cat's tail, an oxen's etc...) If you wear the hat an pull one of the
tails, it will disappear from the hat, and appear on the, ahem,
correct anatomical position of the wearer, in full size. This tail
will stay for some time, giving the player some kind of bonus
(endurance of a horse, strength of an ox, agility of a cat...)
Pulling a second tail while a first is in effect, makes the first tail
and its effect permanent, but the bonus will be taken from a decrease
of another, permanent attribute/ability of the wearer. The item can be
single-shot or reusable.


						/Mats

--
     _
Mats Ohrman     E-mail:   matoh@lysator.liu.se.se
From: slb3y@cc.usu.edu (Punk Rocketeer)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: SRUN:  Legality of packing
Date: 16 Nov 92 10:44:34 MDT
Organization: Omega:  The Final Solution

     I am a Shadowrun newbie, unashamed to admit it.  I have SR 2nd
ed., with one major question.  What are the laws governing weapons,
cyberware, etc.?  Is there a Tir Tairngire Rifle Association dedicated
to protecting the right of every elf to own Panther Cannons and lesser
weapons?  Does the California Free State frown on anyone packing
something bigger than a Swiss Army knife?

     Did I miss a section in the rulebook?  Is there a supplement that
details this?  Does the GM make all this up?
-- 
Patrick S. Clark | "Yeah, even Santa Claus believes in you."
Email is life!   |  _Can_You_Picture_That?_
Usual disclaimer |   Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem
From: sl930@cc.usu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Role Playing Game BBS
Date: 20 Nov 92 00:27:43 MDT
Organization: Utah State University

In article <BxzAux.Dpp@gator.rn.com>, larry@gator.rn.com (Larry Snyder) writes:
> sl930@cc.usu.edu writes:
> 
>>uh, Larry, you don't speak for all of us.  I personally like seeing information
>>about role-playing bbss.  And I don't personally relish the idea of wading
>>through the alt.bbs group when I am only interested in those dealing with
>>role-playing.  If you don't like the ads, don't read them.
> 
> but the key is that they belong in alt.bbs.ads -- not cross posted
> to alt.bbs
> 
> 
> -- 
> Larry Snyder                                    

The charter of this newsgroup says that it is for the discussion of RPGs and
subjects relating to RPGs.  I think a BBS dedicated to RPGs falls under that.

Colin
SL930@cc.usu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: Nick_Janow@mindlink.bc.ca (Nick Janow)
Subject: Re: Rolemaster Physics
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 05:30:39 GMT

jasonr@syma.sussex.ac.uk (Jason F Ralph) writes:

> No gamer should have to endure the rigourous analysis of physics as it
> applies to any gaming system! Games should be fun NOT science!!!

At a local gaming convention, one GM ran an adventure using Legacy (new SF
rpg).  The adventure took place beneath the ice of Ganymede, about 100 km
down. The characters were scientists (maybe one was a pilot), doing basic
research. The players got points for gathering information, such as mapping
ocean currents.  I don't think there was any combat in the adventure, though
there was some intrigue, and a _lot_ of danger.  :)

After the adventure, the players all said they'd really enjoyed it.  One
player was quite young, said "it was fun, except for the science stuff."
Immediately, several of the other players spoke up saying that was the best
part of the game; "that's how science really is!"

Those other players were working on advanced science degrees.  :-)


Science in games may be "not fun" to munchkins, gamers interested in
historical detail or military strategy, or any number of other types of
gamers.  Science in games may be "great fun" for gamers who enjoy science, or
who enjoy a believable, consistent background.

Perhaps you should reword your comment to just: "Games should be fun." and
let the gamers themselves worry about "what's fun" for them.

--

Nick_Janow@mindlink.bc.ca
Xref: sparky rec.games.frp.misc:8471 alt.zines:233 misc.misc:3810
From: smash@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu (Scott Mash)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc,alt.zines,misc.misc
Subject: Role Playing Game Fanzine
Date: 16 Nov 92 17:55:57 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Smasher Land RPG BBS (614)593-8359


The third issue of "Silver, Swords & Slaughter" is ready!

"Silver, Swords & Slaughter" is an amateur rpg zine that covers
nearly every rpg past and present.  All articles have been submitted
by readers, friends and net-folks.  The only charge for this small
zine is $1 which will cover the cost of the paper and stamp and will
only be distributed in the USA. (this is to keep the costs down).

I am making no money from this magazine all the money goes back into
the next issue of this zine.  "Silver, Swords & Slaughter" is done in
black and white on standard 8 1/2 paper which has been folded so you
get more for your buck.

If you are interested in a subscription or just one issue please email
me at sss@smashland.nelsonville.oh.us.  Again the cost per issue is $1,
sorry no discounts for subscriptions because a dollar barely covers the
production and postage. 

Submissions are needed for the forth issue.  The authors of the
articles that have been used will receive a free copy of SS&S.
Submissions can be emailed to the address above.

Silver, Swords & Slaughter
c/o Scott Mash
11685 SR 691
Nelsonville, Ohio  45764

ATTENTION!
The 4th issue will be the double Christmas issue, this issue will be a
double issue packed with articles, artwork and other surprises.  Artwork
and articles are badly needed, if you have any artwork that pertains to
role playing games please send it to me.


-- 
| smash@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu         |  Scott A. Mash               |
| smash@bigbird.cs.ohiou.edu         |  Smasher Land RPG BBS        |
| system@smashland.nelsonville.oh.us |  (614) 593-8359, 2400 Baud   |
|                                    |  RPG Textfiles And Utilities |
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: esper@cs35b.cs.umn.edu (Dave Sherohman)
Subject: Re: SR2: Grounding through Quickened Spells
Organization: University of Minnesota
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 22:34:03 GMT

In article <lward.722521456@husc8> lward@husc8.harvard.edu (Lester Ward) writes:
>This is not stated in the rules one way or the other.  I disagree.  The
>reason you can trace spell locks to their owner is .not. that they have
>a physical presence, but that their owner put karma into bonding them.
>Since you have to put karma into quickenings, the link would exist as
>well.  Given SR mechanics and Magical dogma, I see no other conclusion.

Not neccessarily.  Admittedly, spell locks may be an exception to this since
you can't draw dice from them for any purpose, but I see bonding a focus as
astrally linking your aura to that of the focus, thus allowing you to either
channel your power through it or else draw on its power for your own use
(depending on your opinion of how a focus works).  This intermixing of auras is
what allows your focus to be used to either track you or hit you with spells.
A quickening, on the other hand, turns a spell into a self-sufficient entity
which needn't be connected in any way to its caster.

esper@ima.umn.edu
From: bell@monet.cs.unc.edu (Andrew Bell)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: RQ: Divine intervention
Date: 20 Nov 92 05:35:36 GMT
Organization: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

In article <1992Nov19.101226.13364@eng.cam.ac.uk> yt1@eng.cam.ac.uk (Y. Tremblay) writes:
>Anybody around here plays Runequest ?  

Well, I don't actually *play* these days (no time), but I did run the
RQ Digest for 5 years, so I have a little knowledge on the subject...

>1:  When can you ask for a divine intervention ?

>    Do you need to be in a desperate situation.

Nope.  You mention raising stats being a potential bonus of DI, yet
it's unlikely one would be desperate for this while at the edge of death...

>2:  How long does it take.  (mechanics)

We've always played that it's essentially instantaneous.  The gods pick
up the phone quickly when there's POW to be gained...

>3:  Effect of magic items 

NIL, unless the magic item has some special powers along this line.

>4:  Can you ask more than once in a given situation/time

I remember we played with the "once a week per god" rule, but that may be
a holdover from RQ II.

>    If not, the if a priest/initiate is captive
>    for months and wants to try to flee using divine intervention ?

That's what Slave Bracelets (a magic item, made by dwarves) are for.
Your phone line to your god gets put on hold when you're wearing these
things, and there's no musak playing...

>5:  What is a reasonable effect of a divine intervention ?
>    In the book they give three examples:  teleport up to ten human-sized 
>    creatures, raise one stat, resurrect (sp?) a dead.  Can it be offensive ?

No.  The god has power and influence with respect to his/her worshipers only.
Moreover, the Compromise keeps them from conflicting with other gods save
through their worshipers conflicting, and this walks the fine line there.

>6:  What about non-beleivers in the party ?
>    Deities and priests are known for hating sorcerers.

If a sorceror is acceptable to a cultist, the god usually won't be too
picky about it.  In extreme cases, however, a little Divine fickleness
is appropriate.  A sorceror per se would probably be tolerable.  One
trying to find out the secrets of the Jrusteli or who works against the
cultists would probably not find himself going anywhere.

   -Andrew Bell
bell@cs.unc.edu
From: bkoike@sdcc13.ucsd.edu (Bryce Koike)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Vampire and GURPS
Keywords: Vampire, GURPS, stereotypes
Date: 18 Nov 92 15:51:22 GMT
Organization: University of California, San Diego

In article <1992Nov17.035911.25631@sunova.ssc.gov> jasmine@sscux1.ssc.gov (Karissa Walden) writes:
>[stuff deleted]
>
>I have been reading posts both for and against GURPS Vampire for a while now and
>one thing that gets mentioned over and over is the bad game mechanics.  Yet,
>I have never seen any examples.  Can someone please support this claim?  Nowm
>I will admit I have never played GURPS but I have played Vampire and had no
>problems with it.  So, what is this major error in game mechanics that I am
>missing?

	I don't feel it's exactly some fatal flaw in the mechanics
(otherwise no one could play the game), but simply the mechanics
themselves which don't work out for me.  The incredibly coarse
statistics, the method of character creation, the Roll Lotsa Dice
And Count Up Your Successes just don't work for me.  (Gripe #1 is
definitely statistics.  There's just not enough middle ground to
cover the area between the two poles...it's like making GURPS
characters with either a 2 IQ, 6 IQ, 10 IQ, 14 IQ, or 18 IQ.  You're
either pretty dumb, average, or pretty smart.  It's totally
impossible to be Just Above Average Joe in something.)
	The mechanics hardly make the game impossible to play (I
played for 12 hours straight), but they're uncomfortable, they don't
offer the degree of realism or detail that I crave, they FEEL clumsy
(mainly with the Roll Dice System...I think it's a clever system,
but I just don't like the way it works), and so for me they don't
work.  After a while I decided that I was going to ignore my
character sheet, ignore the dice, and just role-play.  Game worked
out much better that way.  ("Well, with that power you can kinda
mind control people."  "Really?  This enough points in it to make it
good?"  "Yeah, sure it is!"  "Well, I want to tell this guy to take
off and leave me alone."  "Ok, difficulty is X...roll...."  X many
successes.  "Well, he doesn't believe you..."  "Yeah.  RIGHT...")
	I, personally, DID feel restricted by the various vampire
clans.  The various philosophies seemed rather strange to me and so
I ended up playing a vampire from a clan I didn't care for, in a way
that he wasn't supposed to be played, but oh well.  That's life.  I
felt pigeonholed myself and that's too bad.  Still, I like the idea,
I'd love to play, but either I'm going to play minus all the
mechanics, or I'm going to play it under GURPS...

>Karissa
From: tdunn@ecst.csuchico.edu (Tim Dunn)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: vampires, vampires, VAMPIRES !!!
Date: 16 Nov 92 16:41:19 GMT
Organization: California State University, Chico
NNTP-Posting-Host: hairball.ecst.csuchico.edu

Stephen Gill writes:
>Are there any games left that don't have Vampires in them ?

TWERPS?

-- 
Any small object that is accidentally dropped will hide under a
larger object.
From: phi@sage.cc.purdue.edu (Aeleck)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: SRUN I: Questions from the Minotaur
Keywords: shadowrun, srun
Date: 18 Nov 92 16:07:44 GMT
Article-I.D.: mentor.Bxx64x.8DA
Organization: Purdue University Computing Center

In article <Bxw4tw.I0w@news.cso.uiuc.edu> pmwg1641@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Peter M. White) writes:
>Another question about focuses to chew on:
>Does a PA who bonds a Power Focus get those extra attribute points
>to spend on more abilites?  (IMHO, nyet; but I wondering what others
>think...)

Personally, I don't see why not, BUT you have to remember what will happen 
to those points (and the skills learned from those points) when that focus
is either deactivated or destroyed.

How would someone possibly handle this psychologically?  I don't think 
the PA would be able to psychologically deactivate the focus.  

Now let's look at this from a game balance perspective.  If this is allowed
game balance just flew out that closed window.  Messes everywhere.  For
this reason and this reason alone, I have never personally fought for 
PA's using foci to up their powers.  PA's use their magic attribute points
too powerfully.  Mages get other bonuses.  The fact that the mages' magic
attributes are raised by the focus isn't _AS_ important to them, IMHO.

Aeleck                 /                  /  
                      /                  /        
     __      __      /   __      __     /         
    /  \    /  \    /   /  \    /  \   / \        "If you're not having
   /   /   /\__/   /   /\__/   /      /\_/         fun, you're doing some-
   \__/\__/\___/__/\__/\___/__/\___/ /   \__/      thing wrong." -Patrick

             Hate is not a family value.  Boycott Colorado
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc,rec.games.design
From: jhk6@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (John H Kim)
Subject: Re: Magic Systems
Reply-To: apd@math.ufl.edu
Organization: Columbia University
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 18:02:11 GMT

I am posting this for jeremy, please direct replies to him:

In a message I wrote:
[snip]
>So I'm asking: how do you determine base level of difficulty or power in
>your magical system, or your favorite magical system? Try to be general,
>though if something is away from the general in your magic system because
>something in your theory of mass conversion or whatever, then mention it.

What a horrible time for my news server to go down: just in time for me to
lose an interesting discussion. And I don't have any idea when I'll have
access to the world again. So could some kind soul summarize or send me
copies of the further discussion on this topic? Or if you have a method
to determine power level and you would like to mail it to me, please do so.

I apologize for bugging out on a sub-thread I started.

Thank you.
jeremy
apd@math.ufl.edu

------------------------------------------------------------------------
John Kim                    | "Nostalgia ain't what it used to be."
jhk6@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu | "The future's not the same anymore."
Columbia University         | "What the hell's wrong with my langauge."
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: pcunningham@desire.wright.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Converting a book into a world
Date: 18 Nov 92 07:12:03 GMT
Organization: Wright State University

In article <1992Nov17.222854.28162@Veritas.COM>, joshua@Veritas.COM (Joshua Levy) writes:
> I have found a work of fiction which (almost :-) exactly describes a
> world I want to run an RPG in.  I'm planning on "converting" this
> book into a game world. . . . 

Your method sounds very, very good, especially the quotes idea.  I usually 
am not too concerned about getting the exact details
of people, places, or things into the game, as long as I get the general
feel of the world and the kind of adventures that take place there.  For 
example, if I were to run a game in Middle-Earth, I could care less whether
the Shire had a pond nearby called Gladwin Pool.  The books don't say so,
but it's a nice detail and it saves me a lot of time trying to find out what
is exactly around the Shire.

Also, the book's major nuances and events (e.g. the dragons of Pern, the
War of the Ring in Tolkien's books, vampire powers in Anne Rice, etc.)
should be treated with care (to say the least).  Many times, you won't be
able to get every single detail exact to the book, or you find a flaw or 
something that will unbalance the game if you allow it.  In these cases,
you should either (a) keep the event/power/whatever vague and ill-defined
so you won't have to deal with all of the details, or (b) allow youself
an ace-in-the-hole... a reason why the things in your game-world are in
some ways different from the book.  Also, these methods help discourage
players who are familiar with the book to try and cite page 315, paragraph
2 about how so-and-so did such-and-such and they should be able to do it
also.

Anyway, to summarize again, I think that as long as you get the atmosphere
of your game similar to that of the book, you'll be happy, and your players
will probably be even moreso.

Just my (sc)ramblings,
Paul
aka pcunningham@desire.wright.edu
aka Hitchhiker
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: dv52151@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (RedSwordTarga)
Subject: Re: Srun 2: Vampires
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 22:11:50 GMT

urbin@interlan.interlan.com (Mark Urbin) writes:

>  It states in the rules that zero essence characters don't stay alive for 
>very long.  They tend to become sick and die.

I think that's now negative essence characters. You can stay at 0 essense
and be fine in game terms. 

Axly
********************************************************************************
*   Axly      *  "Is Axly tough? Yes. Talented? Yes. Brave? Oh, certainly.     *
* Red Sword   *   He is also erratic, irresponsible, accident-prone, and a     *
*   Targa     *   constant threat to public safety. The trick is to keep him   *
*             *   pointed in the right direction. "                            *
*             *         -Niki                                                  *
********************************************************************************
From: Chin Huang <cthuang@zerosan.canrem.COM>
Subject: Horror live role playing event in Toronto
Followup-To: rec.games.frp.misc
Originator: cwatters@bottom.magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu
Organization: Herbert West Home for the Rationally Challenged
Distribution: can
Date: Sun, 15 Nov 1992 04:23:09 GMT

An Evening of Horror

What: A live action role playing game in the tradition of Hollywood
    horror movies

When: Sunday, November 21st, starting at 4:00pm, ending at 10:00pm

Where: The International Student Centre, University of Toronto

How to get there:
    The ISC is on the east side of St. George Street, half a block
    north of College Street.  It's the small mansion surrounded by a
    wrought iron fence.	 The ISC is also called the Cumberland house.

Cost: A reasonable amount for dinner which will be served during play.
    In other words, you eat in the dinner scene.

Background: 
    Mr. Cumberland, a wealthy dilettante, committed suicide.  He had no
    immediate family and few friends.  However, it appears that he did
    list several people in his will.  Many of those people have gathered
    at his estate for the reading of his will.

    The setting is a country estate in the northeastern United States
    during the late 1920's.  The action takes place during a dark and
    stormy night.

    Yes, this is a stereotypical horror scenario.  This is our first
    attempt at running a live action event and we wanted it simple.

For more details, contact Jose Garcia by sending email to
jgarcia@zooid.guild.org or phoning 622-9765.

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.announce,news.answers