HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: atmpas@vax.oxford.ac.uk
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: RQ: The Relation of the Red Goddess and Orlanth
Date: 11 Jan 93 10:46:04 GMT
Organization: Oxford University VAX 6620

In article <C0LqCw.AwH@mentor.cc.purdue.edu>, jacobus@symphony.cc.purdue.edu (Bryan J. Maloney) writes:
>>Why is the Red Goddess killing Orlanth?  And how?
> 

	Hmm.  Some perspectives:

	1) Good/bad status of the Lunar empire:

	The Red Goddess and over 1% of the Lunar population are Illuminated,
including, at a guess, the majority of the Lunar priests.  (1% of the population
worships the Red Goddess directly and hence must be Illuminated)

	That's the cause of Lunar tolerance, both of Chaos and of other
religions.  However, the dark side of Illumination is that it encourages
tolerance of everything.  The result is Lunar decadence and a tendancy to try
things that are simply wrong on the grounds that the ends justify the means.

	(From Tales of the Reaching Moon, it is a 'True' rumour that the Lunar
empire is an example of Illumination gone bad.)

	From another point of view again, innovation seems to be a bad thing
in Glorantha.  It works fine for a while, but is ultimately destroyed by
unforseen consequences (The EWF, the Godlearners, the Nysalor experiment,
the Serpent Kings dynasty in the West, perhaps even Orlanth's rebellion 
against the Emperor.)  Perhaps the Red Goddess is just another such example,
initially good (freeing Peloria from the nomads), currently rotting but still
strong, and ultimately bound to go completely bad and break the structure of
Glorantha.


	2) Why destroy Orlanth?

	How about:

	In Gloranthan myth, Orlanth is the destroyer of the Emperor, for good
or bad depending on the culture.  Storm gods, especially Orlanth and Umath,
are on the side of independence, violent struggle and social upheaval.  If the
Red Goddess is to bring a peaceful rule to all the world (mirroring the 
Emperor's rule) then the storm gods must be subjugated or destroyed.

	(This is again mirrored in the way the Lunars aid Kalikos Icebreaker to
quiet the skies over Peloria, opposing Valind.)

	3) How destroy Orlanth?

	How about:

	Destroying his worshippers on the mundane plane, challenging for the
Middle Air on the Godplane, weakening his allies (replacing Humakt with
Yanafal Tarnils, Llankhor Mhy with Irripi Ontor, Issaries with Etyries and
challenging Valind).  Perhaps the goal is a complete alteration of the
Orlanthi myth-cycle, such that either Yelm never dies, or he does die
but is rescued by the Red Goddess, and then becomes her (subservient) husband.

(The occupation of the last Orlanthi city, Whitewall, is obviously an important
step in the process; it means that Orlanth can no longer receive strengthening
worship or have his myths reinforced by the ritual heroquests each Sacred Time.)
From: maillet@tls-cs.cert.fr (Luc Maillet)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Dumb Moves By Game Companies
Date: 8 Jan 93 11:36:12 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: CERT, CS Dpt. Toulouse, France

In article <19371@mindlink.bc.ca>, Nick_Janow@mindlink.bc.ca (Nick Janow) writes:
|> seawasp@vm2.cis.pitt.edu (Sea Wasp) writes:
|> 
|> > FGU's publishing really marvelous games (V&V, Space Opera) and never
|> > advertising, revising, or even redoing the artwork. The simple lack of
|> > repackaging and advertising destroyed them.
|> 
|> Uhh, maybe it was the lack of people who considered them "really marvelous"
|> that killed them.  For nearly any product, there are at least a few people
|> who will think it is "really marvelous"--and who wonder why the product never
|> caught on.

  Sorry to interfere, but, considering what people think about FGU games in
France ( Space Opera, daredevils, Flashing Blades, Bushido, Aftermath ), I agree
with SeaWasp : great ideas, not enough playtesting, lousy packaging.

								Redwing.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: gip207@sci.kun.nl (gip2 course)
Subject: Vampire: Some questions
Keywords: Vampire
Organization: University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 11:48:25 GMT

I just bought Vampire: The Masquerade (second edition) and have some questions
for you experienced players out there:

1) In the example of character generation given in the book they let the
   character buy 1 willpower point for 1 freebie, while the table also given
   there mentions a 1 for 2 cost. Which is the correct one? (I assumed one on
   one since the xp-cost to increase willpower is half that of the cost to
   raise humanity which starts on a 1 for 2 bases during character creation.).

2) In the `psychomania' story included in `Milwauky by Night' the NPC characters
   spend blood points to activate Potence and Fortitude as well as Celerity.
   According to the sourcebook Potence and Fortitude don't need blood points to
   be used, is this a leftover from the 1st edition?

3) The `ambidexterity' merit given in the Players Guide allows a character to
   fight with two weapons without the penalty on the `off' hand, unfortunate-
   ly no rules are given for melee combat with two weapons, with or without
   ambidexterity. How would you handle an ambidextrous character who wants to
   fight with 2 knives?

		-Thanks in Advance,

			Jos

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: mcg@halcyon.com (Michael C. Gilbert)
Subject: Wanted: (SR) "Germany in the Shadows"
Organization: The 23:00 News and Mail Service +1 206 382 MAIL (382-6245)
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL8]
Date: Sat, 9 Jan 1993 01:40:49 GMT

I understand from several postings that there is a Shadowrun Sourcebook
for Germany, published in German.  Is this an official FASA publication
that just hasn't reached the US market?  Or is it a semi-official
publication that may be translated at some point?

At any rate, I read German just fine and I want to get my hands on this.
Can anyone give me any suggestions?  Direct assistance?

Michael Gilbert
From: acgetche@taco.engr.ucdavis.edu (Adam)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: SR: Question about shielding
Date: 12 Jan 93 22:41:37 GMT
Organization: College of Engineering - University of California - Davis


	I don't agree with lowering Target Numbers due to "reversed shielding".
	How is the initiate doing this?  What is the mechanism for this?  Why
doensn't the initiate just lower every Target Number using this, and if so,
what is the use of Centering?
	No, I think Shielding is just a hyped up Spell Defense, nothing more.
Note that it does not apply just to Willpower, but to any resisting Attribute.
If it's a Physical spell, then Shielding would help "augment" Body.
	Actually, the way I interpret shielding is +1 die, +1 Target Number
to attacking magician for every die spent.
	If you want to lower your Target Numbers against a Mundane, I suggest
casting, oh, Decrease Willpower -4 and Manabolt as a combined spell (+2 Target
Number, which you can offset with Centering).  THEN the poor victim doesn't
resist squat if his Willpower is under 5 and even if the manabolt doesn't fry
person they will be paralyzed.

           -- 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: ffej@carina.cray.com (Jeff Nelsen)
Subject: Opinions being requested
Summary: Just asking for some ideas
Originator: ffej@ferris
Keywords: Villains and Vigilantes
Distribution: usa
Date: 5 Jan 93 06:58:09 CST

        Hi there!  A situation came up in one of my gm'ing sessions
that has left me a bit torn.  I am not certain how to proceed, although
I do have several ideas on the subject.  I felt that some additional opinions
might be useful.  This situation (briefly) is as follows:

        I have GM'ed a Villains and Vigilantes campaign off and on for
about 5 years.  Recently, I took the players through a 12 hour session.
Lots of fun, with a very climactic end.  The "villain" who has been the
biggest thorn in the heroes sides for those 5 years laid a deathtrap for
them.  They walked into it... got beaten up pretty good, only to have
you-know-who show up.

        I was really planning on being merciless this time, the players
never had to go there.. knew it was a trap.. had warning it was probably
tough... could have left earlier .. etc..

        Instead the battle; which looked like certain death, (one player
was even consoling another about having to make a new character) was won
by an incredible stroke of luck!  The heroes captured the villain!

        My question is this:  What should I do with the villain now?
Trial and prison?  Break him out? Big escape?  Somethe else I have not
thought of yet?  Ideas and opinions appreciated..

        If you had hunted, and seen friends killed by him, what would you
want?  By the way... the players had spent a LOT of time basically DARING
this villain to do his worst... they really seemed to get a charge out of
his actions, they also seemed exultant when they got him!.

        Ideas and opinions appreciated....

	email replies to --->  ffej@carina.cray.com

	Thanks
From: drk@cs.uiuc.edu (David Kohr)
Subject: Re: Dumb Moves By Game Companies
Organization: University of Illinois, Dept of Comp Sci, Urbana, IL
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1993 03:20:42 GMT


In article <1ivv6eINNt6g@life.ai.mit.edu> adair@hal.gnu.ai.mit.edu
(Jonathan Edward Adair) writes:
>What's a game company to do?  They've got to make progress, just so they
>can make money.  Even if they were already all rich, they'd be dying to
>make all sorts of improvements.  There's just got to be a point when all
>the revisions are done.  Leave the rules alone and concentrate on
>supplements...  Modules, modules, modules.
>--
>Jonathan E. Adair  -  Programmer at Large
>adair@gnu.ai.mit.edu

I agree, however I suspect the profit resulting from a complete re-write of
the system (a la AD&D2) is more profitable than putting equivalent effort
into modules.

I kind of like the way SJG has handled rules updates to GURPS: one major
new version of the basic system every few years (and with only evolutionary
rather than revolutionary changes between versions), and specialized rules
appearing only in the modules.  You only have to buy what you really want
to use.
-- 
Dave Kohr     CS Graduate Student     Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Work: 3244 DCL, (217)333-6561  Home: (217)359-9350  E-mail: drk@cs.uiuc.edu
                   "One either has none or not enough."
From: were@stein.u.washington.edu (Christopher Hunter)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Unique Races
Date: 4 Jan 1993 20:15:02 GMT
Organization: University of Washington
NNTP-Posting-Host: stein.u.washington.edu

	Many of my favorite unique races come from Jack L. Chalker's
	_Well_of_the_Worlds_ series (also just a good read).
	Just think thousands of sentient races on one planet. Sigh.


Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: khalsa@echo.gsfc.nasa.gov (Tej)
Subject: Re: The Fantasy Trip: Problems with Illusion
Organization: NASA GSFC Code 910.1, TRMM Ground Truth
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 20:47:37 GMT

In article <1993Jan10.224539.7722@cc.umontreal.ca>, bartzako@ERE.UMontreal.CA writes:
|> 
|> 	I find that the illusion spells of The Fantasy Trip (TFT) are
|> too powerful.  A wizard may select any creature (that is small enough
|> to not exceed the hex limit of his version of the spell) to be
|> simulated.  

|> As well, strength costs of illusions are very cheap
|> compared to a SUMMONED creature of equal power, so there is no
|> incentive to have a Summon spell (the only advantage of the Summoned
|> creature is that it cannot be Disbelieved, which is still not worth
|> the cost).


I always thought summoning spells were to costly.  Esp. in the characters you
mentioned with high IQs and DXs and low STs.  I suppose it depends on the
type of campaign you are involved in.  But in combat these spells are not going
to be all that useful.  You summon a bear (3 ST?) and then you expend a point
per turn to keep it around and your wizard is useless after one melee, in which 
the bear can only fight for several rounds anyway and which a guy in armor might 
just defend against with little or no damage.  If you're going through something
like Deathtest even with Illusion you get three bears and then the gig is up.
An illusion only lasts for twelve turns itself which is like a minute or something,
Not much good for anything except dealing with an occasional violent encounter with
groups roughly equal to the Wizard's. 

I would also agree with another respondent who allows for variation in the savings
roll required, after all that's why you are GM.  If a bear appears out of thin air
in an odd place maybe it will be really hard to believe.  Or as was previously
pointed out if an illusion is created of something that cannot be summoned right in
front of a wizard, maybe he will very easily be able to convince himself that he is
seeing an illusion (2D6 vs IQ).

At any rate I will agree that there seems to be a large disparity between summoned
and illusory beings, hardly anyone I play with ever takes a summoned being spell.
I always thought the problem was with the summoning spells.

Tej
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: urbin@interlan.interlan.com (Mark Urbin)
Subject: Re: 2300AD questions
Keywords: GDW 2300AD Traveller The New Era House Rules
Organization: Racal-Datacom
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1993 15:27:47 GMT

In article <72975@cup.portal.com> pwheat@cup.portal.com (Philip A Wheat) writes:
>>What (if any) is the address for a 2300AD mailing list or ftp site?
>>| Chris Gregg gt8601a@prism.gatech.edu  My dog, he barks, some. In your |
>I think that it's in with the Traveller mailing list.  I've gotten a hold
>of them, but I haven't recieved my first mailing, and I don't have the
>address handy.  It is on the mailing list list <g> if you can find that
>around.
>Philip A Wheat                                                 Jackson, MS

   The Traveller Mailing list is up and running.  I got the last few weekly 
bundles in the mail.  I got some back bundles via ftp (129.100.100.12) and 
read those as well.  I saw nothing about 2300AD except some screaming about 
GDW mentioning stutterwarp drive in a Traveller setting.
  The focus is Traveller, MegaTraveller, Trillon Credit Squadron, Striker 
and a growing focus on Traveller: The New Era.  Given some the tidbits 
dropped by GDW staffers to mailing list members, Credits to Imperial Navy 
Beans that 2300AD will shift to GDW House Rules (TW2K, C&D, DarkCon & 
Traveller:TNE) within the next few years.

Mark Urbin  Racal-Datacom  Boxborough, MA   urbin@interlan.interlan.com   
These opinions are mine.  No one else will admit to them.	          
It was a typical net.exercise -- a screaming mob pounding on a greasy spot 
on the pavement, where used to lie the carcass of a dead horse.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: dunkelza@titan.ucs.umass.edu (KEITH C MCCORMIC)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Small company advertising/smart moves?
Date: 12 Jan 1993 14:54:44 -0500
Organization: University of Massachusetts, Amherst
NNTP-Posting-Host: titan.ucc.umass.edu

   Well, my first recommendation hinges on the amount of money that is
available to your company.  If you have tons of moula, then ignore this first 
paragraph.  If not, read on.  Start SMALL.  A small company with little funding
can not handle nation wide sales right off the bat.  Try to work on sales in
your local area.  I have been doing this for three years for a game which
won't be out until May!  However, by doing this, and getting peoples' 
reactions, I have not only improved the product before release, but insured
myself of at least a fringe market in the area.  I have spoken with store
owners, run a total of five events at two different conventions, and 
exposed everyone else I could get my hands on to the game. Through this
sort of exposure, I can not only gauge the product's marketability, but
as I said before, advertise for the cost of a few photocopies and some 
time and effort.  However, this is not to say that you should not try to
grow.  As the word gets around about your game, constantly press the 
sales envelope of your distribution area.  Contact new stores on the edge
of your current sales area.  They may have customers who come looking for
it.  Even if they don't, if you can sell to them, you will eventually
increase your sales and popularity at a rate that you both can handle and can
appreciate.

   Next, I would recommend that whenever possible, set up a small booth
at a convention.  Not only does this mean that you will sell some copies
yourself, but any other vendors may be prompted to buy some copies if
you sell well.  Not only that but you reach people outside your normal
distribution area.  Thus expanding it some more.

   Finally, I would recommend trying to sell to loarge mail-order houses,
like Wargames West or The Mail Order Hobby Shop (T$R).  If you can get 
them to carry your products, you not only increase your sales, but
again increase your distribution area and demand.

Dunkelzahn

P.S.- I am the chairman of a Con in the Northeastern US.  We are specifically
      trying to invite small companies to have booths at it.  Our rates
      are currently $20 for the first table, $10 per table thereafter.  This
      includes two admission fees.  Note that our rates may drop if more
      vendors are going to come.  Mavra, this one's for you too.

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: davis@cs.weber.edu (mike davis)
Subject: Re: Dumb Moves By Game Companies
Organization: University of Utah Computer Center
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 4 Jan 93 22:02:49 GMT

In article <1993Jan4.165131.17063@news2.cis.umn.edu>, thornley@milli.cs.umn.edu (David H. Thornley) writes:
|> In article <rleroux1.725839188@sol.UVic.CA> rleroux1@sol.UVic.CA (Roger Leroux) writes:
|> >In <72672@cup.portal.com> Patrick_Andrew_Barnes@cup.portal.com writes:
|> >
|> >>[TSR grabbed the lion's share of the RPG market by releasing the first
|> >> RPG and establishing themselves in the niche.  If they had started
|> >> a few years after Chaosium or GDW did, they'd be dead by now.]
|> 
|> Well, yes, but the fact is that Arneson and Gygax invented the RPG.  I
	WRONG WRONG WRONG!!!!  D and D was NOT thi first Role playing
	 game!!!!!  It was the first SUCCESSFUL one!!!!!!!  In the 50's
	there was a PBM RPG based on Conan.  There were others before
	this one.   For a bunch of people who hate Gygax you sure believe
	His propaganda!!!!!!!!


|> 
|> Follow-ups to r.g.frp.misc, since this is getting way out of boardgaming.
|> 
|> DHT
|> 
		Sorry didn't see this untill too late.
|> 
j
From: millerl@wharton.upenn.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: RQ: RuneQuest French
Date: 11 Jan 93 19:06:52 GMT
Organization: Newt World Order

In article <07JAN93.12497814.0162@music.mus.polymtl.ca>, FM14@music.mus.polymtl.ca (FM14) writes:
>      I'm looking for book for RQ in french.  I'm doing a game in that
> system in turbo pascal But I need more information on Elder Races and
> equipments.
>      I've have the book of Genertela, Eldarad and Gloranthan Bestiary

I understand that RQ is published in france, so perhaps that is all you
need. There is also a fine magazine published in france for runequest
called "Broos". I don't read french so can't tell you more about it, but
I've heard it's very nice. Try your local game store for information on
how to order these items.

-- 
whoah,
+++++++++++++++++++++++23
Loren Miller                           internet: MILLERL@wharton.upenn.edu
Mediocrity is a hand rail.                         -- Baron de Montesquieu
From: mak9@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (MICHAEL A. KAUFFMAN)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: SRII:  Physical Adepts
Date: 11 Jan 93 21:07:46 GMT
Organization: Lehigh University

In article <C0HxCL.B13@visix.com> gray@visix.com (Gray Jones) writes:
>From: gray@visix.com (Gray Jones)
>Subject: SRII:  Physical Adepts
>Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 18:14:45 GMT

>Wow, SRII sure did knock those crazy physical adepts down a peg or two....

>I just want to double check, are there any misprints in the physical adept
>section of the SRII book?

>Did the game designers decide that a starting Physical Adept should not be
>a match for a starting Samurai?

>Case in point:

>A samurai buys Wired reflexes 2, he can do this with the Priority B Resources
>(400000 Y).  He gets
>+4 reaction and +2D6 initiative dice.  Let's assume the samurai also takes
>attributes priority A
>and has 6's in both Quickness and Intelligence (that means a Reaction of 6 for
>the folks at home).
>For a 1/2 of his available essence and about 40% of his available money, he
>gets a 10 reaction and
>3 initiative dice.

>A physical adept wants to go toe-to-toe with the same samurai.  He has the
>same attributes,
>and attempts to buy enough Improved Reaction and Improved Reflexes to have the
>same
>initiative dice and Reaction.  He spends 4 points on 2 extra dice of
>initiative and 8 points to
>raise his reaction up to 10 (4 points above the racial maximum).  I think it
>is rediculous that
>a PA must be a grade 6 initiate to have the same initiative as a starting
>samurai.

>If there is no misprint, could somebody please post some useful house rules
>that put the
>PA somewhere between SR (where they were too powerful) and SRII.

>thanks
>--gray

This question was brought up recently in our group also. The answer we came up
with was to allow PA's to use power focuses to increase their magic attribute.
If the PA takes tech as his A priority he can easily afford to buy a rating 6
power focus.  Of course this means that his attribute would be somewhat lower
(priority C or D).
example: let's says the 10 attribute point differce comes from a reduction in
quickness and intelligence.  All other attribute stay the same as those in the
given example.  The PA's natural reaction is now 1 (average of Q & I both 1).
This can be raised to 8 by using the same 8 by using the same 8 points used
before.  Admittly not quite as good as the sam but almost.

hope this helps,

Guak
From: hall@bcstec.ca.boeing.com (Robert J. Hall)
Subject: Re: What do you look for in a magic system?
Organization: Boeing
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 15:47:07 GMT

In article <93006.123635DK6TOPER@MIAMIU.BITNET>, Dan Karipides writes:
>This is an informal survey concerning what role-players like in a
>RPG magic system.  (I am currently working on my own system--aren't
>we all--and would greatly appreciate you opinions.)

What I'd like is a set of spells, each with a variety of configurable options	
that effect the outcome and difficulty. Given enough options, each spell
is going to be a bit different and will give the Wizard lots of decisions to
make.

-- 
 Bob Hall                   |  if [ -bs message ]; then
 Boeing Computer Services   |      mv message /compost/heap/$$
 root@chicken.ca.boeing.com |  fi