HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: pmwg1641@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Peter M. White)
Subject: Re: SRII and reputation
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Sun, 4 Oct 1992 20:19:00 GMT

In article <1992Oct4.162855.16521@nstn.ns.ca> CS341A002@Husky1.StMarys.Ca (Loki) writes:
>mkkuhner@phylo.genetics.washington.edu writes:
>>
>> A small-time 'runner happens to offend someone really Big; say, a novice
>> street mage pisses off a topnotch freelance mage-assassin.  The assassin
>> retailiates, and due to some peculiar circumstance (after all, anyone
>> can screw up) *dies*.
>> 
>> What happens to the hapless street mage when word gets out, assuming it
>> does (and a power vacuum like this is liable to be noticed)?  Is he in
>> trouble?  In clover?  What does it mean to have a Rep that's bigger than
>> you are?
>> 
>
>In *any* campaign where this happens, well...
>
>The player who is inflicted with the massive rep suddenly starts getting
>massive jobs. People in general are careful not to offend him/her ("my god,
>did you see what happened to the Wizard when he went after that piece of
>work? Forget it...") On the other hand, some of the best will be laying out
>careful plots to attempt to get the player knocked down. Remember "Burning
>Chrome"? Well, everybody thinks the player's Chrome now...

A corporation's rep is quite different from an individual's, for
instance.  Corp's create their rep to discourage unwanted attention.
The general theme is that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound
of cure.  The Yakuza is reputed to be amongst the most dangerous
of the multinationals.  Everyone knows that *if* someone is singled
out by them to be made an example, there is simply *nowhere* to
hide.  Therefore, it is strongly in the interest of anyone who has
crossed the Yakuza, for whatever reason, to make sure that it is
kept secret; hurting the Yak street rep is probably much more dangerous
to the organization than any actual monetary inconvenience that has
been inflicted. 

Individual's earn their rep for unexpected success and reliability.
In the above example of the surviving runner, word would get out
that this person lived when the odds were long against him.  How
would this effect his life?  The fixers' would earmark him as a
possible *bargain*.  After all, his reliability in the big time
is unproven.  Offers would increase in number, but probably only
slightly in pay.  It would take time build up to being known as
"someone who gets the job done".  In the old westerns, punk kids
come into town to challenge the top gunfighter.  Gunfighters are
high profile people who work in broad daylight.  Runners keep a
low profile and don't earn any points for making trouble for each
other.  If the new, higher rep makes it easier for the corps to
get on bead on you, well...bad news because you are prime material
to be made an example of.

--Peter


______________________________________________________________________________
						|
     "Guards!  Let me draw their fire!"		|	p-white@uiuc.edu
		   --Scapegoat,_Marshal Law_	|
______________________________________________________________________________
From: v057qkmm@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Bluerazor)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Battle Lords of the 23rd Century
Date: 2 Oct 92 16:37:00 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <BvI4tz.DKH@acsu.buffalo.edu>, v124jw4y@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Benjamin R Pierce) writes...
>In article <BvI2tt.C11@acsu.buffalo.edu>, v116qhth@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (I'm not evil...I'm just good looking) writes...
>>In article <1992Oct1.191938.12873@sbcs.sunysb.edu>, smccauli@csws15.ic.sunysb.edu writes...
> 
> 
>>>game in that respect.  Character generation tends to be centered around which
>>>alien race one pics to be at the beginning of the game.  The races themselves
>>>tend to fall into fairly standard sterotypes.  You have the noble warrior,
>>>the psychotic, the basher, the small puny intelligent masters of the known
>>>universe, the werido, the con man, and of course, one can be a human.  These
>>>are not the actual names of the aliens, but a fairly good representation for
>>>them.  This tends to lock people who would rather role play than just
>>>shoot things into this reather drab character molds.  This is one of the
>>>weeknesses of the system.  If, however, you like to blow things up then and
>>>not waste anytime on chracter development then you should definitely look at
>>>this as an advantage.  There are also a few neat quirks to the character
>>>	Final score: The game is ok.
> 
> 
>>  The game is not only for shoot'em up gamers. The races are all fairly well
>>detailed and just because the first supplement was the weapons manuel is mostly
>>because the shoot'em up gamer is very abundant and VISIONARYIES is one of
>>the up coming books that is devoted soley to the role-playing gamer.
>>VISIONARYIES is already partialy written and will have so much info
>>on the races and role=playing that your head will spin.
>> 
>>				Psycho (company liason)
> 
>...this is the one I want to get my teeth into; Larry has claimed the book as
>his territory, but I'm going to try to do as much of it as he'll let me get 
>away with (heck, both of my parents are cultural anthropologists--I've been
>hearing "sociocultural structure" and "ethnography" since I was born!  And boy,
>do I have some ideas.  Take, f'rinstance, the Cizerack.  Didja ever wonder just
>how...(Ben is muffled by ODS Security personell before he can give anything
>away about the new book).
> 
> 
> 
>                                                      Mmmmffffggbblll,
>                                                      Ben
> 

	Hello. This is me, the infamous Bluerazor. One comment: The actual book
will be Visionaries. It will be spelled correctly. And as for the racial 
stereotypes casting your character into a mold, I stronly disagree. The racial
tendencies are just that, tendencies; you can play your character however you 
want and each person develops his character's individuality. Anyhow, just 
wanted to throw in my .02cr.


						The Infamous Bluerazor
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc,rec.games.frp.dnd,rec.games.frp.advocacy
From: cwatters@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Coyt D Watters)
Subject: Keepers of the FAQs Please Respond
Followup-To: sender
Keywords: FAQ
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 20:15:11 GMT

If you are working on a FAQ for any of the rec.games.frp.* groups or a 
specific system within the groups, please send me an email telling
me which FAQ you are keeping/creating.

I'll add this information to the monthly/biweekly/weekly/whatever general
informational postings I run on .announce.

-Coyt
From: 34ZBTXQ@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: GURPS Espionage
Date: 3 Oct 92 19:20:45 GMT
Organization: Central Michigan University


  For you fans of espionage roleplaying, you should check out the latest GURPS
 release, GURPS Espionage. It's a good overview of the espionage genre, and
also valuable for running such campaigns with GURPS. It's a worthy successor to
the original Top Secret (does anyone else hate Top Secret S.I.?) and has a good
Spooktalk glossary in it (better than TS's!). The Spy Tech section is good,too.
If you like your espionage realistic or if you like the James Bond style spy
adventure, you'll like this book! (Yes, I'm biased-I helped playtest it.)
From: cm182s182@pdrome.UUCP (Clayton Miner)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Was Watson Jack the Ripper?
Date: 1 Oct 92 11:09:40 GMT
Organization: The PowerDrome BBS [(716)825-3614 Excelsior]
X-BBS-Software: EXCELSIOR! v0.960

Holmes was addicted to cocaine....
 
Skeksis
From: albert@chain.ssctr.bcm.tmc.edu (Rick Jones)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Torg:  Thoughts about settings.
Date: 5 Oct 1992 14:22:38 GMT
Organization: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Tx
NNTP-Posting-Host: chain.ssctr.bcm.tmc.edu

	Well, as I live in Houston, there's a zillion things that I could
do there in my campaign, but as half the party is wanted for questioning
by the Delphi Council, there's not much of a shot for them going to HOuston.
	It was amusing to find out that the FBI headquarters was moved from
it's real location to a nice block of houses and antique stores near Rice
Uni.  
-- 
Rick Jones				Systems Support Center
albert@bcm.tmc.edu			Baylor College of Medicine
Voice: 713-798-7352			standard disclaimers apply
Sky fits heaven, so ride it.  		Remote has button, so MUTE it.
From: loydb@fnordbox.UUCP (Loyd Blankenship)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: White Wolf's Upcoming Vampire LARP
Distribution: world
X-NewsSoftware: GRn 1.16e (7/4/92) by Mike Schwartz & Michael B. Smith
Date: 30 Sep 92 22:10:38 CST
Organization: Texas Net Illuminati

I noticed there had been some discussion of a Vampire LARP (Live Action
RolePlaying game), and happened to mention to Mark Rein*Hagen the other
day. Turns out they're released a boxed LARP set in the Spring. It will
contain, among other things, an ahnk (when you're wearing it, it indicates
that you're playing), a Clan pin, bunches o' player handouts, a Narrator's
book, a Character book, a poster, a collection of short stories or a novel,
and fun plastic fangs. There'll probably be other stuff too. Priced @ $40.

Loyd

***************************************************************************
* loydb@fnordbox.UUCP	     Once you pull the pin,  *	Loyd Blankenship  *
* GEnie: SJGAMES	    Mr. Grenade is no longer *	PO Box 18957	  *
* Compu$erve: [73407,515]	 your friend!	     *	Austin, TX 78760  *
* cs.utexas.edu!dogface!fnordbox!loydb		     *	512/447-7866	  *
***************************************************************************
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: mavra@cpac.washington.edu (Peter D. Adkison)
Subject: Re: Talislanta
Organization: Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
	<1992Sep29.001105.29659@fcom.cc.utah.edu>
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1992 00:27:06 GMT

In article <1992Sep29.001105.29659@fcom.cc.utah.edu> davis@news.ccutah.edu (mike davis) writes:

> [a very inflamatory impression about Talislanta, most of which has been
>  removed for brevity...]
>  ...
>  other than the world, It was VERY consitent!  Noe WOC has gone for design by
>  committy and not having the creater having finally approveal...

Most of your post didn't bother me; we're all entitled to our own
opinion.  But you did get one hard fact wrong and that is the role of
the original creator, Stephan Michael Sechi.  Steve co-authored the
3rd Edition with Jonathan Tweet and had final say over the creative
control of the product, as he does with every Talislanta product we've
produced.  Tweet's sole role was to clean up the mechanics and the
organization of the book.

The only reason I bring this up is that it touches on a soapbox of
mine, and that is *vision.*  To me vision is sacrosanct, and no one in
the world has a clearer vision of Talislanta than Steve Sechi.  He
didn't have to ask for creative control, we insisted he have it.

				--Mavra!
				  Peter D. Adkison
				  Janitor, Wizards of the Coast
				  mavra@wizards.com

The above internet address should be used for e-mail if it is
different from the e-mail address in the header.

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: agent86@netcom.com (Michael McBride)
Subject: RFD: GURPS disad limits
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Distribution: all
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 00:38:01 GMT

I am about to start a GURPS campaign.  It will be the first GURPS game
I have run.  In fact it is a bit of an experiment as well.  The group I
am about to GM for has never played GURPS.  We all use to play V&V (!)
RuneQuest, SR, AD&D (ages ago), and Call of Cthulhu.

so...since I haven't had the benefit of playtesting the character generation
guidelines...I would like some advice/discussion about some thing if
anyone would be so kind.

The game will be for 100 pt characters.  I am looking at the 40 pt disad
recommended limit and thinking this is reasonable.  but some questions come
to mind.  Should points gained from Lowering an attribute count toward
that 40 point "limit"....also is this (in Your experience) a truly good
disad limit?...would you recommend higher? or lower? and why?

	in case my grammar is bad...the example above translates into:
	Mr. Brain the Psi buys
	IQ 17
	he wants to lower HT and ST by 2 points each
	ST 8
	HT 8
	but he also "wants" 40 points in various disads.
	....should I allow this?
What guidelines do other GURPS GMs use for when to allow fudging on the limits
(obviously somewhere before the character becomes a basket case)

anyway...thanks for your time in reading this overly long post!

m.

-- 
_____________________________________________________________________________
  Michael McBride		   |__"I've done...questionable things."-Roy
  [agent86@netcom.com]		   |~~"More human than human..."-Tyrell
=============================================================================
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: bilbo@bisco.kodak.com (Charles Tryon)
Subject: Re: Novels from campaigns.
Organization: Eastman Kodak Company; Rochester, NY
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 92 15:33:56 GMT

In article <80631@ut-emx.uucp> dfn@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (David Nalle) writes:
>If you have enough imagination to WRITE a decent novel, you ought to have enough
>imagination to design your own, original RPG world.

  Well, yes and no.  In my case, the game came first, and the story arose
  as my attempt to get more out of the game.  The fact that it is based in
  one world or another was the decision of the DM.  She is doing a LOT of
  work to create the plot (i.e., it isn't a boxed adventure), and using
  the FR world as a convenient backdrop.

  I think that creating a story from a campaign is not better or worse
  than creating one from scratch; it's just different.  When creating from
  scratch, you can do anything you want, and the story always ends the way
  you want it to.  When following a game, you are forced to react to a set
  of circumstances over which you have no control, which is what we are
  faced with in real life.  The challenge then is dealing with these
  circumstances, without knowing that you can just patch things up later
  if events don't turn out to your liking.

>Regardless of copyright restrictions, if you're playing in a published world
>and plan to write a novel based on it, why not just do a little work, change
>the names and redo the maps, and see if you can branch off into something
>more imaginative and more interesting.

  This has been suggested before, and if/when I do try to publish, I am
  sure that I will have to go through the entire story with a fine toothed
  comb and do just that.  I believe I will also end up making some
  significant plot changes in order to streamline things, and to head
  off copyright problems.

  Who knows.  With this as a spark point, I may even branch off to other
  stories.

>As a wacky side note...
>
>When you write a novel based on a RPG you run, under the current interpretations
>of copyright law, it's POSSIBLE that you can't use the names or personalities
>or actions of the player characters without a release from the players because
>their characters MIGHT be considered their protected intellectual property.

  You're right -- this is another thing to consider.  The others in the
  group have shown no inclination to do the work that it takes to create a
  story, other than the DM herself.  I am thinking more about her, since
  she is driving major portions of the plot.  I'm sure that we will have
  to work out some sort of agreement in order to avoid any problems down
  the line.


>Dave


--
Chuck Tryon
    work: bilbo@bisco.kodak.com                          B. Baggins
    home: bilbo@Bah.Rochester.NY.US                      At Your Service
 ______________________________________________________________________
   Experience is what you get when you were expecting something else.
From: z_copeab@ccsvax.sfasu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: GURPS: Body Location Table Usage
Date: 4 Oct 92 23:57:55 CST
Organization: Stephen F. Austin State University

In article <1992Oct5.003500.20873@oz.plymouth.edu>, sos@oz.plymouth.edu (Steffan O'Sullivan) writes:
> urban@stout.atd.ucar.edu (Art Urban (PROFS)) writes:
>>In the Advanced Combat rules, an attacker has the option of aiming an attack
>>at a body location, or randomly rolling for the body location. My question
>>is: does the negative hit modifier apply to the person *randomly* attacking 
>>like it does for the person aiming their attack?
> 
> Yes.
> 
> I posted this earlier, and someone asked me to be more explicit.  Here it
> is:
> 
> Melee attacks:  There is *no* point in using the random hit location
> rules for melee attacks for experienced fighters.  If you want to
> represent an inexperienced NPC swinging a weapon he's never handled
> before, though, here's what you do:
> 
	[system deleted]

> Ranged attacks: if a combatant is a ways off, and can't really aim for
> a specific part of the body, use the same procedure above.  At least
> here it makes sense, however.


	Hmm, intresting. I *don't* apply the to-hit modifiers for randomly
determined hits. Since there is *not* an equal chance of each body part being
hit, I think this balances out not using the modifer (also makes it simpler).

	When I first started GMing GURPS, I used the random hit location chart
all the time (even for melee). It started getting silly (prime example was of
an ogre that had both feet, one arm, and the hand on the other arm crippled
*before* he was hit in the torso...). Now I use it in only a few situations
(automatic weapons fire, snap shots, swinging blindly, etc).

Brandon Cope
From: tharme@cc.helsinki.fi
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: GURPS ST: TNG??
Date: 5 Oct 92 20:42:27 GMT
Organization: University of Helsinki

I heard that Steve Jackson Games was one of the publishers bargaining for
the rights to ST:TNG. Anybody with more info on this?
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: ppm-021@fb3-s7.math.TU-Berlin.DE (christian stelter)
Subject: Re: STORY: RED (3)
Followup-To: rec.games.frp.misc
Organization: FB3, TU-Berlin, Germany.
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 14:32:55 GMT

test test

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: npearl@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Nathan Y Pearlstein)
Subject: WANTED: ftp sites for WHFRP
Keywords: WHFRP WFRP FTP
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 17:11:28 GMT


Attention all keepers of secrets, could you please supply this devout follower 
with the
(almost) definitive list of sites and mailing lists for Warhammer Fantasy
Roleplay?
-- 
*  Nathan Pearlstein   npearl@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu     Astronomy -gasp!  *
*  Sir Nathan Pearlstein     silly@camelot.uk.mil           Undergrad -GASP!! *
* "...We eat ham and jam and spamalot..."  - Knights of The Round Table Choir *
*                Beware lest the Slaaneshi hordes pervert the Net             *
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: goodwin@orionsci (Ben Goodwin)
Subject: Re: Amber: Question
Reply-To: goodwin@orionsci.UUCP (Ben Goodwin)
Organization: Orion Scientific, Inc.
Date: Tue, 06 Oct 1992 13:04:39 GMT

In article <RATINOX.92Oct5184256@splinter.coe.northeastern.edu> ratinox@meceng.coe.northeastern.edu writes:
>
>Does the target Amberite want privacy? ][s he one of the PCs enemies?
>][t would be fairly easy to run the PC through in his weakened
>condition.

Actually in the books Benedict walked the pattern, hung out for awhile
resting, and then teleported to the sky pattern.  I did something
similar in our last session, though I went to Ygg.

>Generally, the elter Amberites are considerate enough of each other's

Sorry to disagree with you Rat, but this statement is wrong.  Considerate?
Right.  Tell that to Eric or Brand or Corwin.  I believe that if it was
possible, Corwin would have teleported himself three feet behind Eric
and then run him through.

>The Pattern can transport someone anywhere that it has any effect at

Right, it can transport you anywhere, not to anyone.  You picture the place
and then you say take me there or some such.  This ability to find anyone
anywhere whether they want to be found or not is IMHO too unbalancing.

One of our group suggested I teleport a few feet behind my enemy, another
sorcerer.  I said, no, it wouldn't work.  And on reflection the GM agreed.
I guess its a houserule in our game that you have go to a place, not
a person.

And on further reflection Coral was transported to a place.  I think that
the books make it pretty clear that you go to a place not to a person.

-Wren (Sorcerer Bard of Amber - wannabe)
-- 
=================================================
Ben Goodwin - Orion Scientific - DC - USA

If E-mail fails try orionsci!goodwin@uunet.uu.net
=================================================
From: klein@frith.egr.msu.edu (Jeffrey Klein)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: LARP: Vampire
Keywords: n
Date: 29 Sep 92 22:52:42 GMT
Organization: Michigan State University College of Stunt Piloting

In article <1992Sep29.205921.5107@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> npalmer@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Nicholas P Palmer) writes:
>
>We were looking into this.  I brought it up to some others and I think what
>we're looking at is the use of a flashlight or a mirror.  If they catch the
>poor player in the face, Bam! Hypnosis.   The player has a 1 in 10 chance
>of breaking the contact, but we're still working on how to do this. Probably
>"Ok, pick a number, one through 10," says the vampire.
>"Uhh... 4?" says hypnotized palyer.
>"Nope! Now.. where should I bite you.... <EVIL GRIN>"
>
>The only problem is the honor system, but since most Assassin/Killer games
>are honor based, this shouldn't be a problem.

The victim has to win two games of Scissors-Paper-Rock.
(1/3)x(1/3) = 1/9, close enuff.


-- 
Jeff Klein             | "Happily, Ral doffs his outer clothing for a
Browsing Boy of the LNH|  refreshing dip in one of the dangerous 
klein@frith.egr.msu.edu|  chemical vats." - Ty Templeton
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Vampire
From: tdunn@ecst.csuchico.edu (Tim Dunn)
Date: 3 Oct 1992 18:25:50 GMT
Organization: California State University, Chico
Summary: This is starting to sound like BL23C vs. world again...
NNTP-Posting-Host: cscihp.ecst.csuchico.edu


Public to Kurt Bose,

There is no need to attack a person, his school or his literacy for 
disagreeing with you.  You can disagree with his points, but if you
wish to change other people's opinions, you will need to be more
persuasive and less crass.  Your reply potentially will steel readers
*against* Vampire, if only because of the ferocity and fanaticism.

Now, to the topic at hand (public to all)

I've played Vampire.  Two separate game groups, and both groups were
less than satisfactorily for entirely separate reasons.

The first group managed to be turned into a combat-crazed group (WP,
M-60's, 10ga mag-fed riot guns, etc) because IMPO of the 'gothic-
punk' aspect of the world.  Before we changed referees and games, I
ran some of the players in a much more 'cinematic' game, and there 
was not a lot of bloodlust.  As part of the change, we added some 
players, and one of them was a SOF junkie.  He singularly managed to
turn to tone of the game towards heavy firepower.

It came down to my character being the last character who resisted
this change.  He had managed to run out the other player who was there
solely for roleplay.  I managed to survive a shotgun blast, then was
humiliated and 'tried' on his direction as the remainder of the game
night before they handed me over to an elder for 'disposal.'

From this alone, I was very disappointed in the game.  If the referee
was a moron, I could have understood, but this GM was my best friend
and gaming partner for years.  I trust his abilities.  He stated that
the world is like that, and in later readings, I see that it *does*
support that sort of play, if only in the margin.  It does not void,
it, after all.

After moving away for school, I encountered another group of Vampire
players.  This time, the referee *was* a moron.  Not much else needs
be said -- the game bombed, and I really can't fault the system.

However, I will go on the record as saying that I have firm reasons
for disliking the genre and the game.
-- 
She's genuinely bogus.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc