HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: Clay Luther <cluther@morticia.cnns.unt.edu>
Subject: Gamma Test
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Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 22:44:57 GMT

Gamma Test
-- 
Clay W. Luther                                                (214) 994-1377
Internet: cluther@morticia.cnns.unt.edu                    Applelink: PDSDEV
Macintosh/Unix Programmer for Vortech Data, Inc.
"I think the word you're looking for is AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: oakes@jupiter.nmt.edu (David Oakes)
Subject: Re: Atheism
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Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 19:38:34 GMT


Jim Kiley, Astronomer Wannabe(jkiley@andy.bgsu.edu) guesses:
 ! Hoo boy, That's a good one.  Are the ideas of an individual limited by the
 ! local social axiom?  My immediate guess is, unfortunately, yes, but not 
 ! absolutely.  You can't conceive of things too far ahead, social-axiom-wise,
 ! but I don't think it'd be a problem for an individual to have thoughts a few
 ! points above his axiom, remembering that the axiom itself limits what 
 ! society as a whole can do, not a few members.  Think about Marxism, back 
 ! when it was first concocted.  Society as a whole didn't go along with it, 
 ! though someone had conceived of it...

no, i would have to say that thinking things even one axiom higher is contra,
for the individual as well as the social group, and risk disco
(but then i see Social as limiting the complexity of interaction -
 be it mental, chemical or mechanical - not just social groups)
if we make this excuse for Social, why cant a few individual scientists
think and use tech 24 or 25 equipment, just not the entire cosm?
(ie - only Prateds can excede their axioms without penalty)
as for marxism, i would say that it was a new idea, 
and took a while to catch on, but just as likely, 
Marx, Lenin, and the like were Prated, and it took
a revolution to increase the social axiom by one
(of course, i think America was already there,
 so we are leading back to patchwork axioms/cosms...)

 ! Next question, are spiritual foo limited by the social axiom?
 ! Erp.  That would set a dangerous precedent, IMHO.  I like to see the axioms
 ! as more independent--otherwise, um, you have to have a certain tech level 
 ! for some spells to work?  Can't say I care for that general concept.

would you prefer that a mage that has never even heard of a laser
may make a spell specificaly to "Shield from Laser?"
or an Edinos with the "Make Car Run Out of Gas" miracle?

if you cannot concieve of the effect, how can you cause it/ask for it?
the mage could have a "Protection from Light" which might help
(but not against masers or UV-lasers - EM doesnt exist in Aysle!)
the Edinos could have "Bash Dead Thing" which would turn the vehicle
into a twisted, rusting hulk, because that is what happens to dead things

 ! Are there any atheist edeinos? :)

dont see why not, but they would be scorned by their tribe,
and would very quickly convert due to spiritual conflict.

dave "so OcculTech should be nasty - why isnt it?" oakes
From: WYNNE.C@fs.sciences.WLU.EDU (Colin J. Wynne)
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
Subject: Re: Faith(Science)
Date: 27 Jul 92 13:40:07 GMT
Organization: University of North Texas
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bpostow@occs.cs.oberlin.edu (Brian Postow) writes:

> faith(science) should also have to be able to limit high tech
> "miracles of technology" stuff at the high end of the tech
> spectrum that looks like magic, for example, faster than light
> travel is a tech of like 28 or so [I may be way off on the number,
> but there is a number] and a CE scientist will not believe in
> faster than light travel. and there are probably other things in
> the tech spectrum that could be disbelieved by a CE scientist.

However, I'll bet you that no Ayslish mage has ever observed a limit
to the speed of light, or the Theory of Relativity.  Anyone up for a
FTL travel spell?

CJW

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>>                                         wynne.c.j@p9955.wlu.edu  >>
==  Colin J. Wynne                                  - or -          ==
<<                                      wynne.c@fs.science.wlu.edu  <<
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From: "Colin J. Wynne"  <WYNNE.C@fs.sciences.WLU.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Mission in the Nile Empire
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Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 13:44:29 GMT

FJELDLI@oral.unit.no writes:

> One goof though, the Italian flag is green, white and RED. (You
> have described the Irish flag, not the Italian one). Besides,
> Littorio is the name of an Italian destroyer. The name comes from
> the battle of Littorio, and has been the exclusive property of the
> Italian Navy for at least 70 years. It is unlikely that a cargo
> ship would have been given such a name. (Any Italians on this list
> that could comment on that ?).

Oops!  Trust me -- I know the Irish flag (sure'n I have a wee bit o'
the Blarney in me, don'tya know?)  I though Italy was same colours,
different order.  Being a poor college student, I don't get to eat
out much, so I haven't seen the place mats in the pizzaria for a long
time.

Yeah, I know Littorio, too.  During WWII, Itlay laid down
three very good battleships -- Vittorio Venito, Littorio, and a
third that I'm not sure was ever completed.  Good ships, mounting
16in. guns and some great armour, but they never had the resources to
operate them.

Anybody want to suggest the name of an Italian cargo ship?

CJW

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>>                                         wynne.c.j@p9955.wlu.edu  >>
==  Colin J. Wynne                                  - or -          ==
<<                                      wynne.c@fs.science.wlu.edu  <<
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Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: bpostow@occs.cs.oberlin.edu (Brian Postow)
Subject: Re: What Year is it There?
Organization: Oberlin College Computer Science
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 05:44:24 GMT
X-Posted-From: occs.cs.oberlin.edu
X-Posted-Through: sol.ctr.columbia.edu

some one got Aysle to be at 1992.. what was the math behind that one?
I have understood everything else...

--
Brian Postow :: The Pasta Knight - that noodle head in shiny armour
reachable at:
bpostow@occs.oberlin.edu
sbp2530@ocvaxa.cc.oberlin.edu		this space left unintentionally blank.
sbp2530@oberlin.bitnet.edu

Yes, I KNOW that 6*9 is 42 in base 13.
Organization: Junior, Philosophy, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 20:59:55 -0400 
From: Andrew David Weiland <aw1s+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: Multi-Actions

David Oakes writes,
>well, i am going to have to disagree with this one 
>"multiple actions" are truly seperate, and require new rounds or hastes
>"multi-actions" are a single activity (10s) with mutiple effects
>(like one giant rube goldberg)
>
>
>consider this:
>multiple rolls require multiple poss, and multiple disco checks.

Yes, so?  Remember that only contradictory actions have a chance of disco.
As for the multiple possibilities; can you spend a single possibility
and counter every opponent who attacks you?  Can you spend a single
possibility and remove damage from multiple wounds?  Then why can you
spend a single possibility for multiple actions?

>where do you draw the line of similarity? att/def? att/intim? intim/test?

I see three obvious situations under which one could justify a single
die roll for multiple actions; (1) same skill (2) same tool, (3) same
target, or some combination of the three.  The arguments for each one
might go as follows
(1) Um--A possiblity/action enhances a single skill for 1 round, so
should apply to all uses of that skill.
(2) Multiple rolls for one item increase the chance of disconnection.
(3) Multiple rolls against the same target give someone the ability to
exhaust the opponent of PPs by making several attacks reinforced with a
possibility.
I accept (3) as the only relevant condition.  YMMV.

>what are the limits on how many die rolls you COULD make in ten >seconds?

The strength of your wrist?
From: WYNNE.C@fs.sciences.WLU.EDU (Colin J. Wynne)
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
Subject: Re: Yet more high-tech stuff from Japan!
Date: 28 Jul 92 00:03:58 GMT
Organization: University of North Texas
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bhv@areaplg2.corp.mot.com (Bronis Vidugiris) writes:

> Fortunately, we acquired an escape card along the way - I'm not
> sure we would have made it back out again otherwise.  [One of the
> characters we rescued was a high-level priest, who managed to do
> an invocation and turn a steel beam into a giant steel snake. This
> cleared our way out, so we made it back to the digging machine.


???Did you get the Omegatron???

CJW

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>>                                         wynne.c.j@p9955.wlu.edu  >>
==  Colin J. Wynne                                  - or -          ==
<<                                      wynne.c@fs.science.wlu.edu  <<
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Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: "Colin J. Wynne"  <WYNNE.C@fs.sciences.WLU.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Perservance
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Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 13:22:13 GMT

> I have an adventure where the PCs are facing an Orrorshian Horror
> in Aysle.  Most if not all the action will be in/around London.
> Does the party have to make perservance checks?  I have not had a
> chance to dig in the Orrorsh SB and can not remember if it says one
> way or the other.
>
> Erick, a six foot hobbit.

Since Aysle does not support the Power of Fear, it is a one case
contradiction for the Horror to use it.  This is done in the same
fashion as Armour and some of the Macro World Laws, i.e., at the
beginning of the scene (or encounter).  As long as the Horror does
not roll a 1, the PoF is up and working fine.

As a GM comment here (this goes on the rules bending thread as well),
having a whole adventure fall apart because the Horror blows his
contradiction check in the final, dramatic, encounter, is just a
little anti-climactic.  If that sort of thing happened to me, I
wouldn't disconnect the Beast, but I _would_ save a setback for when
the characters really need it (a villain setback, that is), or give
the players a Perserverance bonus if that would help them more (maybe
it disconnected for just a split second, and the Knights saw the
Horror without the PoF behind him, and they now know that it can be
defeated).

But that's your call.  The gist is, yes they make Pers. Checks, as
long as the Horror makes contra. checks.

CJW

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>>                                         wynne.c.j@p9955.wlu.edu  >>
==  Colin J. Wynne                                  - or -          ==
<<                                      wynne.c@fs.science.wlu.edu  <<
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From: gdavis@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Grant R. Davis)
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
Subject: Re: Atheism
Date: 24 Jul 92 19:51:58 GMT
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin, Austin TX

In article <1992Jul23.185211.15801@cheshire.oxy.edu> wolf@cheshire.oxy.edu (Clinton Richard Wolf) writes:

>> Though I still wonder what an anti-societal religion would look like.
>>[stuff deleted]

>Ah, exactly! Or as it states in the Torg RB, it would be a 'pantheistic'
>religion, like the Tao or The Force from Star Wars (and what a great way
>for WEG to sneak in a plug for their SF game of the same name, eh? 8-)

I translated the Force powers from Star Wars to TORG miracles for a 
tournament last year. They're proabably around here somewhere...I could
look for them if anyone's interested.

The Grant Man
gdavis@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu

"This is good[beer]. Remind me to take this world."-Lost Destiny


Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: jogle@dopey.vlba.nrao.edu (Jim Ogle (Ks. Jim))
Subject: Re: Shadow Stalker
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Colin writes:

> Oh, yeah.  The animated shadows have claws +3 and fangs +5 also.  And
> STR boosters on a target affect the shadow's strength as well (i.e.,
> that adrenal booster raises your shadows DEX & STR by 3, also).

Hmmm...I'd limit the ability to duplicate the STR increases to ones
that were in action before the shadow was animated; once the shadow
becomes seperate from its source it shouldn't be able to duplicate
effects on its source.

Of course, it IS Orrorsh after all, so letting it duplicate things
like that is not out of the question.  I'd increase the cost of the
power though.

Kansas Jim (jogle@nrao.edu)
From: usenet@transfer.stratus.com (Mr. Network News)
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
Subject: Re: MORE GM Questions
Date: 30 Jul 92 22:03:06 GMT
Reply-To: Dave_Wetzel@vos.stratus.com
Organization: Stratus Computer, Inc., Marlboro, MA

In article <gatemail1.0b21195996452@morticia> WYNNE.C@fs.sciences.WLU.EDU 
(Colin J. Wynne) writes:
> mly@sei.cmu.edu (Michael Yacht) writes:
> 
> 6) The miracle in the main rulebook 'calm' states that it doesn't allow
>    'violent or extreme emotions' does that mean that a highered killer 
who
>    takes his job very calmly (Separates emotions..) can still kill 
someone?
> 
> Absolutely.  Good way to step on the players.  There is nothing to
> stop him from calmly carrying out his job.  But this trick shouldn't
> be used often.  If it's just a thug beating the snot out of someone
> for fun, Calm will probably prevent him from doing so.

But this has to be a very tough thing to do.  I'd make the hired (is 
"highered killer" someone who kills with mind-altering drugs?) killer do a 
willpower check verses some difficulty (15 or more I'd think) every round 
to achieve the peace of mind to act (multi-action penalties apply!).  I 
might let the character substitute meditation if they have it.  Basically 
I wouldn't just allow it.  It would take effort.

--------------
Dave_Wetzel@vos.stratus.com
From: RICK@QUCDNEE.BITNET (Rick Pim)
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
Subject: Re: Yet more high-tech stuff from Japan!
Date: 24 Jul 92 18:54:00 GMT
Organization: University of North Texas
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> are Jim Ogle <jogle@aoc.nrao.edu> (Ks. Jim)

>Help!  Give me something to do before I read any further!  8-)
  okay. write up an adventure or two and post them to the list and/or
ftp site. :-)

rp
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: malloy@nprdc.navy.mil (Sean Malloy)
Subject: Re: A Sean Sort Of Question (WWII rifle - panzerbusche)
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Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 20:47:41 GMT

> > All targets within the blast radius of an explosion are 'hit' by
> > the explosion, and generate separate Bonus Number for each target
> > in the area (unless you've got a bunch of Ords, then just make one
> > roll and apply it to all of them for speed); the DV at a distance
> > from the center of the explosion is the base DV for the explosive
> > charge minus one-half the distance in meters from the center of the
> > explosive:
> 
> Good stuff.  A thought, however.  Without cover, a character
> certainly gets hit by at least the full damage value.  You know, like
> landing after a fall.  A negative bonus just doesn't make much sense.
> So, if you are going to generate a bonus on each target, subtract
> their cover from the base damage, and then roll a bonus which is at
> least a +1.

The variation is due to the fact that, unless you go in for
prefragmented casings or liners, you're going to get an uneven
distribution of fragments; it's entirely possible for someone to get
grazed by fragments that do only flesh wounds.

To be done properly, an explosion would have to be resolved in two
steps -- the fragmentation and the blast. Fragmentation works as
described, generating random Bonus Numbers; blast starts with the same
DV, but subtracts the range in meters from the DV, is treated as Stun
damage, and does not have a Bonus Number generated for it -- if you're
within the blast effect, you take damage determined solely by the size
of the explosive charge and how far from the blast you are. 

The two-effect model is more accurate, and the blast effect damage
shouldn't slow things down that much; typically, after 5 meters or so,
the fragmentation effect is going to outweigh the blast effect enough
that you can ignore it. But you may want to play with concussion
grenades, which are all blast.

-- 
random sig #131:
Sean Malloy                                  | Programs are but dreams
Navy Personnel Research & Development Center | Born in formless, shapeless Zen.
San Diego, CA 92152-6800                     | We are but dreamers.
malloy@nprdc.navy.mil                        |
From: jogle@aoc.nrao.edu (Ks. Jim)
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
Subject: Re:  Stymied/Unskilled
Date: 24 Jul 92 16:21:09 GMT
Organization: University of North Texas
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Chris writes:

>> BTW-it would help if unskilled and stymied (esspecally styimed were a little
>> 	more effective)
> 
> Well, as far as unskilled goes, we play it that when you unskill someone,
> for the next round, they have NO adds (In addition to the explicitly stated
> limit on open-ending). This interpretation makes sense from the name of
> the condition (Unskilled), and though it isn't stated anywhere, we kinda
> think that's what WEG meant. It makes UNskilled a rather effective result.

I run it that way too.  Doesn't bother NPC grunts too much (oooh, he
lost a whole point off of his skill value! 8-) but it can really screw
with PCs and major NPCs (shucks, the PC ninja just lost all eight adds
in martial arts! 8-)

> As for Stymies, we have them stick around until the next open-end, just like
> normal Stymies. Again, we think this is the proper way to play them. Stymies
> are good because they keep you alive/cost the opponent a Poss.

Well, that is NOT the official way of doing it, but you can do it
however you wish.  (According to Infiniverse a Stymie only lasts for
one round.)

Kansas Jim (jogle@nrao.edu)
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: mly@sei.cmu.edu (Michael Yacht)
Subject: Ok, a few more Q's
Organization: The Software Engineering Institute
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 14:46:46 GMT



Ok some Q's about Miracles and Magic.

1) When a mage disconnects, using his spell, he takes lotsa backlash damage.
The question arises to how much.  If the mage has packages, that when he 
disco's he lowers his stats (Ayslish Elven Mage), do you figure the Backlash
with his higher, or lower stats?

2) When you fail a Miracle, you lose the ability to cast that miracle for 24
hours.  Plus, you lose faith for 24 hours.  Does that mean that the priest
cannot use thier Faith Adds, or just cannot use miracles?  (The same goes for
Unconsciousness from Faith-Faith battles with Focus and Faith)

3) In the orroshan book, there is a Miracle Called hellfire.  Are any other
GM's out there having problems with excessive use of this Miracle?  If so, 
what did you do to tone it down, or somesuch?

-Mikey, the ever-inquisitive


-Mike Yacht
-Carnegie Mellon University -- School of Computer Science
====================================================================
Mike Yacht             || specter+@CMU.EDU
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: "James H. Kiley" <jkiley@andy.bgsu.edu>
Subject: Re: Email Corporate War Rules
X-Gated-By: The Black Marble Wombat@morticia.cnns.unt.edu
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Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 03:11:23 GMT

Regarding the email Corporate war game...
What the hell, count me in--if it's only once every two weeks that sounds like
a long enough turnaround time that I can handle it, that is if you've still
got any spots open.
Further details on setup would be appreciated, of course. :)

Jim Kiley
jkiley@andy.bgsu.edu
The_Gaunt_Man @ TorgMUSH
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: WYNNE.C@fs.sciences.WLU.EDU (Colin J. Wynne)
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
Subject: Re:  Shadow Stalker
Date: 22 Jul 92 14:57:01 GMT
Organization: University of North Texas
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Jim Ogle (Ks. Jim) <jogle@aoc.nrao.edu> writes:

> It was the shadow aspect and not the animation power that made me
> think of it as a version of the Shadow; heck, they've even got the
> same Stealth values.

Actually, when I first thought of the Horror, I flipped through the
books to see if something like it already existed.  Since I thought
the existing Shadow to be sufficiently different (or underpowered), I
created it anyway.  But I did take the Stealth bonus from the SB
Shadow.

If you like (and this is something I had planned, but forgotten until
just now), the Stalker's history can be this:

After Ahjebax (I believe) created the Shadows, he decided that they
were sort of cute (or however a Nightmare views its creations), but
not really in the league with what he had wanted.  So then he builds
a Shadow Stalker.  Maybe he even uses the Stalker as a sort of Gang
boss to run a clutch of Shadows in a populated area.

How's that for allowing for the similarities?  I'm still interested
in hearing some specific comments about the design (optimisation,
balance, or whatever).

CJW

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>                                         wynne.c.j@p9955.wlu.edu  >>
==  Colin J. Wynne                                  - or -          ==
<<                                      wynne.c@fs.science.wlu.edu  <<
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Newsgroups: alt.games.torg