HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: ratinox@splinter.coe.northeastern.edu (Richard Pieri/Stainless Steel Rat)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Champions: Some Mental Questions, sort of!
Date: 3 Sep 92 16:11:45 GMT
Reply-To: ratinox@meceng.coe.northeastern.edu
Organization: 3WA, Boston Office. Or Nu Meta Chi. Take your pick.
In-reply-to: dlaird@terapin.com's message of 1 Sep 92 04:29:40 GMT
X-Get-A-Clue: Have two, they're small.
X-Signature-Virus-Protection: Version 1.51
X-Posting-Software: GNUS 3.14.1 [ NNTP-based News Reader for GNU Emacs ]

>>>>> "DL" == Delbert Laird <dlaird@terapin.com> writes:

DL> The following was stated by: damatt01@romulus.spd.louisville.edu

>To stake a vampire, you need to target the vitals with wood, I would say.

DL> What?!  As far as I know, the Vitals have been regarded as the genital
DL> region of the body.

The "vitals" really means any "hot spot" on the body, other than the head:
larynx, spine, kidneys, etc.; the genital area is just one of the more
obvious areas.

--Rat

||||| | | | |  |  |  |   |   |    |    |    |   |   |  |  |  |  | | | | | |||||
                                                   __        ___ 
Richard Pieri, Northeastern's Stainless Steel Rat/   | /| / /   | The Worlds
Internet: ratinox@meceng.coe.northeastern.edu   /__  |/ |/ / /| | Welfare Works
    UUCP: ...!northeastern.edu!meceng!ratinox  /   | /| / / / | | Association:
  BITNET: UA_RLP@NUHUB{.BITNET}               /__  |/ |/ / /  | | I will solve
  USNail: 14 Westdale RD  Holbrook, MA 02343 /   | /| / / /___| | any problem
 ICBMnet: 42 deg 1 min N, 71 deg 0 min W    /    |/ |/ /_//_____| for you.
From: loren@wmkt.wharton.upenn.edu (Loren Miller)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Skyrealms of Jorune
Date: 2 Sep 92 13:54:52 GMT
Organization: Wharton Marketing

In article <1992Sep2.123336.12461@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> jdugger@bagpipe.reed.edu (Jay Dugger) writes:
>       As an exposition of my earlier post, Skyrealms of Jorune is back  
>in print.  I don't have my copy in front of me, so if you want hard de-
>tails, email me.  The game is now a single softback book, c.128 pp., and  
>lists for $20.00
	
FYI, It's printed by Chessex.
-- 
+++++++++++++++++++++++23
Loren Miller              LOREN@wmkt.wharton.upenn.edu
Shoes are the most basic prerequisite for liberty
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: kabreuer@cip.informatik.uni-erlangen.de (Klaus Breuer)
Subject: BattleMech Game for MS-DOS
Organization: CSD., University of Erlangen
Distribution: rec.games.frp.misc
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 16:36:28 GMT

Hi everyone!

I'm busy translating the BattleTech game for the PC, as our group doesn't
meet very often. And yes, I know about Infocom's games, but I was looking
for a Strategy version closely following the board game.

Not having found one, I'm writing my own.
But surely, I'm not the only one with this problem? Except for 'MechForce'
on the (ugh) Amiga, are there any other programs like that around?
Anyone else working on a program like that? Who can give me some tips?

Ciao,
Klaus

PS: No, it's not done yet, it won't use ClanTech, and the 'Mech Designer
    is finished, if anyone is interested in it...
Xref: sparky rec.games.frp.misc:4840 rec.games.frp.advocacy:2003 rec.games.frp.dnd:3417
From: z_copeab@ccsvax.sfasu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc,rec.games.frp.advocacy,rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Alignments
Date: 2 Sep 92 17:41:36 GMT
Organization: Stephen F. Austin State University

A teacher I had in Intro to Folklore gave a very good definition of 'good':

	Any activity which contributes to the survival of a culture is good.

This would then mean than an 'evil' act would either be:

	Any activity which does not contribute to the survival of a culture is
evil.

		or

	Any activity which jeopardizes the survival of a culture is evil.

Throughout history, there has been a dispute between which of this last two
actually defines 'evil', mostly in religious circles. I personally go with the
last definition, which allows for 'neutral' actions. However, the true
pessimist (such as I) would point out that just about any 'neutral' action will
have good or evil repurcussions somewhere down the road.

I also agree than people who are 'evil' do not consider themselves as such. I
really doubt if Adolf Hitler woke up one morning and said "I'm going to be
Lawful Evil from now on".

This also makes 'good' and 'evil' culturally relative.

Brandon Cope
From: dwilson@Ingres.COM (It's up to me.)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Dwarf Women with bears, Not!
Date: 28 Aug 92 16:45:30 GMT
Followup-To: rec.games.frp.misc
Organization: ASK Computer Systems, Ingres Product Division
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.4-b1

In article <1992Aug28.100051.1@wharton.upenn.edu>, millerl@wharton.upenn.edu     writes...
>In article <1992Aug27.221722.17910@ncmicro.lonestar.org>, ltf@ncmicro.lonestar.org (Lance Franklin) writes:
>>In article <l9nbv7INNsp@phad.hsc.usc.edu> esharpe@phad.hsc.usc.edu (Ed Sharpe) writes:
>>}In an early dragon magazine (35?) the final word was given on dwarvish female 
>>}breads:  Unless you have dwarvish bread catcher traps in your games it does
>>}not matter if female dwarves have breads.
>> 
>>Female dwarves are invariably heterosexual.  So no, Female dwarves do
>>not have broads.
> 
>I don't know what all the muss and fuss about female dwarf bards is. If
>you've ever heard dwarves sing "Scarborough Fair" or "Chicken in the
>Straw" you will understand that it is unlikely for a dwarf, whether
>breaded or not, to be a bard. Besides, they have such stubby fingers and
>can't play a normal lute or lyre. Maybe a fat-necked ukelele would work,
>but I don't know.
> 
>I think the more important question is "Do female dwarves wear barding
>and serve bread at their boarding houses?"

Only if they'd been bred to breed, breathing heavily, with a brood of 
bored bears while breaded with a beer batter.

Batter up!

> 
>-- 
>whoah,
>+++++++++++++++++++++++23
>Loren Miller                           internet: MILLERL@wharton.upenn.edu
>The more corrupt the government, the greater the number of laws -- Tacitus

Dave Wilson                         Please note that this was written by
Ingres Tech Support                 Dave Wilson the person, not Dave
                                    Wilson the Ingres representative.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: lib1p@rosie.uh.edu (Tammy Stark Blandino)
Subject: Re: Demise of bboard?
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: University of Houston
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 23:31:00 GMT

In article <1992Sep1.143109.27671@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>, cwatters@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Coyt D Watters) writes...
>In article <1SEP199206583880@rosie.uh.edu> lib1p@rosie.uh.edu (Tammy Stark Blandino) writes:
>>In article <1992Aug31.214621.1@wharton.upenn.edu>, millerl@wharton.upenn.edu writes...
>>>In article <gece=9y00WAv8362Nm@andrew.cmu.edu>, fl0m+@andrew.cmu.edu (Faye Levine) writes:
>>>> Wasn't this bboard going away?  I'm still getting new messages on it...
>>> 
>>>Your note was posted to rec.games.frp.misc in my neck of the woods. I
>>>think we have seen the last of rec.games.frp as a full fledged newsgroup
>>>today. RIP. A moment of silence.
>>
>>Here a U of Houston we are still getting rec.games.frp loud and
>>clear.  This morning I had 80+ postings from the weekend.
>>
>>Tammy
>>lib1p@jetson.uh.edu
>>
> 
>Gee I hate to start a cascade....
> 
>OSU no longer gets rec.games.frp as of this morning.  Nada nill zip.
> 
>(yes I know I violated the guidelines on trimming posts too  - nyah nyah
> 
?? Guidelines on trimming posts ?? huh??

Tammy

lib1p@jetson.uh.edu

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: bhv@areaplg2.corp.mot.com (Bronis Vidugiris)
Subject: Re: Champions: Throwing Things around...
Organization: Motorola, CCR&D, CORP, Schaumburg, IL
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 21:59:30 GMT
Keywords: Champions

In article <16383@ucdavis.ucdavis.edu> good@turing (Joe Good) writes:

)(My brick, STR 100 in a 14-die game (yes, I'm an admitted power gamer),
)tends to throw small ships or buildings, as otherwise he can't hit
)anything.)

Since STR 100 does 20 dice of damage, how do you get away with it in a
14 dice game?  I suppose if the GM was nice he could let you buy it 
with a not usable for damage limit, but it still seems a little strange.

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: sl9b4@cc.usu.edu (Deep Six)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Cubington Cross
Date: 27 Aug 92 23:39:23 MDT
Organization: Utah State University

In article <1992Aug26.175851.20147@ntmtv>, 
 weitzeka@ntmtv.UUCP (Keith Weitzel) writes:

> Did anyone see the new show on ABC, I think, called
> "Cubington Cross"?

I taped the show and just finished watching most of it.

I have to go along with those who said the show is mediocre at the
very, very best. Too clean, anachronized and 90210-ish. Yes, I 
too believe the daughter was totally stupid (I didn't know they 
had Maybelline eye make-up in medieval Europe, hey live and learn).

But what I really hated was the rip offs from other shows in the 
``dark ages'' genre. The bad duke with the dark hair appeared to me
to be modeled on Alan Rickman's character in Robin Hood: POT. One
of the young knights-in-training bore a remarkable resemblance to 
Christian Slater's character in the Robin Hood:POT. Sir Gray (can't
remember the actor's name) seemed like he was trying to resurrect the
part he played in the second half of Excalibur.

Then of course there was the blatant ``something-for-everyone'' formula:
fight scene then love scene then fight scene then comedy relief then
suspense scene then love scene then more comedy relief, etc. etc. It
sorta reminded me of Love Boat or something. You think old, out-of-work
actors will start showing up there as guest stars?

Okay,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chadd VanZanten SL9B4@CC.USU.EDU + ``Ahm just a hunka' hunka' burnin' luv.''
--Elvis, Burning Love
Xref: sparky rec.games.frp.misc:4908 rec.games.frp.dnd:3447
From: markg@engrg.uwo.ca (Mark Gagnon)
Subject: Re: BattleMech Game for MS-DOS
Organization: University of Western Ontario, London
Distribution: rec.games.frp.misc
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1992 05:42:11 GMT

Just to be a pain;  there is a game by ACTIVISION called "Mechwarrior"
which features an 'in the cockpit view' of the battle. It's a simulator
and I'm not sure if it's sanctioned by FASA or not... I've only seen one
original copy of the game.

My two cents worth...

-- 
Mark Gagnon                         University of Western Ontario
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
"My path through life is strewn with cowpats from the Devil's own
Satanic herd!" - E. Blackadder
From: lib1p@rosie.uh.edu (Tammy Stark Blandino)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Improvisation!
Date: 27 Aug 92 23:13:00 GMT
Organization: University of Houston
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

>I have actually seen a game where the above went :
> 
>GM : The Orc hits you with his pike
>Player : But I disarmed him last round
>GM : Oh, he picked it up off the ground and hit you with it
>Player : I didn't notice him trying to get past me to pick up the pike
>GM : No, you were busy
>Player : So, an orc can get past me, bend down and pick up a pike and swing
>it at me all on one action
>GM : Yup
> 
>Now, personally, I'd have left the game at that point.

As you should.  I have seen this happen in both improv and
prep games.  Once again it goes back to whether the GM is a 
good one or not.  This question is valid whether it is a prep
GM or an improv GM.

-Tammy-
From: eebonar@sn01.sncc.lsu.edu (Dave Bonar)
Subject: Re: Email role playing advice and opinions
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.3-4   
Reply-To: eebonar@sn01.sncc.lsu.edu
Organization: News and Views from LSU
Nntp-Posting-Host-[nntpd-2201]: sn01.sncc.lsu.edu
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 16:04:17 GMT

In article <1992Aug27.194312.5088@samba.oit.unc.edu>, rhunt@med.unc.edu (Rick Hunt) writes...
> 
>I have been email GMing for a few years now, so I feel qualified to 
>give some advice.  

	I don't know what prompted Rick to post this but it is/was needed.

	I have yet to GM a pbem game but I'd like to add a few comments from
the player's point of view.

>Have the players be in a group and have the same basic goal. 

	Yes.  Email can improve a game by allowing private interactions
But if everyone is off doing their own things, without any interaction
with other players, it can bog things down just as fast as in a face to face
game.

>One idea that I have not completely decided on is whether to let the 
>players know the other player's addresses.  If I do, then they can do 
>a lot of the communication without GM interaction.  Unfortunately, 
>they sometimes slip up and tell the whole group something they 
>shouldn't have.  If I don't tell them, I can parcel out the 
>information to the correct players, but I have a lot more work to do.  
>I have even tried to avoid letting the players know who are PCs, but 
>that is very difficult.  Some of my players are professional writers 
>and do dialog better than I do, which the other players can spot.

	I like knowing the other player's email addresses.  Without this
knowledge the game slows down (since everything has to go through the GM)
and I lose the feel of conversation due to having to constantly mail things
to the GM with a note about forwarding.

>Expect the game to go much slower than a ftf game.  If the GM or the 
>players get busy, it may be a couple of days before the moves can get 
>resolved.  Learn to work around this and use it to your advantage.  
>You have a lot more time to think up descriptions and names.  You can 
>take a few hours to mull over an idea instead of having the time 
>pressure of a ftf game when a player does something unexpected.

	Everything is definitely slower then face to face.  As Rick says, this
has its advantages.  However, as a player I've seen a major disadvantage.
I can't count the number of interestin pbem games I've responded too only
to find out (normally after I'm done all the work of creating a character)
that the moves are going to be very widely separated.  Once a week is fine if
the turns are meaty or prompt a lot of character interaction between them.
But when the time between turns gets longer then a week it becomes hard to
keep a character and a situation in mind.
	This applies double if all interaction is throught the GM.  

Dave
__________
Dave Bonar
eebonar@lsuvax.sncc.lsu.edu
__________
From: sl9b4@cc.usu.edu (Deep Six)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Improvisation!
Date: 27 Aug 92 21:42:44 MDT
Organization: Utah State University

In article <1992Aug24.164635.24443@sco.COM>, paul@sco.COM (Paul Jackson) writes:
> In article <1992Aug21.134453.58310@cc.usu.edu> 
 sl9b4@cc.usu.edu (Deep Six) writes:

>>You're upholding my argument. You're saying the players sometimes impact
>>your decisions. Is that their role? No.

> Your argument presupposes that the GM is perfect and makes no mistakes (or,
> at least none noticed by the players).

Actually it doesn't. My position from the beginning of this thread has been
that on major details (ones that influence the outcome of the game/session/
campaign), a GM can sufficiently prepare. On other, more insignificant details,
if the players detect something the GM hadn't thought of, then improv is in
order. This discussion is a branch off from the original discussion between
myself (advocating a mix of prep and improv) and Steve (advocating almost no
prep). We are probably on agreement on all but the smallest details of style,
because later in you post, you imply that you use a mix of improv and prep.

> You are absolutely right, my players can influence my world.

> The vast majority of GM's will admit it when they've made a mistake
> and will change (retroactively, if necessary) reality as long as the change
> is fairly simple to make. To do otherwise is just incredibly stupid.
>
> I have actually seen a game where the above went :
> 
> GM : The Orc hits you with his pike
> Player : But I disarmed him last round
> GM : Oh, he picked it up off the ground and hit you with it
> Player : I didn't notice him trying to get past me to pick up the pike
> GM : No, you were busy
> Player : So, an orc can get past me, bend down and pick up a pike and swing
> it at me all on one action
> GM : Yup

This example isn't all that applicible, since I was talking about major plot
points, not minor rule oversights. Yeah, I could retroactively ``change 
reality'' to fix the above problem. Never said I couldn't or wouldn't. My 
point was that on major portions of a scenario, if a GM has prepared in 
advance, there is less chance of him changing it (like changing the culprit
in a murder) due to player influence.

Okay,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chadd VanZanten SL9B4@CC.USU.EDU + ``Gentlemen!  You can't fight in 
here, this is the War Room!''   --Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove
From: hades@coos.dartmouth.edu (Hades)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Regaining Heka in Dangrous Journeys
Date: 1 Sep 92 18:03:22 GMT
Reply-To: hades@Dartmouth.Edu
Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
Disclaimer: Personally, I really don't care who you think I speak for.
Moderator: Rec.Arts.Comics.Info

mpk9716@rigel.tamu.edu (Health Man) writes:

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

    Don't feel too bad. With all the rules that make up DJ/Mythus I
would bet there are a number of people who don't understand all of it,
me for instance. ;->
    Magic in DJ can be made a lot easier if one thinks of Heka as Mana.
These are the points that you use to cast spells. You have your own
personal store of Heka in your body and you can make use of Heka stored
in other objects like Quartz or Gemstones. if you use the Heka stored
within you, then you will have to rest for a period to get that Heka
back before you can use it again.

--
-Hades (Brian V. Hughes) 
	    "Egads! These look like a women's fingerprints"
						   -- Durlock Holmes
From: klaus@diku.dk (Klaus Ole Kristiansen)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: cluelessness in mystery games (prep vs improv)
Date: 1 Sep 92 08:29:48 GMT
Organization: Department of Computer Science, U of Copenhagen

markk@sagredo.West.Sun.COM (Mark Kampe) writes:

>djohnson@cs.ucsd.edu (Darin Johnson) writes:
>> In this case, if a character has a high skill in solving/detecting or 
>> whatever, then you can secretly slip notes to the player reading "your 
>> intuition says that was an important clue".

>In such a case, we are no longer talking about a "mystery game".  A mystery
>requires creativity, persistance and insight.  If one can just roll to be
>"creative, persistant and insightful" we have effectively turned an
>intellectual problem into a "hack-n-slash" problem.  

RPGs are a way to play someone different from yourself. You can play someone
very strong, no matter what your own strength is. Playing some one very
bright is much more difficult. The same applies to characters with any
kind of mental skill. To play Sherlock Holmes, you must BE Sherlock Holmes.

Detective scenarios are especially hard. "Roll against detective skill, this
is a hard one, you get -20. Made it? Good, it seems that the deceased had
this brother, who..." is of course no fun at all.

Even less specialised skills give problems. Suppose that a character has a
high world knowledge skill, and really should know that the nobility of
Southern Elshware never wear blue. Do you just tell him this when he first
meet the false Elshwarian? Do you have him roll perception, or world
knowledge? Either way, you have told the player that something important
is happening.

Klaus O K
From: slb3y@cc.usu.edu (Punk Rocketeer)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Invisible Champions
Date: 27 Aug 92 12:10:22 MDT
Distribution: usa
Organization: United Order of Non-joiners

In article <Aug25.172939.16920@yuma.ACNS.ColoState.EDU>,
dm841861@longs.LANCE.ColoState.EDU (Devin Moss) writes:
> I am a new Champs GM, and I need some advice/tips on handling
> invisibility in the Champs-HERO system.  One character, called the
> Ghost, is invisivle to:
> Sight Group
> Sound Group(including sonar)
> Smell
> Radar
> and now, with 5 experience points
> Mind Scan
> 
> Would it be fair for me to invent new senses? 
>  	GM:  Oh, my, the security system blasts you with a 10d6 Stun only EB.
> 	Ghost:  Huh?  How did he find me???
> 	GM:  Oh, graviton emissions...You do have weight, don't you?
> Maybe have lots of bad guys suddenly develop Targeting Sense-Taste...

     Spatial Awareness for the traps, anyway.  What powers is he
using?  If he's not using just STR to do damage, then he must have
visible power effects.  Three sense groups, remember.  Either that, or
he can't afford many dice.  Just start throwing Explosions and Area
Effects at him.

     Personally, I handle characters like this in a different manner. 
I tell the player that the PC will unbalance the game, and I have two
choices.  I can either pick on him by exploiting his weaknesses in
every game, or I can have him waltz through my villains.  Thus, the
player needs to tone down the character, or come up with a new one. 
It's been my experience that decent players will agree with me.
-- 
Patrick S. Clark | When the world's in trouble I am not slow.
Email is life!   | So it's hip-hip-hip and away I go!
Usual Disclaimer | (You should know this one.)
From: swann@acsu.buffalo.edu (Stephen Swann)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Improvisation!
Date: 28 Aug 92 14:52:34 GMT
Organization: UB

In article <RANNOU.92Aug27082739@zuse.info.polymtl.ca> Rannou@info.polymtl.ca (Patrick Rannou) writes:
I wrote:
>   When someone claims that they have taken -everything- into account in
>   their preparation, I have to ask them if they know the location of EVERY
>   loose paving stone.  Because I might need one.  I might also need a
>   handful of dry grass, so they better have detailed that in their
>   writeup as well.  If you don't have that, then you just aren't a full
>   prep DM, in my book.

Jeez, ok, I knew it, I knew it.  I shoulda labeled that paragraph as
sarcasm, or Patrick will take me seriously.  :-)

>I mean, if you ask me where every loose stone is in my world, you really
>think I'll say "Ok, give me a couple hours and I'll get it back to you..."
>and start writing little Xs on my maps? Ludicrous. I'll wing it. What's so
>BAD about not using the best pf both worlds, impro and prep???

No, Patrick, once again, you've skipped the early part of the thread, and
didn't see how this discussion came about.  I was arguing with a guy
(Dennis Hefferman, to be exact), who claimed that he took into account
*every possibe* action by his players when doing his prep.  And I told
him that was impossible, but he insisted.  So I said, "well, then, you
better know the location of EVERY loose paving stone, because I (or
some other player) might want one during the course of an adventure."
I was just using this as way of pointing out that a DM -can't-, in a
finite amount of time, write up a "completely" prepared scenario.  It
simply impossible to take *everything* into account.

>Another guy who think that because a GM does prep, he doesn't impro. Sigh.

Sarcasm, Patrick, it was sarcasm.  Sigh.  Besides, I was making exactly
that point - NO amount of prep can make it possible to avoid doing
some improv, at some point.

-- 
Steve Swann                 |    Speak to me in many voices; make
swann@acsu.buffalo.edu      |      them all sound like one...  -BOC