HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: linhart@romulus.rutgers.edu (Mike Threepoint)
Newsgroups: rec.games.int-fiction
Subject: Re: Stuck in Monkey Island (hints)
Date: 5 Nov 92 23:38:50 GMT
Organization: Frobozz Magic Amulet of Yendor Company

jw67+@andrew.cmu.edu (Jordan M. Wolbrum) writes:
> I can't seem to get the cannibals to give me their head, and I can't
> find it to steal from them.
They won't give it to you unless you can give them with the means to
get another.  You already have those means.

> Also, what's the deal with all these body parts and the mushrooms
> that I can't do anything with?
You can't do anything with them.  They're just hellish scenery.
Newsgroups: rec.games.int-fiction
Subject: ROLePlay Games
From: sisemilio@boole
Date: 10 Nov 92 11:35:45 GMT
Nntp-Posting-User: sisemilio

HI



I'd like to have an area, and i don,t know where to address me.

	I have seen this area and I think that can be the most similiar to 
the one i like to have.

	it,s about RolePlay games ..


	If someone knows and wants this area, please e-mail me! 8)
        




    V V
   (O -)
   __V__		SOC UN MUSSOL   (SCP)--> emilio@si.upc.es
  (     )
====W=W=====
     Y
     !
         
Organization: Freshman, CIT general, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: rec.games.int-fiction
Date: Sat,  7 Nov 1992 03:06:14 -0500 
From: "Jordan M. Wolbrum" <jw67+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Loom and the blind guy who plays it

How do I get past the waterspout?  I just must not be seeing something. 
It feels like I've tried everything!  Also, where's the "g"?  If I had
that note, I might be able to do something with the flask.

PS:   Perhaps these Lucasfilm games just aren't for me.  I always end up
missing something on the screen, or misreading something.

Thanks in advance,
-JW

Newsgroups: rec.games.int-fiction
From: positron@engin.umich.edu (Jonathan Scott Haas)
Subject: Re: Monkey Island ghost ship blues?
Date: Thu, 05 Nov 92 19:09:18 EST
Organization: University of Michigan Engineering, Ann Arbor

In article <keyMbP200Vog5S0lJ8@andrew.cmu.edu> "Jordan M. Wolbrum" <jw67+@andrew.cmu.edu> writes:
>What do I do here?  And what's the ghost feather for?
>
>thanks in advance,
>-JW

Jordan, don't you *ever* solve a game all by yourself?

Spoilers follow...

Use the ghost feather to tickle the ghost feet of the ghost pirate with
the ghost jug of ghost grog. 

The goal aboard the ship is to acquire the voodoo antiroot so the cannibals
can make you some ghost-dispersing juice.

-- 
__/\__  Jonathan S. Haas         | Jake liked his women the way he liked
\    /  University of Michigan   | his kiwi fruit: sweet yet tart, firm-
/_  _\  positron@engin.umich.edu | fleshed yet yielding to the touch, and
  \/    Marrou/Lord in '92!      | covered with short brown fuzzy hair.
Organization: Freshman, CIT general, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: rec.games.int-fiction
Date: Thu,  5 Nov 1992 01:42:35 -0500 
From: "Jordan M. Wolbrum" <jw67+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: How do I get off of the island?

I am currently playing Loom in addition to Monkey Island, and decided to
give the pirate LeChuck a little time off.

How do I get off the island?  Please give somewhat of a spoiler, I'm
sure that I'm just not seeing something.  It took me twenty minutes to
figure out what the damn glowing eyes in the thorns were!  I thought
they were just scenery!
(sorry if I gave something away!)
I've read the gravestone, and I have the note "f".
What now?
please email at jw67@andrew.cmu.edu
thanks,
-JW

Newsgroups: rec.games.int-fiction
From: Russell L. Bryan <rbryan@Mail.trincoll.edu>
Subject: TADS -- Course Announcement
X-Xxmessage-Id: <A7294914BE043165@downes1-101.dynamic.trincoll.edu>
X-Xxdate: Fri, 13 Nov 92 16:59:16 GMT
Organization: Starving Writers of America (sole member)
X-Useragent: Nuntius v1.1.1d12
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 16:56:45 GMT

I now have nineteen applications for the TADS course.

I truly had no idea that the idea would be so popular, and quite
honestly, I'm a little overwhelmed.  Offering the course for free was a
fine idea when I thought I would be dealing with five to ten people, but
every morning another three applications show up in my mailbox.  This is
not a complaint, because I really am excited to have so many people
interested, but it does mean that I'll have to do a lot more work and
take a great deal more care in constructing the lessons.

With this in mind, I have decided to put off the first lesson until
January 30th, when I know that everyone will be back from vacations and
such.  In addition, if there is anyone here who already knows TADS pretty
well, I could use a partner, if you've got the time.  I've made a
commitment, and intend to keep that commitment.  However, I can take only
one more application at this time.  An even twenty will go through the
course, from beginning to end -- they will, essentially, be beta testing
the course for me.  When all is finished, the lessons will be revised
according to the comments of the "students," and a new course will be
offered again in the summer of '93.

The course for '93 will NOT be free.  By that time, I will have invested
so much time into developing the course that I will not be able to
justify the work without receiving some compensation.  However, at this
moment the course is still completely and utterly free of charge.  If
you're even thinking of getting yourself invovled with TADS (The Text
Adventure Development System), then send me your request now and register
your copy before January 31st.  There will be a waiting list set up in
case people presently enrolled choose to drop out.

-- Russ
Newsgroups: rec.games.int-fiction
From: Russell L. Bryan <rbryan@Mail.trincoll.edu>
Subject: Re: Deep Space Drifter help wanted
X-Xxmessage-Id: <A72167DAA0013165@downes1-101.dynamic.trincoll.edu>
X-Xxdate: Sat, 7 Nov 92 12:32:26 GMT
Organization: Starving Writers of America (sole member)
X-Useragent: Nuntius v1.1.1d12
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 1992 17:30:16 GMT

In article <92311.233432MBS110@psuvm.psu.edu> Mark 'Mark' Sachs,
MBS110@psuvm.psu.edu writes:
>The ending I got was, ah, less than ideal, and I noticed that my score
>was not all it could be either (197 out of 200). What'd I miss, and if
>I go back and get it, is there a happier ending?

What was the ending that you received?  I was not aware of there being
multiple endings to DSD, but I also don't remember my ending being all
that bad.

-- Russ
Newsgroups: rec.games.design
From: sos@oz.plymouth.edu (Steffan O'Sullivan)
Newsgroups: rec.games.design
Subject: Re: net.rpg
Date: 10 Nov 92 16:12:29 GMT
Reply-To: sos@oz.plymouth.edu (Steffan O'Sullivan)
Organization: Plymouth State College - Plymouth, N.H.

I think the idea of *one* net.rpg is doomed to failure.  Look at the
recent controversy between random-generation and point-allocation.  I
refuse to play random-generation systems, and apparently some folks
have equally strong but opposite opinions.  I think anything that
restricts your character concept, such as classes, is stupid, but some
people love them . . .

I don't think any single system can appeal to everyone.  You may be
able to create two or three net.rpgs, though.

I doubt it'll be by committee, however.  "Every committee should be
composed of three people, two of whom are absent." - Mark Twain.  That
sums my feeling on committees.  There was another comment, but I forget
who made it, back at the time of the Lindberg solo flight across the
Atlantic.  When a high-level bureaucrat was told the news that a man
had flown solo across the ocean, he replied "Don't bother me with news
of easy tasks.  When a committee flies across the ocean, that'll be
news."

At any rate, good luck with it . . . I won't serve on any committees,
though :-)

-- 
  - Steffan O'Sullivan		         sos@oz.plymouth.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.design
From: mathers@sibelius.trl.oz.au (Steven Mathers)
Subject: Re: game system
Reply-To: s.mathers@trl.oz.au
Organization: Telecom Research Labs, Melbourne, Australia
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 23:59:55 GMT

|> But Steven, I thought it obvious that this is exactly why I did it
|> this way.  Given a certain amount of money, a player is free to
|> acquire any skill he can find a trainer for (roll-ups assume anything
|> you want you can get, but during game a sword master would be hard
|> to find in a villege, or maybe not).
|> 
|> I decided to do it this way so that a player has complete freedom to
|> roll player as he or she sees fit, magic, combat, myth..  a character
|> can have one or two or all.  The only limits are money and availability.
|> 
|> I *hate* it when a game imposes absolutes on a character..  I figure
|> if Im a mage, and have enough strength, and can find a teacher, I should
|> be able to learn how to swing a longsword without hurting myself.
|> Or a fighter pick up a spell or two along the way.

So what your saying is that you have a system that allows a player to
create any sort of character they like, as long as they follow a
tortuous series of meaningless steps.  ie: you can cross the river by
using the bridge, or you can climb the tree, swing across to the rock,
swim upstream a bit, and let the current carry you to the overhaning
branch and then climb up onto the other side....

Im just saying work out what you want the system to do for you, and then
implement it in the simplest way possible.  The real work in any RPG is
the background/source material.
From: ketil@ii.uib.no (Ketil M. Malde)
Newsgroups: rec.games.design
Subject: Re: net.rpg:  mechanics
Date: 10 Nov 92 14:29:28 GMT
Reply-To: ketil@ii.uib.no
Organization: student of numerical analysis at the University of Bergen, Norway

>>>>> On Tue, 10 Nov 1992 06:19:23 GMT, cffitzge@IASTATE.EDU (Charles F Fitzgerald) said:

	Charles> First, this would not allow all probabilities to be
	Charles> rolled.  No prime number above a seven, and no number
	Charles> with prime number above seven as a factor, may be
	Charles> rolled using this method.  This would mean that the
	Charles> probabilty distribution would be odd and, probably,

I wrote a quick program to calculate the occurence of different values
with this method.  Here you go:  (sorry if this is wasting bandwith)



result occurence
1       1
2       2
3       2
4       3
5       2
6       4
7       2
8       4
9       3
10      4
11      0
12      4
13      0
14      2
15      2
16      3
17      0
18      4
19      0
20      4
21      2
22      0
23      0
24      4
25      1
26      0
27      2
28      2
29      0
30      4
31      0
32      2
33      0
34      0
69      0
70      2
71      0
72      2
73      0
74      0
75      0
76      0
77      0
78      0
79      0
80      2
81      1
82      0
83      0
84      0
85      0
86      0
87      0
88      0
89      0
90      2
91      0
92      0
93      0
94      0
95      0
96      0
97      0
98      0
99      0
100     1

avg = 30

Not what you'd call an even distribution, eh?

-ketil

--
 = Ketil Malde                     In real life:  ketil@ii.uib.no =
 = Nuke the whales!                    Honk if you love unicorns! =
Newsgroups: rec.games.design
From: mathers@sibelius.trl.oz.au (Steven Mathers)
Subject: Re: game system
Reply-To: s.mathers@trl.oz.au
Organization: Telecom Research Labs, Melbourne, Australia
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 03:02:15 GMT

|> Advancement can also happen by training (like real life folks).  A trainer
|> is found and hired (for money).  This is a way to regulated skill levels.
|> Just charge a huge amount of money for training up a skill.  But remember,
|> this is open-ended in skill levels and stats.  The reason for this is that
|> I dont think there should be limits.  I think there should be swordsmen that
|> blurr when you watch them fight, thieves who can pick pocket you without
|> you knowing it, mages who dance on the balance of power.  If done right,
|> players should try to keep a general set of skills at decent levels (like
|> combat skills), and then specialize in their field and stats (a mage will
|> improve his intelligence at cost to others, cause *all* his spells will
|> improve, a priest the wisdom, fighter str, con, or dex)  This also means
|> that a balanced game can use their weaknesses to keep it interesting
|> and challenging.

When I sat down to design a skill aquisition system, I at first
introduced job and training rules.  Then I thought about it some more,
and dropped the whole concept.  I think its better to just let the
player design his character given a certain amount of points.  Here's
why.

When you sit down to `roll-up` a character for a given game, you
generally have in mind the type of character you would like to play
during this particular session.  Today I would like to play a sword
weilding maniac, you say to yourself.  Or today I would like to play a
wandering vagabond jack-of-all-trades type.  Then you sit down, and try
like hell to get the system rules to churn out this character for you.
Now in a teacher/job system, where you generally have to roll for stats
and getting fired from a job or whatever, it is frustrating in the
extreme if the system hinders you in your quest to roll up 'your'
character.  You generally cheat by re-rolling dice, or starting again.
Now why bother?  what does this system do for you?  You can easilly make
up whatever background you like for your character, and justify whatever
skills he/she has.  Having the system hobble your freedom is just a
waste of time and effort.  Let the players design whatever character
they want, without folloiwng some arbitary learning mechanics.

Its quicker, involves less reading of rules for the players, and the
players will be happier.  I cant think of one reason to do it any other
way...can you?
Newsgroups: rec.games.design
From: fts5792@cs.tamu.edu (Frank T Sronce)
Subject: Re: net.rpg
Organization: Computer Science Department, Texas A&M University
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 01:56:48 GMT

Just a note about "Classes". I agree that they should (if they exist)
only represent a "Talent" in a particular direction. SwordBearer broke skills
up into about a half-dozen Spheres like Fighting, Leadership, Town, Country,
Craft, Magic, etc. Characters would select two Spheres in which they were
considered Specialized, and would receive double increases and a higher
maximum rating for a beginning character. 

The tougher races, like Dragons and Giants, would often be severely limited in
the number of Specializations they could take, and some Spheres would be 
offlimits as far as Specializing goes. Dragons, as I recall, were automatically
specialized in Fighting and could take nothing else. 

If the NET.RPG does include classes of some sort, I think they should be
more like this. I believe Aftermath had a set of similar Talents as well,
but I have forgotten the exact details.

Kiz
Newsgroups: rec.games.design
From: sos@oz.plymouth.edu (Steffan O'Sullivan)
Subject: Re: net.rpg FAQ - New and Even More Wonderful!
Reply-To: sos@oz.plymouth.edu (Steffan O'Sullivan)
Organization: Plymouth State College - Plymouth, N.H.
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 92 14:06:43 GMT

Please correct the one point where you mention me:  I am not violently
againts committees.  In fact, I am a pacifist.

Say rather that sos has a cynical attitude about committees.

-- 
  - Steffan O'Sullivan		         sos@oz.plymouth.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.design
From:  (Spike)
Newsgroups: rec.games.design
Subject: Re: Net.rpg - General comments
Date: 12 Nov 92 21:32:44 GMT
Followup-To: rec.games.design
Organization: GE Power Generation

In article <Nov.10.19.13.45.1992.484@thorogood.rutgers.edu>,
morrow@thorogood.rutgers.edu (John Morrow) wrote:

> >6) What do you plan to do with this monster when you're done? If you have
> >     multiple methods of handling combat, wounds, etc. you might think about
> >     saving rules chunks as "modules," allowing players to create their *own*
> >     systems from your components.
> 
> Why write rules if you are going to ask the players to design rules?  Also,
> see the comments about "scaled" systems above.  The same goes for modules
> UNLESS you have "Combat Module A" and "Combat Module B", both of which
> are different and incompatable which you MUST choose up front.
> 

Absolutely! You only make my point. If you're going to create a detailed,
tactical
combat system which uses realistic wound rules, it simply isn't going to
work for
people who like fast, cinematic combat and generic injury rules. Therefore,
if you
create two entirely different ways of handling aspects of the game which
are 
mutually exclusive, players can choose the one that suits their style of
play. The
modules suggestion was just a possible alternative to having a big
manuscript to
DL with a "realistic combat" chapter and an "unrealistic combat" chapter
(for
example).

Now, the question is: is it possible to design a game where two mutually
exclusive
rules sections are both compatible with a core set of rules? As you said,
it takes
skill and talent to design a good game. Anybody have any?

Spike (Not Jones)
Newsgroups: rec.games.design
From: magnus@brisk.ii.uib.no (Magnus Alvestad)
Subject: net.rpg
Reply-To: magnus@ii.uib.no
Organization: UVBS -> SFK/T-DSA / SOPS - HOS / RNoN
Date: Sun, 8 Nov 92 02:05:01 GMT

I can't be the first one to propose this, but *why* don't we create a
role-playing game here on the net. We have a lot of people with
experience in so many different fields, we have playtesters, we have
people willing to put a lot of effort and work into a project.

Well?

-Magnus (!kibo)
Newsgroups: rec.games.design
From: magnus@bark-fddi.ii.uib.no (Magnus Alvestad)
Subject: Re: Net.rpg - General comments
Followup-To: rec.games.design
Reply-To: magnus@ii.uib.no
Organization: UVBS -> SFK/T-DSA / SOPS - HOS / RNoN
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 92 17:55:00 GMT

>>>>> On 10 Nov 92 21:06:17 GMT, (Spike) said:
	Spike> 4) I like d6's. They make it easier to trick non-gamers
	Spike> into playing with you ("C'mon, Bob, we're just going to
	Spike> play a little Monopoly, heh heh . . . :-) Seriously,
	Spike> six-siders are more common than any other type of die,
	Spike> period.
	Spike>      Think about it.

I don't quite agree on this one - I don't we should sacrifice
resolution on rolls to attract players. We are all the players we need.

	Spike>      My current feeling is that a truly powerful game
	Spike> system would give each GM the tools to run the game the
	Spike> way *they* wish.

What I feel exactly! And in the extreme each player to play the way he wishes.

	Spike> 6) What do you plan to do with this monster when you're
	Spike> done? If you have multiple methods of handling combat,
	Spike> wounds, etc. you might think about saving rules chunks
	Spike> as "modules," allowing players to create their *own*
	Spike> systems from your components.

Let's cut the monster when it's alive. 

	Spike> 7) Go with one mechanic. This will affect the learning

Agreed. Now, my personal view is that 1d100 (1d10 x 10 + 1d10) is a
very good starting point. Maybe openendedness isn't neccesary either.
I thought it would be nice, but .. playability.

	Spike> as rpg.net. I'll gladly donate it, if asked, but I feel
	Spike> that there are enough people offering core rules that
	Spike> this might not be necessary.

Maybe the core rules should be developed here, after all we have the
aims clearly in sight (big laugh). No, seriously, I think we should
start with a blank piece of disk space and a lot of thoughts.

-Magnus
Newsgroups: rec.games.design
From: wehumble@IASTATE.EDU (Ed Humble)
Subject: Re: Board game design
Reply-To: wehumble@IASTATE.EDU (Ed Humble)
Organization: Iowa State University
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 17:17:38 GMT

In article <17353@mindlink.bc.ca>, Bruce_Harper@mindlink.bc.ca (Bruce Harper)
writes:
> I still monitor this group out of habit, but there seems to be nothing at all
> from board game designers or people who are interested in that topic.
> 
> Is that topic covered by that group?  Is it worth posting on the subject or
> even bothering with this group if you aren't interested computer games or
> role-playing games?

	It comes and it goes.  There was a thread a couple of weeks ago about board
game movement systems.  I'm sure there are quite a few people out there like me
who prefer board games and are just waiting for the subject to arise here in
r.g.d.


========================================================================
Ed Humble                |   Iowa State University   -  Moo!          
wehumble@iastate.edu     |   Dept. of Aerospace Engineering
                         |    Grad (Professional) Student
========================================================================
  "`Ecrasez l'infame.'  I looked it up.  What infamous thing do you wish to
eradicate?"

  "What infamous thing have you got?"
========================================================================
From: dmatiske@chaucer.helios.nd.edu (david matiskella)
Newsgroups: rec.games.design
Subject: Re: Net.rpg - "modularity"
Date: 14 Nov 92 00:32:36 GMT
Reply-To: dmatiske@chaucer.helios.nd.edu (david matiskella)
Organization: Univ. of Notre Dame


	I think that the mechanics of the game have to adapted to the play style.
When I sit down to play a game of Star Wars, I expect a totally different type of
game than when I play lets a game of Role-master. Both are fun and both are pretty
good at doing what the are designed to do. But playing "Realistic" Star Wars? Realism is not the point of that game. On the otherhand wuick combat in Rolemaster
is an oxymoronic term if I ever heard one. 
	To be succesful in designing a multi-genre game we should limit the main rules to a a couple of stats and mechanics leaving exact game mechanics to the individual genres. A DnD type game will need different skills than a Cyperpunk class game.
Newsgroups: rec.games.design
From: jbridson@kean.ucs.mun.ca
Subject: net.rpg:  mechanics
Organization: Memorial University. St.John's Nfld, Canada
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 21:24:16 GMT

Mechanic ideas:

1.  Use % range, but instead of d%, use d10xd10 (the product of two d10's). 
The distribution makes small rolls average, with high rolls being an event. 
Everyone knows their times-tables.  Of course, you can also do this with 
other dice.  Just a suggestion on how to get weighted rolls.

2.  Use a standard deck of 52 cards (although you may even want to keep the 
jokers - let them have special meanings), or two packs shuffled together.  
Players either flip a card from the top of the deck for a "roll" of 1-13, 
or actually are dealt hands, from which they choose what card for each
"roll" - strategy is introduced!  Jokers might have special meanings, as 
may the different suits, on top of their 1-13 value.  Maybe you can play a 
Heart for someone else's hand (eg. a friend plays a 9.  You decide to help 
her out, by adding your 5 of Hearts to her 9; she now has a total of 14.).  
Maybe a Club means you can play another of your cards in combination with 
the current one.  You get the idea.  You would need playtesting (and maybe 
a statistical analysis to help) to figure out the best hand-size (or maybe 
each character has a stat like Luck for number of cards in hand?!), how 
often to refresh the hand, whether trades are allowable, whether discard/
pick up new card is legal, etc.
    I tihnk the GM should have a deck of his own.  Also, to retain some 
element of surprise in the results (and maybe good-natured bluffing between 
opponents?), both parties get to play a card, when it's a competitive 
situation.  Also, a degree of success needs to be taken into account, 
otherwise the strategy isn't so important - so that there is an advantage 
to playing a really high card, even though you have a smaller one that 
would still guarantee success.

Guess which mechanic I'm in favour of? :-)

    --- Robert Bridson (using the account of JBRIDSON)
Newsgroups: rec.games.design