HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: ajross@husc9.harvard.edu (Andrew Ross)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: ALternate Gaming Groups
Date: 15 Aug 92 20:10:40 GMT

hall@bcstec.ca.boeing.com (Robert J. Hall) writes:

>Has anybody out there come up with some unusual situations for running their
>group? Here's a couple of ideas for what I have in mind:
(examples follow)

	I have had many weird ideas in my time, primarily because I have
rarely had a real "gaming group" (4.5 friends on a Friday night)
situation. Most of my recent gaming has been in online chat forums, and
these have some interesting advantages and disadvantages. I will avoid
talking about online RPG's in general because I am certain that a
substantial number of posters will have done this before, or have no
opportunity or desire to do so. 
	One idea I came up with was inspired by a real (non-chat) rpg
group that included only two players, who rarely could come at the same
time. It would be run (from the player's perspective) as a peculiar solo
campaign. There would be a few odd twists, as I will explain. This
campaign, incidentally, was never run.
	The players would create their characters separately; some of
their statistics would be "given" (such as physical characteristics, size,
appearance) but the background, skills, and such would be of the
individual player's choice. They would each have a peculiar disadvantage:
they have recently begun having "blackout" periods from time to time
(i.e., they do and say things with no memory of having done so) of fairly
long duration and distressing effect. 
	The players played different versions of the same character; in
the original plotline, they were from slightly different "timelines" but
occupying (at intervals) the same body. The "blackout" periods would occur
when the other player took over; thus, each session would start with the
character being "handed back the reins" and end with unconciousness (or
some other convenient break in memory). As an even more bizarre twist,
neither "personality" was in its own timeline, and thus both are reacting
to a world which is similar to their own, but in which they did not exist
(i.e., they are strangers to people who resemble relatives, friends, and
enemies from their own timelines.) 
	This seemed like an entertaining game, but it would require a
group of players who _liked_ solo RPG (which, I understand, is uncommon)
or simply could not meet regularly. 

E. P. Ross
ajross@husc.harvard.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: dv52151@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Axly)
Subject: Re: SRun: Firearms range (was Mag 3 Cyber Eyes in Combat
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 00:41:54 GMT

praxis@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu (Laura L Perkinson) writes:

>	Hmm, I'm no expert, but I'd assumed that the range modifiers for
>firearms had nothing to do with vision. Vision mag or rangefinder shouldn't
>help, because a pistol should still have big problems hitting something
>100 meters away.

Well, the weapons have a maximum effective range, beyond which they are
pretty much useless. Up until that point, vision has a lot to do with
it. Firing a weapon with optics vs. iron sights, you can see a marked
difference in how well you perform. The difference between firing
at something you see as a small object 50 meters away, and firing
at somone you see as if they were in front of you with a targeting
symbol superimposed on their head makes a difference.

Firearms do get less accurate as range increases. However, for most
weapons, the maximum ranges listed in SR are well within their ranges, 
and vision would be the only factor that's really coming into effect.

As for whether Vis Mag 3 could work, I can see it working. You would look
around with your normal range of vision, but when you pick a target, the
sighting would slew out to give a full size image of your target. This would
work really well if you also had a rangefinder.

Axly
 
********************************************************************************
*   Axly      *  "Is Axly tough? Yes. Talented? Yes. Brave? Oh, certainly.     *
* Red Sword   *   He is also erratic, irresponsible, accident-prone, and a     *
*   Targa     *   constant threat to public safety. The trick is to keep him   *
*             *   pointed in the right direction. "                            *
*             *         -Niki                                                  *
********************************************************************************
From: batemanc@p4.cs.man.ac.uk (Mad Chris)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Cyberpunk 2.0.2.0.
Date: 17 Aug 92 16:01:20 GMT

juola@bruno.cs.colorado.edu (Patrick Juola) writes:

>Gasp!  Shocked horror!  Someone disagrees with me!  Call for the Holy Seeker
>after Penitance and Truth!  8-)

Humour is alive and well and living in Patrick Juola.

[My criticism deleted]

>I accept this criticism of the system.  I find it remarkably easy to
>correct, however.  Someone builds an abusive character, I waste it 8-).
>Seriously, though, if you don't have characters floating around with
>godlike stats (I suggest all stats in the range 3-7), the system is
>*extremely* smooth and well-balanced.

>At low attribute levels, the system seems to work quite well.

I realise that the Cyberpunk rules can be fixed - naturally I've altered
them ( and I too keep my players on their toes... it's a fact that the
longest living character has no skill above +4 ), but you were 
recommending someone seek out this system as a really good system,
I disagree. The skill system can be improved, and you can design your
own along the same lines for much less cash than buying the game! :-)

Mad Chris.
From: dfrancis@tronsbox.xei.com (Dennis Heffernan)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Ambushes (was Re: Gurps Supers is still broken)
Date: 12 Aug 92 17:03:01 GMT
Organization: Xanadu Enterprises Inc.

In article <1992Aug11.145811.7366@sco.COM> paul@sco.COM (Paul Jackson) writes:
|I'll (probably for the last time), restate my basic point. Gurps Supers
|works only for a very restricted set of campaigns (primarily ones that I'm
|labelling as gritty or streetlevel). It is an inappropriate system for
|campaigns that are attempting to more closely model comic book reality (even
|quite low powered comics).

	If you use the Stun rules, with damage multiples and/or weapon types if
you like, and whichever of the Cinematic rules tickle your fancy, it will
work at least as well as Champions.

	GURPS Supers has lots of problems.  This isn't one of them.


dfrancis@tronsbox.xei.com   ...uunet!tronsbox!dfrancis     GEnie: D.HEFFERNAN1
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I don't understand why you make such a big deal out of everything...haven't
you learned; if it's not happenning to me it's not important?" -Murphy Brown
From: Rannou@info.polymtl.ca (Patrick Rannou)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Improvisation!
Date: 22 Aug 92 13:56:51 GMT
	<ts!n#3g.harp@netcom.com> <1992Aug19.211041.58277@cc.usu.edu>
	<betel.714282754@camelot>
Organization: Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal, Canada

In article <betel.714282754@camelot> betel@camelot.bradley.edu (Robert Crawford) writes:


   sl9b4@cc.usu.edu (Deep Six) writes:
   >Well that's just the way it works out. Think about a murder. Only one 
   >party could be responsible. While the characters are working out the 
   >details of the case, just because they find someone else who has motive 
   >and no alibi, that can't change the solution to the murder. Example --
   >the GM says, ``You're wrong, the Duke's uncle did it.'' Then the players
   >say, ``But the butler had motive, he has no alibi and he had access to
   >the Duke's chambers, he must have done it.'' So the GM is supposed to 
   >say, ``Hmm. You're right. Okay, the butler did it.''

	   Actually, here's where things could get interesting. Realize
   that the PC have blamed someone who is innocent. If you're playing a
   system with alignment, this could get stick. And another group of
   people (NPCs) might not come to the same conclusion -- a jury might
   acquit the butler, in a modern setting.

	   This puts the PCs in a bad spot -- and there is a murderer
   running loose who might want to off the PCs before they realize he did
   it!

This is a good example of the gain in diversity of events brought on by
some preparation, because the next set of events the gm "impros" is decided
not upon the current circumstances but on the current circumstances PLUS
other reasons that are completely different. It's like mixing two random
rolls will always produce a result that's even more random.


Pat.

--
/---------------------------\
| Patrick "Paradak" Rannou. |
| Rannou@info.polymtl.ca    |
\---------------------------/
From: canders@isr.harvard.edu (Carl E. Anderson)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Music & Roleplaying
Date: 17 Aug 92 15:54:37 GMT
Organization: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

In article <Bszsvn.4Ep@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu> kieran@cmatter.physics.indiana.edu (kieran) writes:
>    The words in Orff's Carmina Burana are based on medieval songs.  I've
>seen a recording of Carmina Burana done in this medieval style, that is,
>*not* the music and orchestration of Karl Orff.  Perhaps the original 
>poster purchased such a recording rather than the Orff version?

	My parents have the medieval disk.  But if it was used in Conan it
was definately the Orff version.

Cheers,
Carl

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carl Edlund Anderson	            	"Hefi ek ok aldri sva reitt vapn
canders@isr.harvard.edu			at manni at eigi hafi vidh kommit."
OR
anderso2@husc.harvard.edu			- Skarphedhinn Njalsson 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: praxis@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu (Laura L Perkinson)
Subject: Re: Usuage of Faerie
Organization: HAC - Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1992 23:49:22 GMT

	Let me throiw in a quasi-gratuitous plug for picking up some comics
by Neil Gaiman: Sandman #18 (19?) "A Midsummer Night's Dream," Books of
Magic #3, ans Sandman: Season of Mists. (Available in GN format. AMND is
in the trade paperback Dream Country.)
	Some nice portrayal of the fey, and art by Charles Vess. Superb
stuff.
		Praxis

	"Luckily us hedge-pigs is natural-born thinkers."
		BOM #3
From: canders@isr.harvard.edu (Carl E. Anderson)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Improvisation!
Date: 14 Aug 92 19:07:27 GMT
Organization: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

In article <BsvzyK.4qH@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu> ericg@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu (Eric Chris Garrison) writes:
>I was reading the GMing goals thread, and someone mentioned
>improvisation vs. preparation, and it lead me to ask this
>question of GMs in this group:  How much improvisation do
>you do?  Do you improvise 10% of the time, when characters
>"go off the map"?  Do you improvise 50% of the time, writing
>up a skeleton for "run time" fleshing out?  Do you improvise
>even 90% of the time, having a basic premise and just "wing" it?

	Well, I like to prepare as much as possible, but any GM knows that
that ain't much!  I concentrate on having a very solid background in the
campaign.  Before starting up a segment of the campaign I know the major
NPCs of course, the basic geography and especially the cultures I'm moving
the PCs in.
	That way no matter where the PCs wander I can give realistic and
convincing descriptions.  
	I often find it useful to base a town, or like structure on
some reall world town I know well.  That way, when the PCs are wandering
around I don't have to have prepared street diagrams and such like, I can
just extrapolate from what I know.
	Improvisation tend to be important in my games, since I activly
encourage players to go "off the map" as it were.

Carl

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carl Edlund Anderson	            	"Hefi ek ok aldri sva reitt vapn
canders@isr.harvard.edu			at manni at eigi hafi vidh kommit."
OR
anderso2@husc.harvard.edu			- Skarphedhinn Njalsson 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: steiner@jupiter.cse.utoledo.edu (jason "Think!" steiner)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Improvisation!
Date: 13 Aug 92 01:34:26 GMT

aragorn@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Strider) writes:
> As a player, I think I'd rather have a GM run his games in improv-mode.
> From the campaigns I've been in, within a number of game systems, the most
> fun has been had by all when the GM is winging it almost ALL of the time.
> Running games from a basic skeleton of ideas allows the players to really
> get into their PC's and take control of the course of the game.  
> 
> As a GM, my experience is very limited, so far.  The few games I have run
> have been almost completely in improv-mode and things went quite smoothly.
> The most I would have prepared would be maps for the world(s) we'd be on,
> maps of any buildings we might confront and maps of a few cities in case
> things go quite differently than what was planned.  And, if the players
> `decide' to go off the map, let them.  It can be interesting to watch how
> things go when so many people are letting themselves be creative.  Pne thing
> that IS necessary for improv-mode is a GM who knows the rules of the system
> VERY well.  Unless the GM has the where-with-all to wing it with
> `what-to-to-when' type of scenarios.
> 
> The only thing that can really bollux this up is if you have some players
> that just can't play within a skeletally designed adventure ... but the
> creative GM can always find something good to do with someone who isn't
> cooperating.  ;-)

all of the Ru^HoleMaster modules i've seen have been set up like this.
they generally have a map of an area, with more detailed descriptions
of sites where something interesting might happen. there are enough
modules now that players can travel to just about any area of Jaiman
& expect to find something interesting to do.

the only real difficulty for the GM is directing players into a section
that has detail. my GM is fairly decent at winging it, but used to rely
a bit much on random encounters. the game lost quite a bit since there
were no explanations of -why- our group got attacked by every spiky
thing under the sun while food shipments & other travellers could wander
the countryside with impunity. didn't help that treasure was non-existant.
since then he's started generating adventure sites, with reasonable
foes and goals to reach. 

jason

--
`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,
`, "Get off the cross. We need the wood." steiner@jupiter.cse.utoledo.edu `,
`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,
From: skeksis@pdrome.UUCP (Clayton Miner)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Dark Conspiracy
Date: 7 Aug 92 11:48:59 GMT
Organization: The PowerDrome BBS [(716)825-3614 CNet]

My $0.02 worth on the subject of horror games...
 
   I prefer the original edition of Chill.  To each his own, I guess  ;)
 
Skeksis
From: porterg@gems.vcu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Armor and whatnot (BTRC)
Date: 15 Aug 92 21:09:42 -0400
Organization: Medical College of Virginia

In reply to Neil Asato:

No, the BTRC is not considering a 3G-like vehicle supplement.  For one, I
do not have vehicle experience even close to my meager weapons data collection,
and two, I think the MegaTravaller system has already done a good job of 
filling that niche.  If the day comes when I feel I can do better than MT,
I will do so, but that day isn't here yet  ;).

Greg Porter
BTRC


btw: nice post on armor, etc.


Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: bingcros@leland.Stanford.EDU (Richard Crosby)
Subject: Re: Bass Ackwards GURPS Attribute Modifier Method
Keywords: GURPS Attribute SPRUG
Organization: DSG, Stanford University, CA 94305, USA
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 92 21:52:19 GMT

In article <3312@bcstec.ca.boeing.com> hall@bcstec.ca.boeing.com
(Robert J. Hall) writes:
>Well then, I appear to have a dispute with your reasoning. A race has evolved
>a distribution of abilities for a specific reason. If a race is particularily
>swift, then there is a reason for it. If another race is weak, then there is
>a reason for that. Attributes don't just happen in nature.

I see no problem with this.  If you want to describe what the physical
norms of the race are, then go right ahead.  This falls under the
designation of world/campaign background information.

>My point is that a character IS an embodiment of it's race. ST 18 may be of
>more utility to a Dwarf than a Human for a variety of reasons. Perhaps the
>race needs greater ST because they are underground dwellers and spend a lot
>of time digging, or metalsmithing.         

ST 18 is of equal utility to a Dwarf and a Human.  They will do the
same damage with weapons, they will be able to wield the same weapons,
and they will do equally well in contests of ST.  They Dwarf will be
able to carry more, but pays a separate advantage for that.  Equal
utility should lead to equal points cost.  That's the name of the game
in a self-proclaimed points balanced system.

>Carrying the reasoning to an extreme, you are saying that ST is equally useful
>to a Giant, a Human, and a Halfling. Given the same ST score, the Giant would
>be immobilized, the human normal, and the Halfling completely muscle bound.
>I don't think the flaw is in the modifiers. The flaw is in how the attributes
>effect the different biological forms.

Given the same ST score, the Giant, Human, and Halfling would all have
the same benefits conferred by that ST score.  The rules have no
provisions for immobilizing Giants with ST 10, and the ST 10 Human and
ST 10 Halfling would have the same abilities.  It doesn't matter if
the character is particularly feeble or strong compared to the rest of
its race; what matters is how the characters stack up relative to each
other, and if the results are balanced.

Points:  balance the strengths and weaknesses of the characters in the
game.

Races:  campaign world background information.

I think it's possible to have interesting racial backgrounds and
characters without jeopardizing the stated purpose of points.

> Bob Hall, Systems Analyst | "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

Rich
From: juola@bruno.cs.colorado.edu (Patrick Juola)
Subject: Re: SRun: Mag 3 Cyber Eyes in Combat
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 08:27:26 GMT

In article <Bt3rtt.Jtx@news.cso.uiuc.edu> dv52151@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Axly) writes:
>juola@bruno.cs.colorado.edu (Patrick Juola) writes:
>
>>In article <BszxGt.9pI@news.cso.uiuc.edu> dv52151@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Axly) writes:
>>>
>>>If you can see the target better, like as if it were in front of you, it's
>>>easier to hit. I'd say a full sized image of the person vice the reduced 
>>>size you see at a large distance just might be helpful.
>
>>How?  It's not going to be any easier to figure out if your gun
>>is pointed in the right direction.
>
>Hmm. That smartgun link that superimposes a blinking crosshair where your
>gun is aimed isn't any indication of where you are aimed...

Only if you're using a smartgun.  The Eyes are with you always....

	- kitten

Organization: Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
From: ratinox@splinter.coe.northeastern.edu (Richard Pieri/Stainless Steel Rat)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Heros of Yesterday - on line?
Date: 18 Aug 92 14:36:37 GMT
Reply-To: ratinox@meceng.coe.northeastern.edu
Organization: 3WA, Boston Office. Or Nu Meta Chi. Take your pick.
In-reply-to: paul@sco.COM's message of 17 Aug 92 18:33:57 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 ]

>>>>> "PJ" == Paul Jackson <paul@sco.COM> writes:

PJ> I recently bought Heros of Yesterday (the background generation
PJ> system).  What I'd like is to have this on line. Has anybody typed in
PJ> the charts (in whatever form) and is willing to distribute them?  I can
PJ> supply whatever proof of purchase that you want so that you can verify
PJ> that I've bought the book (which I THINK means that there should be no
PJ> copyright issue, I believe that I have the right to type the
PJ> information in the book into the computer so long as I only use it
PJ> myself).

It doesn't matter; it's still Copyright infringement. The printed Copyright
information states specifically that reproduction by any means, including
electronic, is prohibited.

But, assuming that you can get away with that, it's *STILL* an
infringement. I don't have the particulars handy, but I remember a case of
Nibble Magazine against a typing company. Nibble published programs for
Apple ][s, in source form, and also distributed the magazine "on disk" if
you didn't feel like typing. Another company (I can't remember it's name
right now) would buy a copy of the magazine, type in the programs, and sell
the disks at a price lower than Nibble's disks, but only to people who
could prove they purchased the issue of Nibble. The court ruled in favor of
Nibble: if you don't own the magazine issue and you posess the program you
are in violation; if you do own the magazine issue but you yourself don't
type in the listing or purchase the disk from the proper publisher, you are
in violation.

In other words, by strict interpretation of the Law, any on-line form of
the Central Casting books not purchased from the publisher is illegal.

--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
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 ICBMnet: 42 deg 1 min N, 71 deg 0 min W    /    |/ |/ /_//_____| for you.
From: batemanc@p4.cs.man.ac.uk (Mad Chris)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Amber Question Answered
Keywords: Amber, Diceless, Benedict, Zelazny
Date: 17 Aug 92 15:49:18 GMT

kcrook@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Prince Of Amber) spoils:

[Message deleted]

Please! Doesn't the frp conference have rules for SPOILERS! This looks like
a major spoiler for the Zelazny books, which I won't get around to reading
for another six months or so. It may not be, but I'd appreciate some 
caution for the poor people who haven't read the Amber books.

Mad Chris.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc