HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: swaim@owlnet.rice.edu (Michael Parks Swaim)
Subject: Re: Fantasy version of Ars Magica: Opinions Wanted PLEASE.
Organization: Rice University
Date: Sat, 9 Jan 1993 22:59:34 GMT

In article <C0Kr03.Eoq@mentor.cc.purdue.edu> jacobus@symphony.cc.purdue.edu (Bryan J. Maloney) writes:
>
>4:  Next, the REALITY of the God of Abraham and His Holy force are also
>    keystones of Ars Magica--that and their absolute ascendancy over mere
>    Magic.
  Or it could just be people's faith by itself. People with True Reason
have the same limited ability to resist magic. (A lot of us think True
Reason's silly, but it looks like WW's moving away from an absolute 
position that God is the creator of the universe.)


-- 
Mike Swaim            | "101 Dalmations? Yeah I saw that."
swaim@owlnet.rice.edu | "You Did! REALLY? The same film?
Disclamer: I lie      | Let's stop driving! We must get out and jump
up and down and up and down and dance around and around!" Matt and Delerium
From: millerl@wharton.upenn.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Old time D&D reminiscing
Date: 8 Jan 93 15:21:53 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Newt World Order

In article <C0J06z.5s8@ns1.nodak.edu>, dhenry@plains.NoDak.edu (David R. Henry) writes:
> Speaking of the good ol' Temple of the Frog:
> 
> Will someone please tell me what the Egg of Coot is, already?

Hmmm, from what I recall of Dave Arneson's _the first fantasy campaign_,
the Egg of Coot was a major bad guy in the Blackmoor campaign. I think
he was the ruler of some place called Coot. Ha haha haha :-) No, I can't
keep a straight face after that...

Maybe someone who has played with Arneson can tell us.

-- 
whoah,
+++++++++++++++++++++++23
Loren Miller                           internet: MILLERL@wharton.upenn.edu
Mediocrity is a hand rail.                         -- Baron de Montesquieu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Dumb Moves By Game Companies
From: seawasp@vm2.cis.pitt.edu (Sea Wasp)
Date: 8 Jan 93 12:56:53 GMT
Organization: University of Pittsburgh
Originator: seawasp@unixd1.cis.pitt.edu

In article <19371@mindlink.bc.ca> Nick_Janow@mindlink.bc.ca (Nick Janow) writes:
>seawasp@vm2.cis.pitt.edu (Sea Wasp) writes:
>> FGU's publishing really marvelous games (V&V, Space Opera) and never

>Uhh, maybe it was the lack of people who considered them "really marvelous"

	Not according to the game store people I talked to. They mostly
agreed that they were pretty good games but that the lack of publicity
and support would have killed the greatest game ever made.

                                 Sea Wasp
                                   /^\
                                   ;;;
From: robert@isgtec.com (Robert Osborne)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: What do you look for in a magic system?
Date: 11 Jan 93 21:37:12 GMT
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL8]

Dan Karipides <DK6TOPER@MIAMIU.BITNET> writes:
>This is an informal survey concerning what role-players like in a
>RPG magic system.  (I am currently working on my own system--aren't
>we all--and would greatly appreciate you opinions.)

If I was designing a magic system I would want one that allowed me
to imitate the magic use in one or more of the following series:

	- Deryni series by Katherine Kurtz
	    The Chronicles of the Deryni:
	    Deryni Rising, Deryni Checkmate, High Deryni.
	- Elric saga by Michael Moorcock
	- A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin
	    The other books in the series aren't bad.
	
I'd read the above series, they all have good, consistent magic systems
(and are good reads to boot :-).

Rob.
--
Robert A. Osborne   ...!uunet.ca!isgtec!robert or robert@isgtec.com
From: apm272v@vaxc.cc.monash.edu.au
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: shadow world question
Date: 8 Jan 93 09:25:27 +1100
Distribution: world
Organization: Computer Centre, Monash University, Australia

In article <2587@cix.cict.fr>, maillet@tls-cs.cert.fr (Luc Maillet) writes:




> |> i can't find in the eidolon book, though sometimes i think i can remember
> |> seeing it once (sigh, to be young again), anything that says how high up
> |> the floating city is ...
> |> 
> |> to make things worse, the artwork is inconsistent (ie the apparent size of
> |> the disc varies from picture to picture) ... do any of you out there have
> |> opinions on how large eidolon should look from the stinking canals of
> |> selkai?
> |> 
> |> the main reason i want to know is the issue of using eidolon as a naviagtional
> |> beacon ...
> 
>   Check the map for size ( there's a scale ).
	hmmm ... i know how big it _is_ the problem is that if it's 10000m up as
opposed to 1000m then it's going to _look_ a lot smaller, and thus impinge a
lot less on the consciousness of the common folk in selkai.

	the picture on the cover (which i don't really like, especially as it's 
a scene from one of the stories ... but that's probably just me) shows eidolon
as very visible from selkai, which is the way i've been playing it ... but on
p57 there is a picture of eidolon (with skyship zooming away) that makes selkai
look really, really small down there ... if selkai looks so small (from that
height) that you can only really see the delta, then eidolon will just be a
speck in the sky for the folk on the ground (as it's quite a bit smaller than
it's sister city.)

	another grumble is that the skycity looks very different in the
pictures (presence/absence of protruding lower spire) ... i don't even want to
talk about the pictures that appear in the other sourcebooks ...

> 
> As for height, we set it at about 1000 m I think ( I'm just a player, so... )
	yeah, i tend towards that choice too, as it matches with the city
looking quite big ... i'm trying to remember third year meteorology, as one of
the little stories descibes eidolon as often being _above_ the cloud level ...
of course, we're told eidolon is protected by powerful weather magics, so one
could probably set the cloud level wherever one wanted ... just a thought :-)

 
hunter
From: seawasp@vm2.cis.pitt.edu (Sea Wasp)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: SF Poll
Date: 12 Jan 93 01:22:26 GMT
Organization: University of Pittsburgh
Originator: seawasp@unixd3.cis.pitt.edu

In article <1993Jan12.001822.6808@ncsu.edu> jmkaraka@eos.ncsu.edu (JOHN MARTIN KARAKASH) writes:
>	Come, come now.  With the cinematic rules turned on full blast
>and with starting characters being around 500 pts (which they WILL be),
>you can have an excellent simulation of 'Doc' Smith's universe.  Although
>anyone who tries to quantify the point value of an Arisian should be
>'forced from this plane of existence'.  :)

	I dunno. Most systems tend to break down once you go past their
major design areas -- and GURPS has problems dealing with characters
who don't fit certain criteria. Its main claim to fame is the theory
that you can keep all the characters balanced and playable on X points...
a theory that only works within limits.

	With the psionics rules the way they are, and the way that the
Lensman universe works, I see a LOT  of rewriting or kludging needed
to make most point-types happy (i.e., able to play a Worsel, Kimball,
or Helmuth all at around the same points...) and even more to make the
mechanics happy.


	And not quantify the Arisians? Then what about the Children
of the Lens?

	Me, I was just thinking of The Primal Order...


				Sea Wasp
From: mavra@cpac.washington.edu (Peter D. Adkison)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Palladium: Whiners of the Hobby (was Re: Palladium/Wizards of the Coast Lawsuit)
Date: 06 Jan 93 07:25:48 GMT
Organization: Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
	<1992Dec30.235535.15173@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu>
	<MAVRA.93Jan2200239@bailey.cpac.washington.edu>
	<1993Jan5.060708.16071@serval.net.wsu.edu>
NNTP-Posting-Host: bailey.cpac.washington.edu
In-reply-to: boutwell@beta.tricity.wsu.edu's message of Tue, 5 Jan 93 06:07:08 GMT

In article <1993Jan5.060708.16071@serval.net.wsu.edu> boutwell@beta.tricity.wsu.edu (Scott Boutwell) writes:

>   Peter By chance did you used to live in Walla Walla?  If so you may or may
>   not remeber me... I came over and gamed with you a couple of times... 
>   with Cliff Jones (C.J. aka Yo) and Rick Hintz...

>   Scott Boutwell WWC 1983-1985

That's me!  Yeah, I remember.

Uh, we should probably take this to private mail though . . . .

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

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


Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: goldm@rpi.edu (Mitchell E. Gold)
Subject: Re: NET.BOOK: Net Spellbook: part 01/12
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 21:56:13 GMT

Part 10 was late. Administrative error.
--
 Mitchell Gold     /  middleman of
 sundance@rpi.edu /  rec.games.frp.archives
From: drcheng@sales.GBA.NYU.EDU (David R Cheng)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Dumb Moves By Game Companies
Date: 7 Jan 93 05:07:44 GMT
Organization: NYU Stern School of Business

In article <PETRI.WESSMAN.93Jan7012146@lk-hp-11.hut.fi> Petri.Wessman@hut.fi writes:
>
>Yup. WotC (hi Peter!) managed to put their new company on the
>electronic "map" very quickly, and their style of active interaction
>with net roleplayers is very refreshing compared to most other
>companies who more or less ignore electronic communications. Now, if
>only ICE had someone on the net.... :-)
>
>//Petri

This is not entirely true.  FASA, Chaosium, GDW, TSR, Avalon Hill, 
Task Force Games, et many al, have very active GEnie boards.  Dozens
of other games have discussion groups devoted to them.
Designers log on frequently, and you can send e-mail directly
to them.

America Online, Compuserve, and others have gaming discussions too,
I hear.  I will vouch that GEnie's are excellent.

Many of us take Internet for granted, because of the excellent 
discussions, and because we get _free_ student accounts.  For 
a small gaming company, an Internet connection might come later
on the priority list than say, paying the freelance authors and
contributors...

-David Cheng
 drcheng@sales.stern.nyu.edu
 GEnie: D.CHENG
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: khockenbury@vaxc.stevens-tech.edu
Subject: Re: SF Poll
Organization: Stevens Institute Of Technology
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 03:55:08 GMT

In article <1ismoeINN28q@early-bird.think.com>, laird@think.com (Laird Popkin) writes:

> things?"  If a society doesn't have FTP drive, they need to address the
				      ^^^^^^^^^
> issue of how a multi-system society can operate when it takes decades to
> travel between systems, meaning that things must be planned well in
> advance, border commanders are quite independent, news travels slowly, and
> so on.

That's funny, the society I'm in *has* FTP drives, and it only takes
milliseconds to travel between systems ('course, I try to avoid travelling to
the backwaters VMS systems).  News travels quite rapidly, things are done "ad 
hoc", and while I've never quite thought of myself as a "border commander", I 
suppose you could describe my role in defending my domain from hostile 
intrusion as such....

	:-)

-Kurt Hockenbury, Border Commander, .stevens-tech.edu
From: by670@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Marc-Eivind Cruz Evensen)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Yet more killing attacks
Date: 10 Jan 1993 20:41:05 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA)
NNTP-Posting-Host: hela.ins.cwru.edu


Hmmm... a real world explanation, well that's pretty tough on a generic
level, I began a discourse on this in another post, but let's try again:

If a person is shot with a pistol, there are any number of areas he might
get hit in. Just look at the multipliers on the hit location chart. If a
person is hit in the shoulder, he will take a good amount of physical
(tissue damage) and will be somewhat stunned. If a person takes a like
amount of damage in the stomach, he will take similar amounts of tissue
damage, but the stun effects will be increased. The reason is simple,
there are some areas of the body which contains nervous plexuses (networks)
which are sensitive to damage, add to this the inherent structural
differences, and you get a reasonable explanation. 

I agree, d6-1 is too random (like I said in another post), but using the hit
location table works great -- give it a try (if you haven't)... personally,
I don't think I want to go back. (It also makes partial armor more realistic
as well).

-- Marc
From: valentin@husc10.harvard.edu (Brian Valentine)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: SR: Runnin' in Miami.
Keywords: Help
Date: 12 Jan 93 17:18:25 GMT
Article-I.D.: husc.valentin.726859105

Hi guys.
My group is going to be going to Miami next weekend.
If anyone has run there, or has useful ideas on what it may be like in 
2053, please mail me.  DO NOT POST, please! I would like to surprise my
players. (even those who read this group)
Thanks.
-Brian Valentine
valentin@husc.harvard.edu
From: lward@husc11.harvard.edu (Lester Ward)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: SR: Ritual magic and quickenings
Date: 5 Jan 93 23:42:58 GMT
Article-I.D.: husc.lward.726277378

loewenst@cs.rutgers.edu (David Loewenstern) writes:

>... On 1 Jan 93 20:32:34 GMT, lev0@kimbark.uchicago.edu (Ron Levy (Armchair)) said:


>} The usual fix I've seen is to not allow a number of successes greater
>} than the force of the spell, for quickened or spell locked spells.  So
>} the max you would get on a force 6 combat sense is 6 successes.
>} For barrier spells the barrier force stays at the force of the spell.

>Thanks!  This seems like a workable fix.

Another option dosen't require new rules: By the book, karma for a Quickening
can only be paid by the casting magician.  Since, in ritual sorcery, all who
donate magic pool are "the casting magician", they must all pay the karma.
So, using the original poster's example, the ritual magicians would need to
put up six karma .each. to quicken.  Also, they'd probably all have to be
Initiates (i.e. all have quickening ability).

One other thing to consider is that at some point, the body of the recipient
of the combat sense spell is going to break apart (in this case, as he 
apporaoches the speed of light ;-).

Wordman
From: vapspbc@cad.gatech.edu (David Kidd)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Torg question
Date: 5 Jan 1993 14:52:49 -0500
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology, CAE/CAD Lab
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: cae.cad.gatech.edu
Keywords: system, overview, reviews

One of my friends is considering running a game in Torg, and I would
like to know if anyone in the net.world has anything (positive or negative)
to say on the subject. Nobody I know has ever played in the system, so I'm
operating from no data. Any input would be appreciated.

My opinions are my own, and  | David.Kidd@cad.gatech.edu
you can't have them.         |
From: slb3y@cc.usu.edu (Punk Rocketeer)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: TWERPS publisher/availability?
Date: 11 Jan 93 08:57:48 MDT
Organization: Omega:  The Final Solution

     Can someone please tell me who publishes TWERPS?  That is,
assuming it's still in print.  I saw it at a con in April, but didn't
buy it at the time.  Now I'm kicking myself for that decision.
-- 
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.)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: dmseay@eos.ncsu.edu (DOUGLAS MICHAEL SEAY)
Subject: Re: RQ: The Relation of the Red Goddess and Orlanth
Originator: dmseay@c00024-210wi.eos.ncsu.edu
Keywords: runequest,rq,gods
Reply-To: dmseay@eos.ncsu.edu (DOUGLAS MICHAEL SEAY)
Organization: North Carolina State University, Project Eos
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 18:59:26 GMT


In article <cluther.726511792@morticia>, cluther@morticia.cnns.unt.edu (Clay Luther) writes:
> A simple question that probably will generate a long answer.
> 
> Why is the Red Goddess killing Orlanth?  And how?

Orlanth is fighting the Red Goddess for the Middle Air, the volume between the
earth and the sky.  When she created/became the Red Moon she took some territory
away from the Storm Pantheon, Umath (the Primal Air) in particular.

She is "killing" Orlanth due to her "winning" in her bid for power.  Her forces
(the Lunar empire) are defeating the Orlanthi.  I also assume that she is
supported by the Solar Pantheon because there is so much hatred between Storm
and Solar Gods.  This is reflected by the Dara Happians (sp?) still worshiping 
Solar gods, but with an overlay of Lunar influence.  But this may not be the
whole story, because the Pentians are Solar and Sheng Solaris was the greatest
foe the Lunars have fought.

Are there any experts ready to expand upon this?
From: ztstodd@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (Todd Vaarwerk)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Star Wars Character Sheets ..
Date: 5 Jan 93 21:06:00 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41


         I'm looking for some Postscript Character Sheets for Star
         Wars RPG.   If anyone knows where I might find some.. Please
         let me know .. 


          -----------------------------------------------------------------
          | Todd G Vaarwerk      | Bitnet:   ZTSTODD@UBVMS                |
          | State University of  | Internet: ZTSTODD@UBVMS.CC.BUFFALO.EDU |
          |  New York at Buffalo |           ba086@cleveland.freenet.edu  |
          |---------------------------------------------------------------|
          | Disclaimer: Believe what you want .. I trashed all my views of|
          |             reality ages ago  d8-)                            |
          -----------------------------------------------------------------
From: seawasp@vm2.cis.pitt.edu (Sea Wasp)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: SF Poll
Date: 12 Jan 93 01:17:03 GMT
Organization: University of Pittsburgh
Originator: seawasp@unixd3.cis.pitt.edu

In article <1it06mINN14k@nutmeg.csv.warwick.ac.uk> mauht@csv.warwick.ac.uk (Mr A Jones) writes:
>In article <1695@blue.cis.pitt.edu>, seawasp@vm2.cis.pitt.edu (Sea Wasp) writes:
>|> 	Of all the systems I could have imagined for the Lensman series,
>|> GURPS is one of the very last. GURPS would be marvelous for Ender's Game,
>|> but for Masters of the Vortex???

>Personally, I regard 'Masters of the Vortex' as something of an abherration, which
>I hope that whoever is writing the worldbook will ignore, but that's just me.
>(There aren't any redheads in it, for starters :-)

	Picky, picky. EES placed MotV IN the Lensman universe on purpose,
even if it isn't in the series.

	If you don't like it, then replace Master of the Vortex with
Second Stage Lensmen.

>Btw, any suggestions for a better system to run a Lensmen campaign in? 

	For those who must have their Point Based system, perhaps
Champions/Hero. 

	But I'd go with the system which was designed with Lensmen in
mind, very clearly: Space Opera. Best psionics system made. Some powers
in it would either not exist in a Lensman universe, or would be
modified, but the way they operate would work well.

				Sea Wasp
From: jcarl@jabba.ess.harris.com (Joe Carl Jr.)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Spell locks
Date: 7 Jan 93 16:21:26 GMT
Organization: Harris Corporation - ISD

In <C0DyHn.IuB@newcastle.ac.uk> P.C.Steele@newcastle.ac.uk (P. Steele) writes:


>In article <Bzq5Mo.5rp@mentor.cc.purdue.edu>, jester@sage.cc.purdue.edu (Jester) writes:

>Just another point. Regarding spell locks and quickenings.
>Spell locks and quickenings can be attacked in astral. All spell locks can be
>dispelled. Only quickenings with a force less than or equal to the initates grade
>can be dispelled. Physical only spells can be grouded through a quickening and
>area effect spells have no area effect. On change critter spells any spell locks
>the mage was carrying do NOT work in the critter form. However any quickenings do.

I don't have the specifics right here in my lap but I specifically found a
passage that stated a quickened spell can only be brought down through
astral combat.  You can't ground a spell through another spell even if it is
quickened.


--
Joe Carl Jr.               "It ain't what a man don't know that makes him a
jcarl@jabba.ess.harris.com   fool, but what he does know that ain't so."
                                                           -- Josh Billings
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: gharris@jade.tufts.edu (George W. Harris)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Hero Bestiary and other Hero Stuff
Date: 5 Jan 93 19:59:28 GMT
Organization: Tufts University - Medford, MA

>In article <78981@hydra.gatech.EDU> gt0040a@prism.gatech.EDU (Tom Sorensen) writes:
>>No, Killing Attacks are perfectly in line with normal attacks. They are more
>>likely to do BODY (they're called Killing Attacks!) but they do considerably
>>less STUN on the average. A 10d6 EB will do 10 BODY, 35 STUN on average.
>>A 3d6+1 KA will do 10.5 BODY and 26 STUN on average.

	Actually, this is a little off.  The above KA will do an average of
11.5 BODy and 30.7 STUN.

--
gharris@jade.tufts.edu          
George W. Harris              	"He'd kill us if he had the chance."  
Dept. of Mathematics            
Tufts University              			The Conversation
From: lum@cs.tu-berlin.de (Lutz Hofmann)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Vampire: Some questions
Date: 11 Jan 1993 11:12:03 GMT
Organization: Technical University of Berlin, Germany
NNTP-Posting-Host: fabel.cs.tu-berlin.de
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

kgieselm@ics.uci.edu (Kenneth Gregory Gieselman) writes:
> In article <C0JA4p.50M@sci.kun.nl> gip207@sci.kun.nl (gip2 course) writes:
> >2) In the `psychomania' story included in `Milwauky by Night' the NPC
> >   characters
> >   spend blood points to activate Potence and Fortitude as well as Celerity.
> >   According to the sourcebook Potence and Fortitude don't need blood points
> >   to be used, is this a leftover from the 1st edition?
> Yes, it seems to be left over - was Milwaukee By Night put out before or 
> after the 2nd Edition?

Milwaukee by Night was put out before 2nd Edition.

Have they anything published ob Vampire after 2nd Edition?
Things are a bit hazy here in Europe.

Yours Sincerely     Lutz Hofmann
                    lum@cs.tu-berlin.de
-- 
Ob. Disc: Dies ist kein Flame.   ---   This is no flame.
From: mauht@csv.warwick.ac.uk (Mr A Jones)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: SF Poll
Date: 12 Jan 1993 01:35:45 -0000
Organization: Computing Services, University of Warwick, UK
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: nutmeg.csv.warwick.ac.uk


|> >Btw, any suggestions for a better system to run a Lensmen campaign in? 
|> 
|> 	For those who must have their Point Based system, perhaps
|> Champions/Hero. 

[No comment. But see CUDADS' last newsletter for 1991/2... ]
|> 
|> 	But I'd go with the system which was designed with Lensmen in
|> mind, very clearly: Space Opera. Best psionics system made. Some powers
|> in it would either not exist in a Lensman universe, or would be
|> modified, but the way they operate would work well.

I have to admit, I've never even heard of this system. I would be interested in
hearing more about it.
-- 
*****************************************************************
*Alexander Lewis "Second and Special" Jones - the terminal sloth*
*****************************************************************
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc