HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: Elizabeth.Mccoy@bbs.oit.unc.edu (Elizabeth Mccoy)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: fudging
Date: 1 Sep 92 21:18:29 GMT
Organization: Extended Bulletin Board Service

In article <1992Aug30.172525.58509@cc.usu.edu> sl9b4@cc.usu.edu (Deep Six) writes:
>In article <BttBqp.85n@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu>, 
> tbarnes@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (thomas wrentmore barnes) writes:
>> A neat idea which originally appeared in James Bond: the RPG (and as a
>> variant for Top Secret 1st Ed. in Dragon Magazine way back when) is Hero
>> Points.
>>    Hero points allow a player to alter a die roll (either his or the
>> G.M.'s ) which affects his character.
>
>Sounds a little like a character advantage available in GURPS called, simply,
>Luck.
[snip]
>One level (which costs less) gives the PC a lucky roll once per
>real-time game hour. So, once per game hour, the player may choose one roll
>and have 3 tries at it (taking the best roll, a'course).
[snip]
>In both cases, the player chooses rolls which are made by him/her 
>(not the GM's).

Nah -- you can use it on *any* roll that's a single thing that luck
could affect. I've used it for a reaction roll (Mystebrooke Dominaquae
had just improv-ed a Summon Water Elemental spell... "Control
Elemental"? No, don't have that... And I didn't want her drowned.), and
could/should have used it on someone else's Winged Knife spell instead
of my dodge... It's just *easier* to say, "With LUCK, I'll make this
roll!" and roll thrice, and the GM can't use your luck to help you spot
something ("Oh, by the way, Bill, you can't use your luck for an hour
starting now.") or some other secret die roll. Oh, and ideally you
should state that you're using luck *before* any dice are rolled
(disgusting, that, to see your first roll is a 3...), though allowences 
should probably be made for a new player who isn't used to this.
--
   The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the University of
     North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Campus Office for Information
        Technology, or the Experimental Bulletin Board Service.
           internet:  bbs.oit.unc.edu or 152.2.22.80
From: sl9b4@cc.usu.edu (Deep Six)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc,rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: GURPS Will Rolls
Date: 2 Sep 92 01:07:14 MDT
Organization: Utah State University

In article <BtxpGu.KDu@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>, (Dave Deitrich) writes:

> In the GURPS Basic Set (don't remember the exact page) it flatly states that
> any will roll greater than a 14 is an automatic failure.  Yet, in a lot of
> the sample characters me and my friends have seen we find things like IQ 15
> and Strong Will +3.  Isn't this a waste of points?

Not really. Strong Will is used in quick contests of skill and in magic
resistance too, not just the straight Will roll. If you are in a quick 
contest of skill against someone (like the enemy spy who is trying to
seduce you -- the example in the book), you roll against 18. If you roll
a 15, you make your roll by 3 instead of 0. Seewuduhmean? I personally 
wouldn't buy Strong Will +3 if I had a 15 IQ, but I can see how it would
help.

Okay, 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chadd VanZanten SL9B4@CC.USU.EDU  ``You know, I thought this was a
good idea but this is one weird mama-jama.''  -- TV's Frank, MST3K
Xref: sparky rec.games.frp.misc:4787 rec.games.frp.dnd:3394
From: educ@unixg.ubc.ca (Vicki Domansky)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc,rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Alt.folklore.ghost-stories
Summary: check it out
Keywords: ghosts, scary, horror
Date: 1 Sep 92 21:53:04 GMT
Organization: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada

Just thought I'd mention the new (at least here :-) newsgroup
alt.folklore.ghost-stories.  Anyone with a story about ghosts or just 
something weird that happened to them or a friend
can post and discuss stories.  Some of the stuff is your typical urban
legend, others are really quite spooky and make you really wonder :-).

Anyhow, it looks like an interesting source of ideas for horror or
mystery campaigns, so just thought I'd mention it.

-- 
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Vicki Domansky <Morgaine>                               educ@unixg.ubc.ca
Education Computing Services                       v_domansky@mtsg.ubc.ca
U of B.C. Vancouver Canada                        usereduc@ubcmtsg.bitnet
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: GAYNOR@agvax2.ag.ohio-state.edu (Jim Gaynor)
Subject: Re: Shadowrun: Matrix Generator Stack
Organization: The Ohio State University - OCES
Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1992 23:50:35 GMT
X-News-Reader: VMS NEWS 1.23

In <ward1.714551007@husc8> ward1@husc8.harvard.edu writes:

> What follows is a HyperCard stack for the Macintosh that uses the tables
> from the SR rules to generate random matrix systems.

Something to note - what Lester posted was a self-extracting binary
that had been Binhexed -and- uuencoded.  To make use of it, you will
need a program that can de-binhex (DeHQX, StuffIt Lite, Compact Pro,
Binhex 4.0) and a program that can uudecode (UUtool 2.3.2 from
<sumex-aim.stanford.ed> in info-mac/util is reccommended).

You'll need to uudecode first, then de-binhex, then extract.

Kudos to Lester on another Good Thing for Shadowrun.


---
   Jim Gaynor    | "Man-of-Many-Beeping-Sounds-and-Flashing-Lights" - KAJ
OSU/ACS/FMS/OCES | <gaynor@agvax2.ag.ohio-state.edu> or <gaynor.4@osu.edu>
ObDiscl:  Everything stated here and above is _my_ opinion.  Mine mine mine!
ObQuote: "Every devil I meet becomes a friend of mine." - Indigo Girls
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: lib1p@rosie.uh.edu (Tammy Stark Blandino)
Subject: Lawful Dungeon Master
Organization: University of Houston
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 22:24:00 GMT


Many years ago I saw a T-Shirt worn by a convention
goer which had the following on the front and back

Front:

LAWFUL DUNGEON MASTER

Back:

MY Law
MY Dungeon
YOUR Master

:-)

Anybody out there got any other good ones?

==>Tammy<==
From: smith@ctron.com (Larry Smith)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Improvisation, do I do it?, do I not?
Date: 27 Aug 92 18:27:34 GMT
Reply-To: smith@ctron.com
Organization: Cabletron Systems, Inc.

In article <RANNOU.92Aug22105140@zuse.info.polymtl.ca>, Rannou@info.polymtl.ca (Patrick Rannou) writes:

>I observed that many of the OLDER gmers used a kind of nearly only impro
>gaming.

I have not been keeping track.  If so, that's a very interesting observation.
Does anyone concur???

Larry Smith (smith@ctron.com)  No, I don't speak for Cabletron.  Need you ask?
-
How about we all do something reasonable?  I bet that'll confuse 'em!
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: chris@.IMD.Sterling.COM (Chris Olson)
Subject: Re: Hero: Vitals HitLoc (Was Re: Champions: Mental Questions...)
Organization: Sterling Software
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 21:15:00 GMT
X-Md4-Signature: b73244f7c220454399dd05ee8b0024ef

In article <1992Sep01.185545.7106@ecst.csuchico.edu>, tdunn@ecst.csuchico.edu (Tim Dunn) writes:
|> Delbert Laird writes:
|> >As far as I know, the Vitals have been regarded as the genital region
|> 
|> Hmmm, I've always though of it as the "you don't want to be hit there"
|> region. It could be the genitalia, but I've also ruled it to cover
|> the throat (fractured larynx, crushed windpipe) the heart, the spine,
|> the kidneys... anything the paramilitary journals rate as "hot spots"
|> for targeting. Below the neck, of course.

Double hmm, (:-)
	Actually, the vitals area (by scanning the armor types which
cover it in the Fantasy Hero book) seems to be that portion of the torso
which is not covered by ribs (which defines the chest area).

	This means that the vitals area covers the groin to the sternum...
a soft target, not naturally protected by bone and containing a whole
lot of delicate organs (thus the 2xBODY mod).

|> 
|> -- 
|> Law of Communications:
|> 	The inevitable result of improved and enlarged communications
|> 	between different levels in a hierarchy is a vastly increased
|> 	area of misunderstanding.

-- 
    ____/    /           __/            chris@IMD.Sterling.COM
   /        __  /   __/   /    ___/
  /        /   /   /     /  ___  /      "It's intuitively obvious to the most
______/ __/ __/ __/   __/ ______/        casual observer..."
From: dunning@chainsaw.ecn.purdue.edu (GALACTIC COMMANDER)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Champions: Some Mental Questions, sort of!
Date: 3 Sep 92 22:04:47 GMT
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network

In article <RATINOX.92Sep3121145@splinter.coe.northeastern.edu> ratinox@meceng.coe.northeastern.edu writes:
>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

Actually the area called the "vitals" in HERO is the region below the 
stomach and above the thighs.  This is determined by which location it
covers when dealing with Partial Armor.  For hitting the Army "Hot Spots"
I assign other penalties and additional bonuses (x2 1/2 BODY, x6 STUN,
x2 1/2 Normal) and others depending on the location and the defenses at
that location.  Also can simulate differnet effects - a solid hit in the
larynx would make speaking and breathing difficult at best.

Chip
--

-----------------------------\_/-----------------------------
 Elwood H Dunning III         |     I am a pirate, I don't
  GALACTIC COMMANDER          |           DO decency!!
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Alignments
From: oberland@vax.sonoma.edu
Date: 2 Sep 92 13:50:55 -0800
Organization: Sonoma State University

I, as a Gamer of ALL types of games(in general), have often dealt or 
been forced to deal with the question of allignment.

1:Open your old AD&D book.  Good. open to the page with the 
allignment chart on it.

2:See the spatial relations? They are not Square or evenly 
distributed.  This is how it should be, BUT the chart needs one 
IMPORTANT addition before it makes sense.

3:Take a Felt-tip Pen and draw a BIG black line along the lines 
seperating the Lawful, Neutral, and Chaotic axis.(Vertical lines)

NOW the system makes sense.  The Chart has been divided into 3 main 
groups, and EACH one has 3 **Sub-groups**.

The corners, being Good and Evil, take up most of the space, because 
of human nature bieng the way it is.  We tend to gravitate toward one 
extreme rather than remain in the center of an argument.

The idea of sub-groups is important, as Good and Evil are ALWAYS 
*value determinations made by each society*.  The main forces in 
play are Lawful and Chaotic, with a smaller percentage either not 
sure or vassilating between the two extremes(designated neutral/ 
half- way between each one).

Good and evil are still in play, but only as a general thermometer of 
one's actions.

The only real place Good and Evil causes problems is Deities or 
societies.  Killing people randomly is often seen as bad, but in, say,
war, it is just part of the job.  Your culture may see it that way, or 
maybe not.  If you are a Fighter, no problem, as you probably have no 
concerns other than being payed/etc., and have no Deity to pray for 
spells/powers to.  A Cleric must ALSO please their order or religion.

Some classes, such as Palladins, MUST, by their oaths, remain 
Lawful or Chaotic.  No problem so far.   But, some dieties or groups
your character may choose to follow may make a distinction between good 
and evil, while many do not.

Spells are special for most classes, as they are GIVEN by Devine 
intervention.  This means play by their rules OR ELSE.

The Deities for, say Rangers, are not too concerned with G. vs E., so 
much as you supporting their same aims/views(in this case, mostly 
Nature-related concerns)
The same is true for most classes, but NOT ALL.  If you don't like 
the restrictions placed by your Deity(if you have one) orsociety, 
maybe you should move or change something.

I tend to state allignments as: (eg) Lawful, tending toward (whatever).
Makes sense, and keeps it simple.

Joe

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: books@fsunuc.physics.fsu.edu (Roger Books)
Subject: Re: Invisible Champions
Organization: FSU Physics Dept.
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 92 19:43:08 GMT

In article <1992Sep2.181210.11022@nmsu.edu> dleland@dante.nmsu.edu (LELAND) writes:

>In article <1992Aug27.121022.58438@cc.usu.edu> slb3y@cc.usu.edu (Punk 
Rocketeer) writes:>(in regards to the "ghost" who is invidible and desolid 
vs existence)>>
>>     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.

>I agree completely. I had a character like this who was very similar in my
>game. The Wraith wanted to be able to pass through anything, be invisible to
>everything, and still attack with HUGE killing attacks. Being inexpereinced,
>I let him in and really regretted it. I will now NEVER allow characters that
>have such powers. They want to be invulnerable and undetectable AND be able
>to dish out huge damage while desolid. It is extremely disruptive. I would
>think twice.

I have a player running similar to this right now.  After redisigning the
character I want to know what level of character points you guys are working
with.  On 250 points I was able to do full desod, some flight and a decent
attack  (BTW it's an NND Killing attack, like 2 dice, affects non-desod, cost
huge amounts.)  I have no problem with the character because she can be hit
by sonics.  First rule to running Champions, just say no.  If the character
is unbalancing to the game just say no.  The game is easily unbalanced
unless you watch it.  As an example I saw a fantasy hero mage (50+50) use
the aid spell to walk around looking like a Champions brick.  A good 
Champions brick.  The aid loopholes still seem to exist.

Also you can look at reducing the value of the disads in cases like this.  
If the person can't be seen or touched than many things aren't disads 
anymore.  The rules say if it doesn't hurt the character it isn't a disad.
Also look in the rules for suggestions on how often disads should come into 
play.  (Are the persons powers also bought inviso, including desod?)



		Roger
		books@fsunuc.physics.fsu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: rnmg1200@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (A Lady and her Walrus)
Subject: Re: Btech muse
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1992 04:39:12 GMT
Keywords: Waste of bandwidth

In article <28AUG199218564105@jane.uh.edu> lib1p@jane.uh.edu (Tammy Stark Blandino) writes:
>Could someone give some completely detailed info on this?
>
>Walter and I are interested.
>
>Tammy
>
I hate to actually post one of these things, but...

Me too!

'Scuse me, I have to go gargle with antiseptic now...:-)

The Walrus
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Harlequin (aka double GMing)
From: alanb@sdl.mdcbbs.com (Alan Braggins)
Date: 01 Sep 92 12:27:42 GMT
Organization: Shape Data (Division of EDS), Cambridge UK
In-reply-to: batemanc@p4.cs.man.ac.uk's message of 28 Aug 92 14:43:08 GMT

>>>>> On 28 Aug 92 14:43:08 GMT, batemanc@p4.cs.man.ac.uk (Mad Chris) said:

> Has anyone else toyed with using a Harlequin, that is, a second
> GM who plays only the NPC's and is not involved in the other
> usual GMing tasks. This works well in some games, but not in
> others - but it can lead to some intersting play if you are
> the kind of person who likes to improvise, because the GM 
> doesn't know exactly what the NPC's are going to do!

I once played the NPC mage baddie in a commercial module.
Had the party running away when I appeared, flying, immune to normal
missiles, when my fireball caught them. Knocked the cleric unconscious
with magic missiles, but the GM didn't want them killed, so I let them
crawl off to tend their wounds.

They later used a scroll of wish to wish that fireball had been
spellspoilt - I wasn't around to play that session.

--
Alan Braggins, Shape Data (A Division of EDS Ltd), Cambridge, UK +44-223-316673
   "Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced."
 "My employer does not necessarily share my views - but I'm working on it."
From: bss@math.ufl.edu (Bob Slaughter)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Vampire, Mythus.
Date: 23 Aug 92 17:29:00 GMT
Organization: University of Florida Department of Mathematics

In article <w4TTPB7w164w@cityzen.UUCP> carolyns@cityzen.UUCP (Carolyn's Fingers) writes:
>I was just wondering about these two somewhat new RPGs.  They both look 
>somewhat interesting to me, but I'm still a little apprehensive about 
>shelling cash (or credit <grin>) for them.

Buy Vampire.  Avoid Mythus.


-- 
*     Bob Slaughter                           *  Model Railroading is fun  *
*     InterNet#1:  bss@math.ufl.edu           *    Call 1-800-FOR-RENT     *
*     InterNet#2:  Haldane@Pine.Circa.Ufl.Edu *   Vampire RPG list admin   *
*     see also: haldane@nerix.nerdc.ufl.edu, haldane@ufpine.bitnet         *
From: king@rtsg.mot.com (Steven King, Software Archaeologist)
Subject: Re: Champions:  Some Mental Questions, sort of!
Reply-To: king@rtsg.mot.com
Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Group
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 01:06:09 GMT

sl859@cc.usu.edu publicly declared:
>Also, Can mind control be used to tell people things they might not
>ordinarily be able to do conciously, 
>like go to sleep, unconscious, be hungry, heartburn, stress headaches
>things that are not necessarily physical or intellectual but subconcious
>commands???

Probably not, or at least not directly.  I view Mind Control as the
power of suggestion.  Think of Ben Kenobi in Star Wars.  "These aren't
the droids you're looking for." You probably couldn't tell the victim
to "go to sleep", but you can *suggest* that he's really very sleepy,
what with the hard night last night and all, and that he REALLY should
get some rest soon.  Likewise, you can suggest that it's been quite a
while since lunch, or that it's really been an Excedrin headache kind
of a day.  I treat it kind of like a presence attack and give bonuses if
the suggestion is especially convincing.

>Also, Can you use telekinesis to throw people around, and how many points
>need to be spent to throw a person 6 stories(sp?) for example...  Can you
>force peoples eyes shut or mouths closed with it?  If I want to make my 
>friend fly do I have to pay some strange amount of points or can I just 
>pick him up with telekinesis?

Pick 'em up, throw 'em, whatever.  It takes the same amount of
telekinetic strength as it would regular strength if you were using your
arms.  To pick someone up (someone who doesn't want to be picked up)
you'll need to make a grab attack maneuver with the telekinesis.
Depending on the special effects you can base this on OCV or ECV for
determining the to-hit roll.  You can't force people's eyes shut unless
you bought the "fine control" option on telekinesis.  Even with the fine
control option, you'll need to make a grab attack at about a -8 penalty
(for small object).

We've got a character in my Fantasy Hero world with telekinesis.  She
likes to use it to pick up bad guys and let the fighters use them as
pinatas.  Usually the fighter's attacks are strong enough to break the
bad guy out of the TK and they go flying.  (She's only got a 10 STR TK.)
Fun stuff!

-- 
-------------------------------------------------------+-----------------------
Space is big.  Space is dark.                          |      Steven King
It's hard to find.  A place to park.                   |   Motorola Cellular
Burma Shave.                                           |   king@rtsg.mot.com
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: uplink@cwis.unomaha.edu (John M. Scheibeler)
Subject: SRUN Changes: PAdepts
Organization: University of Nebraska at Omaha
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 07:54:39 GMT

   In my opinion, the new rules really screw
over the physical adepts now.  They have to buy
everything twice, it seems.

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: josephk@css.itd.umich.edu (Joseph Klein)
Subject: Re: Amber Questions
Reply-To: joseph.klein@umich.edu
Organization: University of Michigan
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 05:37:38 GMT

In article <Btu0pq.F6I@agora.rain.com> krelos@agora.rain.com (Neal  
Feldman) writes:

> Does anyone have an alternate sorcery system?  Does anyone have  
additional 
> levels (such as exalted) for sorcery and the like?

I have exalted levels, but other than that, have stuck to the book.
Depends what you like, I guess.

> How do you run improving characters?  Do you use the rules straight from  
the
> book?
> 
> The abilities that are described under each stat:  Do you give each
> character all of those abilities, or what?

If characters are creative and their ideas will contribute to the game,
I generally let them run with it, otherwise I stick to the rules. 

Each of the abilities can probably do everything listed in the book and
more, but nothing should work the first several times it's tried.

> Are there any mailing lists or the like for Amber?

If there are, I'm interested.
 
-Joseph
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: GAYNOR@agvax2.ag.ohio-state.edu (Jim Gaynor)
Subject: SR Artists (Was: Re: SRUN: Shadowrun II Errata)
Organization: The Ohio State University - OCES
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1992 13:34:28 GMT
X-News-Reader: VMS NEWS 1.23

In <ward1.715038575@husc8> ward1@husc8.harvard.edu writes:

> Jim Gaynor (That's Me!) writes:
> 
> >Now, on the aesthetic side, I certainly hope that Laubenstein and
> >Bradstreet did most of the artwork.  Please?
> 
> Don't know.  The copy our group got didn't have the artwork, either.  They'd
> be fools not to though.  I mean, hell, FASA named a building after him in
> Seattle, you'd think they'd call on them instead of the guy who does
> crayon-like drawings in the NAN books (the Las Vegas section, especially).

Let's see.  That would be Rick Harris, no?  <shudder>  Granted, I
doubt I could draw any better (an artist I ain't), but when you
consider that talent that is out there and available.  For those of
you who are wondering who I'm talking about, check out, say, pg 31 in
the Grimoire.  And that's some of his best work.  <sigh>

Laubenstein just seems to catch Shadowrun perfectly.  He's good, and
his style can be just humorous enough to catch some of the underlying
goofiness that FASA often puts into Shadowrun.  Not too much, but
enough.  Laubenstein, for the clueless, is the guy who did all the
archetype artwork in SRI, and who seems to be one of FASA's favorite
artists (with good reason).  He's even done a good bit of page layout,
and is responsible, along with Joel Biske, for the color inserts in
ShadowTech.

And Bradstreet.  Well, most folks would probably recognize his work
from the Vampire t-shirt that was so popular. Great "Grim 'n' Gritty" (tm)
artwork.  Check out the "Hates" section of Harlequin, or pg 20 in the
Grimoire. 


---
   Jim Gaynor    | "Man-of-Many-Beeping-Sounds-and-Flashing-Lights" - KAJ
OSU/ACS/FMS/OCES | <gaynor@agvax2.ag.ohio-state.edu> or <gaynor.4@osu.edu>
ObDiscl:  Everything stated here and above is _my_ opinion.  Mine mine mine!
ObQuote: "Every devil I meet becomes a friend of mine." - Indigo Girls
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc