HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: thornley@myria.cs.umn.edu (David H. Thornley)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc,rec.games.frp.advocacy
Subject: Re: Random Rolls
Date: 26 Jan 93 22:48:11 GMT
Article-I.D.: news2.C1HGoF.ow
Organization: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, CSci dept.

In article <1993Jan25.171130.8107@nastar.uucp> phardie@nastar.uucp (Pete Hardie) writes:
>In article <1993Jan24.171941.13751@news.tufts.edu> gharris@jade.tufts.edu (George W. Harris) writes:
>>[Character points in GURPS are not good measures of character improvement.
>> Suppose there is a group of adventurers, one of whom has the Poor
>> disadvantage.  They have a very successful adventure, and each gets
>> six million zorkmids and a few character points.  Why does the Poor
>> person have to use lots of character points to buy off Poor, and
>> therefore can't learn new things like everybody else?]
>
>They get 6M zorkmids for this adventure, but only a few character points???!!!
>
Sure.  Money exists in abundance, although not usually quite where I want it.
Character improvement is difficult.

>Sounds to me like a serious imbalance in relative payoff.  Assuming that the
>6M is enouch to take one from Poor to at least Comfortable, the point total
>should be at least 25 points.  
>
Why?  Please explain why this is the case, without using GURPS character point
costs directly.

To give a real life example, it is possible (if extremely unlikely) that the
Publisher's Central Bureau sweepstakes will suddenly raise my wealth level
in the near future (I said extremely unlikely, and I mean it).  This would
happen rather suddenly, with minimal effort on my part.  Assume, for now,
that this represents the rough equivalent of ten character points increase.
(I don't remember how much levels of wealth cost in GURPS.)

Now, ten experience points is roughly equal to a year of training and study,
so are you saying that winning a silly sweepstakes is roughly equivalent
to studying for a year?  That, if I were to go on an adventure worth ten
million dollars, that I should suddenly be able to speak Japanese, no
matter how long (three hours) I spent in Japan on this adventure?

That aside, I treat wealth levels purchased with character points as fairly
reliable sources of money, and money that characters make on adventures as
thoroughly losable.  However, I see no reason why I can't give characters
money, knighthoods, reputations, enemies, friends, and contacts without
having to express it in character points.  I do require character points
for actual character improvement (gaining abilities, losing disabilities,
etc.)

DHT
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: gray@visix.com (Gray Jones)
Subject: SRII:  hosing with autofire
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1993 18:04:45 GMT
Reply-To: gray@visix.com (Gray Jones)
Organization: Visix Software, Reston, Virginia


What if I don't try and aim my autofire weapon and just
rake an area?

Would it just count as a bunch of stray bullets with
targets determined randomly?  I'd like to think so....

SRII gives absurdly high target numbers for autofire weapons,
so it might just be easier to spray an area and hope you hit
something....

--gray
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: smurphy@unix1.tcd.ie (Mithrandir(S))
Subject: Re: Faerie Folk (Pedantic Note of no interest to gamers)
Organization: Trinity College, Dublin
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 11:13:23 GMT

In <22JAN199304213014@tirith.carleton.edu> jnephew@tirith.carleton.edu (John A. Nephew) writes:

>>In <18063@umd5.umd.edu> joe@astro.umd.edu (Joe Mcmullin) writes:
>> 
>>>>Daoine sidhe (Pronounce it if you dare!!)

>OK, my guess:

>DAY-nah SHEE

   Extremely close!
 It's DAY-nah SHEEha
 
   No fair, Mr Atlas Games!
  You lived in Ireland!



>-jn
--
  To those tryiong to get in touch with Mithrandir, do not email
to the Address in the header. It is borrowed, cause my newsfeed
has exploded.  
     Email:tkelly@unix2.tcd.ie  Thanks.  
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: Petri.Wessman@hut.fi (Petri Wessman)
Subject: Re: Rolemaster
Reply-To: Petri.Wessman@hut.fi
Organization: La Gata Encantada
Date: 23 Jan 93 02:58:35

On 21 Jan 1993 23:16:42 -0700, cook@shaman.nexagen.com said:

cook> Hi. Just thought I'd let you know that I'm now on the net. If
cook> you want to ask any questions or make any comments, I'd love to
cook> hear from you here or at:
cook> 	cook@shaman.nexagen.com
cook> Monte Cook
cook> Rolemaster Editor

Welcome to the Net!

Aren't you the author of Dark Space, BTW?  I really liked it, and ran
a small campaign around it. I was a bit disappointed when ICE didn't
publish any additional stuff for it...  the whole idea behind it was
so screwy it was fun. I mean, Undead Nullspace pirates, intelligent
organic weapons, and Dark Beings Who Want To Destroy Humanity (tm)? :-)
Great stuff.


cook> PS Oh, BTW, Iron Crown is doing much better financially, and is
cook> NOT bankrupt, going out of business, or anything else. These
cook> rumors are simply not true.

That's good to hear. There have been all sorts of rumors flying around...

//Petri
From: gorilla@cats.ucsc.edu (Christopher John Arnold)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Vamp / Ars Magica
Date: 24 Jan 1993 22:29:31 GMT
Organization: University of California; Santa Cruz
NNTP-Posting-Host: si.ucsc.edu


The story behind the existence of Tremere vampires is that
a member of house Tremere in ARS MAGICA decided that he
would invent a ritual that would turn him in effect into a vampire.
This person happened, I believe, to be the Primus of the House at
the time. He forced all Tremere mages to go through this ritual.
So we have 98% of a house of  The Order of Hermes that is now
Vampiric, and in the VAMPIRE world.

-Chris

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Chris Arnold   gorilla@cats.ucsc.edu
Ars Magica/Cyberpunk 2020/World of Darkness/Call of Cthulhu/
Twilight 2000/MegaTraveller....

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: dv52151@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (RedSwordTarga)
Subject: Re: SRII:Please help!
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1993 02:59:46 GMT

ryk0@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (RAJAN YASH KHANNA) writes:


>    Look, I know you guys have heard this so many times before and discussed
>    it a long time ago but I have to ask. I used to play Shadowrun (1st
>    edition) and really enjoyed it. I have practically all the supplements,
>    etc. However, when I moved to school I stopped playing for lack of
>    interested people. When the second edition came out I didn't want to start
>    buying all new stuff. However, now I'm interested and may have a chance to
>    play again. My question is, Is it worth buying the second edition ? 

Yes, it's worth it. The people at FASA have done their best to make sure
all those supplements we sunk so much cash into aren't worthless. The
rules are much cleaner, combat with guns is much more deadly, and it
just feels a lot neater.

>    How
>    much has changed and what ? Flipping through the new book I noticed that
>    they dropped a few archetypes including the burned-out mage, my personal
>    favorite. I realize I'm asking a lot but if one person could take the time
>    out to respond and educate me I will be extremenly grateful.

The burned out mage is now in the Contacts book that's included with the
GM's screen (This one is actually worth buying). 

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                                                  *
********************************************************************************

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: akuma@netcom.com (Steven Elliott Barnes)
Subject: Re: RM: Oriental Companion
Organization: Radio Free Arcadia
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 00:56:00 GMT


Well, a friend was reading it, and pointed out many of
the silly things in it.  Serious RM players may like the
suppliment, but here are a few problems:

Grenades that deliver 3 C slash crits (or a shrapnel crit,
if you have Space Master), automatically to everyone in
the radius.  His remark was that these were so awesome 
that everyone would use them.  (Now I know what you're 
going to say...  Honarable samurai would never touch such 
things; it is still a play balance problem)

Bombs that deliver (cost) * 10 OB fireballs.  I forget what
the cost factor was, but the lack of an upper bound made
it easy to get incredable weapons of devastation.

Many weapons, whose description were:  Like (european weapon),
except (it is better [OB, extra crits, etc]).

Armor parts, whose basic design should have been obvious
to Europeans, but were apparently only available in Asia.
Examples were: a face guard that reduced the % chance of
head crits; an bamboo (!) apron that reduced the % chance
of leg crits (apparently mere metal isn't good enough).

-steve

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: mppc3@syma.sussex.ac.uk (Duncan White)
Subject: Re: Vamp / Ars Magica
Organization: University of Sussex
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL5
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 11:39:26 GMT

Bryant Durrell (durrell@pinball.arcade.uiowa.edu) wrote:
: In article <1jv58bINNjl4@darkstar.UCSC.EDU> gorilla@cats.ucsc.edu (Christopher John Arnold) writes:
: >The story behind the existence of Tremere vampires is that
: >a member of house Tremere in ARS MAGICA decided that he
: >would invent a ritual that would turn him in effect into a vampire.
: >This person happened, I believe, to be the Primus of the House at
: >the time. He forced all Tremere mages to go through this ritual.
: >So we have 98% of a house of  The Order of Hermes that is now
: >Vampiric, and in the VAMPIRE world.
: 
: Uh, that doesn't mesh with the info in the Players Guide and World of
: Darkness and other sources.  As I recall, some poor Kindred took the
: risk of Embracing a Tremere mage and was promptly Diablerized for his
: trouble.  I don't recall if the entire House ended up Kindred.  It 
: may not be specified.
: 

So what? What vampires believe happened, what magi believe happened and
what actually happened needn't be that close to each other. The various
books all seem to present everything from a specific viewpoint rather
than from an objective position (prime example: how vampires and
werewolves are presented in their own and each others books). This is a
good thing - if your players are desperate to know what actually
happened, you have the basis for many game sessions to come, if their
not interested, they can accept the relevant biassed view as 'correct'.
From: boliv@Mari.Unit.NO (Olivier Banessy)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: RM : about changing of class
Date: 27 Jan 93 10:29:03 GMT
Reply-To: boliv@Mari.Unit.NO (Olivier Banessy)
Organization: Norwegian Institute of Technology


	An intersting problem in that game is when you want to change of class
for some reason. The rules are not really satisfactory about it. 

	In our campaign, only rare situations can lead to a new class : a burglar
with a good intuition and reasonning (why not ??) had been really impressed by a
cleric we met. He started developping PPdev, spell lists and channeling. He was
still burglar, but anyway... Finally he decided to retire from adventuring for a
time in order to become the cleric apprentice. The GM proposed him to swap to
the cleric class and now he is a cleric. His costs have changed to the ones of a
cleric, and each level, he was losing one level of plus per level of burglar 
replacing it by a level of cleric instead : 8b, 7b1c, 6b2c,...

	What do you think of that system, do you allow player swaping from a 
class to another, what about costs, +/lvl...

							O.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: mr55371@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (KittyKat)
Subject: SRunII help needed
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1993 00:26:51 GMT


  Hi!
  I'm going to be running a modified ShadownRun campaign this semester and
  I'm looking for someone to bounce ideas off of.  I don't want to post too
  much information to the net about the campaign because some of my players
  read this group.  I can say that what I'm thinking of is a bit unusual, 
  and I've chosen to use the ShadowRun system, but not the history provided
  with the game.  I've also chosen to disregard the metahuman and magic
  stuff and just go with a tech oriented campaign.  I am not looking for
  advice about another system to use...this one was chosen because the
  group knows it, it is fairly simple, and the person helping me set up
  the campaign likes it.  If anyone is willing to let me mail them about
  some ideas and questions over the course of the campaign, please let me
  know.  Right now, I'm doing so with one of my players and that's going
  to have to stop shortly after the campaign begins.
  Thanks :)

  KittyKat
From: aw1s+@andrew.cmu.edu (Andrew David Weiland)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: SRII: questions (yet again)
Date: 26 Jan 93 20:19:43 GMT
Organization: Junior, Philosophy, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA

gray@visix.com (Gray Jones) writes,

>If a mage has an elemental sustaining a spell, what happens if
>he/she astrally projects?  I assume the elemental continues to 
>sustain the spell, but are the effects stuck with the character's
>body or do they accompany him on the astral plane (particularly 
>increase reflexes and combat sense spells)?

I would definitely say that only mana spells could affect a mage on the
astral.  And astral reaction is based on Intellegence, so spells that
increase reaction don't work.  And extra reaction die are expressely
forbidden on the astral plane (they were in the 1st ed., and I don't
think that would change).

You might have a problem with astrally perceiving mages or physical
adepts who want the same reaction die bonus they get in the physical
world.  I would suggest generating two separate initiative totals;
remember that astral action in a round is resolved before the physical
action takes place.  Dual beings can be handled the same way.

>Do cyber-mages get cyberware benefits on the astral plane?
>I am inclined to say yes.

I tend to disagree.  Cyberware is perceived in the astral as holes in
your aura, which is why it costs Essence.  But even if you allow for
cyberware, the only things that would have any effect are damage
compensators, mental boosters, and skill chips.  Skill chips would only
allow for mental skills; since skillwires affect only the physical body
(and physical skills can't be used on the astral anyhow, I think).


------------------------------------------------
| aw1s@andrew.cmu.edu |	Andy Weiland                            |
------------------------------------------------
| We should not let ourselves be burnt for our opinions; we	 | 
| are not that sure of them.  But perhaps for this: that we	 |
| may have and change our opinions.                                          |
------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc,rec.games.frp.advocacy
From: talbert@athena.cas.vanderbilt.edu (Robert Talbert)
Subject: Re: Random Rolls
Organization: Vanderbilt University Mathematics Department
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 22:00:26 GMT

>  Only for those infantile wimp gamers who can't cope with a character
>that doesn't fit their stereotypical concepts of what "THEIR" character
>is like.  Again and again I hear the same thing...  "I don't like it
>when my character isn't exactly what I wanted.". 

What's wrong with getting the character you want? At least in GURPS you have
to *pay* for what you want. It's not like you can just whip out a godlike 
character with no disadvantages or anything. Face it, nobody who plays in a 
game where the character stats are random *wants* them to be random. Players
will ignore random rolls for stats every time if you don't watch them. So 
why fight it? Instead, build it into the system so at least designing a 
character is fair for everybody. It's much more fun this way.

> Maybe you should learn
>to play unconventional characters.  Or amybe you should realize that
>everyone is not the same.  What is this Advangtage/Disadvantage crap?
>Since when has it been true that if you add up everyone's advantages and 
>disadvantages, they come out equal?  Since never!  It's a lame argument
>and a lame excuse for designing a point allocation system.  Get some
>real role-playing ability.

That's why GURPS characters don't start out with 0 points. They start out with
some positive number (usually around 100) that they can spend on things 
*before* taking anything extra. And any advantage, skill, or what-have-you 
that exceeds the initial point value must be countered by an equal and 
opposite disadvantage. What's lame about that? Would you rather make it so
that characters can get outrageous powers without a counterbalance? That's
the D&D way, and it's just not the way things work in real life. 

-- Robert

One parting comment before I drop this thread:
   A few years ago I sat down to write the perfect game system. I figured 
that my mathematical training and experience as a gamer qualified me to 
come up with something new and fun. So for a year or so, I came up with 
various statstical models, systems, and ideas: probability-based values 
should adhere to the normal distribution (like everything else in real life
that has different levels of success), the game should be ready to accept 
any genre of input, combat should work like this, skills should work like 
this, etc. 
   The end product (what there was of it anyway) was so much like GURPS I 
just gave up and bought the damned thing. Y'all can flame away, but I am 
convinced. 


--
Robert N. Talbert    		  | "I saw what cannot be seen
Mathematics Department  	  |  She spoke to me
Vanderbilt University		  |  'Take what you've learned, set it free
talbert@athena.cas.vanderbilt.edu |   See what you'll see.' " --- King's X
From: atmpas@vax.oxford.ac.uk
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: RQ: More Summoning Questions
Date: 22 Jan 93 09:53:02 GMT
Organization: Oxford University VAX 6620

In article <cluther.727573194@morticia>, cluther@morticia.cnns.unt.edu (Clay Luther) writes:
> 1) Does the summoner have to guess how many MP to spend when summoning, or does
> he know "this creature has a power of X, so I must spend X MP to summon it."

	He has to guess; this is actually an advantage, since if you only spend
14 MP summoning a fear spirit, then the 20 POW one you have no chance to
control will not show up, unless you roll that fatal 10%, in which case it's
off to see the shaman...

> 
> 2) Regarding Summon Skill; does the summoner need to make *both* a spell
> casting roll (POW x 5, 100%, or Spell Skill, depending on type of magic) *or*
> is the summoning based entirely on his summon skill roll *or* is it based
> on a roll that is the lowest of his magic roll or his summon skill roll.
> 

	Summon skill plus the appropriate number of D6 for Ceremony.

> 3) True or false:  The caster spends only 1 MP if the summons fails.


	1 MP and 1 FP per hour spent on the summon and ceremony, and the roll is only made
at the end of the procedure.  FP cannot be recovered 

> -- 
> Clay Luther
> cluther@morticia.cnns.unt.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: jacobus@symphony.cc.purdue.edu (Bryan J. Maloney)
Subject: English as a Celtic language?
Organization: Purdue University
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 22:32:42 GMT



Will you please demonstrate that English is Celtic and not Germanic?


Please demonstrate, using examples, that the grammar and vocabulary are
more Celtic than Germanic.  You have finally made a statement that is, at
least theoreticlaly, verifiable by modern methods.  You will be permitted
to restrict yourself to modern languages if you so wish, but are not
required to.  Please cite your sources.




Otherwise, shut up with your pseudo-scientific drivel.
From: maillet@tls-cs.cert.fr (Luc Maillet)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: SRII PhysAds
Date: 25 Jan 93 15:38:31 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: CERT, CS Dpt. Toulouse, France
Keywords: Physical Adept Abilities

In article <C19nIL.Btq@news.cso.uiuc.edu>, dv52151@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (RedSwordTarga) writes:
|> maillet@tls-cs.cert.fr (Luc Maillet) writes:
|> 
|> >  Don't worry, Axly. We've worked for Ares more'n'a couple of times. 
|> 
|> You've worked for Ares. Black Omega *IS* Ares. Big difference.
|> 
|> >And, if
|> >we ever have to work against you, you'll have to see us before mowing us down.
|> 
|> Oh, cool. A use for that ultrasound system we put on the Banshees. Oh, we
|> have a new designer line of body bags. Would you prefer periwinkle  or
|> charcoal?

  You Mercs of some sort, for having gear that heavy ?

  Anyway, we're not mad. We hear 'bout heavy armor, we find another way....
Banshees can't go anywhere...

								Redwing
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: cluther@morticia.cnns.unt.edu (Clay Luther)
Subject: RQ: Chalana Arroy Ruminations
Organization: University of North Texas
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 22:50:28 GMT




Chris Pearce worries that Chalana Arroy's restrictions against violence
are perhaps somewhat too broad given the inherent violence of Glorantha.

At the end of the Chaos Wars, near the beginning of Time, Chalana Arroy
foreswore the use of violence.  I think her main reason was the pain
she saw and felt, and especially her feelings for her mutilated son,
Arroin.

So, since the beginning of Time, Chalana Arroy has forbidden her
followers to cause needless pain to any living creature.  Pain and
murder are anathema to her.  However, she reserves a extremely strong
hatred for Chaos and willingly withholds her blessings from any 
creature of Chaos.

It is implied that in God Time, Chalana Arroy approved the use of
necessary violence.  A Heroquest might prove or disprove this.

Healers don't use violence as a primary solution, but I also think
in the "real world" they are not above using others to pursue violent
actions for them.  The key phrase is "unecessary pain."

Using the Takuan/Musashi example, Takuan must have assumed the pain he
caused Musashi was necessary.  History proves this correct.  Admittedly,
an Arroyan Takuan would be taking a risk, playing lose with the
dictations of the cult, but he might also be able to prove 5 or 10
years down the line that Musashi's pain was necessary and good.

An arroyan's greatest weapon is the withholding of healing.  Through
prayer, even an arroyan initiate can "black-ball" a person in the
entire cult.  (Message travels to Chalana Arroy, then back to the
temples through heroquests, prayer, omens, and divinations).

An arroyan's greatest asset is her access to the most powerful healing
magics.  Since everyone wants to jhave access to this magic, arroyans
are treated with a slightly higher level of respect.

Sorry about the rambling.
-- 
Clay Luther
cluther@morticia.cnns.unt.edu
From: markl@dvorak.amd.com (Mark Luedtke)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: SRII Insect Spirits *possible spoiler*
Date: 26 Jan 93 22:36:39 GMT
Organization: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.; Austin, Texas

In article <RATINOX.93Jan25152952@splinter.coe.northeastern.edu> ratinox@meceng.coe.northeastern.edu (Rent-a-Lemming) writes:
>>>>>> On 25 Jan 93 17:58:24 GMT, markl@dvorak.amd.com (Mark Luedtke) said:
>
>Mark> I have several questions about insect spirits.  The stats for true
>Mark> form spirits in Grimoire II says they are for manifest form only.
>Mark> What are the stats of the astral form?  All force?  If so, how come
>Mark> they have different mental attributes?  Especially the rediculously
>Mark> low Willpower?
>
>Correct. Insect Spirits, like the insects they represent, are hive
>creatures. As such, they are lacking in the mental attributes.

I don't really buy your rationalization for mental attributes.  If a force
4 female wasp spirit has Will (4) in astral space, where it is still a hive
creature, why does it loose that willpower while manifest?  The only
reason I can think of is to make them easy for mages to kill, and I hate
that reason.

-- 

Mark Luedtke    markl@dvorak.amd.com

This was typed by an infinite number of monkeys.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc