HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: E2KP000 <E2KP@UNB.CA>
Subject: Re: Dumb Moves By Game Companies
Organization: The University of New Brunswick
Date: Fri, 1 Jan 1993 06:49:18 GMT

In article <1992Dec31.024928.8878@trl.oz.au> mathers@sibelius.trl.OZ.AU (Steven Mathers) writes:
>In article <1992Dec31.001743.25722@netcom.com>, mhall@netcom.com (Michael Hall) writes:
>|> Metagaming's refusal to sell The Fantasy Trip to Steve Jackson for a
>|> reasonable price and letting this role-playing system die.  Steve Jackson's
>|> refusal to buy The Fantasy Trip for a few million bucks to save it from
>|> certain death.
>
>What's The Fantasy Trip like, if anyone knows?
An oldie but a goodie...
TFT was originally published as a micro-game by Metagaming, later to be
expanded to additional micro-games and then in book form( more like a ma
gazine like the old Space Gamer) It consisted of making d6 rolls (the ha
rder the roll the more d6's) under one's relevant stat *Str.Dex and Int)
It had some potential but was subsumed by the AD&D surge which began in
79.
From: duncanj@linus.umd.edu (James Duncan)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: GURPS: GURPS FAQ version 2 delayed
Summary: GURPS FAQ to be posted RSN
Keywords: GURPS, FAQ
Date: 1 Jan 93 17:04:10 GMT
Organization: University of Maryland, College Park


The GURPS FAQ should have been posted by now.  I am having problems
posting to rec.games.frp.archives. Hopefully, I will be able to get
the problem cleared up soon. The GURPS FAQ is now in 8 parts the total
is approx. 650 lines.

	- Jim Duncan

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: urbin@interlan.interlan.com (Mark Urbin)
Subject: Re: RE: GURPS Vehicles?
Organization: Racal-Datacom
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 15:37:40 GMT

In article <17DEC92.13193614.0092@VM1.MCGILL.CA> CX6L@MUSICA.MCGILL.CA (CX6L) writes:
>In article <1992Dec17.011147.62128@cc.usu.edu> sl9b4@cc.usu.edu (Deep Six) writes:
>>Does anyone know what stage GURPS Vehicles is in?
>  Saw a playtest draft, complete with sample vehicles, over the
>summer. A friend got it off of a nameless (and not to be named)
>FTP site. Since then, I assume, it's gone through the SJG meat-
>grinder, and will be out "whenever". There is info on the SJG-
>BBS, if you're really interested. No sign of it in Roleplayer,
>though.
>  Hope this helps,
>                  Kromm.
   
   This should mean that GURPS Mecha is on the horizon.  The last I had 
heard was that Mecha was to be published after Vehicles.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mark Urbin  Racal-Datacom  Boxborough, MA   urbin@interlan.interlan.com   
These opinions are mine.  No one else will admit to them.	          
It was a typical net.exercise -- a screaming mob pounding on a greasy spot 
on the pavement, where used to lie the carcass of a dead horse.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: pooh+@cs.cmu.edu (Will Timmins)
Subject: Re: Unique Races
Organization: School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon
Date: Sun, 27 Dec 1992 20:24:34 GMT

Well, I had a race like the Cho-jha in a game of mine... it seems that hive 
mind insectoid races are fairly common.

In my ideas there are the Hive Demons. The queen is a bloated creature with
telepathic powers. She has a 'library' of genetic information that she uses to
construct new entities for the hive. 'Sexual' reproduction is simply exchange 
of useful codes between hives.
	The queen has a highly developed mind for logistics- what resources
and dangers are near the hive, where are they, what entities would be useful.
However, independent and abstract thought are completely subsumed into utility.
In other words, it is very hard to have a meaningful conversation with a hive
queen.
	Other entities, soldiers workers communicators builders and more 
specialized beings, are made as needed, with as much intelligence as needed.
The more independent thought needed, the more sentience is granted to it.
Thus, scout hive demons have a good amount of independence. (in fact, in a game
I ran, one character was a scout demon that had managed to 'defect' from his
hive while on a mission in another dimension)

Comments?


-- 
-Me

[Pooh Bear incarnate.                                             ]
[H1 C+ F+ W G+ K+ S+ R- E+ P                                      ]
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: stxtnt@rs733.GSFC.NASA.Gov (Nigel Tzeng)
Subject: Re: SRII: Are mages in SRII too powerful?
Organization: Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md, USA
	<1992Dec26.234510.16301@jarvis.csri.toronto.edu>
Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1992 15:19:33 GMT

In article <1992Dec26.234510.16301@jarvis.csri.toronto.edu> cks@hawkwind.utcs.toronto.edu (Chris Siebenmann) writes:

>overmon@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu writes about his surplus street samurais:
>| Any of a variety of equipment, and of course, a smartgun link. And
>| don't think for a moment there aren't plenty of these guys!

>These guys are presumably carrying about 50,000 to 100,000 nuyen
>worth of cyberware and gear (minimum), no? In the dark depressed world
>of Shadowrun's 2050, who is funding all of this? How come people with
>cyberware worth more than a middle-income person's yearly salary are
>so plentiful?

Simple...ex-UCAS troops.  Assume that the military is willing to put
the minimal cyberware in the average front line trooper (say Boosted 2
or wired 1, smartlink and skillwire 3).  Compared to the cost of
military training the hardware cost isn't all that much...then a lot
of these yahoos leave the military and have to find employment.
Corporate guards, police and so forth are likely places to work.
These baby samurais are deadly in numbers (assuming decents stats they
do get 2 actions per turn), realistic and plenitful.  Real samurai are
likely ex-SEAL, ex-Ranger, and so forth.  Variations in load out
reflect the different philosophies of the organisations (and what
cyber was hot that year).  Player characters are assumed to be
somewhat special (or they'd be dead in this RPG).

Scum gang members may either be using second hand ware (ugh) or simply
ex-mil people who have found an unsavory niche to practice their trade.

> Something here doesn't add up, much like gang members with expensive
>cybermods and droolable bikes living in poverty.

Well...like gang members of today who drive BMWs and sport Mac 10s?
BTL or drug money...anyone packing that much nuyen deserves to get
nuked now and again by annoyed shadowrunners.

>   cks@hawkwind.utcs.toronto.edu	

Nigel


--
Nigel Tzeng
.sig under construction
From: akuma@netcom.com (Steven E Barnes)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Palladium/Wizards of the Coast Lawsuit
Date: 22 Dec 92 08:54:30 GMT
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest)

In article <BzMtMy.A0o@nic.umass.edu>, dunkelza@titan.ucc.umass.edu (KEITH C MCCORMIC) writes:
> In article <1992Dec18.125720.28118@hellgate.utah.edu> hnguyen%peruvian.cs.utah.edu@cs.utah.edu (Hung Nguyen) writes:
> 
>     For example, Eric Wujcik developed the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles &
> Other Strangeness game (Kevin, if you want to sue me for FORGETTING the [tm]
> after the name, go to hell.).  It sucked.  It was overly Siembda, yet it was 
> the best product they had at the time.  Guess what?  A few years later Eric 
> left the company and went on to form Phage Press, whose Amber game shows
> not only a marked improvement over TMNT&OS, but is apparently doing better 
> any single Palladium game.  Says something don't ya think?

Interesting you should mention TMNT.  While I was living in Omaha,
the game store I hung out at refused to stock most Palladium products.
This was because one of the owners had worked on a TMNT game for
Palladium, but got screwed over.  Or so he claimed.  I never got
all the details.  (No, I'm not talking about Eric Wujcik).

But personally, I agree: Palladium sucks.

-steve
From: hummell+@pitt.edu (Andrew G Hummell)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Palladium news and other stuff
Keywords: Palladium
Date: 24 Dec 92 06:46:09 GMT
Organization: University of Pittsburgh

I just got my copy of RIFTS Sourcebook II: the Mechanoids yesterday, and
the catalog contained a list of upcoming projects (which I will list later).

In case anyone was wondering about the ads running recently offering a special
surprise to anyone ordering a book or T-shirt by the end of the year, I got
a copy of the 1993 RIFTS Calendar as my surprise (a flyer included in the
package said that they randomly packed calendars, T-shirts, autographed 
items, and out-of-print materials in with the orders).  The retail price
on the calendar is $11.95 (although I wouldn't have paid that much for it),
but seeing as it was free, I'm not going to complain.

Palladium books has a new address (it was stamped on my copy of their
winter catalog (Winter '92).  It is

	Palladium Books Inc.
	12455 Universal
	Taylor, MI 48180

Mail sent to the old address will probably be forwarded, so don't panic :-)

Here's the list of upcoming items scheduled for a '93 release:

	RIFTS World Book 3: England
	RIFTS World Book 4: Africa
	RIFTS World Book 5: Triax & The New German Republic
	RIFTS Sourcebook 3: Speed Tribes
	RIFTS Dimensions: Book One
	RIFTS & Robotech miniatures (non-lead metal)
	Revised RECON 2nd Edition
	Desert RECON
	RECON Navy Seals
	Mystic China (by Erick Wujcik for Ninjas & Superspies, Heroes, etc.)
	

The catalog also mentions some tentative projects and projects still in the
works.  Here is what they mentioned:

	The Western Empire (by Erick Wujcik for the fantasy RPG)
	Island at the End of the World (for the fantasy RPG)
	

The catalog also mentions that they are planning one or two new Robotech
suppliments and possibly a second villains book for Heroes Unlimited.

Andy 
-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  "I'm not insane...just a reasonable facsimile."  | Hummell@vms.cis.pitt.edu
   -- me				           | Andy Hummell     230 DLH 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: tgt33358@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Thanatos)
Subject: Re: VAMPIRE question/imput needed
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1992 02:01:06 GMT

In article <1hqodlINNdbf@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> bs508@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (John D Plumitis) writes:
>
>It would seem with the backrounds Generation and Status one can start the game
>as a fairly powerful Vampire.  Shouldnt characters who have high generation 
>and/or status have more disciplines or something?
Nope.  Generation is simply the potency of the Vitae in your veins, as 
determined by your Sire.  The momeny you are Embraced, you are a new entity 
altogether.  The only advantage Generation gives you is the immunity to
domination, the increased blood pool size, and the ability to gain exceptional
stats and higher disciplines IF you get enough experience.  All it offers is
POTENTIAL...you have to learn how to use it.  The penalties of high generation?
Well, the average beginning vampire will be 13th generation, but you could, in
theory, start at 8th.  That means any vampire from 13-9th generation with weak 
moral fibre, and a hunger for diabilre, will be gunning for you.  Believe me, 
this is NOT fun.  If you DID gain that much power, it does not automatically
bring respect.  Those older, and more powerful will see you as a threat, and 
treat you accordingly (perhaps not with open hostility, but surely as a 
potential enemy...after all, why DID you amass so much power?).  So 8th 
generation is not necessarily a good thing unless you have the means to protect
the blood.  The way the game is set up, a stake will take out an 8th generation
beginning vampire just as quick as a 13th generation beginning vampire.
	Status is a whole new ball of wax, and depends on the clan.  Amongst 
the Toreadors, it could mean you were a great artist in life.  Amongst Brujah,
you were a great philosopher or fighter.  Amongst Ventrue, you were a great
leader of the people (ie knew howw to control them).  Kindred respect what 
one has done in life.  However, it only goes so far.  You have to deal with 
Diabolists and Anarchs and Sabbat who won't give a rat's ass about Camarilla
status.  Just because you have a high status means nothing to the wrong people.
 

>
>I notice the rules for creating NPCs are very generous to Ancillas, which the 
>P.C.s could realistically be.
Ancillas are kindred who are more than 100 years old.  Since PC's can't be
more than 50, they cannot be Ancilla.  The only way to achieve true status 
amongst kindred is through age.  Age implies the ability to survive, which 
says more than any point count on a sheet.  Kindred respect age, and age is
something the PC's can't have...yet.  A character can have the same power
levels as an Ancilla, but unless they show that they're NOT going to burn out,
they'll be considered impetuous upstarts, and treated accordingly. 

-- 
I don't mind being the smartest	    / Thanatos, DeathUrge, Master of Unknown
man in the world...I just wish it   \ Time and Space tgt33358@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu 
wasn't this one...	       	    / It's a Zen thing... 
	-Ozymandias 		    \	 you wouldn't understand...  
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: bret@technix.mn.org (Bret Indrelee)
Subject: Re: Unique Races (insect societies et al)
Organization: Private System - Saint Paul, MN
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1992 05:24:30 GMT

In article <Bzzn7D.MDK@visix.com> gray@visix.com (Gray Jones) writes:
>Read Helstrom's Hive by (I think) Frank Herbert.  It is about a "race" of humans
>that form a hive and develop "chemical communication" similar to those mentioned
>in James Nicoll's article.
>
>--gray

Another author having an insect society with a hive mind is the Chitin,
from "The Black Ship" by Christopher Rowley.  This is the third novel 
in a series.

-Bret
-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bret Indrelee               |         Nature Adores Chaos
email: bret@technix.mn.org  |
From: pgyger@ulys.unil.ch
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Tekumel, Empire of the Petal Throne
Date: 21 Dec 92 15:38:35 GMT
Organization: University of Lausanne - CH (Switzerland)

As anyone heard about the 'Tekumel, Empire of the Petal Throne' series from
M.A. Barker? It was released first in the late 70's and is published again now
by Theater if the Mind. Some new stuff is upcoming too, like books published
by DAW. I am thinking about buying that so I'd like to know if anyone here
has read, seen, etc. that game (it was a D&D campaign first but is a whole game
now) and can tell me if the world, the game system, etc. are good and worth 
buying. Thanks in advance and... merry Xmas!

Patrick J. Gyger (pgyger@ulys.unil.ch) "Smile like a reptile!"
From: mmadsen@bonnie.ics.uci.edu (Matt Madsen)
Subject: GURPS Running
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Reply-To: mmadsen@ics.uci.edu (Matt Madsen)
Organization: Univ. of Calif., Irvine, Info. & Computer Sci. Dept.
Date: 27 Dec 92 01:43:43 GMT

I've been working on some house rules (quite a few actually), and here's
what I've come up with for running in GURPS:

Running is based on an individual's muscular strength and ability to use this
strength, not dexterity and health.  Instead of (DX + HT)/4, I suggest
(ST + running + 4)/4, with running a physical, hard skill (based on DX!)
that defaults to DX-4.

This gives the typical person the same move as before (five), and avoids the
"quantum leap" in speed from a half point in running.  For 4 points, the
character can get plus one to running speed; 32 points for plus two; 64 points
for plus three.  This is much better than everyone spending half a point
for a plus one to their speed, period.  It allows a world-class sprinter to
actually get benefits from a high running skill, without everyone getting
ridiculous benefits from a low running skill.

Matt Madsen
mmadsen@ics.uci.edu
From: millerl@wharton.upenn.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: RQ: Getting & helping shape RuneQuest IV
Date: 21 Dec 92 05:08:08 GMT
Organization: Newt World Order

In article <BzItGG.1D0@trystro.uucp>, rune@trystro.uucp (Peter Maranci) writes:
> 	I've noticed that the RQ4 playtest rules seem to be strongly geared
> towards greater complexity, which I suspect is not a good idea. Character
> design under the new rules actually takes longer than under the old rules,
> which is particularly frightening when you consider that Murphy's Rules
> did a cartoon about the length of time it took to design characters under
> the old RQ!

I agree one hundred thousand percent with you. I think the changes in RQ
threaten to make it unplayable for novice players and GMs. However,
someone recently wrote that the original playtest rules for RQ first
edition had even more skills than the current draft of RQ4 has, and we
know that turned out all right. I too hope that the skill list gets cut
down, and that the character generation process becomes easier to use.
I've also been suggesting that to Oliver in my feedback.

> 	Another point: does anyone else out there feel that the new 
> Sorcery playtest rules are too crippling to sorcerers? Apparently a lot
> of people complained that the original RQ3 Sorcery was too powerful, but
> the reaction to this seems draconian. Why not just make a rule that
> all Sorcerer's arms must be cut off at birth?

Heh. Have you seen the newest sorcery rules? They are much fairer than
the first set of changes were, since most spells require less intensity
to be useful than previously. The rule of thumb they used was that an
intensity of a sorcery spell could: take one hit point or restore one
half hit point; give a 10% chance of something (obscuring vision, etc);
add 5% to any applicable skill (mist invocation adding +5%/intensity
to hide or conceal or act skill); or add 10-15% to a specialized skill.
I think that some spells are still too restrictive, such as the visual
illusion spells, which require an intensity 20 illusion to conceal a
doorway with a phantom stone wall. Those spells need to be rewritten to
match the way the worlds work.

> about both the RQ3 and RQ4 playtest versions). I'd like to see the flexible
> off-the-cuff Rune magic from the Vikings supplement built in to Sorcery,
> or something like it -- but I haven't actually used the Vikings supplement
> yet. Does anyone out there who's used it have any comments? Was it playable?

The only special magic in Vikings was god blessings that gave certain
fanatic followers of the chief gods advantages, such as the ability to
shapechange into a wolf or eagle, to go berserk, and so on.

-- 
whoah,
+++++++++++++++++++++++23
Loren Miller                           internet: MILLERL@wharton.upenn.edu
Mediocrity is a hand rail.                         -- Baron de Montesquieu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: TUK865@maccvm.corp.mot.com (Stephen Gill)
Subject: Re: How is Stormbringer?
Organization: Motorola
Date: 22 Dec 1992 09:16:01 CST

From: jgrace@netcom.com (Joseph Grace)
>Does anybody play Stormbringer?  Any comments?

Absolutely!

I've had Stormbringer since version 1, I'm now on 4 but missed 3, and
really enjoy it. More importantly my players love it, it's always at or
near the top of their wannaplay lists.

Basically it's a version of BRP or RUNEQUEST modified to cater for the
Michael Moorcock's eternal champion series, in this case concentrating on
Elric and the Young Lands before and, especially, after the fall of
Melnibone.

There is a lot of detailed attention to the relationships between LAW and
CHAOS and their various magics (more like technology in the case of LAW),
agents and priest types, as well as an overview of the world and it's
most illustrious personages.

The combat system is well thought out, quick and deadly, without having a
30 page list of weapons or special effects to wade through

The addition of HAWKMOON added his world, and the nasty Gran Brettanians
to the same system with their biotechnology  and a lot more insight into
travelling thru the spheres.

My only complaints, until recently, were the lack of support materials.
There was only the companion and a couple of scenarios by Ken Rolston
(sic?), since the release of HAWKMOON there's been so much released I
can't keep up (given that my main area of interest presently is cyber),
although a GMs screen would be nice.

I now have only one complaint left - where's the CORUM set? He's by far
and away my favourite of the eternal campions. Yeah I know I could make
my own but work and running 6 sessions a week have tended to make me
prefer to have everything handed to me on a plate (oh it's not like when
I was a student etc...)

As a great fan of Moorcock's work as well as Runequest I have to say that
I rate this series as the best fantasy rules presently available, tho I
haven't tried them all (one or two just haven't looked good enough to try
out at all). I have to rate it as a great game.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Steve Gill, internet TUK865@maccvm.corp.mot.com
MOTOROLA LMPS, European fin. MIS, Camberley Surrey UK

These opinions are mine, mine all mine   nya,ha,ha !
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: gm1116@albnyvms.bitnet
Subject: Re: Unique Races
Reply-To: gm1116@albnyvms.bitnet
Organization: University of NY at Albany
Date: Sun, 27 Dec 92 13:50:46 GMT

Re: _Mistress of the Empire_, just to double check, you
said the author was Felix Feist, did you mean to say
Raymond Feist & Janny Wurts???(I've been waiting for a 
book that was supposed to be called that to come out by
those authors.  Its the third book in the trilogy
_Daughter of the Empire_ and _Servant of the Empire_.
The Cho-jha(sp?) were in the two books peripherally.
I've been planning to adapt the world for an upcoming
oriental adventures, ad&d pbem game.  Does the book go
into a lot more detail on the cho-jha??  I was thinking
of adapting the thri-keen as warrior cho-jha(since that
is the only cho-jha charectors would end up fighting) abd
not worrying about stating up the others in as much detail.
BTW2
Also, did you say there are magic using cho-jha???  Do they
follow the greater or lesser path or do they have their
own brand of magic?

Lastly, is the book out in soft cover yet or is it just
hard-cover so far??

Please post or email me with info on the book, thanks

Gary A Mort
GM1116@albnyvms
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: hnguyen%peruvian.cs.utah.edu@cs.utah.edu (Hung Nguyen)
Subject: Re: Palladium RPG comments
Date: 23 Dec 92 13:48:57 MST
Organization: University of Utah CS Dept

In article <1h12e1INNpd5@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> cq267@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Jeremy Fox) writes:

>Furthermore, the comments made about high rifle scores in GURPS are a
>little misplaced.  True, players can abuse rules like that; in that case
>the GM needs to step in.  Really though, a character with high rifle
>ability  could be an asassin or something like that.  Its open to
>possibilites.

I was playing an assassin like character,  I was a vigelante (spelling)
and my background includes being part of the Yakuza (Spelling).  A 
basically made my living killing drug dealers and taking their money.
The way I became a part of the group was by force.  A player played a CIA
agent and his friend was a British Secret service agent.  They follow
me, and got a recording of me doing a hit.  They then used it to force me
to help or I go to jail.  I didn't feel like going to jail at the momnet.

This is a flame or anything, except people seems to think if you have a
high score like that your not a real character, but by the GURPS rule
my character was a very vital part of the mission, and it wasn't just for
his guns skills.  But his assassin skill came in very handy when they
need to infritrate the enemy lines.

 - Hung -
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc