HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: jacobus@symphony.cc.purdue.edu (Bryan J. Maloney)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Star System Generation
Date: 15 Sep 92 19:03:45 GMT
Organization: Purdue University



If you can find it, I recommend the system to be found in the old SPI
Universe game.  It has holes, but it also has virtues.
From: jdugger@bagpipe.reed.edu (Jay Dugger)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: So-called "dark futures"
Date: 6 Sep 92 19:10:59 GMT
Article-I.D.: reed.1992Sep6.191059.4893
Organization: Reed College, Portland, OR

In article <Bu43wM.AJF@mentor.cc.purdue.edu>  
jacobus@symphony.cc.purdue.edu (Bryan J. Maloney) writes:
> 
> 
> 
> If you
> want some seriously dark settings, as opposed to cartoonish dark  
settings
> with killer ninjas around every corner, read some John Brunner,  
especially
> Stand on Zanzibar and Total Eclipse.  I recommend Stand on Zanzibar over
> Total Eclipse.  We are talking literature to slash your wrists by here.
> None of this girlie-man cyberpunk "darkness".

Hear, hear!!
	John Brunner is far darker than Gibson and a better writer be-
sides.  I disagree with the suitability of Total Eclipse as cyberpunk  
source material.  It's much more classical science fiction.  I was supri-
sed to see that you didn't mention The Shockwave Rider, which is his most
cyberpunk-style work.  Granted, it's got a happier ending than SoZ.   
Another Brunner work that's downright depressing is The Sheep Look Up.
This is a world where the environment is much much worse than today, the  
political climate is basically fascist, and the only way out is mass  
suicide.  Molly and Case would blow their brains out if they lived there;
it's that bad.

Jay Dugger
jdugger@reed.edu
From: v054nn84@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (Foto...Taking pictures again, and Happy for it!)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Descriptions
Date: 6 Sep 92 11:03:00 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

Greg,

   The only difference between your style and mine is that I let the players
ask a few questions based on the descriptions first...letthem puzzle it out for
themselves a few times.  If they get it right they feel great, if not, they
don't mind the assist.  What they hey, as long as they are happy and
interacting with me, I don't mind.  the idea is the fun of the game, right?

Skeksis - Me transmitte sursum, Caledoni
From: v054nn84@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (Foto...Taking pictures again, and Happy for it!)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Repartee in Gaming
Date: 9 Sep 92 11:20:00 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

Brian J Maloney (I hope I spelled you name right) raises an interesting point
in the thread of attracting more women to gaming, that of there being more
repartee.  I would like to see more repartee in gaming, period, not just
as a way to make gaming more attractive to women as I think that repartee adds
a lot to the game.  My problem is simple, how do I go about encouraging my
players to engage in repartee among their characters and between my NPCs and
their charcters.  They do a fine job of keeping it going from player to player,
but this is not exactly what I am looking for.  Any comments on ways to
encourage the growth and (hopefully) quality of repartee will be greatly
appreciated.  On the other hand flames such as "Repartee suck" and "Your a
lousy ref because you have this problem" are NOT encouraged.

Skeksis
From: z_copeab@ccsvax.sfasu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: the .Z Extension on Files
Date: 12 Sep 92 16:48:58 CST
Organization: Stephen F. Austin State University

In article <BuDqr0.7vK@agora.rain.com>, krelos@agora.rain.com (Neal Feldman) writes:
> Help!  I'm new to Unix systems and have not a clue what to do with
> files ending in .Z.  I retrieved several files off of
> FTP sites with this extension, but can't read them.
> 
> I tried ZIP and ZOO, but to no avail.
> 
> Help.  Reply in Email please.
> 

	I'm posting this to the group because others may have this problem.

	Before you 'get' the file, make sure you are in 'binary' mode.

	After you get the file, you'll need to 'decompress' it. The syntax
varies depending on what kind of system you are on. Check your system manual or
talk to one of the lab workers.

Brandon Cope
From: swaim@owlnet.rice.edu (Michael Parks Swaim)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Let's talk REAL sci-Fi systems
Keywords: The best
Date: 12 Sep 1992 00:22:12 GMT
Organization: Rice University

In article <BuFCz2.2FK@acsu.buffalo.edu> v057qkmm@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (BABBLING SAGE) writes:
>In article <BuF9qB.Axn@rice.edu>, swaim@owlnet.rice.edu (Michael Parks Swaim) writes...
>you have the same skill level as your difficulty attempted, you have a 50%
>chance to succeed + attribute modifier.
  Now we're finally getting somewhere. What are the range of attributes,
and how do they add to your chance of success? Does a 5 intelligence
give me +5% to my chance to do something, or +50%? What should be considered
a normal range?


>>  So your chance to do something is skill+attribute? Ug. I was hoping for
>>something better.
>
>	Well, its simple. Perhaps I havent explained it thoroughly enough
>but i can't do so without copying large sections of the book,
  If it's so simple, why can't you?

>Bluerazor


-- 
Mike Swaim            | Canada will become the next world power
swaim@owlnet.rice.edu | and they will work to ENSLAVE all the nations
Disclamer: I lie      | of your planet. -Ricardo
Cthulhu in '92! The stars are right!
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: GAYNOR@agvax2.ag.ohio-state.edu (Jim Gaynor)
Subject: Re: rec.games.frp.srun
Organization: The Ohio State University - OCES
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 10:20:18 GMT
X-News-Reader: VMS NEWS 1.24

In <1992Sep9.090203.22190@sserve.cc.adfa.oz.au> braca2@cspyr1.cs.adfa.oz.au writes:

> For all the SR munchkins ( and otherwise ) there is already a board, try
> reaching
> 
> 	rec.games.cyber
> 
> 	it also deals with Cyberpunk, and Cyberspace, but I'm sure
> 	you can handle that load.

It is also moderated by (imho) a rather heavy-handed moderator, and
said moderator refuses to accept magic as part of a "cyber" newsgroup
- thus blowing half of Shadowrun out of the water.

---
   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
From: v080qpz8@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (David A Morgan)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Let's talk REAL sci-Fi systems
Keywords: The best
Date: 13 Sep 92 01:46:00 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <BuHu25.Hp5@acsu.buffalo.edu>, v076jy2p@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (Cosmo Of The Cosmos) writes...
>I'm not bloodthirsty, I'm a nice guy.  As for being Deluded/Misguided...
> 
>Well...  I was that way before BattleLords.

(It's true!!!I can vouch for that!!His nickname back in high school was Captain 
Quaalude!...no joke...what a sad,sad world we all live in...)-Dave Morgan
> 
>					-Robert Goodfellow
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: deitrich@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Dave Deitrich)
Subject: Re: Looking for Saramud's Advice Columns
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 19:21:36 GMT

Got 'em!  Thanks alot!

Dave Deitrich
deitrich@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: ericg@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu (Eric Chris Garrison)
Subject: Universal Simulation Mailing List FTP site
Organization: Indiana University
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 19:55:35 GMT

I found the following on the FTP site list.  It says it is defunct,
and I *really* would like to get ahold of all of the files listed
for that FTP site.  Is there a way to get it (is there another site,
does anyone who got stuff from there still have some of the stuff)???

Any information/leads would be greatly appreciated.

thanks,

Eric


Name:           Universal Simulation Mailing List (usml) ftp site
Address:        topgun.agps.lanl.gov (192.12.184.4)
Status:         Apparently Defunct
Info Updated:   12-Feb-1992
Notes:          Once upon a time, some net.people made a joke about writing a
                program or two that simulated the Universe. Ho ho ho.  Pretty
                funny. But other people took them seriously and thus was born
                the short lived mailing list called usml, and thus were written
                a number of programs which simulated various parts of the
                universe. There are subsector generators for Traveller, star
                system generators using several methods, and plate tectonic
                generators to generate random land masses (not very pretty).

                Here are the contents of pub/usml:

                Actual                  accrete.c               shebs
                Archive                 accretion.amiga         siod.c
                Digests                 accretion.src           starcul.shar
                List                    archive                 starform
                OtherSun.src            cellsim_1.5.tar.Z       system.arc
                Psychohistory           fractal.c               traveller.tar
                README                  plates.c                xc5.1-tar.Z
                Universe                references
-- 
Eric Chris Garrison			      UCS Support Center
ericg@ucs.indiana.edu			      Indiana University
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: tdunn@ecst.csuchico.edu (Tim Dunn)
Subject: Unkillable PCs (Was Re: Resurrection in HERO (was Re: Permenant damage in HERO))
Organization: California State University, Chico
Date: Wed, 09 Sep 1992 19:33:34 GMT


Here's an amusing concept I devised for a Star Trek game using Hero --
a rogue mutant gallifreyain (sp?)  Basically, a character that regenerates
only from death, and changes in some random fashion to someone else.

He'd be the perfect red (now yellow) shirt!

As for the cost of the power, I'd assess it at something on the order of
15 to 25 points.  Reasons:

1) It's not instanteous, so the character once 'killed' is out of the
   combat.  Hence, it has no combat affects.
2) It only helps the referee.  Here you are, the referee.  You have a
   player with a dead character.  What's the first thing you say?
   "Make up a new one," right?  Now, how are you going to fit the new
   character in?  With this conception, the character is different,
   but is a known entity and has an established place.  It's easier to
   add this concept into a group.
3) It has great comedy value -- "Security Ensign Zlinh, you are out of
   uniform!"  (Oh, yeah -- this obviously does not affect clothing,
   so phasers set to disintegrate will be embarrassing.)

-- 
In a five year period we can get one superb programming language.  Only
we can't control when the five year period will begin.
From: dv52151@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Axly)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Matriarchal Societies...Fact or Fiction
Date: 13 Sep 92 16:15:10 GMT
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana

lib1p@rosie.uh.edu (Tammy Stark Blandino) writes:

>How much do people take for granted as true without really
>thinking about it, yet run in fear of anything that smacks of
>matriarchal or matrilineal?

Oh, I don't think anyone is running in fear of them. However, I 
must point out that since most matriarchal societies were/are 
based on agriculture and a cyclical view of the universe, the
allowance for social and intellectual change was minimal. Yes,
the modern society, descended from a patriarchal beginning, 
still has some faults, but I think we all consider it better
than rutting around in the dirt with sticks. If you want a
more eloquent argument on the subject, check Sam Keene's
"A fire in the belly".             

Axly
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: dv52151@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Axly)
Subject: Re: Let's talk REAL sci-Fi systems
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 20:43:53 GMT

v057qkmm@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (BABBLING SAGE) writes:

>	Ah. Well I must admit to not reading this carefully. An Anti-personnel
>grenade to the head in battlelords can be survived. Any hit by an anti-tank
>weapon to your character will result in his demise.

*grin* I hope you aren't saying this is realistic. Pop someone in the
back of the head with an Mark 19 and there'll be a brain puddle on
the sidewalk.

Axly
  
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: swaim@owlnet.rice.edu (Michael Parks Swaim)
Subject: Re: Let's talk REAL sci-Fi systems
Keywords: The best
Organization: Rice University
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 10:38:11 GMT

In article <BuE0Jp.321@acsu.buffalo.edu> v057qkmm@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (BABBLING SAGE) writes:
>	Weapons and armor are NOT allowed in most civilized areas! It is
>clearly stated in the book that this is so. And thus, roleplaying occurs.

  If you can't kill it, you have to roleplay your interactions with
it?  The people in th1de campaigns I've been on talk to people even when we
could kill them. Different playing style. 

>When you go out into the vast uncharted wilds, you
>had best take your weapons >however. 

  Why do you need antitank equivelant weaponry when you go camping?
Commando squirrels? (Yet another COOL race!)  

>But it would be simple enough to run urban adventures where any \ 
>weapons would have to be concealed, 
>where there is law and order, and where PCs have meaningful 
>interactions with NPCs.  

If you've got rules for booze, do you also have rules for "meaningful
interactions?" <Wink Wink Nudge Nudge>

  On a more serius note: if I was going to junk the background, why
should I buy the game? What's so nice about it other than fast 'n'
deadly combat? (I tend to view combat as an respite between
"meaningful encounters" if you know what I mean, and I think you do.)
Is the skill system in general wonderful? How does advancement work?
How does someone "wing it" if he doesn't have a particular skill?

(The closest I've seen to my ideal system is in "Over the Edge" with
3 stats, chosen during character creation.)



-- 
Mike Swaim            | Canada will become the next world power
swaim@owlnet.rice.edu | and they will work to ENSLAVE all the nations
Disclamer: I lie      | of your planet. -Ricardo
Cthulhu in '92! The stars are right!
From: v057qkmm@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (BABBLING SAGE)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Let's talk REAL sci-Fi systems
Date: 11 Sep 92 18:50:00 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <1992Sep11.140011.102@gems.vcu.edu>, porterg@gems.vcu.edu writes...
> 
> 
>Don't be too hard on the person who started this thread.
> 
>It is clear this individual is from a different country that most of us, and
>obviously learned English as second language (poorly, I might add).
> 
>There can be no other reason for such blatant mangling of the term "objective
>comparison".
> 
>But hey, I'm a quasi-famous game designer whose product might be in danger,
>so before I put up my 50 bucks, how about a few *facts* instead of *hype*.
> 
>If the system is *much* more realistic than all others, I think a side by
>side comparison is in order, to convince the net.public of the truth.  Using
>examples we can all imagine, and hope to not personally experience.
> 
>1.      A medium caliber pistol hit (9mm or .45) to the unarmored head.
>2.      A medium caliber rifle bullet (7.62mm) to the unarmored torso.
>3.      A broadsword swung by an average person to the unprotected neck.
>4.      And of course, a plasma cannon (equivalent to a RPG-7) to the groin.
>

	I assume you mean these things affecting a normal human, correct?

>As the author of TimeLords, I of course will open my own system to comparison,
>and further suggest we add GURPS, Hero System, and Twilight:2000 to the list
>(as a control point, maybe we should throw in Macho Women w/Guns as well).
> 
>If anyone else has systems to add to this list, please post them.  And as to
>the "objective" reviewer of BL23c, it is time to put up or shut up.
>

	I am willing to describe the effects of all of the above in BL23. 

>Greg Porter
>BTRC

Bluerazor
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: lib1p@rosie.uh.edu (Tammy Stark Blandino)
Subject: Re: Gaming boards
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: University of Houston
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 1992 23:45:00 GMT

In article <wegaTxC00WBLE3LcEY@andrew.cmu.edu>, Robert Everett Brunskill <rb6t+@andrew.cmu.edu> writes...
>lib1p@rosie.uh.edu (Tammy Stark Blandino) writes:
> 
>>This is r.g.frp.misc.  In the hierarchy r.g.frp.* is for 
>>fantasy role playing games.  Sci fi games are not fantasy
>>games.  Therefore, officially they do not belong here.
> 
>And since there is no place else for them to go then they don't belong
>anywhere. Wait! Wait! I just found netnews.rec.games.rpg! And there are
>only three posts! We SFers can take that one over I suppose, but beyond
>that there is no r.g.sf.*. But if someone were to make one,
>pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease. It's my guess that it will end up being
>a disgruntled <-spelling? tried and true FANTASY role player who will
>end up creating it just to get us off their board. No, this is not
>intended as a flame, just conversation and a bit (very small bit) of
>enlightenment.

I have no rec.games.rpg on my system :-(

Tammy
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: lib1p@rosie.uh.edu (Tammy Stark Blandino)
Subject: Bandwith and groups
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: University of Houston
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 1992 20:55:00 GMT


If everyone is so worried about bandwith, then why do we
have groups like:

alt.wesley.crusher.die.die.die

alt.french.captain.borg.borg.borg

just a thought.

Tammy
From: JLM@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: My post about r.g.frp.* and sf games
Date: 15 Sep 92 22:09:23 GMT
Followup-To: Alt.flame
Organization: Stanford Linear Accelerator Center

In article <14SEP199220212869@rosie.uh.edu>, lib1p@rosie.uh.edu (Tammy Stark
Blandino) says:
>
>Now, for a side note.  This is the rude-est board I have seen.
                        ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>I don't intend this to be flaming, just a statement of fact.
>I can't even "breathe" on this board without someone screaming
>in my face.  Tell me, when you try to teach games to a non-gamer,
>do you do this routine?  When you try to explain that gaming is
>not Satanic to a Xtian, do you do this routine?  (etc. with the
>examples)  Jheez, people, no wonder the fundies are breathing
>down our necks!

 You have obviously not read many USENET newsgroups.  On the
net, rudeness is the operant mode of behaviour !

-- Jose L. Martinez --
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: braca2@cspyr1.cs.adfa.oz.au (BRAY CHRISTOPHER)
Subject: Re: rec.games.frp.srun
Organization: Australian Defence Force Academy, Canberra, Australia
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 09:02:03 GMT

For all the SR munchkins ( and otherwise ) there is already a board, try
reaching

	rec.games.cyber

	it also deals with Cyberpunk, and Cyberspace, but I'm sure
	you can handle that load.




	hhookk
From: v054nn84@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (Foto...Taking pictures again, and Happy for it!)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Music and Lights
Date: 15 Sep 92 20:37:00 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <2844@nlsun1.oracle.nl>, gbradley@uks197.Berkeley.EDU (Gary Bradley) writes...
>       
>    Where did you get this term? To the best of my knowledge the things
>are called "Lament Configurations" (or sometimes "Lament Configurators"
>

Okay...it is possible that all of the information percolated down into the 
depths of my brain and was eventualy converted into the term Lermarchand Cube 
as a corruption of Lermarchand's cube.

Now as for other names...dig, dig, dig...damn, it's in here somewhere....Ahhh...
In 'Glitter and Go - Book 5 Hellraiser (published by Epic comics), there are 
several other names for the puzzles, depending on the shape of the puzzle 
itself...

         Condemnation Box - depicted as an office building
         The Elegy Configuration *
         The Tears of Eternity
         The Lament Box

* seen in Book 6 "Original Sin" as a four sided pyramid

In "The Book of the Damned - A HellRaiser Companion" some of the features of the
cubes are identified

Condemation Box - 

1.)  Floor of Chastisement
2.)  Stairs of Banishment
3.)  Path of Correction
4.)  Route of Doomage
5.)  Table of Castigation
6.)  Trial of Punition
7.)  Path of False Aquittal
8.)  Aspect of the Light
9.)  Entrance to Afar

The Carrbord Hansen's Disease Centre (architect LeMarchand and the equivalent
of a Lament Box)

1.)  Room of Grievance
2.)  Hall of Repulsion
3.)  Garden of Affliction
4.)  Galley of Pity
5.)  Founts of Madness
6.)  Theatre of Convulsion
7.)  Point of Anguish
8.)  Junction to Other World

There is also a dance, named appropriately enough 'Danse Macabre' that, with 
candles in the right points, a hanged man can perform before they die that is
equivalent of solving a cube.  I think, given the scope of the Hellraiser and
Book of the Damned as published by Epic, that we will never know all of the 
names for these puzzles.

Skeksis
From: sltxh@cc.usu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Covers
Date: 13 Sep 92 13:47:09 MDT
Organization: Utah State University

   One thing I WILL say for interior art, is that it makes the book
MUCH more readable, by breaking up the page, and making it more
interesting. It is a proven fact that people will look longer
at, and retain more of something that was interesting to the 
eye. I have seen MANY games, that were quite good, but reading
the manual was a real eye-watering experience. (For an example
of how bad things can REALLY get, I suggest reading something 
like a military field manual.ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!!)
     As far as the cover, artwork will catch the eye, often
giving the product a better chance of being noticed. The 
other relatively dull looking covers having bee, effectively,
camoflauged. AS for the hard bound, vs. card cover... I'll
opt for the hard cover. Although they have a reputaion for 
inferior bindings, (which is not neccissarily germain to that
binding, but usually a result of "WHAT IS MERELY ACCEPTABLE")
I find that my card cover games get shredded  (dog eared) much
quicker than my hard cover manuals (many of which are still in
very good conditon, after YEARS of hard and frequent gameplay.)

     Well, that's MY opinion. However, there IS much to be said 
for the other options, (or they probably would'nt still be out 
there. :) ) However, these are my preferences, and why I prefer
them. :)
  
                          Joel.
Organization: Penn State University
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 16:01:31 EDT
From: <MRM122@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: GURPS: Knockback

Knockback is more a measure of the person who is hit being able to keep himself
up after being hit- if you are hit hard and hurt, you will fall back.  As for
lasers giving recoil, one must also bear in mind that "equal but opposite" can
be cancelled out at a high enough Tech Level, such as one where laser guns can
be made.

               Marsh
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: tmohler+@cs.cmu.edu (Tim Mohler)
Subject: Re: RM: How about this spell?
Keywords: Chaotic Lord, RMCIII
Organization: School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1992 15:35:19 GMT


In article <1992Sep9.014409.16537@lugb.latrobe.edu.au> 9124704t@lux.latrobe.edu.au (Paul Veiser) writes:
>I had a similar comment in one of my games from a player with a chaotic
>lord. I'm not sure that the spell was originally intended as an
>offensive spell. I changed the spell to only allow it to be cast on the
>character. If you allow him to cast it on someone else (or change it
>into a 'summoning demon' spell) I think the whole thing would get a
>little out of hand.

Chaotic Lords are a little out of hand to begin with...

Tim