HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: sl859@cc.usu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Healing Vampirism (was something I have no idea)
Date: 10 Sep 92 01:36:56 MDT
Organization: Utah State University

In article <1992Sep09.194213.1259@ecst.csuchico.edu>, tdunn@ecst.csuchico.edu (Tim Dunn) writes:
> Punk Rocketeer writes:
> [has a healing PC in a game he's running, using Transform]
>>     The problem came up when I turned one of the PC's into a vampire. 
> [dud(e) tries to 'heal' the vampire.]
>>     What do all you Hero gamers think?  To me, resurrection is not
>>genre for superheroes, Jean Grey to the contrary.  Superheroes die

And Jean Grey wasn't brought back to life as a result of a super hero's
power!  It was a marketing strategy to get mega bucks!
>>seldom enough that it generally turns out to be a major event
.  

Hey!  I know this guy!  Punk Rocketeer!  In fact I was there!  
(I haven't written much lately, but when's the next game!?)  
> I'd agree.  It may be in character for the character to try, but
> if it fails, then it fails.  I know you don't encourage players to
> argue rules with you, and you should not make an exception here.
> Vampirism (as I have seen it done in games and source material) is
> not the same as a 'broken bone' or anything.  It could be a spiritual
> affliction of some sort (hence the priestly angle) or a virual
> infection (SR has a 'vampirism' virus.)  I'd subscribe more to the 
> metaphysical than the mere scientific, and I'd rule that it is outside
> the special effect of the transform.
> I would give the character a chance to perform the heroic effort (that'd
> look great in a comic,) but in the end, that's the end.

In Marvel Comics Vampirism was a result of an evil cult.  Sort of a magic
spiritual perversion.  Dr. Strange destroyed all vampires when he destroyed
the Darkholm, a book of ultimate evil magic.  I bring this up because I dont
think that making a body whole is the same as dispelling a spell cast on a 
body...  Perhaps if the character had the ability to dispel, and transform
dead to living it might have been possible, but I think you are right on 
the ball in suggesting it's not the same thing!

							wReam...
						    Ultimate Ninja!!!

P.S.  Pat, its good to hear that you don't feel that comic heroes should die
very frequently, cuz I really like my character!! :)
From: MRM122@psuvm.psu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: GURPS Combat - Step & Wait vs. All Out Attack
Date: 10 Sep 92 19:53:47 GMT
Organization: Penn State University

OK, the flaw here is the the combatant who did step and wait did TWO manuevers
in one round:  Step & Wait, which turned into Step & Attack (essentially), and
THEN did All Out Attack.  This is not legal- he already did his action for the
round.  He could do an All Out Attack in the subsequent round, but then the
other combatant could have a defense depending on his action of choice, as long
as he wasn't All Out Attacking or just running, he could defend.  I think the
first combatant was taking advantage of lack of full understanding.  I hope
this helps.



                    Marsh
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: swaim@owlnet.rice.edu (Michael Parks Swaim)
Subject: Re: Music and Lights
Organization: Rice University
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 22:03:02 GMT

In article <2844@nlsun1.oracle.nl> gbradley@uks197.Berkeley.EDU (Gary Bradley) writes:
>In article <Bu6nGF.G5F@acsu.buffalo.edu>, v054nn84@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu
>(Foto...Taking pictures again, and Happy for it!) writes:
>|>  A LeMarchand Cube is the fancy name for the gold
>|>cube/key from HellRaiser, HellRaiser II, and I would guess HellRaiser III...
>|>
>    Where did you get this term? To the best of my knowledge the things
>are called "Lament Configurations" (or sometimes "Lament Configurators"
>(ref: script of Hellbound, Fangoria mag, model kit version of the cube).
  I've heard it called the LeMarchand puzzle box also. LeMarchand made the
box. (I got this either from "The Hellbound Heart" or the Epic comic 
series.)


-- 
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: 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 14:32:00 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <15033@mindlink.bc.ca>, Nick_Janow@mindlink.bc.ca (Nick Janow) writes...
>v057qkmm@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (BABBLING SAGE) writes:
> 
>> In article <j+6y!zd@rpi.edu>, cleggp@aix.rpi.edu (Paul Jason Clegg) writes...
>> 
>> Oh boy, this is going to be a FUN thread!
> 
>        I hope so.
> 
>It sure is.  I'm glad you invited flames; otherwise I might have felt guilty
>about roasting the game.  :)
> 
> 
>> Hmmm.. dont want psychic powers? Dont play a MC race. And if you do want them
>> and youre a non-MC, try Latent Extraction.
> 
>What if you don't want psi powers to exist at all in your campaign universe?
>Good thing there are other game systems to choose from...
> 

	Simple. Exclude Latent Extraction and remove three races from play.
Admittedly this would dent the number of races available, but it would be a
simple matter to add your own race. And of course since by excluding psi from
the game you'd be changing the background anyhow (most GMs alter the background
of ANY game to fit you needs) you could add races to your heart's content and
have no problems. I happen to like the selection of races but most games get
altered before play anyhow.

>--
> 
>Nick_Janow@mindlink.bc.ca

Bluerazor
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: uplink@cwis.unomaha.edu (John M. Scheibeler)
Subject: Re: SR: Ruthenium(?) Swords
Organization: University of Nebraska at Omaha
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 04:11:27 GMT

ins769v@lindblat.cc.monash.edu.au (Veltyen) writes:

>Hi All,

>Just looking for some ideas about Rutheniuming (The camoflage stuff) 
>the blade of a sword. What do people think of this? 

   Just tell me what Ruthenium is first.

>Seems to me that a sword you can't see is gunna be _much_ harder to
>dodge or block.
   
   Except for the fact that >you< are still going through the motions
of attacking with a sword.  The blade might be invisible, but it 
doesn't make it look like you're not attacking.  In first edition, I'd
say subtract 1 die from the target's Dodge or Defense pool; In second
edition, subtract 1 die from the Combat pool when used to defend.

>At 20k nY for an upgrade to a sword it better do something pretty good.
   
   Well, guess what, it doesn't.

>Bubba Machon 
>" Peacelovin' Troll " (with a Troll Sword *He HE He*)

   Who was it that said, "Keeping the Peace through High-Tech Intimidation"?
Well, choomba (2020 term, shows my true preferences in cyberpunk games),
it looks like your Rutheniuming process doesn't do all that much.
Admittedly, the blade /would/ be invisible, making it much more 
concealable, but the actual benefits in combat are small.

   If you think that "Oh yeah?  With this sword, he won't be able to tell
what length my sword is," the answer is incorrect.  Different sword-
fighting styles have different stances, different movements, and different
hand-placement on the hilt of your weapon.  A trained opponent will be
able to spot this and guesstimate what kind of sword you're using.

   Plus, the Defense/Dodge pools aren't only to simulate the effects of
parrying and dodging.  The dodge pool in particular.  Here's an effective
situation: You come charging down the hall at my samurai, wielding your
Rutheniumed Troll Sword.  You heave a mighty swing, determined to hack my
head from my shoulders.  I /step back/, putting my neck out of your reach
(don't give me this crap about you extending your reach in midswing).  
THAT's an effective use of the Dodge pool.

   I might be babbling, so if I am, I'm sorry.

--------uplink
=========================================================================
"How fast can you fly?" - Phil Free, the Freedom Fighter
"I dunno, how much can you lift?" - Psycho-Knight (who doesn't fly)
=========================================================================
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Matriarchal Societies...Fact or Fiction
From: ppugliese@pimacc.pima.edu
Date: 12 Sep 92 21:06:14 -0700

In article <12SEP199215273157@rosie.uh.edu>, lib1p@rosie.uh.edu (Tammy Stark Blandino) writes:
> In article <Bu99tL.5zx@acsu.buffalo.edu>, v054nn84@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (Foto...Taking pictures again, and Happy for it!) writes...
>>I am not going to debate the value of Matriarchal socieites despite current
>>growing trends to claim that they did exists and were without exception
>>veritable golden eras while patriarchal societies are hell on earth...all Iwant
> ...stuff deleted...
>>It is ironic, people accept the existance of Atlantis on an off handed remark
>>by one philosopher but they seem to run in fear of the idea that
>>men were not always in charge????
> 
> 
> here,here.....I must concur.
> 
> 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?
> 
> Tammy

Not very many , from my experience. I know alot more people who run  in
fear from the idea of a society in which the citizenry is expected to
support themselves instead of relying upon the government to do so, as
an example.

PHIL
From: sl9b4@cc.usu.edu (Deep Six)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: 40mm grenades (was Re: Let's talk REAL..)
Date: 15 Sep 92 11:21:16 MDT
Organization: Utah State University

In article <1992Sep15.001917.531@whscdp.whs.edu>, 
 alumn122@whscdp.whs.edu writes:

> Grenades are the best against infantry.

Absolutely. Doesn't matter how many boatloads of ammo types you have, 
40mm grenade launchers (M79, M203, Mk19) are still not anti-armor
weapons (tho they can be used against armor when real anti-armor weapons
are not available).

Now, I think the A-10 has a 40mm grenade laucher that it would undoubtedly
use against armor, but I think the RoF would be much higher and the rounds
would be designed for that application. But that is a different thread.

> The best things to do when you are facing a lot of armor and infantry, is 
> to bounce the grenade off of the armor and into the infantry.

I don't think 40mm rounds would ever bounce.

> I have one question:  How many points of damage are done if you shoot 
> someone directly in the chest with a grenade, and they are not wearing 
> armor so the grenade doesn't explode?  (I like to shoot people with 40mm 
> grendes, but it is very costly.)

Sounds like you think that a 40mm grenade must hit something hard (like 
armor) in order to detonate. Not so. A 40mm grenade must rotate a certain
number of times (I've no idea how many) before it primes. This is so the
grenade will not explode too closely to the user (in case it accidentally
strikes something in close proximity to the user). I think the priming 
mechanism works on centrifical force or something, so that it is triggered
by the rotation of the round. After the grenade is primed, it explodes on
impact, and I think practically anything would be hard enough to set it off,
even someone's chest.

If you want to use a M79 or M203 against individual targets in close combat,
there are a couple rounds (mentioned by others) designed for that.

Okay,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chadd VanZanten SL9B4@CC.USU.EDU + ``The whiter the bread, the sooner you're 
dead.'' --Ancient Hindu proverb
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: silber@m.cs.uiuc.edu (Ami A. Silberman)
Subject: Re: So-called "dark futures"
Organization: University of Illinois, Dept. of Comp. Sci., Urbana, IL
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 18:26:30 GMT

mkkuhner@phylo.genetics.washington.edu (Mary K. Kuhner) writes:

>Seriously, I enjoyed some of Brunner's books but I wouldn't want to
>roleplay there; passively identifying with someone in a hopeless
>position is one thing, but actively playing him/her, having to make
>decisions and take actions while knowing that everything is meaningless
>and hopeless, is too painful and too difficult for me.

Perhaps one of the best Brunner book for cyberpunk is "Jagged Orbit", which
does end on a message of hope, the message that somehow people keep on living
and muddling through.
-- 
ami silberman - janitor of lunacy
	silber@cs.uiuc.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: hibschmn@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Johann A. Hibschman)
Subject: Re: Werewolf
Originator: news@nimaster
Organization: Princeton University
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 17:31:10 GMT

In article <65605@cup.portal.com> Patrick_Andrew_Barnes@cup.portal.com writes:
>to peruse.  My question is how differentiated are characters from each
>other?  One thing I liked about Vampire was that while all the characters
>were vampires, there were many differences in capability and power between
>different types of vampires.  Are there different types of werewolves?  Are
>there various abilities that characters can acquire to set them apart from
>the other werewolves or are characters only different in skills and stats?

Yep.  There are many, many variations of the werewolf theme.

First, a player may choose whether he was raised as a human, as a wolf,
or within werewolf society.  Each choice has a different starting Gnosis
(spiritual power) rating.

Second, a player may choose what phase of the moon he was born under.
This is like the "class" of the character.  Ragabashes, those born under
the new moon, are tricksters who push the werewolf society.  Theurges,
born under the crescent moon, are mystics.  Next in line are the
Philodoxes, sort of judges/arbiters, the Moon Dancers, who are the
bards, and the Ahroun, the warriors born under the full moon.  Phase
of moon also determines starting rage, which can be used to get extra
actions in a turn.

Third, players may choose what tribe they belong to.  There are 13
different choices here, each with its own attitude and powers.

Players may select "gifts", like the vampiric disciplines, from each of
the above categories, so each choice enables the character to access
different powers.

Overall, there are 3*5*13 = 195 possible combinations, even before the
player spends points on stats and skills.  That's plenty of variety.
In all, I think that Werewolf does an excellent job of presenting an
interesting background.  I'm not sure about the combat system, but 
White Wolf has taken the werewolf concept farther than I ever thought
possible.


---
Johann Hibschman
hibschmn@phoenix.princeton.edu
From: ratinox@splinter.coe.northeastern.edu (Richard Pieri/Stainless Steel Rat)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Permenant damage in HERO
Date: 11 Sep 92 00:09:15 GMT
Reply-To: ratinox@meceng.coe.northeastern.edu
Organization: 3WA, Boston Office. Or Nu Meta Chi. Take your pick.
In-reply-to: uplink@cwis.unomaha.edu's message of 9 Sep 92 02:23:20 GMT
X-Get-A-Clue: Have two, they're small.
X-Signature-Virus-Protection: Version 1.51
X-Posting-Software: GNUS 3.14.1 [ NNTP-based News Reader for GNU Emacs ]

>>>>> "JMS" == John M. Scheibeler <uplink@cwis.unomaha.edu> writes:

JMS> Here's something for you to chew on: An actual "Resurrection"
JMS> spell for Fantasy Hero.  The power is bought like a Nd6 Major
JMS> Transformation,

This was done originally in the Mythic Greece book for RoleMaster and
Fantasy Hero, only it used Summon to recall the life essence, combined
with massive amounts of Healing to heal up the BODY damage. The Summon
has to be powerful enough to summon a creature (the character) at his
current point total, and it recalls the character at exactly death
point, then the Healing starts to work.

I don't like using Transformation for this effect for two reasons:

* Transformation Attacks are *attacks*; they are not supposed to be
  beneficial powers. In fact, they are forbidden to provide more
  benefit than harm (like transforming someone into a flying creature,
  but they should gain more Disadvantages than their Flight is worth).

* All Transfomation Attacks will either wear off over time, or have a
  way of being immediately reversed. And that means anyone resurrected
  by this method is meat on a spit. Again.

--Rat

||||| | | | |  |  |  |   |   |    |    |    |   |   |  |  |  |  | | | | | |||||
                                                   __        ___ 
Richard Pieri, Northeastern's Stainless Steel Rat/   | /| / /   | The Worlds
Internet: ratinox@meceng.coe.northeastern.edu   /__  |/ |/ / /| | Welfare Works
    UUCP: ...!northeastern.edu!meceng!ratinox  /   | /| / / / | | Association:
  BITNET: UA_RLP@NUHUB{.BITNET}               /__  |/ |/ / /  | | I will solve
  USNail: 14 Westdale RD  Holbrook, MA 02343 /   | /| / / /___| | any problem
 ICBMnet: 42 deg 1 min N, 71 deg 0 min W    /    |/ |/ /_//_____| for you.
From: fes9s@faraday.clas.Virginia.EDU (Frank Erick Sellin)
Subject: Re: Alignments
Organization: University of Virginia
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1992 19:16:22 GMT


Xref: sparky rec.games.frp.misc:5469 rec.games.frp.advocacy:2255
From: z_copeab@ccsvax.sfasu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc,rec.games.frp.advocacy
Subject: Re: 40mm grenades (was Re: Let's talk REAL..)
Date: 13 Sep 92 16:14:51 CST
Organization: Stephen F. Austin State University

In article <1992Sep11.145330.58827@cc.usu.edu>, sl9b4@cc.usu.edu (Deep Six) writes:
> Just to try to set the record straight about the recently misunderstood
> 40mm grenade. It is not an anti-tank/armor munition. In conventional usage,
> it is definitely an anti-personnel munition. The most common application of
> the 40mm grenade (with an M-203) is suppressive, demoralizing, area-of-
> effect fire. Like a mini-mortar. These grenades are also available in
> smoke and para-flare varieties. 40mm grenades could be used against thin
> skinned vehicles, but I don't think it would do much against an MBT, even
> an older one. 
> 
> Now, 40mm grenades launched from the Mk-19 (automatic grenade launcher,
> vehicle or tripod mounted) would probably be effective against heavier 
> vehicles and armor peircing versions of the grenade might exist. Even so,
> the grenade is not included with other anti-armor weapons.

	There are a boatload of different munition types for the 40mm grenade.
There is either a HEDP or HEAT (I think the first) that has some effectiveness
against *light* armor, like a APC. There is (or was, before the M203 launcher)
a 'shot' round, which made the grenade launcher (M-79) a big shotgun. There
might even be 'stun bags' (sealed first-sized bags filled with sand or
something similar) for very special purposes.

Brandon Cope
From: cleggp@aix.rpi.edu (Paul Jason Clegg)
Subject: Re: Let's talk REAL sci-Fi systems
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 16:19:28 GMT

Official End-All, Be-All Post (aka Flame War Peace Treaty)

The two major opponents in the "Is BattleLords All It's Cracked Up To Be"
war are (were?) myself and the one who goes by "Bluerazor".

Things we've resolved rather definitely:

1.  I have a lot of problems with Simms and his followers' views on the game.

2.  BattleLords is a violent game.  Not just in its combat system design, but
    in the general scheme of the background.

3.  While BattleLords may be used for lots of different backgrounds, almost
    any game may be converted in a similar fashion to accomplish the same
    thing.

4.  The quality of the format (not necessarily the information) in Bot23C is
    below average, and the "trustworthiness" of the company is questionable.

End result:  (Warning!  May include Personal Opinions!)

The best thing to do, if you're really looking for a good system, is to find
the system you like best, regardless of background, genre, etc.  Then take 
the time to sit down and work out the new background, and any new little rules
you may need.  Or design your own system from scratch (as I did).  It's also
feasible to combine two or more systems together; such as using Twilight: 2000
combat system in the Cyberpunk 2.0.2.0. world, with the C2020 rules for net
space and cybernetics.  Maybe even incorporate AD&D's spell system for a
"Shadowrun"-like game.

The point is this:  there are several things that compose an RPG.  The rules
systems, and the background information (including equipment).  What you may
be looking for will vary with personal taste, most definitely when dealing
with the background genre.  Don't be afraid to mix & match.  Remember the
golden rule of gaming:

"These rules are guidelines only, and you are free to omit or alter anything."

...Paul


Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc,rec.games.frp.advocacy,rec.games.frp.dnd
From: StarWatcher@uiuc.edu (StarWatcher)
Subject: Re: Alignments
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL4
Reply-To: StarWatcher@uiuc.edu
Organization: Actuarial Science Program at UIUC
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 01:53:17 GMT
Keywords: significant words from a document used as an index to content

cmeadows@nyx.cs.du.edu (Chris Meadows) writes:

: How to deal with alignment tongues with no alignments, though?  If an
: intelligent monster understands alignment, and that's the only language
: you have in common, it can be an invaluable aid to communication.

The idea of alignment languages lives on?  How quaint!  While I play
with T$R's alignment scheme, using it as a broad categorization of
a person's morals/ethics (it isn't as accurate as it could be, but
let's keep the stats simple, eh?), I have never been able to swallow
the concept of alignment languages as being unique languages.  I
always thought of them as being jargon within a language.  A CG person
can speak of CG concepts in the languages he/she is fluent in without
making too much of a fool of his/herself.  But (using my views on the
subject) a CG Elf who speaks only Elvish, and a CG Gnome who only
speaks the common Gnome language could not easily communicate with
each other.

--
Michael Adams (aka StarWatcher) 		"Republicans understand the
Internet:  StarWatcher@uiuc.edu			 importance of bondage between
Bitnet:    FREE1217@UIUCVMD			 parent and child."
Anonymous: wi5467@wizvax.methuen.ma.us			-- Dan Quayle
UUCP:      ...!uiucuxc!uiuc.edu!StarWatcher                                     


Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: richv@hpinddu.cup.hp.com (Rich Van Gaasbeck)
Subject: GURPS: pacificon
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 22:56:21 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Cupertino, CA.


I went to the Pacificon last weekend expecting to see some GURPS
activity, unfortunately there wasn't a single game (unless the
Cyberpunk game Saturday was GURPS Cyberpunk).  So is there any GURPS
activity in the SF Bay Area?

Richv
From: cb317@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Stephanie J. Kessler)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Surprises
Date: 15 Sep 1992 16:59:14 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA)
NNTP-Posting-Host: hela.ins.cwru.edu


One of our first games as a group led to quite a surprise for our
DM.  We had traveled to a small village who  was plagued by a
poltergeist.  We tracked  it down to the town stables.  Since we
didn't consider ourselves strong enough to defeat the poltergeist,
we  did the next  bestthing.  We tore down  the stable.   The town
wasn't quite happy with us, but we did get rid of the problem...
The DM had to whim it from there  for most of the evening, but
we managed OK.

Although we  weren't welcome in that town after that...
####

-- 
The United States is a nation of laws:  badly written and
randomly enforced.     Frank Zappa

cb317 @ cleveland.Freenet.Edu