HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: jcp@gauss.rutgers.edu (Jonathan Petersen)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: AMIGA Computers in RPGs?
Date: 11 Apr 92 03:34:38 GMT
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.

Well, the subject line just about says it all.  Are there any good programs
out there (PD or otherwise) that are of use to Amiga owners running an RPG?
I've personally just used mine to create props, such as rune-enscribed amulets,
present scenes to the characters, as IFF files, and to simply write up what I
plan to do on my wordprocessor.
I was just wondering, because the Amiga could be a great tool in an RPG 
(graphics, animation, sound, coupled with an interactive database to take
care of random tables and the CPU to run it, linked by an GUI to be easily
and quickly manipulated to accomodate most actions) if only the programs
existed to make use of it.
Jonathan
jcp@gauss.rutgers.edu
From: cg108fai@icogsci1.ucsd.edu (Steerpike)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: SRUN: Heavy weapons as sidearms
Date: 16 Apr 92 21:40:10 GMT
Organization: University of California, San Diego

In article <foo> ratinox@meceng.coe.northeastern.edu writes:
I write:
>> On head shot, and the target is either dead or a vegetable. Ditch
>> the gun,

>And risk leaving fingerprints? Or having the weapon traced? Not on your
>life. Collect all your brass, leave town, and maybe get a replacement
>barrel (make sure you totally destroy the old one) if you're really
>paranoid. And a new sound suppressor.

You assume, of course, that an assassin would buy all his stuff at
the corner gun store or something. This is why I say, use a .22.
Just go to a firing range and pick up discarded brass. Clean them
up, cast you own slugs and hand-load for subsonic velocity (skimp
on the powder a bit). Sound suppressors are fairly easy to make
(there are plans in the ararchist cookbook). As for the gun -- hell,
steal one. It's no big trick to find a .22 rifle. Or buy one at a
pawn shop. File off all the serial numbers, etc, and congrats -- you
are now the proud owner of a completely untraceable, incredibly 
common, and almost totally silent rifle. Range sucks, true, but
you need only plan your hiding place beforehand, adjust the sight
for the right range, and your only problem is horizontal drift
due to wind. To which I offer two solutions:

(a): Don't try this in a high wind. Chicago is right out.
(b): Fire several times and let probability take its toll. With 
	low-velocity ammo on a .22 rifle, we're talking NO kick 
	here.

There is actually a relatively simple way to rig an electric
"trigger pulling switch" that you can attach to a gun. Flip a
switch, and the trigger pulls itself every half-second or so. You
don't even have the jerk from the trigger pull, then.

A few murmurings on the subject of "getting away with it..."

steerpike@ucsd.edu
From: mark@trillian.jsc.nasa.gov (Mark Manning)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: The Undead and level loss
Date: 13 Apr 1992 23:12:12 GMT
Organization: Simulacron I

> In my current campaign monsters I'm using a lot of undead so I decided to 
> try something different.
> 
>   Wights drain   500-1500 exps.
>   Wraiths drain  2000-3000 exps.
>   Vampires drain 4000-5000 exps. (but never more than 2 levels at a shot).
> 
> It has the same "horror" affect so far without quite the "sting."
> ---
> Stephen McLeod
> The Eternal Student
> 

Hello Steve!

   Seems we meet in the strangest of places!

I like your idea and use the same type of deal when I ref.  Except
the undead in my world have levels and they drain different amounts of
eps based upon their level.  In this way, a minor Wight could drain
100eps while a major one could drain as many as 40000eps (if it
were 20th level).  Other than that - it is no different than what
you've already suggested.

On a different front though:

I can empathize with Mr. Hart about not wanting his PCs to loose so
many eps after the great amount of time which has been placed into
the playing of his game - but this is just one of those things that
you have to do every now and then.  So maybe you could also do the
following:

You could have the wights, liches, etc.  act as batteries.  They suck
up energy stolen from someone, but if they are killed then the stolen
energy flows back into the drained person's body.  You could also make
the amount of energy which they regain dependent upon how long it resides
in the undead creature's body.  Though this would constitute a bit of
paper work on your part.

Just some thoughts.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
From: Klaus.Moeller@arbi.informatik.uni-oldenburg.de (Klaus Moeller)
Subject: Re: Lich Killing Advice Needed
Organization: University of Oldenburg, Germany
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1992 14:52:27 GMT

jeremy@wpi.WPI.EDU (Mr. Lethargy) writes:

>In article <1992Apr8.114501.29669@usenet.ins.cwru.edu> bh967@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Greg Weller) writes:

>or there's always the REALLY generic and unoriginal way that everyone uses to 
>kill those really powerful undead...try zapping him with a rod of resurrection
>(if you can find one, that is)

Hm, I would rule that this gives you a nisc high level mage who
''might'' be pissed off or not.
Nice start for a short campaign in a campaign.

					Klaus

-- 
 /     Klaus Moeller, Leiteweg 2, 2940 Wilhelmshaven, West - Germany       \
<    Klaus.Moeller@Informatik.Uni-Oldenburg.DE   078326@DOLUNI1.BITNET      >
 \             security is an exercise in applied paranoia                 /
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Organization: Penn State University
Date: Thursday, 9 Apr 1992 08:28:21 EDT
From: Brian Panulla <BJP108@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Stupid PC tricks too...

One Harrold Hayes, an agent of Her Majesty's Secret Service, was investigating
the nefarious exploits of on Dr. Julius No (of James Bond movie fame) and was
captured. He was placed by No's men in a cell that was actually the first room
in an endurance obstacle course, a course that No used to test the usefulness
of prisoners as breeding stock for a super race. The obstacle course was access
ed from the cell by a grate high up on the wall. Hayes, upon seeing the grate
smelled escape. He promptly took off his watch: a special Q Division goody
with a few grams of plastic explosives. He rolled the plastic explosive into a
ball, climbed up on the bunk, and BAM! The explosive went off as soon as he
touched the grate.

Seems the grate was electrified...the first hurdle in the obstacle course.

Hayes wasn't hurt that badly. He was never able to make any good obcene jesture
s again, though.

_____
Brian Panulla
BJP108 @ psuvm.psu.edu
"Smashing, 007!" - M
From: alongley@cape.UWaterloo.ca (Allan Longley)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: The Undead and level loss
Date: 14 Apr 92 20:55:27 GMT
Article-I.D.: watserv1.1992Apr14.205527.20329
Organization: University of Waterloo

In article <1992Apr14.132039.23573@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> 
pmwg1641@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Peter M. White) writes:

>I would suggest awarding double or triple experience in following adventures,
>until the loss is made up. 

This is pretty much the way I handle it, and a few other DM's I know.
Experience points lost to level draining are regained at double rate --
afterall, its just a matter of recovering and remembering, not really new
experiences.  This keeps the unique fear of undead alive, and keeps the player
motivated -- unless of course the character has lost mega-levels, but hey,
the character could be dead!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Allan Longley, University of Waterloo, Department of Chemical Engineering
e-mail: alongley@cape.uwaterloo.ca
voice: (519) 885-1211 x3816		I lovvee undead .... he he he
home: (519) 746-5747
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
From: repayne@newstand.syr.edu (Robert E. Payne)
Subject: AD&D Character Generation Program
Keywords: AD&D Character Generation
Date: Sat, 11 Apr 92 00:07:50 EDT


Has anyone written a character Generation program for C or Pascal?  I am writing
one, slowly, but I would like to take a look at what others have done.  Email or
post.

			Thanx	-Rob
repayne@mailbox.syr.edu
From: boelter3945@iscsvax.uni.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: AD&D - 1st edition Bard - more info
Date: 13 Apr 92 19:07:25 -0500
Organization: University of Northern Iowa

In article <08Apr92132718@miracle.UUCP>, sue%miracle@merk.com (The Dragon 
Queen) writes:
> Class:  Fighter/MU/Thief/Bard.
> He is currently dividing his experience among ALL of these classes.

   Impossible. In order to progress to a Bard, you have to start out as
Fighter, and solely as Fighter, not a F/MU.

> Race:  Grey Elf.
> A few of you mentioned that only Humans or Half-Elves can be Bards, right?
> Alignment:  Chaotic Good.
> I'm not sure about house rules, but the 1st edition PH says that you MUST
> be a variant of Neutral.

   Correct.

> He also has acquired a long sword +3 (Frost Brand), although no one can
> remember exactly where he got it.  Hmmm.....
> Other items the munchkin has acquired:  a young adult wolf to fight for 
> him, Boots of Speed, Wand of Disintegrating, Mac-Fuirmidh Cittern, 
> Bracers AC 6, Cloak of Protection +3, Wand of Illusion (91 charges), 
> Ring of Earth Elemental Command, and, of course, the Foo Dog familiar.  
> Oh, and he also has an unhatched Dragon's Egg - he knows it's good, but
> doesn't know its exact alignment.
> The Dragon's Egg I gave him, but the rest is from unknown whereabouts.

   Well now.. how about a suprise encounter with a group of Disenchanter
Beasts, or perhaps an encounter with some tough monster with a nearby mage
(hidden of course) firing off a wand of Negation at the items on this munchkin?
Also, perhaps a Thief has heard about these items (definitely possible) and
have a few nice things stolen while he sleeps (he does do that, right?)

   Foo Dog familiar?  Gone, Foo dog doesn't _have_ to stay around.. intelligent
familiars can break the bond that was created by the Find Familiar spell.

   And this Dragon egg??  Hmm.. where might this have come from?  You think
adult (and older) dragons are going to leave this character be once they find
out he has one of their young??  Don't think so. :-)

                                        John "Nightwind" Boelter

--
*******************************************************************************
* John Boelter        a.k.a. Nightwind            boelter3945@iscsvax.uni.edu *
* Organizational Manager and contact person for everything and then some.     *
*******************************************************************************
* I don't know, I don't care, I don't want * They're fleeing the wrong way!!  *
* to know, and I don't want to care.       *        -confused adventurer-     *
*        -Martian Manhunter-               ************************************
*        -Justice League International-    * Why is the DM smiling like that? *
*******************************************************************************
From: mark@trillian.jsc.nasa.gov (Mark Manning)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: The Undead and level loss
Date: 15 Apr 92 20:20:59 GMT
Article-I.D.: aio.1992Apr15.202059.16481
Organization: Simulacron I

> 	Depends how you run your clerics. In 14+ years of running games, I
> have had the players have access to clerics of such high level (when they
> NEEDED them) maybe four times. And the players have made USE of such services
> only twice in all those years. Resurrection and restoration are exceedingly
> rare and expensive spells. Making them common makes their effect cheap, in
> my view; after all, why should I make a big fuss about death when life is
> just a scroll away?


14+???????  Has it been that long already?????  So when DID you start
ref'ing or playing?  I think I started around 1978 but the years have
(kind of) obscured my rememberance.  Though I DO remember the first
game I ever played in.
From: mike@isgtec.com (Mike Sellers)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: Miniatures:  Blondes?
Date: 16 Apr 92 21:31:58 GMT
Organization: ISG Technologies Inc., Mississauga Ontario

89kenward@gw.wmich.edu (Strahd Von Zarovich) writes:
> Does anyone know how to mix a color that looks like a good
> representation of 'blond' for a miniature?  If you do know, e-mail me
> at 89kenward@gw.wmich.edu.  Thanks ahead of time!

Yeah I know he said email, but I thought others might be interested.

First put down a layer of light brown/tan.  You might want to wash
this with a darker brown.  Let dry.  Next mix together canary yellow
with a _small_ amount of green (yes, green).  Brush this on, but not
too heavily -- you want some of the deep tan/brown to show.  Next
dry brush very lightly with a lime-green (verrry lightly).  Then
dry brush with tan again.  This will give the hair depth.  The
green really helps the blonde look, too, if you don't overdo it.

Good luck.


--
                    Mike Sellers       mike@isgtec.com
                        User Interface Team Leader
                    ISG Technologies, Toronto, Canada
            "Actum ne agas" -- Do not do what has been done.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
From: vehaag@crocus.waterloo.edu (Viktor Haag)
Subject: Re:  New GURPS License
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1992 14:21:32 GMT

In article <1992Apr8.223847.54315@cc.usu.edu> sl7sg@cc.usu.edu writes:
>> 
>> We have a signed contract for a Mac program, and are negotiating with people
>				  ^^^
>				   !
>
>	  		   Mac'n'trash - Why?
>
>	>>Not meant for comments and flames, I just can't help it<< 
>	>>If you feel like continuing this descussion, move to an<<
>	>>appropriate computer newsgroup<<

Don't be such an idiot -- if you don't want any comments or flames after
saying something this pointlessly rude, then don't say anything at all.
By the way, this rejoinder is not meant for comments or flames, either, I
just couldn't help it.  If you feel like continuing this descussion (sic),
move to an appropriate flames newsgroup.


-- 
Viktor Haag 
		            |  "We are not thugs.  We are not fanatics.
vehaag@crocus.uwaterloo.ca  |   We are vitamin supplements to justice."   
viktor@watdcs.uwaterloo.ca  |				: a Selector
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
From: cleggp@aix.rpi.edu (Paul Jason Clegg)
Subject: Re: 100-DICE: they don't work.
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 16:48:58 GMT

In article <1992Apr14.151451.22291@odin.diku.dk> torbenm@diku.dk (Torben AEgidius Mogensen) writes:
>If you want to make an n-sided dice with polygonar faces, you want the
>faces to be identical. Not only being the same shape and size, but
>also indistinguishable from context. If this is the case the chance of

>It can be shown that there are only two ways of making a 100 sided
>dice with this property: by putting two 50-sided pyramids base-to-base
>or by a generalization of the D10, using 100 kite-shaped faces.
>Neither of these roll very well.
>
>Thus I don't think Zocchi will ever succeed in finding a "gem" style
>d100. As a corollary, his present d100 cannot have regular spacing of
>the "dents" that make up for faces. Thus I do not believe his d100 has
>even chances of all outcomes. I seem to recall a magazine (it might be
>a local one) testing the d100 by rolling a few thousand times (by
>hand!) and counting the number of times each number showed. They found
>a statistically significant overweight of the very low and very high
>numbers.

The current shell-style d100s do in fact have identical faces; they're all
circles, but there are round "rolling surfaces" that fill in the gaps between
the circles.

I think the problem with averaging is that the way he designed it is similar
to the d6 convention, where opposite sides add up to n+1 (n being number of
sides).  Thus the 100 and the 1 are in a single line around the ball.  He
also used some sort of alternating method for the other number, such that
the six numbers next to the 1 are:  2, 3, 6, 7, 96, and 97.  The numbers
next to the 100 are 4, 5, 94, 95, 98, 99.  Around the middle between both 
these endes are all middle numbers.  Now the problem is that if you want a
middle number, you simply roll the die so that the seam is pointing in the
direction of the roll;  the ball will rarely deviate from the middle set of
numbers.  If you roll the ball with the seam perpendicular to the rolling
motion, you get high or low numbers most of the time, because any middle
numbers that come up are only a fraction of the possible middle numbers.  
So the reason it's not really fair is not because of design, but because of
rolling convention.  You really can't roll a d100 golf ball long enough to
be practical AND random.  The golf balls also don't "bounce" off their sides
to change orientation like other dice do...

...Paul

|FQT 1.10| Socrates:  "I drank WHAT?"
From: ritch@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (73567000)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: Mages and Armor Question ( AD&D )
Keywords: mage, armor, ad&d
Date: 16 Apr 92 05:45:55 GMT
Organization: University of California, Santa Cruz; Open Access Computing


In article <204790@unix.cis.pitt.edu> seawasp+@pitt.edu (Ryk E Spoor) writes:
>In article <44998@mentor.cc.purdue.edu> va3@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Bryan Newell) writes:
>
>>So, the question:  How would you ( as a DM ) treat a society that is
>>mistrustful of Wizards, and thus requires that all people entering it's
>>borders wear a suit of ChainMail at all times.  Say this suit is locked
>>onto the wearer and can only be removed by high strength or a key.
>>It offers normal protection.
>
>	Well, depends. If they're that paranoid, I'd say it's a pretty
>unstable society in a world that has a good deal of magic. It's in the
>vested interests of the mages to  destabilize that society and
>make a new one that isn't THAT paranoid. A little fear is a good
>thing, from some mages' point of view, but that is going too far.
>

Keep in mind that not only would the Mages' Guilds be rather upset, but so woul
the Thieves' Guilds, Assassins' Guilds, some clerical orders, etc...
Obviously not a very intelligent ruler...


>>Alternatively, what if a spellcaster was knocked unconscious, and then
>>had a set of ChainMail welded onto him?
>>Would this negate completely the spellcasters spellcasting ability ( until
>>such time as the ChainMail could be removed ) ?
>
The reason for the armor limitation is to make mages a balanced class...
That, combined with the high chance of mortality at lower levels, works...

After all, a mage in armor---any armor---would be relatively gross...


Of course, you can sorta avoid the rule by wearing heavy clothing...

Sounds like your poor mage is soon going to learn that he should have
taken a couple of PR pro's...
From: velmeran@milton.u.washington.edu (Jack Brown)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: Why do people like D+D/AD+D
Date: 7 Apr 92 10:44:01 GMT
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle

>    You're missing the point. As someone said "Sure you can roleplay
>with any system. You can hammer nails with a wrench, too."
>    Another problem: AD&D DOES have specific rules... which are almost
>universally regarded as unrealistic. This doesn't mean that you need
>MORE rules, just better ones.

Here we reach what seems, to me at least, the center of the dispute.  That
is: what do you want out of an rpg?  I, personally, like a Gygaxian type
world (read his books about Gord the rogue to see what I mean).  AD&D fits
in nicely with what I envision.  I am _NOT_ terribly worried about the 
"realism" of the combat system.  If I want something that will tell me
what specific ligaments are torn by an attack, I'll look elsewhere.  AD&D
gives a simple (yes, to some too simple) means of resolving combat.  This
leaves me free to concentrate on the story line.  The other point wrt
realism is that the system seems to be _internally_consistent_ to me.
(Please note the 'to me' there before flaming...)  Everybody uses these
"hit points."

I get enough ideas of the specifics of the combat by using my imagination.
Just think about it:  high damage really sticks it to them, etc.

Anyway, what all the above semi-random ramblings are saying is that I like
AD&D because it 1) fits my mental image of a fantasy world and 2) its
combat is simple enough that it doesn't get in the way of the story.

>    Yes, roleplaying is the important part. Why use a system that
>hampers thinking as a character? (Reality breaks tend to make it hard to
>take a universe seriously)

Hm, I don't really see this point.  Well, I can think of a few instances,
but they were more of rule restrictions on what a character could become, 
not anything that restricts thinking.  (Oh, ok: alignments.  I really don't
worry about those.  I use loyalties to gods, nations, etc.  btw, I think
the description of CN is more of a psychosis than anything else...)

>    On the other hand, the thing I DO like about AD&D is that it
>encourages alot of people to make up rules and, hopefully, write their
>OWN system. My belief is that EVERY GM should write their own system,
>tailored to their thinking. Not everyone is good enough to do a good
>job, but that's not as important, I think.

YES!!!  This I heartily agree with.  I, however, could not have a hope in
a certain hot place of coming up with something from scratch.  So, I use
AD&D as a base from which to work.  Which, I think was the way it was
originally intended.

===========================================================================
Jack Brown				Those on the moral high-ground,
aka velmeran@u.washington.edu		beware of low-flying aircraft

"Our opinion of the gods and our knowledge of men leads us to conclude that
it is a general and necessary law of nature to rule whatever one can."

===========================================================================
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
From: brian_vickers@isd.jpl.nasa.gov
Subject: Re: AD&D2: Al-Qadim F*cked Up Everywhere? (NOT!) 
Summary: It's not there.
Keywords: Al-Qadim
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1992 16:41:24 GMT

In article <darknite.703475681@camelot> darknite@camelot.bradley.edu (John S.
Novak III) writes:
>
>I'm curious-- where, exactly, in the Forgotten Realms, do the
>Lands of Fate lie?  The only thing I can remember TSR putting out
>that worth a bucket of luke-warm spittle were the various
>Forgotten Realms items, and this looks like it connects to the
>Realms.
>
>But where?  I perused the book, and it seems to be a southern
>penninsula, but I don't remember seeing it in the Atlas...
>
>--
>John S. Novak, III				darknite@camelot.bradley.edu
>"So this is the sword of immortality, huh?  What's it doing in a
>crypt?"
>

The Al-Qadim source material was NOT made for the Forgotten Realms.  This is
not to say that it couldn't be used in FR.  You could combine it with the
Anaroch FR supplement and made a fine desert game. 

Summary: It is intended to be used as a separate campaign setting.

-- Brian
brian_vickers@isd.jpl.nasa.gov