HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: crl0195@hertz.njit.edu (Curt R Lindmark)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: 100-DICE: they don't work.
Keywords: dice, zocchihedron, d100
Date: 15 Apr 92 21:26:48 GMT
Organization: New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, N.J.

In article <1992Apr15.134824.5077@mcs.kent.edu> adray@chaos.mcs.kent.edu writes:
>|> Rather than making a d100, it would be much more useful to make a dice
>|> with the numbers 00,10,20,30,...,90 to avoid the arguments after a
>|> roll is made over which dice was the tens. I might even have seen such
>|> dice somewhere?

 A comment was made earlier (sorry, to lazy to find it) that a sphere 100 die
can be rolled such that only a certain range of numbers 
(either mid or low/high) come up.  My response to that is:

Not only roll, the die, but SPIN it as well.  Diagram (I hope) follows:

                        |    |
     (left hand)------->|    |<-----(right hand)
                        |    |  -
                        |/--\| / \
                        ||  || V  |
                        |\--/|    / (direction of rotation)
                        | ^  |   -
                          |     
                          (direction of motion after release)

  Left hand goes towards you, right hand goes away from you.
Or vice versa.  The results (randomness) are the same.  Just a suggestion.

O========|>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<|========0
 Curt R Lindmark      crl0195@hertz.njit.edu         Defender from ages past

The cries of sadness, never heard, fall deaf upon my ears
The stench of madness, raging wars, I've seen a million years
The smell of sorrow fills the fields and lingers in the skies
The littered ground will swallow down the souls that fill my eyes
					-"Widowmaker" Wasp
Disclamier: NJIT is responsible for nothing I don't say which isn't mine.
From: hapa@cats.ucsc.edu (Doug Easterly)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: "Rules of the Shadow" in Amber RPG
Date: 15 Apr 92 21:22:38 GMT
Article-I.D.: darkstar.33015
Organization: University of California, Santa Cruz


Re: whether Amberites would be affected mentally or physically
by Shadows they enter.... In the second series, there _is_ a shadow
where Merlin is mentally affected by a shadow... Luke's "bad trip."
It is _possible_. Also, Zelazny's books always hint at how 
dangerous Hellriding is. Presumably, an Amberite can shift to a
hostile environment. HOWEVER, it also seems likely that when an
Amberite learns to travel shadows,the Amberite that is taught
how to avoid stumbling into places that will kill him/her and how
to keep your wits about them when they travel. 

Of course, the next question is "Yes, but do they ADAPT to hostile
or even other environments?" I'd have to say no. After all, Amberites
who have walked the pattern have had the pattern and its rigidity/
order IMPRINTED on them. Also, the mind altering affect I mentioned
above is not positive... it is, rather, a rather serious threat to
Merlin's physical and mental well-being. And physical changes seem 
to affect Amberites not at all in either series (though their shadow
clothing and personal items change frequently and easily.) 

All, of course, IMO.

______________________
Doug Easterly				hapa@ucsco.ucsc.edu
Nerd of Shadow
From: ins769v@lindblat.cc.monash.edu.au (Veltyen)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: SR: Magical Power
Date: 9 Apr 92 02:01:53 GMT
Organization: Monash University



     <<<<< Tired of being nuked by a mage with 17 spell locks and a 
          small dog this is the spell for you >>>>

    Break Connection(Manipulation)

    mana    instant  Drain :S2

    Breaks a connection between a mage and a focus. Target is the 
    willpower of the mage + the karma cost of the focus. The focus
    gets to resist with its bonding cost versus the sorcery skill
    of the caster. (IE a focus that was first bonded is harder to 
    break of.)

    Liberally sprinkle amongst NPC wagemages when you think your 
    players have too many spell locks. :-)

   <<<< Just an idea to go with the complaints about spell locked 
        reaction spells. Fight fire with fire you know. 8-) >>>>

             Veltyen (I'm no good at anything ... really)

      Shoot first shoot fast shoot straight and the day will be yours.

            ins769v@lindblat.cc.monash.edu.au
            Snail : <<<< Not this time either >>>>
From: dsimkins@yang.earlham.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: RQ question.
Date: 10 Apr 92 07:06:33 GMT
 <1992Mar30.143232.9288@news2.cis.umn.edu> <9252@baird.cs.strath.ac.uk> <1992Apr3.033641.27338@samba.oit.unc.edu>
Organization: Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana

> 	Now, it is known that creatures of Chaos vary tremendously, due to
> the possession of Chaos features which give them strange powers and proper-
> ties.  It is also known that Gbagi/Nysalor is actually Chaotic, but due to
> his nature his Chaos is not apparent to those that can sense it.

How can you be so sure that Nysalor is chaotic?  For all we know he could 
be correct.  In fact, perhaps he is both chaotic AND correct.  In any 
case, the distiction between Nysalor and Gbaji is not merely one of name.  
They are each facets of the same being, perhaps, but one is the deciever 
and the other is the illuminator.  Was Arkat decieved or illuminated?  Is 
Arkat still alive, or has nysalor (gbaji) pre-empted his position is the 
universe?  Is the last question meaningful, or do all truths exist, or 
have the possibility of existing, at any time in Glorantha.  The gods 
present are determined by the past of themselves AND their worshippers.  
They have, in becoming gods, given up a part of their independant 
existence.  Nysalor/ Gbaji/ Arkat may be no exception.  It seems 
reasonable to say, for the sake of interest, that Nysalor (as opposed to 
Gbaji) is no more and no less a priori chaotic than the lunar empire, and 
quite possibly less.
	Of course, this is all just my opinion (speculation).

David Simkins
dsimkins@yang.earlham.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
From: mshields@jgravesnext.nurs.utah.edu (Mike Shields)
Subject: Re: Weapon for RIFTS or similar Palladium game
Reply-To: mshields@jgravesnext.nurs.utah.edu
Organization: University of Utah Computer Center
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 92 21:31:22 GMT

In article <1992Apr14.205711.9963@acsu.buffalo.edu>  
v054p8yx@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Daniel J Kowalski) writes:
> In article <1992Apr13.033010.29033@cam.compserv.utas.edu.au>, 
> 	cjudd@esk (Craig Thomas Judd) writes...

[stuff deleted on ridiculous gun(IMHO)]

Has anyone else had the feeling that some of the weapons were decided upon by a  
flip of the coin.  I mean, some of the weapons seem to have been arbitrarily  
decided upon.  For example, putting a 30-shot E-clip into one gun gives you 6D6  
damage on a 3 shot burst.  However, putting the same 30-shot E-clip into  
another gun and firing 20% (that's 6 shots) will do 2*3D6.  Does anyone see a  
problem here.  They both do the same base damage if I remember correctly so why  
the difference in burst damage??  I think the system has a great basis, but  
some of the strangeness and seemingly arbitrary decisions have put me off of  
it.

Mike

--
# Mike Shields                   | REPLY TO ->
# Research Assistant             | mshields@peruvian.utah.edu         
# U of Utah. College of Nursing  | mshields@jgravesnext.nurs.utah.edu 
#include <stddisclaimer.h>       | ^^ This one is NeXTmail.
From: nesiusra@sage.cc.purdue.edu (Keith)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: SRun: Racism, Sexism, Chauvinism, etc....
Keywords: Shadowrun, SR, SRun, SHADOWRUN
Date: 7 Apr 92 16:34:05 GMT
Organization: the Wildways Foundation


  In response to Article 63490, Peter D. Adkison-

  To the both of you, I have to bow.  A personal letter to the nets.  

  Angel, I think Peter is correct, but don't quote me.  I believe that the
  always sardonic ShadowKitten is someone else.  I couldn't find the original
  article that Peter wrote and single it out, but I am don't think that he
  is a chauvinistic or racist jerkoff.  But that is just my view, and we
  all know how far that has gotten me...

  Shivowtnoeh (Keith- nesiusra@sage.cc.purdue.edu)
From: cleggp@aix.rpi.edu (Paul Jason Clegg)
Subject: Re: NPCs Weaker than PC's?
Keywords: GDW, Twilight, Dark Conspiracy
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 15:18:09 GMT

In article <1992Apr8.144455.27941@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU> c9e-al@danube.Berkeley.EDU (Chua Hak Lien) writes:
>If you've ever looked through or played withe the T2000, or Dark Conspiracy
>rules, you'll see that Pc's have a great advantage over NPC's in terms of
>ability to withstand damage. ( About 3-4 times as much, at least... )
>
>I can see how this fits into the concept of the PC as a 'heroic' character,
>but think that it's pretty unrealistic. It just doesn't seem as fun to
>have characters that have such distinct advantages over their advesaries.
>
>What do you guys think? Are there any other games that give PC's such
>an advantage?

Well, I have no experience with 2nd edition T2000, but the NPCs in the first
edition I found to be either really good or really heinous, and they were
able to give as well as receive, often times better than the PCs could do.

They were also almost always outnumbered.  With a minimum random encounter of
about 10 soldiers, armed to bear, versus even 6 players, began to put some
people in trouble.  But like I said, I have no experience with 2nd ed; they
may have given PCs more of an advantage.

...Paul

PS>  Actually, I had a psycho group, and we had a blast obliterating Soviets.
Had a guy land a 40mm HE grenade on a guy that he had used for targetting 
purposes.  For the fun of it, we rolled hit location at damage.  Something
like 200 hit points damage TO THE HEAD.  Damage doubled for head shots.  Okay,
so he had a AC 10 (I think) helmet on, 100 points of protection (40mm HE gren.
has an armor multiple of 10).  The guy had a MAXIMUM of 40 hit points on his
head.  Bits of him killed two of his neighbors, too...

|FQT 1.10| This door is baroque; please call Bach later


Organization: Freshman, Art, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 11:25:28 -0400 
From: Michael Paul Errante <me1g+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: The Undead and level loss
	<1992Apr14.132039.23573@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>

I like the idea of the 'Battery'.  If you kill the undead in enough time
you get the experience (or a portion of it) back.  I may have to use it.
Personaly I have used a toughness type thingie for XP.  If a char acter
looses several levels they are not as well equiped to take on what ever
it is that is left and get more XP for it.  I usually figure it out
after the session, or take a break and do it if it is early on in teh
day.

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
From: betel@camelot.bradley.edu (Robert Crawford)
Subject: Re: Sex and RPG's - Why Oh Why ?
Organization: Bradley University
Date:  7 Apr 92 17:04:23 GMT

brunner@kazoo.ssd.loral.com (Brian Brunner) writes:
>"You walk into what used to be a town. Earthquake plus
>firestorm plus tax collectors have been here". What do we do?
>look for a bar that rents rooms for the night. Jeesh. How often
>are your female characters moved to compassion for the
>widows and orphans? Have you ever answered:
>"Screw the duke, he can get a new daughter and have fun trying.
>Jake, Paula, pass the word around. We're setting up a hospital
>and shelter there. Grunt, Slammer, take that building apart
>the rest of the way and lay out the beams and boards. Keep
>the pieces as big and as good as possible. I'll go pound stakes
>for cornerstones. Mumbledigits, if we dig a trench can you put
>a wall of something into it to give shelter? DM... we'll be here
>three weeks."
>Yeah, guys can be thus moved to action, let me stick out
>my neck and say, in general gals are more so inclined. The
>usual game does not make room for this mentality.

	Actually, IMHO, that is as sexist as anything else. I've
played (of all things) a necromancer (male) who would have stopped to
help the victims. He would have had the newly dead clearing the rubble
and making the wounded comfortable in no time. And then set about
healing the wounded and fixing the crippled.

	And don't forget, there _are_ some women who fit the "thinking
with their chest" role. I've seen more fights at girls' basketball
games than at guys'. 

	The key to role-playing is to try to take on the role, not
just play every character the same.

--
	Crawford's Easily Forgotten Law #1: There is such thing as too
much pepper.

Robert Crawford				betel@camelot.bradley.edu
From: rlwinter@taco.ucdavis.edu (Richard Lee Winterstein)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: Inspired Character Names
Date: 16 Apr 92 19:33:00 GMT
Organization: College of Engineering - University of California - Davis

Played Traveller once with a guy who named his character "Jedgar Hoover."  I 
have no idea why I found this so funny...mine was named "Disraeli Baryon" more
because I liked the sound of it than anything else.

Rick
From: mkkuhner@milton.u.washington.edu (Mary K. Kuhner)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: Shadowrun: Controlling magicians
Date: 9 Apr 92 14:33:05 GMT
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle

After considerable thought, we decided that the Awakening must have made
it literally impossible to keep a sufficiently complex machine off the
Matrix--that is, the Matrix is at its heart a magical phenomenon.

Otherwise all the SR scenarios which have top-secret corporate data on
on-line computers get a little hard to swallow.  I know people do it
today, but they are under increasing pressure to stop, and with rampant
decking it just wouldn't make any sense.

We did a longish campaign where decking was very important, though not
central.  Grand decker schemes are fun for the decker, but tend to bore
other people.  From the campaign point of view we had more fun with
joint decker runs against security and physical runs against the
building; and with decker manipulation of everyday computerized things
like airline reservations, rental car companiesetc.

One rule we found helpful was to give deckers who were physically
connected to the system they were running a bonus, and deckers who were
very far away a penalty, representing time lag effects.  Otherwise it is
far too tempting to do your decking from 1000 miles away, avoiding most
reasonable possibilities of physical counteraction.

Mary Kuhner mkkuhner@genetics.washington.edu
From: stinerkt@NeXTwork.Rose-Hulman.Edu (Kevin T Stiner)
Subject: CHAMPIONS: Variable Advantage
Reply-To: stinerkt@NeXTwork.Rose-Hulman.Edu (Kevin T Stiner)
Organization: Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 01:05:51 GMT

CHAMPIONS EXPERTS!

Do you think it is possible to use the variable advantage to simulate the  
variable special effect if you have enough of a multiplier in your  
variable advantage to do it?  Does it say anything in the book about not  
doing this?????

Kevin T. Stiner
From: mkelly@doofus.helios.nd.edu (michael kelly)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp,rec.games.rpg
Subject: Re: Killer: Live RPG
Date: 13 Apr 92 20:45:59 GMT
Article-I.D.: news.1992Apr13.204559.19291
Reply-To: mkelly@doofus.helios.nd.edu (michael kelly)
Organization: University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame


 jca@crash.cts.com (John C. Archambeau) writes:
|>  grs02500@runt.appstate.edu writes:
|> >Killer can be obtained through Steve Jackson Games, who are located in Texas,
|> >San Antonio I believe.
|> 
|> Killer was discontinued by SJG a few years ago and is out of print.
|> I've had no luck in finding it here in San Diego.

	You are in luck...Killer is being re-released in about three months.

-- 
+               Mike Kelly, Notre Dame Department of Physics                +
+                                                                           +
+ mkelly@happy.helios.nd.edu       If you crumple your money into little    +
+ mkelly@undhe5.hep.nd.edu           balls, it will never stick together.   +
From: cbp@reef.cis.ufl.edu (Christopher Pound)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: Why not a NET.RPG?
Keywords: NET.RPG
Date: 6 Apr 92 20:28:03 GMT
Article-I.D.: uflorida.35003
Organization: Univ. of Florida CIS Dept.

I think this idea failed before because of a lack of consensus on basic
game mechanics.  Perhaps someone should develop a list of basic rpg
frameworks in the hope of finding at least one "manager" to champion
each of them.  Then, several groups would start working on different
net.rpgs via e-mail, until they get bored with/split up over arguments
about minor details.  Then, there'd be a whole lot of incomplete
net.rpgs floating around, waiting for someone who had been part of the
group to come along and finish the rules on her/his own.  Presumably,
that person would be willing to post the rules as public domain material.

Voila! Net.rpg(s)!

;)
From: adr9510@rigel.tamu.edu (Trapped in Aggieland)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re:  Shadowrun: Looting bodies
Date: 6 Apr 92 21:53:00 GMT
Organization: Texas A&M University, Academic Computing Services
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <1992Apr06.153319.23974@orionsci>, goodwin@orionsci.UUCP (Ben Goodwin) writes...
>I forgot that the troll had two portable missiles. :(  He looks at
>me and says, "No problem, I just fire a missile down the tunnel at the
>5 guys.  Then I turn the other way and fire bursts with my Ares LMG."
>He took everyone out in about 3 actions and took one round which bounced
>off his partial heavy armor.  One of the Sams took the dead guy's
>AK-98s with laser sights.  Gotta be worth a few bucks.

Munchkinism abounds! What the hell was the troll doing with *two* MPMs (man 
portable missles) and the MG? Even if he *could* get them, *and* cary all of
that effectively---they're a reason they're called missles! They explode. An 
explosion in a *sewer*!? The backblast should of been enough to toast several
players (falling cieling, burns, shrapnel, etc.).

And think about it--they used one missle (black market costs upwards of, oh,
4000-12000 New Yen easy) and in return got: one AK-98. Ooooooohhhhh, I'm so
impressed.

Really, try a little visit to the realms of physics the next time one of the 
players says "I set off an anti-aircraft explosive in a sewer." Sheesh.
That's the point where you say: "Next character set, please."

>| uunet!orionsci!goodwin        | you with your hair that's always combed,
>| Ben Goodwin                   | your suit is always white, your car is
>| Washington DC (703) 524-0504  | always clean.  You I hate!!! -Great Race


Aaron D. Robb, aka The Philosopher   |	Disclaimer: Texas A&M stands staunchly
Somewhere at Texas A&M University    |	behind my every word. Really they do...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"By all means marry. If you have a good wife, you will be happy. If you have a
 bad wife, you will become a philosopher"
						-Socrates
Xref: sparky rec.games.frp:17917 rec.games.cyber:294 rec.games.pbm:1043
From: nesiusra@sage.cc.purdue.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp,rec.games.cyber,rec.games.pbm
Subject: SHADOWRUN- This is a CALL OUT REQUEST!!!
Summary: Lets get a Gaming Club Going!!!
Keywords: SHADOWRUN, CYBERPUNK, CYBER, SR, SRun, Shadowrun, Cyberpunk, Dark
Date: 10 Apr 92 16:33:33 GMT
Followup-To: rec.games.frp
Organization: Cary Quad's Southeasterner's
Archive-Name: rgc300
Originator: nesiusra@sage.cc.purdue.edu

[[ Sorry, I can only limit this to the usa.  --Joshua ]]

  Hello out there,

  This message is being limited to the Purdue system, and its surrounding
  area, for a purpose.  I have an idea that I am VERY seriously considering.
  How about forming a SHADOWRUN/CYBERPUNK Game Club.  I have been collecting
  rumormill on the subject for a while now, and have discovered there to be
  over 130 players of these two games.  I THINK, though I am not certain,
  that Dark Conspiracy and Rifts, could also be included.

  If anyone is interested, start talking it over with your gaming pals.  Lets
  see if we can get this moving.  Just think, access to rooms in Stewart
  Center or the Student Union, without noise, hall councilors, drunken
  bums, etc... dropping by and interupting your games.  That, and combined
  with a place with plenty of lighting and seating for any size of game
  group.

  Anyone who is interested, lets get it started as see what we can come up
  with.  And lets hear from anyone in the area (come on Indiana, lets hear
  it!!!)...

  Keith (nesiusra@sage.cc.purdue.edu)
From: zweldron@ruhets.rutgers.edu (Matthew Charlap)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: test
Keywords: testing
Date: 14 Apr 92 16:03:00 GMT
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.


Just a test...
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
From: ads3@po.CWRU.Edu (Andrew D. Shults)
Subject: Re: AD&D:  Problems with 1st ed. Bard
Reply-To: ads3@po.CWRU.Edu (Andrew D. Shults)
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 92 22:45:25 GMT


In a previous article, bianco@aethelbehrt.cs.odu.edu (Dave) says:
>In article <1992Apr8.163048.17714@umbc3.umbc.edu> cs201139@BugsBunny.acslab.umbc.edu (cs201139) writes:
>   YOU BETTER GO CHECK THE DAMN BOOK LOSER! Man do you have me pissed off now.
>   2nd Edition made the Bard a Theif sub-class!!! Of course it comes after
>   the Theif...Sub-classes usually are listed directly after the root class.
>
>Bards and Thieves are both subclasses of a general class
>of 'Rouges.'  It's interesting to note that there is really
>no flesh to the Rouge base type.  It merely exists to allow
>Bards and Thieves to be derived from it...

     The original poster is obviously aware of the existance of the second
edition, since he chose to emphasize in the Subject: header that he is
refering to a *1st ed. Bard*.  Not all AD&Ders have converted to the second
edition because:

     1. They may have already spent a lot of money on the first edition
        materials and do not wish to waste that investment and/or cannot
        afford to shell out for all new materials.

     2. They may actually prefer the old system (I prefer the 2nd ed., but
        then I don't assume everyone is just a clone of me).

     Since AD&D1 and AD&D2 are both separate, viable gaming systems, your 
article is simply a flame against a gaming system that you don't like.  Would
you post an article stating something like "You fool, GURPS [or any other
system you wish to insert] handles it this way.  This is the way it must be."
etc. etc.?
     Both versions of AD&D are separate game systems which have both their
advantages and disadvantages.  D&D is another system which is similar to the
two AD&Ds, but is also a separate system.  None is inherently better or
worse than the others.  The only real issue between them is which serves a
particular group of gamers best.

   ---Andrew
-- 
Andrew Shults    : The opinions expressed here are mine, all mine.  Where did
ads3@po.cwru.edu : I get them?  Well, ok... maybe I _borrowed_ a few of them.
From: mpk9716@zeus.tamu.edu (Health Man)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: AD&D 2ed. Weapon Specialization
Date: 6 Apr 92 15:54:00 GMT
Organization: Texas A&M University, Academic Computing Services
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41


	Did anyone read the last Dragon that stated a Fighter can have
a specialization in only one weapon?  According this the Dragon, the
first printing of the Players Handbook and the Fighters Handbook are in
error when they say a fighter can specialize in more than one weapon.  I had
figheters that were specialized in many weapons, this new outlook takes
away much of that power.  But, it does make some sense that one can only
be SPECIALZED in a single weapon.  

	So, all you fighters better be carefull when you pick you weapon
specialization--you only get one now.

	For those of you who also read this article in the Dragon.  Tell me,
do you think the Kits get the free specialization in addition to the normal
one? or what?

Michael