HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: cook@shaman.nexagen.com
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Spacemaster (was Re: Rolemaster)
Date: 28 Jan 93 08:38:28 GMT
Organization: NeXagen.com
NNTP-Posting-Host: shaman.nexagen.com

mathew <mathew@mantis.co.uk> writes:

>cook@shaman.nexagen.com writes:
>> If there are any other product suggestions that anyone has, I'd lke to hear 
>> about them--dealing with Rolemaster or any other ICE product line. What
>> do you want to see in the future, what have/haven't you liked that we have
>> put out so far, etc.
>[...]
>> Monte Cook
>> Rolemaster/Space Master Series Editor

>Well...  I'm afraid I can't think of a way to put this tactfully, but...

>I don't like the SpaceMaster background material.  I mean, don't get me
>wrong, the rules are wonderful; when I saw the table of spectral classes of
>stars I was convinced.  Real scientific detail in an SF RPG?  Wow.  But then
>you had to go and spoil it with all that Imperial Emperor of the Galaxy
>stuff.  I think you must have been exposed to too much Traveller. :-)

>I've got CyberSpace, and that is much better.  More gritty and realistic. 
>What I really want is something like SpaceMaster, but with a background
>setting that's more in keeping with a CyberSpace universe.  Something a bit
>like TSR's old (unfinished) 2nd Edition StarFrontiers, in fact.

>Of course, I can always mix'n'match SpaceMaster and CyberSpace myself, as the
>rules are fairly compatible, but I don't have the time to generate reams of
>background material and adventures myself.  Currently I'm planning to pull
>the background from my old StarFrontiers 2 book, throw in a large helping of
>CyberSpace, and use SpaceMaster for what's left.

Well, you are not alone. A lot of people don't like the _Dune_-ish background
for the game, and just play it by itself. In fact, the background stuff sold
so badly that I doubt there'll be any more. However, we are looking to publish
a few sourceboks detailing SF settings for Space Master. These books would be
complete in and of themselves--no adventure modules to come later or anything.

>One idea I had:

>I've always wanted to do an SF RPG which doesn't have FTL travel.  I think
>it'd be interesting to have a campaign world set on a generation starship
>built using near-future technology.  Or maybe a large survey ship where the
>characters are revived from suspended animation and the ship started up again
>each time they near a new star system.

This is just what I'm talking about. This would make a great setting book.
What does everyone else think?

Monte Cook
Rolemaster/Space Master editor

>mathew
From: bkoike@sdcc13.ucsd.edu (Bryce Koike)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Ethical Dilemna (GURPS Fantasy - LONG)
Date: 26 Jan 93 16:40:58 GMT
Organization: University of California, San Diego

In article <1993Jan23.220503.1@wharton.upenn.edu> millerl@wharton.upenn.edu writes:
>So the PCs were wandering along and saw a bunch of naked, drunken
>peasants, and decided they had to kill them? IMHO, you can't let them
>get away with it. They have gotten their own characters into a pickle
>they can't get out of. The lord of the land would throw them in stocks

Well, when I read the original message, I was a bit offended by the
actions of the players, but considering the goings on at a Shadowrun
game I was allowed to play in, it seemed almost acceptable
behaviour.  But it's not.

The author states that the players now regret the decision and that
one of the players was a bit mistaken as to how his character was to
be played.  If it was an honest mistake, I'd give them a little
leeway.

Still, when the party is about to do something incredibly stupid,
moronic, and probably suicidal, I tend to do my best to convince my
players otherwise.  After all, it's MY campaign and I refuse to let
my players screw it up just because they're tired, bored, and want
to see the blood fly...  [and am I the only person here who's gotten
tired of running combat?]

>and try them for murder most foul. The jesuit, since he tried to stop
>them, might get away if he cooperated with the prosecution. All those
>found guilty of murder would swing on the gibbet for their crimes.

Aw, I was thinking of something worse.  Their heads cut off, boiling
oil poured down their throats...grin, drawn and quartered...

Ok, but I stand by my original opinion that they should be allowed
to live -- barely.  The characters should face nasty torture for
many years to come.  Perhaps the GM could revive the campaign, but
10 years in the future...  maybe the city is underattack and they
need all the defenders they can get.  In exchange for defending the
city, the players are given their freedom...

>Perhaps their next characters will pay attention to the law and will not
>go into a murderous frenzy when they sniff blood.

This is among my biggest pet peeves of all time.  I'm tired of
playing with people who fall into the hourly, "SIGH, I'm bored.
Where's all the combat and killing?  I wanna kill someone.  I'm
going to the bar to start a fight."

It's counterproductive, it's stupid, and it's just a vile trick to
pull on a GM who's trying to run something worthwhile.  Thankfully,
I've managed to edit most of those players out of my games, but I
have one friend who's a damn good role-player so long as I can
somehow keep him interested...

Players should be informed well before the game that the GM isn't
there to pull them out of trouble.  If they do something stupid,
they better be prepared to pay the price for their actions.

>-- 
>whoah,
>+++++++++++++++++++++++23
>Loren Miller                           internet: MILLERL@wharton.upenn.edu
>Mediocrity is a hand rail.                         -- Baron de Montesquieu

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: slb22@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Seth "the Lesser")
Subject: Re: GDW in trouble...
Organization: Generic American College Kids (G.A.C.K.)
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 07:22:41 GMT
Reply-To: slb22@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Seth "the Lesser")
X-Posted-From: cunixb.cc.columbia.edu
NNTP-Posting-Host: sol.ctr.columbia.edu

chuahl@ocf.berkeley.edu (Chua HakLien) writes:
>According to  a friend who writes often for _Challenge_ magazine,
>GDW appears to be in big trouble. He hasn't been paid for his
>articles for about 7-8 months, nor did they pay him for his
>recently released module. Seems that _DJ_ has been a huge flop,
>but GDW is still unwilling to bail out of a slowly sinking ship.

And instead of just dumping it like sensible people, they'll release
_Dangerous Journeys: The New Era._ :-)

Really, I think GDW's roleplaying division may be doomed.  They are just
utterly indifferent to the desires of the players, Loren's presence on TML
notwithstanding, and the failures like DJ and (in all probability) T:TNE will
pull the games like T2K2 down with them.

But then again, I'm the world's worst pessimist and have no head for business.
So don't take my projections too seriously.

Seth L. Blumberg          \    "`Mud wasps had built nests inside these nice
slb22@columbia.edu (play)   \ little holes.' `Inside our hydrogen bomb?' `Well,
sethb@ctr.columbia.edu (work) \  as I say, inside these nice little holes.'"
    > No one I know shares my opinions, least of all Columbia University. <
From: millerl@wharton.upenn.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Room for a New OOP RPG?
Date: 28 Jan 93 05:49:49 GMT
Organization: Newt World Order

In article <1993Jan27.231207.234@fsl.noaa.gov>, urban@yoda.fsl.noaa.gov (Art Urban) writes:
> Thanx laughing boy! :-)

Laughing boy? What's your reference?

> Okay, I guess Hero, from here on out, is the ultimate game system. I wish I
> could actually examine this piece of art, but all the hobby stores seem to

Cool it with the sarcasm, monkey boy. Hero isn't the ultimate game
system but it *is* a meta-system exactly like the one you described.
Actually, though, it might be the ultimate game system but unless you
want to make up your own game world and all the mechanical details to
make it work you won't want to use it. But boy oh boy is it elegant if
you can find somebody else to do the work for you...

no :-)

-- 
whoah,
+++++++++++++++++++++++23
Loren Miller                           internet: MILLERL@wharton.upenn.edu
Mediocrity is a hand rail.                         -- Baron de Montesquieu
From: danw@sierra.com (Dan Williams - Contractor)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Fantasy Battles from books
Date: 26 Jan 93 21:53:32 GMT
Organization: Sierra Geophysics Inc.,  Kirkland, Wa

>What are some well know battles from fantasy books?   I would like to see how
>they were treated so I can get some ideas about an upcoming battle in my campaign.
>I know of the Battles in Tolkein, and in Cook's Black Company series, but  I wou
>would like to know more.  Please  be specific about where and the name of the
>battle.
>  thanks!!!
>  Gene


No one has mentioned Tolkien's The Hobbit, Battle of five armies, 
or in Return of the King where the armies of the west confront the gates of
Mordor!

Have You hugged your dragon today?
---------------------------/\/\__/\/\-----------------------------------------
Daniel J. Williams         \/0~__~0\/   These opinionated statements are mine!
Email: danw@sierra.COM     (  /oo\  )		and no-one elses.
or     bilbo@eskimo.com     |/VVVV\|   
                             \_**_/          Sometimes the Dragon Wins.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- 
Have You hugged your dragon today?
---------------------------/\/\__/\/\-----------------------------------------
Daniel J. Williams         \/0~__~0\/   These opinionated statements are mine!
Email: danw@sierra.COM     (  /oo\  )		and no-one elses.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: epperly@osnome.che.wisc.edu (Tom Epperly)
Subject: Re: Rolemaster
Organization: University of Wisconsin-Madison, Chemical Engineering
Date: 26 Jan 93 12:57:16 CST
	<1k07sbINN7od@shaman.nexagen.com> <1993Jan25.184609.19963@lclark.edu>
	<1k3024INN8s8@shaman.nexagen.com>
In-reply-to: cook@shaman.nexagen.com's message of 26 Jan 1993 02:25:24 -0700

In article <1k3024INN8s8@shaman.nexagen.com> cook@shaman.nexagen.com writes:
   As a matter of fact, yes. It wont come out until late 1994, and it is still
   uncertain what exactly it will include (and wont include). Some things that
   are a certainty--the skill system will be revised to make it more playable
   without losing realism. No more lists of thousands of skills like in RM 
   Companion II. Yet, the skill system will be flexible enough so that if you
   want your character to be skilled in Left-handed arrow fletching, you still
   have that option too. :) Basically, how this will be done is that a number
   of general skills will be presented, and then guidelines for developing
   more specific skills will be included afterwards. By that, I mean that the
   skill costs for Perception will be given, and then some suggestions for 
   specialized skills like Detect Secret door will be mentioned.

I don't know if I want a new systems of rules.  I would just like a
better presentation and organization of their current rule system.  As
it is, you can just ignore the skills that you don't think are required.

					Tom
--
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tom Epperly	University of Wisconsin-Madison		Chemical Engineering
(608) 262-8264	epperly@osnome.che.wisc.edu		Graduate Student
Member of the League for Programming Freedom(fighting software monopolies)
	For more info contact me or lpf@uunet.uu.net.
If you feel you must flame, please send email rather than posting.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: gharris@jade.tufts.edu (George W. Harris)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: GURPS worldbook: Space 1889 ?
Date: 21 Jan 93 17:09:53 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Tufts University - Medford, MA

In article <C14osC.EC5@news2.cis.umn.edu> lsmith@atto.cs.umn.edu (Lance "Squiddie" Smith) writes:
>In article <1993Jan19.211745.14765@news.tufts.edu> gharris@jade.tufts.edu (George W. Harris) writes:
>>In article <19JAN93.12053674.0101@VM1.MCGILL.CA> CX6L@MUSICA.MCGILL.CA (CX6L) writes:
>>>
>>>Well, work was proceeding on a "GURPS Difference Engine" book, which
>>>would have covered the Victorian-era fantastical technology material
>>
>>	Famtastical technology?  Hardly.  The Science Museum in London has
>>built a working Difference engine from Chas. Babbage's revised designs
>>(not from his original design, but the *second* Diff. engine he designed.
>>This work is detailed in the most recent Scientific American.
>
>Well, two difference engines were built during Babbage's time. Difference
>Engine technology is really sorta boring. 

	I don't believe this is correct.  Babbage *designed* two Difference
Engines.  An attempt was made to build the first, but it was abandoned half-
way through.  No attempt was made to build the second until about 5 years ago.

>Now building a Babbage Analytical Engine that worked would be something 
>interesting.

	Especially since none of the original design survives, and it was 
never completed.

>  Lance "Cr2O3.2H2O" Smith | "He is an aristocrat and a peanut. Citizen 
>    (lsmith@cs.umn.edu)    |  St Just says that is enough to warrant his 
--
gharris@jade.tufts.edu          
George W. Harris              	"He'd kill us if he had the chance."  
Dept. of Mathematics            
Tufts University              			The Conversation  
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc,rec.games.frp.advocacy
From: stv@unislc.uucp (Steve Spencer)
Subject: Re: Random Rolls
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]
Organization: Unisys Corporation SLC
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 16:09:43 GMT

CX6L (CX6L@MUSICA.MCGILL.CA) wrote:
: In article <1993Jan22.173632.19154@unislc.uucp> stv@unislc.uucp (Steve Spencer) writes:

: Whoah! Wait a minute here! I said that I did not need pratice at
: acting out roles that I cannot identify with. My words to that
: effect were really rather clear. By "no challenge", I meant that
: I got little joy out of facing the "challenge" of playing such
: a character: one who I cannot identify with. I *love* to role-
: play, and if you knew me, or my associates, I think you'd even
: have to admit I'm *good* at it. Please do not read into my words
: things which I have neither said nor implied, OK?
: 
Now wait just a minute here. How can you say that I am reading in things that
you "neither said nor implied"? I quoted peices of your post in which you flat 
out state exactly what I am flaming you for. Now that may not be what you
"meant" by what you said, but damnit, that's still what you said. So go
ahead and tell us what you "really" meant, but don't try to tell me that I
need to read before I flame. Maybe you just need to be more careful about
what you post, and clarify your opinions.
: 

: I love the game itself to be challenging: I just don't enjoy the
: dubious "challenge" of having an ill character shoved down my throat.
: 
: Practice at the techniques of acting, especially acting out roles
: that you cannot identify with, is **NOT** roleplaying. It is
: acting practice. The *acting itself* is the roleplaying, and that
: I do, most sincerely, enjoy. Geez - learn to read.
: 

Again, while I will accept that this is what you "meant" by your words, 
you definitely posted that you "do not need a chalenge". You DID NOT
specify that you did not need a challnge with regards to any certain
thing. Don't tell me to learn to read. YOU learn to POST!


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
| It's the sputter of a raindrop. It's the sunlight on my face |
| My mind's eye into other realms. It's my paradise escape.    |
| Steve Spencer	SLC, Utah 	stv@unislc.slc.unisys.com      |
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: wilder@nx02.mik.uky.edu (jeff wilder)
Subject: Re: SRII: Physical Adepts
Organization: University Of Kentucky, Dept. of Math Sciences
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 10:51:55 GMT

In <uplink.728005115@cwis> uplink@cwis.unomaha.edu (uplink 2099) writes:

|	How much Karma does your GM hand out during adventures, anyway?  In
|our games, we tend around 5-6 per scenario, and then individual Karma
|awards to individual players (we each tend to pick up a couple here.)  Major
|adventures add a couple (we just earned 21 for finishing _One_Stage_Beyond_,
|but that was over a few game sessions).  So in a few weeks of playing,
|our group could possibly have that many Karma.

21 Karma?!  For *one* run?!  Jesus Christ...Maybe Christian Wagner is
right... 

My group of 'runners have *just* passed the 20 Karma mark.  That's for
12 or 15 sessions; say 45-50 hours of play.  And they are doing extremely
well, since I tend to award more Karma for good roleplaying than suggested.

21?!  Please tell me that you're kidding...?

|	As to the argument that a dicoted combat axe would cost x number of
|nuyen, well, we also got 150,000 Y each for that adventure (and the decker
|and my street sam got a few bonuses --- mine amounted to another 50,000 Y).
|So what?  It's only nuyen.  Besides, I need 3.5 MILLION Y to get Betaware
|Wired 3 so I can get more cyberware out of Shadowtech (I currently have
|regular Wired 3, and an essence of 0.04.  Lowest in my group.  HAH!)

Let me get this straight:  for one run, you <ahem> "earned" 21 Karma *and*
200K yen.  Each.

Axly, I think you were too hasty in awarding the "MotM" award to that 9d6
initiative guy...

--
==============================================================================
| Jeff W  uk06666@ukpr.uky.edu | Meddle not in the affairs of cats, for they |
| Wilder  & wilder@mik.uky.edu | are subtle, and will piss on your cyberdeck.|
==============================================================================
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: jcarl@jabba.ess.harris.com (Joe Carl Jr.)
Subject: Re: SRII Insect Spirits *possible spoiler*
Organization: Harris Corporation - ISD
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 21:33:47 GMT

In <lward.728074679@husc.harvard.edu> lward@husc11.harvard.edu (Lester Ward) writes:

>flindholm@mta.ca writes:

>>In article <1993Jan25.175824.6312@dvorak.amd.com>, markl@dvorak.amd.com (Mark Luedtke) writes:
>>>I have several questions about insect spirits.  The stats for true form
>>>spirits in Grimoire II says they are for manifest form only.  What are the
>>>stats of the astral form?  All force?  If so, how come they have different
>>>mental attributes?  Especially the rediculously low Willpower?

>>   Actualy, I don't think they can astraly project. They may be dual beings
>>though. I know the most advaced ones (that look totaly human) have the power of
>>aura masking.

>True form spirits are astral .natives., so if anything, they project onto
>the real plane (via. manifest), not the other way around.  This is an
>attribute of all true spirits.  Only flesh form insect spirits are locked
>onto the real plane.

>Wordman

Correct me if I'm wrong here.  Don't forget an insect shaman is still a
shaman and can conjure nature spirits too!

--
Joe Carl Jr.               "It ain't what a man don't know that makes him a
jcarl@jabba.ess.harris.com   fool, but what he does know that ain't so."
                                                           -- Josh Billings
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: Nick_Janow@mindlink.bc.ca (Nick Janow)
Subject: More about Cover Art
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 07:48:35 GMT

I've been thinking more about the issue of covers, and what is "the right
way" of doing covers.

Cover art can be very important for setting the tone of a game.  It can also
turn potential customers on...or turn them off.  Thus it's important to have
cover art that matches the tone of the product.

Traveller chose to go with stark covers, and the interior art--and art on
other products--was also stark, black&white.  Personally, I found that art to
be one of the attractive things about the game (the rest wasn't much, after
all).  It was very effective (for me) in setting the tone of "future space".
I was disappointed when the rules system wasn't able of supporting what the
artwork set the tone for.  :-/

In the case of Traveller, glossy colour art might have been inappropriate.
If the rule books had the same sort of art as the original AD&D books, I
wouldn't even have taken the game seriously.

The one advertisement I'd seen for Talislanta consisted of a glossy,
full-colour image of three characters in "cool" costumes standing around
looking heroic.  It certainly didn't make me interested in the game.  I can't
imagine my characters wandering around making artificially heroic poses every
few minutes.  That art might be attractive for some gamers, but it certainly
did not attract me.

So, gaudy, glossy, full-colour art may be appropriate for heroic-style
gaming, but inappropriate for "realistic" gaming.  AD&D and Talislanta use
art that gives the image of characters captured in heroic (and possibly
improbable) instants; Traveller used art that gave the impression of places
characters could explore, and equipment they could use.  The former focuses
on the characters; the latter on the world the characters interact with.  The
former focuses on endings; the latter focuses on beginnings?

I suppose I'm just rambling.  There's something I'm trying to express, but
I'm not quite sure what it is myself.  However, it may strike up some
interesting discussion.  :)

--

Nick_Janow@mindlink.bc.ca
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: merig@ghost.dsi.unimi.it (giorgio merigo)
Subject: -----PLEASE PUT ALWAYS CODE AS PREFIX---
Organization: Computer Science Dep. - Milan University
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 14:29:05 GMT

Dear frp friends why aren't we making some order here around?
Let's put alway a beginning code before subject as someone is doing.

for example:

AD&D:..........etc......
RQ:.........etc.....
GURPS:......etc.....

etc.....

so that one who looks for a particular argument can select it without scanning
all the list

thank you
		Giorgio

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: mancinis@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (steven mancini)
Subject: Re: A new corp for Shadowrun
Organization: Purdue University Computing Center
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 07:53:06 GMT

In article <1993Jan18.191123.16663@Princeton.EDU> mfterman@phoenix.princeton.edu (Mutant for Hire) writes:
				DISNEY STUFF DELETED

>  astral patrols would be common.

	Astral Patrols? IMHO You would find probably NO Astral Projectors
	at Disney____.  WHy you may ask......

				Background Count!!!!

	I think it would be approaching a 4, maybe even 5.

	The place is tied up in a sh*tload of sentiment.

---
Wow, this is the first time I have posted here in ages. Heya to all the
old folks I see still lurk in these dark shadows....

							Minotaur

-- 

+-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-+
| Steve Mancini (a.k.a. The Minotaur) | mancinis@mentor.cc.purdue.edu   |
|    Grad Student {Dazed & Confused}  | mancinis@vm.cc.purdue.edu       |
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: uplink@cwis.unomaha.edu (uplink 2099)
Subject: Re: Killing Attacks (Hero)
Organization: University of Nebraska at Omaha
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1993 08:08:19 GMT

thornley@milli.cs.umn.edu (David H. Thornley) writes:

>Has anybody actually tried to use one of these, or seen anybody else try?
>I've been trying to think of something it would represent with no luck.

	A player in another campaign I played in (he was a rules rapist)
created a mentalist with a 1d6+1 RKA, Based on ECV, +3 Stun Mult.  If
this wasn't a blatant example of trying to win the Damage Lotto, I don't
know what is.  It was pointed out to him that a NORMAL 6d6 Ego Attack
would do more Stun, on the average.

uplink

--
*           _    / _/       /     * "It's been surreal!" - Gogo Dodo, TTA  *
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*    / /  __/  /  /  /  /    <    * email to uplink@cwis.unomaha.edu  . .  *
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