HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: easmith@hemlock.cray.com (Eric Smith)
Subject: Best MUD's 
Originator: easmith@hemlock
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.
Date: 7 Apr 92 13:34:37 CDT


I played on Epic for several weeks, and liked it a lot.  However, as you all
know, that one disappeared.  I have the master mud list, but I need some
recommendations on good muds out there.  I prefer diku's, but I have tried all
of them.  Reply via e-mail to either address below.  Thanks in advance!
-- 
Eric A. Smith 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cray Research Benchmarking Systems Group      :: easmith@cray.com
Purdue University Computing Center Consultant :: easmith@cc.purdue.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.mud
From: morpheus@cco.caltech.edu (Ken Bartlett)
Subject: Re: GET A LIFE!
Keywords: mud,lp,lpmud,diku
Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1992 08:37:13 GMT

In article <10APR199215465475@utarlg.uta.edu> b645zmq@utarlg.uta.edu writes:
>I am caught in a paradoxical situation.  I like programming and creating
>things for others to enjoy.  I do not like stomping around on muds for literally
>DAYS in pursuit of the ever out of grasp wizard level.  Perhaps I have 
>oversimplified my explanation, but I feel that some of you may relate to it.
>
>I don't want to hear flames, merely arguments explaining why it takes so blasted
>long until people can finally "earn" the right to contribute to a mud.
>

Answer:  Don't play on a combat mud.  Come to a tiny.


				--Me

Xref: sparky rec.games.mud:4785 alt.mud.lp:219
From: moore@latcs2.lat.oz.au (C. Moore)
Newsgroups: rec.games.mud,alt.mud.lp
Subject: Re: HOW TO DO ONE OF TOP MUD'S QUESTS
Date: 12 Apr 92 04:41:32 GMT
Organization: Comp Sci, La Trobe Uni, Australia

In article <1992Apr11.566.4433@eos.ncsu.edu> sderlang@eos.ncsu.edu (Steve Erlang) writes:
>
>How to do one of Top Mud's Quests:
>
.
.
.
>
>Next Week: Merlyn Quest


Umm..  Isn't the purpose of quests to pose a challenge to players, to make
them think and to perhaps offer some kind of reward at the end?  If so, then
how can a quests purpose be fulfilled, when someone posts the method of
achieving it for all to read?  Also, won't this significantly lower the value
of the reward at the end, if all can solve the quest so easily?

Just a thought.. (albeit an obvious one.)

cm.  (Elmire at twilight, dungeon and a coupla others.)

       =============================================================
      | Put your nose to the Grindstone. || moore@latcs1.lat.oz.au  |
      |    -Amalgamated toolmakers and   || Latrobe Uni. Australia. |
      |     Plastic Surgeons Inc.        || "B.J. lives!"           | 
       =============================================================
From: jcoper@ccu.umanitoba.ca (D. Joseph Creighton)
Newsgroups: rec.games.mud
Subject: Re: All those divisions
Date: 11 Apr 92 05:46:16 GMT
Organization: University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

In article <michael.702920292@aviator.cc.iastate.edu> michael@iastate.edu (Michael M. Huang) writes:
>Suggestion for newsgroups:
>
>	rec.games.mud.those.that.i.wanna.read.and.can.use
>	rec.games.mud.those.that.i.wanna.read.and.can.flame
>	rec.games.mud.those.long.vacation.logs.of.people.who.i.have.never.
>		heard.before.but.i.actually.sat.for.almost.an.hour.and.
>		read.it
>	rec.games.mud.petitions
>	rec.games.mud.nma.if.it.ever.comes.back
>	rec.games.mud.lp.players.asking.for.flames.in.rec.games.mud
>	rec.games.mud.i.cant.log.into.this.mud.since.5.minutes.ago.what.
>		is.wrong

You forgot one:

	rec.games.mud.here.is.a.new.mud.i.just.compiled.but.havent.even.
		tested.yet.or.know.how.to.code.in.come.and.play.and.tell.
		me.how.great.i.am

>Just my 5 coins worth.
>
>-michael
> Vincent's Hollow

Mine too..  (Johanne deposits 5 coins into the news.reader)        /~-_A_-~\
Besides, it gives me a chance to test my new mud.sig file  :)     |    H    |
---                                                                \_-~H~-_/
Johanne the Master of Time and Space (Frontier LP MUD) [ GOD ]         H
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+  H
D. Joseph Creighton  <jcoper@ccu.umanitoba.ca>  Winnipeg, MB, Canada   U
From: wizz@rock-opera.cc.purdue.edu (Wizz)
Newsgroups: rec.games.mud
Subject: Re: Important announcement for all MUD players
Keywords: MUD is a waste
Date: 6 Apr 92 07:16:26 GMT
Article-I.D.: mentor.44050
Reply-To: wizz@rock-opera.cc.purdue.edu (Wizz)
Organization: Purdue University

In article <ktvcv6INNbua@corvus.usc.edu> rone@corvus.usc.edu (Man on a Mission) writes:
>
>>> Get a life.
>
>>OK, I will go @pcreate another character.  You want one while I am at it?
>>*snicker*
>
>*chuckle* i think Wizz was flaming the person who posted the original post.
>he forgot to include it and ended up looking the wrong way. :-)
>

  Yes I did.  Anyone who would think that mud is a waste, and post it,
  should get a life for wasting their time on posting.


--
*******************************************************************************
**    Robert Wiseman                 ********     <Insert philosophical>     **
**    wizz@symphony.cc.purdue.edu    ********         <quote here.>          **
*******************************************************************************
From: sterling@netcom.com
Newsgroups: rec.games.mud
Subject: Re: Network Use
Keywords: NSFNET, network, traceroute
Date: 14 Apr 92 17:24:27 GMT
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest)

In article <1992Apr14.144504.14783@watcgl.waterloo.edu> anicolao@watcgl.waterloo.edu (Alex Nicolaou) writes:
>** I guess it depends on your definitions. Sending out 3*15 = 45 packets
>to do what effectively amounts to /etc/ping is a lot of packets in my 
>opinions. It does not provide the normal user with any useful information;
>ping does just as well. So why would someone who wasn't tracing net problems
>want to use it?

In a free and open environment, one should not restrict someone elses ability
to do something that's harmless just because they can't figure out why the
person would want to.  It doesn't matter why; it's not your business, really,
and the reasons could be far beyond those you can understand or simply
impossible to verbalize in advance.

Now, I suppose, if you're a sysadmin and don't like the idea of letting the
users send out the 'extra' packets for no aparrent reason, consider that the
user might find it educational.  Traceroute gives a lot more information than
/etc/ping does, and some older versions of ping tell you even less.  With
traceroute the user might even be able to determine if the net problem lies
on-campus or out in some gateway somewhere... and perhaps even tell someone
who can fix the problem of which they were unaware.  (In theory, ping can do
this too, but you have to ping many hosts in succession, and also KNOW which
hosts to ping... probably not as efficient as traceroute in the long run.)

With taceroute a user can usually determine why he can't get to XXX or why his
link to YYY is so slow.  If it's a local problem, then he can contact whomever
about it.  This is better than the user contacting person ZZZ about every net.
problem he has, including those that a foreign-site problem the local admin can
do nothing about.  So in this way, traceroute might even make and admins job
easier to do, avoiding having to sift through tons of email about stuff he ha
no contraol over.  Assuming, of course, that traaceroute is installed so joe
average user can use it, and time has been taken to explain to joe average user
some basic principles about the net and networking.

Bruce

-- 
--- sterling@netcom.com - sirbruce@gnu.ai.mit.edu - bwoodcoc@isis.cs.du.edu ---
Yes.  We fuck.  Often, and with great enjoyment of the act.  We aren't married,
we use birth control, we use interesting little toys on occasion.  We moan like
beasts in heat.  Life is *great*.  -- Bryant, ref. to Erin, on alt.brother-jed.
Newsgroups: rec.games.mud,alt.fan.furry
From: sterling@netcom.com
Subject: Re: PETITION: REINSTATE BRUCE ON FURRYMUCK
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 92 01:27:44 GMT
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 

In article <1992Apr14.190106.8145@math.okstate.edu> russ@math.okstate.edu (Russ "Random" Smith) writes:
>In <gbtjddc.sterling@netcom.com> sterling@netcom.com writes:
>
>->you could ignore the post.  If your decision hinged on the exact details of
>->the case (and I have found that this rarely played a part), you could *email*
>->and we could discuss it there.
>In a truly unbiased forum.
>Uh huh.
>				-Random, Kale, D'vin, et al

Sorry, I don't see your point.  (But you should be used to that.)  I never
claimed it was an unbiased forum, and I even suggested the person email *both*
myself and the FurryMUCK wizards... so any bias from me should be equaled by
a similar bias from the other side involved.  And that's certainly much better
than discussing it here... or do you somehow think r.g.m. and/or a.f.f. are 
'unbiased' forums?

Bruce

-- 
--- sterling@netcom.com - sirbruce@gnu.ai.mit.edu - bwoodcoc@isis.cs.du.edu ---
Yes.  We fuck.  Often, and with great enjoyment of the act.  We aren't married,
we use birth control, we use interesting little toys on occasion.  We moan like
beasts in heat.  Life is *great*.  -- Bryant, ref. to Erin, on alt.brother-jed.
From: smash@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu (Scott Mash)
Newsgroups: rec.games.design
Subject: Ideas For Marvel Character Tournament
Date: 8 Apr 92 18:08:45 GMT
Organization: Smasher Land BBS (614)593-8359


I am attempting to have a Marvel Super Hero arena combat tournament
on my bbs and email account.  I am having problems coming up with a 
good set of rules and ideas on how to handle this.  This type of email
game I believe would be a better way for me to handle a large number of
players.  If you have any ideas please let me know.
 
Scott



-- 
| smash@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu         |  Scott A. Mash               |
| smash@bigbird.cs.ohiou.edu         |  Smasher Land BBS            |
| system@Smashland.nelsonville.oh.us |  (614) 593-8359, 2400 Baud   |
| cs819@ouaccvmb.bitnet              |  RPG Textfiles And Utilities |
Newsgroups: rec.games.design
From: droe@cs.tcd.ie (David Roe)
Newsgroups: rec.games.design
Subject: Re: PBeM: creating/joining governments?
Date: 10 Apr 92 10:08:41 GMT
Organization: Trinity College, Dublin (Computer Science)

In article <1992Apr8.010621.12442@usenet.ins.cwru.edu> mxb8@po.CWRU.Edu (Matthew Bakaitis) writes:
>
>In a previous article, millerl@wharton.upenn.edu () says:
>
>>I haven't played RoR nor read the rules. Could you encapsulate these
>>public binding agreements, just describe briefly how they work as game
>>rules to govern a political decision?
>>
>>Please?
>
>	Actually, I would assume that similar is used in other games also.
>	
>	Simply, if two players come to an agreement in the presence of
>other players, the terms of the agreement are binding.  This is contrary
>to the Diplomacy method where any agreement may be broken at any time.
>Secret agreements are still non-binding, but public agreements are.
>

	There is a proviso to this, in that players cannot make a deal
that will bind a vote. That is, you may not promise that your senators
will vote in a way that makes the outcome of that vote a certianty. This
may seem complex, but in practice works rather well, simply, it prevents
two powerful factions from stomping the rest with a mutual pact, since
the votes will always have an element of distrust.

BTW, in a later posting, someone mentioned Brittania had a similar system
- does it? Ive never seen it.

	Dave Roe.
Newsgroups: rec.games.design
From: sos@oz.plymouth.edu (Steffan O'Sullivan)
Subject: Re: A new trend in roleplaying?
Reply-To: sos@oz.plymouth.edu (Steffan O'Sullivan)
Organization: Plymouth State College - Plymouth, N.H.
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 92 01:37:23 GMT

urban@stout.atd.ucar.edu (Art Urban (PROFS)) writes:
>
>Yes! Add on products just like this are of great interest to me, but yours
>is of greater interest due to the inclusion of system specific information.
>I'm a GURPS player by choice, and would *love* to see new skills, job tables,
>etc.

Hmm - the problem here is that he can't include too much detail on each
system because he is writing it for many systems.  The old Chaosium
_Thieves' World_ suffered from this.  Too much of it was wasted, no
matter which system you played, since 90% of the material was stats for
other systems.  So if he puts a lot of GURPS-specific material in the
book, that means he'll be putting a lot of Other-Games-Specific material
too, and most of the book will be worthless to you.

I would think it would be far better to put *no* game-specific material
in the book.  Keep it systemless, like the Catalyst series, and it will
be worth more, since you won't be paying for all those pages of AD&D, RQ,
SR, RM, FH, etc., stats that you wouldn't need - and those fans wouldn't
need the GURPS material, either.
-- 
  - Steffan O'Sullivan		         sos@oz.plymouth.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.design
From: cat@wixer.cactus.org (Dr. Cat)
Subject: Dragon's Eye projects
Organization: Real/Time Communications
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 92 23:21:26 CDT

What am I working on?  Well, Jeff Dee and I are doing a game for Apogee,
working title is "Tales of the Puffin".  I want to expand on some of the
things I did in a Gameboy game called "Runes of Virtue" (which still isn't
shipping yet) in the context of a game where a cute, harmless little
seabird accidentally saves the world from alien invaders.  We're also doing
an erotic story collection with nice VGA art and music by a professional
composer I know who does film scores.  We're going to have an electronic
catalog/magazine listing all of our products.  We'll be selling a board
game called Susan by my good friend Stephen Linhart of Enigma Games, among
other things.  Hopefully we'll have a Dragon's Eye t-shirt ready in time
for the first issue as well...
Newsgroups: rec.games.design
From: dulm@Gradsun3.kent.edu (Darrell Ulm)
Subject: Re: Generic Object Description
Organization: Kent State University
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 12:21:18 GMT

In article <1992Apr7.220904.14807@oceania.com> steve@oceania.com writes:
>
>Regarding Chris Harwood-Jones ideas about a generic object description and  
>Darrell Ulm's retorts, I'd just like to say that judging by what I read, Chris  
>would have a chance at actually designing, writing and finishing a game using  
>his ideas, Darrell would not.  It's helpful to occasionally explore the  

	Oh, really mister smarty pants...want to take me up on this?
	Gee whiz, you dont even know me and you jump to such broad concl.

>theoretical world, but if you want to actually complete a project, it's more  
>critical to keep one foot on the ground.

	Where else would my feet be?  I don't see what you are getting at.
	Ive looked at various ai methods and think that some of them should
	be applied.  Application of known methods is no big deal is it?
	Anyway, I cant start on this until I finish this compiler optimiser
	I am working on.

>
>Happy designing,

	OK, ill be happy...Thanks for the vote of confidence...chump 

>Steve

	Brilliant!

dulm
From: thornt_g@cs.uwa.oz.au (Sebastian Nobwit DeLaBler)
Subject: Skills/Attributes-General query
Organization: Dept. Computer Science, University of Western Australia.
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1992 05:55:15 GMT

I have a general question concerning skills and
attributes in an rpg. Don't tell me I'm putting
the cart before the horse, it's a general question
so I'm not expecting an exact solution.

What kind of rules do you use for interrelated skills
and attributes?

Eg. Most games have some kind of agility/dexterity 
attribute. How does this affect skills that involve
agility/dexterity? These are some of the approaches
I have found.

1) the straight out bonus. High stat gives bonus to
   stat related skills. Eg. Stormbringer. 

2) The base rating. stat related skills might be given
   a base rating determined by stat. Eg Paranoia.

3) Use the stat instead of the stat related skill, 
   (usually with some modifier) if 
   the skill is not possessed, otherwise just use the
   skill alone. Eg Shadowrun.

4) Stats do not affect skills and are not interrelated
   in any way. Eg Pendragon.

5) Have a 'link' to stats where stat-related skills
   can have, or automatically have, a value equal to the
   stat it is related to, or the skill can be used 
   by itself. Eg DC Heroes.

6) Skills ratings determine stats, like say, add up all
   the values for combat skills, divide by 10, and this
   is the 'fighting' stat rating. Eg. Conan.

7) Stats determine the number of skills, or skill points
   like a high dex might give a character more dex
   related skills. Eg. ??

8) Skills have a base rating equal to a stat and build
   from there. Eg. StarWars.

9) Average skill ratings with stat ratings to find the
   'chance of success' rating. Eg. Top Secret/S.I.(?)

10) Stats determine the maximum rating for skills.
   Eg. ??

11) Stats determine the cost of increase for skills.
    Like, say, a high dex means that dex related skills
    are cheaper or faster to increase. Eg. ??

The reason I ask is because I am mulling it over for my
frpg, and I would like some other's input.

Comments, comments, comments!! (please)

My Email address: thornt_g@kultarr.cs.uwa.edu.au

Newsgroups: rec.games.design
From: hackett@obelix.gaul.csd.uwo.ca (Mike Hackett)
Subject: Re: Generic Object Description
Organization: University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1992 22:58:38 GMT

In article <1992Apr3.205728.4037@nynexst.com> baruch@nynexst.com (Robert Baruch) writes:
>Has anyone ever attempted to create an adventure which included some
>sort of generic object description language so that the effect of
>objects on other objects can be calculated in some fashion, instead of
>just having tables and tables of interactions?  Or so that new objects
>can be brought in just by defining their characteristics?
>
>I know, I know, eventually you would have to simulate every bloody
>atom in every object to achieve perfect interactions.  I thought
>you could define classes of objects, and then determine how
>classes interacted with eachother, then have subclasses if the
>result of class interaction was too vague, and so on.
>
>--Rob

     YES! This is exactly what I've been thinking about for my gaming
environment software.  I haven't actually got around to even properly
designing that area of the program, but I have been forming some ideas in my
head.  I first came up with the idea of "intelligent" objects - where each
object is defined by bits of code instead of just statistics to be
interpreted by the controlling program.  More recently, as I've become more
acquainted with OOP, I can see that, while my original ideas were pretty
farfetched, such a system can be done using classes and objects.  True, you
won't obtain "prefect interactions", but with some good planning I think
many possible actions could be simulated.  For example, if your character's
belonging were exposed to a fire, each object could determine for itself
what sort of damage it suffered.


/==========================================================================\
| Mike Hackett                  | "I don't believe you, you had the whole  |
| <hackett@gaul.csd.uwo.ca>     |  damn thing all wrong; He's not the kind |
| Honors Computer Science III   |  you have to wind up on Sundays."        |
| University of Western Ontario | -Ian Anderson, "Wind Up" - _Aqualung_    |
\==========================================================================/
Newsgroups: rec.games.design
From: urban@stout.atd.ucar.edu (Art Urban (PROFS))
Subject: Re: A new trend in roleplaying?
Organization: Atmospheric Technology Division/NCAR, Boulder, CO
Date: Mon, 6 Apr 1992 20:45:43 GMT

In article <MAVRA.92Apr3063837@bailey.cpac.washington.edu> mavra@cpac.washington.edu (Peter D. Adkison) writes:
>So, my questions are as follows:
>
>* Does this sound like an interesting approach?

Yes! Add on products just like this are of great interest to me, but yours
is of greater interest due to the inclusion of system specific information.
I'm a GURPS player by choice, and would *love* to see new skills, job tables,
etc.

> Do you want to see game companies that come out with new systems all
>the time, or would you prefer more material for the system you do
>have?

The system I *have*; definitely.

>* Do you think that going into great depth on one topic is good, or a
>time-wasting overkill?

Rather depends on how you folks have approached the problem. I tend to like
depth, and simply discard what I truely don't want. Without the depth, I
never get this choice. If "depth" turns out to be mindless-drivel, then you
have achieved time-wasting overkill.

>* Do you have any ideas for interesting capsystem products?

I would be very interested in an in-depth look at the european feudal system.
Nobility titles and duties, royal courts, etc. This works best for "human"
based settings, so some inventive ideas on incorporating government into
alien cultures would be great. Of course, by the time this is available, I'll
have mine complete...so it goes :)

>				  Peter D. Adkison
>				  Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

--
Art Urban 					       urban@stout.atd.ucar.edu
===============================================================================
 "It's a long way down to the bottom of the warp core..." -STNG
===============================================================================
Newsgroups: rec.games.design
From: bjbisset@eos.ncsu.edu (BILLY JOE BISSETTE)
Subject: Re: Generic Object Description
Organization: North Carolina State University
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 20:38:59 GMT

In article <1992Apr6.133701.19809@nynexst.com>, baruch@nynexst.com (Robert Baruch) writes:
|> So regardless of what object actually performs the impact, you can define what
|> happends to the brick.  Therefore, the hammer programmer would only have to specify
|> that when you say "Hit X with hammer", the hammer applies a medium_impact to X.
|> The object X then decides what happens to itself, additionally decided what to
|> apply to the hammer.  For example, if the hammer is a funky magic hammer made of
|> breakable glass, then yes indeed the hammer will shatter the brick, but the brick will
|> then apply a medium_impact to the hammer, shattering IT!
|> 
|> 
|> --Rob

You might want to try adding material strength to that.  Sounds about like a
system I was working on for a computer rpg.  Objects, in particular weapons,
have material strength and suitibility for attacks.

The information was in the form of multipliers.  All a person had to do to
include a new weapon was to make it according to a template.

Ex. An epee had a Hack of 0,Thrust of 2, Bash of .something, etc.  It also had
a strength lower than a sword but stronger than flesh.

The impact resulted from the force applied, and was not inherent to any object.
Expansions to teh system would have included things like a comprehensive way
to determine damage recieved by the object under various circumstances.  A
weapon being used to parry would recieve less damage than a weapon being
attacked(I would probably alter the damage recieved in the parry by the skill
of the parrier)

I thought about applying this system to everything in the game, but I didn't
have the will power. 
 
-- 
----------bill the clueless, bjbisset@eos.ncsu.edu
Go, Go, Gadget Clue.  No, Gadget Clue, not Gadget Hammer!  Help Brain!
What do you mean, "The Swedish Chef got him."  Stop Gadget Hammer!
No, not Gadget Flame! Stop!  Stop!!

Newsgroups: rec.games.design