HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: fshaver@eng.auburn.edu (Martin Shaver)
Subject: Re: Vampire/Werewolf... What next?
Reply-To: fshaver@eng.auburn.edu
Organization: Auburn University Engineering
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 02:13:35 GMT

>I think Psychics would be a good idea for a future game or supplement
>in the Storyteller line. I think rpg's lack a good game based on
>Psychocs and mental powers.
I agree.  I mean, how much more could they convolute the storytelling games? ;>
Seriously though, perhaps psychic powers could be included in the _Magus_
suppliment?  I don't think I'd want to fork out the $$$ for a separate
suppliment (like I did for the _Mummies_ handbook, especially since it looked
better than the _Vampire_ book).
-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
         (__)
         (oo)                       U
  /-------\/                    /---V
 / |     ||                    * |--|                       .
*  ||----||
   ^^    ^^

Cow at 1 meter.         Cow at 100 meters.        Cow at 10,000 meters.
From: smith@ctron.com (Larry Smith)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Nyarlathotep's little habits...
Date: 5 Nov 92 13:38:34 GMT
Reply-To: smith@ctron.com
Organization: Cabletron Systems, Inc.

In article <MNEWS.720888443.2096@gate.demon.co.uk>, C.G.Turnbull@man0507.wins.icl.co.uk (C.G.Turnbull) writes:

>         I would like to have a number of strange effects take place, 

Plagues of spiders.
Shadowing images of long-dead people.
Mysterious spots of blood that won't wash away.
Dogs steal away to form packs, which just sit together and refuse to be
  disbursed or to go home.
Sudden rise in incidents of telepathic communication with cats.
Squads of millions of roachs in the middle of field, circling, circling...
Mice suddenly struck with fear of darkness, hundreds running _toward_ any
  light, refusing to leave it even when attacked or killed.
Reports of giant squid suddenly rise, as if billions of them were breeding
  in the depths.
Long-term minor earthquake, weeks at 3.1 on the Richter scale.
No tide one day.
Sudden reappearance of trilobytes off Cape Cod - millions stuck in
  lobster traps or wandering up on beaches.  Could have bodies loaded with
  stone, seem to never eat.
Birds flying the wrong way for the season.
Animals in zoo refuse to eat, all sit or stand facing setting sun, slowly
  starving to death.
Hospitals starting finding living people brought in from accidents with
  0/0 bp and ambient temperature blood, yet they seem fine.
Giant migration of hermit crabs, huge carpets of billions marching north
  into Kansas from the gulf.
Fresh cow milk sours within hours of milking no matter what the temperature,
  millions of gallons of sour milk in grocery store coolers.
Slowly the realization dawns that today is _not_ Tuesday, but Wednesday, and
  _no_one_, _anywhere_, remembers what happened on Tuesday.
Strange yellow blobs of living material begin appearing around volcanoes - 
  stiffen and die if removed from the heat, but move and live like giant
  amoebas around the volcano's mouth.
In some tiny midwestern town, all the people seem to forget how to talk.  Can
  still write, and can relearn talking, but all are mute when discovered.
A strange disease appears, its only symptoms a slight fever and a permanent
  change of eye color to eerie yellow.
In the next presidential election, a thoughful and concerned man is elected
  who finds a way to address the national debt while transferring gov't
  services to the private sector and expanding them while reducing taxation.
  Nah, too farfetched...

Larry Smith (smith@ctron.com)  No, I don't speak for Cabletron.  Need you ask?
-
Liberty is not the freedom to do whatever we want,
it is the freedom to do whatever we are able.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Twilight nightvision etc.
From: alanb@sdl.mdcbbs.com (Alan Braggins)
Date: 05 Nov 92 10:57:40 GMT
Organization: Shape Data (Division of EDS), Cambridge UK
In-reply-to: ketil@sandel.ii.uib.no's message of 4 Nov 92 16:11:21

>>>>> On 4 Nov 92 16:11:21, ketil@sandel.ii.uib.no (Ketil M. Malde) said:

> I also hear that a flare will effectively ruin starlight equipment, it
> will shut down to avoid damage to itself or the user's eyes.

If it shuts down fast enough, it might even do a better job of preserving 
the users night vision than if he wasn't using the scope.
There is no reason it shouldn't come back on once the flare is over.

And of course this completely ruins any chance of the scope user not 
realising you are there... might be worth trying if you have already
been spotted, are under fire, and don't have scopes yourselves.

If you are using a parachute flare, then your attacker can just stop using
the scope and use the light of the flare - if you don't have scopes and
can now return fire, this might be worthwhile, otherwise use a quick flare
and rely on expecting it yourself (so you can cover your eyes to keep night 
vision, while he loses his).

[True story from a night exercise - the "enemy" are approaching the target
camp, when there is a yell of "Stand to!", followed by much crawling out
of tents into slit trenches. The enemy think "Damn, they spotted us", and
cancel the attack. Next morning, we find the sentry hadn't really seen
anything, just was bored and thought it would be good for everyone to have
to get up, and was lucky that he did it just as the attack was planned...]
--
     Alan Braggins, alanb@sdl.mdcbbs.com, abraggins@cix.compulink.co.uk
Shape Data - A division of EDS-Scicon Limited.   Cambridge, UK +44-223-316673
   "Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced."
 "My employer does not necessarily share my views - but I'm working on it."
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: mcclure@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Gaeron McClure)
Subject: Re: Shadowrun query
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 1992 19:11:09 GMT

acgetche@taco.engr.ucdavis.edu (Adam) writes:


>	Okay, a query:
[...]
>	My ruling was that the mages did not have use of their Magic Pool.
>They were consequently toasted.  The reason I bring this up is there seems
>to be some sort of idea floating around, maybe from the stories, that
>Magic defense [Pool] is inherent and autonomic, thus automatically triggered.
>Can anyone elaborate/prove/disprove my ruling?

	I would agree with your treatment.  I don't have the rules in front of
me, but I recall indications that you can use spell defense for others only
if you notice the incoming spell.  I extend that to mean that you can only use
it for yourself if you have _some_ idea that you're under attack.  The same,
in my interpretation, goes for Combat Pool:  even if you're in combat, if you
get attacked from some totally unexpected direction I don't believe that you
should get Combat Pool against that attack (I would, however, allow characters
that are attempting to be alert and wary to use Combat Pool against, say,
arrow fire from, say, bandersnatches (which are hard to see).  Not that
anything like this would ever come up, of course... :-)
	BTW, I just sort of use GM discretion on the surprise rules, as I find
the SRII rules to be a little odd/obscure.  So far I've been reasonable enough
that the PC's haven't complained too loudly.

>           -- Adam

GRiM (Gaeron R. McClure, unemployed Corporate Porcine Agent)
(mcclure@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu)
-- 
GRiM	(Gaeron	R. McClure)	(mcclure@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu)
From: d9bertil@dtek.chalmers.se (Bertil Jonell)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Dangerous Journeys - query
Date: 3 Nov 92 11:26:42 GMT
Organization: Chalmers Tekniska Lekskola, G|teborg, G|taland

In article <Bx2t86.LFp@nic.umass.edu> dunkelza@titan.ucc.umass.edu (KEITH C MCCORMIC) writes:
>     First proof to disprove your theory.  GDW uses a standard system.  Mythus
>does not use this system.  Mythus-Dangerous Journeys uses a % based system
>unlike GDWs d6 one in all ways.
	     ^^ d10/d20

  So what? I never said GDW did the game and used EGG as a frontpiece. I went
down to the local game-store before writing this and 'Dave Newton' does not
to my knowledge work for GDW!

>     Second Proof.  EGG has his own style.

  He sure does:)

>[...] Gary Gygax is THE expert 
>on fantasy gaming.

  That can be discussed.

> Who else would YOU pick to write your first game?
 
  Lots of people.

  I don't think GDW or anyone on GDW wrote DJ. GDW has said explicitely that
they were approached with an offer to publish DJ, and I suspect that EGG/DN
asked other companies too.
  EGG/DN were apparently good salesmen too, considering GDW's bad experiences
with complete systems that are written by a third party (MegaTraveller).

>Dunkelzahn

  Isn't that name trade-marked by FASA? :)

-bertil-
--
"It can be shown that for any nutty theory, beyond-the-fringe political view or
 strange religion there exists a proponent on the Net. The proof is left as an
 exercise for your kill-file."
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: deadlock@apache.dtcc.edu (Mike Masten)
Subject: Re: Battlords 23C PBEM
Organization: Delaware Technical & Community College
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 22:36:36 GMT


Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: dunkelza@titan.ucc.umass.edu (KEITH C MCCORMIC)
Subject: Re: New Corp.
Organization: University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 01:40:24 GMT

In article <1992Nov4.175523.19845@news.cs.brandeis.edu> st923058@pip.cc.brandeis.edu writes:
>Er, Keith, just so you know. The name "God, Inc." has already been used. By
>Jack L. Chalker (a writer of some worth, except that his characters never
>seem to stay in their own bodies for very long). He has a novel out called
>"The Labyrinth of Dreams" which was publicized as "the first of the God,
>Inc. novels". Don't know if this makes any difference to you. Myself, I
>have no problem with names that have already been used...and I really like
>your idea.
>					Rosaleen Dhu


   Huh.  Never knew that.  Thanks.  I hope I didn't pissed off whoever has the
copyright.  I didn't even know of the novels.  Musta just been coicedence.
Thanks again.

Dunkelzahn
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: M17257@mwvm.mitre.org
Subject: Re: Names of non-players / monsters / towns
Organization: The MITRE Corporation, McLean VA 22102
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 17:16:09 GMT

In article <Bx9LyA.6Gp@rice.edu>
amitp@owlnet.rice.edu (Amit J Patel) writes:
 
>
>Hi everyone!
>
>I'm new to this group, so if this question has been asked before,
>please forgive me.
>
>I was just wondering how you come up with names for towns, places,
>people, etc.  Do you mainly use those from other games (with small
>mutations) or use a program to make up 'random' names and pick some,
>or do some people have a talent I don't?  :)
>
>
>
>                        Amit
 
Well, I know of a couple easy ways.
 
1) try the local phone books, you'd be amazed at some peoples names.  You can
also mutate them to your satisfaction.
 
2) try baby name books-available in libraries and bookstores near you!
   again mutations are always possible.
 
3) the dictionary and encyclopedia are also great for this--pick a place any pl
ace, find an island somewhere-or maybe a city on some island somewhere.
 
4) Take parts of other words and make that your name (example, original word-
persecution, new word--Ersecuti)
 
Any others?
 
Ellie Blackwell
From: millerl@wharton.upenn.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Rec.games.frp.cyber
Date: 6 Nov 92 16:36:37 GMT
Organization: Newt World Order

In article <1992Nov06.034956.5939@Veritas.COM>, joshua@Veritas.COM (Joshua Levy) writes:
> The CyberRPG mailing list, and rec.games.cyber has always supported
> all cyberpunk style games.  It is true that R.Tal's game got the
> most game specific posts, but that was just because of its popularity.

Right. I was talking about usage, not official policy, since usage is
the over-riding concern with discussion newsgroups.

>>near-future far-future military horror super sword-n-spell historical
> 
> Why is your system better than a genre based system?  The only difference
> I can see is that you try to put several related genres in one news group,

It *is* a genre based system. I think we'll eventually have a genre
based division of roleplaying discussion, and I'd rather have well
defined genres than ill defined or out of date ones.

> but I do not see the advantage of that.  Under your system, would Dark
> Conspircy be "near-future" or "horror".  Would Twilight 2000 be "military"
> or "near-future"?  If you have catagories, you are going to have games that 

Both those games seem like military simulations to me. I'd put them both
in military. I think a tougher decision would be 2300AD. Is it military
or far-future? As it uses a similar system to GDW's other games, which
are mostly military games, it might end up in military even if it isn't
a strictly military game.

> Personally, I think that the solution to rec.games.cyber is to create
> r.g.f.shadowrun, and then either move rec.games.cyber to frp, or remove

IMHO that isn't that bad a solution. Srun seems to have outlived the fad
phase and to have settled into position as one of the most popular
roleplay systems, is unique as you say, generates about as much volume
as xdnd, has its own FAQs, and has a number of net.terrorists itching
for their own (ethnically cleansed) sovereign newsgroup.

-- 
whoah,
+++++++++++++++++++++++23
Loren Miller                           internet: MILLERL@wharton.upenn.edu
Mediocrity is a hand rail.                         -- Baron de Montesquieu
From: gt9291b@prism.gatech.EDU (<=Patrick Aikens=>)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: GURPS Vampire?????????
Date: 12 Nov 92 13:35:24 GMT
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology

In <BxKL7C.HH2@mentor.cc.purdue.edu> durrant@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (unknown) writes:

[redundant material deleted]


>	GURPS Vampire?????????????????????????  White Wolf--how could you do 
>such a horrible thing??????????  The Storyteller system is by nature a system
>without an emphasis on mechanics and dice rolling--a godsend to players like
>me who enjoy the ROLE playing much more than the ROLL playing.  Vampire for
>rollazoids--say it aint so!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  GURPS Vampire is a mutation of all
>the Storyteller system stands for.

Same thing twice?  
Anyway, I half agree with you about the ROLE vs ROLL playing, but since 
different people like different things, I thing WW is doing a good thing.
At least more people will be treated to the Vampire and Werewolf (Storyteller
in general) ideas.  Maybe people will even get the original thing and find it
better.  SInce SJG has better advertising than WW, then WW will get more
money, since WW gets a kickback from SJG for licensing.  This means better
stuff from WW since they have more money to produce with.  It could be good.

Patrick Aikens            |  ()_()  "How can I laugh tomorrow
Georgia Tech CS Major     |   (_)    When I can't even smile today."
gt9291b@prism.gatech.edu  |          Suicidal Tendencies

-- 
Patrick Aikens            |  ()_()  "How can I laugh tomorrow
Georgia Tech CS Major     |   (_)    When I can't even smile today."
gt9291b@prism.gatech.edu  |          Suicidal Tendencies

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc,rec.games.frp.advocacy
From: jacobus@symphony.cc.purdue.edu (Bryan J. Maloney)
Subject: Re: Adventurers? (was Re: Carrying weapons..(was Re: META: Swords..))
Organization: Flathead U.
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 00:26:36 GMT




Actually, the term "adventurer" to denote some sort of travelling ne'er-do-well
has been in English parlance for centuries.  However, excepting within 
fantasy games, it has usually had a _negative_ connotation.  Often times
the term was "mere adventurer"--"Was he truly driven by love of Queen and
Country, or was he a mere adventurer?", etc.

The key is that "adventurers" were driven by personal gain rather than by
a quest for knowledge, patriotic expansion, warfare, etc.  Furthermore, they
tended to be considered a rather petty lot in general--even below mercenaries,
who at least had a semi-regular job.  The Conquistadores are a perfect
prototype for the adventurer:  Greedy, brutal, ethnocentric, any "civilization"
they brought was usually only after the Crown of Spain forced it down their
throats.  (There were a few exceptions, but, by and large, they were a rather
nasty lot.)  In my own fantasy campaign, I have the following distinctions:


Mercenaries:  These are the only professional soldiers of the world.  Knights
  are a military _social_class_, not just a profession.  Mercenaries make up
  the bulk of standing armies (what there is of them) and the vast majority
  of quality infantry troops.  Mercenaries always work in companies (which
  are at least the size of a modern platoon, but usually larger).

Explorers:  A catch-all phrase for people who travel for the sake of discovery.
  However, most full-time explorers work on some sort of governmental warrant
  which requires them to report back on what they find and cut the Crown in
  for a substantial chunk of the loot.  In return, they are authorized to
  hire mercenaries, might be appointed nobles, etc.

Agents:  Another catch-all.  Whenever some landholding noble needs someone to
  do some nasty stuff (not necessarily evil, just unpleasant--after all,
  killing a rampaging demon is not usually pleasant), warrented agents will
  be sent.  Usually, most lords keep some team or another of agents on call
  for emergency's sake.

Merchants:  These are the most travelled people in the world.  They, and
  their entourages, go virtually anywhere.  However, they also tend to
  be rather law-abiding, since mayhem is bad for trade.

Adventurers:  Scum, pure and simple.  They are considered little better than
  common criminals, thieves, highwayman, looters of tombs, rapists, 
  murderers, etc.  Many are not, but that doesn't change their reputation.
  It is a NASTY insult to call any of the above an "adventurer".  The
  truth of the matter is that most adventurers are either young bullies who
  think they can impress people with their sharp toys, any of the above
  categories who have fallen on hard times, young would-be mercenaries, 
  explorers, merchants, agents, etc., and hard-core criminals.  Of the
  four, the would-be types are the most common, followed by the hard-luck
  cases, the criminals, and the bullies.
From: deadlock@apache.dtcc.edu (Mike Masten)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Battlords 23C PBEM
Date: 11 Nov 1992 20:36:26 -0500
Organization: Delaware Technical & Community College

Count me in!

-- 
Deadlock                		"When I want your opinion,
deadlock@apache.dtcc.edu   		   I'll give it to you!"
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: mason
Subject: Re: Shadowrun query
Organization: Rice University  
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 08:47:24 GMT

[Question: Can surprised mages use their Magic Pools for spell defense?]
 
I think this can be argued either way ...
 
1) NO THEY CAN'T.
Srun 2, p 86: "If a character *has not* generated more successes than
a particular opposing character, he cannot take any actions that directly
affect, impede, or counteract that character."  Diverting an incoming
spell could be considered actively counteracting the mage that cast it,
thus impossible if surprised.  If spell defense is a passive action, then
the following arguments apply:
 
2) IN SOME CASES.
Srun 2, p 86: "The character can carry out other actions of a more              a more
general nature that are not directed at the opposing character, such as
dropping prone orreadying a weapon."  A mage may be surprised by an
opponent, but still act before him in the combat turn.  On his first
action the surprised mage would naturally allocate some or all of his
magic pool toward spell defense, according to the number and nature of
opponents he DOES detect.  Note that if the mage was unable to generate
more successes then *any* of the opposition, he's screwed (Srun 2, p 86:
"considered completely surprised and unable to take any actions of any
kind, including Free Actions").
 
3) YES, HE CAN.
Depending on your GM's conception of magic, it might be assumed that dice
from the Magic Pool, unless specified otherwise, are always allocated
toward personal spell defense.  Reserving dice for spell defense does not
adversely affect a mage's concentration while in combat, therefore it
should not do so normally.  Keeping an active spell defense should be
second nature to any mage worth the name, and all of the dice from the
Magic Pool should be available for that purpose so long as the mage is
conscious.  Thus, if a mage is caught flatfooted by a spell, he may still
use his Magic Pool to resist it.  His buddies, however, would not benefit
from his protection (unless the mage specified earlier that he allocating
dice to X, Y, and Z until further notice).
 
I only read the section on Surprise in the Combat chapter.  If there are
other relevant rules elsewhere, then I missed them.  I could not find
any rule that suggested dice pools were not available to surprised
characters.
 
 
-- mason
From: BEA104@psuvm.psu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: NAGEE Spells Revisited
Date: 12 Nov 92 03:25:05 GMT
Article-I.D.: psuvm.92316.222505BEA104
Organization: Penn State University


    I am still looking for permission to reprint submitted spells.  The
following people still have not granted permission.  I would appreciate your
assistance.
           IDs and Names:
                Montigue
                Matt Bunch
                Jonathon K. Henry
                Scott Crain
                D. C.
                Spectre
                White Winter
                Keith Ammann

    Thanks.

                           Brian(Slash)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: davest@cis.umassd.edu (Dave N. St. Pierre)
Subject: REP:Funny games
Summary: A recent funny Champions campaigne.
Keywords: funny games
Organization: University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 04:32:08 GMT

Hey all,
	I know this is rather late in being posted but I just subscribed.
Recently in my Champions campaigne (where I play a crystiline mentalist)
most of our player characters were turned into children an "Nanny" came
to fetch us. I myself don't know of this "Nanny" but it was a blast. We
might not have gotten much done but we did some of our best role playing
yet. Included were our pyro & chryo players bothe alternately blasting
the floor of our Danger Room in our AI base & getting a big "Ouch" from
it. We almost escaped and hyjacked the Statue of Liberty by having our
semi-demi god (Adonis, brick & super presence) call on his patron, Zues,
to help us leave the base. I refused to help the hurt the base "cuz I 
like 'puta" (computor).
	Also our GM has a definite devious side & loves to pit 1 
character's disads against another's. For example, recently he had Zeus
send us to destroy the Roman gods as they were only imitations of the
true Greek gods & Adonis must obey Zeus' comands. The Roman gods were
taking human avatars. One of these avatars turned out to be another 
player's Dependant Non-Player Character (DNPC). Not a pretty senario.
Only got out of it by the intervention of other Greek gods. I'm just
waiting for the day when he starts playing with my disads. (I beserk
when rape is attempted on me & enrage when it is attempted on others.
Before my character joined this group of "good guys" she went around
seeking out rapists and castrating them.
	I very much enjoyed the funny games listed by all others and
would love to hear more.

Dave St.
(davest@cis.umassd.edu)
From: tdunn@ecst.csuchico.edu (Tim Dunn)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: SJ Games Licenses White Wolf's Vampire
Date: 12 Nov 92 18:26:45 GMT
Article-I.D.: charnel.1du7l5INN3tu
Organization: California State University, Chico
NNTP-Posting-Host: hairball.ecst.csuchico.edu

Kurt Bose writes:
>What's next?
>GURPS Torg?

Seen that.

>Shadowrun...for the HERO system?

Been there.

>Marvel Super Battlemechs, from TSR?  

Can say I've done that, yet, but I'm sure it'll come out.

-- 
Next to being shot at and missed, nothing is really quite as satisfying
as an income tax refund.
		-- F. J. Raymond
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc