HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: b_kondalski@vssi.trw.com (Brian J. Kondalski)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: RQ: discussions on america on-line
Date: 12 Jan 1993 11:27:43 -0500
Organization: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems, Inc.
NNTP-Posting-Host: trwvssi.vssi.trw.com

In article <1993Jan11.202705.1@wharton.upenn.edu> millerl@wharton.upenn.edu writes:
[ Stuff Deleted ]


>1/13/93 Wednesday
>9pm - "Miniatures Painting by Games Workshop U.S." (GamesW), OGF Commons
>9pm - Avalon Hill RueQuest Chat (KenRolston, Gray, Sog city), OGF Commons #2
>
>1/15/93 Friday
>10pm - Glorantha Discussion with Greg Stafford of Chaosium (Chaosium), OGF
>Commons

Could someone who has access to AOL possibly buffer these discussions so that
people without access can benefit?

I'd even be willing to clean the buffers up some and send them off via
mail to anyone who wanted them if someone would buffer them.

Anyone else interested in this?
-- 
Brian J. Kondalski      b_kondalski@vssi.trw.com
TRW V.S.S.I.            Voice: (313) 781-7382           "The guaranteed eternal
4505 West 26 Mile Road  Fax: (313) 786-7702              sanctuary man."
Washington, MI  48094   Views expressed here are MINE!
Xref: sparky rec.games.frp.misc:10565 rec.games.board:13055
From: jeffj@yang.earlham.edu (ChaOs)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc,rec.games.board
Subject: Re: Dumb Moves By Game Companies
Date: 7 Jan 93 18:48:53 GMT
Organization: Honest Bob's Used Toaster Emporium

In article <1993Jan7.030322.5908@lugb.latrobe.edu.au>, dudleyh@redgum.ucnv.edu.au (Dudley Horque) writes:
> In article <1993Jan4.114519.10737@odin.diku.dk> torbenm@diku.dk (Torben AEgidius Mogensen) writes:
>>acadams@afterlife.ncsc.mil (Arthur C. Adams) writes:
>>
>>>Non-RPG companies getting into RPG's. It bloodied SPI. Avalon Hill
>>>never did well with anything except RuneQuest.
>>
>>Avalon Hill's "Powers and Perils" is actually not a bad system, but
>>...
> 
> I firmly believe that Avalon Hill's Tales From The Floating Vagabond is
> one of the best game systems ever written. It's well written, funny, and
> succinct.

The system is OK, as long as you ignore some things (like encumbrance.  I mean,
c'mon...a comedy game with an ENCUMBRANCE system??).  I liked the gun
classifications, though.

No flames, please.  I've just completed work on a Dont Point That At My Planet
sized Flamethrower.

-- 
Jeff (ChaOs) Johnston                             JeffJ@yang.earlham.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: jnephew@tirith.carleton.edu (John A. Nephew)
Subject: Re: Fantasy version of Ars Magica: Opinions Wanted PLEASE.
Organization: J. Random Misconfigured Site
Date: Sun, 10 Jan 1993 02:37:47 GMT
X-Posted-From: tirith.acc.carleton.edu
NNTP-Posting-Host: sol.ctr.columbia.edu

In article <1ihfqnINNl8r@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu>, cg533@cleveland.Freenet.Edu
(Jam`
>
>As many of us know Ars Magica has an excellent magic system and is set in a
my`
>
>My question is this:  Would more people be interested in Ars magica if it was
>set in a fantasy world as well

We at Atlas Games had plans to produce just such a thing, a sourcebook called
"Stalenric" that was going to be an alternative to Mythic Europe.  Back when I
was at Lion Rampant (the original ArM publisher), there was always talk of how
some people liked the magic system but disliked the setting (and in particular
were intimidated by real-world history).

There seemed to be interest in "Stalenric," but our license with White Wolf
expired, and neither party was interested in extending it.  "Stalenric" may yet
appear, but not for the Ars Magica game (which may be as well -- as I began
writing it years ago for a different system; it may be best suited as a
"generic" product).

I think setting ArM outside Mythic Europe would alienate many of its fans.  I
think presenting or playing in an alternative setting, however, is a very
promising idea.  Hybridizing ArM concepts with an alien setting (what would the
Order of Hermes be like in a non-Medieval Europe place? one where the Church,
particularly, may have a different role?) could be quite fruitful, IMHO.

-John Nephew
President, Atlas Games
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: mujel@uxa.ecn.bgu.edu (Ranger)
Subject: address?
Organization: Educational Computing Network
Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1993 16:19:02 GMT

Can anyone E-mail me the address for Texas Miniatures?
From: dtnguyen@sdcc13.ucsd.edu (Take Life One)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: ROLEPLAYING WH40K
Date: 7 Jan 93 02:44:14 GMT
Organization: University of California, San Diego

Has anyone ever tried to roleplay characters based upon the
Warhammer 40K system? I'm not talking miniature rules only, more
like an actual roleplaying with individual characters. E mail or
post at your leisure. Thanks

Dzu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: kinsler@newton.physics.uq.oz.au (Paul Kinsler)
Subject: Re: What do you look for in a magic system?
Organization: Physics Dept. The University of Queensland
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 02:56:59 GMT

In article <C0p56K.I5p@bcstec.ca.boeing.com>, hall@bcstec.ca.boeing.com (Robert J. Hall) writes:
>>    In article <93006.123635DK6TOPER@MIAMIU.BITNET>, Dan Karipides writes:
>>        >This is an informal survey concerning what role-players like in a
>>        >RPG magic system.  [...]
>>    What I'd like is a set of spells, each with a variety of configurable options	
>>    that effect the outcome and difficulty. Given enough options, each spell
>>    is going to be a bit different and will give the Wizard lots of decisions to
>>    make.

yeah, I agree - but also a "fatigue" cost depending on the power
of the spell, and a casting roll to determine the level sucess.
-- 
+soluble fish+
"You people, you do not see the grandeur in the wind and stone and stars,
 in the blood and fire and iron - but paint only the flowers."
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: gray@visix.com (Gray Jones)
Subject: Re: amber mailing list?
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 15:30:10 GMT
Distribution: usa
Reply-To: gray@visix.com (Gray Jones)
Organization: Visix Software, Reston, Virginia

In article <1993Jan6.195522.20427@midway.uchicago.edu>, busc@quads.uchicago.edu (john richard buscher) writes:
|> i just played amber for the first time last night and a interested in more aboutit. i vaguly remember that there may or may not be an amber mailing list, if so could some one give me the address?
|> 
|> 
|> NIcodemus Style, Ravnos at large
|> 
|> 
|> "steal american, cuz when they buy a replacement it helps the economy"

Send requests for subscription to oberon-request@amber.uchicago.edu.

New subscriptions usually start the Monday after they are received.

--gray
From: loren@wmkt.wharton.upenn.edu (Loren Miller)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Suggestions
Date: 12 Jan 93 22:29:13 GMT
Organization: Wharton Marketing

In article <1993Jan12.195155.28346@cobber.cord.edu> serhienk@cobber.cord.edu (David Serhienko) writes:
>mechanical background.  My call for help is this:  he will NOT use magic
>weapons or armor or spells of any type that will artificially increase his
>combat ability.  As I stated to another player, "If my skills aren't enough,
>I don't deserve to win."  He believes that his mission in life depends upon

>       Here comes the problem:  my DM has said that he gives out alot of
>magik (I would say too much) because we need it to survive.  I would, and

It sounds like you're trying out a character type that would absolutely not 
survive and prosper, unchanged, in your GMs campaign. Rather than trying to 
convince the GM that he runs the game incorrectly, or rationalizing how you 
can use magic and keep true to your character's ideals, you may eventually 
want your character to die in a heroic but futile stand against things that 
are invulnerable to normal weapons (ahh, the tragedy), or give up his ideals 
and become a pragmatic hoarder of magic items. Those seem like plausible 
outcomes of the situation, but neither will allow your character to emerge 
unscathed from the conflict between its personality and the requirements of 
the campaign.

--
+++++++++++++++++++++++23
Loren Miller              LOREN@wmkt.wharton.upenn.edu
Time am I, wreaker of the world's destruction, matured, grimly
resolved here to swallow up the worlds.             -- Krishna
From: drcheng@sales.GBA.NYU.EDU (David R Cheng)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: RQ: minor observation about King of Sartar
Summary: Beware the name changes
Keywords: runequest,rq
Date: 8 Jan 93 18:04:24 GMT
Organization: NYU Stern School of Business

A thought I had about _King of Sartar_, and how certain names
have changed...

We must remember that it is presented as a compilation of ancient
documents.  The current scholars who have translated these documents
exist in a culture where literacy was lost for some time.

Perhaps terms like "Grazers," "Bombardiers," "Knock Down Machine,"
and "Sartari" are just mistranslated from the "real" terms those
of us who game in 162X Dragon Pass are familiar with: "Grazelanders,"
"Crater Makers," "Cannon Cult," and "Sartarites."

Personally, I like "Crater Makers" much more than "Bombardiers."

-David Cheng
 drcheng@sales.stern.nyu.edu
From: by670@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Marc-Eivind Cruz Evensen)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: SRII: Physical Adepts
Date: 13 Jan 1993 00:31:08 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA)
NNTP-Posting-Host: hela.ins.cwru.edu


    An interesting "problem" that most people have with the PA's lack of
toe to toe speed (since this is really the only area he truly lacks in) is
the ignoring of the PA's qualities (many of these I have outlined before):

1. They can do magical attacks (killing hands), let's see a sam do that.

2. They have unlimited potential. True it takes a lot of Karma, but there
   is no upper limit to the modifications a PA can do with initiation.

3. They (especially when initiates) can be TOTALLY incognito. True, he may
   be built, but there is no way anyone can read his weaponry or modifications.
   Isn't this perfect for the under cover job the guys with all the chrome
   would blow in two seconds?

4. With the skill dice, you can give yourself Athletics and Stealth for
   next to nothing. (Only combat skills need to match dice, there is no limit
   that I have found to other additions).

5. They're different and unique, and CAN fight sams, as long as the think
   ahead.

6. The bottom line is that I like them the way they are. Sure, I'd like to see
   some changes to make them a little more powerful, but who wouldn't. The
   only reason to boost their powers would be to make them playable. I've
   played quite a few in numerous campaigns, and I never found them unplayable,
   just slightly frustrating when undergoing speed-envy. But I didn't mind...
   my character was alive, well dressed, and had a real style.

-- Marc
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: dvandom@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Dave Van Domelen)
Subject: Re: net.hero.bestiary?
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 01:48:08 GMT

Consider this: an IBM clone still has to pay Microsoft to use MSDOS (I think).
If OS/2 ever catches on, IBM clones will have to pay to use that, enriching IBM
at least a little even if they are cost a sale.  The hardware is not really in 
question, the software is (tho some hardware is no doubt protected now as 
well).  The rules of the game are like software, and putting out a net.bestiary
would be like making aan IBM clone with pirated operating system.  Of course, 
the example of IBM clones is several orders of magnitude removed from the Hero 
problem.
     To determine if such minor copying is ethical, ask if the person or 
company being copied is hurt.  Putting sound files of Arista albums in an 
archive wouldn't hurt the monolithic company much at all, so even if it is 
illegal you can defend the ethics (kinda).  Putting sound files of a shoestring
label's stuff in would potentially hurt their sales enough to capsize them, but
it also might give them exposure enough to make alot more business.  It's a 
risk for them, and one *they* should be allowed to decide on.  Similarly for 
Hero.  Hero is not the most solvent of companies, and have a reputation 
recently of "Hero must have found some money somewhere...they came out with a 
book this month".  It's a sort of hand-to-mouth thing.  Granted, a net.bestiary
might help them, since browsing readers might see it and want to get the game 
it is for.  But it also will cost some sales, as people who want to get new 
stuff will not pay for it, instead just using the net.bestiary.  Hero should be
asked for permission to do this project, and not asking (or doing it anyway if 
they say no) is what's unethical.  You are costing them sales without any kind 
of guarantee that they will reap long-term benefits by doing the 
net.hero.bestiary, and they should be the ones to decide if the returns are 
worht the risk.  TSR, on the other hand, would hardly notice the drain in their
pocketbook if people put their own AD&D monsters on the net, but then again, 
TSR has Lethal Lawyers.
     However, if ideas are all you need, take your old D&D books and guestimate
stats for the monsters.  That's what half of the Hero Bestiary is anyway.
     Dave Van Domelen, kicking a little guy is more unethical than kicking a 
big guy, esp since the big guy can hit back.
From: hibschmn@phoenix.princeton.edu (Johann Allen Hibschman)
Subject: PrinceCon XVIII
Followup-To: rec.games.frp.misc
Originator: cwatters@top.magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu
Keywords: convention
Organization: Princeton University
Date: Sun, 10 Jan 1993 15:28:15 GMT


PrinceCon XVIII: "Exile"

   Fan of D&D?  MERP?  GURPS?  Come to Princeton University in scenic
Princeton, NJ, and be a part of the nation's oldest annual roleplaying  
convention.  Run by Princeton's Simulation Games Union, PrinceCon features
48 continuous hours of integrated gaming.

   PrinceCon is a little different from other conventions.  Every GM
runs a scenario set in the same world, each scenario contributing to
the overall goal of the con.  The entire con is like one giant integrated
scenario, with multiple "missions" being run simultaneously.  Players may
move from one submission to another and thus get a sense of their
contribution to the final success or failure of the con.  In addition
to all of this, we have a miniatures scenario running for those
interested.  This is likewise integrated.

   One important detail:  PrinceCon runs using its own game system, which
we think has several advantages over any comparable game for con use.  It
is based on D&D, with the same stats and concepts like AC, hit points,
and classes.  We use percentile dice, but otherwise combat is the same.
Fighters have several combat maneuvers to choose from, such as Defensive
Strikes, Offensive Strikes, Parries, along with several others.  Each of
these has some To Hit, Damage, and Armor Class Bonus changes from the basic
Strike. Although most people just use the basic strike, the flexibility is
there. Magic is based on spell points, not memorized spells.  Mages may cast
their base spells and modify them at cast time to extend duration, range,
damage, and several other parameters.  Clerics don't have this flexibility,
but each of the 9 available cleric religion has its own spell lists, creating
an incredible variation among that class.  Anyway, we figure out all necessary
die rolls on each player's character sheet for easy reference (aren't
computers wonderful?), and provide everyone who attends with the complete
set of rules.


PrinceCon XVIII will be March 12-14, 1993, at Whig Hall on the Princeton
University campus.  For more information, contact:

Matt Zinno        (matzinno@pucc.princeton.edu)
201 Feinberg
Wilson College
Princeton University
Princeton, NJ 08544
(609)258-8900

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.announce
From: sos@oz.plymouth.edu (Steffan O'Sullivan)
Subject: Burlington, VT, Convention: March, 1993
Followup-To: rec.games.frp.misc
Originator: cwatters@bottom.magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu
Reply-To: sos@oz.plymouth.edu
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 02:50:38 GMT


This is an unofficial call for games to Northeast Wars I, the first
game con sponsored by Quarterstaff Games in Burlington, VT.  These
people not only do not know I'm posting this, they don't know I exist
. . . but I'm going to the con, and I want some good games to play in!

I'll be there, running two games, BTW:

GURPS Bunnies & Burroughs: Watership Down meets Tarzan!  And
FUDGE Swashbucklers: Musketeers on the high seas . . .

Specifics:

March 19-21, 1993, Sheraton Burlington (right off I-89, exit 14W).

Gamemasters/Umpires needed for all types of events: RPGs, F&SF
miniatures, Historical Miniatures, board games.

Guests: Sam Lewis of Fasa (B-tech author)
	Tim Olsen of Task Force (VP)
	Mike Stackpole (author of many B-tech novels, RPGs, etc.)

Persons running games totalling six hours or more will have free
admission.  Six game slots total: two on Friday, three on Saturday, one
on Sunday.

For more information:

Chris Meyer
Quarterstaff Games
152 Church St.
Burlington, VT 05401

(802) 863-3666

-- 
	-Steffan       sos@oz.plymouth.edu

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.announce
From: waltner@stolaf.edu (Tubawarrior)
Subject: Announcing the 1993 OleCon!
Originator: cwatters@bottom.magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu
Organization: St. Olaf College; Northfield, MN
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 02:36:55 GMT


The Saint Olaf College Games Club is pleased to announce the first annual...

				OLECON

to be held Saturday, January 23, 1993 at the St. Olaf Center on the campus of
(where else?) St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN.

No pre-registration is neccessary.  Registration tables open at 8:30am.
There will be one larger campaign running two three-hour sessions beginning
at 9:00am and breaking for lunch at noon.  Second session begins at 1:00.  
This will be standard AD&D 1st ed rules.

Other activites include Gamma World, Shadowrun, Over The Edge, Vampire, and
Star Trek (Basic rules).  Board games will be run throughout the day, including
Risk, Axis and Allies, Fortress America, and others.

This event is FREE to the public.  For further information, including travel
arrangements and crashing accomodations, contact:

Peter Mork (mork@acc.stolaf.edu)
1500 St. Olaf Avenue
Northfield, MN 55057-1101
(507) 646-2900

Help make our first con a successful and enjoyable one (that way we can do it
again sometime)!   :)


 

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.announce,news.answers
From: drcheng@sales.GBA.NYU.EDU (David R Cheng)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.advocacy
Subject: Re: Re: RPGs and Suicide
Date: 11 Jan 93 21:01:03 GMT
Organization: NYU Stern School of Business

In article <1993Jan11.110649.2385@ccsvax.sfasu.edu> z_coolidgejs@ccsvax.sfasu.edu writes:
>>>because of D&D, these figures give us a suicide rate of 5 per 100,000 per
>>>year. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, the
>>>national suicide rate was 12.2 per 100,000 in 1989.
>>>
>>>The conclusion is obvious! D&D prevents suicide! Everyone should play D&D!
>>
>Don't laugh.  It could be true.  I remember times when I contemplated offing
>myself, but decided against it because my character Spiritwalker Dreamsail
>would never finish his campaign in Ravenloft.  (Yes, imagine Ravenloft saving >life.)  I didn't seriously consider suicide, I was just depressed and running
>all the alternatives through my head.  If I didn't game, I still would have
>found a reason to live.  But I suspect that those who seriously consider
>suicide might have similar trains of thought.
>     None the less, statistics can be funny.
> 

While I am very glad to hear JSC is still alive to be gaming with us, 
I would like to add this caution:

PLEASE do not make the mistake of 'interpreting' the statistics, and
concluding that gamers are _less_ likely to commit suicide.

Anyone you're debating with any statistical sense will immediately 
cut you down and point out the error.  You lose credibility.  Since
we're "fringe" hobbyists, we're already fighting an uphill credibility
battle. 

I would be willing to bet all the $ I've got in the bank that the
anti-gamers just haven't ferreted out _all_ the cases of gamers
who happen to commit suicide.  They are good at taking the cases
they _do_ trump up and get a little media attention, (less these
days), but that doesn't mean they are right.

To make the claim that gamers are less prone to suicide is "lowering
youself to their level."  They use fallacious statistics.  We should
not.  It is one thing we can use to undercut their credibility.


As a side note:  The national suicide rate might very well be around
12 per 100K.  But, you have to face reality: gamers tend to be younger
males.  Suicide rate for that segment of the population (15-24 yrs?)
is more like 23 per 100K.  This of course only makes gaming "look better,"
but again, it is a fallacy.

-David Cheng
 drcheng@sales.stern.nyu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.advocacy
From: wgarrett@cs.cornell.edu (William F. Garrett)
Subject: Re: RPGs & Suicide (was Re: D&D and Christianity)
Keywords: suicide hicks
Organization: Cornell Univ. CS Dept
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 19:49:01 GMT

In article <1993Jan11.141905.26089@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> cwatters@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Coyt D Watters) writes:

> ...pity the poor people who listen to Country music, since they have a higher
> suicide rate than the national average.

So country music MUST cause people to commit suicide -- it's obvious
from the statistics!  ;)  And if it's printed, it must be true.  ;)

				- The Wizard

-- 
*-----------------------------------------------------------------------*
| Bill Garrett                                       Cornell University |
| wgarrett@cs.cornell.edu                Department of Computer Science |
*-----------------------------------------------------------------------*
From: rowe@soda.berkeley.edu (Eric Rowe)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.advocacy
Subject: Avalon Hill RQ Products
Date: 12 Jan 93 01:12:51
Organization: UCB Integrative Biology
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: soda.berkeley.edu

All of you who have just bought the excellent River of Cradles supplement
from Avalon Hill make sure you fill in the questionnaire and check the box
stating you want your future supplements in boxes.  Better yet, in the opinion
section tell them that you will never buy another AH product of any kind until
they do.  Wouldn't all those nice maps have fitted better in a box?  Say one
that matched the size of earlier ones and had a number on the bottom that
looked really neat when all lined up together on the shelf.  Advocate boxes!

eric
From: tkelly@unix2.tcd.ie (Mithrandir)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.advocacy
Subject: Re: AD&D bashing (was Re: Getting up my nose (Top 5 games))
Date: 5 Jan 93 13:46:37 GMT
Organization: Trinity College, Dublin

In <1ibkc1INNris@agate.berkeley.edu> slouie@ocf.berkeley.edu (Shelley Louie) writes:


>-Shelley
>Quick FRP Philosophy question:
> "If God did play with dice, would they be 10-sided or 6-sided?"


   Twenty-sided of course!


--
 Haggis: Haggis is a black pudding eaten by the Scots and considered not
only a delicacy, but fit for human consumtion.The minced heart, liver
and lungs of a sheep are mixed with oatmeal and boiled in the sheep's
stomach before ...Excuse me a minute... [Mithrandir/tkelly@unix2.tcd.ie]
From: slouie@ocf.berkeley.edu (Shelley Louie)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.advocacy
Subject: Re: AD&D bashing (was Re: Getting up my nose (Top 5 games))
Date: 5 Jan 1993 09:28:33 GMT
Organization: Bat Radar Studies, UC Berkeley
NNTP-Posting-Host: sandstorm.berkeley.edu

> matthias@nsr.hp.com (Matthias Kamm) writes:
>: -Shelley Louie
>: Digital is illusion. Life is analog.
>
>Haven't you ever heard of quantum physics!?

Never ever mix the concepts of quantum physics and "life"... Of course, I'm
bias because I got C's in physics.

-Shelley
Quick FRP Philosophy question:
 "If God did play with dice, would they be 10-sided or 6-sided?"
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.advocacy