HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: edlee@chinet.chi.il.us (Edward Lee)
Subject: Re: Ethics of Backup/Save Files
Organization: Chinet - Public Access UNIX
Distribution: usa
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 1992 23:31:07 GMT

It will take longer to gain experience in playing high level
characters in the deeper levels of the dungeon if you keep
starting games over from scratch each time that your character
dies.  I recommend that you save your moria.sav files periodically
and restore dead characters so that you can learn from your mistakes
and make new mistakes.  Once you complete a game or two and have
the hang of the game, then you may want to go by the ethic of
never restoring a game so that you can post a win with pride.  As it
is, all winner postings in rec.games.moria are done by the honor system,
since it is trivial for someone to create winner stats with a text
editor for a game that never happened.

<humor mode on>
Moria is an elaborate plot to bring down civilization by making
lots of people spend too many hours playing this addictive game.


-Ed L
Newsgroups: rec.games.moria
From: chrism@unipalm.co.uk (Chris Mann)
Subject: Re: As long as we're taking suggestions...
Organization: Unipalm Ltd., 216 Cambridge Science Park, Cambridge CB4 4WA, UK
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 14:53:19 GMT

arsmith@lamar.ColoState.EDU (Alan Smith) writes:

>I think that backstabbing is kinda ridiculous if you're carrying a light or in
>a lighted area.

Hmmmm...  It's a kind of convention that creatures don't notice your light,
but notice you.  In any case, they can easily be asleep (especially Dd's)
or "facing the wrong way" - they don't notice you till you've hit them.

I think rogues need a break to make them more fun to play.  The last rogue
I ran got so bored waiting to learn Identify that he started playing around
with a Wand of Polymorph and died in a gas breath from what had been a Red 
Jelly!

>Bigal The Frosty.  Still looking for potions of increase stats.
                          ^^^^^^^
Don't bother.  Go down a few hundred feet, kill lots of monsters that
carry objects, and just collect the potions :-).

Chris Mann, currently level 32 human priest with ALL stats well over 18.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
*  C       S      Chris Mann, Unipalm Ltd                       *
*  C H   I S      Email: chrism@unipalm.co.uk                   *
*  C   R   S      Telephone:  0223 420002                       *
*  C       S      Join Dr Frankenstein's Body Building Club:    *
*  C       S      We'll make you a new man!                     *
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From: kchchang@remus.rutgers.edu (kai chang)
Newsgroups: rec.games.moria
Subject: Re: "True" Winners?
Date: 15 Dec 92 05:13:04 GMT
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.

sat28485@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Scooter) writes:


>Is there anyone that has killed the Balrog without "cheating"
>by using a backup file...
>(Using a backup file to restore your file after computer crashes is NOT cheating
>Are there any "True" winners?  (Be honest)

	I solved the game using a mage (cheated)
	I had a level 27 priest that died, (and I just let it died)
	I'm starting over using a mage (which is much harder at the beginning, but seem easier at the later stage).  And I've gotten to as high as level 15.
From: rcbaaw@rwb.urc.tue.nl (Angelo Wentzler)
Newsgroups: rec.games.moria
Subject: Backing up (Was Re: It's not a bug, it's a feature!)
Date: 16 Dec 92 15:58:53 GMT
Reply-To: rcbaaw@urc.tue.nl

hennes@blade.stack.urc.tue.nl (Hennes Passmann) writes:

>Teleport and genocide saved the day, and BTW I do NOT post saved
>winners. If someone does then he/she should state howmany backups
>he/she has used. E.g. -only when dead
>                      - multiple
>                      - a _LOT_
>But my mage with multiple backups/most when dead killed the B with
>13 potions if Invulnerability,as many scrolls of rune of protection
>ect.   It makes him easy if you have the right equipment.

WHAT!?
Did I read this correctly?
Are you saying you back up JUST IN CASE YOU MIGHT DIE?
Jeeez...

And then to have the nerve to continually post and brag about your super
character(s)...

What's the fun of playing moria if there is no risk? And don't start with
this "I only restore if I bump into an AMHD" shit, because these things
happen and you should just accept it. There. I said it.

>Avatar.   In real life Hennes@stack.urc.tue.nl

Angelo Wentzler.
From: hendric@sportster.ksu.ksu.edu (Richard Hendricks)
Newsgroups: rec.games.moria
Subject: Re: Winner (UMoria 5.5)
Date: 16 Dec 1992 22:25:52 -0600
Organization: Kansas State University
NNTP-Posting-Host: sportster.ksu.ksu.edu



>> In article <1992Dec15.011348.8415@ncsu.edu>, mrmarcel@eos.ncsu.edu (Mike Marcelais) writes:

>> |> As I recall, v5.5 lets you  have enchantments as high as the max damage of 
>> |> the weapon +1.  2*8+1 -> 17. 

>> Are you sure this is true? I'm playing Umoria 5.5 and I've just found a 
>> Battle Axe (Balestarius) (HA) (2d8) (+6,+18) [+3]


>> par example; I got to 3100ft with my 37th level mage without having to take on the Balrog (I was just curious to see what was down that far). I eventually decided to give it a go, but with only 4 invulnerability potions and 1 restore mana I got roasted (it was the first time ever that I had taken on Mr. B), now there's no way I'm going to start again from the beginning after that.
Not to flame you dude, but ever hear of the return button? right side 
of the keyboard? when ppl write like this, it hurts some ppl';s eyes. :)
Richard hendricks
hendric@matt.ksu.ksu.edu
galthias, 17th mage at 350 feet, dont have enough money for next spellbook. :(
From: dave_f@sn3001.oldham.gpsemi.com (Dave Frankland)
Newsgroups: rec.games.moria
Subject: Re: Winner (UMoria 5.5)
Date: 16 Dec 92 11:02:46 GMT
Organization: GEC Plessey Semiconductors

In article <1992Dec15.011348.8415@ncsu.edu>, mrmarcel@eos.ncsu.edu (Mike Marcelais) writes:

|> As I recall, v5.5 lets you  have enchantments as high as the max damage of 
|> the weapon +1.  2*8+1 -> 17. 

Are you sure this is true? I'm playing Umoria 5.5 and I've just found a 
Battle Axe (Balestarius) (HA) (2d8) (+6,+18) [+3]

To add to the back-up or not to back-up debate, well I use 'em; to get toasted by something and then have to start again with all that haggling and getting levels and armour - no way, not for me. I want to finish the game sometime in my lifetime.

I look at it like this, if I take something on and fail, then obviously my character's not ready for that, so I load the backup and avoid whatever creature it is until I am ready. Those that don't use backups are doing exactly the same but are just using a much more long winded method.

par example; I got to 3100ft with my 37th level mage without having to take on the Balrog (I was just curious to see what was down that far). I eventually decided to give it a go, but with only 4 invulnerability potions and 1 restore mana I got roasted (it was the first time ever that I had taken on Mr. B), now there's no way I'm going to start again from the beginning after that.

Also I use the back-up when I've done a typing mistake, like typing MDF (the D and F keys are right next to each other and so are easy to press together) and getting a word of destruction - the world's most useless mage spell (with genocide not that far behind).

Ermintrude.
Newsgroups: rec.games.moria
From: jatg5423@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (John A. Ternent)
Subject: To die or not to die?
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 02:18:48 GMT

Well, I must admit that I use file backups.  I simply get sick of having 
to be cautious all the time, sneaking around and hoping there are no
AMHDs or Evil Iggys or any kind of undead or anything nasty around the 
corner.  However, the most annoying thing is for the stupid Balrog to
show up out of nowhere and welcome you to level 50 by toasting you before
you know what's going on.  So, I merrily go full speed down the dungeon,
and when the Balrog greets me, I just restore the save file!  To those
of you who think this is despicable and "cheating" ... I DON'T CARE!!!
I'll stay out of your game, and you stay out of mine. To me, NOT using
a save file takes a lot more enjoyment out of the game than using it.
Sheesh, doesn't anybody have anything better to do than try to analyze
the ethical implications of restoring save files in a game? You'd 
think people don't have anything better to do (like play the game :-) ).


Newsgroups: rec.games.moria
From: j_herlih@oz.plymouth.edu (Axl)
Subject: the appearance of Mr. Balrog?
Organization: Plymouth State College - Plymouth, NH.
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 92 15:52:10 GMT

Hi,
	I am curious...what is the highest up anyone has ever
encountered the Balrog?  My Ork priest - who's a little better-looking 
today, due to finding 3 gain charisma potions :) - is 27th lv, down at
1650ft.  Equip is not the greatest...bastard sword +7 +6, fullplate,
ring of +6 hitroll, are my highlights...and I know I am nowhere close
to Balrog-ready, got toasted by an Iridescent beetle lastnight.  So
how close am I to the Balrog domain?
--
-Axl @)-->--- 
 j_herlih@oz.plymouth.edu - "There can be only one"
Newsgroups: rec.games.moria
From: koerse@fwi.uva.nl (Niels Koerse (student??))
Subject: Re: multi-player (i.e I know a guy)
Organization: FWI, University of Amsterdam
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 13:07:43 GMT

griffon@iastate.edu (Tamber Kelsain) writes:

>In article <Bz7FD5.J8v@news.iastate.edu> 
>	wyvern@iastate.edu (Nuno Bettencourt) writes:
>>In article <1992Dec13.075106.172@midway.uchicago.edu>
>	wag5@midway.uchicago.edu writes:
>>>Anyone ever experimented with a multi-player umoria-like system in which
>>>each player would be given a turn?  There are some obvious problems with this
>>>Perhaps there could be a time-based penalty such as one finds in timed chess.
>>>That is, for each ten seconds of immobility, one loses a hit point/mana
>>>point until dead.

We have here a graphical game called _crossfire_ wich is a fantasy setting game
with multiple players and monsters everywhere and a map editor. 
So it is not exact moria like but it gives you a nice view of a world. 
And ofcourse it is very nice to see your great fireball kill your adversaries :)
It is for Xwindows so that could be a problem for some.

I dont now where to find it but Xarchi or archie can help there

> -T

Niels

>-- 
>     Will Stoltenberg	  |"The Bible is not my book and Christianity is not my
> Ames, Iowa (515) 294-1701| religion. I could never give assent to the long 
>    "Tamber Kelsain"	  | complicated statements of Christian dogma."
>   griffon@iastate.edu	  |			- Abraham Lincoln
-- 
****************************** koerse@fwi.uva.nl ******************************
******************************** .sig ** naaah ********************************
Newsgroups: rec.games.moria
From: dgreen@jarthur.claremont.edu (David Green)
Subject: Re: the appearance of Mr. Balrog?
Organization: Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA 91711
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 17:45:45 GMT

In some article j_herlih@oz.plymouth.edu (Axl) writes:
->Hi,
->	I am curious...what is the highest up anyone has ever
->encountered the Balrog?  My Ork priest - who's a little better-looking 
->today, due to finding 3 gain charisma potions :) - is 27th lv, down at
->1650ft.  Equip is not the greatest...bastard sword +7 +6, fullplate,
->ring of +6 hitroll, are my highlights...and I know I am nowhere close
->to Balrog-ready, got toasted by an Iridescent beetle lastnight.  So
->how close am I to the Balrog domain?

The Balrog won't show up at all until you get down to 2500 feet.  You've
got quite a way to go before you need to worry. :)
-- 
dgreen@jarthur.claremont.edu		        	   David "Mishael" Green
		    Have you scritched your local Furry today? 
************************Who ordered the muon? -- I. I. Rabi*********************
  I have not been appointed Judge, Jury, or Executioner by God.  Just witness.
Newsgroups: rec.games.moria
From: petitc@vccnortha.its.rpi.edu (Christopher Jon Petit)
Subject: Re: To die or not to die?
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 06:25:23 GMT

wag5@quads.uchicago.edu (john peter wagner) writes:

>In article <wjj2dyn@rpi.edu> petitc@nuge113.its.rpi.edu (Christopher Jon Petit) writes:

>>(1) You lost ALL items and gold (Hey, you're dead---HOW did your ghost carry
>>that?)
>>
>>(2) You lost maybe 20% of your Experience (Dying kinda makes you forget things)
>>
>>(3) You lose 1 point of Con (This is tracked---when you lose all your original
>>points of Con, you are permanently dead---regardless of Gain Con)
>>
>>(4) Each stat has a 20% chance of being drained by 1 (The new body just isn't
>>as good as the old one)
>>
>	Did you copy this from the newbie pamphlet of your favorite MUD?

   Somewhat, yes.  I have played LP-MUDs, and find them to be really annoying.
But, their system is still fairer than Moria's saying "You die, you're dead,
and that's that."  After all, whoever said Moria is Reality?




-- 
Now on sale, in Aisle 5 of the Divine Supermarket---Lives, and Clues.  Buy
yours now and avoid the rush!  They make great Christmas gifts!
"I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right
to say it."  - Voltaire.
Newsgroups: rec.games.moria
From: petitc@nuge111.its.rpi.edu (Christopher Jon Petit)
Subject: Re: Winner (UMoria 5.5)
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 14:32:38 GMT

dave_f@sn3001.oldham.gpsemi.com (Dave Frankland) writes:

>Also I use the back-up when I've done a typing mistake, like typing MDF (the D and F keys are right next to each other and so are easy to press together) and getting a word of destruction - the world's most useless mage spell (with genocide not that far behind).

 I must beg to differ.  WoD is VERY useful.  Especially when the failure rate
is modest.  What if you run into a room filled with 2 AMHD's, 1 EL and an EI?
You WoD to save yourself.


-- 
Now on sale, in Aisle 5 of the Divine Supermarket---Lives, and Clues.  Buy
yours now and avoid the rush!  They make great Christmas gifts!
Cynicism is only realism projected into the future.
If your fondest wish is to fly, don't draw up plans for flippers.
Newsgroups: rec.games.moria
From: c_scolli@oz.plymouth.edu (skull)
Subject: Creating weapons?
Organization: Plymouth State College - Plymouth, NH.
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 92 06:25:23 GMT




Recently I have been trying to figure out how to make a weapon ( just
for the sake of creating one not for cheating )  anyway I a couple of
days ago I put some numbers in and created a sword but I can't recall
how I did it.

if Anyone has any Ideas on how to create a weapon could you please email
me a c_scolli@oz.plymouth.edu, I would very much appreatiate it


	-Skull


Newsgroups: rec.games.moria
From: angus@hardy.u.washington.edu (Angus the Demonchild)
Subject: Re: Ethics of Backup/Save Files
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 1992 00:09:50 GMT


Probably the primary reason Moria makes it difficult to restore a dead
character is that it was designed on a multi-user system.  Playing on
a single-user system, one is only competing with your previous games,
so if you cheat to get a high score, you are the only person who
suffers because of it.  On a multi-user system, if you backup and
restore your way to the top of the score list, you may be displacing
one who got that place by managing to avoid death for longer than you
had, and thus is more worthy of the position.

On single-user machines, you're only cheating yourself.
On multi-user systems, you can cheat others, too.
--
Disclaimer:  I could be wrong.  It wouldn't be the first time.

another fine product from the house of angst
From: khearn@pyrps5.eng.pyramid.com (Keith Hearn)
Newsgroups: rec.games.moria
Subject: Re: multi-player (i.e I know a guy)
Date: 16 Dec 92 00:53:40 GMT
Organization: Pyramid Technology Corporation, Mountain View

In article <#6h2+vc@rpi.edu> petitc@nuge105.its.rpi.edu (Christopher Jon Petit) writes:
>wyvern@iastate.edu (Nuno Bettencourt) writes:
>
>>In article <1992Dec13.075106.172@midway.uchicago.edu> wag5@midway.uchicago.edu writes:
>>>Anyone ever experimented with a multi-player umoria-like system in which
>>>each player would be given a turn?  There are some obvious problems with this.
>>>Perhaps there could be a time-based penalty such as one finds in timed chess.
>>>That is, for each ten seconds of immobility, one loses a hit point/mana
>>>point until dead.
>>>				John
>
>>	I know someone who was looking into that. He's planning on working
>>it out next semester. If he's serious about it, I'm sure he'll be posting
>>here sometime to talk about it :)
>
>  Well, I'm planning on adding multi-player ability to Overlords.  But, if I
>add it, it'll be much more 'dynamic' so to speak.  In other words, we'll say
>that monsters move either:
>
>(1) Once every second,
>or
>(2) When someone does a move/casts a spell/uses an item.
>
When *anyone* does something? So if there are 5 players, then the
monster swings 5 times for each one that an individual does?

Arnie, Bob, Charlie, Dennis, and Earl are playing, fighting an ant, a
bat, a cube, a dragon, and an elemental:

Arnie swings at Ant
Ant swings at Arnie
Bat swings at Bob
Cube swings at Charlie (what does a cube swing?)
Dragon swings at Dennis
Elemental swings at Earl
Bob swings at Bat
<all the monsters swing>
Charlie swings at cube
<all the monsters swing>


You get the picture. Not pretty.
I hope that's not what you meant.

Keith


-- 
Keith Hearn                   \    If a million dollars is a stack of 
khearn@pyramid.com             \   $1000 bills 4" tall, the national debt 
Pyramid Technology Corporation  \  would be a stack over 63 miles tall.
(408) 428-7304 or (510) 263-2701 \  And it's getting taller, FAST!
Newsgroups: rec.games.moria
From: wag5@quads.uchicago.edu (john peter wagner)
Subject: Re: To die or not to die?
Reply-To: wag5@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago Computing Organizations
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 04:58:24 GMT

In article <wjj2dyn@rpi.edu> petitc@nuge113.its.rpi.edu (Christopher Jon Petit) writes:
>jatg5423@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (John A. Ternent) writes:
>
>>Well, I must admit that I use file backups.  I simply get sick of having 
>>to be cautious all the time, sneaking around and hoping there are no
>>AMHDs or Evil Iggys or any kind of undead or anything nasty around the 
>>corner.  However, the most annoying thing is for the stupid Balrog to
>>show up out of nowhere and welcome you to level 50 by toasting you before
>>you know what's going on.  So, I merrily go full speed down the dungeon,
>>and when the Balrog greets me, I just restore the save file!  To those
>>of you who think this is despicable and "cheating" ... I DON'T CARE!!!
>>I'll stay out of your game, and you stay out of mine. To me, NOT using
>>a save file takes a lot more enjoyment out of the game than using it.
>>Sheesh, doesn't anybody have anything better to do than try to analyze
>>the ethical implications of restoring save files in a game? You'd 
>>think people don't have anything better to do (like play the game :-) ).
>
>  Yes!  I agree totally.  Moria is all about having fun first, and winning
>second.  If you have more fun by using save files (and gaining the extra
>thing of 'protection' from it), more power to you.  And, if you want the
>bragging rights of not using the backup save files, you have every right to
>gloat.  That's why I propose possible Ressurection (for a hefty fee), with the
>penalties I listed before.  In case you didn't remember, I said that, if you
>die:
>
>(1) You lost ALL items and gold (Hey, you're dead---HOW did your ghost carry
>that?)
>
>(2) You lost maybe 20% of your Experience (Dying kinda makes you forget things)
>
>(3) You lose 1 point of Con (This is tracked---when you lose all your original
>points of Con, you are permanently dead---regardless of Gain Con)
>
>(4) Each stat has a 20% chance of being drained by 1 (The new body just isn't
>as good as the old one)
>
>  So, if you have a great character, you can still keep playing him, but at
>a stiff penalty.  Dying is still something to avoid at all costs, but it no
>longer is _the end_ for your character---after all, Moria is a heavily magical
>realm, so Resurrection should be no exception.  Side note:  Maybe Mages or
>Priests should get, as their highest level spell, a spell that conveys auto-
>matic Resurrection if they die.

	Did you copy this from the newbie pamphlet of your favorite MUD?

		John
From: sward+@CMU.EDU (David Reeve Sward)
Newsgroups: rec.games.moria
Subject: Re: To die or not to die?
Date: 14 Dec 92 14:31:48 GMT
Organization: Sophomore, Math/Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA

Excerpts from netnews.rec.games.moria: 14-Dec-92 Re: To die or not to
die? by Christopher J. Petit@vcc 
>    Somewhat, yes.  I have played LP-MUDs, and find them to be really
annoying.
> But, their system is still fairer than Moria's saying "You die, you're dead,
> and that's that."  After all, whoever said Moria is Reality?

I prefer having something ala an "{Amulet|Ring|Boots|Gloves|Helmet|Some
other piece of apparel|Potion|Hairy mold|Other food} of Life Saving"
which doesn't let you die by doing [something].  I suppose the food
would only last for {*} turns.
From: reddyp@ucunix.san.uc.edu (Pardhasaradhi A. Reddy)
Newsgroups: rec.games.moria
Subject: Ftp sites for moria version 5.4
Date: 14 Dec 92 19:23:27 GMT
Organization: University of Cincinnati


	Dear net readers,

		I am looking for any ftp sites that have the source code for
		umoria version 5.4. I tried using archie, but i cannot find any
		ftp site that has the source code i could compile on the Suns.


		Mail your replies to reddyp@ucunix.san.uc.edu

		Your help is requested.
		Thanks.
		Pardha.
-- 
 Disclaimer : Views expressed by me are purely mine and have nothing to
 do with those of my employer's or any Organization. Reader diescretion
 is strongly advised.
From: wyvern@iastate.edu (Nuno Bettencourt)
Newsgroups: rec.games.moria
Subject: Re: multi-player (i.e I know a guy)
Date: 13 Dec 92 15:36:41 GMT
Article-I.D.: news.Bz7FD5.J8v
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames, IA

In article <1992Dec13.075106.172@midway.uchicago.edu> wag5@midway.uchicago.edu writes:
>Anyone ever experimented with a multi-player umoria-like system in which
>each player would be given a turn?  There are some obvious problems with this.
>Perhaps there could be a time-based penalty such as one finds in timed chess.
>That is, for each ten seconds of immobility, one loses a hit point/mana
>point until dead.
>				John

	I know someone who was looking into that. He's planning on working
it out next semester. If he's serious about it, I'm sure he'll be posting
here sometime to talk about it :)
From: Virginia.A.Reed@dartmouth.edu (Virginia A. Reed)
Newsgroups: rec.games.moria
Subject: Obnoxious/Dangerous Object Contest
Date: 11 Dec 92 21:58:29 GMT
 <1992Dec9.210535.29704@muddcs.claremont.edu>  
 <1gacp9INNbfn@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu>
Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
X-Posted-From: InterNews1.0a5@newshost.dartmouth.edu

I think bombs would be cool.  You could carry them around for a certain
number of turns and then they would explode.  By identifying them, you
could figure out how many turns they had left (and of course they are
good for throwing at monsters).  I guess that could be obnoxious or
useful, depending on how you use it.

how about an Amulet of no return.   -- Once you put it on you couldn't
go up any levels - just down - until you took it off (it's cursed and
while you wear it it lowers all stats by 2 or something...)
   - found on level 1 down     :-)


-Karen Reed