HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: cks@hawkwind.utcs.toronto.edu (Chris Siebenmann)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: Shadowrun: Controlling Deckers
Date: 15 Apr 92 17:49:53 GMT
Organization: Ziebmef home away from home


 Why aren't more things isolated from the Net? Because it's cutting
your own throat.

 In 2050, the Net, the Matrix, is all-pervasive. If today's office does
it with paper or fax or phones or PClones today, it's all done by the
Net tomorrow. Imagine the disruption inherent in not having access to
corporate resources, of not being able to exchange information except
by hideously obnoxious and slow mechanisms. I'd imagine this is enough
to keep all but the most determined from even contemplating this.

 The other problem with cutting yourself off the Net is that it's a
flashing neon sign to those with eyes to see saying 'Hi! There's
something really, really hot right here!' Spotting white-collar
facilities with a low Net density is not all that difficult, and there
are not all that many explanations for it. Why advertise? Much better
to bury things in your normal system, where people can be blindsided
and never notice what's going on.

 Oh, there will be systems off the Net. But they'll be one of two
sorts; either they'll be in well camoflaged installations, very
very ultrasecret, or they're part of an entire large organization
that's sufficiently paranoid to maintain it's own equivalent of
the Net. About the only people who can afford (in many senses)
to do the latter are the military ... and if you run against them,
chummer, I really hope you have your life insurance paid up. They
play hardball. For keeps.

--
"The Law of Software Development and Envelopment at MIT:

 Every program in development at MIT expands until it can read mail."
		- greg@math.berkeley.edu
cks@hawkwind.utcs.toronto.edu	           ...!{utgpu,utzoo,watmath}!utgpu!cks
From: jogle@zia.aoc.nrao.edu (Jim Ogle (Ks. Jim))
Subject: Re: Torg?
Organization: National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Socorro NM
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 92 05:28:02 GMT

In article <mumble> mcdougal@lonestar.utsa.edu (Jon . McDougal) writes:

>    'cuse me. Hey! Can we chill with the AD&D talk and the Undead talk
>for one little moment? Does any know if there is a rec.games.torg? I
>thought I saw one once, and it was pretty busy, but I just ran through
>my list of .newsgroups and couldn't find me.

Now now, you shouldn't be so harsh towards AD&D players.  8-)

There is a Torg newsgroup but its name is alt.games.torg.  If you
don't happen to get the newsgroup (some sites won't carry alt groups)
there is a mailing list that cross-posts to the newsgroup (and vice
versa).  For information on it, send email to:
		
		torg-request@morticia.cnns.unt.edu 

with 'help' as the only word in your subject line and you'll get sent
a file about the mailing list.

>    I'm sure there must be some Torg players out there somewhere, if so,
>please mail me as I have a rather important question (or ten) to ask. But
>I would like to find out if there is a specific newsgroup for it, so I
>can pester them for information. Thanks folks, back to the AD&D crap...

Yeah, we're out here, we're just not in r.g.frp that much.... 8-)

>Splooging the gooze emphatic,

Whatever...

>                          Jon

-- 
Kansas Jim (Jim Ogle, Torg guru)
jogle@nrao.edu (NRAO-VLBA, Socorro New Mexico)
"I'd be apathetic if I cared."

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
From: kohathi@world.std.com (Kathleen E Coady)
Subject: Re: GURPS: Spontaneous NPCs
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1992 02:26:41 GMT

In article <1992Apr13.180816.4581@ncar.ucar.edu> urban@stout.atd.ucar.edu (Art Urban (PROFS)) writes:
>What do the rest of you GURPS GMs do about spontaneous NPC encounters? When
>I used to play AD&D, spontaneous encounters were a cinch, even planned 
>encounters *seem* easier under AD&D. I *think* I'm still and advocate of the
>skill based system, *BUT* there is a lot to say about simply deciding that
>an enemy encounter is comprised of two level 4 fighters and three level 5
>mages.

	I don't run a combat intensive campaign, but I do have an overwhelming
tendency to make everything up on the fly (you have to have the right sort of
players to get away with this).  If the NPCs are bit players, then I just don't
go through the whole character generation procedure: I pull reasonable numbers
and spells out of the air, along with a couple of advantages and disadvantages
that fit my conception of the NPC.  The more important the NPC is to the cam-
paign, the more detail and individuality he gets.
	I suppose if you're used to planning out entire dungeons and cities in
advance, this would drive you bananas.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
From: stoodt@cis.umassd.edu (Michael Stoodt)
Subject: Re: CHAMP: 1/2d6 vs d6-1
Organization: University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Distribution: usa
Date: Sun, 12 Apr 1992 02:28:31 GMT

In <1992Apr11.222023.21915@cco.caltech.edu> laurence@cco.caltech.edu (Dustin Lee Laurence) writes:
>(The limitation itself is not stated ex-
>>plicitly in the 4th Ed. rules; I daresay it was found in one of the earlier
>>versions.  Anyone know for sure?  In any case, it seems reasonable to call it
>>a -1/2 Limitation, as the Increased Multiplier is +1/2.)

>It may be reasonable for some campaigns, as long as you don't allow
>people to take it repeatedly.  That way lies great and certain abuse.
>Extreme example: -4 STUN multiple for a -2 limitation.  I get a die
>of killing attack which averages 3.5 body for 3.75 -> 4 points, cheaper
>than a die of normal damage.  Ugh.

The "-1 Stun Multiple" limitation (i.e. roll 1D6-2, minimum 1) appears
in Adventurers Club issue 3 (Winter 1983!!), and is indeed a -1/2
limitation, but can only be taken once; another limitation, "Stun
Multiple of 1" (no roll, stun damage = body) is a -1 limitation.

        Michael Stoodt
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
From: d8dx@vax5.cit.cornell.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: AD&D Char Death < GURPS Char Death
Date: 9 Apr 92 15:25:58 EST
Distribution: rec
Organization: Cornell University

I may have never played GURPS, but I do not feel that losing an AD&D character
can ever be less of a problem than losing a GURPS character.  IMHO, character
generation begins at first level in AD&D, and by the time you've got a
character worth having, who has set him/herself up the way you wanted, you've
invested tons of time in developing the character.  Let's face it (again IMHO)
a first level mage with 2hp and one spell is just plain boring to play, because
you can be as clever as you want, but if there is even one fighter (or cleric,
or even thief) in the party who is prejudiced against magic or MU's, they can
kill you with a single hit if they feel like it, and nothing you do is going to
stop them.  Similarly, a first level fighter with a Thac0 of 20? Please...Ad&d
is set up so that to get to a level where the fighters are fighters, the mages
are mages, etc, it takes a *long* time.

Again, the above is IMHO

---------------------------------
J.P. Brannan
D8DX@Vax5.cit.cornell.edu


J.
From: kinnema@wkuvx1.bitnet (Mark Kinney, Attorney at Chaos)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: GM's Pain
Date: 14 Apr 92 12:16:45 CDT
Organization: Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY

In article <1992Apr13.125831.1713@vax1.mankato.msus.edu>, vanor@vax1.mankato.msus.edu writes:
> Hello, here's a intersting new thred to folow up on the stuped pc tricks
> GM'S PAIN
> What I am thinking of is posting of stories of when the pc's have done somthing 
> to totaly destroy a GM's well laid plans and to start it off here's mine
> 
We were fighting in an Aerotech battle... defending this planet and all... the
GM had an entire regiment trying to get dropships through, mostly Unions, but
there was one Overlord. Anyway, the upshot is that two Unions and the Overlord
went down due to bridge shots from the *same* aerospace fighter within five
turns. That campaign ended right there.
-- 
Mark Kinney [KINNEMA@WKUVX1.(BITNET)(WKU.EDU)] | Don't just eat a hamburger,
PhoneNet: (502)745-4246	  (Bowling Green, KY)  | eat the HELL out of it!
This has been a test. If this had been an actual emergency, you'd be dead.
Quote of the week: "Now I'm mumbling, and I'm screaming, and I don't know what
	I'm singing." -- "Weird" Al Yankovic, "Smells Like Nirvana"
From: brunner@kazoo.ssd.loral.com (Brian Brunner)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: GURPS: UlTRA Tech ?= Ultra Death??
Keywords: GURPS DEATH ULTRA
Date: 10 Apr 92 07:21:58 GMT
Reply-To: brunner@kazoo.ssd.loral.com (Brian Brunner)
Organization: Space Systems/Loral

In article <3497@tronsbox.UUCP>, dfrancis@tronsbox.UUCP (Dennis Heffernan)
writes:
!!| Sounds like we want game rules
!!|to let us survive something designed to open bank vaults.
!!
!!	Either a) you don't play GURPS or b) you're not familiar with the
!!blowthrough rules.

Ah said, Ah said, Ah said, son, that I was being <shudder> realistic...
at least about the .50BMG... For anybody who wants the gruesome
scoop that is 10,000 foot-pounds of muzzle energy with a 785 grain
bullet travelling at somewherre near mach 4.5.
Upon being hit, it will blow through... and I'll still be dead.
Yeah, I could take it in the leg and maybe survive the (hydrostatic?)
shock and exanguish (blood loss) and infection; maybe I'll be REAL lucky
and not loose critical nerve tissue...
but I can't imagine surviving a .50BMG hit to torso or head....
Just please remember that we're playing games with things that kill.
How many dice does the .50BMG do? How many does this vault-opening
laser do? What are we wanting to survive?

!!
!!|
!!|Solution: when clobbered by instant-death-no-saving-throw
!!|(oops, wrong game) attack forms like a HUGE laser, allow for
!!|crippling hits. Taking a 30d  artillery shell in the foot will result in
!!|a crater (and no more me) if it is a catestrophic hit (shell detonates)
!!|or a 'graze hit' that takes my foot and keeps on going. In the former
!!|case, I DO need a new character. Unless I was playing a toon.
!!|Or a munchkin. In the latter case I need a new foot.
!!|
!!	You left out the one in the book:  weapons that do more than 15d basic
!!damage aren't limited by blow-through.  Thus the comment noting that the
!!dino laser isn't covered...though the GM could always ignore that if he's
!!trying to promote player survival.
--
HELP!! Somebody slapped a "stop payment" on my sanity check!!
brunner@kazoo.ssd.loral.com; Space Systems/Loral; Palo Alto, Calif.
Black Holes... the /dev/null of the Universe; the opinion of 65534.
From: krischel@phakt.usc.edu (Blackstar)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: SRUN: Cyberware & sanity loss
Date: 11 Apr 1992 18:14:26 -0700
Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
NNTP-Posting-Host: phakt.usc.edu

In article <1992Apr11.173440.1@gacvx1.gac.edu> tyros@gacvx1.gac.edu writes:
>The sourcebook
>mentions the loss of sanity as the cyberware is added, but does not give any
>guidelines on how to incorperate this loss into the campaign. 

You still playin' cyberpunk, chummer?  You show me where it says that drek...

>>>>>>[Darkwind]<<<<<<
Organization: The American University - University Computing Center
Date: Thursday, 16 Apr 1992 18:56:07 EDT
From: <TKUSTER@auvm.american.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: champs: immortal

I'm trying to make an immortal champs but can't come up with an effective
means of doing this.  When I say immortal I mean he doesn't die.  He can go
down apear to be dead etc.  but eventually he'll be back.  Life support is
half of it but doesn't cover when he's beaten to a pulp.  Any ideas?
From: dpm@ignem.Corp.Sun.COM (David P. Martin)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: "Rules of the Shadow" in Amber RPG
Date: 15 Apr 92 19:30:08 GMT
Reply-To: dpm@ignem.Corp.Sun.COM
Organization: Sun Microsystems
NNTP-Posting-Host: ignem.corp.sun.com


In article 2050@news2.cis.umn.edu, esper@cs35b.cs.umn.edu (Dave Sherohman) writes:
>Hmm....  I think this is apples and oranges, actually.  Differences in time flow
>are fundamental physical laws, and the Amberites adjust for it.  Funky patterns
>of speech and action are psychological/social laws, and I would think that they
>would not affect Amberites, though the local would think the Amberites to be
>insane and, possibly, vice versa.

I agree.  Amberites wouldn't adjust their mental patterns when shifting
shadows - otherwise, they'd end up getting lost in some bizarre shadow,
with no idea who they are.  After all, in most shadows, the people
don't even believe in the idea of Amber.  If an Amberites mental
patterns changed to that of the Shadow, the Amberite would constantly
be forgetting that Amber existed.

>In the final analysis, there would have to be some limitations on how things
>take place - an Amberite going to a new Shadow where chemical laws are such that
>combustion works differently (note that Shadow Earth <-> Amber is a case of
>this), either a) the Amberite continues to operate on their native chemical laws,s
>b) the chemical composition of the Amberite changes, thus allowing combustion to
>continue under the new laws, ot c) the Amberite instantly dies because his cells
>are no longer able to burn glucose.  Obviously, either a or b is the correct
>case...

If b is the one you choose, then it would be very easy for an Amberite
to stumble into a Shadow where the physical laws made it impossible for
the Amberite to exist (for example, a Shadow where molecules don't bond
together at all).  I think that a is the only real choice.  Amberites
have enough reality in them for them to sort of carry a localized set
of rules with them.  The next question is, what about Shadow humans who
are transported to other Shadows ?

>esper@ima.umn.edu
>Lochinvar of Amber, Prince and Heir of Terolon


Dave
aka Kyle, Prince of Amber
From: cms@mse.cmu.edu (Curtis M Scott)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: Playing yourself in GURPS
Date: 13 Apr 92 17:08:24 GMT
Article-I.D.: cs.1992Apr13.170824.98982
Organization: CMU/SEI Master of Software Engineering Program

In article <1992Apr10.180354.27900@acsu.buffalo.edu>, ztsindi@ubvmsc.cc.buffalo.edu (The Independents - SUNY Buffalo) writes:
|> 
|> 	One neat-o thing we've done with GURPS is to make up a 
|> character based as closely as possible on ourselves. Then we play 
|> those characters through one night games against villians we already
|> have made up as NPC's. It was interesting to see that since I was in
|> the Army Reserve I could choose a proficiency with the M-16. One of
|> our players is a Black Belt in Karate so he got a proficiency in that.
|> Of course when we went up against the Super with Psionics it got hairy
|> real fast. Anyone else ever try this?

Two different ways:

1)	The old FGU superheroes game Villains and Vigilantes presumed that
	you were playing a superhero version of yourselves after your
	personal "radiation accident." You randomly rolled your powers
	and nearly everyone I knew played it that way.

2)	One year, for Hallowe'en, I ran a Call of Cthulhu game (Cthulhu
	Now, 'natch) in which the players played themselves. I designed the
	character sheets; I tried to err on the side of their own
	personal views of themselves, rather than mine (everyone has
	above average INT, high skills, etc.) since it didn't really
	matter for the scenario. It was a surprise; the equipment they
	had was what they brought to the game. They had a BLAST!

Curtis
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
From: pentangl@spdcc.com (Scott Moir)
Subject: Re: Shadowrun: Economics of Running
Keywords: Shadowrun
Organization: S.P. Dyer Computer Consulting, Cambridge MA
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 22:21:34 GMT

In article <ward1.703316971@husc8> ward1@husc8.harvard.edu (Lester Ward) writes:
>earl@cco.caltech.edu (Earl A. Hubbell) writes:
>[Stuff deleted.]
>
>I like this kind of analysis.  Interesting, and thourough.

Me too, thanks.

>>>From the UCAS census estimates, we have approximately 1% of the population
>>having 'significant' cyber-enhancements (so called 'samurai', 'riggers'
>>or 'deckers') or significant magical enhancement ('physical adepts').
>
>This is the weak link in the argument.  First off, deckers only need
>a datajack (and maybe some head MPs), but just about all corp empoyees
>have that, so that is not 'significant'.  Secondly, 'significant' cyberware
>is hideously illegal is most parts of the world.  Corps are not likely to
>admit they use it if they don't have to, and freelancers are most likely
>not going to fill out a census form, if they can even be found.  In spite
>of the UCAS's best intentions and estimates, 1% is likely to be off by
>at least an order of magnitude.

You have 10% of your population cybered?!?!?!

Corps admission has nothing to do with it, cybered personell makes sense.
An investiture of a few thousand NewYen can save millions in lost data. 
I have had enough problems with deckers breaking imto systems that I have
brought a new peice of tech online.

MemBox

This is a battery operaterated chipjack-box. It contains a number of
standard chipjacks interlocked with a central CPU. The box is
approximately the size of a lunchbox. It can contain a number of chips
Equal to 5000 NewYen + 1000 NewYen per chip-port. It allows instant
access to any chip that is online. (allowing multiple chip input to
one chipjack) Corps use this for sentry-deckers who are monitoring
thier systems.

(Think about it, this makes LOADS of sense.)

Armored Membox

Same as above, but encased in Kevlar. 4/3 shielding.
As above + 1000 NewYen.

Scott
`

This figure is also completely contra-factual to most capaigns I've seen.
>For the technology involved, cyberware is VERY cheap, and we populate
>our campaign with those who use it, not just as PC's or villians, but
>random stuffing as well.
>
>We use a similar consept of the frequency of magic use (which I've mentioned
>before) where the percentage of mages in the poulation is related (but
>lower, obviously) to the percentage of mages in the runner's party.
>
>I guess your point was partly to inform us that campaigns like this are
>not to reality-based, for lack of a better term.  Wakarimasu yo.
>
>Wordman


-- 
Scott Moir / Pentangle / Satyr ______ # "There's really only one requirement 
pentangl@Ursa-Major.spdcc.com  \ \/ / #  for a Prophet, and you've got it."
B4 f t+ w g k+(+) s+ m r p+     \/\/  # "What's that?"
These are my opinions, not SPDCC's    # "A mouth." - 'God' to J.R.'BoB' Dobbs
From: lev0@kimbark.uchicago.edu (Ron Levy (Armchair))
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: SRUN: Shamans And Mages
Date: 11 Apr 92 02:57:59 GMT
Reply-To: lev0@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago Computing Organizations



>	Our campaign died when the cybertype in our group asked the question
>as to what he could do, that could not be done at least as well be a mage,
>especially in light of the fact that the mages could do things he couldn't 
>touch such as magic, astral travel, . . . .

Kill things.  

Our cybertype usually goes twice before anyone else, friend or foe.
His dedicated skills and his high-powered, high-tech weaponry causes
far more damage than anyone else, though usually to single targets.
Against equally high-powered opponents he is invaluable because he
hits them before they hit us.  They are wounded and their target
numbers rise; and then we don't get hurt nearly as much as we would
have otherwise.

Take hits.  Cybertypes are tough.  They can usually take a LOT of
damage.  High body, dermal armor, good dodge and defense, however your
cybertype adds it up, they should take a lot to take down.  

Attract fire.  When you shoot half of the enemy dead twice before
anyone blinks, you can bet your booties that all that returning fire
is going to come straight at you.  You've established yourself as a
deadly threat and anyone on the other side not wetting their pants is
going to be unloading all they have in your direction.  Fortunately,
as above, you should have the ability to take it.

One of our mages looked at the old Increase Reaction +4 and saw that
once he spell locked it, he'd go on the average 4 times at 35, 28, 21,
and 14.  That means that his last action is on 14.  All the spirits on
their second or so actions and all the enemy grunts go then, and him
with no actions left and not very much in his dodge/defense/magic/etc
pools to defend against them.  He'd get to blow up a few people,
laugh, and then see all the bullets coming at HIM, not the cyberman.
Tough he might be, but he's not THAT tough.  He spent his karma on
knowledge and sorcery and didn't spend his essence on having his skin
ripped out and replaced with kevlar.


-- 
Snake Owner's Safety Tip #3: 
	Never, EVER say, "Do da wittle snakie-wakies wanna come out to pway?"
anywhere near their cage.
From: ratinox@meceng.coe.northeastern.edu (Richard Pieri/Stainless Steel Rat)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: Shadowrun: Controlling Deckers
Date: 14 Apr 92 01:21:52 GMT
Article-I.D.: splinter.RATINOX.92Apr13212152
	<RATINOX.92Apr12222425@splinter.coe.northeastern.edu>
	<1992Apr13.115810.1324@wkuvx1.bitnet>
Reply-To: ratinox@meceng.coe.northeastern.edu
Organization: 3WA, Boston Office. Or Nu Meta Chi. Take your pick.
In-reply-to: kinnema@wkuvx1.bitnet's message of 13 Apr 92 16:58:10 GMT
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>>>>> On 13 Apr 92 16:58:10 GMT, kinnema@wkuvx1.bitnet (Mark Kinney, Attorney at Chaos) said:

kinnema> What I meant was it wasn't connected to the net, which his how the
kinnema> hacker in question worked otherwise. And besides, in the SR
kinnema> context, no decker would go in in a way that would force him to be
kinnema> a turtle. That's asking for a quick death, through security or
kinnema> some decker just arbitrarily deciding to wax them, especially in
kinnema> important systems. For all intents and purposes, said systems are
kinnema> isolated.

Why quick death? Connecting from the outside via some other means than the
Matrix wouldn't be deadly in the least. Just slow. I mean, let's face it,
there's absolutely no way that a signal from, say, this newsgroup could
kill you, is there? Nope. Not unless someone re-wires your terminal :-).

--Rat
--
||||| | | | |  |  |  |   |   |    |    |    |   |   |  |  |  |  | | | | | |||||
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Richard Pieri, Northeastern's Stainless Steel Rat/   | /| / /   | The Worlds
Internet: ratinox@splinter.coe.northeastern.edu /__  |/ |/ / /| | Welfare Works
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Newsgroups: rec.games.frp