HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: gtd543a@sol.crt.columbia.edu (death)
Subject: CONSOLIDATE:  A single character generator
Organization: Purgatory
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 23:45:28 GMT
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL8]
X-Posted-From: sundial.gatech.edu
NNTP-Posting-Host: sol.ctr.columbia.edu

I've been working on a character generator, and from the recent
slew of posts regarding them, so apparently has everyone else.  
However, I believe that my character generator has what few others
currently have:  the quality of being free and with source code.

I like playing AD&D, and I know others do.  I would like to set up
a mailing list for developers who would like to create a single set
of tools for the AD&D player.  Optimally, these tools would be
compiled under gcc and be portable to other environments.  However,
this is not a requirement.  My development environment is emx+gcc
under OS/2 and DOS.  There has been some interest in making tools
available under UNIX also.

Please e-mail me if you are interested.  I am looking primarily
for developers willing to contribute code to this project, but
anybody is welcome because I also value opinions highly.

Tools to be available soon (free, with full C source):
	- Character generator for 2nd Edition
	- Dungeon stocker (npcs, treasure, etc.)

Tools on the far horizon (would like to add to this list):
	- Dungeon generator (inc. stocker; maps, monsters, more)
	- Character generator support for kits & 1st edition
	- wizard's companion (spell book(s), spell database, etc.)

Send me e-mail and I'll put you on the list.  

NOTE: I am trying to get a bitnet mailing list established for
this purpose, but if anybody can help me out w/ an easier way
to do a mailing list, PLEASE TELL ME!
--
Death: the high price of living
========================================================================
Disclaimer:  I am not bubba.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: fingon@archtwr.tower.nullnet.fi (Markus Stenberg)
Subject: WANTED: PBeM AD&D 2nd ed game
Organization: Chambers of the Archmage
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 20:35:31 GMT
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]

Is there now any games starting / needing more players? I'd like
to participate in PBeM, b'cause activity of our local AD&D party
has lessened great deal in last few weeks. Anyway, I'd like to
play in any game available, but especially I like those of low->mid
level, situated (hopefully) in either Forgotten Realms or Ansalon (Krynn).

Replies ASAP, please! Inactivity's killing active players! <grin>

-- 
---
 
* Markus Stenberg   * Vihtakatu 16      * 04400 J{rvenp{{ * Finland     *
* Tel +358-0-285436 * 2:220/320 Fidonet * fingon@pcuf.fi  *
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: jhereg@iastate.edu (Baron Alexandreivich Von Goepel-heimer)
Subject: Re: Temple of Elemental Evil
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 20:01:34 GMT

I have a small goup ( 3 fighters, 1 fighter/thief, 1 cleric, 2 mages). It's
a given that 2 people won't show up per session. *shrug* College students.
They started 1st level when I took them though a small made from scratch
campaign; and now they are still 1 to 3 rd level. (When players don't show
up, their characters disappear from time and history)  I am planning on
taking then through one of the treasure maps, then to the Temple of Elemental
Evil.  They'll probably be 2nd or 3rd level, so I'll beef it up.  The world I
set up is nameless and gets larger as we progress.  So essentially the world
will gain form as we play it, combining facets from Grayhawk, Dragonlance, and
Ravenloft.  I may or may not beef up the monsters in T2-4 depending on how they
fare in the Moathouse adventure.  If they survive this adventure, I'd like to
run them through "Feast of Goblyns."

I'd like to know what levels some of your characters were when or if they
finished the "Temple."  I don't see any problem in beefing up the "Temple" or
the "Feast" campaigns.  But I'd like to know what people thought of the
general difficulty of each one.

				Thanx,
				Alex
						jhereg@iastate.edu
					Up the universe, oh smelly primate
 
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: s14539cp@UMASSD.EDU
Subject: Re: Cursed Items - Why?
Reply-To: s14539cp@UMASSD.EDU
Organization: UMASS DARTMOUTH, NO. DARTMOUTH, MA.
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 21:50:26 GMT


    I have read most of the answers that others have put forth as answers for
this question.  I have not read all of them yet so I will apologize in advance
to anyone who did mention the points that I will make.  But I was reading the
responses and I became aware that they all seemed to lack some important point.
    Most of the responses stated that the cursed items could be made one of
several ways:
    1)  Miscast magic, which is fairly self evident.
    2)  Purposely created by mages to cause trouble, and as everyone seemed to
point out that why bother with the time necessary to make a cursed item, when
a mage could make a good item with the same time and have basically the same
effects.  This does make sense, and is not disputed.

    My point is that you would be a fool to believe that mortal mages are the
only ones making cursed items.  Gods as well as major demons and devils are 
well within the power limits to create magic items in the blink of the eye.
They don't have to spend months researching how to make an item, they just make
it.  It seems reasonable that a demon or a devil might make a cursed item to
cause a mortal to mess up, especially in a game world where ones ability to 
fight determines if the hero goes to heaven and not hell.
    Also if a foolish mortal makes a pact with a demon, such that the demon will
make the mortal a magic item(but does not specify a non-cursed item.) in return
for some service.  Demon love to turn things around by making a cursed item 
instead of what the mortal had wanted.(After all he did say a magic item. HEHE!)
    Also a standard cursed item comes from the item being commissioned, but the
buyer does not pay for the service. An untrusting mage might cast a 
contingency spell such as "This blade will become -2 instead of +2 if I am not
paid in full or am cheated by the buyer."  The buyer cheats, the blade is cursed.
    I am sure that any competent DM can think of hundreds of reasons why an item
is cursed.
From: jmm0021@rigel.tamu.edu (MONTGOMERY, JASON MICHAEL)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Net books in WFW Format
Date: 21 Jan 1993 23:56 CST
Organization: Texas A&M University, Academic Computing Services
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: rigel.tamu.edu
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    

Does any one out there have all the net books in WFW 2.0 format.
I can print them from the xerox copiers but I can't print the books that
I already have.

Thanks In advance 
Monty

ps. I already have them in wfw format if anyone wants them.

Xref: sparky rec.games.frp.dnd:8356 rec.games.frp.misc:11418
From: wsbusr1@rwa.urc.tue.nl (Boudewijn Wayers)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd,rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: ASCII Spellbook/Prayerbook, tar-ed, compressed (.tar.Z)
Date: 21 Jan 93 13:36:26 GMT
Reply-To: wsbusr1@urc.tue.nl
Followup-To: rec.games.frp.dnd

Hi all,

I have transferred the Great Net Spellbook and Great Net Prayerbook to
greyhawk for you all to ftp. This time, at general request, I'm using a
different format. The files are now tar-ed and compressed.

Great Net Spellbook:		Great Net Prayerbook:

Site: greyhawk.stanford.edu	Site: greyhawk.stanford.edu
File: mu_asc_5.tar.Z		File: pr_asc_5.tar.Z

Once you have successfully transferred them, you do the following:

$ uncompress *.Z
$ tar -xf mu_asc_5.tar
$ tar -xf pr_asc_5.tar

This will create two subdirectories, containing the Books.

-- 
Boudewijn Wayers, wsbusr1@urc.tue.nl,
Keeper of the Great Net Spellbook and Prayerbook.
From: seawasp@vm2.cis.pitt.edu (Sea Wasp)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Sepia Snake Sigal Question
Date: 21 Jan 93 15:31:40 GMT
Organization: University of Pittsburgh
Originator: seawasp@unixd3.cis.pitt.edu

In article <1993Jan21.135449.18315@cs.ruu.nl> rkunenbo@cs.ruu.nl (Ronald Kunenborg) writes:
>IMHO, the SIGIL is something which is activated by someone READING it.

	Well, that's fine, but that is not the correct interpretation 
according to the spell description: "...reading or touching..."


				Sea Wasp
From: x92joslin@gw.wmich.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Experience Points for Spell Research
Date: 25 Jan 93 22:24:03 EST
Organization: Western Michigan University

In article <21JAN199316565536@udel.edu>, jdelisle@udel.edu (J. G. Delisle) writes:
> In article <1993Jan21.185512.17686@cs.cornell.edu>, wgarrett@cs.cornell.edu (William F. Garrett) writes...
>>	a)  100 XP * spell level
>>	b)  200 XP * spell level
>>	c)  500 XP * spell level
>>	d)  100 XP * (spell level)^2
>>	e)  200 XP * (spell level)^2
>> 
>>Schedule A seems too tight-fisted, while schedule C is too generous for
>>low-level mages.  D and E look like good choices for 1st and 2nd level
>>spells, but might give too many XP's for higher level spells.
> 
> 	Do D and E give too many XP's for higher level spells? At 18th level,
> it takes 375,000 XPs to go up a level. Using system E, the mage would have to
> research about _20_ spells to go up a level (9th level spells). Using E again,
> it would take a 12th level mage 50 spells to go up to 13th level (6th level
> spells), and a 14th level mage would need to research 38 spells of 7th level.
> So a mage gains levels faster by going adventuring for a month than he/she
> would by spending a whole year researching spells.

IS NOT THAT THE POINT AD&D IS ADVENTURING AND ROLEPLAYING. What can you
accomplish just setting in your tower with your FAMILIARS!!
> 
> +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
> | From the terminal of Joe Delisle  |  Don't open your eyes, take it from me |
> | jdelisle@loyola.edu  (preferred)  |  I have found, you can find, happiness |
> | jdelisle@cs.loyola.edu            |  in slavery.  -- NIN                   |
> |              "I was up above it, but now I'm down in it"                   |
> +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
From: c9b-ap@po.berkeley.edu (HakLien Chua)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Programs for AD&D
Date: 27 Jan 1993 14:38:54 GMT
Organization: University of California, at Berkeley
NNTP-Posting-Host: po.berkeley.edu


Hmm.. 5 or 6 character generators? Has anyone out there thought of writing
a combat simulator for AD&D? ( Eg. not unlike that for Ultima IV. I stopped
playing after that... =) ) You'd probably have to use a hex tilemap,
or some other method to evaluate movement....

Chua
+==+
From: alvalent@husc10.harvard.edu (Alvin Valentine)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Bucknard's Everfull Purse Chart
Date: 26 Jan 93 15:41:49 GMT
Article-I.D.: husc3.1993Jan26.104151.19808
Organization: Harvard University Science Center

It's in the 2nd Ed. DMG it's just poor editing.  I think you'll find the
chart under the Bag of Devouring entry or something like that (my DMG is
not in front of me).  It's in there, just skim around and you'll find it.

 
 

 
Later,
 
Lee Valentine
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: chrisc@cae.wisc.edu (Chris Carey)
Subject: Re: Question about HP (Falling Damage)yes
Organization: College of Engineering, Univ. of Wisconsin--Madison
Date: 22 Jan 93 17:53:54 CST

In article <1993Jan21.174307.5152@wkuvx1.bitnet> kozloce@wkuvx1.bitnet writes:
>In article <19775@mindlink.bc.ca>, Clayten_Hamacher@mindlink.bc.ca (Clayten Hamacher) writes:
>> Falling Damage, Player's Handbook, p 104, column 1.
>> 
>> Falling
>> 
>> Player characters have a marvelous (and, to the DM, vastly amusing) tendency
>> to fall off things, generally from great hights and almost always onto hard
>> surfaces. While the falling is harmless, the abrupt stop at the end tends to
>> cause damage.
>> 
>> When a character falls, he suffers 1d6 points of damage for every 10 feet
>> fallen, to a maximum of 20d6 (which for game purposes can be considered
>> terminal velocity).
>> 
>> More about how people can survive falling miles, and some die tripping over a
>> root.
>> 
>> Looks to me like TSR meant damage to be 1d6 * (height/10') instead of the 1d6
>> + 2d6 etc...
>> 
>> --
>> 
>> Clayten_Hamacher@Mindlink.bc.ca                 Land of the rising snow.
>
>
>
>Trylooking inthe first addition Dungeoneers survival guide for
>guidlines. I seem to remember they covered the subject rather
>thoroughly
>
Yes, they do mean 1d6 * height/10'.  I don't remember how they cover it in the
survival guide, but in one of the older Dragon magazines it's covered VERY
well.

-Chris C.


-- 
Chris Carey, consultant      chrisc@cae.wisc.edu    (chrisc@garfield.wisc.edu)

I wish I had a kryptonite cross, that way I would be protected from Dracula AND
Superman.   -deepthoughts
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: s14539cp@UMASSD.EDU
Subject: Re: Weapons proficiency system (long)
Reply-To: s14539cp@UMASSD.EDU
Organization: UMASS DARTMOUTH, NO. DARTMOUTH, MA.
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 03:40:31 GMT

In article <81858@hydra.gatech.EDU>, ccoprdj@prism.gatech.EDU (Jorge Diaz) writes:
>In article <C1FtDw.Iru@umassd.edu> s14539cp@UMASSD.EDU writes:
>
>>    Your idea about making some levels harder for mages and thieves seems a 
>>good idea at first, but does have one drawback.  A mage by your method could
>>only abtain advanced level by 19th at the earliest if he devoted every slot
>>to that weapon.  A fighter could be grandmaster by 7th devoting every slot.
>
>No, he could not.  I specify in the beginning that a character can never have
>a specialization level greater than his character level.  So, a fighter could
>have (at most) Basic specialization in the first level.

I agree with your reasoning based upon the rules as given by the PHB.  However
in my campaign I do allow the characters to save slots so that they can use
them when they train for higher levels.  I always thought that it was stupid
to have a character not know as many skills as another simply because he was
never exposed to a skill at a lower level.  He should have the opportunity to
learn the skill at a higher level.  I had forgotten that rule, because I never 
use it, that is why I said that he could reach it upon 7th level when he gets
his 6th slot. In my campaign I might limit a character to having twice the
experience level as the spec. lvl.

I personally agree that multi-classed characters should be allowed to have
specialization, however the PHB specifically denies the multi-classed character
specialization.  So you and your DM may want to rethink allowing multi-classed
specialization, between two classes they may not have the time to spec.
From: V276m8gv@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Eric Frohnapple)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Damage S and M vs L
Date: 26 Jan 93 22:34:00 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <C1HCpI.4Kn@cs.uiuc.edu>, silber@cs.uiuc.edu writes...
> 
>>Does anyone have a good reason why weapons do different amounts of damage
>>depending on the size of the creature?
> 
>>For example: 2-H Sword does 1d10 vs small or medium, 3d6 vs large creatures.
> 
>>Yet another incongruency...
> 
>	Longswords, of course, do more against large creatures because
>they are practiacally defined to be the best weapon. The rational for
>others is that some weapons, spears, most swords, etc. are still effective
>at causing deep damage to large creatures, but maces and other weapons
>that result in shallow cuts or bruising/crushing damage are lessened
>in effects.

	A major factor is the weight and leverage of a weapon.  For example,
a heavy and large weapon (two handed sword,halberd...) will do lots of damage
against large creatures partly because they are unable to avoid the blow fully
(they are generally slower than small creatures) and partly because more of the
blade/head of the weapon can strike the target.
	Personally, I think the damage of the long sword is much too high, and
the damage of two handed weapons has been slighted too much (not that it makes
much of a difference to the game writers...)
	Imagine your favorite HUGE creature sitting before you (assume that it
is preoccupied with other combatants so that you can do your research!)  You
have a nice dagger with you.  A dagger thrust just isn't going to do much in the
way of real damage to the creature (yes it has more hit points than a small
creature, but depending on the creature you are talking about, it might not be
technically possible to kill the creature with a dagger...the damage has been
given just to make characters have a chance to at least try to accomplish 
anything.)  On the other hand, imagine using a 12 pound splitting maul (read
halberd or other heavy weapon if you must...)  If you have ever split wood, you
can imagine what this weapon can do to things with thick hides!  But, likewise,
try imagining hitting a small target with one (good luck!)
	In all honesty, in my opinion, the combat system should be geared up
so that the heavy weapons are encouraged more.  These are the proper weapons
for going after Dragons and stuff.  But, then again, I have always been partial
to elves and longswords.  There just isn't as much style in a character with
a huge hammer and the Grrrr, *Smash!* attitude.  :)

Eric
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: IK20001@MAINE.MAINE.EDU (Solipsist@Large)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Psionics Sans Magic
Date: 23 Jan 93 19:24:07 GMT
 <1993Jan23.171621.18239@choate.edu>
Organization: University of Maine System

Andrew Twyman says:
>In article <C13zC3.M4E@bcstec.ca.boeing.com> tjz6090@bcstec.ca.boeing.com (Ted
>Zuvich) writes:
>>world where magic does not work at all, but psionics do?  I'm trying to
>>find out if this idea would be interesting to a majority (or even a
>>significant minority) of the role-playing public.  Please email replies
>>to tjz6090@bcstec.ca.boeing.com
>
>  I don't think that it would work,
>because magic is one of the basic ideas of any AD&D world.  However, it would
>be a worthy experiment, if your players are willing. Perhaps if you're willing
>to do a little work, you could make it fun.  If you do, be sure to tell me
>about it.
>--

Well, I can't speak to Ted's experiement, but I set up a Campaign once
based exclusivly on the Complete Psionics Handbook.  The only race
who had regular AD&D Magic were purebreed elves, and player characters
couldn't be purebreed elves (they were also Immortal....)

It was a *lot* of fun.  I ended up writing psionic versions of Bards,
Rangers, and Paladins, and worked up `Psionicist Kits' for Priests
and `Mages.'  (Psionics were considered `magic' by the populace).  I
also eliminated the proof of divinity, and got some really cool secular
humanist movements going.

On the whole, it was *very* successful.  It still mostly `felt' like
AD&D, but it ran a little more smoothly than an average game.  Furthermore,
the group kept on its toes a lot more....

(And finding `Swords of Elvish Steel' were as exciting as in the Hobbit,
because they were of that alien Elven Magic, which no mortal could
comprehend.  *Lot's* of fun).

So, I suppose you could say I didn't elimianate magic entirely, but
boy people reacted to it differently.

One patch that needed writing in was an expanded system for creating
Psionic Items, new devotations, and new Sciences.  Once that was
there, players could develop however they wished.
--
Eric Alfred Burns                        "Life is full of decisions
Solipsist at Large                        but you never get to make any."
"It's all in your mind"
IK20001@maine.maine.edu                           --Linus Van Pelt
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: dant@cs.utexas.edu (Dan Alexander Thompson)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Programs for AD&D
Date: 27 Jan 1993 09:47:30 -0600
Organization: CS Dept, University of Texas at Austin
NNTP-Posting-Host: latexo.cs.utexas.edu

In article <1k66pu$7v4@agate.berkeley.edu> c9b-ap@po.berkeley.edu (HakLien Chua) writes:
>
>Hmm.. 5 or 6 character generators? Has anyone out there thought of writing
>a combat simulator for AD&D? ( Eg. not unlike that for Ultima IV. I stopped
>playing after that... =) ) You'd probably have to use a hex tilemap,
>or some other method to evaluate movement....
>
>Chua
>+==+


Yes, I have given a lot of thought to just such a program.  Basically, there
are three problems:

  1) Suppose you have a party of 6 fighting 30 goblins.  The goblins are
smart enough to circle around behind, go get help, etc., but only the DM
knows for sure what they'll do.  You have to either come up with an easy
way to move 30 goblins individually--which would be painful--or write such
an amazingly clever automatic move generator that it doesn't matter--which is
basically impossible.

  2) I don't know about the people in your game, but my players like to roll
their own dice.  If they don't, it's just more or less watching a movie on
the computer screen and having to accept what it says as what happened.  If
they do, you have to sit down and type in all the die rolls made by each
player, which is tedious.

  3) If you have bad guys with multiple forms of attack--or god help you,
spellcasting--the DM has to have some way to specify which kind of attack
each baddie is going to use this round.  This could probably be made reasonable
by creating a database with all your monsters and all their kinds of attacks
and which one they *usually* use in a given situation, but creating that
database would be a big pain.  As it turns out, you just about have to have
the database for other nice features anyway.

Still, such a program could be very nice.  For example, it would be no
problem to do individual initiative for all 30 goblins, individual hit points
without having to roll them up ahead of time, automatic loot generation, etc.
The only reason I haven't written such a program yet is that I can't come up
with a spec that I'm happy with.


-- 
dant@cs.utexas.edu  |  The opinions expressed are yours, so get used to them.
     Big Dan        |  "Do you ever get the feeling that the story's too
  The Stingy DM     |  damn real and in the present tense?"  --Jethro Tull
From: thack@antares.tymnet.com (Tom Hackwood)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: CONSOLIDATE:  A single character generator
Summary: another person with the same problem.
Keywords: CONSOLIDATE
Date: 27 Jan 93 04:00:40 GMT
Organization: /etc/organization

In article <C1H3E9.3os@mentor.cc.purdue.edu> tmh@expert.cc.purdue.edu (Todd M. Helfter) writes:
>
>	I am interested and have already compiled a letter to send you,
> however I cannot seem to get through to you via e-mail.
>
>	I am attempting to send to gtd543@sol.crt.columbia.edu
>
>	Please reply.
>
>	Todd M. Helfter
>	tmh@expert.cc.purdue.edu

That makes two of us.

Tom Hackwood
thack@antares.Tymnet.COM

This is not the opinion of             "I may be synthetic,
BT North America, nor is               but I'm not stupid!"
this personal opinion                  - by Bishop from the
endorsed by BT North America.          movie "Aliens"
From: seawasp@vm2.cis.pitt.edu (Sea Wasp)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: WANTED: munchkin generator
Date: 28 Jan 93 01:31:43 GMT
Organization: University of Pittsburgh
Originator: seawasp@unixd1.cis.pitt.edu

In article <1993Jan27.222647.7629@mcs.kent.edu> adray@mcs.kent.edu writes:
>>   #include <sdtio.h>
>>   #define ACCEPTABLE_STAT 18
>>   main (void)
>>   { int i; 
>>     for (i=0; i<5; i++) printf("%d\n", ACCEPTABLE_STAT);
>>   }

>Hee, hee.  I must be tired.  Before I get a hundred messages telling me I don't
>know how to program, I should say that it should be "stdio.h".

>The loop is correct.  Munchkins don't use Intelligence, so there are only five
>stats... =)

	Of course munchkins use intelligence. Where else do you get all those
extra proficiency slots?

	And the #define is wrong; 18 isn't even worth bothering with. Only
girly-man pretend munchkins think an 18 matters.


                                 Sea Wasp
                                   /^\
                                   ;;;