HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: Nick_Janow@mindlink.bc.ca (Nick Janow)
Subject: Re: Advantages
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 1992 08:17:59 GMT

illerl@wharton.upenn.edu

> I have a question for you. I don't know how many skills there are in the
> game you prefer, but do you also think that it's easier to keep track of 50
> skills arranged in standard order, with several unique skills scattered
> among them, than to keep track of 8 to 12 skills in personalized order?
> IMO, the answer to this is a good indication as to whether you would prefer
> GURPS to RQ or vice versa.

My latest Legacy character has 38 skills, which is about average.  I usually
arrange my character's skills in subsections.  Languages and physical skills
are always in the same place; career and other skills are arranged in a way
that makes sense for that character.  For one character, Negotiation would be
in the main career skill section.  For another character, Negotiation might
be in a "Other" subcategory.

That works for me.  Other players prefer alphanumeric order, or even just a
list in whatever order they first wrote them down.

--

Nick_Janow@mindlink.bc.ca
From: cbnorman@cayley.uwaterloo.ca ()
Subject: Re: rec.games.frp.campaign
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 13:44:22 GMT

In article <BxF8K8.Jwt@news.cso.uiuc.edu> jng53092@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Jon Gad) writes:
>gdg019@cck.coventry.ac.uk (Ridley McIntyre) writes:
>
>>In article <BxBLzo.HDH@undergrad.math.waterloo.edu> cbnorman@cayley.uwaterloo.ca () writes:
>>>                      Revised Proposal (November 6, 1992)
>>>
>>>                            rec.games.frp.campaign
>>>
>>>Proposed Newsgroup: rec.games.frp.campaign
>>>
>
>>I'm still confused. Is this for stories based on live campaigns (i.e. campaigns
>Personally, I'm not that clear on this concept, myself.  If rgf.campaign is 
>supposed to be a discussion about ongoing Realtime (non-Net) campaigns, then
>rgf.archives will suffice for summerys and rgf.dnd or rgf.misc works for
>discussion.  No new group needed.  If, on the other hand, rfgc is supposed to
>be a haven for Net-Games, then a lot depends on how its going to be formatted.
>Will rgfc be a place where players would post their actions with other players
>posting thier reactions and actions and so on? 

No.  The guidelines in the proposal clearly do not include provisions for
players posting their moves.  Any such moves must be made in e-mail.

>status, of course.  Actually, the original proposal for rgfc was for it to be
>moderated, wasn't it? 

It still is.

 Ok, then there is a differance, but I can't help but to
>think that having rgfc moderated might not be such a great idea if its going
>to be very much like apd-i. 

It isn't.

>I suppose its certainly possible that rec.games.frp.campaigns is intended to be
>something of a mix of the elements listed above, or even something entirely
>new that I just didn't figure out.  IMHO, a lot more clarification is in order
>here.  Otherwise, I find it difficult to vote for something that I haven't
>gotten a handle on yet.
>
I can't think of a way to more clearly describe it that the proposal.  Take
a look at it again.  If you have any specific questions, feel free to e-mail
me.


Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.advocacy,rec.games.frp.dnd,rec.games.frp.misc
From: cbnorman@cayley.uwaterloo.ca ()
Subject: Re: rec.games.frp.campaign
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 13:45:48 GMT

I'd like to address another issue raised by opponents of rec.games.frp.campaign.
Namely, many people have disected it and told me basicly that each component of
.campaign can be placed in a different existing .frp newsgroup.  This does
not surprise me, after all, their exists a rec.games.frp.misc group, and
frankly, in any hierarchy where there is a .misc group, there is *some* place
for people to post messages about anything even remotely related to the
hierarchy.  This is great, and wonderful, and should definitely stay.
However, obviously, it is not grounds for aborting a new newsgroup as
otherwise we could just add a .misc group to every existing hierarchy and
thus stop any further discussion of new newsgroups.  And hey, if anyone
wants to create a new hierchy, we can always send them to misc.misc....
Rec.games.frp.campaign is all about the campaign, and campaigning, two of the
most important aspects of Fantasy Role Playing.  Despite the fact that
campaigns and campaigning have been discussed in other newsgroups in the past,
the fact remains that their is sufficient interest in campaigns and
campaigning to warrent an entire newsgroup just devoted to them.  If I'm wrong,
then hell, no one in the .frp hierarchy will vote for it.  I think my
proposal is pretty solid right now, and I'm prepared to call for votes.
I will wait another week at least however, and I will still accept
suggestions for improvements.
 

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp,rec.games.frp.misc,rec.games.frp.dnd
From: elascurn@daimi.aau.dk (Lars R{der Clausen)
Subject: Re: Funny/Strange Campaign Settings
Organization: DAIMI: Computer Science Department, Aarhus University, Denmark
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 92 09:12:44 GMT

u855271@franklin.cc.utas.edu.au (Peter Didlick) writes:
>breaker@src4src.linet.org (Guy Sisalli) writes:
>>In article <1992Nov5.151318.19379@odin.diku.dk> torbenm@diku.dk (Torben AEgidius Mogensen) writes:
>>>cmeadows@nyx.cs.du.edu (Chris Meadows) writes:
>>>
>>>>Hello, gamers!  I'd like to ask a question: What was the oddest  
>>>>setting you ever hosted a campaign in?  If it's funny, unusual,
>>>>or out and out weird, I want to hear about it!
>>>
>>>>I don't care what game it is--D&D, GURPS, Amber, whatever.  Just
>>>>give us the details.  :)
>>>
>>>>To start the ball rolling, I'll mention one of my own.
>>>[goes on to describe a slightly unusual city]

>[...]

One of the wierdest I remember (apart from our ChaosWorld setting) was on a
invisible hindenburger (or whatever you call 'em), where we helped a rather
senile magicuser find his spellbook. Around the ship was scattered all kinds
of inventions - silly, useful, nonuseful. Like the everburning match (how
would you contain that?), the everfilled toffeebag, the floating egg boiler,
the box with a button that disappeared when you pressed the button plus
20-odd nuclear missiles...

Just another wierd story

-Lars Clausen
Xref: sparky rec.games.frp:25278 rec.games.frp.misc:8174
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp,rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Silencers and Laser Sights in Shadowrun 2.0
From: alanb@sdl.mdcbbs.com (Alan Braggins)
Date: 11 Nov 92 18:03:27 GMT
 MHART00@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU><1992Nov10.102818.1974@odin.diku.dk><KETIL.92Nov10143606@sandel.ii.uib.no>
Organization: Shape Data (Division of EDS), Cambridge UK
In-reply-to: ketil@ii.uib.no's message of 10 Nov 92 14:36:06

>>>>> On 10 Nov 92 14:36:06, ketil@ii.uib.no (Ketil M. Malde) said:

>	Niels> shouldn't be a real problem in 2053.  Right. After all,
>	Niels> even today we're using lasers for range finding. It

> I'm not sure this is the same thing...but then again, I have never
> seen either a rangefinder or a laser sight.

I've seen a laser rangefinder. I could believe in a rifle mounted
one combined with the sight for Shadowrun. Doppler measurement of
target and wind at same time is pushing it but not impossible.
--
     Alan Braggins, alanb@sdl.mdcbbs.com, abraggins@cix.compulink.co.uk
Shape Data - A division of EDS-Scicon Limited.   Cambridge, UK +44-223-316673
   "Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced."
 "My employer does not necessarily share my views - but I'm working on it."
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp,rec.games.frp.misc,rec.games.frp.dnd
From: fes9s@faraday.clas.Virginia.EDU (Frank Erick Sellin)
Subject: Re: Funny/Strange Campaign Settings
Organization: University of Virginia
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 15:12:15 GMT

In article <1992Nov10.091817.14503@sq.sq.com> lee@sq.sq.com (Liam R. E. Quin) writes:
>u855271@franklin.cc.utas.edu.au (Peter Didlick) writes:
>> The only difficulty was with the furniture in the library.  It was 
>> sentient.  There was a little stool that would wizz you around to
>> different sections in the library that were requested.  However it had
>> the attention span of a three year old and would constantly rush off
>> to do other things when a person was standing on it looking at the
>> highest shelf in the library.
>
>That I like.
>
>I have used sentient furniture in games I've run, but not like that.
>
>I have chairs with tongues...  long tongues...
>who needs a toilet?...

Toilets with tongues? Now *there* ya go... Reminds me of this sick
person I used to know (not a flame, you understand) who, in this
situation used to exclaim, "Man, if I could do that, I'd never
leave my room!"

So sorry, I just remembered this is not alt.sex. 
>

>
>Lee
>
>-- 
>lee@sq.com (Liam Quin) the barefoot programmer; SoftQuad Inc +1 416 239 4801
> OPEN LOOK UI FAQ; Metafont list; HexSweeper NeWS game; lq-text text retrieval
>``They thought him, and they justly thought him, one   [lq-text-request@sq.com
>  Sent to do more than he appeared to have done.''   Wm. Cowper, Conversation

Frank
==============
"Be sure to leave your underpants
 with someone you can trust..."
     --Jethro Tull?
==============
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp,rec.games.frp.misc
From: mason
Subject: Re: Silencers and Laser Sights in Shadowrun 2.0
Organization: Rice University  
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 02:43:52 GMT

In article <KETIL.92Nov9150326@svale.ii.uib.no>
ketil@ii.uib.no (Ketil M. Malde) writes:
 
>> as for range.. 50 meters is pretty arbitrary it sounds
>> like.  If you can see a 1cm detail on the target, you
>> can see the laser dot (ie. at 100 meters, with a
>> telescopic site, you can see the laser dot, and thus
>  :
>> which means you see it from further away than a dark
>> blue dot of the same size).
>
>Well, what I'm concerned about isn't seeing the dot, but the
>ballistics of the bullet.  This of course depends on the weapon and
>ammo used.   The bullet will fall as it moves, after one second, it
>will fall about 5 meters, and your laser dot will be way off target.
 
The distance that a bullet drops in 50 m or even 150 m is fairly
negligible.  And even at extreme ranges, adjusting a laser sight to
accomodate shouldn't be a real problem in 2053.
 
>And yes, if you already have a telescopic sight, why do you want a
>laser as well?  There is no reason the laser should give a more
>accurate position than your crosshair, is there?  On the contrary, the
>scope could more easily be adjusted for range.  I think.
 
A laser scope makes a firearm idiot-proof ... it can be fired from any
position without any doubt as to where the bullet will go.  A samurai
with cybereyes capable of magnification would find a laser scope
preferable to a telescopic one.  All he has to do is point the weapon
in the right direction and pull the trigger -- no need to waste
valuable seconds sighting through a scope.
 
The disadvantage to a laser scope is that it places a nice, visible
red dot on the target, which can be noticed if it stays there too
long.  "Say George, I don't mean to interrupt, but there's a glowing
red dot on your forehead."  I suppose one might use an IR laser, with
appropriate visual modification, but that's a different can of worms.
 
-- mason
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.archives
From: lee@sq.sq.com (Liam R. E. Quin)
Subject: Re: Funny/Strange Campaign Settings
Organization: SoftQuad Inc., Toronto, Canada
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 92 09:18:17 GMT

u855271@franklin.cc.utas.edu.au (Peter Didlick) writes:
> The only difficulty was with the furniture in the library.  It was 
> sentient.  There was a little stool that would wizz you around to
> different sections in the library that were requested.  However it had
> the attention span of a three year old and would constantly rush off
> to do other things when a person was standing on it looking at the
> highest shelf in the library.

That I like.

I have used sentient furniture in games I've run, but not like that.

I have chairs with tongues...  long tongues...
who needs a toilet?...

and don't ask what the tea trolley lives on, or where it gets the food.

Lee

-- 
lee@sq.com (Liam Quin) the barefoot programmer; SoftQuad Inc +1 416 239 4801
 OPEN LOOK UI FAQ; Metafont list; HexSweeper NeWS game; lq-text text retrieval
``They thought him, and they justly thought him, one   [lq-text-request@sq.com
  Sent to do more than he appeared to have done.''   Wm. Cowper, Conversation
From: mac@cis.ksu.edu (Myron A. Calhoun)
Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex
Subject: Let's don't ALL bother Smith Engineering!
Date: 6 Nov 1992 17:46:53 GMT
Organization: Kansas State University, Dept. of Computer Science
Distribution: na
NNTP-Posting-Host: depot.cis.ksu.edu

At the time I posted the name and address of the company which created
the Vectrex, I didn't realize that I might cause it a whole lot of
grief in the form of numerous calls and letters from Vectrex lovers,
each asking for something.

Gregg Woodcock tells me that he has already contacted them.  I suggest
that henceforth Gregg be our "official intermediary" with Smith Engr.;
perhaps this will hold the number of what they may consider "nuisance
contacts" to a minimum and keep them friendly to us all.

This presumes, of course, that Gregg is willing to act as our "go-fer"
and that he will post or otherwise let the rest of us know whatever
he learns.
--Myron.
-- 
# We preserve our freedoms using four boxes:  soap, ballot, jury, and cartridge.
# Myron A. Calhoun, PhD EE; Assoc. Professor  (913) 539-4448 home
# INTERNET: mac@cis.ksu.edu (129.130.10.5)          532-6350 work, 532-7353 fax
#     UUCP: ...rutgers!depot!mac     Packet-BBS: W0PBV @ K0VAY.#NEKS.KS.USA.NAOM
Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex
From: kak1@cray.com (Kevin Kramer)
Subject: I guess I joined at the right time!
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.
Date: 6 Nov 92 15:59:33 CST

I just got a used Vectrex with 12 games and two controllers less than a
week ago and it looks like I got in at the right time!!  I would love
any info about getting more games or documentation for the Vectrex
(especially the service manual, these things have to break eventually)

I guess that I am just letting all you vectrexers out there that i am
here and willing to add whatever I can to enrich the Vectrex expirence.

I can't beleive that a company would let people freely exchange
binaries, sounds to good to be true!

Kevin Kramer

Kevin.Kramer@cray.com
Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex
From: dbell@cup.portal.com (David J Bell)
Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex
Subject: Re: WE HAVE COPYRIGHT AND OTHER PERMISSIONS!!!!!
Date: Fri,  6 Nov 92 21:44:25 PDT
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Distribution: na

Myron Calhoun writes:

>Several weeks ago I wrote letters to General Consumer Electronics, Inc.,
>of Santa Monica, CA, (whose name is on the front of the Service Manual);
>to the Milton Bradley Company, of East Longmeadow, MA (which owned General
>Consumer Electronics); also to Hasbro Corporation of Pawtucket, RI (which
>owns the Milton Bradley Company), and to Sears Corporation (which, at one
>time, sold Vectrexes), requesting permission to
<etc>

with the result that:

>As long as we do not "go commercial" and sell to "outsiders", I believe
>this letter grants ALL OF US (i.e., those in the "group of us Vectrex
>owners" I mentioned in my letters) permission to do the things we have
>been doing and wanting to do:  that is, to "enhance" our personal
>Vectrex game systems by "copying and distributing instruction booklets
>and service manuals" and by "duplicating and/or creating game ROM's for
>[y]our own personal use."

I just want to add:

Myron, congratulatons! And on behalf of all Vectrex owners,
thanks for your persistence and good work...

I'm also a certified (certifiable?) Olde Fart, but I still enjoy 
an occasional game, and my son still has the Vec in a place of
honor in his room. With the near glut of carts we picked up from
that surplus house in Toronto, I haven't yet gotten up the
ambition to make a SuperROM of RAM interface. With the possibility
of new and greater games t come, I'm getting all the more interested!
 
Thanks again!
 
Dave
dbell@cup.portal.com
Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex
From: fcawth@wam.umd.edu (Alfred B. Cawthorne)
Subject: 3D imager, etc...
Organization: University of Maryland, College Park
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 21:33:50 GMT

Hi.  It sure was nice of them to give us permission to copy the manuals, etc..

I have built a cartridge with a bunch of games on it (128k worth, includes
all of the games that work without any additional hardware).  All it is is
a 128K eprom with a bunch of switches on it.  Anyway, I was wondering if
anybody has a schematic for the 3-d imager??  Also, has anybody developed a nice cartridge loader, (i.e. with a serial port or something?)  I may be doing
this soon using a 6811 microcontroller, if anybody's interested.
I would also be very interested in a copy of the service manual, (or
at least the schematics) as mine is not very readable.

                                Fred.

Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex
From: "david shadoff" <david.shadoff@canrem.com>
Subject: can anyone help me? (
Reply-To: "david shadoff" <david.shadoff@canrem.com>
Organization: Canada Remote Systems
Distribution: rec
Date: 13 Nov 92 02:52:46 EST

In message <TROYER.92Nov10133803#finmark.nynexst.com>,
troyer@finmark.nynexst.com (Tom Royer) writes:

>   I'm considering trying to power the entire interface from the vectrex, but
>I don't know how much current I can pull from the cart port.  Does anyone have
>any specs on the power supply in the Vectrex?  (I might need about 750 mA).

This may sound stupid, but you could always build a better power supply
(heck, you've done substantially more already).

 - Dave
 
 /===================================================================\
|    David Shadoff       |  Usenet:  david.shadoff@canrem.com         |
 \===================================================================/
---
  DeLuxe 1.21 #7291  Now the angels wanna wear my red shoes.
--
Canada Remote Systems  - Toronto, Ontario
World's Largest PCBOARD System - 416-629-7000/629-7044
Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex
From: woodcock@crchh427.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Gregg Woodcock)
Subject: Software Liquidators (was: Vectrex Frequently Asked Questions List)
Reply-To: bn202@cleveland.freenet.edu
Organization: Bell-Northern Research, Richardson, Tx
Date: Fri, 06 Nov 1992 19:42:28 GMT

In article <skelly.0drt@amiganet.chi.il.us>, skelly@amiganet.chi.il.us (Sean Kelly) writes:
|>      Hey Gregg....  Any new games for sale/trade lately??

Well I checked with Software Liquidators who gets some stuff in every now
and then but they haven't seen anything.  BTW, they have a new phone number
for some reason (I think maybe one of the warehouses may have been shut
down) which is:

   602.890.0556

Also, the guy who used to check on the Vectrex stuff for us, Kieth, is no
longer working there :(.

P.S. They still do have a functional Vectrex (sans joysticks) available.
-- 
THANX...Gregg   bn202@cleveland.freenet.edu   *ANTIQUE VIDEO GAME COLLECTOR*
ESN 444   day 214.684.7380   night 214.530.2495   *BUY/SELL/TRADE PRE-NINTENDO*
"If you quote me on this I'll have to deny it.  I won't remember because I have
a bad short term memory.  Not only that but my short term memory is terrible."
From: rpfaff@umiacs.umd.edu (Ray Pfaff)
Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex
Subject: Re: WE HAVE COPYRIGHT AND OTHER PERMISSIONS!!!!!
Date: 5 Nov 92 13:58:23 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: UMIACS, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742

Okay, since we have the copyright issue fixed, let me ask this 
question that I and several others have mentioned.  I don't
have access to a prom burner.  If I were to pay for the parts
(so there is no commercial gain), would someone be willing to
burn the proms for some of the games that I was never able to
get (like Dark Tower and Polar Rescue)?
Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex
From: mbi@qdeck.com (Mark Indictor)
Subject: Re: WE HAVE COPYRIGHT AND OTHER PERMISSIONS!!!!!
Organization: Quarterdeck Office Systems, Santa Monica CA
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 00:56:23 GMT

I just subscribed to this newsgroup.  I was previously unaware of its
existence, nor was I aware of the interest in Vectrex.  If I may introduce
myself....

My name is Mark Indictor.  I was one of the original system and game
designers for the Vectrex Arcade System.  I worked originally for Jay
Smith at his company that was then called Western Technologies, and
subsequently worked as a game designer and programmer for General
Consumer Electronics.  I am the author of the following Vectrex games:

   Star Trek
   Spinball
   Mail Plane
   Polar Rescue
   Tour de France (Possibly never released)

Besides games, my other responsibilities included the design and writing 
of the development system and debugging software that worked with the
proprietary 6809 ICE hardware.

I still own and have in my posession the entire development system for the
Vectrex Arcade system.  All hardware and software, prom burner, debugger,
etc.  In addition, I have most of the Vectrex titles ever released, (and
some that were never released), both in cartridge form and on disk,
including in most cases, the source also.  It all works, and gets fired
up about once a year at keg parties.

I can't tell you how many times I almost trashed the entire system.  I
tried to sell it several years ago at a swapmeet and couldn't unload it
for $500.00.  I have since realized its historic potential, and have stopped
trying to sell it.

I would be happy to answer questions, supply games, and perhaps with the
propper permissions, help those who would like to continue the art of
programming this worthy beast.

I will get in touch with Mr. Smith (my former employer), and see if he 
has any reservations about supplying such proprietary information to the
general public.  In the mean time, I just wanted to say 'hello',  and let
you know that all has not been forgotten.

Regards,

Mark Indictor.
Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex
From: dmuntz@quip.eecs.umich.edu (Daniel A Muntz)
Subject: 6809 simulator
Organization: University of Michigan EECS Dept., Ann Arbor, MI
Distribution: na
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 1992 21:54:59 GMT

A 6809 simulator has been posted to comp.sys.m6809.  I haven't tried it yet,
but thought others might be interested.  I believe there is source
for MSDOS and Unix (don't know which flavor).

  -Dan
Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex
From: troyer@finmark.nynexst.com (Tom Royer)
Subject: Development system for PC...
Organization: /u/troyer/.organization
Distribution: rec
Posting-Front-End: GNU Emacs 18.55.2 of Tue Mar 20 1990 on oberon (berkeley-unix)
Date: 13 Nov 92 09:41:41

Just read something interesting in sci.electronics...

Apparently parallel ports on PC/XT's are write-only, but the ports on PC/AT's
are usually bidirectional.  This would make my interface fully compatible with
AT's.  Actually, it would even work on XT's, but you couldn't verify the data
got there (other than trying to run it on the vectrex).

                                         -Tom Royer
                                          troyer@nynexst.com
From: bs066@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Jeff D. Scott)
Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex
Subject: Wanted: Vectrex 'Super-cart'
Date: 6 Nov 1992 13:21:47 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Distribution: inet
Reply-To: bs066@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Jeff D. Scott)
NNTP-Posting-Host: hela.ins.cwru.edu



With the new legality to burning the games I thought I'd post this.

I'm interested in getting a 'Super-Cart' for the Vectrex.  One that
people have mentioned here that has most or all of the games on it.
(made from the correct working images at the archive)

I'd me more than willing to pay for parts/postage.

And I also have some games to trade (although nothing Vectrex related).

If anyone can do this, please get back to me at any of the addresses
below.

Thanks,
Jeff
-- 
Jeff Scott - Calssic Video Game Collector      | Atari (2600/5200/7800/XEGS), |
Cleveland Freenet - bs066@cleveland.freenet.edu| Intellivision, Colecovision, |
Tri-$tate Online - usr5271a@tso.uc.edu         | Vectrex!     Buy/Trade/Sell! |
Ball State U.(alumni) - atariman@bsu-cs.bsu.edu|--Long live the Atari 2600!!--|
Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex