HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: bingcros@leland.Stanford.EDU (Richard Crosby)
Subject: GURPS: Munchkin racial package
Organization: DSG, Stanford University, CA 94305, USA
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 92 00:50:40 GMT

It's taken years and years of careful research and development, but
I've finally finished creating the "ultimate" GURPS racial package:
the infamous Munchkins.  Now players can make 100 point characters
that will outshine any other non-Munchkin with only a few measly
role-playing drawbacks (that can be mostly ignored anyway).  Without
further ado:

MUNCHKIN racial package (-25 points)

 290 Advantages

  50 Increased Strength (x2)
  30 +3 DX
  30 +3 IQ
  30 +3 HT
 100 Damage Resistance 20
  50 Fast Regeneration

-315 Disadvantages

 -20 Reputation -4: Sane people avoid Munchkins
 -60 Jinxed -3
 -50 Short Lifespan (2 levels)
 -10 Dying Race
 -15 Glory Hound
 -15 Great Vow: Challenge every knight met to combat
  -5 Stubbornness
  -5 Pyromania
 -10 Miserliness
 -10 Megalomania
 -15 Kleptomania
 -10 Jealousy
 -10 Intolerance: Everyone who doesn't treat me like a god
 -10 Impulsiveness
 -15 Greed
  -5 Gluttony
 -15 Fanaticism: Self
 -10 Bloodlust
 -10 Bad Temper
 -15 Social Stigma: Munchkins are undesirable in most civilizations

As you can see, Munchkins have some very good advantages going for
them with just some piddly social and mental disadvantages that really
don't get in the way of munchkinizing.  So, make the Munchkin racial
package the choice for your next special PC, and discover what it's
like to be a god incarnate!

Rich
From: dutech@reseau.Berkeley.EDU (Groupe ELEVES)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.advocacy
Subject: Re: Character Development - pointwise
Date: 8 Oct 92 08:15:35 GMT
Reply-To: dutech@reseau.Berkeley.EDU (Groupe ELEVES)

In article <391@mindlink.bc.ca>, Nick_Janow@mindlink.bc.ca (Nick Janow) writes:
> Skills deteriorate relatively slowly.  For such cases, the GM can probably
> simply rule that the player's skill level in a particular skill has been
> reduced by one point.

  I don't think that skills deteriorate at all. I'd rather say you push
the knowledge in a "slow-retrieving" memory. I mean, If you've learned
advanced maths and not practice that skill for years, it will take you
only a few days/weeks to recover most of that knowledge. You don't have
to re-learn it.

  So, if your game system allows for knowledge recovery in this way, you
can say that skills deteriorate. If not, it is bot unrealistic and
unfair for the PCs/NPCs.

  Just IMHO, of course.
		
							Redwing
From: maxxon@swob.nullnet.fi (Mikko Kurki-Suonio)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.advocacy
Subject: Re: game vs reality simulation
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 92 18:05:37 EDZ
Distribution: world
Organization: Sweet Oblivion

urban@stout.atd.ucar.edu (Art Urban (PROFS)) writes:

> Keep in mind 14 points of damage is only -2, and 14 points of damage is a
> darn fine hit...

Depends. If you're wearing DR100+ ultrasuperbattlesuit, I don't think
you're going to even notice anything less than high-powered rifle.

Besides, if it's before armor, the best weapon against superarmor would
a low-powered "super spread" shotgun or similar thing which fires LOTS
of low-power projectiles, ensuring some head hits (even though they do
not penetrate) and forcing a HT roll each! Ain't it fun to knock out
battlesuit troopers with pebbles?



--------
maxxon@swob.nullnet.fi (Mikko Kurki-Suonio)
Sweet Oblivion (+358 0 8092678, V.32bis 8N1) Official SRP Headquarters


Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.advocacy
From: tbarnes@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (thomas wrentmore barnes)
Subject: Re: <none>
Organization: Indiana University
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1992 00:21:13 GMT

In article <08OCT92.19063849.0153@VM1.MCGILL.CA> CX6L@MUSICA.MCGILL.CA (CX6L) writes:
>10. Bonuses versus less-intelligent foes when using
>    abilities like Fast-Talk, as well as a bonus to Guns
>    and Gunner for having a good IQ.

I have always wondered why a high IQ helped only with Guns and Gunner
skill. Why shouldn't high IQ help with learning other physical skills,
more importantly, why don't very low IQ scores hurt when learning
physical skills. I have noticed that highly intelligent people tend to
pick up martial arts skills faster than people of lower intelligence. I
have also noticed that severely mentally retarded people have trouble
learning and remembering ANY skill. As GURPS stands now, an IQ 15 genius
and an IQ 5 moron have the same ability with any number of physical
skills, as long as they have the same ST. This just ain't so.
	Solution:
	
	Each X points of IQ over 10 gives +1 to skill with any physical
skill, up to skill level 15.
	Each X points of IQ under 10 gives -1 to skill with any physical
skill.        
	My suggested value for X is 3.                  

I also think that basing Sex Appeal and Carousing on HT is silly. They
should be based on IQ. (Rationale: The art of being seductive and
flirting requires creativity and a skilled observation of the other
person's reactions. The art of partying and holding one's alcohol
requires good social interaction skills, knowledge of party games, and
knowledge of what to do and where to go to have a good time. It also
includes the wisdom to know how fast to drink, what to drink and when to
stop drinking, rather than just the ability to drink one's opponent
under the table.)

Tom \|/
     0
From: CX6L@MUSICA.MCGILL.CA (CX6L)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.advocacy
Subject: <none>
Date: 8 Oct 92 22:39:06 GMT
Organization: McGill University

In article <1992Oct8.141158.1428@ccsvax.sfasu.edu> z_copeab@ccsvax.sfasu.edu writes:

> Hmm, I like this. I might consider using it this weekend. The only
>problem I can think of is if there is a *big* disparity between skill levels
>because of stats. For example, leave Dr. Braniac with IQ 17, and Gambling-15.
>However, his 'opponent' is Vinnie the Clueless, IQ 9 and Gambling-12. Under
>your system, Vinnie rolls at a skill of (12+3) 15, while Dr. Braniac rolls at a
>(15-2) 13. I don't know, makes those 100 or so extra points the Doc spent on
>his IQ not worth nearly that much. The idea is good, but it just seems to have
>a problem there.

>Brandon Cope


Well, I don't know if Dr Braniac is *really* getting ripped-
off. Look at all the advantages he still has over poor Vinnie:

1. A huge Will roll, Fright Check et al.
2. Good resistance against all IQ-resisted, mind-affecting powers.
3. An excellent perception roll.
4. High defaults in a number of un-contested, useful skills.
5. High levels in the IQ-based skills he does buy, the regular
   use of which is still by-and-large unaffected by this rule,
   certain social skills being the notable exception.
6. An excellent level in his native language.
7. In worlds where magic is an issue, he meets the IQ
   prerequisites for all spells.
8. A much better chance of all his IQ-related advantages
   (Intuition, Empathy, Danger Sense, Magery...) working.
9. A much better chance of recovering from Mental Stun
   due to surprise.
10. Bonuses versus less-intelligent foes when using
    abilities like Fast-Talk, as well as a bonus to Guns
    and Gunner for having a good IQ.

...all things considered, the little edge experience
From: seawasp@vm2.cis.pitt.edu (Sea Wasp)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.advocacy
Subject: Re: What is the best Psionics system?
Date: 12 Oct 92 22:02:15 GMT
Organization: University of Pittsburgh
Originator: seawasp@unixd1.cis.pitt.edu

In article <1bcnimINN2fb@charnel.ecst.csuchico.edu> tdunn@ecst.csuchico.edu (Tim Dunn) writes:
>
>FGU's Other Suns seemed to the the first one that I saw, and I liked it.

	Other Suns has a good system for basically TINY psionics (for most
races, anyway).

	The best system I've seen for good and powerful psionics was
Space Opera.


					Sea Wasp
From: dhoberma@pearl.tufts.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.advocacy
Subject: Re: First game (was Re: Who do you game with?)
Date: 15 Oct 92 19:22:09 GMT
Organization: Tufts University - Medford, MA

> What was your first RPG?


	Hmm. Okay, okay I admit it. I was introduced to gaming when my family
moved to Kaiserslautern, Germany. A friend showed me the stuff, and I was
captivated. Granted not all of it was clear, but it was a start.
AD&D was ALL that was available in the PX (BX?) at the time.

	It was really when I got back to the States that I started gaming
seriously. I think that my first real campaign was a solo game of AD&D
then I switched briefly to TRAVELLER (really patchwork system, but I loved
it) and then started running AD&D campaigns for 4-8 people, later moving on
to MEKTON, CP2020, GURPS, Teenagers From Outer Space (yah!)

	Don't flame me here, but I think that too many people make too much
of a stink over AD&D. They call it a munchkin system.
	Granted: the system is level based. Well so were most other games
		when they first came out. Give it credit for pioneering
		better games.
		Magic and such is somewhat a mess.

	BUT:

	I was able to run great ROLEPLAYING campaigns with AD&D. Maybe
it was just me and my players. I always emphasized the deadliness of combat
and kept treasure to a reasonable level (NO! the spider has nothing inside it)
. This left my players and I to concentrate on what was to become the
 one of the best campaigns I ever ran. Sure the mechanics were uneven and
unbalanced, but at least they are useable (vs. SR etc)
I think it is the people you game with rather than a system that encourages
	munchikins.

	But I will admit, I was very glad to immerse myself in other systems
and genres. 
	I think the only influence that my early days and first games had
(mostly TRAVELLER for the beginning, seriously)
	was that I like to keep things simple, and am in favor of role-playing
as opposed to determining everything by dice. I like to create my own settings
(you should see my campaign binders!) and like input from players about what
they like to see, how things are going.
	Hack-n-slahs just isnt in my blood. Even in Ad&D which does seem
a bit overgeared for combat, I had no problem in creating multithreaded
stories that stretched across sessions and left players remembering events
fondly (real) years later.
	So my two bits: ROLEPLAY not roleplay.

	(heh Bunnies &  burrows by sjg just came out. :)    	
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.advocacy
From: dragon@camelot.bradley.edu (Matthew Korth)
Subject: Re: Anti-RPG programme
Organization: Bradley University
Date:  7 Oct 92 19:29:19 GMT

In <BvnnyB.5qL@csc.liv.ac.uk> scst74@csc.liv.ac.uk (Mr. D.W.F. Liu) writes:
>Hi there,
>	I've been away for 3 months so I'd like to catch up on some news.  A month or so before my summer holidays the rec.games.frp was abuzz over a US programme which blamed roleplaying for the death of this person (can't remember the title of the programme though, think it was FATAL something or other, not sure though) and the usual negative stuff.
>	What I want to know is whether anything ever came out of the debate cos a lot of  people (as far as I could tell) sent letters to the TV station to complain.
>	Anyone remember?

Yes... I remember what it was about, anyway.  A (religious) talk show,
The 700 Club, ran the program you seem to remember.  It featured
several "born-again" former gamers who essentially condemned the game
for supposed "Satanic" influences.  Of course, the reliability of
anything on Robertson's show is very low...

I don't believe anything, other than a form letter from CBN, ever came
out of it.
--
*** Matt Korth *** dragon@camelot.bradley.edu *** dragon@buhub.bradley.edu ***
The Republicans are thinking of changing the Republican Party emblem from
an elephant to a condom, because it stands for inflation, halts production,
and gives a false sense of security while one is being screwed.
From: pcalvert@economics.adelaide.edu.au
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.advocacy
Subject: Re: First game (was Re: Who do you game with?)
Date: 14 Oct 92 07:52:02 GMT
Organization: Economics, University of Adelaide
NNTP-Posting-Host: eco.economics.adelaide.edu.au

In article <1992Oct13.171906.6634@nevada.edu>, wildcard@nevada.edu ( WildCard !!) writes:
> .... [stuff deleted] 
> I have now read several responses and it seems to me that everyone that 
> followed up started out with DND except for me. Now I admit I'm pretty
> young but there had to be more games out there. I myself started playing (and
> GMing) Avlons Hill's ill-fated Powers and Perils and *then* was introduced to 
> DND.
> [more stuff deleted] 
> Anyways, my point is:  did anyone else start out with a game other than DND?
>                       If so, how do you think your game preferences and 
>                       attitudes have been influenced by it?

yep, first edition Gamma World. We had a real hoot with the various 
mutations and laughed when we heard that there was this game called 
Dungeons and Dragons where you started out with only 1HD. Gee, you
could get killed by a single sword thrust.

I never played D&D, but went straight to AD&D the following year, as
there were more players for it than GW. GW was simpler back then and
easier to pick up IMHO than AD&D, but we soon succumbed to the fantasy
format over the dark-future one.
I still enjoy GW now and then, and I've dabbled a bit in other systems,
but for sheer weight of supporting material, (and since I've got a fair
investment in AD&D material, I'll keep using it) I think the T$R money-
making machine isn't too far off the mark.
BTW, I started GW in 1980, and AD&D in '81 and I've tended to stick with
what I know, rather than branch out as much as possible.
	so call me narrow-minded! I'm having fun, are you? ;^)

							...sage
From: jhk6@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (John H Kim)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.advocacy
Subject: Re: (Hero) What is the best Psionics system?
Date: 13 Oct 92 19:36:52 GMT
Article-I.D.: news.1992Oct13.193652.5738
Reply-To: jhk6@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (John H Kim)
Organization: Columbia University

tdunn@ecst.csuchico.edu (Tim Dunn) writes:
>John H Kim writes:
>>>Hero psionics are not that great.  They are fine mechanically but they 
>>>don't really [reflect] the mystery and suspense that psionics [entail]
>
>>	The listed Powers in Hero, like Telepathy, are *not* supposed to be 
>>how psionic telepathy works in all worlds - but is simply the base mechanic 
>>used to build mind-reading powers, whether they are psionic or otherwise. 
>
>Psionics IMPO are like magic -- rare, mysterious and secret.  For a 
>structured rules system to deal with them is to have players (myself *and* 
>most Hero players I've gamed with) say, "Oh, I know how to do that, it's 
>a <blank> with a <blank> advantage and a <blank>" and so forth.
>
>I'd rather there be a system that is conducive to the referee being able
>to maintain some mystery and some wierdness to the game.  It's difficult
>to scare players playing in a brightly-lit room, and it's difficult to 
>scare players playing with a well-structured rules system.

	What exactly are you looking for, then? No written rule system
is going to give your players a feeling of mystery about psionic powers. 
As long as they can read the rules, then they can say "Oh, so he has the 
Nullify power, from page 34." 
	Even in Vampire, I have noticed players calling off what powers 
a Methuselah is using. (Note should be made of Paranoia, however,  which 
does not allow the players to read the rules.)

	The only thing to do here is to make up your own secrets and 
mysteries about psionics, which has nothing whatsoever to do with the 
rules system. I ran a 'secret powers' game once, in Champions - where 
the PC's had taken part in a psychiatric experiment which awakened 
psionic powers in all of them. The players had character sheets for 
normal college students - only *I* knew what their powers were and how 
they worked. 
	One of the PC's had a number of dreams of real events that happened 
while he was asleep - it was not until much later that he realized that 
he was hearing radio broadcasts. 

	My point - perhaps having a poorly structured rule system, or 
turning down the lights does help in creating a mysterious feel for the 
game. However, this is secondary aid rather than a neccessary ingredient. 
The real point to keeping a mystery about psionics is not to let the 
players know the rules that you are using - no matter how they are 
structured. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
John Kim                    | Alice: "But if I wasn't real, I shouldn't be
jhk6@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu | able to cry."  Tweedledum: "I hope you don't
Columbia University         | imagine those are *real* tears."
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.advocacy
From: gordon@sneaky.lonestar.org (Gordon Burditt)
Subject: Re: Sexist (?) Language in Rules (was Re: Q: Looking for "women's" rpg
Organization: Gordon Burditt
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 04:14:50 GMT

>I think I am right in saying that in the front of the AD&D 2nd Ed (at least)
>there is a statement saying that all references to the masculine also inferred
>the feminine, but that it was more readable just to put he, him, etc than 
>him/her, he/she.

In order to avoid sexist or speciest language, the pronoun referencing
a person or creature vaguely resembling a person shall be:

	s/he/it

I think we all already know how to pronounce this.

					Gordon L. Burditt
					sneaky.lonestar.org!gordon
From: mcspikgfm@dct.ac.uk
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.advocacy
Subject: Re: Sexism in Gaming
Date: 7 Oct 92 18:11:44 GMT
Organization: Dundee Institute of Technology


	I am have read your mail about your experiences with gaming and can
quite believe it...I am a member of a group that has a normal ratio of anywhere
from 5:1 to 8:1 ....I am not the 1....The female member is one of our dm's
sister, also our host as it is their house, and she does have problems getting
heard..especially by her older brother on occasions...but it is not
intentional... However..overall the group tends to develop a very balanced
attitude to their characters with there usually being an approximate 50:50
split .... however there have been occasions where this has not been the case.

	In the past we have had 2 male characters and 6 or 7 female characters
which was interesting. Between myself and one of the other male roleplayers,
through different systems and games..we have probably achieved a 80% female PC
rate with no real reason for this bar that it gave more options for roleplaying 
and kept a good balance....(the balance was very secondary!). 

	Certainly stereotypes have been creeping in to our games with a
vengence on occasions but we havent gone to rescue a princess...or anything
that could be accused of sexism....maybe that is because the host/gm is
catholic...I dont know!..

	I have to admit as per the letter that I cant remember a female NPC of
note but there have been some....( I cant remember many Npc's though)...There
are people that have problems being heard in our group..... and thus have poor
roleplaying rewards for their character..but that includes myself along with
the female gamer. 

	I have to say the male answer is true too an extent but it happens to
male players as well...and the theft of ideas....well that occurs for anyone
not quick enough...and unless someone sticks up for them. 

	One of the points about sexism in roleplaying is that it will occur as
it does in society......but that sex does play a part ( and should play) in
roleplaying as it is a fact of life. So...fair enough even it out....but sex is
here to stay.....be you male or female.....Player or character...

	One of the more weird occasions where this occured was where my
character, a female elf called Melandra...slightly insane, polymorphed herself
into a male human and charmed/seduced a female human wizardess as a human mage. 
This occured and there were months when the other characters/players didnt know
about it..but soon she was found out...but it was taken well..as she went into
hiding for a while...It has now created a elf hater out of that player....well
for one specific elf that is....The point is that even though it was unusual
there were no problems and everyone laughed..even Petra( the wizardess)'s
player after a while...

	In our college roleplaying society....we had 7 females signed
up..they havent turned up to the latest meeting but hopefully with a little
persuasion we can get them to turn up regularly to add to the fun of all...


				Ken.(Melandra Flametree)

				(Insane Elf.....Pyrolater/Immolator)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.advocacy
From: seurer@rchland.vnet.ibm.com (Bill Seurer)
Subject: Re: Thanks Loyd!
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 16:51:36 GMT
Reply-To: BillSeurer@vnet.ibm.com
Disclaimer: This posting represents the poster's views, not necessarily those of IBM
Organization: IBM Rochester

In article <911087e.46.719073694@ace.acadiau.ca>, 911087e@ace.acadiau.ca (JOHN ANTHONY ENZINAS) writes:
|> the biggest problem was the lack of anything concrete. there were many many 
|> good ideas (ecoteurs being one of my favorites) but there was nothing solid 
|> on which to base the campaign.
-- 
I think you have missed the difference between the two kinds of GURPS
supplements.  There are the ones like Space, Magic, and CyberPunk which
are truly "generic" in that they don't describe a world but rather how to
make one and what tradeoffs there are.

Then there are "worldbooks" like Fantasy which do describe a specific
campaign.


- Bill Seurer     Language and Compiler Development      IBM Rochester, MN
  Internet: BillSeurer@vnet.ibm.com    America On-Line: BillSeurer@aol.com
From: z_copeab@ccsvax.sfasu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.advocacy
Subject: Re: GURPS Skills
Date: 8 Oct 92 14:11:58 CST
Organization: Stephen F. Austin State University

[oops, name deleted ... sorry ...]

>      Related to the high stats problem is the old issue of
> optimization in GURPS as a result of the skill system. Why
> have a DX of 12 and pay dozens of points for, say, ten good
> physical skills? Why not just buy a high DX, save a lot of
> points, and still have the high skill levels?
>      GURPS, as it stands, provides no sure-fire solution to
> either problem, short of GM intervention. I offer an alternative.
> This is being composed at the keyboard, and has never been play-
> tested, so there are bound to be holes. Here goes...
> 
> When a character buys a skill, do not just record the final level,
> but also where it stands relative to the underlying stat. Then,
> in any situation where the skill is directly contested by a
> skill of another character, apply these numbers as modifiers to
> the skill level. This would not apply to simple "use" rolls of
> the skill: just contests. The reason: a person who has a skill
> at a level equal to their stat plus a large number has a lot
> of points invested in the skill. These translate into hours of
> study in a linear manner. Under this system, a well-studied and
> experienced character can get an edge over a "natural" who has
> a high stat but who has only spent an afternoon practicing.
> This means that optimizers are suddenly faced with a dilemma:
> buy high stats, and get high skills for a half point each,
> and be at a disadvantage in contests, or be very skilled due
> to training (points in the skill), and have an edge.
> 

	Hmm, I like this. I might consider using it this weekend. The only
problem I can think of is if there is a *big* disparity between skill levels
because of stats. For example, leave Dr. Braniac with IQ 17, and Gambling-15.
However, his 'opponent' is Vinnie the Clueless, IQ 9 and Gambling-12. Under
your system, Vinnie rolls at a skill of (12+3) 15, while Dr. Braniac rolls at a
(15-2) 13. I don't know, makes those 100 or so extra points the Doc spent on
his IQ not worth nearly that much. The idea is good, but it just seems to have
a problem there.

Brandon Cope