:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.: -----=====Earth's Dreamlands=====----- (313)558-5024 {14.4} (313)558-5517 A BBS for text file junkies RPGNet GM File Archive Site .:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:. From: rg-frp-announce@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu Date: 11 Mar 93 21:50:07 GMT Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.announce,news.answers,rec.answers Subject: [rec.games.frp.*] Welcome to the roleplaying discussion groups! Archive-name: games/roleplay/part1 Last-modified: 3/10/93 Many FAQs, including this one, are available on the archive site rtfm.mit.edu in the directory pub/usenet/news.answers. The name under which a FAQ is archived appears in the Archive-name line at the top of the article. Welcome to the rec.games.frp newsgroups Please send suggested corrections and additions to the following address: CWATTERS@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu * Asterisks are used to indicate new/updated information. This is the first of a set of semi-monthly posts, all of which are posted to rec.games.frp.announce. 1 Welcome to the rec.games.frp newsgroups! 2 Frequently asked questions, part 1 2a Frequently asked questions, part 2 3 Archive sites with Roleplaying material 4 Roleplaying Mailing Lists and Digests part 1/2 5 Roleplaying Mailing Lists and Digests part 2/2 6 BBS's of interest to Roleplaying gamers 7 Roleplaying Net.*.books, Gaming FAQ Keepers 8*** Armor, armament, and bows in Medieval Times *** - any day now! WELCOME TO THE REC.GAMES.FRP NEWSGROUPS! The Charter for this newsgroup is in the following article, with the answers to frequently asked questions. This article collects important information which will help you use this newsgroup. If you're new to the rec.games.frp newsgroups, please take a few minutes to read the rest of this posting and the associated administrivia postings. If you are also new to netnews, please read through the net etiquette postings in news.announce.newusers, including "Introduction to news.announce," "What is Usenet?", "Rules for posting to Usenet", "A Primer on How to Work With the Usenet Community", "Hints on writing style for Usenet", "Answers to Frequently Asked Questions", and "Emily Postnews Answers Your Questions on Netiquette". Some of these postings may be found most easily in news.answers,rec.answers. Other postings that you should be familiar with, though you don't have to read them all the way through at first, include: "How to Get Information about Networks"; "List of Active Newsgroups"; "Publicly Accessible Mailing Lists, Parts I, II, & III"; "List of Periodic Informational Postings"; "Alternative Newsgroup Hierarchies, Parts I & II"; and "A Guide to Social Newsgroups and Mailing Lists". Finally, here are some regular postings that new users probably don't need to read unless they want to build newsreading software, create a newsgroup, or get more involved with the network than most users seem to: "USENET Software: History and Sources"; "How to Create a New Newsgroup"; "Regional Newsgroup Hierarchies, Part I,II,III"; "List of Moderators"; "How to Create a New Trial Newsgroup"; "Checkgroups message (with INET groups)"; and "How to Construct the Mailpaths File". WHAT DOESN'T BELONG IN REC.GAMES.FRP.*? These groups are *not* intended for the discussion of wargames and other board games, except as directly related to role-playing games; try rec.games.board instead. Nor is this the proper group for discussing computer games. Computer game discussions and spoiler requests for Adventure-type games (such as Zork and Ultima) belong in rec.games.video, rec.games.misc, rec.games.int-fiction, rec.games.mud, rec.games.moria, or the relevant computer-related newsgroup (e.g., comp.sys.mac.games). * The general consensus is that the ROLEPLAYING aspects of games which are primarily tabletop or board games, i.e. BattleTech and WarHammer 40k, are welcome here, postings of a tactical or "wargaming" nature should be posted to rec.games.board* SUGGESTIONS FOR POSTING The following suggestions are intended to SUPPLEMENT the general guidelines for posting to the net. You should already be familiar with the guidelines contained in "Rules for posting to Usenet", "A Primer on How to Work With the Usenet Community", and "Hints on writing style for Usenet", which can be found in the newsgroup news.announce.newusers. The most relevant parts of these postings, or rather the parts of these postings most often ignored on these newsgroups, are: Don't post anything that is intended for only one other person, send flames and arguments through E-mail; Read threads through to the end before adding to them, often other people make your point first (M or m is a very useful keystroke in rn); Don't post "yeah, me too" articles; Don't quote excessively, especially don't quote the entirety of another person's posting and then add two lines at the bottom, if someone wants to read the entire first posting they can go back and read it for themselves. When posting messages to a large newsgroup there are several things you can do to help readers cope with the volume. First and foremost is to use the right newsgroup, and avoid cross-posting. If your posting is an original piece of work which can stand on its own without comments by other people, such as a story or poem based on a roleplaying game, a scenario, campaign background, or the like, then post it to rec.games.frp.archives, the newsgroup for "keepers." If your posting is an announcement about a new roleplaying product, a roleplaying convention, a pbem, and so on, post it to rec.games.frp.announce. If your posting concerns official rules or official game backgrounds for D&D, AD&D1, AD&D2, or BD&D, then post it to rec.games.frp.dnd. If you are posting to buy or sell roleplaying materials, post to rec.games.frp.marketplace. If your posting is intended to convince people that one roleplaying game is better than some or all other roleplaying games, or other inflammatory opinions, then post it to rec.games.frp.advocacy. Finally, if your post doesn't fit into any of the above niches, as is the case with a large plurality of postings, then send it to rec.games.frp.misc. Rec.games.frp is a defunct newsgroup, please post new threads on other newsgroups instead. Second, no matter what newsgroup you post to, please use descriptive titles. Whenever you post an article which is specific to a particular game system, please include the name of the system in the Subject of your post. Subjects like: "Combat initiative in AD&D" or "Champions Character: Nightstorm" are much more informative than "Combat" or "Character: Nightstorm". If you're posting a story, you are urged to include the word STORY in the subject, and to use a consistent title for your work. If you post an article related to Tabolport Net City project, please include the word TABOLPORT in the subject so that the appropriate persons will see Here is a short list of keywords which you may want to include in the subject lines of your postings to rec.games.frp.* META: for meta-discussion about the newsgroup, like this thread LARP: Discussion of "Live Action Role Playing" PBEM: announcement concerning a play by e-mail roleplaying campaign FORSALE: games for sale announcements WANTED: games wanted announcements CON: convention announcements and discussion STORY: stories FLUFF: non-story, non-game, anecdotes, like the bard songs, silly knight names, and other basically humorous offerings. When offering character classes, skill lists, magic spells, monsters, character sheets, and the like, the name of the game system (or its abbreviation) is appropriate for the subject line. I (early in my Net.career) solicited the net for suggestions, yielding an extremely comprehensive list of games and likely abbreviations for them, of which I have extracted the following. If you must abbreviate the name of the game, try to choose an abbreviation from this list. Abbreviation System Name AD&D Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, either edition AD&D1 Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, First Edition AD&D2 Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, Second Edition Ars Ars Magica Btech,btek Battletech C&S Chivalry and Sorcery CHAMPS Champions CoC Call of Cthulu CP2020 Cyberpunk or Cyberpunk 2020 D&D Dungeons and Dragons FH Fantasy Hero GBI Ghostbusters International HERO The Hero System (Champions, Fantasy Hero, Star Hero, etc) MEK2 Mekton 2 MERP Middle Earth Role Playing MSH Marvel Super Heroes Mtrav MegaTraveller PAL Palladium RM Rolemaster RQ RuneQuest SFB Star Fleet Battles SRUN,SR Shadowrun TFOS Teenagers from Outer Space TMNT Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and other Strangeness TRAV Traveller TREK Star Trek, the Role Playing Game T2000 Twilight 2000 V&V Villains and Vigilantes WFRP WarHammer Fantasy Role Playing DISTRIBUTION As always, be sure to choose the proper distribution for your articles. Most discussion deserves "world" distribution, but posters of convention announcements might want to consider regional or even local distribution. Posters seeking gaming groups to join should limit the distribution to the area they're willing to travel. Postings of the latter two are urged to utilize rec.games.frp.announce, geographic distribution is limited by that groups Moderator. FLAMES Some topics have a way of turning into enormous arguments which feed on themselves and take over the newsgroup for long periods of time. Probably the most frequent arguments come from comparison and criticism of different game systems. That's why they have their own newsgroup, rec.games.frp.advocacy. While discussion along these lines can be productive, flames and put-downs are not. Try to remember that people who play a particular system probably like that system; if a friendly recommendation won't get them to switch to something different, personal attacks and insults certainly won't work. At the same time, people should remember that criticism of their favorite game doesn't constitute an attack on themselves. Several truisms invariably come up during arguments about game systems: 1. "The game system doesn't matter as long as you've got a good GM." 2. "Preference of one system over another is largely a matter of taste." 3. "The reason for playing these games is to have *fun*, and whatever game you enjoy is the one that's right for you." Few would disagree with the above statements--but if you post, don't just repeat the obvious. Granted that you like one game better than another, try to explain *why*. Other people may not agree with your preference, but at least they'll be able to learn something about the games you're discussing. A second occasional point of dispute concerns whether Society for Creative Anachronism dueling provides valid data for the purpose of reality-checking combat systems. The prospect of a bunch of people who play games with pencil and paper arguing over the realism of SCA tourneys is ironic, to say the least. All that can be hoped for is that participants in any such discussion will follow the rules of courtesy established by the Society. (In-depth discussion of SCA-related issues should be directed to rec.org.sca.) From: rg-frp-announce@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu Date: 11 Mar 93 21:57:30 GMT Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.announce,news.answers,rec.answers Subject: [rec.games.frp.*] Frequently asked questions Part 1 Archive-name: games/roleplay/part2 Last-Modified: 3/10/93 * Asterisks denote new/updated items. * * Please also see the DND FAQ on rec.games.frp.dnd, the Shadowrun FAQ, and the GURPS FAQ on .misc. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON REC.GAMES.FRP HIERARCHY This posting contains some of the most common questions that get posted in the roleplaying discussion groups, at least those which have stock answers and which aren't answered by the regular postings on news.announce.newusers. Questions Answered: 1: What are the rec.games.frp.* newsgroups for? What are their charters? 2: How do I get hold of a copy of the Net..Book? 3: What is the address for the mailing list? 4: How do I access the Games BBS? 5: Are there any clubs for roleplayers besides the one run by TSR, Inc? 6: Does anybody know what E. Gary Gygax is doing these days? 7: Does anybody know what Steve Perrin/Luise Perenne/Chaosium are doing these days? 8: What is Fluff? 9: What is this rec.games.rpg newsgroup I keep seeing mentioned? 10: What's a Cthulhu? 11: I want to sell some of my old game stuff. How should I go about it? 12: What is Munchkinism? What does the Wizard of Oz have to do with roleplaying games? 13: I've run out of adventure ideas for my game. Does anybody have ideas for new plots? 14: What game magazines are out there? 15: I've heard of the Arduin Grimoire but am unable to find it. Where is it? 16: What is MONTY HAUL?* 17: I want a group dedicated to my favorite game, how do I do it?* 18: What's the Facts on ICE and bankruptcy? * 19: What is FUDGE? Where Do I get it? * * - new or updated items 1: What are the rec.games.frp.* newsgroups for? What are their charters? NAME: rec.games.frp.advocacy CHARTER: Frequently discussion on rec.games.frp amounts to vigorously overstated disagreement about the quality or lack thereof of a particular game system or game company. This unmoderated discussion newsgroup will give readers of the rec.games.frp hierarchy an outlet for such material. This newsgroup would be expected to hold such lines of discussion as: Champions versus GURPS; AD&Dv1 versus AD&Dv2; AD&D stinks; class systems versus skill based systems; game critiques wanted; mine are bigger than yours; and so on. NAME: rec.games.frp.announce (Moderated) MODERATOR: Coyt Watters backup by Joshua Levy CHARTER: This group is intended for all announcements relating to roleplaying games. This may include, but is not limited to, game release announcements, pbem announcements, convention announcements, and any other events. Discussion of material in this newsgroup should be done in the appropriate roleplaying discussion group. Please direct followup lines as appropriate. NAME: rec.games.frp.archives (Moderated) MODERATOR: Mitch Gold backup by Steve Mansfield CHARTER: This newsgroup will serve as a temporary archive for postings that should be archived on one of the anonymous ftp or mail-server sites, and which do not belong in one of the other roleplaying newsgroups. Therefore only finished work such as net.books, campaign background, convention modules, the tabolport project, fiction, poetry, compilations, and so on should be posted here. This newsgroup is not for discussion purposes, and discussion of anything in this newsgroup should take place in the appropriate roleplaying discussion group. Please direct followup lines appropriately. NAME: rec.games.frp.cyber CHARTER: This moderated newsgroup is for the discussion of Cyberpunk specific topics. This group replaces the moderated group rec.games.cyber. Topics of a General Interest should be directed to rec.games.frp.misc. NAME: rec.games.frp.dnd CHARTER: This unmoderated discussion newsgroup is for discussion of the official rules and settings of the D&D family of roleplaying games, produced by TSR, Inc., including Collector's Edition Dungeons and Dragons (D&D), Basic D&D, Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (AD&D), and AD&D Second Edition. This proposed newsgroup would include discussion of TSR's rules and products and compatible products, such as: character classes; character races; monsters; magic spells; weapons; Greyhawk; the Forgotten Realms; the Known World; Dark Sun; Spelljammer; RavenLoft; Hollow World; City State of the Invincible Overlord; and so on. Crossposting between this group and other groups in the rec.games.frp hierarchy is discouraged, however issues of general interest that happen to involve a D&D rulebook or setting are more than welcome. NAME: rec.games.frp.marketplace CHARTER: This unmoderated newsgroup is intended to hold For Sale and Wanted postings for roleplaying game materials. NAME: rec.games.frp.misc CHARTER: This is a discussion group for all aspects of roleplaying games which are not subsumed within another rec.games.frp.* newsgroup. It fully replaces rec.games.frp within the roleplaying newsgroup hierarchy. The acronym "frp" refers to Fantasy Role-Playing, but this does not mean that the scope of the group is restricted to pseudo medieval settings where magic is common and powerful. The common misuse of the word "fantasy" comes from the marketing distinction between the literary genres of science fiction and fantasy. Fantasy actually means anything that is set in a time or place that is **in some essential way** unlike our own. Science Fiction fits this definition of fantasy, as do other genres including Horror, Tolkeinesque High Fantasy, and Westerns. Lines of discussion in this newsgroup can be expected to include, among other topics: roleplaying advice; gamemastering advice; reviews of roleplaying products; scenario ideas; rules; errata; gaming anecdotes; and many peripherally connected subjects. Crossposting between this group and other roleplaying discussion groups is to be discouraged. 2: How do I get hold of a copy of the Net..Book? A: First off, thanks for reading the administrative articles before posting. One of the administrative articles is entitled "Net.*.Books" and contains details of how to get at the Net Books, suprisingly enough. Please check in there before posting a request to rec.games.frp.misc. 3: What is the address for the mailing list? A: Once again you'll find the answer in another of the administrative articles, in this case the two part "FRP Mailing Lists and Digests" posting. If the answer isn't in there, go ahead and ask the net at large - if you get results, please let us know so we can update the postings. 4: How do I access the Games BBS? A: First off, look in the "BBS's of interest to gamers" posting, where a number of games companies' BBS's are listed. 5: Are there any clubs for roleplayers besides the one run by TSR, Inc? A: Yes. There are several. The National Association for the Advancement of Role Playing (NAARP) is nominally an association for the USA only, but accepts members from other countries. CARpg, which is associated with the NAARP, is the Committee for the Advancement of Roleplaying games, and is a strong pro-gaming voice in the fight against BADD and other groups that think that roleplaying is evil. The following is some info for the NAARP. The National Association for the Advancement of Role-Playing, Inc is a national non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the hobby of role-playing. NAARP provides its members with an annual membership directory, so game players can contact each other. NAARP publishes a quarterly newsletter featuring information on upcoming releases from the industry, and news about conventions. NAARP is also dedicated to educating the public about the hobby through tournaments and public discussions. If you'd like a membership form and more information, send an SASE to NAARP, Inc P.O.Box 2752 Chapel Hill, NC 27515-2752 or if you have specific questions E-Mail to USENET chatham!rcarden@duke.cs.duke.edu WWIV Net 94@9955 6: Does anybody know what E. Gary Gygax is doing these days? A: As of May 17, 1992 EGG has completed a multi-genre fantasy roleplaying game for Game Designer's Workshop to be called Dangerous Dimensions. June 5: The name was changed to Dangerous Journeys, rumors were that TSR had some problems with the "D&D" abbreviation. It has been released and is now on the market. 7: Does anybody know what Steve Perrin/Luise Perenne/Chaosium are doing these days? A: Gossip follows: Call of Cthulhu is still their best selling game. Avalon Hill has a new editor for RuneQuest, Ken Rolston, who is planning on publishing several *quality* supplements in 1992. As of summer '91, Chaosium saw a reorg in its management structure. The nomenclature now conforms to present day business conventions. Lynn Willis is now CEO of the company, with Greg Stafford stepping back as President, now working under the title of Chief of Design. Charlie Krank is now manager of marketing and sales. Yes, the two are man and wife, but still, her name is Perenne. Steve Perrin left Chaosium after the failure of SuperWorld to be able to work for different companies on a free-lance basis. He's done some stuff for TSR (Such as the Lankhmar products), and you may find his name on products from other companies. He's also rumored to have done some teevee writing (kidvid), and now to be working in the computer game industry. He may have done work for Spectrum Holobyte. He is still involved with gaming (though his company contract prohibited him from doing any professional work in it) and is part of the con committee for DunDraCon every year. Ran into Steve and Luis Perrin at the Oak, Ash, and Thorn concert at Freight and Salvage a few weeks ago. They're old friends of my wife from her early SCA days. If I remember right, Steve said he was writing material for a computer games company and Luis was doing some sort of commercial art. But I may not have that right in detail... Well, when I'm in the SF Bay Area, I game with Steve Perrin and his "friday night gaming crew". They mostly play Champions; the group is pretty much "all GM's" at this point, so they rotate Game Mastering every couple of weeks. About half the DunDraCon committee is in the gaming group, I'd estimate. scoops are from: henkl@Holland.Sun.COM (Henk Langeveld) Wayne.Shaw@f315.n103.z1.fidonet.org (Wayne Shaw) Nicolai.Shapero@f524.n102.z1.fidonet.org (Nicolai Shapero) Ed Allen allen@enzyme.berkeley.edu Donald Tsang tsang@june.cs.washington.edu 8: What is Fluff? A: Fluff is the polite net.word for stories based on roleplaying campaigns. Net roleplayers are violently divided on the quality and utility of stories on the network. If you post your stories to rec.games.frp.misc please put STORY: at the beginning of the subject line so that those who hate fluff can avoid it and those who love it can find it, and use a consistent title so that those who like or dislike your stories can identify them quickly. 9: What is this rec.games.rpg newsgroup I keep seeing mentioned? A: rec.games.rpg is a defunct newsgroup that was created (amongst some controversy) a few years ago and then promptly deleted from most of the news sites in the world. However, some sites still carry it. It only propagates to 20% or so of the net.world. If you want to discuss roleplaying games but are not interested in the "fantasy" genre your best bet is to participate on rec.games.frp.misc instead of trying to use rec.games.rpg, which reaches only a fraction of the readership of the official groups. 10: What's a Cthulhu? A: H.P.Lovecraft wrote a number of scary science fiction stories in the early twentieth century. These stories, along with others written in conscious imitation of Lovecraft by like minded writers, have come to be known as the "Cthulhu Mythos" of stories after Cthulhu, who is an awful, terrible being from the stars who sleeps in his temple in a sunken island much like Atlantis in the seas of the Earth. 11: I want to sell some of my old game stuff. How should I go about it? A11: Post to rec.games.frp.marketplace. There are several things that you should do if you are selling items through news: (1) describe each item you have for sale, including complete, accurate name and publication information (2) if you have firm prices or minimum bids for items, put them in your posting. (3) supply a valid internet return address. 12: What is Munchkinism? What does the Wizard of Oz have to do with roleplaying games? A12: Munchkinism is similar to "Monty Haul" gaming; however it involves playing at incredible power levels purely for the sake of watching the terrain get blown away by player characters who are unstoppable. Munchkinism also involves "rules rape," wherein players milk every advantage out of the rules. Often a munchkin will carry a favorite character from game to game, usually with the maximum allowable ability scores, skill ratings, etc - and enough hardware/magic to destroy the planet four times over. 13: I've run out of adventure ideas for my game. Does anybody have ideas for new plots? A13: There are only so many times you can use the same plot pattern before it grows tiresome. So use different plot patterns. This is condensed from Georges Polti's _The 36 Dramatic Plots_. Each short plot description starts with the title of the plot pattern. After a hyphen the main characters to be found in the plot are given, separated by commas. Supplication - Persecutor, Suppliant, a Power in Authority Deliverance - Unfortunates, Threatener, Rescuer Revenge - Avenger, Criminal Vengeance by Family upon Family - Avenging Kinsman, Guilty Kinsman, Relative Pursuit - Fugitive from Punishment, Pursuer Victim of Cruelty or Misfortune - Unfortunates, Master or Unlucky Person Disaster - Vanquished Power, Victorious Power or Messenger Revolt - Tyrant, Conspirator(s) Daring Enterprise - Bold Leader, Goal, Adversary Abduction - Abductor, Abducted, Guardian Enigma - Interrogator, Seeker, Problem Obtaining - Two or more Opposing Parties, Object, maybe an Arbitrator Familial Hatred - Two Family Members who hate each other Familial Rivalry - Preferred Kinsman, Rejected Kinsman, Object Murderous Adultery - Two Adulterers, the Betrayed Madness - Madman, Victim Fatal Imprudence - Imprudent person, Victim or lost object Involuntary Crimes of Love - Lover, Beloved, Revealer Kinsman Kills Unrecognized Kinsman - Killer, Unrecognized Victim, Revealer Self Sacrifice for an Ideal - Hero, Ideal, Person or Thing Sacrificed Self Sacrifice for Kindred - Hero, Kinsman, Person or Thing Sacrificed All Sacrificed for Passion - Lover, Object of Passion, Person or Thing Sacrificed Sacrifice of Loved Ones - Hero, Beloved Victim, Need for Sacrifice Rivalry Between Superior and Inferior - Superior, Inferior, Object Adultery - Deceived Spouse, Two Adulterers Crimes of Love - Lover, Beloved, theme of Dissolution Discovery of Dishonor of a Loved One - Discoverer, Guilty One Obstacles to Love - Two Lovers, Obstacle An Enemy Loved - Beloved Enemy, Lover, Hater Ambition - An Ambitious Person, Coveted Thing, Adversary Conflict with a God - Mortal, Immortal Mistaken Jealousy - Jealous One, Object of Jealousy, Supposed Accomplice, Author of Mistake Faulty Judgement - Mistaken One, Victim of Mistake, Author of Mistake, Guilty Person Remorse - Culprit, Victim, Interrogator Recovery of a Lost One - Seeker, One Found Loss of Loved Ones - Kinsman Slain, Kinsman Witness, Executioner 14: What game magazines are out there? A14: Here is a limited list. I know there are more, but these are all available at the addresses given. White Wolf Magazine 4153 Indian Manor Drive Stone Mountain, GA 30083 Bi-monthly, $25/yr US, $40/yr Canada, $52/yr Overseas 404/292-1819; FAX: 404/292-9426 Alarums and Excursions Attn: Lee Gold 2965 Alla Road Los Angeles, CA 90066 Monthly, Postage + $1.50 per issue 310/306-7456 Polyhedron Newszine RPGA Network Headquarters POB 515 Lake Geneva, WI 53147 Silver Griffin Attn: Devlin Janax POB 1751 Saint Paul, MN 55101 The Gamer 127 N. Madison St, Suite 202 Pasadena, CA 91101 818/795-8130 Bi-monthly, $15/yr; $25/yr Canada or Mexico; $40/yr elsewhere Dragon (US) POB 756 Lake Geneva, WI 53147 Monthly, $30/yr; $50/yr anywhere other than US, Canada, or Europe Ph: 414/248-3625; Fax: 414/248-0389 Dragon (Europe) 120 Church End, Cherry Hinton, Cambridge CB1 3LB, United Kingdom Monthly, 16 pounds/yr UK, 24 pounds/yr Non-UK Europe Ph: (0223) 212517 The Unspeakable Oath Pagan Publishing 1409 Wilson Ave. Columbia, MO 65201 Quarterly, $4 per issue Inet: C521832@umcvmb.missouri.edu Tales of the Reaching Moon: THE RuneQuest(tm) Magazine/Fanzine Quarterly, price varies by country UK: David Hall, 21 Stephenson Court, Osborne St, Slough, Berkshire, SL1 1TN, #1.75 per issue, or #5 for three Au: Michael O'Brien, 2/33 Carween Ave., Mitcham 3132, Victoria $5 (AU) per issue US & Canada: David Gadbois, PO Box 49475, Austin, TX 78765, USA, gadbois@cs.utexas.edu, $3 (US) per issue Germany: Dr. Lutz Reimers-Rawcliffe, Theodor-Heuss-Ring 1, D-5000 Koln 1 Norway: Lars-Roger Moe, Hans Hagerupsgt. 1, 7012, Trondheim Sweden: Jussi Hyvonen, Henniksdalsringen 65, S-131 32, Nacka Finland: Lauri Tudeer, Fantasiapelit Tudeer Oy, Laulurastaantie 1, 01450 Vantaa Vortext Vortext Publishing 5506 Beaudry St #C EmeryVille CA 94608 USA Quarterly, US$2.75 per issue, $10 subs. ( 4 issues ) Abyss Ragnarok Enterprises POB 140333, Austin TX 78714 USA Quarterly(?), US$2 per iss, $10/6, $18/12, $25/18 iss Ph: 1-(512)-472-6535 Dungeon Dungeon Adventures TSR, Inc. POB 5695 Boston MA 02206 Bimonthly, US$3.75 per iss, $18/yr subs Interface R. Talsorian Games P.O.Box 7356 Berkeley, CA 94707 One year subscription is $16 USA in USA and Canada, $26 elsewhere. The Eternal Soldier Newsletter Tom Harris 1837 Paddington Naperville, IL 60563 Internet: zonker@ihlpf.att.com The Eternal Soldier Newsletter is a Twilight 2000 /Merc 2000 based amateur newsletter published with the help of GDW. The editor Tom Harris has a net address and will accept submissions for publication via e-mail Articles regarding Dark Conspiracy and Cadillacs and Dinosaurs will be accepted as well. S-mail address is 1837 Paddington, Naperville, IL 60563. Space Gamer P.O. Box 11424 Burbank, CA 91510-1424 (818) 845-4201 15: I've heard of the Arduin Grimoire but am unable to find it. Where is it? A15: When Dave Hargrave passed away the rights to the Arduin line were split between two companies. The two companies' addresses are as follows: Dragon Tree Press 118 Sayles Blvd Abilene, TX 79605 Has rights to Arduin Grimoires IV, V, VI, VII, and VIII (or 5-8) Grimoire Games POB 4363 Berkeley, CA 94704 Has rights to the original Arduin Trilogy, and the Arduin Adventure, which turns Arduin from a D&D supplement (WHICH IT REALLY IS, down to reproducing the typos in the original D&D monster listings) to a free-standing game. 16: What (or who) is Monty Haul? A16: Monty Hall was the host of an American game show called _Let's Make a Deal_, which was on in the 60s and 70s. People would dress up in stupid costumes and come onto the show and Monty would hand them money then talk them into trading it for whatever's behind curtain number one, number two, or number three, or you can keep the money, or you can take this box right here. He would keep on getting them to trade, some times letting them see what they had so far and sometimes not, until they declined to trade any more. Sometimes they would win a car, a hawaiian vacation, an airstream mobile home, and other times they would win a goat, a bucket of rubber monkeys, or a year's supply of automotive wax. The prizes were random, sometimes good, sometimes bad. Gary Gygax dubbed a style of play of D&D where the gamemaster hides treasures behind some doors and monsters behind others Monty Haul style, punning on the game show's host. 17: I want a group dedicated to my favorite game, how do I do it?* A17a: The simple answer is not to do it at all, you'll save yourself a lot of grief and pain if you learn to use a KILLFILE to limit the volume of information you receive. The current hierarchy was forged after a long discussion and massive flaming. If you insist on trying, please read the guidelines for group creation over on news.answers. In a nutshell, you have to start a request for discussion on news.groups, which must be at least two weeks long. In the rec.games.frp.* is was considerably longer, because of all the bugs which were ironed out. After getting an acceptable charter and namespace figured out, then a VOTE must be run. This vote has to meet certain criteria to fulfill the guidelines for group creation. If, and only when the vote is considered VALID, i.e. there are no legitimate complaints about the voting, the new group is created. ALT groups are easier to start, because there is no network control over ALT groups, however ALT is only carried on about 10% of the net. A17b: Check the fourth and fifth parts of this informational bulletin, ROLEPLAYING MAILING LISTS AND DIGESTS, there is a good chance the system you want to discuss already has a mailing list dedicated to it. Mailing lists send the postings directly to your mailer, rather than reading them through netnets. 18: What's the Facts on ICE and bankruptcy? * A18: John Nephew jnephew@carleton.edu: Someone raised the question of ICE's solvency. I asked Bruce Harlick of Hero Games (BruceHH@aol.com) about these rumors, and he responded: >ICE is NOT in Chapter 7, Chapter 11, or Chapter 13. They were in a >voluntary-type of receivership, but it wasn't a formal one. They are >out of that now. They are even starting to pay off their back author >debt! Or so I've heard. ICE should be in fine financial shape. So that should settle the rumors. :) 19: What is FUDGE? Where do I get it? A19: Here's an extraction from: "FUDGE Frequently Asked Questions, (answers by Steffan O'Sullivan):" Q1. What is FUDGE? =================== A1. FUDGE is a free role-playing game (face-to-face table gaming, that is - not a computer game or Live Roleplaying Game). It is just a gaming "engine" - each GM must provide the "body" of the RPG in order to make it work. A certain amount of customization work is necessary in order to use FUDGE, and many things are left unstated: the GM will have to fudge a lot. However, it provides a simple, word-based mechanism for creating characters and resolving actions that is very easy to use in almost any given situation. FUDGE stands for: Freeform (simple, laid-back, not rules-heavy. Customizable to taste.) Universal (usable with any genre.) Donated (it costs nothing, and may be reproduced and given to players legally.) Gaming (role-playing gaming, that is.) Engine (it's just the basic mechanism for character creation and development, as well as action resolution. No world details are provided.) FUDGE was written by, and is copyright by, Steffan O'Sullivan. Much valuable aid was received from many people on rec.games.design, most of whom are credited in the actual FUDGE manuscript. Q2. Who is the target audience? ================================ A2. FUDGE is for experienced GMs, though it can be used with novice players. You must enjoy making decisions on the fly in order to run FUDGE. It's also not for those who want extreme detail. You must enjoy either creating or adapting your own world background, as none is provided (but sample characters from a number of genres are included). Q4. Where can I get it? ======================== A4. FUDGE is available via anonymous ftp from: Site: oz.plymouth.edu Directory: pub/fudge It is in a single, compressed, tarred file called fudge.tar.Z. Ask your sys admin if you don't know how to ftp or extract files from a tarred, compressed file. Basically, after you get the file via ftp (be sure to enter "binary" before getting the file), you first uncompress it then untar it: uncompress fudge.tar.Z tar xf fudge.tar Q5. Can I contribute? ====================== A5. Yes, you can. I am acting as "editor" (or "filter" if you prefer) for suggestions and feedback. This is very subjective, however, so don't be offended if your suggestions don't make it into the main text. My main criteria for including rules are simplicity and necessity. At this point, new suggestions won't make it in the main text for a few months, at best. It is easier to contribute to the Addenda that is attached to FUDGE. I still filter things, but am more tolerant. Simply write a clear, concise rules addition, in ASCII, using existing Addenda sections as guidelines. E-mail any submissions to: sos@oz.plymouth.edu. (MS-DOS ASCII or XyWrite format submissions may be sent to: Steffan O'Sullivan, P.O. Box 465, Plymouth, NH 03264 USA.) From: rg-frp-announce@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu Date: 11 Mar 93 21:57:40 GMT Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.announce,news.answers,rec.answers Subject: [rec.games.frp.*] Frequently asked questions Part 2 Archive-name: games/roleplay/part2a Last-Modified: 3/10/93 [due to popular demand (i.e. some have complained that part 2 of the general FAQs was too big), I have removed the questions about gaming/evil/satan/etc. into a separate FAQ. Numbering begins at 1. ] 1: I have a problem with a friend of mine. He is active in his church and feels strongly that any Fantasy Roleplaying Game is Evil. What can I tell him? A0: Roleplaying is an escapist activity that requires a good imagination, but it is not recommended for those with a poor grip on reality. It does not make weirdos, it simply attracts them. That aside... I have five different answers for you. You can pick and choose, depending on which one is most applicable to your own situation. A1: tgt33358@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Deus Imperator) replies: Tell him this story: A young boy with STRONG roots in christianity became disenchanted with religion in general as he grew up. He fell into very antisocial behavior (thieving, pyromania). While in high school, he ran across a kid who knew a LOT about magic, and played D&D. Our disturbed hero fell in with this crowd, and soon was playing D&D regularly. He always played evil characters. Now this poor soul never really read for pleasure. In fact, *all* that he had read for the past three years was _First Blood_ and _Rambo_. One of the players recommended the Dragonlance series to him. He loved it, empathizing with Raistlin 100%. He read the first book in one night, bought the next two, read BOTH in one night, and begged his DM to give him more. His pleas were granted: Thomas Covenant; Dune; David Eddings; Tolkien. Soon this maladjusted youth began writing himself, specializing in poetry. He expanded his reading range, including such great works as Les Miserables, all of Joyce, and, oh yeah, the Bible. Indeed, our wayward youth regained his faith, and now this year published a book of poetry, dedicated to me: The DM. True story. Oh, yeah. For what it's worth, he wants to become a priest. A2: DDK2@psuvm.psu.edu (Dan Kopes) replies: Have the religious "friend" read _Le_Morte_D'Artur_ by Malory (or Steinbeck's version). And then have him watch the Family Channel's animated version of the Prince Valiant comic. It's on Mondays at 8pm. Yes, you read right. Pat Robertson's Family Channel is running a new show based on the Prince Valiant comic. It's a little cheesy but it would be a good way to show a religious person that the Arthurian Legends are not satanic literature. Because it is from these stories that most frpg's formed. Dragons, knights, damsel in distress... all of these came from the Arthurian Legends. So, if one set of armored warriors, pious priests, and knowledgeable wizards are OK to read, then why isn't another group? I made a list of crucial elements that were in the first several episodes of Prince Valiant, all of these are also the backbone of most RPGs: 1) Evil baron defeats good guys and exiles them from their home. - What!? A religious channel is saying that the bad guys win?! - In FRPs this is the plot hook that sets the good guys into doing something to regain the home. 2) Prophetic dreams - sounds like Robertson's channel is delving into mysticism. - Used in FRPs to nudge the adventurers into going the right way. 3) Spell casting - by swamp witch and Merlin - It seems it's OK to pretend that spells exist in stories... - One of the spell casters is a good guy so this throws out the idea that magic is evil or satanic...only some of it is. And the good guys do NOT use the evil magic. 4) Authority figures can be evil and corrupt - another baron suppresses his people and forces the blacksmith's daughter to marry his wimpy brother. - In FRPs this sets up a lot of adventures...the good guys have to overthrow the abusive leader. 5) Monsters are real and dangerous to let live... - The very first episode had a giant lizard, probably meant as a dinosaur or dragon. - In FRPs monsters as opponents are a staple in an adventurer's diet. They have to be killed/defeated for the greater good. Now, have your religious "friend" watch this show which is broadcast nationally on a religiously affiliated network. Robertson himself has spoken out against Fantasy Roleplaying Games, but he broadcasts a TV show that is very similar to most FRP campaigns. A3: Many people seem to think that Fantasy Roleplaying is inspired by black magic and Necronomicon-like grimoires. In fact, J.R.R. Tolkein's _Lord of the Rings_ and _The Hobbit_ and the world of Middle Earth, which are primary influences on almost all Roleplaying games, were primarily inspired by Christian (Catholic, to be precise) ideas. J.R.R. Tolkein was a devout Christian, and a close friend of C.S. Lewis, one of the great Christian thinkers of our (or any) time, and writer of the fantasy and science fiction classics (respectively) The Chronicles of Narnia and the trilogy comprising "Out of the Silent Planet," "Perelandra," and "That Hideous Strength." Some of Lewis's work in "That Hideous Strength" is acknowledged inspiration from Tolkein's writing (not to mention a large dose of Christian theology). Yes, Virginia, Christianity and fantasy can coexist. Another FRP-like Christian fantasy is _The Faerie Queen_ by Edmund Spenser, with the Red-Cross Knight and other allegorical characters engaging in typical FRP exploring and monster killing. Roleplaying gamers should also emphasize that their games exist in a moral world (that is, of course, if their players do not regularly play evil or psychopathic characters) and that wrongdoing and skullduggery usually rebound on the bad guys. Despite the fact that TSR strongly discourages evil player characters -- providing scenarios that are aimed almost exclusively at good and neutral alignments -- most critics think that players are all thrilling in immoral deeds. They don't realize most of us play the good guys, in the white hats, who ride off into the sunset after the last scene. A4: Finally, one of the things that humans enjoy the most is telling or listening to a bashing good story. Jesus was well known for telling stories, as have been many very holy men and women through history. Fantasy Roleplaying Games are just another way of telling stories, which may or not be objectively good, but are generally enjoyed by the participants and certainly involve lots of bashing. A5: In case you are being persecuted by those who think they are only doing the christian thing by trying to convert you from what they see as a satanist or evil conspiracy to the only right and true way you may find the following arguments to be useful. Pierre Savoie of CaRPG supplied the following refutations of commonly quoted "facts" used by the anti-roleplaying set. The original claim of a teen committing suicide due to D&D was a hoax. In 1979 James Dallas Egbert III disappeared from Michigan State University, as described in a book by the detective on the case, William Dear (THE DUNGEON MASTER, 1984, Ballantine, biographies). Dear rambles a lot and he may be dramatizing too much, but he made headway not from talk about D&D played in underground "steam tunnels" on the campus, but only after he contacted a man who was keeping boys as young as 11 in his apartment, who claimed to know where Dallas was. It turns out the boy was 16 years old and in his sophomore year, a genius but also lonely, on drugs, and gay. He "ran away from it all", got stoned down in those tunnels, and staggered over to the home of a gay friend. This person got nervous when later the police search started, and Dallas was shuttled from gay to gay until he ended up in Louisiana with "friends". It could have been a prostitution ring involving juveniles. Dear's only concern was to bring the boy back, so he kept the facts hidden for 5 years until he wrote the book. For that reason D&D continued to be blamed, esp. nine months later when Dallas committed suicide (probably out of embarrassment). I don't know how far to trust Dear's account, particularly because of his choice of title to "market the book better". The very first published anti-D&D writings were from the Rev. John Torrell in 1980 (Christian Life Ministries, now called European-American Evangelistic Crusades, in Sacramento, CA). Torrell claimed that "these players go nuts with it! They start confusing fantasy with reality." That's an ironic claim in view of his own published "political" views in his newsletter, THE DOVE. In 1986 to the present, he claims that Ronald Reagan secretly surrendered the U.S. to the Soviet Union at the Iceland Summit in 1986, with a five-year transition period before the Russians assumed complete control. Well, guess who surrendered to whom! He has also claimed that George Bush's membership in the Order of Skull And Bones fraternity at Yale means that he has devoted his life to Satan! Torrell also claimed that the logo for the Seoul Olympics was a cyclic "666" symbol, and many other inanities. A perfect conspiracy theorist. Torrell's radio show got kicked off one radio station for making anti-Catholic remarks, but he wound up on another station. The famous woman who claims her son killed himself due to D&D, Patricia Pulling of Richmond, Virginia, is in league with some pretty questionable people. It seems she's a sort of guest director of the National Coalition on Television Violence (NCTV) run by Dr. Thomas Radecki from near Chicago. This man has put out loony claims that people are severely influenced by violent acts seen on TV, and counts the number of violent acts per hour. According to his criteria, The Smurfs average 13/hr.! He also says tickling, snowball fights, Donald Duck cartoons, the Christian Broadcasting Network, etc. are all bad for the mind, and that anger should be suppressed because "only God has the right to be angry", in flagrant opposition to the catharsis theories of his psychiatric discipline. Now, every issue of THE NCTV NEWS has a margin column where a "partial list of endorsers" is listed. Notice that it's "partial", so they want to bring out what they feel are the most notable names who "support" them. One of these names is Prof. J. Phillippe Rushton of the University of Western Ontario, in London, Ontario, Canada. This professor published his theories of a "race hierarchy" where Blacks were rated inferior to Whites, and both ranked below Orientals. He got some of his funding from an American group called the Pioneer Fund, which is said to be racist. And yet he is listed as a notable endorser of Pat Pulling and Thomas Radecki from 1985 to at least 1989! This raises the possibility that various little "causes" such as D&D-bashing are really to raise funds for what REALLY interests these groups... hatred and racism. The only Catholic tract against the game of D&D had to be pulled out of religious bookstores--because of its sources of information. This was called "Games Unsuspecting People Play--Dungeons and Dragons" by The Daughters of St. Paul Press in Boston (light green cover, sub-digest size, 24 pages or so) and authored by Louise Shanahan. Originally this was from a Canadian Catholic magazine called OUR FAMILY in Battleford, Saskatchewan, re-made into a tract. However, two of their "sources" of information on the game were the Rev. John Torrell and also Albert James Dager (who calls Catholicism the "Babylon Mystery Religion", claiming it's a mix of true Christianity and Babylonian rituals such as communion and the confessional). Since both of these were anti-Catholic, the tract was discontinued, and the DSP will no longer accept any manuscripts from Louise Shanahan! She obviously didn't research these sources sufficiently. I did, and gleefully pointed it out to the publisher, which withdrew the tract. In the book CRUEL DOUBT by Joe MacGinnis, he seems to claim that D&D was the link between Chris Prichard and the friends he asked to help him kill his step-father. In fact, they ALSO went to the same school (North Carolina State) and lived in the SAME dorm, but these common factors were somehow not considered contributory to their conspiracy the way D&D-playing was. The motive for the killing, in these recessionary times, was greed for an inheritance, not drugs or game-playing. Interestingly, a lot of attention is focused on the 70 cases a year in the U.S. of kids who murder their parents. The number of parents who murder their kids in the same time is 2000! (see IN PURSUIT OF SATAN) If videos of Sean Sellers (a teen on death-row in Oklahoma) are presented on THE 700 CLUB as testimony of the link between violence and D&D, it is only because videos are all they can come up with. They can't link up with him live--because he no longer claims that D&D caused his crime! In a letter dated Feb. 5, 1990 from Sean Sellers to game designer Michael Stackpole, Sellers concluded with, "Personally, for reasons I publish myself, I don't think kids need to be playing D&D, but using my past as a common example of the effects of the game is either irrational or fanatical." Remember, people on death row are opportunists. They will claim that UFOs tampered with their brains and this caused them to kill. They will claim most anything to get parole, and who can blame them? Of course, as more judges and wardens are D&D-players, such a claim will not be possible within 10 years. In this case, concerning D&D, familiarity will kill the contempt against the game rather than 'breeding contempt'. Only distance and ignorance breed contempt against the game. The more the game is known, the less people make claims against it! TSR Inc. does a little to debunk anti-D&D claims, and an organization of game manufacturers called the Game Manufacturers' Association (GAMA; c/o Greg Stafford; Chaosium Inc.; 950A 56th St.; Oakland, CA; 94608) has done a lot to research these claims. However, there is now a fan-based organization I helped to found in 1988 called the Committee for the Advancement of Role-Playing Games (CAR-PGa). The principal people are as follows: William Flatt 8032 Locust Ave. Miller, IN 46403 tel. (219) 938-3382 [very dedicated to the issue because his father assaulted him for playing D&D, with a vacuum cleaner pipe] the Rev. Paul Cardwell, Jr. c/o Hippogriff Books 111 E. 5th St. Bonham, TX 75418 [a gamer who prefers Chaosium-style rules, author of the MYTHWORLD game, and an ordained United Methodist minister (teaching, not preaching) aged 58!] Mr. Pierre Savoie 22-B Harris Ave. Toronto, ON M4C 1P4 CANADA tel. (416) 690-6985 [age 30, analytical chemist by trade. I initially kicked off CAR-PGa with some diligent research on the exact groups which criticize D&D. Sometimes jokingly called "Head of Research" in the organization because I have 5 feet deep of files and correspondence on the subject.] The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation did a radio show on their AM network in the "Ideas" series, Canada's most intellectual radio program, entitled "Dungeons and Dragons" (aired May 29, 1991). It concluded as follows: "The National Coalition on Television Violence and BADD say they have a hundred and twenty-five cases of D&D-linked deaths. Only forty of these cases have been published and half of those are anonymous. The ones they do cite details for have no causal link with games. In every trial where Mrs. Pulling and Dr. Radecki have appeared, always as expert witnesses on the defence side, the defendants were convicted anyway, and in no case adjudicated by the courts has gaming ever been implicated in any crime." This is not some schlock show, and transcripts are offered for most of their programs, including this one, for 5 Canadian dollars per airdate. To order, indicate the title and airdate of the show and send CDN$5 or equivalent to: CBC IDEAS Transcripts; P.O. Box 500, Station "A"; Toronto, ON; M5W 1E6; CANADA. I assisted a little in the research for the show, and you may find it a refreshingly positive broadcasting of the facts about game-playing. There are at least two books in print so far which debunk anti-D&D theories in the context of "Satanism". These are: SATANISM IN AMERICA: How the Devil Got Much More Than His Due by Shawn Carlson and Gerald Larue, 1989 by Gaia Press (P.O. Box 466; El Cerrito, CA; 94530-0466; tel. (415) 527-9414) It is spiral-bound, 280 pages and the price is $12.95 (Californians add .94 tax) plus $1.50 postage. 50 of these pages is a special appendix by game designer Michael Stackpole of Chaosium Inc. directly dealing with the anti-D&D claims. IN PURSUIT OF SATAN: The Police and the Occult by Robert Hicks (1991 by Prometheus Books; 700 East Amherst St.; Buffalo, NY; 14215; tel. (716) 837-2475). Hardcover, 420 pages, US$23.95 plus maybe $3 postage. 25 pages devoted to D&D by this criminal analyst, plus additional chilling references. For example, in Chicago there is a wing of the Hartgrove Hospital called for the Center for the Treatment of Ritualistic Deviance. It's influenced by silly Satanism seminars, and one of the criteria for being a potential patient is "heavy involvement in fantasy and role play [sic] games". Therefore, a young teen can be "hospitalized" here with the consent of his parents for being a D&D-player--all legal and proper! This book was given a favourable review in an editorial in the July 1991 DRAGON, by Michael Stackpole, who curiously did not mention his own involvement with the first book.] --> generic!pnet91!pro-micol!psavoie@zoo.toronto.edu (Pierre Savoie; Micol Labs BBS; Toronto. A.k.a. DRACONIAN) From: rg-frp-announce@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu Date: 11 Mar 93 21:57:57 GMT Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.announce,news.answers,rec.answers Subject: [rec.games.frp.*] Roleplaying mailing lists and digests part 1/2 Archive-name: games/roleplay/part4 Last-modified: 3/10/93 MAILING LISTS AND DIGESTS part 1/2 In addition to rec.games.frp, there are a number of mailing lists and digests on the net which may be of interest to role-playing enthusiasts. The difference between a mailing list and a digest is that a digest is collected, edited, and distributed by an editor, while a mailing list simply forwards all incoming mail to a list of subscribers. Mailing lists tend toward high volume with many digressions; digests tend toward low volume with high signal-to-noise ratios. Note that some forums are available only for a monetary charge. I do not wish to include them in this posting, and will not do so knowingly. I appreciate anything you can tell me about the forums in this resource list. Contents: The RuneQuest (tm) Digest MULTI USER DUNGEON (MUD) List Flashlife The Tekumel Digest The Elfinkind Digest The Pern Digest Stafnord RolePlayers (digest) BattleTech digest Fimbulwinter Newsletter Abandon Babylon ADND-L GMAST-L ROBOTECH - Robotech Mecha Listserv Group Conflict Simulation Games List SHADOWRN -- discussion of the Shadowrun fantasy game ** SHADOWTK -- Interactive fiction ** MYTHUS-L -- Dangerous Journeys Digests ------- Name: The RuneQuest (tm) Digest Contact: RuneQuest-Request@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM (Henk Langeveld) Trouble: Henk.Langeveld@Sun.COM List: RuneQuest@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM Status: Active Archived: FTP from Runequest Digest archives (q.v.) Automated access via GRASS-SERVER (q.v.) Info Updated: 21-Jul-1992 Notes: The RuneQuest Digest is courtesy of Henk Langeveld (Henk.Langeveld@Sun.COM). It is a collection of articles, discussion, and source material for use with Chaosium's RuneQuest fantasy role-playing game. In July 1992, list maintenance has been taken over from Andrew Bell (bell@cs.unc.edu) who started it as the RuneQuest Digest back in 1988. Current plans are to automate the separation of "Discussion" and "Digest" as introduced early 1992. Under this regime, the Discussion would become the plain mailing list, would be an automated mail relay, while reserving the Digest for longer articles and collections of Discussion articles. Name: MULTI USER DUNGEON (MUD) List Contact: jwisdom@gnu.ai.mit.edu Status: Active Info Updated: 4-Apr-1991 Notes: If you are new in the MUD world, or are simply looking for new places to get into, try subscribing to Internet Games MUD-List today! Make sure to include the string "mud list" in the subject header. Name: Flashlife Contact: flashlife-request@netcom.com (Carl Rigney) List: flashlife@netcom.com Status: Active Archived: Mail from archive-server@veritas.com Info Updated: 15-Aug-1991 Notes: A Digest for GMs of Shadowrun and other cyberpunk roleplaying games to discuss rules and scenarios, ask questions, make up answers, and similar fasfax. Name: The Tekumel Digest Contact: tekumel-request@ssdc.honeywell.com List: tekumel-digest@ssdc.honeywell.com Status: Active Archived: anonymous FTP from: rainbow.cse.nau.edu in /rpg/tekumel (uncompressed) potemkin.cs.pdx.edu in /pub/frp/tmp (compressed) quayle.mu.wvnet.edu in /pub/rpg/uploads (compressed) Info Updated: 15-dec-1991 Notes: This mailing list exists to discuss the world of Tekumel, the fantasy world invented by M.A.R. Barker in the roleplaying games "Empire of the Petal Throne" and "Swords and Glory", and the DAW novels "Man of Gold" and "Flamesong". Anything related to Tekumel is welcome: game modifications, accounts of campaigns, questions, fiction, tables, NPCs, tips for converting to new game systems, etc. Listeners as well as contributors are welcome. This list is in digest format and is mailed when submissions warrant it (weekly if possible). Name: The Elfinkind Digest Contact elflist@lorbit.UUCP (R'ykandar Korra'ti) Status: Active Info Updated: 2-Apr-1992 Notes: I run a small mail-based digest for elves and interested observers. It has been in existence for a couple of years now, but has not been posted about in public before. We have an open membership policy, so if you're interested in being added to the distribution list, please let me know. Details will be made available upon request. Name: The Pern Digest Contact pern-l-request@spec0.ee.man.ac.uk List: pern-l@spec0.ee.man.ac.uk Status: Active Info Updated: 15-Mar-1992 Notes: For those who are interested: the Pern digest is now in existence. It's still in its very early stages so bear with the moderator -- it'll take time to get going. Please put "Pern" or "Pern mailing list" in the subject of any messages you send Malcolm about the mailing list/digest. Name: Stafnord RolePlayers (digest) Contact: pierre@prpa.philips.com (Pierre Uszynski) List: No automated mailing. Send to the contact/editor. Archived: Partial, no automated access yet. Info Updated: 6-Mar-1992 Notes: Stafnord RolePlayers (SRP) is an open informal gaming group dedicated to role-playing games on the San Francisco peninsula (California, USA). SRP itself does not organize games, the game masters do. SRP provides a forum for scheduling games, finding players, finding game masters, sharing worlds and systems, etc... SRP generates a weekly newsletter to keep everybody aware of upcoming and ongoing games. We email 3 pages weekly, plus supplements at the beginning of new games. Name: BattleTech digest Contact: lsdav9376%7669.dnet@east.gsfc.nasa.gov (Glen Davis) List: No automated mailing. Send to the contact/editor. Archived: mail to lsdun4044%7669.dnet@east.gsfc.nasa.gov Info Updated: 2-Apr-1992 Notes: This list is a forum for the discussion of Battletech and related games such as Renegade Legion. Mail messages are grouped and mailed out periodically. Name: Fimbulwinter Newsletter Contact: dfn@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu Trouble: dfn@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu List: dfn@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu Status: Active Archived: All. Request in mail. Info Updated: 24-Sept-1992 Notes: Fimbulwinter is a playtester newsletter dedicated to discussion of Ysgarth and To Challenge Tomorrow from Ragnarok Enterprises. It includes a question and answer section, articles on world background, examinations of game mechanics and previews of upcoming releases. It was originally conceived and designed as a newsletter for playtest groups, but it is now also available to the general net public. It can also be subscribed to in hard copy at $5 for 4 issues from Ragnarok Enterprises at POB 140333, Austin, TX 78714. Name: Abandon Babylon Contact: dfn@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu Trouble: dfn@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu List: dfn@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu Status: Active Archived: All. Request in mail. Info Updated: 24-Sept-1992 Notes: Abandon Babylon is a topical news and info zine on Popes & Princes and other strategy games from Ragnarok Enterprises. It includes a question and answer section, articles on world background, examinations of game mechanics and previews of upcoming releases. It was originally conceived and designed as a newsletter for playtest groups, but it is now also available to the general net public. It can also be subscribed to in hard copy at $5 for 4 issues from Ragnarok Enterprises at POB 140333, Austin, TX 78714. Mailing Lists ------------- The next few items are BITNET mailing lists. To join any of them, send a mail file to the CONTACT address where the first line of the mail file consists of the command: SUBSCRIBE (e.g. "SUBSCRIBE GMAST-L John Doe") Your successful subscription request will prompt the list-server to send you a mail message with complete information on how to sign off the mailing list and make other changes to your subscription. Read it and keep it, or you'll be kicking yourself later when you're snowed under by mail and don't know how to stop it. Send actual submissions to the LIST address. Do NOT send requests to sign off, requests for help, etc. to the list--you'll only succeed in annoying people. Do not send submissions to the contact address; it is a simple-minded program which will reject them. Name: ADND-L Contact: LISTSERV@PUCC.BITNET List: ADND-L@UTARLVM1.BITNET Status: Active Info Updated: 1-Feb-1991 Notes: The ADND-L mailing list is for the discussion of all aspects of TSR's Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) and Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (AD&D) role-playing games. A full archive of this list *might* be available through LISTSERV on UTARLVM1. Name: GMAST-L Contact: LISTSERV@UTCVM.BITNET List: GMAST-L@UTCVM.BITNET Status: Active Info Updated: 1-Feb-1991 Notes: The GMAST-L mailing list was originally created for the development of computer RPG aids, but it metamorphosed into a mailing list covering the concerns of the role-playing game GM (Game Master). Pretty much every role-playing game on the market has been discussed at some length, as have the various facets of ole-playing game design. (Most D&D discussion goes to ADND-L, however.) Limited archives are available, if you know how to use the LISTSERV database search functions. Name: ROBOTECH - Robotech Mecha Listserv Group Contact: LISTSERV@USCVM.BITNET List: ROBOTECH@USCVM.BITNET Status: Active Info Updated: 1-Feb-1991 Name: Conflict Simulation Games List Contact: LISTSERV@UALTAVM.BITNET or LISTSERV@vm.ucs.ualberta.ca List: CONSIM-L@UALTAVM.BITNET Status: Active Info Updated: 1-Feb-1991 Notes: CONSIM-L is a new list to provide an unmoderated environment for discussion of historical conflict simulation games, particularly the games published in Strategy and Tactics and Command magazines, but also including boxed games from such publishers as The Avalon Hill Game Company, Victory Games, and Game Designers Workshop. The explicit purpose of CONSIM-L is to provide a platform for discussion of recently published games, but discussion can range over the general topics of conflict simulation design, military history, tactics and strategy, game collecting, convention and club announcements, or any other topic related to conflict simulation games. As is the case on all unmoderated lists, the discussion and topics are only limited by the participation and interest of its subscribers. Subscribers are welcome to take an active role by posting and/or an inactive role by monitoring the list. Although not necessary for participation, it shall be assumed that all subscribers are basically familiar with board wargames. Name: SHADOWRN -- discussion of the Shadowrun fantasy game Contact: LISTSERV@HEARN.BITNET List: SHADOWRN@HEARN.BITNET List Owner: Brett Barnhart Status: Active Info Updated: 4-Mar-1992 SHADOWRN is a list for the discussion of the game Shadowrun. This can be questions, comments, stories (fluff), anything to do with the game Shadowrun. Archives of SHADOWRN can be listed by sending the command INDEX SHADOWRN to LISTSERV@HEARN.BITNET ******* Name: SHADOWTK Contact: LISTSERV@HEARN.BITNET List: SHADOWTK@HEARN.BITNET List Owner: R Andrew Hayden Status: Active Info Updated: January 22, 1993 SHADOWTK, bitnet convention for ShadowTalk, is a Listserv devoted to the role-playing game Shadowrun, which is published by FASA. Shadowrun takes place in the year 2054 and centers in the city of Seattle. ShadowTalk is an attempt to emulate the public communications networks presented in the game. An FAQ is posted monthly and is available from the owner. ******* Name: Dangerous Journeys: Mythus Mailing List (Mythus-L) Contact: LISTSERV@BROWNVM.BROWN.EDU List: Given when subscribed List Owner: mpearson@lynx.dac.northeastern.edu Status: Active Info Updated: 1/8/93 Notes: This mailing list exists to provide free and available support for the GDW Dangerous Journeys: Mythus Role Playing Game System. An FTP site is forthcoming and we appreciate any files relating to the game you can send us! Please send all submission of files to the listowner. To Join: Send a message to: LISTSERV@BROWNVM.BROWN.EDU Text of message: SUBSCRIBE MYTHUS-L If you put HELP on another line in the text you will get some help on other listserv commands. From: rg-frp-announce@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu Date: 11 Mar 93 21:58:18 GMT Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.announce,news.answers,rec.answers Subject: [rec.games.frp.*] BBSes of interest to roleplayers Archive-name: games/roleplay/part6 Last-Modified: 2/5/93 BBS's for Roleplayers Contents: The Steve Jackson Games BBS -- Austin, Texas, USA The Red October BBS (Hero Games) -- Austin, Texas, USA ** The Harnline BBS (Columbia Games) -- Vancouver Canada Blacksburg Tactical Research Center (BTRC) Internet Mail Address Necropolis of Dreams (Ragnarok Games) -- Austin, TX, USA The Broken Blade BBS (Unaffiliated) -- Seattle, Washington, USA Astral Void BBS (Unaffiliated) -- Mesa, Arizona, USA Red Star BBS (Vervan Net backbone) -- Burlington, IL, USA Purgatory BBS (Unaffiliated) -- Salem, Oregon, USA Bladerunner BBS (Unaffiliated) -- Waltham, Mass. USA The DUNGEON BBS (Unaffiliated) -- western (?) NY State, USA TeleDunjon III and IV (Unaffiliated) -- Dallas/Ft Worth, Texas, USA Smasher Land BBS (Unaffiliated) -- Athens, Ohio, USA U Want What!?! BBS (Unaffiliated), Macon, GA, USA StormGate Aerie BBS (Other Suns), somewhere, 310 area code, USA The Fantasy Shop (Unaffiliated), Suitland, Maryland, USA ** The Guild (Unaffiliated), Los Angeles, California, USA ** Mindvox (Unaffiliated), New York, NY, USA ** Dunkelzahn's Lair (Unaffiliated) Amherst, MA, USA GAME COMPANY BBS's Several RPG companies now run their own electronic bulletin boards. To connect to them, you must use a personal computer and a modem. (Exception: the BTRC address is not a BBS, but a real live game designer with an internet connection.) Name: The Steve Jackson Games BBS -- Austin, TX, USA Dial: (512)-447-4449 Comm Settings: 8-N-1 (7-E-1 may work too) Baud: 300,1200,2400 Info Updated: 3-Dec-1991 Notes: Steve Jackson Games operates a two line BBS, named the Illuminati BBS, with discussion areas for most of SJG's games, including GURPS. Much of the playtest feedback for new products comes from the BBS. Name: The Red October BBS (Hero Games) -- Austin, TX, USA Dial: (512)-834-2548 Comm Settings: 8-N-1??? Baud: 300,1200,2400??? Info Updated: 1-Feb-1991 Notes: Red October is the semi-official BBS of Hero Games. Many Hero games supplement authors regularly call and there are several discussion boards about Hero Games. There are also pre-release beta test versions of most of the upcoming supplements from Hero Games, as well as up-to-the- minute news. Name: The Harnline BBS (Columbia Games) -- Vancouver Canada Dial: (604)-998-1703 Comm Settings: 8-N-1 Baud: 300,1200,2400 Info Updated: 20-Sep-1992 Notes: Columbia Games (makers of the Harn series of campaign supplements and the fantasy RPG system Harnmaster) has a BBS called Harnline. There are currently about 50 files, mostly unpublished material or revisions of published material. User contributions are encouraged. The home of Harnline is Duffle Board - Rob Duff runs the board. Because of the cost of calling Vancouver, Canada, from various parts of North America and Europe, Columbia joined Vervan net (see below for information on how to use it). Name: Blacksburg Tactical Research Center (BTRC) Email Address Info Updated: 19-Nov-1992 Notes: Greg Porter of BTRC is available for any and all questions relating to the BTRC's line of games and game products (TimeLords and SpaceTime RPG's, Macho Women with Guns, 3G, CORPS, WarpWorld, etc.). BTRC is an AMERICA ONLINE (AOL) account, Internet readers can use BTRC@aol.com . Name: Necropolis of Dreams (Ragnarok Games) -- Austin, TX, USA Dial: (512)-472-6905, (512)-472-6220 Comm Settings: 8-N-1 Baud: 2400, 9600 Info Updated: 4-Dec-1992 Notes: Necropolis of Dreams has been online for almost 8 years. It features over 50 message bases with a heavy concentration on gaming and game design as well as alternative political and arts topics. It is sponsored by Ragnarok Games (publishers of Ysgarth, Suburban Slasher, To Challenge Tomorrow, etc), but discussion is not limited by that and a wide variety of gaming topics are addressed. The user base is very active and much fun is to be had by all. Operating 24 hours on both lines. NON-AFFILIATED ROLE-PLAYING GAME BBS's There are quite a few Independent BBS's with a strong RPG slant out there in the great land of telecommunications. Any comments on the suitability of including them in this file are welcomed. Note that the compiler of this list cannot check out these BBS's to ensure that they work as described. If you send information about a BBS to me, please make sure your information is *complete* and accurate. Thanks. Name: The Broken Blade BBS -- Seattle, Washington, USA Dial: (206) 781-9424 Comm Settings: 8-N-1 Baud: 300,1200,2400 Info Updated: 31-Oct-1991 Notes: Mike Owen is the sysop of the Broken Blade: a free access bulletin board system. Although the message base is oriented toward general-purpose discussions (there are only a couple of RPG-oriented message areas), quite a few files are available of interest to RPGers. Name: Astral Void BBS -- Mesa, Arizona, USA Dial: (602) 834-6065 Comm Settings: 8-N-1 Baud: 300,1200 Info Updated: 6-26-1991 Notes: Tony Hamilton runs a Roleplaying BBS. The Astral Void BBS is home to role-players who conduct games on the message boards, and also PBeM games. The BBS is single-lined, and currently is running 11 games. New product information is posted for all the major game companies, along with occasional reviews. There are also various text files on-line concerning various role-playing topics. Name: Red Star BBS (Vervan Net backbone) -- Burlington, IL, USA Dial: (708) 683-2390 -- (vervan net is at other sites too) Comm Settings: 8-N-1 Baud: 1200-9600 -- HST or V.32 Info Updated: 15-Nov-1991 Notes: There's at least one BBS network devoted solely to playing RPGs that you might want to look into. It's called V-Net. For information about V-net, contact: Joel Veeneman P.O. Box 7 Burlington, IL 60109 Internet: joel@redstar.marcal.com UUnet: uunet!devcom!marcal!redstar!joel Fidonet: 1:115/639.0 Name: Purgatory BBS -- Salem, Oregon, USA Dial: (503) 370-9739 Sysop: ??? Comm Settings: 8-N-1 Baud: 300 - 14400 Status: Down ??? I've heard reports that Purgatory is down Info Updated: 16-Mar-1992 Notes: Linked to Vervan's Gaming Network as well as half a dozen other nets (including Usenet through a Fido Gateway operated by Joel Veeneman -- see entry for Vervan Net). Main thrust of the BBS is gaming and there are online games for about a dozen systems. In addition we also are one of the biggest Occult BBSs in the Pacific North-West with a great deal of files on the subject. The other thrusts are Fantasy/Sci Fi, and current events debate and discussion type echos. Name: Bladerunner BBS -- Waltham, Mass. USA Dial: (617) 891-7338 Sysop: Laird Popkin (laird@think.com) Comm Settings: 8-N-1 Baud: 300 - 2400 + PEP (Trailblazer Plus) Info Updated: 14-Sep-1991 Notes: Connected to the Citadel and usenet networks (as blade.via.mind.org). The BBS runs STadel (a Citadel variant) on an Atari ST. Topics discussed: Role Playing Games, GURPS, Warhammer, AD&D, Call of Cthulhu, Hero/Champions, as well as assorted Fantasy and SF and computer-related topics. There are also a number of online games, and discussions of SF, various computers, and whatever other topics arise. There are no online time limits or upload/download rations. Name: The DUNGEON BBS -- Buffalo, NY State, USA Dial: (716) 656-8573 Comm Settings: 8-N-1 Sysop: Master DaarKhan ??? Baud: 300 - 2400 Info Updated: 14-Sep-1991 Notes: Western New York's finest board devoted to fantasy role playing. Features include over 50 message bases of all types, most of which are WWIVnet, the world's second largest private network. WWIVnet @ 7653 Name: TeleDunjon III and IV -- Dallas/Ft Worth, Texas, USA Dial: (214) 960-7654 and (214) 238-1568 Sysop: ??? Comm Settings: 8-N-1 Baud: 300 - 2400 Info Updated: 14-Sep-1991 Notes: The Teledunjon III and Teledunjon IV boards offer play-by-modem roleplaying games. They also publish the TeleDunjon Journal, an irregular online magazine for modem RPG enthusiasts. If you're in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex (north Texas) or can afford to call it regularly, check out the Teledunjon systems and join a game (or run your own). Name: Pyramid BBS, DC Metro Area, Virginia Dial: (703) 912-9878 Sysop: Terilee Edwards Suite 548, 7010 Brookfield Plaza, Springfield, VA 22150 Comm Settings: 8-N-1 Baud: 300 to 2400 ? Info Updated: 1 October 1991 Notes: A free BBS, with two areas dedicated to gaming, with one area for live action role playing gaming and discussion and bulletins about the Interactive Literature Foundation (a live gaming organization). Name: Smasher Land BBS (Unaffiliated) -- Athens, Ohio, USA Dial: (614) 593-8359 Sysop: Scott Mash Comm Settings: 8-N-1 (Proboard v.1.17) Free Baud: 300 to 2400 Info Updated: 29-Feb-1992 Notes: Smasher Land has textfiles and utilities for AD&D, GURPS, Shadowrun, Fantasy Hero, Champions, Traveller, etc. As well as a messagebase for each. Smasher Land also offers a variety of online games that are accessable by all users. Internet/Usenet limited access is now available to all users on Smasher Land BBS. You can send email to any internet, bitnet etc. address. Name: U Want What!?! BBS, Macon, GA, USA Dial: (912) 471-7629 (soon 2 lines) Sysop: Richard Weeks Comm Settings: 8-N-1 Baud: 300 to 2400 Info Updated: 15-Feb-1992 Notes: Several RPG doors are functioning including Barons, Axoru (shareware for now), Steller Quest, Trade Wars 2002, and others. We have an AD&D and RPG message area and I am a 14 yr Dungeon Master for AD&D, as well as playing and GM for Dragon Quest, Champions, RIFTS, V&V and others. !!!Name: StormGate Aerie BBS, somewhere, 310 area code, USA Dial: 310-822-6729 Sysop: Nicolai Shapero Comm Settings: 8-N-1 Baud: 300/1200/2400/9600HST/14400HST Network: Fidonet Info-Updated: 15-Apr-1992 Notes: OTHER SUNS (sf role playing game) headquarters. Several multiplayer role playing games available through echomail. (A FidoNet echomail conference is similar to an unmoderated Usenet newsgroup.) Name: The Fantasy Shop, Suitland, Maryland, USA Dial: 301 967 1843 Sponsor: Washington Metropolitan Area Gaming Society Contact: Jon F. Zeigler Comm Settings: 8-N-1 Baud: 300/1200/2400 Info-Updated: 2-May-1992 Notes: The Fantasy Shop is a new (less than 2 months old) BBS sponsored and operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Gaming Society. It is devoted to discussion and on-line play related to all aspects of the gaming hobby, particularly role-playing games. There are as yet no user fees, although access is greater for members of the Society. The new-user's password is "WMAGS". Name: The Guild [FTS] Type: CNet 2.x (Amiga 2000) Location: Los Angeles, CA Admin: Guy Bartoli To Contact: gbartoli@guild.socal.com Ph#/Address: 310-641-6909 (5 lines) Bps: 300/1200/2400 Bits/Par/stop: 8N1 Access details: RPG'ers, Cyperpunks, and opinionated people welcome. Fees: RPG games and all local discussion groups are free of charge. Access to UseNet requires a small donation to subsidize paying for my feed. Desc: The Guild [FTS] is approximately a year old. It was founded with the premise that it would be primarily a RPG oriented BBS, but has since evolved into carrying many different SIG's. The Guild [FTS] >does< pick up the rec.games.frp.* hierarcy and is also a member of the C-Link network (private FIDOnet, over 120 nodes world-wide), which also has forums on RPG games. Notes: None - Give The Guild a call, and please mention that you saw it advertised on the UseNet so that I know where you are coming from. Name: MindVox Location: New York, NY Administrator: Phantom Access Technologies, Inc. To contact: info@phantom.com - 212-988-5987 (voice) Ph#/Address: 212-988-5030 (or telnet phantom.com) Access Details:24 local dial-ups @ 1200 - 19.2k / Live on Internet Fees: Ranges from $10 - $15 per month - flat rate Description: MindVox offers access to about a dozen single and multi player games online, ranging from the classics like Adventure Rogue, Hack, Empire, Larn and UltraRogue, to continuing work on its custom object-oriented virtual world called MAELSTROM. MAELSTROM is currently up and down depending on its testing status but is expected to be solid by late 1992. Members can also use MindVox to access a list of 10 different Multi-User Dimensions throughout the United States, Germany and Sweden (the latter two come with english-version toggles and various MUD's include 3-d graphics and POV player location charts). A huge variety of material and scenarios to deal with, their development team at Phantom Access includes some of the members of the original teams that designed the first online multi-player games to ever exist. Notes: MindVox is the system of Phantom Access. It's very large and covers a wide variety of features and services that are included in signing on (Usenet, worldwide Chat network, online single and multi-user games, etc). The main focus of MindVox is on Cyberspace and role-playing. They have been covered in dozens of articles both hard-copy and electronically. One of the principle owners is a writer for Mondo 2000; most of the owners are ex-Legion of Doom and other older hacker groups. Overall its a very interesting place to hang out even discounting the games. All new accounts are offered demo-time to look through the system and get familiar with its features before subscribing. Name: Dunkelzahn's Lair Type: TinyMUD hybrid (With message bases, etc.) Access: (413) 543-0148 During the School Year. Location: University of Massachusetts, Amherst Description: For everyone who likes games. Also offers a reactive environment for posting. Note: Is run on a 286, so is not the true MUD, it is a hybrid version. Name: Toronto Twilight Communications (TTC) Type: PCBoard v14.5 (IBM, AMIGA, MAC support) Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Administrator: Rick DiLorenzo (SysOp), Various Co-SysOps To contact: cs922056@juno.ariel.yorku.ca Ph#/Address: (416) 733-9012 DATA Access Details: All BPS rates, 6 Nodes, N-8-1 supported Fees: FREE Description: AD&D, Call of Cthulhu, D&D, GURPS, Paranoia, Lost Souls, Rifts, many others. Notes: Call - any games not listed may be set up and run! On-line doors (20+, from Trade Wars 2002 to The Pit), 1.2gb file section (2 CD-ROM drives), 5+ mail networks. MORE LISTS OF BBS'S If you find a BBS which is of interest to other games, let us know. If possible, please use the following template. Multiple lines for each entry are OK. Name : Type : Location : Administrator : To contact : Ph#/Address : Access Details : Fees : Description : Notes : From: rg-frp-announce@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu Date: 11 Mar 93 21:58:08 GMT Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.announce,news.answers,rec.answers Subject: [rec.games.frp.*] Roleplaying mailing lists and digests part 2/2 Archive-name: games/roleplay/part5 Last-modified: 3/10/93 MAILING LISTS AND DIGESTS part 2/2 The next large group of entries describe Internet mailing lists. Some of them allow automated subscriptions and/or archive retrieval, others do not. To join, send electronic mail to the address listed under "Contact:". Send submissions to the "List:" address. Contents: Traveller Mailing List Ars Magica Mailing List GRASS (Generic Religions and Secret Societies ) Champions mailing list TORG Call of Cthulhu Mailing List Warhammer Mailing List CAMELOT mailing list VAMPIRE Mailing List IFGS Mailing List Forgotten Realms Mailing List Interactive Literature Foundation (ILF) mailing list Warhammer 40K Mailing List San Francisco Bay Area Gamer's Mailing List ** Miniatures Mailing List Ravenloft Mailing List Amber Mailing List ** The Wizards of the Coast announcement list ** The Talislanta discussion group ** The Primal Order discussion group ** The Experts development group ** The Rivals of Estedhil development group ** The Art of Game Mastering development group ** The Military Order development group GURPS Announcements GURPS discussion group ** Chaosium Digest ** - new or changed entry. Name: Traveller Mailing List Contact: traveller-request@engrg.uwo.ca (James T.Perkins) List: List address made available once a new member has subscribed. Archived: FTP from ftp.engrg.uwo.ca (129.100.100.12) Info Updated: February 5, 1993 Notes: The Internet Traveller Mailing List is intended for the discussion of the Traveller Science Fiction Role Playing Game, published by Game Designers' Workshop. All variants of Traveller (Traveller 2300, MegaTraveller, The New Era), and Traveller games (Snapshot, Trillion Credit Squadron, etc.) are included, too. Discussion is unmoderated and open to all facets and levels of Traveller discussion. Listeners as well as contributors are welcome. Past messages are available via anonymous FTP from ftp.engrg.uwo.ca (129.100.100.12) in the /pub/traveller directory. The list manager can retrieve old articles, too (but try the automated sources first, please). The archive site is graciously administered by Dan Corrin . Name: Ars Magica Mailing List Contact: ars-magica-request@soda.berkeley.edu List: ars-magica@soda.berkeley.edu Archived: FTP from soda.berkeley.edu Info Updated: 12-Mar-1992 Notes: An FTP-able archive exists at soda.berkeley.edu in the pub/ars_magica directory. Send requests for archive info to Shannon D. Appel . Name: GRASS (Generic Religions and Secret Societies) Contact: GRASS-SERVER@wharton.upenn.edu List: GRASS@wharton.upenn.edu Administrator: GRASS-REQUEST@wharton.upenn.edu Archived: Mail to GRASS-SERVER@wharton.upenn.edu Info Updated: 29-Jun-1992 Notes: The GRASS (Generic Religions and Secret Societies) mailing list is a small working group formed in order to write up religions and secret societies for use in role-playing games. Both real-world and fictional religions and secret societies are covered. Before you join GRASS you must demonstrate that you are serious about at least occasionally producing something useful by producing a substantive original writeup of a religion or secret society in some format or another and sending it to grass@wharton.upenn.edu. Once you have sent your first writeup in you will be added to the mailing list. We do have a preferred format for write-ups. In order to get a copy send mail to GRASS-SERVER@wharton.upenn.edu with a subject line of GET GRASS.FORMAT You do NOT have to join the mailing list in order to see what the mailing list produces. Anyone can use the mail archive server to retrieve articles or discussion logs. Archives may be retrieved via GRASS-SERVER. To use the GRASS-SERVER, send mail containing the command HELP within the subject line and/or the body of the mail message to: GRASS-SERVER@wharton.upenn.edu Name: Champions mailing list Contact: champ-request@elysium.esd.sgi.com List: champ@elysium.esd.sgi.com Status: Active: Info Updated: 1-Feb-1991 Notes: The list manager asks that new subscribers include their address (preferably in domain notation) in their subscription request. Name: TORG Contact: torg-request@morticia.cnns.unt.edu List: torg@morticia.cnns.unt.edu Administrator: torg-owner@morticia.cnns.unt.edu Archived: FTP from morticia.cnns.unt.edu. Status: Active Info Updated: 15-Aug-1991 Notes: An Internet mailing list to discuss the possibilities of the Infiniverse. For information, send email to the contact address. On the subject line, type the single word "help". This mailing list is also gatewayed to the usenet newsgroup alt.games.torg. To subscribe, send email to the contact address. On the subject line type "subscribe" (or "sub"). No parameter is necessary for the subscription command. Optionally, you may type your name after the subscription command. It will be visible on the list along with your address. Optionally, also, you may give the command "subscribe -". This hides your address from others on the list. To unsubscribe, send your request to torg-request. The subject line and/or the first line of the mail should read: unsubscribe {user} where {user} is the address that you wish to unsubscribe. Torg archives are available via anonymous ftp in pub/lists at morticia.cnns.unt.edu. You may make submissions in the directory pub/lists/submissions The list is coordinated by Clay Luther (cluther@morticia.cnns.unt.edu). Name: Call of Cthulhu Mailing List Contact: cthulhu-request@cs.qmw.ac.uk Status: Active Info Updated: 12-May-1991 Notes: A mailing list for discussion about *the* horror frp. CoC. Name: The Warhammer Mailing List Contact: wfrp-request@morticia.cnns.unt.edu List: wfrp@morticia.cnns.unt.edu Administrator: wfrp-owner@morticia.cnns.unt.edu Status: Active? Info Updated: 30-May-1991 Notes: For the discussion of Games Workshop's Warhammer Universe, the Old World, Warhammer Fantasy Role Play, and Warhammer Fantasy Battle. The Warhammer mailing list is running ListMan 1.0b List Manager software. To subscribe, send email to the above request address and as the first word on the subject line or any line in the text of the message put the word "sub". You may also include a parameter with the sub command. This parameter will be treated as your *real* name, not your address (which is determined from your mail headers). You may also send wfrp-request other commands, not the least of which is "help". Name: The Stormbringer Mailing List Contact: stormbringer-request@ocf.Berkeley.EDU,appel@soda.Berkeley.EDU List: stormbringer@ocf.Berkeley.EDU Status: Active Info Updated: 25-Feb-1991 Notes: The Stormbringer mailing list exists for both the fans of Michael Moorcock's books and those who enjoy Chaosium's games, STORMBRINGER and HAWKMOON. Name: CAMELOT mailing list Contact: camelot-request@castle.ed.ac.uk List: camelot@castle.ed.ac.uk Status: Active Info Updated: 15-Jun-1991 Notes: A new mailing list on the subject of Arthurian legend and Grail Lore. The 'Matter of Britain', as it is known, in all its guises and all related subjects will be discussed in an unmoderated mailing list. Camelot is a forum for discussion of all Arthurian fields of interest. The mailing list is new (started on 11 Jun 1991) and is run by Chris Thornborrow, a (new) member of the Pendragon Society who has studied Arthurian legend and Grail Lore for quite a while. Name: VAMPIRE Mailing List List: VAMPIRE@math.ufl.edu Contact: VAMPIRE-REQUEST@math.ufl.edu Administrator: Bob Slaughter Archived: anonymous ftp to soda.berkeley.edu in pub/vampire Info Updated: 5-jun-1992 Notes: There is now a mailing list dedicated to the White Wolf Role-Playing game, "Vampire". To subscribe, send a message containing "sub vampire" to LISTSERV@math.ufl.edu. To UNSUB, send a message containing "unsub vampire" to the listserver as well. The is optional, in case you want to receive the list at a different mailing address. Name: IFGS, International Fantasy Gaming Society Contact: Greg Trotter List: ifgsrpg@slinky.fidonet.org Status: Active Info Updated: 03-Sept-1991 Notes: This is a FidoNet/Internet email list for the promotion and discussion of Live Action Roleplaying games, mainly of the IFGS variety (but we LOVE to hear about other games like SIL/ILF, The Fantasy Alternative, The Great Escape, etc.) Name: The Forgotten Realms Mailing List Contact John Feldmeier List: fr@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu Status: active Info Updated: 12-Jan-1992 Notes: Anything involving the Forgotten Realms is accepted. Name: Interactive Literature Foundation (ILF) mailing list Contact: ilf-info-request@han.paramax.com List: ilf-info@han.paramax.com Status: Active Info Updated: 20-Sep-1992 Notes: This mailing list is for the discussion of live action role playing, most often the type not covered by IFGS-style games, but open to all discussions of interactive literature (another name for live action role playing games!). US Mail address for the ILF: PO Box 196 Merrifield, VA 22116-0196 The ILF's quarterly journal is called METAGAME and articles about live action role playing are always welcome! Send articles to: jim@visix.com. Other questions about the ILF should be sent to: Terilee Edwards Ilf-info is NOT a function of nor is it sponsored by the Interactive Literature Foundation and never really has been. It is a mail repeater run by Tom Jewell of Cruel Hoax Productions (an IL game production group) as a public service. Tom is not associated with the ILF and merely sponsors the list for fun. Name: The Warhammer 40K Mailing List Contact: war40k-request@bismarck.gatech.edu List: war40k@bismarck.gatech.edu Admin: Greg Williams Status: Active Info Updated: 12-Jan-1992 Notes: Reviews of 40K books as they come out, preferably from more than one source. Other people's armies in detail. A section on paint schemes and markings. New equiptment. Houserules. Discussions of tactics in 40K. What's worked for you in the past, Space Marine, etc. Name: The San Francisco Bay Area Gamer's Mailing List Contact: bag-request@gomez.intel.com (D. J. McCarthy) List: List adress made available once a new member has subscribed. Archived: No Info Updated: 23-SEP-1991 Notes: The Bay Area Gamer's mailing list is for discussion and information-spreading about various role-playing, board, and war games and conventions throughout the 408, 415, and 510 area codes. Name: The Miniatures Mailing List Contact minilist-request@cs.unc.edu Status: Active Info Updated: 5-Feb-1993 Notes: The Figures Mailing List is an archived mailing list for discussion of painting, sculpting, converting, and displaying of miniature figurines, generally for wargaming or fantasy role-playing games, and generally in the smaller scales (15mm-30mm). To subscribe, send e-mail to minilist-request@cs.unc.edu with subject SUBSCRIBE You should receive a help file in acknowledgement. Name: Ravenloft Mailing List Contact: rl-request@ais.org List: rl-list@ais.org Archived: ftp from tybalt and greyhawk Info Updated: 2-May-1992 Notes: Chat about doomful things in general, centered around TSR's campaign world of Ravenloft. Archived materials include reviews, discussion, monsters, magic items, computerized sound files, etc. Name: Amber Mailing List Contact: oberon-request@amber.uchicago.edu List: oberon@amber.uchicago.edu Listowner: cliff@uchicago.edu Moderator: Cliff Winnig Archived: not at this time Info Updated: 11-Nov-1992 Notes: This list is for the discussion of the Amber Diceless Role-Playing Game and the Amber novels, and is completely unmoderated. Mod-Quote: I'd like to publicly thank Dave Martin for doing a wonderful job as the list's founder and first administrator! Name: The Wizards of the Coast announcement list Contact: listserv@wizards.com List: not applicable Moderator: Peter D Adkison Notes: This mailing list is used for general announcements and press releases. Posting to this list should only be done by WotC personnel. Membership on this list will keep you informed of forthcoming WotC products, changes in management, and so forth. Mail volume is kept light, and all messages clearly state the intent of the message right at the beginning so people can skip to the next message if they're not interested. Requirements: None. We recommend that everyone who has any interest in Wizards of the Coast at all join this mailing list. Name: The Talislanta discussion group Subscription: listserv@wizards.com Posting: talislanta-l@wizards.com Moderator: Beverly Marshall Saling (persistence@wizards.com) Notes: Free form discussion of the Talislanta game system and universe. Name: The Primal Order discussion group Subscription: listserv@wizards.com Posting: tpo-l@wizards.com Moderator: Peter D Adkison Notes: Free form discussion of *The Primal Order.* The author of the book is the moderator of the group. Name: The Experts development group Subscription: listserv@wizards.com Posting: experts-l@wizards.com Moderator: Peter D Adkison Notes: This group focuses in on the task of writing integration notes for converting gaming stats from some system-independent platform to various game systems. The integration notes for *The Primal Order,* and the upcoming *Pawns: The Opening Move* were written by this group. If you're a rules-lawyer this is the place for you. Requirements: Thorough knowledge of at least one game system in print. Name: The Rivals of Estedhil development group Subscription: listserv@wizards.com Posting: rivals-l@wizards.com Moderator: Jonathan Tweet Notes: This group is for playtesting and critique of the *Rivals of Estedhil* module being written for Wizards of the Coast by Jonathan Tweet (*Ars Magica, Talislanta, Over The Edge*). This module is for the Primal Order line. Requirements: Familiarity with *The Primal Order.* Name: The Art of Game Mastering development group Subscription: listserv@wizards.com Posting: taogm-l@wizards.com Moderator: Ken McGlothlen Notes: Development group for discussion, critique, and research involving the forthcoming book by Ken McGlothlen, *The Art of Game Mastering (TaoGM).* Name: The Military Order development group Subscription: listserv@wizards.com Posting: tmo-l@wizards.com Moderator: Peter D Adkison Notes: Development group for discussion, critique, and research involving the forthcoming capsystem by Peter Adkison, *The Military Order.* Name: gurps-announce-ext Subscription: laird@think.com Posting: on approval of subscription Moderator: Laird Popkin (laird@think.com) Notes: gurps-announce-ext, is for occasional GURPS product and playtest announcements and things along those lines. Name: gurps-ext Subscription: laird@think.com Posting: on approval of subscription Moderator: Laird Popkin (laird@think.com) Notes: gurps-ext, is for general GURPS discussion. It's a small list right now, intended for "serious" discussions of GURPS issues. The current topic of discussion is "what should be in the next edition of the GURPS Basic Set." Name: Chaosium Digest Subscription: appel@ezro.berkeley.edu Notes: The Chaosium Digest shall specifically be a forum for all of the great Chaosium games that do not already have a place of discussion. This includes (but is not limited to): Basic Role Playing, Call of Cthulhu, Elric!, Elfquest, Hawkmoon, Pendragon, Ringworld, Stormbringer, Superworld, Worlds of Wonder, Arkham Horror, Perilous Encounters and Stomp! The Chaosium Digest will NOT include articles for games which already have forums of discussion. As far as I know, this only includes Runequest right now (all discussion on Runequest should be directed to the excellent RuneQuest digest, administered by Henk Langeveld). From: rg-frp-announce@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu Date: 11 Mar 93 21:58:23 GMT Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.announce,news.answers,rec.answers Subject: [rec.games.frp.*] Roleplaying net.*.books,faq keepers Archive-name: games/roleplay/part7 Last-Modified: 3/10/93 NET BOOKS One class of article which is typically not posted to rec.games.frp.misc is the net.book. Though they are occasionally posted to rec.games.frp.archives, you may be more likely to find them at an ftp site or other archive. Here is a list of net.*.books, along with the names of the designated compilers, names of archive sites where known, and a short, opinionated description. Contents: Net.Spell.Book Net.Prayer.Book Net.Plots.Book Net.Traps.Book(s) (two different collections) Net.Fantasy.Character.Book Net.AD&D.Character.Book Net.GURPS.Spell.Book Net.Resources.Book Net.Forgotten.Realms.Book (Tome of the Forgotten Realms) Net.Sphere.Book(s) Net.Bard.Songs.Book (V1 and V2) Net.Shadowrun.Book Net.Monstrous.Compendium Net.Fiction.Story ADND-L Lists of Net.*.Books FAQ KEEPERS In addition to the general FAQ (of which this is part 7, there are other FAQ (frequently asked question lists) which are maintained by other members of the net community. Contents: ** Shadowrun FAQ ** GURPS FAQ ** ADND FAQ ** The General FAQ =============== NET.BOOKS ================================================== Name: Net.Spell.Book Compiler: Boudewijn Wayers Description: A collection of D&D like spells for magic users. They are stored in Zoo'ed, uuencoded format if you get them from Boudewijn, so unless you are an old pro at BBS play you better look in one of the other archives for them. Name: Net.Prayer.Book Compiler: Boudewijn Wayers Description: A collection of D&D like spells for priests. They are stored in Zoo'ed, uuencoded format if you get them from Boudewijn, so unless you are an old pro at BBS play you better look in one of the other archives for them. Name: Net.Plots.Book (2 volumes complete, 3rd in progress) Compiler: Aaron `Phrixus' Sher Archived: GRASS-SERVER among others Description: A list of plots for roleplaying games in order from shortest plots to longest ones. some of them are very good. An overabundance of liches in the first. No liches in the second. Name: Net.Traps.Book(s) (two different collections) Compilers: James C Phillips Michael Sloves Updated: 1-Jan-1992 Description: A list of traps for dungeons. includes these categories, maybe more, Creator, Location type, Trigger Type, Trigger Description, Effect Type, Effect, Disarming, Game system if necessary. Name: Net.GURPS.Spell.Book Compiler: Raven Archived: eklektik.cs.pitt.edu Description: A list of spells for the standard GURPS magic system. the first collection is pretty well done, with only a few munchkin bait spells. The second collection is under way now. ** eklektic is no longer available, watch for an update soon! ** Name: Net.Forgotten.Realms.Book (Tome of the Forgotten Realms) Compiler: Chris Description: All things forgotten from the Realms. As such, plotlines, folklore, new places, NPCs, monsters, and even PSEUDO-Fluff are all acceptable submissions. The compiler is also looking for information to put in Net.books for Greyhawk, Dragonlance, Ravenloft, and Spelljammer. Name: Net.Sphere.Books Compiler: Christopher M. Knuth Description: A *HUGE* project covering: Non-Player Characters, New Deities, New Countries, or Buildings (Towers, Castles, Etc.), New Spells (special to sphere), New Prayers, New Monsters, New Weapons & Armor, New Classes & Races, Miscellaneous Information, Extended Time Lines, etc. For all the different TSR-published settings for the D&D and AD&D games. [Intended but not completed. Don't expect it any time soon. --LJM] Name: Net.Bard.Songs.Book Compiler: Jeff Gostin Archived: sandman.cco.caltech.edu, greyhawk.stanford.edu Description: A bunch of mostly goofy bard songs. Pretty good. Absolutely fits the definition of "fluff". Versions 1 and 2 are available in ASCII only on the above sites. Name: Net.Shadowrun.Book Compiler: Jerry Stratton Description: _The Annual Neo-Anarchists' Guide to Everything Else_ is coming your way soon. Jerry is looking for Regional Descriptions (your home town, chummer!), New Spells, Spirits, Cyber, Equipment, Skills, Adventures, Creatures. [29-Jun-1992] The First and Second Annual Neo-Anarchists Guide to Everything Else are now ready. You can get it via ftp at teetot.acusd.edu in the directory /pub/Beelzebub/ Role-Playing. These are in RTF. Name: Net.Monstrous.Compendium (LaTeX only currently) Compiler: Robert Chrisitian Description: A collection of AD&D monsters to be used with the 2nd Ed rules. Submissions and requests for the compendium always welcomed. Name: Net.Fiction.Story Compiler: mar@astrop.physics.su.OZ.AU Archived: suphys.physics.su.OZ.AU rpghelper/net.fiction.story Description: Up to the minute-proofread and edited version of the Net.Fiction Story in LaTex format. Files are allofit.tex (for the LaTex version) and allofit.tex.z for the compressed version of the same. * * * * * * * * * * Name: ADND-L Lists of Net.*.Books Compiler: Freeman MacCleane Description: A list of projects begun and/or announced fairly recently on the ADND-L mailing list, all centered around the xD&D game(s). ============= FAQ Keepers =================================================== Name: Shadowrun FAQ Keeper: Wordman (lward@husc.harvard.edu) Posting: Monthly (or more often when needed) Name: GURPS FAQ Keeper: Jim Duncan (duncanj@umd5.umd.edu) Posting: Every 4-6 weeks Notes: Quoted from the Keeper: I usually check in on the Illuminati BBS (Steve Jackson Games' BBS) once or twice a week. I may get some of my FAQs from there and add them even if they have not been FAQ in rec.games.frp.*. Submissions should have GURPS FAQ in the subject line. Name: ADND FAQ Keeper: Chris Warren (warren@Apple.COM) Posting: Monthly Name: The General rec.games.frp.* FAQs Keeper: cwatters@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Coyt Watters) Posting: Biweekly, weekly at beginning of fall quarter. Notes: Email me for any changes to the 8 (soon to be 9) part general FAQ. Typos, corrections, suggestions, submissions all cheerfully received by my automated mailer, then scowlingly inserted somewhere into the FAQ.