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Peter da Silva

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May 27, 1992, 8:34:31 AM5/27/92
to
D&D is the Fortran of game systems.

GURPS is the OS/2 of game systems.

If you can't fit all the important rules and tables on a 3x5 card, you have
too many rules.

The only game system worth playing is The Fantasy Trip, back when Steve
Jackson was having fun. Somehow he doesn't seem to be having fun any more.
--
# Peter da Silva pe...@taronga.com Have you hugged your wolf today?
# Taronga Park BBS +1 713 568 0480/1032 `-_-'
# Houston, TX, USA 'U`
# "alt.fan.warlord is irrelevant" -- Amigus of Borg

Coyt D Watters

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May 27, 1992, 10:10:28 AM5/27/92
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YAY YAY! Flamewar flamewar!


In article <OKV...@taronga.com> pe...@taronga.com (Peter da Silva) writes:
>D&D is the Fortran of game systems.

Venerable, portable, and with a hell of an efficient compiler and a lot of
support!

>
>GURPS is the OS/2 of game systems.

Overblown, and requires too many resources for the average user.

>
>If you can't fit all the important rules and tables on a 3x5 card, you have
>too many rules.

With a good photocopier, you can get a lot of pages on a 3x5.

Only need one rule: The GM has the final word!


--
Coyt D. Watters in the Role of : cwat...@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu

John F. Sasso

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May 27, 1992, 11:10:35 AM5/27/92
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In article <1992May27.1...@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> cwat...@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Coyt D Watters) writes:
>
>>
>>If you can't fit all the important rules and tables on a 3x5 card, you have
>>too many rules.
>
>With a good photocopier, you can get a lot of pages on a 3x5.
>
>Only need one rule: The GM has the final word!
>

If simplicity is the rule, then why are you wasting your time with
clunky old D&D?
Try a *fun* game like Tunnels and Trolls (and yes, the T&T character
sheet IS a 3x5 index card!), or Melee/Wizard/TFT (most of my best
TFT characters on 3x5's).

D&D on a 3x5? Hardly!
Where would you put your arbitrary saving roll numbers?
Or your 14 languages?
Or your spell book lists?
Or your weapon proficiencies?
Or your weapon vs armor special hit bonus chart?
Or your weapon speed descriptions?
Or your ...

I think you get the idea. :-)

HEY. I think I like this group!!!!!!


jfs


--
"The only way to true inspiration is the study of TedDo. And lots
of MauMau, of course." The Elvis Lectures
"I am not the False Bob, I am a free man." The Book of FalseBobs
"Since the introduction of MauMau, HP sales have skyrocketed." Book of MauMau

michael kelly

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May 27, 1992, 12:30:52 PM5/27/92
to

pe...@taronga.com (Peter da Silva) writes:

|> D&D is the Fortran of game systems.
|>
|> GURPS is the OS/2 of game systems.
|>
|> If you can't fit all the important rules and tables on a 3x5 card, you have
|> too many rules.

Does that mean that any game where you can fit the important rules and
tables on one card is COBOL?

--
+ Mike Kelly, Notre Dame Department of Physics +
+ +
+ mke...@happy.helios.nd.edu If you crumple your money into little +
+ mke...@undhe5.hep.nd.edu balls, it will never stick together. +

Brian Brunner

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May 27, 1992, 2:41:08 PM5/27/92
to
Peter da Silva propounds:

If you can't fit all the important rules and
tables on a 3x5 card, you have too many rules.

So (barring 3x5 cards written in micro-dot style)
having a magic system, or a combat system, or a character generation system
or a character reward/award progression/evolution system, or anything
else for that matter, renders the game overburdened with rules!

So, I hereby announce (sorry, not crossposting to *.announce)

SUGARWOLF
the happy people role playing game
inspired by Happy People everywhere
RULE 1: LETS JUST PLAY!
RULE 2: NO MORE RULES!

it fits on your typical 3x5 and is available for ONLY $19.95
send S.A.S.E. with money order to
well... that would be misusenet, so I desist.

--
Columbus didn't even `discover' that he got lost by 8,000 miles!
"With 50 men, they could be subjugated and made to do whatever was
required of them" ... Christopher Columbus, commenting on the first
Native Americans he met.
bru...@kazoo.ssd.loral.com; Space Systems/Loral; Palo Alto, Calif.

Jon W{tte

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May 27, 1992, 4:50:44 PM5/27/92
to
> cwat...@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Coyt D Watters) writes:

YAY YAY! Flamewar flamewar!

I just say: My Mac Quadra blows away your Amiga. Oops, wrong
group :-)

In article <OKV...@taronga.com> pe...@taronga.com (Peter da Silva) writes:
>D&D is the Fortran of game systems.

Venerable, portable, and with a hell of an efficient compiler and a lot of
support!

And the ability to shoot yourself in the foot without even trying.

>GURPS is the OS/2 of game systems.

Overblown, and requires too many resources for the average user.

Hey, there's nothing wrong with OS/2. I like MacOS better, though
(== HERO)

>If you can't fit all the important rules and tables on a 3x5 card, you have
>too many rules.

With a good photocopier, you can get a lot of pages on a 3x5.

Microfiche ?

Or, a 3.5" optical drive; LOTS of rules, even if you put them in
HyperCard stacks.

Only need one rule: The GM has the final word!

Yes, and we've run rule-less on occasion. Great for long trips
for instance.

However: over to advocacy !

I THINK MORE PEOPLE SHOULD USE COMPUTERS AS GM AIDS. Maybe
they do, but there's awfully little to help out in computerized
aid. All I know about is a tool to simulate lots of dice called
Dragon Dice Tool, and my HP 48 can do that....


--
h++ - new and improved !

A Bus Station is where buses stop. A Train Station is where
trains stop. On my desk, there is a Work Station.

Charles

unread,
May 27, 1992, 10:16:16 PM5/27/92
to
In article <D88-JWA.92...@dront.nada.kth.se> d88...@dront.nada.kth.se (Jon W{tte) writes:
>
> >If you can't fit all the important rules and tables on a 3x5 card, you have
> >too many rules.
>
> With a good photocopier, you can get a lot of pages on a 3x5.
>
>Microfiche ?
>

I keep my D&D characters on 3x5's (about 6 apiece, that is).

>However: over to advocacy !
>
>I THINK MORE PEOPLE SHOULD USE COMPUTERS AS GM AIDS. Maybe
>they do, but there's awfully little to help out in computerized
>aid. All I know about is a tool to simulate lots of dice called
>Dragon Dice Tool, and my HP 48 can do that....
>

I've been using GeoWorks Ensemble for a while and have created a background
screen consisting of several tables. This is especially useful when designing
modules and such. All in living color!


--
---=> Charles Stewart (aka Scott) : icsg...@cs.montana.edu <=---
"If God had wanted carbuerators to breath,
he would have given them noses." - from a dream.
"And DON'T call me CAPTAIN!!!" - me.

Patrick Rannou

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May 27, 1992, 5:31:53 PM5/27/92
to
In article <1992May27....@mcs.anl.gov> sa...@flounder.phy.anl.gov (John F. Sasso) writes:

If simplicity is the rule, then why are you wasting your time with
clunky old D&D?
Try a *fun* game like Tunnels and Trolls (and yes, the T&T character
sheet IS a 3x5 index card!), or Melee/Wizard/TFT (most of my best
TFT characters on 3x5's).

D&D on a 3x5? Hardly!
Where would you put your arbitrary saving roll numbers?
Or your 14 languages?
Or your spell book lists?
Or your weapon proficiencies?
Or your weapon vs armor special hit bonus chart?
Or your weapon speed descriptions?
Or your ...

I think you get the idea. :-)

I think then that cmeans that:

T&T characters DON'T have:

languages, many spells, proficiencies, etc...

Anbd now you try to tell me playing an underdefined character can be FUN?

Guh.

Go back play "let's pretend" in your backyard with your little friends. Me,
I'll stick to well defined games (with lots o superflous details) any day.


Paradak.


I like groups where you can flame at will...

Chris 'Canuck' Alexander

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May 27, 1992, 8:50:25 PM5/27/92
to

MY GOD!! there are Fantasy Trip fans out there!

So I'm not the only one then?
Goody!

Best game ever made was T.F.T.

Chris.

'Flame war? what Flame war?'

26554-wood

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May 28, 1992, 9:08:01 AM5/28/92
to

Great name, there. There are fans, and then there are _FANS_. Anyone
else still have a (very much worn...) 1st edition of Melee? Purple on
white counters and cover....

Remember when there were only _two_ stats?

GURPS is pretty good, though. Problem is, I haven't been playing any
games much, since it came out.

Chris


Chris Wood Bellcore ...!bellcore!prefect!ccw
or c...@prefect.cc.bellcore.com

John F. Sasso

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May 28, 1992, 1:38:22 PM5/28/92
to
In article <1992May28.1...@porthos.cc.bellcore.com> c...@prefect.UUCP () writes:
>In article <1992May28....@ccsun.strath.ac.uk> cca...@ccsun.strath.ac.uk (Chris 'Canuck' Alexander) writes:
>
>>MY GOD!! there are Fantasy Trip fans out there!
>>So I'm not the only one then?
>>Goody!
>>Best game ever made was T.F.T.
>
>>Chris.
>>'Flame war? what Flame war?'
>
>Great name, there. There are fans, and then there are _FANS_. Anyone
>else still have a (very much worn...) 1st edition of Melee? Purple on
>white counters and cover....
>
Ah, but who still has his counters? (me, me, me)
And remember who did the art on the beautiful DeathTest (1) counters?
Hint: Think T&T!
Also, I lost my copy of first edition Wizard. I'm told that there's
an anotomically correct Gargoyle (male :-)) on the front cover.
Sigh. I must have been young if I don't remember this!

>Remember when there were only _two_ stats?

Almost true. Movement was also very important.

>
>GURPS is pretty good, though. Problem is, I haven't been playing any
>games much, since it came out.
>

I'd rather play TFT.
Or T&T.

John F. Sasso

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May 28, 1992, 1:24:57 PM5/28/92
to
In article <RANNOU.92M...@turing.siegfried.vlsi.polymtl.ca> Ran...@siegfried.vlsi.polymtl.ca (Patrick Rannou) writes:
>In article <1992May27....@mcs.anl.gov> sa...@flounder.phy.anl.gov (John F. Sasso) writes:
>
> If simplicity is the rule, then why are you wasting your time with
> clunky old D&D?
> Try a *fun* game like Tunnels and Trolls (and yes, the T&T character
> sheet IS a 3x5 index card!), or Melee/Wizard/TFT (most of my best
> TFT characters on 3x5's).
>
>I think then that cmeans that:
>T&T characters DON'T have:
>languages, many spells, proficiencies, etc...
>Anbd now you try to tell me playing an underdefined character can be FUN?
>Guh.
>Go back play "let's pretend" in your backyard with your little friends. Me,
>I'll stick to well defined games (with lots o superflous details) any day.
>

Tunnels and Trolls is more like a Zen experience.
You don't think that RPG's are "pretend?"
OH NO! Stay out of the steam tunnels, boyo! :-)

John F. Sasso

unread,
May 28, 1992, 1:31:58 PM5/28/92
to
In article <1992May28....@ccsun.strath.ac.uk> cca...@ccsun.strath.ac.uk (Chris 'Canuck' Alexander) writes:
>
>MY GOD!! there are Fantasy Trip fans out there!
>
>So I'm not the only one then?
>Goody!
>
>Best game ever made was T.F.T.
>

WRONG!!!
Best game ever is Tunnels and Trolls!
(I have my own flamewar going at the moment on this...)

TFT is *SECOND* best RPG. Definately better than GURPS!
(Duck, parry, dodge...who threw those 15mm miniatures at me??!?!!)

Stein Kulseth FBA

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May 29, 1992, 3:21:50 AM5/29/92
to
In article <1992May27....@news.nd.edu>, mke...@lazy.helios.nd.edu (michael kelly) writes:
|>
|> pe...@taronga.com (Peter da Silva) writes:
|>
|> |> D&D is the Fortran of game systems.
|> |>
|> |> GURPS is the OS/2 of game systems.
|> |>
|> |> If you can't fit all the important rules and tables on a 3x5 card, you have
|> |> too many rules.
|>
|> Does that mean that any game where you can fit the important rules and
|> tables on one card is COBOL?
|>

No, it's APL

--
Stein Kulseth
Norwegian Telecom Research, Box 83, N-2007 KJELLER, NORWAY
internet: st...@hal.nta.no X400: stein....@forskning.teledir.no
Phone: + 47 6 80 98 05 Fax: + 47 6 81 00 76

A.J.C. Blyth

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May 29, 1992, 6:38:19 AM5/29/92
to
In article <D88-JWA.92...@dront.nada.kth.se>,

d88...@dront.nada.kth.se (Jon W{tte) writes:
|>I just say: My Mac Quadra blows away your Amiga. Oops, wrong
|>group :-)

But a real machine is a sinlcair spectum with a cray XMP as a front end....:-)

But on a more serious note folks......

|>I THINK MORE PEOPLE SHOULD USE COMPUTERS AS GM AIDS. Maybe
|>they do, but there's awfully little to help out in computerized
|>aid. All I know about is a tool to simulate lots of dice called
|>Dragon Dice Tool, and my HP 48 can do that....

Has anyone seen any good FRP games on a computer....

Andrew

Liam R. E. Quin

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May 29, 1992, 10:07:54 PM5/29/92
to
pe...@taronga.com (Peter da Silva) writes:
> If you can't fit all the important rules and tables on a 3x5 card, you have
> too many rules.

Agreed.

But then, my own game system (A4) doesn't have rules, except a couple of
simple ones for character creation.

On the other hand, it doesn't support combat. Doesn't seem to matter.

I have some game session logs somewhere if anyone is interested...

Lee

--
Liam Quin, l...@sq.com, SoftQuad, Toronto, 416 239-4801; the barefoot programmer
``House,--(though your own), yet in England a place of no security, as ruffians
may enter it & pillage it as they please, and drag the owner away to prison,
whenever the Minister thinks proper.'' -- Pigott's Political Dict., 1795

Eric Peterson

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Jun 1, 1992, 4:37:03 PM6/1/92
to
In article <D88-JWA.92...@dront.nada.kth.se> d88...@dront.nada.kth.se (Jon W{tte) writes:
> In article <OKV...@taronga.com> pe...@taronga.com (Peter da Silva) writes:
> >D&D is the Fortran of game systems.
>
> Venerable, portable, and with a hell of an efficient compiler and a lot of
> support!
>
>And the ability to shoot yourself in the foot without even trying.
>
> >GURPS is the OS/2 of game systems.
>
> Overblown, and requires too many resources for the average user.
>
>Hey, there's nothing wrong with OS/2. I like MacOS better, though
>(== HERO)

Aaah, and Rolemaster is what, C? BSD?

> >If you can't fit all the important rules and tables on a 3x5 card, you have
> >too many rules.
>
> With a good photocopier, you can get a lot of pages on a 3x5.
>
>Microfiche ?
>
>Or, a 3.5" optical drive; LOTS of rules, even if you put them in
>HyperCard stacks.

This could help things out greatly...

> Only need one rule: The GM has the final word!
>
>Yes, and we've run rule-less on occasion. Great for long trips
>for instance.

But, but...rule-less is FUN! What would you want to go and do that for?

>However: over to advocacy !
>
>I THINK MORE PEOPLE SHOULD USE COMPUTERS AS GM AIDS. Maybe
>they do, but there's awfully little to help out in computerized
>aid. All I know about is a tool to simulate lots of dice called
>Dragon Dice Tool, and my HP 48 can do that....

Most people are too lazy to write something up to keep them lazy.

>--
>h++ - new and improved !
>
>A Bus Station is where buses stop. A Train Station is where
>trains stop. On my desk, there is a Work Station.

--Eric Peterson "Happy, happy. Joy, joy!"
pete...@netcom.com

Dustin Lee Laurence

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Jun 1, 1992, 9:28:46 PM6/1/92
to
pete...@netcom.com (Eric Peterson) writes:

>In article <D88-JWA.92...@dront.nada.kth.se> d88...@dront.nada.kth.se (Jon W{tte) writes:
>> In article <OKV...@taronga.com> pe...@taronga.com (Peter da Silva) writes:
>> >D&D is the Fortran of game systems.
>>

>> >GURPS is the OS/2 of game systems.
>>

>>Hey, there's nothing wrong with OS/2. I like MacOS better, though
>>(== HERO)

>Aaah, and Rolemaster is what, C? BSD?

No. It's clearly the COBOL of game systems.

--
Dustin Laurence "Someone please stop me, before I net again."

laur...@alice.wonderland.caltech.edu

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