Digest Archives Vol 1 Issue 207
From: owner-champ-l-digest@sysabend.org
Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 1999 6:46 PM
To: champ-l-digest@sysabend.org
Subject: champ-l-digest V1 #207
champ-l-digest Tuesday, February 16 1999 Volume 01 : Number 207
In this issue:
Re: blocking the heavy hits
Re: Paying END sporadically
RE: Paying END sporadically
Re: blocking the heavy hits
Re: Paying END sporadically
Re: blocking the heavy hits
Re: blocking the heavy hits
Hudson City Sector One -- want it?
Re: Paying END sporadically
Re: Paying END sporadically
Boo! Eeeeek!!! ZAP!!!
Re: Boo! Eeeeek!!! ZAP!!!
Hopefully the last word on Happy99.exe
Re: Boo! Eeeeek!!! ZAP!!!
Re: Boo! Eeeeek!!! ZAP!!!
Re: Boo! Eeeeek!!! ZAP!!!
Re: Virus (was: Paying END sporadically)
Re: Boo! Eeeeek!!! ZAP!!!
Re: Absorption
Re: Happy99.exe
Re: Happy99.exe
Re: Boo! Eeeeek!!! ZAP!!!
Re: Boo! Eeeeek!!! ZAP!!!
Re: Boo! Eeeeek!!! ZAP!!!
Re: Happy99.exe
Re: Happy99.exe
Re: Boo! Eeeeek!!! ZAP!!!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 16:08:59 -0600 (Central Standard Time)
From: Tim Gilberg <gilberg@ou.edu>
Subject: Re: blocking the heavy hits
> even the lightest of touches must *touch*. this guy can shatter your spine
> with a casual shrug,
> you ain't diverting him anywhere.
Then buy the power to not be blocked. Buy an attack linked to
your main attack that has the limitation, only when main power is blocked,
or some such. Make it AE to get by the block.
What you are describing is a powerful ability--as such, it should
be paid for.
So the debate is over. Champions simulates blocks just fine, you
just have to use the entire rules, and not look for shortcuts and
loopholes.
-Tim Gilberg
-"English Majors of the World! Untie!"
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 18:37:48 -0600
From: "J. Alan Easley" <alaneasley@email.com>
Subject: Re: Paying END sporadically
Filksinger:
>| 2) Outlook does not do this. I know of no email program that does. I
>| doubt you could find one.
Stainless Steel Rat:
>Early versions of Outlook Express do indeed default to automatically
>extracting and executing program attachments. I expect that Microsoft has
>changed that in more recent versions of Outlook Express due to significant
>flamage.
Me:
I have been using MS Outlook Express since it was first released as a beta.
It never automatically opened attachments nor did it have it as an option.
The predecessor to Outlook Express was called MS Internet Mail. It didn't
automatically open attachments either, I don't remember it well enough to
know if it was an option or not but it wasn't the default condition. The
newest version of Outlook Express which is still a beta will automatically
view a picture attachment but that is all. The problem for most people
using Windows or any other GUI system is that simply double-clicking the
attachment is sufficient to run the program contained in it.
Alan
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 16:37:28 -0800
From: "Filksinger" <filkhero@usa.net>
Subject: RE: Paying END sporadically
From: Stainless Steel Rat
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> Hash: SHA1
>
> * "Filksinger" <filkhero@usa.net> Sun, 14 Feb 1999 22:03:44 -0800
> | 1) Are you unable to grasp the concept that he did _not_
> mean that it
> | ran to install itself on the machine automatically, but only added
> | itself to emails automatically _after it was run_?
>
> That is the nature of viruses. In fact, that is what
> distinguishes a virus
> from a Trojan horse: viruses automatically propogate
> themselves; Trojan
> Horses require human intervention. happy99.exe seems to be
> a hybrid.
It is a Trojan Horse and a worm. It also backs up the wsock32.dll (for
easy uninstallation, apparently) and then replaces or alters it to
perform the "automatic" emailing that the first post referred to. This
last behavior may make it a virus; it depends upon who you talk to and
whether or not it replaces or alters the wsock32. I don't know which
it does.
> | 2) Outlook does not do this. I know of no email program
> that does. I
> | doubt you could find one.
>
> Early versions of Outlook Express do indeed default to automatically
> extracting and executing program attachments. I expect
> that Microsoft has
> changed that in more recent versions of Outlook Express due
> to significant
> flamage.
Hmm. I used it from the last beta, and never encountered such
behavior. Doesn't mean somebody wasn't monumentally stupid somewhere.
This may have been part of the browser half of the software. Emails
technically use the browser to present HTML content. I do know that
Active X components used to run "automatically" in the browser, and
then changed to asking permission (with the proviso that you could
declare the sender "trusted", and any Active X components sent by that
person ran automatically) when it was demonstrated that Active X was
more dangerous than Java.
Oddly enough, while I know of a Java virus (harmless in a browser; it
has to be run outside the "sandbox" to infect a machine), I haven't
yet heard of an Active X virus. I don't know if this is due to a lack
of interest in Active X, a weakness in Active X, or a strength of
Active X.
Eventually, I expect a major part of anti-virus defense is going to
consist of electronically "signing" every app or component made, with
the OS checking signatures automatically. This will make viruses
pretty much obsolete in most cases (except boot-sector viruses, which
are not hard to inoculate against), though Trojan Horses will still
work.
Filksinger
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 12:09:48 +1000
From: "Lockie" <jonesl@cqnet.com.au>
Subject: Re: blocking the heavy hits
i like my way better- +X ocv, only to resist blocks.
- -----Original Message-----
From: Tim Gilberg <gilberg@ou.edu>
Cc: Champions <champ-l@sysabend.org>
Date: Tuesday, February 16, 1999 8:46 AM
Subject: Re: blocking the heavy hits
>
>> even the lightest of touches must *touch*. this guy can shatter your
spine
>> with a casual shrug,
>> you ain't diverting him anywhere.
>
> Then buy the power to not be blocked. Buy an attack linked to
>your main attack that has the limitation, only when main power is blocked,
>or some such. Make it AE to get by the block.
>
> What you are describing is a powerful ability--as such, it should
>be paid for.
>
> So the debate is over. Champions simulates blocks just fine, you
>just have to use the entire rules, and not look for shortcuts and
>loopholes.
>
>
> -Tim Gilberg
> -"English Majors of the World! Untie!"
>
------------------------------
Date: 15 Feb 1999 20:51:01 -0500
From: Stainless Steel Rat <ratinox@peorth.gweep.net>
Subject: Re: Paying END sporadically
- -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1
* "Filksinger" <filkhero@usa.net> Mon, 15 Feb 1999 16:37:28 -0800
| This may have been part of the browser half of the software. Emails
| technically use the browser to present HTML content.
That is possible.
| Eventually, I expect a major part of anti-virus defense is going to
| consist of electronically "signing" every app or component made, with
| the OS checking signatures automatically.
*snicker*
Sun and Netscape have been doing this since Day 2 (Day's Navigator has no
Java VM).
Me, I say use an OS that is inherently immune to infection.
- -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v0.9.2 (GNU/Linux)
Comment: For info see http://www.gnupg.org
iD8DBQE2yM8Fgl+vIlSVSNkRApJ1AKDwiCSm1w+y5kRGAoXZMON32FSy5wCg8WYq
H+19EaE3srNMCVw1Om8JZM8=
=rGIc
- -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
- --
Rat <ratinox@peorth.gweep.net> \ If Happy Fun Ball begins to smoke, get
Minion of Nathan - Nathan says Hi! \ away immediately. Seek shelter and cover
PGP Key: at a key server near you! \ head.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 20:52:57 -0600 (Central Standard Time)
From: Tim Gilberg <gilberg@ou.edu>
Subject: Re: blocking the heavy hits
> i like my way better- +X ocv, only to resist blocks.
Works fine, unless you want to be completely unblockable.
-Tim Gilberg
-"English Majors of the World! Untie!"
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 19:47:05 -0800
From: Christopher Taylor <ctaylor@viser.net>
Subject: Re: blocking the heavy hits
>> i like my way better- +X ocv, only to resist blocks.
>
> Works fine, unless you want to be completely unblockable.
I'm not sure such a thing is possible, but inivis effects usually works
well for that (cant block what you cannot percieve).
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sola Gracia Sola Scriptura Sola Fide
Soli Gloria Deo Solus Christus Corum Deo
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 22:21:17 -0600
From: "Michael (Damon) & Peni Griffin" <griffin@txdirect.net>
Subject: Hudson City Sector One -- want it?
Well, this is a little embarrassing. Several days ago someone asked about
the Hudson City Sector One software. I said I didn't know anything about
it, but could tell him where to find it for sale online if he decided he
wanted a copy.
I discovered today (rediscovered, really) that *I* have a copy, and it's
evidently been sitting in one of several Games folders on one of my
lesser-used partitions for a few years now. You know, locked filing
cabinet, disused lavatory, "Beware of the leopard", that sort of thing.
Anyway, if it's managed to escape my attention all this time, it goes
without saying I've got no use for it. I'll be deleting it from the hard
drive, and if anyone wants the disks and book, let me know. Will sell for
$15 including shipping, or trade for any one RPG game item I need (many of
these are out of print, but not necessarily hard to locate or expensive;
ask me for a list of specifics).
Damon
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 01:58:51 -0500
From: Mathieu Roy <matroy@abacom.com>
Subject: Re: Paying END sporadically
Stainless Steel Rat wrote:
> Me, I say use an OS that is inherently immune to infection.
Commodore 64? =)
Sorry, couldn't resist...
Mathieu
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 99 10:23:34
From: "qts" <qts@nildram.co.uk>
Subject: Re: Paying END sporadically
On Tue, 16 Feb 1999 01:58:51 -0500, Mathieu Roy wrote:
>
>
>Stainless Steel Rat wrote:
>
>> Me, I say use an OS that is inherently immune to infection.
>
>Commodore 64? =)
>
>Sorry, couldn't resist...
Please excuse me while I call the Fire Brigade...
qts
Home: qts@nildram.co.uk.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 11:27:58 -0500 (EST)
From: Michael Surbrook <susano@dedaana.otd.com>
Subject: Boo! Eeeeek!!! ZAP!!!
So... if I have a character (a 13 year-old girl) with pryokinetic powers,
and some of these powers tend to go off if she's frightened or startled,
how would I define this?
Trigger? <trigger being scared or frightened>
Side Effect? <except that Side Effects are vs you, not them...>
Phys Lim? <Power X goes off if Y happens>
Accidental Change? <See Phys Lim>
A variant of No Concious Control?
Or just a pre-defined Limited Power?
Any suggestions will be highly appreciated.
- --
Michael Surbrook - susano@otd.com - http://www.otd.com/~susano/index.html
"10,000 of them...four of us. Those unlucky bastards!"
Andy "the Buffalo" Bartalone
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 12:28:43 -0500 (EST)
From: chris@ergmusic.com
Subject: Re: Boo! Eeeeek!!! ZAP!!!
On 16 Feb, I could have sworn that Michael Surbrook said:
> So... if I have a character (a 13 year-old girl) with pryokinetic powers,
> and some of these powers tend to go off if she's frightened or startled,
> how would I define this?
>
> Trigger? <trigger being scared or frightened>
> Side Effect? <except that Side Effects are vs you, not them...>
> Phys Lim? <Power X goes off if Y happens>
> Accidental Change? <See Phys Lim>
> A variant of No Concious Control?
> Or just a pre-defined Limited Power?
>
> Any suggestions will be highly appreciated.
>
> --
> Michael Surbrook - susano@otd.com - http://www.otd.com/~susano/index.html
>
> "10,000 of them...four of us. Those unlucky bastards!"
> Andy "the Buffalo" Bartalone
>
>
>
I say either Trigger or a variation on NCC. NCC would be best if she
has multiple powers, IMHO. Sounds like a fun NPC...
- --
Chris Hartjes
Web Site Developer
Entertainment Resources Group
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 09:56:24 -0800
From: "Filksinger" <filkhero@usa.net>
Subject: Hopefully the last word on Happy99.exe
Apparently, this thing is spreading rapidly in some areas, especially among
computer professionals. It is very new, which explains why my anti-virus
didn't catch it (though the latest DAT files from McAfee did).
http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2208275,00.html
Apparently, as I appear to be the only one infected, this list handled it
better than a great many computer professionals. Now I feel embarrassed for
my entire profession.:)
Filksinger
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 12:25:19 -0500
From: Kim Foster <nexus@uky.campus.mci.net>
Subject: Re: Boo! Eeeeek!!! ZAP!!!
At 11:27 AM 2/16/99 -0500, Michael Surbrook wrote:
>So... if I have a character (a 13 year-old girl) with pryokinetic powers,
>and some of these powers tend to go off if she's frightened or startled,
>how would I define this?
>
>Trigger? <trigger being scared or frightened>
>Side Effect? <except that Side Effects are vs you, not them...>
>Phys Lim? <Power X goes off if Y happens>
I'd say this if the power goes off primarely under "bad" circumstances
and/or causes the character alot of greif on a regular basis.
EX:Her best friend taps her unexpectedly on the shoulder and *poof* the
pyrokinetic ignites her. Stuff like that.
>Accidental Change? <See Phys Lim>
>A variant of No Concious Control?
Perhaps a lesser value of this limit would fit better. Limited Control
(-1), the charcter can't turn the power off and on at will, but it it
generally goes of under certain circumtances (such as being frightened).
>Or just a pre-defined Limited Power?
This could work as well.
>
>Any suggestions will be highly appreciated.
>
>--
>Michael Surbrook - susano@otd.com - http://www.otd.com/~susano/index.html
>
> "10,000 of them...four of us. Those unlucky bastards!"
> Andy "the Buffalo" Bartalone
>
>
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 13:08:49 -0600 (CST)
From: Curt Hicks <exucurt@exu.ericsson.se>
Subject: Re: Boo! Eeeeek!!! ZAP!!!
> From: Michael Surbrook <susano@dedaana.otd.com>
> To: Champions Mailing List <champ-l@sysabend.org>
>
> So... if I have a character (a 13 year-old girl) with pryokinetic powers,
> and some of these powers tend to go off if she's frightened or startled,
> how would I define this?
>
> Trigger? <trigger being scared or frightened>
> Side Effect? <except that Side Effects are vs you, not them...>
> Phys Lim? <Power X goes off if Y happens>
> Accidental Change? <See Phys Lim>
> A variant of No Concious Control?
> Or just a pre-defined Limited Power?
>
My suggestion is to just make it a limitation on the power, say around -1/2
or -1/4.
Curt
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 14:01:49 -0500 (EST)
From: Michael Surbrook <susano@dedaana.otd.com>
Subject: Re: Boo! Eeeeek!!! ZAP!!!
On Tue, 16 Feb 1999, Kim Foster wrote:
> At 11:27 AM 2/16/99 -0500, Michael Surbrook wrote:
> >So... if I have a character (a 13 year-old girl) with pryokinetic powers,
> >and some of these powers tend to go off if she's frightened or startled,
> >how would I define this?
> >
> >Trigger? <trigger being scared or frightened>
> >Side Effect? <except that Side Effects are vs you, not them...>
> >Phys Lim? <Power X goes off if Y happens>
>
> I'd say this if the power goes off primarely under "bad" circumstances
> and/or causes the character alot of greif on a regular basis.
>
> EX:Her best friend taps her unexpectedly on the shoulder and *poof* the
> pyrokinetic ignites her. Stuff like that.
Yeah, Aaron Allston's old Strikeforce book use this method for a
character.
>
> >Accidental Change? <See Phys Lim>
> >A variant of No Concious Control?
>
> Perhaps a lesser value of this limit would fit better. Limited Control
> (-1), the charcter can't turn the power off and on at will, but it it
> generally goes of under certain circumtances (such as being frightened).
I've used "Limted Concious Control" (-1) for powers the usercan turn on,
but can't really control.
> >Or just a pre-defined Limited Power?
>
> This could work as well.
- --
Michael Surbrook - susano@otd.com - http://www.otd.com/~susano/index.html
"10,000 of them...four of us. Those unlucky bastards!"
Andy "the Buffalo" Bartalone
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 11:58:20 -0800
From: Mark Lemming <icepirat@ix.netcom.com>
Subject: Re: Virus (was: Paying END sporadically)
Scott Nolan wrote:
>
> At 12:25 PM 2/12/99 -0800, Filksinger wrote:
> >From: Christopher Taylor <ctaylor@viser.net>
> >>And this is why you always run a virus checker BEFORE you open any
> >attachments
> >Did. And it utterly failed to detect the damn thing. I'm getting new DAT
> >files now.
>
> Mine also failed to find it, even when I was looking right at it.
I know the latest NAI scanner catches it. You can always get an eval version
from http://www.nai.com assuming our website hasn't gone south recently.
Of course I recognized the name of the exe as well, but then again I get all
my champs mail on a Linux box. Too bad the exe was an exact copy of one of
the samples in the testing lab...
- -Mark
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 13:20:38 -0600 (CST)
From: "Dr. Nuncheon" <jeffj@io.com>
Subject: Re: Boo! Eeeeek!!! ZAP!!!
On Tue, 16 Feb 1999 chris@ergmusic.com wrote:
> On 16 Feb, I could have sworn that Michael Surbrook said:
> > So... if I have a character (a 13 year-old girl) with pryokinetic powers,
> > and some of these powers tend to go off if she's frightened or startled,
> > how would I define this?
Doing the HERO version of Charlie from _Firestarter_?
> > Trigger? <trigger being scared or frightened>
> > A variant of No Concious Control?
>
> I say either Trigger or a variation on NCC.
Hmm...I wouldn't use Trigger. As I understand it, Trigger lets you set up
the power, and then when the triggering event happens, it goes off. Then
you have to set it up again. So that doesn't really sound like Trigger to
me...and besides, Trigger is an advantage, which this certainly is not.
No Conscious Control doesn't seem right either...that's more for powers
that the user has /no/ control over. It might be OK for any portions of
the power that /only/ happen involuntarily - i.e. if she's a more powerful
pyrokinetic when it's startled out of her than when she's under normal
circumstances.
Dangit, GURPS has a limitation that does exactly this: I think it's called
Uncontrolled, I think it's a 40% lim, so that would make it about a -1/2
in HERO. (The name is kind of a misnomer...the user can use the power
normally, but it will also 'use itself' in times of stress...)
Alternately, Accidental Change is an OK way of doing it, but it doesn't
allow as much fine control as a limitation on the power would.
J
Hostes aliengeni me abduxerent. Jeff Johnston - jeffj@io.com
Qui annus est? http://www.io.com/~jeffj
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 12:10:06 -0800
From: Mark Lemming <icepirat@ix.netcom.com>
Subject: Re: Absorption
Dale Ward wrote:
>
> Greetings!
>
> ---Commando <commando@mail.com> wrote:
> >
> > If a character set-up his absorption for the points to go to the strength
> > characteristic, would the gain also affect figured characteristics?
> >
>
> I seem to recall seeing something about an advantage Affects Figured
> Characteristics. I'm not sure where I saw it or how much of a modifier it
> called for, but it would seem to be the only way to get the effect you're
> describing.
There was an advantage called that, but it was for Growth & DI. It's
appearance was in the Firebird edition of Golden Age of Champions. That
was also pre-4rth edition. It was a very efficient advantage for low
levels of DI & growth. I had never seen it for an adjustment power though.
What you could do is buy the absorption to affect a group of characteristics
(+2 advantage).
- -Mark Lemming
p.s. Commando, please set your mailer to send text only. You're e-mail used
five times the bandwith it needed to.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 11:38:13 -0800
From: Mark Lemming <icepirat@ix.netcom.com>
Subject: Re: Happy99.exe
Filksinger wrote:
>
> From: Leah L Watts
> <snip>
> > (I've been thinking about switching to Juno Gold, which allows file
> > attachments, but this little episode is making me reconsider ....)
>
> You'd be safe. Just don't run _programs_ that get downloaded. When you
> get a file, do not open it if it ends in .exe, .com, .bat, or .sys.
> Additionally, do not open Word documents (.doc)if you have Microsoft
> Word, or Excel files (.xls) if you have Microsoft Excel, unless you
> have the feature that allows you to disable macros (in which event you
> disable the macros; macro viruses are the most common of all, and they
> were only invented about 4 years ago) Files that end in .jpg, .gif,
> .mpg, .mov, .avi, .wav, .mid, and .mp3, for example, are safe.
I'll agree with Filk's reasoning. The best thing is not to run attachments
unless
you're positive it came from a safe source and that the source meant to send
you a
file. Second best is to get a good AV scanner with frequent updates. (I'm
partial
to Network Associates, but I'm heavily biased. I work in the Unix AV
development
area.) It's best to do both.
Some ISP's are starting to filter their clients mail for virii, but it depends
on
the ISP and the service plan. Even if you have that, it's best not to rely on
that
alone.
- -Mark Lemming
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 13:10:48 -0800
From: Christopher Taylor <ctaylor@viser.net>
Subject: Re: Happy99.exe
>> You'd be safe. Just don't run _programs_ that get downloaded. When you
>> get a file, do not open it if it ends in .exe, .com, .bat, or .sys.
>> Additionally, do not open Word documents (.doc)if you have Microsoft
>> Word, or Excel files (.xls) if you have Microsoft Excel, unless you
>> have the feature that allows you to disable macros (in which event you
>> disable the macros; macro viruses are the most common of all, and they
>> were only invented about 4 years ago) Files that end in .jpg, .gif,
>> .mpg, .mov, .avi, .wav, .mid, and .mp3, for example, are safe.
Just so you know, there is a nasty nasty file that is in a JPG that sets up
a back door, MP3 probably can do it too... because they are compressed
files and can hatch something when uncompressed, as I understand it.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sola Gracia Sola Scriptura Sola Fide
Soli Gloria Deo Solus Christus Corum Deo
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 15:38:28 -0500
From: Mike Christodoulou <Cypriot@concentric.net>
Subject: Re: Boo! Eeeeek!!! ZAP!!!
At 11:27 AM 2/16/99 -0500, Michael Surbrook wrote:
>So... if I have a character (a 13 year-old girl) with pryokinetic powers,
>and some of these powers tend to go off if she's frightened or startled,
>how would I define this?
>
>Trigger? <trigger being scared or frightened>
>Side Effect? <except that Side Effects are vs you, not them...>
>Phys Lim? <Power X goes off if Y happens>
>Accidental Change? <See Phys Lim>
>A variant of No Concious Control?
>Or just a pre-defined Limited Power?
>
You might try a variation of the BERSERK disad. Say, if you fail
your EGO roll (i.e. you're startled), the GM gets to take over control
of the power and start burning things.
If you don't like that, my next choice would be a limitation on the
power based on "No Conscious Control" -- only call it "Sometimes Goes
Out Of Control".
====================== =================================================
Mike Christodoulou "Never doubt that a small group of committed
Cypriot@Concentric.Net citizens can change the world. In fact, it is
(770) 662-5605 the only thing that ever has." -- Margaret Mead
====================== =================================================
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 15:37:33 -0500 (EST)
From: Michael Surbrook <susano@dedaana.otd.com>
Subject: Re: Boo! Eeeeek!!! ZAP!!!
On Tue, 16 Feb 1999, Dr. Nuncheon wrote:
> On Tue, 16 Feb 1999 chris@ergmusic.com wrote:
>
> > On 16 Feb, I could have sworn that Michael Surbrook said:
> > > So... if I have a character (a 13 year-old girl) with pryokinetic powers,
> > > and some of these powers tend to go off if she's frightened or startled,
> > > how would I define this?
>
> Doing the HERO version of Charlie from _Firestarter_?
Naw, a character from "Phantom Quest Corp"
> > > Trigger? <trigger being scared or frightened>
> > > A variant of No Concious Control?
> >
> > I say either Trigger or a variation on NCC.
>
> Hmm...I wouldn't use Trigger. As I understand it, Trigger lets you set up
> the power, and then when the triggering event happens, it goes off. Then
> you have to set it up again. So that doesn't really sound like Trigger to
> me...and besides, Trigger is an advantage, which this certainly is not.
Yeah, that is my thought.
> No Conscious Control doesn't seem right either...that's more for powers
> that the user has /no/ control over. It might be OK for any portions of
> the power that /only/ happen involuntarily - i.e. if she's a more powerful
> pyrokinetic when it's startled out of her than when she's under normal
> circumstances.
"Limted Concious Control at -1 has been bantered about.
> Dangit, GURPS has a limitation that does exactly this: I think it's called
> Uncontrolled, I think it's a 40% lim, so that would make it about a -1/2
> in HERO. (The name is kind of a misnomer...the user can use the power
> normally, but it will also 'use itself' in times of stress...)
That would be perfect!
- --
Michael Surbrook - susano@otd.com - http://www.otd.com/~susano/index.html
"10,000 of them...four of us. Those unlucky bastards!"
Andy "the Buffalo" Bartalone
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Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 15:17:39 -0600
From: "Logan Darklighter" <logand@cyberramp.net>
Subject: Re: Boo! Eeeeek!!! ZAP!!!
- -----Original Message-----
From: Michael Surbrook <susano@dedaana.otd.com>
Cc: Champions Mailing List <champ-l@sysabend.org>
Date: Tuesday, February 16, 1999 2:09 PM
Subject: Re: Boo! Eeeeek!!! ZAP!!!
>>
>> Perhaps a lesser value of this limit would fit better. Limited Control
>> (-1), the charcter can't turn the power off and on at will, but it it
>> generally goes of under certain circumtances (such as being frightened).
>
>I've used "Limted Concious Control" (-1) for powers the usercan turn on,
>but can't really control.
I like that! A little more definition to it and a couple of examples and
that would make a really legitimate limitation to include in the next round
of rules tweaks for Hero. It might be too late for 5th edition now though.
- -Logan
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --
"God does not play dice with the universe; He plays an ineffable
game of His own devising, which might be compared, from the perspective
of any of the other players,* to being involved in an obscure and complex
version of poker in a pitch-dark room, with blank cards, for infinite
stakes, with a Dealer who won't tell you the rules, and who
_smiles all the time_."
-Neil Gaimen and Terry Pratchett
_Good Omens_
*i.e., everybody.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --
Web page: http://www.cyberramp.net/~logand/
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Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 13:54:17 -0800
From: "Filksinger" <filksinger@usa.net>
Subject: Re: Happy99.exe
From: Christopher Taylor <ctaylor@viser.net>
<snip>
>
>Just so you know, there is a nasty nasty file that is in a JPG that sets up
>a back door, MP3 probably can do it too... because they are compressed
>files and can hatch something when uncompressed, as I understand it.
Well, first of all, they aren't truly "uncompressed". The software that
reads them reads them while keeping them in a compressed form. Secondly,
only _executables_ can create backdoors, and neither of these formats is an
executable. If you hid an executable inside one of these formats, the only
result would be errors.
So far, no credible source has reported a .jpg or .mp3 file that can contain
a "backdoor" of any sort. Since it shouldn't be possible, and since this
would be fairly big news if someone could demonstrate success, I doubt that
it exists. Like people who claim that the PGP encryption can be broken, or
that viruses can infect you through text email, the people who make this
claim seem to be unable to present any actual examples to prove their
claims.
Filksinger
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Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 16:37:43 -0500
From: Michael Feldhusen <mikef@pharlap.com>
Subject: Re: Happy99.exe
At 01:10 PM 2/16/99 -0800, Christopher Taylor wrote:
>>> You'd be safe. Just don't run _programs_ that get downloaded. When you
>>> get a file, do not open it if it ends in .exe, .com, .bat, or .sys.
>>> Additionally, do not open Word documents (.doc)if you have Microsoft
>>> Word, or Excel files (.xls) if you have Microsoft Excel, unless you
>>> have the feature that allows you to disable macros (in which event you
>>> disable the macros; macro viruses are the most common of all, and they
>>> were only invented about 4 years ago) Files that end in .jpg, .gif,
>>> .mpg, .mov, .avi, .wav, .mid, and .mp3, for example, are safe.
>
>Just so you know, there is a nasty nasty file that is in a JPG that sets up
>a back door, MP3 probably can do it too... because they are compressed
>files and can hatch something when uncompressed, as I understand it.
Sorry, but it's not possible.
Yes, both .JPG and .MP3 (and .GIF and .MPG and a bunch of other files) are
compressed, but they are compressed DATA. They contain no executable
instructions for the computer and, if there were some instructions embedded
in them (I can see it being done), there is no way for those instructions
to be executed, as the file readers will never branch into them. Any
solution that would involve the virus being in the DATA file would also
have to involve *another* virus to see and make use of the one in the JPG
or MP3.
Low down: Compressed files are good, because they take less time to download.
- --
Michael Feldhusen (mikef@pharlap.com)
http://excalibur.pharlap.com/homepage.html
A man who can't mind his own business is not to be trusted with the
king's.
-- Saville
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 17:10:06 -0600
From: "Michael (Damon) & Peni Griffin" <griffin@txdirect.net>
Subject: Re: Boo! Eeeeek!!! ZAP!!!
At 03:38 PM 2/16/1999 -0500, Mike Christodoulou wrote:
>At 11:27 AM 2/16/99 -0500, Michael Surbrook wrote:
>>So... if I have a character (a 13 year-old girl) with pryokinetic powers,
>>and some of these powers tend to go off if she's frightened or startled,
>>how would I define this?
>
>
>You might try a variation of the BERSERK disad. Say, if you fail
>your EGO roll (i.e. you're startled), the GM gets to take over control
>of the power and start burning things.
That's what I was going to suggest as well. One campaign I ran used adult
players, but all the characters were junior high school kids, with
low-level "mystery" powers just starting to manifest. My wife's character,
Poltergeist, was a telekinetic with control problems similar to what you
describe here. I used a Limitation based on Berserk because it allowed me
to define a set of circumstances that would set off the Power, but the
value of the Limitation was incremented so that as she gained control of
her abilities, it could be bought off gradually. Meanwhile, nothing kept
her from *trying* to use the Power consciously...but the 8- Activation roll
(gradually brought up to 15- via Bonus XP, applied in secret) made it
unreliable.
What started off as "Common circumstances, Berserk 14-, Recover 8-" could
be bought down in any of three different ways, depending on what the
character did to achieve better control. If she reached a point where
fewer things startle her into setting off the TK, Common could be bought
down to Uncommon. If all the usual things continue to startle her into
triggering the TK, but she recovers from it more quickly, 8- can be brought
up to 11-, and so on.
It's been some time since this game, but I think I decided that since her
TK was weak enough to make real damage unlikely, and since the 12-year old
girl had no Combat Levels to apply to the "attack", I ended up basing this
on Enrage rather than Berserk, for 1/2 normal point value.
To convert the Disad value to a Limitation value...hmmm. I *think* I
figured the point value as a Disad (which would have been halved for
Enrage, if indeed that's what I decided to do), then equated 5 Disad points
with -1/4, so that a 15-point Disad (Common, Berserk 14-, Recover 8-, * 0.5
for Enrage Only) would be worth -3/4. It would then cost the character 10
XP to drop the Limitation by +1/4, 30 XP over time to buy it off altogether.
Damon
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End of champ-l-digest V1 #207
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