Welcome to RPGNet! (Net 774).                          Player Guide
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Created: Aug. 14, 1997                               Update: 01-9/4/97
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This is the player guide to RPGNet. To allow you to understand the what
and how of the net, I have prepared the following guidelines to assist
you, the gamer. These guideline will be updated as new needs arise:

BASIC OVERVIEW
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THIS NET WAS CREATED TO ALLOW USERS WHO ALSO PLAY TSR(tm) GAMES,
AND OTHER ROLE-PLAYING GAMES. THIS NET DEALS WITH NOTHING ELSE
TO THAT END. IT WAS CREATED FOR GAMERS BY GAMERS. 


GAMES
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1.) GAMES CAN BE FROM ANY ROLE-PLAYING GAME MODULE (IE AD&D ETC.) OR CAN
    BE THE GAMES THAT YOU CREATE. BEAR IN MIND, THIS IS AN ALL MESSAGE
    BASE NETWORK. THEREFORE, DOOR TYPE OR GRAPHICAL GAMES CANNOT BE PLAYED.
    THE EXCEPTION TO IT WOULD BE IF YOU MADE A MAP USING ANSI OR ASCII
    AND UPLOADED TO THE MESSAGE AREA FOR YOUR FELLOW GAMERS TO SEE.  
    HOWEVER, THIS TYPE OF ACTIVITY TENDS TO COST SYSOPS MONEY IN POSSIBLE
    LONG DISTANCE CHARGES IN SENDING THESE TYPE OF MESSAGES. SO, TO THAT
    END, IT IS UP TO THE INDIVIDUAL SYSOPS TO DETERMINE IF THEY ALLOW THAT
    ON THEIR BBS'S. RPGNET WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY LONG DISTANCE
    BILLS OTHER THAN THOSE INCURRED BY THEIR OWN RESPECTIVE SYSTEMS.

2.) GAMES MAY BE OF ANY TYPE, WITH EXCEPTION TO GAMES THAT TEND TO CREATE
    "CULTS" OR FANATIC GROUPS SUCH AS VAMPIRES AND WEREWOLVES. THOSE 
    CHARACTERS WILL BE LIMITED TO NPC (NON-PLAYER CHARACTERS) IF EVEN USED.
    
3.) WHILE IT IS OUR POLICY TO PROVIDE THE BEST SERVICE, WE ALSO ARE A CLEAN
    CUT NETWORK AND WE MUST PLACE SOME LIMITS ON PLAYER CHARACTER TYPES.
    TOO MUCH RECENT PUBLICITY WAS A DETERMINING FACTOR IN THIS DECISION.
    ALSO, DEMONIC CHARACTERS THAT COULD BE OF CULT ORIGIN OR CULT USEAGE
    IS ALSO PROHIBITED. BY THIS I MEAN THE TRUE EVIL CHARACTERS. THERE 
    ARE VARYING DEGREES OF DEMONS THAT DON'T FIT THIS CATEGORY. YOU MAY 
    USE THOSE. CULT ACTIVITY OF ANY TYPE IS PROHIBITED ON THIS NET.

4.) PROFANITY IS PROHIBITED THROUGHOUT THE NETWORK. YOU MAY USE DAMN, HELL
    AND OTHER WORDS THAT HAVE ACTUAL MEANINGS. DAMN DENOTES AN ACTION OF
    CONDEMNATION AND HELL IS A PLACE OF SATAN AND HIS FOLLOWERS. SLANG
    VARIATIONS OF THOSE WORDS MEANT AS CURSING IN CONTEXT IS NOT ALLOWED.

5.) THERE COULD BE FROM TIME TO TIME OCCASIONAL ADULT-THEMED (MATURE)
    MESSAGES ON THE NETWORK. BY THAT I DON'T MEAN PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIALS,
    BUT VIOLENCE AND SOME MATURE WORDINGS, THEREFORE, PARENTS ARE URGED
    TO MONITOR CHILDREN UNDER 18 WHEN THEY USE THIS NET. I CANNOT TOTALLY
    CONTROL WHO GETS ON THIS NET AS IT IS ALSO RAN ON REMOTE SYSTEMS 
    ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND/OR THE GLOBE. 


SYSOP RESPONSIBILITIES
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1.) AS A NODE SYSOP, YOU HAVE TO MONITOR FOR THE ABOVE. IF YOU SEE ANY
    INFRACTIONS OF THE ABOVE, YOU MUST EMAIL YOUR BBS USERS THAT THEY
    ARE VIOLATING THE RULES, AND TO IMMEDIATELY TERMINATE ALL ACTIVITY
    THAT IS PREJUDICIAL TO THE GOOD ORDER OF THE NETWORK. AS STATED, 
    PROFANITY IS PROHIBITED. NO CULT-LIKE ACTIVITY SHOULD YOU NOTICE IT.


2.) HOW YOU RUN YOUR BBS IS ALWAYS ENTIRELY UP TO YOU. HOWEVER, IF 
    ACTIVITIES THAT ARE CLEARLY A VIOLATION ARE NOT CURBED BY THE SYSOP 
    FIRST, THE NETMASTER CAN REVOKE YOUR NET PRIVILEDGE UNTIL YOU FIX
    THE PROBLEM. IF GOES UNRESOLVED, YOUR LINK WILL NOT BE RESTORED. 
    YOU, AS A SYSOP, MUST MONITOR YOUR USERS IN ANY SITUATION TO KEEP
    FROM GETTING YOURSELF IN TROUBLE WITH THE LAW. 

3.) PLEASE ENSURE THAT ALL POSTED MATERIAL IS RELEVANT TO THE GAMES
    BEING PLAYED IN THE GAME CONFERENCES. NO OFF-TOPIC MATERIAL WILL
    BE TOLERATED. IF YOUR USERS WISH TO TALK ABOUT ANYTHING OTHER THAN
    RPG SUBJECTS, ENSURE THEY MOVE THE DISCUSSION TO THE "GENERAL
    CHATTER" CONFERENCE OR IF THEY ARE POSTING ABOUT RPG SUBJECTS BUT 
    ARE NOT GAME RELATED, THEY MUST POST IT IN THE "RPG CHATTER" 
    CONFERENCE. 

CONFERENCES
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1.) THE FOLLOWING CONFERENCE LISTING IS CURRENT AS OF AUG. 14, 1997.
    ADDITIONS TO THIS CONFERENCE LIST WILL CONTINUE TO BE UPDATED AND
    YOU WILL RECEIVE THE NEW LISTS AFTER THEY ARE UPDATED.

    OPTIONAL CONFERENCES
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    RPG_DKSN - DARKSUN GAME
    RPG_STWS - STAR WARRIORS GAME
    RPG_WAGN - WAGONS WEST! GAME (USER MADE)
    RPG_STWA  - STAR WARS
    RPG_WIND  - WINDWHISTLER
    RPG_TQFA  - THE QUEST FOR ADIN
    RPG_BRLD  - THE BORDERLORD
    RPG_TWARS - TIME WARRIORS
    RPG_TQ4N  - THE QUEST FOR KNOWLEDGE

    REQUIRED CONFERENCES
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    RPG_WFNM - WORDS FROM THE NETMASTER
    RPG_CHAT - GENERAL CHATTER (NON-RPG)
    RPG_RCHAT- RPG CHATTER (RPG IN NATURE, NON-GAME)
    RPG_GREQ - GAME REQUESTS TO THE NETMASTER

2.) THERE ARE NO FILE OR TIC CONFERENCES. THOSE ARE UNNEEDED. FOR UPDATES
    TO BE RECEIVED, YOU ONLY NEED YOUR MAILER'S INCOMING FILE DIRECTORY.

3.) AS STATED ABOVE, NEW GAMES WILL BE ADDED PERIODICALLY AS REQUESTS
    FROM THE NETMASTER APPROVES THEM FOR PLAY. THE GAME REQUESTS FROM
    YOUR USERS MUST BE PLACED IN THE GAME REQUEST CONFERENCE. YOUR FIRST
    TASK IS TO VERIFY THAT YOUR USERS REQUESTING THE GAME ARE IN KEEPING
    WITH THE RULES. IF NOT, YOU MUST DELETE THE REQUEST PRIOR TO SENDING
    MESSAGE PACKETS TO THE NET. IF THE MAIL IS PACKED AND SENT BEFORE
    YOU CAN DELETE THE MESSAGE, THAT'S NO PROBLEM. THE NETMASTER WILL
    EVALUATE THE GAME REQUEST AND WILL MORE THAN LIKELY CANCEL IT ANYWAY.
    BUT IF YOU CAN, ALWAYS TRY TO DELETE THE REQUEST. REQUESTS THAT ARE
    SCREENED AND FOUND TO BE IN VIOLATION WILL BE SENT BACK TO YOU ALONG
    WITH AN EXPLAINATION OF WHY THE GAME REQUEST IS CANCELLED. 

GAMES IN GENERAL
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1.) ANY GAMES THAT ARE INACTIVE FOR A PERIOD OF 30 DAYS WILL BE DELETED
    WITHOUT ANY ADVANCE WARNING TO THE PLAYERS. THIS IS TO MINIMIZE THE
    CLUTTER THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH "DEAD" CONFERENCES (GAMES). IF 
    YOU NOTICE THAT A GAME IS NOT BEING PLAYED FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME,
    SEND AN EMAIL TO YOUR PLAYERS TO FIND OUT WHY THEY HAVE STOPPED 
    PLAYING. IF THEY ARE FINISHED WITH THE GAME ONE WAY OR THE OTHER,
    THEY MUST NOTIFY NETMASTER VIA THE GAME REQUEST CONFERENCE TO
    TERMINATE AND DELETE THE GAME. HERE'S THE CATCH: ALL GAME PLAYERS
    MUST CONCUR WITH THE DECISION TO DELETE PRIOR TO SUBMITTING A 
    DELETION REQUEST. THAT MUST BE STATED IN THE EMAIL FROM THE PLAYERS.
    ONE WAY TO ENSURE  THAT ALL CONCUR IS TO RECEIVE AN INDIVIDUAL 
    DELETION REQUEST FROM EACH PLAYER. HOWEVER, IF ONLY ONE LETTER IS 
    RECEIVED, THEN IT MUST BE STATED THAT ALL PLAYERS ARE DONE.
    ONCE DELETED, IT CANNOT BE ADDED BACK FOR A PERIOD OF 7 DAYS AFTER
    REQUEST IS RECEIVED TO THE NETMASTER.


2.) FOR A GAME REQUEST TO BE PROCESSED, 2 OR MORE PLAYERS MUST BE PRESENT
    AND IT MUST BE STATED IN THE REQUEST THAT THERE ARE IN FACT OTHER
    PERSONS REQUESTING THE GAME. IN ANY CASE, THERE MUST BE A DUNGEON
    OR GAME MASTER APPOINTED IN THAT GAME. NO DM/GM, NO GAMES WILL BE 
    ADDED. 

3.) OCCASIONALLY, THERE MAY BE ADULT-THEMED MATERIAL (NOT PORNOGRAPHIC)
    THAT POPS UP IN A GAME. USE YOUR BEST JUDGEMENT TO SEE IF IT IS
    SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE TOTALLY UNAPPROPRIATE FOR THE MINOR AGES
    POPULATION ON YOUR BBS. PORNOGRAPHY OF ANY SORT IS STRICTLY 
    PROHIBITED.

ABOUT ON AND OFF-TOPIC MESSAGE POSTING
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1.) THE GAME CONFERENCE ARE FOR THE RUNNING GAMES ONLY. NO IDLE CHATTER
    IS ALLOWED UNLESS IT IS DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH THE GAME IN PROGRESS.
    THAT IS, CHARACTERS MAY CONVERSE TO OTHER CHARACTERS WHEN ENGAGED
    IN ACTUAL GAME PLAY. NOTHING ELSE! IF YOU POST OFF-TOPIC/GENERAL
    CHATTER IN ANY GAME CONFERENCE, YOU WILL RECEIVE A WARNING LETTER FROM
    NETMASTER VIA THE "WORDS FROM THE NETMASTER" CONFERENCE. AND IT IS 
    PUBLIC. EVERYONE WILL SEE IT. 2ND OFFENSE - YOU WILL BE LOCKED OUT OF THE
    NET FOR A PERIOD OF 7 DAYS. THAT IS THE ENTIRE NET. 3RD OFFENSE -
    15 DAYS. 4TH AND FINAL OFFENSE - PERMANENT LOCKOUT OF THE NET TO YOU.
    
6.) ANY NON-GAME CHATTER MUST GO INTO THE GENERAL CHATTER CONFERENCE. PLEASE
    MAKE THE MESSAGES SHORT AND TO THE POINT. 

7.) ANY POST-GAME CHATTER WILL GO INTO THE RPG CHATTER, AND WILL ONLY BE
    ABOUT YOUR GAMES ONLY.


USE OF OFF-LINE MAIL READERS
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1.) USE OF OFFLINE MAIL READER PROGRAMS, SUCH AS BLUEWAVE(TM) OR OTHER
    MAIL READERS THAT USE QWK FORMAT FOR MESSAGES IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
    THIS REDUCES ONLINE TIME ON BBS'S THAT HAVE 1 LINE ONLY AS WELL AS
    LONG DISTANCE CHARGES IF YOU ARE CALLING AN OUT OF AREA BBS. 


DISCLAIMER
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RPGNET, ITS STAFF, AND NODE SYSOPS WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY 
CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING FROM THE USE OR THE INABILITY
TO USE THIS NETWORK. RPGNET WILL NOT BE INVOLVED IN ANY
PRIVATE DISPUTE THAT RESULTS IN LEGAL ACTION/DEFAMATION SUITS.

YOU OWN YOUR OWN WORDS. BE PREPARED TO BE CHALLENGED BY OTHERS
SHOULD YOU BE CHALLENGED. THAT IS, IF YOU CHOOSE TO "FLAME"
OTHERS, BE READY TO ANSWER TO THE RECEIPENT AS WELL AS THE
NETMASTER. ANY RECEIPENTS OF "FLAME" MESSAGES WILL BE GIVEN
EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO PROPERLY DEFEND THEMSELVES. IF YOU 
DECLINE TO, THE NETMASTER WILL INTERVENE. SHOULD A HEATED 
DISCUSSION ARISE, IT IS PREFERRED THAT YOU TAKE YOUR FIGHTS
ELSEWHERE. DO NOT USE THIS NET TO SETTLE SCORES. AS STATED,
RPGNET, ITS STAFF AND NODE SYSOPS WILL NOT BE HELD LIABLE FOR
WORDS USED BY ITS USERS THAT DEFAME OR MAY CAUSE LIBEL CHARGES
TO BROUGHT AGAINST OTHER USERS. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE TO YOURSELVES
AND SHOULD CONDUCT YOURSELVES IN A CIVILIZED MANNER. EVERY
EFFORT WILL BE MADE TO ALLOW THIS NETWORK TO REMAIN THAT WAY.
SHOULD THE NETMASTER INTERVENE, YOU WILL BE LOCKED OUT TO
PROTECT OTHERS. 

CHARGING A FEE FOR RPGNET TO USERS.
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1.) CHARGING FEES FOR USE OF RPGNET CAN ONLY BE PERMITTED IF YOU
    ARE INCURRING A LOT OF LONG DISTANCE CHARGES FROM POLLING AN
    OUT OF AREA SYSTEM FOR MAIL. THIS CANNOT BE AN UNREASONABLE
    AMOUNT. THE AVERAGE FOR LONG DISTANCE USE PER YEAR PER PERSON IS $15- 
    $20.
    
2.) AS WE TRY TO BRING RPGNET TO YOU FREE OF CHARGE, IT ISN'T TOTALLY
    FREE DUE TO PHONE USEAGE PER MONTH TO GET THE MESSAGES. AN 
    EXAMPLE OF AN UNREASONABLE FEE TO CHARGE IS ANYTHING OVER $1
    PER MONTH. THAT IS DUE TO INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS MAKING
    INTERNET MORE AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE. AN AVERAGE PER USER
    FEE WOULD BE $10 TO $15 ANNUALLY OR MAYBE $1 OR $2 A MONTH.
    MOST PHONE COMPANIES ARE OFFERING 10 CENT A MINUTE UNLIMITED
    SERVICE. AS STATED, THERE IS NO ACTUAL CHARGE TO JUST USE THE
    NETWORK, SO THIS IS ENTIRELY UP TO YOU. IF YOU HAVE UNLIMITED LOCAL
    PHONE SERVICE AND YOUR USERS LOCATED IN YOUR AREA PLAY, THEN
    IT WOULDN'T BE FAIR TO CHARGE THEM TO A CALL INTO THE NETWORK
    SINCE IT DOESN'T INVOLVE LONG DISTANCE. THIS MAY SOUND PREJUDICAL,
    BUT PHONE BILLS CAN RUN QUITE HIGH MONTHLY. USE YOUR OWN 
    DESCRETION, BUT DO NOT INVOLVE THE MANAGEMENT OF RPGNET IN YOUR
    DECISION TO CHARGE A FEE FOR THE USE OF THE NETWORK. THE NETMASTER
    WILL NOT BE GIVEN CREDIT FOR YOUR OVERCHARGING THE USER. 






