From: [s--s] at [oz.plymouth.edu] (Steffan O'Sullivan)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc,rec.games.design,rec.games.frp.dnd,rec.games.frp.gurps,rec.games.frp.superheroes
Subject: Revised FUDGE FAQ
Date: 2 Nov 1995 16:10:47 -0500
Keywords: Revised FUDGE FAQ
[Follow-up set to rec.games.frp.misc]
FUDGE Frequently Asked Questions, Revised November 1, 1995
(Answers by Steffan O'Sullivan, [s--s] at [io.com])
Contents:
--------
Q1. What is the Current Version?
Q2. What is FUDGE?
Q3. Who is the target audience?
Q4. What genres is it for?
Q5. Where can I get it?
Q6. What if I don't have ftp capability?
Q7. Can I create FUDGE-based articles and post or otherwise publish
them?
Q8. What's this about 4d3?
Q9. Are there any known errata?
Q10. Where can I discuss FUDGE?
Q1. What is the Current Version?
=================================
A1. Electronic Version: June, 1995
The Grey Ghost Games printed version: August, 1995. Much easier
to use in book format! No significant textual differences - a few
typos cleaned up.
Q2. What is FUDGE?
===================
A2. 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.
-:- No fixed attributes - the GM chooses attributes appropriate
to the campaign.
-:- Skill-driven system, with sample but expandable skill list
included.
-:- Word-based traits and action resolution make it easy to know
just how good any character is at anything. This also allows
FUDGE to be a "universal translator" between gaming systems.
-:- Simple action resolution system. FUDGE is very easy to run
no matter what the genre - no tables to look up.
-:- It's easy to import good mechanics from your favorite game
into FUDGE.
FUDGE stands for:
Freeform (simple, laid-back, not rules-heavy.)
Universal (usable with any genre.)
Do-it-yourself (customizable to taste.)
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.
Q3. Who is the target audience?
================================
A3. FUDGE is for experienced GMs, though it can be used with novice
or experienced players. You must enjoy making decisions on the
fly in order to run FUDGE - it's rules-light. 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. What genres is it for?
===========================
A4. Any. Of course, it hasn't yet been tried with *every* possible
genre, so only time will tell if it really works with any genre.
So far, it works for every genre tried, though not to everyone's
tastes, of course - that would be impossible.
Q5. Where can I get it?
========================
A5. FUDGE is available via anonymous ftp from:
Site: oz.plymouth.edu
Directory: pub/fudge
It is in a single, zipped file called fudge.zip.
Ask your sys admin if you don't know how to ftp or unzip files.
Basically, after you get the file via ftp (be sure to enter
"binary" before getting the file), you can unzip it either on a
home computer or on a unix system. If on a home system, be sure
to set file type to binary before downloading it. If on a unix
system, there may be an extra carriage return after each line
which will look like: ^M. This can be removed with a common unix
utility called dos2ult or dos2bsd. Do not remove these carriage
returns if downloading the file to a Mac or MS-DOS system. Some
VMS systems can do "unzip -a fudge.zip" to remove the ^M.
Note that this can be accessed with a Web browser with:
ftp://oz.plymouth.edu/pub/fudge/
It is also available from:
Site: ftp.csua.berkeley.edu
Directory: /pub/fudge/rules
Supplementary materials are available at ftp.csua.berkeley.edu, also, in
the directories:
/pub/fudge/options
/pub/fudge/samples
/pub/fudge/programs
And a third official site:
ftp.indirect.com
in the directory /pub/rpg/fudge.
Q6. What if I don't have ftp capability?
=========================================
A6. You have four choices. However, as of this date, I don't yet
guarantee the latest version from these sources.
1) You can get FUDGE by e-mail. There are two providers I know
of:
[games request] at [monosys.com]
[t--er--a] at [indirect.com]
From [games request] at [monosys.com], simply send a blank message with a
subject of HELP - you will get an answer on how to get FUDGE (and
many other games).
From indirect.com, send a message to [t--er--a] at [indirect.com] and
politely ask her to send it to you. Indicate if you'd like it in
a uuencoded tar file or a plain text version. Give her some time
to respond before giving up, usually about five days. My thanks
to Britt Klein for this service above and beyond the call of
duty.
2) Your second choice is gopher. Here is a gopher bookmark to go
directly to it:
Name=Fudge
Type=1
Host=gopher.plymouth.edu
Port=70
Path=1/remote/fudge
3) You can buy a copy. The August, 1995, version is a 104-page
paperback book including the basic rules and the addenda which
costs $12 plus shipping ($3 in the USA, $4 in Canada, $6
elsewhere). It is illustrated, but only with copyright-free clip
art, so the book can be photocopied legally. Order from:
Grey Ghost Games
P.O. Box 838
Randolph, MA 02368
Formats available: softcover perfect bound book, and on disk.
Disk formats available: ASCII (text-only) files on IBM 5.25",
IBM 3.5"; Mac 3.5".
You can e-mail them for a full hard sell if you want:
[g--tg--s] at [aol.com]
They also sell FUDGE dice (recommended - see Q8) - enquire if
interested.
4) For those with World Wide Web capability (lynx, netscape,
mosaic, etc.), you can access:
ftp://oz.plymouth.edu/pub/fudge/
Or:
http://www.astro.indiana.edu/personnel/ericg/games/
which contains FUDGE broken down into several files.
Or, to get the entire compressed file:
gopher://gopher.plymouth.edu/11/remote/fudge
Q7. Can I create FUDGE-based articles and post or otherwise publish
them?
=====================================================================
A7. Yes! I even like it when you do! You can contribute alternate
rules, or an adventure setting, or whatever. Simply write a
clear, concise rules addition, in ASCII, using existing Addenda
sections as guidelines. Then include the "About FUDGE" and
"Disclaimer" sections of the FUDGE lecal notice, and it's
legal! If you want to sell your work, you need a royalty-free
license from me - see the legal notice for details.
Upload any submissions via ftp to:
ftp.csua.berkeley.edu
Directory: /pub/fudge/upload
and send e-mail to [a--p--l] at [soda.berkeley.edu] that incoming FUDGE
material has arrived. If possible, compress each file. Although
it may take only a few hours, please allow Shannon a day or two to
move the material to the correct directory.
Each submission should be clearly labelled as an OPTION, SAMPLE,
or PROGRAM so Shannon knows which directory to put the material
in:
OPTIONS include alternate rules and proposed changes.
SAMPLES include lists of equipment or skills or powers, as well
as new magic systems, psi systems, world backgrounds, adventures,
etc. See the directories for examples.
PROGRAMS are anything that run on a computer.
My thanks to Shannon Appel for for making this site available!
Please announce any uploads to rec.games.frp.misc!
In addition, Grey Ghost Games is seeking creative, quality FUDGE
sourcebooks to publish - with royalties for the author. While the
basic FUDGE rules will always be freely copyable, any source books
published by Grey Ghost will be copyright by the individual
authors. Contact Grey Ghost Games at the postal or e-mail address
in A6 above if interested.
Q8. What's this about 4d3?
===========================
A8. A special d3 is now available from Grey Ghost Games. This is
actually a d6, with two faces containing a plus sign (+), two
faces containing a minus sign (-), and two faces blank. Each plus
represents +1, each minus -1, and each blank 0. Rolling 4 of
these dice gives a lovely distribution of results from -4 to +4,
with easy to figure math, and no table. In addition, they are
very flexible, allowing other uses, such as as a damage roll, and
as dice in other games. Contact Grey Ghost Games if interested:
[g--tg--s] at [aol.com.]
Q9. Are there any known errata?
================================
A9. Sadly, there is one erratum. While there are also minor typos,
they are for the most part insignificant. The one erratum that
could be confusing is the first sentence in Section 3.5, Opposed
Actions. This should read:
"To resolve an Opposed action between two characters, each side
makes a normal FUDGE dice roll against the appropriate trait and
announces the result."
Q10. Where can I discuss FUDGE?
===============================
A10. Usenet discussion should be on rec.games.frp.misc - FUDGE is a
genuine RPG, and deserves to be discussed there. Simply put the
the word FUDGE in the subject line and have fun! If you really
want to do a major redesign of some section of FUDGE, you might
try posting to rec.games.design.
There is also a FUDGE mailing list: FUDGE-L. To subscribe to the
list, send mail to [m--r--o] at [southwind.net] with a message body of
"subscribe fudge-l". Mail intended for the list should go to
[fudge l] at [southwind.net.] The FUDGE mailing list FAQ and FTP links
to official archives can be found at:
http://www.southwind.net/~ravenpub/fudge.html.
--
Steffan O'Sullivan [s--s] at [oz.plymouth.edu] Plymouth, NH, USA