Logs for ShadowRN and Associated Mailing Lists

From:	Brian Angliss <angliss@*****.COLORADO.EDU>
Subject:	You know....
Date:	Thu, 5 Mar 1998 13:25:33 -0700

From:	"Paul J. Adam" <shadowtk@********.DEMON.CO.UK>
Subject:	Re: You know....
Date:	Thu, 5 Mar 1998 21:56:10 +0000

Message no. 2 In message <v01510101b124585a38fd@[128.138.200.180]>, Brian Angliss
<angliss@*****.COLORADO.EDU> writes
>I'll be finishing my Master's thesis here in about a couple of weeks. And
>I may just have time and interest to get involved again....
>
>Could someone send me the latest FAQ, and, while I know that the archives
>are available somewhere, I don't remember where. I think I'd like to see
>what's been going on on -tk before I jump in again.

You wanted it, you got it :)

Welcome to SHADOWTK.

This document is Part 1 of a two-part FAQ related to the mailing list
ShadowTalk (SHADOWTK). It contains a brief overview of the purpose of
the mailing list as well as instructions on how to subscribe,
unsubscribe and navigate the mazes of LISTSERV-LITE.

Part II of the FAQ contains additional information about the list,
including guidelines and rules relating to characterisation and
formatting. It is important you read and abide by the formatting
guidelines or you will be deleted from the list.

Thanks for your interest, Virtually...The SHADOWTK Listowners

Mark Imbriaco "New Fearless Leader"
Paul Adam "Nice Guy Dread Executor"
Brian Rogers "Nasty Guy Dread Executor"
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Frequently Asked Questions for SHADOWTK@********.ITRIBE.NET
Version 5.1 (10 February 1998)

Originally compiled by your original Fearless Leader:
Robert Hayden hayden@*******.mankato.msus.edu

Now maintained by your Nice Guy Dread Executor:
Paul J. Adam paul@********.demon.co.uk

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1. INTRODUCTION
A. What is SHADOWTK?
B. How do I subscribe to SHADOWTK?
C. How do I post to SHADOWTK?
D. How do I unsubscribe to SHADOWTK?
E. Other Important LISTSERV-LITE Commands.
F. Why am I getting deleted from the list for no reason?
G. Why does the list reject postings from my account?
H. HELP! Mail from the list has stopped coming, but I'm still
subscribed!

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----PART 1: INTRODUCTION
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********** A. What is ShadowTK?
Shadowtalk is an interactive fiction mailing list based on the paper &
pencil role-playing game Shadowrun, published by FASA. Members of the
list post as characters in genre, and by responding to each other's
posts "in character", stories are developed. These stories may then be
used by players and GMs alike as a basis for contacts, NPCs, and
adventure plots in their own campaigns.

Shadowrun takes place in Seattle 61 years in the future. Cybernetics,
Virtual Reality, and biotechnology are available to the public.
Furthermore, Magic exists and is controlled by mages and shamans, and
mythical beings once again roam the land. Megacorporations, each with
the power of small nations, rule the politics and hold the ultimate
stranglehold on the underclass. Surviving in the world of Shadowrun
takes as much courage as it does skill. And perhaps just a little luck.

********** B. How do I subscribe to SHADOWTK?
To subscribe, you must send a control message to the list processor at
listproc.itribe.net. To do this, send email with the following
parameters:

TO: listserv@********.itribe.net
SUBJECT: <leave blank>
1st line: subscribe shadowtk

In a little while you should get email confirming your subscription to
the list, after which you should begin getting regular postings.

********** C. How do I post to SHADOWTK?
To post to SHADOWTK, you send your posting via email to
SHADOWTK@********.ITRIBE.NET. Make sure that you have read the Posting
Guidelines portion of this FAQ before you post to the list: there is
also a Newcomer's Guide to ShadowTK available at:

http://www.shalako.demon.co.uk

which is a useful introduction to the list format and practice.

********** D. How do I unsubscribe to SHADOWTK?
To unsubscribe, you must send a control message to the list processor at
listproc.itribe.net. To do this, send email with the following
parameters:

TO: listserv@********.itribe.net
SUBJECT:
1st line: unsubscribe shadowtk

In a little while you should get email confirming your unsubscription
request.

********** E. Other Important LISTSERV-LITE Commands.
There are many commands you can give to the listserv in order to change
how your subscription works.

SET listname REPRO (default): This command will have the listserv
include you in the distribution of any posting you make (i.e., you get
your own things back, too).

SET listname ACK: This is simply an confirmation of the posting you just
made. It is returned to you in email.

SET listname NOMAIL: If you are going on vacation or something, sending
a NOMAIL command will halt your receiving any postings. This is helpful
if you know that your quota will be exceeded during Christmas break, for
example.
WARNING: If you forget to do this and your quota is exceeded, this will
cause all of the postings to be bounced back to the list, possibly
leading to a loop. The only way to quickly alleviate this problem is to
delete your subscription, so PLEASE use the NOMAIL command if you are
going to be gone for a while.

SET listname DIGEST: When this option is set, instead of all of the
postings being delivered separately, they will be delivered in one
mailing at the close of the day (in ITribe's timezone). This is helpful
if the number of mailings become a burden.

SET listname MAIL (default): This option is invoked to restore active
status after sending a NOMAIL request, and is also used to change from
DIGEST back to getting all postings separately.

HELP: Sending this command will give you a listing and brief
descriptions of all available commands.

********** F. Why am I getting deleted from the list for no reason?
99% of the time, the reason you are deleted from the list (by the
listowner) is because for some reason mail is bouncing off of your
account. Usually this is caused by one of two reasons.

Either A) your account is filled and can't hold any more or B) for some
reason your account is not available (either the machine or your account
is down). When this happens, it causes an error message to be sent back
to the list. The list software attempts to detect error messages and
route them to the listowner.

Sometimes, though, the error is not detected by the listproc software
and the error gets reported to the list. This causes the error message
to get sent our to all subscribers, including the person who is bouncing
mail. This leads to a loop that really messes things up. Thus, standard
procedure when an error message is reported it to delete the
subscription of the person causing the error. Once the problem has been
fixed (you are back on the net or have room), you are, of course, free
to join the list again.

********* G. Why does the list reject postings from my account?
As part of some security features of the list software, the list will
only accept mailings that come from the same address your subscription
is registered on. This is to prevent non-list people from flooding the
mailboxes of dozens of people. Because of this, if you attempt to post
from another account or machine, your message will be rejected. Please
read the error message enclosed with your rejection and determine what
you must do to fix it in the future.

********* H. HELP! Mail from the list has stopped coming, but I'm still
subscribed!
Mail has an annoying characteristic in that, while most of the time it
is instantaneous, there are times when it can take up to two weeks to go
from one computer to another that is located ten feet away (much like
snail mail, eh?). If mail suddenly suddenly stops coming, wait at least
48 hours before you contact the listowner. Very likely a link is down
between you and the list, and as soon as that link comes back up, you
will get all of the old mailings.
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ShadowTalk FAQ Part II
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2. DISCLAIMER
3. GUIDELINES FOR POSTING
A. Formatting Guidelines and Justifications
B. What is the posting format?
C. What are the restrictions on the type of postings?
i. General Restrictions
ii. Mailing List Advertising Policy
iii. Virus Alerts
D. What are the restrictions on characterisation?
E. Registering a Character
4. GETTING CURRENT AND PAST LOGS
A. Getting edited logs via HTTP and FTP
5. SUPPLEMENTAL MAILING LISTS
6. PLOT-D
A. What is PLOT-D
B. Subscribing to PLOT-D
7. ADDITIONAL LIST INFORMATION
A. Just who are these administrators anyways?

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2. DISCLAIMER
By nature of the topic of this list (cyberpunk and gothic styles of
fiction) it should be warned that discussions often contain violent,
sexual and/or adult themes.

The responsibility (blame?) for each posting falls entirely into the
hands of the original poster. The listowners, postmaster, and the iTRiBE
administration assumes no liability for the contents of postings.

If you have a complaint about the list content, please e-mail the Nice
Guy Dread Executor at paul@********.demon.co.uk with the details.

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3: GUIDELINES FOR POSTING
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WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!
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Posting to the ShadowTk list without following the GUIDELINES FOR
POSTING can, and frequently will, result in your immediate removal from
the list; accompanied by a message requesting that you refamiliarise
yourself with the ShadowTk FAQ.

Once you have refamiliarised yourself with the FAQ, you are free to
rejoin the list.

Persistent breaches of the GUIDELINES FOR POSTING will mean you will not
be permitted to rejoin.

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WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!
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A. Formatting Guidelines and Justifications

1. Why Format Correctly?
Proper formatting of messages to ShadowTk is important for several
reasons.

First of all it helps sustain the illusion of a Shadowrun BBS, and helps
to maintain the atmosphere.

Secondly, it allows for ease of reading for your fellow list members:
using the standard format means everyone knows what you're trying to
say.

Lastly, it makes it easier for the Listowner and all other people who
are keeping logs to format them in a consistent manner.

Proper formatting can be a minor irritation at first, but soon becomes
habit. It is, though, seen by some as an indication of likely conduct:
if someone will not follow the simple rules of formatting a message,
they may not be likely to respect the other conventions of the list.

2. What are encrypts, and how do I use them?
Encrypted messages are used to allow a message to be either read only by
certain characters or to prevent them from being read by particular
characters. Encrypts are used to enhance the development of storylines
and should be used sparingly.

i. ***** PRIVATE: messages
The first type of encryption is the "Private" message. Following the
keyword "PRIVATE" the names of the characters the message was sent to
are listed. Only these characters are aware of the messages existence,
and even they do not know that the same message was sent to characters
other than themselves.

For example,

***** PRIVATE: Johnson
>>>>>[Nobody except you and I know this message
exists.]<<<<<
-- Lonesome <00:32:16/07-07-58>

It is very poor etiquette to have any other characters respond to such a
message, unless it is a special case where the sender of the message has
agreed to let the message be eavesdropped upon.

Some players choose to add additional encryption to their PRIVATE:
messages.

***** PRIVATE: AlexandriaN
>>>>>[+++++begin encryption: Kido Buntai 4.2
Alex, we've got a real problem here.
+++++end encryption: Kido Buntai 4.2]<<<<<
-- Lynch <00:31:16/07-07-58>

This is only a matter of "colour" and style: if the originator of a
PRIVATE: message states that it is secure, then it is secure and may not
be read by anyone other than the recipient.

ii. ***** NOT TO: messages
The second type of encryption is the "Barring" message. Following the
keywords "NOT TO" the names of the characters that the writer does not
want to receive the message are listed. Once again, it is very poor
etiquette to have a character respond to a message he has been barred
from. For example,

***** NOT TO: Thunda
>>>>>[This guy is really beginning to annoy me.]<<<<<
-- Easy <00:31:16/07-07-58>

It is not impossible that a well-supported character, with a wide web of
contacts, would still be able see the NOT TO: message, and nothing
prohibits another character passing on the gist of the message.

It is, though, a plot device intended to ease the flow of the plot
(rather than a credible technical invention) and ignoring or
circumventing it too casually is likely to cause annoyance: best to
discuss it (either privately or on Plot-D) first.

Some list members find NOT TO: useful, others dislike it and choose not
to make use of it. As with PRIVATE: encryptions, the originator's word
is final.

iii. ***** INTERNAL: messages.
The third type of encryption, which isn't really an encrypt in the same
sense as PRIVATE: and NOT TO:, is the INTERNAL message. INTERNAL
messages can be used to provide insight on what is going on behind the
scenes in a plot for the ShadowTk list-members.

INTERNAL messages are for plot development, conveying information that
would not normally be posted to the ShadowLand board. They are typically
corporate or government message traffic, but that's not a hard-and-fast
rule.

***** INTERNAL: Renraku Security IntraNet
>>>>>[Sir, the four intruders have been apprehended. Three are still
alive and are being interrogated at this moment. I expect to make a full
report by the morning.]<<<<<
-- Sergeant Jiro Hayabusa <00:31:16/07-07-58>
Internal Security
Renraku Red Samurai

Again, while it is very ill-mannered to post a reply to, or knowledge
of, an INTERNAL: post without invitation, it's quite possible to e-mail
the originator and discuss how your character(s) might become involved
in that plot.

Gross consequence might be obvious, but detail usually won't be unless
the originator allows. For instance,

***** INTERNAL: Lone Star (Seattle)
>>>>>[Okay. Lock it down. Discreet. but hard. I want the streets quiet
within a week.]<<<<<
-- Colonel Bob Roberts<00:31:16/07-07-58>
Commander, Robbery and Homicide
Auburn Division
Lone Star

might fairly prompt the response to the list:-

>>>>>[Man, the Star are jumpy in Auburn these days. Regular heatwave.
Any idea what's going on?]<<<<<
-- Boomer <04:11:34/07-07-58>

However, only by consulting the originator of the post and seeking their
approval and advice is it reasonable to offer:-

>>>>>[I heard that Commander Roberts is really torqued about something,
and he wants the Auburn streets clean within a week. Anyone know
why?]<<<<<
-- Boomer <04:11:34/07-07-58>

as a follow-up. The fact of a Lone Star clampdown in Auburn might be
obvious (though how successful it is, is a matter to check with the
originator of the message) but the reasons behind it would not be.

iv. Minor Encryptions
A secondary use of encrypts is to allow the author to neglect to specify
an otherwise meaningless detail. Encrypts of this nature are placed
inside a message and appear in a format similar to "Meet me at
>>Encrypted<< in two hours." or "I'll leave the chips at
>>location<<
when the payment reaches me."

It's a fact that no two Shadowrun campaigns are alike. One area this
reflects is on payment for shadowrunning and other work: what one group
would leap at, another would ignore as chicken-feed. Minor encryptions
are ideal for resolving this problem, and can be quite descriptive. For
instance, "I'll pay >>amazingly large amount<< for whoever brings me the
head of Damien Knight" or "I know it isn't much, but whoever helps me
will get >>small sum<< for their time". Mentioning an actual sum of
money is likely to bring a chorus of both "I'd never work for so
little!" and "That's a ludicrously large sum!", while the descriptive
encryption makes your intention clear.

3. "Dramatics"
Many times, a posting will be made that has what are termed "Dramatics"
in them. Often times, this will be downloading of a program, a
description of a video camera shot, a virus attacking the poster, or
some such. To properly set these events off, one will utilise five '+'
symbols.

For Example:

>>>>>[Joe, this is the guy I saw.

+++++ Download: bad_guy.picture

Recognise him?]<<<<<
-- Smitty <04:11:34/07-07-58>

or

>>>>>[I got this footage while I was in New York. It's real!

+++++begin trideo: kong.avi
A giant ape climbs the Empire State Building, a screaming woman clutched
in one hand while small aircraft buzz around him.
+++++end trideo

It's all true! I was there, I saw it!]<<<<<
-- Whacko <04:11:34/07-07-58>

Transcripts of meetings and telephone calls, video footage of dramatic
events, recordings of Matrix runs, all can be covered by dramatic
inclusions.

4. ID and Time/Date Stamp
All message must have an ID and a time/date Stamp at the end of the
message. This includes messages that are disrupted during sending since
ID and Time/Date are determined before the posting character starts his
message.

Leaving the ID and Time/Date Stamp off of a post is very confusing and
should never be done. Repeated offenders will be notified that they are
violating the posting format and that they will be removed from the list
if they continue to do so.

While FASA's later books have moved away from the time/date stamp,
ShadowTK retains them because it assists in compiling the logs and in
determining in which order posts should be read.

Also, while some FASA books have characters able to distort their
time/date stamps, this should not be done until your character has spent
some time on the list, if at all. It is recommended that most ShadowTK
characters stick to the traditional Time/Date format.

Non-US users are reminded that the date is expressed as Month/Day/Year,
thus 17 July 2058 is 07/17/58.

********** B. What is the posting format?
The best guideline for posting format can be found in the FASA
rulebooks, but in summary, a post should be made as follows:

Standard Style:
***** (Key Word): Name List (optional)
>>>>>[Text to be discussed]<<<<<
-- ID < Time / Date >

Corporate Style:
***** (Key Word): Name List (optional)
>>>>>[Text to be discussed]<<<<<
-- ID < Time / Date >
Position
Corporation

Where:
(Key Word) = This refers to the key words for the two styles of post
encryption, those being "PRIVATE" and "NOT TO".

Name List = This is a list of names of personas that the encryption is
keyed to. For private messages, it is a list of those who are able to
read the post. For barring messages, it is the list of people who cannot
read the message.

>>>>>[ = All postings should start with five (5) greater-than symbols
followed by an opening bracket.

]<<<<< = All postings should end with a closing bracket followed by five
(5) less than symbols.

ID = Your fictional LTG identification. This ID should be preceded by
eight spaces, two dashes (--), and two spaces.

Time = The time of the post in 24hr format (i.e., hh:mm:ss) I've found
it personally convenient to simply use the current real-world time.
There has been some discussion regarding using a universal time
(example, everyone posts using GMT or Seattle time). It has been decided
that it is too much of a pain to try to recalculate posting time. If you
do with is use a universal time, use GMT.

Date = The Shadowrun Date. In order to keep things in order, use the
current month and day, and for the year, take the current year and add
61 to it (Shadowrun takes place in 2058 during 1997). Date is posted in
MM-DD-YY format.

Position = The position possessed by the individual in his corporation
(President, CEO, Executive Assistant). This style of posting is used
only by corporate or government types, since no self respecting runner
or neo-anarchist would use something that corps do.

Corporation= Name of the Corporation or organisation to which the
individual is affiliated.

NOTE: There are some industrious deckers that alter the time-date stamp
into saying something else. While this can be fun, it is generally
accepted that only expert deckers can do this, not listmembers who are
too lazy to check the date and time for a message.

It is /not/ a trivial task to change, and even for the most expert
decker, in most cases, is usually not considered worth the effort to do
so.

It is strongly recommended that listmembers allow a character to
"settle" into the list for a while before doing this, and that it should
indicate considerable ability on behalf of the decker.

OTHER EDITING INSTRUCTIONS: All postings should be made flush-left. Do
not TAB in new paragraphs. Do not use TABs for formatting purposes (use
spaces). At the end of a paragraph, press return twice and start the
next paragraph flush-left. If there are multiple messages in one
posting, put only one blank line between them. Do not hyphenate words.
If a word is longer than the line, start the word on the NEXT line.

Signature Files: As a general rule, it is unnecessary to include a
signature file for SHADOWTK postings, as your entries will have your
"ID" to identify you. Most mailers are able to resolve return addresses.
Thus, don't do it.

Quoting Previous Postings: This is also highly frowned upon, mostly
because of the difficulty in creating a log file. Discussion should
occur rapidly enough that quoting of will be unnecessary. If you feel
that you need to address specific points, please try to simply address
them without wasting bandwidth with unnecessary quoting. Use the text of
the posting to refresh everyone's memory if you can.

Subject Line: Please note that subject lines WILL NOT be present in the
edited log, so if you have a subject line that is important to the
meaning of message, it will become confusing.

Flaming: Isn't very nice, period. You will be warned if your behaviour
is perceived as flaming. If it gets too bad, you will be deleted from
the list.

********** C. What are the restrictions on the type of postings?

i. General Restrictions
In general, any aspect of the Shadowrun society can be discussed.
Rumours, reports, opinions, etc. about the Shadowrun universe are the
subject. Any world shaking plots, or plots that will directly or
indirectly affect other characters should be discussed on the PLOT-D
list beforehand. (See part 6)

Another rule of thumb is that plots should generally stick with the
published FASA world as much as possible. Sticking to the FASA world
ensures that new listmembers will see a world that they are familiar
with from published FASA literature. NOTE: The list generally lags
behind published FASA literature by a month or so. This gives all of the
listmembers who are interested in plots pertaining to that literature
time to purchase and read it.

ii. Mailing List Advertising Policy
This policy is intended to fight mailing-list "spamming". The Shadowrun
mailing lists accept commercial advertising for payment. We offer a fee
waiver if you can show us the cancelled check for a $1000 (U.S.) or more
donation to the Electronic Frontier Foundation. One donation per
advertisement, please. If you don't wish to donate, simply post your
advertisement to the list, and the operator of the mailing lists will
bill $1999 (U.S). The list operator will donate this amount, minus the
expense of collecting it, to EFF.

Please note that the lists are distributed automatically - messages are
generally not read or checked in any way before they are distributed. By
the act of posting your advertisement you agree to accept responsibility
for the fee, you agree to indemnify the mailing-list operator against
any legal claims from you or others in connection with your
advertisement, and you agree to pay any legal and business expenses
incurred in collecting late payment. Our liability to you is limited to
a good-faith effort to deliver your message. Reduced rates and/or waiver
of fee are available for Shadowrun-related and selected other topics of
advertisements. You must consult the mailing-list operator in advance of
posting for any reduction or fee waiver.

iii. Virus Alerts
Every so often, someone - usually someone new to e-mail - gets a warning
about an "e-mail virus", often called "Good Times" or "Join the
Crew",
and as the message maliciously suggests, forwards it to everyone they
know.

These viruses are hoaxes. Good Times was first seen in late 1994, for
instance, and has been circulating since. Check the sites below for
information, before you rush to warn the entire list about a menacing
virus:-

http://ciac.llnl.gov/ciac/CIACHoaxes.html
http://www.urbanlegends.com/

If you are still concerned, e-mail the listowner or one of the Dread
Executors. Do _not_ forward the warning to the list.

********** D. What are the restrictions on characterisation?
Over one hundred people subscribe to this list, and everyone wants to
feel as individual and special as the next. To this end, please keep the
following parameters in mind when creating stories and characters.

Stick to the official rules and world background. This is not meant to
constrain your imagination, but to provide a common "world" in which to
interact.

Some people play highly variant versions of Shadowrun, with Artificial
Intelligences, exotic magic, and orbital battle stations. In general, if
it doesn't exist in the rules or supplements, don't use it. If there is
a variant idea that you really want to use, bring it up on PLOT-D (See
part 6) first for commenting. If consensus is approving, you may use it,
but it is possible that cries of munchkinism will be raised. The more
interesting, novel and balanced the idea, the more likely it is to be
well received.

Also, maintain a sense of humility and reason. All characters are
vulnerable, and no character should have an excessive amount of power
without reason. If you do play a powerful character, do not go about
bragging of your connections and abilities... this will only annoy the
others and result in a flame war. With great power comes great
responsibility; it is your responsibility to keep your activities within
reason.

There have been and still are list members who run corporations, police
forces and government intelligence agencies, but a common factor is that
those bodies, and the people who make them up, have identifiable
limitations, weaknesses and vulnerabilities. Nobody is untouchable.

Basically, just remember that ShadowTK is not about "winning", it's
about storytelling.

When you create a character, try to give him or her some depth. Come up
with mannerisms, common sayings, and other unique aspects that define
your character as more than a stream of ASCII. A sign of a well-
developed character is one who can be recognised without a Time/Date
stamp. Mentioning "off-board" friends, enemies, and contacts can also
help.

There are 4 rules to character usage that must be followed:

1: You cannot use someone else's character without permission. This
means that you MUST NOT write something up and sign as someone else's
character without the creators' consent.

2: If you use someone else's character with their permission, keep their
posting style consistent. This includes their language, virtual
mannerisms, and Time/Date stamp. If you don't know the character well
enough to do so, don't use it, get their player to write the post for
you.

3: NEVER kill off someone else's character, without prior consent. This
is an /absolute/ rule. If you do this, you will find the post dismissed
as a fake; and you will be immediately unsubscribed from the list.

4: Above All, HAVE FUN! If you want to get involved with an existing
story, or wish to invite someone else to yours, your best bet is to
discuss it on PLOT-D (See part 6). If you do not subscribe to that list,
you can still contact people privately with the REPLY command.

NOTE: Some mailers will automatically attempt to reply to the list
server, so you may be forced to enter the email address of the person
you wish to contact as opposed to the REPLY command.

Most listmembers are willing to accommodate good ideas, though you will
often find the reply to be "not right now, but in the next stage of the
story I'd really appreciate it if your character could..." Similarly,
keep a degree of flexibility. Often, excellent ideas will come from
someone else watching your plot and offering to get involved.

We recommend that you contact someone privately before jumping into
their story; most will appreciate the help, but it is impolite to have
something happen without warning them first, and helps to ensure you do
not destroy a carefully-crafted storyline by accident.

When generating stories that push the envelope of Shadowrun (i.e.,
involve AIs, new magic, new corporations, new technology, or events that
would make front-page news in the Seattle newsfax), you should first
discuss it on Plot-D. There, you can get an idea as to how people will
react, and get suggestions on how to make it work better. Also, the
veteran members of this list can tell you if you're repeating a story
that has already been done. For example, maniacal terrorists have been
used a lot recently. This doesn't mean that you _can't_ do a terrorist
plotline, just that you should try to make it innovative and fresh in
some way.

********** E. Registering a Character
There are literally hundreds of major and minor characters who rear
their heads into the ShadowTalk storyline. In an effort to make keeping
tabs on the individual characters a little easier, all participants are
encouraged to register their character. Registering a character is a
very simple procedure. You simply send your character name, real name,
e-mail address and a brief description of your character's background.

Go to:

http://www.itribe.net/shadowrun/cast-db/

and select "Add A Character".

Because of limitations in the editing software, please limit your
submissions to one character per mailing. If you have several characters
to register, send each of them in a separate mail message. Also, for
characters that are not used often or appear only briefly, it is
probably best, in the interest of the size of the cast list, to not send
in backgrounds for all characters.

Finally, there is a format you MUST follow to register your characters,
and the web page will guide you. You will need to provide the
character's street name, real name (if appropriate), _your_ name, and up
to an eight line description of the character. Say what you need to say
and no more. Include mannerisms and whatever. Be fun. We don't need a
complete physical description, though. For characters with real name,
use the last-name first method.

EXAMPLE:

STREET NAME: Stephanie
REAL NAME: Lynch, Stephanie Susan Running Wolf
LIST MEMEBER: Paul J. Adam
DESCRIPTION: Less than five feet tall, small but perfectly formed, this
girl looks about sixteen with her shock of black hair (one very
prominent white lock, and other coloured streaks dyed in around it) and
restless activity: a Lion shaman, she's got the characteristic lack of
subtlety of her totem. Young or not, she's a competent soldier with
several years of mercenary experience, commander of a Seattle-based merc
unit's heavy tank platoon, and a tiger shapeshifter. She's also Jason
Lynch's daughter, and devoted to her father (which is why she chose to
follow in his footsteps).

***********************************************************************

4: GETTING CURRENT AND PAST LOGS
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
A. Getting edited logs via HTTP and FTP.
Edited versions of the ShadowTalk logs are available on the following
sites:

Recent, unedited logs are stored at:

ftp://listproc.itribe.net/pub/listserv/archives/

Edited logs (from 1992 up to October 1996) can be found at:

URL: ftp://listproc.itribe.net/pub/listserv/shadowtk-edited/

The edited version of the logs will have all of the headers and
signatures removed so that you can simply read a series of postings. For
this reason, you can see why it would be helpful to following the
posting format outlined in part 3:A and 3:B.

The editing of these files will have to be done manually and using the
correct format will greatly speed up this process.

Questions about the archive site for raw logs should be forwarded to the
LISTSERV maintainer, Mark Imbriaco (mark@******.net)

***********************************************************************

5: SUPPLEMENTAL MAILING LISTS
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
There are two small mail mailing lists that ShadowTalk readers can
subscribe to. To summarise the lists:

TK-LOG: Joining this list will cause you to receive a copy of the weekly
edited log. The edited log is identical to the regular postings to
ShadowTalk, but the administrative postings, mistakes and mailing
headers have been removed. This distribution precedes the edited logs
being available on FTP by a few days.

TK-CAST: Subscribers to this list will get a copy of the current cast
listing mailed to them sometime around the beginning of every month.
Note that this is the ONLY way to automatically get a copy of the cast
listing as, due to its size, it is not posted to the list. If you are
active in the ShadowTalk shorelines, it is recommended strongly that you
'subscribe' to this distribution.

HOW TO SUBSCRIBE: Subscribing is handled in a fashion that exactly the
same as how you subscribed to the Shadowtalk list, but some of the names
are a little different. To subscribe, you send an email message to an
automated listserver:

TO: listserv@********.itribe.net
SUBJECT: <leave this blank>
BODY: subscribe tk-log <or> subscribe tk-cast

To unsubscribe, simply replace the word 'subscribe' with 'unsubscribe'
and you will be removed. You will also get an informational packet that
you should hang on to that will summarise these procedures.

6: PLOT-D
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
********** A. What is PLOT-D
PLOT-D is a supplemental discussion list for ShadowTalk. The purpose of
PLOT-D is to discuss (as the name obviously implies) plotlines. It also
handles discussion of administrative issues in order to not clog
SHADOWTK or SHADOWRN with only remotely related issues. It is _HIGHLY_
recommended that you join PLOT-D if you are going to be actively
participating in the ShadowTalk storyline.

********** B. Subscribing to PLOT-D
PLOT-D's software operates very similar to SHADOWTK's, and the method of
subscription is nearly identical. To subscribe, you send email with the
following parameters:
TO: listserv@********.itribe.net
SUB: <blank>
BODY: subscribe plotd

***********************************************************************

7. ADDITIONAL LIST INFORMATION
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
A. Just who are these administrators anyways?

Mark Imbriaco, 23, is currently working as Director of Engineering for
the Web Development branch of iTRiBE, a Norfolk, Virginia based company
that provides high bandwidth connectivity, and high-end World Wide Web
services to businesses world-wide. Some of Mark's hobbies include
Shaolin Kempo Karate, home video game systems (3D0 and Playstation,
especially), and developing cool new applications for the Web. Mark
married his high-school sweetheart, and had his first child, Zachary, in
February of 1997. Although he has temporarily taken time off from his
academic pursuits, he hopes to someday finish up the courses required
for a degree in Computer Science. Maybe. Someday. If he gets around to
it. If he could be an animal, Mark would be a falcon.
[ http://www.itribe.net/~mark/ ]

Paul J. Adam, 27, is an senior system engineer for GEC-Marconi
Underwater Weapon Systems, working on tactical software development for
the Sting Ray lightweight torpedo. This is both more and less
interesting than it sounds.... He married Hazel Barnes in 1994, and they
live (with their cat Jezebel) in Horndean, north of Portsmouth, in
Hampshire. That's the original Portsmouth, "old" Hampshire, and all this
is in Great Britain. Paul is a Bachelor of Engineering, and an
Associated Member of the IMechE. He likes his computer, military
history, war games, heavy metal and good movies: and if he had to be an
animal he'd want to be a fox.
[ paul@********.demon.co.uk ]

==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
[ Last update: 10 February 1988 | Updated By: Paul J. Adam]

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