From Newsgroup: rec.games.frp.misc

This was resurrected by some enterprising thread necromancer on alt.folklore.college. I mostly noticed it because the old steam tunnel
capers are one of those stories from the dark days (although by now
people might be more familiar with it due to Knights of the Dinner Table
than anything else.



-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject: Re: Roaxhes (was Re: steam tunnels)
Date: Tue, 25 Apr 2023 19:09:19 -0700 (PDT)
From: Rohan Dutt <dutt.rohan@gmail.com>
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.college
References: <1992May05.034157.12759@CS.ORST.EDU>
<60680003@hpdmd48.boi.hp.com>

On Wednesday, May 13, 1992 at 3:18:17rC>PM UTC-4, jeff waldeck wrote:

Having attended Michigan State University a few years after this incident, and having experienced both the MSU steam tunnels and role-playing gaming,
I would have to say that it would be a rare (and wacked-out) person who
would act out a fantasy game in a steam tunnel.
The MSU tunnels are quite extensive. Just about every building can be accessed (although in some cases you must leave the tunnels and go
through the basement of a building before re-entering the tunnels again). Many of my tunneling associates were also gamers. I think this is more related to the fact that most gamers are not as social (i.e.- do not
go to bars/parties and get f*cked up every night) as your "average"
student, plus the fact that most gamers are a bit brighter and more imaginative than your average student. Gamers tend to do things that are
away from "society" for entertainment (ie. - videogames, movies, computers, and gaming for example).
When we tunneled, we were exploring the steam tunnels. Period. We often decked ourselves in black clothes and ropes and tool kits (for obvious reasons). We also often made maps. If anyone saw us, and knew we were
gamers, a logical (but wrong!) conclusion would be that we were "playing fantasy games" in the steam tunnels. To "play fantasy games" in a steam tunnel one would need swords and foes and stuff like that (as well as treasure!). Since groups of more than 3 or 4 tunnelers were rare (most students would rather party) it would be pretty hard to "play fantasy
games" in the steam tunnels. Besides, it would be much easier to use
your imagination to set the stage for gaming while never leaving your
dorm.
Unfortunately, another group of students started using the tunnels to access buildings for the purpose of stealing expensive equipment (lasers, computers, radios, etc) and eventually got caught and told all. The DPS [department of public safety - a great name ;) ] and facilities locked up
the best access routes, etc. They also started throwing people out of
school for tunneling. That pretty much ended my college tunneling career!
Now I am a climber/caver, and satisfy the same needs doing this that
I used to do by tunneling (not too many mountains/caves in Michigan!)
Does anybody who ever went into a steam tunnel/sewer know anybody who
even once "played fantasy games"? I'm sure it has happened at least once somewhere, but I bet it is very rare.
Jeffery Waldeck
je...@hpdmd48.boi.hp.com

got the maps?
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