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How do computer games affect the player? Simon Egenfeldt-Nielsen. MS in Psychology. PhD candidate. Department of Digital Aesthetics and
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I
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Vol. 3 No. 4 Jul.-Aug. - 1983
FEATURES
SUSPENDED 10
The Cryogenic Nightmare David P. Stone
M.U.L.E. 12
One of Electronic Arts' New Releases Edward Curtis
BATTLE FOR NORMANDY 14
Strategy and Tactics Jay Selover
SCORPION'S TALE 16
Adventure Game Hints and Tips Scorpia
COSMIC BALANCE CONTEST WINNER 17
Results of the Ship Design Contest
KNIGHTS OF THE DESERT 18
Review Gleason & Curtis
GALACTIC ADVENTURES 20
Review & Hints David Long
COMPUTER GOLF! 29
Four Games Reviewed Stanley Greenlaw
BOMB ALLEY 35
Review Richard Charles Karr
THE COMMODORE KEY 42
A New Column Wilson & Curtis
Departments
Inside the Industry 4
Hobby and Industry News 5
Taking a Peek 6
Tele-Gaming 22
Real World Gaming 24
Atari Arena 28
Name of the Game 38
Silicon Cerebrum 39
The Learning Game 41
Micro-Reviews 43
Reader Input Device 51
Game Ratings 52
Game Playing Aids from Computer Gaming World
COSMIC BALANCE SHIPYARD DISK
Contains over 20 ships that competed in the CGW COSMIC BALANCE SHIP
DESIGN CONTEST. Included are Avenger, the tournament winner; Blaze,
Mongoose, and MKVP6, the judge's ships. These ships are ideal for the gamer
who cannot find enough competition or wants to study the ship designs of
other gamers around the country. SSI's The Cosmic Balance is required to use
the shipyard disk. PLEASE SPECIFY APPLE OR ATARI VERSION WHEN
ORDERING. $15.00
ROBOTWAR TOURNAMENT DISK
CGW's Robotwar Diskette contains the source code for the entrants to the
Second Annual CGW Robotwar Tournament (with the exception of NordenB)
including the winner, DRAGON. Also included is the winner of the First Annual
Tournament, NORDEN+. Twelve robots in all. Muse Software's ROBOTWAR"
required to use tournament disk. $12.00.
CGW BASEBALL DISK
Contains the four teams of the All Star League reported on in 3.3 (AL West All
Stars, Al East, NL West, and NL East); the six teams of the 1982 Winter League
(see 3.3), the eight teams of the Greatest Baseball Team of All Time
Tournament, and a reprint of the results of The GBTOAT tournament from
issue 2.3. SSI's Computer Baseball Apple version required to use data disk.
Apple version only. $12.00.
Send check or money order to: Computer Gaming World, Disk Order Dept.,
P.O. Box 4566, Anaheim, CA 92803-4566. California residents please add 6%
sales tax. Allow 3-4 weeks for delivery.
INSIDE THE INDUSTRY
by Dana Lombardy
It wasn't too long ago that most That doesn't mean games are 2. I buy about the same number
of the best-seller lists published in dying—in fact, a few "classics" of computer games each
the software industry were dom- continue to stay on the best-seller month, but I'm more selective
inated by game titles. This situation lists month after month, joined by a now and don't usually buy until
has dramatically reversed itself hot new title on occasion. But the I see a game.
recently. day when games made up the
3. I buy fewer computer games
majority of best-sellers may be
now, but I'll still occasionally
Other types of software- over.
buy a game that I haven't seen
personal finance, filing systems, While games may not sell like yet.
word processing, etc.—now hotcakes anymore, they're still a
dominate the best-seller lists. What 4. I buy fewer computer games
very important part of the com-
happened to games? now, and I'm more selective
puter business. But in order to
about which ones I buy.
compete, publishers are going to
Several ideas discussed by people have to offer really different and Part II
in the computer business as the challenging games at more reason-
reasons for this change include the If you checked answer #3 or #4 in
able prices. And for consumers that
following: Part I above, then check the one
can be the best news from what
answer below that best describes
may appear to be a negative
how you're spending money on
There are too many games, too situation.
software now.
many rip-offs, and too many So be choosy. You really do have
similar-designs. Consumers are 5. I'm spending less money now
influence in what types of games
more wary now about buying a each month than in the past on
are published. Your vote does
game sight-unseen, and instead, software, but almost all of it
count—because you vote with your
wait for a review or to play a goes to new games.
dollars every time you buy (or don't
friend's copy. buy) a particular game or other 6. I'm spending less money now
Games are too expensive. Even piece of software. each month than in the past on
though prices are dropping, it's software, but almost all of it
still too expensive to keep goes to non-game programs.
collecting game after game
7. I'm spending less money now
when you don't have the time Readers Survey each month than in the past on
to play all the games you
Here's your chance to give your software, but this is equally
already have.
feedback on the way you buy split between games and other
3. Games got people into software now. Please answer the software.
computers, but now they want questions below, using the Reader The results of this mini-survey will
to do more with their computer Input Device at the back of this be published in a future column.
systems. You'll always find time issue. Thanks for your participation.
to play a good computer game,
but with so much money in-
vested in your machine, why Part I
not have other types of soft-
ware that can really help you Check the one answer below of Responses to the readers survey on
do things besides just kill alien questions 1 through 4 that most this page should be made on the
bugs? closely reflects your current RID card at the back of this mag-
attitude about computer games. azine. See page 51 for instructions.
While there are other reasons, 1. I buy about the same number
these three seem to be the main of computer games each
ones suggested for the drop-off in month—even games I haven't
game sales. actually seen or played.
sight. The gunner positions a reticule on the target Infocom, Inc. will introduce two new games this
HOBBY AND and fires, with the number of hits and other
aspects of his performance recorded."
summer and fall. The first, PLANETFALL, is a
game that explores the lighthearted side of science
fiction by challenging players to save a doomed
INDUSTRY NEWS According to IRD, there have been discussions
within the simulator industry concerning the
and plague-stricken planet while trying to keep a
straight face. Steven Meretzky, author of
A televised "sin network" featuring gambling at possible placement of simulators in recreation PLANETFALL and a long-time contributor to the
home may provide the impetus for the widespread areas on military bases, thereby transforming (in Infocom game development process, elaborates:
use of interactive teleshopping services such as the minds of the users, at least) the "training" into "There are several interesting elements that make
videotex and teletext, according to a 3 I 4-page "entertainment." And, as Ledecky stated half- this game unique. One of the most important is the
report released by International Resource Devel- seriously, "perhaps army recruiters should visit high level of interaction between the player and a
opment Inc., an independent consulting firm based local videogame parlors to find the fighter pilots of strong second character known as 'Floyd.' "Floyd,
in Norwalk, Connecticut. tomorrow." an impish robot who is your constant companion
in the game, has a well-defined personality. He's
"Gambling services may be the answer to get SSI's August releases include: their WWI air exuberant, funny, mischievous, and sometimes
consumers to access teletext and videotex," game, EAGLES, in which players control up to 10 unpredictable. The decision to concentrate on this
according to IRD researcher Dave Ledecky. "The planes per side. It will run on the Apple, Atari, and strong second character has allowed us to build
average bettor receives his betting information C-64. BROADSIDES is coming along nicely and rich detail into the personality. In addition, the
from the newspaper, and then either places a bet should be out for the Apple in August with the packaging for PLANETFALL will be mew and
at the track, at an off-track betting parlor, or with Atari version coming at a later date. The C-64 and different. Inside a folder-like package players will
an illegal bookmaker. The use of teletext and IBM PC versions of COMPUTER BASEBALL and find such physical elements as a Stellar Patrol ID
videotex could result in one-stop gambling" notes the IBM version of BATTLE FOR NORMANDY Card, a space diary, futuristic postcards, and other
Ledecky. IRD's report notes that off-track betting round out the August releases. elements that complement the story," adds
parlors already use a teletext-like system to display First Star Software, Inc. announced today that Meretzky. The game is due out in mid-August and
race results, and the Bell Operating Companies it will be marketing a number of entertainment will be on many machines.
with their instant information telephone lines for and educational programs based on several
sports and horse racing results provide a strong Marvel characters. In its joint venture agreement
indication that consumers do accept the use of with the Marvel Entertainment Group (a division The second release, which should appear some-
telecommunications to retrieve these services and of Cadence Industries), First Star will design and time in mid-September, is ENCHANTER. The
data. market software featuring Marvel's famous super first in a new trilogy of fantasy games that will take
heroes. players into a world of magical powers and per-
Ledecky notes that with home betting systems, ilous predicaments. Co-authored by Marc Blank
"bets could even be placed on events occurring Broderbund has announced the release of a new and Dave Lebling, the creative team that designed
within certain sporting events, rather that just on game for the Atari 400/800/1200, new versions of and and wrote Infocom's popular ZORK under-
the outcome of the event. This adds great some of their popular games for the Vic 20, and ground fantasy series, Enchanter is a journey into
immediacy to the gambling. For instance, one that they were beginning to create versions of an environment where you use skill and logic to
could place a bet as to whether a particular their most popular games for the Commodore 64. overcome "Krill," the evil warlock whose ever-
baseball player is going to get a hit on his next time New for the Atari is Operation Whirlwind, which increasing powers have shattered the peace of
at bat. Of course, all this would have to be legalized, put the player through a series of skirmishes and your world. Blank—who in addition to designing,
and that is a distinct possibility within the next few battle actions which requires that you complete a writing, and programming games is Vice President
years. People will bet on just about anything, "says different set of strategic actions for each one, until for Product Development at Infocom—comments,
Ledecky. "They'll bet on the sunrise as long as it's the last endgame crescendo. "This game is written in the ZORK tradition, but
easy and convenient to do so." with new and different settings. In the ZORK
New releases for the Vic 20 include three trilogy, the emphasis is on treasure and fighting,
IRD, in another study recently published, stated conversions; AE, SKY BLAZER and SEAFOX. All while in Enchanter the focus is clearly on magic.
that and important merger is developing between will come in cartridge formats and retail for During your journey, you'll explore an abandoned
simulators used for military training purposes and $39.95. castle filled with strange and magical trappings.
videogames. The study indicates that simulators
You'll uncover spell scrolls which you must learn
are beginning to look more like videogames, and Broderbund's entry into the Commodore 64 to use judiciously in overcoming the many
videogames are beginning to look more like market has been with the conversion of four of obstacles before you. Ultimately, you'll be able to
rudimentary simulators. "Inevitably the two their most successful games to this machine. use magic so effectively that the evil warlock will
technologies will interconnect," says Ledecky. CHOPLIFTER!, SEAFOX, SERPENTINE, and be banished forever. Another important element
"Videogames will incorporate simulator principles DAVID'S MIDNIGHT MAGIC have all been in Enchanter is the passing of game time. As the
in order to achieve greater real world likeness, and released in versions for the C64. days pass in the story, you'll eat, drink, and sleep or
simulator designers will come to understand the
Simulations Canada has announced that it you will reach a point where your powers start to
contribution fun makes to training, and add game
expects to have its first computer games ready for fail."
aspects to simulator training." Indeed, this is
already occurring. Perceptronics manufactures a the market by late fall. There two to four titles
tank gunnery trainer, which the IRD report des- included in this initial release. Those most likely to
cribes as follows: "It is a table top device with a be included are Battle of the Atlantic, the Fall of Corrections to News from last issue: ARCHON was
sight, gunner controls, and scoreboard. Scenes of France, 1940, North African Desert campaign, and written by Anne Westfall, Jon Freeman, and Paul
moving targets in a wide variety of environments modern tactical naval combat. The plan is to Reiche. MURDER ON THE ZINDERNEUF was
are played back under microcomputer control release them at first for the Apple II, and later to written by Robert Leyland, Paul Reiche, and Jon
from a laser-optical videodisc and presented in the release versions for the Atari, IBM PC, and C64. Freeman.
In addition to games mentioned elsewhere Avant-Garde Creations to the TV game, have symbols behind each
P.O. Box 30160 "door" that can be paired up so as to gain
in this issue, the following products have been
Eugene, OR 97403 points and, in all but one variation of the
received by CGW. Some of these products will
game, reveal parts of the hidden word
receive more detailed attention in future JUMP JET: An arcade type game loosely behind the doors. A great family or party
issues. Readers wishing to review any of these based on the fiction of the Falklands Island game. Atari. $29.95.
games should contact CGW. Crisis. You are a jumpjet pilot flying from a
Loyal aircraft carrier just off an enemy Datasoft Inc.
held island. Your task is first to defend the 9421 Winnetka Ave.
Avalon Hill Game Co. fleet and secondly to defeat the enemy by Chatsworth, CA 91311
4517 Harford Rd. retaking the captured island. Various
Baltimore, MD 21214 tactics must be used to destroy, in order, ZAXXON: The official home computer
enemy cruisers, submarines, kamikaze version of Sega's popular coin-op arcade
planes, and rocket launchers. The game game. Outstanding graphics. Not as de-
plays a bit like Broderbund's Choplifter. tailed as the coin-op version (that is to be
While the graphics are not as good as expected) but comes close. Atari and Apple.
PARIS IN DANGER: A multi-level
Choplifter, the game itself has more depth
simulation of the 1814 campaign to crush (no pun intended). Apple. $29.95.
Napoleon. On one level you move army Dell Publishing Co.
corps around a strategic map of France 245 E. 45th St.
Broderbund Software
and surrounding nations. When a battle New York, NY 10017
1938 Fourth St.
occurs play switches to a large scrolling
San Rafael, CA 94901
tactical map in which the corps are broken THE OFFICIAL COMPUTER HATER'S
down into divisions. A review and analysis LODE RUNNER: This one wins the HANDBOOK: Written by the author of
will appear in our next issue. Atari 48K. "keeping the editor up late at night" award the Preppy Joke Book and Preppy Cook
for this issue. Well designed (which is Book, TOCHH is packed with laughs.
normal for Broderbund products). An Consider what might be found in the
arcade style game that requires real section entitled "Computerholics
strategic planning if you are to do well. Anonymous—The Hell of "Devil ROM".
TAC: TAC (short for Tactical Armor
After the first few attempts you learn 192 pages. $3.95.
Command) is a game of WWII armored
combat. Each side builds a combat team quickly than you had better study a game
Home Computer Software
from a roster of British, German, American, level before hitting the joystick to start
1171 Sonora Court
or Russian tanks, assault guns and tank your man racing up and down ladders,
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
destroyers. Although the documentation drilling passageways and solving puzzles.
does not emphasis it, the game supports Review coming. Apple II. $34.95. FAMILY BIBLE FUN: A series of disk
The Mockingboard sound board (see programs for the Apple and Atari
MATCHBOXES: Remember the TV
review in CGW 3.2) which really adds a lot 400 /800 /1200 that center on Bible
gameshow CONCENTRATION? Here it is
to the game. TAC will be the subject of a knowledge. In the Know Your Bible
for a computer (well almost). You are
feature review in our next issue. Apple. program you can play games that test your
presented with a 36 box grid which, similar
knowledge of biblical characters, books, witnesses). Actual game play involves the that the game was not published prior to
etc. Aimed at young people. This is a good two lawyers selecting the right questions to Penguin's interest as it is a good game. The
looking set of programs for the Christian ask. The prosecutor wants the truth (i.e. human player(s) must get a single piece
family that wants to use their Apple or correct answers). The defense wants to from one edge of the board to the opposite
Atari to learn more about the Bible. Master coverup truth (i.e. incorrect answers). Thus edge avoiding the computer pieces. The
Disk is $19.95. Individual Game disks are the game is one of remembering the clues strategy is to predict far enough ahead to
$29.95 each. Some of the disks available and asking the right questions to get the avoid the computer's pieces and any other
are Life of Christ, Pt. I and Pt.2, The kind of response (true or false). Although it human player's piece. It is a good game in
Prophets, Great Women of the Bible (11 is not as polished as games from the big the classic tradition of chess. Apple. $19.95.
titles in all). companies, JT has potential not only as a
party game but as a "strategy" game for SPY'S DEMISE: Atari version of the
Navic Software two players. Apple. $29.95. original Apple game in which you, the spy,
P.O. Box 147270 attempt to reach the top floor of the
North Palm Beach, FL 33408 Penguin Software Russian diplomatic mission and capture an
830 4th Ave. encoded message. Play involves crossing
JURY TRIAL: A game for two or more Geneva, IL 60134 each floor while avoiding the guards. Each
players. The two primary players play the floor contains parts of the encoded
roles of prosecutor and defense attorney. PENSATE: When Softline put John message. When all parts are gathered you
Other players can be witnesses. The facts Besnard's unpublished PENSATE on the can crack the code and send the answer to
of a crime are briefly displayed on the cover of their May-June issue Penguin Penguin. If you are the first person from a
monitor. The witnesses and the two Software told John that they wanted to state of the USA or Canadian province, or
attorneys watch carefully as the infor- publish the game on the basis of the cover other country to solve the puzzle you can
mation is flashed (in the case of a two feature. Thus we have Pensate. Weird way win a Spy's Demise T-shirt from Penguin.
player game the lawyers are also the to find a publisher, John. It is surprising $19.95.
Rainbow Computing computer journals. Indexed by author, German player plans all his raids for the
9719 Reseda Blvd. subjects, and review categories, LAMP day, the British player does some daily
Northridge, CA 91324 covers over 150 magazine titles (including "housekeeping". Then the program goes
Computer Gaming World). Price is $69.50 into execution mode and the game is
BAT-STAT: Tired of doing baseball per year in book form and $54.95 per year played with the British player reacting to
statistics for your little league or softball in fiche form. Bi-monthly. the German raids. The German player can
team the hard way? Now, with the help of sit smugly (or nervously) back and watch
BAT-STAT, you can use your Apple to do Strategic Studies Group the British effort to counter his raids.
the job more quickly. BAT-STAT is a menu Ground Floor Review coming. Apple. $39.95.
driven program that will keep statistics for 336 Pitt St. Sydney
a baseball team of up to 20 players. Stats 2000 Australia NORTH ATLANTIC '86: Using the
are generated for "this game" and "season" Guadalcanal system with improvements
as well as team totals. Most standard REACH FOR THE STARS: Roger Keating NA86 deals with a hypothetical Soviet-
categories are recorded (AB,runs,hits, (several SSI designs) has turned his talents NATO confrontation in the near future.
BA,2B,3B,HR,Sac,BB,RBI). But, for some to a new area with a game published by a Along with the 232-turn campaign game
reason, strikeouts are not included. new company. RFTS is a strategic simu- there are two mini games. Review coming.
lation of colonization expansion and con- Apple. $59.95.
Sierra On-Line Inc.
Sierra On-Line Building flict in space. Using some of the same game
Coarsegold, CA 93614 design elements that work well in his Swearingen Software
wargames, Roger has successfully put 6312 W. Little York #197
APPLE CIDER SPIDER: Apple arcade together an enjoyable space game. Doc- Houston, TX 77088
game in which you are a spider trying to umentation is well done. Look for review
make it to the attic while avoiding the next issue. Apple. $60.00 Australian. PICK THAT TUNE: Pick That Tune is, as
deadly machinery in the apple cider factory the name implies, a game in which players
(as well as other hungry critters. A donkey try to guess popular tunes by listen to bits
Strategic Simulations of each song. There are 16 different game
kong type game which supports the
883 Stierlin Rd. Bld. A-200 variations which 1 to 10 people can play.
Mockingboard sound board.
Mountain View, CA 94043 Drawing from a base of 100 songs (you
THE DARK CRYSTAL: Atari version of choose the catagory—pop,country,chil-
the original Apple game. TDC is Hi-Res COSMIC BALANCE II: The long awaited dren,TV) players bit the number of notes
Adventure #6 from Sierra On-Line. The CBII (The Strategic Game) is now available. that they think they will need to be able to
game (designed by Roberta Williams— CBII is the sequel to SSI's popular The correctly identify the current tune. An
Time Zone) is based on the epic fantasy Cosmic Balance tactical space warfare expansion disk with 100 more songs is
film conceived by Jim Henson of the game. CBII is an economic/exploration/ available. Apple $29.95.
Muppets. The game follows the movie's colonization/conquest game set in the far
plot with enough differences to make it a future. Two players can choose between
challenge. As Jen, last of the Gelfling, you Top Notch Productions
five scenarios or create their own. Battles
must find a shard of the Great Crystal and 1201 Montana Ave., Suite 5
can be fought using The Cosmic Balance
restore it before the Great Conjunction. Santa Monica, CA 90403
tactical game or CBII can resolve combat
The excellent documentation includes a for you. Review coming. Apple and Atari. POLLYWOG: A lo-res game in which you
four color poster. $39.95. $39.95. are a school of twelve pollywogs trying to
Soft Images grow into adult frogs. Barriers to adult-
200 Route 17 hood are creepies, killer fish, barrier reefs.
Mahwah, NJ 07430 FIGHTER COMMAND: Another long The ultimate goal is to keep any blue
awaited title from SSI. Charlie Merrow and pollywogs alive so that he may grow up to
LAMP: Lamp, which is an acrostic meaning Jack Avery (Computer Baseball) have be a prince. While the graphics are lo-res,
Literature Analysis of Microcomputer teamed up to produce a stunning new the color and very nicely done sound make
Publications, is a three part index to articles game based on the Battle of Britain. The this game rather artistic. There are 64
in American and international micro- graphics are outstanding After the levels of play. Apple. $29.95.
Commercial Data Systems Ltd. overcome Robo-Droids and Snap-Jumpers of the screen offers an overhead view of
730 Eastview Ave. in order to find the dreaded Shadow and the maze, and the lower portion of the
Regina, Sask. Canada S4N 0A2 terminate him. $39.95, Vic 20. screen offers a tactical combat view. Each
adventurer starts with three spells and a
BUGSPREE: Bugspree is a Centipede Sierra On-Line Inc. weapon and tries to make his way out of
clone. The game involves firing an auto- Sierra On-Line Building the dungeon of Mt. Drash. There are 15
matic cannon against an invasion of bugs, Coarsegold, California 93614 levels to the mountain dungeon and the
mushrooms and spiders. The game makes difficulty factor escalates rapidly. Vic 20
excellent use of the Vic 20 graphics and FLIP-N-MATCH: FNM is a Concentration- with 8K expander.
sound capabilities, but advances very little type game. It contains both a two-player
over the original arcade game. $29.95, Vic and solitaire version for adults and a two-
20. player and solitaire version for children.
The adult version has more possible
ROAD TOAD: RT is a familiar looking The Code Works
matches than the standard Concentration
version of the Frogger variety. The P.O. Box 550
game board and the shapes are similar
graphics utilize a very fluid animation and Goleta, California 93116
enough that one must pay close attention
the sound is nice. $29.95, Vic 20.
in order to do his/her best. The solitaire
VIXEL: This is a cassette magazine with
WITCH WAY: WW is a new interpretation version is relatively easy at skill level 0, but
three ready-to-run programs in each issue.
of Donkey Kong. The game includes nine has five other levels to challenge the player
Volume One contains two arcade games
floor levels and four screen patterns. Each as he/she improves. Vic-20.
(FIRE and RACE) and an electronic
screen pattern offers a new objective and sketchpad (DRAW). FIRE is an arcade
challenge. The use of a timer and bonus game where the player operates a heli-
ULTIMA: ESCAPE FROM MT. DRASH:
points also adds to the challenge. $29.95, copter with water bombs and attempts to
ULTIMA is an intriguing adventure game
Vic 20 with 8K expander. successfully put out a fire in a high-rise
because of its unique graphics and
marvelous musical score (The Well- building before the time is up. RACE is a
Human Engineered Software
Tempered Commodore?). The screen game where the player races with the
71 Park Lane
offers three different views. The left-hand computer's car. DRAW is a computerized
Brisbane, California 94005
corner of the screen offers a three "Etch-A-Sketch" with the ability for you to
GRIDRUNNER: This game begins with dimensional maze, the right-hand corner save y our drawings to tape. $12.95, Vic 20.
the look and feel of Centipede. It is a faster
and more challenging game, however. The
patterned Y zapper with its destructive
plasma beam is more difficult to avoid
than the spider in Centipede. Memorizing
the patterns of the Y zapper and alien
bombs will enable the player to maneuver
his ship more effectively and attain higher
scores. The sound effects for this game are
excellent. $39.95 Vic 20.
SHAMUS: This is the licensed version of
Synapse Software's well-known game. It is
a fast moving game with excellent graphics
and smooth animation. For a detailed
description of the game, see CGW 2.6, p. 20.
The simplest description of the game would
be that it seems a cross between Bezerk
and an adventure game. The player is an
interplanetary detective attempting to
SUSPENDED: Review
David P. Stone
BASIC INFORMATION sonar. SENSA senses. She can popularity in Isaac Asimov's
detect vibrations, photon science fiction classic I, Robot. That
NAME: Suspended emissions, and ionic discharges. work tapped, and perhaps ex-
TYPE: Adventure AUDA hears. She's particularly ploited, man's fear of technology
SYSTEM: Many (Atari good at eaves-dropping. WHIZ is and his ultimate inability to control
reviewed) the brains of the outfit. He's your his destiny.
FORMAT: Disk link to the complex's computer
# PLAYERS: One The robots in Suspended are not
memory banks. Finally, there's
AUTHOR: Michael Berlyn from the same world as Asimov's,
POET. He speaks in cryptic clauses
PRICE: $39.95 but they are not from the other side
that accurately describe his
PUBLISHER: Infocom of the universe either. They serve
environment — if you can just
Cambridge, MA you faithfully within their
figure out what he's referring to.
limitations and have no delusion of
Also, he has a special diagnostic
power or superiority. However,
Suspended is the latest in an sensor that works when you direct
throughout the adventure you are
unbroken chain of outstanding him to touch something. All in all,
very much aware that you have no
adventures from Infocom. It's they are quite a crew (with only a
hands but their hands ("exten-
premise is ingenious and intriguing. hint of sexism in their roles).
sions"), no senses but their senses.
In a cryogenic state, deep within You may find this frustrating when
Both cryogenics and robots are
the bowels of the planet Contra, you want a robot with "dainty
enjoying a certain popularity
your sleeping mind monitors the extensions" to grasp, or a robot
nowadays, so the themes of
filtering computers that maintain a with no visual scanner to see.
Suspended are well timed. Of
balance of the planet's food,
course, the idea of robots has been You can talk to the robots
transportation, and weather
around for a long time. Ones with individually or as a group. You can
systems. Contra's population personalities were first rocketed to even have two of them team up to
depends on these systems. Your
perform a single task that neither
conscious mind is the failsafe
could do alone. A few handy
system. You are to be awakened
only if there is an emergency. There
is, of course, an emergency.
After awakening your task is to
direct the actions of six robots to
repair and reset the filtering
computers so you can get back to
sleep. Sound like fun? Get ready for
some long and sleepless nights
because if you don't fix them in a
hurry, humans from the surface
will show up with your replacement
clone to pull your plug. The result:
high tech death.
Each robot has a name, a set of
special skills, and its own per-
sonality. The personalities seem to
grow on you. As the game
progresses, the robots turn from
talented pawns into trusty friends.
Each robot has a primary skill
plus some degree of mobility and
grasping extensions. IRIS sees
(when she's working). WALDO
manipulates objects and moves by
abbreviated commands are just two-word input. As with earlier the booklet is cleverly written,
available: ARL (all robots, report Infocom adventures, Suspended slightly wordy, and filled with wry
your locations) and ARR (all robots, recognizes over 600 words; and, understatements about your
report). These two commands are more importantly, it responds cryogenic predicament. As a total
especially useful when you are still intelligently to most user input. So, package, the documentation for
exploring and have temporarily lost there is seldom a need to test Suspended leaves no gaps and does
track of which robot is where. combinations of verbs and subjects more than enough to establish the
Another feature that makes this to hit upon the exact words that the mood for the game.
game a cut above other adventure game designer had in mind.
One task of the adventure writer
games is you don't have to type in
As everyone who has read their is to provide just enough clues, in
every move. For example, you can
ads knows, Infocom doesn't do the instruction booklet and in the
send a robot from one side of the
graphics. Instead, their parser and game itself, for you to be able to
complex to the other by simply
their prose tell the story. However, figure things out. Too many clues
telling him to go there. Meanwhile,
the quality of the prose in and the answers are given away.
you can have other robots perform
Suspended is different than in other "Hint" systems allow the writer to
other tasks. Another time/typing
Infocom games. The prose in be skimpier with the clues since
saver is the "FOLLOW" command;
Suspended is mostly reports and they allow you to move forward
just tell one robot to FOLLOW
replies from the robots. While there even if you do get stuck. Suspended
another one and he will do so as
is little purple (in the prose), each incorporates one of the cleverest
long as it is physically possible.
robot has a particular way of saying hint systems you are likely to see. It
These two features help make the
things that contributes to estab- is totally integrated into the story
game very playable.
lishing its character, revealing its line.
personality, and developing an
Hints are dispensed via the
enjoyable atmosphere for the
There are several phases to underground complex's Central
game.
learning and enjoying Suspended. Library Core (CLC). The CLC is a
First, there's exploring and testing master computer that has three
True to form, Infocom has
to discover all the individual areas from which WHIZ can access
maneuvers necessary to fix the maintained their tradition of
historical, technical, or advisory
filtering computers and complete producing the high quality information about objects that the
the game. Next, there's putting all documentation. The game includes robots find. A fourth area of the
the pieces together to make sure a plastic molded mask of a CLC provides an index to the other
they fit. Then comes the honing cryogenic sleeper — sure to spook three. So, for example, after telling
process —developing the critical small children and entertain all
WHIZ to plug in at the Index, you
path that minimizes your total others (and, by the way, of no use in can command him to ask about an
number of moves. completing the game); a full-color, object (e.g., "WHIZ, ASK ABOUT
two-fold map board of the under- PANEL.") If information on a
Having fixed the filtering ground complex with six vinyl
"panel" is available, the Index will
computers in the least number of markers — one for each robot; and, list which of the other three areas
moves that you believe to be a well written instruction booklet. contain the information so you can
possible, the adventure is still not Besides containing necessary send WHIZ there to access it.
over. No need to file Suspended on background information and
the shelf with all those other dusty procedures for playing the game, Continued on p.46
adventures. You are now ready for
the next phases: playing the
advanced, harder, and expert levels.
Things happen quicker on these
levels, but the basic scenario is the
same. One level beyond all these is
impossible. It is just that.
If you've experienced Zork,
Deadline, or Starcross, you already
know about the quality of
Infocom's parser (the part of the
game's program that interprets
your input and responds
accordingly). It's the best on the
market. The program accepts
complete, complex sentences, not
SYSTEM: Atari 800 well executed in both artistic design The player will then, in the
FORMAT: Disk and in the information that it development phase, decide which
#PLAYERS: 1 to 4 contains. of the commodities is best to
PRICE: $40.00 develop in regards to the previous
The M.U.L.E. Player's Guide is
DESIGNER: Ozark Softscape turns supply and perhaps his per-
another example of a well designed
PUBLISHER: Electronic Arts sonal shortage. On his part of this
adjunct to the actual program.
San Mateo. CA phase, the player goes to the town
Each of the three levels of play
corral (the town is located in the
(Beginner, Standard, and Tourn-
center of the map), buys a M.U.L.E.,
ament) are given their own section
and outfits it to produce which ever
of the guide which includes the
commodity is desired. The player
basic rules or additional rules for
then leads the temperamental
that level and tips which can help
creature to his newly acquired plot
quite a bit. The guide also includes
and sets him up for production by
a page of answers to the most
centering himself over the hut
common questions asked by the
which appears in each unde-
beginning players, the two basic
veloped plot of land. This phase is
laws of production for the basic
ended either by the player's time
Some time in the future, on a commodities used in the game,
running out or by his getting back
planet far far away, four beings are and the strategies and opinions of
to the town and entering the pub
left to develop the planet with only the infamous "gang of four" (Dan
(which will gain him an amount of
the so-called help of temperamental Bunten, et al.).
money from gambling based upon
M.U.L.E.s (Multiple Use Labor As suggested in the Player's
the amount of time which he has
Elements). An interactive game for Guide, the novice player should
left).
four players (the computer being jump directly into playing the
Beginner level game after only a After the last player has de-
able to play up to three of them),
cursory reading of the rules. The veloped any land that he has had
M.U.L.E. is a thoughtfully designed
game itself is its own best tutor. time to develop, the established
and quick playing game which
When, after a game or two, a player M.U.L.E.s produce the commodity
contains the finer aspects of an oil
wants to know just what he has for which they were outfitted. All
exploration game, an auction
been doing, the guide is still there production completed, the game
game, a real estate game and bits
to be read and now he can hope- then goes to the "auction phase". It
of others which, as stated on the
fully appreciate its explanations. is during this phase that any player
inside of the jacket, "...died so that
with an excess in any given com-
M.U.L.E. might live." A design of Each turn is made up of several
modity has the opportunity to sell
Ozark Softscape (Dan Bunten, Bill sections during which different
his excess to either a player with a
Bunten, Jim Rushing, and Alan things must be accomplished. The
shortage, or to the town store. The
Watson), this is a game which pits first part of each turn is the "Land
price received depends upon the
you not only against each other, Grant" phase. Each player is given
supply and the last price paid for
but the colony as a whole is also the opportunity to select one plot
the given commodity. The turn
judged at the end of game for of land from the five by nine grid
ends with a display which shows
overall success. which makes up the colony. The
each player's relative worth and the
A definite bonus with M.U.L.E. is players choose their land based
value of the colony as a whole.
it's packaging (as it is also with the upon what they what to produce
other products recently released) and where their other land is lo- The Beginner's level of play
by Electronic Arts. The jacket, cated (as these factors will effect introduces the player to the three
beyond the humor that it uses, is the plots production). basic commodities produced on
Irata (the planet on which all of this production increased by one. And, assay office. Players can check the
is taking place) and the basic unlike the Economies of Scale base production of any plot of land
economic rules which determine which can only increase a plot's by taking a sample of soil to the
the level of their production. Each production by one, the Learning assay office for a report (which, of
of the commodities (Food, Energy, Theory of Production will increase course, uses up some of the players
and Smithore) has a definite use in your production by one for every precious time).
developing the colony and each three plots producing the same
player's land. The players also learn thing. The last thing added in the
that the production of the com- Tournament Game is the powerful
The Standard Game introduces
modities varies due to the type of ability for players to Collude.
the players to two new features
land on which it is being produced. During any auction, two players
which can have dramatic effects on
Food, which is needed to give the may choose to collude in order to
the outcome of the game. Land is
player a full time allotment with sell to one another while preventing
the key to the changes in the
which to develop his plots of land another player from getting a
Standard Game. Immediately after
(each player gets one lot per turn), needed commodity. Collusion also
the Land Grant phase, there is a
grows best in the river valley which works during private land auctions
chance that the colony authorities
runs down the center of the map. by allowing only a chosen player to
will auction off up to six extra plots
Energy, which is needed for pro- bid for the land in question.
of land (on the average, only one
duction of the other two com-
lot is auctioned). Getting extra lots While these descriptions of
modities, is best produced in the
early in the game can mean a jump M.U.L.E. have been far from
flatlands. And Smithore, which is
on getting production bonuses that complete, they do capture the
needed for the continued produc-
will put you into an early lead and, basics of a game which has very
tion of M.U.L.E.s, is produced best
in turn, make you that much better few aspects which one might wish
in the mountains.
off when other lots are auctioned to alter. The first point which came
There are two "Laws of Econo- off. The other change in land rules to question was the lack of a "save
mics" which, as mentioned above, is in the ability to sell land that is game" option. While even the
rule the degree of production on a not needed (to get money for other Tournament Game is only twelve
player's land. The first, Economies more useful land) or just to get turns long and takes less than two
of Scale, states that the larger an money with which to feed yourself. hours, it is still aggravating to have
operation is, the more efficient it is The buying of land in both the town to kill an almost completed game
in producing a given commodity. organized sales and in the player for lack of time. It would also have
You will, therefore, gain one extra sales are handled in the same been an improvement if the robot
unit of production on each plot of auction format as is the trading of players could have been a bit
land which is adjacent to another commodities in the auction section brighter. They become rather
of your lots which is producing the of the game. The only difference predictable after a time and it
same thing. If, for example, two of between the two types of land becomes relatively easy to take
your adjacent lots were both pro- auctions is that the seller has the advantage of them. The greatest
ducing energy and both had base right to refuse to sell at any time up complaint that could be found in a
production of three units per turn, to the close of the auction if he is game which is so enjoyable is that
then their actual production, due to not satisfied with any aspect of the it is just too short. To increase the
the Economies of Scale, would be sale. length of the game and keep its
four units per turn. dynamics of play would, unfortu-
It is during the Tournament
Game that the final commodity is nately, necessitate a major revision
The other "Law" is the Learning
introduced into the game. Crystite, and expansion of the game. It is a
Curve Theory of Production. This
task which we will just have to wait
theory states that every time you the fourth commodity, is distri-
buted without regard to terrain, for with great expectations.
double the number of units that
you have ever produced, your with the exception that it can not be M.U.L.E. is a fascinating and very
production costs go down 20% due mined in the river valley. It is also enjoyable game which comes to its
to improvements in production the only commodity whose price is best point with four human players.
methods. In M.U.L.E. this is trans- not dependent upon supply and The interaction and demands on
lated into your getting one extra demand, as all of it is shipped off creating a development strategy
unit of production on each plot for planet and has no local use (the which can not only change from
every three plots producing a price of crystite randomly varies game to game, but from turn to
specific commodity,. no matter within set parameters). As the re- turn, makes this a game which will
where it is located. Using the last lative worth of a plot of land for continue to be played long after
example, if that player were to add Crystite production can not be others are put aside to collect dust.
one more plot of land anywhere on known from land features, a new
the map, each plot would have their office is opened in the town: the
Battle For Normandy:
Strategy and Tactics
Jay Selover
TYPE: Wargame the limitations of supply and cross-
SYSTEM: Apple, Atari Channel transport. As a game, BFN
400/800,TRS-80 gets gold stars for ease of play,
FORMAT: Disk or Tape speed of execution, play balance,
#PLAYERS: 1 or 2 number of game options, and a
PRICE: $39.95 generally competent solitaire play
PUBLISHER: Strategic (at least against conventional Allied
Simulations attacks).
Mountain View, CA
Strategy
Battle For Normandy (BFN) is
SSI's simulation of D-Day and the The weakest points in the BFN landings will consolidate them, and
build-up of the Allied beachhead in design are best exposed in dis- Omaha beach is easily linked-up by
Normandy. While it is a thoroughly cussing optimal Allied strategy. the elimination of one German
enjoyable game and provides nail- Historically, the main Allied regiment by Turn Three. Utah
biting suspense, it falls a notch objectives during the first 22 days beach, though, can stand as an
short as a historical simulation. The of the Normandy campaign were island through most of the game.
game recreates the period from threefold. First, to establish a The area between Utah and Omaha
June 6 to June 28, 1944 in two-day secure landing zone by linking all beaches is important only in so far
turns, with units representing five landing beaches as quickly as as the coastal belt should be cleared
brigades, regiments, or divisions. possible. Second, to capture the of Germans as quickly as possible,
The map covers Normandy from vital port of Cherbourg by first but I have often failed to link the
about Coutances (in the southwest), cutting across the Cotentin pen- two American beaches until June
to Cherbourg (in the northwest), to insula from Utah beach to isolate 26 (the next to last turn) and still
Cabourg (in the east). Victory the city and then to drive north. won the game. So much for the
points are accumulated through- Third, to capture Caen, an im- most important historical objective!
out the game for eliminating enemy portant rail hub just southeast of
combat points (with a bonus when the British beaches (there is still The capture of Cherbourg also
a unit is destroyed). Also, the Allies some question whether the impor- receives significantly non-historical
gain victory points for units which tance of Caen was not more to treatment. It is time consuming,
penetrate inland while the Germans distract German armored reserves wasteful of units, and ultimately
receive points for units which are away from the Cotentin peninsula foolish to attempt the historical
able to hang on near the beaches. and the defense of Cherbourg). maneuver of driving east from
Allied units can acquire further Significantly, this is precisely the Utah beach to cut off the city before
points each turn by occupying (with order in which these objectives assaulting it. Rather than drive due
no Germans adjacent) the three were accomplished; the five landing east through bocage against strong
major cities of Cherbourg, Caen, beaches were linked by June 11, German units (bocage multiplies
and St. Lo (significant bonuses are Cherbourg was taken on June 27, defense factors by 2.5 in combat), it
awarded for possession of these and Caen was not wrested from the is much more efficient to head
cities at the end of the game). Germans until about July 21. north along the eastern side of the
The strong points of the game as In playing BFN, the objective of peninsula and then west across the
a simulation are the realistic, linking the beaches can be all but northern shore to Cherbourg. This
attritional approach to combat in ignored. The British beaches are so skirts most of the bocage and
Normandy and the emphasis on close together that the initial Continued on p.46
c
c
t
r
r
t
some riddles in the game that are Ah yes, the avalanche! Well, I'm
based on a knowledge of that afraid there's no way around this
A New Column... religion, and if you aren't familiar time; you'll just have to dash past it.
with some of the concepts, you will It takes good timing and VERY
have a very tough time indeed! careful observance to get through,
Also, keep in mind that not every- but you can do it. However, since it
thing in this game is of significance might take you more than one try,
or has a bearing on winning. For it's a good idea to save the game
example, you can bypass the first before leaving the ice cave.
monastery entirely and still com-
plete this adventure. Whether or
not the game was designed that Now, at last, you've made it to the
way is a mystery, but the fact fabled monastery that holds the
remains that you needn't visit the Serpent's Star! You just have to
Yerpa monastery. Because of this, find it, and that won't be easy. The
you will find it isn't necessary to first thing to do is search all rooms
buy everything the merchant has THOROUGHLY! Read descriptions
for sale. In fact, besides the very carefully, and act accordingly. One
obvious horse, you need only pur- thing you can ignore is the armor;
chase three items. Just be logical in you're too big to wear it and it isn't
your choices; there are no hidden useful for anything, anyway. Also:
traps here. there is a little trap in one of the
rooms, so be careful what you open
up!
As told by Scorpia What to do at the inn should be
apparent; you certainly have Once you've been everywhere
enough money. Only one of the else, you should be ready to tackle
men is really important; if the one the silver door. Of course, you must
you're talking to doesn't soon get rid of the guardian demons
Ah, I see you made it! That's right, first, but if you have visited all the
produce something of value, go to
just step inside and close the door; rooms, you know what to do here
the other man. Then just sack out
it's pretty chilly out there. No, (if not, go back and try the rooms
for the night. The wolf is another
nothing I can do about that; outside, again until something happens).
problem. You have two choices
it's always foggy November Once you've taken care of the
here: kill it or go around it. He can
twilight. Comes with the territory, demons, you will be able to open
be killed, but the timing is im-
you might say. But we have a the silver door. At this point, you
portant, so it's best to save the
remedy for that: pull a chair up to should have four gems. If you don't,
game before leaving the inn: you
the crackling fire, and I'll have Fred I suggest you search around care-
may not manage it the first time
pour out a tall one for you (don't fully for the missing one...you will
(mean, those wolves!). Going
worry about Fred; he's only certainly need it later on! Now, just
around the wolf requires some
half-grue and really quite civilized). make your way through the rooms,
careful mapping, but will save you
Err...no, we don't carry Diet Pepsi, past the exercise yard, and into the
the frustrations involved in trying
you'll have to settle for something building with the old monk. Now
to kill it.
else. How about some dwarvish here's where it starts to get mean.
beer, straight from those little old The monk will ask you three ques-
brewers in Colossal Cave? The monk on the mountain road tions, and you had better know the
is also important; he has something answers the first time. This is when
Good! I'm sure you'll enjoy it! you need, so take your time here
Now that you're all settled in, tell a familiarity with Buddhism will
and don't move on until you get the help (but if you're really stuck and
me about your plans. What item from him. You won't get a
adventure did you have in mind? the library is closed, the answers to
second chance: if you leave and all riddles are included at the end of
Ah, heading off for Tibet and the come back, he'll be gone. So, check
Serpent's Star, eh? I've made that
the column).
your inventory carefully, and con-
little expedition myself, and I'll be sider what he might want. You will Once past the monk, you will find
glad to give you some advice about also have to say the right thing, and yourself in the bane of every ad-
it. that might be a bit tricky. However, venture game, the maze. You will
there aren't too many topics you'd have to map this one extremely
SERPENT'S STAR want to talk about, so it shouldn't carefully, as you can become con-
First, you'll find it helpful to know take too long to come up with the
proper phrase. Continued on p.50
a little about Buddhism. There are
COSMIC BALANCE SHIP DESIGN
CONTEST RESULTS
Twenty-five entries fought it out types of ships: transporters; Motherships, are very similar in
in the CGW Cosmic Balance Ship battleships; motherships (i.e. nature to WWII aircraft carriers,
Design Tournament. When all the aircraft carriers). with the majority of space in the
phasers were silenced, all the Transporter ships had large ship dedicated to fighter bays. This
plasma torpedoes spent, and all the numbers of marines on board that design can be murder on any ship
fighter squadrons destroyed, David would beam through a downed with less than a 25 shield strength
Cheng of San Clemente, CA was the shield and board an enemy ship. in any arc. James Reisman of
hands-down winner. David's tech-6 These ships had the potential of Southampton, NY used TWO
dreadnought, Avenger, was the scoring well, as captured ships motherships Aegean and Bosporus
only ship that had a positive counted for double victory points. as his entry and placed third. James
composite score. He averaged +143 The highest finishing transporter was able to have two motherships
points against the three judges. The ship was Michael Livanos' Ajax.6 by reducing his tech to level one.
next closest design was Baldur by which gathered +16 and 0 from This made the ships weaker
Michael C. Powell of Baltimore, MD Paul and Keith's ships (both were individually but allowed him to
who had a composite score against battleship types), but fell to Russ' launch six fighter groups (as
the judges of -16. From there the fighters (from his aircraft carrier opposed to the maximum of four in
scores went from -27 to -250. BLAZE) due to weak rear shielding a single ship design of tech level
Avenger was, according to the (those little fighters fly around like six).
judges, a "good combat ship for a pack of wasps). His score was Congratulations to David Cheng
close in fighting". It's score against good enough for seventh place. and Avenger, winner of CGW's
Paul Murray's Mongoose was +156. Battleships, which were the most COSMIC BALANCE SHIP DESIGN
It's score against Keith Brors' common design, concentrated on CONTEST. David will receive an
MKVP6 was +24. And against direct fire weapons such as phasers SSI game of his choice. Our thanks
Russell Sipe's Blaze, Avenger scored and photon torpedoes. They were to all the entrants. If you would like
+250 (Blaze was blown out of designed to close-in or to circle an to get the ships in our contest,
space). As Russell is the publisher enemy pummeling him with including Avenger and the three
of CGW, David's subscription was (hopefully) withering fire. Avenger, judges ships, see the announcement
immediately canceled (just kidding our tournament winner was of this of CGW's COSMIC BALANCE SHIP
David!). Paul Murray is the designer type. DISK in this issue.
of both The Cosmic Balance and
Cosmic Balance II. Keith Brors did
game development on Cosmic
Balance II. COSMIC BALANCE SHIPYARD DISK
Avenger's design concentrated
on forward firing weapons and
speed. The ship would accelerate at Now available from CGW — "talent". Many are worthy of
high speed towards a target while COSMIC BALANCE SHIP- study in your attempt to
firing forward, and constantly YARD DISK. This disk contains develop the best ship around.
keeping it's nose pointed at the over 20 ships to be used in To order send $15.00 to:
enemy. The forward shields were playing SSI's THE COSMIC COMPUTER
of maximum strength. This, BALANCE. Included are GAMING WORLD!
combined with an armor rating of Avenger (winner of the CGW CB Disk Offer
50, made the ship ideally suited for Ship Design Contest), Blaze, P.O. Box 4566
straight forward infighting. Mongoose, MKVP6 (the judges Anaheim, CA 92803-4566
ships from the contest), as well
Nearly all entries were composed as most ships of the other Please specify Apple or Atari.
of a single tech-6 dreadnought. A contestants. This is not a complete game.
few entries chose a lower tech level The Cosmic Balance is needed
so as to have two dreadnoughts These ships are ideal to use this disk.
and still remain within the opponents for those of you that
tournament guidelines. The entries cannot find enough local Allow 3-4 weeks for delivery.
can be classified into one of three
Knights of the Desert:
Review
John Gleason and Ed Curtis
The Game
NAME: Knights of Knights of the Desert(KD) is a
the Desert multi-scenario simulation of the
TYPE: Wargame fight for the section of desert
SYSTEM: Apple, Atari, between El Agheila and Alexandria.
TRS-80 This area, unremarkable in its own
FORMAT: Diskette or Tape right, served as the battle ground
#PLAYERS:1 or 2 on which one of the most able of
AUTHOR: Tactical Design the German armor commanders
Group and a series of less able British
PRICE: $39.95 commanders were to wage a see-
PUBLISHER: SSI saw campaign for North Africa,
and ultimately the entire
Mediterranean Theater. The critical
features of this campaign (supply,
Historical Overview divisions near Tripoli: replacements, troop morale, and
The final blow, however, was extreme mobility) are captured in
From the beginning of the North spared the Italians due to an order both their effects upon the tactical
African campaign in 1940, from Winston Churchill, which situation of any given turn and
Lieutenant General Richard N. detached the cream of O'Connor's upon the overall feel of the game,
O'Connor and Theater Commander forces for the ill-fated defence of as the situation shifts from turn to
Sir Archibald Wavell had per- Greece. This decision was made turn.
The game begins with a game set
formed brilliantly in all but not knowing that on 12 February,
the day before the announced up section during which the
destroying a numerically superior
player(s) may specify: if they are
Italian force. By February 1941, all transfer decision, Erwin Rommel
beginning a new game or con-
that was left of the Italian Army in and the first units of what was to
tinuing a saved game; the difficulty
North Africa, originally of 250,000+ become the Afrika Korps had
landed in Tripoli. Continued on p.47
men, were a few badly demoralized
GALA CTIC ADVENTURES:
REVIEW & HINTS:
David Long
Galactic Adventures (GA) is SSI's
sequel to their outstanding game of Name: Galactic Adventures
individual combat in the 28th cen- Type: Role-Playing/
tury Galactic Gladiators (GG). GA Tactical Combat
is a science fiction role playing System: Apple II,IIe,III,
game where you, as one of the Atari 400/800
seven regular species introduced in (Winter 1983)
GG, progress towards the title of #Players: 1 or 2
Independent Adventurer. Along the Author: Tom Reamy
exciting and dangerous road to Price: $39.95
that ultimate honor, you'll probably Publisher: Strategic
create at least one clone, recruit Simulations
and train companions, and scour Mountain View, CA
the galaxy for treasures left by a
long dead civilization. heat ray gun, robot scrambler and whom you have purchased will
Characters have the same basic missile imploder) to enable them to expect to be paid on a daily basis
makeup as did those in GG; (see the survive and earn cash (Frilbees are and, the better they get, the more
review in CGW — Sept-Oct 1982) the interstellar currency of the 28th they'll want to be paid (sounds like
with the addition of leadership century). our modern day athletes, doesn't
ability, sensitivity, and advanced As introduced in GG, each re- it?). If you can't pay, it's adios,
skills. These include piloting, gular species has its own home amigo!!
engineering and gunnery ability, planet. And, to complicate your life, Each planetary system has four
(very necessary if you plan to some planets have outlawed cer- areas for your enjoyment (Visitor's
journey in your own spaceship) as tain types of weapons. Earth, for Area, Streets, Guild Area, and Space
well as a wide variety of other skills. example, allows no gemstones (a Port). First is the Visitor's Area,
Weapons and armor are pretty type of futuristic grenade), so be where you can shop for tools at the
much the same as GG, with the sure to sell off all your gemstones market, make purchases at the
addition of "special" phasors and before heading for Terra, or the weapons' center, or visit the clone
armor. Special phasors can fire five customs service will confiscate master. I'd strongly suggest that
times before reloading, and special them from you. your first item of business be to
armor offers the protection of It costs to feed and house you make two clones of your original
heavy armor without encumbering and your associates, so be sure to adventurer. This allows you to have
your speed or agility. keep a cash reserve or they'll desert two unpaid yet loyal followers and
Your adventurers will also acquire you (taking whatever weapons and to expand your fighting and job
(through purchase or by robbing assorted goodies they happen to skills.
defeated enemies) tools and special have on them). Naturally, all but Next area of importance is the
weapons (such as the matter beam, your clones and the special species Streets, where you can improve
your originally meager fighting and having in life, cost money. There is determine, through logical analysis,
job skills and can meet and recruit also the chance that your Talking which species are in which slots
additional members for your band. will result in the other guys before your allotted guesses run
In the streets you can Attack, Offer Attacking you, so I'd recommend out. You'll get more guesses if your
to sell something, try to get the you not try to carry on any intell- skill rating is higher than the job
beings you meet to Join you, Talk igent conversations with Berserk difficulty level (to a maximum of
to them about buying something, Robots or Asteroid Miners. They ten) and fewer guesses if the
or attempt to Bypass if they look are very easily annoyed. difficulty level is higher than your
too tough for you to fight and you skill rating (to a minimum of one
think they may be hostile. Attacking guess!).
is one sure way to get the action The other possible result of
going and try to improve yourself, Talking in the streets is being If you don't feel like dealing with
but there is always a chance that offered one of the fourteen differ- this option, you can opt for an
you'll be .fined for disturbing the ent types of jobs. Your ability to abstract resolution where your
peace (half your cash), so be careful successfully perform a job is chances of success are calculated
of attacking when you're finan- dependent upon your skill rating at by the artificial intelligence and
cially well off. Offering is a good that type of job, and to a varying your success or failure is immed-
way to build your cash, but unfor- degree on luck and intelligence. iately announced. I found that in
tunately, no one is interested in You cannot even attempt many crucial situations on adventures,
buying anything except special jobs unless you have the proper where my skill rating was about the
weapons or the fabled K-devices tools. Once qualified, you have two same as or a little worse than the
which you can only find on an options in attempting to success- job difficulty, I usually chose to
adventure. fully complete your assignment. play the game. Most other times, I
The first is to play the Job Skills preferred to take my chances with
Talking will often result in your Game, best known in its more the abstract resolution and get on
being offered a goodie of some common form as Mastermind. with playing Galactic Adventures
sort, either a special weapon or a You'll be given a random config- rather than a guessing game.
member of a special species, but uration of four members of the Continued on p.48
these things, like everything worth seven regular species. You must
discussions with callers. Many important criteria for a good game
others, however, are devoted on a BBS are the same as for live
TELE-GAMING primarily to game playing and, for games — you must have a good DM
the cost of a local or long distance and good players; people who are
telephone call, your modem willing to truly role-play. Also, in an
becomes a passport to adventure. online game, players should call in
at least every other day".
To qualify as a "gaming BBS," a
system should offer at least one Once you've sampled the fare on
of the following features: 1) an a few BBSs, you'll soon find which
ongoing fantasy role-playing game systems are most to your taste.
(FRPG); 2) a message board that is Even if you don't wish to join an
used by callers to give and receive FRPG, you can participate in
computer game-playing hints; 3) gaming discussions and exchange
computer games that are playable adventure gaming hints with other
online; or 4) computer games that callers. Here are brief descriptions
are available for downloading by of four of my favorite boards,
callers. followed by a list of eighteen others
which are well worth a visit.
In this issue, I'll be listing some
BBSs which provide FRPGs and/or Magnetic Fantasies—(213) 388-
Patricia Fitzgibbons
gaming hints. Next time, we'll focus 5198: Which extra-ordinary,
on boards that supply computer marvelous, and outlandish BBS is
games for online playing and/or run by two humans, three elves,
For a day and a night, the winds downloading. and a very nasty dwarf named "Sir
and rains have pounded unceas- A few important caveats should Twitt?" MagFan, of course. Located
ingly. Yet, you struggle onward — be noted before you explore this in Los Angeles and established in
sure in your heart that the ancient facet of tele-gaming. First, most of 1980, MagFan is the "granddaddy"
scroll you seek will soon be yours. these BBSs are privately run, of gaming BBSs. There are several
In the mists ahead, the shadowy single-line systems; so, busy signals FRPGs in progress on the board for
outline of the evil druids keep rises are not uncommon (especially players of all levels. Adventure
up before your tired eyes like some during the evening hours). Also, game hints can be exchanged by
abominable netherworld creature. from time to time, a terrific BBS leaving requests on the public
You glance at your companions will seem to simply vanish; this may board and receiving replies through
and smile as if to say, 'Be brave! At be due to the System Operator private, electronic mail. Whether a
least we have each other!" They ("SysOp") deciding to use his or her caller decides to join a party of
nod, determination shining in their machine for other purposes. adventurers or merely to follow its
faces. Unsheathing your broads- Finally, although most BBSs are exploits by reading the board, an
word, you approach the castle, free, some SysOps charge nominal enjoyable time is guaranteed.
willing, come what may, to meet fees for usage.
your destiny. White Pegasus—(214) 680-9322:
You don't need to be an expert at Deep in the heart of Texas, a
You log off the system and gaze FRPGs to join a message board mythological beast thrives. It is
at the monitor, wondering what Although many BBSs offer nurtured by a SysOp named
perils your mischievous dungeon- advanced games, novices are Shalanna who oversees five FRPGs
master will present the next time usually welcome. One young lady, and a "continue-the-story" fantasy
you sign on to your favorite BBS. whose BBS "handle" is "St. Alia of book written by callers. Games in
the Knife", recounts her delight progress include two novice D&DTM
Although relatively new to the upon discovering fantasy game- games, one advanced D&DTM game,
computer gaming world, tele- playing BBSs: "Such fun! I just had a science fiction game, and a
gaming via private bulletin board to be a part of it! Now, I guess I wargame.
systems (BBSs) is becoming spend about one to one-and- a-half The Sanctuary—(201) 891-9567:
increasingly popular. Most of the hours per night in typing and If a bulletin board system could be
hundreds of BBSs throughout the reading messages. I'm currently compared to a small village, The
country are owned and operated involved in six games!" Another Sanctuary in New Jersey is a
by individuals who want to share committed player is "Elrond burgeoning metropolis. This BBS
information about hardware and Halfelven", a seventeen year old has forty-one separate boards to
software, exchange programs, post high school student who has strong choose from, as well as ongoing
advertisements and items of local opinions about the kind of bulletin
Continued on p.50
interest, or enter into wide-ranging board games he likes:"The most
This review process should include "unbiased
REAL observers" who will view your product as it exists
rather than how you intended it to look. Play testers
WORLD who were not part of the initial design will respond to
your game like consumers who purchase it. Thus, you
need to select your play testers with your audience in
GAMING mind. If you are writing a wargame for wargamers,
then you don't need people unfamiliar with these types
of games as testers. However, if you are hoping for a
broader market, then you must choose testers with a
wide variety of backgrounds. Personally, I prefer a
large and diverse group of testers for any game I write
even if I know it will be targeted for a certain audience.
The variety of views gives me a handle on how my
product will be perceived.
Always include a few people who are interested in
your game but have never touched a computer! These
people will be your future audience and you must
make allowances for them. There is no reason for
someone to be "computer literate" to play a computer
game. Games that assume that everyone knows to hit
"return" at the end of a line are placing unnecessary
obstacles in front of the "uninitiated". So, if you want to
find out how totally novice computer users respond,
you have to include them in your play testers group.
The best place to find such a diverse group is in a
thriving computer club or user group. Such organ-
izations will normally include people from the hardcore
by Dan Bunten of Ozark Softscape hobbyists and hackers to the first time computer
owners who have only played arcade games. A good
This is the last installment in this series on the design of
way to get started with a group is to offer anyone that
simulation games. The previous topics were:
would like it a free copy of your game in return for
System Definition their suggestions.
Data Collection
Model Development After you have recruited your play testers you need
Programming (Game Design) to use them to your benefit. In some cases the program
This time we will look at Play Testing. This is the is not really firmed up yet and you will have to "walk
"feed-back loop" in the process of creating a game. them through" a demo while you explain what you
During this phase you take your design out of the closet intend to add. Then you can let them respond to what
and let it face the harsh light of player scrutiny. More you showed them. However, it is almost always better
often than not, you will at this point, discover that there to let them "hassle" with the game themselves to see
are holes in your game that require you to repeat some what things seem to strike them. It just depends on how
of the previous steps. This can be much like the process complete your game is before you start testing. I prefer
of writing in which you revise your first draft to more to show a few testers (who have been helpful in the
clearly communicate your thoughts. All good writers past) new ideas as early as possible. But, I wait before
re-draft their material repeatedly until they are sat- showing it to most testers till I have a good working
isfied with the way their ideas come across. They are program that they can actually play. Then when the
"testing" their writing to see if it captures the images product is almost complete, I find the non-computer
they meant to convey to the reader. During this testing, types to test it.
writers correct their spelling and grammar, but the
main thrust is to examine content. Similarly, Play
Testing must include more than fixing bugs in the In your relationships with testers, you have to work
program. The designer must look critically at the way hard sometimes not to defend your game. Don't
the game plays. You must examine your game to see answer a suggestion with, "I thought about doing what
that it faithfully reflects the insight that drove you to you described but I decided it wouldn't work." A
create it. response like that will simply dry up the well of user
input. Instead just ask more questions and occasionally are still trade-offs to be made. My own method of
say "That's a good idea, I'll see if I can fit it in." This may design is to make the initial model as realistic as
sound obvious to anyone with a little experience in possible. Then to begin cutting it down until I have
human relations, but you would be surprised at how something considered playable by the target audience.
hard it is to do when you've already spent six months The pieces cut out are not actually removed from the
nurturing your game and someone starts "nit-picking" model, but are simply made more abstract. This way
about the graphics. the game can stay fairly realistic except that some
parts of the "system" are running on automatic. The
greatest accomplishment is when the elements you
Even worse than the detractors are the testers that have replaced with abstractions can leave the player
don't say anything. They are from the old school that with a feeling of "depth" in your game. At that point
believe if you can't say something nice then don't say you've gained rather than lost realism.
anything at all. You have to "pump them" for their
reactions or be satisfied with reading their body Aside from the conflict of realism versus playability,
language as they play the game. So be thankful for the there are other things that surface during play testing a
straight-forward types who tell you that they didn't like simulation game. Pure math would dictate that you
the game because it was too complicated. They are should not adjust the data collected to make your
giving you information that will help you to make model fit your biases. You should just let the numbers
decisions. stand on their own. However, there are times when you
must revise "reality" to fit people's perceptions and
Now that you have the testers' comments what do preferences. For instance, in "Cartels & Cutthroats" (a
you do with them? I generally just wait for something business simulation I wrote in 1981), I had a realistic
to coalesce. It's obvious you can't please everyone. It representation of how research and development
isn't unusual to have conflicts where one person thinks expenditures affected a company's product sales.
something is too hard while another thinks it's too easy. However, during the play testing it was apparent that
Wait till a consensus forms even if it is only in your most people believed that R & D should affect sales
mind. Then I begin to make changes. Often someone much more dramatically. I therefore adjusted the
will suggest something that I thoroughly agree with but model until it "felt" right. This tendency for people to
don't believe can be done. However, while I sit and stew amplify cause and effect relationships has to be
about it, I may discover a way to do it. Also, there are reflected in your model. In fact, it is almost certain that
those times when you're better off leaving well enough people respond better to a model with somewhat
alone. exaggerated effects than "true realism". This parallels
the kind of artistic license that cartoonists use to make
their characters more attractive. Caricatures must be
I'm not sure how you can distinguish between good overstated to be successful. It can be a little unsettling
or bad advice. For myself, if I have a group of 30 testers to have to "corrupt" your model to suit game player's
(of whom 10 are active and helpful) and I hear a certain tastes, but it actually improves the "apparent realism"
comment twice I consider it significant and if I hear it of your game.
more than three times I call it an overwhelming
consensus. This is because, in a big game, people don't
normally notice the same things unless they stick out Finally, be prepared during play testing (more so
like a sore thumb. Finally, you can't ever be a good than any other phase of game development) for
game designer if you aren't able to trash your "good unpredictable swings in your mental outlook. There
idea" that didn't work. will be times that you will wonder how you could have
worked so hard for a game that isn't even fun! And then
other times you will be convinced that your game is the
Most of the previous suggestions for play testing greatest thing since paved roads! Play testers will build
would apply to any type of game design. However, up your ego until you feel like a minor god sometimes,
simulation games provoke a certain type of user feed- and take hammers to your feet of clay at other times.
back because you are trying to recreate an intrinsically But remember, you chose to write a game and you'll
complex real-world situation in a game format. The just have to bear with the bad and hope for the good!
battle you have been waging with yourself between
realism and playability comes to a dramatic head
during play testing. There are some people who enjoy Dan Bunten is the author of COMPUTER QUAR-
the detailed accuracy of a simulation and demand TERBACK, CARTELS & CUTTHROATS, and CYTRON
absolute authenticity. There are other people who MASTERS all available from Strategic Simulations. He
consider anything more complex than "Pac-Man" as is now a member of the Ozark Softscape group that
pedantic and boring. Fortunately, the vast majority of wrote M.U.L.E. (a family game for the computer)
people fall between these extremes. Nevertheless, there available from Electronic Arts.
,
Graphics provide a slight pro- mistakenly turn instead of firing at
ATARI ARENA blem. Apple hi-res graphics use times, and it is not always con-
black and white as "primary" venient to line up another shot.
Allen Doum
colors, with purple, green, blue and Moreover, the program has to time
orange produced by taking ad- how long the button is pressed to
vantage of the limitations of the determine what the player is trying
picture tube. This is called arti- to do, making the controls sluggish.
facting. But the Atari only produces In short, CHOPLIFTER is not as
green and purple when black and good a game on the Atari as it was
white are the "primary" colors — on the Apple and the difference is
the blue and orange are often lost that extra joystick button.
in a converted program. (Machines What is happening here? Pro-
equipped with the older CTIA grams losing color when being
interface chip reverse this. Blue converted to a machine with more
and orange are displayed with colors? Losing controls when con-
green and purple lost). Of course, verted to a machine that supports
black and white aren't the only more controllers? Why? Because
primary colors and mode 8 is not they're converts, that's why. A
the only graphics mode available converted game all too often will
on Atari. some converted games reflect the limitations of both
take advantage of this to produce systems, and the strengths of
more color, but some do not. neither.
THE ZEAL OF THE CONVERT Some converted games upgrade That is the point of all this. People
PINBALL CONSTRUCTION SET the sound, too. Often louder and buy games not only for how good a
(PCS) looks like a convert. It's hi-res slightly better versions of the same game it is, but also how good a
graphics are in white, purple, green sound. But rarely the music that is program it is. Choplifter was
and black. becoming standard on the games popular on the Apple partly be-
written directly for Atari machines. cause of the amount of animation
PCS sounds like a convert. and the scrolling landscape. Such
"Beeps" and "boops" are heard in PCS has, in fact, more than the things are not often seen on an
great number. True, it does sound usual share of upgrades. The Apple monitor. On Atari, it's simply
somewhat like a pinball machine. It moving "Icons" that the player uses not as impressive. (PCS is still
also sounds like an Apple. to manipulate the game use player/ impressive, I keep wishing that
missile graphics. And, you may use there was a true Atari version.)
Don't misunderstand me, I think
the button on a second joystick (to (Some of the companies pro-
PCS is a great program. For a list of
take the place of the second button ducing games for the Atari are now
its' considerable strengths and
on most Apple joysticks) when converting those games for the
minor weaknesses, see last issues
using the flippers. Commodore, TI, and IBM. In this
review by John Besnard. What John
That second joystick button context it is definitely more blessed
says about the Apple version is all
illustrates how even a small hard- to give than to receive.)
true about the Atari version. That is
ware difference between com- If it's not converts, it's clones.
the problem.
puters can effect the play of a With some of the games available
The situation is this. It is easier to game. for more than one computer it's
convert a hi-res, machine language hard to tell who is converting what,
program from Apple to Atari than In the game CHOPLIFTER, since the games become available
to write a new program. Both another Apple-Atari convert, the at the same time for more than one
machines use versions of the same player uses a helicopter to rescue computer. Two games from
microprocessor, Apple hi-res prisoners while fighting enemy Adventure International illustrate
graphics are easy to simulate in tanks, jets, and aerial mines. an additional problem. SEA
graphic mode 8, and the Atari is (CHOPLIFTER was reviewed in DRAGON is a "Scramble" type
capable of producing all the sounds CGW vol. 2 no. 4) While the joy- game. The player maneuvers his
that the standard Apple can. The sticks maneuvers the helicopter in ship, in this case a submarine,
programmer or publisher can, both games, the Apple version uses through a constantly scrolling play-
therefore, convert his game and one button to turn the chopper, the field filled with obstacles to destroy
increase his market by only re- other fire the weapon; in the Atari or avoid, in this case mines, depth
writing some of the routines. The version, the same button is used for charges, and the walls of narrow
main logic of the program does not both, a short tap firing the weapon passages. Instead of a fuel supply,
need to be changed. Same with longer taps turning the chop- there is a diminishing supply of air,
microprocessor. per. This means that the player will and the player must surface to
Continued on p.45
COMPUTER GOLF!
Stanley Greenlaw
What golf ball are you using for today's match? A
Top Flite #4? A Titleist #3? How about an Apple #2, an
Atari #8 or even an IBM #1? Here are four micro-
computer golf games that can challenge you on those
nights when you have the "golf bug" or on that
weekend when your regular match is rained out. Three
of the games run on the Apple. The fourth runs on the
Atari 400/800 and the IBM PC. All games can be played
by one to four players.
FORE!
SYSTEM: Apple
FORMAT: Diskette
#PLAYERS: 1-4
AUTHOR: Jeffrey A. Johnson
PRICE: $29.95 rough, trees, water, sand traps, the green and the
PUBLISHER: EPYX always popular "out of bounds". The computer does
Mountain View, CA not keep a running total of strokes (as it does in the
other games). A scorepad and pencil are provided
however. The rulebook is adequate, providing the
FORE! is the only low-res entry of the games necessary information to play, as well as giving a
description of the three common team play methods—
evaluated (for some unknown reason we called it hi-
res in Taking a peek—Nov.-Dec.82). The game includes stroke, best ball, and dutch. But there is little additional
a driving range (for practice), a "public" 18 hole course detail. For example: it would have been nice to know
what process the computer goes through to determine
and a "championship" 18 hole course. Typical of the
if a putt is "in" or not. There is no speed to set and
designations, the public course is shorter and easier
than the championship layout. aiming a putt simply involves putting the on-screen
cursor over the hole. Apparently only a random
The lo-res screen presents one or two holes at a time. number generator has anything to say about whether a
Screen colors indicate fairway, light rough, heavy particular putt is "in" or not.
Game play involves moving the cursor to that part of
the fairway or green that you are aiming at; keying in
the club you wish to use; setting the strength of the
swing: then hitting return. The main skill involved in
the game is selecting the correct club and swing
strength for your shot. The shot will fall more or less in
the area in which you aim. Wind direction, which only
changes after the first nine, can affect the flight of the
ball. There is no save feature.
CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF
SYSTEM: Apple II
FORMAT: Diskette
#PLAYERS: 1-4
AUTHOR: Blair Hadfield
PRICE: $24.95
PUBLISHER: Hayden Software
Lowell,MA
Actual play involves selecting club, swing strength
and compass direction of shot (by keying in the
compass heading). The skills required are the ability to
select the right club and swing and the ability to figure
out the correct angle. One hole at a time appears on the
screen. Sand traps are often so small in the hi-res
rendering that they sometimes blend in with the lines
that make up the outline of the green. When you reach
the green a blow-up appears and you putt out by
selecting club head speed and angle of putt.
The unique element of this game is that it shows both The computer maintains a scorecard for each player.
an overhead view (as the other 3 games do) and a side The rules can be read in the manual or on the screen. A
view. The side view adds a degree of interest as you
club selection chart can also be found in both places.
watch your ball fly into the air, down the fairway, and Nine woods (that's right!), nine irons, two wedges, and a
bounce to its stopping point. Unfortunately the game putter make up your twenty-one club arsenal.
does not capitalize on this feature. Trees (which are
lacking in CG) seem like a natural obstacle that would
have given the side view some real meaning in the GOLF CHALLENGE
game. Lofting a nine iron over a tree and onto the green
would have been so enjoyable. Additionally, the
program excludes the possibility of hitting your ball SYSTEM: Atari (Tape)
across a dogleg. With the side view it is tempting to loft IBM PC (Disk)
a shot over a bend in the fairway, (going over the #PLAYERS: 1-4
out-of-bounds markers) and back into "fair territory." AUTHOR: Harold Schwab
Forget it. As soon as the program detects that your ball PRICE: $24.95
is over out-of-bounds territory you are counted as out- PUBLISHER: Sierra On-Line
of-bounds, no matter how high your ball is nor the fact Coarsegold, CA
that the landing area would have been inbounds.
video cartridge game rather than a serious simulation
of the game of golf.
The key to success in GC is in lining your character
up properly so that when you stroke the ball it will
travel in the intended direction. Your player has an
"I-beam" shaped body which with a little practice can
be used to set up the angle of your shots. For example
to hit a ball directly downwards (on the screen) you
would line up the golfer so that the ball is to his left and
directly in line with the upper cross member of the
"I-beam". When you reach the green, it is enlarged so
that you may putt out using the same techniques used
on the fairway shots. The graphics of GC are the best
of the games reviewed here. While less a serious
simulation than the game which follows, GC has a
charm all it's own as a video-style golf game.
Unlike the other games in which you key in data on
your shot, Golf Challenge is strictly a joystick oriented
game. You move your player to the ball, positioning
him for the best angle then use the joystick and
firebutton to swing your club and strike the ball. The HI-RES COMPUTER GOLF 2
longer your backswing the farther your shot. Although
the mechanics are more arcade oriented than the other
games, you must still plan your shot strategically so as SYSTEM: Apple
to avoid the rough, trees, sandtraps, water, and out-of- #PLAYERS: 1-4
bounds. Playing this game reminds one more of a good AUTHOR: Stuart Aronoff
PUBLISHER: Avant-Garde
Creations
Eugene, OR
There is no doubt that this is the best golf simulation
on the market. Any serious student of the game of golf
will find in this game the mental challenges that he
faces in the real thing as well as the need for practice to
develop a "good swing" which is essential to the actual
game.
HRCG2 is an improved version of Avant-Garde's HI- more screens are needed to display the hole. At first
RES COMPUTER GOLF game that was originally this may be an irritation since you will commonly have
released in November 1981. The second edition carries to hit a ball located on one screen toward a landing
the label "Pro-Courses Series". It contains a two sided area on the other screen. However you will get used to
disk. One side is the "master diskette" which contains this quickly and the greater detail in the fairway layout
the actual program as well as the Demonstration, due to the larger scale more than makes up for this
Practice Hole and 18-hole Beginner's Course. The minor inconvenience. The problem is minimized by the
other side is the "Pro-Courses Diskette" which contains fact that most shots from one screen to another are
three pro courses. The idea is that, if the market shots not going directly for the green (i.e. tee shots on a
demands, other courses could be marketed in the par 4). Screens are easily flipped with simple
future. keystrokes.
The game includes a scorecard processor with which
The documentation is excellent. In addition to the you can make a hardcopy of your round, and save up
rulebook which is quite detailed, there is a to 20 games on disk. But the most exciting added
demonstration program that walks you through the feature is the Tournament play Option. Using this
game step by step. OTHER GAME MANUFACTURERS option it is possible to play a tournament of HRCG2
SHOULD TAKE NOTE. This demonstration feature is with other people through the mail. Computer Gaming
the best tutorial this writer has ever seen in a computer World is sponsoring the nation's first HRCG2 tour-
game (and some of us can use tutorials on the more nament. See details following this article.
complex games)! For the golfer, HRCG2 is the closest thing to actually
being out on the course. It is our hope that HRCG2 sells
well enough to justify the release of future Pro-Series
There are two ways in which you can play HRCG2.
Course diskettes.
You can use the standard method in which after
selecting your club/swing-strength/aim, you use the
keyboard to guide the arc of your swing (see
illustration). The other method is to use the auto-swing
CGW GOLF
TOURNAMENT
Using Avant-Garde's Hi-res Computer Golf 2 we
will be hosting the first annual(?) CGW
COMPUTER GOLF TOURNAMENT. Those that
wish to play in this 54 hole competition will need a
copy of HRCG2. (Note that the original HRCG will
not work for the tournament. Players must have
the "2" version). The winner of the tournament
will receive a wall trophy.
feature in which you get a perfect computer generated How to enter:
swing every time. This feature is a nice addition to
HRCG2. Now players who have not the time to learn 1) Put your full name and address with your
and practice the timed swing can still enjoy a round of request to be entered into the CGW Golf Tourney
golf more or less on equal ground with experienced on a post card.
players. However, the real enthusiast will opt for the 2) Send card to: COMPUTER GAMING WORLD;
regular timed-swing feature. This makes golf the true
GOLF TOURNEY; P.O. BOX 4566; Anaheim, CA
challenge it is in real life. Mistimed swings can cause
92803-4566.
you to hook, slice, hit fat or top the ball. The best aim
and strategy is worthless if all you can do is top the ball 3) Postcard must be postmarked no later than
or slice it into the lake. In this normal play mode September 1, 1983.
HRCG2 is a game that requires a good deal of practice to 4) Entrants will receive, after that date, tour-
master.
nament information and a special codeword
The fairways in HRCG2 are larger in scale than those required to play.
of the other games which means that often two or
BOMB ALLEY:
A Review
And Analysis
Richard Charles Karr
Strategic Simulation's Bomb
Alley, a recent release, is a direct
descendent of the Guadalcanal NAME: Bomb Alley
Campaign (GC) game system and TYPE: Wargame
program. Based upon the naval/air SYSTEM: Apple
campaign in the Central FORMAT: Disk
AUTHOR: Gary Grigsby
Mediterranean in mid-1942, it
recreates the historically difficult # PLAYERS: 1 or 2
PRICE: $59.95
problem of supply by the Axis and
British. Designed by Gary Grigsby, PUBLISHER: Strategic
with game development by Joel Simulations
Billings, it shares many of the
features and pitfalls of the
planes (Spitfire, Beaufort, gaming tables. Access to the
Guadalcanal Campaign system.
Swordfish, Boston, Do17, SM79, program is by way of a "user-
JU87, JU88, JU52, and Me109) friendly" sequence of play: Axis
About The Game task force adjustment and
which base out of locations on the
map and fly missions, and the movement; British task force
Bomb Alley is a grand tactical abstracted ground unit strength of adjustment and movement; British
(Operational)-level game con- the Malta garrison, the Tobruk air operations; Axis air operations;
cerning itself with control of the garrison, the Eighth Army, the combat resolution; and save game
Mediterranean and North Africa in Afrika Korps, and numerous option. The above is repeated for
1942. As such, players control reinforcements and replacements. nighttime turns without air
operations.
individual ships (from DML, DMS, The game includes an 18-page
DE, and SS on up) which are rulebook, floppy disk, and a 4 color During the task force adjustment
formed into task forces, individual map back-printed with appendixed phase, ships may be formed into
task forces, be combined or divided British computer, and two-player (worth 1000 points to the Axis and
between existing task forces, options are always possible. There 500 points to the British), Malta
loaded, or just looked at. The status are three scenarios to be selected remains the key to that objective.
of air and ground forces can also from: Campaign (June 11 - August Three basic strategic options exist
be checked. During the task force 31, 1942); Pedestal (August 10 - for the Axis player (in solo or two-
movement phase, existing task August 15,1942); and Crete (May 20 player situations): ignore Malta,
forces are moved and docked. - May 31, 1941). As in Guadalcanal, reinforce the Afrika Korps with
During the air operations phase, four levels of difficulty are offered. everything, and try to blow past the
aircraft based at map locations can Qattara Depression into Alexandria;
The Game As Game
search, perform combat air patrol suppress Malta with heavy air
(CAP), launch strikes, or transfer. In GC, one side is holding an bombardment and then reinforce
During the combat resolution advanced forward base against the in North Africa; or suppress Malta
phase, the effects of all of the above tender ministrations of the other real hard and then take it by
become apparent, as ground units side. In BA, both sides are holding combined amphibious/air attack.
attack, air strikes are resolved, forward areas subject to inter- The British strategic options are
surface and submarine naval diction by air and naval forces of largely dictated by Axis actions, the
combat is resolved, and ships are the opposition. Conventional holding and reinforcement of Malta
repaired. merchant shipping in BA has a being foremost.
rough life on both sides, with the
The actual mechanics of play are Tactically, the Campaign Game
majority of ship sinkings in victory
almost exactly the same as in GC will have a great deal of submarine
points due to losses in merchant
with a few minor exceptions: two and MTB activity, with incessant
shipping. As the Axis player comes
transfers are allowed per AM turn; air activity in the waters around
to the realization that Malta must
motor torpedo boats (PT boats to Malta. Both sides are very closely
be suppressed or taken, extremely
Americans) can form their own matched, and losses of all types will
high losses in aircraft occur on
surface combat task force, called be high. With time and sheer
both sides.
"MT"; and evacuation missions are ruthlessness, the Axis player will be
possible. The one-player option pits While the ultimate objective of able to take Malta by combined
the Axis human player against the an Axis offensive is Alexandria air/naval attack, although
Guadalcanal Campaign is under-
standable, as P40's were committed
late in the campaign and often
resembled the essential charac-
teristics of F4F's, but the
Mediterranean Theater is a
completely different story.
Historically, each side had the most
modern and deadly aviation
hardware available flying next to
hopelessly inefficient archaic junk.
Wargames in the computer for-
mat should crunch through all of
the dull, lengthy, necessary mind-
boggling detail that "monster
games" attempt to present. Built
into the program of a game should
be the equivalent of determining
shell penetration vs. armor, anti-
aircraft fire vs. level of bombing
Alexandria will almost always be and an approximately correct net attack, effective vessel operating
out of reach. historical result. For the average range vs. station-keeping, and turn-
gamer, this is usually quite around of "down" aircraft vs. the
The Pedestal Scenario represents
adequate. This reviewer, however, mechanical competence of ground
the major all-out reinforcement
is very picky about the myriad crews and availability of parts.
and re-supply effort of the British
aircraft designs used in the North While these individual examples
to keep Malta from falling. It is only
African-Mediterranean Theater are themselves unimportant, the
a five-day scenario, and can be
but not included, as well as the interface of combat should repre-
played in about three or four hours.
tendency for British ship speeds to sent all of the nasty and technical
Victory points will be based largely
be rounded up and Italian ship "dirt" that the best historical
upon ship losses, and the des-
speeds to be rounded down. research has to offer, instead of
truction or survival of the four
Endurance of individual ships several percentage-based combat
British carriers usually will decide
should be a function of vessel results tables. In short, this reviewer
the game.
bunker and store capacity, and is hopelessly greedy for detail of
The Crete Scenario concerns should not be a set fixed maximum. the like presented in (the late
itself exclusively with the air/ Naval gunfire should be a function lamented) SPI's Campaigns For
amphibious invasion of western of size and rate of fire, not "main North Africa (as one example) as
Crete. The British have over- gun", "secondary gun", or "AA gun." opposed to the moderate-level of
whelming naval superiority, the The Italian Air Force (Regina complexity titles that make for
Axis has overwhelming air Aeronautica) was actually not that familiar wargaming soup.
superiority, and victory is bad, although in the scale of things
conditional upon who holds Crete it was too small for what it had to Conclusions
and ship losses. The Crete Scenario face in '42 and '43. The Italian Navy For straight-forward playability
is a twelve-day game, and will take (Regina Marina) after the Taranto and excellent rules preparation,
6-8 hours. raid had a very mixed bag of ships. Bomb Alley is an enjoyable and
Some were as bad as the worst entertaining game of the Med-
If players are used to the idea of British World War One relics, most
20-35 minute turns for two-player iterranean during its most critical
were very average, and a few were moments in 1941 and 1942. It offers
or 10-15 minute turns for one- truly outstanding.
player, Bomb Alley is an exciting moderately serious wargamers the
and enjoyable "gamer's game", This reviewer realizes that it is opportunity to sink their teeth into
which is evenly matched, playable, difficult to accurately describe the something more advanced than
and clearly written. performance characteristics of all arcade entertainment or very
The Reviewer's Gripes of the strange odd-ball com- simple wargaming. In one-player
binations of aircraft that floated or two-player format, Bomb Alley
This reviewer feels that the basic through the Mediterranean in '40 offers accessible "user-friendly"
scope and flow of Bomb Alley has a -'43, but where are the Blenheims, play of an exciting and difficult
great deal going for it, namely CR32's, CR42's, and Hurricanes? theater, with many tactical
playability, clearly written rules, The use of slightly abstracted air in surprises and reverses in store.
mine) how we think about things five different disciplines involved
and, consequently, how we act. As in the "design" of a computer game:
an instance, let's choose a subject game design and development,
near and dear to all our hearts: program design and execution,
game design. graphics design, sound effects and
music, and the writing of the
documentation. (The manual may
WHO ARE THOSE GUYS? contain information essential to
playing the game well or at all;
On the pages of every consumer witness MURDER ON THE
electronics publication, we read ZINDERNEUF or any of Epyx's
articles about, interviews with, pre-1982 games). Obviously, text
advice from, and instructions on adventures typically involve only
becoming "game designers." the first two, and most videogames
lack significant documentation, but
Probably 95% of those "game more involved computer games
designers" cited (or quoted) aren't. like those just mentioned (or
They are basically and essentially ARCHON or M.U.L.E.) involve all
something else entirely, and the five.
confusion about what they are and
what they are doing — a confusion
shared by magazine writers, One magazine defined "game
industry executives, game players, design" as taking the concept of the
and often, by the "designers" game, the rules, the graphics, and
themselves — has had a profoundly the sound effects, and coding it into
negative effect on computer the computer so that the game will
gaming. run. It's an amazing definition,
THE NAME OF because it's 100% wrong. That is
programming, clearly, not game
THE GAME What or who are "game
designing. Game design for a com-
designers?" Especially, what are
puter game is, in fact, exactly the
videogame or computer-game
same sort of stuff as it is in a board,
designers?
card, or role-playing game: deter
Jon Freeman mining and defining in detail
The obvious answer — those who matters of game structure, aim,
design computer games — simply goal, subject, theme, layout, and so
What's in a name? begs the question of what, exactly, forth — who does what to whom,
No less a writer than the Bard of is computer-game design. and what the result is.
Avon once wrote, "That which we
call a rose/ By any other name With board games, "we all know"
the answer. The designer of board Even in the (not uncommon) case
would smell as sweet." He was,
games is the one who conceives the in which a videogame is primarily
however, being consciously ironic
idea of the game and works out the the work of a single person, there
(a fact often forgotten nowadays),
rules. The layout of the board, the are real problems with calling that
since it was indeed their names
number and kinds of pieces, person a "game designer." First is
—signfyingtheir val(ndfeuding)
strength, movement, money, dice, the problem of logical semantics: it
family affiliations that doomed
cards, whatever: all these things is not reasonable to identify
poor Romeo and Juliet. (Ad-
clearly fall within the designer's someone by what that person does
mittedly, their impetuosity didn't
purview. Others may draw the final an insignificant portion of the time.
help much, either.)
version of the board, paint the We don't call the executive pro-
Clearly, names are important. ducer of Magnum, P.I. an "actor"
cover, mold the pieces, print the
Good titles help sell games, books, because in one episode he had a
money, and so on — but the artists,
movies, and a zillion other pro- cameo appearance as a sleazy hotel
graphic artists, typesetters, etc. are
ducts. This month's topic is not, manager. Carrying my suitcase into
not game designers. "Everybody
however, about titles (at least in a hotel doesn't make me a porter,
knows that", and for a change
that narrow sense), but something and dictating a business letter
"everybody" is right.
more general and more important. doesn't justify calling an executive
a "writer."
Names — what we call things — The case of computer games is
influence (some might say deter- more complicated. There may be Continued on p.45
can make the board itself less
complex (thus placing limits on the
game). Or he can make the board
appear to be less complex through
use of heuristic information.
"Heuristic" is a term derived
from the Greek verb eurisko,
meaning "to find or discover"
(hence Archimedes' exclamation
"Eureka!" — "I've found it!").
Heuristic information, then, helps
the program to find whatever it's
looking for. It usually does this by (1) It knows what hex it's starting
providing some measure of how in.
likely a particular choice will lead (2) It knows if it has reached the
to the desired end. The program goal hex.
can then use this information to (3) It can find all hexes adjacent to
concentrate on the most likely a given hex.
choices. (4) It can tell if a given hex has
When you think about it, the use already been used in a path it's
THE SILICON of heuristic information represents
an attempt to imitate our own
tracing (to avoid duplication).
CEREBRUM thought processes. We usually
don't examine all possible choices.
A pure brute force approach
would be to trace all possible paths,
Instead, we quickly narrow our then pick the shortest (or one of the
options to a few and then examine shortest — there are quite a few
those in more detail. If none of paths that qualify). We would have
by Bruce Webster these are acceptable, then we have to trace quite a few paths (anyone
to expand back out to the options care to calculate exactly how
we initially ignored until we finally many?), ranging in length from 6 to
pick the one we feel is best. around 143 (the theoretical
maximum). Lots of time, lots of
In a like manner, the program memory.
can use heuristic information to
HEURISTIC SEARCH cut down on the work it has to do. One heuristic technique leaps
PART I The information allows the pro- immediately to mind: reject any
A programmer facing certain gram to concentrate on those path once its length is greater than
game problems can often solve choices that look best instead of the shortest path found to date. We
them by "brute force" or considering all possible options. still have the logistical problem of
exhaustive means. In other Whether or not the program saving all the paths tried so far (to
words, he can set up the performs better defines how avoid duplication), but now we
program to try all possible "good" the information is. A lot of have to save much less of them and
combinations and then pick the time, then, is spent in defining and can actually throw portions of
best. For example, suppose he testing different heuristics and them away as shorter paths are
needs to move a piece from one combinations of heuristics. An found.
location to another by the example will help to illustrate this
A much more powerful piece of
shortest route. If the board is process.
heuristic information is a distance
simple enough, some sort of direct
AN EXAMPLE function which, given two hexes,
calculation will probably suffice to
returns the distance of the shortest
find the path. A more complex Let's return to our example —
possible path between them. Such
board may require that all possible moving a piece on a board —for a
a function is possible if some
paths be traced and the shortest look at how we might use heur-
consistent numbering system is
one selected. But as the board's istics. Figure 1 a shows our piece in
used (like those found on most
complexity grows, the program the lower right corner of a hex grid.
wargame maps). Our search
requires more resources (time and Our goal is the circle near the
becomes directed, and we now use
memory). At some point the costs center of the map. Let's give the
this algorithm:
become unacceptable, and the program the following capabilities
programmer has two options. He (for starters): Continued on p.49
"You are standing at the end of a all, OUTDOOR SURVIVAL has
road before a small brick building. been very popular board game for
Around you is a forest. A small years. Or why hasn't somebody
stream flows out of the building used a space adventure format to
and down a gully" teach the basics of physics? Or
maybe you get left behind by your
Sound familiar? It's the start of tour group in a foreign land and
the original Adventure game, of must learn to "speak" the language
course. Do you remember how you in order to ask for food, shelter and
felt the first time you played help?
Adventure or and adventure-type I don't mean to suggest that
game? I can; in fact, I remember it topics like these are more enter-
better than my first kiss. taining than swords and sorcery, or
solving murder mysteries, but
Adventure games are absorbing; wouldn't you rather play an
you get very involved in the story, adventure game than read a text
almost as if you were a participant. book? We don't have to make a
learning Involvement equals motivation.
You want to rescue that princess or
find that last treasure so much you
can taste it! You become so ded-
choice between entertainment and
education, we can have BOTH.
There is, at least, one area where
game icated to the task that you're willing
to steal food or kill an occasional
troll in order to reach your goal.
Why, you'd even learn something
these ideas are being put into actual
use — adventure games for chil-
dren. This month we have two
examples of this sub-genre. The
first is Dragon's Keep (DK),
new if you needed the information
originally published by Sunnyside
to solve a puzzle!
Software but now being marketed
by Sierra On-line. The second is
So why isn't this format used Snooper Troops II (ST2), by
Bob Proctor more for educational games? Sure, Spinnaker Software.
there've been a few attempts: there
DK is designed especially for
was a game called OREGON TRAIL
second-graders. How do you do
where you tried to lead a wagon
that? Well, first you restrict your-
train safely west. It was simple, but
self to words that a seven-year old
BASIC INFORMATION a step in the right direction. Then
would know, then you make the
NAME: Dragon's Keep there's TIME ZONE, which does
decision making process easier by
TYPE: Adventure contain a lot of history in an
providing a list of choices at each
SYSTEM: Apple II incidental way. But most of the
step of the game. Finally, since
FORMAT: games available today have a
Diskette second-graders may not be fabulous
BACKUP: fantasy theme, with the major
None typists, you make it so the whole
# PLAYERS: 1 categories being music, science
game can be played with only the
PRICE: fiction, and mystery.
$29.95 return key and the space bar.
PUBLISHER: Sierra On-line Why hasn't anyone done a game
Coarsegold, CA. that teaches you how to survive a The theme of DK is that a
NAME: plane crash in the wilderness? After Continued on p.49
Snooper
Troops II
TYPE: Detective
Adventure
SYSTEM: Apple II (48K)
or IBM
FORMAT: Diskette
BACKUP: None
# PLAYERS: 1
PRICE: $44.95
PUBLISHER: Spinnaker
Software
Cambridge, MA
be remedied, as a tidal wave of C-64 Armed with that information, the
programs are about to hit the adventure will run relatively
market. smooth. The story line is simple.
Typical of minor variations that The Protectorate Sword has been
in most cases will not find their way stolen and without its benevolent
into the Key, are those done on two magic, your land is vulnerable to
games by Avalon-Hill — Nuclear attack from the pernicious minions
War and Telengard. The play of of evil and their sinister spells. Your
these games is exactly as it is in mission, since you are divinely
their counter parts for other ordained by the digital deity of
machines. Their only claim to your choice, is to explore the 15-20
individuality lies in the improved dungeon levels necessary to find
use of graphics (much improved in the Protectorate Sword and then
the case of Telengard) most often make your escape in 2000 seconds
accomplished with sprites. The (33 minutes) of real time. You
sudden creation, for example, of explore each level, using your joy-
differing creatures and treasures stick to manipulate your character
in Telengard, while a simple step by step through a darkened
change, does add significantly to maze. Each step illuminates a little
the enjoyability of the game. All that more of the maze and you eventu-
THE we C-64 owners can ask for, is that ally wind up with a fully mapped
future translations at least equal
COMMODORE this level of sophistication.
dungeon level on your screen. The
screen takes the vantage point as
KEY though a camera were positioned
Vic 20 - Dr. Johnny L. Wilson
above the character's head. As you
Even in the early version of traverse each level, you will en-
Sword Of Fargoal, this is an exciting counter hostile monsters, bags of
and intriguing adventure game. gold, temples, and checkerboards.
Greetings, and welcome to a new The graphics are beautifully The monsters cannot be negotiated
column for Computer Gaming crafted from the detailed stones of with, only fought or avoided. The
World — The Commodore Key. If the dungeons rune-like titles and gold is only useful as a sacrifice to
you haven't already guessed, this clever monsters, to the game utility be offered in the temple. In return,
column will be dedicated to the that allows the player to select the you are rewarded with experience
investigation of those games and background color through which points. The checkerboards can
game related software for the he/she wishes to journey. The mean: 1) magic spells, 2) traps, or 3)
Commodore 64 and Vic 20. Our documentation is complete and maps of later levels of the dungeon.
title was, after much deliberation, extremely helpful. It includes a Explore these last, so that you can
chosen from a host of suggestions. detailed description of each magic avoid having to face a monster
While all had some feature in their spell to be found, strategy sug- immediately after being devastated
factor, and some had the nautical gestions from the playtesters that by a trap.
connection found in may actually help, and a ready-refer-
Commodore columns (Listing to All in all, even with the program
ence card with a summary of glitch, I enjoy the game. My worst
Port for example), we decided on
commands. Add to these features moment came, however, when I
this title as we hope that our the fact that a player must suc-
column will truly become your was killed by a fire drake and still
cessfully traverse at least 29 dif- had 4 healing potions in my in-
key to enjoying your Commodore ferent dungeon levels (15 down
computer. ventory. This, in spite of the state-
and 14 to return) to find the sword ment on page 15 of the manual that
and you realize how many hours of "When your hit points fall below 0,
C-64 - Edward Curtis challenging fun are involved in this a Healing Potion will be taken
game. automatically', frustrated me
This installment of the Early purchasers discovered two greatly. I know not to wait on that
Commodore 64 section of the Key major problems. One concerned a feature at the lower levels, now.
will, unfortunately, contain very with/for instruction in line 12 and Remember, if the program does
little. At the date of our typesetting, the other involved a bad subscript something like this to you, you can
a sea of Vic-20 games had arrived, error in line 262. (This is supposed always break the program and
but very few submissions for the to be corrected in the later version.) follow the procedure outlined
If you have an earlier version and above and get a fresh start on that
C-64. It is not my intention to spend
don't know what to do when a level.
time reviewing translations of well glitch occurs, simply break the Once it outlives the reputation of
known games that have no sub- program and type either GOTO 2 the earlier version, Sword of
stantial difference in their C-64 or GOTO 3. Either of these com- Fargoal should be a perennial
versions. This policy rules out the mands will take you back to the favorite among Vic users. EPYX,
vast majority of those now on the beginning of the level you are Sunnyvale, CA. 94086 $29.95 (16K
market, but this situation will soon currently exploring. Expander req.)
really records..." (p. 5). The very
ease of change and correction that
MOVIE MICRO REVIEW makes computers desirable to use
"WARGAMES" makes them vulnerable. If one can
find the legitimate password or the
illegitimate "back door," electronic
"Is this a game or is it real?" the records can make anyone an expert
panicked protagonist queries the forger.
Department of Defense's master Second, the film seems to ask,
computer in MGM/UA's new movie "What purpose does data collection
"Wargames." "What's the and real life simulation fulfil?" This
difference?" comes the frightening is the necessary corollary to the
reply..."Wargames" is plausible protagonist's query above. If the
enough to intrigue and terrifying purpose is simply to win at any cost, BASIC INFORMATION
enough to excite. Unlike many the simulation is of doubtful value. NAME: Wizplus
"pot-boilers" which simply build to If the purpose is to learn from both TYPE: Utility Program
a holocaust or pyrotechnic ex- correct and incorrect hypothesis, SYSTEM: Apple II Plus
cellence or a denouement of then the simulation is of immense 48K of Memory
moralistic salvation, "Wargames" value. The implied answer in the FORMAT: Single disk
makes one think, as well as feel, all film is that we must be careful AUTHOR: Thomas Conner
along the way. about what use and intent we have PRICE: $39.95
The plot line centers around a in collecting data and constructing PUBLISHER: Datamost
high school student whose whole computer models. David, the film's Chatsworth, CA
life revolves around digitized protagonist wants to play to win, 91311
circuitry. He is an underachiever in but has to learn to play to learn.
all areas except electronic Like many wargamers, he learns
futility of war through his "WIZPLUS" (WP) is a menu
endeavors. He is an opportunist
experience. driven utility program designed to
who uses his one area of expertise
modify the characters and the
to smooth out difficulties in the rest Lastly, one cannot ignore the
playing environment which have
of his life. His amoral attitudes and ethical question, "Is the capability
made the game of WIZARDRY
electronic excellence lead him to of accomplishing something equiv-
addictive to many enthusiastic
defraud himself and his school (by alent to the license to do it?" David
garners around the country. WP
changing grades and records), the seems to think so. He is perfectly
has options to allow the mod-
telephone company, and by intent, willing to change grades, steal
ification of all the attributes
a computer software corporation. games, and charge others for phone
associated with the individual
By chance, he interfaces with a top- time. We admire his ingenuity, but
game character. In addition
secret government computer cannot condone his actions. The equipment which would normally
instead of the one he intends to Air Force general seems to think so. be won through intrepid adven-
"break" into and "enter" data upon. He is willing to destroy millions of tures need only be chosen from a
His ingenuity and seemingly lives in order to "win" the war. I shopping list using an option called
natural bent toward computer hope the film's message is a "BOLTACS SWINDLE".
larceny enables him to circumvent resounding "NO!" to the question. It
the security system and set a was to me.
potential nuclear war in motion. WIZPLUS impacts play in the
Computer hobbyists of all kinds
You'll have to see the movie to find first two WIZARDRY scenarios
will benefit from viewing
out if it can be stopped. allowing the player to bypass the
"Wargames." We may not all be
careful game design which allows
There are several unanswered able to afford the sophisticated
progress through adventuring. WP
questions implicit in the film. The Televideo equipment used in the
also has excellent documentation
first is, "How secure is computer film, but we all have to answer the
which is well written and ill-
security?" The implied answer is three questions to our and society's
ustrated. This program covers all
the same as R.A. Heinlein's in satisfaction.
facets of modifying your favorite
Friday, "...electronic records aren't Dr. Johnny L. Wilson character. Using this utility, it is
possible to recover "out" char- will not be able to continue with provisions. It's also a good idea to
acters, one of the most frustrating this exciting series. hire more crew than necessary as
disasters which can happen while Bob Reams many unforeseen events will trim
playing Wizardry. Hit points may your crew to the bare minimum
Ed. note - Sir-tech tells us that if
be recovered, ability scores, age, during the voyage. Finally, when
your Wizardry program has been
gold, or experience points modified. selecting provisions allow enough
modified by WizPlus the warranty
WP will also change your favorite for a long voyage, as running out of
on your Wizardry disk will no
characters experience level, name, supplies can lead to mutiny and
longer be honored.
password, race, status, possible hit quick defeat.
points, class, alignment, and finally,
deftly add both Priest and Mage
The game is played from a
spells without benefit of ordination.
graphics display of a clipper ship's
There is also an option called the
bridge. The display contains
WizPlus Madi Special, which makes
information on wind speed and
the characters status ok (even if
direction, ships heading and
deleted), lowers the age, sets the
direction, and percent of sail
adventuring status to IN and finally
currently set. The joystick is used
sets the possible number of spells
to alter course or percent of sail
which may be cast to nine. Other
and to change the displays from
options on the menu allow the
bridge to ship's log to map and back
display of your characters attri-
to bridge. The ships log gives much
butes, recovery of characters from
valuable information including the
Wizardry's version 1.0 backup, or BASIC INFORMATION ships current position in latitude
the movement of characters
NAME: Clipper and longitude, number of days out
between scenarios without deleting
TYPE: Simulation of New York, provisions left, and
them from the previous scenario.
SYSTEM: Atari 400/800/1200 status of the crew. The map display
Basic Joystick shows the position of your ship in
[Note: Backups should be made FORMAT: Disk (32K)/Cassette relation to North, Central, and
before using WizPlus, as on three (24K) South America. You sail the ship by
occasions while writing a character # PLAYERS: One altering your course to take
back to the scenario the program AUTHOR: John Bayes maximum advantage of the wind
malfunctioned and the characters PUBLISHER: Program Design, direction. As you sail, many hazards
were permanently lost.] Inc. will be encountered; such as
Greenwich, CT. mutiny, illness, storms, rogue
waves, and submerged reefs.
The author of WizPlus indicates Grab your charts, lads, it's time
abuse of his program will destroy to sail your Atari's from New York
the careful balance which the to San Francisco via the perilous The game plays well but I found
authors of Wizardry have designed Cape Horn passage. In this sailing the constant shifts in wind to be a
into their games. A serious problem simulation you are asked to Captain bit frustrating. The instruction
also exists with the use of this an 1850's Clipper ship to fame and book is very helpful and gives many
program, as once a character has fortune. PDI has included a cassette hints on how to play this game. It
been modified, it will not be for voice narration, but the cassette also includes a little historical
possible to transfer the "Spirit of is not necessary to play the game. background on Clipper ships and a
the Ancestor" into the third After my third voyage I got tired of playing aid to help novice sailors
scenario "The LEGACY of listening to the sea chanties and keep their Clipper on course.
LLYLGAMYN". As a result of optioned the program to ignore the Mark Bausman
improvements in the new scenario cassette. After booting the game
increasing the playing speed, you go through a setup phase in
characters which have been which you must choose your ship
modified will not transfer. Thus, size, amount of cargo, number of
those gamers which have enjoyed crew, and amount of provisions. As PLEASE
the first two games should be the object of the game is to sail to TAKE TIME
aware that the use of WizPlus San Francisco with a large cargo TO FILL OUT
destroys characters for further which can be sold at a vast profit, READER INPUT
play in this exciting series. WizPlus the larger the ship you sail the
should be used with great caution DEVICE
better your potential for high
or the spirit of adventuring will be scores. However, the larger ships
diluted and, more importantly, you require more crew, and more
ATARI (Con) In other words, even though field. The TRS-80 owner is on his
these games have the same name, own.
replenish it. come in the same packaging, from The upshot of all of this is that
That is, you have to get air in the the same publisher, they are not when somebody says (or writes)
Atari version. In the Apple version the same game. They are similar, that he has a great game for his
you don't. You also get a supply of but not any more than any other computer, it doesn't mean that it's a
"smart bombs", missing in the Atari two "Scramble" games. great game for your computer.
version. In the Apple version the The same thing happens in Besides the differences in graphics,
whole thing takes place in a large STRATOS, for Atari and TRS-80. In sound, and controllers between the
cave, and there is a "radar screen" both, the player defends a city from two machines, there is the pos-
that displays the players progress. aliens with laser cannon and a force sibility that it's not even the same
In the Atari version you have to field. In the Atari version the player game. Caveat emptor, and what
remember how far you've gone. also gets a repair ship for the force else is new? u
NAME (Con) really are game designers. This is designer and one a programmer —
rarely true. (Dan Bunten, Chris is not at all "obvious" if you've been
The typical "videogame des- Crawford, and Robert Leyland led to believe there's only a single
igner" may spend close to 75% of have talent in both areas, but they task involved.
the time on program design and don't have a lot of company.) I am If program design is called "game
coding, perhaps 15% on graphics not denigrating programming, design," then real game design has
design, less than 10% on sound, and which is obviously essential to a no name, no significance, and no
whatever's left (not much) on computer game. Good program attention. It is, at best, an after-
actual game design (and none at all design is as much an art (and thought, more often slavish imita-
on documentation — but that's potentially as creative an art), as tion, at worst a blatent rip-off. Why
another story). If the game is a game design. Games "designed" by not? If credit for "game design" is
home version of a coin-op or just a programmers tend to be simple given only to program design, who
rip-off of someone else's game, no and unoriginal; games "pro- cares where the "game" comes
game design is performed; it was all grammed" by designers are almost from originally? If the act of
done by someone else, beforehand. inevitably overweight and clumsy. conceptualizing and creating a
Therefore, most "videogame If you can describe the "game game and the act of cleverly ripping
designers" are more properly design" in twenty-five words or someone off are given the same
termed "program designers" or less, it was done by a programmer; name (i.e. "game design"), the two
"game programmers." if a 48K game has primitive acts will be granted equal respect.
graphics and takes twenty minutes Shakespeare and your local check
for the computer to make a move, forger get equal billing, and a
CAUSE AND EFFECT you can bet it was programmed by programmer can get praised for
Even if logic and language don't the game designer. creating (!) "the best PAC-MAN-
move you, there are a number of type game."
practical consequences of this What's in a name?
misnomer — and they're all bad. The obvious "answer" to the When the name of the game is
problem of two disciplines re- "game design," plenty.
The mildest, perhaps, is that quiring two different talents and Ed. Note: Jon is the co-author of
many programmers get "delusions ways of thinking — a collaboration Murder on The Zinderneuf and
of grandeur" and think that they between two people, one a game Archon.
NORMANDY (Con) SUSPENDED (con) discover that there is more than
avoids the strongest German one way to complete the adventure.
Obviously, this information
defenders. The historical plan was Without revealing what they are,
gathering process is time con-
designed to cut Cherbourg off from let's just say that your friend's lives
suming, and when you get to the
reinforcement, but in the game, are in your hands.
stage of putting the pieces together
isolation is not necessary (indeed, to complete the adventure, there As you command one robot to go
being isolated appears to have no will be no need to send WHIZ to the here, another to go there, the game
effect on the pocketed defenders). CLC. Also, the game can be becomes like running a very, very
In every game that I've played, the successfully completed without complex football play. Each player
computer sends one and only one accessing the CLC at all. So, if you must be in a certain place at a
reinforcing division (the 77th) to are a die-hard adventurer who certain time for the play to work.
aid Cherbourg, regardless of what thinks hints are for sissies, don't Also similarly, there's more than
the Allies are doing. In order to plug WHIZ into the CLC. But, be one way to make a touchdown.
capture Cherbourg before the end prepared to see the shadow of your
of the game, earmark three infantry replacement clone more than just a The same disasters strike at the
divisions and one armor division few times. same time every time the standard
for the assault and send them game is played. Note when these
breaking due north from Utah One can't help but wonder, "What occur, and consider strategies to
beach as quickly as possible. if Infocom hadn't provided the map get certain things done before they
Tactics of the complex? What if they hadn't occur. One thing that does change
provided an integrated hint system? is something called the "reset code".
So, how does one win at the game
...would the game still be playable?" When you find out what it is, be
of BFN? You should: 1) take
The answer is "yes" — however, it sure to write it down — it's different
Cherbourg (!), 2) clear all Germans
would have been not only a each game. You'll also discover
from the coastal zone, and 3) take
different game, but a different type how each of the planet's systems
either St. Lo or at least one hex of
of game, more like the early-style can be monitored and manually
Caen. In doing this, bear the
adventure where all you knew was controlled from within the under-
following in mind:
that you were to explore, collect ground complex. Bringing the
1) A stockpile of "general supply" treasure, and perhaps, escape. systems under control is essential
points (about 600) should be ac- to minimize surface-side deaths
If you are an adventurer who is
cumulated before June 18, when until you replace the proper cables
looking for a treasure-based
three turns occur with high and bring the filtering computers
adventure, and take special delight
probability of a storm (this stock- back into balance.
in exploring and mapping each
pile is in excess of points used each
room for yourself, or discovering if Finally, fear and terror are
turn). 2) Don't waste combat points
there even is a next room, then that underlying themes of the game.
on useless, low-odds attacks. 3) Get
aspect of Suspended will not excite However, don't let an unfounded
the four armored divisions into
you. fear that the game is too complex
action as quickly as possible,
keep you away from it. True, at
keeping them on the front line and
first, Suspended may seem
infiltrate with them as often as About strategies. You will want
unwieldy, perhaps overwhelming
possible. Their fatigue levels will to develop your own strategy for
...all that documentation, ...six
suffer, but their presence can break mastering the game; however,
robots to control at once, ...what do
up the German defense. 4) On the when you first get started, forget
I know about fixing computers,
rare occasion when a German unit about fixing the filtering com-
anyway?
attacks, consider retreating the puters, that'll come later. First, get
defending Allied unit. German units to know your robots. Explore each Let your fears be calmed, the
always advance into a vacated hex robot's capabilities and limitations. game is very playable, even
and you can often sucker them into Take them all to the same room replayable, once you understand
a trap or lure them away from an and compare their reports. Like the the premise. The robots are easy to
important position by falling back well-worn tale of the blind men and control, once you get to know them.
before the slightest attack. the elephant, the robots will each And, you don't have to know any-
give you their unique, but thing about fixing real computers.
However, whether or not his-
incomplete, perspective. So, get out the documentation, a
torical tactics lead to victory need
pencil and plenty of paper, and
not bother you when you sit down As the robots find objects, things
boot-up the disk — people are dying
at the monitor; BFN is a challenging that need to be done will become
and you're half asleep! — people
game. I'm just glad that Eisenhower apparent. Soon, you'll be on your
are dying and you need to wake up!
didn't use it to rehearse for the real way to putting together the pieces
thing. u to complete the adventure. You'll 0
KNIGHTS (Con) has moved all of the units which he The final modifier to the combat
desired to move and all limited odds are those caused by
levels for the Axis and the Allied
reactions are completed, then units supporting units not themselves in
commanders (expert, historical,
resupplied (if in supplied status) the combat. The attacker adds 300
intermediate, or novice); whether
and depot units of the phasing combat points per hex adjacent to
the game is solitaire or with two
player may move. When the the defender which is occupied by
players; which scenario is being
phasing player has finished trying other of his units. The attacker also
played; whether initiative is
to catch up to his combat units with adds 100 combat points per non-
historical or random; and whether
his depots, the enemy player is participating units in his own hex.
or not to include in the Axis force
given the opportunity for a limited The attacker then subtracts 200
pool two optional depot units. The
reaction which is followed by a points for every enemy unit stacked
players are given the further option
repeating of the process in all in the target hex but not the subject
of setting the specific levels of both
manners, excepting that only the of the attack and for every one in a
Axis and Allied combat points, air
phasing player's units receive hex adjacent to the defenders hex.
points, replacements, and rein-
operational points for the second
forcements to values other than
half of his turn.
those automatically set by the
After the final combat odds have
computer (based upon the difficulty The last segment, appropriately
been calculated by the computer, it
levels already determined for the named the finalization segment, is
will then modify the losses for both
two players). The level of Axis when the victory points for the turn
sides based upon these odds and
supply and the amount of time in are determined and the level of
two other factors—the attacker's
the "display delay loop" may also victory assigned (if the last turn).
chosen battle intensity and the risk
be set at this time. The players receive victory points
factors chosen by both sides. The
for causing casualties in enemy
attacker's battle intensity is det-
Having completed the set-up, the units, occupying towns, points for
ermined, on a scale from 1 to 9,
game now begins. The game itself the distance which units are from
which modifies not only the relative
is broken into four segments and their base, and automatic loss if a
number of losses on both sides, but
the segments into phases, during player's home base was in enemy
also the amount of supplies
each of which specific actions and hands at the end of the turn. As the
expended by the attacker on that
reactions may take place. In the last part of this segment, the players
battle. The sum of the risk factors
first segment, mobilization, players are given the option of saving the
chosen by the attacker and
receive new units and supplies at game.
defender, again on a scale of 1 to 9,
their home bases, allocate supplies
Combat determines the variability of the
and replacement points to specific combat losses. With all of the
units, expend supply for main- The most complex and impor-
modifying factors, it is obvious that
tenance, eliminate units with tant aspect of this game is that of
this system would only be playable
insufficient supply, and determine combat. To initiate combat, a unit on a computer.
which player has initiative for the must expend both supply and
that turn. The player determined to operational points dependent upon Comments and Conclusions
have initiative has the option of its type and nationality. The combat
KD effectively demonstrates
moving his units first or being able is also affected by a large number
that the old problem of playability
to respond to the other players of other factors. Lack of supply will
vs. realism can be largely
move by moving second. half the defender's defensive
eliminated by the use of thoughtful
strength (if below 50 supply points).
During the second two segments, design and programming. The
The terrain and level of fortification
the first and second player game captures the feel of the war
also plays a large roll in deter-
segments, both players receive in North Africa, is relatively easy to
mining the final combat odds. Each
operational points for their units play, and yet contains accurate
type of terrain has an intrinsic
(which are expended to a varying details of the units involved
modifier to the defenders combat
degree during the two phases when combined with a reasonably
strength which may be increased
the unit performs any action), and accurate method of calculating the
through digging-in (building
the phasing player begins his effects of combat. When these
fortifications) up to the point where
movement. If, during the phasing features are combined with the
it triples the defender's defense.
players movement, he should move many other features of the game
adjacent to an enemy unit, then the Air points may also be used by which could not, in the limited
non-phasing player may be eligible both the attacker and the defender. scope of this article, be covered, it
for limited reaction (no more than For the defender, each air point becomes obvious to any gamer of
half of a unit's operational points increases his total value for defense long standing that KD is another
may be expended in limited by 15%. For the attacker, this solid step towards the ideal
reactions). After the phasing player multiple is 20% per air point. computer wargame.
GALACTIC (Con) on the game disc or even before, or in battles fought over hijacks or
you can create your own. The cargo can you increase your
Once you have accumulated process of creating your own leadership.
enough cash (250,000 Frilbees) and adventures is infinitely variable
have improved your flying skills to As soon as possible, get hold of a
and, since you can tie one adven-
at least 8 or 9, I'd recommend missile imploder. This one weapon
ture on to another, you can keep
buying a spaceship. You can then will remove all guided weapons
going for a long, long time.
earn money much faster by flying from the board in one fell swoop.
cargo and passengers around the The corollary to this is "don't
HINTS develop a strong guided missile
galaxy than you can in the streets.
Incidentally, you may also run into Clone yourself immediately. weapons user of your own." The
some Gorsai pirates (who make You'll need all the help you can get missile imploder is not selective
great companions if you can defeat as soon as possible. Try to avoid and will eliminate your gemstones
them) or find that your passengers recruiting and training the weaker and gapers as well as the enemies.
may make a hijack attempt re- species. It's very frustrating to have Don't forget at RNA tabs can only
quiring a battle to be fought. One nurtured a Cygnian all the way up be used to increase your skills to
change from GG is that Gorsai to Level 15 in advanced skills and level 15, and that jobs completed in
don't change sides in the middle of 18 or 19 in weapons skills, only to the streets can only boost your skill
a battle. So, once you can manage find that he's killed in the first to level 10.
to recruit a couple of them, you'll round of combat. I found my
have them along for awhile. greatest success when starting out When you do go on an adventure,
with a Wodanite. Speed and dex- it's a good idea to make a map of
When you think you're ready, try the various adventure segments to
terity are reasonably high, as are
applying to one of the Guilds for an help you get out. In at least one
strength and endurance. Further-
adventure. You'll find that the case, I spent nearly three weeks
more, they're able to use phasor
Space Patrol, the Agency, the trying to find an exit from an
rifles, which are deadlier than
Adventurers Guild, or the Sen- adventure. I fought some forty
phasors, and can wear heavy or
sitive's Guild to be more than happy battles and lost two very valuable
special armor. Zorcons and
to send you out on a challenging fellow adventurers after my three
Dulbians are strong and have great
and highly exciting adventure. One K-Reanimators failed. I did finally
endurance, but are so slow and
strong word of caution, however. get out, but only after making a
have such lousy agility that they
Be sure to save your team on a disc map (which I should have done
often never get into the battle at all.
before heading out on one of these, from the beginning).
so that when you are ignominiously As soon as possible, find and
wiped out, you won't have to start defeat a band of Gorsai, getting One last option which gives a
over completely from scratch. some of them to join you as they nice touch is to change from one-
are deadly fighters; fast, agile, and player to two-player mode in the
Combat, whether in the streets or middle of a combat. This allows
very strong. Remember that you
on an adventure, is done with the you to have a friend join in the
can have no more fighters than you
same system as GG. The computer, game if he or she happens to drop
have leadership, so that one of your
however, is a tougher opponent by while you're fighting a battle.
current associates may have to be
than it used to be, and you'll often
fired in order to make room for the
find a battle costing the lives of one CONCLUSION
Gorsai. This may be heart rending,
or more of your very cherished
but when you see how good the SSI has done a superb job on this
companions. It is, therefore, very
Gorsai are, you'll be glad that you sequel to GG. Most role playing
easy to understand why the single
did. games have a rather abstract
most highly prized treasure in all
combat resolution sequence. GA
the galaxy is the K-Reanimator - a In the early stages, concentrate
has a complete game within a game
device which can bring the dead your skill-building on your original
for combat resolution, along with
back to life. Your ability to use this adventurer and the two clones.
as complicated a series of adven-
magnificent, device is dependent You'll lose many of the others along
tures as you could want. If you
on both sensitivity and luck, and if the way, and there's no reason to
enjoyed Galactic Gladiators,
it fails, it will be ruined, so it's nice invest hard earned frilbees in
Galactic Adventures is an absolute
to carry as many of these as you building skills for those who may
must. If you never saw GG, then
can find. very well fall by the wayside.
treat yourself to a great game
As in many of SSI's games, you Once you've got a group of seven system and role playing fantasy,
are offered the chance to create or eight, consider trying one of the and go out and get this one. I got my
your own scenarios. This means easier adventures (remember to copy the first week it was available,
that once you have successfully save your team before leaving on and I still haven't completed all the
explored all the adventures given your voyage!). Only on adventures adventures that it offers.
SILICON (Con)
(1) Find the six hexes circling our
present location.
(2) Eliminate any hex already in
our current path or which we
cannot otherwise move
through.
(3) Of those remaining, pick the
one closest to our goal. In case
of a tie, use some arbitrary
tie-breaker.
(4) Move to the hex selected. coordinates of the hexes in a path that would be traced if we
(5) If we are in the goal hex, stop; minimal path can be directly tried the same approach as we did
otherwise, go to (1). computed by a simple algorithm. In on Figure 1 (right-handed tie
On an unobstructed map, we will such a case, we could get by (at breaking). It has a length of 9, while
immediately trace a minimal path least for path-tracing purposes) the shortest path possible is only 7
to the goal hex. Figure lb shows without the distance function at all. hexes long.
one such path. Here, we broke ties But Figure la represents a very
simple case. Let's consider How do we make our program
by picking the right-hand hex. "smart" enough to find the shortest
Other paths would have been something more complex.
path? One solution is to find all
traced had we been using other tie- Figure 2 adds three hexes near "minimal" paths (i.e., all paths that
breakers (left-hand, alternating, the goal with peaks in them. The can be generated by our algorithm)
random). In all, I count 14 different peaks represent mountains, and and then pick the shortest one.
minimal paths from the starting our path cannot pass through any How do we do that? We shift from
hex to the goal hex. of these hexes. Our initial algorithm a depth-first to a breath-first
As mentioned, this is a very will still work, but we are no longer approach. What does that mean?
simple case. In fact, with one hex guaranteed of finding a minimal Tune in next issue and find out.
numbering system I know of, the path. In fact, Figure 2 shows the
LEARNING (Con)
has also been released by Sierra Several other aspects try your
naughty dragon is keeping 16 nice On-line. patience as well. You can question
animals prisoner in and around his the suspects in their homes, but
The second game this month is
(her?) house. Did somebody say only one question per visit, please!
ST2, second in a series by Spin-
house? Yes, this dragon lives in an Since there are 3 possible questions
naker Software. ST2 is for older
average sort of two-level white you can ask, you must make 3 trips
children, 10 years and up. The
house. Well, it does have an to each suspect. There are also 3
object is to solve a mystery by
elevator, but apart from that it's clues inside each house, but again
proving all of the suspects — save
average. Young children definitely you can only get one at a time. This
one! — are innocent. In this case,
relate better to exploring a house takes quite a while since the
somebody has stolen a performing
than they do a cave or dungeon and suspects are often home and if you
dolphin from the local aquarium.
they seem to find the mixture of get caught snooping you are sent
familiar and fantastical very The evidence comes in the form back to headquarters to cool your
amusing. of clues, which must be referred to heels for a bit. Even 10-year-olds
by number when making accusa- get tired of this.
The object is to search for the 16 tions. The clues come rapidly but
animals and free them. Occa- are mostly worthless, but it is
sionally, the dragon will appear, necessary to write them down since This game would be much more
breathing colorful dragonfire. It you can't tell which are important fun if the pace were faster. As it is, it
doesn't attack, but it prevents you at the time. Here is the problem takes days to complete and you
from releasing any animals while it number one; the clues are only on lose track of what leads you were
is present. the screen for about 15 seconds following, what you were doing,
DK is very well done and will help and there is no way to pause the even what facts you know. It may
develop reading skills and game. Even I can't write fast teach the value of keeping well-
deuctivrasonghldeic enough to copy them down. You organized notes, but it doesn't do
grade or below. It is highly can always "find" the clue again — quite as well teaching deductive
recommended. The same people they're never lost — but this may reasoning. It's too bad because it
have done TROLL'S TALE which take some time and effort. could have been very, very good.
TELE-GAMING (Cont.) Florida.
The Lynx (305) 772-1076
FRPGs. The Sanctuary is a The Oracle (305) 475-9062
beautifully designed, captivating St. Pete BBS (813) 866-9945
system. You'll find it difficult to Illinois:
sign off once you've entered its Warlock's Castle (618) 345-6638
main gates. New Jersey:
Dry Dock BBS (201) 992-2565
Sunrise Omega-80—(415) TrashCom BBS (201) 226-0341
452-0350: Perhaps the most New York:
detailed and articulate FRPG I've Adventure to
seen on any BBS is run by a Atlantis (914) 359-1517
Chaosium (FRP and board game
Texas:
manufacturer) play-tester, Karl
Beach Game
Mauer, on San Francisco's Sunrise
System (904) 932-8271
board. Riddles and puns abound in
Eclectric System (214) 239-5842
this game — the gamemaster and
Griffin's Lair (214) 840-8294
players have created a perfect
The Mines of Moria (713) 871-8577
fantasy world. Make yourself
Teledunjon III (214) 960-7654
comfortable in the "Gamers'
Corner," and share the fun! There are many more great BBSs
around the country, of course, but
this list is a fine starting point. In my
Other Notables: next column, we'll investigate other
California. types of tele-gaming BBSs — those
Access One (213) 537-3378 which offer real-time, online games
The Apple Board (213) 944-5455 and/or computer games for
BBGS (213) 699-0775 downloading. Until then, light a
IF PMS (714) 772-8868 torch, nock an arrow, and embark,
The Interface (213) 477-4605 ever so cautiously, on your message
Softworx (213) 473-2754 board quest.
Scorpia (Cont.) them. But once you do, the fortune-telling machine is really
fused quite easily. There are two Serpent's Star is yours! Of course, broken, but it's the sign that's
rooms in here that you must visit; there' still the little matter of getting important. Think about it.
the one with the door is the one you out of the monastery, but the Star And now, the hints to Serpent's
should come to last. There are also will help you there, if you know Star in slip code:
two items to be found in the maze, what to do with it (read the room
but you only need one of them description very carefully). After Monk's riddles:
(hint: when you reach the room that, you can come back here, hoist 1) ESBHPO
with the door, you should have six a few, and brag about your success! 2) ZJO BOE ZBOH
stones). By the way, this maze also 3) NBO
Now, while you're pondering that, Dragon's riddles:
has a little trap in it: make a right at
the tsampa. I'll just make the rounds and see 1) SBJOCPX
what the regulars need..... 2) OJSWBOB
Ok, you're almost there! Open
the door (a little experimentation Well, looks like it's closing time,
should do it), and you will be in a folks. See you next issue, when the
Haphazard Hints: ZORK II—
room with a pool....and a jade claw feature adventure will be: Zork III
Don't waste time on the rose, flask
sticking up from the pool holding (I'm going backwards just to be
and grue repellent; they aren't
the Serpent's Star (if you DON'T perverse). In the meantime, if you
useful at all. DARK CRYSTAL—
see that, you haven't done some- need help with an adventure game,
The same can be said for the sling
thing: go back into the maze until there are three ways you can reach
and the pouch, you don't need
you find the other room). But don't me: 1) Send a self-addressed,
them. ULYSSES—You need the
try to get it yet! First, make a little stamped envelope to: Scorpia 1319
gold coin to get the map, but not
music. Aha! The dragon appears.... Second Ave, Suite 540 NY,NY
from the shopkeeper. WIZARD &
and he won't think very much of 10021; 2) On the Source: ST1030; 3)
THE PRINCESS—There are two
you, either. He's got a couple of On Compuserve, Go GAM-310, or
ways to get to the treehouse; the
riddles for you, too...and again, you EMAIL 70001,1263.
easy way is the wrong one.
will only have one chance to answer MYSTERY FUN HOUSE—The Happy adventuring!
RID #8 Please rate articles on the basis
There were 212 R.I.D.s turned in of the article itself, not your opinion
by press time for this issue. The of the game being reviewed. Enter
breakdown of users was: Apple a zero for any article that does not
(5396); Atari (4396); Others (4%). interest you.
Newly rated games and updated
games are listed with bold type in
the table on page 52.
GAME RATING
The table on page 52 includes
games evaluated by our readers.
For a game to be included in this
listing it must first have been
offered for rating in our regular
RID rating system. Games offered
for evaluation are those covered in
the magazine and/or those having
a good sales record during the time
of evaluation. Once offered for
evaluation, the game must have
been evaluated by a sufficient
number of readers to be included
in the results. Any game not
evaluated by at least 10% of the
respondents was not included in
the results.
Games were rated on a scale of 1
(terrible) to 9 (outstanding). Re-
spondents were asked to consider
such things as PRESENTATION
(graphics, sound, packaging,
documentation); GAME DESIGN
(design, playability, interesting?);
LIFE (does the game wear well?)
R.I.D. #9 (Use card provided)
Use boxes #1 and #2 to record
reader survey answers from
INSIDE THE INDUSTRY. See page
4 for instructions.
On this page a number of games
and articles are listed for eval-
uation. Please take time to evaluate
these games and articles. Use the
guidelines above for game eval-
uation. Leave blank any game
which you have not played enough
to have formed an opinion.
R.I.D. was prepared with the help of SPEED STAT by SoftCorp International, Westerville, OH 800-543-1350
See page 51 for details on the Reader Input Device
