HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: king@rtsg.mot.com (Steven King, Software Archaeologist)
Subject: Re: why are arcade controls for lefties?!
Reply-To: king@rtsg.mot.com
Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Group
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 14:04:35 GMT

wilsont@orac.holonet.net (Timothy Wilson) publicly declared:
>king@rtsg.mot.com (Steven King, Software Archaeologist) writes:
>>And, if the game is strictly movement like Pac-Man or Q*Bert I'm more
>>comfortable using my right hand on the stick.
>
>yah, but i'm talking about this decade. :)

mumble mumble whippersnappers mumble in my day mumble mumble through
shoulder deep snow, up hill, BOTH WAYS to get to the arcade mumble
mumble color? we used to DREAM of video games in color! mumble mumble
don't know how good they've got it mumble some people's kids mumble
mumble mumble...

:-)

-- 
-------------------------------------------------------+-----------------------
We were once so close to Heaven / Peter came out       |      Steven King
and gave us medals / Declaring us the nicest of        |   Motorola Cellular
the damned.                    (They Might Be Giants)  |   king@rtsg.mot.com
From: Zoid@mindlink.bc.ca (Dave Kirsch)
Newsgroups: rec.games.video.arcade
Subject: Re: why are arcade controls for lefties?!
Date: 4 Sep 92 18:55:02 GMT
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada
Distribution: world

In message <1992Sep4.170843.25969@news.vanderbilt.edu>
LIPSCOJA@ctrvax.vanderbilt.edu writes:
> Actually, SF2 is a long way from being the first 6-button game.  That
> "honor," I believe, goes to STARGATE, which had Fire, Thrust, Hyperspace,
> Reverse, Inviso, and Smart Bomb.  As to the arrangement:  I'm not sure it
> could have been more evil; Inviso to the left of the stick, Hyperspace
> directly below it, and the other four to the right. [The only time I played,
> I scored 325--and you got 175 just for dying seven times! :(]

That is a weird setup.  That's not the 'standard' control setup for StarGate.

Usually it's like this:

    |                  Legend:  J: Up/down stick   I:Inviso
    J           TF              R: Reverse         S:Smart Bomb
    |          S                H: Hyperspace      T:Thrust
      R       I                                    F:Fire
          H

Your left hand handles the flight controls (up/down and reverse), the right
hand handles the weapon systems and thrust.
--
 /// Dave 'Zoid' Kirsch         | Surrey, BC |Internet:              __
 MIND LINK! Communications Corp.|   CANADA   |  zoid@mindlink.bc.ca  \/
From: stanq@Everest.Tandem.COM (stanley quan)
Subject: Is there a vendor/distributor arcade magazine?
Organization: Tandem Computers Inc., Cupertino CA
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 18:33:45 GMT

Would anyone know if there is a magazine that describes the
latest arcade games and vendors that sell and distribute the
games and parts for these games?  Is there some type of
video arcade industry magazine that all the video arcades
get so the store owners can review which machines to buy?

Thanks for any information that you can supply me with,
Stanley

Newsgroups: rec.games.video.arcade
From: kalex@quip.eecs.umich.edu (Ken Alexander)
Subject: Violence!!!
Summary: perspectives change over time.
Organization: University of Michigan EECS Dept., Ann Arbor
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1992 19:50:39 GMT

I've got this ancient article about video game violence that really
cracks me up.  This article dates back to shortly after the game
"Berzerk" was released, which must have been well over a decade ago.
Apparently, at that time, there was so much outrage over these new
hideously violent convert-your-child-too-satan toys called "video games"
that there was actually a coalition created to fight against them.
It had a bunch of members, and some stupid unoriginal name like 
"Coalition against violence in video games."  But anyway, the great 
part about this article was the summarizing quote from the spokesman
of the group, which went something like:

   "Take, for example, a particularly nasty new game called 'Berzerk.'
    In it, the player runs around loose in a maze, and the object is
    to shoot all of the other beings that the player sees.  SUCH A GAME
    IS CERTAIN TO HAVE SERIOUS LONG-TERM DETRIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGICAL
    EFFECTS ON THE PLAYER."

What, me have detrimental psychological effects?  Naw... however, I do
have this fantasy where I find that spokesperson, tie him to a chair,
put lidlocks on his eyes, and force him to watch me play Mortal Kombat
for a few hours, ripping my opponents' heads off and tearing their hearts
out as blood gushes and splats everywhere!!!!  Muahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!


Newsgroups: rec.games.video.arcade
From: jstrachman@vax.clarku.edu
Subject: RE: That old show
Organization: Clark University
Date: 29 AUG 92 05:43:49 GMT

I remember Starcade.  They once had an episode which showcased a 7 year
old kid beating Dragon's Lair from start to finish, and every once in a
while they'd go over and see how he was doing!  Neeeet fun.
-Zephyr
From: rhett@max.u.washington.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.video.arcade
Subject: Mortal Kombat - VERSION 2 ... "Oh No!"
Date: 28 Aug 92 20:58:26 GMT


      That's RIGHT! Mortal Kombat VERSION 2 has found it's way into
      my local arcade!!!

      What's the big difference? 
      Everything!

      Ok, not everything, but here are the most notable ones:

      On the player selection screen, the player one box has a number 1
      inside it, and the player 2 box has a 2 in it. Now BOTH players
      can be the SAME GUY! You look the same, except for player two 
      being slightly darker.

      Goro doesn't shoot purple rings like Sonya now... He shoots these
      big green globs... sort of like Johnny Cage's, but about 3 times
      the size. They hurt too. 

      The old man uses his changeling abilities to MUCH better advantage.
      If you jump at him, he usually turns into Raiden and teleports away.
      He'll do this over & over...real annoying...sometimes he'll Superman
      you, then turn into Goro (while you are in the corner!).
      When the old fart dies, all the characters come flying out of his
      body and fall to the ground.

      The computer is smarter, meaner, and has ESP.
      Ex. When I'm Scorpion, 90% of the time that I teleport, the computer
          bad guy will get an attack off back at me before I can hit him.
          (Usually a missle attack as I emerge from the other side of the
          screen.)

          The computer doen't fall for the LOW PUNCHpunchpunch SPECIAL ATTACK
          bullshit anymore...

      The only easier thing I found was on Goro...If you can get the lead
      on him, walk in and start LOW PUNCHING him repeatedly. He will block
      for the whole rest of the round, time will run out, and you will
      get the win...you just have to be able to tap that button for 90
      secs...HA HA HA!
Newsgroups: rec.games.video.arcade
From: king@rtsg.mot.com (Steven King, Software Archaeologist)
Subject: Re: why are arcade controls for lefties?!
Reply-To: king@rtsg.mot.com
Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Group
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 16:17:38 GMT

wilsont@orac.holonet.net (Timothy Wilson) publicly declared:
>Does _anyone_ know why I can no longer go into an arcade and find a game
>with the fire buttons on the left?!
>
>I'm really sick and tired of using my left hand on the joystick, my left hand
>control is terrible.
>
>why did the switch over happen? i remember games with buttons on _both_ sides.
>
>a sensible explaination would be appreciated!

Actually, "left-handed controls" are as old as video games are.  Space
Invaders debuted with left-right movement buttons for your left hand
and the fire for your right.  Asteroids copied this and added a
right-handed thrust button (and an ambidextrous hyperspace).  Galaxian
had a left-right joystick in your left hand.  Donkey Kong hand the
4-directional joystick on your left, and the jump button on your
right.

Generally you need to be more dextrous to hit the fire/jump/action
buttons than you do to move the stick.  This is especially true when
there are multiple buttons.  So, most right-handed people prefer to
keep the "fine control" on the right and the "gross control" (movement)
on the left.  Your "left-handed controls" are actually meant for
righties!

Controls with a single stick and action buttons on both sides are a
relatively recent development.  The first I remember seeing them was in
the Rastan / R-Type era, about 5-6 years ago.  Lately the rage has been
to make two (or more) player games.  With two people playing on a
single console there isn't as much room to give buttons on both sides
of the stick, so manufacturers reverted to the move-with-left,
fire-with-right configuration.

I'm right-handed and grew up pouring quarters into Space Invaders.  I
couldn't dream of firing with my left hand.  I just can't hit the
button as quickly.  I don't have much of a problem making the larger,
less refined movements to control a joystick with the left though.
And, if the game is strictly movement like Pac-Man or Q*Bert I'm more
comfortable using my right hand on the stick.

Sensible enough for you?

-- 
-------------------------------------------------------+-----------------------
Vengeance is counter-productive.  Not to mention the   |      Steven King
fact that it gets your soul all sticky.                |   Motorola Cellular
                                         (Lady Sally)  |   king@rtsg.mot.com
Newsgroups: rec.games.video.arcade
From: srh3@Ra.MsState.Edu (Steven R. Hollis)
Subject: scheherazade question
Organization: Mississippi State University
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1992 16:30:42 GMT

I rented this game and like most rentals it has no instruction book.
What is the difference in the classes (fighter, saint, and magician)?
Thanks `
STeve

--
===============================================================================
Steve Hollis--Your friendly neighborhood zoology major
srh3@ra.msstate.edu
===============================================================================
Newsgroups: rec.games.video.arcade
From: bryce@sdf.lonestar.org (Bryce Hamm)
Subject: Re: why are arcade controls for lefties?!
Organization: sdf Public Access UNIX, Dallas--unrestricted free shell access
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1992 18:57:11 GMT

th the fire buttons on the left?!
> why did the switch over happen?

because lefties rule!!
you can always cross your arms and 
control with your right hand and use 
your left to fire..
From: exuhag@exu.ericsson.se (James Hague)
Newsgroups: rec.games.video.arcade
Subject: Re: why are arcade controls for lefties?!
Date: 1 Sep 92 13:49:14 GMT
Reply-To: exuhag@exu.ericsson.se
Organization: Ericsson Network Systems, Richardson, TX

Robert A. Jung writes:
>
>P.S. Speaking of Atari Games, anyone know what their latest release is? I
>havven't heard/seen anything since OFF THE WALL and STEEL TALONS (now a
>wonderful Lynx adaptation, BTW). I've heard of DEFENDERS OF THE 'HOOD, but
>that's about it. Any updated news?

Weren't 'Hood, Relief Pitcher, and Road Riot 4WD all 
post-Steel Talons?  (Not that any of them were that good...)

--
James Hague   
exuhag@exu.ericsson.se
Newsgroups: rec.games.video.arcade
From: vgriscep@wam.umd.edu (VGR (Craig Pell))
Subject: Re: Total Carnage
Organization: University of Maryland, College Park
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 03:34:20 GMT

In article <1992Aug28.211010.27254@bnr.ca> bcash@crchh410.BNR.CA (Brian Cash) writes:
>|>
>|>Some of the passwords that are given have a '?' in them.  How are these
>|>passwords entered when you start the game?  (I don't recall seeing them
>|>in the list of characters you can select from.)  Also, does anyone have
>|>an opinion on the use-an-incorrect-password-and-die 'feature' in the game?

I take it this person has never used wildcards in DOS or UNIX.  ;-)

As for dying:  tough doodads.  The idea isn't to guess the password.  The idea
is to play well, and *earn* the knowledge of a password.  UNfortunately, the
passwords do more harm than good, since they cost you keys.

>I have gotten passed the capture (max 2 times a game), but I still think it
>is cheezy that it ENDS THE GAME! I had 4 lives left, got captured, and all
>of my lives were gone! Cheap!  But you can live through it.

I'm shocked!  You lose all your lives?!!  I've never seen any machine
do this.  One life, yes.  All?  I wouldn't stand for it!  Find the 
owner, and demand he change it!  That is inexcusable.  And if he doesn't
change it, bug him until he does.

   VGR

Newsgroups: rec.games.video.arcade
From: wildcard@nevada.edu ( WildCard !!)
Subject: MK: Request for a FAQ
Organization: Shadowland BBS, Entertainment Division
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 23:36:29 GMT



Hi.

Would some kind and generous soul please email me a copy of a Mortal Kombat
moves list? That is, if one exists. I don't read this group often and post to
it even less frequently so email would be best.

Thanx in advance for being one of the greatest humans on the face of the Earth.

                                      - WildCard !!

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+  "I will not presume to probe the recesses of the Eskimo psyche, gentlemen."+
+                                       - Cecil Adams, _the_Straight_Dope_    +
+----------------     wildcard@redrock.nevada.edu    -------------------------+

Newsgroups: rec.games.video.arcade
From: bovine@engin.umich.edu (Mitchell Rohde)
Subject: Re: Smash TV price
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 92 19:17:36 EDT
Organization: University of Michigan Engineering, Ann Arbor
Distribution: usa

  Fred, I don't mean to rain on your new "product"....
 but it sounds like a box with a power supply, a few connectors,
 a few joysticks, and an rf modulator.....

  Hmmmm.... not much of a "product"... maybe I ought to
 write an aritcle for popular electronics or radio-electronics on
 how to build one... 

  Lets see, the power supply would run ya $15-$25....
  The joysticks are $5 a piece... they are the switch type..
  ( not the dumb potentiometer kind....
  although, one could add another jack to the system for those...
  so you could play paddle/roller type games... with a small
 interface, that is... hmmm )
  the rf mod is about $5
  The connectors and box would be about $40 or so....

  and the wiring is minimal...

  but, if people buy this sort of thing, more power to ya!!
  ( hey, I guess they buy the "super gun"... )

.
From: conty@cbnewsl.cb.att.com (Conty III)
Newsgroups: rec.games.video.arcade
Subject: Re: scheherazade question
Date: 28 Aug 92 17:34:54 GMT
Article-I.D.: cbnewsl.1992Aug28.173454.9075
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories

In article <srh3.715019442@Ra.MsState.Edu>, srh3@Ra.MsState.Edu (Steven R. Hollis) writes:
> I rented this game and like most rentals it has no instruction book.
> What is the difference in the classes (fighter, saint, and magician)?

You rented a coin-op arcade game?  Where?  Where?

But seriously,

This newsgroup is for coin-op videogames.  For dedicated console games,
try rec.games.video.

P.S.  It would be a good idea to include the name of the game system in
your request.

-- 
			    E n r i q u e  C o n t y
			The Incredible Man-with-no-Life
			      jester@ihlpl.att.com
		    Disclaimer: You're not dealing with AT&T
Newsgroups: rec.games.video.arcade
From: NETOPRWA@ncsuvm.cc.ncsu.edu (Wayne Aiken)
Subject: Re: The Best Arcades
Organization: North Carolina State University
Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1992 19:01:23 GMT

In article <MJB.92Aug21120204@srl02.cacs.usl.edu>
mjb@srl02.cacs.usl.edu (Matthew Brumley) writes:
>
>Well, I'm still looking for a really nice arcade, but I agree with a previous
>poster...  Einstein's at UT is the best I've seen.
 
The nicest one I've ever seen used to be mine once...sigh.  Does anyone
remember Ripley's Believe It or Not arcade at Myrtle Beach,SC?  I was the
manager of it from 80-84.  Unfortunately, its a pizza place now.
 
We had *all* the best games, for the period, jukebox, strobe/light effects,
walls covered with game characters/psychedelic drawings, etc, with that
dark, eerie sort of atmosphere that works so well with arcades.
 
Wayne Aiken                                            "You can BE what
PO Box 30904            slack@ncsu.edu                  you WON'T!!"
Raleigh, NC  27622                                       --"Bob"
(919) 782-8171          StarFleet BBS: (919) 782-3095
From: clong@remus.rutgers.edu (Chris Long)
Newsgroups: rec.games.video.arcade
Subject: Tempest and Tron Mastery (Plus Tempest Easter Egg)
Date: 4 Sep 92 07:32:32 GMT
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.

In article <JACOBS.92Sep2102018@cells.cs.utah.edu>, Steven Jacobs writes:

> I'm still playing Tempest.  I've scored well over 1,000,000 several
> times (although the machine wraps around to zero after 999,999).  Getting
> as close to 999,999 without going over is an interesting challenge.  I
> play with the standard defaults, medium difficulty and 3 men to start.

Bonus every 20000, right?  My all-time high is around 1130000 with all
the defaults, but that was around 10 years ago.  I'm trying to get back
to that level of skill, now.

Speaking of 999999, I might be the only person who's every scored that
on Tron.  You can only get single points from the timer on the grid
bug screens, and this timer moves so fast that it's impossible to know
what you'll end up with.

> Actually, I've found that you can pass through them when they are right
> in the center of the lane if you move fast enough.

You can also pass through spikes if you move fast enough.  You don't
have to move fast when passing through a fusefall on a crack on the
rim; this is actually a feature.

Do you know about the Easter egg that lets you play while the shooting
stars (that appear after you finish a level) are in the background?
I just discovered how to do this about a week ago; it looks especially
nice on the invisible levels, since you get all the colors (as opposed
to just green on the green levels, etc.).
-- 
Chris Long, 265 Old York Rd., Bridgewater, NJ  08807-2618

"In a study of schoolboys, an educator discovered a correlation between size
 of feet and quality of handwriting.  The boys with the larger feet were,
 on the average, older."        Wallis & Roberts, _The Nature of Statistics_
From: mdchaney@fractal.ucs.indiana.edu (M Darrin Chaney)
Newsgroups: rec.games.video.arcade
Subject: Re: Street Fighter II -- Has a rip-off scheme??
Date: 4 Sep 92 19:34:24 GMT
Article-I.D.: usenet.Bu2JpD.LC4
Organization: Indiana University, Bloomington

In article <92248.094624IO20084@MAINE.MAINE.EDU> IO20084@MAINE.MAINE.EDU writes:
>You say you don't like SFII because it's unrealistic and then you say you
>like the on Mortal Kombat because he has four arms.

Why is it that you people can't figure that statement out.  The "realistic"
part of MK is the stuff that is real life.  Gravity is real life.  Being
3D is real life.  These things presumably exist in these games.  However,
someone payed attention to them in MK.

Of course there are some very unrealistic aspects.  Scorpion is just one.
Someone else mentioned the huge amount of blood that the characters lose.
Etc.  But, at least the animations were well done.

	Darrin
-- 

mdchaney@iubacs mdchaney@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu mdchaney@rose.ucs.indiana.edu

"It's a marvel of vegetable containment..."
Newsgroups: rec.games.video.arcade
From: elf@titan.ucc.umass.edu (Wanderer)
Subject: Re: Street Fighter II -- Has a rip-off scheme??
Organization: the Elves of Briton
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 21:59:24 GMT

jefft@athena.mit.edu (Jeff Tang) writes:
>
>It does cheat in that it executes moves that no homan could possible do.
>--
>Jeff Tang
>jefft@athena.mit.edu

what it does do is what I call "scanning"

it reads the humans move, and then counters it. often so fast that
the human's move never even shows up as happening, beause the computer
scanned the move internally, w/o waiting until the move appears on the
screen. Often this has the effect of you pressing a button, and then
taking damage. makes you want to not press any buttons.

I think this *is* cheating, the computer should be forced to wait until
the move shows up on the screen just like a human user would.

*--*
the Elf


Newsgroups: rec.games.video.arcade
From: johne@.hspice.portal.com (John Englert)
Subject: Sinistar machine wanted
Organization: Meta - Software
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 21:08:43 GMT

I hope this works right. This is my first post.  I wanted to know if 
somebody knew where I can get a Sinistar machine. Also, how much would
it cost? Any help would be muchly appreciated.
-- 
--------------------------------------------------------------------
|          John Englert                |     Meta-Software, Inc.  | 
|                                      |    1300 White Oaks Road  |
|       Happy, Happy, Happy            |     Campbell, CA 95008   |
From: bcash@crchh410.BNR.CA (Brian Cash)
Newsgroups: rec.games.video.arcade
Subject: Re: Total Carnage
Date: 28 Aug 92 21:10:10 GMT
Reply-To: bcash@crchh410.BNR.CA (Brian Cash)
Organization: Bell-Northern Research Ltd.

In article <1992Aug28.164054.16828@tandem.com>, David Brady
<Brady_David@Tandem.Com> writes:
|>In article <1992Aug28.013801.3685@wam.umd.edu> VGR, vgriscep@wam.umd.edu
|>writes:
|>>Well, the machine I play has two shortcut warps.  Each of them is clearly
|>>label "SHORT CUT".  They are both before Orcus.  Oh, and I suppose the
|>>red-and-white warp that requires a password is a shortcut;  I have all
|>the
|>>passwords but I've never tried the far ones, so I don't know if the
|>number
|>>of "compensation" keys is enough.  (When you take a shortcut warp, it
|>says
|>>"10 bonus keys awarded for using warp" or something.  But the joke's on
|>>you, because you could have gotten twice as many if you hadn't taken the
|>>shortcut.)  Anyway, the red-and-white warp may or may not give you all
|>the
|>>keys you need.  It ought to;  otherwise what would be the point?  Maybe
|>some
|>>time I'll sacrifice $.50 to find out.
|>>
|>>  VGR
|>
|>Speaking of passwords...
|>
|>Some of the passwords that are given have a '?' in them.  How are these
|>passwords entered when you start the game?  (I don't recall seeing them
|>in the list of characters you can select from.)  Also, does anyone have
|>an opinion on the use-an-incorrect-password-and-die 'feature' in the game?
|>-----------------------------------
|>email: Brady_David@Tandem.Com
|>
|>Remember, David Brady IS Lee Harvey!
                              
Don't use passwords OR shortcuts.  Not only do they skip keys, but they
shorten the game! (get your money's worth IMHO)
I have gotten passed the capture (max 2 times a game), but I still think it
is cheezy that it ENDS THE GAME! I had 4 lives left, got captured, and all
of my lives were gone! Cheap!  But you can live through it.
All of the passwords are given to you (near the end), but I never use them.
You CAN play for a while on $.50, esp. if you have a teammate.

Brian /-|-\
Newsgroups: rec.games.video.arcade
From: bovine@engin.umich.edu (Mitchell Rohde)
Subject: Re: Total Carnage
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 92 19:10:22 EDT
Organization: University of Michigan Engineering, Ann Arbor

 I beg to differ.... this game is DESIGNED to SUCK quarters...
 what do you call the dumb "You are captured " sequence?
  MY partner always gets through it.... but I can NEVER do it...

  I love the game though.... and if you can get throuhg all the shit
 on 1 quarter, you are playing a differently set machine than I....

  I have a TERRIBLE time getting enough keys... I have yet to see
 anyone who has.... I got 144 once when I was alone....

  Which warps are shorts and whjich arent?  How do you know
 by playing?
.