HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: jpenne@ee.ualberta.ca (Jerry Penner)
Subject: University profs (Re: Formal programming ed)
Organization: University Of Alberta, Edmonton Canada
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 02:12:10 GMT

goss@micor.ocunix.on.ca (Timothy D. Goss) writes:

>I want to make some comments about the previous poster who claimed that profs
>in university don't know how to teach and blames them not the students...

>Professors shouldn't teach.  If you go to university, IMHO, you don't want to
>be taught, you want to learn.  The onus is entirely on the student.  Having a
>professor spoon feed you an entire course accomplishes nothing.  Your prof is
>a source of knowledge, a guide not a teacher.  Anyone who doesn't want to 
>learn should not be at university.  If you want to be spoonfed useless drivel
>then go to college (yes virginia there is a difference) and learn nothing.

I agree that you shouldn't go to University if you don't want  to
learn.   However,  profs  should  teach.  They have to pass their
knowledge and experience on to the next generation if we are,  as
a  society,  going  to progress in various fields of academia.  A
genius prof who can't communicate with other people in a coherent
fashion is useless to the world.

The onus is not entirely on the student because profs can and  do
make  it  very difficult for students to learn in some cases.  If
the prof is going to be a source of knowledge for more than a few
individuals,  he/she is going to have to know how to lecture to a
group of  people.   Hand-holding  is  not  necessary  but  giving
informative  and  interesting  lectures  is.  

Part of your above point depends on your definition  of  'teach'.
Maybe  I  should  look  it  up  in  the dictionary but to me, 'to
teach' means to pass on knowledge or  insight  to  someone  else.
That   definition   doesn't specify   the  method,  so  it  could
be  something  other  than  lecturing,  such  as  video,  written
papers  to  be  read by  students, or some other indirect method.
But the point I'd like to make is that the  professor  should  be
held  responsible   for   communicating  the   knowledge   he has
researched to others who are interested in  knowing   it--it   is
up   to   them   to   take    that   communicated information and
learn it.
-- 
Jerry Penner   jpenne@ee.ualberta.ca
From: urbndv8@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (Bleeding Rivets)
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
Subject: Re:  TP or C ?
Summary: C++ useful for C programmers
Date: 23 Jul 92 19:30:30 GMT
Organization: University of California; Santa Cruz
NNTP-Posting-Host: ucscb.ucsc.edu



In reference to C programming style, I'd like to point out that it might be 
good practice (if you have a compiler such as Borlands that does C and C++) 
to compile even your straight C programs as C++;  this will enforce
prototyping for you and make sure (mostly sure) that you are calling your
functions correctly.

It's worth it just for removing those nagging doubts as to whether you _did_
prototype everything.  Let the compiler do the work, I say.


-- 
"The possessed's mad speech is the higher wisdom of the world, since it is 
human...Why have we not yet acquired this insight in relation to the world
of the free will?  Because outwardly we are the masters of madness, because
the insane are violated by us, and we hinder them from living according to
their ethical laws...Now we must endeavor to overcome the dead point in our
realtionship to insanity."       --Wieland Herzfelde, 1914
From: sl859@cc.usu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
Subject: Re: Game libraries...
Date: 29 Jul 92 14:05:37 MDT
Organization: Utah State University

> Dave Baggett

	After giving much thought to yours and my arguments and realizing
I was in a raunchy mood this morning, I wish to formally apologize.  I 
realize your skepticism is well founded, since I felt the same way in many ways 
when dealing, with Josh.  I am glad for your levelheadedness and am happy 
you can see somewhat what I was trying to say.  I realize now that you are 
coming from a very sensible view point.  I just get annoyed because I have 
a few friends that have given Josh a bad time, until actually seeing what
he is capable.  I find the mentality, "I won't believe you unless you show
me" somewhat annoying at times, but in the same breath I find equally 
annoying the attitude of "look what I did" but then they don't ever let you
see it.  I have enjoyed your postings in the past and can apreciate the
effort you have made in the gaming industry.  Let the code speak for itself
is probably the best perspective point to have, so lets leave it at that.
I have had friends post to this newsgroup and get flamed for suggestions
that they have had, regarding them as stupid or absurd, but hey! we've all
gotta start somewhere.  
					wReam...
P.S.  "Mommy can I be excused?"  "I think I have had enough 'humble pie!'"
:)



Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
From: goss@micor.ocunix.on.ca (Timothy D. Goss)
Subject: Re: Collision detection PLEASE, all geniuses respond!
Organization: M.B. Cormier INC., Orleans (Ont)
Date: Sun, 26 Jul 1992 18:14:25 GMT

How about this?  Create a grid which represents the graphics screen but one
which does not represent every pixel.  Group pixels into 2x2, 4x4 etc groups.
This grid can be used to represent the approximate location of each sprite or
background image.  To check if a sprite has collided with something simply
check its destination position in the grid to see if any deadly objects are
there.  The contents of the grid could be id bytes or something.  Each time
a sprite is moved, its position in the grid is also updated.

Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
From: bonney@esds.mdc.com (Greg Bonney)
Subject: Re:   TP or C ?
Organization: Visual Simulation Systems
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 20:23:56 GMT

I'm reminded of a friend when I was a child saying, "my dad can beat up your
dad."
From: goss@micor.ocunix.on.ca (Timothy D. Goss)
Subject: Re: Formal programming ed
Organization: M.B. Cormier INC., Orleans (Ont)
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 12:38:34 GMT

I want to make some comments about the previous poster who claimed that profs
in university don't know how to teach and blames them not the students...

Professors shouldn't teach.  If you go to university, IMHO, you don't want to
be taught, you want to learn.  The onus is entirely on the student.  Having a
professor spoon feed you an entire course accomplishes nothing.  Your prof is
a source of knowledge, a guide not a teacher.  Anyone who doesn't want to 
learn should not be at university.  If you want to be spoonfed useless drivel
then go to college (yes virginia there is a difference) and learn nothing.

All flames to /dev/null
 
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
From: tmkk@uiuc.edu (Khan)
Subject: Re: TP or C ?
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 13:19:21 GMT


In article <1992Jul23.182026.57480@cc.usu.edu> sl8nl@cc.usu.edu writes:
>> what I want added to C:
>> add scope control with '.' ie:
>> int a;
>> blort()
>> 	{
>> 	int a;
>> 	a=1;	/* set LOCAL A=1 */
>> 	.a=1;	/* set GLOBAL A=1 */
>> 	}
>> 
>
>Turbo Pascal already has that feature <sneer :)>

GACK!! By allowing a programmer to have umpteen variables with the same
name, Pascal actually ENCOURAGES you to write unintelligible code!!!
Of course, C doesn't NEED that kind of scope control, because a C
programmer would have written the above code fragment like this:


// begin code fragment

int a;

void blort(void)
//
// B L O R T
//
// Description: A stupid example code snippet for posting to a Usenet
//     newsgroup.
//
// Parameters:
//     None.
//
// Global Variables Used:
//     a
//
{
int b;

    b = 1;	// set LOCAL variable to 1
    a = 1;	// set GLOBAL variable to 1
}

// end code fragment


;-)

From: Zarniwoop.Woop@f99.n121.z1.FidoNet.Org (Zarniwoop Woop)
Sender: FredGate@p0.f99.n121.z1.FidoNet.Org
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
Subject: Re: Collision detection
Date: 23 Jul 92  20:33:18 EST

You could just check the direct screen memory to see if two sprites

had collided,

 for example..

The memory segment for one part of the screen is black (lets assume)

then just look to see if this memory location changes colors twice after 
an 'object' moves. (or once if a sprite allready occupies that location 
with its color.

I dunno, don't ask me. I program in Turbo Pascal 6.0

Color me dumb.

Then again, you could just use objects and define their boundries

:)


 * Origin: NineJackNine / 608-256-5697 / Madison WI / (1:121/99.0)
From: S_CZEMPIN@iravcl.ira.uka.de (Nicolai Czempin)
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
Subject: looking for hexagon-related algorithms
Date: 23 Jul 1992 17:00:01 GMT
Organization: University of Karlsruhe (FRG) - Informatik Rechnerabt.
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: irav1.ira.uka.de
X-News-Reader: VMS NEWS 1.23

In some board games (especially wargames), movement and position of pieces
is regulated by hexagons.
In some wargames, there is a thing called LOS (Line of Sight). This is used
to determine if some unit can "see" another, or if its LOS is "blocked".
To find out, you draw a (n imaginary) line from one hex center to the other.
If any hexes that line crosses are defined as "blocking", then the LOS is
blocked.
When using squares, it is simply an adaption of a line-drawing algorithm.

I could put lots of effort into working this out, but I tend to dislike rein-
venting the wheel. So, if anybody has got an algorithm for checking LOS, please
let me know. If you have any hints that would make finding one myself easier,
go ahead.

Thanks,

Nicolai


--
Nicolai Czempin, University of Karlsruhe, Germany
"I am not left-handed either"
From: sl8nl@cc.usu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
Subject: Re: Bitmap 3-d graphics systems
Date: 31 Jul 92 19:36:39 GMT
Organization: Utah State University

> I wonder if it would be possible to use the graphic system in WC or
> say, Falcon. If the entry points of the appropriate routines could be
> weeded out and documented, one could use them for one's own project.
> I.e. to run the freeware space blasters, one must have Falcon on the
> hard drive, from which the appropriate code is extracted at run time.
> Perfectly legal. I'd like it for prototyping at least.

I doubt it.  Wing Commander's system and Falcon's system are two 
different things.  Falcon is a flight simulator...WC is, well, a 
simulation.  Strike Commander will probably be closer to FAlcon
than WC.

Josh

------------
Sig under construction
From: sl8nl@cc.usu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
Subject: Split VGA Tweaked Screens
Date: 24 Jul 92 20:11:46 MDT
Organization: Utah State University

> I guess I was hoping for too much, but I saw some interesting questions
> raised about scrolling windows w/steady backgrounds and other assorted tricks
> that would be fun to know about... but instead of answers to the questions, 
> just ongoing discussions of pascal v. c w/ lots of "let's include the
> entire message in the follow up whether we're replying to it or not."

I agree.  I've answered some of those questions (about the scrolling windows
w/steady backgrounds), and so on.  Now I have one:

Jan Ole Suhr wrote a program called WOWII.  It is a Protracker module
player.  I'm not interested in the module playing source, as many of you
know, I've already written the source and released it to the public.  But,
the question I have deals with his ModeX implementation.

I know how to pan around in the tweaked VGA modes.  I don't want an answer
to that.  What I want to know is how to make a split screen.  He does that
with his (un)Real-time Spectrum Analyzer.

I do know that on a split-screen, you can pan the upper half around.  
Somehow, through some VGA register that I have no idea how to use because
I can't find a decent manual, you can specify the scan line for the new
screen to begin.  You would need to also output a word telling the VGA 
card what offset in memory to display at this scan-line.

Could anyone tell me how to do this?  I know assembly and actually prefer
it.

Thanks in advance,
Josh

Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
From: nak@cbnews.cb.att.com (neil.a.kirby)
Subject: Re: On-Line Game Design Question
Organization: AT&T
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 13:43:57 GMT
Keywords: BBS online door

In article <1992Jul15.201804.12142@cactus.org> vlaurent@cactus.org (Vince Laurent) writes:
>I am just about ready to put out an on-line game.  I have tested it
>locally but would like to get feedback and suggestions from others
>first.  Having never done anything like this, what is the best way
>to go about it to get the testing and feedback BUT NOT to get the
>game distributed?  Should I put out just a local version of the game
>initially? This is what I am thinking of doing for a first phase.

[more similar questions deleted]

THis is a fragile point for your game.  You need a playtest group that you
can trust.  You want them to sign non-disclosure agreements.  You'd like
them to be as close as a phone call, so that communication is easy.  Not
everybody has 2 phone lines, but it's a great help if you can be on the
phone with your group while they are online.  It is immensely helpful to
have them all in the same room/building while they test.  Preferably while
you have the development tools hot and ready to go to put fixes in.
 
You might also call on GEnie, Compuserve, etc and ask them where things go
from here.  They have experience putting new games up, and they work with
outsiders to get new games.  

This assumes that you want this to be a *commercial* game for your profit,
and not a gift to the gaming world.

Neil Kirby
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
From: osicoop@bwdls138 (Doug Gould)
Subject: Re: Game libraries...
Organization: Bell Northern Research, Ottawa, Canada
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL3
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 18:06:55 GMT

psteffn@GNU.AI.MIT.EDU writes:
< much stuff deleted: demos & atari >
: >your own routines and use only those parts of the library that you
: >found acceptable.  How could it be *worse* to have a library?
: 
: I said I don't have anything against the library.  I just wouldn't have a 
: need for it.  The reason why I would want source available would not be for
: myself, but for the purpose that the person using it might be able to
: learn how it works, possibly improve on it, and send the improved version
: back to the manufacturer so the library will improve.  Hence, it would
: have educational value....

<more stuff deleted>

Getting back to the original thread....

I agree emphatically; a games library with source code would be most
educational.  Though I wouldn't consider myself a novice programmer, I have
only recently developed interest in game programming.  A games library would
certainly make my life easier - for now.  But what would be the point?  So maybe
I write a whammy-humdinger catchy shareware game using this library, but can I
really call it my own if all the ultra-quick graphics routines were written by
someone else?  More rewarding would be if I could examine the source, use it 
(and maybe customize a few routines), and be able to come out of the project
knowing a little more about programming and maybe in the future being able to
contribute some small routine, or improvement of my own to the library.

Maybe it's just wishful thinking...

--
Doug Gould   at   Bell Northern Research, Ottawa, Canada.
( The above opnions are mine alone ... BNR probably doesn't even know I exist )
From: woody@cs.utexas.edu (James Woodgate)
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
Subject: Re: Pascal and C
Date: 22 Jul 1992 18:35:40 -0500
Organization: CS Dept, University of Texas at Austin
NNTP-Posting-Host: priddy.cs.utexas.edu

In article <1992Jul22.150304.2040@hellgate.utah.edu> galt%peruvian.utah.edu@cs.utah.edu (Greg Alt) writes:
>>In article <1992Jul20.203317.10143@esds.mdc.com>, you write...
>>Just like Pascal++ will be if it's ever written.
>
>Shouldn't it be:
> 
>Pascal:=Pascal+1;
>

:D
That made my day!

In my Data Structures class (could it have been 2 or 3 years ago???)
we were told that Modula-2 was Pascal++/Pascal:=Pascal+1.

I guess it never quite made it huh?

For the record, at the ACM programming contest a couple of semesters
ago, at UT, I think the top 5 teams wrote their programs in Pascal,
but I have a feeling they chose TP because of it's incredibly fast
compile time, most of the people there program in C normally.

I think just about every language has it's place, and I've never
beleived that there is or should be an "Absolute" best language
for everything, after all isn't that what Ada was supposed to be???


-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
           -Linux Rules-                |
  -"I've been Dos free for 30 days      |
    now."-Former Dos Addict             | Address: woody@cs.utexas.edu
From: sl8nl@cc.usu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
Subject: Re: Split VGA Tweaked Screens
Date: 28 Jul 92 18:03:34 MDT
Organization: Utah State University

In article <36545@uflorida.cis.ufl.edu>, gmt@reef.cis.ufl.edu (GMM) writes:
> In reference to the split screen stuff, look through the files at the ftp
> site "wuarchive.wustl.edu" under the directory mirrors/msdos/pctechniques
> or something like that.  There is the source code for as article that 
> Micheal Abrash wrote in there for doing the split screen stuff that 
> you are talking about.  If you can't find it, I can dig through my
> archives and send it to you.

Thanks...I was the poster...I'll look.

Take care,
Josh
From: cyberman@toz.buffalo.ny.us (Cyberman)
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
Subject: Re: game langauge
Date: 23 Jul 92 03:14:53 GMT
X-Maildoor: WaflineMail 1.00r


     -=> Sl859@cc.usu.edu spoke of "Re: game langauge" <=-
To All at 07-21-92  01:55
 Sl> AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!
 Sl> !! I won't respond. I won't respond. I WON'T RESPOND!

That was a FLAME.

 Sl> Just this...
 Sl> Well, you may seem offended, and perhaps a bit put-out but
 Sl> I think you'll be glad you're not in charge of some game language.

Offended yes put-out no.

 Sl> After all, now you can work on it with your own pace and not be
 Sl> pressured by anxious little program pluggers... 
 Sl> wReam

However, I prefered feedback.

 Sl> P.S.  Have fun and it would be interesting to hear of the results,
 Sl> even if you hate us all ... :) (peace?) :)


I don't hate anyone.  You may never know the results.

        Stephen Cyberman@Toz.Buffalo.NY.US
        Scripted at Wed  07-22-1992  19:11:55

... The deslexic Atheist: Thier is no DOG!
--- Blue Wave/QWK v2.10
                                                                                                      
Xref: sparky rec.games.programmer:3035 alt.msdos.programmer:2083 comp.os.msdos.programmer:8122
From: sl8nl@cc.usu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer,alt.msdos.programmer,comp.os.msdos.programmer
Subject: Re: Mode Y"{
Date: 27 Jul 92 19:06:35 MDT
Organization: Utah State University

>>What is Mode Y exactly?  Is it the 320x200x256x4 mode?
>>
> Yes, 320x200x256x4 (ModeX = 320x240x256x4)... as per DDJ... any assistance
> would be appreciated!

Do you have 320x400 mode set code?  Just cut the double scan line code.

If not, email me and I'll send you code.

Josh

Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
From: kdorff@hobbes.comp (Kevin C. Dorff)
Subject: Re: Pascal and C
Followup-To: rec.games.programmer
Organization: /home/dante3/kdorff/.organization
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 07:35:48 GMT

>>Just like Pascal++ will be if it's ever written.

>Shouldn't it be:
>
>Pascal:=Pascal+1;

Sheeeeez!  Nope!    

    Inc(Pascal)

Is the correct name for this language.
--

            Kevin Dorff
            kdorff@nmsu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
From: johnf@apollo.hp.com (John Francis)
Subject: Re:  Game libraries...
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 21:22:21 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Corporation, Chelmsford, MA

In article <9207222016.AA66549@hal.gnu.ai.mit.edu> psteffn@GNU.AI.MIT.EDU writes:
>How about doing bresenham in 3 lines of 680x0 code?  No branching and no
>MUL/DIV?  Just a short table and the addx opcode.  I learned this one
>from New Mode/Delta Force.  

Please post this!

-- 
John (Would you like your figgin toasted?) Francis  johnf@apollo.hp.com
The world can be divided into two classes :-
 those who divide people into two classes, and those who don't.
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
From: eversole@acae037.cadence.com (Richard Eversole; x6239)
Subject: Re: Card bmps
Reply-To: eversole@acae037.cadence.com (Richard Eversole; x6239)
Organization: Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 12:45:07 GMT

In article <mykes.0amf@amiga0.SF-Bay.ORG>, mykes@amiga0.SF-Bay.ORG (Mike Schwartz) writes:
|> In article <1992Jul28.153749.15659@plx.com> greg@plx.com (Greg Payne) writes:
|> > I am writing a card game for windows. I do not want to "paint"
|> > the card bmps myself. I could "grab" the bmps from the MS Windows
|> > Solitaire game. What would be the legalities of this? Does anyone
|> > know if there is a deck of card bmps available to programmers?
|> > I would really like to just use the Solitaire card images but I
|> > plan to release this game as shareware and I don't know how legal
|> > it is to "steal" images from other games.
|> > Thanks in advance.
|> >
|> 
|> Find a friend with a scanner or digitizer and scan in your own
|> deck of cards.  Just a suggestion....
|> 

Do not scan in a deck from U.S. Playing Cards or any other 
card deck publisher. They have copyrights on the artworks
of their cards. They are very picky about the use of their
particular version of the Ace of Spades.

|> > -greg
|> 
|> --
|> Amiga programmer of: GRn, MailMinder, Budokan, Beyond Dark Castle, Dark Castle
|> Sega Genesis programmer of: Dick Tracy and Marble Madness.
|> Mike Schwartz  (ames!zorch!amiga0!mykes or mykes@amiga0.sf-bay.org)
|> 1124 Fremont Ave.
|> Los Altos, CA 94024
|> 

-- 
  
  =====================================================================

    eversole@cadence.com
  
    Live long and prosper !
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
Subject: Re: TP or C ?
From: stuartw@ccu1.aukuni.ac.nz (Stuart Woolford)
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 00:51:11 GMT
 <1992Jul15.153252.25417@esds.mdc.com>    <1992Jul23.213310.17575@ccu1.aukuni.ac.nz> <BrwACA.1ru@news.cso.uiuc.edu>
Organization: University of Auckland, New Zealand.

tmkk@uiuc.edu (Khan) writes:


>In article <1992Jul23.182026.57480@cc.usu.edu> sl8nl@cc.usu.edu writes:
>>> what I want added to C:
>>> add scope control with '.' ie:
>>> int a;
>>> blort()
>>> 	{
>>> 	int a;
>>> 	a=1;	/* set LOCAL A=1 */
>>> 	.a=1;	/* set GLOBAL A=1 */
>>> 	}
>>> 
>>
>>Turbo Pascal already has that feature <sneer :)>

>GACK!! By allowing a programmer to have umpteen variables with the same
>name, Pascal actually ENCOURAGES you to write unintelligible code!!!
>Of course, C doesn't NEED that kind of scope control, because a C
>programmer would have written the above code fragment like this:


>// begin code fragment

>int a;

>void blort(void)
>//
>// B L O R T
>//
>// Description: A stupid example code snippet for posting to a Usenet
>//     newsgroup.
>//
>// Parameters:
>//     None.
>//
>// Global Variables Used:
>//     a
>//
>{
>int b;

>    b = 1;	// set LOCAL variable to 1
>    a = 1;	// set GLOBAL variable to 1
>}

>// end code fragment


>;-)

...GASP....But you are using C++....Not fair on poor little Pascal !! ;-)
(really, only c++ allows // comments  B-)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
stuartw@ccu1.aukuni.ac.nz

			>>>>In VI Where Available<<<<
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
From: hamrick@milton.u.washington.edu (Mike Hamrick)
Subject: Re: Where to get code for world/city/etc generation...
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle
Date: Sat, 25 Jul 1992 23:03:43 GMT

Naw, you don't want actual code for world/city generation, it is much
more fun to write yourself.  I will give you some ideas however.  I
find that a random walk works fairly well for generating island like
landscapes.  Is this game going to be a graphics or text base game?

mikeh