From: jpenne@ee.ualberta.ca (Jerry Penner)
Subject: GEnieLamp Aug 1992 (Vol 1 No. 5) (5 parts)
Summary: part 5 (final part)
Organization: University Of Alberta, Edmonton Canada
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1992 07:48:34 GMT


GEnieLamp Vol 1/Num 5	August 1, 1992

Part 5 of 5

This article first appeared on GEnie and I was asked to post it on the
Internet.  My GE-Mail address is J.Penner1 and my internet address is
jpenne@ee.ualberta.ca if you need to discuss something regarding this
posting.  I don't work for GEnie or anything to do with the Internet.

----8<----8<----8<----8<----8<-- cut here --8<----8<----8<----8<----8<----
       >>> NOW A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR: BACK TO THE BASICS... <<<
       """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

     I want to take a short break in this discussion of the Apple II
firmware to look at some other items that will make further descriptions
easier to understand.  If you are a programmer already, you may want to
skip this section, since you probably already know this stuff.  First we
will examine some definitions of terms that are commonly known to
programmers, but possibly not to you.  Next will be a brief excursion into
the realm of hexadecimal, and finally a look at the memory map of the
original Apple II.

     First, let's look at definitions of some words that I have been
loosely throwing around:


BIT            The smallest piece of information that a computer can deal
"""            with, it is either a "0" (off, clear) or a "1" (on, set).
BYTE           The most convenient piece of information (for humans) that
""""           computers use.  One byte consists of eight bits, and ranges
               from "00000000" (0 decimal) to "11111111" (255 decimal).
NIBBLE         (also spelled "nybble").  One half of a byte, consisting of
""""""         four bits, ranging from "0000" (0 decimal) to "1111" (15
               decimal).
WORD           Two bytes (or four nibbles, if you prefer), consisting of
""""           sixteen bits, and ranging from "00000000 00000000" (0
               decimal) to "11111111 11111111" (65535 decimal).  Not used
               much in microcomputers.
BINARY         A system of counting using only two digits, "0" and "1"
""""""         (base 2).  Computers speak in binary at their most basic
               level; anything else is translated into binary, so the
               computer can understand it.
DECIMAL        A system of counting using ten digits, "0" through "9" (base
"""""""        10).  Most of the Western world uses this system.
HEXADECIMAL    A system of counting using sixteen digits, "0" through "9"
"""""""""""    and "A" through "F" (base 16).  Programmers use this system
               as a convenient way of organizing groups of binary numbers.
KILOBYTE       Abbreviated "K", "KB", or "Kbytes", it refers to 1,024
""""""""       bytes. A 64K computer has 64 x 1024 = 65536 bytes.
MEGABYTE       Abbreviated "M", "MB", or "meg", it refers to 1,024 Kbytes,
""""""""       or 1,024 x 1,024 = 1,048,576 bytes.  A 32 MB hard disk, the
               largest size volume that ProDOS can handle, holds 32 x 1,024
               = 32,768 Kbytes, or 32 x 1,024 x 1,024 = 33,554,432 bytes.
GIGABYTE       Abbreviated "G", "GB", or "gig", it refers to 1,024 MB, or
""""""""       1,048,576 Kbytes, or 10,737,441,824 bytes.  The Apple II
               Smartport (which will be mentioned later in this history)
               can handle disk devices up to 4 gig in size (although the
               software to handle that type of size has yet to be written).
RAM            Random Access Memory.  Any data stored in this memory
"""            disappears when the computer is turned off.
ROM            Read Only Memory.  Data cannot be stored in this type of
"""            memory, but instead it usually contains programs or other
               information that does not disappear when the computer is
               turned off.
HARDWARE       The physical electronic components and mechanical parts that
""""""""       make up a piece of computer equipment.  Examples would be
               the keyboard, disk drive, or television monitor (also called
               CRT, or Cathode Ray Tube).
SOFTWARE       The digital instructions executed by the computer in RAM.
""""""""       They may act on the hardware that is attached to the
               computer.  Examples would be a BASIC or Pascal program, an
               assembly language routine to read a clock, or a disk
               operating system.  Since software is executed in RAM, it
               disappears from memory when the computer is turned off.
FIRMWARE       The same as software, except it is executed from ROM, and
""""""""       does not disappear when the computer is turned off.  Almost
               any software could be in ROM, except programs that modify
               themselves as they run.

     Next, let's look at hexadecimal numbers in more detail.  Since
computers deal in binary (base 2), the true language of computers is either
in terms of "0" (off) or "1" (on).  However, it quickly becomes cumbersome
to refer to large numbers in binary; the base 10 number "458" is
"111001010" in binary.  So programmers have decided to group numbers in
such a way as to make it easy to convert part or all of that number to
binary if necessary, but still have numbers (almost) as easy to deal with
as our standard base 10 system.

     Now, in the familiar base 10 system there are ten digits, 0 through 9.
When counting, after you pass 9, you add one to the digit to the left of
the 9, change the 9 to a 0, and continue.  So, "09" becomes "10", "19"
becomes "20", and so on.  However, in the base 16 system there are sixteen
digits, 0 through 9, and then A through F (representing decimal 10 through
15).  When counting, then, you go 7, 8, 9, then A (not 10), B, C, D, E, F,
10, 11, 12, and so on.  In the Apple world we have traditionally used a
preceding dollar sign to signify a hexadecimal number, so "25" means
twenty-five, but "$25" means thirty-seven (2 x 16, plus 5).  To translate a
hexadecimal number to decimal, use powers of 16:

   $B65F = (11 x 16^3)  +  (6 x 16^2)  +  (5 x 16^1)  +  (15 x 16^0)
         = (11 x 4096)  +  (6 x 256)   +  (5 x 16)    +  (15 x 1)
         = 45056        +  1536        +  80          +  15
         = 46687

     The same thing can be done in reverse to convert base 10 to
hexadecimal, starting by dividing the number by 4096, then the remainder by
256, then 16.  If the number is greater than 65536, you need a bigger power
of 16 (and you are probably not dealing with an 8-bit Apple II!)  Or you
can just get a programmer's calculator like mine that automatically does
the conversion for you...

     When dealing with memory addresses on an Apple II, we usually
designate them as four digit hex numbers (such as the $B65F example above).
Numbers less than $1000 often are printed without the leading blank ($400
instead of $0400), and numbers less than $100 are treated the same way ($32
instead of $0032).


                    >>> THE APPLE II: MEMORY MAP <<<
                    """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

     To understand the memory layout of the Apple II, consider this
analogy:  Imagine a cabinet with sixteen shelves, and sixteen separate
slots or pigeon holes on each shelf (similar to those found in old roll-top
desks).  Each slot refers to a specific address in memory on the computer,
and each slot can hold a number between 0 and 255.  (Since a byte is eight
bits wide, the largest number that can be represented by eight binary bits
is 255).  The bottom shelf is row "0", and the leftmost slot in that row is
slot "0".  The address of that slot, then, is $00.  As we move to the
right, the addresses increase, $01, $02, $03, and so on to $0F at the end.
We then go up to the next row, (row "1"), and the addresses continue in the
same fashion with $10, $11, $12, and so on as before.  The sixteenth row is
row "F", the rightmost slot in that row is slot "F", and the address of
that slot is $FF.  This cabinet has, then, 256 slots (16 x 16), and
represents what is called a "page" in the Apple memory.  The cabinet itself
has an address (since computers need addresses for everything), and this
one's address is "00".  The full address of row "5", slot "A" on cabinet
"00" is $005A.

     Only the Altair 8800 came with just 256 bytes of memory, so we have to
account for the entire 64K memory space that the 6502 chip in the Apple II
can handle.  There is a cabinet sitting on top of cabinet "00", and it is
laid out in the same fashion with its 256 slots in sixteen rows.  This is
cabinet "01", and on top of that one is cabinet "02"; this continues on up
until we reach cabinet "FF" way up at the top.  Apple programmers refer to
these cabinets as "pages" of memory.  There are 256 pages of memory, each
with 256 bytes on a page, making a grand total of 256 x 256 = 65536 bytes
of memory (or slots that can hold a number, if you prefer the analogy).

     In discussing the memory map on the Apple II, we can refer to pages of
memory with a hexadecimal two-digit number for shorthand if we wish.  The
general layout of the Apple II memory is as follows:

     Page $00: used by the 6502 processor for storage of information that
               it can access quickly.  This is prime real-estate that is
               seldom available for general use by programmers without
               special care.
     Page $01: used by the 6502 for internal operations as a "stack."
     Page $02: used by the Apple II firmware as an input buffer when using
               the keyboard from BASIC, or when a program uses any of the
               firmware input routines.
     Page $03: general storage area, up to the top three rows (from $3D0
               through $3FF) which are used by the disk operating system
               and the firmware for pointers to internal routines.
Pages $04-$07: used for the 40 column text screen.
Pages $08-$BF: available for use by programs, operating systems, and for
               hi-res graphics.  Within this space, Woz designated pages
               $20-$3F for hi-res "page" one, and pages $40-$5F for hi-res
               "page" two.
     Page $C0: internal I/O and softswitches
Pages $C1-$C7: ROM assigned to each of the seven peripheral cards
Pages $C8-$CF: switchable ROM available for any of the seven cards
Pages $D0-$D7: empty ROM socket #1
Pages $D8-$DF: empty ROM socket #2
Pages $E0-$F7: Integer BASIC ROM
Pages $F8-$FF: Monitor ROM

     The memory space on the Apple II between $C000 and $CFFF was assigned
to handle input and output.  From $C000 to $C0FF the space was reserved for
various soft-switches used to control the display, and various built-in I/O
devices, such as the keyboard, paddles, annunciators, and the cassette
port.  (A soft-switch is simply a memory location that, when a number is
stored there, changes something in the computer--such as switching on
graphics mode).  From $C100 to $CFFF the space was reserved for ROM on the
plug-in peripheral cards for each of the seven slots.  Slot 1 was given the
space from $C100 to $C1FF, slot 2 from $C200 to $C2FF, and so on.  The
$C800 to $CFFF space was special slot-selectable ROM that was uniquely
available for each of the seven peripheral cards.  For example, a program
running on the card in slot 6 to control a device could use the $C800-$CFFF
space for its own purpose.  When control passed to the card in slot 3, that
card could use a program of its own that ran in the same $C800-$CFFF space.
This was accomplished by allowing each card to have ROM code that covered
pages $C8-$CF, and making that space "switchable", depending on which card
wanted to use it.  Having this space available made writing ROM code
simpler, since it would not have to be capable of running at various memory
locations (depending on which slot a card was plugged into).

     The memory from $D000 to $D7FF and $D800 to $DFFF was empty on all
early Apple II computers.  On the motherboard were two empty sockets that
were available for the user to plug in their own ROM chips.  The
$D000-$D7FF space was most often used by a plug-in ROM chip sold by Apple,
known as "Programmer's Aid #1."  It contained various utilities for Integer
BASIC programmers, including machine language routines to do the following:

     Renumber BASIC programs
     Append one BASIC program to the end of another
     Verify a BASIC program that had been saved on tape (to confirm it was
     an accurate save)
     Verify non-program data that had been saved on tape
     Relocate assembly language routines to a different location in memory
     (most would only run in one place in memory)
     Test the Apple II RAM
     Generate musical tones through the built-in speaker
     Handle hi-res graphics from BASIC, including code to clear the hi-res
     screen, set colors, plot points and lines, draw shapes, and load
     shapes from tape.

     All the routines on the Programmer's Aid #1 ROM were written by
Wozniak between June 1977 (the RAM test routine) and April 1978 (program
renumber and append), except for the music routine, which was written by
Gary Shannon.

     The other empty ROM socket (covering memory from $D800 to $DFFF) was
never filled by Apple.  Various third-party vendors sold ROMs for that
socket (or for the $D000-$D7FF socket used by the Programmer's Aid #1 ROM),
but none made enough of an inroad to be preserved in the INTBASIC file that
would later be included on the DOS 3.3 System Master disk.  In fact, the
$D800-$DFFF space in the INTBASIC file on that disk contains an image of
that same space taken directly from the Applesoft ROM!  It is completely
useless to Integer BASIC, of course, but disk files being what they are,
Apple had to fill that space with SOMETHING!

     The Integer BASIC interpreter lived in the ROM space between $E000 and
$F7FF.  However, BASIC only used the space up to $F424.  Between
$F425-$F4FB and $F63D-$F65D could be found a floating-point math package
that was not used by Integer BASIC, but was available for BASIC programmers
who were astute enough to figure out how it worked.  (An early Apple user
group, the Apple Pugetsound Program Library Exchange, or A.P.P.L.E., sold a
tape and notes by Steve Wozniak they called "Wozpak", that documented some
of the secrets of the Integer BASIC ROM).  Between $F500-$F63C there was
code that was known as the "miniassembler", which was executed starting at
the ominous address $F666.  The miniassembler allowed you to enter short
machine language programs using the standard 6502 mnemonics (the three
letter codes that referred to a specific type of operation; for example,
"LDA #" represented the 6502 opcode $A9) instead of entering the program
byte by byte in the monitor.  The $F689-$F7FC space contained Woz's SWEET
16 interpreter.  Wozniak wrote SWEET 16 to simulate a 16-bit processor; it
simplified some routines he wrote for the Apple II ROMs, including the
Programmer's Aid #1 renumber, append, and relocate routines.  Simply put,
he took a series of hex bytes, defined them as "opcodes" the way HE wanted
them to function, and when executing the code used his SWEET 16 interpreter
to translate the code into legal 6502 operations.  It ran slower than
standard 6502 code, but when memory space was at a premium it was better to
have a slow program than to not have enough room for the program at all.

     For those who are keeping count, there are a few unreferenced bytes in
the latter part of the Integer ROM.  Those bytes contained filler bytes
that were not used as any program code.<9>,<10>,<11>

     The last part of the Apple II memory, from $F800-$FFFF, contained
Wozniak's Monitor program which has already been discussed above.

                               [*][*][*]


NEXT INSTALLMENT   The Apple II, cont.
""""""""""""""""

NOTES
"""""
     <1> Jack Connick, "...And Then There Was Apple", CALL-A.P.P.L.E., Oct
         1986, p. 24.

     <2> -----, "Memory Organization", APPLE II REFERENCE MANUAL, 1979,
         1981, pp. 70-73.

     <3> Val J. Golding, "Applesoft From Bottom To Top", CALL-A.P.P.L.E. IN
         DEPTH #1, 1981, p. 8.

     <4> Michael Moritz, THE LITTLE KINGDOM, p. 157.

     <5> Steven Levy, HACKERS: HEROES OF THE COMPUTER REVOLUTION, pp.
         260-261.

     <6> Steve Wozniak and Allen Baum, "A 6502 Disassembler From Apple",
         Dr. Dobb's Journal of Computer Calisthenics & Orthodontia, Sep
         1976, pp. 22-25.

     <7> Jack Connick, p. 23.

     <8> Christopher Volpe, "Beep: A Tale of (T)ERROR", CALL-A.P.P.L.E.,
         Mar 1983, p. 114.

     <9> Bob Bragner, "Open Discussion", SOFTALK, Nov 1983, pp. 51-52.

     <10> -----, PROGRAMMER'S AID #1, 1978.

     <11> Dick Sedgewick, "SWEET 16 - Introduction", MERLIN USER'S MANUAL,
         1982, pp. 103-109.


        ////////////////////////////////////////////// GEnie_QWIK_QUOTE ////
       / "(Someday I'll have to tell the story of the well-known hardware /
      / company that found, in reality, the IIgs memory expansion slot   /
     / was actually being made with tighter signals than were specified /
    / in the Hardware Reference. So they designed their card to require/
   / the tighter specs and saved a few bucks -- until Apple made a    /
  / production change that made the signals looser but still _well_  /
 / within the specs, and they had to run an upgrade program. Oops.) /
///////////////////////////////////////////////   M.DEATHERAGE  ////



[EOA]
[GAM]//////////////////////////////
             GAMES PEOPLE PLAY /
/////////////////////////////////
Focus On Computer Games
"""""""""""""""""""""""
By Darrel Raines
      [D.RAINES]



                    >>> IS THAT GAME ANY "GOOD"? <<<
                    """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

     A few words of introduction are in order.  My name is Darrel Raines.
I will be writing a new column for the Apple II version of GEnieLamp
dealing with games and gaming.  Since this is our first article together, I
thought you might want to know a little bit about my background.  I am a
long time computer user and hobbyist.  I have owned an Apple II+ since 1982
and a IIgs since 1987.  I have used personal computers at work and at home
ever since I graduated from college.  I currently work for NASA as a
contractor on the Space Station Freedom (SSF) Training Simulator.  I still
work with computers on a daily basis, yet enjoy working/playing with my
Apple II when I get home.

     My Apple IIgs is used for a programming service that I run out of my
home.  I also spend a fair amount of time playing games on my computer.  I
consider computer games to be an important part of the reason to own a home
PC.  Along those lines, I have written my own game software and released it
as freeware or shareware.  When it comes to gaming, I enjoy playing all
types:  on a computer or otherwise.  In this column, I hope to explore
various games available for the Apple II series of computers.  Along the
way we will discuss many topics that I hope are of interest to the general
computer user and/or programmer.  I thought it would be fair to start with
a look at what criteria we measure a game against to determine if it is
"good".

     Let us get started by discussing some of the skills acquired while
playing games, on or off the computer.  I believe that learning to play
games helps to build a number of character traits that are important to a
person's development.  Logical thinking is a skill that can be learned and
honed while playing many games.  Sportsmanship and fair play can be taught
through games (no one wins every game).  Since games are played by a set of
established rules, a person learns something about citizenship and living
under a government.  Hand/eye coordination and motor skills are developed
through participation in sports games (and, the couch potato says, using a
joystick).  Cooperation and teamwork are learned while playing games
between teams.

     All of the traits listed above can be acquired while playing at one
game or another.  Stated differently, every well designed game gives the
participants the opportunity to learn one or more of these traits.  Going
back to the subject of this article, we have slipped into what I consider
to be the prime quality that defines a "good" game.  For your
consideration, I will now place before you a shopping list of
characteristics that I believe to be important in the development of game
software.  I will also indicate some games (past and present) that meet the
criteria given here.


Skill Development   How well does the game teach one or more of the various
"""""""""""""""""   skills that we discussed in the previous paragraphs?
A single game cannot hope to accomplish every expectation of a "good" game.
However, ONE or more of these characteristics will be developed in a well
designed game.

     Chess will always be a favorite game for millions of people since it
epitomizes the logical game.  Nothing is hidden and all possible moves are
known by both players.  Therefore, it is sheer thinking ability between the
players that is the deciding factor in the outcome of the game.  Computer
versions of this classic game have done nothing to diminish the allure of a
head-to-head battle.  I am always joyous at any victory that I am able to
eek out over Chessmaster 2100.

     Adventure games can teach a player how to cooperate with other team
members.  You will not make it very far in any of the Bard's Tale scenarios
if you do not heal your wounded companions.  I always spend the first part
of any role-playing adventure game trying to determine how to best use my
various characters.  This helps out in the later part of the game where it
is imperative that you kill off your foes with the least amount of effort.

Playability   Does the game make you want to come back and play "just one
"""""""""""   more time"?  Does it draw you back to the keyboard when you
know that you should be hitting the pillow instead?  Measuring a game's
ability to addict the player is not always easy.  But it is certainly
undeniable that certain games are very addictive.

     How many of you have fallen prey to the mesmerizing pleasures of that
fiendish delight, Arkanoid (I or II)?  Come on, be honest and raise your
hands.  Both my wife and I were caught up in this wonderful game.  The
premise is simple and the game is very easy to learn.  All you have to do
is hit the ball with your paddle and make sure that it does not reach the
bottom of the screen.  The problem is that a gamer wants to play just one
more time to reach that next level.  Eventually, you can't seem to stop
until that evil demon has been knocked back into the far reaches of space
from whence he came.

     At one time, Lode Runner was the hottest game going on almost any
computer system.  I can remember spending hours dissolving bricks, picking
up lodes, climbing stairs, hanging from the high wire, and eventually
clearing the current level:  only to have to do it all over again on the
next screen.  What fun!  I once was enjoying a particularly successful game
of Lode Runner, when I hit the pause button to rest my hand.  I had cramps
from hitting the fire button on the joystick too many times.  The fact that
I was on level fifty pleased me very much until I looked at the clock.  I
had been playing for two hours and I still wasn't done with one game!


Stimulation   Does the game make you think in new and creative ways?  Are
"""""""""""   you faced with challenging situations that allow you to do
things that you don't get to do in real life?  Admittedly, this is
something that you don't want from every game that you play.  However, the
joy of discovery and the excitement of the unknown make some games well
worth the time spent playing.

     When you play the Infocom game Sherlock Holmes and the Riddle of the
Crown Jewels, you are forced to think like a detective.  You begin to look
for clues.  You try to determine motive behind actions.  You try to emulate
Holmes knack for deducing so much information from so few clues.  When I
began to play this game I was reminded of my love of the character and the
story telling ability of Arthur Conan Doyle.  This stirred me to the point
that I pulled out my old books and reread some Sherlock Holmes stories.  I
had first read these stories as a teenager.  The experience was extremely
enjoyable.

   I have always loved to play basketball.  I enjoy officiating basketball
(more than six seasons of experience).  I even enjoy watching basketball.
Currently, I do not have the time to do any of these activities.  So how do
I get my basketball fix?  I plug in Gamestar's Two-on-two Basketball and
dunk to my heart's content.  This is especially nice since I could never
even come close to dunking a basketball in real life.  By the time that my
team has made it through the playoffs and won the world championship, I
feel like I have accomplished the real thing.  The Chicago Bulls had better
watch out.

Random Events   Does the game have some amount of random occurrences or
"""""""""""""   situations?  This factor makes a game less predictable and
more entertaining.  The random events should not be so prevalent that they
alone determine the outcome of a game.  No one wants to play a game where
their efforts do not make any difference in the outcome.  However, the
addition of factors that the players cannot predict can add to the
excitement of a game.

     I enjoy playing war and tactical games when I have a good bit of time
to spend with them.  The games can tend to be somewhat on the dry side if
the designers are not careful.  Even the best strategists in a real world
battle may be hampered by the onset of an unexpected blizzard.  Therefore,
I want the simulations that I play to have the same type of possibilities.
The space war game Reach for the Stars has a number of random event options
that may be selected.  If you turn on the natural events option, you may
start to wage an all-out offensive on a neighboring planet only to find
that your best production planet gets hit by the plague.

     Computer Player Modes  --  Does the computer opponent (when available)
adapt to my skill level?  Can I select a level of opponent to match my
playing ability?  If a game is too easy to win, then you loose interest
easily and do not play it for long.  If a game is too hard to win, then you
get frustrated by it and no longer play.  This factor can do much to extend
interest in a game to a wide variety of players.

     One of the reasons that I prefer to play Jack Nicklaus Golf (JNG)
instead of Mean 18 has to do with the computer players.  JNG does not have
very many courses to choose from and it is very slow.  But all of the bad
things about the game are compensated for by the computer players that are
available to compete against.  When you get really good at the game, you
can invite Jack himself to a friendly (growl) game of golf.  One of my
greatest thrills in computer gaming occurred the day that I finally beat
Jack in a head-to-head skins match.  Now if I could just do that on a real
golf course...

Fun Factor   Is the game fun to play?  There is no way to quantify this
""""""""""   item.  The only defense I have in listing it as a criteria is
that it definitely exists.  Perhaps a way to test for this factor would be
to take ten average computer game players.  Put each of them in front of a
computer running the game in question.  Have them play for an hour and ask
them the question "did you have fun"?  If at least three answer to the
positive, then you may have a "good" game.

     If any of you have played Infocom adventures you know that many of
them can be very tough.  I usually get frustrated at some point along the
way in any of these games.  I just cannot seem to find the right word or
command to progress in the adventure.  I have come to the point where I
will not even start an Infocom game without a walk-through in my possession
for emergency reference.  With this type of frustration likely while
playing a game, you might think that I would not even bother playing.  An
illustration should suffice to show you why I keep going back for more.

     In the hilarious adventure Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, you
eventually get stuck on an alien ship.  You need to get a babel fish stuck
into your ear so that you can understand what the aliens are saying.
However, the stubborn little fish just will not seem to cooperate.  I
finally had to give up and get some help.  The answer to the puzzle was not
at all obvious.  You needed some material that I had tossed away much
earlier in the game.  Then you had to perform two very unlikely acts in
sequence.  The result of your maneuvers puts that pesky little devil in
your ear where he belongs.  I would have NEVER figured out how to solve
that problem.  So why did I keep playing?  Because the description of what
goes on to the little babel fish on the way to my ear had me in the floor
with laughter.  In a word, it was fun.

     If a computer game can succeed in one or more of the areas listed
above, I would consider it to be "good" game.  If I ever find a game that
stands up well to all of the categories listed, then I may never see the
light of day again.  Since most of the criteria that I have put before you
are subjective in nature I expect that various people will disagree as to
whether or not they enjoy a particular game.  That is okay.  My purpose
here is to establish a set of guidelines for future discussions on the
subject.  Now that we are done until next month, let the games begin!

     You may contact me via electronic mail to register opinions, gripes,
ideas, or your favorite games for future examination.  My GEnie address is
D.Raines .  I will try to respond to each letter so long as the volume does
not get too high.  If you are writing a commercial or shareware game that
you would like to see reviewed in an upcoming column, please contact me via
GEmail.


         //////////////////////////////////////// GEnie_QWIK_QUOTE ////
        / "Of course, if using GEnie is a regular habit for you, you /
       / may want to check out Aladdin. It works great with a TT!   /
      / I've even used it to call CompuServe!! :)"                 /
     ////////////////////////////////////////////  BOB-BRODIE  ////



[EOA]
[LOG]//////////////////////////////
                         LOG OFF /
/////////////////////////////////
GEnieLamp Information
""""""""""""""""""""""

    o   COMMENTS: Contacting GEnieLamp

         o   GEnieLamp STAFF: Who Are We?

              o   GET_THE_LAMP Scripts & Macros

                    o   SEARCH-ME! Answers



GEnieLamp     GEnieLamp is monthly  online magazine  published  in  the
"""""""""     GEnieLamp  RoundTable  on page 515.   You can  also  find
GEnieLamp in the ST (475), the  Macintosh (605), the IBM (615) Apple II
(645),  A2Pro (530), Unix  (160),  Mac Pro (480), A2 Pro (530) Geoworks
(1050),  BBS (610) and  CE Software  (1005) RoundTables.  GEnieLamp can
also  be found  on CrossNet, (soon)  Internet  America Online  and many
public and commercial BBS systems worldwide.

     We welcome and respond to all GEmail.To leave messages, suggestions
or just to say hi, you can contact us at the following addresses:

      o  John F. Peters    [GENIELAMP]   Senior Editor/RoundTable SysOp
      o  Kent Fillmore     [DRACO]       Publisher/GEnie Product Manager


U.S. MAIL
"""""""""
                       GEnieLamp Online Magazine
                             % John Peters
                        5102 Galley Rd. #115/B
                       Colorado Springs, CO 80915


GEnieLamp STAFF
""""""""""""""""

  ATARI ST     o John Gniewkowski [J.GNIEWKOWSK] ST Editor
  """"""""     o David Holmes     [D.HOLMES14]   ST TX2 Editor
               o Fred Koch        [F.KOCH]       GEnieLamp[PR] Editor
               o Mel Motogawa     [M.MOTOGAWA]   ST Staff Writer
               o Terry Quinn      [TQUINN]       ST Staff Writer
               o Sheldon Winick   [S.WINICK]     ST Staff Writer
               o Richard Brown    [R.BROWN30]    ST Staff Writer

  IBM          o Peter Bogert     [P.BOGERT1]    IBM Editor
  """          o Mark Quinn       [M.QUINN3]     IBM Co-Editor
               o Mark Dodge       [M.DODGE2]     Staff Writer

  MACINTOSH    o James Flanagan   [J.FLANAGAN4]  MAC Editor
  """""""""    o Richard Vega     [R.VEGA]       MAC Co-Editor
               o Tom Trinko       [T.TRINKO]     MAC Staff Writer
               o Bret Fledderjohn [FLEDDERJOHN]  MAC Staff Writer
               o Erik C. Thauvin  [MACSPECT]     Technical Consultant

  APPLE II     o Tom Schmitz      [TOM.SCHMITZ]  A2 Editor
  """"""""     o Phil Shapiro     [P.SHAPIRO1]   A2 Co-Editor
               o Mel Fowler       [MELSOFT]      A2 Staff Writer

  CROSS-NET    o Bruce Faulkner   [R.FAULKNER4]  BBS SysOp
  """""""""


GEnieLamp CONTRIBUTORS
""""""""""""""""""""""

                     o Patrick Hart     [P.HART4]
                     o John Hoffman     [JLHOFFMAN]
                     o Rob Glover       [R.GLOVER3]
                     o Brad Biondo      [B.BIONDO]
                     o Steve Weyhrich   [S.WEYHRICH]
                     o Darrel Raines    [D.RAINES]


"GET_THE_LAMP" SCRIPTS NOW ONLINE   GEnieLamp scripts are now available for
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""   our IBM, Atari ST and Microphone
II/White Knight Macintosh readers.  These script files will allow you to
download all the issues, or just the issues you want.  As an added plus,
you can also have Aladdin grab the latest copy of GEnieLamp while you
sleep.  Where can you Get_The_Lamp script?  You'll find the Aladdin scripts
in the GEnieLamp RT, [m515], Aladdin ST RT, [m1000] and the PCAladdin
RT, [m110].  The Macintosh macros for White Knight and Microphone II are
available in the GEnieLamp RT [m515], the Mac RT [m605] and the Freesoft RT
[m585].  Search for LAMP to find the latest version.

     Get_The_Lamp.  Scripts and macros make it easy!


SEARCH-ME! ANSWERS
""""""""""""""""""

             + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
             + + + + + + + + + + M + + + + + + + + + + S +
             Y + + + + + + + + + + A + + + + C A M + + T +
             + D O R P M B I + + + + I + + + + + + + 2 + +
             + + N + + + S P O T P A L N C + + + + A + + +
             + + + A + O I L O F T R O P F P + + + + + + +
             + + + + T + + + + + + + + + + R M + + + + + S
             + A + + + A G I M A + + + + + + A B + + + K C
             + + T + + + + + N I D D A L A C P M I + R E +
             + C + A + + + + + + + + + + + + + + E O S I +
             + O + + R + P + + + + + + M + + + + W O + + T
             + M + + + I + M + + X + A + + + + O F + + + +
             + M + + + + 8 + A I + C + + + + E T + + + + +
             + O + + + + + + N L P + + + + G W + + + + + +
             + D + + + + + U + R E + + + + A + + + + + + +
             + O + + + + + + O + + I + + R + + + + + + + +
             + R + + + + + + + + + + N E + + + + + + + + +
             + E + + + + + + + + + + + E + + + + + + + + +
             S T A L A D D I N W P + + + G + + + + + + + +
             + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\////////////////////////////////////
   Material  published in this  edition may  be reprinted  under  the
   following  terms  only.   All articles  must remain  unedited  and
   include  the issue  number and author  at the top of  each article
   reprinted.  Reprint permission granted, unless otherwise noted, to
   registered  computer user groups and not  for profit publications.
   Opinions  present herein  are those of the  individual authors and
   does  not necessarily  reflect those of  the publisher or staff of
   GEnieLamp.   We reserve  the right  to edit all  letters and copy.
   Material  published in this edition may be reprinted only with the
   following notice intact:

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\////////////////////////////////////
  (c) Copyright 1992   T/TalkNET  OnLine  Publishing, GEnie,  and  the
  GEnie Computing  RoundTables.  To sign  up for  GEnie service,  call
  (with modem) 1-800-638-8369.  Upon connection type HHH. Wait for the
  U#= prompt.  Type: XTX99368,GENIE and hit  RETURN.  The system  will
  then prompt you for your information.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\////////////////////////////////////
[EOF]

-- 
Jerry Penner   jpenne@ee.ualberta.ca  |   "Wanna buy a duck" (Hi Joe :)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2