HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: peter@phoenix1.ir.miami.edu (Peter Legorburu)
Newsgroups: rec.games.xtank.programmer
Subject: Failed attempt to make xtank1.3d on DS5000... HELP!
Date: 31 Jul 1992 00:28:59 GMT
Organization: University of Miami - Nonlinear Dynamics Lab
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: phoenix1.ir.miami.edu




I was wondering if anybody out there might be able to provide some
advice on the installation of xtank 1.3d on a Decstation 5000.
When I run xmkmf to produce the Makefile from Imakefile, I get
the following:

   imake -DUseInstalled -I/usr/lib/X11/config
   cpp: warning /usr/lib/X11/config/site.def:3: DefaultCCOptions redefined
   cpp: warning /usr/lib/X11/config/site.def:4: UseInstalled redefined

Then, when I attempt to run the Makefile created by the above, I get:

   making all in ./Src...
   Make:  Don't know how to make all.  Stop.
   *** Error code 1

   Stop.

Any help you might provide would be greatly appreciated...

						Thanks,
						Pete
From: georgey@bnr.ca (George Young)
Newsgroups: rec.games.xtank.programmer
Subject: Re: Help Needed for a SGI system (IRIX 4.0.2)
Date: 30 Jul 92 14:00:50 GMT
Reply-To: georgey@bnr.ca
Distribution: world
Organization: Bell-Northern Research

In article <1992Jul22.042217.17334@udel.edu>, lydick@pecan.cns.udel.edu (William Lydick) writes:
|> I downloaded the sources for Xtank 1.3d from the umd ftp site about a month or
|> two ago, but it won't compile on ANY of our SGI platforms around here...
|> 
|> When I compile it with the Makefile created by the Imake, it has problems that
|> the *.h files included with xtank don't follow ANSI standard (according to the
|> compiler).
|> 
|> When I compile it with the Kernighan/Ritchie flag enabled, I get 2/3 of the way
|> through the make and it crashes, claiming a syntax error where there is none
|> that I or my co-workers can find.

I found the vanilla 1.3d code had been compiled and tested on one specific
system (SUN?) with builtin SYSV flags and BSD libs. Maybe it's my Imake
template. Anyway once I got past those bottle necks it turns out someone
had added a bunch of stuff to make FLOAT portable and the NEW_RADAR work
but had not totally recompiled before submitting or had a compiler that
was able to make useable assumptions about how to recover from errors
enough to procede. I submitted my changes to Josh Osborn. I'm not sure
if they were considered or made it into the developement stream.
-- 
George Young (georgey@BNR.CA) 613-765-4386
Newsgroups: rec.games.xtank.programmer
From: lydick@pecan.cns.udel.edu (William Lydick)
Subject: Help Needed for a SGI system (IRIX 4.0.2)
Organization: University of Delaware, Newark
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 04:22:17 GMT

I downloaded the sources for Xtank 1.3d from the umd ftp site about a month or
two ago, but it won't compile on ANY of our SGI platforms around here...

When I compile it with the Makefile created by the Imake, it has problems that
the *.h files included with xtank don't follow ANSI standard (according to the
compiler).

When I compile it with the Kernighan/Ritchie flag enabled, I get 2/3 of the way
through the make and it crashes, claiming a syntax error where there is none
that I or my co-workers can find.

Essentially, what I'm asking is this:

		Has anyone EVER compiled a version of this (1.3d) on a SGI
		platform?  If so, what was done to change the problems that
		were experienced?  Or, to make it easier, could someone post
		the binaries somewhere?

William M Lydick
lydick@bach.udel.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.xtank.programmer
From: rroman@casbah.acns.nwu.edu (Randall Roman)
Subject: 1.3d vs 1.2e
Organization: Northwestern University, Evanston Illinois.
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 02:06:14 GMT

Having played version 1.2e for more than a year, I decided to "upgrade"
to 1.3 so I could get all these new weapons, sound, etc, when to my
surprise I found that someone went out and changed the skid code.
I now find it impossible to maneuver without skidding all over the place
like you were ice-skating or something.  What gives?  
Also, what happened to the landmarks in the Random maze.  There are no
ammo depots or armor squares.  

I really do like the game, and would
like to have the new version, but IMHO, the changes have ruined the 
game.  Whatever skill you gained from maneuvering is lost.  We also
fought most of our battles in the Random maze, but no one wants to
since they can't reload and rearm.  

Does anyone know what was changed in the code between the versions?
If I can't find a fix, I'll just have to keep my old version, but 
it would be nice to have the new stuff.

Thanks
--
Randy Roman
r-roman@nwu.edu
                   Jarvis needs Help!!!
Newsgroups: rec.games.xtank.programmer
From: rivan@bnr.ca (Robert Ivan)
Subject: xtank for hp 9000 workstations.		
Reply-To: rivan@bnr.ca
Organization: Bell Northern Research Ltd.
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 92 15:04:01 GMT

 Does anyone have a source version of xtank for HP 9000
series workstations that has already compiled.  We are
having trouble getting this thing to compile so an ftp
of compiled sourece would be great.
Newsgroups: rec.games.xtank.programmer
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 92 12:53:11 -0400
From: peter@phoenix1.ir.miami.edu (Peter Papavaritis)
To: xtank@eng.umd.edu
Subject: Trouble make-ing xtank on a DS5000


I'm trying to make xtank 1.3d on a Decstation 5000/200 running Decwindows
and Ultrix 4.2.

When I run xmkmf to produce the Makefile from Imakefile, I get
the following:

imake -DUseInstalled -I/usr/lib/X11/config
cpp: warning /usr/lib/X11/config/site.def:3: DefaultCCOptions redefined
cpp: warning /usr/lib/X11/config/site.def:4: UseInstalled redefined

Then, when I attempt to run the Makefile created by the above, I get:

making all in ./Src...
Make:  Don't know how to make all.  Stop.
*** Error code 1

Stop.

Any help you might provide would be greatly appreciated...


						Thanks,
						Pete
Newsgroups: rec.games.xtank.programmer
Resent-From: galcik%sinbad@eagle.navsses.navy.mil
Resent-Message-Id: <199207291226.AA09945@bacchus.eng.umd.edu>
Resent-Date:   Wed, 29 Jul 1992 08:29 EDT
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 92 08:27:08 EDT
From: galcik%sinbad@EAGLE.NAVSSES.NAVY.MIL (Greg Galcik)
To: xtank@eng.umd.edu
Subject: Anti-radiation


I've been playing version 1.3d of Xtank recently, and I'm wondering about this new weapon, Anti-Radiation. Is it working the way it's supposed to work? I ask for two reasons: one, it can only be mounted on the left or right, and it shoots out the front; two, it can usually go through walls. I was wondering if maybe there was a bug in the way it's handled.

If that's what it's supposed to do...why? I was playing with atank that uses them, and I was killing people fairly well, but it sorta felt like cheating. I don't see the use of a wall-invisible weapon in a game like this. Seems to change things around too much.

That's just my opinion, though; not like I'm demanding changes or anything. Although, what exactly does it home in on? I had assumed that, being called "anti-radiation", it would come after you if you've got a nuclear powered engine, but I made a tank with a turbine engine and it went after that as well.
Newsgroups: rec.games.xtank.programmer
From: bwoodall@bilbo.qualcomm.com (Bill Woodall)
Subject: Re: Anti-radiation
Reply-To: bwoodall@bilbo.qualcomm.com (Bill Woodall)
Organization: Qualcomm Eng. Dept.
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 14:43:21 GMT

In article <BRS.92Jul29185729@tahiti.cs.brown.edu>, brs@cs.brown.edu (Brian
Stormont) writes:
|> 
|> I imagine the weapons are mounted on the side and shoot forward because they
|> are so large. Picture them as large missiles mounted on the side of a tank
|> length wise. Also, from trhe code it seems the weapons home in on radar,
|> although
|> it also says you can click on a point on the map, and then fire the weapon
|> on
|> it will land there. Never verified that this really happens though....
|> 
|> 
|> Brian

Close, Aaron (from what I remembered) want the "Anti-Rad" (HARMs) to be like
a SPARROW mounted on either side (IMHO tanks are not planes, so I fixed this
here in our local code).

The HARM flies in the direction of your firing command and then looks for
radar emissions to lock on to.

There are three phase this HARM goes through; BOOST, PreLock, and Locked.
BOOST - flying over walls and tracking.
PreLock - tracking down the closest non-team, non-active_radar, and non-IFF
	  friend around.
Locked - acquired target's position and heading (ie a goner) and dive on
target.

A HARM might make just the first two phases or go to Locked will in BOOST.

There is a passive radar system (RDF) (buggy I think still) that is being
worked
on to counter the HARMs, else you have to be fast at turn your radar off before
being acquired by a HARM.

Happy Hunting...............Bill,


============================================================
	Man's capacity to learn is not fixed in any ordinary
sense.  It is not fixed in terms of the responses it will
produce;  it is not fixed in terms of absolute level of
knowledge it will achive. - 
============================================================
From: peter@phoenix1.ir.miami.edu (Peter Papavaritis)
Newsgroups: rec.games.xtank.programmer
Subject: Last Problem's fixed... here's a new one...
Date: 31 Jul 92 19:55:17 GMT
To: xtank@eng.umd.edu


Hi Again!

Well, the make problem has worked out (it was site-specific...)
Thanks anyway...   However...  now I'm getting this...

cc -g   -I/usr/include/mit -I/usr/local/Xw/src  -I. -IInclude   -DXTANK_DIR=\"/u
sr/users/peter/xtank\" -DX11 -DUNIX -DS1024x864 -DKEYPAD_DETECT  -DSTINGY_REDRAW
 -DBATCH_LINES -DBATCH_POINTS  -DCODE_SIZE=0x20000 -DSTACK_SIZE=0x8000 -DMULTI_S
YNC -DTHREAD_MP  -DALLDEFINES="\"-DX11 -DUNIX -DS1024x864 -DKEYPAD_DETECT  -DSTI
NGY_REDRAW -DBATCH_LINES -DBATCH_POINTS  -DCODE_SIZE=0x20000 -DSTACK_SIZE=0x8000
 -DMULTI_SYNC -DTHREAD_MP\""  -c sysdep.c
ccom: Error: sysdep.c, line 22: NULL undefined
        char *newstr = NULL;
      ---------------------^
ccom: Warning: sysdep.c, line 22: illegal combination of pointer and integer, op
 =
        char *newstr = NULL;
      ---------------------^
ccom: Warning: sysdep.c, line 29: illegal combination of pointer and integer, op
 RETURN
                return (NULL);
      -----------------------^
*** Error code 1
                    

I'm running on a Decstation 5000/200 under Decwindows and Ultrix 4.2
I really look forward to hearing from you, 'cause I can't wait to get this
running!  Seen this before???  Thanks in advance...

						Pete
Newsgroups: rec.games.xtank.programmer
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 10:26:36 -0400
From: steve@voyager.gatech.edu (Steve Gilbreath)
To: xtank@eng.umd.edu
Subject: Removal from mailing list



Please remove my account from the xtank mailing list.  Thank you.
    Steve Gilbreath
Newsgroups: rec.games.xtank.programmer
From: brs@cs.brown.edu (Brian Stormont)
Subject: Re: Anti-radiation
Organization: Dept. of Computer Science, Brown University
	<ratner.712427392@ficus.cs.ucla.edu>
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 23:57:29 GMT


I imagine the weapons are mounted on the side and shoot forward because they
are so large. Picture them as large missiles mounted on the side of a tank
length wise. Also, from trhe code it seems the weapons home in on radar, although
it also says you can click on a point on the map, and then fire the weapon on
it will land there. Never verified that this really happens though....


Brian
Newsgroups: rec.games.xtank.programmer
From: avalon@coombs.anu.edu.au (Darren Reed)
Subject: Re: Anti-radiation
Organization: Computer Services Centre, Australian National University
Date: 30 Jul 92 12:59:15 GMT

brs@cs.brown.edu (Brian Stormont) writes:


>I imagine the weapons are mounted on the side and shoot forward because they
>are so large. Picture them as large missiles mounted on the side of a tank
>length wise. Also, from trhe code it seems the weapons home in on radar, although
>it also says you can click on a point on the map, and then fire the weapon on
>it will land there. Never verified that this really happens though....

You click on the radar map down below and away they go :)
I'm not sure which button it is on the radar though :)
You only have to be able to see the blue dot for the enemy to target them :)

darren
From: stripes@eng.umd.edu (Josh Osborne)
Newsgroups: rec.games.xtank.play
Subject: Re: NEW Subject
Date: 26 Jul 92 16:02:36 GMT
Article-I.D.: eng.1992Jul26.160236.9822
Organization: Project GLUE, Merriversity of Uniland, College Purgatory

In article <MJB.92Jul19021355@srl07.cacs.usl.edu> mjb@srl07.cacs.usl.edu (Matthew Brumley) writes:
>
>We just got the patch, and...
>
>I don't see how RDF can be useful, since an opponent can detect me whether or 
>not my radar is off.

The detection range is (or should be) shorter with radar off, also HARMs
(Homing Anti-Rad Missles (Radar Seekers)) have a harder time hitting 
non-emitters.

>Is it just a cheaper version of radar?  ($1 is a little too cheap, I think)  

Nope, it is a passave system.  Yes $1 is too cheap, the price will go up
in the next release.

>And, I like the camouflage special.  (I tried it on a tagman, and knowing my
>last position, it would go to that exact spot looking for me!  Anyway, I was
>able to fire a few dozen shots before he found me and chased me off.)

Yep, tagman works well for a robot that was never tought about camo...

>btw: what does RDF stand for?  Just curious...

I forget, but I'm sure it's in the patch (read the comments).

>btw2:  What's the status of the Stealth and Deep Radar specials?  Are they
>       going to be removed with the introduction of Camouflage and New Radar?
>       Or, will the Stealth module mask you from radar (or something similar)?

Stealth should reduce your radar cross section, deep radar will prob. go
away...
-- 
           stripes@pix.com              "Security for Unix is like
      Josh_Osborne@Real_World,The          Multitasking for MS-DOS"
      "The dyslexic porgramer"                  - Kevin Lockwood
            "NFS only behaves properly..."                  - jik@athena
                "...when the computer is not drawing power." - rbj@uunet
From: sds@occs.cs.oberlin.edu (Steven Salter)
Subject: A really good vehicle..
Organization: Oberlin College Computer Science
Distribution: rec.games.xtank.play
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 19:03:43 GMT
X-Posted-From: occs.cs.oberlin.edu
X-Posted-Through: sol.ctr.columbia.edu

I made this vehicle, and found it quite useful for head to head combats
with tagmen. Try it, you'll like it! (Note: Unfortunatly, if you play
with cost limits, this one will take the cake as a very expensive vehicle,
but try it out anyway.)

Body: Rhino                          Cost: 410850
Engine: Fuel Cell                    Weight: 39895/40000
Heat Sinks: 9                        Space: 26352/30000
Suspension: Active                   Max Speed: 12.05
Treads: Smooth                       Trd. Accel: 1.75
Bumpers: Retro                       Eng. Accel: 0.48
                                     Handling: 5
Specials: Console, mapper, radar, repair, ram plate, navigation
Weapons:
1 Hvy. Rocket Launcher          Turret 1
2 Hvy. Rocket Launcher          Turret 2
3 Hvy. Autocannon               Front
4 Acid Sprayer                  Front
5 Hvy. Rocket Launcher          Turret 1
6 Flame Thrower                 Turret 2     i-=****  (has flame thrower)
Armour: 110 front, 100 back, 90 left, 90 right, 90 top, 32 bottom.
Strategy: Run straight at him and fire away, when front armour dies, put
in reverse (navigation) and toast him!! >:)
Newsgroups: rec.games.xtank.play
From: ratner@ficus.cs.ucla.edu (David Ratner)
Subject: acid sprayers
Summary: is acid too powerful
Keywords: acid, ramming, close-in
Organization: UCLA, Computer Science Department
Distribution: usa
Date: 27 Jul 92 19:41:46 GMT

I usually play with a fast, ramming design with 6 acid sprayers.
My top speed is 28, and if you get a full ram, it does _lots_ of damage!
Then you can finish him off with the 6 acid sprayers.  Design is below.
But I post this question for discussion - does anyone else think 
acid sprayers are too strong?  They generate no heat and do 6 points of
damage.  For close-range fighting, it seems to be second to none, and
if you try a long-range fighting vehicle, you must add lots of heat-sinks
to avoid the massive heat buildup (and of course the heat-sinks take space!).
In addition, a long-range vehicle must spend $$ making sure it has good
speed, good acceleration, and good mobility, so a short-range acid-sprayer
cannot close the gap.

Here is my vehicle - I've been very successful with it.  Slight reductions
in the specials and armor gets it under 100k for our 100k-tournaments.
The version posted here is used in our unlimited pay-to-play games.

Vehicle: DaveDude4
Designer: ratner
Body: Tornado
Engine: Fuel Cell
W#0: T1 Acid Sprayer
W#1: T1 Acid Sprayer
W#2: T1 Acid Sprayer
W#3: F Acid Sprayer	<- if you mount too many on one turret, it turns too
W#4: F Acid Sprayer	<- slowly, so I just front mount three of them.
W#5: F Acid Sprayer
Armor Type: Kevlar
Front: 385
Back: 75
Left: 100
Right: 100
Top: 56
Bottom: 0
Special: Console
Special: Mapper
Special: Ram Plate
Special: Navigation
Special: New Radar
Special: Tac Link
Heat sinks: 0
Suspension: Active
Treads: Hover		<- for that incredible top speed.
Bumpers: Retro

Cost: 114k.
Engine Acceleration: 1.01
Top speed: 28.61


--
* *  ***  *     *    |   Dave "Van Damme" Ratner
* *  *    *    * *  / \  ratner@cs.ucla.edu
* *  *    *    ***  \ /  
***  ***  ***  * *   |   "Wham Bam, thank you Van Damme!"
From: 2foics737@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.xtank.play
Subject: What is needed for xtank
Date: 21 Jul 92 09:21:31 CDT
Organization: University of Kansas Academic Computing Services

Thanks for giving me the instructions to ftp xtank1.tar.z.  I was just
wondering how to use the darn thing. In the beginnig i just want to play by
myself. What kind of operating sys do i need for xtank, and/or How much will
From: fsmar@acad3.alaska.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.xtank.play
Subject: Help!!!
Date: 29 Jul 92 20:23:24 GMT
Organization: University of Alaska Fairbanks

Help .. I need an ftp location for this game ..

runion@dec1.uafcs.alaska.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.xtank.play
From: bchen@wpi.WPI.EDU (Bi Chen)
Subject: Re: HELP!PLEASE!
Organization: Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA 01609-2280
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 13:00:51 GMT


Hi, netter:

I'm new in this group. I wonder how much storage space I need to play xtank.
I used DEC3000 under Ultrix, have a quota around 5M. I guess I only need
minimum functionality of xtank first. (Just out and shoot computer oppoents)

Thanks.

Bi
Organization: Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: rec.games.xtank.play
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 17:11:01 -0400 
From: "Timothy C. Worsley" <tw1r+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Game balance

	I don't know what the current version of the game is, so it could be
that any humber of the following problems no longer exist, but I'm in a
complaining mood.  If this bothers you, please ignore it -- you have
been warned :).

	The version that I'm speaking about is the UMDENG version 1.2g.

Scoring:  The scoring system rather braindead.  Score for a kill =
1000*(<cost of killed tank>/<cost of killer>).  This makes cheaper tanks
better, almost without fail.  One of the most mondo combat tanks arround
is a lightcycle with stripped down everything, no specials, no weapons,
zero points of W armor, and a small combustion engine.  A giant tank
needs to hit it with almost every shot in ordet to have enough money not
to simply lose, as the small tank will get about 2500 times as many
points for a kill.  We normally have to have competitions with MINIMUM
cost tanks rather than maximum costs.  Otherwise, everyone ends up in
one lightcycle or another.

Weapons:  It's pretty clear that the designers put too much emphasis on
range and shot speed.  Considdering that most combats are (by design or
accedent) simple Ogg-fests, neither range nor speed is normally
important.  I find that the problems are worse if one is using relative
shot speed, but then, most people do.  The result of this is that Acid
Sprayers are really mondo, and if they are illeaglized, it's really
obvious that heavy machine guns are the best of the side-hitting
weapons.  It's hard for me to say just how mondo heat-seakers are. 
Clearly, always hitting the top is a big bonus.

Engines:  Our local carwars gurus all were quick to point out that the
combustion engines were MUCH better than the electic engines, except for
the small electric, while the turbines are a joke.  I know of no one who
uses the fission engines.  The engines are, in order of preference: fuel
cell, large combustion, fusion, small combustion, small electric, medium
combustion.  No one would use anything else.

Offense/Defense:  With the current scoring system, there is almost no
need for armor, and it can cost rather a lot.  Our general rule is to
put on enough to get close to an opponet.  That's all you need.

Turrents:  Turn much slower than a good tank.  Real designers put all
weapons on one side or another, normally the front.

My mondo tank:

Name: bimbo
Designer: ZZnew_guy
Body: psycho
Engine: Fuel Cell
Heat Sinks: 0
Suspension: Active
Treads: Smooth
Bumbpers: Rubber
Specials: Console Mapper Radar Ram Plate

Weapons: 
1) Acid Sprayer: Front
2) Acid Sprayer: Front
3) Acid Sprayer: Front
4) Acid Sprayer: Front
5) Acid Sprayer: Front
6) Acid Sprayer: Front

Armor: Steal
Front: 97
Back: 35
Left: 45
Right: 45
Top: 48
Bottom: 36

Cost $59990
Max Speed: 17.99
Acc: 1.75
Handling: 6

	This tank can hold it's own in a straight fight with all but the very
largest tanks, and with a cost of $59990, scores big when it wins.  I
can normally rack up on newbies fast enough that I can win before the
REAL spam characters in their $6000 tanks can get a kill and win.

ZZnew guy
From: wpm4348@zeus.tamu.edu (Rev. Pete, Mystical Philosopher)
Subject: Where??
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: Texas A&M University, Academic Computing Services
Distribution: usa
Date: Sun, 26 Jul 1992 05:05:00 GMT


I've just joined this group, and XTANK sounds like a terrific game.
Could somebody send me an address where I could try it out, without
an account?

Thanks in advance!

--
  Pete Murray                       Internet: wpm4348@zeus.tamu.edu
  Computer Operator                   Bitnet: wpm4348@tamzeus
  Academic Computing Services
  Texas A&M University