HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: tal691@huxley.anu.edu.au (Tonio Loewald)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games
Subject: Re: Star Ship Simulations
Date: 12 Jan 93 09:20:29 GMT
Organization: Australian National University
NNTP-Posting-Host: 150.203.2.12

charlesa@niwot.scd.ucar.edu (Charles Albrecht) writes:

>In article <1993Jan7.202128.26648@news.acns.nwu.edu> rroman@casbah.acns.nwu.edu (Randall Roman) writes:
>>..................................... I would like to hear some
>>input as to what people would want from a starship simulator.
>>Extra detail that would play slower?  Or an less detailed, but
>>quicker moving action oriented game?  A mixture?  Let me know,
>>e-mail or post.
>>
>>--
>>Randy Roman
>>r-roman@nwu.edu

>Randy,

>Something I'd be interested in seeing would be a networked star ship
>game that assumes it takes more than one person to run a ship.  Up to,
>say, four bridge stations could be represented as modules within the game.
>This would be a high level of detail, but the processing would be 
>distributed across several computers.  The command machine would function
>as a server to the members of the bridge crew as well as for communication
>to other "ships" in the game.  Add MacTCP support, and you could get some
>awesome distributed battles going.  

>-Charles
> charlesa@ncar.ucar.edu

This is a good idea, but it should be mentioned that:

1. It's been done before (as much as fifteen years ago I saw a very
expensive electronic star trek game where each player got a station
on the bridge of a single starship; there's been a more recent game
along these lines for networked PCs).

2. It relies on players having enough to do. The duties of a real
radar operator, say, are (i) highly complex, requiring much
training and (ii) involve a hell of a lot of data and (iii) are
fairly dull most of the time. If you look at a combat sequence in
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (which has the best starship
combat scene in any of the films -- IM outrageously conceited O)
you have something like:

Kirk: "Prepare phasers"
Chekhov: "Phaser ready"
(wait a bit)
Kirk: "Wait..."
(Enterprise takes a bit of a pounding)
Kirk: "Right, go for it"
Chekhow: "Yis kiptin"

This doesn't amount to a hell of a lot of action for five players,
say...

3. It may be very hard to collect enough players for a serious game.
Substituting computers for missing players enlarges the task to
writing a number of expert systems (however simplistic) to control
friendly unmanned stations AND entire enemy warships.

This stuff can definitely work. A friend of mine works on a
very realistic multi-station warship combat simulator, but it
costs a few million dollars a year just to maintain.


Tonio

-- 
Tonio Loewald | tal691@huxley.anu.edu.au | Life is short. Be nice.
"You can lie/You can cry/For all the good it'll do you, you can
die/But when it's done/And the police come/And they lay you down
for dead/Just remember what I said" (Paul Simon-not the senator)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games
From: kjt001@dunix.drake.edu (Devil Bunny!)
Subject: Trade 2 1-meg SIMMs for some games!!!!
Organization: Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa, USA
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1993 05:28:24 GMT

I have two 1-meg 80ns SIMMs sitting on my desk, and I'd be willing to
trade them for some games.  I'm mainly interested in relatively new
games (no older than 1 year...)

Tell me what you've got and I'll tell you if i'm interested!

-- 
|   Kevin Tieskoetter    kjt001@acad.drake.edu  kjt001@dunix.drake.edu    |
|                               Drake University
|          Des Moines, IA...Where men are men, women are scarce,          |
|                       And sheep are nervous!                            |
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games
From: Ben Burch <Burch_Ben@wes.mot.com>
Subject: Re: QUICK BASIC
Organization: Motorola, Inc.
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 10:09:35 GMT
X-Xxmessage-Id: <A77303908401B081@ben_burch.pb.wes.mot.com>
X-Useragent: Nuntius v1.1.1d16
X-Xxdate: Fri, 8 Jan 93 04:10:24 GMT

In article <726490832.AA00000@blkcat.UUCP> Julie Hayne,
Julie.Hayne@f421.n109.z1.fidonet.org writes:
> The versions of Microsoft QuickBasic I see in the stores all see to
date 
> from about 1990, and make no mention of machines more recent than the 
> plus.  Are you saying there is a System 7 compatible version of
Microsoft 
> Basic?  Because what I see in the stores doesn't seem likely to 
> compatible.  Is there a free upgrade if I buy this version, or where I
can 
> I get the most current version?

Hi, Julie!

Yes, there is an upgrade.  I called tech support last July after seeing a
note in the MicroSoft RT on GENIE that a 7-winning version was available.
They sent it for a very small fee.  (I think $6)  Now, it took them almost
a year to get this version working, but there it is.  The older version
loses under 7.  It hangs your system during any compilation, but the
interpreter mode does work, and if you bought it you could work with it
until you got upgraded in that way.

-Ben
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games
From: lipson@dms.agames.com (Pete Lipson)
Subject: Re: Empire Master
Organization: Atari Games Corporation
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 17:06:31 GMT

Matt Moore (moore@tc.fluke.COM) wrote:
:  Is Empire Master V1.5 (or whatever the latest is) out yet? If so, does

  I tried playing EM for a while from the demo version.  It's cute enough
i suppose but i found it difficult to use a lot of its features.  Maybe it's
just that i don't particularly enjoy diddling around with options to see
what they do for its own sake; i'd rather experiment with strategies or
tactics and let the manual tell me what the commands do.  For example,
i apparently don't understand the mechanics of loading tanks onto transports.
Sometimes they'll get on and sometimes they won't.  I can't seem to get
the transports to sail to a port and wait for a load even though the
documentation implies that they're supposed to do that.  And many of the
'commands' that you can give to the units were obviously added to implement
some particular tactical goal that players must have asked for, but i can't
tell what they do.  (It's been a while since i tried the game, so i'm
unfortunately soft on specific examples).

  Also it's dissapointing to have no color in the world map.

  The game looks like it has potential, but I have enough doubts about it
so that I don't want to send in my shareware fee just to see if the full
game has enough documentation to get me into actual play (as opposed to
diddle-and-experiment mode).

  Am i missing something?  I'd like to hear from fans of this game.....
-- 
  /V\
-/@-*\- Peter Lipson <-- lipson@agames.com   or   netcom!dms!lipson
 \_o_/  Milpitas, CA <-- Atari Games
   U
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games
From: kieran@world.std.com (Aaron L Dickey)
Subject: Re: Spectre modes???
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1993 22:35:00 GMT

Here's one hint: after starting the game, type in "god".


Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games
From: smiller@andy.bgsu.edu (scott miller)
Subject: Re: Strategic Conquest - non-Kamakasi fighters
Organization: Bowling Green State Univ.
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 18:13:07 GMT

In article <MILLER.93Jan11121717@larynx.cs.rochester.edu> miller@cs.rochester.edu (Brad Miller) writes:
>
>And while we're at it; a command to return a fighter to the nearest city/carrier. 
>A command to have a ship follow a coatline would be nice too. And how about a 
>general "explore" command - so the fighter just finds unexplored space it can reach,
>until there is none left (whereupon it returns to user control).
>
>--
>----
>Brad Miller         miller@cs.rochester.edu
>-- 
>----
>Brad Miller         miller@cs.rochester.edu



Yeah, and while you're at it, why don't you add a game piece editor, and an
option to play with a known world, and an option to make your own sounds and
graphics, and how about having a plethera of different economic systems, and...
oh wait, then you'd just have Empire Master.

Scott
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games
Subject: GAMES SOLD
From: kevinh@vax1.mankato.msus.edu
Date: 12 Jan 93 13:42:42 -0600
Organization: Mankato State University

Thanks to all the people who e-mailed for the games
Vette
the PGA tourny pak
simCity 
are all sold
Still have FALCON 2.2 for 25 for sale
and PGA tour for 25
Kevin hoogheem
Organization: Penn State University
Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1993 23:41:58 EST
From: <BXT3@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games
Subject: Oxyd and PMF

Has anyone tried to play a 2player network game?  It is quite interesting as
one of my friends and I have played the first few levels through modem.
It is slowed significantly at 2400 bps, (the speed we were using), but the
levels are fun and really demand that both players cooperate.  It has also
frozen the screen and crashed several times during modem play on LC's.
This is a cool game and I would really like to know how to access the other lev
els.

BTW- I saw Playmaker Football 2.0 advertised in the latest MacWarehouse catalog
      for $15.  Is this for real!!!???

Also could someone please post the patch list, specifically maybe a patch for
    PGA Tour 1.01?      Thanks.

Ben Tu

bxt3@psuvm.psu.edu
From: conty@cbnewsl.cb.att.com (E. Kontei)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games
Subject: Re: Yet Another MacWorld Games Report(LONG)
Date: 12 Jan 93 19:00:36 GMT
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories

In article <cshotton-120193105619@oac2.hsc.uth.tmc.edu>, cshotton@oac.hsc.uth.tmc.edu (Chuck Shotton) writes:
> In article <1993Jan12.002132.11902@gallant.apple.com>, alexr@apple.com
> (Alexander M. Rosenberg) wrote:
> > 
> > He's invented some new techniques which I (and others) have
> > encouraged him to patent.
> 
> Software patents are evil. They discourage competition and innovation,
> increase the cost of software due to licensing costs, and generally stifle
> the industry.

As someone who has gone through the algorithm-patenting process, I think
I should put a few words in here.

You can acquire a patent and then make the procedure available to
everyone you want, if you so desire.  That's what Compuserve did
with GIF, for example.

There are several other reasons why would someone want to have a patent
on something, other than profit.  Recognition, for one thing.
-- 
			    E n r i q u e  C o n t y
			       Master of Science!
			      jester@ihlpm.att.com
		    Disclaimer: You're not dealing with AT&T
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games
From: jdunning@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (John Alan Dunning)
Subject: Re: Simple programming language for Mac
Originator: news@nimaster
Organization: Princeton University
Date: Sun, 10 Jan 1993 07:13:46 GMT

In article <1993Jan10.033304.1916@ultb.isc.rit.edu> sjk6119@ritvax.isc.rit.edu writes:
>The problem with aiming HyperTalk/HyperCard at beginning programmers
>(specifically kids) is that the ability to simple paste pictures and
>link cards with buttons makes it _too_ easy. If I had learned Hyper-
>Card, and not BASIC, I wouldn't be programming now because  you  can
>do stuff in HyperCard without really learning the language, and  not
>get into it. Again, I don't think BASIC is a good language to  start
>on, but it got me interested in programming, and it's easy,  so  why
>steer people away from it?
>
>-Scott J. Kleper
>"Sgt. Kleper"

How can a programming language be _too_ easy?  I thought the original
poster said they believed Apple should come up with an easy-to-use
programming language with which inexperienced (programming-wise)
computer users could create games.  I think there's a big difference
between someone who's a beginning programmer, which implies that they
like programming as end in itself and will probably progress to more powerful
languages, and a user who simply wants to get a job done.  If all
someone wants to do is link buttons and cards, what's wrong with not
really learning HyperTalk?  If they want to do more intricate things
with it then they'll sit down and learn the language.  I certainly
wouldn't have people in a freshman programming class learn HyperTalk,
but neither would I force people who just want to do some simple
programming tackle C.

I think the ideal simple programming "language" would be something with a
graphical interface, in which you could link together different
modules simply by drawing lines between them.  But underlying these
modules would be a complete object-oriented programming language.  So
if a user wanted to do something they couldn't accomplish simply by
mousing around, they could double-click a module and see the actual
ASCII code and modify that.  The user would still be learning good
programming techniques with a graphical language.  They'd learn pretty
fast that spaghetti code makes a large program very hard to maintain,
simply because of all the lines snaking around their screen.  I think
the goal would be to provide a very gentle learning curve, but with a
powerful programming language underlying the nifty graphics, so that
hardcore programmers and occasional users would be able to use the
same language.

There are a number of programming environments which already use some
graphical programming concepts, like NeXTstep and some graphical
languages for database programs.  I'm sure we'll see more.

John
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games
From: bfbrown@media.mit.edu (Brian F. Brown)
Subject: Maelstrom luck...
Organization: MIT Media Laboratory
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 02:52:57 GMT


Can anyone tell me what exactly luck does on Maelstrom?  The little
closer appears, and I can't see a difference in the way the
game behaves.  Thanks.


BB
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games
From: zimerman@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Jacob Ben-david Zimmerman)
Subject: Patch for Leyte Gulf/Infinite Rockets wanted...?
Originator: news@nimaster
Organization: Princeton University
Distribution: usa
Date: Sun, 10 Jan 1993 08:14:33 GMT

Sigh. Okay. I'm a dummy.  I saw the patch to give yourself large numbers
of rockets in Leyte gulf go by before I had the game, and I didn't take
it down.  Now I have my hands on my own copy (heh heh) and I have this 
insane urge to slew over so that I am 10K feet above the enemy base in
'Mission X' and let loose about thirty rockets while pointed straight
down.  Heeheeheeheehee.  Soes anyone out there have this patch, and if
so, could you send it to me or repost it?  Thanks very much for your
time.

-JBZimmerman!
-- 
___________           |-Oh, drat these computers. They're so naughty and
     ||               |so complex.  I could pinch them. -Marvin Martian
||   ||acob Zimmerman!+> <zimerman@phoenix.Princeton.EDU> INTERNET 
 \===/                |  <zimerman@PUCC>                  BITNET
From: mcmath@csb1.nlm.nih.gov (Chuck Treasure Troll McMath)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games
Subject: Civilization spotted...
Date: 6 Jan 93 17:15:09 GMT
Followup-To: comp.sys.mac.games
Organization: MSD

As I came in late to work today I stopped by an Egghead store.  On the
shelves in the Mac section were about 10 copies of Civilization.  Hurrah! 
So let's get to work building those empires!

chuck


|- chuck mcmath - mcmath@csb1.nlm.nih.gov - MSD, Inc. --------------|
|- National Library of Medicine - National Institutes of Health ----|
|- Bethesda, MD 20894 - Mbr Society of Astral Projectionists (SAP) -|
|- "Hey batter, hey batter, hey batter, swing" - Anon. -------------|
|- Disclaimer: I know nothing (but isn't that obvious?) ------------|
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games
From: shecht@lamar.ColoState.EDU (steven heckt)
Subject: help on unstuffing ftped games
Summary: stuck with stuffit docs
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 20:43:40 GMT
Organization: Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO  80523
Keywords: novice, FAQ warning! 

I am having trouble after I get the new risk game fromsumex-aim. I
can debinhex it in stuffit or compact pro, but in neither one can
i turn it into an application. I add it to the archives and try to
extract and I keep coming up with a stuffit document. I was able to
do the daleks, and I have read and re-read the docs, but they are aimed
more at people who compress. I know- I am doing something dumb. Help
please? (I bring the stuff back on a dos machine and use an LC super-
drive and AFS).

ps. I have the b&W colony game that i enjoyed fininshing and the exodus
3 game if someone is interested....
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games
From: mrc65@cas.org ()
Subject: Re: Maelstrom luck...
Organization: Gizmonic Institute, Columbus, Ohio
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 12:47:49 GMT

In article <1993Jan7.025257.25943@news.media.mit.edu> bfbrown@media.mit.edu (Brian F. Brown) writes:
>
>Can anyone tell me what exactly luck does on Maelstrom?  The little
>closer appears, and I can't see a difference in the way the
>game behaves.  Thanks.
>

When luck is in effect, you'll find that your shield is more likely to protect
you in the event that you 1)run out of shield just as an object is about to
hit you and 2)you are not quite quick enough on the 'shield' key. You know
you have been subject to the luck factor when you hear a male voice yell,
"Sweet".
-- 
Michael R. Cirivello                         INTERNET: mrc65@cas.org
Librarian/Info Junkie  *Just say Know!*           AOL: MRC3000
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Fan of:MST3KTalkingHeadsDavidByrneLittleFeatMacintoshNORMLGreenBayPackers
From: hishimoda@vaxsar.vassar.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games
Subject: GAMES FOR SALE
Date: 7 Jan 93 15:53:48 +1000
Organization: Vassar College


I have the following games to sell:

Dragon's Lair II - Time Warp  $25

HardBall II - $25

Both prices include 2day air priority shipping.
All original boxes and manuals, except the box for HardBall II.
Offers of trade welcome. Drop me a line E-mail.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games
Distribution: world
From: Leslie_L._Shafer@bmug.org
Organization: BMUG, Inc.
Date: Wed, 06 Jan 1993 02:06:18 PST
Subject: Re: Star Ship Simulations

Have you thought about releasing this SFB like game to the public?  I play Star
Fleet Battles occasionally and would like to see it implemented on a computer.
 [For those who dont know what SFB is, it's a pen and paper game which attempts
to simulate starship combat.  A very strategic and long and involved endeavor
at times.]  Also, is your game up to Doomsday rules?  X-ships?  PFs? 
Fighters?  

**** From Planet BMUG, the FirstClass BBS of BMUG.  The message contained in
**** this posting does not in any way reflect BMUG's official views.

Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games
From: ellens@bnr.ca (Chris Ellens)
Subject: Re: Any experience with A-Train?
Followup-To: comp.sys.mac.games
Organization: Bell-Northern Research
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 17:34:39 GMT

In article <golub-291292164736@elvex34.acns.nwu.edu>, golub@nwu.edu (Robert
Golub) wrote:
> 
> Has anyone used A-Train, from Maxis? If so, I would appreciate it if you
> could describe its appearance, what it does, and give your opinion about
> it.
> 
> Thanks in advance!
> 
> -Rob

I had the opportunity to try it out briefly - my experience was that it
takes a long time to accomplish anything - an hour of your time is only a
matter of weeks in game time - you find yourself reading the manual with
the game running, waiting for the results of your "changes" to have an
impact.
You also have minimal control over scheduling trains - e.g. there is no way
to have a train change direction at a station - it always goes to the end
of the track. Which means that if the end of track is not exactly at the
station for the length of train you have, your schedule gets messed up.
There is also no way to schedule a train to make more than one round trip
per 24-hour period, which is silly for short commuting corridors.

Chris Ellens         ellens@bnr.ca
Xref: sparky comp.sys.mac.games:14097 comp.sys.ibm.pc.games:30020
From: tominatr@ac.dal.ca
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games,comp.sys.ibm.pc.games
Subject: DQoK: Hawkbluff help needed!
Date: 11 Jan 93 12:57:38 -0400
Organization: Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Help needed in DQoK:

I went through the middle door in Hawkbluff, I found Trandamere and defeated
his group.  I did not follow him beacause my party was beaten up pretty badly.

I can't find a place to rest!  I keep getting attacked my monsters looking
for "the book".  

Also, where is this "book"?

      - Tom N.

Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games
From: Rich.Rubel@launchpad.unc.edu (Rich Rubel)
Subject: Re: A-train
Organization: University of North Carolina Extended Bulletin Board Service
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 16:58:05 GMT


I've got a different A-train problem.    Somehow, when I run two trains on
the same track, they always collide and just sit there until I manually
change the direction of one of them.  I can't find any reference in the
manual to this; can someone tell me a page number if it exists, or is this
just part of the game?  I wind up with circular double tracks.
[RICHR]
--
   The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the University of
     North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Campus Office for Information
        Technology, or the Experimental Bulletin Board Service.
           internet:  laUNChpad.unc.edu or 152.2.22.80
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games
From: gasp@theory.lcs.mit.edu (Isaac Kohane)
Subject: Falcon MC
Organization: MIT Laboratory for Computer Science
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1993 21:34:22 GMT


I'm having a tough time aiming my TV guided bombs at the tanks in the
first mission. I can use the rudder to fine tune the right/left
direction but the joystick is much  too coarse a tool to point up and
down. Any tricks or do I just have to work at it more?

-Zak
From: ephraim@think.com (Ephraim Vishniac)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games
Subject: Re: * BAD Lemmings Crack *
Date: 12 Jan 1993 01:51:19 GMT
Organization: Thinking Machines Corporation, Cambridge MA, USA
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: turing.think.com
Keywords: Lemmings ResEdit Copy Protection

In article <1irv3jINNdvk@cuda.add.itg.ti.com> wstrain@azure.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Jeff Strain) writes:
>If anybody has a hack that correctly disables the lemming copy protection
>(this is for *legal owners* only), please let me know. By the way, I have
>had several people recommend using the demo app with the release data files,
>but this does not seem to work quite right either,

Here's the patch I worked out for my copy of Lemmings so that my
five-year-old could start it up by himself without adult assistance:

In CODE 2, at offset 0x1F58, I found:

	B06D DB60	CMP.W passcode(A5), D0
	670C		BEQ.S passmatch		; these are fictitious labels

I changed this to:

	3B40 DB60	MOVE.W D0, passcode(A5)
	4E75		RTS

The quiz dialog still appears, but it doesn't matter what number you
enter. You can just hit OK without entering anything.

I haven't finished the game yet (I'm only up to Mayhem 13), but I
haven't noticed any problem with this patch.

-- 
Ephraim Vishniac    ephraim@think.com   ThinkingCorp@applelink.apple.com
 Thinking Machines Corporation / 245 First Street / Cambridge, MA 02142
        One of the flaws in the anarchic bopper society was
        the ease with which such crazed rumors could spread.
From: jlkim@sdcc3.ucsd.edu (Justin Kim)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games
Subject: F18 demo?  Maybe?
Date: 11 Jan 93 00:00:28 GMT


	Is there or are there any plans for releasing a demo or
screen shots for the F-18 simulator that everyone's been talking
about?  
	I *never* buy games without getting a chance to play them
first, but I've been waiting so long for a good jet fighter
simulation that I am sorely tempted to snatch up a copy of F-18 as
soon as it comes out.

	Thanks for any help,
Justin

P.S.  Thanks to everyone who emailed me or posted about my Harpoon
question a little while back.
-- 
------->Justin Kim
---------->jlkim@ucsd.edu
------------->Graduate School of International Relations/
---------------->Pacific Studies-University of California, San Diego
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games