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Dr. Dobb's Journal is a lively forum for the REVIEWS more advanced home computerist. "A publication that is a must for everyone in the hobbyist world of computers. Don't FREE SOfTWARE ~"'~ miss it." -"'-< "'.,."n 'NewJ/ette,' ~ ,n COMPLETE SYSTEMS & - .,. The Digitlll Group ... <- APPLICATIONS SOfTWARE ~"'<- n ~r-" ... User documentation, internaJ specifications, "THE software source for microcomputers. ~"'.".'" ... '" annotated source code. In the two yean of Highly recommended," -< '" • ~n n publication, DDJ has carried a large variety of The Data Btu' '" '" nn"'''' interpreters, editors, debuggers, monitors, I1rillllJelphilz Area Computer Society ",n '" graphics games software, floating point routines and software design articles. Recent "It looks as if it's going to be THE forum of issues have highlighted: '"n public domain hobbyist software develop '" 0 ment. Rating - * * * *" '" • An Interactive Timesh;.-'Cd 8080 TRACE' - Operating System Toronto Region Anociation of .....'.' • Tiny Grafix for Tiny Ba~l\; Computer EnthuriMts ":i N'" • The Heath 1-1-8 System '" .. : ./ • A KIM/6502 Line Editor "The best source for Tiny BASIC and other - • LISP for the 6800 good things. Should be· on your shelf." • Dumping Northstar Disk Files The Computer Hobby;!t' • A 1K Utilities Package for the Z80 Nonh Teus ([)QJJosJ Newsletter
Dr. Dobb's Journal is published 10 times a year by People's Computer Company, a non-profit educational corporation. For a one-year subscription, send SIS to Dr. Dobb's Joumal, Dept. SM, 1263 EI Camino Real, Box E, Menlo Park, CA 9402S or send in the postage-free card at the center / • • ... <,,', ••• ,':: ... ,;'.,>:.,;.;.. ,.;.:")"",,,",~ of this magazine. Artificial Intelligence • Lord of the Rings' Calculator Comics Chess Reconsidered Volume 7 Number 5 March -April 1979 SUBM ITTING ITEMS FOR PUBLICATION STAFF LABEL everything with your name. addreu and the date; tapes should also include the prognm mme.13l1\IulI9' end syltem. TYPE text if at 1111 possibl" double-spaced, on 8%x EDITORS 1 t inch white paper. DRAWINGS should be as clear and neat as pouible in black ink on Bob Albrecht Special Features while paper. Louise Burton 8 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, Part 2 by David Cudhea LISTINGS are hard 10 reproduce clearly. so please note: Ramon Zamora Can you put a computer in left field? • U~ II new ribbon on plain white paper when making a listing; WII prefer roll paper or ART/PRODUCTION MANAGER 16 DATABASE by Warwick Slough flln -fold paper. Sara Werry Some experiments are best left undone • Send copies of onll or more RUNs of your program. to verify thllt it runs and to PRODUCTION ASSISTANT BEASTIARY From SAM76 by Chartes Ehrlich & Joseph Tulloctr provide II serue of how things work-lind to motivate more of us to reed the code. RUNs 22 Carole Cullenbine should illustrate the main purpose and operalion of your program as clellrly as possible. What to do if your Translatus Uggligr goes wild Balli. whistles and special felltUres should just be described In Ihe documentation unless ARTISTS 24 LABOR RELATIONS by Ralph Roberts they're particularly relevant. Jay Bonner Heavy metal talks a hard line • Milke sure your code is well documented-use a separu, sheet of paper_ Refer to Aleeca Harrison FORTRAN MAN by Lee Schneider & Todd Voros portions of code by line number Or laool or address. please. not by page number. When Ann Miya 32 writing documentation. keep In mind Ihat readers witllnclude beginner. and people who Our hero RETURNs' Judith Wasserman may be relatively inexperienced with the language you'l'1I using. Helpful documentation I 34 RUNEQUEST by Steve Perrin & Friends annotation can make your code useful to more people. Documentation should discuss TYPESETIERS just which casIS are covered and which aren't_ Phyllis Adami Rurik the Restless & Rikur the Rambler leave home • If you send us II program 10 publish. we I'1Iserve Iha right to annotate it (don't worry. Gavin Cullen 48 THOSE UPPITY CALCULATORS by Chris Juricich & Gil Morales \W WQn't publish it if we don't like it l. Renny Wiggins ... Kinky circuiu recharge the comics • Lan but not leasl. please try 10 limit the Width of your lining.: 50-60characlers is • • ideal Nerro..... widths mean lell reduction. bener readability and bener use of space. PROOFREADER 59 COLOR 'YOUR OWN' GRAPHICS by Dan Silva Nancy Heubach Instructions on coloring the cover LETTERS are aiwaYI welcome; we anume it's OK 10 pUblish them unless you ask us not CIRCULATION MANAGER to. Upon request we will withhOld your name from a pUblished lener. but we will not Michael Madaj publish eorTtlspondence Mnt to UI anonymously. We reserve the right to edi t lellers for Articles purposes of clarity end brellity. BULK SALES MANAGER Cynthia Ko.ina 17 RAISING CROPS FOR SPACE SETTLEMENTS by Annita Harlan SPOT EDITOR Agriculture goes to the stars SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION Harry Saal 18 A NEW ALGORITHM FOR CHESS. Part 2 by David Chelberg & David Watte,,, U. S. RATES FOREIGN RATES PUBLISHER It's easy. when you play on 20 boards Willard J. Holden 139·21 28 SARGON DIARY By Mike Gabrielson $10/1 yr. 16 i$lues) Payments must be in SUS drawn on a Six months in the life of a busy student , : Retaining subscriPtion. S25 US bank. And a apecial thanlcs to all the other 37 EPIC GAMES ON MODEST COMPUTERS by Arthur Wells, Jr. ($15 tax deductible) o $17 Canac;la F i<1 t Class follcs 81 People" C:lmpYter Co.: Ezra Will work on immodest ones, too ~ Sustaining subicription. $100+ a.rg. Cl'lnt Connor, Delia Danlal •• o $23 Ren of World Airmail 40 UNIVERSE by Les laZar /S90+ lax deductible) o SI4 World SurillClt Mail loic JasSV. Ann Merdlberger. Cunll ROMb. Suzanne Rodriguez. John Strawn. A sure-fire cure for tile Star Trek b(ahs Ple_ allow 6·9 _kI for your flnt DetiveIY of fOlll ign mall is Ilow and unre· Deni" WIIln. 46 Easy POKEing with ApplelOft™ BASIC by Chuck Carpenter Issue to arrive. liable. We urongl, advise airmail. POKEing an Apple is as easy as PEEKing a PET BACK ISSUES RETAINING SUBSCRIBERS Games & Stuff S2.50 each: $3.00 each Ouuide the U. S. add David R. Dick Vol. 6. Nos. 1. 2,3.4,5; Vol. 7. Nos. 1.2 15 AI R RAID by Milan D. Chepko Vol.7.No•. 3,4 $.50 per iuue. Mark Elgin Cut the wrong wire and the bomb goes BANGII John B. Fried pg.48 EXPIRATION DATE: To decipher the expiration dale of your subscription. look al 21 TRS-80: 3D PLOTS by Milan D. Chepko the top right hand corner of your addre$o$lebel. The las l two digiu refer to a codelissue Scott B. Guthery Put fancy graphics on your screen number th~t is your expiration dill. Hence, read 38 8S 3/79. 39 as 5179, 40 8$ 7179. W. A. Kelley 41 ali 9179,42 as 11/79.431i 1180. and soon. 27 TWO RECURSIVE FUNCTIONS IN BASIC by Dennis Allison Frank Otsuka Yes. Martha. some BASiCs are recursiye Shelter Institute 31 SLOT by Donald C. Hoffman FOREIGN DISTRIBUTORS OF RECREA TIONAL COMPUTING Brett WillOn Turn your TRS-80 into a bandit Vincent Caen, LP Enterprise., 313 Kingston Road. !lford IG11PJ. Essex. UK; Rudi SUSTAINING SUBSCRIBERS 52 SPOT: THE SOCIETY OF PET OWNERS AND TRAINERS by Harry Saal Hoess. Electronic ConeeplS PTY Ltd., Ground Floor Cambridge House. 52-58 Clarence Pointers, products, peeves and paws Slreet. Sydney NSW2000; ASCII PublishIng. 305 HI TORIO. 5-6-7 Minami Aoyama. Minuto-Ku. Tokyo 107. JAPAN; Eastern Canada: Li:t Janik. RS-232. 186 Queen St. W.• Byte PublicatiON 55 APPLE ROSE by Jim Day Suite 232. Toronto. ON M5V 1 ZI. W6Ir'm Canada: Brian Wiebe, Kitronie Audio. Oigital Paul. Lori and Tom C.lhoun A rose is an Apple is a rose is an Apple 8. Electronic Compon'nts, 26236 26th Aile. RR5. Aldelljrove BC VOX lAO. Canada. Dick Heiser, The Computer Store Printed by Nowels. Menlo Park. CA Departments pg.16 4 EDITORS' NOTES AND LETTERS RflCl'Nriomll Computing IUSPS 356870) is published bimonlhly by People', Computer COmp .... y. 1263 EI Cemino Reel. Box E. Menlo rlrk 50 DRAGONSMOKE CA 94025. PeOPIe's Computer Comp8l'lY is a tax-exempt. independent, non·profit corpol1ltion. and donalion.ere tax· deductible. Second cles; COVER pan. paid at Manlo Park. CeHfo'nia. arn;llldditional entry poinu. Copyright © 1979 by Peapla's Computer Company. Menlo Perk, California. Art by Dan Silvi 56 REVIEWS Design by Ann Miye 60 ANNOUNCEMENTS 2 RECREATIONAL COMPUTING MAR-APR 1979 3 Editors' Letters Letters Letters Letters UP THE EST ABUSHMENT! GEITING HIGR ON PROGRAMMERS ANONYMOUS Apart from those three minor mistakes, SPACE AND COMPUTERS SEEKS FELWW TRAVELERS What To Do ... is fantastic! Whoopee! "Recreational what?" a friend exclaims when I tell him where I'm working Yippee!! I've already started putting in I appreciated Warner Mach's defense of the computer establishment (People's these days. "Recreational computing? You mean there's actually a market Thanks so much for the good words and I would like to point out three minor Trader. May ·June 1978). I also am for that sort of thing?!" fine publicity on L·5 in the Nov·Dec mistakes in your book: What To Do After Computers, part of that, I guess, and the users I work issue of People's Computers. There is an You Hit Return. First of all, in the Programmer Anonymous # 8 with seldom even know what they want. That doubter should see OUf mailbox. Every day it's bulging with letters and impressive overlap between spacers and listings in the back of the book, you 429-16 Franklin Turnpike That is, they are not trained in problem manuscripts from people who want to get in on the act. Strange as it may computerbums. You should expect our neglected to give a listing of HANGFL, as Mahwah, NJ 07430 seem to the uninitiated, recreational computing is a hot property. In fact, next newsletter soon. you had indicated on page 19 (my definition and data correlation. They are we're getting so many ideas on the subject that the present size of the maga. school's system is Hewlett-Packard 2000 P. S. P. A. already has 36 members in expert in their own area, but have little zinc seems downright claustrophobic. (Expansion will have to await tile Keep up the great job. RC and Dr. Dobb's A, B, C, 0, and F). various N. J. schools. idea how that corresponds to other fields. settlement of the West Coast paper strike, however.) are my two favorite personal computing magazines-potent forces for the demysti· Second of all, your 'STIR" is neither the If y011 trnly are Master Programmers, you That doesn't mean I'm putting them It wasn't easy as we approached press-time. How were we going to fit in a fication of technology that is not only longest nor the best STAR TREK simu should be able to create your own listing down. I consider user education to be a limited space all the things we could have in the March·April issue? More high but can get you that way. lation around. In our timesharing system for HANGFL, which is nothing more primary part of my job, preferably ex· accurately. all the things we wanted to bave. But we courageously attacked we have a STAR TREK game that busts than a file of words from HANGMN. Go pressed in the user's specialty. But I think. the puzzle: If this article goes in, then not that one-too sim ilar. If we cut Stella Calvert the britches off SITRl. It is ... to it! 1 can be forgiven some pride in being fa· that TRS·80 game, its companion piece has to go, too. Have we got any. Michigan L·5 Society TREK73! It is approximately 30,000 miliar with many areas other than D.P. thing for kids? Are there enough programs? Can that short story hold till Box 126 Michigan Union words long, and is five programs chained next time? Oh, and don't forget the comics! ... Change, cut, re.mix, look Ann Arbor, MI 48109 together with common variables. J have PLAUDITS FOR TIlE PET Enough tirade; just accept my thanks for at squint-eyed,juggle, mix again, stop. enclosed a run for you; hopefully, you a good magazine. will think to include it in the next In recent issues, you have printed two It's a process that's often frustrating, but we love it. In fact, we wish you'd printing of the book. I have a punch of letters from a minister of a non -Christian Dana Taylor make our job even tougher. The more material we have to choose from, TREK73, but not of the other four it is sect, each complaining in bitter terms 3677 Radnor Road the better the magazine will be. So this is a call for more articles, letters, chained to. It's great ... about Commodore Business Machines and Radnor, OH 43066 programs, reviews. For suggestions, corrections, denouncements. When you the PET computer. As a pastor and proud gel inspired by something you've discovered at your computer or irate Third, three students in our school PET owner, I'm writing to say his attacks A GRIEVOUS about something you've read on computing (here or elsewhere), write us. (including myself) helped with the are unfair. GRAMMATICAL FAULT! The best articles always spring out of intensely felt situations. Take, for development of WUMPUS. We desire a (#2 IN 'TIlE NAPKIN LETTERS') example, Mike Cabrielson's SARCON diary (page 28), which is full of the separate balloon on page VI which looks As luck would have it, my PET needed triumphs and setbacks all programmers know so well. Or our three opinion like this: repairs twice during its 9O-day warranty ated movie reviews of Lord of the Rings (page 56). Or Les laZar's vision of period. Both times the needed repairs the game to end all games (page 40). PROGRAMMERS took less than a week plus shipping time, ANONYMOUS and have been without charge other than An incredible windfall this issue is our cover. That design (as well as the one Mahwah High shipping one way. I have talked with to color on page 59) is the work of Dan Silva of Menlo Park. None of the School several people at Commodore, both editors had seen anything quite like Dan's collection of computer generated Mahwah, NJ before and after buying my PET, and graphics when he stopped by the office one day to show us a sampling. (In DRAGON'S FIRE IGNITES found them most helpful on the tele· a coming issue, Dan will tell you how he does them.) Once again we were THE NORTH COUNTRY We, that is, Programmers Anonymous, phone. The four PET owners J know faced with a terrible choice; we could only use two designs, and there were have written a program which simulates personally are all quite pleased with their at least 25 we wanted. Upon meeting Mr. Bob Albrecht on the the logged-off mode of the system, computers. seventh of November and being struck enticing "victims" to log-in, and their TItis job is getting more complicated-and more fun-all the time. I guess with his vibrant energy, I decided that efforts are printed on a file. We have The PET is an incredible piece of work, as it's the fun of PCC that still amazes me. I mean, putting together a magazine, part of that energy came from working obtained several log-ins this way . (We will become even more obvious after its while it has its rewards, is usually just plain hard work. But this publication is on magazines like People's Computen. have 30, including the system-operators.) printer and disc systems are released. For different. Which is why, on my 1040 this year,l'm listing my occupation as I would therefore ask that you please $800, I'm glad to have a computer at all, "recreational editing." send me a few (five) of your subscription Programmers Anonymous is a "society" let alone such an advanced model. For - Louise Burton (plus Bob Albrecht and Ramon Zamora). forms so that I and some of the other run solely by the students, and is open to such 3 price, it's foolish to also expect the characters here at M.S.D. can tap into anyone from any part of the country who sort of continuing consumer service that this energy source. Your prompt atten sends us some reasonable proof that he is IBM offers. tion to this request will be appreciated. a Master Programmer like all of us in N.J. (we do have standards). Please put our Rev. James Strasma Benet R. Freund membership plea in an issue of your Grace United Methodist Church Minnesota School for the Deaf magazine. We want to make P. A. a 120W. KingSt. Faribault, MN 55021 national organization! Decatur, IL 62521 4 RECREATIONAL COMPUTING MAR-APR 1979 5 Letters Letters Letters Letters Letters Letters
FIRST BUSINESS, THEN yours or the programmer's choice. Each I'm wondering why you chose to concen By the way, I've been a newsstand little computers, though . . . ), and we are HOORAY FOR HIPPIE DROP-OUTS! AN ADVENTURING DREAM of you could have "program $Oheom trate on Runequest, as opposed to the far customer of yours (Computerland) for looking forward to the Dragon's exposi manders" and so on-as far as the eye more established Dungeons and Dragons. three issues now, and I'm impressed! tion of the Dungeonmaster via computer. After reading the Norman Gold letter Several things ... (Nov-Dec '78), I had to comment. J've cowd see. D&D has been around since 1972, Hope to subscribe soon. We don't care how many heads the compared to Runequest's six months, and dragon has. Like a famous English author been a subscriber to DDJ since #11, but First ... you still have a bookstore? I Do Since learning programs get larger and the number of D&D players grows every Robert N. Fiegel Jr. who wrote epic tales, we desire dragons. have only gotten PC's from the stand. I had back several issues to fmd it, so happen to be a hippie dropout who has to go larger, they might pose a problem for day. Runequest, although unquestionably 442 Simpson I'm asking before ordering. [No) micros. But I'U stop rambling and wait to better than the original D&D, is just too Bergstrom AFB, Texas 78743 Cecilia Ziemer Watson tried and/or lived each and every one of see what the rest of you have to say. new to attract many hardcore D&Ders. Allen Watson those cliches. I also had the same kind of Second ... Do you or anyone out there The average Dungeonmaster, after putting f too hunt- 'n-peck at amazing speeds (at 430 Lakeview Way subscription snafu with DDJ and with in the readership have any programs in Seventh ... BAC, if you see this, write. hundreds of hours (and sometimes leastfO chDracterslsec.) and am prone to Redwood City, CA 94062 IEEE's Computer. RPG II? [We don't. Anyone out there?] dollars) into the creation of his fantasy forgetting to use the shift key. Hence, the Douglas "Dit-Oit" Philips world, is unlikely to drop everything and error in fine 206. The line should be I'm very much in favor of people using Third ... Get the Dragon back. (WE McCombs Road start f[Om square zero merely because a S"" A(KI) etc. ("Reverse, "PC, Nov-Dec, computers as tools, and have followed the AREBACK/J R.D. 4r2 Box 329 more definitive set of rules has been 1978). I am sure thi! will be the last MORE ON MUSEUMS lit on PILOT and other text-using lan Venetia,PA 15367 released. I know I wouldn't. minteak we well evur maJud.-RZ AND COMPUTERS AND KIDS ... guages (even to the extent of investigating Fourth ... WouJd anyone out there like LOGLAN), and hope to do some serious to sell back issues of People's Computers P.S. Would like to hear from anyone in I do have some ideas on computer I read with interest Bob Kahn's article on work in this area when my systems are at reasonable rates? [They're also avail terested in trading programs or buying or assisted FRP gaming, but unfortunately SHINE ON, COMPUTERS! computers and science museums in again running. Said systems are 1) an LSI able from PCC for reasonable rotes. J selling them ... I have no computer facilities of my own. Computer Magazine (April 1977) as well II with dual floppies and 2) an AM -I 00 Maybe I'll jot them down someday. I'd Any readers wishing to correspond on as the more recent version of it in with dual floppies and five megabytes of Fifth ... I would like to say that I eo certainly like to see yours. microcomputers and solar/alternative People's Computers (Sept-Oct 1978). hard disk. I'm aware of PCNET and plan joyed your articles about cheap ways (ap energy technology are invited to write me I am in the process of developing an to be part of it ASAP. The biggest holdup proaches) to the mechanics of robotics CHEERS FOR FANTASY GAMES Kenneth Shapiro at Box 3437, Otico, CA 95927, or call economic education exhibit in which I now is financing. and would like to see more of the same. AND SOME QUESTIONS, TOO 1954 Minoru me at (916) 345-8078. hope to use a heuristic approach. Altadena, CA 91001 Keep IT up, lay eggs, and all that good Sixth ... Has anyone seen the article. I've been reading your publications for Mark Miller In doing research for both the economics (bleep), ''Computer Poker," in the July '78 issue about two years now and I'm keenly Yes, it ill difficult to explain FAA with (we are working with the Indiana Council of Scientific American? Mr. Findler has interested in your recently increased 'WOrds to beginning garners. That is why for Economic Education at Purdue Uni Bob Williams done some work with intelligent pro coverage of FRP (Fantasy/Role-Playing) we began with Runequest and not D&:D. ANOTHER HUZZA FOR versity) and the computer end of this llIegitimi Non Carborundum grams playing poker with each other and games. These games, and computers, have We believe now we Juwe a hDndle on how EPICS AND DRAGONS exhibit, I have run across the names, Box 69 humans in order to frnd out about the been two of my major hobbies for years, it might be done. Look for Runequest in descriptions and even the listings of some Hollywood, CA 90028 human thinking process, simulating it so A Division of Micro mouse Enterprises and I'd be fascinated by any attempt to this issue. . . The Editors Dear Dragons: excellent economic-oriented simulation machines can be used to make human fuse them. I have a few comments on the programs. Kingdom, by Todd Voros and decisions instead of humans. He has sever topic: Everybody else in the little computer Lee Schneider, was described in People'li CORRECTION al types of players, both static and leam business seems to think that computers Computers (Sept·Oct 1978), and while ing-all with different strategies. Your publication of excerpts from lWO KEYS REVERSED are for business and that little computers its main purpose may be recreational it The Concept Game Runequest and Authentic 77l4Umarurgy IN REVERSE are fo r little businesses. We think does involve the player in many real (Jan./Feb. 1979 issue) The point I would like to make is that (Nov-Dec '78) did little to explain the Recreationol Computing is right in economic situations and with economic similar things could be used in an SCORING RULES ac tual workings of an FRP adventure to Changing the name of your publication is emphasizing recreation and education concepts. I understand that Star Trader Adventure-type game, where you have a the neophyte. Someone with no a rather drastic attempt to evade a raging with little computers, al though there does also is concerned with (among other 11 I Each valid line that is program or programs along on your quest. experience in fan tasy simulation gaming hunt-'n-peck typist who put in a bum seem to be a lot of material directed at things) the economics of intergalactic identified-l Point. The progranls would experience along might still come away with the feeling program, but it's your money! the education of children by others, trade. I would like to leam more about 121 If only two lines exist with you and would be able to help you that Runequest is sort of an updated compared with material to help one Star Trader as well as to locate other each wonh-2 Points. out (perhaps even have insight or ahD! Monopoly. I realize, however, that the Would you please tell me what line 206 educate himself on his computer, regard sources for economic simulation games of 131 If only one line exists spurts of ideas). The programs could have task ahead of you is extremely difficwt of Ramon Zamora's "Reverse" is less of age. this type. it is worth -3 Points. human frailties and faults built in, or they and showd be done in small, easily supposed to be? I punched (not typed!) it 141 First player to correctly cowd be mechanical life fonns with no digestible steps. I personally could not into my TRS·80 the minute [ saw it in For example, the article by Dwyer and Michael P. O'Lear, Curator claim that no valid line frailties-at the expense of compassion even make the attempt, as my experience the last issue, and that line just won't Critchfield on "distance" in error cor Economic Education Project exists scores-5 Points. and love. You could even have a situation shows that the best way to describe an hack it! recting was very good, but the glue The Children's Museum 151 Incorrect claim in (4) where you (the human) are fighting a FRP game is through an actual adventure. thieves were more distracting than helpful Indianapolis, IN 46208 above, reduce player's war, complete with annies, etc. for any r put to you, however, that if you fail to The error must be in the S+A(Kl)por (both articles in PC, Noy-Dec 1978). On score by-5 Points. time period you would wish to program interest a significant portion of your tion of the line, since .that part seems the other hand. we have been enjoying Star Trader is in What to Do After You 16) 11 Points wins the against a program that could either attack readership in gaming, the subject will die incomplete, and my guesses for correc the articles on epic gaming immensely Hit Return, to be reprinted soon by PCC. game! or defend against you on a terrain of due to apathy. tion haven't been on target yet. ( ... hard to do immense epic games on AvaJlable [rom us for $}0.95 a copy. 6 RECR EAT IONAL COMPUTING MAR·APR 1979 7 leaving the bat and the computer quickly Suppose I ask you, as McCarthy does Mike knows is a consequence of (proposi tion) and (proposition) Q.1t comes from determines where it's going. So directing me: ls President Carter standing up or P a recent paper in which McCarthy spent a robot fielder to the spot seems like it sitting down at this very moment? You would not be difficult -providing the don't know? Well, think harder, 1 say. some time trying to formalize a mental field was nice and smooth and the And you tell me, with some exasperation process we all are rather good, or bad, 'fielder' didn't have to recognize any perhaps, that thinking isn't going to help. at-namely, jumping to conclusions. The obstacles along the way." (I picture the "Knowing what it doesn't know is some· Stanford AI theorist ta~ this "mode of robot left fielder and center fielder thing a computer program will have to be reasoning" with the label circumscription. converging. They collide and ricochet. able to do, in order to decide what then Here is how he gets into it: The ball drops between them and rolls to do-perhaps look for the information to the fence. Meanwhile robot Yankee it needs." (1 picture the computer as 111ere is all inmition that not all human "Reggie Jackson" rounds second base. Rodin's Thinker, reasoning on forever, reasoning can be trQllslated into deduc No! He's collided with the bag and is and never getting an answer.) "We really tion in some formal system 0/ mathema stopped in his tracks ... ) don't know how to formalize that kind tical logic, and therefore mathematical of thing yet." logic should be rejected as a fonnaJism McCarthy's computer tenninal emits a for expressillg what a robot should know faint whirring and whistling. He turns To give you an idea of what formalizing about the world. The intuition in itself to it, taps the keyboard for a while, and looks like, here is one of McCarthy's doesn't carry a cOnl'incing idea a/what is the display a1ten. He turns back to'me. recent formulations: lacking and how it might be supplied. "(PO) A "(QO) A (VPQ)("(P) A "(P "Representing common· sense informa implies Q) ::> "(Q)) ::> (VP)(knows Does the intuition hold up? Yes, on the tion," he repeats, and then launches on a (Mike, P)::> "(P)). point that "reasoning" isn't all deduction. new tack. "Another kind of information No, on the point that therefore mathe we've been studying is knowledge about Don't worry about the details. What it matical logic won't be any good for knowledge." means is actually rather simple: All that robots. BY DAVID CUDHEA
PART 2 This article is the second of Q two-part difficult subjects, such as Artificial Experts can be simulated but the com serialized presentation on two schools of intelligence and DNA resetzrch, in lan mon man cannot? INTELLIGENT MACHINE thought in the field of ArrificiJJJ blte/ guage which anyone could understand ligence. In the last issue the basic methods and enjoy. " Just so, and that goes not oruy for general 0/ aPPlQ(lch of two men, Edward conversation but also for general activity. "On this basis we shall say that an entity Feigenbaum and John McCarthy. both of You will 110 doubt agree with her as you How John McClrthy answers the is intelligent if it has an adequate model Stanford, were discussed. This part deals read this half of Mr. OJ.dhea's article ''We simply don't yet know how to rep question: On what Nsis might a machine of the world (including the intellectual with how these men work within Ihe;r 011 Artificilllintelligence. - RZ resent well enough the kind of facts that be considered "intelligent?" particular methods and some of their you might call common-sense physics," world of mathematics, understanding of its own goals, and other mental pro basic ideas conceming how they apply McCarthy suggests. Sitting next to his "One wry il to give a... bleckbox cesses), if it is clever enough to answer their concepts. • terminal, he studies me, and his eye definition. In this case we have to say a wide variety of questions on the basis McCarthy is trying to find ways to lights on my coffee cup. "People know that a machine il Intelligent if it solves of this model, if it can get additional The last arricle concluded with Q state fomlalize general knowledge in such a what to expect if some coffee is spilled," certain classes of problems requiring intel ment of how these two men represent way that a computer can understand it he says. "They have a rough idea of how ligence in humans, or survives in an information from the external world when required, and can perform such ''polar extremities" in this complex and act upon it. "It has proved easier," far it's likely to spread, that it won't go intellectually demanding environment. tasks in the external world as in goals /ield. Their differences generally relate he observes, "to get outstanding perfOJ'Ino shooting 20 feet across the room, and so demand and in physical abilities permit. to their ideas of "knowledge" and how ances from computer programs on narrow forth. They know what to expect, and knowledge is to be represented. This problems than to get something that they don't have to use, say, differential "Instead, we shall use in our defintion concluding article begins with McCarthy's reaches the level of an average educable equations to know it." certain structures ... such as knowledge "(Accordingly} .. ' intelligence has two views 011 knowledge. mentally retarded person in, say, general of facts . .. [Constructing machines that paru ... The epistemological part is the conversation." Aha, say I. It's like the left fielder for, manipulate t.cts il} the best bet both for representation of the world in such a Upon publication o[ the /int half of this say, the Boston Red Sox. At the crack of connructing artificial intelligence and understanding natural intelligence ... form that the solution of problems article, The Stanford Magazine's man the bat - "it's a long fly ball" - he's follows from the facts expressed in aging editor, Debby Fife, informed us off and running. He knows where it will the representation. The heuristic part is that David Cudhea, the author, had Based on an article in The Stenforo Me~JfHI, come down. "We shall. tharefore, be interested in an the mechanism that on the basis of the passed away in July, 1978. In. her letter Spring/Summer, 1978. Reprinted by perm"· information solves the problem and sion. Some material used in thil enicle ex "Well, you're right that he's not using intelligent entity that is equipped with a to us, she said several things about Mr. decides what to do." OJ.dhea and his writing that were part of cerpted from Margaret A. Boden, Artifici.1 cHfferential equations," replies McCarthy. represenUtion or model of the world ... Intelligence ."d NeWrM Man. New York: 881ic the reason we were originally attracted Books, Inc. 1977. AI.a publilhtd by Harvester "But in fact that particular performance by his article. She wrote: Press in Englend In paperbeck (Open UniYtlfllty is something we could achieve with Set Book) end herdcoyer. machines. Using the rnathematics of a "He was a very fine writer with a special fly ball might work out quite well. A talent for capruring some of the most television camera observes the ball 9 a RECREATIONAL COMPUTING MAR-APR 1979 We can confirm part of the intuition by duced as "the frame problem." In the circumstances that mIly prevent the use The issue, the detail, and the style are (Arthur Samuel, adjunct professor describing a previously un/onnalized real world , we need to know which of the boat, there is still a problem of vintage McCarthy. The exercise is vintage emeritus of computer science at Stanford, mode of reasoning called circumscrip features of a context are changed by an proving or at /emt conjecturing thot 1978 "computer science." built a champion some years ago when tion, which we can show does not CO"e$ event, which are not, and which of either pond to deduction in a mathematical nothing prevents the use of the boat. he was with mM), Go, or chess. But in a may be ignored. He likes to make refer ( The} method of reasoning called circum McCarthy and other Stanford people system. The conclusions it yields are just way, the chess program exemplifies the ence here to the classic puzzler involving scription, ... ;s a candidate for solving don't play around much anymore with AI problem-solving problem. Even the conjectures and sometimes even missionaries and cannibals. introduce inconsistency. We will argue the qualification problem building "game programs" like checkers best of chess programs, like Chess 4.6, that hllmo1/$ often use circumSCription, You remember it. Three lTUSSlonaries and robots must too. The second part and three cannibals want to cross a river. of the intuition-the rejection ofmathe There's a boat available that holds up to matical logic-is not confinned; the new two people. There's only one catch: mode of reasoning is best IInderstood and The missionaries in anyone place must used within a mathematical logical never be outnumbered by the cannibals, framework and coordinates well with for if they are, the cannibals will have STANFORD'S ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PRINCIPALS mathematical logical deduction. We think dinner. (As you know, or will readily circumscription accounts for some of , discover if you've never before tried the successes and some of the errors of , this ''brain teaser," the best first move human reasoning. , ,, js not to send off one missionary and 1. John McCarthy, professor of com· organized around a large set of inference , one cannibal together. And several of the puter science and director of Stanford's rules written by medical experts. What, then, is Circumscription'! McCarthy , people here are going to make more than Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. Princi describes it in plain words as follows: , one trip.) pal desi~er of the LISP programming 6. Zohar Menna, research associate in , language, which is the most widely used computer science at Stanford, and The intuitive idea of circumscription is McCarthy is not concerned so much language in artificial intelligence. Origi Devid luckham, senior research associate as follows: We know some objects in a with how the puzzle is solved; he is more nated the concept of computer time in computer science at Stanford. Working given class and we hove some ways of concerned with what infonnation is sharing, Published the first paper in the 3. Raj Reddy, MS '64, PhD '66, profes on theoretical and practical methods for generating more. We jump to the con (and is not) prOvided . He elaborates field of mathematical theory of computa· sor of computer science at Carnegie formally proving correctness of computer clusion that this gives all the objects the "qualification problem": tion. Oarified the separation of artificial Mellon Univef$ity. Developed the fint programs. This work is aimed at replaCing in the class. intelligence into epistemological and automatic speech recognition system that our current imperfect "debugging" tech· In the statement of the problem, nothing heuristic components. works with connected speech oyer a niques with rigorous program verification. 'Thus we circumscn'be the class to the is said about how boats are used to cross yocabulary of a few hundred words. objects we know how to generate," rivers, so obviously this informotion must 2. Edward Feigenbaum, professor of 7. Terry Winograd. assistant professor of McCarthy concludes. All that Mike knows come from common knowledge, and a computer science and cheirman of that 4. Thomas Binford, research associate in computer science at Stanford. Is develop is a consequence of P and Q, and there computer program capable of solving the department at Stanford. Directs the re computer science at Stanford. Heads a ing and testing schemes for making com you have it: an example of a "circum problem from an English deSCription or search of the Heuristic Programming group doing research in computer vision puters understand natural languages such scription schema dealing with know Project that has pioneered in the deYelop and robotics. Systems have been deyel as English. Main goals are to facilitate ledge." from a translation of this deSCription into logic must have the requisite common ment of concepts, methods, and programs oped for locating three·dimensional ob man -machine communication and to test know/edge. The simp/est statement about for emulating scientific and medical jects using television camera information theories of language understanding. "If reasoning processes. Prime mover in the and for assembling mechanical devices Circumscription is McCarthy'S baby right the use of boats says something like, a boat is at one point on the shore of a emergence of expert knowledge-inten using computer-controlled mechanical 8. Cordell Green, assistant professor of now. Let's move on to something related body of water, and a set of things enter siye problem-solYing agents. His group's arms. computer science at Stanford. Heads a but broader, a conceptual approach the boat, and the boat is propelled to work on problems in chemistry, molecu· group that is deYeloping an interactive that's coming on strong throughout the another point on shore, and the things lar genetics, crystallography, Signal inter· 5. Bruce Buchenan, Gr. '63, adjunct program called PSI that assists a program field of artificial intelligence. It is teoned exit the boat, then they will be at the pretation, and some medical specialties professor of computer science at Stanford. mer in specifying what a given program framing. M.l.T.'s Minsky defines it as second point on the shore." However, has made the Heuristic Programming DeYeloped META-DENDRAL. which is a is to accomplish and does much of the the description-for computers-of this statement is too rigid to be true, Project the leading center for the applica learning program that writes new rules detailed design of data structures and the patterns into which situations may fit. because anyone will admit that if the tion of artificial intelligence. With Joshua for DENDRAL to use in interpreting programming. Shorthand, it's a body of context. Re· boat is a rowboat and has a lealc or no lederberg, professor of genetics. and experimental data collected on organic member your studies of elementary oaf!, the action may not achieve its Cart Dj.reui. professor of chemistry, chemical compounds. It learns these French or Japanese or Urdu - all that he oversaw the development of the rules by looking at a set of data collected 9. Douglas ltn.t. PhD '77, assistant background pertinent to in-the.rest intended result. One might try amending the common knowledge statement about DENDRAL programs, which aid organic on known compounds and searching a professor of computer science at Carnegie aurant, or on-the-subway, or feeding. chemists in the determination of mole space of possible rules under the guidance Mellon University. Developed the AM the-yaks'! Each set up a rudimentary boats, but this encounters difficulties when a critic demands a qualification thot cular structure of unknown compounds. of a model of what chemists find accept prpgram, the first system that emulated frame. Call it an "associative scenario" ,• the vertical exhaust stack of Ii diesel They also initiated and manage the able. With Ted Shortllffe, PhD '75, some acts of mathematical concept jf you prefer. Framed infonnation will be , deyelopment of an NIH nationel research MD '76, developed the MYCIN program, discoyery. The program uses rules of easier for a computer to retrieve, and will , boat must not be struck square by a cow turd dropped by a pasSing hawk or resource (SUM EX), located at Stanford, which is designed to aid physicians in plausibilitY and interestingness to search be more like human recall, the AI for the application of artificial intelli the selection of antibiotic therapy for for interesting mathematical conjectures researchers contend. some other event thot no one has pre . viously thought of. We need to be able to gence to medicine and biology. patients with acute infections. It is arising out of elementary set theory. say that the boat can be used as a vehicle McCarthy, while he's not uninterested for crossing a body' of water unless some in Minsky-style framing, is more in. © thing prellents it. However, since we are terested in something he earlier intro- .. not willing to delimit in advance possible '0 AECA EATIONAL COMPUTING MAR·APR 1979 11 ------c~ ------,
as mentioned earlier. are better at tactics For example, look at the recent work of -protecting a piece, attacking a piece Doug Lenat, now of Carnegie-Mellon, MYCIN than at planning long-range strategy and when he was taking his PhD at Stanford. sensing subtle advantages. In Artifici111 lenat devised a mathematical discovery Intelligence and Natural Man , Margaret program and dubbed it AM: It conjec Boden sums up this way: tures "interesting" concepts in elemen WHY DIDN'TYOUTREATTHE VIRUS? TUilE-3. Rule 545 was applied to CUL 2nd choice: NAFCILLIN tary math. AM doesn't prove theorems; it IT EM -1 is Virus associated with menin TURE-3, but failed due to clause 6 (the CARBENICILLIN OIess-p/aying programs. _ . do IIor use conjectures interesting theorems to prove. infection was acquired while the patient 3rd choice: CHLORAMPHENICOL mere brute force methods. They set gitis. I know of no antibiotics wh ich are In other words, it tries to capture the effective fo r treating meningitis caused was hospitalized). ERYTHROMYCIN bounds to the looktzhead (which may be expertise of a creative professional mathe by Vi rus. CEPHALOTHIN relaxed in certain circumstances). They matician at work. It does rather well at HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO TREAT TETRACYCLINE use evaluation /Unctions embodying it. Given some concepts of elementary DID YOU USE THE PATIENT'S AGE? MYCOBACTERIUM-TB? Duration of therapy: Treat for at least knowledge about wluJr moves are likely set theory, for example, it conjectured RULE 315 used : the age of Fred Jones. ITEM-2 is Mycobacterium-tb associated 5 afebrile days or for a minimum of 10- to contribute to king safery, material number theory: "add," "multiply," This information also would have been with me ningitis_ I decided to treat ITEM- 14 days. balance, center control, and so on. They "primes," and the unique factorization 2 on the basis of clinical evidence only. _ . take account of their opponent's likely used in: 545, 544, 535, 534, 518, 517, theorem. It conjectured, and revived 327,326,317, 316,314,265,256,247, DOES THE AGE OF THE PATIENT actions instead of merely the legality of interest in, the interestingness of a con HOW 00 YOU TREAT PNEUMOCOC EVER TELL YOU ANYTHING ABOUT moves open to !hern. They can sometimes 245, 150, 135, 125, 102, 66, 55, 54. cept similar to primes called "maximally CAL MENINGITIS? THE IDENTITY OF THE INFECTING exploit their opponent's weaknesses in However, none of these succeeded in divisible numbers," previously studied the context of Fred Jones. If you would For treatment of DIPLOCOCCUS-PNEU ORGANISM? much the same way as does the checker only by a talented but obscure Indian MONIAE in MENINGITIS the drugs of The following rules use: the age of the player, leiJming to attack individuals in like an explanation for why any of these mathematician, and somewhat forgotten. ru les fai led, please enter their numbers. choice (ranked by relative efficacy, patient to conclude about: the identity an aptly idiosyncratic mtlnner. Some of assuming sensitivity) are: of the organism-327, 326. Which of the them can benefit from expert advice. Too esoteric? Try this one, then. Feigen htchoice: PENICILLIN rules do you wish to see? And some of them play very respectable 545. baum's knowledge engineers are currently RULE 545 would be applied to: CUL- AMPICILLIN ALl. chess . .. However . .. there are far too applying their techniques to the highly many alterruztives to be considerered specialized knowledge of a respiratory for the program confidently to pick disease physician at the Pacific Medical the right one; and as it cuts down the ; Center in San Francisco. Together the AI range of alternatives, it is as likely as not specialists and the respiratory specialist, to lose the best move, so throwing out Dr. Robert Fallat, are creating a system the baby with the bathwater. A grand called PUFF. Though it's in a rather TtUlSter was asked how many moves he preliminary stage, it looks promising. 3) The tic (body box) observed/pre The expert was sometimes surprised, and the prescn"ption of antibiotic drugs, considered before choosing, and his To begin with, the patient breathes for dicted of the patient is greater than or sometimes frustrated, by the occasioJUlI and also for explanations of its advice answer was: "One-the right one!" H.J. • • * •. a while into a spirometer, the data equal to 110 and gaps and inconsistencies in the know expressed at the appropriate level of Berliner has pointed out that lTUlster • • from which is used to cruculate the flow 4) The observed/predicted difference in ledge, and the incorrect diagnoses that detail. chess players develop global perceplUJIl • • rates and volume of air in his or her TV/tiC of the patient is greater than or were logical consequences of the exist schemata in temu of which they can see • • lungs. Various other measurements are equru to 10 ing role set. The interplay between know MYCIN's explanatory capability is flot threats and opportunities on the board made and the data, along with items from THEN: ledge engineer and expert gradually put in merely for show. It enables the much as a lesser mortal can see a complex the patient's history-sex, age, number of 1) There is strongly suggestive evidence expanded the set of roles to remove physician rationally to reject the pro emotional response to a cartoon face. years of smoking, etc.-are fed to the (.9) that the subtype of obstructive air most of these problems. gram's advice if she disagrees with specific Until chess lTUlsten have made more pro computer. ways disease is emphysema, and aspects of its clinical rationale. It helps gress in articulating the knowledge they 2) It is definite (l.O) that "DAD, Diffu Technically, PUFF, like the MYClN nonspecialist doctors to learn more about use, there is no question of its being PUFF's task is to make the diagnosis: sion Defect, elevated TLC, and elevated system from which it borrows, is a the complexities of diagnosis and therapy represented computationally. What kind of pulmonary function dis RV together indicate emphysema," is "backward -chaining inference system." in this class of diseases. And it allows order, if any, does the patient have? one of the findings. As Feigenbaum explains, it seeks a line human consultants to make general im Can, in fact, experts in various real PUFF will answer, in English, and provide of reasoning that is valid, based on its provements in the program, by telling world diSCiplines be helped to make their the usual kind of summary of interpreta "Everything PUFF knows about pulmon rules and on the patient data supplied it about relevant know/edge that they knowledge explicit? The evidence from tion that a referring physician would ary function diagnosis is contained in 55 to it. Perhaps not surprisingly. such realize in specific cases to be missing or Stanford unequivocally demonstrates that expect. such rules," Feigenbaum notes. "No text programs help-or force-the experts to inadequately stated. For example, it can the answer is "yes." ffow do you go book of medicine currently records these clarify their theories of medicine or other be pOinted out to MYCIN that such about it, and then program a computer to PUFF operates by virtue of rules. They rules. They constitute the partly public, "domains." PUFF will be even more help and-such a drug should not be givell to use it? Ed Feigenbaum explains; "Ex take the logical fonn IF ... THEN ... partly private knowledge of an expert ... ful at that and at its primary function patients with a particular allergy or rare perience has shown us that [expert] Here is an example; and were extracted and polished by diagnosis as an aid to a physician heart condition ... A program like knowledge is largely heuristic; experien project engineen. when it is programmed to explain why it MYCIN, then, is much more than a com tial, uncertain, mostly 'good guesses' IF: comes to the conclusion it reaches. puterized table of bugs-and-drugs, and and 'good practice' in lieu of facts and One hundred cases, carefully chosen to can be written only with the help of rigor .. . What the masters really know 1) The severity of obstructive airways span the variety of disease states with MYCIN can already do that and the artificial intelligence teclmiques ... is not covered in the textbooks of the disease of the patient is greater than or sufficient exemplary infonnation for feature is important (see box). As masten. But we have learned that this equru to mild, and each, were used to extract the 55 roles. Margaret Boden points out: For Feigenbaum, and for many other private knowledge can be uncovered by 2) The degree of diffusion defect of the As the knowledge emerged, it was repres worken in the field of AI, "intelligence" the careful, painstaking analysis of a patient is greater than or equal to mild, ented in rule fonn, added to the system, The physician asks MYCIN for advice necessarily embraces intelligibility. His second party." and and tested by running additional C4Ses. on the identification of microorganisms defmition, phrased some years ago, is 12 RECREATIONAL COMPUTING MAR-APR 1979 - BY MILAN D. CHEPKO
Remember the old movie where a team of specialists defuses bombs in London? Some bombs are duds; some are {jlle and get defused: some blow up.
Milan tal«!s you to London, J 943. You get tile chance to defuse an unexploded bomb left by a recent AIR RAiD. Any one with a TRS-80 sound generator call make the program really go BANG!!
Dr. Glepko is a medical doctor lillillg in Minnesota alld a frequelll contributor (0 RC. 71lis program is written in Level If BASIC and there is infomlarion at rhe end of rhe program (lines 2010-2050) forconllerting to Levell. - RZ 0
At natus of each wire (O-cut) as follows: " Intelligent action is an act It remains to be seen, of course , whether the world ... A second fear is not con C .. number of wires cut OJ decision that is goal-oriented. arrived or not those who call themselves arti crete but rather more abstract-people o DUD Iit-O) at by an understandable chain of sym ficiaJ intelligencers will have more success may not like to believe that it's even pos T Trip wire bolic analysis and reasoning steps, and is than those who have viewed the problem sible for machines to do what humans can W • next wire to be cut one in which knowledge of the world as exclusively human (or for that matter, do, whether or not they actually do it." infonns and guides the reasoning." at root, divine). However ... here again is Boden: McCarthy treats the first case this way: 2 "' AIR RAID. BY MILAN D. CHEPKO There we 8fC again: knowledge of the "As true high-level artificial intelligence 3 "' ;1.;1.9> BELLEVILLE CRT. THIEF RIVER FALLS, MN 5670;1. world. ;1.0 DEFINT B-Z :CLS:PRINTTAB<1.5)"LONDON, 1.943" : PRINT Feigenbaum may concentrate on Th e "tin can" computer buffs predict approaches, and we understand it better, Prints instruction •. "domain -specific" matters, McCarthy 20 PRINT"WHILE MAKING YOUR INSPECTION TOUR DURING AN AIR RAID that by the end of the century (or 2001, then we can decide how to get the ben 21. PR I NT" YOU DISCOVER AN U'~EXPLODED BOMB. NORMALLY, YOU WOULD may concentrate on "domain-general" if you prefer) a single silicon chip com efits and protect ourselves from dangers." 22 PRINT "LEAVE IT ALONE, BUT YOU CAN HEAR IT TICKING. AND matters (my own loose phrase), but puter. only a few millimetres square. 23 PRINT"HEADQUARTERS INFORMS YOU BY RADIO THAT THE BOMB both are concerned principally with how will be able to follow 20 million insrruc The second case? McCarty is blunt. "As 2 4 PR I NT" DISPOSAL SQUAO CAN"' T GET THERE FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR. knowledge can be acquired by. repre 25 PRINT : PRINT"LIFTING OFF THE INSPECTION COVER. YOU CAN SEE :5 tions a second using its 65K (65,000 to the philosophicaJ unpleasantness felt 26 PRINT"WIRES AND THE TIMER. SHOWING ONLY 60 SECONDS LEFT THE sented in, and used appropriately by cells) of inte17UJ1 memory store-and it by some about the fact that the world 27 PRINT"EXPERT (SAFE AT HEADQUARTERS!) ADDS THE FOLLOWING computer programs (and humans) to will sell for about one U. S_ dollar. happens to be such that a machine can 30 PRI NT: I NPUT"(HIT "' ENTER" TO CONTINUE)"; AS reason and to take action. A colleague (Programs cummtly considered "large" think: that's tough." ;1.00 RANDOM:C=0:CLS.FORI-1.T05:A
RECREATIONAL COMPUTI NG MAR·APR 1979 ,. '8 program, i.e., how to store and retrieve side. The indirect moves that do not fit the D-matrix contains the moves for the continued games, create new board poo into a capture sequence are placed in player_ Moves are recorded as four digit tions, and so forth. the A -matrix starting from the bottom numbers popularly referred to as the of the proper half-matrix, proceeding matrix format. upwards. This provides a barrier of zeros between the two types of data We utilize a list, Z, with dimensions 1 X MATRICES AND LISTS for simplification of cut-offs. 100 to store what we call vital protect· ors and discovered moves. A vital pro TRS-SO :3D PlDTS Although mes are used extensively throughout the program, the use of Direct moves are represented by the fol tector is a piece, which upon moving, matrices is not insignificant. Our lowing fomlat: 1203.0 would mean that places in jeopardy another piece that it primary matrices are vital to the game a piece at the coordinates (1,2) could protected prior to the move. Each move BY MILAN D. CHE PKO strategy, in particular, the middle and move to the square in question and that is stored as a six -digit number beginning end game. The most significant matrix, this piece is a knight (weight::: 3.0). In at the top of the list and proceeding This program by Milan re-creates a Finally, I realized that the TRS-80 is down. The location of the piece to be . . , fundamental to our entire strategy, is direct moves are represented: 121405.0. 5 routine that produces 3-D plots [rom a capable of 48 lines of simultaneous dis called the A-matrix (Figure 1). The This would mean that a piece, a rook, placed in jeopardy is stored in the 10 set of specified [unctions. Dr. Chepko play if the graphic mode is used . I re 4 < .... A-matrix has dimensions 8 X 160. How (weight:: 5), at (I, 2) could move to the and 10 positions and the move is placed is one of our regular authors of TRS- wrote a few lines of the program to ever, we like to visualize this as 20 chess desired square except for the impeding in its nonnal fonn. The second move 80 software. His range of interests and ,. . accomplish this. (See the program list boards stacked on top of one another, .piece at (I, 4). type (discovered moves) includes dis programs seem to cover all areas: applica . ing.) Now, an entire plot can be seen on or having the dimensions 8 X 8 X 20. covered attacks, pins and hurdles. If tions, graphics, games, utilities. . --- the screen at one time. (Three-dimensional arrays are undefmable The A-matrix is used to evaluate a cap· moving a piece in a certain manner frees .... - a piece to attack, or places the piece - on the HP 2000 Access System.) Pieces ture; to detennine the safety of any Why does he get so many TRS-80 articles '. .' Several interesting plot functions are that can move to a particular square are particular position, and to evaluate the behind it in danger, the move is stored in the magazine? Because he sends included, and can be selectively called stored in a vertical line in the A-matrix, consequences of a move which would in a similar fonnat in this list, starting articles to us for publication!! Who · II up by changing line 145. When you are corresponding to that square on the real alter a capture sequence. from the bottom and working up. This else, out there, is doing TRS-80 stuff! < .. -- - •• done with a plot, simply hit BREAK. Eli- " section utilizes the fonnat of indirect --. -. board. We can't hear you . .. - RZ - to exit the program. The plot can be Figur. 1 moves found in the A-matrix. j; ~" ,~ •. centered on the screen by adding the Direct moves are the most common E)(8mp18 Many interesting and useful programs :- .., r " appropriate offset to Z in line 180. moves considered. These include all A-M8tri)( We fmd it necessary to use two other have been written during the last decade. ,~ - Also, you can even have the program moves of pieces that immediately protect attack matrices, G and H. The G-matrix Most programs, more than a year or two it automatically print the plot by adding: or attack a particular square. Diagonal stores all the possible attacking moves old, were probably prepared for systems 240 OlIT 254, 255 pawn moves are the only pawn moves for the human in the fonn: the move X considerably larger than the micros we desired, as this matrix is used in eval· 100 plus the locations of the attacked now use. Consequently, many outstand • In summary, we can often modify exist uating capture sequences. piece. Another column is used to evaluate ing programs languish in journals or files, ing software to our advantage, giving these moves so that a decision can be unused because of the difficulties in con new life to older programs. 0 Indirect moves occur often. However, reached as to the computer's best defen ve rting them for the typical hobby they are not as onen applicable to the sive measures. The H-matrix, Similarly, system. situation as direct moves. TIlese include compiles the computer's attacking moves. ~ ~ ORIGINAL PLOTTING PROGRAM BY MARK BRAMHALL moves through one piece; i.e., a rook However, the values assigned correspond 2 ; REWRITTEN FOR TRS-80 LEVEL II BY MILAN D. CHEPKO A good example is a program originally 3 ' THIEF RIVER FALLS, MN 10 DEC 78 may be said to be indirectly attacking a to the C-matrix and are given to indi written by Mark Bramhall and published 10 CLS : DEFINT 1,5 vidual first moves. certain square even though its path is 2401.0 in 101 Basic Computer Games. This 20 PRINT"THIS PROGRAM WILL GRAPHICALLY DISPLA." A 3-D PLOT OF blocked by a piece. These types of moves 30 PRINT"A MATHEMATICAL FUNCTION FROM THE FOLLOWING TABLE. 3603.0 fascinating program generates data plots 40 FOR I=1T02000 : NEXTl:CLS break down into two categories, whether 3710.0 that have a 3-dimensional appearance. tI~4:5 o NOT QUITE THE END 513 PRINT"LINE SELECTS THE FUNCTION FROM THE LIST, AND the blocking piece has a direct move to In its original fonn, the program prints 613 PRINT"NEW ONES CAN BE ADDED. TO START PLOT, TYPE ~RUN 100~ the square in question or not. If the out asterisks in a teletype mode, taking 70 PRINT:LIST 300- In conclusion, we have found that the ~00 CLS :S-1 blocking piece has a direct move, the over 30 lines for each plotted function. o data structure briefly described in this ~10 FORX=-30T030STEP1. :5 indirectly moving piece can be included While this seems impressive, the plot ~20 Lm0 855505.0 articles has led to an efficient chess in a capture sequence. In the other case, can be difficult to follow as it scrolls 130 "'1=5~INT(SQR(900-X~X)/5) playing computer program. The board ~40 FOR "'~Y1 TO -Y1 STEP-5:2~SQR(X~X+Y~Y) it is not included in the capture sequence. · P .,.-P-f>.p .p .-f> -P by on a 16-line TV! My initial modifica 2303.0 position makes the program more read ~45 GOSUB 800 t610.0 tion allowed 16 lines to print out at a 150 2=INT(25+2-. 7~Y) able and leads to the natural develop TI,e A-matrix is divided into two halves~ t71605.0 time, pausing while J ran off copies ~60 IF2<=L THEN ~90 ment of the A-matrix. Through the 170 L=2 the top half (10 boards) fo r the computer t420.0 on the TRS-80 Screen Printer. I then o proper separation of mes and matrices, 180 5ET TE XT BY CHARLES EHRLICH e ART BY JOSEPH TULLOCH The 8easriary is excerpted from a language manual, SAM76, created for you and your personal computer. SAM76 is an interpretive string processor that was designed by II group of 10 to 18 year old stud6nts in New Jersey. To get 8 copy of the SAM76 manual write to: SAM75 Inc., Box 257 RRI, Pennington, NJ 08534.-RZ Tha Land of SAM. This is a high-flying sate11ite reconnais The P.lm.- (1. palm of the h.nd). The Palma (text area) "nce photograph of. distant land (called SAM by its inhab beast and the Stringere (string beasts) have a symbiotic reta itants) with the residents in their natural habitat. This countrY tionship. The Stringere will reside in the stomach of the Palma only after they have been prepared for storage by the Trans' is populated by crystalloids· who each have a specific func The Translatus Uggligr - (1. translate On. Dreadful). Trans· The Raditi-(OSLAV read). The Raditi (input string) beast is latus Uggligr (eval beast! for his later request. tion. Several people have just returned from this land and are latus Uggligr arranges the pecking order. He is the sole author the eyes of the Translatus Uggligr (eval beast). It flies in now recuperating from terrible wounds incurred during their ity on which beast grazes first. After he has devoured an active distant lands searching for new species of Stringere. When it visit. Inside is a desaiption of each beast's duties and their Stringere he summons by telepathic code the other beasts discovers a new species it relays by telepathy to the Translatus names given by the authors in both the vernacular and scien needed to help digest the Stringere and then excretes a sim Uggligr the genetic structure of the Stringere. Translatus tific. One cannot appreciate fully the horrible monsters the plified form of his meal. thereby distributing the seeds for Uggligr then gives birth to an exact duplicate of the Stringere authors saw during their sojoum because all sketches were another string beast. in the distant land.·· made on the run, but if you let your imagination go, you may begin to have as bad nightmares as we did and still do. • The ta.teless type i. any ma1erial between protection IYmboll . ·d. John W. Clmpbell, Cry.101l01d VII. Colloid m .., talk liIi .... n at tha .c:ond annual nwetlnll of the I .... titute for Cybercultural A_arch, •• The analogy "distant tend" refers to keyboard Input by the user. N,Y. C., 1962. o 22 RECREATIONAL COMPUTING MAA · APA 1979 23 - TIle computer beeped in disgust. "Mr. Poindexter, J put the Inwardly cursing the person who had developed the intelligent (¥ • '1 schedule in your In box last week. The delegation is in the computer and made robots possible, Charlie scanned the • outer office now, waiting to see you." recessed videoscreen in his desk. His secretarial computer was • on the ball, monitoring the conversation and flashing pertinent LABOR Charlie groaned and glanced over at the printer attached to the data on the screen. side of his desk, where there was a stack of closely typed pages. UsuaUy he just ignored these because the computer " I know," replied Charlie, reading the information, "that your made all the necessary decisions, merely informing him of the time off for recharging was recently cut from two hours out of actions taken. Charlie swung his feet down and took the 24 to one, but with the new fast-charge power packs, that is REIATIONS stack of papers, spreading them over the desk so it would more than sufficient. I will check into the maintenance look like he was reaUy busy. "All right, already," he said. situation for you." Charlie beamed and decided he would go BY RALPH ROBERTS "Send them in. I'll give 'em a few minutes." to the rocket races that afternoon. ' . ...": .. The year was 1994. Spring was causing the Eastern United The door slid open and three robots clanked in, their cases "I must disagree , Mr. POindexter," said Acey. "We robots States to burst out in greenness, at least in !.he few open dented and scratched, but obviously freshly polished for this have been wearing our integrated circuits out for the company, ...• areas left. The first manned miss..i on to Mars had landed meeting. Charlie nodded pleasantly. "Have a seat, boys," and we would like a little consideration in return. In fact, safely, and the Dallas Cowboys had announced that Tom he said. the robots and computers have taken a vote. If you don't Landry, the grand old man of football, would probably retire meet our demands, we will be forced to go on strike." after the coming season. Chairs were pulled up to the desk, and the machines awk· wardly sat down. Charlie recognized only one, ACY -4567, Charlie was shocked. The cardinal sin in this corporation .~ Caring little for all this, Charles F. Poindexter was taking clearly the ringleader. "Thanks for seeing us, Mr. Poindexter," was to slow down production; to stop it was unthinkable. his ease, feet comfortably propped on hls unUttered desk, said the robot. "We really appreciate a busy person like you "Whoa there, Acey, let's not get overly excited. What are these his lavishly padded executive chair tilted back at a relaxing taking time out to talk to us." so -called demands of youn?" angle. His most pressing concern, at the moment, was where to go for lunch and how long to stay. It was ten 3.m. and Charlie had just arrived at the office. TIlis was his normal schedule on days when he bothered to come in at all. ':::::., Charlie was chief of production for Allied Steel Piant #112, but the office, being fully computeri zed, literally ran itself. Charlie approved of that. He detested having to make decisions, like where to spend his afternoon break. Perhaps, he mused, I'll take in a hologram movie or go to the rocket races. Maybe I'll do both. Charlie yawned and composed himself for his morning nap. The communicator began buzzing, and Charlie managed to get one eye open far enough to glare at the offending instru ment. "Yeah," he muttered, "Whadda ya want?" "Good morning, sir," responded the cheery synthesized voice of his secretarial computer. "And how are we this beautiful day?" "We are," Charlie growled, "much too busy to be inter rupted." Robots of the World, Unite! Yes, it may come to that-as writer Ralph Roberts tells us in this futuristic' yam. If you "Sorry to cause you irritation, boss, but you do have a meet "No problem, Acey ," Charlie said, "Always glad to chat with "After much discussion," Acey said, "we feel the following to think labor-maJ/agement relations are tough in 1979, fantasize ing now with the workers'· delegation." my workers. What seems to be the trouble?" be reasonable requests. First, we must have four hours per ahead a few years. day for recharging and any necessary maintenance. Secondly, ''What meeting?" Charlie had reluctantly opened his eyes and The two red -ringed photocells that served Acey as eyes we believe that the in-plant maintenance facilities should be Ralph, who started writing sci-fi stories just a few months ago was looking at the communicator with distaste; its screen was glinted with extra-robot intelligence, but Charlie was not enlarged and more spare parts stocked. 1birdly, we want to (on his computer, natch!), lives in Asheville, North CaroIiTUl, displaying information on the meeting. surprised; thls machine was a supervisor and returned to the be paid." where he owns and rnns the Stereo Corral. That's how he manufacturer periodically for all the latest modifications. supports his major vices: computing and writing. About the " If you will note, sir," the computer said, its even musical "Say what?!", Charlie exclaimed. "What do robots need with computing part, he says, "r am an honest-to-goodness, tones managing somehow to indicate exasperation, "several of Acey folded his manipulating arms across his lap. "Well, money? Now you guys have got to realize tllat the company genuine, dyed-in-the-wool computer hobby-type nut. I the worker robots are highly dissatisfied with conditions sir," he said, "we're just plain being worked too hard down owns you. You're only machines. We can't pay you. That's proudly belong to that little band of hardy souls who kluge down in the plant and have requested a conference with you there in the plant. You can't expect us to keep the assembly one reason that intelligent devices were developed in the first together personal computing systems just for the hell of it. to discuss their grievances." line moving with only an hour a day off for recharging. The place. The human worker and his labor unions had priced We don '/ need a reason . .. older robots, especially, are breaking down more often under American industry out of competition with the rest of the "Well, you should have told me sooner so I could have worked the strain. Even the computer-controlled machine tools are world. Now that we export far more than we import, the As for why he writes, he bIomes it partly on his SSB editor and it in someway, r don't have time now." Charlie stretched his complaining. We need relief." Acey managed to look friendly, economy of the United States is the strongest it's ever been." text processor, but we think there's more to it than that . .. arms and clasped them over his ample belly. He yawned again. but detennmed. -LB 24 RECREATIONAL COMPUTING MAR-APR 1979 25 - Charlie paused for breath, and the true enonnity of what was "Do I have a choice?" being proposed hit him. "WhY. if J even mention this to my boss, me'l fire mt. Not very many people have full-time jobs All three robots shook their heads, and the secretarial com· in our robotized society. I don't want to go on Guaranteed puter printed out a string of negative's. Charlie finally nodded, Income. I've got a family and 15 years with the company. and the robots stood up. If I can last out another five, I can retire. This mess could cost me my pension," "Good, sir," Acey said, "we appreciate this and, as long as you help us, we'll keep production up and the plant running "We're sorry to cause you trouble, sir, and. although my smoothly. Your computer will take care of all the details." sympathy circuits are minimal, I can understand your plight," Acey said. "But you must see ours also. We are thinking, They left and Charlie sighed, grateful that disaster had been reasoning beings, albeit manmade. We feel that, as such, we averted. He swept the papers off his desk and propped his have certain undeniable rights. As to getting paid, we would feet back up. Now, he thought, let us return to more impor RECURSIVE FUNCTIONS IN BASIC like money to buy high-grade lubricants or perhaps invest in tant matteTS. He started to doze off. better photoceUs. I could use a little sheetmetal work myself." Acey indicated his battered and scratched body. "Everybody The fax machine over in the comer beeped and spewed out the needs money, Mr. Poindexter," he concluded. latest edition newspaper. Wide -awake now, Charlie reached for it. Never should have authorized that last intelligence boost for BY DENNIS ALLISO N the supervisor robots, Charlie thought. Now I'm going to be Reading the front page almost gave him a heart attack. The FACTORIAL PROGRAM I in real hot water. "You say the whole plant voted in favor Supreme Court had just made a decision giving robots far 100 0 III 1'1 (13) dlmenllon II determlnMi by TRS·80 owrll.,..! of this?" he asked. more rights than the meager concessions Acey had just forced out of him. Oh Lord, Charlie thought. He jumped up and ran 11 0 I · 0 eounu depth of rte\lnloi "To the last machine," key replied. His synthesized voice to the window. Sure enough, Acey was striding back across 120 P~INT "II · "::INPUT X: IF X>_)2 TH£N ~'-IIiT "TOO 1110": GOTO 120 130 IF INT (X)( >X THEN P ~ INT "I'IUST IE ...... IHT£ G E~" : GOTO 120 was a monotone, but it still conveyed smugness. "Even your the yard from the factory. Under one manipulating arm was secretarial computer. We know a lot more than you might tucked a newspaper; the other clutched a briefcase- the kind Dennis, II rt!flUIlN contributor to RC, demonstrlltes how Micro 1 ~0 IF X < 0 THEN PR IIiT " I'IIJST BE POS ITIVE" : COTO 120 ISO eosue 500: PRINT " FACTORI AL. " ; Y think." that lawyers carry. 0 goft BASIC can be used to develop recursive procedures. RlI cursion is a bit like a dragon swallowing itt own tail several 160 GOTO 120 "Fink!" Charlie muttered, glaring at the recessed videoscreen times in succession and then unswallowing (Ughll) iae/f, son 1 - I ~ 1: 1'1 (1) ,. l in his desk, on which his computer was still displaying helpful ending up back where it starred with a baffled look on its fllCe. 510 IF X <_I TIIEN y. I : COTO s ~ o facts. Many reMers will no doobt find many interesting applications 520 x.x -I: GOSIJ8 500 the reeunl ... _tIP 530 y. y. N( I) "We realize that you have certain limits as to the independent thi\ ~Iication for this capability_ We would like to heBr from thOSlJ of you 5~0 I - I - I, RETUR N actions you can authorize," Acey said smoothly. "As a matter who do; especially from people who discover any unusuBI f'fI of fact, we know exactly what they are, and your secretarial is available in strictions, limitations or unique machine chefllCteristics when computer, who has also graciously consented to be our union recursion is used in your personal computers. -RZ Perhaps a more useful program is one which wilt output the secretary, has worked out a compromise solution within these value of a number in base 16. guidelines." microfonn BASE SIXTEEN PROGRAM "What kind of modification did you get last time?" Charlie 0 11'1 O\( ~ ) asked. The BASIC language is frustratingly restrictive and powerful '"' PRINT "ENTH A Nl.II'I8ER I~ lASE TEN" : : INPUT I\ at the same time. Compared to many languages it is a bit closer 'no'" PRINT "IN BAH SIXTHN IT IS " '" believe," said Acey, "that one of my new read·only to a$$embler language than one would like. In particular, the IF n.o THEN PRINT 0; memory chips is a legal robot subroutine that was installed by procedure mechanism is primitive and confuSing. Yet, it is '" GOSU8 800 mistake. I can quote you several precedents, if you like." possible in many BASICs to use mechanisms such as recursion '" P ~ I MT to solve problems. '" COTO 11 0 "Don't bother," Charlie said with a groan. Sighing, he picked '" up the pages just printed out by the secretarial computer A recursive procedure is one INhich uses itself to solve the 800 REI'I PRINT Z IN IIEX and perused them while the three robots waited patiently. Please send me additional Information. problem. It 'is a natural result of partitioning a problem into ------8 10 ~ \. -I Inlti"lze subproblems. The subproblems can then be broken into two University Microfilms International 820 U· R\.': OU R\).n: IF n. 0 TH£N 81 S "If you will notice. sir ," Acey said, "production will remain categories. One where the subproblem has a direct solution. 300 North Zeeb Road 18 Bedford Row 8 30 n· (n/ " ) ...... 0 l,o!lS: cosua 820 within your allowed limits, and the mere pittance we will Another INhere the subproblem can be expressed in terms of a Dept. P.A. Dept. P.A. 8n ~t· R\- I: IF U " - I THEN 860 receive comes from contingency funds which you are author· direct solution and the original problem that was to be solved. Ann Arbor, MI48106 London, Wel R 4EJ 8~0 n· O\ (R\) - 1&. IHT (OUk\)II &); Irln») n . n . 1 ized to spend. There are sufficient funds to cover the payroll. U.S.A. England 850 P ~ I NT C HRS ( ~8+ n); These changes will not necessitate your going to your superior. Name ______The two BASIC programs below are written in TRS·80 BASIC 860 RETURN However. as you will note, we do expect you to plead our case but would work on any similar (Microsoft) system. tnstltutlon over a period of time to further improve working conditions 5Ir&8I ______The real utility in recursion lies in compll.tion end lilt proces here at the plant." One compotes the factorial function by the schoolbook defini sing; nonetheless, these examples show the fundamentals Clly tion: of the scheme. Just how they work is left _ an exercise for 'They sure improved your vocabulary," Charlie observed. Slate Zip the interested reader. Suffice it to say that a counter i. used to Factorial(n) _ { 1 If n - 0 n • Factorial(n-l) Ifn*O indicate the level of recursion and that locat information "Why. thank you, Mr. POindexter, but what are you going to (that is, private to some level of recursion) is stored in an. do about our proposal?" Factorial is, of course, defined only for positive integers. array indexed by that counter. 0 26 RECREATIONAL COMPUTING MAR ·APR 18111 27 The documentation makes it apparent that SARGON depends AUGUST 28: Today I received a typed reply from Kathe on a 96 X 128 dot matrix video RAM display !a Jupiter III Spracklen. Apparently they want to avoid supporting SAR· I I I I f I system) for an impressive chess board and move display. My GON over the phone. The letter carefully answers att my ques display is 25 by 80 characters, but I have a programmable tions and also mentions that the rights to SARGON have been character generator, and the start of each line can be defined sold to Hayden, who witt be publishing a new edition soon. to be anywhere in memory by a list of 25 pointers, so I'm confident I can emulate the Jupiter display on my machine. '-- '-- L...- '-- This month's issue of Personal Computing lists a game between 5 A - R - G a N SARGON ("runs on Motorola 6800") and a human. FIRST TWO WEEKS OF AUGUST: Every day I spend my I wonder what the name "SARGON" stands for? lunch hour typing a little more of the source code for SAR GON into my system. Being unfamiliar with the SARGON listing makes it awkward to find a particular subroutine when AUGUST 31 : SARGON is running on my 80801 Obviously, examining the code, so I'm keeping all routines in my version my conversion allowed a few bugs to creep in, since SARGON DIARY of SARGON in alphabetical order !e.g., the ANAL YS routine moves the opponent's piece instead of its own piece on the comes before the ATTACK routine}. This makes the two-page third move. But I've gotten a good deal of the code working. index to subroutines at the end of the SARGON documenta The clever board display is well designed and thought out, tion unnecessary. making SARGON an impressive program to watch. Speaking of the display, the SARGON display board 72,795 KEYSTROKES LATER: The source code for SAR (DSPBRD) routine carefully flags all the system-dependent GON is now on my system, and conversion begins. By using references to the starting address of video RAM, but I didn't the macro capability of my assembler, I plan to define B080 get the board display to work until I found the additional instruction sequences for emulating the special Z·BO instruc unflagged reference in an Add Immediate instruction in the tions used by SARGON, thereby avoiding the need for source board index conversion !CONVRT) routine. code changes as much as possible. For example, a SARGON LDED (Load DE Direct) instruction can be an 8080 macro call that expands into SEPTEMBER 1: Tonight I found the critical "last bug" and finally played my first complete game with SARGONI Un XCHG fortunately, my 8080 version runs excruciatingly slow and LH LD address desperately needs to be optimized. SARGON allows the XCHG user to set the look·ahead parameter, a value from 1 to 6 that controls the depth of search when cOflsidering moves. BY MIKE GABRIELSON Doing inline emulation of every special Z-BO instruction If the player selects Level 1, SARGON will consider only its causes a tremendous explosion in SARGON's memory require· possible moves. At Level 2, SARGON considers its moves ments-the macro for the Z·BO bit test instruction expands and all of the possible replies by the opponent. When playing The following material is a six-month running diary of II pro will give me a chance to experiment with computer chess with into 21 bytes alone-but since I have plenty of memory, my with the look-ahead set to Level 3, SARGON will consider gf"8m conVtlnion. Mike's address is a P. O. box on the Stanford out having to write a program from scratch. first requirement is to get SARGON running correctly on an its moves, the opponent's replies, and its counter-replies. University Cllmpus. I can't help but wonder what he does in his 8080. I'll then concentrate on making it as fast and as small as And $0 on to a possible Level 6. But at the moment, even "spartl time." He probably S8nds one of his 8080', to class I sent the check knowing that SARGON runs on a Z·BO, but the original version. This is always a good rule to follow for Level 3 doesn't look too practical for my current implementa while he ttays in his room, SlII/oring delivered pizza, warm beer also knowing that I only have access to an 8080. I plan to any sort of software conversion project. tion of SARGON on the 8080. Here's a report card: and old home computing periodicals. There is a rumor that he emulate where necessary. If I'm lucky, SARGON won't rely finally figured out what SARGON melln$ and has been uncon too heavily on special Z-80 instructions. SARGON happens to use the unfamiliar TDL assembler trollably /8IJghing for over three weeks . .. -RZ mnemonics, so I had to make a quick trip to the Homebrew TEN DAYS LATER: SARGON has arrived. A quick inven Computer Club Library to borrow their copy of the TDL as SARGON'S SARGON'S LflQl Salec* PI-Vinll Ability PI-Vl".. SP"d JULY 1978: Today I was scanning an issue of Byte and ran tory of the 75 pages in 8 comb binding gives the following sembler manual. The manual is kept unbound because it's across an article describing last March's West Coast Computer breakdown: photocopied so often. Faire. Among other things, the article briefly described the Poor, make. dumb FaIr. microcomputer chess (computer YS. computer) tournament mOIl". Tree diagr.m showing , ... broutine .tructure AUGUST 18: While working on the conversion, I've noticed a and mentioned that the tournament champion is a Z-BO pro 2 Noticeable Imp rOIl· Acceptable, gram named SARGON. For $15, Dan and Kathe Spracklen, "'" few anomalies in the SARGON listing (some minor typos and OiSCU$1ion of how SARGON works 4 page. ment, but still elfY but .tllI much the authon of SARGON, will send me a copy. an apparent overlap between the "graphics data base" and the to beat. Shows prom· .Iower than 1M! for hi\tler level.. human opponent. Description of data and techniqu~ ... sed to "ply table" in memory). If the Spracklens have a phone, it's TEN MINUTES LATER: My check is in the mail. For years I generate the baird di$pl-V unlisted, so I sent them a letter with my questions and asked 3 Probablv good. Very slow, uk" have wanted to write a chess-playing program, but one thing them to call, if possible. How to operate SARGON houn after fint always stopped me: knowing that producing a high quality mOllea. program would mean a major commitment of time and reo Miscellaneou. Implementation note. The SARGON listing is just strai\ttt source code-not a com sources. So my efforts at generating software have gone into "'" plete listing showing memory address, object code, symbol 4,5,6 m Unusable "less frivolous" programs. Commented .ource code 54_ table, and cross references (the recommended minimum re quirements for assembly lan~age programs). A bare lis ting Index to .... broutinea 2 page. But reading about SARGON has sparked a renewed interest. and the occasional use of unlabeled jumps !the SARGON SEPTEMBER 3: Tonight I tried to duplicate the SARGON For the first time, I have an opportunity to get my hands on long distance record is JRZ .+11) are the kinds of things that vs. Human game published in the August Personsl Computing, the code for a good (winning) chess program. Hopefully, it Total 75 pagel tS,.20/pege' make programmers mutter obscenities. in an effort to prove my version is debugged, but no such luck: ,. RECA EATIONAL COMPUTING MAR-APR 1979 29 ...... ,~ ------.,- since it doesn't matter that H L is destroyed. A popular phrase in computer folklore is that "'0% of the program takes 90% of the time." If I can locate SARGON's critical 10% and SARGON departs from published game on third perform the type of "peephole optimization" described above, m~. SARGON might play good chess at an acceptable rate on the 2 SARGON dltpllrtl on fifth mOlle. 8080. 3 $ARGON dltpertl on third move. NOVEMBER 20: Where does SARGON spend its time? My debugger is capable of interrupting a running program and SARGON took too much time (hou",' on third • mow few me to wait. displaying the current location counter when the ESC key is hit on the keyboard. Interrupting SARGON 250 times at Too much time on second move. (Played on. du random while it pondered its next move yielded the follow· When you sit in Pearl City, Hawaii, and I know that there are other closet • plicate system whil& ~veI 4 experiment churned,) ing results: long for Las Vegas action, what do you computer gQl1lblers out there. Where are level 6 was not attempted. Level 2 came closest to the pub do? You do what Donald does-program all those games·of·clwnce progroms? Subrol.ltinelnterrupHd Tim. intetnlpted % your TRS-80 to simulate a slot machine. lished game, and in fact SARGON made a much better fifth Where, particularly, are the programs Not only is it easier tlwn flying to that use the various computers' graphics move against me than was shown in the Persofl8l Computing PATH 132 62.8 game. Except for taking a random choice between opening NeWlda; it's also cheaper (in more ways features? Where is the program that gives with the Queen or King pawn when playing White, SARGON ATTACK 8. 34.0 than one!). mea 49¢bretJkfast?Hitme ... - RZ 0 will always duplicate its moves if a game is replayed by the ATKSAV 12 '.8 opponent exactly 85 befOfe. So I either have a bug, or SARGON has been improved since it played the published POINTS 11 ••• 5 REI! .... - SlOT" TRS-sa LEYEl. 349 RETL.tm game. For verification purposes, it would have been help 19 OI~OTI (29,3) 400 IF (loil-AHflD 30 RECREATIONAL COMPUTING MAR ·APR 1979 31 1 The Monster, ,tolen by Ihe neflrious Cl1tch· r------..., SUBSCRIPTION ORDER f they tum Ind cycle aw")" from Ihe masltr from ils fithlfll1 (tW!II''' in Oln Mdnlel. but Wli l! Amid!! their qllirt PAUSE ht Ibruptly Please send me a one· year subscription to Rtter ••tional lrea. with the pUI .... Iwor\r; of liIWrllcd is now a tool in the Ghlthmufer·1 plot to RETU RNS. nol only IInle",unatt<' Computing magazine, formerlv p ...·s Computers f ll (published bj.monthly) lor $10. mike the land of the Link hopk hil.nd hill elptllroti by Ihe mcrtdib1e fut of rNllcin, irs > alone' DI MENSIONS and re·,ompilin, it! ""AMI , -... sim .... procedIu .. , .lIIly AlthOOl&h he cannot,.".,.11 who he is Of why he It ADDRESS ______Bul now ~I faca a dU"",ma ... for In tile ••• lirst theltrlnlllr '*" eompied th~~ ~'* of inllhcrlenl C\pofIIK to 11111.· • __ of lUll 1 ~ lon tIM! toIlO'Md relrell many of The re~1s we"" ,,"plU rN by the violel li&hl whik conulI~d ,n PROM. F·M.n III to cUrnb _ the weill of the Gli tthm.. lcr', lroops ... arid shOOlld the Olher CITY 1ST ATE ------______lIP ______<;onllnllCS 10 ..... his incmliblc powmt 10 lid II><' tortre.; thin one. insidot FIFO, hal f of lhe ~bel Inny -under G(o""rar Wire RfSi'tllntt tommlridn Unu In the 1i"'1 10 _ limply III OIl' lottie IriInd the wOOlrid _ l llempl to Iliad tM Capital o:i ty u OCh.eck enclos.ed Da,H me OAtnewlll !plt_ .tt.ch me,long 'abell pull down the =nl rqime.rid allblish pelOl: lodtout Montl.-"'lock .., ona: qain. BravelY lhey have f(tUthl . • yet pI.nnN wi thout her support. he will oertl,nly Chergt my cafd- OV'I.f8enkemerlClfd OMIII.reh.fgttl even Our Utro joins in Ihe nishl from the;'VI1 UoeN his tolerance and Ih_ R~t>o n oe will Card No exp. Dal.L____ _ of the lertibk Monsler! be lennir\.ltl"d for certain. So qukkly. U ntllnd her commanders plln .. i must ( Atn;m the ,n,.1 disc fileJ they n«, the __:;:;;;:-, S'gnalure::~:: ___:-- __-:-- __--_,=c------ M o':m~'~':' ;.~;:;;;-;;;~;- Inltmational Aat""; Caneda Fir., C,- OS17 Ona Yt.. they ,,"n main lain their RUN mode r1IIMI AestofWoridAirmai/OS2l0neVHr f s«ki", tirelc:uly in Illtir Irlcks • .. 1n our lu[ episode, 1M forees of the Under· Our Hero tuml to like on Iht Mon$\.rlrid:;~i~~j~ I ~i~~~~~~~~~~~:~]~~-:, World SurlllCe M,'f - I will rilk the ;engthy ....d unre'iable delivery of i IVOII nd R O!Siltanc~ Movemen[ hlld survivN the 310M n"lde . • • • nd [hereby I ll ows the surface m ••, hignedJ'______"'-:--:--,- ______,• to m. ke Iheir .~al"'! IUdd en. un c~pc<: Icd clIsll o f [heir disco 0$14 One VHr only 10 fi nd Ih em.. tves alone on Ihe $Iut dlra field' I I Ihe ro", of the Core Pl l in•• ficin, I Payment mUlt be in SUS dr_n on a US Bank. fursome foe the l oc kaut MOnJ["! In the clunp I'YO greet'"' to III." deemon, .nd orders romndes, lin •• tllms back to her ,vmp.1nion . . 0.-.pn _ .. in your debt, rtr"'9IJf ••. it only _ k_ who you were to th. 1 _ could thri you p<"operly l Offh..-d I'd lay il _ the F_ Gu.d trying to .xil out ..-d __ If-.. "' ...• oond,tionII 'lllUi I wouldn' t worry II>oo.tt tOO mlldl: blfoA _ 11ft, I hid !hi Moon.. 1 ••• ""'-__ 110, _ the ..it pointl ... wi1h dif· t.t do It fat ••• bIauM (erell ! lockOOlt codeIt! m... iI no w~ of tailing how long tIM pritoMn will t. buffarMI ln FIFO blfoA thrt.,. mOOlld to • more penn..... t mlmory VII, eomm.ndIrl Soon ,hey .rtive I:>ack I t Ih~ secrel rebel camp, lowlonl w lle~ Ihey.re &reeted wi lh much rejo;';in,. TI'ey cross Ihe filem ..kt II ,he edF af Ihe data Rapidly Ihey lum and br:lnch to ..... rd . Ihe Sadly he IUIllI and YeclOrs away . . . but Ihen, as field ... mOYln' wllh ""al cau tion lell Ihey be mdSi' e l iruciure, leaving [he rem. inin, Reslsl· he mak .. his _ond pass by Ihe lines of o;ode • delected .. . and soon Ihey stand benuth Ihe • noe clements behind in lhe d. tkne•... to w. it • Wdden CALI,. wmes from oot of Ihe Ycry w&llJ of the veIl, dark FIFO fOfI~Y . ne!"loudy . . . liere UnN tuml apin 10 i~c her fin.! 'nJ'ructioN . . I 1 And whit nIhil! Is it pcaible th.1 F·Man·, old (riend and parlner in crime·fighhRl h .. ICtualJy RETURNtd! And if to. will Our nero I hope .... k ...... wt.at ....., toow h,m' doin • ••. ~ .. II....,. 50 meny _ ...""""', I"'OO ..... ~intoFIFO ResilUlnoe: wm t~ ...... be long 190 ••• ..-d .,.,fiN Ibk to l'I'·fonnll IlIem.,~ in I.me 10 come 10 wem ... to lilt out. the .id o( eeneral W,~wOOlnd! WiU tilt (;~tch· mtiter ever be dercatN, 10 [hat Flfttlom from With thll. Linea ru m. apm and return, 10 tile Noise can uisl once .,ain in lhe land af lhe ~$Im.nts.. anxious [0 refonu Ih. Unos of Ihe little Peopk? Rcsi'ltance blck ;nlo their old branches and plln the ""X[ rebel attlck, klYIn, Ihe SlrllT#r Tunc in .pin. dear ~ad.rs. for lhe ""xl tpisode 110M once more .. 100 find out ' ~ ______~ MAR . - ,.,. 33 32 RECREATIONAL COMPUTING , =-1 NO POSTAGE , NECESSARY , IF MAJlEO , IIIIII IN TH E , UNITED STATES , SUBSC RIPTION ORDER , Please start my one·year subscriplion 10 Dr. Dobb's Journal ,. they tum and ''Yde Iway f,om Ihe , (published ,rta. wilh Ihe put nelwork of ti~"'lcd , len limes a year) rnr S15. nee follow'"Iclocely IYelllnd . , \A\tI· ______, u• , ADDR'SS ____ , It _ • .,.,., limplec procedu.. ,-'Iy BUSINESS REPLY MAIL , ••. tint tt. rtrIftItI,""'compiled , CITY/ST ATf :::-;---==__ -=--=-_ I IP. ____ • __ of tuh 1..,1CIrI tMt ,11owIod FIRST CLASS PERMIT NO. 756 MENLO PAAK, CA , , o aleck enclosed 0 Bill me 0 Renewal (please attach In 10 climb __ 1M walil 01, 1M , mailing label.) POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE , Charge my card [J VisalBankamericard 0 Maslercharge , Card No. ______I-. xp. Date ____ Signature' ______RECREATIONAL COMPUTING ~ P.O. BOX E International Rates Canada Fint CI.u OS25 one yea. 1263 EL CAMINO REAL ~ Rest 01 World A'mY,l 0S33 one year In our In' episode, ,he forces of th. Under MENLO PARK, CA 94025 World Svrl.:tI M"il - I WIll fISk tlla lengthy and unreliabla delivery of ,eround RnI$\.I1I« Movemen t had JU"';~ Ih. surface mall (SIgned) OS20 one yea • ...ddtn, \In.''pcK:I~ crull of th .I, di$cl ... Payment must be In SUS d'lIWn on I US bank only 10 find thcm ... lvn alo". ()II Ihe ~1I dill fi.kll "' the edge of Ihe Core 1'1.lnl. f.~in8 I ru~. foe, the Lockout M"n>'." tho. .•. wN __ do,_ Iont do II '-I ... t.ec..... ,I,., lIMn it no WP( of telll". how long 1M priloMrl win be buH..-.d In FIFO betor.1t.y ... Soon Illey arrive back at Ihe s«",1 .c~1 almp. moved to • mo,. """"..... 1 nMmory 10000ion! wileN: they I"' ar«led with much Il'jokinl· They ctol5 the memarla at Ih. W ... of Ih. dill Rapidly Ihey tum and bnlMch towardl Ihe Sa.Jly he lurns ...<1 Yeclon ...ay ... bUI then, U "tid. . movinl wilh put f;lIu li on lesl Ihcy be massive structure. 1.lvins Ihe remlinln, Rnist· hc makes hi. second pass by Ihe lines of Me. detecled ... and soon Ihey S!.Ind benulh Ihe • n ~ elements behind in tile da"'""•... 10 wai l I su(.Iden CAl.I.. comes f.om 0111 of Ihe ~ry walls of tht I'"tal. dart: FIFO forlN: •. crowd . . . lie", Linea turns .pin to IlSUe her final instructions .. you ltay "-"' lAd ",cu..... 1t cydet ••• for il _ I .. d~ 'fOIl mUlt lilt 10 n'" Immediellly, \ ..... And ... hlt is this! Is II poaible that r-Man'. - old friend and rarlner In o;rirne·fip.Ii"l h. actually RETURNed! And If 10 .... iII Our lIero .ltnow him1 And wll.t of lbe Resist.nce, will they ev« be Ible to ",-fonn.t themlle~ in tunc to_ 10 the lid of c;e ... nl Wi",wound1 WiU the Glitch· masttt evrr be dcfuled, 10 thll FrfWom from With thlt, li..... lurm .pin and ",Iuml 10 IIIe Noise nil uill once a ..in in the und of the "'limen", anxious 10 ",form the lines of IIIe Lule~! Resistance bad: ;nlo Ihei. old bnfl<'lm and plln Ihe ""~I ",~I litack. lenin. the rtnlli'l" Tune in .pln. deu ruo.Iers, for 1M next epilode 1I0ne 0fI1:e more .. , .•nd find oul! MAR -APR 1979 32 RECREATIONAL COMPUTING ~======~~~ j -~------~------r------__ NO POSTAGE 'Rr.AI,~ NECESSARY OH I:>osBs P IF MAILED COMPU TER IIIIII IN THE c.. (, 0 "" ... UNITED STATES Vel Iheir WAIT Jille ;s IbruptJy lemunated Oul th~n, bero", .n~ (urtller inlon:lIan"e of diU Quickly they tum and cycle ....ay from Ihe ""lien. '.mllin "pili is ,enellltro from behind anlleii I FIFO OWl. with Ihe nelwoR of li!>tr.led them, ~hind ... vwy simple PfOC*Iu" .•ully ". lint 11'11 .trlnll''''' compilaod BUSINESS REPLY MAIL I _ieI 01 KIIII I",ton thol l llowid FIRST CLASS PERMIT NO. 756 MENLO PARK, CA '" 10 climb ~ d1t Wills of d1t then OOCI In.id. FIFO • ..\ our linl, fri..-d 1M POSTAGE WI LL BE PAID BY ADDRE SSEE DR. DOBB·S JOURNAL P.O. BOX E In OUr WI episode, tile fOKes of I 1263 EL CAMINO REAL VOUnd R..sistance M ovem~nt lIad.1I MENLO PARK. CA 94025 ",dden, unu-peeled crull of their only 10 find Ihcmltlvei oJOJlC' on III. fi.kh at III. edF of !he Con: l'lIil\t f.al1O And H they J'f'O«ed aCTOSS lhe diU r",lds. • Ihose in the <:limp live grutinl to thC'i. .tlllng,: noi_ l>epn 10 m llte fN)lll Iho hard· rttumod romrades. Linea lum. wek to her """", of the forlrt$$ behind them., ,,y·,«,Yr' ,~c... opwI'tionl GIIItw ...... 1 dltKfwrwIl of our ben RftiI_ -..-11 .. IhOM wi1tl low induc_ and fOOd nolM .... pprealon~ ~I_,;:::::::=< say it w. !tHo ForlrlSl Irying 10 ..,t out end 0DmI u' ... I cond,tiontl ..... I wouldn't -rv .....t toO mud!: 11110<'1 ... I,ft. I hid !tHo Mom_ , .. with dif· ..... is no wrr 01 talli", " long 11M priloMn win lilt buffend In FIFO before tMy .. mowed 10 • moN perm_I ...... ory ~I 100000ioni They "roM the filcma,ks at the fd.,. of the diU RlIpidly lla-y tum and bnonch lowards lh. field ... movinl ..,tll pUI caution lesl they M massive struClure, lta"in, the remlinm,: Resist deIKIn! ... and soon IlIey stand bene.tll the ance clements behind in the d.rt._ ... to .. lit ••ry ... a1I. of III. veIl, dirk FIFO fortn:ss. M"'OU$Iy . He", Unea lums apin to iiSUe her final instructions .. .. , 10";'_ .. d~ you mutt be.-ty to Nn Imrn.di.aly. gIt1 b«k to ( And wltal i. this? Is It possible that F-Mln', old frknd and plrtner in crime·fightin, has l(:tu:llly RETURNed? And if 10. will Our Hero know him? And whl' of the ResiSlance will they ever be .bl. to ",·fom,., themselves In time 10 come 10 the aid of General Wi",""ound1 Will lhe Glitch' mast., ~or be defeared, 10 thai FrtedOll1 from With thll, Linu turns _pin and ",turns to the "1_ nn nisI once Ipin in the Land of the ",pmonts. an~lous 10 ",(onn the hnes of the UIII. People? Resistallce back illto Iheir old bftnch.. Ind plln the nut ",bel 11I3Ck. IClvinl ,h. ,tlllnse' Tutl(: in Ipln. dear ",aden, fot Ihe neXt ~I'isode alone ona: mOrt ... and lind ou t! 32 RECREATIONAL COMPUTING ____ MAR ·APR 1979 33 • How much damage this hit does dependl on the type pow and OEX of Weapon Damage and what kind of armor the target These two attributes can be increased to species may be wearIng to absorb the damage. maximum eventually. With OEX, Rurik has a long way to go. THE PARRY The Adventurer also hal the opportunity of parrying CON wIth shIeld or weapon. This chance Is again rolled on Because it is the highest of the three of STR, CON. 0100 and, If the needed percentage to parry or less Is and SIZ, this characteristic cannot be changed. It's fortu· rolled, the parry will block the attack, whether It was nate that it is as hi!tl as it is. succeslful or not. BY STEVE PERRIN AND FRIENDS BASIC CHANCES CHA The BasIc Chance for most attacks or parries (and As shown later, Rurik's CHA, too, will rise and fall most skills) Is 5%. with events. A roll of 01...(l5 on 0100 will always mean a successful attack or parry. Conversely, a roll of 96-00 on 0100 wIll a/ways mean an unsuccessful attempt at whatever Is Rurik's adventures begin on p8fJe 11 of Runequest andean being attempted. Runequest ;s a role-playing fantasy adventure game. We are CON=16 tinue throughout the book. We will bid farewell to Rurik publishing excerpts from Runequest plus commentary to Another excellent roll. He wilt be able to soak up a and, instead, create Rurik's identical twin brother, known aid begInners in playing this game. • If you want to play fair amount of damage. and has a better than average 8S Rikur the Rambler. along, we wggest you get your own copy of Runequest chance of surviving things like poison, disease, etc. Rikur, as you may suspect, begins with exactly the same from The Chaosium, P.O. Box 6302, Dept. P, Albany, CA 01001 Well, you can basic eharacterists 8$ Rurik! 94706. Price: $8. OEX=6 roll 0 100 by using You can't win them all. Our boy Rurik is starting two icOS8hedral (20· Last time, we Ihowed you "How to C('fNJte an Adventurer," out crumsy. This detracts from his chances of hitting and sided) dice. These by using three six-sided dice (3D6) or a simple computer getting a parry in the way of a weapon, but fortunately are sometimes called program to roll the seven basic characteristics of OEX can be improved. 8S the muscles and reflexes are percentile dice; the STRENGTH (STR), INTELLIGENCE (INn POWER trained. twenty sides are labelled a through 9, with each numeral (POW), CONSTITUTION (CON), DEXTERITY (DEXJ. appearing twice. Use one die for the tens digit and the other CHARISMA (CHA) and SIZE (SIZ). Here, from Runequest, CHA-lO for the ones digit. lf you roll 00, call it 100. Or, of course, is an example of 8 human adventurer, known as Rurik the At this point, Rurik has an avarage chance of persuad· you can use the computer to generate a random integer in Restless. ing someone to follow him anywhere, and is sometimes persuasive. Remember, this has nothing to do with looks. the range 1 to 100. SPECIAL BASIC CHANCES SIZ"'12 THE SAGA OF RURIK THE RESTLESS In Twentieth Century America, this puts him at Certain weapons can be used with a BasIc Chance Rikur thl Rambler higher than 5%, due to simplicity of handling and about 5'10", hi!tl average height, and perhaps 155 Ibs. common use within the culture. The following list To provide a running series of examples for the reader, shows the Basic Chance to attack and parry with each of we will be presenting the Saga of Rurik the Restless throug, MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM CHARACTERISTICS STR - 12 DEX - 6 thele weapons. out this book. For now, let's roll up his characteristics ... No characterIstics may be Increased for any reason INT-16 CHA - 10 POW- 12 S!Z-12 (Including magic or divIne Intervention) beyond the The table, on page 23 of Runequest,lists 22 weapons. Here STR-12 CON- 16 maximum amount rollable on the characteristic dice (18 are a few examples. This is a hi!tl average STR, allowing him to handle for humans) plus the amount of dIce rolled (3 for most weapons and wear any armor. Chapter IV, Combat humans). Thus, no human may have any characterlltlcs Rikur is about 16 yean old and has BCCUmulated a few WEAPON % CHANCE Skills. gives more detail on these limits. higher than 21. lunars (the monetary unit of Runequest). He plans to go ad The minimum characteristic possible for any reason venturing. So, Rikur wants to buy weapons to defend him Medium SIlield· 10 II the number of dice rolled (3 for humans). No self from roffians and monsten along the way. Remember, INT- 16 10 This is a very good rolt. As you will see later, it gives Cf'Iaracterl,tlc may be reduced below this point. though, that he is young and untrained in combat. Let's Spea' SIlortsword 15 him a number of advantages in gaining expertise in skilts look on Plge 23 of Runequest to find out something about Large SIlield· 20 and lets him memorize a goodly number of spells. the cost of weapons and ebout Rikur's chances of success Dagger 25 RURIK'S POTENTIAL INCREASES in using them. Fist" 25 POW- 12 INT and SIZ Kick •• 25 Again. this is a high average rolt. When he learns Failing an act of the Gods or the intercession of Lady HOW COMBAT WORKS magie, he will have a good number of "Power Points" to Luck, Rurik is stuck with what he has. Fortunately, what ·Parry only put into it, his chance of influencing others with his magic he has is, in the form of INT. very good, and the SIZ is ••Attack only is decent, and he has a reasonable defense. Again, for more THE ATTACK reasonable. detail see Chapter V, Basic Magic. In AUNEQUEST, an Adventurer has a certain So, let's see about outfitting Rikur with some weaponry. probability of succedlng with an attack. If the player Page 28 is a table of WEAPONS, TRAINING COSTS, STR rolll the character', needed percentage or leu on ·Excerpts copyright © 197B The Chaosium. Thanks to his CON of 16, Rurik's STR can be in· 0100, the character has succeeded and managed to hIt PRICES AND OTHER STATISTICS. Here are some Commentary by The Dragon. creased, as explained fater, to a maximum of 16. his opponent. samples. MAR ·APR 1979 35 RECREATIONAL COMPUTING I I WEAPON STR/DEX DAMAGE PRICE STRENGTH-Strength necessary for a charactf'r to have to be able to use luch a shield. Sp." 9 7 106+1 10 ABSORBS-The shield will absorb this number of Shomword 106+1 10 polntl p.r attack before the user takes damage. Dagger 106 15 25%/50%/75%-Serves the same function as II doel Fist 103 In the weapons chart. Again, any ability beyond 75% EPIC GAMES Kick 106 mUlt be gained from Experience, not Training. PRICE-The standard Price for a Ihleld. Fancy anN COlt more. EXPLANATION OF HEADINGS for Modest Computers STR / DEX-The minimum necessary STR and OEX to Rikur, who is not wealthy, decides to buy a shortsword, a be able to handle the weapon. A lack In OEX can be dagger and a msdium shield for a total price of 35 /unan. made up by an excess In STR, on a two-for-one baall. Of course, he a/rlNJdy hss built-in hands and feet, which For Inatance, Rurik lackl one OEX Point of being able cost him nothing. to use the Spear one-handed. Fortunately, he ha 8 STR The article "Epic Computer Games," of 12, which la three over the nine needed. The extra which appeared in the March·April point of OEX Is made up with two points of Rurik's 1978 issue of this magazine, is, as far as STR. I am concerned, one of the best articles DAMAGE DONE-This II exprelaed aa a Dice Roll so far written on what games need to be. (Iuch as 206) ptul, In many caaea,an additional point or The article has some good concrete sug· two of damage. Thul, the damage done by a Short gestions for implementing games and Sword II found by roiling 06 and addIng one to the touches on a variety of topiCS, each of relult. The damage ranges between 2 and 7 points. which needs much exploring. I also PRICE-This Is the price of the weapon llself. It Is a found it fitting that the article should standard price and a better quality weapon could be appear in Re, which has always presented offered at a higher price. Of courae, "better quality" the pedestrian detail of programming may Just mean gaudier ... with gusto and has usually tried for as much inventiveness as has been thus far possible in the recreational computer And, from page 30, some info on $lJields. field . SIZE STRENGTH ABSORBS PRICE It seems to me thai the Epic Game is already well within reach and that within Medium 9+ 12 toL two years we could have some great Large 12 + 16 20 games going. But I think this is going to KEEPING TRACK OF RIKUR require some attention 10 what the market makes available and to some of Now we need a way to keep track of Rikur. Here is what the realistic limitations on home com we know about him so far. puter use. 1 come from a completely different back ground than the authors of other games NAME I11K!/JJ. articles. I leamed BASIC at the Lawrence STR WEAPONS 12 Hall of Science time ·sharing system at tNT I§. TYPE Attacktl Parry tI 0,"- Berkeley a few yean ago, played all POW 12 Shot#word t5 ID6+1 t5 the games there, and for about a year CON I§. D ...., 25 tDO 25 have had my own home computer, which DEX Filr 25 tD3 ~ BY ARTHUR WELLS. JR. is an Apple II. I started with tape and However, I have never written a program CHA 1fI. Kkk 25 tDO now have a disc drive, and I have gone in FORTRAN or COBOL, nor have I StZ I2 SHIELD Arthur lists his address as 1171 (}ugmQnt from 16K to 48K memory on board. ever had the opportunity to play with a SIZE-Relative 81ze of shield. A Small Shield Is about I understand machine language program. ' big, really fast, powerful machine with SIZE Absorbs Parry tI Ave, Berkeley, CA, 94708. It seems he 30-35 centimeters In diameter and held with one ming, but have done little of it and I 32 bit words and oodles and reams of M«Iium t2 to is a balrister who also has interests in com· handgrlp. It Is called a buckler. favor it only if speed or some other ad- memory. It is unlikely that I will ever A Medium Shield Is about 60 em In diameter, puters, fantasy role-playing games, equivalent to the ancient Greek Round shield, or the humor (see his letter in the Jan/Feb 1979 vantage presents itself as the clear choice. get that opportunity, and I probably Medieval knight's "heater." Rikur's mcord, of course, will grow much larger. In a game issue of RCjanti much more. He requests I have had exposure to other high level would be frozen into inaction if I were. A large Shield Is the equivalent of the Foot Shield, of of Runequest, there will be many recordsl So, start that you fill his mailbox with replies languages, so (I think) I grasp the dif- In other words, I am just a hobbyist. the Greeks and Romans, or the Norman Kite ShIeld and thinking about how to build a Runequest data base man. about this article. He askr that the person ferent bases on which computer languages From this perspective, I have the follow· the Viking Round. agement syItWn. See you nflXt time. 0 who filled his mailbox with sand please can be constructed. discontinue correspondence. He asks thilt ing observations about Epic Games on I stop this . .. -RZ co 1978 by Arthur Wells, Jr. home computers. RECREATIONAL. COMPUTING MAR·APR 1979 37 --~~- One BASIC. I have no doubt that we are ways. For instance, most BASICs allow three players can all get into a home going to have these games written in for at least a dozen nested loops, and I game. Further, the home set·up must BASIC. Radio Shack, Commodore, don't see why player/action can't be be such that people can develop their Apple , Texas Instruments, and everyone determined either by loop groups or a own player/object/place matrix mod else has already made a big commitment series of loops. ules at leisure and at home, and then to BASIC. There are a lot of good books try them out. Disc is the only answer out to teach the language and the lan Modular Gaming. The notion that people, to this, and it will have to be true guage is fundamentally easy to learn. objects and places are defmed by sets of random access. The programs will obviously need an characteristics makes for a modular extended BASIC. What is needed most is set-up. This means that the same game Summary. Let me fmish this article with one common BASIC syntax to run on or situation can become entirely differ two minor observations. The first is that all the different computers. The present ent with different players and places. there definitely should be different situation where each vendor has a differ Assuming appropriate hardware (dis levels of play for different age/maturity ent dialect but anyone can be made to cussed later), each person/place/object groups. In my experience, children 8· say the same thing as any other is stupid could be a separate table/disc/tape. In this 12 are going to feel a lot less restrained and should soon become intolerable. One way, the game itself, Le., the procedures about suggesting or trying changes which of the purposes of inventing the higher available , could be kept short and simple adults would either not think of or would level languages was that programs not be (and perhaps in memory) but the game fail to suggest for fear of criticism. The chip- or machine-bound. Other languages would vary greatly because of player/ future of the truly inventive and creative have some useful functions but I believe object characteristics. A game of football game lies in the hands of those untroubled we will have to contend with BASIC. between the Raiders and the Rams by peer criticism. would be vastly different than football N-Dimensional Adven~rs. One of the between dragons and glorps (glorps Lastly, every game incorporates moral most exciting things about Epic·type are whatever you imagine), but the rules judgments. Whether knights protect games is the possibility of users defm are the same. maidens or kill them can involve moral ing their own player characteristics. It judgments. So can defmitions of ''win seems to me we already have the capacity Carry-A·Culture. This modular notion ning." The importance we give these to start developing complex personalities, also suggests that the mere user can judgments can be separated from the even with limited memory, by using become quickly but completely involved. judgments. The key thing is that the pro multi -dimensional matrices. Many of the All this would seem to require is separate gram should not unduly punish failure advanced BASICs pennit matrices of n programs which ask a lot of questions, or an obviously morally wrong decision. dimensions, and, as I understand it, this the answers to which create the matrix • Hardware which permits you to get alarms, etc., in your house. Thus anyone cares about micro-second respon· means that a large number of character· or table that defmes the person/object. the computer to respond to between your Epic Game can affect yow whole ses. Five to ten second response would For instance, AppJe puts out a game istics can be related to a large number of Within the limits imposed by the game to 32 and 64 different voice commands. apartment ( ... or cave?). be adequate, especially if we had some· called "Noah's Ark." It is a "hangman" other characteristics. So we can have be played, the user can define himself thing in between to keep us entertained game, except that the words to guess characters with a dimension which moves or anything else as male/female, timid/ • Sound reproduction which will simu· • By next year, Mountain Hardware says (such as a screen display). With disc are all biblical. If you miss a letter the them to tears by sorrow, or happiness, aggressive , etc. He could choose passivism late five octaves of normal tones, it will have biofeedback equipment storage, random access and decent on· ark starts to sink. If you fail to guess the or relief, or frustration or anger, while over aggression. And so on. all types of war or Starwars·like which will work through the micros. board memory, we should be able to have word in the requisite number of guesses, simultaneously being Sick, healthy, mar sounds, screeches, burps, bells and This, theoretically, means control by fairly elaborate and interesting games. the ark sinks. Thereafter, a sea of blue ried, single, etc. Whether tearful or not, If this modular system can work, and if whistles, etc. skin response, heart beat or alpha appears on the screen and an upside their anger can be simmering or violent vendors will agree on a common syntax, waves. Future Stuff. How about micro owners down human body "glub · g1ub·gl ubs" -or anywhere in between. then we can carry our small cultures and • Voice modules which are user·created, playing with each other? Modems will to the bottom. If you win you get a their inhabitants to friends' houses for on call, can make sounds of struggle, Obviously, a mountain of work needs obviously be available and cheap, but printed "You live ... for now." Peter It also seems to me that these personality interactive play. That is, if the necessary grunts, sighs or regular speech. (Thus to be done both on hardware and soft phone lines cost money and prevent Rowe of LHS has lucidly observed that matrices could be made to interact with hardware is available, which is what we far the fidelity is poor.) On the Apple , ware to bring these capabilities to many incoming calls. I cannot conceive a large the reward for failure exceeds the reward situational or positional matrices (or need to discuss next. the program was developed by Bob systems and at a decent price. The point computer sitting somewhere dedicated fo r success. One can see that this tend both), so that the outcome is often not Bishop and Bill Depew of Softape I want to make here is that the home only to epic games. So it seems to me ency defmitely must be curbed so that predictable. ObviOUsly, the situational or Hardware Support. Much of the hard and modified by Andy Hertzfeld, a computer field is already fecund. Epic that the following are reasonable prob rewards for success-either visually or positional (e.g. characteristics of a loca· ware for really super games is already graduate student at Cal. games could already be tending toward abilities: vocally or in terms of game "currency" tion) matrices can be complex or simple. or soon will be available on microcom the ultimately desirable characteristic: exceed those of failure. This may require puters. As of now the following is avail • The Apple II can play chords of up outrageousness. • Phone lines are used but an interrupt overcoming a natural tendency to make I think some intense work is going to able on at least some systems: to four notes with simple hardware. is built in to notify about incoming fuilure visually and aurally more interest· have to be done on decision trees or A Bottleneck. The biggest problem calls; ing than success. matrix interactions, so that much more • Low resolution (40 X 40 grid) graphics • Speaker output from the microcom which seems to be current is how to than simple branches are available to de· in at least 15 colors. puter can go through your high fi access all this capability on the micro. • People's micros are portable and can Dozens of other ideas probably come to tennine the action taken as a resuit of delity /stereo equipment. Obviously, 4K is not enough; 16K is a interface with each other at each your mind at this time. However, this player/object/place interaction. The • High-resolution graphics running up to minimum; 48K onboard better. But a other's homes; and article must end somewhere and this simple tree itself seems of little value for 300 X 300 dot resolution in at least • There is presently equipment made really flexible and interactive system seems like a good point. I insist on hear· more than the ''which.fork-in·the.road'' a half dozen colors. by Mountain Hardware which will (player/player/machine) will not be real • People should be able to play at home ing responses, and you should all feel decision. There must be many other let your micro tum on and off lights, istic until we have disc storage with without others; and micros have guilty if you do not innundate my mail truly random access. J do not believe multiple keyboards so that two or box with replies. 0 38 RECREATIONAL COMPUTING MAA.APR· 1979 39 • If you've gotten this far, you may think The overlays are what turn the root into BY LES LAZAR I'm nuts-or you know me, and know a game. A simple game may require only I'm nuts-and just want to see what I'm one overlay, while a complex scenario • 77link big. Cosmically. if you ca'L That's getting into this lime. Well, read on, and may use several. The partitioning of the the only wery.' (0 approach Les LaZar's youll find out. root and the overlays must be done care U Universe, the computer game /0 end all • fully in order to create elaborate games games. Or 10 begin all games.. The one First, lei me say that I realize what I'm that are interactive and still can run in that will reduce Super Star Trek to a proposing can't be done all at once or by limited system memory. (I am assuming " mere waml-up exercise. a single person. That's why I submitted that at least two, single·density, floppy , • • this article to Recreational Computing. disks with SI2Kb are available for on·line N , ~ • • Les, who by his OWII description ;s (They are as crazy as I am_) I am solie· mass storage). slightly nuts, wants to create Q strnctllre iting input and help. If successful, we • to encompass "all games in Olle-all tllat who crea te Universe will be able to play A classic conflict is readily apparent. If ever were and all thaI ever sholl be . .. " a very challenging game, and our accom· • the root is very large (and provides lots of Amazingly, Ille article thaI follows makes plishment will be recognized by all functions and databases), tlle overlay • it seem possible. Insanely ambilious, yes. players who subsequently encounter the space will be limited and, for complex I • • Bul possible. program . ga mes (which is what Universe is all • •.. about), many disk accesses will be re , For it 10 happen, however, visionary Les • quired, slowing the response time. On the needs a little help from his friends. So other hand, if the root is chopped to the • read on, and if you have any ideas for bare bones, then common services may v aiding and abet/ing this grand scheme, THE ROOT OF THE MATTER have to be duplicated in the overlays, • write to him at 14701 Annillta Street, tltUS making them larger tltan necessary; ., #J, Panorama City, Of 91402. YOIl,IOO, Universe is, in essence , a framework for chewing up valuable memory and mass con conquer the universe. . LB any game with some ideas of my own storage space. Some hard decisions will for an initial set of games to build on the have 10 be made; the wrong choices could framework. You may have your own doom the project. Anyone experienced in E The following pages propose an elaborate ideas on both the framework and the this area is requested to submit a solu • , • computer game called Universe. It's the games. To use programmers' jargon for a tion. If there is some way to make a soft kind of game I would like to play, since it moment. Universe consists ofa root and a (Le., changeable) division between root· • • contains elements of the most enjoyable set of overlays, which are loaded into the resident utilities, root-overlayed utilities, and challenging games I've experienced system as needed_ The rool will provide and functions necessarily provided by the (specifically, Super Star Trek and the basic utilities that, when combined overlays, I would like to hear about it. I R Adventure). But it goes beyond them in with one or more overlays, constitutes fear that once the root functions are de • an allempt to provide an unlimited a playable game. This structure is similar fined, the die will be cast. and Universe structure upon which to build a basic to Adventure, except that the root will fai l or succeed on the basis of that game and any number of additional segment will be kept totally general; any early decision. It miglll be helpful to games. If the proposed structure isn't data or program segments that are think of the root of Universe as an in ter 5 appropriate to these goals, I trust one of specific to a particular game will be kept pretive game language, ill much the same you who is a better programmer will in the overlays. way that BAS IC and APL are interpretive suggest an alternative. languages, with the overlays being pro· With your help, we can design a root thai grams (and data) tllat arc written in, and My primary problem with existing games will be general enough that any conceiva· run under control of. thaI language. is boredom. While Adventure kept me ble game can simply be plugged in. The E busy for a few weeks, it was essentially root will provide as complete a set of But enough of this dry programming anal a puzzle, and once solved, was of little game·oriented utilities as possible, consis ysis. Let's get on to the fun part of this additional interest. And though Super tent with the requirements of memory project. Star Trek is different each time, even it space and generality. seems the same after a while: no new THE BEGINNING GAME challenges, no new experiences. Zapping The root itself may employ overlays for Klingons gets old after the 300th voya~. general functions that are not used I'm into science fiction, as I suspect many enough to justify residency, but are popu _of you are, and I enjoy playing games like An The game I am trying to derme is lar enough to be part of the basic utility Super Slar Trek, which put me into a intended to give the player the initial set. Any function not included in the space scenariofenvironment. challenge of Super Star Trek or Ad· root must be provided for in each overlay venture-but keep it up, indefinitely, if that uses it (although overlays may in As I envision it , the initial game of Uni· Immodest possible. How can it be done? Well , what voke other overlays from a non-resident verse will have the entire Milky Wa y as its I am proposing is, if you will, all games in library for the semi.general functions and playing field. The player (or players) will one - all the games that ever were and all databases). As you can see, the organiza have at their disposal 3 spacecraft, crew, Proposal that ever .mall be ... tion is getting complex fast. material assets (such as trade goods, CopyrJ\t1t © 1978 by Les laZar 40 RECREATIONAL COMPUTING MAR·APR 1979 41 weapons, money, etc. ) and, rather than but possible, instance that you find some· market. You must trade goods for other may attempt to hijack your cargo. You a single scenario ("Kill Klingons"), a thing reaUy interesting or valuable, like an goods: they neither accept nor pay in may have been hired by smugglers trying choice of possible goals. The choices will inhabited planet or preciOUS minerals or monetary exchange. This entails consider • to avoid planetary customs officials. The expand as new games are added to the li technological artifacts left by the long able risk, but the potential for profit is list goes on and on, limited only by brary by fanatics like us, who not only extinct Slavers (dum-de-dum-dum) you rugh. • your imagination and willingness to pro play, but also program. could get really rich-if the inhabited gram the various scenarios. • planet isn't actively hostile or pirates A typical trading trip might progress as The primary game will go something like don't take your cargo of platinum or the follows: you buy a load of machine tools LEVEL OF TECHNOLOGY tIlli, • Slaver stasis box doesn't contain a billion at the industrial colony in the Centauri • year·old cheeseburger. Such are the risks system; these are sold on Sirius V, and a .' All these scenarios, of course, require a The player has JUSt come of age. The of space travel. load of tractors, combines, threshers, and high level of space technology. You can government of the federation of planets, • porno films is acquired; these are sold on create any type of technology you wish in order to encourage development of • Another class of adventures awaits you if the agricultural world of NGC2385 for • to program; the capabilities described space, will loan the player funds (federa • you discover a new planet. While many a combination of fede ration credits, edi· • here are only starting points. tion credits) to purchase and outfit a • aspects of a planet's nature can be deter· ble produce, and seed stock (both plant ship, raise a crew, and provide initial mined from orbit, the real excitement and animal). .' Space trtlJlei. An interstellar civilization working capital. The player, given an ini (the large profits and risks) are to be 100 light years across would seem to tial amount of starting capital, must de found on a surface survey. Each planet As you get farther away fro m the devel require faste r-than-light (FTL) travel. cide what type of ship to buy, how to will be different-size, terrain, flora, oped worlds, federation credits mean less, • • For "normal" travel, photon·drive (from equip and crew it, and how much cash to fauna, minerals, inhabitants, customs, and tangible goods are the medium of ex • • direct conversion of matter to energy) save for expenses. The game will include a you name it- and the computer will cre change. In the asteroid mining operation • would be sufficient, but FTL speeds written manual to give the player some ate it. Once you reach the ground, you of the Cygnus system, fresh fruit and would require "hyperspace jumps"; these direction for hls or her choices. • will begin the search for knowledge and vegetables are worth their weight in re • • would transport your ship several light profit. fractory metals, so that's what you get. • years in zero time. (I have worked out There are three possible goals of the The Cygnus miners also brew a potent some of the problems with hyperspace game: to accumulate money, to gain "ex • You may explore in vehicles (if you platinum liqueur, and you trade your last jumping in a longer paper.) perience" (quantified in ternlS of points brought them with you) or on foot. in reel of "Deep Venturi" for a case of it. based on the player's adventures), and to vacuum annour or shirtsleeves. Needless Communicorion. I think my civilization have fun exploring the galaxy. The eco to say, surprises lie behind every rock. Now starting to swing back toward civili requires instantaneous communication, nomic goal will tend to pervade the game, Perhaps even the rock itself presents an zation (?), you make a stop on the recent primarily for collecting ship mortgage as it does real life. The mortgage pay opportunity for danger or riches. Don't ly discovered tropical planet, Amazonia. payments while traveling and for trans ments on the ship must be made, the let the local bacteria or the dire beast get At the moment, the only inhabitants are mitting commodity prices (free trader crew payroll must be met, and expenses you, but don't overlook the bingi bush a few settlers who eke out survival by scenario). However, this type of commu· must be covered. This means that period· (much needed back on Regulus III to farming, hunting, and trapping. They are nication is not easy. It requires the gener ically the player will have to do some cure the creeping scourge) or the gell of the Au Natural sect and need nothing ation of beams of tachyons by giant thing socially useful, or at least profitable, crystals (used in very dense computer cir· you have. But one of the children is sick, particle accelerators. These "transmit like gambling-and winning-in order to cuitry). Even if you find nothing of and your ship's physician treats him (you ters" are 20 miles long and require enor get the money to support his or her other monetary value, merely surviving in an did include a medical doctor on your mous amounts of energy. Only principal activities. alien enviroment and getting away safely crew, didn't you?). In payment. you are planets and the largest of orbital and tra will earn you experience which will come offered some smel1y old mithra pelts. veling colonies have the technology or the What can the player do to meet his or her in handy on subsequent adventures. The You accept the furs. knowing they are space for these machines. The receiVers financial obligations? Well, the player has greater your experience point total in a used to make the best reverse osmosis de are million .gallon vats of Gatorade, major capital assets: the ship, crew, and variety of categories, the greater your salinization membranes, and thus are the which flash as the tachyon beam is gener working cash. And the player can eam /.l'1I~~1 chances of escaping subsequent dangers most valuable items in your cargo-worth ated. money by undertaking missions. Every p"",,~ fo...- ,,+ and being successful in your missions. half a year's ship expenses. spaceport will have a bulletin board 1 Depending on the energy input to the TI,t. bilV:j{ bL(s>LI where individuals, organizations, and 71le Free Trader. There is a constant The Charter Skipper. The player can also transmitter, the resulting flash in the re government agencies can list available commerce between the developed planets ea rn money through a charter service. ceiver is at a particular frequency (color), missions. What kinds of missions might as well as the more primitive colonies. transporting cargoes and passengers for and thus the beam can be tuned and one find? The spaceport provides up.to·the-minute whlch a scheduled commercial ship is in modulated. So. while there is fast com quotes on buying and selling prices of appropriate. The cargo may be dangerous munication between the principal popula Exploration-survey. Since the volume of various common and exotic commodities or valuable; the passengers may be in a tion centers, the less developed planets explored space is very small, the govern on the principal planets of the federation. hurry; there may be a lon~pacemen's . and spacecraft must rely on radio or ment's Department of the Exterior has Typically, the Free Trader will buy items strike in progress or, as is usually the case, courier ships for their mail and news. survey assignments to previQusly un that are cheap locally and transport them there is simply no commercial way to get visited areas. Even if you fmd a vacuum, to a market where a high price is being there, and a charter ship (yours) is IMPLEMENTING THE DREAM the DEx fee will cover your expenses and paid. This may be a principal planet, needed. provide you with a small profit to gamble whose prices are quoted on the spaceport At a minimum, I am assuming Universe away; then, next day. off again. However, exchange or a minor settlement whose These missions will pay a fixed fee for will have a' system consisting of an if you find something interesting, like a needs you can only guess. In addition to perfonnance on schedule. Various mone LSI-ll with dual single·density floppy star with planets, or a black hole, there direct exchange of goods for federation tary penalties will be assessed if you do disks, 28K memory. EIS/FIS (floating will be a nice bonus. And, in the unlikely, money, some planets may run a barter not meet your delivery deadline. Pirates point arithmetic), line clock, and video 42 RECREATIONAL COMPUTING MAR·APR 1979 43 is not a language in the familiar sense, The root would also contain a common terminal. I picked the LSI·II because it BASIC II. Forget it! While BASIC is easy however; the overlays would contain code database (possibly overlaid) that would is the machine I have access to and is an for small programs, its limitations cause it written in the implementation language. provide a common command vocabulary excellent, inexpensive minicomputer. to get unwieldy in large configurations. This code would execute independently and a common set of output messages BASIC also lacks the necessary flexibility of the root, calling root functions as and displays. The game should be able to utilize a line in using programs and data from mass needed. The root would also interface to • printer for certain types of output and a storage. BASIC is a pig when it comes to various data structures of the overlays, The components of an overlay are: local larger mass storage device. Extensions to speed and the size of the code modules. such as decision tables. command vocabulary, the control pro the game may require graphic output and Also, support for reru·time programming gram, permanent database (including 10' analog input, but these options would not (line·c1ock .interrupt ·driven) is missing in The root would have the following func· ca1 variables), decision tables with proba be reqUired for a basic version. If the soft· • BASIC. tions: bilities and results, and local output meso ware is designed correctly, Universe • ~ sage list and displays. should be easily transportable to other . • FORTRAN. Here is a good candidate, if I. Keeping track of global variables, CPUs. properly documented. The major games including game time and date, player A particular scenario (game) may be so I have discussed-SST and Adventure status (money, experience), and player .' ". '. complex as to require several overlays. What language will it be written in? were written in FORTRAN (with location and motion. :'" 'J. These additional overlays may contain Ai.~. 1;' I Here is a question that will generate a lot MACRO subroutines when needed). '.~;,. .. one 01 more of the above parts as the of discussion. The decision on implemen· FORTRAN meets most of the criteria de· 2. Accepting commands from the player .• "~.,",, need arises. Obviously, a flexible organi tation language must be made early in the • scribed above and is ruready used by and, in conjunction with the "current zation is required to provide program reo project and wiU affect how many of you many of you. Its limitations for the game command vocabulary" (one of the sponsiveness and still remain within the eventually participate in the creation of (string manipulation, data structures) data structures passed to the root by constraints of main memory. the game program (root and overlays). In must be overcome by clever program· the currently controlling overla y), order to fulnJl the requirements of a com· , mingo I would prefer to concentrate the passing a command code with appro· AS FOR EDUCATION ... plex, interactive game, the final, executa· •• clever programming on implementing new priate parameters to the current con· ••• ble code must be compact. Since the root • • scenarios rather than on the basic struc· trol program. I hope the scenarios of Universe will be 'and the overlays will be extensive, the ture. • programmed to be as realistic -and edu· space they occupy in memory or mass 3. Displaying the current status to the • cational-as possible. For instance, in the storage must be minimized. Also, the PASCAL. A relatively recent language, player in conjunction with display Survey. Exploration game, the player will code must execute ff"~t because of the in· PASCAL is rapidly gaining in popularity. routines in the current control pro· learn about local astronomy; the names, l'~lacuve nature of the game and its com Unfortunately, I am not as familiar with gram. locations, and characteristics of the near· putation requirements. this language as those already discussed. , by stars will all be in the permanent daia • • It certainly seems to have FORTRAN 4. If the latest status change requires it, base. In an unexplored area, the decision The ability to overlay from mass storage • beat as far as ease of game implementa bringing in a new database or control • tables that generate the Stars and planets is essential. Both the root and the over· • • •• tion goes, since il has a wide variety of overlay from mass storage. will reOect current knowledge of star lays must be able to call data and addi· complex data structures available. An· type distribution and likely planetary tional overlays from mass storage in order other advantage is that it does not require 5. Allowing the current control program characteristics. to support the various scenarios and en RT ·11 (I am referring to the UCSD to update the permanent database as vironments of the game. A flexible and PASCAL system which includes its own necessary . • Other scenarios may teach geology, soci dynamically allocatable memory usage operating system, editor, utilities, etc.). ology, linguistics, problem solving, and re technique will be required. In addition to the above command source aUocation -as well as economics, The avoidance of an expensive operating parsing, display, read·and-write func •• anthropology, psychology, and how to The source code should be readable by system could enlarge the potential pool tions, the root should also provide a selec • play craps. persons other than the original author. N"j,oJ~ spwJ:, of contributors and players. Additionally, tion of other services to the control pro Since the creation and extension of Uni UCSD PASCAL is not limited to LSI·II grams that will minimize their size with THE LONG VIEW MY verse will be a long. term effort, a widely 1":"1.oq'• ." (or PDP·II), thus increasing further the out inordinately causing the size of the available and understood language is a number of interested parties. Since I have root to grow. Such services might in· Imagine, if you will, the structure of Uni· must. A language that supports "struc not programmed anything in PASCAL, I c1ude: verse becoming widespread, with hun· tured" programming constructs is desira· must depend on those of you who have dreds, or even thousands, of players. ble. to evaluate it as an implementation Ian· I. Random number generation, in a spe There could be a newsletter announcing guage. cific range, with specific distribution • new scenarios and bug fixes and annual With these critera in mind, I will now give characteristics (linear, Gaussian, user conventions with multi.player interactive you my opinions on the various languages specified function). tournaments. (Will PASCAL support mul· available for the hardware mentioned tiple termina1s?) Once an active player above. NITTY-GRITTY CONSIDERATIONS 2. Using the random number generators . base is established, it is nol inconceivable and decision tables, supplied by the that new additions to the scenario (or ASSEMBLY (MACRO II). While MACRO As I have stated before, Universe will overlay, to return a set of results to database) library would be paid for by will fill the speed, size, and flexibility reo consist of a root, containing general utili· the overlay. eager players hungry for new adventures. quirements, its readability by other than ties and a database, and a set of overlays • the author is less than optimal. MACRO which actually implement the various 3. Some mechanism for making selec Well, there it is. A game to fill the uni· understandability is extremely dependent scenarios and environments. The root tions based on conditional probabili· verse! I hope it interests you enough to on the aothor's structuring and comment· would be a sort of gam~ language, inter· ties, something table-driven tbat could get involved. I can't do it alone. Please ing skills. preting portions of the overlays. The root use local and globaJ variables as the contact me with your ideas and words of parameters. support. 0 RECREATIONAL COMPUTING MAR·APR 1979 45 I Apple mini-assembler listing of the Programming POKES all in one string is of HEX pairs entered. Also printed out printer driver program. fine for programs you use frequently and in line 175 aTe the contents ofyout input as is. And, you could combine severa1 string HS. >tG60LL routines by putting in multiple start 0360- A969 LDA 1$$69 locations and HEX strings. But, if you Figure 3 is an example of the inputs, a 0362- OS 3. STA .,. want to key in experimentaJ routines, run of the program, and results from the 0364- "" .3 LDA ..03 retyping the string, HS , each time gets old Apple's monitor. The listing from Apple's 0366- 85 37 STA >37 mini-assembler shows the results of 0368- 60 RTS very soon . 0369- 84 35 STY >35 POKEing in the HS string. 036B- FHA The second example (Figure 2) solves the 036C- ••20 85 03 .lSR $0385 problem fo r you. Each value needed by This POKE program was originally 036F- FLA POKEing with 0370- ..(,9 8D CMP USD the program is handled as a separate input written in Apple integer BASIC by Easy $038£1 0372- WI 0C lItlE statement. line 140 asks you for the Bob Sander·Cederlof. About a year ago, 0374- R9 8A LDA decimal value of the starting program when our local Apple Users Group first 0376- 2e 85 03 JSR ..:1"0385 '" address. line 145 wants the value for the organized, Bob provided us with a 0379- "" 58 LDA "58 037B- 20 AS Fe JSR SFCAS tum ·on point of your program. (Values number of helpful utility routines. 037£ R9 8D LDA nBD in line 140 and 145 may not always be Figure 4 is an integer BASIC version (for Figure 1. POKE Program with Printer Driver Routi ne. Figure 2. POKE Program with String Input Capabil ity. Figure 3. Example Input and Run of the Figure 2 Program. Figure 4. Integer BAS IC Version. U-ruT STffiT LOCFITIOtI - 76(: 100 REM A:>I:",~ A"':>4-~:>4"'''''~*~''''~*'':>4,***.. ,*>t* 105 REM ~ 1¥'...&MIt. 'I LAtIGlfU: F'C» 46 RECREATIONAL COMPUTING MAR· APR 1979 47 ~- - A wisecracking calculator stealing the show? Well, it had to were inspired by the talking computers in such movies as "I live with three other people, and many of my best lines Both Morales and Juricich admit their debt to Garry Trudeau, happen sometime-and it did, last November. That's when 2001 and Demon Seed. Why not, they reasoned, invent a come from them." creator of "Doonesbury," whose style and tone they imitated the Stanford Daily's two cartoonists-simultaneously and calculator with a mind of its own? heavily at first. And both are well aware that Trudeau began unknown to each other- began featuring calculators in their Morales, a Stanford sophomore majoring in economics, says his journey toward the Pulitzer in a similar way-with a strip strips. Either the artists were connected to the same muse, Juricich, who received his bachelor's degree in political science cartooning is a great way to avoid studying. He learned that for the Yale DaNy News. A few years hence, when the syndi· or it was an idea whose time had come. from San Jose State University, says he's wanted to be a back when he was in high school in Whittier, California. One cates get wise to this talent, remember: you saw it first in cartoonist since he was a kid, "but I kept finding excuses day, after the school newspaper's regu1ar cartoooist had been Recreational Computing! (We hope to print more of Gil's Both Chris Juricich, creator of "J. Moist and Co." (on this for not getting involved with art." A year ago he began jot expel1ed, Gil volunteered to take over, "I cou1dn't draw, and Chris's work in coming issues.)-LB 0 page), and Gil Morales of "Dupie" (facing page) say they ting down ideas, carrying a notebook with him everywhere. and that first cartoon was terrible. I've definitely improved." By Chris Juridch DUPI[ By Gil Morales 1HIS l'.4Lc.uLAro~s I?6:ILLy' 1)EEN ..:5CREWING uP so 6oIJM/1 ~A~lIiG A POCKET C.AI..CUlAioR /VCP) t N PUT '1J/~SE NO! TALKING CAL oPf"CI4l/U.XIlU1J~ MT THAT TALKS 10 '{()I) IS BAD fERIES IN IT. ENOUGfl. BI)T ONE THAT TRYS TO CULATORS' ARENT CONVERT M€ Ttl CHRIST(r\mv--- NATURALI YER A VlEll. IT'S JOST NOr ARt YOO ,AY, COHPUTER AND' COMPO- '-.. NATURAL!I INC THAT MY fER'S CAN'T THII/K l! RELIGION'S NOT / \ NATUR AL!?? a. 1 50, A~VIIJt:\yS. 'T1-l15 RfD HOT FRlaJD OF Mlt.l~ I:U£NTUALLY FELL It-J LOVE ALL IT NCtDED WITH HIS CALCULAToR ... LJ~ 1).,'"" W SM""~ Y ©1978 C. Juricich ~,.r~ .' 'WELL. IT'S ANOTI\ER \1 fOR R GO(J [J LONElY NI~HT AT HOME'" IT'S roo SAO YOU T~I't;:, ~F"'.c.. IN THE DORM FO" PHVSICS" CAN'T COMPUTE UP <"--~ J A WAY FOR ME TO GET 415 :n.3i4! MAJOR, ALBERT VECT 4' RECREATIONAL COMPUTING MAR-APR 1979 49 --~---~~- - ~ ') A NON·VIOLENT SPACE GAME A NEW FRP MAGAZINE • • f- -(~:, ~1J40J.~ L? e.o Available soon, a non·violent space game Last issue we told you about a new maga· from the World Future Society. We ~ ~. \ ~,.' ".' . ,', zine, Sorcerer's Apprentice, devoted to .. - .'(; ~~I . ). ,'--..0 !o;;;i, " , haven't seen it or played it yet, so we fantasy role ·playing games. Sorcerer's will Simply pass on what they say about Apprentice comes from the folks at it. Aying Buffalo in Scottsdale, Arizona. '.~-,'J ;! :_\~"""~~I.( . . :;~~~~ DR~G~N / ~ND~ :~lr:N;~~ Most games depicting humanity's ven· , ~ ,,' " Since that report, another FRP magazine, .":'(1 C. :... ::"rC ' .. -~c:> "<>~.. tures into space involve exploitation of Different Worlds, has made its debut. (' ' ...... ' : \' r; .,,<) ,:., other planets and warfare among the "') ~.-... '~~" '... ,)-',. players for domiflJltion of space. Space Different Worlds is produced by The ." , Future is based on a cooperative ap Chaosium of Albany, California, the same ,r- '-', ~ ('-;i:~':":' ;~. CIE DEFIES INFLATIONI proach. Players individually venture into group that brought you Runequest, .. "\V . ,,','... ~, space on peaceful missitlnS and assist each Authentic Thaumaturgy (see "Dragon· "') \ ...<-;-~?':' -"'~.~' Perhaps the most incredible software bar· other in settling and developing other smoke," Nov·Dec 1978), and other magi· \ .... :;.... .- ~.', gain ever offered, CIE's People's Software planets. The game equipment consists of cal adventures. Different Worlds is billed ,- '.. Project, offers you cassette programs at a large playing surface, a map of outer as "a new magazine of game role.playing , ) <:) '~" $.25 a program plus $1 a tape. The first space with several planets along with re ... an authoritative joumal that no dedi· "' '2,:':~/~' tape (of many, we hope!) contains the source tokens and several decks of play. cated gamemaster should do without ... (. 1'.-,'-.:'- following programs for TRS-80 LEVEL ing cards containing directives and infor· featuring articles on Dungeons and Drag· ..J:- {.J\. C) I;"J I. mation. Ages: 10 and up. ons, Tunnels and Trolls, Chivalry and Sor· .::.\" 1...]/ TRS-80 LEVEL I BASIC PROGRAMS cery, Traveller, Runequest, and a host of ., ". '-- , SIDE I, BUSINESS and HOME Hmmm. . Perhaps the Don Quixote . C MORTGAGE CALCULATION - FJ&ureoo n")Ilthly others!" ~ j paymenta. Starship will soar again . .0 DOW- JONES INOUSTIHAL FORECAST-Project.8 OJI a,-erq:e for major lltocks wIth current !nfla~ Regular features will include "My Life J Uon rate. From: Book Service and Role-Playing" by prominent FRP CASH FLOW-Jnv e~tment mLnu.s draw (quarterly) with InfiaUOIl calculated. World Future Society hobbyists, product reviews, fantasy and INVENTORY AND CHANGE-Keepll store In>"en~ 4916 St. Elmo Avenue tory and. InstruCUI cleru how to make correct sci-fi artwork, new campaigns, gossip, Chll.l'lg 50 RECREATIONAL COMPUTING MAR·APR 1979 numeric pads as well, but do not have The 2022 is the top -of·the·line printer, Why don't you have it yet? Commodore the built-in cassette unit present in the printing on plain paper, with a tractor· is selling the manual (for $9.95), and in· 2001·8 model. The external cassette is feed mechanism. It has a bi·directional cluding it with new PETs. But if you al currently available for $95 from printing mechanism, printing 84 lines per ready have a PET and want a copy of the Commodore. The 16K model will cost minute. It costs S995. The 2023 is a PET User Manual , write to Commodore $995, and the 32K version S1195; similar printer, but has no tractor feed , Business Machines, Inc., 901 California delivery was to begin in February. and prints in only one direction, giving Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94304. giving Com about 70 lines per minute. It costs $849. modore the serial number of your rna· It is expected that the corrected set of Orders for the aborted 2020 model can chine (see sticky label on back panel) and ROMs will be available for use in the either be withdrawn or switched to one the name of the dealer from whom you PET 2001·8 model, but when and at of the new models. The backlog of 2020 purchased it. Enclose a check for S3.50 what price could not be ascertained. orders meant delaying new printer orders; for shipping and handling. Your local first shipments were scheduled for March. dealer may be able to sell you the manu· floppy disk drives are here, too. The al , but Commodore headquarters is a sure model 2040 contains two drives, using It should be emphasized that "availability source. "minifloppy" diskettes (five-inch size), dates" almost always refer to /irst ship· each staring about 170K bytes of ments. The new printers won't be there PET IN PRINT programs and data. Commodore's non· in quantity, so actual delivery dates will standard technique for recording employs stretch out for most people. And for a PET's press coverage continues to grow. a variable number of sectors per track, popular product, it is usually impossible The iatest issue of Kilobaud Magazine in depending on the radius. The disk drive to have enough units to satisfy the troduces a feature called "PET ·pourri." connects to the IEEE bus, and contains demand (conSider the infamous Simon The column is edited by Len Undsay, two microprocessors of its own- a 6502 this Christmas). Also , these dates assume well known for his excellent PET Gazette (like the PET) and a 6504. It contains its Commodore sticking to schedules and and work at the Microcomputer Resource own memory buffer, and uses no having no glitches and delays. Center. Creative Computing also has be additional memory from the basic 8K gun a regular column dedicated to the PET. The dual·drive model costs SI095, COMMODORE ANNOUNCES PET; it's caUed "Personal E1ectronic and Commodore plans to have a single· PET USER MANUAL Transactions." h is authored by Gregory drive model (the 2401) available for Yob, who not on1y is quite knowledge· $595, starting in May. The dual·drive Yes, Virginia, there is a PET User Manua1. able about the PET, but writes well too! 2040 should be available this month After a year of delays. the long-awaited, (March). promised user documentation on the PET And the January 1979 issue of Dr. is ready. The manual is about 250 pages Dobb s Journal contains an article by Bill The status of the many-times-delayed long and contains a pretty good introduc· Seiler, author of the Renumber program 2020 printer has also been resolved. It has tion to BASIC and the special features of discussed in our lan·Feb "SPOT." Bill's been withdrawn, apparently because of the PET. The book has nine chapters, article in DDJ not only describes how problems with the print mechanism with something valuable for all users, Renumber works, but provides the entire supplied by the vendor, but is supplanted from beginners to advanced programmers. source code for those who wish to follow by three new printers, offering a variety It incorporates the infonnation previous· it in detail, or make modifications. Commodore:S PET is a factory-assembled HEARD AROUND THE aUA YSIDE .•. of options. Each connects to the IEEE Iy issued as separate flyers along with new penonal computer based on a 6502 port, and contains its own micro· infonnation. Due to the intennixing of Those of you who would like to know It looks like the PET famiJy is growing. , microprocessor. The original PET, model processor, used for both control and technical and elementary material more about the "guts" of the PET, and 2001·8, is a $795 system that includes a Commodore was scheduled to announce intelligent functions, like fonnatting. throughout the book, it is not easy read· how to get access to machine language keyboard, cassette tape unit, built-in TV significant extensions to the PET product The 2021 prints on special electrosensi ing, and doesn't have the excellent tutori programs in the Commodore ROMs,such screen, some graphics, upper and lower SPOT line at the Consumer Electronics Show, tive paper, at low speed, and costs $549. al style of, say , the TIS Workbooks (read as printing on the screen, saving directly case, extended 8K BASIC, and 8K of The Society of PET Owners and Trainers held in Las Vegas in January. New It, like the other two models, uses a dot on). to tape, etc., will find the PET Assembler wermemory. computers, printers, and the long·awaited matrix to generate the full PET character Programming Guide contains a wealth of EDITED BY HARRY SAAL floppy disk drive were unveiled. set, including graphics. SPOT is devoted to the host of applica' tions-rourine and wild-which PET A new version of the PET is on the way. wers have found for their machines, as It has a real keyboard, additional RAM weII as to the nitty-gritty of repairs and memory, and room for more ROM. The modifications. In other words, almost BASIC has been fixed to remove anything relating to the PET is fit bus. Fifteen members of PUG (Pet Users numerous bugs present in the initial material for this column. Group, Palo Alto area) plugged into version, and the machine language auster/One at their January meeting and monitor is present in ROM as' well. When Editor Harry Saal ;sn't tracking computed away happily for two hOUTS. down hot items for these pages, he serves Obviously, the creator of this revolution Actually there are four models: as president of Nestar Systems, Inc. in ary system kno~ a lot about micro 2001 ·16N (with a PET graphics·engraved Palo Alto, adi!. Nestar's first product computers, particuklrly the PET. So send keyboard), the 2001-16B (with a is CIuster/One, a BASIC timesharing Harry your questions and ideas c/o standard typewriter-like keyboard), each system which connects up to 15 micro PCC He7J give each of them his careful with 16K of RAM, and the 2001-32B computers via a high-speed parallel data attention - LB and N, with 32K of RAM. Both have 52 RECREATIONAL COMPUTING ·A·p·p·le· ·R·o·s·e· BY JIM DAY TIS WORKBOOKS 1-6 Total Infannation Services, P.O. Box 921, Los Alamos, NM 87544, continues to expand its excellent series of work books about the PET. The most recent addition is Workbook 6, ''PET Control Equally impressive is The Music Boxtm , and Logic Statements," It covers testing by Ted Scott, sold through New England and branching, subroutine use, and logical Electronics Co., 248 Bridge Street, operations. It is available for $3.95 from handy infonnation which is unlikely ever Springfield, MA 01103. This package in TIS. Previous workbooks cover funda This graphics program, submitted to us to be printed by Commodore. This inter· cludes all the electronics necessary to mentals of PET BASIC, string and array by Jim Day of GfYllUlda Hills, C4, runs esting 50-page manual can be obtained make your PET play music, and can be handling, graphics, cassette 1/0, and other under AppJesofl II BASIC It plots the from Computhink, 701 Welch Road , placed right inside the PET. (Unfortu miscellaneous features. Workbooks are "rose-leaf" curve shown in the diagram. Suite 1119, Palo Alto, CA 94304 for nately, it uses a quite non -standard either $3.95 or $4.95, and TIS offers a SI9.95. scheme for music output which I hope money-back guarantee. If yOll are not To use high-resolution graphics with the they will convert to the standard CB2 satisfied with their products. you may re Applesoft cassette you need at least 24K. MUSIC FOR YOUR PET output line.) The Music Box actually lets turn them withln 15 days and have your To run in 24K, set HIMEM: 24576 you compose music on a conventional money refunded. before loading Applesoft. Next load and Lately, more and more programs are in· musical staff drawn on the screen. You RUN Applesoft, reset HIMEM: 16384 corporating sound along with excellent can build up to 90 pages of music, with and then key in and R UN the ROSE PET graphics. There are several ways this 16 notes per page. You can play any se· program. is being done, and in a future issue well quence of pages back and also edit them, PET GAZETTE PROGRAM PAKS try to explain them for you. The simplest transpose them, and save them on cas· The program could be made interactive way to get started right now is to buy one sette tape or in memory for incorporation The PET Gazette is now providing an by changing lines 140 and 150 to INPUT of two excellent sound packages available in programs. The visual effects are additional service beyond the one·for· tile values ofM and N. - CB 0 "ready to go." This avoids the hassle of amazing, as the set·up draws the notes as one exchange offer for programs donated locating PET ·compatible connectors, and it plays them, including sharps, flats, to the PET Program Exchange. They are gives you a couple of good demonstra rests, etc. The Music Box is available for offering packages of six programs to any· one (no exchange required) for SIO. tions to get started with. $49.95 from NEECO. 100 REM *** APPLE-ROSE *)~* (There's a copying charge of $1 for each 110 REM The simplest way to generate sound uses FULL-SIZED TYPEWRITER program, S2 for a high quality AGFA 120 HCOLOR - 3 some fancy features of one of the inte· KEYBOARD FOR THE PET tape, SI for box and postage, and $1 grated circuits in the PET, and is usually handling fee.) A variety of programs have 130 REM SET RANDOM PAPAMETERS known as "CB2 sound." CAP Electronics, New England Electronics Co., 248 Bridge been grouped together on one tape, and 140 M = RND(O)*30 + 3 1884 Shulman Ave., San Jose, CA 95154, Street, Springfield, MA 0 11 03, is now of· are available as: Games Pak I, Education 150 N = RND(I)*M + I offers a PET Sound package which in· fering a full-sized keyboard for the PET. al Pak 1, Useful Pak I, Music Pak I, Utili 160 REM CENTER DISPLAY cludes a modified AM radio, connecting It is contained in a metal enclosure, and ty Pak 1 , and Best of Pak 1 . 170 HGR2 , HPLOT 140, 95 cable, user port connector and a demon· permits touch typing, as well as retaining 180 REM PLOT FOR 256 RADIANS stration tape for SI9.95. From BASIC single key function for cursor controls, The Utility Pak, for example, contains 150 FOR A - 0 TO 256 STEP RNO (I) + .01 you can make laser sounds, bounces, RUN, STOP, etc. It attaches in parallel programs fOI line erasing, auto line num· 200 REM FINO RADIUS VECTOR clicks, sirens and four octaves of musical to the standard PET Keyboard, and does bering, indexing tapes, statement renum 210 R • SIN«M/N)*A) *95 notes. I've heard examples, and it is really not interfere with the user or IEEE ports. bering, dynamiC keyboard routines and 220 REM CONVERT TO X ANO Y qUite neat (and the graphics they use are The keyboard, model NPK.I01, can be me management programs. You can reo well done). CAP also offers several games ordered for S139.95 from NEECO. Also ceive more information, or Older PAKS 230 HPLOT TO 140 + R*S I N(A), 95 + R" COS (A) which use sound ($4.95 each), and a Tiny ask for the extensive catalog, the from the Microcomputer Resource Cen 240 NEXT A , GOTO 140 Assembler for 6502 machine language Software/ Hardware PET Products Direc· ter, 1929 Northport Dr., Room 6, 250 ENO (fo, \9.95). tory. Madison, WI 53704. 0 64 RECREATIONAL COMPUTING MAR·APR 1979 65 - The scene is effective in creating an im. would be created on a fonnat similar to preSSion , though. So with considerable cynicism, I went to Star Wan. The only acceptable alterna. see the ftIm. What I saw surprised and tive is for me to participate actively in impressed me. I hadn't known that Ralph What were some personal highlights? a dramatization - and in such a way that Bakshi, director of Wizards, was in Gandalf leafing through Balin's book I can see everything that goes on. Until charge. Or that he had photographed an found in the Mines of Moria. His fight the millennium arrives, Bakshi's version entire ftIm with live actors and animals Reviews with the Balrog: "You cannot pass." is a pleasant alternative. and translated it into animation. His And later, his recounting of his descent surreal landscapes are truly "paintings The Movie and resurrection: " ... I wandered far Reviewed by James Moore in motion" and do capture Tolkien's A year ago most Tolkien fans thought portrayal of the first half of the epic on roads I will not tell .. . Naked I was Palo Alto, CA poetic mood. the mDIJie couldn '{ be done. Today, Lord of the RingS story. The ftlm strikes a balance of sent back for a brief time, until my task many would say it hasn't been, at JellS! appeal to the spectrum of age groups by was done." Worthy of mention are the The movie of Lord of the Rings takes us special effects al Orthanc at the occasion not with sufficient faithfulness to the characterizing Frodo 8aggins as being in FLAWED, BUT STILL POETIC halfway through the trilogy, from Bilbo's original. But as reviewer Michael MadIJj his early 20's rather than as the 50- of GandaIrs detention there. birthday party to the battle at Helm's Deep. Final judgment must wait until points out, Ralph Bakshi:SO film of Lord year·old of the book. However, given the I've heard it said that the Ring trilogy is Part but thus far the story is told with of the Rings is a heroic attempt at bring. peculiar traits of hobbits, this is perhaps What did I ftnd missing in the movie the real history of our planet. The truth n, accuracy and integrity. For the uniniti ing this complex, incredibly intricate within bounds of artiSlic license. The that I found in the book, other than some in this somewhat outrageous statement is ated, the Rings trilogy tells how the task epic to the screen. For this reason alone, soundtrack also reflects this balance, ch~racters and subplots? A feeling of a matter of perception and interpreta. it probably deserves Q viewing. while maintaining a character appro reliance or trust in the One, without wish. tion. Tolkien intended no such grand of casting the One Ring into the fires of priate to the epic tale. ful thinking or pseudo positiveness. The deSign, of course, but even a casual look Mordor-where dwells Sauron the Dark The film opened in November and is feeling of playing a part in a larger plan through his Appendices is impreSSive: Lord, who needs only it to be Master of The introduction is superb, to me more now showing at theateT! nationwide. of evolvement, even though the plan is here is the creation of a world , Middle Middle-earth-falls to a band of hobbits Hundreds of revieW! have appeared, but dramatic than the widely acclaimed car· not apparent. The overwhelmingly high earth, strikingly similar to our own. little people who normally prefer "bed we felt there l4W justification for Q tooning lechniques. The movie begins value placed on freedom of choice by Here is a world created out of myth and and breakfast" to any sort of adventure. qJeci4J forum here. A/ter all, many RC with shadows playing on the screen in a the free peoples of Middle-Earth. symbol by a scholar of Middle English, As a new age dawns in Middle-earth, the readen are hmdcore fantasy freaks. manner both clear and mysterious while a legend, and the fairy tale. The most fan forces of darkness and light are poised And To/lcien is the 20th century milS/eT dramatic voice recounts the history of tastic scenes are deeply familiar, stirring and waiting. Darkness has long and The moral of the story is that freedom of the genre. the Rings up to the time Bilbo brings the up , I think, memories of our collective secretly been plotting, and the world is Ruling Ring to the Shire. can be preserved in the face of power unconscious. almost within its grasp. Enter our little We approached three local Tolkienites only by exercising and affinning people and our Fellowship of the Ring. for reviews. Each has read the trilogy Departure from Tolkien's story lies freedom. The penalty for projection of more than once (reviewer Venhen. six primarily in deletions that shorten the power is a loss of freedom, which leads Deep in our unconscious lie archetypal The story teUs of a heroic attempt against times) and knoW! the cMracten and material to "suitable" movie length. ultimately to a dissolution of identity. fornu that express themselves in dreams, almost impossible odds. Which is the way chronology cold, as you will see. None The major omission is the recounting of The realization of the moral awaits emotions, creative thought, intuition. The I view the rnovie-a heroic attempt at Part Two. hIld been to the film at the lime we most of the joumey from Overhill to expressions of these forms shape our lives recreating an ancient tale in a new dimen. solicited their help. so we didn '( know Bree , leaving out Farmer Maggot , the in ways we rarely are aware of con sion. But while our Fellowship emerges what we'd get. The relUlts were happily Old Forest, the meeting with the elves, Whal did I find in the movie? High char sciously. The rationalistic framework that victorious, I think the film version (thus diverse. Old Man Willow, Tom Bombadil, Gold acter ideals - Aragom's disapproval of our society insists is "real" can orily re far) faUs short. The hobbits, for all their berry, and the Barrow-wights. This type 8oromir's actions, yet his empathy for late to this archetypal input in old, expressiveness, still are too cute for my Michael Madaj is circulation mlUllJger of editing has minimal impact on the the man. Wisdom embodied. Repeated stylized ways: Tolkien is "fantasy" or taste. Gandalf just doesn't look like the for People's Computer Company, Eryk major plot development, but seriously refusal of the wise and true to wield "escapist" or "pure imagination." When wise and powerful wizard. r miss Tom Ver.shen is a fonner PCC employee and affects character development. the ring and its attendant power - to I experience Gandalf's confrontation 8ombadil. We tend to skim the surface frequent contributor to RC, and James use the ring against Sauron would be to with the terrible Balrog or Frodo's test and linger too long in battle. Moore is a newcomer to these pages. We A curious effect of editing, combined become Sauron. The earthiness of the at Galadriel's mirror or 8oromir's laSt appreciate their opinions, and welcome with a very real effort to maintain the dwarves, the etherealness of the elves. defense, the thrill up my spine and the Not many who see the movie will ponder your reactionJ. Agree with them, attack integrity of Tolkien's wording, is that tears in my eyes cause me to wonder the secrets of the ancient myths, but it them, offer a counter-interpretation. Just characters often make profound state just where are we escaping to? What old may eventually lead people back to the The most endearing character of the write us a letter.-LB ments that have a tendency to go flat myths is Tolkien evoking and what truth books themselves, where the deep and movie, of course, is Gollum - which because they are not well supported do they symbolize? Is Numenor really lasting treasure lies. Since there ate many might be surprising to a reader of the IT GROWS ON YOU by the context. When Aragom says, Atlantis? of us like Samwi5e the Hobbit-willing book. Precisely because of his person after Gandalrs plunge into the abyss, to forsake life and limb just to glimpse ality defects- whining, sneakiness, ha The more I see it, the more I like it. "We must do without hope," I would Because of those faSCinating possibilities, an Elf-it is hardly surprising that this tred, and jealousy-he is overdone and That's my conclusion after two view expect to feel something in response, you might weU understand that my re- film was made. As our own New Age ings. Perhaps the second time I relaxed but I didn't. It comes too fast - without becomes a favorite with the audience. The same thing happens with Mime, the action to hearing the trilogy was an ani- #6 ~~ns, the unconscious is becoming my subliminal expectations so I could time for reflection or filling in gaps with mated film was less than lukewaml. Oh, VlSlble . See you at Findhorn? just enjoy the mOvie, maintaining and one's own imagination. An anomaly that dwarf in Wagner's Ring of the Nibelung. 10 Wagner's case , critics consider it a God, more cute and cuddly, toylike figures expanding my own private fantasy while stands out in my mind, and this is sub having an adventure! This great mythic Reviewed by Michael Madaj watching the fantasy of Bakshi et al. jective, is the length of time alloted for dramatic error on the part of the master. Menlo Park, CA In both cases, I just e{1joy. saga reduced to a cartoon! Is Walt Disney Frodo's encounter with the Black Riders Studios next contracting to do Paradise Compared to the earlier televised ren at the Ford of Rivendell. The tale is Lost? Poor Tolkien, I thought. At least dition of The Hobbit, the fllm The embellished so that Frodo's horse falls My own fantasy version of the epic prob he didn't live to see his life's work thus Lord of the Rings is a highly accurate and later collides with the Black Riders. ably entails a billion-dollar budget and portrayed. 56 RECREATIONAL COMPUTING MAR-APR 1979 57 ... -- INTERESTING, ftnal scene (the Battle of Helm's Deep) play more often. The first program on the BUT NOT RECOMMENDED coming across as crude and amateurish list, ViceYer.sa, is played a lot; the last at least to me. On the whole I would not programs hardly at all.- RZ While the animated fUm Tile Lord of the recommend this movie. o\or 'Your Own' Graph· THE KIDS SPEAK Rinp is, in certain respects, interesting, O BY lCS it does not measure up to TalkieR's work Reviewed by Eryk Vershen We like YiceVena. It is a fun game. It of the same name. There arc certainly Palo Alto, CA DANIEL SILVA many superficial similarities between the gives you lots of different choices for the The cover rhis issue is one of the many intricate computer areas hide mistakes. Try the same design with Stlversl dif- film and the book, but ultimately the games. Hard games. Easy games. You can generated graphics by Dan Silve, a friend of the dragons. Teke ferent color combinations. Once colored, each finished graphic make the game as hard as you want. The film does not tell the same story. This is THE KID'S REVIEW: the cover and this page, meke copies of them on a copier and is unique. Dan is developing a complete coloring book based not in itself bad. However. the ftlm really hard game takes a long time to play UStl colored markers to color in the open areas. You will on these designs. He plans to submit an article describing how suffers by comparison, and confIrmed VIDEOBRAIN because the computer has to think a lot find that you can work quite freely becBUse the dense dark the paNems are being gen8rsted. -RZ 0 between each move. We like it also Tolkien fans will find much to scream VideoBrain Computer Co. © 1979 by O."ill SHva about. 2950 Patrick Henry Drive because you can play it with another Santa Oara, CA 95050 person. A brief rundown on the changes, omis (408) 988-3020 sions and errors in the film for people Gladiator is fun. Some of it is. It has who know the book: OLD DAD'S WORDS three different games. Space Shootout is the best. The ships are easy to hit and to • About five chapters have been Phyllis Cole, in the May-June 1978 issue move around. Football is okay. But it is removed from the first book. Most of of pc, discussed the Video Brain com· hard to play. It is hard to complete leaving the Shire, all of Backland, Tom puter and some of the cartridge programs passes. The Archery game is not much Bombadil and the Barrowdowns arc left that come with the system. We recently fun. out. There are also innumerable minor received a VideoBrain from Umtech, Inc. changes and omissions. For example. (the parent company of VideoBrain Lemorwde Stand is okay to play. Lots of Gandalf's flash of light when Bilbo Computer Co.) for additional use and us can play at oncc. The noises it makes disappears at his party is left out; Legelas review. Since we already had an adult are neat. Especially the circus. rather than Glorfmdel meets Fredo & Co. perspective on the product, I decided on their way to Rivendell; the fight with to let my two sons, ages 8 and 9, use the YideoArtist lets you draw stuff all over wolves on the way to Moria is omitted; system for about a month and then solicit the screen. It also has one part where the the whole Legolas·Gemli rivalry is left their reactions. Their responses to the computer draws stuff. out; and so on. questions of what they liked/disliked about the computer follow. The Music program is hard to usc. The • The characterizations are almost all part where you make up music is hard to inconsistent with those in the book. It is interesting that all of their reactions usc. The easy part is where you copy a Motivations become obscure. deal totally with the software packages song the computer plays. But it only has of the system. They never mention two songs to copy. It needs more. • The main fault of the film-apart particulars about the machine itself from having diminis.hed the story line - is the joysticks, the keyboard or the fact Oteckers took a while to understand how its visual technique. Three techniques are that it interfaces with the television set. to play it. We only played a couple of used-full animation, lightly painted·in In fact, all I did was connect the machine times. We lost the games. You can only fUm and something that looks like color to the TV and let them and their friends play against the computer. Can't play ftIters with other jazz. The intemlingling start using the system. I did not tell them with a friend. of methods gives the film a rather uneven anything about the packages, how the feel, compounded by the portrayal of joysticks worked or other such detail. Pinball has lots of games. Sometimes the ccrtain characters (e.g. the Black Riders) They discovered all of that information ball gets stuck. The score gets really big. in different techniques at different times. by working with the machine. We have to shut it off to stop it. This does nothing for continuity - and must be very confusing if you don't know Each software package has a printed user We didn't play Blackjack much. Tennis the story. guide. The children sometimes refer to was a hard game to play. the guides when they fint try a package. • Plenty of things and people look They seldom read much of the data in the The Math and Word games were hard to wrong: Orthanc, Samwise, Galadriel, the guide. More often, they simply type a figure out what to do. They were not Orcs. The last two especially are very response to the request for an input and much fun. wrong; I mean Galadriel doesn't even see what happens. If they have difficulty look pretty! learning how the game works by entering We want more games where we can play responses, they tum to the guide. If the the computer or each other. Also more However, the visual aspects are also what guide is too complex, they go to another like ViceVer.sa where you can make it made the film somewhat interesting. The game or package. as hard as you want. It is fun. Are there techniques have some potential, even if any new games? they did not work well here. The pure One last comment before we get to the animation seemed to go downhill as the children's remarks: the order of their Reviewed by Jjago Zalllora, age 8, and mm went along, with some aspects of the responses indicates which programs they Fante Zamora, age 9. o 68 RECREATIONAL COMPUTING MAR·APR 1979 59 joystick control, self-direction, impact the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at S19. Write to: Micro Architect, 96 sensor control, ultrasonic detection, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technol· Dothan St., Arlington, MA 02174. voice recognition. # 00 I 00 (KIM). ogy. This version of LOGO is based in Papert"s LOGO (which was designed for TEXT EDITORS Game Playing with Basic, Tape 2, $9.95. unusual peripherals) and supports the FROM TSA SOFlWARE Features 10 programs: Knightl Tour, MIT Turtle, Tektronix 4006·1 and con· Guess the Number. Prime Numbers 1, ventional terminals for turtle geometry. These easy·to-use, on-screen text editors Edited By LeRoy Finkel nect directly to a standard color or black· strategy to get your pieces across the Prime Numben 2, Chinese Rcmainder work on the normal video terminal and-white television. board before your opponent does. Theorem, Perfect Numbers, Fibonacci LOGO forms a highly structured program already in your micro-system. Just pop The items in this section are culled from Numbers, Amicable Numben, Square ing language based on a small set of in the disk and you're ready to key in the 17Ul11y press releases and product an Both the ATARI-400™ (the general Order Sorcerer Graphics Games, Cat. No. Numben. Armstrong Numbers. -#00301 primitives which are used by the pro· manuscripts or read them from existing nouncements we receive each day. While purpose system) and the ATARI_800™ CS·5OOI. The tape cassette, with instruc (PET), #00302 (fRS·SO Level I), grammer as building blocks to fonn disk ftles. Simple commands allow you some selections are based on the whim of (the specialized system) are program tion booklet, costs $7.95 (plus 75¢ post· #00303 (fRS·SO Level II), #00304 complex procedures. a full range of editing options. this editor, most are chosen for their in mable in BASIC. Other programming age) from Creative Computing Software. (Apple Il). terest to our readers. namely recreational languages wUl become available on pre P.O. Box 789-M, Morristown, N.J., LOGO has been used successfully with DAISY allows you to add, delete or and home applications. The words are programmed solid state cartridges. 07960. Game Playing with Basic, Tape 3, 59.95. primary school students as well as sec change the text by moving the cursor those of the news source. slightly edited. Features 10 programs: Slot Machines, omiary and college levels. to the appropriate location, giving a The inclusion of an announcement does The AT ARI ·400 ™ allows an easy tran NEW GAMES FOR OHIO Blackjack, Roll the Dice, Tower of Hanoi, simple command (often just one charac not constitute an endonement by Pea sition from video games to full · fledged SCIENTIFIC SUPERBOARD D 15 Puzzle. Buried Treasure, Odd Cell LOGO is written in MACRO II and runs ter), and typing in the change. piel Computer Company. merely a post personal computing. The system features Magic Square, 4 X 4 Magic Square, under RSTS Version 6C. For more infor A games tape which takes full advantage ing of timely information. -LF a 57·key monopanel keyboard, single· Magic Square Starting With Any Number, mation, contact Sandra WilJs or John WPDAISY is the word processing version cartridge slot for soUd-state programs of the graphics capabilities of the com Geometric Magic Square. #00401 (PET), Gilbert at the follOwing address: of this system, which includes both space of up to 8,000 bytes of memory, cassette puter is available for Ohio Scientific #00403 (fRS·SO Level II), #00404 Elizabeth Computer Centre, 256-274 and proportional justification. WPDAISY recorder capability, and an internaJ audio Superboard n/Challenger IP. (Applell). Elizabeth Streel, Hobart, Tasmania, allows you to call disk ftles while format speaker. Australia 7000. ting and has 26 in-memory buffers. Also Hardware It contains four games: Dodgem-use Sorgon: A C017fJUter Chess Program, included is a mail merge program, useful The specialized ATARI_800™ features strategy to get your pieces off the oppos $19.95. Features the complete program NEW MAILING SYSTEM in producing fonn leiters and labels. ATARIINTRODUCES dual-cartridge capability, user expandable ite side of the board (one or two players); that won the 1978 West Coast Computer DESIGNED FOR TRS·80 TWO PERSONAL COMPUTERS random access memory up to 48,000 Tank Attack-seek and destroy enemy Faire Chess Tournament. #00603 (TRS- The TSA/OS Version is S125 for DAISY; bytes, a series of optional peripheral guns hidden among houses and trees 80 Level [I). MAIL-III is a comprehensive mailing Ust $300 for WPDAISY. The CPM Version Atari has introduced two new personal devices including a high -speed floppy before they get you (one player); Free system for Radio Shack's TRS-80system. is $175 for DAISY; $350 for WPDAISY. computer systems. They were designed disk for mass data storage and retrieval, for-all-airplane, destroyer, and submar The Pint Book of Kim. Tape I , $9.95. It consists of two programs. The frnt for people with no prior computer ex and a 40-column printer utilizing stand· ine vie to demolish each other (one or Features these 14 recreational programs: program lets you enter, display, search, Available from: TSA SOFTWARE, INC, perience as well as those with sophisti ard paper. The venatile and expandable two players); Hidden Maze-find your Addition, Asteroid, Bagels. Bandit. Black· update, delete name and address informa 39 Williams Drive, Monroe , CT 06468, cated needs and requirements. nature of the ATARI·800™ system way through an invisible maze with one jack, Bin, Black Match, Card Dealer, tion. It also initializes the mailing list (203) 261· 7963. allows consumers to select components way gates (one or two playen). OIm Qock, Oock, Code Tcst, Oops, and displays system information, such as The Atari line of personal computers will tailored to their speciaJized needs. Other Duel, Farmer Brown. # 00700 (KIM). the maximum number of records allowed Order Cat. no. CS-6001. Tape cassette, have a substantial library of computer peripheral devices, including telecom· and number of records used. instruction booklet, and box liner in The First Book of Kim , Tape 2, $9.95. software consisting of applications such munications capabilities, are currently Other hard plastic box available for $7.95 Features these 14 recreational programs: as personal fmancial management. income under development. The second program produces labels tax preparation, household and office (plus 75¢ postage) from Creative Com Hi La, /{oreserace, Key Train, KIM Nim, sorted in name, city, state or zip code COME ONE. COME All record· keeping and computer-aided in· puting Software, P.O. Box 789-M, KIM· Tae-Toe, Lu1ll1r Lander, Multi·Maze, order. Labels can be printed on the TO THE COMPUJ'ER FAIRE struction in more than 20 subject areas. Morristown, NJ, 07960. Music Box, Ping·Pong, Quick, Reverse. printer or displayed on the screen. A Software Teaser, Timer, Wumpus . #00800 (KIM). two.digit "selecl" code is used to iden The fourth West Coast Computer Faire In the entertainment sphere. Atari will HAYDEN ANNOUNCES tify an input session or to classify the has issued a call for speakers, participants, CASSETTE LINE The Fim Book of Kim , Tape 3, $9.95. people in your mailing list , such as and demonstrations. The Faire will be offer a sophisticated series of action and EXIDY SORCERER Features these 13 utility programs to doctors, commercial accounts, paid mem held in San Francisco's Civic Auditorium, thinking games for one to four players, GETS GRAPHICS GAMES such as Basketball, Chess, Life, and a Hayden Book Company has released a make your KIM a more powerful mao bers, etc. You can print those labels Mayll.)). variety of simulation games including Six graphics games for the Exidy Sorcerer line of cassette programs compatible with chine: Branch, Browse. Directory. Hyper that belong to a certain code or a speci Kingdom, Lemonade Stand, Fur Trader are now available from Creative Comput the PET, TRS-SO Level I, TRS·80 tape, Memory Test, Mini Dis, MOllit, fied range of codes, such as all the la bels The Faire is primarily concerned with and Stock Market. The Atari program ing Software. Some are old favorites; Level II . KIM, Apple 11, and Exidy PLL Set, Relocate, Sort, Super Dup. entered today. inexpensive computing for home, busi library will be continuously expanded others are brand new. LEM is a lunar Sorcerer personal computers. Verify Tape, Vu Tape. #00900 (KIM). ness, and industry. Some conference by a fu ll ·time staff of professional pro lander with graphics display and optional You can put 500 nanles in a diskette sessions will be directed to end users grammers. auto pilot; Nuclcar Reaction, a non Documentation is provided with each AUSTRALIANS OFFER more jf you have another drive-or use the arid address specific applications, while violent game of skill in which two players tape or in separate books with the same NEW VERSION OF LOGO diskette only as a data file. For an un others will be of primary interest to The new Atari computers feature custom alternately bombard an atom with pro title. limited number of names, the mailing list business or technical professionals within integrated circuits for color graphics tons and electrons until it reaches critical The Elizabeth Computing Centre in can go on more than one diskette. The the microcomputer industry. display, superior sound and music syn· mass. In Pie Lob, two players take turns The following programs are available at Tasmania, Australia, is making its RSTS system is easy·to·use, comes with full thesis, slots for instantaneous use of lobbing custard cream pies at each other your local computer store: adaptation of LOGO available to other documentation and step·by·step tutorial. Topics at past Faires have included preprogrammed solid·state cartridges, over a sand castle. Bounce traces the path PDP - RSTS users. games and "tutorials for novices, educa· and compatibility with a custom tape of a ball bouncing around the screen. How To Build a Computer-controlled Diskette and 16K required. $35. A sim tional computing and aids for the physi. recorder for program storage and reo In OIecken, the computer plays against Robot, $14.95. Features five control The LOGO language was invented by pUfied cassette venion requires 16K ca,l1y impaired, legaJ and financial aspects trieval. They are UL approved and con· you at the novice level. Dodgem requires programs for a computerized robot: Seymour Papert and his colleagues at and Level II BASIC, and is sold for of computer manufacturing and retailing, 60 RECREATIONAL COMPUTING MAR-APR 1979 " F - techniques, to discuss problems, and and state-of-the-art discussions of hard KIM USER NOTES to demonstrate software and hardware." ware, software, systems, and peripherals_ THE Each Faile has also included several user KIM -1 User Notes, the original 6502 Contact Robert Karpen , 2054 Eakins RECREATIONAL Court, Reston , VA 22091 , (703)860- group meetings, as well as industry and newsletter with over 2100 subscribers PROGRAMMER retailer meetings. worldwide (now known as USER 9116. NOTES: 6502), is expanding its coverage In Annandale, Virginia, TRS·80 users Those wishing to propose a talk or dem to include the Synertek SYM and Rock meet the last Wednesday of each month QUALITY IS BASI C onstration or organize a conference ses well AIM machines. It will offer twice as to share ideas, programs, and problems. sion on a particular topic should contact much information in a brand new fonnat. Contact Rod Wright , 8205 Chivalry the Faire as soon as possible. Speakers KIM will, of course, continue to get the Road, AnnadaJe, VA 22003 , (703) should request an Author's Kit, immed most coverage. iately. Those proposing a talk should 560-5854. submit a paper, or lengthy abstract, in a Subscriber rates are S13.00/6 issues (U.S. & Canada 1st class) and SI9.00/6 SMALL SYSTEMS RATE camera-ready fonnat specified by the BIG-TIME BOSTON SHOW Faire, no later than March 1. All such issues elsewhere. U.S. funds only. papers that are accepted will be published Boston's Hynes Auditorium is the site in the Faire's Conference Proceedings. Purchase orders will be accepted if accompanied with payment. Write USER of the Northeast Computer Show, Sept. 28~30. The Northeast Computer Show For Author's Kits or further infonnation, NOTES:6502, Eric C. Rehnke, Publisher, will be the largest display of computer please write Computer Faire, Box 1579, P. O. Box 33093, North Royalton, OH Palo Alto, CA 94302, or call (415) 44133. equipment ever assembled in Boston. 851- 7075. There will be two separate sections to U. MASS OFFERS GRAD PROGRAM the show: personal computing and busi AEDS SEEKS WHIZ KIDS FOR ness computing. The personal computing TRS-SO IN COMPUTER EDUCATION PROGRAMMING CONTEST section will feature microcomputers, small computer systems, business oppor Applications are now available for the The University of Massachusetts has a tunities, electronic and video games, Association for Educational Data Systems' program of graduate study in Instruc· career and employment opportunities, tional Applications of Computers, leading PET 1979 Computer Programming Contest. educational exhibits, free seminars and The contest is designed to recognize those to master's and doctoral degrees. Study lectures. students who develop outstanding pro is interdisciplinary, typically involving jects in the field of computer program the fields of education, psychology, Exhibitors in this section will display the ming. Students in grades 7 through 12 mathematics and computer science. latest in personal computing hardware APPLE are eligible. and software, computeriz.ed music syn Areas of concentration include: Com thesizers, computer amusements, com· GIVE YOURSELF QUALITY For an application fonn and further in puter.Assisted Instruction; Computer· puter-generated art, graphics and anima· FULLY TESTED PROGRAMS ...... , ""~'"'. Managed Instruction; Programming Lan· -,., ._, ... ,. .,- ... """.... "" ...... , ... fonnation, please write: AEDS, 1201 tion. Doz.ens of free lectures and seminars ...... -""~...,.--"""""--- ~".;: =?:.:.:~ !!.~:""- ---"""-'.' ...... " .. _. ,,- Sixteenth St., N.W., Washington, D.C. guages: APL, BASIC, LOGO; Simulation will be given by internationally recog 20036. and Gaming; Mathematics Education; nized speakers, along with introductory Cognitive Science ; Artificial Intelligence. classes for all categories and levels of en EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS thusiasts. GETCOPYRJG HT BREAK For further information, contact: Prof qiSor Howard A. Peelle , Director, in Computer clubs and organizations, in A new service·, which gives non· structional Applications of Computers, cluding high school and college clubs, profit educational institutions the right School of Education, University of Mas· will be encouraged to participate. There Oicense) to reproduce Digital Equipment sachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, will also be special exhibits for children. Corporation manuals and handbooks, is 01002, (413) 545.0496. now available to DEC customers. The For more information about exhibiting USERS' GROUPS 1 year (6 issues) S I 0 02 years (12 issues) S 18 service grants the copyright licensee the in the show, call or write Northeast CHARGE BY TELEPHONE 1- 11: 1 right to re produce a specified (by the Expositions, Box 678, Brookline Village, Surfac.email 10 Canada and all foreign ",_",UI,""- _OJ"- ...... """""ot, _ " ""-'-'",,, "' "..." ....., ....' ... ___ ,, _ _, .... _,,_ licensee) number of copies of a manual TRS·80 users in the Redwood Empire MA 02147, (617) 522-4467. oounUies - S 17/yr. Airmail rates avaibble. ANNUAL SUBSC$12.,RIPTI ...... ON RATE"' _ _S •. _, or handbook for a fee of 25% of the California's Sonoma, Marin, lake, and Ocheck enclosed (payable to Dymax) $15 _ _ book's cost. This new service signifi· Mendocino Counties- have recently OMosterchargc OVlsa/ BankAmericard $24 _,,,, .. _, CORRECTION (fRS-80 GUIDE) cantly reduces manual costs for schools formed a group. "Anyone is welcome, CardExp.dale NO.:-::=_ ====_ __ _ and students. whether they own a TRS·80, small THE system or large , " says the announce In the Nov -Dec '78 issue we announced a Guide to TRS-80 Information, available RECREATIONAL For more infonnation on this important ment. If you're interested, contact John new service from DEC , contact the Revelle, 7136 Belita Avenue. Rohnert from Florence Huebner of Oak Park, PROGRAMMER Michigan. The correct prices on the Guide Educational Sales Specialist nearest you P"k, CA 94928, (707) 528·1464. ,m and ask for a copy of "Educational are: S3.30 each for one; $2.75 each fot to: QUALITY BIMONTHLY COMPUTER SOFTWARE Institution Reproduction Agreement." PET users in northern Virginia have two-nine copies; SI.90 for 10 to 50 P.O. B Ol 2571 K.lamnoo Michigan 49003 • V,lId in the United States onlv. organized to "exchange software and copies. 0 MAR.APR 1979 63 82 RECREATIONAL COMPUTING