I

-

Vol. 3 No. 4 Jul.-Aug. - 1983 FEATURES

SUSPENDED 10 The Cryogenic Nightmare David P. Stone

M.U.L.E. 12 One of Electronic Arts' New Releases Edward Curtis BATTLE FOR NORMANDY 14 Strategy and Tactics Jay Selover

SCORPION'S TALE 16 Adventure Game Hints and Tips Scorpia COSMIC BALANCE CONTEST WINNER 17 Results of the Ship Design Contest

KNIGHTS OF THE DESERT 18 Review Gleason & Curtis

GALACTIC ADVENTURES 20 Review & Hints David Long

COMPUTER GOLF! 29 Four Games Reviewed Stanley Greenlaw BOMB ALLEY 35 Review Richard Charles Karr

THE COMMODORE KEY 42 A New Column Wilson & Curtis Departments Inside the Industry 4 Hobby and Industry News 5 Taking a Peek 6 Tele-Gaming 22 Real World Gaming 24 Atari Arena 28 Name of the Game 38 Silicon Cerebrum 39 The Learning Game 41 Micro-Reviews 43 Reader Input Device 51 Game Ratings 52 Game Playing Aids from Computer Gaming World

COSMIC BALANCE SHIPYARD DISK Contains over 20 ships that competed in the CGW COSMIC BALANCE SHIP DESIGN CONTEST. Included are Avenger, the tournament winner; Blaze, Mongoose, and MKVP6, the judge's ships. These ships are ideal for the gamer who cannot find enough competition or wants to study the ship designs of other gamers around the country. SSI's The Cosmic Balance is required to use the shipyard disk. PLEASE SPECIFY APPLE OR ATARI VERSION WHEN ORDERING. $15.00 ROBOTWAR TOURNAMENT DISK CGW's Robotwar Diskette contains the source code for the entrants to the Second Annual CGW Robotwar Tournament (with the exception of NordenB) including the winner, DRAGON. Also included is the winner of the First Annual Tournament, NORDEN+. Twelve robots in all. Muse Software's ROBOTWAR" required to use tournament disk. $12.00. CGW BASEBALL DISK Contains the four teams of the All Star League reported on in 3.3 (AL West All Stars, Al East, NL West, and NL East); the six teams of the 1982 Winter League (see 3.3), the eight teams of the Greatest Baseball Team of All Time Tournament, and a reprint of the results of The GBTOAT tournament from issue 2.3. SSI's Computer Baseball Apple version required to use data disk. Apple version only. $12.00. Send check or money order to: Computer Gaming World, Disk Order Dept., P.O. Box 4566, Anaheim, CA 92803-4566. California residents please add 6% sales tax. Allow 3-4 weeks for delivery.

INSIDE THE INDUSTRY by Dana Lombardy

It wasn't too long ago that most That doesn't mean games are 2. I buy about the same number of the best-seller lists published in dying—in fact, a few "classics" of computer games each the software industry were dom- continue to stay on the best-seller month, but I'm more selective inated by game titles. This situation lists month after month, joined by a now and don't usually buy until has dramatically reversed itself hot new title on occasion. But the I see a game. recently. day when games made up the 3. I buy fewer computer games majority of best-sellers may be over. now, but I'll still occasionally Other types of software- buy a game that I haven't seen personal finance, filing systems, While games may not sell like yet. word processing, etc.—now hotcakes anymore, they're still a 4. I buy fewer computer games dominate the best-seller lists. What very important part of the com- now, and I'm more selective happened to games? puter business. But in order to about which ones I buy. compete, publishers are going to Several ideas discussed by people have to offer really different and Part II in the computer business as the challenging games at more reason- If you checked answer #3 or #4 in reasons for this change include the able prices. And for consumers that Part I above, then check the one following: can be the best news from what answer below that best describes may appear to be a negative how you're spending money on There are too many games, too situation. software now. many rip-offs, and too many So be choosy. You really do have 5. I'm spending less money now similar-designs. Consumers are influence in what types of games more wary now about buying a each month than in the past on are published. Your vote does software, but almost all of it game sight-unseen, and instead, count—because you vote with your goes to new games. wait for a review or to play a dollars every time you buy (or don't friend's copy. buy) a particular game or other 6. I'm spending less money now Games are too expensive. Even piece of software. each month than in the past on though prices are dropping, it's software, but almost all of it still too expensive to keep goes to non-game programs. collecting game after game 7. I'm spending less money now when you don't have the time Readers Survey each month than in the past on to play all the games you software, but this is equally already have. Here's your chance to give your feedback on the way you buy split between games and other 3. Games got people into software now. Please answer the software. computers, but now they want questions below, using the Reader The results of this mini-survey will to do more with their computer Input Device at the back of this be published in a future column. systems. You'll always find time issue. Thanks for your participation. to play a good computer game, but with so much money in- vested in your machine, why Part I not have other types of soft- ware that can really help you Check the one answer below of Responses to the readers survey on do things besides just kill alien questions 1 through 4 that most this page should be made on the bugs? closely reflects your current RID card at the back of this mag- attitude about computer games. azine. See page 51 for instructions. While there are other reasons, 1. I buy about the same number these three seem to be the main of computer games each ones suggested for the drop-off in month—even games I haven't game sales. actually seen or played. sight. The gunner positions a reticule on the target Infocom, Inc. will introduce two new games this and fires, with the number of hits and other summer and fall. The first, PLANETFALL, is a HOBBY AND aspects of his performance recorded." game that explores the lighthearted side of science fiction by challenging players to save a doomed INDUSTRY NEWS According to IRD, there have been discussions and plague-stricken planet while trying to keep a within the simulator industry concerning the straight face. Steven Meretzky, author of A televised "sin network" featuring gambling at possible placement of simulators in recreation PLANETFALL and a long-time contributor to the home may provide the impetus for the widespread areas on military bases, thereby transforming (in Infocom game development process, elaborates: use of interactive teleshopping services such as the minds of the users, at least) the "training" into "There are several interesting elements that make videotex and teletext, according to a 3 I 4-page "entertainment." And, as Ledecky stated half- this game unique. One of the most important is the report released by International Resource Devel- seriously, "perhaps army recruiters should visit high level of interaction between the player and a opment Inc., an independent consulting firm based local videogame parlors to find the fighter pilots of strong second character known as 'Floyd.' "Floyd, in Norwalk, Connecticut. tomorrow." an impish robot who is your constant companion in the game, has a well-defined personality. He's "Gambling services may be the answer to get SSI's August releases include: their WWI air exuberant, funny, mischievous, and sometimes consumers to access teletext and videotex," game, EAGLES, in which players control up to 10 unpredictable. The decision to concentrate on this according to IRD researcher Dave Ledecky. "The planes per side. It will run on the Apple, Atari, and strong second character has allowed us to build average bettor receives his betting information C-64. BROADSIDES is coming along nicely and rich detail into the personality. In addition, the from the newspaper, and then either places a bet should be out for the Apple in August with the packaging for PLANETFALL will be mew and at the track, at an off-track betting parlor, or with Atari version coming at a later date. The C-64 and different. Inside a folder-like package players will an illegal bookmaker. The use of teletext and IBM PC versions of COMPUTER BASEBALL and find such physical elements as a Stellar Patrol ID videotex could result in one-stop gambling" notes the IBM version of BATTLE FOR NORMANDY Card, a space diary, futuristic postcards, and other Ledecky. IRD's report notes that off-track betting round out the August releases. elements that complement the story," adds parlors already use a teletext-like system to display First Star Software, Inc. announced today that Meretzky. The game is due out in mid-August and race results, and the Bell Operating Companies it will be marketing a number of entertainment will be on many machines. with their instant information telephone lines for and educational programs based on several sports and horse racing results provide a strong Marvel characters. In its joint venture agreement indication that consumers do accept the use of with the Marvel Entertainment Group (a division The second release, which should appear some- telecommunications to retrieve these services and of Cadence Industries), First Star will design and time in mid-September, is ENCHANTER. The data. market software featuring Marvel's famous super first in a new trilogy of fantasy games that will take heroes. players into a world of magical powers and per- Ledecky notes that with home betting systems, ilous predicaments. Co-authored by Marc Blank "bets could even be placed on events occurring Broderbund has announced the release of a new and Dave Lebling, the creative team that designed within certain sporting events, rather that just on game for the Atari 400/800/1200, new versions of and and wrote Infocom's popular ZORK under- the outcome of the event. This adds great some of their popular games for the Vic 20, and ground fantasy series, Enchanter is a journey into immediacy to the gambling. For instance, one that they were beginning to create versions of an environment where you use skill and logic to could place a bet as to whether a particular their most popular games for the Commodore 64. overcome "Krill," the evil warlock whose ever- baseball player is going to get a hit on his next time New for the Atari is Operation Whirlwind, which increasing powers have shattered the peace of at bat. Of course, all this would have to be legalized, put the player through a series of skirmishes and your world. Blank—who in addition to designing, and that is a distinct possibility within the next few battle actions which requires that you complete a writing, and programming games is Vice President years. People will bet on just about anything, "says different set of strategic actions for each one, until for Product Development at Infocom—comments, Ledecky. "They'll bet on the sunrise as long as it's the last endgame crescendo. "This game is written in the ZORK tradition, but easy and convenient to do so." with new and different settings. In the ZORK New releases for the Vic 20 include three trilogy, the emphasis is on treasure and fighting, IRD, in another study recently published, stated conversions; AE, SKY BLAZER and SEAFOX. All while in Enchanter the focus is clearly on magic. that and important merger is developing between will come in cartridge formats and retail for During your journey, you'll explore an abandoned simulators used for military training purposes and $39.95. castle filled with strange and magical trappings. videogames. The study indicates that simulators You'll uncover spell scrolls which you must learn are beginning to look more like videogames, and Broderbund's entry into the Commodore 64 to use judiciously in overcoming the many videogames are beginning to look more like market has been with the conversion of four of obstacles before you. Ultimately, you'll be able to rudimentary simulators. "Inevitably the two their most successful games to this machine. use magic so effectively that the evil warlock will technologies will interconnect," says Ledecky. CHOPLIFTER!, SEAFOX, SERPENTINE, and be banished forever. Another important element "Videogames will incorporate simulator principles DAVID'S MIDNIGHT MAGIC have all been in Enchanter is the passing of game time. As the in order to achieve greater real world likeness, and released in versions for the C64. days pass in the story, you'll eat, drink, and sleep or simulator designers will come to understand the you will reach a point where your powers start to contribution fun makes to training, and add game Simulations Canada has announced that it fail." aspects to simulator training." Indeed, this is expects to have its first computer games ready for already occurring. Perceptronics manufactures a the market by late fall. There two to four titles tank gunnery trainer, which the IRD report des- included in this initial release. Those most likely to cribes as follows: "It is a table top device with a be included are Battle of the Atlantic, the Fall of Corrections to News from last issue: ARCHON was sight, gunner controls, and scoreboard. Scenes of France, 1940, North African Desert campaign, and written by Anne Westfall, Jon Freeman, and Paul moving targets in a wide variety of environments modern tactical naval combat. The plan is to Reiche. MURDER ON THE ZINDERNEUF was are played back under microcomputer control release them at first for the Apple II, and later to written by Robert Leyland, Paul Reiche, and Jon from a laser-optical videodisc and presented in the release versions for the Atari, IBM PC, and C64. Freeman. In addition to games mentioned elsewhere Avant-Garde Creations to the TV game, have symbols behind each P.O. Box 30160 in this issue, the following products have been "door" that can be paired up so as to gain Eugene, OR 97403 points and, in all but one variation of the received by CGW. Some of these products will game, reveal parts of the hidden word receive more detailed attention in future JUMP JET: An arcade type game loosely behind the doors. A great family or party issues. Readers wishing to review any of these based on the fiction of the Falklands Island game. Atari. $29.95. games should contact CGW. Crisis. You are a jumpjet pilot flying from a Loyal aircraft carrier just off an enemy Datasoft Inc. held island. Your task is first to defend the 9421 Winnetka Ave. Avalon Hill Game Co. fleet and secondly to defeat the enemy by Chatsworth, CA 91311 4517 Harford Rd. retaking the captured island. Various Baltimore, MD 21214 tactics must be used to destroy, in order, ZAXXON: The official home computer enemy cruisers, submarines, kamikaze version of Sega's popular coin-op arcade planes, and rocket launchers. The game game. Outstanding graphics. Not as de- plays a bit like Broderbund's Choplifter. tailed as the coin-op version (that is to be While the graphics are not as good as expected) but comes close. Atari and Apple. PARIS IN DANGER: A multi-level Choplifter, the game itself has more depth simulation of the 1814 campaign to crush (no pun intended). Apple. $29.95. Napoleon. On one level you move army Dell Publishing Co. corps around a strategic map of France Broderbund Software 245 E. 45th St. and surrounding nations. When a battle 1938 Fourth St. New York, NY 10017 occurs play switches to a large scrolling San Rafael, CA 94901 tactical map in which the corps are broken THE OFFICIAL COMPUTER HATER'S down into divisions. A review and analysis LODE RUNNER: This one wins the HANDBOOK: Written by the author of will appear in our next issue. Atari 48K. "keeping the editor up late at night" award the Preppy Joke Book and Preppy Cook for this issue. Well designed (which is Book, TOCHH is packed with laughs. normal for Broderbund products). An Consider what might be found in the arcade style game that requires real section entitled "Computerholics Anonymous—The Hell of "Devil ROM". TAC: TAC (short for Tactical Armor strategic planning if you are to do well. 192 pages. $3.95. Command) is a game of WWII armored After the first few attempts you learn quickly than you had better study a game combat. Each side builds a combat team Home Computer Software level before hitting the joystick to start from a roster of British, German, American, 1171 Sonora Court your man racing up and down ladders, or Russian tanks, assault guns and tank Sunnyvale, CA 94086 destroyers. Although the documentation drilling passageways and solving puzzles. does not emphasis it, the game supports Review coming. Apple II. $34.95. FAMILY BIBLE FUN: A series of disk The Mockingboard sound board (see programs for the Apple and Atari MATCHBOXES: Remember the TV review in CGW 3.2) which really adds a lot 400 /800 /1200 that center on Bible gameshow CONCENTRATION? Here it is to the game. TAC will be the subject of a knowledge. In the Know Your Bible for a computer (well almost). You are feature review in our next issue. Apple. program you can play games that test your presented with a 36 box grid which, similar knowledge of biblical characters, books, witnesses). Actual game play involves the that the game was not published prior to etc. Aimed at young people. This is a good two lawyers selecting the right questions to Penguin's interest as it is a good game. The looking set of programs for the Christian ask. The prosecutor wants the truth (i.e. human player(s) must get a single piece family that wants to use their Apple or correct answers). The defense wants to from one edge of the board to the opposite Atari to learn more about the Bible. Master coverup truth (i.e. incorrect answers). Thus edge avoiding the computer pieces. The Disk is $19.95. Individual Game disks are the game is one of remembering the clues strategy is to predict far enough ahead to $29.95 each. Some of the disks available and asking the right questions to get the avoid the computer's pieces and any other are Life of Christ, Pt. I and Pt.2, The kind of response (true or false). Although it human player's piece. It is a good game in Prophets, Great Women of the Bible (11 is not as polished as games from the big the classic tradition of chess. Apple. $19.95. titles in all). companies, JT has potential not only as a party game but as a "strategy" game for SPY'S DEMISE: Atari version of the Navic Software two players. Apple. $29.95. original Apple game in which you, the spy, P.O. Box 147270 attempt to reach the top floor of the North Palm Beach, FL 33408 Penguin Software Russian diplomatic mission and capture an 830 4th Ave. encoded message. Play involves crossing JURY TRIAL: A game for two or more Geneva, IL 60134 each floor while avoiding the guards. Each players. The two primary players play the floor contains parts of the encoded roles of prosecutor and defense attorney. PENSATE: When Softline put John message. When all parts are gathered you Other players can be witnesses. The facts Besnard's unpublished PENSATE on the can crack the code and send the answer to of a crime are briefly displayed on the cover of their May-June issue Penguin Penguin. If you are the first person from a monitor. The witnesses and the two Software told John that they wanted to state of the USA or Canadian province, or attorneys watch carefully as the infor- publish the game on the basis of the cover other country to solve the puzzle you can mation is flashed (in the case of a two feature. Thus we have Pensate. Weird way win a Spy's Demise T-shirt from Penguin. player game the lawyers are also the to find a publisher, John. It is surprising $19.95. Rainbow Computing computer journals. Indexed by author, German player plans all his raids for the 9719 Reseda Blvd. subjects, and review categories, LAMP day, the British player does some daily Northridge, CA 91324 covers over 150 magazine titles (including "housekeeping". Then the program goes Computer Gaming World). Price is $69.50 into execution mode and the game is BAT-STAT: Tired of doing baseball per year in book form and $54.95 per year played with the British player reacting to statistics for your little league or softball in fiche form. Bi-monthly. the German raids. The German player can team the hard way? Now, with the help of sit smugly (or nervously) back and watch BAT-STAT, you can use your Apple to do Strategic Studies Group the British effort to counter his raids. the job more quickly. BAT-STAT is a menu Ground Floor Review coming. Apple. $39.95. driven program that will keep statistics for 336 Pitt St. Sydney a baseball team of up to 20 players. Stats 2000 Australia NORTH ATLANTIC '86: Using the are generated for "this game" and "season" Guadalcanal system with improvements as well as team totals. Most standard REACH FOR THE STARS: Roger Keating NA86 deals with a hypothetical Soviet- categories are recorded (AB,runs,hits, (several SSI designs) has turned his talents NATO confrontation in the near future. BA,2B,3B,HR,Sac,BB,RBI). But, for some to a new area with a game published by a Along with the 232-turn campaign game reason, strikeouts are not included. new company. RFTS is a strategic simu- there are two mini games. Review coming. Apple. $59.95. Sierra On-Line Inc. lation of colonization expansion and con- Sierra On-Line Building flict in space. Using some of the same game Coarsegold, CA 93614 design elements that work well in his Swearingen Software wargames, Roger has successfully put 6312 W. Little York #197 APPLE CIDER SPIDER: Apple arcade together an enjoyable space game. Doc- Houston, TX 77088 game in which you are a spider trying to umentation is well done. Look for review make it to the attic while avoiding the next issue. Apple. $60.00 Australian. PICK THAT TUNE: Pick That Tune is, as deadly machinery in the apple cider factory the name implies, a game in which players (as well as other hungry critters. A donkey try to guess popular tunes by listen to bits Strategic Simulations kong type game which supports the of each song. There are 16 different game 883 Stierlin Rd. Bld. A-200 Mockingboard sound board. variations which 1 to 10 people can play. Mountain View, CA 94043 Drawing from a base of 100 songs (you THE DARK CRYSTAL: Atari version of choose the catagory—pop,country,chil- the original Apple game. TDC is Hi-Res COSMIC BALANCE II: The long awaited dren,TV) players bit the number of notes Adventure #6 from Sierra On-Line. The CBII (The Strategic Game) is now available. that they think they will need to be able to game (designed by Roberta Williams— CBII is the sequel to SSI's popular The correctly identify the current tune. An Time Zone) is based on the epic fantasy Cosmic Balance tactical space warfare expansion disk with 100 more songs is film conceived by Jim Henson of the game. CBII is an economic/exploration/ available. Apple $29.95. Muppets. The game follows the movie's colonization/conquest game set in the far plot with enough differences to make it a future. Two players can choose between Top Notch Productions challenge. As Jen, last of the Gelfling, you five scenarios or create their own. Battles 1201 Montana Ave., Suite 5 must find a shard of the Great Crystal and can be fought using The Cosmic Balance Santa Monica, CA 90403 restore it before the Great Conjunction. tactical game or CBII can resolve combat The excellent documentation includes a for you. Review coming. Apple and Atari. POLLYWOG: A lo-res game in which you four color poster. $39.95. $39.95. are a school of twelve pollywogs trying to Soft Images grow into adult frogs. Barriers to adult- 200 Route 17 hood are creepies, killer fish, barrier reefs. Mahwah, NJ 07430 FIGHTER COMMAND: Another long The ultimate goal is to keep any blue awaited title from SSI. Charlie Merrow and pollywogs alive so that he may grow up to LAMP: Lamp, which is an acrostic meaning Jack Avery (Computer Baseball) have be a prince. While the graphics are lo-res, Literature Analysis of Microcomputer teamed up to produce a stunning new the color and very nicely done sound make Publications, is a three part index to articles game based on the Battle of Britain. The this game rather artistic. There are 64 in American and international micro- graphics are outstanding After the levels of play. Apple. $29.95. Commercial Data Systems Ltd. overcome Robo-Droids and Snap-Jumpers of the screen offers an overhead view of 730 Eastview Ave. in order to find the dreaded Shadow and the maze, and the lower portion of the Regina, Sask. Canada S4N 0A2 terminate him. $39.95, Vic 20. screen offers a tactical combat view. Each adventurer starts with three spells and a BUGSPREE: Bugspree is a Centipede Sierra On-Line Inc. weapon and tries to make his way out of clone. The game involves firing an auto- Sierra On-Line Building the dungeon of Mt. Drash. There are 15 matic cannon against an invasion of bugs, Coarsegold, California 93614 levels to the mountain dungeon and the mushrooms and spiders. The game makes difficulty factor escalates rapidly. Vic 20 excellent use of the Vic 20 graphics and FLIP-N-MATCH: FNM is a Concentration- with 8K expander. sound capabilities, but advances very little type game. It contains both a two-player over the original arcade game. $29.95, Vic and solitaire version for adults and a two- 20. player and solitaire version for children. The adult version has more possible ROAD TOAD: RT is a familiar looking matches than the standard Concentration The Code Works version of the Frogger variety. The game board and the shapes are similar P.O. Box 550 graphics utilize a very fluid animation and enough that one must pay close attention Goleta, California 93116 the sound is nice. $29.95, Vic 20. in order to do his/her best. The solitaire VIXEL: This is a cassette magazine with version is relatively easy at skill level 0, but WITCH WAY: WW is a new interpretation three ready-to-run programs in each issue. has five other levels to challenge the player of Donkey Kong. The game includes nine Volume One contains two arcade games as he/she improves. Vic-20. floor levels and four screen patterns. Each (FIRE and RACE) and an electronic screen pattern offers a new objective and sketchpad (DRAW). FIRE is an arcade challenge. The use of a timer and bonus ULTIMA: ESCAPE FROM MT. DRASH: game where the player operates a heli- points also adds to the challenge. $29.95, ULTIMA is an intriguing adventure game copter with water bombs and attempts to Vic 20 with 8K expander. because of its unique graphics and successfully put out a fire in a high-rise building before the time is up. RACE is a Human Engineered Software marvelous musical score (The Well- game where the player races with the 71 Park Lane Tempered Commodore?). The screen computer's car. DRAW is a computerized Brisbane, California 94005 offers three different views. The left-hand corner of the screen offers a three "Etch-A-Sketch" with the ability for you to GRIDRUNNER: This game begins with dimensional maze, the right-hand corner save your drawings to tape. $12.95, Vic 20. the look and feel of Centipede. It is a faster and more challenging game, however. The patterned Y zapper with its destructive plasma beam is more difficult to avoid than the spider in Centipede. Memorizing the patterns of the Y zapper and alien bombs will enable the player to maneuver his ship more effectively and attain higher scores. The sound effects for this game are excellent. $39.95 Vic 20.

SHAMUS: This is the licensed version of Synapse Software's well-known game. It is a fast moving game with excellent graphics and smooth animation. For a detailed description of the game, see CGW 2.6, p. 20. The simplest description of the game would be that it seems a cross between Bezerk and an adventure game. The player is an interplanetary detective attempting to

SUSPENDED: Review David P. Stone

BASIC INFORMATION sonar. SENSA senses. She can popularity in Isaac Asimov's detect vibrations, photon science fiction classic I, Robot. That NAME: Suspended emissions, and ionic discharges. work tapped, and perhaps ex- TYPE: Adventure AUDA hears. She's particularly ploited, man's fear of technology SYSTEM: Many (Atari good at eaves-dropping. WHIZ is and his ultimate inability to control reviewed) the brains of the outfit. He's your his destiny. FORMAT: Disk link to the complex's computer The robots in Suspended are not # PLAYERS: One memory banks. Finally, there's from the same world as Asimov's, AUTHOR: Michael Berlyn POET. He speaks in cryptic clauses but they are not from the other side PRICE: $39.95 that accurately describe his of the universe either. They serve PUBLISHER: Infocom environment — if you can just you faithfully within their Cambridge, MA figure out what he's referring to. limitations and have no delusion of Also, he has a special diagnostic power or superiority. However, Suspended is the latest in an sensor that works when you direct throughout the adventure you are unbroken chain of outstanding him to touch something. All in all, very much aware that you have no adventures from Infocom. It's they are quite a crew (with only a hands but their hands ("exten- premise is ingenious and intriguing. hint of sexism in their roles). sions"), no senses but their senses. In a cryogenic state, deep within You may find this frustrating when Both cryogenics and robots are the bowels of the planet Contra, you want a robot with "dainty enjoying a certain popularity your sleeping mind monitors the extensions" to grasp, or a robot nowadays, so the themes of filtering computers that maintain a with no visual scanner to see. Suspended are well timed. Of balance of the planet's food, course, the idea of robots has been You can talk to the robots transportation, and weather around for a long time. Ones with individually or as a group. You can systems. Contra's population personalities were first rocketed to even have two of them team up to depends on these systems. Your perform a single task that neither conscious mind is the failsafe could do alone. A few handy system. You are to be awakened only if there is an emergency. There is, of course, an emergency. After awakening your task is to direct the actions of six robots to repair and reset the filtering computers so you can get back to sleep. Sound like fun? Get ready for some long and sleepless nights because if you don't fix them in a hurry, humans from the surface will show up with your replacement clone to pull your plug. The result: high tech death. Each robot has a name, a set of special skills, and its own per- sonality. The personalities seem to grow on you. As the game progresses, the robots turn from talented pawns into trusty friends. Each robot has a primary skill plus some degree of mobility and grasping extensions. IRIS sees (when she's working). WALDO manipulates objects and moves by abbreviated commands are just two-word input. As with earlier the booklet is cleverly written, available: ARL (all robots, report Infocom adventures, Suspended slightly wordy, and filled with wry your locations) and ARR (all robots, recognizes over 600 words; and, understatements about your report). These two commands are more importantly, it responds cryogenic predicament. As a total especially useful when you are still intelligently to most user input. So, package, the documentation for exploring and have temporarily lost there is seldom a need to test Suspended leaves no gaps and does track of which robot is where. combinations of verbs and subjects more than enough to establish the Another feature that makes this to hit upon the exact words that the mood for the game. game a cut above other adventure game designer had in mind. One task of the adventure writer games is you don't have to type in As everyone who has read their is to provide just enough clues, in every move. For example, you can ads knows, Infocom doesn't do the instruction booklet and in the send a robot from one side of the graphics. Instead, their parser and game itself, for you to be able to complex to the other by simply their prose tell the story. However, figure things out. Too many clues telling him to go there. Meanwhile, the quality of the prose in and the answers are given away. you can have other robots perform Suspended is different than in other "Hint" systems allow the writer to other tasks. Another time/typing Infocom games. The prose in be skimpier with the clues since saver is the "FOLLOW" command; Suspended is mostly reports and they allow you to move forward just tell one robot to FOLLOW replies from the robots. While there even if you do get stuck. Suspended another one and he will do so as is little purple (in the prose), each incorporates one of the cleverest long as it is physically possible. robot has a particular way of saying hint systems you are likely to see. It These two features help make the things that contributes to estab- is totally integrated into the story game very playable. lishing its character, revealing its line. personality, and developing an Hints are dispensed via the enjoyable atmosphere for the There are several phases to underground complex's Central game. learning and enjoying Suspended. Library Core (CLC). The CLC is a First, there's exploring and testing master computer that has three True to form, Infocom has to discover all the individual areas from which WHIZ can access maintained their tradition of maneuvers necessary to fix the historical, technical, or advisory filtering computers and complete producing the high quality information about objects that the the game. Next, there's putting all documentation. The game includes robots find. A fourth area of the the pieces together to make sure a plastic molded mask of a CLC provides an index to the other they fit. Then comes the honing cryogenic sleeper — sure to spook three. So, for example, after telling small children and entertain all process —developing the critical WHIZ to plug in at the Index, you path that minimizes your total others (and, by the way, of no use in can command him to ask about an number of moves. completing the game); a full-color, object (e.g., "WHIZ, ASK ABOUT two-fold map board of the under- PANEL.") If information on a Having fixed the filtering ground complex with six vinyl "panel" is available, the Index will computers in the least number of markers — one for each robot; and, list which of the other three areas moves that you believe to be a well written instruction booklet. contain the information so you can possible, the adventure is still not Besides containing necessary send WHIZ there to access it. over. No need to file Suspended on background information and the shelf with all those other dusty procedures for playing the game, Continued on p.46 adventures. You are now ready for the next phases: playing the advanced, harder, and expert levels. Things happen quicker on these levels, but the basic scenario is the same. One level beyond all these is impossible. It is just that. If you've experienced Zork, Deadline, or Starcross, you already know about the quality of Infocom's parser (the part of the game's program that interprets your input and responds accordingly). It's the best on the market. The program accepts complete, complex sentences, not SYSTEM: Atari 800 well executed in both artistic design The player will then, in the FORMAT: Disk and in the information that it development phase, decide which #PLAYERS: 1 to 4 contains. of the commodities is best to PRICE: $40.00 develop in regards to the previous The M.U.L.E. Player's Guide is DESIGNER: Ozark Softscape turns supply and perhaps his per- another example of a well designed PUBLISHER: Electronic Arts sonal shortage. On his part of this adjunct to the actual program. San Mateo. CA phase, the player goes to the town Each of the three levels of play corral (the town is located in the (Beginner, Standard, and Tourn- center of the map), buys a M.U.L.E., ament) are given their own section and outfits it to produce which ever of the guide which includes the commodity is desired. The player basic rules or additional rules for then leads the temperamental that level and tips which can help creature to his newly acquired plot quite a bit. The guide also includes and sets him up for production by a page of answers to the most centering himself over the hut common questions asked by the which appears in each unde- beginning players, the two basic veloped plot of land. This phase is laws of production for the basic ended either by the player's time commodities used in the game, Some time in the future, on a running out or by his getting back and the strategies and opinions of planet far far away, four beings are to the town and entering the pub the infamous "gang of four" (Dan left to develop the planet with only (which will gain him an amount of Bunten, et al.). the so-called help of temperamental money from gambling based upon As suggested in the Player's M.U.L.E.s (Multiple Use Labor the amount of time which he has Guide, the novice player should Elements). An interactive game for left). four players (the computer being jump directly into playing the After the last player has de- able to play up to three of them), Beginner level game after only a veloped any land that he has had M.U.L.E. is a thoughtfully designed cursory reading of the rules. The time to develop, the established and quick playing game which game itself is its own best tutor. M.U.L.E.s produce the commodity contains the finer aspects of an oil When, after a game or two, a player for which they were outfitted. All exploration game, an auction wants to know just what he has production completed, the game game, a real estate game and bits been doing, the guide is still there then goes to the "auction phase". It of others which, as stated on the to be read and now he can hope- is during this phase that any player inside of the jacket, "...died so that fully appreciate its explanations. with an excess in any given com- M.U.L.E. might live." A design of Each turn is made up of several modity has the opportunity to sell Ozark Softscape (Dan Bunten, Bill sections during which different his excess to either a player with a Bunten, Jim Rushing, and Alan things must be accomplished. The shortage, or to the town store. The Watson), this is a game which pits first part of each turn is the "Land price received depends upon the you not only against each other, Grant" phase. Each player is given supply and the last price paid for but the colony as a whole is also the opportunity to select one plot the given commodity. The turn judged at the end of game for of land from the five by nine grid ends with a display which shows overall success. which makes up the colony. The each player's relative worth and the A definite bonus with M.U.L.E. is players choose their land based value of the colony as a whole. it's packaging (as it is also with the upon what they what to produce other products recently released) and where their other land is lo- The Beginner's level of play by Electronic Arts. The jacket, cated (as these factors will effect introduces the player to the three beyond the humor that it uses, is the plots production). basic commodities produced on Irata (the planet on which all of this production increased by one. And, assay office. Players can check the is taking place) and the basic unlike the Economies of Scale base production of any plot of land economic rules which determine which can only increase a plot's by taking a sample of soil to the the level of their production. Each production by one, the Learning assay office for a report (which, of of the commodities (Food, Energy, Theory of Production will increase course, uses up some of the players and Smithore) has a definite use in your production by one for every precious time). developing the colony and each three plots producing the same player's land. The players also learn thing. The last thing added in the that the production of the com- The Standard Game introduces Tournament Game is the powerful modities varies due to the type of the players to two new features ability for players to Collude. land on which it is being produced. which can have dramatic effects on During any auction, two players Food, which is needed to give the the outcome of the game. Land is may choose to collude in order to player a full time allotment with the key to the changes in the sell to one another while preventing which to develop his plots of land Standard Game. Immediately after another player from getting a (each player gets one lot per turn), the Land Grant phase, there is a needed commodity. Collusion also grows best in the river valley which chance that the colony authorities works during private land auctions runs down the center of the map. will auction off up to six extra plots by allowing only a chosen player to Energy, which is needed for pro- of land (on the average, only one bid for the land in question. duction of the other two com- lot is auctioned). Getting extra lots modities, is best produced in the While these descriptions of early in the game can mean a jump flatlands. And Smithore, which is M.U.L.E. have been far from on getting production bonuses that needed for the continued produc- complete, they do capture the will put you into an early lead and, tion of M.U.L.E.s, is produced best basics of a game which has very in turn, make you that much better in the mountains. few aspects which one might wish off when other lots are auctioned to alter. The first point which came There are two "Laws of Econo- off. The other change in land rules to question was the lack of a "save mics" which, as mentioned above, is in the ability to sell land that is game" option. While even the rule the degree of production on a not needed (to get money for other Tournament Game is only twelve player's land. The first, Economies more useful land) or just to get turns long and takes less than two of Scale, states that the larger an money with which to feed yourself. hours, it is still aggravating to have operation is, the more efficient it is The buying of land in both the town to kill an almost completed game in producing a given commodity. organized sales and in the player for lack of time. It would also have You will, therefore, gain one extra sales are handled in the same been an improvement if the robot unit of production on each plot of auction format as is the trading of players could have been a bit land which is adjacent to another commodities in the auction section brighter. They become rather of your lots which is producing the of the game. The only difference predictable after a time and it same thing. If, for example, two of between the two types of land becomes relatively easy to take your adjacent lots were both pro- auctions is that the seller has the advantage of them. The greatest ducing energy and both had base right to refuse to sell at any time up complaint that could be found in a production of three units per turn, to the close of the auction if he is game which is so enjoyable is that then their actual production, due to not satisfied with any aspect of the it is just too short. To increase the the Economies of Scale, would be sale. length of the game and keep its four units per turn. dynamics of play would, unfortu- It is during the Tournament nately, necessitate a major revision The other "Law" is the Learning Game that the final commodity is and expansion of the game. It is a Curve Theory of Production. This introduced into the game. Crystite, task which we will just have to wait theory states that every time you the fourth commodity, is distri- for with great expectations. double the number of units that buted without regard to terrain, you have ever produced, your with the exception that it can not be M.U.L.E. is a fascinating and very production costs go down 20% due mined in the river valley. It is also enjoyable game which comes to its to improvements in production the only commodity whose price is best point with four human players. methods. In M.U.L.E. this is trans- not dependent upon supply and The interaction and demands on lated into your getting one extra demand, as all of it is shipped off creating a development strategy unit of production on each plot for planet and has no local use (the which can not only change from every three plots producing a price of crystite randomly varies game to game, but from turn to specific commodity,. no matter within set parameters). As the re- turn, makes this a game which will where it is located. Using the last lative worth of a plot of land for continue to be played long after example, if that player were to add Crystite production can not be others are put aside to collect dust. one more plot of land anywhere on known from land features, a new the map, each plot would have their office is opened in the town: the Battle For Normandy: Strategy and Tactics Jay Selover

TYPE: Wargame the limitations of supply and cross- SYSTEM: Apple, Atari Channel transport. As a game, BFN 400/800,TRS-80 gets gold stars for ease of play, FORMAT: Disk or Tape speed of execution, play balance, #PLAYERS: 1 or 2 number of game options, and a PRICE: $39.95 generally competent solitaire play PUBLISHER: Strategic (at least against conventional Allied Simulations attacks). Mountain View, CA Strategy Battle For Normandy (BFN) is SSI's simulation of D-Day and the The weakest points in the BFN landings will consolidate them, and build-up of the Allied beachhead in design are best exposed in dis- Omaha beach is easily linked-up by Normandy. While it is a thoroughly cussing optimal Allied strategy. the elimination of one German enjoyable game and provides nail- Historically, the main Allied regiment by Turn Three. Utah biting suspense, it falls a notch objectives during the first 22 days beach, though, can stand as an short as a historical simulation. The of the Normandy campaign were island through most of the game. game recreates the period from threefold. First, to establish a The area between Utah and Omaha June 6 to June 28, 1944 in two-day secure landing zone by linking all beaches is important only in so far turns, with units representing five landing beaches as quickly as as the coastal belt should be cleared brigades, regiments, or divisions. possible. Second, to capture the of Germans as quickly as possible, The map covers Normandy from vital port of Cherbourg by first but I have often failed to link the about Coutances (in the southwest), cutting across the Cotentin pen- two American beaches until June to Cherbourg (in the northwest), to insula from Utah beach to isolate 26 (the next to last turn) and still Cabourg (in the east). Victory the city and then to drive north. won the game. So much for the points are accumulated through- Third, to capture Caen, an im- most important historical objective! out the game for eliminating enemy portant rail hub just southeast of combat points (with a bonus when the British beaches (there is still The capture of Cherbourg also a unit is destroyed). Also, the Allies some question whether the impor- receives significantly non-historical gain victory points for units which tance of Caen was not more to treatment. It is time consuming, penetrate inland while the Germans distract German armored reserves wasteful of units, and ultimately receive points for units which are away from the Cotentin peninsula foolish to attempt the historical able to hang on near the beaches. and the defense of Cherbourg). maneuver of driving east from Allied units can acquire further Significantly, this is precisely the Utah beach to cut off the city before points each turn by occupying (with order in which these objectives assaulting it. Rather than drive due no Germans adjacent) the three were accomplished; the five landing east through bocage against strong major cities of Cherbourg, Caen, beaches were linked by June 11, German units (bocage multiplies and St. Lo (significant bonuses are Cherbourg was taken on June 27, defense factors by 2.5 in combat), it awarded for possession of these and Caen was not wrested from the is much more efficient to head cities at the end of the game). Germans until about July 21. north along the eastern side of the The strong points of the game as In playing BFN, the objective of peninsula and then west across the a simulation are the realistic, linking the beaches can be all but northern shore to Cherbourg. This attritional approach to combat in ignored. The British beaches are so skirts most of the bocage and Normandy and the emphasis on close together that the initial Continued on p.46 c

c

t r r t some riddles in the game that are Ah yes, the avalanche! Well, I'm based on a knowledge of that afraid there's no way around this A New Column... religion, and if you aren't familiar time; you'll just have to dash past it. with some of the concepts, you will It takes good timing and VERY have a very tough time indeed! careful observance to get through, Also, keep in mind that not every- but you can do it. However, since it thing in this game is of significance might take you more than one try, or has a bearing on winning. For it's a good idea to save the game example, you can bypass the first before leaving the ice cave. monastery entirely and still com- plete this adventure. Whether or not the game was designed that Now, at last, you've made it to the way is a mystery, but the fact fabled monastery that holds the remains that you needn't visit the Serpent's Star! You just have to Yerpa monastery. Because of this, find it, and that won't be easy. The you will find it isn't necessary to first thing to do is search all rooms buy everything the merchant has THOROUGHLY! Read descriptions for sale. In fact, besides the very carefully, and act accordingly. One obvious horse, you need only pur- thing you can ignore is the armor; chase three items. Just be logical in you're too big to wear it and it isn't your choices; there are no hidden useful for anything, anyway. Also: traps here. there is a little trap in one of the rooms, so be careful what you open up! As told by Scorpia What to do at the inn should be apparent; you certainly have Once you've been everywhere enough money. Only one of the else, you should be ready to tackle men is really important; if the one the silver door. Of course, you must you're talking to doesn't soon get rid of the guardian demons Ah, I see you made it! That's right, produce something of value, go to first, but if you have visited all the just step inside and close the door; the other man. Then just sack out rooms, you know what to do here it's pretty chilly out there. No, for the night. The wolf is another (if not, go back and try the rooms nothing I can do about that; outside, problem. You have two choices again until something happens). it's always foggy November here: kill it or go around it. He can Once you've taken care of the twilight. Comes with the territory, be killed, but the timing is im- demons, you will be able to open you might say. But we have a portant, so it's best to save the the silver door. At this point, you remedy for that: pull a chair up to game before leaving the inn: you should have four gems. If you don't, the crackling fire, and I'll have Fred may not manage it the first time I suggest you search around care- pour out a tall one for you (don't (mean, those wolves!). Going fully for the missing one...you will worry about Fred; he's only around the wolf requires some certainly need it later on! Now, just half-grue and really quite civilized). careful mapping, but will save you make your way through the rooms, Err...no, we don't carry Diet Pepsi, the frustrations involved in trying past the exercise yard, and into the you'll have to settle for something to kill it. building with the old monk. Now else. How about some dwarvish here's where it starts to get mean. beer, straight from those little old The monk will ask you three ques- brewers in Colossal Cave? The monk on the mountain road tions, and you had better know the is also important; he has something Good! I'm sure you'll enjoy it! answers the first time. This is when you need, so take your time here a familiarity with Buddhism will Now that you're all settled in, tell and don't move on until you get the me about your plans. What help (but if you're really stuck and item from him. You won't get a the library is closed, the answers to adventure did you have in mind? second chance: if you leave and Ah, heading off for Tibet and the all riddles are included at the end of come back, he'll be gone. So, check the column). Serpent's Star, eh? I've made that your inventory carefully, and con- little expedition myself, and I'll be sider what he might want. You will Once past the monk, you will find glad to give you some advice about also have to say the right thing, and yourself in the bane of every ad- it. that might be a bit tricky. However, venture game, the maze. You will there aren't too many topics you'd have to map this one extremely SERPENT'S STAR want to talk about, so it shouldn't carefully, as you can become con- First, you'll find it helpful to know take too long to come up with the a little about Buddhism. There are proper phrase. Continued on p.50 COSMIC BALANCE SHIP DESIGN CONTEST RESULTS

Twenty-five entries fought it out types of ships: transporters; Motherships, are very similar in in the CGW Cosmic Balance Ship battleships; motherships (i.e. nature to WWII aircraft carriers, Design Tournament. When all the aircraft carriers). with the majority of space in the phasers were silenced, all the Transporter ships had large ship dedicated to fighter bays. This plasma torpedoes spent, and all the numbers of marines on board that design can be murder on any ship fighter squadrons destroyed, David would beam through a downed with less than a 25 shield strength Cheng of San Clemente, CA was the shield and board an enemy ship. in any arc. James Reisman of hands-down winner. David's tech-6 These ships had the potential of Southampton, NY used TWO dreadnought, Avenger, was the scoring well, as captured ships motherships Aegean and Bosporus only ship that had a positive counted for double victory points. as his entry and placed third. James composite score. He averaged +143 The highest finishing transporter was able to have two motherships points against the three judges. The ship was Michael Livanos' Ajax.6 by reducing his tech to level one. next closest design was Baldur by which gathered +16 and 0 from This made the ships weaker Michael C. Powell of Baltimore, MD Paul and Keith's ships (both were individually but allowed him to who had a composite score against battleship types), but fell to Russ' launch six fighter groups (as the judges of -16. From there the fighters (from his aircraft carrier opposed to the maximum of four in scores went from -27 to -250. BLAZE) due to weak rear shielding a single ship design of tech level Avenger was, according to the (those little fighters fly around like six). judges, a "good combat ship for a pack of wasps). His score was Congratulations to David Cheng close in fighting". It's score against good enough for seventh place. and Avenger, winner of CGW's Paul Murray's Mongoose was +156. Battleships, which were the most COSMIC BALANCE SHIP DESIGN It's score against Keith Brors' common design, concentrated on CONTEST. David will receive an MKVP6 was +24. And against direct fire weapons such as phasers SSI game of his choice. Our thanks Russell Sipe's Blaze, Avenger scored and photon torpedoes. They were to all the entrants. If you would like +250 (Blaze was blown out of designed to close-in or to circle an to get the ships in our contest, space). As Russell is the publisher enemy pummeling him with including Avenger and the three of CGW, David's subscription was (hopefully) withering fire. Avenger, judges ships, see the announcement immediately canceled (just kidding our tournament winner was of this of CGW's COSMIC BALANCE SHIP David!). Paul Murray is the designer type. DISK in this issue. of both The Cosmic Balance and Cosmic Balance II. Keith Brors did game development on Cosmic Balance II. COSMIC BALANCE SHIPYARD DISK Avenger's design concentrated on forward firing weapons and speed. The ship would accelerate at Now available from CGW — "talent". Many are worthy of high speed towards a target while COSMIC BALANCE SHIP- study in your attempt to firing forward, and constantly YARD DISK. This disk contains develop the best ship around. keeping it's nose pointed at the over 20 ships to be used in To order send $15.00 to: enemy. The forward shields were playing SSI's THE COSMIC COMPUTER of maximum strength. This, BALANCE. Included are GAMING WORLD! combined with an armor rating of Avenger (winner of the CGW CB Disk Offer 50, made the ship ideally suited for Ship Design Contest), Blaze, P.O. Box 4566 straight forward infighting. Mongoose, MKVP6 (the judges Anaheim, CA 92803-4566 ships from the contest), as well Nearly all entries were composed as most ships of the other Please specify Apple or Atari. of a single tech-6 dreadnought. A contestants. This is not a complete game. few entries chose a lower tech level The Cosmic Balance is needed so as to have two dreadnoughts These ships are ideal to use this disk. and still remain within the opponents for those of you that tournament guidelines. The entries cannot find enough local Allow 3-4 weeks for delivery. can be classified into one of three Knights of the Desert: Review

John Gleason and Ed Curtis

The Game

NAME: Knights of Knights of the Desert(KD) is a the Desert multi-scenario simulation of the TYPE: Wargame fight for the section of desert SYSTEM: Apple, Atari, between El Agheila and Alexandria. TRS-80 This area, unremarkable in its own FORMAT: Diskette or Tape right, served as the battle ground #PLAYERS:1 or 2 on which one of the most able of AUTHOR: Tactical Design the German armor commanders Group and a series of less able British PRICE: $39.95 commanders were to wage a see- PUBLISHER: SSI saw campaign for North Africa, and ultimately the entire Mediterranean Theater. The critical features of this campaign (supply, Historical Overview divisions near Tripoli: replacements, troop morale, and The final blow, however, was extreme mobility) are captured in From the beginning of the North spared the Italians due to an order both their effects upon the tactical African campaign in 1940, from Winston Churchill, which situation of any given turn and Lieutenant General Richard N. detached the cream of O'Connor's upon the overall feel of the game, O'Connor and Theater Commander forces for the ill-fated defence of as the situation shifts from turn to Sir Archibald Wavell had per- Greece. This decision was made turn. The game begins with a game set formed brilliantly in all but not knowing that on 12 February, up section during which the destroying a numerically superior the day before the announced player(s) may specify: if they are Italian force. By February 1941, all transfer decision, Erwin Rommel beginning a new game or con- that was left of the Italian Army in and the first units of what was to tinuing a saved game; the difficulty North Africa, originally of 250,000+ become the Afrika Korps had men, were a few badly demoralized landed in Tripoli. Continued on p.47

GALA CTIC ADVENTURES: REVIEW & HINTS:

David Long

Galactic Adventures (GA) is SSI's sequel to their outstanding game of Name: Galactic Adventures individual combat in the 28th cen- Type: Role-Playing/ tury Galactic Gladiators (GG). GA Tactical Combat is a science fiction role playing System: Apple II,IIe,III, game where you, as one of the Atari 400/800 seven regular species introduced in (Winter 1983) GG, progress towards the title of #Players: 1 or 2 Independent Adventurer. Along the Author: Tom Reamy exciting and dangerous road to Price: $39.95 that ultimate honor, you'll probably Publisher: Strategic create at least one clone, recruit Simulations and train companions, and scour Mountain View, CA the galaxy for treasures left by a long dead civilization. heat ray gun, robot scrambler and whom you have purchased will Characters have the same basic missile imploder) to enable them to expect to be paid on a daily basis makeup as did those in GG; (see the survive and earn cash (Frilbees are and, the better they get, the more review in CGW — Sept-Oct 1982) the interstellar currency of the 28th they'll want to be paid (sounds like with the addition of leadership century). our modern day athletes, doesn't ability, sensitivity, and advanced As introduced in GG, each re- it?). If you can't pay, it's adios, skills. These include piloting, gular species has its own home amigo!! engineering and gunnery ability, planet. And, to complicate your life, Each planetary system has four (very necessary if you plan to some planets have outlawed cer- areas for your enjoyment (Visitor's journey in your own spaceship) as tain types of weapons. Earth, for Area, Streets, Guild Area, and Space well as a wide variety of other skills. example, allows no gemstones (a Port). First is the Visitor's Area, Weapons and armor are pretty type of futuristic grenade), so be where you can shop for tools at the much the same as GG, with the sure to sell off all your gemstones market, make purchases at the addition of "special" phasors and before heading for Terra, or the weapons' center, or visit the clone armor. Special phasors can fire five customs service will confiscate master. I'd strongly suggest that times before reloading, and special them from you. your first item of business be to armor offers the protection of It costs to feed and house you make two clones of your original heavy armor without encumbering and your associates, so be sure to adventurer. This allows you to have your speed or agility. keep a cash reserve or they'll desert two unpaid yet loyal followers and Your adventurers will also acquire you (taking whatever weapons and to expand your fighting and job (through purchase or by robbing assorted goodies they happen to skills. defeated enemies) tools and special have on them). Naturally, all but Next area of importance is the weapons (such as the matter beam, your clones and the special species Streets, where you can improve your originally meager fighting and having in life, cost money. There is determine, through logical analysis, job skills and can meet and recruit also the chance that your Talking which species are in which slots additional members for your band. will result in the other guys before your allotted guesses run In the streets you can Attack, Offer Attacking you, so I'd recommend out. You'll get more guesses if your to sell something, try to get the you not try to carry on any intell- skill rating is higher than the job beings you meet to Join you, Talk igent conversations with Berserk difficulty level (to a maximum of to them about buying something, Robots or Asteroid Miners. They ten) and fewer guesses if the or attempt to Bypass if they look are very easily annoyed. difficulty level is higher than your too tough for you to fight and you skill rating (to a minimum of one think they may be hostile. Attacking guess!). is one sure way to get the action The other possible result of going and try to improve yourself, Talking in the streets is being If you don't feel like dealing with but there is always a chance that offered one of the fourteen differ- this option, you can opt for an you'll be .fined for disturbing the ent types of jobs. Your ability to abstract resolution where your peace (half your cash), so be careful successfully perform a job is chances of success are calculated of attacking when you're finan- dependent upon your skill rating at by the artificial intelligence and cially well off. Offering is a good that type of job, and to a varying your success or failure is immed- way to build your cash, but unfor- degree on luck and intelligence. iately announced. I found that in tunately, no one is interested in You cannot even attempt many crucial situations on adventures, buying anything except special jobs unless you have the proper where my skill rating was about the weapons or the fabled K-devices tools. Once qualified, you have two same as or a little worse than the which you can only find on an options in attempting to success- job difficulty, I usually chose to adventure. fully complete your assignment. play the game. Most other times, I The first is to play the Job Skills preferred to take my chances with Talking will often result in your Game, best known in its more the abstract resolution and get on being offered a goodie of some common form as Mastermind. with playing Galactic Adventures sort, either a special weapon or a You'll be given a random config- rather than a guessing game. member of a special species, but uration of four members of the Continued on p.48 these things, like everything worth seven regular species. You must discussions with callers. Many important criteria for a good game others, however, are devoted on a BBS are the same as for live TELE-GAMING primarily to game playing and, for games — you must have a good DM the cost of a local or long distance and good players; people who are telephone call, your modem willing to truly role-play. Also, in an becomes a passport to adventure. online game, players should call in at least every other day". To qualify as a "gaming BBS," a system should offer at least one Once you've sampled the fare on of the following features: 1) an a few BBSs, you'll soon find which ongoing fantasy role-playing game systems are most to your taste. (FRPG); 2) a message board that is Even if you don't wish to join an used by callers to give and receive FRPG, you can participate in computer game-playing hints; 3) gaming discussions and exchange computer games that are playable adventure gaming hints with other online; or 4) computer games that callers. Here are brief descriptions are available for downloading by of four of my favorite boards, callers. followed by a list of eighteen others which are well worth a visit. In this issue, I'll be listing some Patricia Fitzgibbons BBSs which provide FRPGs and/or Magnetic Fantasies—(213) 388- gaming hints. Next time, we'll focus 5198: Which extra-ordinary, on boards that supply computer marvelous, and outlandish BBS is games for online playing and/or run by two humans, three elves, For a day and a night, the winds downloading. and a very nasty dwarf named "Sir and rains have pounded unceas- A few important caveats should Twitt?" MagFan, of course. Located ingly. Yet, you struggle onward — be noted before you explore this in Los Angeles and established in sure in your heart that the ancient facet of tele-gaming. First, most of 1980, MagFan is the "granddaddy" scroll you seek will soon be yours. these BBSs are privately run, of gaming BBSs. There are several In the mists ahead, the shadowy single-line systems; so, busy signals FRPGs in progress on the board for outline of the evil druids keep rises are not uncommon (especially players of all levels. Adventure up before your tired eyes like some during the evening hours). Also, game hints can be exchanged by abominable netherworld creature. from time to time, a terrific BBS leaving requests on the public You glance at your companions will seem to simply vanish; this may board and receiving replies through and smile as if to say, 'Be brave! At be due to the System Operator private, electronic mail. Whether a least we have each other!" They ("SysOp") deciding to use his or her caller decides to join a party of nod, determination shining in their machine for other purposes. adventurers or merely to follow its faces. Unsheathing your broads- Finally, although most BBSs are exploits by reading the board, an word, you approach the castle, free, some SysOps charge nominal enjoyable time is guaranteed. willing, come what may, to meet fees for usage. your destiny. White Pegasus—(214) 680-9322: You don't need to be an expert at Deep in the heart of Texas, a You log off the system and gaze FRPGs to join a message board mythological beast thrives. It is at the monitor, wondering what Although many BBSs offer nurtured by a SysOp named perils your mischievous dungeon- advanced games, novices are Shalanna who oversees five FRPGs master will present the next time usually welcome. One young lady, and a "continue-the-story" fantasy you sign on to your favorite BBS. whose BBS "handle" is "St. Alia of book written by callers. Games in the Knife", recounts her delight progress include two novice D&DTM Although relatively new to the upon discovering fantasy game- games, one advanced D&DTM game, computer gaming world, tele- playing BBSs: "Such fun! I just had a science fiction game, and a gaming via private bulletin board to be a part of it! Now, I guess I wargame. systems (BBSs) is becoming spend about one to one-and- a-half The Sanctuary—(201) 891-9567: increasingly popular. Most of the hours per night in typing and If a bulletin board system could be hundreds of BBSs throughout the reading messages. I'm currently compared to a small village, The country are owned and operated involved in six games!" Another Sanctuary in New Jersey is a by individuals who want to share committed player is "Elrond burgeoning metropolis. This BBS information about hardware and Halfelven", a seventeen year old has forty-one separate boards to software, exchange programs, post high school student who has strong choose from, as well as ongoing advertisements and items of local opinions about the kind of bulletin Continued on p.50 interest, or enter into wide-ranging board games he likes:"The most

This review process should include "unbiased observers" who will view your product as it exists REAL rather than how you intended it to look. Play testers who were not part of the initial design will respond to WORLD your game like consumers who purchase it. Thus, you need to select your play testers with your audience in mind. If you are writing a wargame for wargamers, GAMING then you don't need people unfamiliar with these types of games as testers. However, if you are hoping for a broader market, then you must choose testers with a wide variety of backgrounds. Personally, I prefer a large and diverse group of testers for any game I write even if I know it will be targeted for a certain audience. The variety of views gives me a handle on how my product will be perceived. Always include a few people who are interested in your game but have never touched a computer! These people will be your future audience and you must make allowances for them. There is no reason for someone to be "computer literate" to play a computer game. Games that assume that everyone knows to hit "return" at the end of a line are placing unnecessary obstacles in front of the "uninitiated". So, if you want to find out how totally novice computer users respond, you have to include them in your play testers group.

The best place to find such a diverse group is in a thriving computer club or user group. Such organ- izations will normally include people from the hardcore by Dan Bunten of Ozark Softscape hobbyists and hackers to the first time computer This is the last installment in this series on the design of owners who have only played arcade games. A good simulation games. The previous topics were: way to get started with a group is to offer anyone that would like it a free copy of your game in return for System Definition their suggestions. Data Collection Model Development After you have recruited your play testers you need Programming (Game Design) to use them to your benefit. In some cases the program This time we will look at Play Testing. This is the is not really firmed up yet and you will have to "walk "feed-back loop" in the process of creating a game. them through" a demo while you explain what you During this phase you take your design out of the closet intend to add. Then you can let them respond to what and let it face the harsh light of player scrutiny. More you showed them. However, it is almost always better often than not, you will at this point, discover that there to let them "hassle" with the game themselves to see are holes in your game that require you to repeat some what things seem to strike them. It just depends on how of the previous steps. This can be much like the process complete your game is before you start testing. I prefer of writing in which you revise your first draft to more to show a few testers (who have been helpful in the clearly communicate your thoughts. All good writers past) new ideas as early as possible. But, I wait before re-draft their material repeatedly until they are sat- showing it to most testers till I have a good working isfied with the way their ideas come across. They are program that they can actually play. Then when the "testing" their writing to see if it captures the images product is almost complete, I find the non-computer they meant to convey to the reader. During this testing, types to test it. writers correct their spelling and grammar, but the main thrust is to examine content. Similarly, Play Testing must include more than fixing bugs in the In your relationships with testers, you have to work program. The designer must look critically at the way hard sometimes not to defend your game. Don't the game plays. You must examine your game to see answer a suggestion with, "I thought about doing what that it faithfully reflects the insight that drove you to you described but I decided it wouldn't work." A create it. response like that will simply dry up the well of user input. Instead just ask more questions and occasionally are still trade-offs to be made. My own method of say "That's a good idea, I'll see if I can fit it in." This may design is to make the initial model as realistic as sound obvious to anyone with a little experience in possible. Then to begin cutting it down until I have human relations, but you would be surprised at how something considered playable by the target audience. hard it is to do when you've already spent six months The pieces cut out are not actually removed from the nurturing your game and someone starts "nit-picking" model, but are simply made more abstract. This way about the graphics. the game can stay fairly realistic except that some parts of the "system" are running on automatic. The greatest accomplishment is when the elements you Even worse than the detractors are the testers that have replaced with abstractions can leave the player don't say anything. They are from the old school that with a feeling of "depth" in your game. At that point believe if you can't say something nice then don't say you've gained rather than lost realism. anything at all. You have to "pump them" for their reactions or be satisfied with reading their body Aside from the conflict of realism versus playability, language as they play the game. So be thankful for the there are other things that surface during play testing a straight-forward types who tell you that they didn't like simulation game. Pure math would dictate that you the game because it was too complicated. They are should not adjust the data collected to make your giving you information that will help you to make model fit your biases. You should just let the numbers decisions. stand on their own. However, there are times when you must revise "reality" to fit people's perceptions and Now that you have the testers' comments what do preferences. For instance, in "Cartels & Cutthroats" (a you do with them? I generally just wait for something business simulation I wrote in 1981), I had a realistic to coalesce. It's obvious you can't please everyone. It representation of how research and development isn't unusual to have conflicts where one person thinks expenditures affected a company's product sales. something is too hard while another thinks it's too easy. However, during the play testing it was apparent that Wait till a consensus forms even if it is only in your most people believed that R & D should affect sales mind. Then I begin to make changes. Often someone much more dramatically. I therefore adjusted the will suggest something that I thoroughly agree with but model until it "felt" right. This tendency for people to don't believe can be done. However, while I sit and stew amplify cause and effect relationships has to be about it, I may discover a way to do it. Also, there are reflected in your model. In fact, it is almost certain that those times when you're better off leaving well enough people respond better to a model with somewhat alone. exaggerated effects than "true realism". This parallels the kind of artistic license that cartoonists use to make their characters more attractive. Caricatures must be I'm not sure how you can distinguish between good overstated to be successful. It can be a little unsettling or bad advice. For myself, if I have a group of 30 testers to have to "corrupt" your model to suit game player's (of whom 10 are active and helpful) and I hear a certain tastes, but it actually improves the "apparent realism" comment twice I consider it significant and if I hear it of your game. more than three times I call it an overwhelming consensus. This is because, in a big game, people don't normally notice the same things unless they stick out Finally, be prepared during play testing (more so like a sore thumb. Finally, you can't ever be a good than any other phase of game development) for game designer if you aren't able to trash your "good unpredictable swings in your mental outlook. There idea" that didn't work. will be times that you will wonder how you could have worked so hard for a game that isn't even fun! And then other times you will be convinced that your game is the Most of the previous suggestions for play testing greatest thing since paved roads! Play testers will build would apply to any type of game design. However, up your ego until you feel like a minor god sometimes, simulation games provoke a certain type of user feed- and take hammers to your feet of clay at other times. back because you are trying to recreate an intrinsically But remember, you chose to write a game and you'll complex real-world situation in a game format. The just have to bear with the bad and hope for the good! battle you have been waging with yourself between realism and playability comes to a dramatic head during play testing. There are some people who enjoy Dan Bunten is the author of COMPUTER QUAR- the detailed accuracy of a simulation and demand TERBACK, CARTELS & CUTTHROATS, and CYTRON absolute authenticity. There are other people who MASTERS all available from Strategic Simulations. He consider anything more complex than "Pac-Man" as is now a member of the Ozark Softscape group that pedantic and boring. Fortunately, the vast majority of wrote M.U.L.E. (a family game for the computer) people fall between these extremes. Nevertheless, there available from Electronic Arts. ,

Graphics provide a slight pro- mistakenly turn instead of firing at ATARI ARENA blem. Apple hi-res graphics use times, and it is not always con- Allen Doum black and white as "primary" venient to line up another shot. colors, with purple, green, blue and Moreover, the program has to time orange produced by taking ad- how long the button is pressed to vantage of the limitations of the determine what the player is trying picture tube. This is called arti- to do, making the controls sluggish. facting. But the Atari only produces In short, CHOPLIFTER is not as green and purple when black and good a game on the Atari as it was white are the "primary" colors — on the Apple and the difference is the blue and orange are often lost that extra joystick button. in a converted program. (Machines What is happening here? Pro- equipped with the older CTIA grams losing color when being interface chip reverse this. Blue converted to a machine with more and orange are displayed with colors? Losing controls when con- green and purple lost). Of course, verted to a machine that supports black and white aren't the only more controllers? Why? Because primary colors and mode 8 is not they're converts, that's why. A the only graphics mode available converted game all too often will on Atari. some converted games reflect the limitations of both take advantage of this to produce systems, and the strengths of more color, but some do not. neither. THE ZEAL OF THE CONVERT Some converted games upgrade That is the point of all this. People PINBALL CONSTRUCTION SET the sound, too. Often louder and buy games not only for how good a (PCS) looks like a convert. It's hi-res slightly better versions of the same game it is, but also how good a graphics are in white, purple, green sound. But rarely the music that is program it is. Choplifter was and black. becoming standard on the games popular on the Apple partly be- written directly for Atari machines. cause of the amount of animation PCS sounds like a convert. and the scrolling landscape. Such "Beeps" and "boops" are heard in PCS has, in fact, more than the things are not often seen on an great number. True, it does sound usual share of upgrades. The Apple monitor. On Atari, it's simply somewhat like a pinball machine. It moving "Icons" that the player uses not as impressive. (PCS is still also sounds like an Apple. to manipulate the game use player/ impressive, I keep wishing that missile graphics. And, you may use Don't misunderstand me, I think there was a true Atari version.) the button on a second joystick (to PCS is a great program. For a list of (Some of the companies pro- take the place of the second button its' considerable strengths and ducing games for the Atari are now on most Apple joysticks) when minor weaknesses, see last issues converting those games for the using the flippers. review by John Besnard. What John Commodore, TI, and IBM. In this context it is definitely more blessed says about the Apple version is all That second joystick button to give than to receive.) true about the Atari version. That is illustrates how even a small hard- If it's not converts, it's clones. the problem. ware difference between com- puters can effect the play of a With some of the games available The situation is this. It is easier to game. for more than one computer it's convert a hi-res, machine language hard to tell who is converting what, program from Apple to Atari than In the game CHOPLIFTER, since the games become available to write a new program. Both another Apple-Atari convert, the at the same time for more than one machines use versions of the same player uses a helicopter to rescue computer. Two games from microprocessor, Apple hi-res prisoners while fighting enemy Adventure International illustrate graphics are easy to simulate in tanks, jets, and aerial mines. an additional problem. SEA graphic mode 8, and the Atari is (CHOPLIFTER was reviewed in DRAGON is a "Scramble" type capable of producing all the sounds CGW vol. 2 no. 4) While the joy- game. The player maneuvers his that the standard Apple can. The sticks maneuvers the helicopter in ship, in this case a submarine, programmer or publisher can, both games, the Apple version uses through a constantly scrolling play- therefore, convert his game and one button to turn the chopper, the field filled with obstacles to destroy increase his market by only re- other fire the weapon; in the Atari or avoid, in this case mines, depth writing some of the routines. The version, the same button is used for charges, and the walls of narrow main logic of the program does not both, a short tap firing the weapon passages. Instead of a fuel supply, need to be changed. Same with longer taps turning the chop- there is a diminishing supply of air, microprocessor. per. This means that the player will and the player must surface to Continued on p.45 COMPUTER GOLF! Stanley Greenlaw

What golf ball are you using for today's match? A Top Flite #4? A Titleist #3? How about an Apple #2, an Atari #8 or even an IBM #1? Here are four micro- computer golf games that can challenge you on those nights when you have the "golf bug" or on that weekend when your regular match is rained out. Three of the games run on the Apple. The fourth runs on the Atari 400/800 and the IBM PC. All games can be played by one to four players.

FORE!

SYSTEM: Apple FORMAT: Diskette #PLAYERS: 1-4 AUTHOR: Jeffrey A. Johnson PRICE: $29.95 rough, trees, water, sand traps, the green and the PUBLISHER: EPYX always popular "out of bounds". The computer does Mountain View, CA not keep a running total of strokes (as it does in the other games). A scorepad and pencil are provided however. The rulebook is adequate, providing the FORE! is the only low-res entry of the games necessary information to play, as well as giving a description of the three common team play methods— evaluated (for some unknown reason we called it hi- stroke, best ball, and dutch. But there is little additional res in Taking a peek—Nov.-Dec.82). The game includes a driving range (for practice), a "public" 18 hole course detail. For example: it would have been nice to know what process the computer goes through to determine and a "championship" 18 hole course. Typical of the if a putt is "in" or not. There is no speed to set and designations, the public course is shorter and easier than the championship layout. aiming a putt simply involves putting the on-screen cursor over the hole. Apparently only a random The lo-res screen presents one or two holes at a time. number generator has anything to say about whether a Screen colors indicate fairway, light rough, heavy particular putt is "in" or not. Game play involves moving the cursor to that part of the fairway or green that you are aiming at; keying in the club you wish to use; setting the strength of the swing: then hitting return. The main skill involved in the game is selecting the correct club and swing strength for your shot. The shot will fall more or less in the area in which you aim. Wind direction, which only changes after the first nine, can affect the flight of the ball. There is no save feature.

CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF

SYSTEM: Apple II FORMAT: Diskette #PLAYERS: 1-4 AUTHOR: Blair Hadfield PRICE: $24.95 PUBLISHER: Hayden Software Lowell,MA

Actual play involves selecting club, swing strength and compass direction of shot (by keying in the compass heading). The skills required are the ability to select the right club and swing and the ability to figure out the correct angle. One hole at a time appears on the screen. Sand traps are often so small in the hi-res rendering that they sometimes blend in with the lines that make up the outline of the green. When you reach the green a blow-up appears and you putt out by selecting club head speed and angle of putt.

The unique element of this game is that it shows both The computer maintains a scorecard for each player. The rules can be read in the manual or on the screen. A an overhead view (as the other 3 games do) and a side club selection chart can also be found in both places. view. The side view adds a degree of interest as you watch your ball fly into the air, down the fairway, and Nine woods (that's right!), nine irons, two wedges, and a bounce to its stopping point. Unfortunately the game putter make up your twenty-one club arsenal. does not capitalize on this feature. Trees (which are lacking in CG) seem like a natural obstacle that would have given the side view some real meaning in the GOLF CHALLENGE game. Lofting a nine iron over a tree and onto the green would have been so enjoyable. Additionally, the program excludes the possibility of hitting your ball SYSTEM: Atari (Tape) across a dogleg. With the side view it is tempting to loft IBM PC (Disk) a shot over a bend in the fairway, (going over the #PLAYERS: 1-4 out-of-bounds markers) and back into "fair territory." AUTHOR: Harold Schwab Forget it. As soon as the program detects that your ball PRICE: $24.95 is over out-of-bounds territory you are counted as out- PUBLISHER: Sierra On-Line of-bounds, no matter how high your ball is nor the fact Coarsegold, CA that the landing area would have been inbounds.

video cartridge game rather than a serious simulation of the game of golf.

The key to success in GC is in lining your character up properly so that when you stroke the ball it will travel in the intended direction. Your player has an "I-beam" shaped body which with a little practice can be used to set up the angle of your shots. For example to hit a ball directly downwards (on the screen) you would line up the golfer so that the ball is to his left and directly in line with the upper cross member of the "I-beam". When you reach the green, it is enlarged so that you may putt out using the same techniques used on the fairway shots. The graphics of GC are the best of the games reviewed here. While less a serious simulation than the game which follows, GC has a charm all it's own as a video-style golf game. Unlike the other games in which you key in data on your shot, Golf Challenge is strictly a joystick oriented game. You move your player to the ball, positioning him for the best angle then use the joystick and firebutton to swing your club and strike the ball. The HI-RES COMPUTER GOLF 2 longer your backswing the farther your shot. Although the mechanics are more arcade oriented than the other games, you must still plan your shot strategically so as SYSTEM: Apple to avoid the rough, trees, sandtraps, water, and out-of- #PLAYERS: 1-4 bounds. Playing this game reminds one more of a good AUTHOR: Stuart Aronoff PUBLISHER: Avant-Garde Creations Eugene, OR

There is no doubt that this is the best golf simulation on the market. Any serious student of the game of golf will find in this game the mental challenges that he faces in the real thing as well as the need for practice to develop a "good swing" which is essential to the actual game. HRCG2 is an improved version of Avant-Garde's HI- more screens are needed to display the hole. At first RES COMPUTER GOLF game that was originally this may be an irritation since you will commonly have released in November 1981. The second edition carries to hit a ball located on one screen toward a landing the label "Pro-Courses Series". It contains a two sided area on the other screen. However you will get used to disk. One side is the "master diskette" which contains this quickly and the greater detail in the fairway layout the actual program as well as the Demonstration, due to the larger scale more than makes up for this Practice Hole and 18-hole Beginner's Course. The minor inconvenience. The problem is minimized by the other side is the "Pro-Courses Diskette" which contains fact that most shots from one screen to another are three pro courses. The idea is that, if the market shots not going directly for the green (i.e. tee shots on a demands, other courses could be marketed in the par 4). Screens are easily flipped with simple future. keystrokes. The game includes a scorecard processor with which The documentation is excellent. In addition to the you can make a hardcopy of your round, and save up rulebook which is quite detailed, there is a to 20 games on disk. But the most exciting added demonstration program that walks you through the feature is the Tournament play Option. Using this game step by step. OTHER GAME MANUFACTURERS option it is possible to play a tournament of HRCG2 SHOULD TAKE NOTE. This demonstration feature is with other people through the mail. Computer Gaming the best tutorial this writer has ever seen in a computer World is sponsoring the nation's first HRCG2 tour- game (and some of us can use tutorials on the more nament. See details following this article. complex games)! For the golfer, HRCG2 is the closest thing to actually being out on the course. It is our hope that HRCG2 sells well enough to justify the release of future Pro-Series There are two ways in which you can play HRCG2. Course diskettes. You can use the standard method in which after selecting your club/swing-strength/aim, you use the keyboard to guide the arc of your swing (see illustration). The other method is to use the auto-swing CGW GOLF TOURNAMENT

Using Avant-Garde's Hi-res Computer Golf 2 we will be hosting the first annual(?) CGW COMPUTER GOLF TOURNAMENT. Those that wish to play in this 54 hole competition will need a copy of HRCG2. (Note that the original HRCG will not work for the tournament. Players must have the "2" version). The winner of the tournament will receive a wall trophy. feature in which you get a perfect computer generated How to enter: swing every time. This feature is a nice addition to HRCG2. Now players who have not the time to learn 1) Put your full name and address with your and practice the timed swing can still enjoy a round of request to be entered into the CGW Golf Tourney golf more or less on equal ground with experienced on a post card. players. However, the real enthusiast will opt for the 2) Send card to: COMPUTER GAMING WORLD; regular timed-swing feature. This makes golf the true GOLF TOURNEY; P.O. BOX 4566; Anaheim, CA challenge it is in real life. Mistimed swings can cause 92803-4566. you to hook, slice, hit fat or top the ball. The best aim and strategy is worthless if all you can do is top the ball 3) Postcard must be postmarked no later than or slice it into the lake. In this normal play mode September 1, 1983. HRCG2 is a game that requires a good deal of practice to 4) Entrants will receive, after that date, tour- master. nament information and a special codeword The fairways in HRCG2 are larger in scale than those required to play. of the other games which means that often two or

BOMB ALLEY: A Review And Analysis Richard Charles Karr

Strategic Simulation's Bomb Alley, a recent release, is a direct NAME: descendent of the Guadalcanal Bomb Alley TYPE: Campaign (GC) game system and Wargame program. Based upon the naval/air SYSTEM: Apple campaign in the Central FORMAT: Disk Mediterranean in mid-1942, it AUTHOR: Gary Grigsby recreates the historically difficult # PLAYERS: 1 or 2 problem of supply by the Axis and PRICE: $59.95 British. Designed by Gary Grigsby, PUBLISHER: Strategic with game development by Joel Simulations Billings, it shares many of the features and pitfalls of the gaming tables. Access to the Guadalcanal Campaign system. planes (Spitfire, Beaufort, Swordfish, Boston, Do17, SM79, program is by way of a "user- JU87, JU88, JU52, and Me109) friendly" sequence of play: Axis About The Game which base out of locations on the task force adjustment and map and fly missions, and the movement; British task force Bomb Alley is a grand tactical abstracted ground unit strength of adjustment and movement; British (Operational)-level game con- the Malta garrison, the Tobruk air operations; Axis air operations; cerning itself with control of the garrison, the Eighth Army, the combat resolution; and save game Mediterranean and North Africa in Afrika Korps, and numerous option. The above is repeated for 1942. As such, players control reinforcements and replacements. nighttime turns without air operations. individual ships (from DML, DMS, The game includes an 18-page DE, and SS on up) which are rulebook, floppy disk, and a 4 color During the task force adjustment formed into task forces, individual map back-printed with appendixed phase, ships may be formed into task forces, be combined or divided British computer, and two-player (worth 1000 points to the Axis and between existing task forces, options are always possible. There 500 points to the British), Malta loaded, or just looked at. The status are three scenarios to be selected remains the key to that objective. of air and ground forces can also from: Campaign (June 11 - August Three basic strategic options exist be checked. During the task force 31, 1942); Pedestal (August 10 - for the Axis player (in solo or two- movement phase, existing task August 15,1942); and Crete (May 20 player situations): ignore Malta, forces are moved and docked. - May 31, 1941). As in Guadalcanal, reinforce the Afrika Korps with During the air operations phase, four levels of difficulty are offered. everything, and try to blow past the aircraft based at map locations can Qattara Depression into Alexandria; The Game As Game search, perform combat air patrol suppress Malta with heavy air (CAP), launch strikes, or transfer. In GC, one side is holding an bombardment and then reinforce During the combat resolution advanced forward base against the in North Africa; or suppress Malta phase, the effects of all of the above tender ministrations of the other real hard and then take it by become apparent, as ground units side. In BA, both sides are holding combined amphibious/air attack. attack, air strikes are resolved, forward areas subject to inter- The British strategic options are surface and submarine naval diction by air and naval forces of largely dictated by Axis actions, the combat is resolved, and ships are the opposition. Conventional holding and reinforcement of Malta repaired. merchant shipping in BA has a being foremost. rough life on both sides, with the Tactically, the Campaign Game The actual mechanics of play are majority of ship sinkings in victory will have a great deal of submarine almost exactly the same as in GC points due to losses in merchant and MTB activity, with incessant with a few minor exceptions: two shipping. As the Axis player comes air activity in the waters around transfers are allowed per AM turn; to the realization that Malta must Malta. Both sides are very closely motor torpedo boats (PT boats to be suppressed or taken, extremely matched, and losses of all types will Americans) can form their own high losses in aircraft occur on be high. With time and sheer surface combat task force, called both sides. "MT"; and evacuation missions are ruthlessness, the Axis player will be possible. The one-player option pits While the ultimate objective of able to take Malta by combined the Axis human player against the an Axis offensive is Alexandria air/naval attack, although Guadalcanal Campaign is under- standable, as P40's were committed late in the campaign and often resembled the essential charac- teristics of F4F's, but the Mediterranean Theater is a completely different story. Historically, each side had the most modern and deadly aviation hardware available flying next to hopelessly inefficient archaic junk.

Wargames in the computer for- mat should crunch through all of the dull, lengthy, necessary mind- boggling detail that "monster games" attempt to present. Built into the program of a game should be the equivalent of determining shell penetration vs. armor, anti- aircraft fire vs. level of bombing Alexandria will almost always be and an approximately correct net attack, effective vessel operating out of reach. historical result. For the average range vs. station-keeping, and turn- gamer, this is usually quite The Pedestal Scenario represents around of "down" aircraft vs. the adequate. This reviewer, however, the major all-out reinforcement mechanical competence of ground is very picky about the myriad and re-supply effort of the British crews and availability of parts. aircraft designs used in the North to keep Malta from falling. It is only While these individual examples African-Mediterranean Theater a five-day scenario, and can be are themselves unimportant, the but not included, as well as the played in about three or four hours. interface of combat should repre- tendency for British ship speeds to Victory points will be based largely sent all of the nasty and technical be rounded up and Italian ship upon ship losses, and the des- "dirt" that the best historical speeds to be rounded down. truction or survival of the four research has to offer, instead of Endurance of individual ships British carriers usually will decide several percentage-based combat should be a function of vessel the game. results tables. In short, this reviewer bunker and store capacity, and is hopelessly greedy for detail of The Crete Scenario concerns should not be a set fixed maximum. the like presented in (the late itself exclusively with the air/ Naval gunfire should be a function lamented) SPI's Campaigns For amphibious invasion of western of size and rate of fire, not "main North Africa (as one example) as Crete. The British have over- gun", "secondary gun", or "AA gun." opposed to the moderate-level of whelming naval superiority, the The Italian Air Force (Regina complexity titles that make for Axis has overwhelming air Aeronautica) was actually not that familiar wargaming soup. superiority, and victory is bad, although in the scale of things conditional upon who holds Crete it was too small for what it had to Conclusions and ship losses. The Crete Scenario face in '42 and '43. The Italian Navy For straight-forward playability is a twelve-day game, and will take (Regina Marina) after the Taranto and excellent rules preparation, 6-8 hours. raid had a very mixed bag of ships. Bomb Alley is an enjoyable and Some were as bad as the worst entertaining game of the Med- If players are used to the idea of British World War One relics, most 20-35 minute turns for two-player iterranean during its most critical were very average, and a few were moments in 1941 and 1942. It offers or 10-15 minute turns for one- truly outstanding. player, Bomb Alley is an exciting moderately serious wargamers the and enjoyable "gamer's game", This reviewer realizes that it is opportunity to sink their teeth into which is evenly matched, playable, difficult to accurately describe the something more advanced than and clearly written. performance characteristics of all arcade entertainment or very The Reviewer's Gripes of the strange odd-ball com- simple wargaming. In one-player binations of aircraft that floated or two-player format, Bomb Alley This reviewer feels that the basic through the Mediterranean in '40 offers accessible "user-friendly" scope and flow of Bomb Alley has a -'43, but where are the Blenheims, play of an exciting and difficult great deal going for it, namely CR32's, CR42's, and Hurricanes? theater, with many tactical playability, clearly written rules, The use of slightly abstracted air in surprises and reverses in store. mine) how we think about things five different disciplines involved and, consequently, how we act. As in the "design" of a computer game: an instance, let's choose a subject game design and development, near and dear to all our hearts: program design and execution, game design. graphics design, sound effects and music, and the writing of the documentation. (The manual may WHO ARE THOSE GUYS? contain information essential to playing the game well or at all; On the pages of every consumer witness MURDER ON THE electronics publication, we read ZINDERNEUF or any of Epyx's articles about, interviews with, pre-1982 games). Obviously, text advice from, and instructions on adventures typically involve only becoming "game designers." the first two, and most videogames lack significant documentation, but Probably 95% of those "game more involved computer games designers" cited (or quoted) aren't. like those just mentioned (or They are basically and essentially ARCHON or M.U.L.E.) involve all something else entirely, and the five. confusion about what they are and what they are doing — a confusion shared by magazine writers, One magazine defined "game industry executives, game players, design" as taking the concept of the and often, by the "designers" game, the rules, the graphics, and themselves — has had a profoundly the sound effects, and coding it into negative effect on computer the computer so that the game will gaming. run. It's an amazing definition, THE NAME OF because it's 100% wrong. That is programming, clearly, not What or who are "game game THE GAME designing. Game design for a com- designers?" Especially, what are puter game is, in fact, exactly the videogame or computer-game same sort of stuff as it is in a board, designers? card, or role-playing game: deter Jon Freeman mining and defining in detail The obvious answer — those who matters of game structure, aim, design computer games — simply goal, subject, theme, layout, and so What's in a name? begs the question of what, exactly, forth — who does what to whom, No less a writer than the Bard of is computer-game design. and what the result is. Avon once wrote, "That which we call a rose/ By any other name With board games, "we all know" Even in the (not uncommon) case would smell as sweet." He was, the answer. The designer of board in which a videogame is primarily however, being consciously ironic games is the one who conceives the the work of a single person, there (a fact often forgotten nowadays), idea of the game and works out the are real problems with calling that since it was indeed their names rules. The layout of the board, the person a "game designer." First is —signifying their rival (and feuding) number and kinds of pieces, the problem of logical semantics: it family affiliations that doomed strength, movement, money, dice, is not reasonable to identify poor Romeo and Juliet. (Ad- cards, whatever: all these things someone by what that person does mittedly, their impetuosity didn't clearly fall within the designer's an insignificant portion of the time. help much, either.) purview. Others may draw the final version of the board, paint the We don't call the executive pro- Clearly, names are important. cover, mold the pieces, print the ducer of Magnum, P.I. an "actor" Good titles help sell games, books, money, and so on — but the artists, because in one episode he had a movies, and a zillion other pro- graphic artists, typesetters, etc. are cameo appearance as a sleazy hotel ducts. This month's topic is not, not game designers. "Everybody manager. Carrying my suitcase into however, about titles (at least in knows that", and for a change a hotel doesn't make me a porter, that narrow sense), but something "everybody" is right. and dictating a business letter more general and more important. doesn't justify calling an executive a "writer." Names — what we call things — The case of computer games is influence (some might say deter- more complicated. There may be Continued on p.45 can make the board itself less complex (thus placing limits on the game). Or he can make the board appear to be less complex through use of heuristic information.

"Heuristic" is a term derived from the Greek verb eurisko, meaning "to find or discover" (hence Archimedes' exclamation "Eureka!" — "I've found it!"). Heuristic information, then, helps the program to find whatever it's looking for. It usually does this by (1) It knows what hex it's starting providing some measure of how in. likely a particular choice will lead (2) It knows if it has reached the to the desired end. The program goal hex. can then use this information to (3) It can find all hexes adjacent to concentrate on the most likely a given hex. choices. (4) It can tell if a given hex has When you think about it, the use already been used in a path it's of heuristic information represents tracing (to avoid duplication). THE SILICON an attempt to imitate our own CEREBRUM thought processes. We usually A pure brute force approach don't examine all possible choices. would be to trace all possible paths, Instead, we quickly narrow our then pick the shortest (or one of the options to a few and then examine shortest — there are quite a few those in more detail. If none of paths that qualify). We would have by Bruce Webster these are acceptable, then we have to trace quite a few paths (anyone to expand back out to the options care to calculate exactly how we initially ignored until we finally many?), ranging in length from 6 to pick the one we feel is best. around 143 (the theoretical maximum). Lots of time, lots of In a like manner, the program memory. can use heuristic information to HEURISTIC SEARCH cut down on the work it has to do. One heuristic technique leaps PART I The information allows the pro- immediately to mind: reject any A programmer facing certain gram to concentrate on those path once its length is greater than game problems can often solve choices that look best instead of the shortest path found to date. We them by "brute force" or considering all possible options. still have the logistical problem of exhaustive means. In other Whether or not the program saving all the paths tried so far (to words, he can set up the performs better defines how avoid duplication), but now we program to try all possible "good" the information is. A lot of have to save much less of them and combinations and then pick the time, then, is spent in defining and can actually throw portions of best. For example, suppose he testing different heuristics and them away as shorter paths are needs to move a piece from one combinations of heuristics. An found. location to another by the example will help to illustrate this A much more powerful piece of shortest route. If the board is process. heuristic information is a simple enough, some sort of direct distance function which, given two hexes, calculation will probably suffice to AN EXAMPLE returns the distance of the shortest find the path. A more complex Let's return to our example — possible path between them. Such board may require that all possible moving a piece on a board —for a a function is possible if some paths be traced and the shortest look at how we might use heur- consistent numbering system is one selected. But as the board's istics. Figure 1 a shows our piece in used (like those found on most complexity grows, the program the lower right corner of a hex grid. wargame maps). Our search requires more resources (time and Our goal is the circle near the becomes directed, and we now use memory). At some point the costs center of the map. Let's give the this algorithm: become unacceptable, and the program the following capabilities programmer has two options. He (for starters): Continued on p.49

"You are standing at the end of a all, OUTDOOR SURVIVAL has road before a small brick building. been very popular board game for Around you is a forest. A small years. Or why hasn't somebody stream flows out of the building used a space adventure format to and down a gully" teach the basics of physics? Or maybe you get left behind by your Sound familiar? It's the start of tour group in a foreign land and the original Adventure game, of must learn to "speak" the language course. Do you remember how you in order to ask for food, shelter and felt the first time you played help? Adventure or and adventure-type I don't mean to suggest that game? I can; in fact, I remember it topics like these are more enter- better than my first kiss. taining than swords and sorcery, or solving murder mysteries, but Adventure games are absorbing; wouldn't you rather play an you get very involved in the story, adventure game than read a text almost as if you were a participant. book? We don't have to make a Involvement equals motivation. choice between entertainment and You want to rescue that princess or education, we can have BOTH. learning find that last treasure so much you There is, at least, one area where can taste it! You become so ded- these ideas are being put into actual icated to the task that you're willing use — adventure games for chil- to steal food or kill an occasional dren. This month we have two game troll in order to reach your goal. examples of this sub-genre. The Why, you'd even learn something first is Dragon's Keep (DK), new if you needed the information originally published by Sunnyside to solve a puzzle! Software but now being marketed by Sierra On-line. The second is So why isn't this format used Snooper Troops II (ST2), by Bob Proctor more for educational games? Sure, Spinnaker Software. there've been a few attempts: there DK is designed especially for was a game called OREGON TRAIL second-graders. How do you do where you tried to lead a wagon that? Well, first you restrict your- train safely west. It was simple, but self to words that a seven-year old a step in the right direction. Then BASIC INFORMATION would know, then you make the there's TIME ZONE, which does NAME: Dragon's Keep decision making process easier by contain a lot of history in an TYPE: Adventure providing a list of choices at each incidental way. But most of the SYSTEM: Apple II step of the game. Finally, since games available today have a FORMAT: Diskette second-graders may not be fabulous fantasy theme, with the major BACKUP: None typists, you make it so the whole categories being music, science # PLAYERS: 1 game can be played with only the fiction, and mystery. PRICE: $29.95 return key and the space bar. PUBLISHER: Sierra On-line Why hasn't anyone done a game Coarsegold, CA. that teaches you how to survive a The theme of DK is that a Continued on p.49 NAME: Snooper plane crash in the wilderness? After Troops II TYPE: Detective Adventure SYSTEM: Apple II (48K) or IBM FORMAT: Diskette BACKUP: None # PLAYERS: 1 PRICE: $44.95 PUBLISHER: Spinnaker Software Cambridge, MA be remedied, as a tidal wave of C-64 Armed with that information, the programs are about to hit the adventure will run relatively market. smooth. The story line is simple. Typical of minor variations that The Protectorate Sword has been in most cases will not find their way stolen and without its benevolent into the Key, are those done on two magic, your land is vulnerable to games by Avalon-Hill — Nuclear attack from the pernicious minions War and Telengard. The play of of evil and their sinister spells. Your these games is exactly as it is in mission, since you are divinely their counter parts for other ordained by the digital deity of machines. Their only claim to your choice, is to explore the 15-20 individuality lies in the improved dungeon levels necessary to find use of graphics (much improved in the Protectorate Sword and then the case of Telengard) most often make your escape in 2000 seconds accomplished with sprites. The (33 minutes) of real time. You sudden creation, for example, of explore each level, using your joy- differing creatures and treasures stick to manipulate your character in Telengard, while a simple step by step through a darkened change, does add significantly to maze. Each step illuminates a little the enjoyability of the game. All that more of the maze and you eventu- THE we C-64 owners can ask for, is that ally wind up with a fully mapped future translations at least equal dungeon level on your screen. The COMMODORE this level of sophistication. KEY screen takes the vantage point as Vic 20 - Dr. Johnny L. Wilson though a camera were positioned above the character's head. As you Even in the early version of traverse each level, you will en- Sword Of Fargoal, this is an exciting counter hostile monsters, bags of and intriguing adventure game. gold, temples, and checkerboards. Greetings, and welcome to a new The graphics are beautifully The monsters cannot be negotiated column for Computer Gaming crafted from the detailed stones of with, only fought or avoided. The World — The Commodore Key. If the dungeons rune-like titles and gold is only useful as a sacrifice to you haven't already guessed, this clever monsters, to the game utility be offered in the temple. In return, column will be dedicated to the that allows the player to select the you are rewarded with experience investigation of those games and background color through which points. The checkerboards can game related software for the he/she wishes to journey. The mean: 1) magic spells, 2) traps, or 3) Commodore 64 and Vic 20. Our documentation is complete and maps of later levels of the dungeon. title was, after much deliberation, extremely helpful. It includes a Explore these last, so that you can chosen from a host of suggestions. detailed description of each magic avoid having to face a monster While all had some feature in their spell to be found, strategy sug- immediately after being devastated factor, and some had the nautical gestions from the playtesters that by a trap. connection found in may actually help, and a ready-refer- Commodore columns (Listing to All in all, even with the program ence card with a summary of glitch, I enjoy the game. My worst Port for example), we decided on commands. Add to these features moment came, however, when I this title as we hope that our the fact that a player must suc- column will truly become your was killed by a fire drake and still cessfully traverse at least 29 dif- had 4 healing potions in my in- key to enjoying your Commodore ferent dungeon levels (15 down computer. ventory. This, in spite of the state- and 14 to return) to find the sword ment on page 15 of the manual that and you realize how many hours of "When your hit points fall below 0, C-64 - Edward Curtis challenging fun are involved in this a Healing Potion will be taken game. automatically', frustrated me This installment of the Early purchasers discovered two greatly. I know not to wait on that Commodore 64 section of the Key major problems. One concerned a feature at the lower levels, now. will, unfortunately, contain very with/for instruction in line 12 and Remember, if the program does little. At the date of our typesetting, the other involved a bad subscript something like this to you, you can a sea of Vic-20 games had arrived, error in line 262. (This is supposed always break the program and but very few submissions for the to be corrected in the later version.) follow the procedure outlined If you have an earlier version and C-64. It is not my intention to spend above and get a fresh start on that don't know what to do when a level. time reviewing translations of well glitch occurs, simply break the Once it outlives the reputation of known games that have no sub- program and type either GOTO 2 the earlier version, Sword of stantial difference in their C-64 or GOTO 3. Either of these com- Fargoal should be a perennial versions. This policy rules out the mands will take you back to the favorite among Vic users. EPYX, vast majority of those now on the beginning of the level you are Sunnyvale, CA. 94086 $29.95 (16K market, but this situation will soon currently exploring. Expander req.) really records..." (p. 5). The very ease of change and correction that MOVIE MICRO REVIEW makes computers desirable to use "WARGAMES" makes them vulnerable. If one can find the legitimate password or the illegitimate "back door," electronic "Is this a game or is it real?" the records can make anyone an expert panicked protagonist queries the forger. Department of Defense's master Second, the film seems to ask, computer in MGM/UA's new movie "What purpose does data collection "Wargames." "What's the and real life simulation fulfil?" This difference?" comes the frightening is the necessary corollary to the reply..."Wargames" is plausible protagonist's query above. If the enough to intrigue and terrifying purpose is simply to win at any cost, BASIC INFORMATION enough to excite. Unlike many the simulation is of doubtful value. NAME: Wizplus "pot-boilers" which simply build to If the purpose is to learn from both TYPE: Utility Program a holocaust or pyrotechnic ex- correct and incorrect hypothesis, SYSTEM: Apple II Plus cellence or a denouement of then the simulation is of immense 48K of Memory moralistic salvation, "Wargames" value. The implied answer in the FORMAT: Single disk makes one think, as well as feel, all film is that we must be careful AUTHOR: Thomas Conner along the way. about what use and intent we have PRICE: $39.95 The plot line centers around a in collecting data and constructing PUBLISHER: Datamost high school student whose whole computer models. David, the film's Chatsworth, CA life revolves around digitized protagonist wants to play to win, 91311 circuitry. He is an underachiever in but has to learn to play to learn. all areas except electronic Like many wargamers, he learns "WIZPLUS" (WP) is a menu endeavors. He is an opportunist futility of war through his driven utility program designed to who uses his one area of expertise experience. modify the characters and the to smooth out difficulties in the rest Lastly, one cannot ignore the playing environment which have of his life. His amoral attitudes and ethical question, "Is the capability made the game of WIZARDRY electronic excellence lead him to of accomplishing something equiv- addictive to many enthusiastic defraud himself and his school (by alent to the license to do it?" David garners around the country. WP changing grades and records), the seems to think so. He is perfectly has options to allow the mod- telephone company, and by intent, willing to change grades, steal ification of all the attributes a computer software corporation. games, and charge others for phone associated with the individual By chance, he interfaces with a top- time. We admire his ingenuity, but game character. In addition secret government computer cannot condone his actions. The equipment which would normally instead of the one he intends to Air Force general seems to think so. be won through intrepid adven- "break" into and "enter" data upon. He is willing to destroy millions of tures need only be chosen from a His ingenuity and seemingly lives in order to "win" the war. I shopping list using an option called natural bent toward computer hope the film's message is a "BOLTACS SWINDLE". larceny enables him to circumvent resounding "NO!" to the question. It the security system and set a was to me. WIZPLUS impacts play in the potential nuclear war in motion. Computer hobbyists of all kinds first two WIZARDRY scenarios You'll have to see the movie to find will benefit from viewing allowing the player to bypass the out if it can be stopped. "Wargames." We may not all be careful game design which allows able to afford the sophisticated There are several unanswered progress through adventuring. WP Televideo equipment used in the questions implicit in the film. The also has excellent documentation film, but we all have to answer the first is, "How secure is computer which is well written and ill- three questions to our and society's security?" The implied answer is ustrated. This program covers all satisfaction. the same as R.A. Heinlein's in facets of modifying your favorite Friday, "...electronic records aren't Dr. Johnny L. Wilson character. Using this utility, it is possible to recover "out" char- will not be able to continue with provisions. It's also a good idea to acters, one of the most frustrating this exciting series. hire more crew than necessary as disasters which can happen while Bob Reams many unforeseen events will trim your crew to the bare minimum playing Wizardry. Hit points may Ed. note - Sir-tech tells us that if during the voyage. Finally, when be recovered, ability scores, age, your Wizardry program has been selecting provisions allow enough gold, or experience points modified. modified by WizPlus the warranty for a long voyage, as running out of WP will also change your favorite on your Wizardry disk will no supplies can lead to mutiny and characters experience level, name, longer be honored. password, race, status, possible hit quick defeat. points, class, alignment, and finally, deftly add both Priest and Mage The game is played from a spells without benefit of ordination. graphics display of a clipper ship's There is also an option called the bridge. The display contains WizPlus Madi Special, which makes information on wind speed and the characters status ok (even if direction, ships heading and deleted), lowers the age, sets the direction, and percent of sail adventuring status to IN and finally currently set. The joystick is used sets the possible number of spells to alter course or percent of sail which may be cast to nine. Other and to change the displays from options on the menu allow the bridge to ship's log to map and back display of your characters attri- to bridge. The ships log gives much butes, recovery of characters from valuable information including the Wizardry's version 1.0 backup, or BASIC INFORMATION ships current position in latitude the movement of characters and longitude, number of days out between scenarios without deleting NAME: Clipper of New York, provisions left, and them from the previous scenario. TYPE: Simulation SYSTEM: Atari 400/800/1200 status of the crew. The map display Basic Joystick shows the position of your ship in [Note: Backups should be made FORMAT: Disk (32K)/Cassette relation to North, Central, and before using WizPlus, as on three (24K) South America. You sail the ship by occasions while writing a character # PLAYERS: One altering your course to take back to the scenario the program AUTHOR: John Bayes maximum advantage of the wind malfunctioned and the characters PUBLISHER: Program Design, direction. As you sail, many hazards were permanently lost.] Inc. will be encountered; such as Greenwich, CT. mutiny, illness, storms, rogue waves, and submerged reefs. The author of WizPlus indicates Grab your charts, lads, it's time abuse of his program will destroy to sail your Atari's from New York the careful balance which the to San Francisco via the perilous The game plays well but I found authors of Wizardry have designed Cape Horn passage. In this sailing the constant shifts in wind to be a into their games. A serious problem simulation you are asked to Captain bit frustrating. The instruction also exists with the use of this an 1850's Clipper ship to fame and book is very helpful and gives many program, as once a character has fortune. PDI has included a cassette hints on how to play this game. It been modified, it will not be for voice narration, but the cassette also includes a little historical possible to transfer the "Spirit of is not necessary to play the game. background on Clipper ships and a the Ancestor" into the third After my third voyage I got tired of playing aid to help novice sailors scenario "The LEGACY of listening to the sea chanties and keep their Clipper on course. LLYLGAMYN". As a result of optioned the program to ignore the Mark Bausman improvements in the new scenario cassette. After booting the game increasing the playing speed, you go through a setup phase in characters which have been which you must choose your ship modified will not transfer. Thus, size, amount of cargo, number of PLEASE those gamers which have enjoyed crew, and amount of provisions. As the first two games should be the object of the game is to sail to TAKE TIME aware that the use of WizPlus San Francisco with a large cargo TO FILL OUT destroys characters for further which can be sold at a vast profit, READER INPUT play in this exciting series. WizPlus the larger the ship you sail the DEVICE should be used with great caution better your potential for high or the spirit of adventuring will be scores. However, the larger ships diluted and, more importantly, you require more crew, and more ATARI (Con) In other words, even though field. The TRS-80 owner is on his these games have the same name, own. replenish it. come in the same packaging, from The upshot of all of this is that That is, you have to get air in the the same publisher, they are not when somebody says (or writes) Atari version. In the Apple version the same game. They are similar, that he has a great game for his you don't. You also get a supply of but not any more than any other computer, it doesn't mean that it's a "smart bombs", missing in the Atari two "Scramble" games. great game for your computer. version. In the Apple version the The same thing happens in Besides the differences in graphics, whole thing takes place in a large STRATOS, for Atari and TRS-80. In sound, and controllers between the cave, and there is a "radar screen" both, the player defends a city from two machines, there is the pos- that displays the players progress. aliens with laser cannon and a force sibility that it's not even the same In the Atari version you have to field. In the Atari version the player game. Caveat emptor, and what remember how far you've gone. also gets a repair ship for the force else is new? q

NAME (Con) really are game designers. This is designer and one a programmer — rarely true. (Dan Bunten, Chris is not at all "obvious" if you've been The typical "videogame des- Crawford, and Robert Leyland led to believe there's only a single igner" may spend close to 75% of have talent in both areas, but they task involved. the time on program design and don't have a lot of company.) I am If program design is called "game coding, perhaps 15% on graphics not denigrating programming, design," then real game design has design, less than 10% on sound, and which is obviously essential to a no name, no significance, and no whatever's left (not much) on computer game. Good program attention. It is, at best, an after- actual game design (and none at all design is as much an art (and thought, more often slavish imita- on documentation — but that's potentially as creative an art), as tion, at worst a blatent rip-off. Why another story). If the game is a game design. Games "designed" by not? If credit for "game design" is home version of a coin-op or just a programmers tend to be simple given only to program design, who rip-off of someone else's game, no and unoriginal; games "pro- cares where the "game" comes game design is performed; it was all grammed" by designers are almost from originally? If the act of done by someone else, beforehand. inevitably overweight and clumsy. conceptualizing and creating a Therefore, most "videogame If you can describe the "game game and the act of cleverly ripping designers" are more properly design" in twenty-five words or someone off are given the same termed "program designers" or less, it was done by a programmer; name (i.e. "game design"), the two "game programmers." if a 48K game has primitive acts will be granted equal respect. graphics and takes twenty minutes Shakespeare and your local check for the computer to make a move, forger get equal billing, and a CAUSE AND EFFECT you can bet it was programmed by programmer can get praised for Even if logic and language don't the game designer. creating (!) "the best PAC-MAN- move you, there are a number of type game." practical consequences of this What's in a name? misnomer — and they're all bad. The obvious "answer" to the When the name of the game is problem of two disciplines re- "game design," plenty. The mildest, perhaps, is that quiring two different talents and Ed. Note: Jon is the co-author of many programmers get "delusions ways of thinking — a collaboration Murder on The Zinderneuf and of grandeur" and think that they between two people, one a game Archon. NORMANDY (Con) SUSPENDED (con) discover that there is more than one way to complete the adventure. avoids the strongest German Obviously, this information Without revealing what they are, defenders. The historical plan was gathering process is time con- let's just say that your friend's lives designed to cut Cherbourg off from suming, and when you get to the are in your hands. reinforcement, but in the game, stage of putting the pieces together isolation is not necessary (indeed, to complete the adventure, there As you command one robot to go being isolated appears to have no will be no need to send WHIZ to the here, another to go there, the game effect on the pocketed defenders). CLC. Also, the game can be becomes like running a very, very In every game that I've played, the successfully completed without complex football play. Each player computer sends one and only one accessing the CLC at all. So, if you must be in a certain place at a reinforcing division (the 77th) to are a die-hard adventurer who certain time for the play to work. aid Cherbourg, regardless of what thinks hints are for sissies, don't Also similarly, there's more than the Allies are doing. In order to plug WHIZ into the CLC. But, be one way to make a touchdown. capture Cherbourg before the end prepared to see the shadow of your of the game, earmark three infantry replacement clone more than just a The same disasters strike at the divisions and one armor division few times. same time every time the standard for the assault and send them game is played. Note when these breaking due north from Utah One can't help but wonder, "What occur, and consider strategies to beach as quickly as possible. if Infocom hadn't provided the map get certain things done before they Tactics of the complex? What if they hadn't occur. One thing that does change provided an integrated hint system? is something called the "reset code". So, how does one win at the game ...would the game still be playable?" When you find out what it is, be of BFN? You should: 1) take The answer is "yes" — however, it sure to write it down — it's different Cherbourg (!), 2) clear all Germans would have been not only a each game. You'll also discover from the coastal zone, and 3) take how each of the planet's systems either St. Lo or at least one hex of different game, but a different type can be monitored and manually Caen. In doing this, bear the of game, more like the early-style controlled from within the under- following in mind: adventure where all you knew was that you were to explore, collect ground complex. Bringing the 1) A stockpile of "general supply" treasure, and perhaps, escape. systems under control is essential points (about 600) should be ac- to minimize surface-side deaths If you are an adventurer who is cumulated before June 18, when until you replace the proper cables looking for a treasure-based three turns occur with high and bring the filtering computers adventure, and take special delight probability of a storm (this stock- back into balance. in exploring and mapping each pile is in excess of points used each room for yourself, or discovering if Finally, fear and terror are turn). 2) Don't waste combat points there even is a next room, then that underlying themes of the game. on useless, low-odds attacks. 3) Get aspect of Suspended will not excite However, don't let an unfounded the four armored divisions into fear that the game is too complex action as quickly as possible, you. keep you away from it. True, at keeping them on the front line and first, Suspended may seem infiltrate with them as often as About strategies. You will want unwieldy, perhaps overwhelming possible. Their fatigue levels will to develop your own strategy for ...all that documentation, ...six suffer, but their presence can break mastering the game; however, robots to control at once, ...what do up the German defense. 4) On the when you first get started, forget I know about fixing computers, rare occasion when a German unit about fixing the filtering com- anyway? attacks, consider retreating the puters, that'll come later. First, get defending Allied unit. German units to know your robots. Explore each Let your fears be calmed, the always advance into a vacated hex robot's capabilities and limitations. game is very playable, even and you can often sucker them into Take them all to the same room replayable, once you understand a trap or lure them away from an and compare their reports. Like the the premise. The robots are easy to important position by falling back well-worn tale of the blind men and control, once you get to know them. before the slightest attack. the elephant, the robots will each And, you don't have to know any- give you their unique, but thing about fixing real computers. However, whether or not his- incomplete, perspective. So, get out the documentation, a torical tactics lead to victory need pencil and plenty of paper, and not bother you when you sit down As the robots find objects, things boot-up the disk — people are dying at the monitor; BFN is a challenging that need to be done will become and you're half asleep! — people game. I'm just glad that Eisenhower apparent. Soon, you'll be on your are dying and you need to wake up! didn't use it to rehearse for the real way to putting together the pieces thing. q to complete the adventure. You'll 0 KNIGHTS (Con) has moved all of the units which he The final modifier to the combat desired to move and all limited odds are those caused by levels for the Axis and the Allied reactions are completed, then units supporting units not themselves in commanders (expert, historical, resupplied (if in supplied status) the combat. The attacker adds 300 intermediate, or novice); whether and depot units of the phasing combat points per hex adjacent to the game is solitaire or with two player may move. When the the defender which is occupied by players; which scenario is being phasing player has finished trying other of his units. The attacker also played; whether initiative is to catch up to his combat units with adds 100 combat points per non- historical or random; and whether his depots, the enemy player is participating units in his own hex. or not to include in the Axis force given the opportunity for a limited The attacker then subtracts 200 pool two optional depot units. The reaction which is followed by a points for every enemy unit stacked players are given the further option repeating of the process in all in the target hex but not the subject of setting the specific levels of both manners, excepting that only the of the attack and for every one in a Axis and Allied combat points, air phasing player's units receive hex adjacent to the defenders hex. points, replacements, and rein- operational points for the second forcements to values other than half of his turn. those automatically set by the After the final combat odds have computer (based upon the difficulty The last segment, appropriately been calculated by the computer, it levels already determined for the named the finalization segment, is will then modify the losses for both two players). The level of Axis when the victory points for the turn sides based upon these odds and supply and the amount of time in are determined and the level of two other factors—the attacker's the "display delay loop" may also victory assigned (if the last turn). chosen battle intensity and the be set at this time. The players receive victory points risk factors chosen by both sides. The for causing casualties in enemy attacker's battle intensity is det- units, occupying towns, points for Having completed the set-up, the ermined, on a scale from 1 to 9, the distance which units are from game now begins. The game itself which modifies not only the relative their base, and automatic loss if a is broken into four segments and number of losses on both sides, but player's home base was in enemy the segments into phases, during also the amount of supplies hands at the end of the turn. As the each of which specific actions and expended by the attacker on that last part of this segment, the players reactions may take place. In the battle. The sum of the risk factors first segment, mobilization, players are given the option of saving the game. chosen by the attacker and receive new units and supplies at defender, again on a scale of 1 to 9, their home bases, allocate supplies Combat determines the variability of the and replacement points to specific combat losses. With all of the The most complex and impor- units, expend supply for main- modifying factors, it is obvious that tant aspect of this game is that of tenance, eliminate units with this system would only be playable insufficient supply, and determine combat. To initiate combat, a unit on a computer. which player has initiative for the must expend both supply and that turn. The player determined to operational points dependent upon Comments and Conclusions its type and nationality. The combat have initiative has the option of KD effectively demonstrates is also affected by a large number moving his units first or being able that the old problem of playability of other factors. Lack to respond to the other players of supply will vs. realism can be largely half the defender's defensive move by moving second. eliminated by the use of thoughtful strength (if below 50 supply points). During the second two segments, design and programming. The The terrain and level of fortification the first and game captures the feel of the war second player also plays a large roll in deter- segments, both players receive in North Africa, is relatively easy to mining the final combat odds. Each operational points for their units play, and yet contains accurate type of terrain has an intrinsic (which are expended to a varying details of the units involved modifier to the defenders combat degree during the two phases when combined with a reasonably strength which may be increased the unit performs any action), and accurate method of calculating the through digging-in (building the phasing player begins his effects of combat. When these fortifications) up to the point where movement. If, during the phasing features are combined with the it triples the defender's defense. players movement, he should move many other features of the game adjacent to an enemy unit, then the Air points may also be used by which could not, in the limited non-phasing player may be eligible both the attacker and the defender. scope of this article, be covered, it for limited reaction (no more than For the defender, each air point becomes obvious to any gamer of half of a unit's operational points increases his total value for defense long standing that KD is another may be expended in limited by 15%. For the attacker, this solid step towards the ideal reactions). After the phasing player multiple is 20% per air point. computer wargame. GALACTIC (Con) on the game disc or even before, or in battles fought over hijacks or you can create your own. The cargo can you increase your Once you have accumulated process of creating your own leadership. enough cash (250,000 Frilbees) and adventures is infinitely variable As soon as possible, get hold of a have improved your flying skills to and, since you can tie one adven- missile imploder. This one weapon at least 8 or 9, I'd recommend ture on to another, you can keep will remove all guided weapons buying a spaceship. You can then going for a long, long time. earn money much faster by flying from the board in one fell swoop. cargo and passengers around the The corollary to this is "don't HINTS galaxy than you can in the streets. develop a strong guided missile Incidentally, you may also run into Clone yourself immediately. weapons user of your own." The some Gorsai pirates (who make You'll need all the help you can get missile imploder is not selective great companions if you can defeat as soon as possible. Try to avoid and will eliminate your gemstones them) or find that your passengers recruiting and training the weaker and gapers as well as the enemies. may make a hijack attempt re- species. It's very frustrating to have Don't forget at RNA tabs can only quiring a battle to be fought. One nurtured a Cygnian all the way up be used to increase your skills to change from GG is that Gorsai to Level 15 in advanced skills and level 15, and that jobs completed in don't change sides in the middle of 18 or 19 in weapons skills, only to the streets can only boost your skill a battle. So, once you can manage find that he's killed in the first to level 10. to recruit a couple of them, you'll round of combat. I found my have them along for awhile. greatest success when starting out When you do go on an adventure, with a Wodanite. Speed and dex- it's a good idea to make a map of When you think you're ready, try terity are reasonably high, as are the various adventure segments to applying to one of the Guilds for an strength and endurance. Further- help you get out. In at least one adventure. You'll find that the more, they're able to use phasor case, I spent nearly three weeks Space Patrol, the Agency, the rifles, which are deadlier than trying to find an exit from an Adventurers Guild, or the Sen- phasors, and can wear heavy or adventure. I fought some forty sitive's Guild to be more than happy special armor. Zorcons and battles and lost two very valuable to send you out on a challenging Dulbians are strong and have great fellow adventurers after my three and highly exciting adventure. One endurance, but are so slow and K-Reanimators failed. I did finally strong word of caution, however. have such lousy agility that they get out, but only after making a Be sure to save your team on a disc often never get into the battle at all. map (which I should have done before heading out on one of these, from the beginning). so that when you are ignominiously As soon as possible, find and wiped out, you won't have to start defeat a band of Gorsai, getting One last option which gives a over completely from scratch. some of them to join you as they nice touch is to change from one- are deadly fighters; fast, agile, and player to two-player mode in the Combat, whether in the streets or very strong. Remember that you middle of a combat. This allows on an adventure, is done with the can have no more fighters than you you to have a friend join in the same system as GG. The computer, have leadership, so that one of your game if he or she happens to drop however, is a tougher opponent current associates may have to be by while you're fighting a battle. than it used to be, and you'll often fired in order to make room for the find a battle costing the lives of one CONCLUSION Gorsai. This may be heart rending, or more of your very cherished but when you see how good the SSI has done a superb job on this companions. It is, therefore, very Gorsai are, you'll be glad that you sequel to GG. Most role playing easy to understand why the single did. games have a rather abstract most highly prized treasure in all combat resolution sequence. GA the galaxy is the K-Reanimator - a In the early stages, concentrate has a complete game within a game device which can bring the dead your skill-building on your original for combat resolution, along with back to life. Your ability to use this adventurer and the two clones. as complicated a series of adven- magnificent, device is dependent You'll lose many of the others along tures as you could want. If you on both sensitivity and luck, and if the way, and there's no reason to enjoyed Galactic Gladiators, it fails, it will be ruined, so it's nice invest hard earned frilbees in Galactic Adventures is an absolute to carry as many of these as you building skills for those who may must. If you never saw GG, then can find. very well fall by the wayside. treat yourself to a great game As in many of SSI's games, you Once you've got a group of seven system and role playing fantasy, are offered the chance to create or eight, consider trying one of the and go out and get this one. I got my your own scenarios. This means easier adventures (remember to copy the first week it was available, that once you have successfully save your team before leaving on and I still haven't completed all the explored all the adventures given your voyage!). Only on adventures adventures that it offers. SILICON (Con) (1) Find the six hexes circling our present location. (2) Eliminate any hex already in our current path or which we cannot otherwise move through. (3) Of those remaining, pick the one closest to our goal. In case of a tie, use some arbitrary tie-breaker. (4) Move to the hex selected. coordinates of the hexes in a path that would be traced if we (5) If we are in the goal hex, stop; minimal path can be directly tried the same approach as we did otherwise, go to (1). computed by a simple algorithm. In on Figure 1 (right-handed tie On an unobstructed map, we will such a case, we could get by (at breaking). It has a length of 9, while immediately trace a minimal path least for path-tracing purposes) the shortest path possible is only 7 to the goal hex. Figure lb shows without the distance function at all. hexes long. But Figure la represents a very one such path. Here, we broke ties How do we make our program by picking the right-hand hex. simple case. Let's consider something more complex. "smart" enough to find the shortest Other paths would have been path? One solution is to find all traced had we been using other tie- Figure 2 adds three hexes near "minimal" paths (i.e., all paths that breakers (left-hand, alternating, the goal with peaks in them. The can be generated by our algorithm) random). In all, I count 14 different peaks represent mountains, and and then pick the shortest one. minimal paths from the starting our path cannot pass through any How do we do that? We shift from hex to the goal hex. of these hexes. Our initial algorithm a depth-first to a breath-first As mentioned, this is a very will still work, but we are no longer approach. What does that mean? simple case. In fact, with one hex guaranteed of finding a minimal Tune in next issue and find out. numbering system I know of, the path. In fact, Figure 2 shows the

LEARNING (Con) has also been released by Sierra Several other aspects try your naughty dragon is keeping 16 nice On-line. patience as well. You can question the suspects in their homes, but animals prisoner in and around his The second game this month is only one question per visit, please! (her?) house. Did somebody say ST2, second in a series by Spin- Since there are 3 possible questions house? Yes, this dragon lives in an naker Software. ST2 is for older you can ask, you must make 3 trips average sort of two-level white children, 10 years and up. The house. Well, it to each suspect. There are also 3 does have an object is to solve a mystery by clues inside each house, but again elevator, but apart from that it's proving all of the suspects — save you can only get one at a time. This average. Young children definitely one! — are innocent. In this case, takes quite a while since the relate better to exploring a house somebody has stolen a performing suspects are often home and if you than they do a cave or dungeon and dolphin from the local aquarium. they seem to find the mixture of get caught snooping you are sent familiar and fantastical very The evidence comes in the form back to headquarters to cool your amusing. of clues, which must be referred to heels for a bit. Even 10-year-olds by number when making accusa- get tired of this. The object is to search for the 16 tions. The clues come rapidly but animals and free them. Occa- are mostly worthless, but it is sionally, the dragon will appear, necessary to write them down since This game would be much more breathing colorful dragonfire. It you can't tell which are important fun if the pace were faster. As it is, it doesn't attack, but it prevents you at the time. Here is the problem takes days to complete and you from releasing any animals while it number one; the clues are only on lose track of what leads you were is present. the screen for about 15 seconds following, what you were doing, DK is very well done and will help and there is no way to pause the even what facts you know. It may develop reading skills and game. Even I can't write fast teach the value of keeping well- deductive reasoning in children in second enough to copy them down. You organized notes, but it doesn't do grade or below. It is highly can always "find" the clue again — quite as well teaching deductive recommended. The same people they're never lost — but this may reasoning. It's too bad because it have done TROLL'S TALE which take some time and effort. could have been very, very good. TELE-GAMING (Cont.) Florida. The Lynx (305) 772-1076 FRPGs. The Sanctuary is a The Oracle (305) 475-9062 beautifully designed, captivating St. Pete BBS (813) 866-9945 system. You'll find it difficult to Illinois: sign off once you've entered its Warlock's Castle (618) 345-6638 main gates. New Jersey: Dry Dock BBS (201) 992-2565 Sunrise Omega-80—(415) TrashCom BBS (201) 226-0341 452-0350: Perhaps the most New York: detailed and articulate FRPG I've Adventure to seen on any BBS is run by a Atlantis (914) 359-1517 Chaosium (FRP and board game Texas: manufacturer) play-tester, Karl Beach Game Mauer, on San Francisco's Sunrise System (904) 932-8271 board. Riddles and puns abound in Eclectric System (214) 239-5842 this game — the gamemaster and Griffin's Lair (214) 840-8294 players have created a perfect The Mines of Moria (713) 871-8577 fantasy world. Make yourself Teledunjon III (214) 960-7654 comfortable in the "Gamers' Corner," and share the fun! There are many more great BBSs around the country, of course, but this list is a fine starting point. In my Other Notables: next column, we'll investigate other California. types of tele-gaming BBSs — those Access One (213) 537-3378 which offer real-time, online games The Apple Board (213) 944-5455 and/or computer games for BBGS (213) 699-0775 downloading. Until then, light a IF PMS (714) 772-8868 torch, nock an arrow, and embark, The Interface (213) 477-4605 ever so cautiously, on your message Softworx (213) 473-2754 board quest.

Scorpia (Cont.) them. But once you do, the fortune-telling machine is really fused quite easily. There are two Serpent's Star is yours! Of course, broken, but it's the sign that's rooms in here that you must visit; there' still the little matter of getting important. Think about it. the one with the door is the one you out of the monastery, but the Star And now, the hints to Serpent's should come to last. There are also will help you there, if you know Star in slip code: two items to be found in the maze, what to do with it (read the room but you only need one of them description very carefully). After Monk's riddles: (hint: when you reach the room that, you can come back here, hoist 1) ESBHPO with the door, you should have six a few, and brag about your success! 2) ZJO BOE ZBOH stones). By the way, this maze also 3) NBO Now, while you're pondering that, has a little trap in it: make a right at Dragon's riddles: the tsampa. I'll just make the rounds and see 1) SBJOCPX what the regulars need..... 2) OJSWBOB Ok, you're almost there! Open the door (a little experimentation Well, looks like it's closing time, folks. See you next issue, when the should do it), and you will be in a Haphazard Hints: ZORK II— feature adventure will be: Zork III room with a pool....and a jade claw Don't waste time on the rose, flask (I'm going backwards just to be sticking up from the pool holding and grue repellent; they aren't perverse). In the meantime, if you the Serpent's Star (if you DON'T useful at all. DARK CRYSTAL— need help with an adventure game, see that, you haven't done some- The same can be said for the sling there are three ways you can reach thing: go back into the maze until and the pouch, you don't need me: 1) Send a self-addressed, you find the other room). But don't them. ULYSSES—You need the stamped envelope to: Scorpia 1319 try to get it yet! First, make a little gold coin to get the map, but not Second Ave, Suite 540 NY,NY music. Aha! The dragon appears.... from the shopkeeper. WIZARD & 10021; 2) On the Source: ST1030; 3) and he won't think very much of THE PRINCESS—There are two On Compuserve, Go GAM-310, or you, either. He's got a couple of ways to get to the treehouse; the EMAIL 70001,1263. riddles for you, too...and again, you easy way is the wrong one. will only have one chance to answer MYSTERY FUN HOUSE—The Happy adventuring! RID #8 Please rate articles on the basis There were 212 R.I.D.s turned in of the article itself, not your opinion by press time for this issue. The of the game being reviewed. Enter breakdown of users was: Apple a zero for any article that does not (5396); Atari (4396); Others (4%). interest you. Newly rated games and updated games are listed with bold type in the table on page 52. GAME RATING The table on page 52 includes games evaluated by our readers. For a game to be included in this listing it must first have been offered for rating in our regular RID rating system. Games offered for evaluation are those covered in the magazine and/or those having a good sales record during the time of evaluation. Once offered for evaluation, the game must have been evaluated by a sufficient number of readers to be included in the results. Any game not evaluated by at least 10% of the respondents was not included in the results. Games were rated on a scale of 1 (terrible) to 9 (outstanding). Re- spondents were asked to consider such things as PRESENTATION (graphics, sound, packaging, documentation); GAME DESIGN (design, playability, interesting?); LIFE (does the game wear well?)

R.I.D. #9 (Use card provided) Use boxes #1 and #2 to record reader survey answers from INSIDE THE INDUSTRY. See page 4 for instructions. On this page a number of games and articles are listed for eval- uation. Please take time to evaluate these games and articles. Use the guidelines above for game eval- uation. Leave blank any game which you have not played enough to have formed an opinion. R.I.D. was prepared with the help of SPEED STAT by SoftCorp International, Westerville, OH 800-543-1350 See page 51 for details on the Reader Input Device