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1986-04-04
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═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
April 1986 Volume 1.02
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
╔═════════════════════╗ ╔═════════════════════╗ ╔════════════════════╗
║ ADVENTURE! Page A.2 ║ ║ NON-REVIEW Page B.4 ║ ║ ║
╚═════════════════════╝ ╚═════════════════════╝ ║ Adventure!.......2 ║
╔═══════════════════════════╗ ║ Home Boards......9 ║
║ BOARD HIGHLIGHTS Page B.3 ║ ║ Ins & Outs.......7 ║
╚═══════════════════════════╝ ║ Letters..........5 ║
╔═══════════════════════╗ ╔══════════════════════╗ ║ Programs to Try..7 ║
║ PROGRAMMING! Page B.1 ║ ║ VOCABULARY Page B.7 ║ ║ Ramblings........1 ║
╚═══════════════════════╝ ╚══════════════════════╝ ║ ║
╔═══════════════════════════════════════╗ ╚════════════════════╝
║ PLATYPUS PROGRAMS PROPAGANDA Page C.1 ║
╚═══════════════════════════════════════╝
PC Gazette 1.02-4/86 A.1
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓
▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ To jump to other sections press B or C
▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ and wait a couple of seconds as the
▓▓▓█████▓▓█████▓▓█████▓▓▓ other section is loaded into memory. To
▓▓▓███▓█▓▓███▓▓▓▓███▓▓▓▓▓ jump back, press A.
▓▓▓███▓█▓▓███▓▓▓▓███▓█▓▓▓
▓▓▓█████▓▓███▓▓▓▓███▓█▓▓▓ In this issue we start a series of
▓▓▓███▓▓▓▓█████▓▓█████▓▓▓ articles on Adventure games by Robert
▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ Wiber. Bob is an avid game player and
▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ has written a few games for the enjoy-
▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ ment of the Platypus Patrol.
Ramblings by Aaron A. Aardvark Our Non-Review centers on the debate
that pops up on the Home Boards with
Issue 1.02 and counting. It was high frequency: What PD communication
certainly gratifying to receive so much program is the best?
positive response to the first issue.
We will do our part to keep the quality We also start looking at some of the
of PC Gazette up to a level that good features of the various Bulletin
deserves such praise. Boards. This issue we center our
attention on the Home Boards.
There are three sections to this issue. Continued on page A.6-See Ramblings.
PC Gazette 1.02-4/86 A.2
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▓▓▓█▓█ ▓▓▓█▓█ ▓▓▓█▓█ ▓▓▓█ ▓▓▓█▓█ ▓▓▓█ ▓▓▓█▓█ ▓▓▓█▓█ ▓▓▓█ ▓▓▓█
▓▓▓▓▓█ ▓▓▓█▓█ ▓▓▓█▓█ ▓▓▓▓▓▄ ▓▓▓█▓█ ▓▓▓█ ▓▓▓█▓█ ▓▓▓▓█▀ ▓▓▓▓▓▄ ▓▓▓█
▓▓▓█▓█ ▓▓▓█▓█ ▓▓▓█▓█ ▓▓▓█▀▀ ▓▓▓█▓█ ▓▓▓█ ▓▓▓█▓█ ▓▓▓█▓▄ ▓▓▓█▀▀ ▀▀▀
▓▓▓█▓█ ▓▓▓▓█▀ ▓▓▓█▀ ▓▓▓▓▓▄ ▓▓▓█▓█ ▓▓▓█ ▓▓▓▓▓█ ▓▓▓█▓█ ▓▓▓▓▓▄ ▓▓▓▄
▀▀▀ ▀ ▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀ ▀ ▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀ ▀ ▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀
MacGyver and Indiana Jones Can
First in a series by Robert Wiber I hope to do a series of articles about
adventure games---from the writers
Could you take a lot of assorted junk; point of view. Future articles will
including cleaning fluid, a brass deal with game concepts, parsers, maps,
telescope, wire cable, mothballs, rags, etc., and will hopefully lead you to
etc.; and make a rocket projected try your hand at writing a game or two.
escape line? MacGyver can. Could you
take a life raft and jump out of an An adventure game is like a novel where
airplane that's about to crash in the you control the main character. You
mountains? Of course you can, but can take what you find in the world around
you survive? Indiana Jones can. These you and use it to overcome the
are only two of the many shows or obstacles that block your path to a
movies that we can program our PC's to successful completion. Sometimes the
play with us, as ADVENTURE GAMES. Con't. on page A.3-See ADVENTURE!
PC Gazette 1.02-4/86 A.3
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
ADVENTURE!
As an author of an adventure game you
Continued from page A.2. are creating your own 'world'--a world
object has an obvious use, i.e. a key that answers to you. Strange physics,
to unlock a door, sometimes you may magic, alien cultures are all up to
have to use the object in a less you. It's really like writing a novel
obvious manner, i.e. the same key might where you can't really count on the
have to be used to get the screws that hero doing anything right, and you need
hold the hinges to a door. In this to handle those "wrong" moves in a way
adventure games tend to appeal to that will feel consistant and logical.
puzzle lovers, after all, they are only
a series of puzzles set within a To do this we need an overall story
specified framework. line that will answer the newspaper
"WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, and WHY." Of
Adventures have been written as 'text these, WHEN isn't too important,
only', or illustrated, as 'graphic especially in a world of your own
adventures'--we will discuss the text devising. Although it can limit what
versions mainly. That is because the you have available to you if the game
text handling techniques are basically has a historical setting (no lasers in
the same for both and because your Imperial Rome, or space ships in 18th
editor is the real whiz with graphics. century Transylvania).
Besides, First things first. Con't on page A.4-See ADVENTURE!
PC Gazette 1.02-4/86 A.4
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
ADVENTURE!
Your treatment of WHY doesn't have to
Continued from page A.3. be as extensive, an opening screen can
The WHO is usually taken care of by the usually have the information needed to
players character, and WHERE is the get an idea of what's going on. But
environment that the game is taking you need to give the player an idea of
place in. WHAT usually is the object his environment (space, jungle, house,
of the game, ie. to rescue the Princess etc.), what the goal of the game is
and save the Aardvark Crown. (unless that is one of the puzzles),
and a reason for doing it (save the
WHY is usually underated, after all why universe, save yourself, get rich,
should I risk my life to return the etc.).
Aardvark Crown? WHY am I out here in
this empty stretch of space when the Next time you play an adventure game
large alien spaceship drifts by? The think about the 5 W's, and see if they
best handling of the WHY I've seen so make a logical integrated whole.
far has been the Introduction Packages
that INFOCOM uses. They tend to make Until next time and a discussion of
you feel at home in that particular Concepts for adventures.
world, and get you motivated to get
into the game. (Comments should be c/o Robert Flores)
PC Gazette 1.02-4/86 A.5
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
██ everything you did. I hope to see more
▌ issues of the PC Gazette in the future.
███████████ This should become a BBS standard for
█U.S.Mail██ LETTERS communicating news of all kinds. This
███████████▀▀▀▀ would be a great vehicle for a user's
▒▒█ group. I hope others are excited about
▒▒█ what you've done as I am. There can be
▒▒█ a need fulfilled with this concept.
▒▒█ Keep up the good work.
▒▒█ Jay Graham
▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ Very nice work and certainly
innovative. I think we all would like
I read your electronic newspaper. I to see this idea blossom into something
want to now tell you what I think of that most people would use and look
it. Having seen lots of ideas for forward to the next issue....Good luck
communicating various type of with upcoming issues.
information, I find your concept of a Don Sanders
newspaper on a computer innovative, Hello Robert, I read the PC Gazette and
refreshing, unique and well done. I to say the least I was impressed as
personally enjoyed the layout, heck. As you have probably seen by now
features, color, articles and I posted a bulletin on the Diamond Bar
everything you did. I hope to see more Con't on page A.6-See LETTERS.
PC Gazette 1.02-4/86 A.6
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
LETTERS Ramblings
Con't from page A.5. Con't from page A.1.
BBS about PC Gazette. I see that is a Syntax is back with her Speculations.
fine program and idea....I would like We also have Programs To Try again.
to help with this if I can....Thanks
again for listing my BBS as one of the If you didn't notice (or do not have
places in the PC Gazette. color), the front page has a little
Jim Holloway animation. There is also some in
section B. This was created with a
There is a newsletter available for you program still in Beta testing called
to see what's new. It's called PC TEXT ANIMATOR. More on this later.
Gazette, and it comes out each month.
It is a VERY well planned out text, and Reader acceptance has been nice. Now
has great potential. I urge all of you if we can get reader contribution, we
to take a look at it and leave your will be really rolling. If you can add
comments here on the board. Let's any constructive suggestions or
commend Robert Flores for a job WELL articles or even (here it comes)
DONE! financial help it would be greatly
News & Information-La Verne & PC Street appreciated and help keep PC Gazette
Bulletin Board coming out in future months. Also, we
will run classified and commercial ads.
Rates are available on request.
PC Gazette 1.02-4/86 A.7
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
┌────────────────────────────────────┐ THE INS AND OUTS OF PC GAZETTE
│ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ │
│ PROGRAMS TO TRY ▒▒████▀▀▀▀▀████▒ │ A number of people have inquired on how
│ ║║║║║║ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒████▄▄▄▄▄████▒ │ PC Gazette is produced. I hope this
│ ║║║║║║ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒██████▓██████▒ │ summary will help those interested to
└─────────────────────█████████████──┘ understand the process in making this
PKXARC26- This is a fast unarcing newsletter.
program. It is compatible with the
latest version of ARC. Very nice. As with any newsletter, a set of
articles must be written first. That
ACCUTAX- A nice tax preparation being accomplished, the articles are
program. There's just about every form typeset on an ordinary word processor
that a person might need. into their respective columns, nicely
justified.
PC-OUTLINE- This is one great program!
This outline generator got high marks The key tool is next utilized. This is
in a review in PC Magazine. a beta program called "GraphText."
Basically, this is a text screen
tDOODLE- A good color screen editor for drawing program with some special
the production of ANSI graphics. A editing features. The text is pasted
must for PCBoard sysops. into the various columns. Titles,
Continued on page A.8-See INS AND OUTS
PC Gazette 1.02-4/86 A.8
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
INS AND OUTS necessary section files are loaded into
Continued from page A.7. memory. A complete section resides in
colors and graphics are then added to memory. If another section is desired
make the layout flashy. it is loaded when called.
Each page is saved both as a text file The text for each page is printed to
and a screen color file. When a section the screen. If there is to be color
of up to ten pages is complete, all the color attributes are moved into
pages are copied into a single file for their proper memory locations.
color and a single file for text only.
These are now in files readable by the If there is to be any animation Reader
Reader program. will read the ANSI data from the
appropriate file and display it. These
When Reader is run, it first reads the files are created by another beta
byte at address 0040h:0049h to program called "TextAnimator." This
determine if the system is color or program translates "moves" into ANSI
mono. If there is a color graphics card commands and records them into a text
the user is asked a choice of color or file.
black-and-white. The program then
reads data from the file READER.OPT for That basically is how PC Gazette is
number of sections and pages, file made and works.
names and animation information. The
PC Gazette 4/1986 Volume 1.02 9
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
HOME BOARDS ╔═════════════════════════╗ ╔═══════════════════════╗
Diamond Bar BBS ║To communicate directly║ ║ PC Gazette ║
(714) 861-1549 ║with PC Gazette: ║ ╚═══════════════════════╝
Sysop:Jim Holloway ║ ║ A project conceived and
300/1200/2400 24 hrs. ║ PC Gazette ║ accomplished by Robert J.
║155 E. 'C' St., Suite. D ║ Flores, Aaron A. Aardvark
E=mc^2 ║ Upland, CA 91786 ║ and the Platypus Patrol.
(714) 592-5151 ╠═════════════════════════╣
Sysop:Sean O'Donohue ║▒▒░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ║ Editors....
300/1200 24 hrs. ║▒▒░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ║ A.Aardvark & R.Flores
║▒▒░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ║ Speculation Column...
La Verne & PC Street ║▒▒░█▄░░░░░░░░░░░░▄█░░ ║ Syntax
(714) 596-0084 ║▒▒▒▒▒████████████░░░ ║ Art & Graphics...
Sysop:Dave Dennen ║▒▒▒▒███ ██████ ████▓█████║ R.Flores & P.Patrol
300/1200 24 hrs. ║▒▒▒▒███████████████▓█████║ Layout...
║▓▓▓▓███ ██████ ████▓█████║ the Platypus Patrol
Polaris BBS ║▓▓▓▓▓██ ██████ ███▓▓█████║ Letters...
(714) 865-1637 ║▓▓▓▓▓██ ██████ ███▓ █████║ R.Flores
Sysop:Michael Knight ║▓▓▓▓▓██ ██████ ███ ███║ Nagging & Bellyaching...
300/1200/2400 24 hrs. ║ █████████████ ██ ║ the Platypus Patrol
║ ███████████ ║ Culture...
(E-Mail to Robert Flores) ╚═════════════════════════╝ none at present