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Text File
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1992-12-24
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10KB
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194 lines
Star Lane Traders is copywritted by Childress Software Services
1986. All rights reserved. Duplication of this software for
profit or without the expressed written permission of Childress
Software Services is strictly prohibited.
STAR LANE TRADERS
So you want to rule the universe and control all the merchandise
moving between all the outposts? Well, here's your chance.
This game is written for the IBM PC-AT and clones. It has been
written in text mode only. No special graphics, no fancy bells or
whistles, just plain text. This game doesn't require any special
motor skills on the part of the player. If you can type a number
and/or a letter, you have all the motor skills required. Here's
the catch: with this game you have to think.
The "Playing Board" is set up in windows. This is what the
screen looks like for the first move of the game:
.---------------------------------.----------------15:30-------.
| Andromeda Shipping Closed | A B C D E F G H I J K L |
| Big Dipper Express Closed | 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . |
| Cassiopeia Limited Closed | 2 * . ? . . ? . . . * . . |
| Draco Dairies, INC Closed | 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . |
| Equuleus X Traders Closed | 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . |
|---------------------------------| 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . |
| Fred, Your moves are: | 6 . . . * . . . . * ? . . |
| 2C, 2F, 6J, 8G, 9H | 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . |
| Select?_ | 8 . . . * . . ? . . . . . |
| | 9 . . . . . . . ? . . . . |
|-------------------.-------------^--------.-------------------|
| Fred C | <Andromeda Shipping> | C Sue |
| C | <Big Dipper Express> | C |
| C | <Cassiopeia Limited> | C |
| C | <Draco Dairies, INC> | C |
| C | <Equuleus X Traders> | C |
| $6000 | 70 Moves Left | $6000 |
|-------------------^--Incoming Messages---^-------------------|
| |
`--------------------------------------------------------------'
There is a window in the upper left corner showing each company
and its stock value, if active, or "CLOSED" if inactive. To the
right of this is the Star Map. This shows the section of the
galaxy you are in. Below the company block is the Players block.
This section is where the player gets his information about where
to form a company or starbase, how many shares of stock he can
purchase, and for the purchasing or selling of stock.
Below the Playing Board and the star map are three blocks. The
center block lists the companies and the moves left in the game.
To the left is player number 1's portfolio and to the right is
number 2's. It list his reserve bank and number of shares of the
active stocks. If a company is not open for trading a "C" will be
displayed next to that company.
The bottom block is the "Incoming Message" area. This relays
messages about mergers, splits, companies formed, and
miscellaneous information.
That is how the screen looks. Now to how the games is played.
The computer will select which of the two "corporations" is to
start first. In our example, Fred Corporation is starting the
game. He has been given 5 options to move to. Two of these
options are next to a "*", or star. A company is formed when it
is placed next to a Star or a Star Base. (We'll get into Star
Bases later on.) Look at the Star Map again:
A B C D E F G H I J K L
1 . . . . . . . . . . . .
2 * . . . . . . . . * . .
3 . . . . . . . . . . . .
4 . . . . . . . . . . . .
5 . . . . ? . ? . . . . .
6 . . . * . . . . * ? . .
7 . . . . . . . . . . . .
8 . . . * . . ? . . . . .
9 . . . . . . . ? . . . .
The question marks indicate where the legal moves are. Don't try
to select an illegal move because the computer won't like it and
he might say something to you that you won't like. Now here is
where part of the thinking comes in. Which move should Fred
take? 5E, 5G, 8G, and 9H are poor choices because they won't form
a company. Look at 6J. It is next to a star system. So, Fred
would probably want to select 6J.
Fred selects 6J. A message appears in the Incoming Message window
letting us know that Andromeda Shipping has been formed and that
it is now open for trading. A new message appears in the Players
window, asking Fred if he wants to buy any stock. The new value
of Andromea is displayed in the upper left hand window. Since
all the companies are closed except for Andromeda, Fred can buy
only Andromeda stock. He can purchase stock by entering the
quanity of stock that he wants and the company sysmbol (letter):
10A. He can ask the computer how many shares of a particular
stock he can purchase with: ?A. He can let the computer figure
out how many shares to purchase by entering just the company
letter: A. Or, he has the option of not purchasing any stock at
this time if he doesn't want to by pressing <Return>.
Fred buys all the shares of Andromeda he can. The Star Map
changes:
.---------------------------------.----------------15:30-------.
| Andromeda Shipping $600 | A B C D E F G H I J K L |
| Big Dipper Express Closed | 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . |
| Cassiopeia Limited Closed | 2 * . ? . . . . . . * . . |
| Draco Dairies, INC Closed | 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . |
| Equuleus X Traders Closed | 4 . . . . . . ? . . . . . |
|---------------------------------| 5 . ? . . . . . . . . . . |
| Sue, Your moves are: | 6 . . . * . . . . * A . . |
| 2C, 2F, 6J, 8G, 9H | 7 . . . . . . . . . ? . . |
| Select?_ | 8 . . . * . . . . . . . . |
| | 9 . . . . . . ? . . . . . |
|-------------------.-------------^--------.-------------------|
| Fred 15 | <Andromeda Shipping> | 0 Sue |
| C | <Big Dipper Express> | C |
| C | <Cassiopeia Limited> | C |
| C | <Draco Dairies, INC> | C |
| C | <Equuleus X Traders> | C |
| $45 | 69 Moves Left | $6000 |
|-------------------^--Incoming Messages---^-------------------|
| |
| |
`--------------------------------------------------------------'
New question marks show up, Sue is given a chance to move, Fred's
bank account is dropped to $45.00.
Sue has to analyze what moves to take. She doesn't want to help
Fred, especially since she doesn't have any shares of Andromeda.
Remember the Star Bases that we mentioned earlier? This is where
they show up. Sue has an opportunity to establish a Star Base at
any of the question marks that are not next to stars (four of
them). 2C is a good selection. Why? Here's what will happen. A
Star Base will be formed at 2C. If the spot at 2B shows up a new
company can be formed that will have a net value of $700. Not
$600, but $700. The Star Base will disappear and the company
formed will takes its place. Alternatively, a company could be
formed without the star being involved, in which case, the
company would be worth $200.00. This is also good, but for other
reasons that we will get into when we talk about Mergers and
splits. Right now the best move for Sue is 2C.
Sue will be given the option to purchase stock. She can buy
stock in Andromeda even though she didn't form that company. As
a matter of fact, if you have enough case or capital, you can
"steal" a company away from another person. We don't recommend
that you practice this too often with your friends, but once in
awhile it might be necessary.
Our two imaginary corporations have been playing for some time
now and we pick up the game when there are 44 moves left.
.---------------------------------.----------------15:30-------.
| Andromeda Shipping $600 | A B C D E F G H I J K L |
| Big Dipper Express Closed | 1 C . E E E . . . ? . . . |
| Cassiopeia Limited Closed | 2 * . E . E E . . . * . . |
| Draco Dairies, INC Closed | 3 . . . . E E . D . . . . |
| Equuleus X Traders Closed | 4 . . . E E E . D . . . . |
|---------------------------------| 5 . . . . ? . ? D D . . . |
| Fred, Your moves are: | 6 . . . * B . . . * A A . |
| 1I, 5E, 5G, 8G, 9H | 7 . . . B B . . A A A A . |
| Select?_ | 8 . . . * . . ? . . . . . |
| | 9 . . . . . . . ? . . . . |
|-------------------.-------------^--------.-------------------|
| Fred 22 | <Andromeda Shipping> | 3 Sue |
| 9 | <Big Dipper Express> | 0 |
| 6 | <Cassiopeia Limited> | 9 |
| 9 | <Draco Dairies, INC> | 1 |
| 3 | <Equuleus X Traders> | 50 |
| $45 | 69 Moves Left | $289 |
The instructions you have just read are incomplete and may lack
the detail required to show you the more subtle aspects of this
game. The intent here was to demonstrate some of the basic moves
and strategy used in playing this game. The more you play Star
Lane Traders, the more proficient you will become.
Enjoy.