°°°°°Ü°°°°°Ü °°°°°Ü°°°°°Ü°°°°°Ü°°°°°Ü°°°°°Ü°°°°°Ü°°°°°Ü °°°Û°Û°°°Ûßß °°°Ûßß°°°Û°Û ß°°°Û°°°Ûßß °°°Ûß °°°Ûß°°°Ûßß The °°°Û°Û°°°Û °°°Û°Ü°°°Û°Û °°°Ûß°°°°°Ü °°°Û °°°Û °°°°°Ü Electronic °°°°°Û°°°Û °°°Û°Û°°°°°Û°°°Ûß °°°Ûßß °°°Û °°°Û °°°Ûßß Journal °°°Ûßß°°°°°Ü °°°°°Û°°°Û°Û°°°°°Ü°°°°°Ü °°°Û °°°Û °°°°°Ü ßßß ßßßßß ßßßßß ßßß ß ßßßßß ßßßßß ßßß ßßß ßßßßß ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ April 1986 Volume 1.02 ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º ADVENTURE! Page A.2 º º NON-REVIEW Page B.4 º º º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ º Adventure!.......2 º ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º Home Boards......9 º º BOARD HIGHLIGHTS Page B.3 º º Ins & Outs.......7 º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ º Letters..........5 º ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º Programs to Try..7 º º PROGRAMMING! Page B.1 º º VOCABULARY Page B.7 º º Ramblings........1 º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ º º ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ º PLATYPUS PROGRAMS PROPAGANDA Page C.1 º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ PC Gazette 1.02-4/86 A.1 ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ ²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²² ²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²² To jump to other sections press B or C ²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²² and wait a couple of seconds as the ²²²ÛÛÛÛÛ²²ÛÛÛÛÛ²²ÛÛÛÛÛ²²² other section is loaded into memory. To ²²²ÛÛÛ²Û²²ÛÛÛ²²²²ÛÛÛ²²²²² jump back, press A. ²²²ÛÛÛ²Û²²ÛÛÛ²²²²ÛÛÛ²Û²²² ²²²ÛÛÛÛÛ²²ÛÛÛ²²²²ÛÛÛ²Û²²² In this issue we start a series of ²²²ÛÛÛ²²²²ÛÛÛÛÛ²²ÛÛÛÛÛ²²² articles on Adventure games by Robert ²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²² Wiber. Bob is an avid game player and ²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²² has written a few games for the enjoy- ²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²² 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 ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ ²²²²²Ü ²²²²Ü ²²²Ü²Ü ²²²²²Ü ²²²²²Ü²²²²²Ü²²²Ü²Ü ²²²²²Ü ²²²²²Ü ²²²Ü ²²²Û²Û ²²²Û²Ü ²²²Û²Û ²²²Ûßß ²²²Û²Û ²²²Ûß²²²Û²Û ²²²Û²Û ²²²Ûßß ²²²Û ²²²Û²Û ²²²Û²Û ²²²Û²Û ²²²Û ²²²Û²Û ²²²Û ²²²Û²Û ²²²Û²Û ²²²Û ²²²Û ²²²²²Û ²²²Û²Û ²²²Û²Û ²²²²²Ü ²²²Û²Û ²²²Û ²²²Û²Û ²²²²Ûß ²²²²²Ü ²²²Û ²²²Û²Û ²²²Û²Û ²²²Û²Û ²²²Ûßß ²²²Û²Û ²²²Û ²²²Û²Û ²²²Û²Ü ²²²Ûßß ßßß ²²²Û²Û ²²²²Ûß ²²²Ûß ²²²²²Ü ²²²Û²Û ²²²Û ²²²²²Û ²²²Û²Û ²²²²²Ü ²²²Ü ßßß ß ßßßß ßßß ßßßßß ßßß ß ßßß ßßßßß ßßß ß ßßßßß ßßß 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 ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ 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 ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ 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 ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ ÛÛ everything you did. I hope to see more Ý issues of the PC Gazette in the future. ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ This should become a BBS standard for ÛU.S.MailÛÛ LETTERS communicating news of all kinds. This ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛßßßß would be a great vehicle for a user's ±±Û group. I hope others are excited about ±±Û what you've done as I am. There can be ±±Û a need fulfilled with this concept. ±±Û Keep up the good work. ±±Û Jay Graham ²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²²² 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 ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ 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 ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ THE INS AND OUTS OF PC GAZETTE ³ ±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±± ³ ³ PROGRAMS TO TRY ±±ÛÛÛÛßßßßßÛÛÛÛ± ³ A number of people have inquired on how ³ ºººººº ±±±±±±±±±±±ÛÛÛÛÜÜÜÜÜÛÛÛÛ± ³ PC Gazette is produced. I hope this ³ ºººººº ±±±±±±±±±±±ÛÛÛÛÛÛ²ÛÛÛÛÛÛ± ³ summary will help those interested to ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÄÄÙ 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 ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ 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 ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ HOME BOARDS ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» Diamond Bar BBS ºTo communicate directlyº º PC Gazette º (714) 861-1549 ºwith PC Gazette: º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ Sysop:Jim Holloway º º A project conceived and 300/1200/2400 24 hrs. º PC Gazette º accomplished by Robert J. º155 E. 'C' St., Suite. D º Flores, Aaron A. Aardvark E=mc^2 º Upland, CA 91786 º and the Platypus Patrol. (714) 592-5151 ÌÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ͹ Sysop:Sean O'Donohue º±±°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°° º Editors.... 300/1200 24 hrs. º±±°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°° º A.Aardvark & R.Flores º±±°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°° º Speculation Column... La Verne & PC Street º±±°ÛÜ°°°°°°°°°°°°ÜÛ°° º Syntax (714) 596-0084 º±±±±±ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ°°° º Art & Graphics... Sysop:Dave Dennen º±±±±ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛ²ÛÛÛÛÛº R.Flores & P.Patrol 300/1200 24 hrs. º±±±±ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ²ÛÛÛÛÛº Layout... º²²²²ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛ²ÛÛÛÛÛº the Platypus Patrol Polaris BBS º²²²²²ÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ²²ÛÛÛÛÛº Letters... (714) 865-1637 º²²²²²ÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ² ÛÛÛÛÛº R.Flores Sysop:Michael Knight º²²²²²ÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛº Nagging & Bellyaching... 300/1200/2400 24 hrs. º ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛ º the Platypus Patrol º ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ º Culture... (E-Mail to Robert Flores) ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ none at present