DISKMAG1.BAT ·
BAT ·
49.8 KB ·
1985-12-08 ·
from CompuLink-User-Group_Magazette_Vol-1-Issue-2_1985
ECHO OFF
bat goto -line0
bat -header
bat stack.purge
bat cls begtype
\0F╔═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗\07
end
bat type %s%s%s%s%s%s%s %H%s%s%s%s%%s%s%s%ss%s%s%s%s%s COMPULINK MAGAZETTE ISSUE 2%s%s%s%s%s%s%s%s%sPage %N
bat begtype
\0F╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
Press: PGDN for next page, PGUP for prev page, HOME for main menu.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\07
end
bat return
bat -scroll
bat inkey %k
bat if %k = KEY003 goto -opt0 |* Break key
bat if %k = KEY01B %L = 0 | return |* ESC key
bat if %k = KEY147 %L = 0 | return |* Home key
bat if %k = KEY149 %L = %L - 1 | cls | return |* PgUp key
bat if %k = KEY151 %L = %L + 1 | cls | return |* PgDn key
bat goto -scroll
end
bat read Press the ─┘ key to continue to next section.....
bat return
bat -line0
bat cls begtype
\0F ╔════ COMPULINK MAGAZETTE ISSUE 2 ════╗
║ The Magazine On The Screen! ║
╙───────────────────────────────────────────╜
\0F ╔═════════════════╗
║ SECTION 1 INDEX ║
╚═════════════════╝
╔═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗\07
\0F ║ 1)\07 1.01 - 1.02 Introduction, and instructions. \0F║\07
\0F ║ 2)\07 1.03 - 1.08 Installing a hard disk kit. \0F║\07
\0F ║ 3)\07 1.09 - 1.10 Compatability with tape streamers. \0F║\07
\0F ║ 4)\07 1.11 - 1.15 More problems with modems. \0F║\07
\0F ║ 5)\07 1.16 - 1.20 From Holland with love. \0F║\07
\0F ║ 6)\07 1.21 - 1.29 A short history of adventure games. \0F║\07
\0F ║ 7)\07 1.30 - 1.32 Tips on using WordStar. \0F║\07
\0F ║ 8)\07 1.33 - 1.41 Adventures of a 'Hacker'. \0F║\07
\0F ║ 9)\07 1.42 - 1.43 Fido <=> Unix Mail. \0F║\07
\0F ║ ║
║ 0) EXIT ║
║ 10) Section 2, 11) Section 3, 12) Section 4 ║
╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝\07
END
bat -entry0
bat read Enter the number of your selection. > %A
bat if / = /%a %a = 1
bat if %a < 16 if %a > 1/ cls goto -opt%a
bat if %a < : if %a > / cls goto -opt%a
bat beep
end
bat goto -entry0
bat -opt0 cls begtype
╔═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ Ready to leave Magazette Press a key: ║
║ <\0FS\07>ystem <\0FA\07>gain ║
╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
end
bat -exiting inkey %a
bat if %a = S exit
bat if %a = A goto -line0
bat beep goto -exiting
bat -line1
bat -opt1 %H = INTRODUCTION | %L = 1 | %N = 1.01
bat call -header | begtype
Welcome to the CompuLink Disk Magazine!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sorry about the delay in getting the second issue out to you.
I have added a few more features to the Magazette and I hope
you like them. For those of you who haven't seen the
Magazette before, I hope this explains how the name is
derived.
A$= "Magazine": B%="diskette" C$ = LEFT$(B$,6)+RIGHT$(B$,4)
PRINT C$ \0F Magazette \07
The magazette is broken up into multiple sections. Each
section may have several pages. To access each page in
order, just keep pressing the PGDN key. At the top of your
screen is the name of the section which you are in and the
page number. If you wish to directly enter another section
now, press the \0fHOME\07 key to return to the main menu,
enter the proper section number and press the \0f─┘\07 key.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line2
bat %H = INTRODUCTION | %L = 2 | %N = 1.02
bat call -header | begtype
While in any sections, there are just three keys needed:
PGDN - This key will advance to the next page of any section.
If there are no more pages in the section, then it will
advance to the next section.
PGUP - This key will back up to a previous page within a
section. If there are no more previous pages within a
section, it will backup to the previous section.
HOME or ESC - Either of these keys will return directly to
the main menu. From the menu, any section can be looked at
directly by entering the section number and pressing ─┘.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line3
bat -opt2 %H = Hard%sDisk%sKit | %L = 3 | %N = 1.03
bat call -header | begtype
Following the installation of a 20 Meg hard disk on my
Compaq, I thought I would report on the problems I
encountered. The disk I have installed is the unit offered
for sale in this months, and last months magazette. The
drive is supplied in a sealed anti-static bag to protect the
circuitry which is in turn enclosed in a cardboard sleeve.
The controller card is supplied in a well padded anti-static
bag. Also supplied is a blanking plate, two ribbon cables,
and a users manual .
The first thing to do when fitting a new piece of hardware to
your system is to read the manual. The manual supplied is
just fourteen pages long and covers the installation
procedure for an IBM PC. There is a small section on setting
the two DIP switches on the main circuit board of the drive.
I always seem to have trouble with DIP switches so I decided
to only set one switch, this was the switch marked 'D' and
with this switch set to on the diagnostic option was
selected.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line4
bat %H = Hard%sDisk%sKit | %L = 4 | %N = 1.04
bat call -header | begtype
The next section in the manual details the drives power
requirements. The first line caught me out, it said that the
drive requires an external power supply. I presume that this
section was for anyone who was thinking of fitting the drive
as an external unit.
The next step was to take the lid off the Compaq and remove
the B: drive This would have been a 2 minute job on an IBM
PC but on a Compaq it involves removing the floppy controller
card, the graphics card, and any add-on cards. When these
cards were removed the drive came out quite easily after
unceremoniously turning the Compaq on it's side, removing the
bottom cover, and removing the fixing screws from the bottom
of the drive.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line5
bat %H = Hard%sDisk%sKit | %L = 5 | %N = 1.05
bat call -header | begtype
This now leaves a gaping hole in the front of the Compaq so I
quickly put the new drive in position to see how the locating
holes lined up. It soon became obvious that the locating
holes in the Compaq chassis were intended to take a full
height hard disk. The shock absorbing mounting pillars are
fitted only on the right hand side of the chassis so anything
fitted next to the hard disk will have to find an alternative
mounting method. As I have no plans (or money!) to fit
something else in the gap I decided it would be best to
simply mount the hard disk and cover the hole with the
supplied blanking plate.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line6
bat %H = Hard%sDisk%sKit | %L = 6 | %N = 1.06
bat call -header | begtype
The holes lined up well with the mounting pillars and once in
place it looks very neat tucked into the right hand corner of
the Compaq. With the drive in place I then proceeded to fit
the ribbon cables. Following the instructions in the manual
to the word I fitted the cables to the drive and then
connected the other end to the controller card. The
controller card has three connectors, two twenty way, and one
thirty-four way. You are supplied with one 34 way cable and
one 20 way cable. The manual shows which of the 20 way
connectors to use. I assumed that the second 20 way
connector was for another hard disk; but a phone call
revealed that it was actually for a tape streamer. The
controller card apparently supports either 10 or 25 meg tape
streamers.
Unfortunately I fitted one of the cables incorrectly but I
didnt realise this until I had switched on the Compaq.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line7
bat %H = Hard%sDisk%sKit | %L = 7 | %N = 1.07
bat call -header | begtype
This may sound like a fatal error but Western Digital have
made the controller idiot proof;ie safeguarded the circuitry
against people like myself who are incapable of following a
manual. I certainly dont reccomend that you fit the cables
incorrectly, but if you do the chances are that no damage
will be done.
After the first (failed ) attempt to install the drive I
reversed the incorrectly fitted connector and then tried
again. This time success! The drive burst into life and then
proceeded through its self checking routine. The suppliers
had told me that the drive was pre-formatted and tested, and
also that the PC-DOS operating system had been installed.
This means that the drive should be configured to use as a
boot disk. I opened the floppy drive door and then
re-booted. It tried to boot off the A: drive but as the
drive was not ready it proceeded to boot from the hard disk.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line8
bat %H = Hard%sDisk%sKit | %L = 8 | %N = 1.08
bat call -header | begtype
Booting off the hard disk is a much quicker operation than
booting off a floppy although the hard disk does take time to
go through its diagnostics. If you dont have much memory
installed in your machine it is possibe that the computers
diagnostic routines will be quicker that the hard disks
diagnostics; in this case I suppose it is possible that a
'Drive not ready' error could occur. This condition would of
course be rectified as soon as you press a key.
So there I was with my brand new hard disk humming quietly
(very quietly) in the background just waiting for some data
to swallow up. I proceeded to feed the hard disk a couple of
files to install in my new AUTOEXEC.BAT file. I followed
this operation with a CHKDSK which returned a gratifying
21184512 bytes of free space!
So far so good! I'll continue this article in the next
Magazette.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line9
bat -opt3 %H = Tape%sStreamers | %L = 9 | %N = 1.09
bat call -header | begtype
Compatibility with Tapes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, as the fact is for now, almost none of the
existing tape backup systems can swap tapes. Although most
of them use the standard 3M DC-600, it can even be a problem
using a tape created on another system of the same make ! -
A good (of you might say: Horrible) example for this is
TallGrass Technologies: If you crash your harddisk (also a
Tallgrass), your tapes aren't worth a nickel -they cannot be
restored to another TG harddisk ! (-if you haven't been wise
enough to use the extremely slow file-by-file copy to tape
function).
Now - there seems to be a solution to all our worries:
Several vendors have finally agreed on a new standard, called
QIC-24. This new standard will set (among others) the way
the data are stored, how the tape is formatted, etc.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line10
bat %H = Tape%sStreamers | %L = 10 | %N = 1.10
bat call -header | begtype
This actually means that any tape, created at any system, can
be read / written by any other device, using that standard
(pronounced "QUICK-twentyfour"). I have been in touch with
Tandberg Data, one of the manufacturers of drives for this
new standard, and they are shortly releasing a drive with
card for PC's. Also the worldwide selling vendor QUBIE have
promised a new tape backup using this new standard very soon,
and several others I've been in touch with are launching
compatible systems, too.
My suggestion is that we all go for this new standard, it
would make life easier for all of us.
If you have any comments on this issue, please send mail to:
Sysop on 4701/101 - Hackers Unlimited.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line11
bat -opt4 %H = Modem%sProblems | %L = 11 | %N = 1.11
bat call -header | begtype
Modems, BELL & CCITT std
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As distributors of both hardware and software in Scandinavia,
my company has put great effort in finding modems to fit our
European standard, CCITT. We've sent telexes and called
virtually every manufacturer of Modems (Hayes compatible) in
the USA. Here are the compiled results, after squeezing the
technical support staff of every vendor we've been in touch
with:
HAYES
Hayes are heavily emphasizing their new 2400 bps modem being
fully compatible with the european CCITT standard. This is
true, because the V22.bis (2400/2400 baud) standard is
exactly the same in both the USA and Europe. The only
problem (which they incidently forget to mention) being that
the lower baudrates are only available in BELL standard.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line12
bat %H = Modem%sProblems | %L = 12 | %N = 1.12
bat call -header | begtype
This means that the money spent on a Hayes-modem (appx.US$
750.00, freight included), is a waste - It can only be used
for connecting to the US TimeSlot, and will have to be
specially set up / plugged in for the time the TimeSlot is
active.
Also, they are currently working on setting up their European
Dis- tributor network, and will not / cannot ship overseas.
U.S. ROBOTICS
Same as for Hayes, only CCITT compatible at V22.bis.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line13
bat %H = Modem%sProblems | %L = 13 | %N = 1.13
bat call -header | begtype
VEN-TEL
I had my hopes high when i was connected to the TechSupport
people after talking to the Sales department: I was told
that their modem was CCITT compatible also below 2400/2400.
After 3 phonecalls and 2 telexes, I finall got the news:
It's only compatible on V22 and V22.bis, not V21 (300/300),
due to the internal structure of their LSI-chip. Also they
do have an other modem that's cheaper, without the V22.bis,
but that couldn't take V21 either.
I tried to explain our situation to them, and was promised
that V21 would be implemented in their next revision of the
chip. That's so far, we'll have to see.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line14
bat %H = Modem%sProblems | %L = 14 | %N = 1.14
bat call -header | begtype
QUBIE
-have been known to take odd ways when designing their
products, and I wasn't let down:
QUBIE will shortly release a 100% hayes compatible modem
featuring CCITT standards V21 and V22. V22.bis isn't
included, but might as well be sometime in the near future.
The rest of the list isn't really too interesting, just to
mention RACAL-VADIC's modems; they aren't on CCITT either...
It seems like the US vendors have been blind when designing
their modems, not realizing the enormous market in Europe for
CCITT. The fact is that the difference between CCITT and
BELL is so little, that a new ROM for some of the modems, and
a little more effort in the LSI-chips for others, wouldn't be
too much to expect.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line15
bat %H = Modem%sProblems | %L = 15 | %N = 1.15
bat call -header | begtype
As far as I know there are no european manufacturer that can
offer modems that are true Hayes-compatible; Accepting the
"AT" command- set, and autoswitching between baud-rates. The
Norwegian TeleCom have been talking about the issue for some
time now, but they wont release it for at least another year,
if my sources are correct.
If you have any comments on this issue, please send mail to:
Sysop on 4701/101 - Hackers Unlimited.
Address: Voice +47 2 431 655
Hackers Unlimited Data +47 2 431 840
c/o Hercz Data A/S
Huitfeldts Gate 16
N-0253 Oslo 2
Norway
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line16
bat -opt5 %H = From%sHolland | %L = 16 | %N = 1.16
bat call -header | begtype
FROM HOLLAND WITH LOVE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hello everybody,
This is to keep you informed on how things are going with
fido in europe. Well, the main problems are solved now, we
are in contact again and the mailing has been restored. So
far so good.
A number of new nodes have come up, so fido looks healthy and
is growing well enough.
A lot of nodes did not send me the filled in form
GETNODE.DOC, so let me repeate: Please fill in the
getnode.doc document, even if you have already (a long time)
a nodenumber. I need it for obvious reasons, and you will
benefit all. Rename it to xxxx.nwd before uploading or
sending it to me, otherwise the things will got overwritten
and I will never see them. Thank you for your cooperation.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line17
bat %H = From%sHolland | %L = 17 | %N = 1.17
bat call -header | begtype
Future of fido in europe
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As fido grows I think that countries must become
selfsupporting in handing out nodenumbers. I will be doing
the central coordination to prevent total chaos. The
question is when to start this. As a CC gets a usa
compatible (fast) modem a country or part of it can become a
seperate net, getting mail from the usa directly. From an
organsational point of view this good, but it suffers on
costs aspects if the number of nodes in a country is low
and/or international mail is on a low level. Messages are
cheaper if you pack them into one packet. So it all depends
on how much mail is send between countries and to and from
the usa. At the moment it is not a big problem anyway, but
if you have thoughts about this point let us know through
this newsletter. The best solutions will emrge from the
discussion I hope.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line18
bat %H = From%sHolland | %L = 18 | %N = 1.18
bat call -header | begtype
Our board at 101/3101
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To follow the example from frank in the last issue of
euronews, I present some informaion on our board,suggest you
do the same when we get that other article from you. (a list
of public domain software on your board should be nice, we
may compile up a list of pd software available in europe)
This board is run (payed for) by the dutch hobby computer
club (HCC), a club with 23000+ members organized in local
clubs and computer/operatingsystem orientated user groups.
We publish a monthly magazine (35000+) with more than 100
pages each month mostly filled by articles from our members.
101/3101 is used as a collecting point for these articles.
Also the communication between the central board, the
professional workers at our office in utrecht and the 300+
local officials have become a problem that we try to solve
with this board and a fido in Utrecht.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line19
bat %H = From%sHolland | %L = 19 | %N = 1.19
bat call -header | begtype
In principal the central board of the HCC has decided to have
a fido installed for as much local hccclubs and usergroups as
possible. There is money available for about 12 boards but
as being a democratic club, the final approval of our
fidoplans must be done on a general meeting in September.
We are actively seeking sponsoring of local boards and are
appoaching the goverment for some money. (The managers of
the ministry of education have already had some
demonstrations on 101/3101). In november we have the annual
HCC-days (2 days of computershows with more than 35000 people
attending last year) and we hope to announce the Fido_net_HCC
then loud and clear. We are heavely promoting fido in the
news with continuing articles in our own magazine (first one
in september) and in other magazins (2 articles on fido
appearing in oktober in a small and a very big magazin
(PCM)). Radio will give a fido report in the first week of
september. We also give out press releases.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line20
bat %H = From%sHolland | %L = 20 | %N = 1.20
bat call -header | begtype
This board will be devoted to coordination and collecting
articles and will not have much software online after the
local fido's have started.
If you want to visit our annual computershow, you are
welcome. Just let us know !
Henk Wevers sysop 101/3101
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line21
bat -opt6 %H = Adventure%sGames | %L = 21 | %N = 1.21
bat call -header | begtype
A Short History of Adventure Games
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
by Mark J. Welch (125 Bay St., #5, San Francisco, CA 94133)
415-391-9148 (data: WelchNet, Fido 10/459)
You probably realize that there is a whole class or genre of
computer games called "adventure games." The genre, of
course, was itself based on role-playing games, particularly
Dungeons and Dragons, a game developed in 1974 by Gary Gygax,
who formed TSR.
The grandfather of all adventure games was called simply
"ADVENTURE," and took place in "Collossal Cave." It was
written by Will Crowther and Don Woods on a DEC PDP-10 in
FORTRAN. To win the game, one had to capture a bird, dispose
of a nasty snake, avoid a dwarf's pointy knives, and figure
out what toll a troll wanted to cross a bridge, among many
other hazards; the rewards were many but usually had to be
sacrificed in order to obtain some other goal.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line22
bat %H = Adventure%sGames | %L = 22 | %N = 1.22
bat call -header | begtype
The game was quite successful -- partly because it was
virtually the only game available and partly because it was
free -- and was quickly copied onto many large timesharing
systems at universities and companies. Many hours were spent
translating the game so it could run on many mainframes and
microcomputers. Other programmers wrote extensions into the
game, adding new rooms, hazards, and treasures. There are
now two popular versions: very few people ever solve the
entire original 350- or 375-point Adventure, although a few
have even conquered the 550-point extended version.
While some programmers were satisfied by solving,
translating, or adding to the original Adventure, others saw
an opportunity for new games, on microcomputers as well as
mainframes. Some -- like Scott Adams at Adventure
International -- chose to add graphics to their adventures.
Some had very limited vocabularies and tight, simple grammers
like the original adventure: you could "EAT BIRD" or "ATTACK
TROLL," nothing more complex.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line23
bat %H = Adventure%sGames | %L = 23 | %N = 1.23
bat call -header | begtype
Other programmers sought more natural language and more
powerful and complex features: Infocom's Zork trilogy -- a
variant on the original Adventure -- and that company's many
follow-up text adventures (they, and others, accurately call
their works "interactive fiction") use a complex vocabulary
and permit very long and complex sentences.
On the earliest microcomputers -- like the S-100 machines,
the TRS-80 Model I and the Apple II -- adventure games were
the first programs to be made available because they used
only text and were written in standard languages, usually
BASIC, and were thus easiest to translate.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line24
bat %H = Adventure%sGames | %L = 24 | %N = 1.24
bat call -header | begtype
Several efforts have been made to write "adventure game
generators," programs which would ask for input detailing the
arrangement of an adventure and then generate a BASIC program
for the scenario. Unfortunately, these generators too often
were not complex enough to generate powerful adventures, or
were too complex to use for someone who didn't want to learn
a programming language in the first place.
Enter G.A.G.S.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Generic Adventure Game System* was written in an effort
to make writing an adventure game as simple as possible,
while still permitting a great deal of flexibility. It
*cannot* be used to write an adventure game with as many
complex features as Infocom's. To do so would require
developing a complete adventure game programming language, as
Infocom has done, and would require adventure- game writers
to learn a very complex set of rules.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line25
bat %H = Adventure%sGames | %L = 25 | %N = 1.25
bat call -header | begtype
[Note: developing ANY playable, enjoyable adventure game
takes time. You need to set up a map, and then type in the
valid movements from room to room and the full text
descriptions for each room, noun, and creature. While using
G.A.G.S. is far less complex than writing an adventure game
from scratch in Pascal or any other language, it will still
take you many hours to write a game using G.A.G.S.]
There are two clear advantages to the Generic Adventure Game
System (G.A.G.S.). First, G.A.G.S. uses a standard- format
ASCII text file for its data, and the adventure game can be
modified simply by editing the data file with any text
editor. Debugging the game involves playing it: as problems
are discovered, the text file can be edited and the game
re-played. Once a basic game is developed, it can be
extended by adding new rooms or special features (much the
same way Adventure was enhanced).
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line26
bat %H = Adventure%sGames | %L = 26 | %N = 1.26
bat call -header | begtype
Second, G.A.G.S. is infinitely expandable because the
complete Turbo Pascal* source code is available. If you
decide that another verb should be available, you can add it.
If you think the parser is too simple, you can try to patch
it -- or completely re-write it. By modifying the source
code, you can add new features to the game which aren't
available in the basic system. (Of course, modifying the
source code could lead to week-long debugging sessions while
you try to figure out why this particular procedure is
infinitely recursive or why the disk is reformatted whenever
you try to move east.) The GAGS manual explains how the
source code was written and why, and suggests a number of
modifications that can be made.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line27
bat %H = Adventure%sGames | %L = 27 | %N = 1.27
bat call -header | begtype
How to Get G.A.G.S.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Generic Adventure Game System (G.A.G.S.) is currently in
beta-test. Version 1.0 will be available on September 1,
1985, and will be distributed as "Shareware" (or
"User-Supported Software"). Users may freely copy and share
the program, but are asked to become registered users by
sending $15 to the author, thus encouraging the author to
release updates and new software as Shareware -- as well as
obtaining limited techincal telephone support.
Copies of G.A.G.S. will be sent to many users' groups and
computer bulletin-board systems. The complete G.A.G.S. disk
will also be available for $10 from the author. (California
residents must add appropriate sales tax.) The complete
source code to G.A.G.S. will be available to registered
users for $25.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line28
bat %H = Adventure%sGames | %L = 28 | %N = 1.28
bat call -header | begtype
G.A.G.S. requires a 8088- or 8086-based computer, MS- DOS
2.1 and 256K bytes of memory. It is available from the
author only on 5-1/4-inch disks.
Further Reading
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Several books are available on writing your own adventure
game:
Tim Hartnell, "Creating Adventure Games on Your Home
Computer" (in Microsoft BASIC), Ballantine/Random House,
1984.
Richard C. Vile, Jr., "Programming your own Adventure Games
in (UCSD) Pascal," TAB Books, 1984.
Frank DaCosta, "Writing BASIC Adventure Programs for the
TRS-80" (Model I/III/IV), TAB Books, 1982.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line29
bat %H = Adventure%sGames | %L = 29 | %N = 1.29
bat call -header | begtype
Another adventure-game generator program is available for
free. Pete Levy has posted a copy of the "Levy Adventure
Development System" (LADS) on the Games SIG on CompuServe (GO
GAM-310). It's written in BASIC for the TRS-80 Model I and
III.
* "Generic Adventure Game System" and "G.A.G.S." are
trademarks of Mark J. Welch. "Turbo Pascal" is a trademark
of Borland International. "MS-DOS" is a trademark of
Microsoft.
Mark J. Welch, 125 Bay St., #5, San Francisco, CA 94133
415-982-4591 (voice)
415-391-9148 (data: WelchNet, Fido 10/459)
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line30
bat %H = Adventure%sGames | %L = 30 | %N = 1.30
bat call -header | begtype
The 'Original' adventure as mentioned by Mark Welch has been
converted to run on the IBM-PC and placed in the public
domain by Alan Solomon. It is available from the software
library. There are many other adventure games in the public
domain. Although we do not yet have G.A.G.S. in the
software library we do have the LADS software by Peter Levy.
The Crowther & Woods Adventure is disk 82 in the COMUG
Library. It is worth noting that this program has been
converted by other companies and marketted comercially!
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line31
bat -opt7 %H = WordStar%sTips | %L = 31 | %N = 1.31
bat call -header | begtype
For those of you that use [*shudder*] Wordstar on your PCs,
here are a few suggestions having to do with editing and
printing Fido-format documents (those following the standard
format of Fidonews and the various manuals). This comes as a
result of my trials and tribulations experienced in
downloading and printing the entire to-date library of
Fidonews and the Fido manual... and my attempts to gather
them into an easily handled format - loose leaf binders.
I don't know how the format that Fidonews (and manuals) use
was arrived at, but I assume that it was in order to be able
to quickly use the DOS "TYPE" command to scan or print.
Indeed, this works out rather well, except for two things
that can't be done easily : format the page so that the
punch holes don't chew up words, and print using printer
control commands like doublestrike, LQ mode, etc. The
following was arrived at using Wordstar vers. 3.3 and an
Epson FX-80 printer. It allows me to print documents on
continuous feed paper and leave room for punch holes.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line32
bat %H = WordStar%sTips | %L = 32 | %N = 1.32
bat call -header | begtype
Start Wordstar and call in the document to edit it. Make
sure your cursor is at the beginning of file, usually on the
"F" in the word Fidonews on page one (if that's what you're
working with). Now put in any print-control commands you
might want. Next set your margins. I use left= column 5 ,
right= column 85. It's important to maintain the 80 column
difference between the two... you might want to set each one
proportionally higher or lower depending on how much room you
want to leave on the left... I would think, though that with
the left at more than 10 you'd start to lose text off the
right side of the page. Now just do a ^QQB to start
continuous paragraph reformatting, and hit the number 1 after
it starts to speed it up. When it gets to the end of the
file, hit the space bar to stop, and save it with ^KD... you
can even be doing all this while you're printing the last one
- but don't set the reformat speed faster than 5 or so, or
the printer slows down. - Larry DiDiGioia 13/384
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line33
bat -opt8 %H = The%sHacker | %L = 33 | %N = 1.33
bat call -header | begtype
Story originally by Neato Dude.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This story was graded an A in English class for the 9th
grade. I hope you like it!
Steve Narhar moved for the first time in hours from the chair
in his bedroom. He had been connected to the bank's computer
for ages it seemed, and now he had cracked the access codes,
and could do as he pleased with the bank. "Let's see how
much money you got, Mr. First Federal Savings and Loan of
Los Angeles." he muttered to himself. His fingers raced
across his home computer's keyboard, as he entered the
command "GO:TOTAL ACCOUNTS:ALL". His computer screen told
him there was a total of $475,562,271.23 in the accounts. He
then selected "TRANSFER:ALL,NARHAR" and watched happily as
all the money went from the total number into his account.
"Another day, another $475,562,271.23" he said, turning his
computer off and going to bed.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line34
bat %H = The%sHacker | %L = 34 | %N = 1.34
bat call -header | begtype
At the same time, in the Los Angeles bank, Mr. Bill Kuhar,
bank manager, was using the bank's computer to check how
things had gone during the business day. It was pitch black
outside, and he wanted to hurry up and finish, so he could go
home. "Oh look at that, will you just look at that! Miss
Penny gave Mr. Jupmar $0.13 cents over his balance! I'll
have to remember to fire her tomorrow. Hired help these
days, makes you wonder. Why, when I was young, I worked 12
hours a day for 35 cents, never made a mistake, and..." he
grumbled to no one in particular, since the office was empty.
"WHAT THE..." he gasped, as he saw all his wondeful, glorious
$475,562,271.23 disappear from everyone's accounts and into a
single account, #82564 STEVE NARHAR. "AAAAARGH!!" he cried
in anguish, "It's one of those "hackers" like you read about
in the newspapers! I'm ruined! Well! We'll just have to
get this Narhar! " Mr. Kuhar keyed in "TRACE:CURRENT", and
settled back to wait for the caller to be traced. Two
minutes later, the information came on the screen.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line35
bat %H = The%sHacker | %L = 35 | %N = 1.35
bat call -header | begtype
NUMBER:(402)856-2741 CITY,STATE:Omaha, Nebraska
CONNECTED:5 hours, 36 minutes
"Omaha, huh...we'll just pay him a visit tomorrow morning. "
he said with a fiendish laugh.
The next morning, Steve bolted upright from his bed, at the
sound of a police siren. He threw on a pair of jeans and a
T-shirt, and ran outside to see what the commotion was about.
A big, white van pulled up alongside the curb. A large,
heavyset man leaned out, and asked him if he knew anyone by
the name of Steve Narhar. "You're lookin' at him.
What is it?"
The man was obviously surprised, but quickly regained his
composure. Climbing out of the van, he pointed a pistol at
Steve's back and whispered, "I would advise you to come with
me now."
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line36
bat %H = The%sHacker | %L = 36 | %N = 1.36
bat call -header | begtype
Steve decided he would not like little round holes in his
body, so he let the man lead him into the back of the van.
The man walked around the side, and then into the driver's
seat, and started the engine. Tires squealed as they roared
away, and by the direction they were heading, Steve could see
they were heading for the airport.
The man spoke "I am sorry that we have not been introduced.
My name is Mr. Kuhar, the manager of the bank you broke into
last night." He reached to his face, and took off his
mustache, and then continued with a thick accent Steve had
never heard before. "You are probably wondering why you are
here. You see, the bank you so rudely invaded was not a
regular bank. Oh no, it is more, much more. In fact, it's
the entire funding for the Soviet Secret Police operations
for the western portion of your America. So now that you
know this, you must not be allowed to tell others. So of
course, you shall be a prisoner of the Soviet Union, and will
be held in a Siberian work camp.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line37
bat %H = The%sHacker | %L = 37 | %N = 1.37
bat call -header | begtype
But don't worry. You can spend the rest of your miserable
life there, having fun mining coal, and meeting other
prisoners. Better than summmer camp, no?"
By this time, the van had pulled up along side a large
wide-bodied jet. Mr. Kuhar dragged Steve, kicking and
screaming, into the cargo hold of the Air Moscow jet, and
slid the door shut. It was dark in the cargo hold, cold, and
above all, extremely noisy. The sound of the screaming
engines pounded his ears, and the sinking feeling in his
stomach told him that the plane was lifting off. All hope
was lost, no one would save him now. After a quick look
around, he decided he could not escape here, and he did not
particulary want to take a bath in the Pacific Ocean.
Settling back, he went to sleep for the long plane trip.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line38
bat %H = The%sHacker | %L = 38 | %N = 1.38
bat call -header | begtype
Steve was startled awake by the screech of the landing gear
and the bump as the plane touched down. Immediately after
the plane slowed to a halt, two armed guards slid open the
door, grabbed him by the arms, and led him into the back of a
waiting limousine. The limousine wisked him away, and
shortly entered a huge, modern looking building of glass and
steel, still on the grounds of the airport. Through the
heavily tinted glass of the limousine, he could not see
anything, not even the driver. The door was opened as the
car drew to a halt, and two more guards pulled him out by the
arms, and stood him in front of a large oak desk. Steve
looked around the complex in awe. The entire room, the size
of a football stadium, was completely flled with computers.
The chair in front of the desk spun around, and in it sat an
overweight, bald man wearing a black suit. He appeared to be
about sixty years old, and his face looked weatherbeaten.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line39
bat -opt39 %H = The%sHacker | %L = 39 | %N = 1.39
bat call -header | begtype
The man eyed Steve for a full minute, taking in every detail
of his fifteen year old self. "So you're the computer
expert, eh?" he said, "Kind of young to be breaking into
Soviet security systems. Well, enough of that. I am
Shaplintine Mustovacos, and you are Steve Narhar. We have a
little job we want you to do for us, if you would be so kind.
And I'm sure you'll be happy to. Since you're such an
expert, we want you to simply break into the main CIA
computer in Washington whenever we request. Before you
decide if you will do this for us, let me tell you a little
joke, ok? If you don't do this, you get sent to Siberia!
Hahahahehehoho!! So, tell us, will you, or won't you?"
"No!" screamed Steve, as he broke one of the guard's jaw with
his fist. The guard went sprawling across the floor, his
automatic rifle flying right into Steve's hands.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line40
bat %H = The%sHacker | %L = 40 | %N = 1.40
bat call -header | begtype
RATARATARATATPOWPOWPOW erupted the gun, bullets spraying into
the guards and Mustovacos as all three were sent to the
ground. Steve ran out of the building as fast as he could,
and onto the runway. More guards, hearing the noise, went
charging to the complex, and opened fire on Steve. He dodged
the hail of bullets, and raced up to a MiG-25 fighter
jet,slammed open the cockpit, and leaped in. Luckily, he had
learned how to fly a MiG-25 in the Boy Scouts, back home in
Omaha. Steve sent the jet barreling down the runway at full
speed, and took off. Setting the course for Washington D.C.,
he armed a heat-seeking missile, in case someone went after
him. Sure enough, someone did. Over West Germany, a Soviet
MiG-21 intercepter came rushing toward him at full speed.
After locking on the missile to the attacking jet, he
released the missile. BOOOOOM!! The missile impacted with
the jet, and destroyed it with a great fireball of orange and
red flames, pieces raining on the ground.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line41
bat %H = The%sHacker | %L = 41 | %N = 1.41
bat call -header | begtype
The problem gone, Steve turned his attention to getting to
Washington. He would have to watch his fuel. Several hours
later, he touched down safely at Washington National Airport.
The President gave Steve a formal invitation to dinner, the
Air Force was thrilled to have MiG-25 jet to inspect, and the
CIA shut down the First Federal Savings and Loan of Los
Angeles. Needless to say, everyone lived happily ever after.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FIDO <==> UNIX Mail
by
Bob Hartman
Sysop Fido 101/101
The UN*X Gateway
Home of ROVER
As some of you have already found out, my board (newly named
the UN*X Gateway) is capable of taking in mail from UNIX
systems, and converting it to FidoNet messages.
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line42
bat -opt9 %H = Fido-Unix%sMail | %L = 42 | %N = 1.42
bat call -header | begtype
If any of you want to receive UNIX mail from anyone, just
tell that person to send mail to the following system:
decvax!encore!vaxine!spark!net#!node#!username
or ihnp4!encore!vaxine!spark!net#!node#!username
where net# is your FidoNet net number, node# is your FidoNet
node#, and username is your user name with all blanks
converted to underscores. No special characters are allowed
in names except for underscore. This means that single and
double quotes or anything else is illegal. REPEAT - NO
SPECIAL CHARACTERS IN NAMES. If this rule is not adhered to,
then somewhere along the line a UNIX system will barf on the
name, and we may lose our access to the UNIX world. An
example of a UNIX address to get to me would be:
decvax!encore!vaxine!spark!101!101!Bob_Hartman
end
bat call -scroll | goto -line%L
bat -line43
bat %H = Fido-Unix%sMail | %L = 43 | %N = 1.43
bat call -header | begtype
to Tom Jennings:
decvax!encore!vaxine!spark!125!0!Tom_Jennings
The message will go through a number of UNIX systems, finally
arriving at my Fido BBS, where it will be converted to
FidoNet format, and sent to the appropriate destination.
Anyone wanting to try this out is welcome to.
The reverse link (Fido->UNIX) is not quite working yet.
There will be another posting when that is finished.
Bob Hartman
Sysop 101/101
UN*X Gateway
If you are interested in ROVER, we have the program ROVERMSG
in the Fido Files area on the board for download, or
alternatively on COMUG disk 103.
end
bat call -scroll | stack diskmag2.bat | exit
bat -opt10 stack diskmag2.bat | exit
bat -opt11 stack diskmag3.bat | exit
bat -opt12 stack diskmag4.bat | exit
bat -opt13 stack diskmag5.bat | exit