Display of first networked personal computer game returning

From: Alan Greenstreet <aeg_at_paradise.net.nz>
Date: Mon Jun 2 15:00:01 2003

On Tuesday, Jun 3, 2003, at 04:58 Pacific/Auckland, Al Hartman wrote:

> Oh Man!!!
>
> I thought I was the only one who remembered this book
> fondly!

> Alas, I've lost my copy of this book. I hope I can
> find another some day... (Can you send me ISBN
> Information?)
For all who may be interested.
ISBN: 0-918398-10-X

I had a quick scan on Amazon and it came up! It was out of print but
there were a few second hand copies for about $12. Good luck.
>
> Thanks for the title and author, that should help a
> lot...
>
> I think something like this would make a WONDERFUL
> type of attraction. Where people would pay to spend a
> day in the Simulator and go "Exploring".
>
> What's missing in a lot of the Computer Games today,
> is just the fun of exploring... Not just blowing up
> Borg or Klingons and the like...
>
> Like Starflight I or II...
>
> Even Escape Velocity on the Mac is fun, because you
> don't have to go battling, you can just go around
> trading and building up your ship...

I also remember "Elite", which had the same principal. Full 3D graphics
but only stick frame objects (no rendering) - I thought it was
fantastic at the time
>
> Regards,
> Al
>
> From: Alan Greenstreet <aeg_at_paradise.net.nz>
>>
>> A slightly older networked "game" I know of was
>> written by Roger Garrett and published in
>> "Interface Age" magazine in the August /
>> September / October 1977 issues. It was then
>> followed by a comprehensive book in 1978 (which I
>> have). There is a complete programme structure for
>> a networked game - rather ambitiously titled
>> "Star Ship Simulation" and based on the previous
>> 1975 books detailing the Star Trek Enterprise
>> design blueprints and Star Fleet Technical
>> Manual. Each computer is one of the main bridge
>> stations; Science, Engineering, Weapons, Navigation,
>> Communications etc.
>>
>> I have read through most of the book and it is
>> suggested that the programme could be written in
>> Fortran, Basic or Machine Code - depending on the
>> choice of the programmer. I have never seen or
>> heard of this programme running. Has anyone else
>> come across it?
>>
>> Alan
Received on Mon Jun 02 2003 - 15:00:01 BST