Ask HN: How would you build a buzz-wire game, without electronics?
I'm thinking of this primarily as a Gedankenexperiment, but also as a practical idea for a game that could live outside in the (English) rain!
The first time it barfed was because there was a space in the filename, and the QB64 editor didn't handle it. Running on the command line, with quotes around the name, was flawless.
I used it to show off my 2002 version of ASCII pacman game, since no one's going to bother compiling it, and it'll eventually end up with bitrot.
You can see me playing it (really badly!) at https://asciinema.org/a/723703
The iso engine worked at 60fps, in 1024x748, back in 1997. But it was pulled. It was the right tech, but for the wrong game. When released GPM3 became GP World, it reverted to the traditional spreadsheet views of GPM1 & 2. (At least it looks like they kept most of my "3D" race code intact.)
I'm thinking of this primarily as a Gedankenexperiment, but also as a practical idea for a game that could live outside in the (English) rain!
FWIW, on most other systems I'm contactable via @marquisdegeek
Primarily to read them offline. These messages were usually part of usenet, or in emails lists, or held on (remote) servces like Mono at Imperial. You could read them on the HP-UX systems, via a dumb terminal, which were connected to the Internet, but not connected to a PC with a disk drive. (Well, there were a few PCs and Mac classics around, but not enough for everyone and - as an Amiga fan - there wasn't yet CrossDos to let me use compatible disks.)
Some items, like early drafts of the Star Wars scripts, I did print for archival purposes as I (foolishly) thought that they'd be spotted and taken down by the copyright police, and lost forever!
Spoiler alert: This was all around 1991
I have a stack of printouts of various discussion forums from between 1991-4. Mostly chatter, but several interview transcriptions, news reports, and magazine articles that no longer appear to be online.They vary from Billboard charts, to Associated Press reports on Michael Jackson's wealth, and Debbie Gibson discussion groups!Are they useful/interesting as pieces of Internet history?Are the...
10 PRINT "My mate is an idiot "; 20 GOTO 10
I suspect they were inspired from the same events.
If you have questions about the contents of the book, it's inception, etc, then feel free to ask.
(I also spoke about the book at the computer museum in Cambridge, so this video might give you some background: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15cC6hq66I0)
If you have questions about the book itself, ask the publisher!
https://em.ulat.es/machines/ManchesterBaby/#
Apparently, the first computer with a stored program. But what else can I do with it?
https://marquisdegeek.com/words_fosdem
Might not help decide whether to take your own sandwiches, but it's something to do on the trip there! :)
Can any HN readers spot which parts are composed by a human (me!) and which by a machine?
And does it matter whether a computer writes the music or not?
It's the 40th anniversary of the Sinclair ZX Spectrum on Saturday. What did you do program with it? Best games?(Or do you have any other stories to share that I might include in my #RetroComputing book, "20 GOTO 10"?)(for those reading who have no idea what book I'm talking about - https://unbound.com/books/20goto10)
I decided to write a film score. I decided to use one synthesizer. The synthesizer in question can play only one note at a time.This is the result...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFq7XpFmYo4
I decided to write a film score. I decided to use one synthesizer. The synthesizer in question can play only one note at a time.This is the result...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFq7XpFmYo4
I'm writing a book on retro computers and the numbers that tie them together. (Full blurb and example prose at https://unbound.com/books/20goto10/)What are the ultimately geeky, deep knowledge numbers, that aren't as obvious as 64K, 8, or 0's and 1's? (And bear in mind, I might need an explanation!)Thanks in advance...