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-14. VIP Programmable Spacefighters
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-
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-Programmable Spacefighters is a combat game involving 2 to 8 spaceships competing
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-for the domination of a contained field in space. The field of play is a
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-two-dimensional representation of an oblong spheroid.
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-
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-The movement and fire of each spacefighter is controlled by programming a series of
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-commands into each fighter's instruction storage table. Once all the spacefighters
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-are programmed, they carry out their commands by sequentially executing a single step
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-at a time. The play of the game ins divided into rounds. Each spacefighter may
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-execute between 1 and 15 commands per round.
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-
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-The fighters all have the same appearance and capabilities. Players distinguish
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-between fighters by examining the defense strength and position of their fighters
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-at the begining of every round.
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-
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-Each fighter may face in any of 8 directions. All firing and forward movement
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-occurs in the direction the fighter is currently facing. As a spacefighter crosses
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-outside the two-dimensional field of play, it wraps around and re-enters on the
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-opposite side of the field. Laser bursts terminate when they travel outside the
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-field or hit a target.
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-
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-Each round consists of a selected number of steps. Each step is executed in 2 parts.
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-During the first part, every spacefighter wishing to fire may execute a fire operation.
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-The defense strength of any fighter which is hit by a laser burst is reduced by 1
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-and a small flash appears.
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-
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-After all fighters have had an opportunity to execute fire instructions, the movement
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-part of the step begins. Any fighter which has had its defense strength reduced to 0
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-is destroyed and a longer flash appears. The defense strength is changed to a special
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-code so that the fighter will no longer be programmable or take part in the execution
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-phase. The destroyed fighter will still be open to examination during the Defense/
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-Position Check phase. Fighers having a defense strength greater than 0 may execute
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-a movement command if there is one. Breaking each step into 2 such parts removes any
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-strategic advantage to moving first.
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-
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-The nature of the game, in that there are variable parameters and no fixed victory
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-conditions, allows the players a lot of freedom. Two to eight players can command
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-single fighters. Four or less players can each command multiple fighters. Two
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-fleets could complete to destroy their opponents' flagship first. Handicaps can
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-be implemented through an imbalance of fighters in different fleets. An odd number
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-of players can play in a free for all or team game. In a non-combat approach, a full
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-complement of space fighters could be programmed to preform in kaleidoscope or other
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-type formations.
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-How to Play VIP Programmable Spacefighters
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-1. Load the CHIP-8 interpreter at 0000-01FF and
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- the game starting at 0200.
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-
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-2. Turn RUN switch on.
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-
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-3. Initalization of Game.
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- Various parameters are entered at the start of the game to determine the number
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- of spacefighters and other aspects of play.
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-
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- S: Enter number of spacefighters. 1 to 8 spacefighters may be used. The program
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- will adjust invalid enteries to the nearest valid number.
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-
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- D: Enter defense strength. A spacefighter may be hit from 1 to F times by laser
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- before being destroyed.
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-
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- E: Enter number of command entries. A spacefighter may be programmed with 1 to F
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- commands during the programming phase of each round.
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-
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- C: Enter clock duration/no clock. A timer clock 1 to F phorseks in duration may
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- be selected. Each phorsek equals 4 seconds. The clock is not enabled if a 0
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- is entered. The clock time is the time allowed for each fighter to be set up.
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-
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- F: Enter fire power available. A spacefighter may be allowed to fire 1 to F
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- laser bursts per round.
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-
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- A: Enter accumulation/no accumulation. A spacefighter may be allowed to accumulate
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- all unused laser bursts by entering 1 to F. Accumulation is not allowed if a
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- 0 is entered.
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-
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-4. Presentation of Field and Spacefighters.
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- The two-dimensional representation of the palying fields consists of 10 vertical
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- by 15 horizontal positons indicated by grid markings around the perimeter. The
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- spacefighters will be in their initial positions.
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-
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-5. Defense/Position Check.
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- Enter number of spacefighter to be examined.
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- S: Current spacefighter being examined.
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- D: Defense strength of current spacefighter.
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- Enter 0 to end defense/position check phase.
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-
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-6. Program Spacefighters.
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- Surviving spacefighters are programmed in ascending order. Enter 0 to begin
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- programming first spacefighter. Defense strength and position are shown during
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- programming.
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- E: indicates number of enteries left after current command.
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- C: indicates time remaining to program current fighter if clock was entered.
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-
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- COMMAND FUNCTION
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- 1 Rotate 45 ccw, Move fwd
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- 2 Move fwd
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- 3 Rotate 45 cw, Move fwd
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- 4 Rotate 45 ccw
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- 5 Fire
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- 6 Rotate 45 cw
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- B Erase all commands and reprogram current spacefighter
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- E End programming of current spacefighter
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- 7-A,C,D,F Rest, No operation
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- 0 Rest, Begin programming next spacefighter
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-
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- Enter 0 to begin programming each successive spacefighter.
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-
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-7. Execute Commands.
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- Enter 0 after all spacefighters are programmed to start execution of commands.
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-
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-8. The recommended starting point when tryint the game out is with 1 or 2 spacefighters,
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- any defense, F (15) entries per round, no clock, F (15) fire power and any accumulation
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- S: 1 or 2
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- D: 1
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- E: F
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- C: 0
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- F: F
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- A: 0
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-
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- Use the above to try out the movement and fire execution of the fighters. Try
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- performing loops, figure 8's, tight turns, maximum fire coverage techniques, etc.
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- Start out simple when first playing the game against an opponent.
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- Eight spacefighters can get very complicated.
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-
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-9. Changing different parameters creates very different effects on the play of the game.
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- The main effect of a large number of fighters is a more complicated game. A large
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- number of enteries per round results in a more lively game involving farsighted
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- planning. Fewer enteries involves more thinking and reacting to immediate developments
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- but is not without strategy when there are multiple fighters opposing each other.
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- The clock provides pressure which can be greatly increased by the moves-to-time ratio.
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- More fire power increases the importance of movement and positioning. Accumulation
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- of fire power can have long range effects if there is low fire power and a large
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- number of moves per round.
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