123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616263646566676869707172737475767778798081828384858687888990919293949596979899100101102103104105106107108109110111112113114115116117118119120121122123124125126127128129130131132133134135 |
- 14. VIP Programmable Spacefighters
- Programmable Spacefighters is a combat game involving 2 to 8 spaceships competing
- for the domination of a contained field in space. The field of play is a
- two-dimensional representation of an oblong spheroid.
- The movement and fire of each spacefighter is controlled by programming a series of
- commands into each fighter's instruction storage table. Once all the spacefighters
- are programmed, they carry out their commands by sequentially executing a single step
- at a time. The play of the game ins divided into rounds. Each spacefighter may
- execute between 1 and 15 commands per round.
- The fighters all have the same appearance and capabilities. Players distinguish
- between fighters by examining the defense strength and position of their fighters
- at the begining of every round.
- Each fighter may face in any of 8 directions. All firing and forward movement
- occurs in the direction the fighter is currently facing. As a spacefighter crosses
- outside the two-dimensional field of play, it wraps around and re-enters on the
- opposite side of the field. Laser bursts terminate when they travel outside the
- field or hit a target.
- Each round consists of a selected number of steps. Each step is executed in 2 parts.
- During the first part, every spacefighter wishing to fire may execute a fire operation.
- The defense strength of any fighter which is hit by a laser burst is reduced by 1
- and a small flash appears.
- After all fighters have had an opportunity to execute fire instructions, the movement
- part of the step begins. Any fighter which has had its defense strength reduced to 0
- is destroyed and a longer flash appears. The defense strength is changed to a special
- code so that the fighter will no longer be programmable or take part in the execution
- phase. The destroyed fighter will still be open to examination during the Defense/
- Position Check phase. Fighers having a defense strength greater than 0 may execute
- a movement command if there is one. Breaking each step into 2 such parts removes any
- strategic advantage to moving first.
- The nature of the game, in that there are variable parameters and no fixed victory
- conditions, allows the players a lot of freedom. Two to eight players can command
- single fighters. Four or less players can each command multiple fighters. Two
- fleets could complete to destroy their opponents' flagship first. Handicaps can
- be implemented through an imbalance of fighters in different fleets. An odd number
- of players can play in a free for all or team game. In a non-combat approach, a full
- complement of space fighters could be programmed to preform in kaleidoscope or other
- type formations.
- How to Play VIP Programmable Spacefighters
- 1. Load the CHIP-8 interpreter at 0000-01FF and
- the game starting at 0200.
- 2. Turn RUN switch on.
- 3. Initalization of Game.
- Various parameters are entered at the start of the game to determine the number
- of spacefighters and other aspects of play.
- S: Enter number of spacefighters. 1 to 8 spacefighters may be used. The program
- will adjust invalid enteries to the nearest valid number.
- D: Enter defense strength. A spacefighter may be hit from 1 to F times by laser
- before being destroyed.
- E: Enter number of command entries. A spacefighter may be programmed with 1 to F
- commands during the programming phase of each round.
- C: Enter clock duration/no clock. A timer clock 1 to F phorseks in duration may
- be selected. Each phorsek equals 4 seconds. The clock is not enabled if a 0
- is entered. The clock time is the time allowed for each fighter to be set up.
- F: Enter fire power available. A spacefighter may be allowed to fire 1 to F
- laser bursts per round.
- A: Enter accumulation/no accumulation. A spacefighter may be allowed to accumulate
- all unused laser bursts by entering 1 to F. Accumulation is not allowed if a
- 0 is entered.
- 4. Presentation of Field and Spacefighters.
- The two-dimensional representation of the palying fields consists of 10 vertical
- by 15 horizontal positons indicated by grid markings around the perimeter. The
- spacefighters will be in their initial positions.
- 5. Defense/Position Check.
- Enter number of spacefighter to be examined.
- S: Current spacefighter being examined.
- D: Defense strength of current spacefighter.
- Enter 0 to end defense/position check phase.
- 6. Program Spacefighters.
- Surviving spacefighters are programmed in ascending order. Enter 0 to begin
- programming first spacefighter. Defense strength and position are shown during
- programming.
- E: indicates number of enteries left after current command.
- C: indicates time remaining to program current fighter if clock was entered.
- COMMAND FUNCTION
- 1 Rotate 45 ccw, Move fwd
- 2 Move fwd
- 3 Rotate 45 cw, Move fwd
- 4 Rotate 45 ccw
- 5 Fire
- 6 Rotate 45 cw
- B Erase all commands and reprogram current spacefighter
- E End programming of current spacefighter
- 7-A,C,D,F Rest, No operation
- 0 Rest, Begin programming next spacefighter
- Enter 0 to begin programming each successive spacefighter.
- 7. Execute Commands.
- Enter 0 after all spacefighters are programmed to start execution of commands.
- 8. The recommended starting point when tryint the game out is with 1 or 2 spacefighters,
- any defense, F (15) entries per round, no clock, F (15) fire power and any accumulation
- S: 1 or 2
- D: 1
- E: F
- C: 0
- F: F
- A: 0
- Use the above to try out the movement and fire execution of the fighters. Try
- performing loops, figure 8's, tight turns, maximum fire coverage techniques, etc.
- Start out simple when first playing the game against an opponent.
- Eight spacefighters can get very complicated.
- 9. Changing different parameters creates very different effects on the play of the game.
- The main effect of a large number of fighters is a more complicated game. A large
- number of enteries per round results in a more lively game involving farsighted
- planning. Fewer enteries involves more thinking and reacting to immediate developments
- but is not without strategy when there are multiple fighters opposing each other.
- The clock provides pressure which can be greatly increased by the moves-to-time ratio.
- More fire power increases the importance of movement and positioning. Accumulation
- of fire power can have long range effects if there is low fire power and a large
- number of moves per round.
|