lphillips@lpami.wimsey.bc.ca (Larry Phillips) (06/09/90)
In <1990Jun9.222125.2499@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG>, xanthian@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG (Kent Paul Dolan) writes: >I promised to post a part of the letter I received from the author of >PocoMan, in response to my Multitasking vs Games posting, if permission >were forthcoming. > >> PocoMan is not copy protected. ... >> PocoMan is multi-tasking friendly. ... >> This disk is not bootable. ... >> You can either run PocoMan from the CLI, or via >> WorkBench by double-clicking the icon. >> ... Well, so far you have managed to hit my main criteria right on the mark. It's nice to know that there are game creators that care about that segment of the community who want to use their machines in the manner they were intended to be used. >> Thank you, and enjoy playing PocoMan. I'm sure I will. I will be buying it on sight. >> Sleepless Software, 1989 >> Anyway, I'd be interested in anything you have to say about PocoMan >>or game (mis-)design in general. We have two games underway right now, >>both of which will fully cooperate with workbench. BTW, our publisher >>tells us that of all their published titles, PocoMan is the only one >>that runs fine as-is on the A3000, I guess it pays to play by the rules... I'll let you know what I think of the game itself once I play it. It's a no-lose situation for me. Even if I don't like the game, buying it will make the statement I want to make to all programmers of commercial software. Program long and prosper. -larry -- The raytracer of justice recurses slowly, but it renders exceedingly fine. +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | // Larry Phillips | | \X/ lphillips@lpami.wimsey.bc.ca -or- uunet!van-bc!lpami!lphillips | | COMPUSERVE: 76703,4322 -or- 76703.4322@compuserve.com | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
xanthian@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG (Kent Paul Dolan) (06/10/90)
I promised to post a part of the letter I received from the author of PocoMan, in response to my Multitasking vs Games posting, if permission were forthcoming. It was, and I think the part I have included is of interest to all game designers trying to decide whether to copy protect, multitask, und so weider on the Amiga. The first paragraph is mine, from my article, the rest is Ron's response. Followups to comp.sys.amiga, since these discussions tend to be more heat than light, and c.s.a.games isn't yet well enough distributed to allow a converstation there. Ron's email address is included for those who wish to address comments directly to him. Enjoy! >> 4) I've already said it, but of course you should exit! Give up the >> paranoia! Poco isn't copy protected, it multitasks, the game is >> completely described on the screen so you don't need a manual, and >> it is lots of fun and full of wonderful puzzles. I tell my friends >> to _buy_ a copy; I want the folks who made this game to be >> encouraged by lots of cash return to write another great game that >> is completely compatible with me and with my computer. > > I haven't seen a lot of cash return yet, but I am encouraged by your >kind words. > > I'm the author of PocoMan, and I'm glad to see that someone out there >is actually buying and enjoying it. It's been out since about last October, >but our publisher has been a less than stellar performer marketing-wise. >It's listed in a couple of mail-order ads in the latest (A3000) Amiga World, >so maybe it will start to gain a little momentum now. > > You might be interested to know that we (Sleepless Software) are a >tiny little two-man operation (my brother and myself, he does the artwork, >I do the coding), and that PocoMan is our first published product. In fact, >it's one of my first Amiga projects, I'm a Unix hacker, spent several years >at the U. of Texas as Sun guru. We now develop using two Amigas with >ethernet boards connected to my Sun 3/60. > > Regarding the discussions in the usenet thread, and the comments in your >article, you may be interested in the following text file which I originally >wrote as a readme file to be included on the PocoMan disk. The publishers >didn't use it in that form, but it illustrates my philosophy about >copy-protection and multi-tasking friendliness: >---- > > PocoMan - Introduction > > > Hello, and thank you for buying PocoMan. We hope you'll find PocoMan > to be a refreshing change from the usual shoot-em-ups and eternal adventure > games. You'll actually have to think in order to solve this game, and not > a bit of violence anywhere. > > PocoMan is not copy protected. You can easily make archival backups > and install it on a hard disk using the standard Amiga utilities (See the > instructions in the Docs directory concerning hard disk setup). We have > purposely chosen not to copy protect PocoMan. We are computer users too, > and we know what a pain it can be. It only serves to annoy the rightful > owners, and does little or nothing to prevent those determined to make > bootleg copies. We've chosen to trust you, please respect our copyright > and do not make illegal copies of PocoMan. > > PocoMan is multi-tasking friendly. We have gone to great effort to > keep the amount of chip ram used to a minimum, as well as overall > memory usage. PocoMan should co-exist well with just about anything > else you might wish to run at the same time. It does not take over the > whole system, nor require a special boot disk like many commercial games. > The copy that you run PocoMan from should be enabled for writing, PocoMan > needs to write to the score file periodically. If PocoMan is unable to > write to the score file, it will still run properly, but you will need > to dismiss an error requestor at the end of each new level when it tries > to update the score. > > Speaking of score, PocoMan doesn't really give you a score in the > usual sense. The only thing it keeps track of is which levels you've > solved. There are no points at all, just the objective of completing > all of the levels. We think that is job enough, without tacking on > meaningless point values. > > Copy this disk before doing anything else. Make sure your original > distribution copy is write protected, then duplicate it onto a blank disk. > Store the original in a safe place, and run PocoMan from the copy. > > This disk is not bootable. Boot up as you normally do, then insert > the PocoMan floppy. You can either run PocoMan from the CLI, or via > WorkBench by double-clicking the icon. > > See the other text files in the Docs directory on this disk for more > detailed information. Thank you, and enjoy playing PocoMan. > > Sleepless Software, 1989 > >----- > > Anyway, I'd be interested in anything you have to say about PocoMan >or game (mis-)design in general. We have two games underway right now, >both of which will fully cooperate with workbench. BTW, our publisher >tells us that of all their published titles, PocoMan is the only one >that runs fine as-is on the A3000, I guess it pays to play by the rules... > > Cheers, > >Ron Hitchens cs.utah.edu!caeco!vixen!ronbo hitchens@cs.utexas.edu Kent, the man from xanth. <xanthian@Zorch.SF-Bay.ORG> <xanthian@well.sf.ca.us>
kim@uts.amdahl.com (Kim DeVaughn) (06/10/90)
In article <1990Jun9.222125.2499@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG>, xanthian@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG (Kent Paul Dolan) writes: > > I promised to post a part of the letter I received from the author of > PocoMan, in response to my Multitasking vs Games posting, if permission > > > > PocoMan is not copy protected. You can easily make archival backups > > > > PocoMan is multi-tasking friendly. We have gone to great effort to > > keep the amount of chip ram used to a minimum, as well as overall > > memory usage. PocoMan should co-exist well with just about anything > > > > This disk is not bootable. Boot up as you normally do, then insert > > the PocoMan floppy. You can either run PocoMan from the CLI, or via > > > >BTW, our publisher > >tells us that of all their published titles, PocoMan is the only one > >that runs fine as-is on the A3000, I guess it pays to play by the rules... Thanks for posting that, Kent. Another sale of PocoMan will get chalked up on Monday when I stop by my dealer. As the above are things I *insist* on, whether the product is a game or not. Period. Far too few games fall into this category, so I'll definitely grab this one. Game developers (especially) please note: the above attitude and policy just chalked up a SALE. If your stuff doesn't do the above ... it WON'T. Copy protection? Multitasking unfriendly? Just say NO ... and say it with your pocketbook! 'Nuff said. /kim -- UUCP: kim@amdahl.amdahl.com or: {sun,decwrl,hplabs,pyramid,uunet,oliveb,ames}!amdahl!kim DDD: 408-746-8462 USPS: Amdahl Corp. M/S 249, 1250 E. Arques Av, Sunnyvale, CA 94086 BIX: kdevaughn GEnie: K.DEVAUGHN CIS: 76535,25
Sullivan@cup.portal.com (sullivan - segall) (06/11/90)
> >>> 4) I've already said it, but of course you should exit! Give up the >>> paranoia! Poco isn't copy protected, it multitasks, the game is >>> completely described on the screen so you don't need a manual, and >>> it is lots of fun and full of wonderful puzzles. I tell my friends >>> to _buy_ a copy; I want the folks who made this game to be >>> encouraged by lots of cash return to write another great game that >>> is completely compatible with me and with my computer. >> >> I haven't seen a lot of cash return yet, but I am encouraged by your >>kind words. >> >> PocoMan - Introduction >> >> >> Hello, and thank you for buying PocoMan. We hope you'll find PocoMan >> to be a refreshing change from the usual shoot-em-ups and eternal adventure >> games. You'll actually have to think in order to solve this game, and not >> a bit of violence anywhere. >> >> PocoMan is not copy protected. You can easily make archival backups ... >> >> PocoMan is multi-tasking friendly. We have gone to great effort to ... So what is it? Sounds kind of like Chip's Challenge, but I'm not really sure. The distribution philosophy is great. If the game is any good (even as just a distraction) I'll go out and buy a copy. Btw: You asked for suggestions... well sight unseen, it needs a better name. (Sounds too much like a PacMan clone.) -kls -Sullivan Segall _________________________________________________________________ /V\ Sullivan was the first to learn how to jump without moving. ' Is it not proper that the student should surpass the teacher? To Quote the immortal Socrates: "I drank what?" -Sullivan _________________________________________________________________ Mail to: ...sun!portal!cup.portal.com!Sullivan or Sullivan@cup.portal.com
xanthian@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG (Kent Paul Dolan) (06/11/90)
In article <30670@cup.portal.com> Sullivan@cup.portal.com (sullivan - segall) writes: >> >>> >>> PocoMan - Introduction >>> >>> >>> Hello, and thank you for buying PocoMan. We hope you'll find PocoMan >>> to be a refreshing change from the usual shoot-em-ups and eternal adventure >>> games. You'll actually have to think in order to solve this game, and not >>> a bit of violence anywhere. >>> > >So what is it? PocoMan is a series of 50 puzzles in each of which you maneuver PocoMan ( a tiny and impatient and self-important automaton ) around a board on which are scattered a set of objects which need to be packed away in a storage area. Unfortunately PocoMan has a bad back, so he can only push objects, not pull them. He has a bad habit of getting stuff in his own way, completely blocking himself off from his objective. Additionally, there are corners and "traps" that complicate his task, more objects than there seems room to maneuver, problems in packing the storage area that he can't seem to straighten out. He needs the help of an intelligent, logical, and persistent friend -- you. The puzzles are very challenging; the easiest took me twenty minutes, the hardest (so far) three days. The game is enlivened by a starry background color cycling behind the puzzle, by a cute choice of objects (as you move them into storage, they change shape, and then that is the shape of the objects in the next puzzle), by clicks and clacks as PocoMan walks and pushes, by humorous noises the first object into the storage area sometimes makes, by PocoMan's comments at the beginning and end of the puzzles (some times he gives you credit for solving it, more often he claims the glory for himself) and by PocoMan's impatience with you if you are slow to solve the puzzle. Wait a little bit, he starts tapping his feet; wait a longer while, he settles down with a palm leaf fan and a cool tropical drink. >If the game is any good (even >as just a distraction) I'll go out and buy a copy. The puzzles are an intellectual challenge. At least twice I convinced myself a puzzle was impossible; surely the designers had made a mistake! But then, away from it for a while, or brooding in front of the screen, the thought "what if I try ..." would come to me, and I'd be back into it. While the game counts time and moves, the only "scoring" is moving up a level. There is a score table that shows the level of each person playing, and you start off at the highest level not yet solved. A menu item lets you go back and try to solve previous levels in fewer turns or less time, though that is not entered on the score table. It can take thousands of moves and hours of real time to play some of the more complex, though simple looking, puzzles. The thing that makes the game fun to me, beyond the puzzles, is the great detailing; the same sort of thing that inspires a model train enthusiast. There is one puzzle level where the objects to be moved are nearly indistinguishable from the puzzle wall blocks, which makes you push each block and see if it is play piece or barrier; one where the objects are clovers, and PocoMan says he feels lucky, one of anchors, and you hear a snatch of sea chantey, one where the objects are little PocoMen. I wish I had as much imagination. Try it, you may like it, and it is the kind of game that needs community cash support, to prove that non-copy protected games can be financially successful. Kent, the man from xanth. <xanthian@Zorch.SF-Bay.ORG> <xanthian@well.sf.ca.us>
new@udel.EDU (Darren New) (06/11/90)
In article <1990Jun11.072644.16213@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG> xanthian@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG (Kent Paul Dolan) writes: >The thing that makes the game fun to me, beyond the puzzles, is the great >detailing; the same sort of thing that inspires a model train enthusiast. I always appriciate games that have good details like you describe. I used to play Joust for hours, and I'm sure it was in part just the details of the graphics. The feathers on the birds, the claws on the troll's hand, and so on. The same goes for Marble Madness. I almost never buy videogame clones because they almost never have the same quality of graphics on a computer as on a dedicated machine. However, PcocMan looks like a winner to me. -- Darren
kosma%human-torch@stc.lockheed.com (Monty Kosma) (06/12/90)
From: sullivan - segall <Sullivan@cup.portal.com> So what is it? Sounds kind of like Chip's Challenge, but I'm not really ... anything like emerald mines?
saify@cbnewsl.att.com (saify.lanewala) (06/14/90)
In article <1990Jun11.072644.16213@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG>, xanthian@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG (Kent Paul Dolan) writes: ...... > > The puzzles are an intellectual challenge. At least twice I convinced myself > a puzzle was impossible; surely the designers had made a mistake! But then, > away from it for a while, or brooding in front of the screen, the thought > "what if I try ..." would come to me, and I'd be back into it. ...... > > While the game counts time and moves, the only "scoring" is moving up a level. > There is a score table that shows the level of each person playing, and you > start off at the highest level not yet solved. A menu item lets you go back > and try to solve previous levels in fewer turns or less time, though that is > not entered on the score table. It can take thousands of moves and hours of > real time to play some of the more complex, though simple looking, puzzles. ...... > > The thing that makes the game fun to me, beyond the puzzles, is the great > detailing; the same sort of thing that inspires a model train enthusiast. > ...... > > Try it, you may like it, and it is the kind of game that needs community cash > support, to prove that non-copy protected games can be financially successful. > > Kent, the man from xanth. > <xanthian@Zorch.SF-Bay.ORG> <xanthian@well.sf.ca.us> I'm sold on the concept. I'll get a copy right away. I have kids and I refuse to let them play shoot-'em-up games of *ANY* kind. I love games like Carmen Sandiego whih are educational and fun, so games like Pocoman fit in very nicely with my philosophy of computer games as a challenge to the intellect and dexterity. I wish though that the author would change the name -- Pocoman sounds too much like another not-so-intellectual game.... Saify Lanewala .. att!attunix!stl
nfs1675@dsacg3.dsac.dla.mil ( Michael S Figg) (06/14/90)
In article <21709@snow-white.udel.EDU>, kosma%human-torch@stc.lockheed.com (Monty Kosma) writes: > > From: sullivan - segall <Sullivan@cup.portal.com> > > So what is it? Sounds kind of like Chip's Challenge, but I'm not really > ... > > anything like emerald mines? It sounds even better than Emerald Mine, mostly because it is available. EM is the only commercial disk I've ever trashed and I'd love to find another copy, but after keeping my eyes open for it for about a year, it doesn't look good. :-( ---Mike, -- "Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah"-(Eric Burden) | Michael Figg DSAC-FSD " Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah"-(Animals) | DLA Systems Automation Center Bring It On Home To Me -- The Animals | Columbus, Ohio | mfigg@dsac.dla.mil CIS:73777,360
kudla@pawl.rpi.edu (Robert J. Kudla) (06/14/90)
In <1990Jun13.171117.7095@cbnewsl.att.com> saify@cbnewsl.att.com (saify.lanewala) writes:
-> I wish though that the author would change the name -- Pocoman sounds
-> too much like another not-so-intellectual game....
I have played a game called Sokobon which sounds mighty similar to
this one (though with an ASCII-only interface of course) on Unix.
Perhaps the name is somehow a take off on Sokobon....
I intend to buy it as soon as possible. I've got a copy of Amigaworld
in my car, and I may go out, get it, and order Pocoman today.
(Assuming their ad is also in the latest issue. I rarely pay attention
to game ads, I'm afraid....)
Speaking of non-copy-protected games that multitask pretty well, has
anyone played "Drip"? It's freeware ($5.00 donation to charity
requested), runs really smoothly, and is a truly professional and
slick game with lots of cool sounds and eventually, extremely
difficult puzzles. It's on one of the recent Fish disks and I can't
recommend it highly enough....
--
Robert Jude Kudla <kudla@pawl.rpi.edu>
Throw out your gold teeth and see how they roll;
the answer they reveal: life is unreal.blgardne@esunix.UUCP (Blaine Gardner) (06/15/90)
From article <30670@cup.portal.com>, by Sullivan@cup.portal.com (sullivan - segall): >>>> 4) I've already said it, but of course you should exit! Give up the >>>> paranoia! Poco isn't copy protected, it multitasks, the game is >>> PocoMan is not copy protected. You can easily make archival backups >>> PocoMan is multi-tasking friendly. We have gone to great effort to > So what is it? Sounds kind of like Chip's Challenge, but I'm not really > sure. The distribution philosophy is great. If the game is any good (even > as just a distraction) I'll go out and buy a copy. [Not much .tech stuff in here, so I've dropped csat from the Newsgroups line. Is c.s.a.games a legitimite newsgroup, or a forgery?] Pocoman is a lot like Chip's Challenge (Lynx), or Emerald Mine (Amiga). Here's a review of the game I posted a couple of months back. This system got cut off from the net just after I posted it, so I'm not sure how far it got. I did see the tail end of a discussion that said it looked like the game's idea was inspired by an old oriental game called Soco-ban. I've never seen Soco-Ban, but the description of it sounds a lot like Pocoman. And compared to the game RollOn on Fish Disk 302, it's a lot slicker, and more polished, the levels are different, and the gameplay seems a bit better. If you like RollOn, you'll like PocoMan, and vice versa. =====================Repost below, you have been warned!================= I've found another great, system-friendly game to add to the few that were discussed a month or two ago. PocoMan is a puzzle game, the object is to move "treasures" around a maze and onto squares marked with an "X". Of course this is bit harder to do than it sounds! The moving is done only by pushing, so you have to consider what effect your moves will have on future moves. It's all too easy to push yourself into a corner. But PocoMan has an "undo the last push" feature, so one dumb move doesn't force you to start over from scratch. This undo has been a lifesaver for me! There is no penalty for the undo, so you can use it often (and I do). When a "treasure" is moved onto one of the "X"s, it changes color or shape to indicate that you've got it in the right place. There are between 10 and 20 treasures to deal with on each level. The game has good sound, and also uses the narrator, both can be turned off if you prefer. [Note, not only does PocoMan run fine under 2.0, beta 5, the new narrator makes it sound much better!] There are 50 levels in PocoMan according to the docs, and I've made it to level 28 after a week or two's work on the game. The game saves your status after each level you complete, and you can replay any level that you've already beaten. Pocoman can store games for several different players (10 I think), so several people can play without disturbing each other's games. You can use the mouse, joystick or keyboard, but after using the joystick for a while, I've found the mouse to work best. PocoMan has a title bar you can toggle on and off, and the title bar has all the usual drag and depth gadgets, so it works well with the system. Even better, it does not busy-wait! As near as I can tell with PerfMon, PocoMan uses zero CPU time unless you are actually moving the PocoMan around the maze. PocoMan is not copy protected, and the first thing the manual tells you (in great detail even!) is to make a backup copy for playing. It also installs on a hard drive by dragging two icons where ever you want them. Oh, you do have to assign POCO:, something not mentioned in the docs. PocoMan seems like a very clean program, it peacefully co-exists with everything I've run, and works fine on a stock system as well as a loaded A2500. The game play is very addictive, Shangahi was how I wasted most of my time, but PocoMan has almost completely taken over my spare time. Some levels are easy, others I've sworn are impossible, but I've eventually found a way to solve. (Though at the moment, level 28 looks unbeatable!) Pocoman is a perfect game for playing during long downloads, or as the package says "long print-outs or compiles". I haven't seen PocoMan advertized, and only found out about it from a friend, but Abel Supply does carry it for about $24. So as a summary, the system-friendly games that I recommend are PocoMan, Shanghai, Prospector in the Mazes of XOR, and Mind Walker (in the commercial realm). And PD/shareware games I recommend are Gravity Wars, Amoeba Invaders, Asteriods, and Sorry! (the board game). Live long, and multitask! =========================End reposted material============================ As an addendum, I have beaten all 50 levels of PocoMan, though it did take several weeks. I do NOT recommend you get this game if you have a heavy work and class load. :-) It's simply too addictive, and I spent a lot of time playing PocoMan, when I should have been studying. There are at least a handful of levels that I swore were simply impossible to solve, but they were all beatable once I found a different way of looking at the puzzle. My only complaints are that there is no way to go directly to a level you've beaten, you have to step through them one-by-one, and that's a bit slow. Also, more levels would be very welcome. A construction set might be a good idea, but the levels that come with the game are so well laid out (and devious too!), that it would be tough to come up with challenging levels that are still beatable. PocoMan has been worth every penny I spent on it. I just wish there were more games as professionally done. -- Blaine Gardner @ Evans & Sutherland 580 Arapeen Drive, SLC, Utah 84108 blgardne@esunix.UUCP (worsel's feed has died, so don't send {decwrl, utah-cs}!esunix!blgardne anything to that old address!) DoD #0046
xanthian@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG (Kent Paul Dolan) (06/28/90)
In article <1990Jun26.192405.5523@cbnewsl.att.com> saify@cbnewsl.att.com (saify.lanewala) writes: > >WHERE DO I FIND A COPY OF POCOMAN? > >The dealers near me in Northern New Jersey that I talked to (four of them) >have not even heard of it!!!! > >Perhaps the author can sell me a copy? > >Saify Lanewala >att!attunix!stl PocoMan is packaged and distributed by Designing Minds, Inc. 3006 N. Main Logan, UT 84321 (801) 752-2500 I was unable to locate a distribution center carrying the game in its ads. Comments: The packaging for PocoMan contains not a hint of where the vendor could be located; I was fortunate enough to locate the address and phone number in the Spring '89 Amazing Computing Product Guide (so it might be out of date), where the product was not advertised! Vendors, THINK! People might like to get back to you for copies of your software for their friends; put contact info on the package! Kent, the man from xanth. <xanthian@Zorch.SF-Bay.ORG> <xanthian@well.sf.ca.us> -- Oh, well, but thanks for correcting me. -- Jeff Martens
cosell@bbn.com (Bernie Cosell) (06/28/90)
xanthian@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG (Kent Paul Dolan) writes: }PocoMan is packaged and distributed by } Designing Minds, Inc. } 3006 N. Main } Logan, UT 84321 } (801) 752-2500 }I was unable to locate a distribution center carrying the game in its }ads. Creative Computers has it. /Bernie\
blgardne@esunix.UUCP (Blaine Gardner) (06/29/90)
From article <1990Jun26.192405.5523@cbnewsl.att.com>, by saify@cbnewsl.att.com (saify.lanewala): > > WHERE DO I FIND A COPY OF POCOMAN? You can always order it from Abel Supply, their number is (615) 428-5100. From their price list: Description Manufacturer Weight Suggest ABEL'S (Ounces) Retail PRICE! PocoMan! ----------------- Designing Minds -------4 $ 39.95 $ 23.50 I have no interest in Abel Supply other than being a happy customer. -- Blaine Gardner @ Evans & Sutherland 580 Arapeen Drive, SLC, Utah 84108 blgardne@esunix.UUCP {decwrl, utah-cs}!esunix!blgardne DoD #0046 The Borg killed Laura Palmer!