zzz@mit-eddie.UUCP (Mike Konopik) (11/01/83)
If you're listening out there still, Peter, one thing that could use a line or two of fixing in the new version: When a country is a visitor or after dissolving (both have VISITOR status), suppress the "You lost your capital..." message typed out after EVERY command. Also, for the out-of-time commands, it would seem correct to allow any command that doesn't move stuff (directly), like UPDATE, CENSUS, MAP, COMMODITIES, and some others (WEATHER, FORECAST...). Also, READ and TELEGRAM don't seem to have any effect in either of the releases of the latest version we got. One interesting idea stemming from the thought that the best part of the game is discovering the world would be to remove the country listings and the power reports, leaving that for intrepid explorers and probing newsmen to find out. You could introduce one or two new country characteristics: covertness and nosiness. With a highly organized propaganda system, you could foil the other countries' reporters. And you could have news-gathering sectors whose work goes to probing other countries and sending you recent developments in the countries that the reporters can "find". Very rough idea, I'll admit. But I think you could come up with something equally interesting (and it would add a new challenge to the game.) I know I'll make it a point to make that a part of mine when (if) I finish it. Enough flaming for now. If anybody wants to send me their ideas for extensions to the current game style, I'm looking for neat things to put into the version I've started to write for PDP-10s. (including things like neglected areas of a country seceding and requiring invasion to retrieve, and tank warfare, and other stuff like that.) Speak up, I'm listening. -Mike genrad!mit-eddie!zzz (UUCP) ZZZ%MIT-OZ@MIT-MC (ARPA)