Subject: Update to the translation project Path: lobby!newstf02.news.aol.com!portc01.blue.aol.com!europa.netcrusader.net!128.223.220.30!logbridge.uoregon.edu!arclight.uoregon.edu!news.asu.edu!ennfs.eas.asu.edu!noao!CS.Arizona.EDU!usenet.nau.edu!dana.ucc.nau.edu!pap3 From: pap3@dana.ucc.nau.edu (Paul Allen Panks) Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2 Date: 5 Oct 2000 05:29:28 GMT Organization: Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff AZ, USA Lines: 214 Message-ID: <8rh3jo$2f3$14@usenet.nau.edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: dana.ucc.nau.edu X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL2] Hello, Just a brief update on the Westfront PC translation project to the following systems: o - Macintosh (68k) o - Unix/Linux o - Apple II/IIe o - TRS-80 o - Tandy 1000 o - Sinclair ZX Spectrum o - Atari 400/800 o - TI 99/4A o - Coleco ADAM o - DEC Rainbow o - Amstrad There are others planned; CP/M, in particular, would be a fine choice. For more information on planned releases, go here: http://www.geocities.com/dunric/westfront.html The source for translation is here: http://www.geocities.com/dunric/wftrans.zip From an older version, 7.00 dated November 4, 1999. (You may need to copy and paste URLs into URL location bar of browser, as Geocities is picky about offsite download links) I've been doing some research during the brief moments of free time I have on weekends, and have noticed a few things: o - Most BASICs before 1978 had only minimal commands o - Many BASICs were 8K (standard) o - Most flavors of BASIC had A0-Z9 variables o - Some didn't have string variables 0 - Most had access to RIGHT$,LEFT$,MID$ and STR$ o - Some used MATEAD Var%(x,y) for subscripted variables o - Many machine specific statements such as COLOR, CLS and LOCATE did not appear until 1982 (IBM BASIC) I also noticed some odd structure usages on some machines: (Honeywell 600/6000) 940 LET X=L\LET Y=M\GOSUB 830 "\" is used in place of the now common ":" separator. Easy enough to translate. LET appears to be optional on later versions of BASIC (1978 onward). I am also aware that file handling is machine specific, i.e.: OPEN f$ FOR OUT AS 1 PRINT #1 CLOSE 1 Is an example of an older BASIC that printed output to a printer or screen (but could also direct output, via special programming, to a cassette player for tapes or a disk drive) I looked at APPLE BASIC and noticed this weird usage: D$=CHR$(4) OPEN D$"DATA.DAT SREADFILE" OPEN D$"DATA.DAT SWRITEFILE" CLOSE D$"DATA.DAT" Something like that, anyway (this is all from memory) A final note is that some (most?) older BASICs before Extended BASIC was introduced lacked IF/THEN/ELSE, DO/LOOP and CASE statements. So... I am going to be making some assumptions about the BASIC used, the speed, the monitor/television screen capabilities and required STATEMEMTS: Required: --------- DIM (must support integer _AND_ string variables!) LET (optional) REM FOR/NEXT TO READ (MATREAD can be substituted if necessary) DATA PRINT (Obviously...) INPUT (Obviously...) IF THEN GOTO (or GO TO) GOSUB (or GO SUB) LEN VAL TAB INT RND RESTORE RANDOMIZE ON (GOTO, GOSUB) ABS MID$ LEFT$ RIGHT$ STR$ CHR$ Not required, but helps ----------------------- LOCATE (or clone) CLS (or clone) COLOR (* - Westfront PC was written in COLOR to differentiate it from other text adventures that use only one color...Read: Boring!...If your system does not support a feature of or equivalent, then we have a problem...IF your system doesn't support color, then PLEASE say it at least supports HIGHLIGHTING, UNDERLINING or BOLD...this would be a decent alternative to non-COLOR supported systems) (** - And 8 or 16 colors would be nice, too!) If I've missed any, then please let me know at: dunric@yahoo.com Memory Requirements ------------------- I'm going to try to squeeze as much as possible from WFPC into an 8K BASIC... Yes, it's going to be hell trying to squeeze the first continent (1,014 rooms) of WFPC (Overall: 1,572 rooms) into 8K, but there are ways around the variable usage (i.e. reading in rooms from disk, tape, etc) There are tons of empty rooms...they don't need to be included. The Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.) anad Maps for Westfront PC are located here: http://www.geocities.com/dunric/faqmap.zip Just copy and paste into URL bar of browser. So PLEASE have your system at least handle: ------------------------------------------- o - 500-1200 total lines of BASIC code (minimum) o - IF/THEN/ELSE statements (so I can squeeze as much as possible into 8K) o - Integer and string variables o - Tape/Disk file commands, i.e. OPEN/CLOSE,PRINT#,INPUT#, etc. o - 360KB of Disk space (You could use two disks if necessary) o - At least 40 columns of text per line (It uses, or will use, line wrapping) If you'll notice from this picture: http://www.geocities.com/dunric/tavern.jpg Color is VERY important to gameplay (room specific commands are highlighted in gray, directions and other things in yellow, and rooms in white. I also like to use green and purple a lot (for the inventory and other things). Necessary commands: ------------------- Westfront PC is a text adventure. Certain commands are necessary, some aren't: I can make concessions on certain commands, i.e. when a player GETs an object, if it can be worn or wielded, then the computer will automatically equip it for the player, without having to use WIELD, WEAR or REMOVE commands. Same with DROP. BUY and SELL are absolutely necessary. The player needs a way to purchase and sell items. FIGHT (or an equivalent) is absolutely necessary. The player needs to gain experience points, find new weapons and armor, and pass certain trials in the game. OPEN and UNLOCK are necessary, but LOCK isn't. USE is necessary, and so is CLIMB. LIGHT is necessary (e.g. LIGHT TORCH), but ENTER isn't. SAY is semi-necessary; just adds to the game. EXAMINE (and the shorthand, EXA) is absolutely necessary. PUT is absolutely necessary. SEARCH is absolutely necessary. I'm probably forgeting several commands, but you get the general idea. :) If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, inquirements or otherwise, please send me electronic mail via: dunric@yahoo.com If ADVENTURE could be crammed into 16K, then I don't see why WFPC can't either. Regards, Paul dunric@yahoo.com -- -- ******************************************************************************** Few cats act their age, while most just cough up fur balls. ********************************************************************************