OT: Atari Adventure Thread Drift

You're just now figuring that out?

Mario Perdue NAR #22012 Sr. L2 for email drop the planet

"X-ray-Delta-One, this is Mission Control, two-one-five-six, transmission concluded."

Speak for yourself!

Personally, I'm a dork with somewhat geeky tendencies. No way no how will I ever be a nerd. There is a difference between nerds, geeks and dorks.

Ted Novak TRA#5512

zoot wrote:

In my case, yes. "Back then" was during the Jaguar days in the early to mid '90's; programmers were treated pretty well at the time. It was a lot of fun to interact with some of the best programmers around. Jeff Minter was doing some incredible stuff.

Mario Perdue NAR #22012 Sr. L2 for email drop the planet

"X-ray-Delta-One, this is Mission Control, two-one-five-six, transmission concluded."

Here's a good website for PC & Video Game history...

Mario Perdue NAR #22012 Sr. L2 for email drop the planet

"X-ray-Delta-One, this is Mission Control, two-one-five-six, transmission concluded."

I'm a bit slow on the "social interaction" concepts.

Zooty

zoot wrote in news:u6nkqv8p73vh4vpvhts82ni06uuvp7ugmv@

4ax.com:

Yeah, got a tee shirt that says so!

len.

Take the test!

I only got Super Geek.

I am rather puzzled that being able to play bass, guitar, and keyboard got me points. Then again, I should have gotten points for wanting to be Buccaroo Banzai when I grow up.

Should have been more B5 questions, too, but then what would you expect from someone calling himself "Zooty"?

BTW: I own the script to "Day of the Dead." Should have gotten points for that, too.

Zooty

See if I can get this straight, the dates are hopeless tho ...

Karpov and Kasparov were playing for the world chess title (again), sometime in the 80's.

I was watching the game on PBS and playing 3 chess programs against the contestants as the match progressed; an ATARI 2600 (Video Chess), Sargon on a C-64, and a Radio Shack portable electronic chess game.

While Kasparov was considering a move, the TV moderators, a couple Grandmasters and the US Champion, were discussing positions and Kasparov's probable reply. Just then, the ATARI moved; it had found a reply. The other two programs were still thinking. Seconds later, Kasparov amazed everyone with a Queen-Rook sacrifice, the exact move that the ATARI had picked but was missed by the commentators and the other two programs. Karpov considered the sacrifice, then resigned. (IIRC, Kasparov eventually won the match.)

I was amazed that it was the little ATARI video game that had found the sacrifice-forced mate combo. In open matches, Sargon usually beat the other two programs, though the ATARI could win if move times were short and Sargon's opening book was disabled.

If you want an exercise in frustration, pick up even an old ($5.00 CD) copy of Chess Master (2,3,4,5,...N)000; it will make you believe in AI.

Chess and computers; really, really nerdy stuff. :)

B5?! I always assumed MPatHG!

GIRLS: Hello! ZOOT: Welcome, gentle Sir Knight. Welcome to the Castle Anthrax. GALAHAD: The Castle Anthrax? ZOOT: Yes. Oh, it's not a very good name, is it? Oh, but we are nice and we will attend to your every, every need! GALAHAD: You are the keepers of the Holy Grail? ZOOT: The what? GALAHAD: The Grail. It is here. ZOOT: Oh, but you are tired and you must rest awhile. Midget! Crapper! MIDGET and CRAPPER: Yes, O Zoot? ZOOT: Prepare a bed for our guest. MIDGET and CRAPPER: Oh, thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!... ZOOT: Away! Away, varletesses. The beds here are warm and soft and very, very big. GALAHAD: Well, look, I-- I, uh-- ZOOT: What is your name, handsome knight? GALAHAD: 'Sir Galahad... the Chaste'. ZOOT: Mine is 'Zoot'. Just 'Zoot'. Oh, but come.

Tod "Oh, wicked, bad, naughty, evil Zoot!" Hilty

I'd forgotten about that. I'm going senile, I guess.

Zooty

Interesting that things thought to be hard can be done by computers, while simple "common sense" is beyond them.

Recursion is a different way of thinking from what humans are used to.

I just remembered that my first computer was a home-made thing called "Hexapawn," built with matchboxes and beads.

Anyone else have that Reader's Digest book?

Zooty

I remember Hexpawn, but not being in Reader's Digest. I thought it was in Scientific America or similar magazine I was a 3 by 3 chess board with 3 pawns at the top and 3 pawns at the bottom. Pawns move just like in chess, move forward or take diagonally. Since it had a limited number of moves you could build all the possible moves then follow a game. If you lose, you trim that branch off the tree so you won't follow it again. Easy way to see how computer tree pruning works.

Bruce

P.S. It was Scientific American, March 1962. I should have done web search first.

Sister "Dingo" was MUCH hotter. ;-0

The article in the Reader's Digest book is from the Sci. Am. article, I'd bet.

Zooty

Nope, I'm not a nerd! I'm a computer / rocket geek and proud of it!

-- Joe Michel NAR 82797 L1

And don't forget Boris. I've played Chess against my C64, but I don't have the patience to wait on a computer, like I do with a human opponent.

Alan

I'd expect less B5 and more Fireball XL5 expertice.

Alan