# Config

FirstLoadMessage:
Personal Electronic Transactor.
CBM/PET GameBase v3.0 (13th January 2018)
by JonBos & .mad.

Many thanks to...
Martijn - http://revival-studios.com/
Kevin Pickell - Paladin, Canyon, Land-Slide, Bugg
Robin Harbron - Minimae
Mr.NOP - Fixes and Hacks.
Neo-Rio - uploading a few PET files.
Mike Naberezny - HAL PCG 6500
Merman - The Retro Gamer interview.

Hi to all GameBase supporters...
Dax, Hardman.M (Sparky), OX, Sjakie43, Vicman, Retroplay, K.C., Cabbie, Nekto, Freeint, Hidron, Paul Irvine, Sut, Subone, 420, Tubbs, AAG, Merman, Brattacas, Belgarath, Michael, Mayhem, Pugsy & Jimbo.

The PET games are getting harder to find now.
If you know of anything that is missing?
PLEASE supply any info or game files to us.

you can find us in the forums at www.gb64.com.
JonBos & .mad.

GameBaseWindowTitle:
CBM/PET v3.0 GameBase by JonBos and .mad.


# Extras

Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Andromeda Conquest - front.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Andromeda Conquest - back.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Andromeda Conquest - media.jpg


Path:
Manuals\Avalon Hill\B-1 Nuclear Bomber\B-1 Nuclear Bomber - Docs.jpg


Path:
Manuals\Avalon Hill\B-1 Nuclear Bomber\B-1 Nuclear Bomber - Map.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Baseball Strategy - media.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Bomber Attack - front.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Bomber Attack - back.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Bomber Attack - media.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Conflict 2500 - front.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Conflict 2500 - back.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Conflict 2500 - media.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Dnieper River Line - front.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Dnieper River Line - back.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Dnieper River Line - media.jpg


Path:
Manuals\Avalon Hill\Dnieper River Line\Dnieper River Line - map.jpg


Path:
Manuals\Avalon Hill\Dnieper River Line\Dnieper River Line - counters1.jpg


Path:
Manuals\Avalon Hill\Dnieper River Line\Dnieper River Line - counters2.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Guns of Fort Defiance - front.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Guns of Fort Defiance - back.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Guns of Fort Defiance - media.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Lords of Karma - front.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Lords of Karma - back.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Lords of Karma - media.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Midway Campaign - front.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Midway Campaign - back.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Midway Campaign - media.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\North Atlantic - Front.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\North Atlantic - Back.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\North Atlantic - Media.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Planet Miners - front.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Planet Miners - back.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Planet Miners - Media.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\planet miners - media2.jpeg


Data:
2|~|0|~|0|~|2|~|1|~|1|~|Attach save game TAP to Datasette before READ game.|~|model=3032
|~|v4.18


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Voyager 1 - front.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Voyager 1 - media.jpg


Path:
D64\Temple of Apshai (8000) - Upper Reaches - Curse of Ra.zip


Path:
Games\80 col\Knights & Demons (8000).zip


Path:
Instructions\CBMPET - Mayhem (Revival Studios, 2012) - Readme.txt


Path:
Instructions\CBMPET - Down (Revival Studios, 2013) - Readme.txt


Path:
Instructions\CBMPET - Avalanche (Revival Studios, 2012) - Readme.txt


Path:
Instructions\CBMPET - Shifted (Revival Studios, 2013) - Readme.txt


Path:
Instructions\CBMPET - Stairrunner (Revival Studios, 2013) - Readme.txt


Path:
Instructions\CBMPET - Boxing Champ (Revival Studios, 2013) - Readme.txt


Path:
Instructions\CBMPET - Rush (Revival Studios, 2013) - Readme.txt


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Computer Stocks & Bonds - front.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Computer Stocks & Bonds - Back.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Computer Stocks & Bonds - Media.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Draw Poker - front.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Draw Poker - back.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Draw Poker - media.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Shootout at the ok galaxy - front.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Shootout at the ok galaxy - back.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Shootout at the ok galaxy - media.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Tank Arkade - front.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Tank Arkade - back.jpg


Path:
Covers\Avalon Hill\Tank Arkade - media.jpg


Path:
Listing Books\Island of Secrets clues.gif


# Games

MemoText:
Used to flip upper and lower cases inside programs


MemoText:
KRYPTO is a difficult math card game for one to three players.
There are 52 cards in the deck, with two sets of cards numbered from 0 to 25.
Each player is dealt five cards, a card is turned over as the "target,"
and the next card in the deck is shown.
The object is to invent a mathematical expression containing all the cards in your hand that yields the number on the target card.

For example, if you have the cards 20,5,15,10, and 0 and the target is 0, you might choose the expression:
20+5-15-10+0 then press the RETURN key.
KRYPTO checks your expression, and complains if it is wrong.
If your expression is correct, the next person plays (or you get your next chance, if playing by yourself).
You can discard one of your cards by entering a C when asked for your play.
It will ask which card you want to get rid of, and replace that card with the card shown on the top of the deck.
Each time you discard, play passes to the next player (unless you are playing a single-person game, naturally).
To keep things moving along when more than one person is playing, there is a three-minute time limit for each move.
If you haven't solved the puzzle within the allotted time, the next player gets to take a turn.
However, you can be thinking up your solution while the other players take their turns.
Your math expression can use addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
As in BASIC, multiplication is shown with the asterisk ("*") and division uses the slash ("/").
You may also use parentheses to control the order of evaluation.
Normally, multiplication and division are done before addition and subtraction.
As always in math, there must be an equal number of left and right parentheses.
KRYPTO checks, and complains if they are mismatched.
When you type in an expression, KRYPTO objects if you try to use numbers that aren't in your hand.
If you propose a valid expression that doesn't produce the correct target result, the right expression will be shown, and play continues.
When you want to end the game, press Q to quit.


MemoText:
When buying weapons
at the first ?, type the weapon type
at the 2nd ??, type the quantity


Comment:
press '8' on main keyboard and '/' on NUMPAD


Comment:
Flipped Character version for Emulator. Or use 3032B model


MemoText:
Drive your ship around shooting cancer cells!


1 = Tun Left
3 = Turn Right
Left or Right Arrow = Move
NumLock = Fire


MemoText:
At 'play standard 2 machines' Press 'N'.
'Y' requires two PET machines connected with a ribbon cable.

*see screenshot#4 and Extras for cable plan.

The version for 4.0 PETs is bugged.

Comment:
Press 'N' when asked to play standard two-machine game.


MemoText:
D = change difficulty.
S = Start.

NUMPAD + = Up
NUMPAD ENTER = Down
NUMPAD 0 = Bomb


Filename:
PRG\Avalon Hill\Guns of Fort Defiance.zip

Comment:
c64 version - sometimes graphics don't show correctly


Filename:
PRG\Avalon Hill\North Atlantic Convoy Raider.zip


Comment:
Attach save game TAP to Datasette before selecting READ.


Filename:
PRG\Avalon Hill\Voyager 1 - Sabotage of the Robot Ship.zip

Comment:
Takes 4 mins to create a NEW game. Load game from save tape for a quick start.


FileToRun:
datestones of ryn (1979)(automated simulations).d64

MemoText:
At tape or disk prompt, Press 2
Which Drive prompt, Press 0


The Datestones of Ryn was the first "MicroQuest" in the series, a short game meant for beginners. The objective is to enter a lair of robbers, find as many of the Datestones as possible and get out of the dungeon before the 20-minute time limit expires. The player is predefined as Brian Hammerhead from the stories in the manuals. There is also no shop program, as leaving the dungeon immediately ends the game.


MemoText:
Hellfire Warrior is the direct sequel to Temple of Apshai, leading players into the ruins that are unearthed below the temple. The levels are "The Lower Reaches of Apshai", "The Labyrinth" of the minotaur, "The Vault of the Dead" and "The Plains of Hell". Only the first and third levels have room numbers and descriptions. The game is meant for expert players and characters who already explored all the levels of Temple of Apshai; advertisements warned that "newcomers to Dunjonquest should begin with something easier". The complexity is also increased, with more shops and several new strengthening potions, some of which can give the player character an addiction. While the focus is still mostly on becoming stronger and richer, the last level also has the secondary objective of rescuing a princess from hell, who is represented as a particularly heavy treasure. There is still no ending trigger related to this goal, though.

levels 5-8

drive 0


Comment:
Controls Q A O P - saves HI-SCORE to disk


MemoText:
Scenario filenames available on the disk

 "CHALLENGE"
 "GAUNTLET"
 "PILGRIMAGE"
* "WAR GOD"

* game scenario is corrupt.
After loading a winner is shown before anyone moves.


enter your commands carfully, game can break with...
 BAD SUBSCRIPT in 3050
 DIVISION by ZERO in 473.


Filename:
D64\Temple of Apshai (8000) - Upper Reaches - Curse of Ra.zip

MemoText:
Upper Reaches of Apshai is the first expansion to Temple of Apshai It contains four new dungeon levels for beginning characters, and conveys a more humorous tone with suburban environments like a vegetable garden and enemies like killer tomatoes. The level design and room descriptions were created by Tim Bird, Mark Madrid and Andrew Martin.

lvl 1-4 Temple of Apshai
lvl 5-8 Upper Reaches of Apshai
lvl 9-12 Curse of Ra


MemoText:
The second expansion to Temple of Apshai, Curse of Ra, is set in ancient Egypt and has higher difficulty than the previous two parts. It also consists of four dungeon levels, with 179 rooms total. Like Upper Reaches to Apshai, the level design and room descriptions were created by Tim Bird, Mark Madrid and Andrew Martin.

lvl 1-4 Temple of Apshai
lvl 5-8 Upper Reaches of Apshai
lvl 9-12 Curse of Ra


MemoText:
Temple of Apshai is the first and most successful of the Dunjonquest titles is a long form game spanning four dungeons with more than 200 rooms with detailed descriptions. It was also ported to more platforms than any of the other games. Other than most RPGs it has no specific goal, and the player merely explores the eponymous temple to amass treasure and gain experience.

lvl 1-4 Temple of Apshai
lvl 5-8 Upper Reaches of Apshai
lvl 9-12 Curse of Ra

Drive 0 (zero) if using the original disk.


MemoText:
Also named ADVENT or Colossal Cave Adventure


MemoText:
How to play it?

Of course, you get the best Space Chase experience when playing it on a real CBM II machine. However, CBM IIs are quite rare. To enjoy Space Chase without the real hardware, use the
VICE emulator which is available for many platforms. Just download the latest version for your operating system, start the "CBM2" emulation, make sure you choose the "8050" floppy drive and insert the Space Chase disk image called "SpaceChase.D80". After the CBM II has started up, you load Space Chase with the command DLOAD "SPACECHASE" and the run it with RUN. That's all!

Your goal is to shoot the other player. Whoever loses his/her 5 lives first, loses the game. There are 6 enemy ships allied to each player that will try to attack the opponent player. They don't shoot, they just bump into it to distract the other player. Players and ships have a protective shield, so they are not killed upon the first hit but have to be shot at several times. The players' shields recover over time. So if you are just about to die: Run away and let your shield recover!

After a certain number of deaths the enemy ships will drop gems that you can collect. The gems will recover your shield or give you extra fire power or lives. So try to catch them!

On the title screen you will get instructions on the keys used to control your ship. Also, you can choose 1 or 2 player mode. In 1 player mode, you are controlling player 1 (left part of the screen) while the computer takes over player 2 (right hand side).

Your controls are "space like": You can only rotate your ship left or right and accelerate your ship in the direction you are facing. The lack of gravity in space will keep your ship flying in that direction until you (counter-)accelerate. This will need some getting used to but makes the game more challenging. The "thrust meter" in the upper left corner of each screen half will show the direction your ship is currently heading.

Since the playfield is huge,  you can easily get lost. The "auto pilot" key will make your ship turn and accelerate automatically towards the opponent player. It will do so until you press another key.

Have fun!

Comment:
needs a 8050 disk drive to be set in emulator. v 27-07-16


Filename:
Infocom\Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, The.zip


Filename:
Infocom\Zork I - The Great Underground Empire.zip


Filename:
Infocom\Zork II - The Wizard of Frobozz.zip


Filename:
Infocom\Zork III - The Dungeon Master.zip


Comment:
sea-saw fails to draw on 1st life in very first game. - ok afterwards.


V_Comment:
CONTAINS KILLER POKE! (in sound version)


MemoText:
This simply designs a Maze
Print to play


MemoText:
Version by J Aughton - tidy graphics, works on all PET models.


MemoText:
Street bomber for 40-column PETs: bomb a city down before the plane lands.


MemoText:
Numpad
 1 2 3 - slow movement
 4 5 6 - fast movement

modified version 3.1 (smaller bricks)
--------------------------------------
only press NUMPAD keys 1-6 (any others will break program)


Comment:
fixed BASIC and added missing lines 1400 - 1420 - maybe bugged!


Comment:
press SHIFT A,S,Z,X for card suit followed by number.


Name:
Black Jack - Butterfield Social & Recreational Club

Filename:
PRG\B\Black Jack - Butterfield Social & Recreational Club.zip


Filename:
PRG\J\Journey to the Center of the Earth.zip

FileToRun:
Journey to the Center of the Earth_pet.PRG

ScrnshotFilename:
j\Journey to the Center of the Earth.png

Comment:
3 versions (PET/CBM/C64) - saves ok, but doesn't load


MemoText:
sys 826
fixes hold down key repeat in BASIC.


MemoText:
Object of game is to fill all squares.

keys
O = left
P = right
Q = up
A = down
M = swap squares
Z = fill single square


MemoText:
Funktion ?
------------
RUN
LIST
KORR
INS
DEL
LOAD
SAVE
MODE
ADD
NEW
EN(pi) "SHIFT {"
---
TON ?...
----
SBR
SSBR
R
RTN
STOP


MemoText:
BUG!
3008 version.
you must redefine keys before start.
starts with these default keys
P,W,Y,8

2001 version doesn't work.


MemoText:
draw on the screen with SHIFT Q (SOLID CIRCLE).
type SYS 6400 ($1900) to start.


MemoText:
press keys
< (END) = LEFT
> (PAGE DOWN) = RIGHT
S = SPEED


MemoText:
3 = #
4 = $
S = Heart
A = Spade
Z = Diamond
X = Club


MemoText:
Multi faceted 'action' adventure game for 40-column PETs.


MemoText:
Steer a bouncing ball by placing '\' and '/' shaped paddles by pressing the 'm' and 'n' keys. Copyright 1978 CBM. This game is for 40-column PETs. Similar to "Target Pong".

N and M


MemoText:
The patched version of Jim Orlando's 'pet panic' will run on both rev 3 ROMs and rev 4 ROMs.


Comment:
Any key for Ball; NumPad 'Enter' for flippers


MemoText:
press 1-5 to place ball
press and HOLD enter for strength /power.


MemoText:
sys826
reverses (revs on) all characters in basic.


MemoText:
To move Pieces
<letter><num>-<letter><num>
example B2-B4


MemoText:
Left player control only works in 4016 machine

Right player
8 = up
2 = down
5 = fire

Left player
W = Up
X = Down
S = fire


MemoText:
Fixed corrupt BASIC line in 76.
Game works but has small gfx bug on 6th and 7th letter entered in puzzle.
Which shows the letter in the border and in square '4'.


Comment:
Bug when you crash in 80 column version.


MemoText:
Left = Numpad dot
Right = Numpad Enter
Fire = Sapce

The game starts with 20 Lives
Press C then 4 to change the parameter to normal 3


MemoText:
Right = Numpad 6
Left = Numpad 4
Fire = A

Possible programmer or hacker.
Andreas Brzenska (DG7DG) Germany.


Comment:
Normal Keyboard 1 and 3 (or PET key ! and #)


MemoText:
Move = Numpad
Fire = A

To Start press a number 1-9 (amout of fuel to start with)
if you want an extra long game press SPACE to show a '?' then press '?'
fixed title screen.

Comment:
fixed version with title screen. AKA Star Wars


MemoText:
The excellent 3D Star Trek by M P McDonald and M H Clements for 3000 series 40-column PETs. Does not fully work on the 4000 series, and not at all on the 8000 series.
Keys: D=damage report, I+number=impulse drive, L=long range scan, P+number=launch photon torpedo (steer with shift and normal steering keys), home=steer counter clockwise coarse, down=steer counter clockwise fine, del=steer clockwise coarse, right=steer clockwise fine, maybe other keys?
Battle stations: number keys; space to fire


A version of 3D Star Trek for the original PET 2001 firmware. The battle stations have better graphics than the version for newer ROMs.


MemoText:
Move = Numpad 4 5 6 8   ( 2 can replace 5 )


Version of Super Glooper patched by T. Howe to avoid use of CASS#1 buffer. (Makes easier to save)

V_Comment:
patched by T. Howe to avoid use of CASS#1 buffer


MemoText:
This is converted from the early teletyper basic.
to view the map you need to be in 80 column mode (size of printer paper)
it contains many BUGS.

I have edited the BASIC for an easier start process.
and fixed a few missing lines.

*you can use your own name.
*fixed wall of the dungeon, so you can not walk out of it.

There are no instructions.
No save or Load game available.

Only level1 is avalaible.

type "NORM" - to see the list of weapons to buy.
type "FAST" - no items are shown on screen.

type "1" to "15" to buy items from list.
when you have bought enough type "16" to finish.

EQLIST? "NO" or "YES" to review your bought items.


MemoText:
Blank tape "galaxy(blank).tap" already attached
Simply click on 'File/Datassette Control/record' when asked
Do not warp speed

This will set the Galaxy tape to run in War Trek.
Start pt2 with pt1 still open (a new emulator instance) and the galaxy tape will be attached. (else it will be deleted when closing pt1)


MemoText:
Start pt2 with pt1 still open (a new emulator instance) and the galaxy tape will be attached. (else it will be deleted when closing pt1).

The pre-recorded galaxy tape will be loaded into the dataset.
pt1 is not needed unless a new galaxy is wanted.

If Generator was used then click file and load tape galaxy(blank).tap or any other name the saved tape has.


MemoText:
Move = Numpad
Drop = Space
Rotate = Z


Pet Tetris V1.3 by Tim Howe 15, March 2010.

This is probably the last game EVER to be written for the PET!
It is 30% assembly code and 70% C, and has been compiled with
cc65. Source code should be available via the cc65 website.

It requires a 40 column machine with BASIC 2 ROMS. Unfortunately
it does not run under BASIC 4 (4000 series). This may be something
that I can rectify in due course.

There are 3 versions available:

tetris - This is the standard version and will run on a 3016 or a 3032.

8ktetris - This is a cut down version that fit into a 3008.

dactetris - This 'mega' version has wave sound effects.
To hear them, you will need an 8-bit DAC connected to the USER port.
This version requires a 32k mackine (3032).


Filename:
PRG\K\Kat and Mouse (+Tunnel Vision).zip


MemoText:
When asked to buy stuff, type in the first letter of the item and not the value


Comment:
'@' key is mapped to 'PrtScn - SysRq / Insert'


Filename:
PRG\Revival\CBMPET - Mayhem (Revival Studios,  2012) .prg

MemoText:
Permission has been granted to distribute this game file, with the GameBase.

Find attached digital copies for Avalanche and Mayhem for the CBM PET that you can include in the in CBMPET database.

In the future i will release Down! and Stairrunner as well, but for now these 2 will do.
- Martijn

Comment:
RS-PET002 - Permission given to distribute the file with this GameBase from Revival Studios.


MemoText:
We do not have permission to distribute this game file with the GameBase.
It is still available to buy from Revival Studios.

Comment:
RS-PET003 - Digital download is available to buy from Revival Studios


Filename:
PRG\Revival\CBMPET - Avalanche (Revival  Studios, 2012) .prg

Comment:
RS-PET001 - Permission given to distribute the file with this GameBase from Revival Studios.


Comment:
RS-PET005 - Digital download is available to buy from Revival Studios


Comment:
RS-PET004 - Digital download is available to buy from Revival Studios


Comment:
RS-PET007 - Digital download is available to buy from Revival Studios


Comment:
RS-PET006 - Digital download is available to buy from Revival Studios


Comment:
Listing is for VIC20 and C64. Also works on PET


MemoText:
Unable to find the PET Cassette version anywhere.
Only the PET to C64 (BASIC) conversion is available.

3 versions

1) 1 file (100% BASIC, all DATA in main file)
2) 2 files (BASIC and DATA in SEQ file) - added colours for C64
2) 3 files (loadpic, BASIC, DATA in SEQ file)

Comment:
3 PET to C64 versions available. try to convert one back to PET.


MemoText:
How to get started.

Read both manuals (Rules and Battle).
Load Builder program to create the scenario (from the manual)
save scenario data to tape.
Load Battle program and load scenario data from tape.




TRS-80 manual is available.

The PET and The TRS-80 version was exactly the same,
except everything was flipped or mirrored because the 0,0 points on the two machines were in different corners.

----------------


Starfleet Orion

The first microcomputer game set in space.
History
Authors: 	Jon Freeman and Jim Connelley at Automated Simulations
Released on: 	BASIC on the Commodore PET in 1978, followed by ports to the Apple II and TRS-80
Comments: 	Starfleet Orion is the first wargame created on a microcomputer. It launched the company which would later became Epyx.

Starfleet Orion was one of the first war games written for a microcomputer, specifically the 8K Commodore PET in 1978. This predates even mycomputer days, so again I had to turn to the original authors for help in creating an article that I thought could do the game justice. I got lucky and found Jon Freeman on the ‘net, and asked him for some details on the history of the game:

    While working on a temporary typing job in 1977, I met Susan Lee-Merrow, who was part of a group of regular D&D players. She invited me to a game where I met Jim Connelley, who was one of the two regular Dungeon Masters for the group.

    ORION came about because Jim bought a PET to help him with the bookkeeping chores required of a Dungeon Master. After a while he wanted to write off the purchase, and thought the best way to do so would be to create a computer game he could sell. When he got bogged down, he cast about for some help. I knew very little about computers but a lot about games, [and] learning I had written a book on board games and was contributing articles to GAMES magazine, Jim recruited me to take over game development in August or September of 1978.

    Jim did all the programming and set up the basic system, while I took over all of the game design and development: I defined the ship types, names, and capabilities; created all the scenarios (designating for each side the ship types and numbers, objectives, and victory conditions); and wrote the manuals, including the stories behind the scenarios.

    When – somewhat to our surprise – we ended up with a finished product, we had to start a company to sell the game. In 1978, just in time for Christmas, we formed Automated Simulations and I found myself established in a new career in computer games. My recollection is that we sent in our first ad – and formed the company so people would have a name to put on checks – around Thanksgiving and shipped our first game right before Christmas, but I could be off a week or two.

The game was then ported to the TRS-80 and Apple II, the other two popular platforms at the time. Porting BASIC was pretty straightforward because it was fairly standardized, but the machine’s systems for displaying graphics were different on each platform.

    [The PET and…] The TRS-80 version was exactly the same, I think, except everything was flipped or mirrored because the 0,0 points on the two machines were in different corners. I think the Apple version might have had tiny little icons for ships instead of just dots, but otherwise was identical except for media.

    The PET and some TRS-80 versions were on cassette, while the Apple version was only on disk; this allowed us to include the scenarios on the Apple version instead of requiring players to actually enter the data, which cassette-version users were required to do. (Ah, the good old days.)

    The [part we were most proud of] is easy: doing it. Finishing it. Creating an actual computer game that someone else could buy and play. Obviously the graphics were utterly primitive (dots for ships, asterisks for explosions), but that was only to be expected.

    Probably the thing we were least satisfied with was the fact that it required two players, who had to take turns sitting at the computer while the other one went into another room. That led directly to the idea of a computer opponent, so that a player never had to abandon the keyboard. That was the basis of the sequel, Invasion Orion.

Jim and Jon quickly followed up with Invasion Orion a year later, adding in the computer player and allowing for what they called “solo play”. After that they would use their D&D experience to produce one of the all-time classic games, Temple of Apshai.

Apshai was released in 1979, and was the first adventure games to include character creation and an active dungeon. It was based on a top down view of the world built out of character graphics on the PET, and the basic engine was then ported to a number of platforms (often adding graphics). Apshai won a number of awards and was a huge seller, later spawning a set of seven games based on the engine, including two direct sequels.

In 1980 Jon meets Anne Westfall, his future wife, at the West Coast Computer Faire. In 1981 he leaves Automated Simulations to form FreeFall Associates with her. FreeFall was primarily a design company, and helped out on a number of projects with other companies.

In 1982 Trip Hawkins, fresh from Apple, decides to form a “new model” games company. At the time game programmers were paid paltry amounts for games that would make millions, and Hawkins wanted to make a company who’s contracts would pass more of the money back to the developers. The result was Electronic Arts, and their contracts were based on the music industry’s – game authors as the rock stars they always wanted to be.

One of EA’s first acts after being created was to call up FreeFall. Thus starts a long collaboration between the two companies which would result in another all-time classic, Archon. Today FreeFall produces a card game called Thrall, with several online versions on Prodigy’s GameTV.

Meanwhile back at Automated Simulations, new management changes the company name to Epyx. They quickly release a slew of BASIC games, mostly tactical combat oriented like the original Starfleet. One of my favorites is Crush Crumble and Chomp, where you get to play the part of a movie monster and run around your choice of terrified city, stomping cop cars and gulping down people.

In 1983 Jim’s hand is seen in the release of the fascinating Dragonriders of Pern, based on the best-selling sci-fi series by Anne McCaffrey. The game revolves around setting up alliances between a number of quarreling states in an effort to raise dragons to fight the dreaded “thread” – microorganisms falling from a nearby planet. The tread battles were fun, but the strategy side of the game seemed baffling. Largely as a result the game had a following, but it certainly wasn’t a huge seller.

Meanwhile in ’83 Epyx also releases Jumpman, which instantly becomes a huge seller. The combination of the sales of Jumpman and the lack of sales of Dragonriders must have convinced the management to go all-action. Epyx would go on to release a number of action games that were all hits, the most famous being Impossible Mission and the Summer Games series.

With the company’s direction changed completely from what Jim was interested in, he too left the company later in 1983 and formed The Connelley Group with a few other Epyx programmers who went with him.
The Game
Type: 	Tactical space combat
Viewpoint: 	God view
Time: 	Turn based
Synopsis: 	Two players take on the roles of fleet captains in this game of tactical space combat.

Starfleet Orion’s lead-in story tells of the expansion of mankind into the area in and around Orion after the invention of the Tachyon Drive in the 21st century (one can only hope!). In the early days of the drive a number of disaffected groups take to the stars in order to avoid various problems on Earth, from religious persecution to high taxes. Upwards of 10 million people were involved in emigrating to the stars during this first diaspora, settling the area between Rigel and Bellatrix.

Meanwhile the Earth forms a unified government, and starts expanding into space on a more “orderly” basis. Within a hundred years a huge ball some 400 light years across is explored, and the newly named “Stellar Union” claims control over all of human space. In another five decades it grows to within 50 light years of the independent colonies’ closest star, Bellatrix.

The game starts when two destroyer escorts meet in space and start shooting. Once is the Union’s Leonidas, the other is the newly built Britomartis from the planet Spring, fifth out from Bellatrix. The game then follows the Orion group’s attempt to reject Union control, largely in response to the ham handed efforts of the Union to take over the area.

When direct military intervention leads to bad press back home, the Union attempts a blockade, but that fails because the markets are largely internal. Next they use the age-old tactic of funding piracy, which simply forces the Orion colonies to quickly upgrade their military forces, leading to the rough opposite of what the Union was hoping for.

In an effort to bring the war to a close, the Union captures an ancient planet-destroyer called the Dirge, and sets it on Spring which barely manages to beat it off. Almost wiped out in the assault, the main Union warfleet arrives and finishes the job. The final battle comes when the colonies band together to beat off the Union warfleet, fresh from its final pounding of Spring. Their five ships from independent planets form the “Starfleet Orion”.

The game is based around a series of twelve scenarios, each based on combat from a particular piece of fiction, or the general plotline outlined above. The first encounter story is the basis for mission one, and the missions slowly increase in complexity until sides are controlling several ships each, and in some cases the battlefield also contains a number of other objects like planets or asteroids.

In order to support a flexible engine capable of simulating the large variety of scenarios Jon was interested in, the game actually shipped as two programs. ORION was the basic engine where you played the scenarios, and BUILDER was used to type in the scenario and ship data and save it to tape. As a result the users could create their own missions, but with the limited communications of the time I doubt this was widely shared.

Each mission was described in the game’s “Battle Manual” and consisted of a series of ship names/types and the various weapons loads. Taking the first battle as an example, the user has to start by entering the scenario’s general setup:

Side 1: Missiles 10, 4, 15 Torpedoes 0, 0
1. Britomartis – DE(M): BQ-5, X, Y, -0, 0

Side 2: Missiles 0, 0, 0 Torpedoes 12, 40
2. Leonidas – DE(T): BQ-5, X, Y, -0, 0

The X and Y positions for both ships are 0,0, which sets them to a random position in the game’s 40 by 20 grid. There’s also a entry for “Hits”, which allows you to predefine some damage to the ships if that makes sense in the scenario, but that’s not used here.

Each side is assumed to be equipped with the same quality of weapons in the game, so in this case the Britomartis is equipped with missiles that have a ‘direct hit’ damage of 10, a ‘near miss’ damage of 4, and range of 15. The Leonidas is instead equipped with torpedoes that do 12 damage and a range of 40 (pretty much the whole screen). Any sister ships on either side would have to have the same sorts of missiles or torps, which is the only example of inflexibility I could find in the game’s engine.

Of course the user also had to enter the ship data itself, which required a trip to the back of the Battle Manual where each ship’s 10 vital statistics was found. In this case they’d have to enter the data for:
Type 	Enrgy 	Drive 	Beam 	Shld 	Armor 	Tubes 	Missls 	Torps 	Mass
DE(T) 	10 	5 	5 	2 	1 	2 	0 	6 	.81
DE(M) 	10 	5 	5 	2 	1 	2 	12 	0 	.81

Considering all the typing and page flipping, it’s amazing people actually moved onto the game itself! Seeing as the PET had the ability to save and load named files from the cassette, it’s not clear to me why all the scenarios weren’t saved onto the game tape (the Intro mission was). I suppose this made the Apple II’s disk based version all that more valuable, the disk included all of the missions.

The game includes no less than 22 pre-rolled ship designs from fighters to battleships so the basic system can be used to simulate pretty much anything from X-Wing vs. TIE fighter (which includes all the various ships of the Star Wars universe). Of course the user is free to design their own as well, just type in different values in the builder.

Gameplay consists of loading up the scenario and then having the two players take turns at the keyboard entering moves. Each player is asked a series of questions for each ship: movement, use of the tractor beam, beam energy and its target, how much to add to the shield, missiles and their target location and then torpedo tracks. Once both players have entered their commands, the game plays out all of the action simultaneously – there’s no movement involved, everything just happens.

Energy is the name of the game. Each system on the ship takes (basically) one point of energy to do one thing, a ship with a beam of 5 can use up to 5 points of energy firing it. Ships have more useable systems than they have energy to run them, so on most turns some of the systems go unused.

Movement is based on the basic power of the engine divided by the ship’s mass. The ships above can move to any point within a radius of 6.2 spaces, their drive of 5 divided by their mass of .81. A battleship with much more powerful engines of 12 points can only move within 4 spaces, because of its large mass.

One neat twist is that you can use your ship’s engines to move another ship, meaning that the game includes tractor beams. For a heavy ship this can be useful for launching smaller ships by pushing on them, a few points won’t be missed from your own movement, but it may be able to push a fighter right across the map.

Armor is a fixed amount of damage that can be absorbed per turn without doing damage to the ship itself – no energy required. Shields reduce damage received that turn by the amount of energy you give them that turn. For the ships above that means that once everything starts and the ships are using their shields, they’re already unable to use both their drive and their beam at full power. For the larger ships the shields are strong enough that they can suck up a significant portion of that turn’s energy, rendering the ship almost immobile. These ships are almost invulnerable though, the attackers have to hit it with a large number of weapons at once.

Each ship can carry a variety of up to three types of weapons, beams, missiles and torpedoes. The former requires energy to be fired, the later one need one point of energy per shot but can only be fired from tubes (thus limiting the size of the volley).

Torpedoes travel in a straight line along a heading where 1 is up and the numbers grow clockwise to 8 pointing “northwest”. While traveling they will seek out the first target that’s within two spaces of its path and attack it, or burn out at their max range if they don’t find anything. In the scenarios the torps are typically given long ranges and a lot of power.

Missiles are fired at a relative location in space, they travel to that location and explode even if there’s nothing here. Any target at that location is hit for the missile’s “primary” damage, and any target within one space of the explosion receives “secondary” damage, and in general both of these are smaller figures than for torps. Missiles can be also used as a defense against torpedoes by being aimed at a location near you so that the torp will attack the missile instead of the ship.

The relative movement is important, if you fire at 5,5 that means it will explode 5 spaces to the right and down, but that’s measured after you move. As a result of the timing of various actions in the game, you have to aim them where you think the enemy will be after moving, and you can defend against missile fire by using your tractor beam to push the opposing ship a few spaces, thus spoiling their aim.

The final weapon is the beam, beams drop in strength depending on range, and also drop in accuracy depending on the size of the target. The strength drops by 10 / (range + 5), so in the case above if the two ships are at point blank range they’ll do 5 * (10/5) = 10 points of damage, but at a range of 10 they’ll do only 3.3 damage. Accuracy is calculated by a complex formula that depends on “beam quality”, the BQ in the scenario listing above.

That means that beams are point attack weapons. In order for a small ship to be able to do any damage to a large one, they’ll have to get in close and use that range bonus. On the other hand the smaller ship does have the advantage in size, meaning they are less likely to be hit in standoff attacks by larger ships.

The combination of the speeds of the ships due to their mass, range issues with the beams, and the energy limitations of the ships, means that the game forces you to use a combination of ships and movement in your attacks. The big equalizer in the game is the torpedo. Since it can be carried by ships as small as the fighters, a movement based attack against even the largest ships is possible, notably when used in combination with tractor beams from a larger ship or planet.

As Jon mentioned in the historical section, the game was marred by its need for two players and this was addressed in Invasion Orion. Invasion Orion picks up some time after the action in the first game, but now the primary enemy is an invading alien force, the Klaatu.

The gameplay was largely identical (a few minor changes, missiles can’t be spoofed by tractors for instance) but the scenarios were adjusted to make the game work better with the limited IQ of the computer opponent. This turns out to be easy enough, the Klaatu ships are given considerably more power and better shields, so the strategy for their ships was to move into range and shoot. The human side has a tougher time of it, while their torpedoes are more powerful than those of the Klaatu, using them effectively requires planning and plenty of maneuvering.
Notes

When I first started writing this article I thought it would be primarily about the historical importance of the game, like Spacewar or Star Trek. Since then I’ve realized that the game has a balance that many lack, and it’s a fine model for newer games that have fleet combat elements.

I’ve always liked games where fleets of smaller ships have the advantage over larger single ships, but only when used carefully. The history of naval warfare here on Earth shows a number of such examples, the best known being the introduction of the Torpedo Boat.

Combine a number of cheap motorboats armed with torpedoes, with one ship-o-the-line and you have an interesting combination. If you choose to attack the other large ship, the TB’s run in and nail you. If you choose the shoot the TB’s instead, the other capital ship gets free shots while you plink the inexpensive boats. See the problem? As a result a whole new ship was introduced justS to fend off the TB’s: the Torpedo Boat Destroyer, which we now call the Destroyer.

The problem in game design is making the numerical advantage work for you in a way that doesn’t seem too artificial. In the real world this occurred because of specific technological advances (engines and torps) but how do you do this in the case where everyone is assumed to be playing by the same rules and have roughly the same level of technology?

Orion solves this problem in a convincing manner, by limiting the energy available to the ships. As soon as this happens a number of things “fall out” of the engine, lighter ships are more maneuverable for instance. The other big equalizer is the torpedo, notably when combined with the tractor beams. Since the only defense against the torp is to shoot missiles out in the directions you think the torps will be coming from, pushing a TB or fighter to the far side of a capitol ship gives you an opening.

I think that Orion’s balance comes from it’s basis in earlier board games and Jon’s experience in game design. The board game world has a long history of design behind it so the key elements of a successful game are well known and can be mix-n-matched to create the type of engine you’re looking for. The wide selection of standard ships helps the scenario building, and the intro stories and plotline help give the game a feeling of continuity even though there isn’t any in the game itself.

Orion is also an example of the designers knowing what was good and what wasn’t, similar to Ho! in that respect. Many games today are knock offs of the RTS category, and it seems that the designers rarely understand what it is about the game they’re copying that makes it good. I remember trying to play Dark Reign and being absolutely amazed at how bad, it was given that they had many other games to look at.

After reading the manuals I can’t help but think that the market is there for a new game like Orion. Games like Independence War come close in basic concept but the missing element is the background story to tie the game together and add flavour – you have to hand it to LucasArts, there’s nothing like having a whole movie series to fill in the blanks in your game graphics. Perhaps a worthy starting point would the CJ Cherryh’s Company Wars series, which spanned a longish time and should provide ample framework.

Comment:
read manuals. load builder program to create the scenario (save data to tape).


MemoText:
The C64 BASIC is complied with PETSPEED.
so it can not be transferred back to the PET.

Comment:
Real Cassete only (not yet converted) - ATARI BASIC available


Comment:
Arcade Pak #1 - Doesn't mention PET on tape photo


Comment:
Real Cassete only (not yet converted) - AKA Arcade Pak #5


MemoText:
Time Traveler is a fantasy text adventure developed by Krell Software Corp.
The game was released on the 16K, Level II TRS-80.

 Plot
 The object of the game is for a player to go back in time and obtain 14 rings,
 each hidden in a different era and possessing a different special power that can help the player in some way.
 The player then returns with them to the time machine laboratory.

 Reception
 The game was reviewed in The Dragon #44 by Mark Herro.
 Herro said that his opinion of the game kept changing as he played it;
 he intended to evaluate the game negatively at first,
 but the more he played the more he found himself liking it despite its problems.
 As he was playing an early pre-production advance copy,
 he found a number of little bugs in the program.
 Krell Software told him they had taken care of the problems in later versions.

 References
 Time Traveler on VideoGameGeek Compute! October 1981, Issue #17 - page 37. - Ad by Krell Software Corp.
 Compute! December 1981, Issue #19 - PDF; page 15.- An ad by Krell.

Comment:
TRS-80 BASIC available - maybe converts to PET?


MemoText:
https://solutionarchive.com/list/platform%2C49/

Dragon Adventure by William Stott
Solution found at http://www.bdesilets.com/if/Dragon_Solution.html

Dragon Adventure: one possible solution
(find the mug, and get the coin to buy the hang-glider kit and get past the swamp)
s
e
d
get coin
examine barrels
get mug
u
w
w
buy box
get box
(next, get the magic lamp and go to the cottage to get the castle key and bananas)
w
s
w
n
get lamp
s
e
n
e
s
s
e
get key
examine table
get bananas
(rub the lamp to escape from the cottage, then find the screwdriver)
rub lamp
s
w
n
w
s
s
tip boot
get screwdriver
(next, go to the turret of the castle and give the monkey the bananas)
n
n
n
n
n
get bell
unlock door with key
drop key
n
u
give bananas
(now get the sword and booklet for the flute, then build the glider and jump)
build glider
drop screw
get sword
get booklet
get glider
jump
e
(now ring the bell to summon the Troll)
ring bell
n
(move north and south between the road and the lake until you find the Troll)
(greet the Troll and give him the bell, or kill him with the sword to get his hunting horn)
hello
give bell
get horn
(now find the lake and examine the reeds to get the sack with the flute)
examine reeds
get sack
open sack
(fill the mug with water and fill the bird bath to get the candle)
get water
s
e
fill bath
get candle
(find the matches in the hollow tree stump)
w
examine stump
get matches
light candle
drop matches
(now go in the cave to deal with the dragon)
w
n
n
read booklet
drop booklet
get flute
e
s
s
(play the flute to break the dragon's spell, or kill it with the sword)
play flute
(now get the treasure clues from the bottle and the carved chair in the inn)
examine bones
get bottle
examine bottle
break bottle
examine parchment
n
n
e
u
examine chair
examine carvings
examine goblin
(blow the Troll's hunting horn in the dragon's lair to find the treasure)
d
w
s
s
blow horn
e

(about 100 moves)


MemoText:
mentioned in PET Gazzette and on Moby Games website.


Comment:
Press the column number (1-9) to shot the 'O'


MemoText:
REVS ON  = skill 1 
         = skill 2 [Left Ctrl]
         = skill 3
NUMPAD * = skill 4 [Numpad *]
key 2    = skill 5 [ 2 " ]

---------
Tapes

Audiogenic

	Basic Basic
	Cosmic Jail Break
	Crazy Balloon
	Disasteroids
	Fast Fourrier Transforms
	Invaders
	Invaders
	Star Fight
	War!

Audiogenic Tape Magazines

	Cursor No 26
	Cursor No 28
	Cursor No 30

Comment:
BUG! - you can only press 2". to start at Level '5' - Then use NUMPAD 5 for laser.


Filename:
PRG\S\Saifu Hiroi - Money Table (acid rain).prg


Filename:
PRG\HAL PCG 6500\Mole Attack (pcg6500).zip


Comment:
Joystick only - NUMPAD (MULTIPLY) to start - use Cosmic Fighter


MemoText:
< = LEFT x5
[ = LEFT x3
> = RIGHT x5
] = RIGHT x3
SHIFT = FIRE

PC keys are mapped to
HOME, End, PgUp, PgDn, Left SHIFT

Comment:
PET keys < > [ ] = [HOME] ,[END] , [PgUp] [PgDn], [SHIFT]


MemoText:
SHIFT A,S,Z,X for card suit Spade, Heart, Diamond, Club


MemoText:
A = Spade
S = Heart
Z = Diamond
X = Club


