rich-c: bonjour, Daniel Daniel Bienvenu: Hi! Daniel Bienvenu: SURPRISE rich-c: this room gives me a dark grey screen - can we move to Meeting Place? Daniel Bienvenu: (let's go to the "Meeting Place")
Daniel Bienvenu moved to room Meeting Place
rich-c moved to room Meeting Place Daniel Bienvenu: Hey! rich-c: ah, that is a great deal better, n'est-ce pas? Daniel Bienvenu: I,m not supposed to be here this weekend rich-c: vraiment? what were you supposed to do? Daniel Bienvenu: playing D&D with friends. Daniel Bienvenu: but... some players wasn't able to play this weekend rich-c: heavens - is that game still around? it was popular on teh Adam when it first came out! rich-c: I sort of thought it had faded away by now rich-c: was it teh wesather that deterred them? Daniel Bienvenu: well, some french peoples have done a "parody" in MP3 files... like many 2minutes of short (and sweet) humour. Daniel Bienvenu: I think the medieval interrest here is more present now rich-c: OK, MP3s are something I have never looked at Daniel Bienvenu: and with the event "Fetes de la nouvelles France" here in Quebec... it's more popular than ever rich-c: my computer is fully capable of handling them, of course, just no interest Daniel Bienvenu: http://www.penofchaos.com/donjon/ Daniel Bienvenu: it's in french but it's funny rich-c: are you familiar with the Society for Creative Anachronism? Daniel Bienvenu: some fans did cartoons with this "popular series" rich-c: OK, got the URL and will look Daniel Bienvenu: Society of Creative Anachronism? rich-c: I'm not too bad at reading formal French - joual is another story rich-c: they are very active in university circles all over North America rich-c: the SCA basicaly tries to reacreate the Middle Ages teh way they ought to have been rich-c: each member assumes a character and they have local communities, so to speak Daniel Bienvenu: some jokes are more "playing with words" because a word can have more than one definition. rich-c: they wear teh clothes, cook the food, mimic the speech (to some extent), engage in teh activities Daniel Bienvenu: Well, our D&D games are more imaginative than realistic rich-c: yes, the double entendre is a familiar form of humour Daniel Bienvenu: WE don't use accessories rich-c: yes, D&D has its roots in fantasy, of course Daniel Bienvenu: but we use little "figurines" who represent ourself in the game in a flat MAP with many spaces printed on it. rich-c: but the SCA types are tolerant of medieval beliefs in witches, drawves, dragons, etc. Daniel Bienvenu: th game master talk when we the players didn't decide anything to continue the story rich-c: back in my teaching days we went through a period when it seemed every kid in teh school was obsessed with D&D rich-c: but then along came teh video games and teh kids found a new obsession Daniel Bienvenu: the longest D&D game I played taken 2 years... because it was very difficult to find freetime for all the players. sometimes, one player can't play and we think about a way to write the sotry to explain this situation. rich-c: oh, let him get captured by a dark wizard or something and kept on ice for a while ;-) Daniel Bienvenu: I remember one who be traped underground with cats colony rich-c: I am fond of a well-written fantasy when I have time, but don't bother too much with the currently popular Daniel Bienvenu: and me, I was in a paralele world on and island without water around... only empty space. rich-c: I remember the parents being upset with teh D&D obsession but teachers figured anything that stretched teh kids' imaginstions was good rich-c: I assume that teh quality of the game depends on teh skill of the dungeon master rich-c: or do the board games come with defined locales and plot suggestions? Daniel Bienvenu: like i said, the MAP was only a flat board with many spaces printed on it... no drawing to suggest anything like water, montains, etc. this particular map can be used with a non permanent pen or pensil who can be erased by water. rich-c: ah, really just an open grid that you fill in as the plot develops, then Daniel Bienvenu: yes, that's right rich-c: is that something you picked up at university or have you been playing longer? Daniel Bienvenu: Well, I played for the first time with a friend and friends of my friend after the primary school. Daniel Bienvenu: I stoped many years Daniel Bienvenu: and then replay D&D during university... and it continue rich-c: sort of like the popularity cycle of the game itself rich-c: do you schedule play at a regular time or just when the group can get together? Daniel Bienvenu: I think the spirit of the "Fetes de la Nouvelle-France" here in Quebec during summer and the RPG games like neverwinter and RPG parody like NAHEULBEUK DUNGEON... I think the D&D popularity is increasing very fast here. Daniel Bienvenu: when can group can be toghter... about 0.5-1 day per week rich-c: I'd guess it is among the anglophones too but they are more inclined to play online by computer Daniel Bienvenu: it's why it takes more than a year sometimes rich-c: well, a complex game can easily take that long - there are no built in time parameters Daniel Bienvenu: If you have time to came here in Quebec city during summer event "Fetes de la Nouvelle-France" you will see many costumes and activities. :) rich-c: I have been in Quebec City a few times in the summer but not when the "Fetes" were on rich-c: as I mentioned, I have a cousin who with her husband owns shops in Lowr Town Daniel Bienvenu: Currently, I'm programming a memory game to be included with Explosion and Treasure. rich-c: right, those are your new Colecovision games, right? Daniel Bienvenu: right! This new game add 1K to the rom file. This mean now there are 3 games in 9K (3K per game) rich-c: at the TPUG meeting (Toronto Pet Users Group) meeting Thursday there was much talk of Commodore C64 games Daniel Bienvenu: Someone suggested that what I'm doing is a special boardgames cartridge rich-c: several of the members had been to a big show in Chicaog quite recently - maybe last week Daniel Bienvenu: I'm a big fan of Commodor 64 computer. Daniel Bienvenu: I programmed many things for this computer rich-c: someone mentioned the MAMAE and I chipped in about the new Colecovision games and gooddealgames.com rich-c: TPUG was once the biggest Commodore group in the world - now it's down to a handful of diehards rich-c: it has Commodore and Amiga chapters with sort-of joint meetings Daniel Bienvenu: I started programming with a Commodore Vic-20, then a Commodore 64, than a PC computer, with one little programme on Atari (400?) computer and a MAC SE. rich-c: same time, place, different sides of teh room, so to speak rich-c: oh - I have a Vic-20 never used, some TI-99/4As, and of course the Adams Daniel Bienvenu: POKE 36879,8 : REM VIC-20 BLACK SCREEN Daniel Bienvenu: POKE 36878,8: REM SPEEKER VOLUME Daniel Bienvenu: POKE 36876, 200: REM high note Daniel Bienvenu: hehe Daniel Bienvenu: good time Daniel Bienvenu: with Commodore 64 it's the sprites programming... yes! rich-c: the only program I ever did was an Adam thing to pick my 6/49 numbers ;-) Daniel Bienvenu: I did more than one program for the 6/49 ... win only 10$ but lost many many times. :p rich-c: the nice thing about SmartLogo is the number of sprites you can control at once rich-c: ditto - Adam is no better at picking winners than I am :-( rich-c: in fact I'm even so far behind the normal odds I must be overdue for a ral big win just to even out! Daniel Bienvenu: I think the memory game is done... need to adjust the AI part (now it's only random selection) rich-c: OK, think I understand what you're after; will it be that much of a refinement? Daniel Bienvenu: like adding a table where the coleco will remember wich "numbers" were find during game to quickly do matches. Daniel Bienvenu: the way I program this "games-in-1" is more like adding one thing and see if it does something good or not. rich-c: right - randoms could lead to duplications that mess things up rich-c: en anglais, "make it up as you go along" Daniel Bienvenu: I don't like a cpu more intelligent than me. :) rich-c: never a problem Daniel Bienvenu: but only random selection is not funny to play. no challenge rich-c: even the most sophiticated cpu knows only two things - on and off Daniel Bienvenu: in my memory game, there are 8 mines where you loose points. hehehe! rich-c: but I ran into a very tricky piece of programming during the past week Daniel Bienvenu: when you discover a mine, you loose point and the coleco hide the mine .. so you can pickup the mine again. :) LOL rich-c: it gave me a third virtual drive on my secondary IDE connector - which only supports two drives rich-c: (my, that's a dirty laugh, Daniel ;-) ) Daniel Bienvenu: when there are 10 spaces left... and you know there are 8 mines but can'T remember where they are? that's a challenge :D rich-c: especially if you're on your last life... Daniel Bienvenu: there are no lifes... only loosing points. otherwise, it's too difficult. :) rich-c: yes, towards the end I bet points get lost in big bunches Daniel Bienvenu: yeah... but you can't have a negative score rich-c: I reckon a zero would leave one feeling beat up enough! Daniel Bienvenu: I have a list of games to use the same graphics to not use to many rom space. Daniel Bienvenu: I will not add checker Daniel Bienvenu: probably minesweeper (only one player) rich-c: yes, ROM space is limited in the Colecovision environment Daniel Bienvenu: if I add checker, it will be a lite version without AI. Daniel Bienvenu: maybe connect four could be done. rich-c: that would make it a bit of a dumb game to play then - knowing the rules doesn't mean you know the right move within them Daniel Bienvenu: if you have any suggestion... about new games to be played in a 8x8 board, you know my e-mail. :) rich-c: right, though there is alreadu a chess game, runs under CP/M - TDOS rich-c: maybe you should try backgammon, or some form of poker Daniel Bienvenu: I found tiouk tiouk rich-c: that one I don't know - does it have an English name? Daniel Bienvenu: tiouk tiouk? it's an africain game Daniel Bienvenu: http://romualdl.oric.org/progs/oric_typein.html Daniel Bienvenu: found a version for the Oric computer Daniel Bienvenu: it plays on a 8x8 board rich-c: well, as you know, I am not much of a games player Daniel Bienvenu: tiouk tiouk it's more a "puzzle" than a game rich-c: I may watch others sometimes with some amusement, but that's it rich-c: my choice of puzzle at the moment is Free Cell Daniel Bienvenu: i think i can't add a freecell game in this rom. and it's not a 8x8 boardgame :) Daniel Bienvenu: rich, you like card games like freecell? I invented one cardgame... easy and funny to play rich-c: no, it likely requires more memory than a CV environment can support Daniel Bienvenu: My cardgame is named "patience carré" rich-c: really? if it's a game that can be beaten but requires some strong thinking to do it, it's my sort Daniel Bienvenu: let me explain Daniel Bienvenu: shuffle your deck (52 cards) Daniel Bienvenu: do a square of 4x4 cards infront of you rich-c: solitaire is also sometimes called patience in English - is it a form of that? Daniel Bienvenu: It's a form of that ... but you need to think what to do before continuing. rich-c: that is my way Daniel Bienvenu: I suggest you to try it during my explanations Daniel Bienvenu: during all the game you have to do this: Daniel Bienvenu: "swap" two cards (different values) to be able to pickup 4 cards who matchs Daniel Bienvenu: how to match cards? they have the same value and there are no cards between them. Daniel Bienvenu: the two cards must be is the same horizontal or vertical line Daniel Bienvenu: two pairs of two cards must be choosed to continue the game rich-c: if you're only dealing with four cards on teh table, matching pairs are pretty unlikely Daniel Bienvenu: but, the magic touch of this game is: when you pickup the first two cards who matchs, this can reveals more matchs. Daniel Bienvenu: Well, maybe you need an example. rich-c: yes, but if you start off with four unmatched cards, it's game over befoe you start Daniel Bienvenu: ok, put cards infront of you in a square of 4x4 cards. and tell me the cards values from left to right, top to down. rich-c: don't have a deck handy, Daniel, or a place to put them Daniel Bienvenu: ok, so i will do it. rich-c: I assume you realize I play freecell on teh computer rich-c: it's one of the games packaged with Windows 98 Daniel Bienvenu: ok, I have this 4x4 cards configuration: Daniel Bienvenu: Q-10-1-8 Daniel Bienvenu: 3-2-4-J Daniel Bienvenu: 1-Q-9-Q Daniel Bienvenu: 2-3-1-7 Daniel Bienvenu: actually, there is no matchs rich-c: ah, ok, you have 16 cards out - sorry, I made a wrong assumption Daniel Bienvenu: the two Q at the 3rd line are seperate with another card, so I can't pickup them rich-c: queens in line 3 must be adjacent? Daniel Bienvenu: but, if I swap the 9 (the one between the two Qs) with a 1. I can pickup the two 1s... then the two Qs. see? Daniel Bienvenu: Then I replace free space with cards Daniel Bienvenu: and I continue rich-c: OK, follow you so far Daniel Bienvenu: In my expample, if I swapt the 9 with the 1 beside the Q, I have: Daniel Bienvenu: Q-10-1-8 Daniel Bienvenu: 3-2-4-J Daniel Bienvenu: 9-Q-1-Q Daniel Bienvenu: 2-3-1-7 Daniel Bienvenu: I take the first "pair" Daniel Bienvenu: the two 1s Daniel Bienvenu: they have no cards between them Daniel Bienvenu: and they are in the same vertical line rich-c: OK Daniel Bienvenu: remember than you can pickup cards in a horizontal or vertical line only rich-c: no diagonals Daniel Bienvenu: Now, I have to pickup a second "pair" Daniel Bienvenu: that's it, no diagonals. Daniel Bienvenu: The situation is: rich-c: and in your example you have teh queens in line now Daniel Bienvenu: Q-10-1-8 Daniel Bienvenu: 3-2-4-J Daniel Bienvenu: 9-Q- -Q Daniel Bienvenu: 2-3- -7 Daniel Bienvenu: See that the two Qs have no cards between them Daniel Bienvenu: So, I can pickup these two Q to finish THIS TURN rich-c: right Daniel Bienvenu: I replace free space with cards rich-c: OK Daniel Bienvenu: and then I continue Daniel Bienvenu: the game Daniel Bienvenu: the best part is when there are no more cards in the deck Daniel Bienvenu: normally, you can finish the game if you do the right things. rich-c: as in, there's only 16 total left... Daniel Bienvenu: during the game to put in the same line the same values Daniel Bienvenu: yeah, but the game continue only there is no cards in front of you Daniel Bienvenu: each turn is: swap two cards, pickup two pairs. Daniel Bienvenu: and of course add new cards if there are cards in the deck rich-c: OK, think I get the general idea rich-c: and it would take a certain amount of advance planning Daniel Bienvenu: yes, and you don't know which card you will put on the table in advance Daniel Bienvenu: HAVE FUN! rich-c: right rich-c: anyway, right now I am feeling much relieved rich-c: I got my new DVD burner installed and running Daniel Bienvenu: So, try it someday. And tell me if you like it... next week during chat session? Daniel Bienvenu: a new DVD burning, lucky guy! rich-c: doubt I'll have time that soon, Daniel rich-c: when us old retired geezers say we can't imagine how we found time to go to work, we aren't kidding rich-c: well, I watched teh market closely, and when Future Shop had a real special, I bought it Daniel Bienvenu: ok, but now, when you will play freecell, you will probably remember me now. :D rich-c: oh yes, I'll know there is the other option ;-) rich-c: anyway, the neatest part of teh DVD burner is the software that comes with it Daniel Bienvenu: which software? rich-c: they have even figured out a way to back up a hard disc without (apparently) dropping you into DOS rich-c: it's something new and proprietary that comes with teh LG drive Daniel Bienvenu: nice! rich-c: it's just called B's Recorder Gold - there's also B's Clip which I haven't quite figured outv yet rich-c: and a DVD-RAM driver which - get this - creates a virtual removable disc on your secondary IDE connector rich-c: in short, it sees teh burner as both an optical drive and a removable drive (like a Zip) Daniel Bienvenu: is it your third virtual drive, now? rich-c: actualy, since I don't plan to use DVD-RAM discs any time soon, I deleted teh driver Daniel Bienvenu: ok rich-c: the trouble was it came in ahead of my optical drives rather than after rich-c: since I originally installed Windows from the CD drive as G I didn't want it moved to H rich-c: and I also wanted my backup image of my C drive to go to the DVD burner as H rich-c: if I can figure out how to install the RAM driver but have it assigned drive I, I'll put it in Daniel Bienvenu: you better no change what is working in the world of computers rich-c: yes, it's very easy to get into deep trouble playing around with drive letters rich-c: that's why the RAM driver shocked me - I didnt believe you could fake Windows into accepting a third drive on an IDE connector Daniel Bienvenu: Well, I don't know for you but me, I have to prepare something to eat. :) see you next week? bye! rich-c: OK Daniel, byb now, see you Wed. Daniel Bienvenu: *poof* *poof* *poof*
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