+++ /dev/null
-Tom Almy story:
-
-Back in (about) 1977 I got a copy of this Super Star Trek game for
-the CDC 6600 mainframe computer. Someone had converted it to PDP-11
-Fortran but couldn't get it to run because of its size. I modified
-the program to use overlays and managed to shoehorn it in on the 56k
-byte machine.
-
-I liked the game so much I put some time into fixing bugs, mainly
-what could be called continuity errors and loopholes in the game's
-logic. We even played a couple tournaments.
-
-In 1979, I lost access to that PDP-11. I did save the source code
-listing. In 1995, missing that old friend, I started converting the
-program into portable ANSI C. It's been slow, tedious work that took
-over a year to accomplish.
-
-In early 1997, I got the bright idea to look for references to "Super
-Star Trek" on the World Wide Web. There weren't many hits, but there
-was one that came up with 1979 Fortran sources! This version had a
-few additional features that mine didn't have, however mine had some
-feature it didn't have. So I merged its features that I liked. I also
-took a peek at the DECUS version (a port, less sources, to the
-PDP-10), and some other variations.
-
-Modifications I made:
-
- Compared to original version, I've changed the "help" command to
- "call" and the "terminate" command to "quit" to better match user
- expectations. The DECUS version apparently made those changes as well
- as changing "freeze" to "save". However I like "freeze".
-
- I added EMEXIT from the 1979 version.
-
- That later version also mentions srscan and lrscan working when
- docked (using the starbase's scanners), so I made some changes here
- to do this (and indicating that fact to the player), and then
- realized the base would have a subspace radio as well -- doing a
- Chart when docked updates the star chart, and all radio reports will
- be heard. The Dock command will also give a report if a base is under
- attack.
-
- It also had some added logic to spread the initial positioning of
- bases. That made sense to add because most people abort games with
- bad base placement.
-
- The experimental deathray originally had only a 5% chance of success,
- but could be used repeatedly. I guess after a couple years of use, it
- was less "experimental" because the 1979 version had a 70% success
- rate. However it was prone to breaking after use. I upgraded the
- deathray, but kept the original set of failure modes (great humor!).
-
- I put in the Tholian Web code from the 1979 version.
-
- I added code so that Romulans and regular Klingons could move in
- advanced games. I re-enabled the code which allows enemy ships to
- ram the Enterprise; it had never worked right. The 1979 version
- seems to have it all fixed up, but I'm still not overly happy with
- the algorithm.
-
- The DECUS version had a Deep Space Probe. Looked like a good idea
- so I implimented it based on its description.
-
-
-Stas Sergeev story:
-
-Found Tom Almy's C sources - yeah! Hmm, not too playable - I've got
-used to that nice text-based GUI I've seen on an IBM S/370 port, and the
-command-line control gets me quite annoyed. But that's a good starting
-point for some improvements - the sources are finally here! I was about
-to start writing an S/370 emulator to get it a go, and now here are
-the sources - what a great finding.
-
-[a bit later]
-
-Added a text-based interface which makes the game much more playable.
-Initially I made it for DOS using conio.h. Later I decided to make a
-linux port, and I ported it using a linux-conio package. I had to patch
-linux-conio a lot, so you have to use my version. The colors are still
-wrong though.
-I also fixed an uncountable amount of bugs and added some features, I
-can't remember now which ones.
-
-[3 years later]
-
-I dusted off the game and finally got around to move it to autoconf.
-For building with Borland C under DOS, use the build_bc.bat file.
-
-It turned out Tom Almy also did a linux port and made some bug-fixing
-work, although to the much smaller extent than I did. I contacted him
-and notified about my port, but he expressed no interest. :(
-
-[a year later]
-
-I've found out that Eric S Raymond (ESR) took over the development
-of the Tom Almy's sources. He could use mine instead as they are
-much more advanced, but oh well... Now I have to find out the way
-to incorporate my mods into his version and hope that he can do
-the better work on that game than I could (which is most likely
-the case).
-.....
-OK, the changes were incorporated, however Eric removed the conio
-port and therefore the game can no longer be compiled with bcc/DOS.
-The DJGPP port might still be possible in the future.
-
- -- Stas Sergeev <stsp@users.sourceforge.net>
--- /dev/null
+Stas Sergeev story:
+
+Found Tom Almy's C sources - yeah! Hmm, not too playable - I've got
+used to that nice text-based GUI I've seen on an IBM S/370 port, and the
+command-line control gets me quite annoyed. But that's a good starting
+point for some improvements - the sources are finally here! I was about
+to start writing an S/370 emulator to get it a go, and now here are
+the sources - what a great finding.
+
+[a bit later]
+
+Added a text-based interface which makes the game much more playable.
+Initially I made it for DOS using conio.h. Later I decided to make a
+linux port, and I ported it using a linux-conio package. I had to patch
+linux-conio a lot, so you have to use my version. The colors are still
+wrong though.
+I also fixed an uncountable amount of bugs and added some features, I
+can't remember now which ones.
+
+[3 years later]
+
+I dusted off the game and finally got around to move it to autoconf.
+For building with Borland C under DOS, use the build_bc.bat file.
+
+It turned out Tom Almy also did a linux port and made some bug-fixing
+work, although to the much smaller extent than I did. I contacted him
+and notified about my port, but he expressed no interest. :(
+
+[a year later]
+
+I've found out that Eric S Raymond (ESR) took over the development
+of the Tom Almy's sources. He could use mine instead as they are
+much more advanced, but oh well... Now I have to find out the way
+to incorporate my mods into his version and hope that he can do
+the better work on that game than I could (which is most likely
+the case).
+.....
+OK, the changes were incorporated, however Eric removed the conio
+port and therefore the game can no longer be compiled with bcc/DOS.
+The DJGPP port might still be possible in the future.
+
+ -- Stas Sergeev <stsp@users.sourceforge.net>