At 12:31 PM 3/3/97 -0700, you wrote:
>Actually I think Combat is a terrific example of programming. It employs
Perhaps, but it's not a good example of a great game. It doesn't even have
a 1-player mode. I'd hate to see prospective programmers churning out a
lot of games that look and feel like Combat. Adventure, maybe, if it has
to be a primitive game in the gfx dept., or even Space Invaders, but not
Combat.
>How about Defender?
If we had source code to Stargate, I'd prefer people study that over Defender.
>You forget that practically every program that has been uploaded to this
>list has included source code, much of it fairly full of comments. You
>also forget that most of the people on this list only have a few hours
>a week with which to experiment, and the 2600 demands much more if you're
>going to achieve the results of SC Frogger.
I know full well how difficult a task it is. Isn't that the whole purpose
of trying at all?
I am merely trying to raise the bar and be idealistic right now. I don't
think I'm being unfair by saying that the 2600 can't survive if the only
new programs written for it are on the level of Breakout. Certainly the
programmers of games like that have a reason to be proud of their efforts,
but end-users would find it difficult to get excited about games like that
beyond the obligatory excitement that "IT'S NEW!".
>>Like I said, this ain't bartending school. I'm proud that this list
>has generated even this much progress, and I'm certain it will generate
>even more. But we've got a ways to go. Don't think we're not trying.
I didn't say you weren't trying.
The whole purpose of the poll is to see:
1) Who has the interest?
2) Who has the basic skills?
3) Who is currently working on what?
and most importantly
4) What can be done to improve the situation.
You seem to think that the only solution is time and patience.
I vehemently disagree.
Two negative factors involved are:
Lack of knowledge
and
Low Priority
There are ways to overcome both, most certainly the former. Sitting back
and letting things run their natural course is not the answer. While I
admit that it will take a long time for programmers to mature, they most
likely WON'T mature beyond Combat unless we provide the necessary resources
and encouragement.
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