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Author Topic: The mysterious origins of an uncrackable video game  (Read 1490 times)

Offline ChrisSmolinski

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The mysterious origins of an uncrackable video game
« on: September 24, 2019, 1851 UTC »
With the digital equivalent of trowels and shovels, archaeologists are digging into the code of early video games to uncover long forgotten secrets that could have relevance today.

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20190919-the-maze-puzzle-hidden-within-an-early-video-game
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Chris Smolinski
Westminster, MD
eQSLs appreciated! csmolinski@blackcatsystems.com
netSDR / AFE822x / AirSpy HF+ / KiwiSDR / 900 ft Horz skyloop / 500 ft NE beverage / 250 ft V Beam / 58 ft T2FD / 120 ft T2FD / 400 ft south beverage / 43m, 20m, 10m  dipoles / Crossed Parallel Loop / Discone in a tree

Offline Josh

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Re: The mysterious origins of an uncrackable video game
« Reply #1 on: September 24, 2019, 1937 UTC »
Oooooh the atari! So much fun! Missile command, pole position, and miner 2049er are the ones I remember.

I wonder what lang they used, mebbe just asm?
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Offline ChrisSmolinski

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Re: The mysterious origins of an uncrackable video game
« Reply #2 on: September 24, 2019, 2001 UTC »
Quote from: Josh on September 24, 2019, 1937 UTC
I wonder what lang they used, mebbe just asm?

Hand coded. IIRC you had 2K program space, and 128 bytes of RAM. You had to build much of the graphics on the fly, it used a crude version of the player missile system similar to what the Atari 400/800/5200 later used.
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Chris Smolinski
Westminster, MD
eQSLs appreciated! csmolinski@blackcatsystems.com
netSDR / AFE822x / AirSpy HF+ / KiwiSDR / 900 ft Horz skyloop / 500 ft NE beverage / 250 ft V Beam / 58 ft T2FD / 120 ft T2FD / 400 ft south beverage / 43m, 20m, 10m  dipoles / Crossed Parallel Loop / Discone in a tree

Fansome

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Re: The mysterious origins of an uncrackable video game
« Reply #3 on: September 24, 2019, 2028 UTC »
Hmm...
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Offline Pigmeat

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Re: The mysterious origins of an uncrackable video game
« Reply #4 on: September 26, 2019, 0547 UTC »
Quote from: Fansome on September 24, 2019, 2028 UTC
Hmm...

Didn't they let you and Dale Gribble operate the backhoe to bury those things, Al?
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Offline ChrisSmolinski

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Re: The mysterious origins of an uncrackable video game
« Reply #5 on: September 26, 2019, 1015 UTC »
Quote from: Pigmeat on September 26, 2019, 0547 UTC
Quote from: Fansome on September 24, 2019, 2028 UTC
Hmm...

Didn't they let you and Dale Gribble operate the backhoe to bury those things, Al?

The reason they only found a few thousand of the ET games at the landfill is Al secretly grabbed the rest and has them stashed in a storage locker outside Mt Kisco. He's waiting for their inevitable collectability to provide a comfortable retirement.
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Chris Smolinski
Westminster, MD
eQSLs appreciated! csmolinski@blackcatsystems.com
netSDR / AFE822x / AirSpy HF+ / KiwiSDR / 900 ft Horz skyloop / 500 ft NE beverage / 250 ft V Beam / 58 ft T2FD / 120 ft T2FD / 400 ft south beverage / 43m, 20m, 10m  dipoles / Crossed Parallel Loop / Discone in a tree

Fansome

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Re: The mysterious origins of an uncrackable video game
« Reply #6 on: September 27, 2019, 0215 UTC »
You are standing in your own way; step aside.
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