ZX Konig #04 31 декабря 1995

Игры

Strategy Games - Review of strategic games: CONQVEST, THEIR FINEST HOUR, NORTH & SOUTH, DEATH IN THE SNOW WATERLOO, STALINGRAD, JONNY REB II, LOGIC, SAMURAI and ZULU WAR, LEGIONS OF DEATH, NEITHER EARTH, REBEL STAR, LASER SQUAD, Destroyer, LAST BATTLE, UFO: Enemy Unknown.

Strategy Games


  Let me introduce you
Dear readers, the work of one
member of the Kaliningrad commands programmers Hackers'
Squad Student'a Incognito, devoted to strategic games.

  The article is rather extensive, but we
Please read through it to the end, because
She has a lot of useful information, and will not leave 
indifferent not only done for the fans strategicheskoh games, 
but also ordinary users. Thank Student'u

for their work. Hope
that in future it will please us
not yet one of its articles. Topics
Moreover, the order for them abound. However, from 
word-relevant, read and the comments and responses

Please send your editorial.

       Ferris wheel.

          "And the weak hands of Maniema,

  He moved to the Russian shelf ... "


        Dear friends!

  As you may already be dogadalis in the title and epigraph, in 
the following lines you waiting for review of certain games

direction, whose name is
STRATEGY. With all my desire
added and here the same and such
related genres as: MANAGEMENT '
BUSINESS, I still believe that this
topic for another discussion. Therefore, we now go
only a truly strategic-military igrah.No first a little history 
for those who can not yet very familiar with the games this 
genre, but prefers to reap the trigger, developing dexterity

fingers.

  It all started back in the old
a time when computers seem a gimmick, the game is not 
classified as strictly genres, and users have not yet been

so spoiled with attention. It was then that one person 
(unfortunately history has not preserved his name) and came up 
with the light idea: What if? What if Napoleon at the Battle of 
Waterloo artilletiyu found here, and not there? What if in 
Stalingrad Battle of the German troops have taken such a 
maneuver? Thus were born strategic games in which we

like the gods can not interfere
occurred in the course of long-
battles, tip the scales one way or the
other storonu.V these games moving
shelves instead of the great military chief of antiquity, we 
can either learn from their wisdom, or to understand what 
mistakes they made. Personally, I myself, though staunch 
pacifist, I put these games on top game production, because in 
my view no Chess, Tic-Tac-Toe, Marine

fights, do not give such a feeling of deep satisfaction, which 
arises after the defeat of hordes of exceeding a villain, a 
handful of loyal troops. Well and, finally, these games are 
very useful for developing analytical mindset, the ability to 
make decisions, and these qualities, I hope very useful for you 
later in life. 

   Well, what we can offer good old SPECCY in terms of strategy 
games? A very even a lot, especially when compared with all 
kinds of game consoles, where this genre is not naproch.Itak, I 
suggest You the review of strategy games for SPECCY, made in 
the critical and comparative form. I'm not here to present 
detailed descriptions of controls and passing recipes games, 
this information can be found in publications such as "?" 00 
best games. " His purpose I see in a qualitative

Compared games, discussing their
strengths and weaknesses, ie I
try to show you in
that, and not as worth playing. Games
in the description placed in hronikologichesko - a group order.
That is the description comes from the more
old games with an attempt to group some of these nih.Dlya
every game I tried to give
as I have known output data (company, year), although many of 
them come down to me versions available. However, all these 
games are available in the studio engineers, and according to 
the names you can order them. I'll start with perhaps one of 
the most older games.

CONQVEST, 1984, Duncan Nightingate

  This game is not in a pure
as a strategic game, but also contains elements
BUSINESS. In it you are the founder of the empire, built on the
fields of present-day Europe and your
aim to succeed in this and a little longer
stretch in power. You will have to
demonstrate in the first place resourcefulness diplomat and
no skill commander for
achieve this goal. But in the end
all the rebels and the oppressed
people will fold and Vas.Chto for quality games, then it is not 
too high. The game is almost completely written in Basic'e, the 
level of computer logic low. In general, 1984, it is 1984. Time 
does not stands on the site, and today

day there are more reputable programs, which are worth playing.

  In tandem with CONQVEST should mention THEIR FINEST HOUR, 
written later, but having the same BUSINESS nature. In this game

Discount is available to you to make your
contribution to the air defense of Britain against the forces 
of Nazi Germany in 1942. It should be noted in this game is 
good graphics, well thought out plot, the adequacy of the 
action kompyutera.Odnako in it and "Conqvest" for success does 
not necessarily to be an outstanding polkovodtsem.Dostatochno 
be middle managers hands, press the right buttons in the

the right time - and you are a winner.

  Concluding the discussion of a mixture
STRATEGY / BUSINESS, mention the game

  NORTH 'SOUTH, 1989, Infogrames

  Very good game this
napravleniya.Kak the name suggests, you have to take
participation in the war for independence. And who knows, maybe
You just tip the scales in
side or the other and thereby
determine the fate of America. Game
has the ability to both modes of play with the computer, and 
simultaneous play of two people. It implemented a good graphic

management, original and user-friendly interface. Flexibly
setting the level of difficulty
computer. Despite the 1989
very good game.

  Having dealt with BUSINESS / STRATEGY,
You can take a deep breath and
move finally to a STRATEGY
pure form. According to its statute of limitations
appearance of the first mention deserves the next group
Game: DEATH IN THE SNOW, WATERLOO,
NAPOLEON. At least in the first of them can find string

     (C) MC LOTHLORIEN.
Common graphical user interface makes these games are similar 
to each other like twin brothers

Most of the code of these games
written in Basic-e, control
conducted only by pressing
keyboard, the state of the game is reflected in the bottom two 
rows of the screen. As a result, a more careful study of these 
games have a feeling that at least 95% of their code are 
identical, and vary (very slightly) the original data, such

as: relative position and strength of the troops. Now, in 1996, 
these game, of course, unlikely to inspire anyone, but at least 
deserve a mention, as pioneers of the genre. With

these three games should also mention STALINGRAD, and
also JONNY REB II. Interface
these games, though undergone some changes, but very little to 
treat These games, as a step in the development of

genre STRATEGY.

  Referring MC LOTHLORIEN, not
silent about the game OVERLORDS, 1985,
MC LOTHLORIEN. The game has some borrowing from the genre
LOGIC, and such things is a tic-tac-toe. All graphics are 
formalized, instead of the usual image

fighting forces we see in
screen some crosses, circles, squares. Meaning the game a 
little abstract and incomprehensible. In Actually this game and 
would deserve a separate description if not one little "but". It

There vozhmozhnost connection
two SPECCY a ZX Interface 1
to play together. Opportunity
in my opinion is unique, even
Now, 10 years after writing this play.

  Having dealt with MC LOTHLORIEN proceed to the next group, 
consisting of several exotic games: SAMURAI and ZULU WAR.


  The first game will give you the opportunity to poupravlyat 
so familiar to us by video films ninja, samurai and other 
representatives of the martial arts. Second, offer to take 
participation in the conflict between the expedition and 
Livingston omnibus by Zulu tribes. The total between the two 
games that the strength of the enemy was originally much larger 
than Your own. Therefore, in order to succeed, you have pretty 
pomanevrirovat, then throwing their troops in a rapid 
breakthrough, the evading at oncoming

You have hordes of enemies. I hope that they will win you the 
coveted award and only inflame your appetite, as a strategy 
before buduyuschimi battles in a more complicated games.


  Group consisting of: VULCAN,
DESERT RATS, ENCICLOPEDIA OF WARS
difficult to include all the games
while playing elements in them are sure. I would rather took 
them for reference. RTSMITH, whose name appears in

all three games, obviously did
titanic work, restoring the minutest detail
affairs of bygone days, with ancient. The first two
Games will offer to take part in various clashes that take 
place in 1943 on the African continent between

Allied Forces and German
voyskami.Kazalos would say that's wrong with that? "However, 
each military operation in those days reinstated the smallest 
details, such as: the exact map of the area, accounting

strength of the opposing forces, fixing the names of commanders 
of all units, even small. All this makes these games a real 
boon for the true connoisseur computer battles. The game is

ENCICLOPEDIA OF WARS general deserves a separate upominaniya.V
It gathers information on all types of existing forces of days 
gone by and there is an opportunity to demonstrate the clash in 
combat troops that existed at various times of the era. For 
example, only in this game You can find out what would happen if

on the inverse field will converge in Rome
Legionnaires and, say, the Golden Warriors
Horde. In this game, as well, however,
in all games of this group is astonishing and extraordinary 
reliability well conceived what is happening,

that allows us to recommend these
program for the study of how novice commander and 
battle-hardened veteran. 

  The game LEGIONS OF DEATH
the unfolding of native
expanse of the Mediterranean morya.Davnyaya enmity between Rome 
and Carthage, animated by programmers this game, waiting for 
you and offers pouchavstvovat in the battles for one of the 
parties. Combat Operations carried out by BIREME, Trier

and other water vessel, we are familiar from textbooks 
istorii.Eti Court can equip, fit out and equip a team of

Your discretion. Interestingly, the
early in the game you determine the conditions for its 
termination, asking number of vessels, ports and gold needed to 
win. Beautiful graphics, an unusual but very nice user

interface, these are the reasons for which
You should play it if you
not yet done so.

  Game NEITHER EARTH is a rather unique
case from the collection of strategic igr.Uspeh in the game is 
determined not only the ability to take adequate solutions, but 
also the speed of your reaction and ability to click on a 
button joystick with at least a frequency of 1 Hz. This, 
however, makes the game not worse, but rather more fun, so as 
elements of the ACTION / ARCADE no over STRATEGY, and serve as 
though it harmonious prodolzheniem.V general

symbiosis beneficial to both genres, as each as a result of
got something new and at the same time
enriched the other. Combat Operations
carried out by robots, which are manufactured bases and there 
are completed various equipment and armament. Goal of the 
game-kill all the robots of the enemy, capturing

All base their manufacturing, which
y portivnika to the top of the game much more than Vas.Roboty
act in accordance with laid down in
these orders and pretty tupy.No
one of them you can manage
hand and more gibko.Tut something you
and require the skills learned in a variety of pulyalkah.Igra 
extraordinarily fascinating, it You can go over and over again

that I recommend you do.

  Game REBEL STAR, of course,
would deserve a separate discussion, there is no game would 
LASER SQUAD. Almost all the ideas and elements of the interface 
is already LASER SQUAD present in REBEL STAR, but

only LASER SQUAD they reached
its apotheosis, and REBEL STAR
remained one more step
to the development of the genre. I personally
LASER SQUAD think one of the best strategy games, and not
only SPECCY. I played it
hundreds of times and each time received
great pleasure from excellent graphics, well-planned plot, a 
good working logic computer. If you have not played LASER 
SQUAD, I recommend you quit reading this article and 
immediately fill the gap. 

  All games described above, were written by programmers, and 
of course gourmet alien Russian mentalitetu.Odnako after the 
West believed that SPECCY old man died and release games

for it is not advisable,
Russian fans are allowed to
does not agree with the diagnosis
that the patient is more dead than
alive and zealously set about writing games for nego.Interesno 
that Unlike programmers rotting countries, the Russian 
colleagues for the creation of a completely decent games

usually do not get a dime.
For what kind of copyright
can we talk about in our country
frost, snow and bears? Despite this, new games and programs 
written in more and more. Truly, there she is the mysterious 
Russian soul. In today's review, I present three well-known to 
me the strategic game, written by Russian programmers. 

  The first one is "The Destroyer"
1994, (C) Rensoft, (V. Soldatov). In
this game you control the forces
Earthlings, shipwrecked on
one of the planets. Computer, are controlled this planet decided
that you represent for him
danger and decided to destroy you. Your task is to
to do with it what he
sdlat going to Vami.V general
the game looks pretty "raw."
Not fully thought out interface
user. For example, there is no point selection controls (for
default Sinc2).
For a game in 1994 is, of course, inexcusable. I would like to 
believe that my hands got a demo version of this game, and in 
the future improve its author.


  One of the authors of the game "LAST
BATTLE ", 1995, Hacker Squad, am I, your humble servant. 
Hypertrophied modesty allow me to praise himself, and berate 
myself too sort of like hand does not rise. Game like

would be not bad. If someone
have not seen it, I refer you to a
ZX-KenigN1, where it was published. The game has enough
detailed instructions, so that
problems with mutual understanding should arise.

  And finally, the last on the list but not the last by-value
game NLO.Vrag unknown, 1995,
S. Mednonogov. I hope readers
already familiar to the author of this game
numerous educational programs and games written for them
SPECCY. In this case the game
represents a conversion known on the IBM PC Games
"UFO. Enemy Unknown", the firm
"Microprose". Typically, such conversion to other platforms 
provided by the company sponsor the game, so more pleasing to 
the fact that such titanic work done by an independent human 
being capable of watching the game only "outside", not knowing 
its internal logic and algorithms of behavior. Playing "UFO. 
Enemy unknown "is

one of the global projects carried out SPECCY, filled with
excellent otskannerennoy graphics, has rich possibilities
for various development and
develop behavioral strategies. At the time of its release, it
created a furor in the ranks spektrumistov, so I think you have 
time enjoy a game of it, and if

not, then hurry to fix
this mistake. And finally, my
PERSONAL TOP-LIST strategic
games SPECCY:


     1.NLO.Vrag unknown.

     2.LASER SQUAD

     3.HEITHER EARTH

     4.LEGIONS OF DEATH

     5.ZULU WAR


  I would like to believe that readers anywhere in this list
will put "LAST BATTLE". I have the same
after the annual period of its writing and testing the thought 
of it cause only a headache and

nausea.