ZX Computings - OpenLibra

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collection" could turn out to
be a nightmare. The following
is a crude attempt to group the
classes of programs which can
be written and appropriate
remarks on their respective
difficulty factors.
Numbercrunching
These follow a relatively
simple pattern; inputting the
required parameters, fitting
them into the "equation line"
and displaying the results in a
clear manner.
Two subroutines should be
considered almost
indispensable to numbercrunching
activities, one to
round off numerical results to
a desirable number of decimal
places and the other to line up
the decimal points. Answers
like 34.5689302 inches or
£67.24578945 lack realism
and the sight of a VDU screen
full of figure groups zigzagging
from top to bottom is not only
difficult to read, it is quite
revolting in appearance.
Always use TABln) to position
columns, the semicolon as a
delimiter encourages
zigzagging.
Quizzes
Many sophisticated programs
have been written under the
general title of Computer-
Aided-Teaching or Computer-
Aided-Learning. Less
ambitious but surprisingly
useful programs are relatively
easy to write (and certainly
worth saving) based on
questions and answers.
Library
EXPLOSIVE
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An extra twist is to
incorporate random selection
of the pairs to stop the
operator using a sequence.
There is, however, an element
of danger in this type of
program. It tends to breed quiz
addicts. Tape after tape is
saved on all possible subjects
until the entire household
takes on the appearance of a
Bamber Gascoigne Show.
Games
This area is undoubtedly
popular and it cannot be
denied that senior
programmers in the
professional classes devote
many hours to thinking up
new games or introducing new
twists to existing ones.
Unfortunately, a game
program, unless particularly
novel and interspersed with
exciting animation takes a
disproportionate time to
program in relation to the
subsequent playing time. As
programming exercises they
are superb. Whether many of
them are really worth the tape
storage is debatable. Consider
for example the class of
games which could be covered
by the classification "Moon
Landing". They all follow the
same well-worn path . . . you
are in some dangerous James
Kirk situation . . . too much
throttle and you run out of
something or other . . . too
little and you crack the surface
of the moon or Mars or
whatever particular member of
the galactic regions happens
to fit the title. They will all
contain a couple of equations
from the Newtonian tables,
suitably embellished to fit the
game. The most awkward
thing to get right in
programming such a game is
the difficulty factor. Too hard
and the player is frustrated;
too easy and the game is
described as boring.
Enthusiasm
The behaviour pattern of the
players, however much care is
taken with the programming
details, is distressingly
familiar. Great enthusiasm at
first but declining
exponentially towards
complete apathy. For those
who have a genuine love for
game programming the
following little tips may be
found useful;
Explain the rules concisely
in the title page.
Display as much animation