Classic Tradewars

Anything else unrelated to gaming can go here.
Post Reply
User avatar
Tark
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2011 2:26 pm

Classic Tradewars

Post by Tark »

Just a quick note to announce that I am running TradeWars version 1.03 at Blue Lobster BBS. This is the classic BBS game and possibly the most successful BBS door game ever written. I'm trying to scare up some players for it and thought there might be some here at Dos Games.

This is a 1,000 sector game. Version 1.03 runs on a single node allowing only one player at a time for a fixed number of turns and a fixed time limit each day. The game has 15 ships, all Earthlike planets, no limpets, no transporters, no interdictor planets or cruisers, etc. It does have Computer Interrogation Mode.

For a real retro experience, try logging into the game running the Tradewars Freeware Terminal in DOSbox!

Telnet://bluelobster.dyndns.org

(For those unfamiliar with TradeWars, here is a brief description:

TradeWars is an interactive multiplayer war game that involves buying and selling products to make money, buy ships and weapons, build planets, build fortifications on planets, and to attack and conquer other players' planets. It is played in a universe of 1,000 random sectors (usually, in the older game). When the game begins there are two planets already in existence, Terra, which provides some products and colonists for planet building, and Ferrengal, the Ferrengi homeworld protected by space mines and fighters. Once a day, the game updates and adds products and fighters to the planets, products to the ports, and introduces alien players, either good or bad, who then move through the game. There is also a StarDock in one sector where ships, ship hardware, and weaponry is sold, with a bank, an ANSI movie theater, a tavern, and Federation police headquarts. There is also an underground available only to evil players.

Players name their character in the game, their ship, their corporation, and their planets. As they play, they establish through their actions whether they are good or evil; each approach has its advantages. The game can be very addictive.
)
Last edited by Tark on Thu Aug 04, 2011 12:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Blue Lobster BBS
bluelobster.dyndns.org
User avatar
Dogbreath
Admin
Admin
Posts: 4620
Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2002 7:02 pm
Location: In the back of a jacked-up Ford.

Post by Dogbreath »

Looks nifty! I'll give it a try this weekend.
User avatar
Cmaza
Way too much free time
Way too much free time
Posts: 374
Joined: Sun Jun 08, 2003 4:47 am
Location: Perth, Western Australia

Post by Cmaza »

Might look into it. Thanks for sharing. :)

(( Do come back and post again some time though. People coming here, making one post to advertise something and never coming back again makes us feel lonely inside. ))
User avatar
Tark
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2011 2:26 pm

Post by Tark »

I guess it could be bad form to post once and never come back. So far, 79 views and no takers (which makes me feel lonely inside).

It seems to me that people who like DOS games should also like telnet BBSs, since they run old games originally written to run in DOS, like Tradewars, and there is a lot of old DOS freeware, shareware and so forth out there on telnet.

I don't know any DOS gamers. Maybe they would find the BBS world repugnant. Anyway, it was worth a shot, and the invitation still stands.
Blue Lobster BBS
bluelobster.dyndns.org
User avatar
Dogbreath
Admin
Admin
Posts: 4620
Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2002 7:02 pm
Location: In the back of a jacked-up Ford.

Post by Dogbreath »

Not at all, for a while (a year or so?) this forum had it's own (very unofficial) BBS, complete with several BBS games, and tons of downloadable games. (the sort you can't put on a law abiding site ;)) I spent a lot of time on it. However, nowadays I work like 12+ hours a day, and often don't have private internet access. Plus, I'm in Japan atm. I promise I'll get on and play tonight, though. There's a Typhoon coming in, so there's not much else I can do.
User avatar
Dogbreath
Admin
Admin
Posts: 4620
Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2002 7:02 pm
Location: In the back of a jacked-up Ford.

Post by Dogbreath »

Got on and played for a little bit, the lag was too horrible to make it very enjoyable. I'm sure it's a lot better when you're not on the other side of the world from Kentucky. Otherwise it was pretty fun. Maybe you'd like to post a brief walk-through in your OP for those not really acquainted with telnet or Tradewars?
User avatar
Tark
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2011 2:26 pm

Post by Tark »

Actually I think I've identified other problems related to the speed it runs at. The speed of execution is configurable, and I'm going to double it and see how that works. If you get a chance, please check it out and let me know. I hesitated to speed it up because I like the startup animation.

(I've been in Japan four times, twice at Yokota AFB, once in Tokyo and once in Tokyo airport, and I've always liked what I saw. I was on my way to or from Seoul each time, but that was a long time ago and it was an all-expenses-paid trip if you know what I mean.)
Blue Lobster BBS
bluelobster.dyndns.org
liuvincent19
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2011 4:06 pm

Post by liuvincent19 »

The game has 15 ships, all Earthlike planets, no limpets, no transporters, no interdictor planets or cruisers, etc. It does have Computer Interrogation Mode.
User avatar
Cmaza
Way too much free time
Way too much free time
Posts: 374
Joined: Sun Jun 08, 2003 4:47 am
Location: Perth, Western Australia

Post by Cmaza »

Sorry for delay - I intended on joining up quite some time ago, but as usual, got busy with other things, etcetera.

I've just signed up now, and looks pretty good. A -little- slow, but more than tolerable.

If I may ask, once I've registered and logged into the server, where do I find the game?
Post Reply