“K., let’s sec Altitude: 32,000 feet; Speed: Mach 1.3; Location: Just crossing the ‘Line of Death’ heading into Libya. Uh-Oh, two Bogies at one one o’clock! Arm short range, heat seeking missiles! There’s one of them?EUR??,,????'??+FIRE! Bingo. Scratch one Bogey! Eat your heart out, Tom Cruise!”

What . . . oh . . . uh. I didn’t see you reading over my shoulder. What am I doing? Well, you see, well I . . oh, O.K. you caught me and I’ll have to admit it, I play games on my computer! If the truth were known a lot of supposedly serious business computer users have a copy of Microsoft’s Flight Simulator tucked away in their desks.

Since I know that you are eager to maintain a “State of the Art” knowledge of the computer developments of today I thought we would use this month’s column to explore the lighter side of personal computing.

I was browsing in a computer store back in the early days of my computer life when I came upon an innocent little program called Flight Simulator. The package was well designed and appealing. It mentioned that this program was based on a real Cessna aircraft and was as close to the real thing as could be designed. I was seduced and bought the program. Late that night I was still at the controls and firmly hooked on computer games. I have seen reviews of this program done by actual pilots that mention how true to the real thing this “game” is. I guess that this program would have to be rated Number 1 in my list of the “Top Eight.”

Once the initial reluctance to play a computer game was broken, it wasn’t long before I found myself reading reviews of the latest games and keeping an eye out toward the game section in my local dealer’s showroom. Before long my efforts were rewarded when I discovered another simulation type game called GATO. This program is a World War II submarine simulator complete with enemy destroyers and depth charges that can ensure you a quick and watery grave in Davey Jones Locker. Once again, I found myself in front of the screen until wee hours of the morning trying to sink the Bismarck.

When I came to California it was by way of Reno, Nevada and while there, I found another of my “Top Eight” in a little computer store there. What’s Reno known for? Gambling of course, therefore it only stands to reason that they should have casino simulation computer games. Casino is just such a program. This outstanding program has three parts: Slot machine, Blackjack, and Poker. The Poker and Blackjack portions deal cards on screen just like a real dealer would in Reno or Vegas. The slot machine is not as nice as I think it could be, but the other modules make up for it.

Remember when Saturday afternoons were spent in the local “Pool Hall” playing the pinball games? Well, thanks to a program called: Night Mission Pinball you can relive some of those memories on your computer screen. This program is set up exactly like an old time pinball machine. It even shows a quarter going in the slot when you press the “Q” key. This version of the game is a little more flexible than the real thing was. You can change the number of balls you get per game, change the points required to get a free game, change the amount of bounce the bumpers give, or any other parameter of the game. I quickly learned how to set it up so that even I could win.

It wasn’t long after finding Pinball that I came across the program that simulated the other Saturday afternoon activity in my hometown, Pool. This program presents you with a top down view of a standard snooker table. This is the default game, however you can change everything about the game. If you desire you can even turn off all friction and watch the balls bounce around forever. The game is very good at teaching about angles and forces, which is really what pool is all about anyway. Once you have selected the shot you want with the bracket keys, you line up the shot with the plus and minus keys and press the space bar to shoot. You can play against yourself, the computer, or another person if you wish. There is even a “look ahead” feature that lets you see what will happen if you shoot with the cueball in any one position (I have great fun playing against someone who doesn’t know about that feature).

About this time, Sub Logic announced another flight simulator type program called Jet. It instantly became an overnight best seller. This program is based on either an F-16 or F-18 and can be flown on target bombing runs, or dogfights based either on land or from a carrier. Although it is not (and isn’t advertised as such) a true to life “simulation,” it is great fun. Another plus for Jet is the ability to use Scenery disks developed for the original Flight Simulatory program. The Jet game also allows you to view the plane from the control tower as well as from the cockpit. I just love to buzz the control tower and watch it happen at the same time.

The Second Generation

I have saved the best for last. The remaining two games are so different and advanced that I thought they deserved special attention. These games are head and shoulders above the crown when it comes to computer simulation type games. The first is NFL Challenge by XOR Software. This game is based on the NFL during the 1984 season. You start this game by choosing a team and coach (Computer or Human) and calling a coin toss. From that point on you and your opponent are head coaches of the selected teams and call plays and defenses just like you would if you were on the sidelines in the real NFL. The really incredible part of the game comes after you have selected your play or defense. The screen clears and a very very good simulation of the play is run uses x’s and o’s. This simulation is so true to life that the outcome is never certain. There can be injuries, fumbles, interceptions and other things happen just like in a real NFL game. You or your opponent can change any player, call time out, call audibles at the line or any of several other options at any time during the game. This game is a definite must for any computer-using football fan.

The other game that I recently came across is called Mean 18 by Accolade Software. The reason I think you might be interested in this “game” is that it relates fairly closely to the field of Landscape Architecture. Mean-18 is a golf simulation game, but that’s not all; it is also a golf course architect game. Several famous courses such as St. Andrews and Pebble Beach come with the game, but the game also includes an architect module that lets you change anything in the design of these courses or design completely new courses at your whim. You control all aspects of the course, such as tree placement, water hazard, bunker placement, size and contour. You also can control the height of the fairway and the shape and contour of the greens. There is literally nothing that you cannot design or change in the quest for the ultimate course. After you have finished designing the course you use the golf part of the program to actually play the course you have just designed. I know courses that have actually simulated their own course and make it available to members in the clubhouse on rainy days.

Next time we’ll… uh, oh, you’ll have to excuse me now – I have a Bogey on my tail that I have to take care of before he locks on.