Dazzle Dart - video game.

doc/hal/dazzl.dart

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+.xgp
+.font 0 30vr kst
+.font 1 30vri kst
+.font 2 36vbee kst
+.spw 16
+.adjust
+.ds
+.ce
+2Dazzle Dart:
+.ce
+Reflections on Computer Games0
+.ce
+Harold Abelson
+.ce
+;Copyright (C) 1975 -- Harold Abelson, Andy diSessa, Nat Goodman
+.sp
+	One of the striking things about the current crop of
+"educational computer games" is the generally tame and above
+all 1stingy0 way in which they use computational resources.
+Computer programs select random numbers, display game boards, and
+prompt players to guess secret words or numbers.  In almost
+every case these things can be done, not
+to mention done better, without using a computer
+at all.  It is
+short-sighted and wasteful to have powerful machines simply replace
+spinners, game boards and flash cards.
+	The game of Spacewar is a notable
+exception.  It is exciting, fast-moving and uses
+the unique capabilities of computer-controlled graphics.
+It is also anathema to large time-sharing systems and other
+CPU-second Scrooges, and perhaps this is the reason why, in almost
+fifteen years, Spacewar is the only game of its caliber which
+has become widely known.  We would like to offer
+Dazzle Dart as another illustration of a game which makes
+effective use of interactive
+computation.
+	Dazzle Dart was designed and implemented at M.I.T.'s LOGO Lab by Hal
+Abelson, Andy diSessa, and Nat
+Goodman.  The basic idea
+for the game, and the name as well,
+come from Malcolm Jameson's 1941 science fiction story "Bullard Reflects."
+Briefly, Dazzle Dart is a team game similar to hockey.  Instead of hitting a 
+puck, the attacking team tries to shine a "beam of light" into a goal.
+The players control moveable mirrors which are used to deflect the beam.  Since 
+the beam moves "instantaneously" players must react to the entire 
+configuration of all the "men" on the field.  The rules require teammates
+to score, not
+by "direct hits," but by setting up reflection patterns
+among all the players.
+(Figure 1)
+.block 15
+.sp 15
+  The rules and 
+parameters (size of playing field, size and speed of the pieces, etc.)
+in the current M.I.T. version of Dazzle Dart have been arranged to 
+make a good game for two teams of two players each, although we intend to experiment 
+with larger teams.  Players can move vertically or horizontally
+(or both at once),
+rotate clockwise and counterclockwise,
+and the player controlling the beam fire it or pass
+it to his teammate.  All the action happens in "real time"
+and with our current speed settings it takes about 5 seconds
+for a player to move down the field or to rotate through 180 degrees.  The
+playing field and starting positions are shown in Figure 2.  
+Players may not move off the field or into the semicircular "forbidden zone" in front of 
+each goal.  A team has 30 seconds in which to score, after which it loses control of the beam.
+.block 15
+.sp 15
+.ss
+.rline 16
+1.  Goals count for one point.  In order to score, the beam must be
+reflected at least once before hitting the goal.  The defending team can 
+score a two-point "touchback" by deflecting the beam into the attacker's home goal.
+.sp
+2.  The beam will reflect at most twice.  If a player
+is hit on the "third bounce" he gains
+control of the beam.  This not only discourages firing at random but also allows the 
+defending team to "steal the beam."  One effective way
+to do this is to guard the player who has the beam
+and move directly in front of and parallel to him at the moment of firing.  Stealing the beam resets the clock and
+starts a new playing period.
+.sp
+3.  The player with the beam can instantaneously "pass" it
+to his teammate by pressing a switch.  This
+feature makes both team members equally dangerous.  In fact, a good
+scoring tactic is for the 
+attacking player who does not have the beam to set up for a shot and
+then rapidly pass and 
+fire.
+.sp
+.ds
+.rline -16
+	Here are some examples of how Dazzle Dart is played.  Figure
+3 shows how the triangle team can score with a fast break from the 
+opening position.  In Figure 4, however, we see that this allows double-square
+to not only block the shot but to steal the beam for his teammate.  Figure
+5 shows how the triangles could lose a point by both guarding single-square, 
+who has the beam.  A pass would allow double-square
+to easily score by
+reflecting off the back
+of single-triangle.  Finally in Figure 6 we see how a skillful block could turn this 
+goal into a touchback.
+.block 15
+.sp 15
+	There are, of course, many possible variations on
+these rules.  We urge you to explore some of them, as well
+as to invent even better computer games.  There is a serious issue
+here for research in computers in education where "frivolous games"
+often serve as models for more serious work.  As technology
+makes the use of small
+stand-alone computers more feasible than in the past, we
+can begin to appreciate how often our work is limited, in
+imagination as well as performance, by the economics of
+time sharing.  Too much current work in CAI is modeled upon
+Twenty Questions
+and Tic-tac-toe.
+

doc/programs.md

@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@
 - D, SUDS drawing program
 - DATE, print date and time.
 - DATSRV, server for RFC 867 Daytime protocol.
+- Dazzle Dart, video game.
 - DCROCK, digital watch.
 - DDTDOC, interactive DDT documentation.
 - DECUUO, TOPS-10 and WAITS emulator.