New translation: "Strego"

[Morn]

Hi all!

I've contributed an English translation of the 1992 CPCAI databox bonus program, Strego. It's a strategy game for two to four human players (no AI onboard). Wiki page: http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/Strego

This translation mostly came about due to an earlier discussion (http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/index.php?topic=2615.msg28673#msg28673) started by TastefulMrShip about the lack of Civ/Dune II/The Settlers-type games for the CPC. Strego somewhat fits the bill, although a few arbitrary rules and interface choices mar the experience. It's technically quite impressive though for a 64 KB game (fast tile engine, pretty large map).

Martin

[tastefulmrship]

Wow, thanks for this! STREGO is one of my all-time favourite German 'free' games of all time and now I can actually understand what I am doing!
Brilliant work in the translation! Any plans to trnslate to French, Spanish or Greek? ^_^

There's no need for me to continue my RTS project as STREGO ticks all the boxes! The best 'free' game ever!
It's such a thrill to play, even on your own as 4 different players! Simply superb fun! I'm playing it right now!

HINTS:
- Read the manual
- Read the manual AGAIN!
- Build MINEs.
- Build more MINEs.
- Read the manual, as you've probably forgotten something from the last time you read it.
- Build more MINEs.
- Celebrate at all human culture!


Seriously, great work Morn! It even has a doody MODE 2 loading screen! Nice!

[Morn]

That's some very good salesmanship, Mr Ship. 

For all those not in on the joke (i.e., the world at large): He hates this game. And I don't exactly love it either. Then again, compared to the huge number of CPC games out there that are really unplayable crap, I think it's slightly above average. And at any rate, the selection of strategy games for the CPC is so limited that some new entries can't hurt in my view.

[tastefulmrship]

He hates this game.

HATE is such a strong word. Correct... but strong! ^_^

Anyway, just to add;
You might want to hide some of the files on the disc, so only DISC.BAS, the .TXT and .ASM files are showing. ie, set FELD.BIN, SELECT.BAS, STREGO.BAS, STREGODE.BAS, STREGO.BIN, STREGODE.BIN and TITLE.SCR as 'SYSTEM FILES'.

[Morn]

HATE is such a strong word. Correct... but strong! ^_^

Anyway, just to add;
You might want to hide some of the files on the disc, so only DISC.BAS, the .TXT and .ASM files are showing. ie, set FELD.BIN, SELECT.BAS, STREGO.BAS, STREGODE.BAS, STREGO.BIN, STREGODE.BIN and TITLE.SCR as 'SYSTEM FILES'.

Actually, I like Pirates! among other things for not hiding its internals. All its files are right there. Personally, I prefer that those mystery discs where you can only see the 1 KB starter file and everything else is hidden by default. It just doesn't feel appropriate for an Open Source game like this. IMO it would be as silly as using the BASIC anti-listing flag—just an unneccessary annoyance.

[tastefulmrship]

Actually, I like Pirates! among other things for not hiding its internals. All its files are right there. Personally, I prefer that those mystery discs where you can only see the 1 KB starter file and everything else is hidden by default. It just doesn't feel appropriate for an Open Source game like this. IMO it would be as silly as using the BASIC anti-listing flag—just an unneccessary annoyance.

Sure. You da boss, sir!

[Gryzor]

So, I guess I shouldn't play it... I'll go for another round of Pirates!.

[Morn]

So, I guess I shouldn't play it... I'll go for another round of Pirates!.

Until you've completed the server move, no more gaming for you! 

[Gryzor]

But moooooom!!! It's not even 10pm yet!

[Morn]

But moooooom!!! It's not even 10pm yet!

Go and clean up your room, young man! Besides, Mommie needs the CPC for her horoscope now.

And no reading of CPC tech manuals under the covers, either! 

[Gryzor]

And you said this was MY computer! I hate you, mom, I HATE YOU!

[Morn]

Sweetie, if Mommie has the right numbers in the lottery tomorrow, we'll have enough money to get you one of those newfangled Amigas you've always wanted. Fingers crossed! And I'm sure Grandma would love to get your old CPC for Christmas! You know how much she likes her Krakout:

[MacDeath]

HATE is such a strong word. Correct... but strong! ^_^

Coming from a guy who loves his brick...


How was war in middle earth on CPC ?

[TFM]

Personally, I prefer that those mystery discs where you can only see the 1 KB starter file and everything else is hidden by default.

And if you want so see all System-files and erased-files at once, just use FutureOS 

[Morn]

And if you want so see all System-files and erased-files at once, just use FutureOS 

Indeed, I'll have to investigate that. Part of my frustration with hidden files on the CPC was that I had no documentation or tools that would allow me to make them visible again. Had I realized at the time how easy-to-use expansion ROMs are, maybe the Utopia ROM would have been of interest, but unfortunately I was under the impression that these ROMs had to be soldered in. That's why it's fun to go back to the CPC now and investigate the things I missed at the time. E.g. expansion ROMs, certain games and apps, and playing on a color monitor.

[TFM]

Indeed, I'll have to investigate that. Part of my frustration with hidden files on the CPC was that I had no documentation or tools that would allow me to make them visible again.

Well, for a pure CPC just CP/Ms commands to make DIR files out of SYStem files.

If you have FutureOS. Just tag them, click the REName. And just press RETRUN for all tagged files. This automatically deletes the file attributes like SYS and RO.

Oh, and you can use the !ATTRIBUT RSX of the Dobbertin XD-DOS. And there are for sure other ways.

[Morn]

And there are for sure other ways.

...such as CPC Tools on the 2/91 Databox. But apart from security by obscurity, I don't see any valid reasons to hide files at all. AFAIK you can have perhaps 64 or so file names max per user area on a 3" disc, so it's nothing a 'cat' in MODE 2 cannot handle with ease.

[steve]

The value in hiding files comes with highlighting the one file you should run to launch the program.
I have seen programs on CP/M disks with many files and it is not always obvious which one starts the program.

[TFM]

Ok, good argument for the novice user. And as we know, there are still people joining the CPC. (Yes, few, but they exist).

Well, on the other hand I guess 95% of all users come along with finding the only .BAS file on Disc or whatever.

Personally I want to see all files on Disc. And when I get a new DSK I always use FutureOS to delete all SYS attributes, so I see them all. Further I like to undelete files, oh if you would know what I've found there in that User &E5, you wouldn't believe - and me neither 

[TFM]

Back to topic...

When you press 2 in language selection it takes some time... so I pressed twice, therefore the game jumped to the secons screen.

My suggestion: After loading, plese clean the keyboard buffer, before starting the game.

[tastefulmrship]

My suggestion: After loading, plese clean the keyboard buffer, before starting the game.

I can tell this is your first time playing this. Well, you're in for a keyboard-buffer delay treat! And it's made even MORE fun by the use of, completely unrelated, &BB24 for all movement!
I look forward to your beaming reviews of this strategy classic.


EDIT: Can I just clarify something here? When you use the &BB24 Firmware CALL for movement, the keyboard-buffer is not touched. Which means the moment you hit a &BB1E, the system immediately fetches anything already within the buffer. This comes in 'handy' when placing WALLs around your 9x9 city, as you can hit '5' seven times and then place your upper WALLs by simply hitting FIRE a few times in the right places. It becomes annoying, however, if you hit '5' too many times and then try to place your WALL pieces, as WALLs cannot be demolished or built-upon once placed! It can lead to some weird looking cities!

[Morn]

I can tell this is your first time playing this. Well, you're in for a keyboard-buffer delay treat! And it's made even MORE fun by the use of, completely unrelated, &BB24 for all movement!
I look forward to your beaming reviews of this strategy classic.

These strategically placed defects are all part of my cunning plan to trick forum members into creating Strego Enhanced for me. TastefulMrShip can't wait to replace the loading screen, TFM fills the keyboard buffer like a noob,... Excellent, it's all working out! Oh wait, this was actually supposed to be my internal monologue. 

[tastefulmrship]

TastefulMrShip can't wait to replace the loading screen,

Ooooh boy, you opened a can-of-worms, there! ^_^
How about this beauty!

(apologies to the late Liz Taylor!)

[Morn]

Ooooh boy, you opened a can-of-worms, there! ^_^
How about this beauty!

(apologies to the late Liz Taylor!)

Well, that one should excite men, women, heterosexuals, homosexuals, as well as mermaid fetishists. So I think we have a winner here. 

[TFM]

Yeah! 21+ for pornographic content