Variations on a maze
From Maze
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(Sidebar? Summary IF and the tradition of box diagram maps, the importance of mazes in Adventure / Zork / Acheton, and the contextual relationship to home computing and dominance of early PC video game industry) | (Sidebar? Summary IF and the tradition of box diagram maps, the importance of mazes in Adventure / Zork / Acheton, and the contextual relationship to home computing and dominance of early PC video game industry) | ||
| − | [[Image:Game-Gotcha-arcade-(1973).jpg|thumb|100px|''Gotcha'' (1973 arcade) a game of tag between two players in a maze-like field of partitions]] | + | [[Image:Game-Gotcha-arcade-(1973).jpg|thumb|160px|''Gotcha'' (1973 arcade) a game of tag between two players in a maze-like field of partitions]] |
| − | [[Image:Game-Amazing_Maze-arcade-(1976).png|thumb|100px|''The Amazing Maze Game'' (1976 arcade) -- a classic maze]] | + | [[Image:Game-Amazing_Maze-arcade-(1976).png|thumb|160px|''The Amazing Maze Game'' (1976 arcade) -- a classic maze]] |
| − | [[Image:Game-Maze_Craze-Atari2600-(1978).png|thumb|100px|''Maze Craze'' (1978 Atari VCS) -- a large set of games -- complete, race-to-complete, tag, etc. -- all played within classic mazes.]] | + | [[Image:Game-Maze_Craze-Atari2600-(1978).png|thumb|160px|''Maze Craze'' (1978 Atari VCS) -- a large set of games -- complete, race-to-complete, tag, etc. -- all played within classic mazes.]] |
In graphical games, one common feature of the many different 2D maze games from the period is orientation: all are rectilinear and aligned to the Cartesian axes. This similarity, it turns out, is even more important than the extent to which given games were maze-like, and different games have different maze aesthetics. The arcade game ''Gotcha'' (1973) staged a game of tag between two players in a maze-like field of disconnected partitions which served as an obstacle course. Conversly, the arcade game ''The Amazing Maze Game'' (1976) implemented a race (two-player or against a computer) to solve a classic continuous closed maze. A similar implementation on the home Atari VCS, ''Maze Craze'' (1978) added to a two-player playable random maze generator a large number of games, including racing, tag, and a mode with invisible walls. | In graphical games, one common feature of the many different 2D maze games from the period is orientation: all are rectilinear and aligned to the Cartesian axes. This similarity, it turns out, is even more important than the extent to which given games were maze-like, and different games have different maze aesthetics. The arcade game ''Gotcha'' (1973) staged a game of tag between two players in a maze-like field of disconnected partitions which served as an obstacle course. Conversly, the arcade game ''The Amazing Maze Game'' (1976) implemented a race (two-player or against a computer) to solve a classic continuous closed maze. A similar implementation on the home Atari VCS, ''Maze Craze'' (1978) added to a two-player playable random maze generator a large number of games, including racing, tag, and a mode with invisible walls. | ||
| − | [[Image:Game-Pac-Man-arcade-(1980).png|thumb|100px|''Pac-Man'' (1980 arcade) -- a maze-like field of partitions must be run while being chased by ghosts]] | + | [[Image:Game-Pac-Man-arcade-(1980).png|thumb|160px|''Pac-Man'' (1980 arcade) -- a maze-like field of partitions must be run while being chased by ghosts]] |
| − | [[Image:Game-Pac-Man-Atari2600-(1982).gif|thumb|100px|''Pac-Man'' (1982 Atari VCS)]] | + | [[Image:Game-Pac-Man-Atari2600-(1982).gif|thumb|160px|''Pac-Man'' (1982 Atari VCS)]] |
''Pac-Man'' (1980) is perhaps the classic maze-like arcade game, although, like ''Gotcha'', it uses partitioning walls as a free-form obstacle course rather than a way of obfuscating the path to escape. When it was reimplemented for the Atari VCS in | ''Pac-Man'' (1980) is perhaps the classic maze-like arcade game, although, like ''Gotcha'', it uses partitioning walls as a free-form obstacle course rather than a way of obfuscating the path to escape. When it was reimplemented for the Atari VCS in | ||
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''Pac-Man'' (1982 Atari VCS) | ''Pac-Man'' (1982 Atari VCS) | ||
| − | [[Image:Game-Ant_Attack-ZX_Spectrum-(1983).gif|thumb|100px|''Ant Attack'' (1983 ZX Spectrum)]] | + | [[Image:Game-Ant_Attack-ZX_Spectrum-(1983).gif|thumb|160px|''Ant Attack'' (1983 ZX Spectrum)]] |
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=== Diagonals === | === Diagonals === | ||
| − | [[Image:10print-diagonal.png|100px|thumb|10 PRINT CHR$(109+RND(1)*2); : GOTO 10]] | + | [[Image:10print-diagonal.png|160px|thumb|10 PRINT CHR$(109+RND(1)*2); : GOTO 10]] |
By contrast, the maze output of 10 PRINT is oriented diagonally, giving it a distinctive visual look. | By contrast, the maze output of 10 PRINT is oriented diagonally, giving it a distinctive visual look. | ||
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=== Orthogonal Weave === | === Orthogonal Weave === | ||
| − | [[Image:10print-orthogonal-weave.png|100px|thumb|10 PRINT CHR$(102+RND(1)*2); : GOTO 10]] | + | [[Image:10print-orthogonal-weave.png|160px|thumb|10 PRINT CHR$(102+RND(1)*2); : GOTO 10]] |
There are no other two characters in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PETSCII PETSCII] data set that, when substituted for our "\" and "/", will result in the construction of a traditional orthogonal maze. Vertical and horizontal bars, for example, result in a disconnected weave, while solid and empty squares result in rough static. | There are no other two characters in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PETSCII PETSCII] data set that, when substituted for our "\" and "/", will result in the construction of a traditional orthogonal maze. Vertical and horizontal bars, for example, result in a disconnected weave, while solid and empty squares result in rough static. | ||
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=== Corners === | === Corners === | ||
| − | [[Image:10print-elbows.png|100px|thumb|10 PRINT CHR$(108+(INT(RND(1)+.5)*3)); : GOTO 10]] | + | [[Image:10print-elbows.png|160px|thumb|10 PRINT CHR$(108+(INT(RND(1)+.5)*3)); : GOTO 10]] |
Randomly selecting corner pieces such as "L", on the other hand, simply turn the image into a honeycomb. | Randomly selecting corner pieces such as "L", on the other hand, simply turn the image into a honeycomb. | ||
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=== Four Walls === | === Four Walls === | ||
| − | [[Image:10print-orthogonal-rough.png|100px|thumb|10 PRINT CHR$(181+(INT(RND(1)+.5)*3)+(INT(RND(1)+.5))); : GOTO 10]] | + | [[Image:10print-orthogonal-rough.png|160px|thumb|10 PRINT CHR$(181+(INT(RND(1)+.5)*3)+(INT(RND(1)+.5))); : GOTO 10]] |
One of the most intuitive methods of constructing a maze-grid is to take an approach like graph paper, using four characters to signify either a top-wall, bottom-wall, left-wall or right-wall for each cell on the grid. Such characters exist in PETSCII in both "thick" and "thin" variants. Such a process is unfortunately less elegant, as these characters are never placed continuously in the PETSCII character set, and so cannot be addressed with a simple offset. | One of the most intuitive methods of constructing a maze-grid is to take an approach like graph paper, using four characters to signify either a top-wall, bottom-wall, left-wall or right-wall for each cell on the grid. Such characters exist in PETSCII in both "thick" and "thin" variants. Such a process is unfortunately less elegant, as these characters are never placed continuously in the PETSCII character set, and so cannot be addressed with a simple offset. | ||
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=== Two Walls === | === Two Walls === | ||
| − | [[Image:10print-orthogonal.png|100px|thumb|10 PRINT CHR$(181+(INT(RND(1)+.5)*3)); : GOTO 10]] | + | [[Image:10print-orthogonal.png|160px|thumb|10 PRINT CHR$(181+(INT(RND(1)+.5)*3)); : GOTO 10]] |
== See Also == | == See Also == | ||
