Software: ICSS (Ironic Computer Space Simulator)

[Norbert Landsteiner]

Dear all,

regarding ICSS, please use the version 1.3, which can be downloaded here (source, rim-file, readme):

https://www.masswerk.at/icss/code/icss-1-3.zip

The previous version includes some things, like emulating hardware bugs due to failing components, which were fun for a RetroChallenge project, but don't make much sense for a distributed software. Version 1.3 has been specially revised in anticipation of the PiDP-1!

Especially, recommended options are now *all sense switches off*. This is also the version, which can be found and played at https://www.masswerk.at/icss/.

(Please don't circulate the old version.)

Like Spacewar!, ICSS features a table of hackable constants (loc. oct. 06…031), refer to the source for info. (On the ICCS web page, if you SHIFT-click the tiny button at the bottom-right corner of the display near the DEC logo, where the outlet of the light pen would be located, you can access a GUI to experiment with these parameters.)

Best,

Norbert

[Norbert Landsteiner]

Another fun piece of software to run may be this version of Spacewar! 2B, which represents the version shown at MIT's Parents’ Weekend, Sat. 28 / Sun. 29 April, 1962, but adjusted for a PDP-1 with hardware multiply/divide. This also consolidates the various patch tapes into single program to load.

Including the original "Minskytron hyperspace", as in "warp-induced photonic stress emission", and the original blocky "crock" explosions (© Martin Graetz)!

Mind that in this version a spaceship may be destroyed by the debris of a components ship!

Downloads:

RIM: https://www.masswerk.at/spacewar/sources/spacewar_2b_m_2016.rim

Macro1 source: https://www.masswerk.at/spacewar/sources/spacewar_2b_m_2016.txt

In online-emulation: https://www.masswerk.at/spacewar/2b/?v=spacewar2b_m

Project documentation (long form): https://www.masswerk.at/spacewar/inside/insidespacewar-pt11-spacewar2b-preservation.html

Sense switch options/settings (1: up/on, 0: down/off):

SSW 1
1  INERTIAL ROTATION (angular momentum)
0  BERGENHOLM ROTATION ("gyros")

SSW 2
1  LIGHT GRAVITY
0  HEAVY GRAVITY

SSW 3,4
00  MOVING STARS, NORMAL
01  MOVING STARS, FAST
10  STATIONARY STARS
11  NO STARS

SSW 5 (no effect with SSW 6 "on", see below)
1  HEAVY START TRAP (kills on contact)
0  HEAVY STAR TO ANTIPOINT (warps to corners)

SSW 6
1  NO HEAVY STAR
0  HEAVY STAR ON

(So default configuration is all sense swittches "off".)

With the incorporated patches applied, hyperspace is always on. The ship explodes on the 4th try to jump. Contrarary to the later versions, there is no dot indicating where the ship will reappear.

Best,

Norbert