Balance
Balance tests your powers of mental arithmetic by giving you a sum to do. The sum appears on one side of a set of scales, and the answer you type in appears on the other.
The pans of the scales balance when the answer is correct, otherwise they tilt.
It's not always easy but it is colourful and fun to play.
| Main Variables | |
| GOES | This keeps count of the number of questions a person has been asked |
| NUMQUES | This is the number of questions a person requires |
| NUM1 | The first of the two numbers to be added |
| NUM2 | The other number |
| NAME$ | The player's name |
| HIGH | The highest number allowed in a question |
| DISPLAY$ | This is a string variable made from adding together NUM1 and NUM2 with a '+' between |
| ANS | The correct answer |
| ANS$ | The string corresponding to ANS |
| REPLY | The answer typed into the Electron |
| REPLY$ | The string corresponding to REPLY. REPLY$ is also used for the reply to the question "another go?" |
| SCORE | The number of correct answers |
| Procedures |
|
| PROCINIT | This defines the characters, sets up the screen, and initialises NUMQUES, HIGH, NAME$ and SCORE |
| PROCSELECT | Selects two random numbers and calculates DISPLAY$ and ANS |
| PROCPAN(X,Y,Z$) | Draws a pan at co-ordiantes X,Y and puts Z$ in the pan |
| PROCCENTRE | Draws the scales in central position |
| PROCINPUT | Takes in your answer and checks it |
| PROCBIG | Handles answers that are too big |
| PROCSMALL | Handles answers that are too small |
| PROCCORRECT | This deals with the correct answers |
| PROCMVE(P) | This moves the scales, the direction depending on whether P is +1 or -1 |
| PROCRESULT | As might be expected, this procedure prints out the results |
Lunar Lander
By Chris Price
LUNAR LANDER gives you the chance to play one of the classic computer games on your micro.
The story goes that, owing to an interstellar catastrophe, you've had to leap into your escape capsule and head for the comparative safety of the Moon.
The trouble is that the ship is a bit primitive, with very few instruments and controls.
You've only got a limited amount of fuel and the lunar surface is coming up fast.
Add to all this that there's only one place you can land safely and you'll see the problems.
Could you survive in such an emergency? Play LUNAR LANDER and find out!
| Procedures | |
| PROCINSTRUCT | Flashes the game's instructions onto the screen |
| PROCINITIAL | Sets up all the user defined characters. It also sets the score to zero |
| PROCMOONSCAPE | Draws the lunar landscape and also displays the instrument readings |
| PROCORBIT | Comes into play when you use too much upthrust and fly off into outer space instead of landing! |
| PROCCRASH | Must be self explanatory! |
| PROCSHIPPLOT | Draws the escape capsule |
| PROCSHIPMOVE | Moves this capsule around the screen |
| PROCSUCCESS | Congratulates you on achieving a safe landing |
Moon Rescue
R. J. Arundale presents you with a tricky and skilful job - save the explorers without getting zapped by a passing asteroid
In MOON RESCUE, you take the part of a space ship's pilot. Forut explorers are stuck on the lunar surface and you have to take a shuttle down to the temporary landing pads to try to bring them back to the ship.
As the shuttle only seats two, you have to make four separate trips.
What makes it harder is that as soon as you take off from the pad, it disintegrates. (Well, they are temporary!). This means you have to head for a different pad for each explorer.
Also you have to leave the ship on autopilot and it won't slow down to help you when you return.
And, of course, there are the asteroids. Some of them are stationary and others, more devious, hurtle along in low, fast orbits.
It's not easy but it is fun. And, like all good games, as you get better at it, it gets harder.
| Procedures | |
| PROCinit | Switches the cursor off, defines envelopes, and produces the high score table |
| PROCast | Moves the asteroids and checks if the lander is hit |
| PROCcrash | Draws the explosion when the lander crashes |
| PROCdisplay | Draws up the screen display |
| PROCchars | Sets up the user-defined graphics |
| PROCfall | Draws an explorer plunging back down to the moon |
| PROCinst | Displays the instructions |
Towers Of Hanoi
Denis Smith has taken an old oriental puzzle and brought it up to date - but it's just as difficult to solve!
Towers Of Hanoi is the Electron version of an age-old puzzle that has confounded generations.
It consists of three posts, the first of which carries a number of rings, each of a different size.
The idea is that you have to move the rings from the post on the left to the middle post.
When you move a ring it has to be slipped onto one of the other two posts, but that's not as easy as it may seem.
The rules state that you cannot put a larger ring on top of a smaller one, so you have to do some careful manoeuvring.
Towers Of Hanoi is simple to play but hard to solve. It's fascinating, frustrating and compulsive.
And don't worry if you have problems, the Electron will show you how to do it if you ask!
