Path: utzoo!utgpu!attcan!uunet!mcvax!play
From: play@cwi.nl (The MC Funhouse Master)
Newsgroups: comp.sources.games.bugs
Subject: Re: Wanderer screen 13
Message-ID: <573@sering.cwi.nl>
Date: 28 Jul 88 21:25:15 GMT
References: <480@moncsbruce.oz>
Organization: CWI, Amsterdam
Lines: 46

I stand corrected.

In article <480@moncsbruce.oz> cjs@moncsbruce.oz (Chris Stuart) writes:
 > EVERY screen in wanderer is soluble exactly as given, using the
 > source exactly as given. Even screen 13.
 > 
While I maintained it is not possible.

 > I cheated in the usual way - by keeping a dump of input
 > keystrokes and reusing them up until just before the previous
You can hardly call that cheating.
 > mistake. Even so, it took many false attempts and failed
 > strategies to get number 13.
I can imagine; i have not yet solved it in the original version.
 > 
 > With this one fix only to the source, there is a run to
 > completion with a final score of 10144. This run collects every
 > trap, diamond and packed earth from every screen, except for two
 > packed earths on screen 6, which i think have to be left to
 > protect you from arrows.
I think so too.  If we add a piece of earth at the place of the dollar
sign below:
	###O#######################*############
	#*>:*           $::::= O=*OO      :<<<O=
	#==:    !      OOO:=   *=*::    ==*<*<*=
	#       *<<>>>>::::=== = =      X=======
screen 6 can be done except for only one piece of earth.
 > 
 > The 13 screens are very clever, although i suspect the solution to number
 > 13 is due not so much to clever design, as to good fortune. Good game.
I presume the author of the screen (who is the author of the game) did not
realise what the sprites would do when starting with a game.

 > I look forward to seeing a new version with a larger screen, and without
 > the feature that lets sprites occasionally eat up other objects.
This was my problem.  On the 22nd turn with screen 13 a piece of land is
eaten that holds the three arrows.  Now, finally, I found a way to prevent
this (and I believe there is only one way here).  Still I think the intention
of this screen is quite different from what you see with the original version
of the program.  I corrected some bugs and changed some things in the source
(I fixed also the eating problem), so that in our version you can play screen 13
according to the spirit.  I have send these changes to the author and I
presume they will be included in the updated version he intends to post.
-- 
Game Keeper
Mail: play@cwi.nl