Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!mit-eddie!uw-beaver!fluke!ssc-vax!dmg
From: dmg@ssc-vax.UUCP (David Geary)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Rocket Ranger's Code Wheel
Keywords: I hate it.
Message-ID: <2327@ssc-vax.UUCP>
Date: 25 Oct 88 16:38:26 GMT
Organization: Boeing Aerospace Corp., Seattle WA
Lines: 57


In article <3255@hubcap.UUCP>, Gary Heffelfinger writes:
>>From article <1368@neoucom.UUCP>, by wtm@neoucom.UUCP (Bill Mayhew):
>> 
>> Finally, I do agree with JP that the code wheel is a dorky idea.
>True, but it's not as dorky as banging floppy drive heads around.
>
>> It seems dumb to have a code wheel on some commodity software like
>> a game.  
>Yeah, but you know, there is one code wheel that's kinda cute.  It may
>be irrational, but I think that it fits into the game better than other
>wheels do.  "Rocket Ranger" uses a secret decoder wheel to calculate the
>amount of fuel needed to make a trip.  It's a very simple wheel to use,
>(even drunken partygoers could handle it ;-) and I'm not as offended by
>it as I am by the one that EA uses with F18.

[Note that I don't own this game and I haven't spent hours playing it
so I could be full of sh*t.]

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...

    First it was MauraderII with their d*mn "look up word 6 on line
8 on page 22" before you can use the program.  Now, it's EA with their
insufferable code wheels.

    Rocket Ranger's code wheel p*sses me off because it's like one of
those commercials that try to appear like they are not a commercial -
you know, a simulated newscast with the words COMMERCIAL MESSAGE
at the bottom of the screen.  The code wheel, we are to believe, is
a *cute* addition to the game, so we can figure out how much fuel
RR needs to hop from country to country.  It is, however, nothing
more than copy protection at it's slimiest worst.

    I rented RR for the weekend.
    I played ONE (count 'em) *ONE* game of it the whole weekend.

    The game ended when I grew tired of looking up values on
    the *secret* (OH PULLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZE)
    decoder wheel, and guessed at a number for fuel.

    The number I guessed was not a valid one to get to Iran or
    whatever, and guess what RR did then.  Did it tell me - "Hey
    that's an illegal value for fuel, try again" - NO it simply
    said something to the effect of:

    WRONG VALUE FOR FUEL ...
    *between the lines - this is probably a pirated copy, we'll show 'em*
    GAME OVER.


    I immediately took out the disk, and returned it to the rental store.

-- 
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~ David Geary, Boeing Aerospace,               ~ 
~ #define    Seattle     RAIN                  ~
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