Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!mailrus!ames!amdcad!sun!pitstop!sundc!seismo!uunet!mcvax!ukc!warwick!jmb
From: jmb@warwick.UUCP (James M Beckett)
Newsgroups: comp.sources.games.bugs
Subject: Re: wanderer2, screens 13,16,17,18,20
Summary: I agree,  but it'll break screens...
Message-ID: <816@ubu.warwick.UUCP>
Date: 10 Nov 88 03:05:27 GMT
References: <427@occrsh.ATT.COM> <438@occrsh.ATT.COM> <256@cstw01.UUCP> <443@occrsh.ATT.COM>
Sender: news@warwick.UUCP
Reply-To: jmb@opal.UUCP (James Beckett)
Organization: Computer Science, Warwick University, UK
Lines: 32

In article <443@occrsh.ATT.COM> rjd@occrsh.UUCP (Randy_Davis) writes:
>think the little monsters should follow is to go straight until they hit
>something, then go clockwise around whatever they hit, following the
>perimeter.  Maybe I think they should be smarter than they are.  What does
>the author Steve Shipway think? (it seems that none of my mail to him gets
>through - perhaps posting will).
>

You can try... We've been trying to persuade him ever since he created
the little monsters, long before Wanderer was posted.  (I was there in
the beginning, yes, I can still remember: "Come on, come on, test it;
I've added boulders now..." ;-) ) I too think they should go straight
on if they lose their way, but Steve insists that doing what they do
is correct, and indeed A Feature.

The question is, how many screens will be broken (!?) if it is
implemented?  I know of several cases where it will certainly make a
very difficult screen too easy (although it'll depend on which way
they end up pointing after being stunned).  It's happened for other
fairly minor updates, like order of arrow movement, except that that
usually cut the other way. 

-James

Disclaimer: I can't even remember how to do my own screens now.
+----------------------------------+------------------------------------+
 James Beckett, Computer Science,  | JANET:  jmb@uk.ac.warwick.cs
 University of Warwick,            |  UUCP:  ...!mcvax!ukc!warwick!jmb
 Coventry CV4 7AL,  England.       | PHONE:  +44 203 520995
+----------------------------------+-------------------------------42---+
  "I, however, do not like to eliminate the impossible."  -Dirk Gently
  "Except, of course,  screen 18 of Wanderer"