Autoduel the PC Game

[LokRobster]

This was a fun discovery this morning checking in with SJGames...

Searching for Autoduel Source Code

This request makes me wish my career path had leaned more towards software instead of "mecha/elec/chemical" as is my present specialty and I could reverse engineer the source code myself. Time to exercise my software Contacts.

I bought that game in high school in 1986, even though we didn't have a computer; me and my buddy when halves on the price (i think it was $60?!) and used the Apple][e that we had access to at school in our 'STARS*' time once a week.

The 'build your car' system at the factory was so awesome, since we were doing by pen and paper back then. adding/removing components and finding the perfect balance was sooo fast. the hardcore nature of games back then with no save point (other then opting for the $15k clone!) made significant progress in the game a real achievement.

There is one map between towns that is like a maze. Been too long or I could tell you exactly which towns it is, but if you played it, you probably know which one i mean. It takes 20 minutes if you make a wrong turn, or 2 minutes if you know exactly the way to go or get really really lucky and hit that turn by accident. I remember finally writing it down on paper so I wouldn't miss it again. Making courier runs between towns and hoping to not run out of ammo before your last road-gang encounter - running away while the AI crashes its cars into the walls... good stuff.

I'm really glad the rights have reverted back to SJ. It's a great day for CW fans. Add save points (for us weak-willed modern gamers) and an interface that functions with today's hardware and it's playable and fun as-is!

what kind of fun have ya'll had playing the original Autoduel? i know a lot of you have :)



*Sanger's Talented and Resourceful Students: basically free-form play time for 8 hours at school (one day a week), you passed some kind of IQ test and they let you in... so fun. we played Risk/Ad&D/car wars, watched the occasional educational documentary and talked about it. Best use of school time in the history of schools.

[owenmp]

LokRobster,

According to a 1988 SJ Games Catalog in my inventory of gaming materials, Autoduel had a retail price of $59.95.

A player is highly recommended to create a map of the road system between Watertown and Syracuse.

I wrote some comments regarding Autoduel a few years ago on BoardGameGeek.

Revisiting Autoduel by Origin Systems Inc.
https://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread...in-systems-inc
BoardGameGeek - Car Wars
January 11, 2014

[Blue Ghost]

Originally Posted by LokRobster

This was a fun discovery this morning checking in with SJGames...

Searching for Autoduel Source Code

This request makes me wish my career path had leaned more towards software instead of "mecha/… *snip*

You were going to design and build giant robots at one time? >:)

[TheAmishStig]

It was before my time, but thanks to having way too many books on the video game industry (an in turn being able to go 'Oh, so-and-so from such-and-such book used to work there') sent in a couple possible leads.

Here's hoping one of them can either dig something up, or can point Steve in the direction of someone who can.

[LokRobster]

Originally Posted by Blue Ghost

You were going to design and build giant robots at one time? >:)

YES!

just happened to be working on the Mitsubishi Melfa CR3 today, teaching it to <content deleted>

[LokRobster]

Originally Posted by owenmp

LokRobster,

According to a 1988 SJ Games Catalog in my inventory of gaming materials, Autoduel had a retail price of $59.95.

A player is highly recommended to create a map of the road system between Watertown and Syracuse.

I wrote some comments regarding Autoduel a few years ago on BoardGameGeek.

Revisiting Autoduel by Origin Systems Inc.
https://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread...in-systems-inc
BoardGameGeek - Car Wars
January 11, 2014

thanks Owen!

yeah $60 in 1986 is 'equivalent' to $138 this year (ran through a googled 'inflation calculator')! and that doesn't take into account the difference in my personal salary (minimum wage bus boy for $3.35/hr) to today's robot and semiconductor manufacturing machine guru lol
computer games were sooooo expensive. my 16 year old brain would have been overjoyed to see what 2018 PC games could do, for a fraction of the relative cost. :)

your comments at BBG are great - I never knew about the Sector Edit hacks and such, too funny. The 'taking a bus' trick is amazing. i always figured i was stuck driving!

Did you ever find the answer to the 2014 Purple Flash of Concord?

[43Supporter]

Tried playing the game -- never could get the controls to do what I wanted them to do.

[Blue Ghost]

Oooh, $3.35 an hour brings back memories :) I threw my hard earned stock boy dollars away on SFB and Traveller supps.

I briefly saw an add for Autoduel in NEXUS from Task Force Games, but didn't see any gameplay until a year or two back via YouTube. If that game were made today it would be much different.

[43Supporter]

Originally Posted by Blue Ghost

I briefly saw an add for Autoduel in NEXUS from Task Force Games, but didn't see any gameplay until a year or two back via YouTube. If that game were made today it would be much different.

There's certainly enough driving-sim engines out there; just need to be able to strap a decent gunnery sim on top. (Fun Notion: Co-op Mode -- one player drives; everyone else guns.... :) )

[Tom H.]

Originally Posted by LokRobster

This request makes me wish my career path had leaned more towards software instead of "mecha/elec/chemical" as is my present specialty and I could reverse engineer the source code myself. Time to exercise my software Contacts.

You don't have to second guess too much. You can never really tell how alternate decisions really change things. The devil is always in the details.

I didn't find my software career all that fulfilling. It's more the luck and skill in navigating the opportunities.

Sure you may have had a more compelling skill set for the task of coding a new Car Wars, but the state-of-the-art and detailed skill sets are always changing.