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

[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.... :) )

[seawolf509]

Originally Posted by Blue Ghost

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

.

Long lost Brother!

[owenmp]

No, I did not discover the background of the 2014 Purple Flash. I have guessed it was a neutron bomb but I do not know the reason why that city would have been targeted such as Lake Geneva, Wisconsin where a nuclear detonation created the Wrath of God Crater. :o)

[J. Roberts]

Originally Posted by owenmp

No, I did not discover the background of the 2014 Purple Flash. I have guessed it was a neutron bomb but I do not know the reason why that city would have been targeted such as Lake Geneva, Wisconsin where a nuclear detonation created the Wrath of God Crater. :o)

I'm assuming that's a good-natured jab at TSR. That, or the Russkies really hated 2nd edition AD&D.

[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? >:)