When I first met Rick Dakan, one of the creators of City of Heroes, we talked about a class he’s teaching at Ringling College of Art and Design in the spring, “The History of Game Art.” The class starts with Spacewar! in 1962 but to my surprise doesn’t cover some of the BASIC games of the timeshare era (circa 1964 to 1976). Yes, some have “art” (in fact, some are only art).
BASIC Computer Games, the first computer book to sell a million copies, is thought of as a collection of microcomputer games. And while the games were edited to run in Microsoft Altair 8K BASIC, almost all of the games were ports of games created on timeshare systems. In fact, many of the games were played by teletype and so produced printed output, output that could be preserved, as art. In fact, the output from some of the examples below was too large to even display completely on one screen on a typical 1970s microcomputer, as you’ll find out for yourself in the emulator.
Here are four examples, all of which you can “play” in your browser. Click the Show output button to have a virtual printout. While these are listed as “Computer Games” they aren’t computer games in any modern sense – diversions, maybe.
Bunny provides an image of a rabbit using the text “BUNNY”.
BUNNY
CREATIVE COMPUTING MORRISTOWN, NEW JERSEY
UN
BUN BUNNYB
BUNNYB NYBUNNYBUN
BUNNYBUN UNNYBUNNYBUN
UNNYBUNNY NNYBUNNYBUNNYB
NNYBUNNYBU UNNYBUNNYBUNNYB
NYBUNNYBUNN YBUNNYBUNNYBUNNY
YBUNNYBUNNY NNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNN
BUNNYBUNNYB UNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUN
UNNYBUNNYBU BUNNYBUNNYBUNNYB
NNYBUNNYBUN YBUNNYBUNNYBUNNY
NYBUNNYBUNNY NYBUNNYBUNNYBUNN
YBUNNYBUNNYB NNYBUNNYBUNNYBU
BUNNYBUNNYBU UNNYBUNNYBUNNYB
UNNYBUNNYBUN BUNNYBUNNYBUNN
NNYBUNNYBUN YBUNNYBUNNYBU
NYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNY
YBUNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNN
BUNNYBUNNYBUNNYBU
NNYBUNNYBUNNY
NYBUNNYBUN
YBUNNYBU
UNNYBUNNYBUNN
NYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNYB
UNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNYBU
BUNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUN
NYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNN
NNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNY
UNNYBUNN UNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNY
BUNNYBUN UNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNYB
YBUNNYBUN UNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNYB
NYBUNNYBUN BUNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNYB
NNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNYB
UNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNYB
NNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNY
NYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNY
YBUNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNN
UNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNN
BUNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNYBUN Y
YBUN YBUNNYB NYBU B
BUNNY NYBUNNYB U
YBUNN U YBUNNYB N
NYBUNN NYBUNNY NYBUNN
NNYBUNNYBUNNYBUNNY UNN
UNN N Y N YBUNNYBU
BU NN N Y Y
NN UNNY
NNY
NY
That’s it. The user can’t even change the text. There is literally no interactivity. This isn’t even sophisticated ASCII art, where letters are chosen for gradients or contrasts. It’s just the word “BUNNY” in a “BUNNY” shape. Yet Ahl elected to include this program in both 101 BASIC Computer Games, published in 1975 with games for timeshare systems, and its successor, published in 1978.
Diamonds introduces a sliver of interactivity. You can specify one of nine different widths of diamonds.
DIAMOND
CREATIVE COMPUTING MORRISTOWN, NEW JERSEY
FOR A PRETTY DIAMOND PATTERN,
TYPE IN AN ODD NUMBER BETWEEN 5 AND 21? 15
C C C C
CC! CC! CC! CC!
CC!!! CC!!! CC!!! CC!!!
CC!!!!! CC!!!!! CC!!!!! CC!!!!!
CC!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!
CC!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!!
CC!!!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!!!!
CC!!!!!!!!!!!!!CC!!!!!!!!!!!!!CC!!!!!!!!!!!!!CC!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CC!!!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!!!!
CC!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!!
CC!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!
CC!!!!! CC!!!!! CC!!!!! CC!!!!!
CC!!! CC!!! CC!!! CC!!!
CC! CC! CC! CC!
C C C C
C C C C
CC! CC! CC! CC!
CC!!! CC!!! CC!!! CC!!!
CC!!!!! CC!!!!! CC!!!!! CC!!!!!
CC!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!
CC!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!!
CC!!!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!!!!
CC!!!!!!!!!!!!!CC!!!!!!!!!!!!!CC!!!!!!!!!!!!!CC!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CC!!!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!!!!
CC!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!!
CC!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!
CC!!!!! CC!!!!! CC!!!!! CC!!!!!
CC!!! CC!!! CC!!! CC!!!
CC! CC! CC! CC!
C C C C
C C C C
CC! CC! CC! CC!
CC!!! CC!!! CC!!! CC!!!
CC!!!!! CC!!!!! CC!!!!! CC!!!!!
CC!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!
CC!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!!
CC!!!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!!!!
CC!!!!!!!!!!!!!CC!!!!!!!!!!!!!CC!!!!!!!!!!!!!CC!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CC!!!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!!!!
CC!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!!
CC!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!
CC!!!!! CC!!!!! CC!!!!! CC!!!!!
CC!!! CC!!! CC!!! CC!!!
CC! CC! CC! CC!
C C C C
C C C C
CC! CC! CC! CC!
CC!!! CC!!! CC!!! CC!!!
CC!!!!! CC!!!!! CC!!!!! CC!!!!!
CC!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!
CC!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!!
CC!!!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!!!!
CC!!!!!!!!!!!!!CC!!!!!!!!!!!!!CC!!!!!!!!!!!!!CC!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CC!!!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!!!!
CC!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!! CC!!!!!!!!!
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CC!!! CC!!! CC!!! CC!!!
CC! CC! CC! CC!
C C C C
Love is the most artistic selection of these programs.
LOVE
CREATIVE COMPUTING MORRISTOWN, NEW JERSEY
A TRIBUTE TO THE GREAT AMERICAN ARTIST, ROBERT INDIANA.
HIS GREATEST WORK WILL BE REPRODUCED WITH A MESSAGE OF
YOUR CHOICE UP TO 60 CHARACTERS. IF YOU CAN'T THINK OF
A MESSAGE, SIMPLE TYPE THE WORD 'LOVE'
YOUR MESSAGE, PLEASE? LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED
LOVE IS ALL YOU NEEDLOVE IS ALL YOU NEEDLOVE IS ALL YOU NEED
L OU NEEDLOVE IS ALL YOU NEE ALL YOU NEED
LOV YOU NEEDLOVE IS ALL YOU YOU NEED
LOVE L YOU NEEDLOVE IS ALL Y U NEED
LOVE L YOU NEEDLOVE IS ALL IS A NEED
LOVE L YOU NEEDLOVE IS ALL VE IS AL NEED
LOVE L YOU NEEDLOVE IS ALL OVE IS ALL NEED
LOVE L YOU NEEDLOVE IS ALL LOVE IS ALL NEED
LOVE L YOU NEEDLOVE IS ALL DLOVE IS AL NEED
LOVE L YOU NEEDLOVE IS ALL EDLOVE IS A NEED
LOVE L YOU NEEDLOVE IS ALL EEDLOVE IS NEED
LOVE L YOU NEEDLOVE IS A L NEEDLOVE IS NEED
LOVE L YOU NEEDLOVE IS A L NEEDLOVE I NEED
LOVE L YOU NEEDLOVE IS L EEDLOVE NEED
LOVE L YOU NEEDLOVE IS L EDLOV NEED
LOVE L YOU NEEDLOVE L NEED
L L YOU YOU NEED
L L YOU NEE ALL YOU NEED
L U NEE D
L U NEE D
LOVE L YOU NEEDLOV S ALL YOU VE IS ALL YO D
LOVE YOU NEEDLO IS ALL YOU VE IS ALL YOU D
LOVE YOU NEEDLO IS ALL YOU VE IS ALL YOU N D
LOVE I YOU NEEDL IS ALL YOU VE IS ALL YOU NE D
LOVE I YOU NEEDL IS ALL YOU VE IS A L YOU NEED
LOVE IS OU NEED E IS ALL YOU VE IS L YOU NEED
LOVE IS OU NEED E IS ALL YOU L YOU NEED
LOVE IS U NEE VE IS ALL YOU VE IS L YOU NEED
LOVE IS U NEE VE IS ALL YOU VE IS A L YOU NEED
LOVE IS A NE OVE IS ALL YOU VE IS ALL YOU NE D
LOVE IS A NE OVE IS ALL YOU VE IS ALL YOU N D
LOVE IS AL N LOVE IS ALL YOU VE IS ALL YOU D
LOVE IS AL LOVE IS ALL YOU VE IS ALL YO D
LOVE IS ALL DLOVE IS ALL D
LOVE IS ALL DLOVE IS ALL D
LOVE IS ALL YOU NEEDLOVE IS ALL YOU NEEDLOVE IS ALL YOU NEED
Finally, Bug is an implementation of The Game of Cootie. And is as little a game as its inspiration: the computer rolls for you, and if you get a new body part of the bug, adds it to your bug, otherwise nothing happens on your turn. You race the computer. All you can do is type “Y” or “N” to decide whether you want to see the illustrations as you go. Here’s an example of the end game:
I ROLLED A 6
6=LEGS
I NOW HAVE 6 LEGS.
MY BUG IS FINISHED.
DO YOU WANT THE PICTURES?? Y
*****YOUR BUG*****
A A
A A
A A
A A
HHHHHHH
H H
H O O H
H H
H V H
HHHHHHH
N N
N N
BBBBBBBBBBBB
B B
B B
TTTTTB B
BBBBBBBBBBBB
L L L L L
L L L L L
*****MY BUG*****
F F
F F
F F
F F
HHHHHHH
H H
H O O H
H H
H V H
HHHHHHH
N N
N N
BBBBBBBBBBBB
B B
B B
TTTTTB B
BBBBBBBBBBBB
L L L L L L
L L L L L L
I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE GAME, PLAY IT AGAIN SOON!!
Arguably the most famous BASIC game of the timeshare era is Star Trek. It starts with an illustration:
,------*------,
,------------- '--- ------'
'-------- --' / /
,---' '-------/ /--,
'----------------'
THE USS ENTERPRISE --- NCC-1701
One program Ahl did omit from the revised edition was the misogynistic UGLY (page 228): “This program draws on the terminal the profile of a woman. It gives you an opportunity to specify the ‘dimensions’ of your woman (termed SPECIAL) or take your chances (CHANCE). The computer draws your figure and then makes a determination whether or not to call your woman ugly or just leave it up to your own judgement.” A wise omission.
Another omission, though, was BOAT, which actually – like Bug – updated graphics in response to the game state. In this case, showing a gun boat gradually sinking in its battle with a submarine:
Another omission from the original wasn’t even a program. It was simply ASCII art:
(I have fond memories of visiting my dad at work in the 1970s and seeing the mainframe room. One of the techs gave me an ASCII-art Snoopy calendar.)
Clearly art in computer games has come a long way from these modest beginnings. But since I’m mainly interested in the history of BASIC, in future posts, I’ll look at more practical printed output from these “games” and then separately at some of the primitive visualization tools that were included.
Updated 2022-08-18: added BOAT from 101 BASIC Computer Games.
