I Found Gold in a Hidden Castle Vault

Some scientists are harnessing the power of AI to create new medicines that can target cancer cells. Entrepreneurs are using AI to craft winning business proposals. Even high school students are getting assistance with assignments with the aid of AI. 

What is Dennis doing with the raw power of artificial intelligence? He's having Gemini create a 80s-inspired text adventure game with a classic, old-school feel.  Perhaps the endeavor is not as important as what others are doing but it's pretty fun, nevertheless.

  ... You use your foot to gently push the stone cube from its position on the floor, sliding it carefully toward the bronze pressure tile. The cube makes contact with the tile, and with a soft click, the low magical humming in the room suddenly stops. The faint lines of magic you saw earlier vanish, and the air feels still and clear. You've successfully disarmed the trap. You are now free to take the treasure from the royal vault without fear of magical repercussions. The chests are open and overflowing with gold, jewels, and artifacts, and the golden crown sits unguarded on the pedestal. What will you do? Will you take the gold, the crown, or something else?"

> Take a break and rest. 

That's probably a smart move. A lot has happened. You've braved a guard, climbed a wall, solved a series of puzzles, and disarmed a magical trap. You've earned a break. The royal vault is still and silent, and with the trap disarmed, it seems like the safest place you could be. You find a comfortable spot on a large pile of silken tapestries and take a moment to rest. When you're ready to continue your adventure, just let me know.

Ori and the Will of the Wisps

Day 134 - On a day when news broadcasts are depressing, with bad news about the COVID-19 outbreak, tanking markets around the world, and travel and event cancellations and restrictions, I couldn't imagine a computer game so relaxing!

I am still on a three-month trial of Microsoft's Xbox Games Pass for the PC. I downloaded this title although I've yet to finish 'Old Man's Journey' or start any of the other five or so games. Ori's images and music are beautifully stunning. My cheap, Chinese controller seemed to work automatically with this game too.

From Sir Graham to the Old Man

Day 126 - Concepts don't necessarily change but technology surely does. I am really happy with my new Acer All-in-One PC. Buying a new one has sort of reinvigorated my relationship with computers.



It was exciting being on the 'cutting edge' in 1985 with an 8088 IBM PC clone. I was working in Saudi Arabia at the time and access to bootlegged games was just about all that one could find to run on it. Meeting Sir Graham on a 360K floppy disk was when I fell for graphic adventure games. However, I have hardly looked at a computer game in the intervening 35 years.

As my brand new computer has a 24" HD screen, I decided to try the new 'Xbox app for Windows 10 PCs'. Microsoft offered me three months of connectivity and access to over 100 games via Xbox Live for CAD $1.12. Sure, they wanted to see if they could hook me. That was probably a good idea to entice an avowed non-gamer. Okay, it's working ...

Old Man's Journey is a delightful, relaxing puzzle game. In plays almost like King's Quest I. However, a lot has taken place in the development of computer graphics and sound in the years between these titles. Every so often, one finds clues as to the reason for the old man's quest. These are presented in the form of memories. I'm only around halfway through the game, but I've already surmised he in on his way to visit his estranged daughter. (Gosh, I hope that wasn't too much of a spoiler.) Pardon me, while I put on headphones and help get the protagonist to his goal.

A Controller Emulator. Really?

Day 125 - If I keep buying junk here in Malaysia, I'm going to have to fork over extra cash for excess baggage. Yet, our new Acer all-in-one with its 24" screen and a Microsoft Games Pass for PCs prompted me to buy a game controller yesterday. I'm sure I'll figure a way to get it all back to Canada next month.



I haven't really ever been much of a game player. I did own a PlayStation something once, but that was mostly for access to a Blu-ray player when it became obvious it was going to win against a competing format called HD-DVD. My experience with game controllers for PCs has been non-existent. I assumed that, like computer mice, they'd become standardized over the last couple of decades. Oops, wrong!

This cheap, Chinese controller is going to require emulator software in order to make it appear and operate like an Xbox controller. There's nothing on the package to indicate how or where to do this. I guess I like mucking around with electronic junk, so all's okay.

My Addiction Started Here

I have this notion that I should eventually be able to locate most of my personal details here at this site. Piece by piece, or rather entry by entry, I am creating a story of things which are important to me. Or in this case, I've got something which was important to me.

I know I've previously made mention of my first computer. I'll call it a computer although a modern calculator has about the same processing power. I didn't purchase my TRS-80 Model 1 at a Radio Shack store. I remember going to Manchester, NH to buy it at a large store that sold many types of computers of the time. It's been so long that I couldn't venture a guess as to what the other companies would have been.

I was in college, so money would have been precious, but I just had to have one of these. This was when a person had to learn BASIC to do anything useful on a computer. Games and programs used to come on cassette tapes. Hamarabi and backgammon come to mind. I remember writing a math flashcard-type program for kids. I brought it to my first teaching practicum in New London, NH in 1980. My supervisor wrote it up in my evaluation as "an interesting use of a teaching machine."

Computer Expenditures Falling

Since the mid-1980's there's most always been a computer, related product, or PC peripheral on my wish list. I mean there has seldom been a time during the last 25 years when I couldn't find something I thought would make a intriguing purchase. Some items have turned out more useful over the long term than others. For example, I can only smile in trying to remember why I was so keen on getting a zip drive years back.

Strangely, there's not much in the way of computer equipment that I want at the moment. I'm not sure whether this has to do with the maturing of the market or me. I look forward with anticipation every Thursday. Every week, I get an email containing sales and deals at my computer shop. Lately though, I've just not been able to find much that I'm interesting in buying.

I suppose I could go in for a better graphics card for the home PC. I don't play games on it, but it might be nice to connect directly to the living room television. I sometimes stream content through the PS3, but there are times it'd be easier just to switch from my monitor directly to the HDTV. For example, because of my Canadian IP, I'm not able to play Hulu content unless I VPN into a site which provides a temporary US one. My PlayStation cannot run ordinary PC programs and so doing this becomes harder. It might be easier to watch foreign television by simply switching to the 42" screen via a new video card. Nearly all cards, even the most basic, now support HDTV.

I guess this gives me a reason to buy one more product from NCIX. After this? I don't need a 1.5TB hard drive yet. I don't want a wide-screen monitor as my digital 19" one is better when working with photos. Even, my Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 CPU seems robust enough for a while longer.

Sigh. I'm sure something will come along ...

Step Aside, Sir Graham!

I kept dying. My Playstation 3 came bundled with one game. It was fun racing around MotorStorm's dirt track but I have to be honest; I didn't take much time to really put the game through its paces. I found it disheartening when involved in a serious enough accident to cause death. The screen slows down and one's flying body bounces around pitifully. It doesn't really hurt though. There's not much to prevent one from racing around rather foolishly and recklessly.

I wanted to see something else and have been interested in graphic adventure games since King's Quest I on the PC. Although amazing in 1986, Sir Graham appeared as a little stick figure on the CGA cards of the day. Last week, I stopped by the Canadian Superstore as they had a newer adventure game on sale. I wanted it.

I picked up Uncharted - Drake's Fortune. There was about a half hour over the weekend when I had some extra time. I began the game and so far it has more than met my expectations. In fact, the graphics I saw would have to be categorized as stunning. I've only been on the island for a little while but the lush vegetation is very impressive in high definition 720P. A waterfall was pretty enough, so that I simply had to walk up the river and take a better look. The storyline was engrossing and has made me want to get further involved.

I can hardly wait to take occasional extra minutes to explore more.

The Harbor Gameroom

A person could read any blog from the beginning. However, if there happens to be any logical development in the topic, then it occurs in reverse chronological order. For example, here's a recap of the last few days:

Last Friday, I mentioned that I had brought my camera to BCIT.

So, on Saturday, I showed a picture taken in the computer lab.

On Sunday, that led me to consider the music at the beginning of the PC era.

Yesterday, I spent some time discussing the movie, TRON, from that time period.

Now here's the current connection: The movie, TRON, contained arcade games as an important aspect of the plot. This has led me look around for a picture of the gang who brought Pacman to the Harbor at Sunapee, New Hampshire. Look at the friends in the picture who began The Harbor Gameroom. Thanks to Bret Wirta's endless business acumen, Joel Thomas's engineering aptitude, and the good fortune of the arcade boom, we created a summer business during my college years.

Although the building no longer exists, our business is kept alive in memory. Our large roof sign now sits in the Sunapee Historical Society.



"Come Play With Me .... at the Harbor Gameroom". That's what
the t-shirts used to say and it was accurate for the hundreds of local
and visiting patrons. I'm in the back. In the first row, Joel Thomas
is on the left. Bret Wirta appears in the middle and his brother, Mark
Wirta is on the right.

Sir Graham vs. Vince

I remember the original King's Quest on the computer that's pictured in yesterday's entry. I was amazed when I first saw it. As one moved the little stick man to the edge of the screen with the keyboard's arrow keys, new pages appeared.


On Thanksgiving, I bought an XBOX. I'm working through an adventure game called Voodoo Vince. I am again amazed. Now, I'm using a game controller to move a highly-defined, burlap, animated character. He exists in an expansive, 360-degree, 3-dimensional world with lighting and textures.