Legos

About 16 years ago, I collected some Lego sets.  A small variety, the Robotics Invention System 1.5 and 2.0, a couple of Droid Developer kits, a darkside kit, some misc. blocks, the Bionicle Manas set.

Recently, I thought about upgrading my lego micro computer blocks the something newer.  The Lego NXT, and EV3, sets seem kinda beyond my current budget...So I thought about what else can I do?  What do I have available? 

   RCXs: 2 (a 1.5, and a 2.0)

   Spybot: 1

   Bionicle Manas: 2 (one set)

   Microscouts: 3

I also have:

  Android phones: 2 (plus one I use everyday).

  Android Tablets: 2

Maybe I can program the RCXs to accept commands from my android devices...

On the Android devices, I do write some programs in a language called: RFO Basic!  It is on the play store.  We also have a forum on tapatalk.  HERE   Do check it out!  (Before you laugh, this is a fully modern BASIC that can access the sensors on your android phone.  Really cool!) 

My current idea:

  I could write control programs in RFO basic, which would use bluetooth to talk to an Arduino, and it would use IR to talk to the RCXs/etc.  It could also use small LEDs to control the microscouts...

Where did the time go?

Hi there!  Sorry for the really really long wait...I got busy...had to move, find a new house, wade through the paperwork, and seemingly endless inspections..(oy!)  Move in to the new place, wait for things to settle down...Didn't seem like three years!  (wowzers!)

I did find some time for a couple of projects.  I (mostly) built a "retro computer", and am currently fiddling with a Raspberry PI, and an Arduino Uno computers.  I will have to upload some pictures...

I have decided to expand my blog to cover some of my other hobbies.  Which include:  Lego (yes I am AFOL -- thats a lego fan in joke.), Science Fiction books/movies/etc.,  Computers, Old versions of BASIC -- my favorite programming language.

Keep watching this space...(Hopefully I won't take so long!)

Starship Combat Games

I have a weakness for starship combat games.  Various games I have played: Warpwar, Starfire, Star Fleet Battles, Fullthrust.  I'm always looking for more...than I have time for...LOL!

I have doodled up some of my own ideas.  I think I will share some of them here. 

Ed's Plastic Warrior Skirmish Game.

Here it is, the minis game that started it all for me.  My friend and I had many wonderful battles with these rules.  We did do more, (Castles, Giants) I'll have to write them up later. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------
EdsSkirmishGame.txt


[These brackets show where pictures will be.]

[Logo pic -- maybe have a few of the figures in the game logo?]

Ed's Plastic Warrior Skirmish Game.
by
Edward Golupski, and Donald Hosford


Purpose: This is a very simple skirmish style wargame, set in any pre-gunpowder era...

----------------------

Scale: Each figure is a single man.

[Show several figures with different weapons, and a ruler for scale.]

Figures used: Any really.  The figures we used were about an inch tall. They are equiped with whatever weapons are moulded on.

----------------------

Units: Just one type: the humble foot soldier.  

Setup: Divvy up the figures evenly between all players.  Setup any desired terrain.  Deside if any players are allies.  Choose a scenario.

----------------------
Scenario: Deturmine how the opposing armies are placed, and any special goals or rules.

---
[Pic of two armies facing each other.]
Battle: Just a simple head-to-head battle.
  Placement:  Both forces start on opposite edges of the table.  Should be at least 24 inches apart.  All units in each army should be togather.
  Goal: The Winner has the last surviving unit(s) on the board.
---

----------------------

Turn Order:  All players must do each step before moving on to the next step.

1) Initiative: Roll dice, flip a coin, deside who goes first, whatever...

2) Move figures: Players move their figures.  The figures may be moved in formation or freely. (There are no formation rules in this game...)

  Foot Soldiers: May move upto 6" and still make one attack per turn.
  Notes: As long as the opposing armies are at least two feet apart, both may move at the same time.

  Trip Rule: When ever a lone figure is moving across a knocked down figure, and an enemy figure is in melee range, roll 1d6: If the roll is 4-6, the lone figure tripped, and the enemy figure knocked down the lone figure.

3) Make Attacks:  There are two types of attacks: Ranged Attacks, and Melee Attacks.  Ranged Attacks are made before Melee Attacks.  

  Ranged Attacks:  One player declares any Ranged Attacks he wishes to make.  Each archer figure may make a single Arrow Attack each turn.  Attacking player declares which figure is attacking, and which figure is the target.  Roll 1d6 for each archer on the Arrow Attack Table. A successful roll means the target figure is knocked over. (And left where it falls.)

Arrow Attack Table:

Range   Dice Roll
-----------------
 1- 6      3-6
 7-12      4-6
13-18      5-6
19-24       6

[Pic Example combat pic: showing two or more groups of figures attacking, with dice and rulers in view.  Each group will be an example of some aspect of attacks.]

  Melee Attacks: A foot soldier may attack any single figure within one inch of him.  (Spearmen may attack any figure upto 1.5 inches.)  Attacking player declares which figure is attacking, and which figure is the target.  Both figures roll 1d10.  The lower roller's figure is knocked over. (And left where it falls.)

  Spearmen: When a spearman attacks a "non spearman" at 1 to 1.5 inches, the non spearman still rolls, but may not knock over the spearman. (He is trying to parry the spearman's attack.).

  Multiple attackers: When two or more figures are attacking a single figure, only the first attacker is subject to being knocked over (on a successful attack by the single figure.)  The other attackers are not. (the single figure is parrying those attacks.) 


----------------------

Victory: At this point the players check to see if someone has won the game.  

The player with the last standing figures on the battlefield wins the game.

----------------------

Scenarios:

  Head To Head battle: The players line their figures on opposite edges of the battlefield.  They all rush to the center of the battlefield trying to maneuver for advantage. Last player with figures standing wins.

----------------------

Designer's Notes:  Ed and myself dreamed this up one afternoon when we were kids.  He had some of these plastic knight figures you could get from comic books back in the 70s.  We started moving them around, and randomly knocking them over.  At some point Ed suggested we roll dice for the attacks.  I started writing it all down as we invented it.  Sadly that paper has disappeared some time ago...So I wrote up these rules from memory.

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StarCadets RPG -- the original version

StarCadets!  My first all on one page (and one side!) Role Playing Game!

I wrote this waay back in 1998.  It took me about two months, off and on, to write it -- it was crazy fun!  At the time there wasn't that many "micro" RPGs out there.  When I saw some, I thought -- I can do that!  And here it is.

When I planned it, I decided it needed a gimmick -- I made the title longer than the rules!  If you count the lines, the title block is one line longer than the rules block.  LOL.

Game-wise, it is a science fiction role playing game.  The first place I uploaded it, claimed it was an outline....(lol, this page was all there was!)  Or that it is a parody of Traveller...(No it isn't, but there was a copy of the Traveller book handy when I wrote this...)

So here it is...as it originally appeared...enjoy!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This game is Free! Really! Give copies to your friends! (Written: Apr-17-1998)
Printing Instructions: If using DOS, just send it to the printer. Otherwise
use no margins, and a proportional font (all characters are the same size).
Needed materials: 6-sided dice, paper, writing tools, and 2 or more players.
      .        .               .           .             .           .       .
 ._____ ._____   ___ .______.  ____  .___  _____. ______  _____ ._____    _.
 / ____\/__ __\ / _ \ | ___ \ / ___\ / _ \ |  _ \ | ____\/__ __\/ ____\. (_)    .
 \    \ . | | .| |_| ||    _/| /.  .| |_| || |.\ || __\ .  | | .\    \    .
._\____\ .| |  | ___ || |\ \.| \____| ___ || |_/ || |____  | |. _\___ \ . _    .
 \_____/  |_|  |_| |_||_| \_\ \____/|_| |_||____/.|_____/ .|_|  \_____/. (_) .
 .______ . ___ . _____.  ___ .  ____ .      ______  _   _  _   . ______  _____
  | ___ \ / _ \ / ____\ /_ _\  / ___\    .  | ___ \| |.| || | .  | ____\/ ____\ 
  |    _/| |_| |\    \  .| |. | /  .  .     |    _/| | | || |   .| __\ .\    \
  | ___ \| ___ |_\___ \._| |_ | \____      .| |\ \.| |_| || |____| |_____\___ \
  |_____/|_| |_|\_____/ \___/  \____/.   .  |_|.\_\ \___/ |_____/|_____/\_____/
A Quarter-Page Role-playing Game    by Donald Hosford (Donzerme@Yahoo.com)
Filename:  SCADETS.TXT              With comments by Edward Golupski.
----------------------------------<Game Rules>--------------------------------
CREATING CHARACTERS: Think of a name.  |COMBAT: All characters get a chance to
 Roll 2d6 for each attribute(STrength, | do something each turn. Attacks are and
 BRains) Hits=Strength. Move is 1/2    | at Average difficulty. Characters may
 Strength(round up) Choose a number of | move upto 1/2 move, and shoot at -2
 skills, no more than Brains score.    | to skill roll.
 Make one skill level 3, the rest are  |DAMAGE: Subtract armor defence, apply
 level 1. Has 70 credits to buy stuff. | remainder to character's hits. Any
SKILLS: Computer,Driver,Fight,Medic,   | character with zero hits has died. 
 Repair,Science,Shoot. Add as needed.  |NPC's: Basics: ST 7, BR 7. Has only
SKILL DIFFICULTIES: Easy things: +2,   | needed skills (level 2), and stuff.
 Average things: +0, Hard things: -2.  | Experts: worked out like characters.
SKILL ROLLS: Roll 2d6,add skill level, |EXPERIENCE: All characters get 1 point
 subtract difficulty. If the total is 8| per adventure. Give 2 points for good
 or more, skill attempt was successful.| role playing. 5 points may be spent
 Rolls of 7 or less are failures.      | to increase a skill by 1 level.
 ----------------------------------<Equipment>---------------------------------
Item           Cost Notes              |Item          Cost Notes
Backpack        10  10 small items.    |Ship passage   15  per day.
Cell recharger  30  recharges in 4 hour|Luxury passage 40  per day.
Comm-unit        5  5km range, 4 hours.|Flack Vest     25  Def 3. Chest/back.
Datacube         5  Holds 8 levels data|Patrol Suit    55  Def 5. Whole body.
Flashlight       5  20 hours.          |Spacesuit      80  Def 2. 10 hrs use.
Geo-scan        40  Finds chemicals,ect|Skimmer(4 man)1500 Speed 100kph,10hour
Hand Computer   50  4 levels active,1hr|Skimmer-truck 3500 Speed 60kph, 5hours
Hotel room      25  per day.           |Weapon            Damage Shots Range
Medikit         40  8 uses.            | Blaster       30  2d6     4    40m1
Power cell       5  Rechargeable.      | Blaster rifle 60  3d6     6    80m
Rations          6  food for 1 man.    | Knife          5  1d6    ---   ---
Toolkit         18  +2 on skill rolls. | Sword         20  1d6+3  ---   ---
Utility Cord    15  strong, 50m long.  | Spear         15  2d6     1    20m
+----------<Toronto Sector Map>-----------|------------<Adventure>------------
|. . E . . . . .|A)Toronto-Sector capital,|SETUP: The players are at the
|. . . . . . F .| High Population, High   | Toronto spaceport. They are out of
|. D . . . . . .| Industry,Trade center.  | work. They are approached by Jans
|. . . . A . . .|B)Benton-High Pop,Med Ind| Miller(Male, middle aged,business
|H . . . . . . .|C)Karolos-Med Pop,Low Ind| suit). He wants them to guard an
|. . . . . . . B|D)Atlas fleet base-Large | important cargo delivery. He will
|. . . C . . . .| military base. Fourteen | pay 40 credits each. They meet at
|. . . . . G . .| fleet ships are here.   | a starship, and ride with the
+---------------+E)Poverty-Med Pop,Farming| cargo in the back of a truck.
1 square=1 Light|F)Standish-Low Pop,med   |WAREHOUSE: At the warehouse, the
 Year. All ships| Ind, Ship yards.        | truck is attacked by a group of
 move at 1 light|G)Clor-Med pop,Low Ind.  | thieves.(Basic NPC's, 1 per player
 year per day.  |H)Tempus-Med pop,Low Ind.| Shoot 2, Blaster)
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Weird, it appears to be double spaced..Looks normal in notepad...how do I fix this?

Starship Minis/Firearc Disks

New Post!

This time I dredged up pics of some "one off" starship minis I did once.  They started out as one of those "build your own pod racer" sets Galoob made.  I bought one because some of the bits resembled starships.  A little cutting and gluing, and presto!  Starship minis!  I had enough bits to make six ships, two of each one.

Here they are flying to the left.  The background is  actually an open book.  (The Universe by Leo Marriott -- Larger than your coffee table sized book. About 24" x 17".  Filled with huge space pics.)

This is the second version of the fire arc disks you see in the pic above.  They have spaces for Ship IDs.

Use: Print on ordinary paper.  Glue to some cardboard, etc. The "peg" of the stand is a wooden golf tee, with the tip trimmed off.   I "painted" the golf tees with a black marker.

Too bad I can't make any more of these.

Mystery Game Disks

Hello there!  Got a mystery on my hands.

  A number of years ago at a garage sale, I picked up a shoebox full of "A Million Tiddly Winks".  (Not actually a million, but quite a few...)  I have been calling them "Game Disks".  The guy I bought them from said he got them from someone else, and had no idea what they were.

Sorry about the fuzziness of the pics...couldn't get my camera to focus on the details.

They are made of a soft plastic about 3/4" across.  In seven colors: Yellow, Orange, Black, White, Green, Red, and Blue. They all have a number molded into the front side (ranges from 1 to 16), and the back side has either concentric rings or is simply blank.

 

A detail pic to show both sides.

Another detail pic with a ruler to show size.

And finally a pic with some of the disks used as bases for some of my Galoob Micromachine Figures.






Final thoughts: They seem to be from some kind of board game or game set.  It occurs to me that they could be some kind of industrial washers or spacers...But what would the numbers be for then?  Strange.

Has anyone ever seen anything like these?  Who made them?  What kind of game are they from?  Or what was their original purpose?

Thanks for any ideas.