There are computer wargames and then there are computer wargames. The most popular ones have elaborate graphics with an artifical intelligence engine such as you find in The Perfect General. Some like Microprose's Civilization are rich in their detail and nuances requiring a great deal of thought, time and planning.
But all of these games, like most computer games, suffer from the same set of drawbacks. First, most of them have a basic formula for winning, which might take awhile to puzzle out mind you, but in the final analysis, is discernible. After awhile I found I could beat Civilization fairly easily and pretty much the same way (work on Literacy, use diplomats a lot to "convert" invading troops and build a Great Library).
Second, and, in my humble opinion. the most important drawback, is that you are playing a computer. Now computers are wonderful for most things that involve computing and you'll never convince me that we once got along without them. But, and its a big but, they lack imagination and for all their ability to calculate, they lack those intuitive leaps that keeps we humans ahead of them. In the world of gaming this is a big drawback.
Last but not least, the standard computer wargame is rarely multi- player, rarely allow interaction and has the usual drawbacks of the board wargame — 100% intelligence, no fog of war and completely reliable allies.
Enter the modem and the world of the Bulletin Board System (BBS) game. Open the door marked "Trade Wars" and find yourself in a game that has a number of drawbacks but is eminently playable and possesses all of the attributes I like in gaming — reasoanble interactions, unpredictable variables, a multiplayer environment and an depth that belies its seeming simplicity.
There are currently two versions of Tradewars that can be found on most BBSes. Tradewars 2002 (version 1.03) and Tradewars 2 Wide Beta (with a constantly increasing release number). In both games you start off as a trader. Your immediate object to make as much money as possible by trading goods between ports scattered throughout the 1000 sector universe (up to 5000 in "wide beta"). Your happiest moments are when you find a pair of ports in adjacent sectors that you can cross trade with and watch the credits roll up. Eventually you have to do something with these extra credits and you can visit Earth (or any of two other class "0" ports, assuming you can find them) and purchase more holds, fighters or ships shields. The universe includes not only other "Traders" (i.e. other players), Aliens (some good, some evil) and the ever popular Ferrengi — who despite being something akin to a joke on Star Trek: The Next Generation, are really nasty in this universe. Usually they demand that you flee (don't!), attack (don't unless you think you can win) or surrender (always a good option if you can't take them out). If you made the mistake of having destroyed one of their associates in the past they might not ask, but attack first, leaving you no choice but the old one of "fight or flight."
Another place to visit, and one of great importance in this universe, is the StarDock. You may have to hunt around for it or the Sysop may have opted to post its location. I admit to a major prejudice in favor of Sysop's who do this. The StarDock is another excellent locale to spend or store extra credits. First there is a bank. The Galactic Bank allows you to deposit money (no interest), and transfer money up to another player. The Stellar Hardware Emporium sells a variety of goods including cloaking devices, long range scanners, mines, transwarp drives, corbomite devices and a host of other items including the powerful photon missile and the essential planet making Genesis Torpedo.
The Shipyards allow you to choose from among 14 ships (15 if you have a Federal Commission. Each ship has different characteristics, strengths and drawbacks. Some have excellent combat odds, but horrible cargo or shield capacity. How you're going to play the game is one of the first decisions you're faced with in Trade Wars. But whether you choose the dark side of the force, live a fairly ho-hum existence as a trader or decide to become one of the champions of law and order, there is a ship here waiting for you, with the appropriate options.
Out in the universe again the primary financial gain is from trading, though destroying Ferrengi ships and fighters will earn you a random number of credits. Attacking and defeating fellow traders can also be profitable though you usually pay for it in changes in your alignment points which determine whether you are "good" or "evil". Defeating evil Traders usually brings reward from the "Feds" with it. After you earn an alignment of 1000 points you can join the Federation and purchase an "Imperial Starship" — the most powerful ship that can be owned by a "private" person. Evil Traders can rob ports, which in a well populated universe can become profitable very quickly — unless you get caught.
Planets play a key role in your success. Terra, the first planet you encounter as you enter the game, is where the people can be found to colonize all other planets.
The other planets in the game will, if inhabited, produce Fuel Ore, Organics, Equipment and Fighters. You decide what sector the planet will be in and launch a Genesis Torpedo ala Star Trek II. Colonist are found on Terra (Sector 1) and work on producing fuel ore, organics and equipemtn, all of which can be traded for more credits or stored to begin construction of a Citadel. The Citadel can provide you with a secure place to spend the night, and deposit the credits you've earned (at 4% interest per day). A Citadel can be upgraded to provide additional protection with a Combat Control Computer, a Quasar Cannon, a Planetary Transwarp Drive and Planetary Shields, all of which require commodity and time to build. This forces you to decide how you'll use your turns for the early part of the game, and to a certain extent keeps you busy. So far this may sound pretty ho-hum, but it isn't. The essence of good gaming is that decisions have an impact on outcome. In Trade Wars every move is a decision and every move can change the course of your game life. To complicate the matter further there are the other traders.
The presence of other independently minded individuals in the game adds another dimension sadly lacking in most "games" — independent interaction. Other traders are hostile in the sense that they have every intention of winning, and you represent an obstacle in their path. They may leave you alone, they may attempt to take over your planets or they may destroy you (which can lead rush you into an escape pod or lead to your resurrection). You, of course, have the option of doing the same thing. The end result is that you spend most of your time planning and hoping that your plans do not come undone, and always guarding against the potential threat of the other players.
Tradewars does have some serious drawbaks and flaws in its design. First, there are programming bugs that allow you to make millions (something I've never found out how to do). Secondly, in its beginning stages the game is tedious, especially as you move back and forth across the universe to trade, populate planets and wait and wait and wait for things to "get interesting." This was partly solved in "wide beta" by starting you off with a planet, but there is still the never ending repetition which can extremely boring. Third, the game requires literally months of time to play requiring a huge commitment of time and personal resources.
Tradewars players have to be serious about it, which means that it is more an expression of will and ego then a seeking of entertainment — of course wargamers are already like that so this may not be as big a problem. Fourth and foremost, the game has no predtermined victory conditions. This may be a benefit to some, but I find a game that cannot be "won" to be annoying and perhaps a bit pointless.
The game's "graphics" if you can call them that are rudimentary ANSI graphics which are about as basic as you can get. Beauty in this instance is not in the eye of the beholder but in a carefully crafted set of options. Which is where Trade Wars demonstrates its elegance. It is an incredibly diverse game in which you find yourself constantly thinking and rethinking your options.
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© Copyright 1994 by David W. Tschanz.
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