Star Trader
Encyclopedia
Star Trader was one of the original computer games of interstellar
trading
. Seemingly based on Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series of novels, Star Trader presents a star map of the galaxy
in which the players move about and make money from trading and establishing trading routes. The players travel about the star map buying and selling six types of merchandise: uranium, metals, gems, software, heavy equipment, and medicine.
Star Trader was written by Dave Kaufman in the BASIC programming language. It was published by the People's Computer Company
in Volume 2, Number 3 of its newsletter in January 1974.
A few years later, the game was reprinted in What to do after you hit RETURN, A computer games book from People's Computer Company, Hayden Book Company, Inc., Rochelle Park, New Jersey
, ISBN 0-8104-5476-9. It contained a reprint of the BASIC source code
listings for Star Trader. This book can still be found at rare book stores, web sites and on-line auctions.
The Star Trader code evolved into Trade Wars
, making it the ancestor of many modern space trader games, including Eve Online
.
Interstellar travel
Interstellar space travel is manned or unmanned travel between stars. The concept of interstellar travel in starships is a staple of science fiction. Interstellar travel is much more difficult than interplanetary travel. Intergalactic travel, or travel between different galaxies, is even more...
trading
Trade
Trade is the transfer of ownership of goods and services from one person or entity to another. Trade is sometimes loosely called commerce or financial transaction or barter. A network that allows trade is called a market. The original form of trade was barter, the direct exchange of goods and...
. Seemingly based on Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series of novels, Star Trader presents a star map of the galaxy
Galaxy
A galaxy is a massive, gravitationally bound system that consists of stars and stellar remnants, an interstellar medium of gas and dust, and an important but poorly understood component tentatively dubbed dark matter. The word galaxy is derived from the Greek galaxias , literally "milky", a...
in which the players move about and make money from trading and establishing trading routes. The players travel about the star map buying and selling six types of merchandise: uranium, metals, gems, software, heavy equipment, and medicine.
Star Trader was written by Dave Kaufman in the BASIC programming language. It was published by the People's Computer Company
People's Computer Company
People's Computer Company was an organization, a newsletter and, later, a quasiperiodical called the "dragonsmoke." PCC was founded and produced by Bob Albrecht & George Firedrake in Menlo Park, California in the early 1970s.The first newsletter announced itself with the following...
in Volume 2, Number 3 of its newsletter in January 1974.
A few years later, the game was reprinted in What to do after you hit RETURN, A computer games book from People's Computer Company, Hayden Book Company, Inc., Rochelle Park, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, ISBN 0-8104-5476-9. It contained a reprint of the BASIC source code
Source code
In computer science, source code is text written using the format and syntax of the programming language that it is being written in. Such a language is specially designed to facilitate the work of computer programmers, who specify the actions to be performed by a computer mostly by writing source...
listings for Star Trader. This book can still be found at rare book stores, web sites and on-line auctions.
The Star Trader code evolved into Trade Wars
Trade Wars
Trade Wars is the title, with some variations in spelling and capitalization, of a series of computer games dating back to the early days of personal computing. Based on influences from Star Trek, Star Wars, and early BBS strategy games, Trade Wars was an early example of the appeal of online games...
, making it the ancestor of many modern space trader games, including Eve Online
EVE Online
Eve Online is a video game by CCP Games. It is a player-driven, persistent-world MMORPG set in a science fiction space setting. Characters pilot customizable ships through a galaxy of over 7,500 star systems. Most star systems are connected to one or more other star systems by means of stargates...
.
External links
- The People's Computer Company Alumni Pages People's Computer Company Alumni and History site.
- Standard HP BASIC Listing #1 Star Trader Game Setup Module BASIC programming language listing.
- Standard HP BASIC Listing #2 Star Trader Game Main Module BASIC programming language listing.
- Star Trader Tribute Page Site describing the history of Star Trader.
- History Of Trade Wars Variants Timeline of the history of Trade WarsTrade WarsTrade Wars is the title, with some variations in spelling and capitalization, of a series of computer games dating back to the early days of personal computing. Based on influences from Star Trek, Star Wars, and early BBS strategy games, Trade Wars was an early example of the appeal of online games...
variants.