Tanktics: Computer Game of Armored Combat on the Eastern Front
Encyclopedia
Tanktics: Computer Game of Armored Combat on the Eastern Front was Chris Crawford
's first computer game, created for his own custom setup in 1977
and published for the Commodore PET
in 1978
. Being programmed in BASIC
, it was easy to port from one system to the other. Avalon Hill
published a 1981
release for the TRS-80
and Apple II as well as the Atari series
.
It simulated a two-player tank
battle on a large hex grid
. The player could choose to command up to 8 tanks, the computer would always get twice as many tanks. There were several terrain
types -- forest
s, lake
s, plain
s, rough and depressed
ground—and also roads which allowed much faster movement in their direction. There were also many different types of tanks—different ones for the German and Russian side each—as well as stationary anti-tank guns. The game had no graphics
; players had to enter their commands using a code, interpret its textual output, and use a map and cardboard tokens to keep track of tank positions. At the end of the game, a point system determines whether the player has won or lost the game.
Because of the technical limitations of the game and hardware, Tanktics was not a success. Computer Gaming World
praised the game as simply fun. Complaints included the lack of a two-player mode, and the requirement for all tanks on one side to be wiped out before the game ends.
Chris Crawford (game designer)
Christopher Crawford is a computer game designer and writer noted for creating a number of important games in the 1980s, founding The Journal of Computer Game Design, and organizing the Computer Game Developers' Conference.- Biography :...
's first computer game, created for his own custom setup in 1977
1977 in video gaming
-Events:*Agnes Kim opens the first Electronics Boutique, a kiosk at the King of Prussia Mall in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania selling transistor radios and calculators....
and published for the Commodore PET
Commodore PET
The Commodore PET was a home/personal computer produced from 1977 by Commodore International...
in 1978
1978 in video gaming
-Notable releases:* June - Taito Corporation releases the Space Invaders arcade game in Japan.* October - Namco releases their first arcade game, Gee Bee, in Japan.* Cinematronics releases the Space Wars vector graphics arcade game....
. Being programmed in BASIC
BASIC
BASIC is a family of general-purpose, high-level programming languages whose design philosophy emphasizes ease of use - the name is an acronym from Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code....
, it was easy to port from one system to the other. Avalon Hill
Avalon Hill
Avalon Hill was a game company that specialized in wargames and strategic board games. Its logo contained its initials "AH", and it was often referred to by this abbreviation. It also published the occasional miniature wargaming rules, role-playing game, and had a popular line of sports simulations...
published a 1981
1981 in video gaming
-Events:* November -** The British video game magazine Computer and Video Games starts.** Game & Watch - released in Sweden.* Arnie Katz and Bill Kunkel found Electronic Games, the first magazine on video games and generally recognized as the beginning of video game journalism.-Notable releases:*...
release for the TRS-80
TRS-80
TRS-80 was Tandy Corporation's desktop microcomputer model line, sold through Tandy's Radio Shack stores in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The first units, ordered unseen, were delivered in November 1977, and rolled out to the stores the third week of December. The line won popularity with...
and Apple II as well as the Atari series
Atari 8-bit family
The Atari 8-bit family is a series of 8-bit home computers manufactured from 1979 to 1992. All are based on the MOS Technology 6502 CPU and were the first home computers designed with custom coprocessor chips...
.
It simulated a two-player tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
battle on a large hex grid
Hex map
A hex map, hex board or hex grid is a gameboard design commonly used in wargames of all scales. The map is subdivided into small regular hexagons of identical size.-Advantages and disadvantages:...
. The player could choose to command up to 8 tanks, the computer would always get twice as many tanks. There were several terrain
Topography
Topography is the study of Earth's surface shape and features or those ofplanets, moons, and asteroids...
types -- forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s, lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
s, plain
Plain
In geography, a plain is land with relatively low relief, that is flat or gently rolling. Prairies and steppes are types of plains, and the archetype for a plain is often thought of as a grassland, but plains in their natural state may also be covered in shrublands, woodland and forest, or...
s, rough and depressed
Depression (geology)
A depression in geology is a landform sunken or depressed below the surrounding area. Depressions may be formed by various mechanisms.Structural or tectonic related:...
ground—and also roads which allowed much faster movement in their direction. There were also many different types of tanks—different ones for the German and Russian side each—as well as stationary anti-tank guns. The game had no graphics
Computer graphics
Computer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer with help from specialized software and hardware....
; players had to enter their commands using a code, interpret its textual output, and use a map and cardboard tokens to keep track of tank positions. At the end of the game, a point system determines whether the player has won or lost the game.
Because of the technical limitations of the game and hardware, Tanktics was not a success. Computer Gaming World
Computer Gaming World
Computer Gaming World was a computer game magazine founded in 1981 by Russell Sipe as a bimonthly publication. Early issues were typically 40-50 pages in length, written in a newsletter style, including submissions by game designers such as Joel Billings , Dan Bunten , and Chris Crawford...
praised the game as simply fun. Complaints included the lack of a two-player mode, and the requirement for all tanks on one side to be wiped out before the game ends.
External links
- Atarimania: Tanktics; info and box art