Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site uwmacc.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!bellcore!decvax!genrad!panda!talcott!harvard!seismo!uwvax!uwmacc!rick
From: rick@uwmacc.UUCP (the absurdist)
Newsgroups: net.games,net.games.rogue
Subject: Opinion on modifying sources for games
Message-ID: <712@uwmacc.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 10-Feb-85 23:00:07 EST
Article-I.D.: uwmacc.712
Posted: Sun Feb 10 23:00:07 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 13-Feb-85 02:57:48 EST
References: <296@ist.UUCP>
Reply-To: rick@uwmacc.UUCP (Rick Keir)
Organization: UWisconsin-Madison Academic Comp Center
Lines: 34
Xref: watmath net.games:1608 net.games.rogue:2618
Summary: 

In article <296@ist.UUCP> pat@ist.UUCP (Patrick Place) writes:

##Speaking of dogs, I have modified my version of Hack so the dog
##doesn't automatically go wild if you leave him behind on a level.

>Well, why don't you continue to modify the source, you could
>stop all monsters from hitting you....
>If I modified a game to make it easier, I certainly wouldn't
>want anyone else to know.  Sure, play the modified game but
>don't expect any respect if you do finally get the amulet out
>of the dungeon.

What's missing here is why we play games. I play games to be amused;
altho games need to be difficult to keep my interest up, there is a 
point beyond which difficulty ceases to interest me.  I'd just as soon 
be able to save games of Rogue & backtrack to correct tactical 
errors (a la Zork).  Suppose I modified a copy of Rogue and played it?
	Does it hurt anyone if I do this?  No.
	Would it interest me, in as much as I'd waste much less time
playing thru the opening sequence of the dungeon over and over again?
	Yes.
So I think that playing your privately modified forms of games is just
spiffy.  After all, your game won't post to the system-wide score file;
and anyone who you beat at your form of the game is playing  with the
same handicap/advantage you are.  
	In the words of the New Games Movement (from memory...)

	"Play hard.  Play fair.  Everybody wins."
-- 
"1985:  Why 1985 isn't like 1984"

Rick Keir -- MicroComputer Information Center, MACC
1210 West Dayton St/U Wisconsin Madison/Mad WI 53706
{allegra, ihnp4, seismo}!uwvax!uwmacc!rick