Microsoft KB Archive/12079

DAVID AHL’S BASIC COMPUTER ADVENTU PSS ID Number: Q12079 Article last modified on 11-12-1986 PSS database name: PRESS

Subject: DAVID AHL’S BASIC COMPUTER ADVENTURES

DAVID AHL’S BASIC COMPUTER ADVENTURES, by David Ahl $9.95, 272 pages, ISBN: 0-914845-92-6, Pub. Date: October 17, 1986

Travel the Silk Road with Marco Polo “Starting from Venice in the year 1271, you travel by sailing ship to Armenia, whence you set out on a 6000-mile trek over the Silk Road to the court of the Great Kublai Khan in Shang-tu, Cathay. You have clothing, crossbows, balms, and unguents that you brought from Venice, but you must barter for camels, food, and other supplies in Armenia.” Thus begins the computer simulation of the journey of Marco Polo, in which the player, with the help of a personal computer, becomes the leader of a group of merchants on a most unusual business trip. On the way, players must deal with many hazards and problems: injured camels, sandstorms, bad water, marauding animals, and savage bandits. In addition, players must make wise decisions about trading jewels for food, clothing, crossbow arrows, and medicines. Marco Polo is just one of ten realistic and accurate computer journeys in the new Microsoft Press book, DAVID AHL’S BASIC COMPUTER ADVENTURES. Each simulation is accompanied by a story of the actual historical journey, a map, a computer program that can be entered into a personal computer, and a detailed explanation of the program. In addition, players will be able to choose from many other diverse and exciting voyages, including: * the round-the-world flight attempt of Amelia Earhart * a treacherous covered-wagon trek through the old-time West * a spaceship voyage to Neptune * a grueling turn-of-the-century Tour de France bike race, and much more! The programs are written in BASIC for the IBM PC, PCjr, and PC compatibles. An appendix includes instructions for converting the programs to run on other computers. David Ahl is the well-known author of more than 20 books covering the educational and recreational applications of computers, including the best selling BASIC Computer Games and More BASIC Computer Games. In 1974, he founded Creative Computing magazine, the first consumer magazine devoted to personal computers. David has also written for such publications as National Geographic World, Travel Weekly, Omni, Science Digest, The New York Times, and The Christian Science Monitor. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ “MSFT”), based in Redmond, Washington, develops, markets, and supports a wide range of software for business and professional use, including operating systems, languages, and application programs, as well as books and hardware for the microcomputer marketplace.

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1986.