A computer game simulates battles so real they almost hurt
Article Abstract:
Battletech is the brainchild of game designers Jordan Weisman and L. Ross Babcock. Their company is called the Fredonian Aeronautics and Space Administration and it produces role-playing fantasy books and games. Battletech is one of the first commercial applications of virtual reality technology. The virtually real environment created includes the desert of a distant planet alive with giant robots and space-age weapons. The game is a three-dimensional world created through computers and its elements can be manipulated by the players. The 'ready area,' where the players prepare to play, resembles a movie set and two teams of four players are positioned in individual covered cockpits. The computer driven cockpits are the center of a humanoid tank and a color video monitor reveals the extraterrestrial landscape. Experiencing Battletech costs $6 to $8 for half an hour and the average playing time is two hours.
Publication Name: The New York Times
Subject: News, opinion and commentary
ISSN: 0362-4331
Year: 1990
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Computer 'virus' termed a mistake
Article Abstract:
Robert Tappan Morris' lawyer told a Federal District Court that his client, a Cornell University student, made a mistake in allowing a program he designed to go out of control and stop a national computer network from operating. Morris is the first person to stand trial under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986. If he is found guilty, he faces a $250,000 fine and up five years in prison. Prosecuters are arguing that Morris deliberately designed and installed a program that brought 6,000 computers to a standstill, including computers at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Air Force, and several universities. Morris' lawyer told the jury that the student tried to stop the program when it went wild, finally notifying those connected with the network.
Publication Name: The New York Times
Subject: News, opinion and commentary
ISSN: 0362-4331
Year: 1990
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