Tick... tock... tick.. ttock.  This month's topic is... time.  Actually,
this month's column comes about from the response from
the "Time Keeper" program in DRAGON #41. With the help of
Don Wells, Jim Holtz, and Dr. James Weisenbach, The Electric
Eye presents "Sons of Time Keeper."

Time Keeper II
The second version of the Time Keeper program is
listed below.  The program is largely unchanged from its original
version, with the exception of the time input section.  Instead of
the time incrementing only by the turn, this new version accepts
turns, segments, and rounds.

Conversion from the original version to the new version of the
program begins with the deletion of all statements through line
40.  As you can see from the listing here, the new version just
barely fits in, using line numbers sequenced by 2s.  If you
have a line renumbering program, you may want to resequence
the line numbers to accomodate further revisions.

Lines 1 through 7 introduce the program and ask for a starting
time for the program's "clock."  Remember to put a comma
between the hours and minutes as you type this in.  Lines 9
through 29 ask for the increment of time desired (by segment,
round, or turn) and update the "clock."  Note than an INKEY$ or
GET$ (depending on computer) could be substituted for the
INPUT in line 11.  After printing the updated clock in line 33, the
program checks to see if it's time to "roll" for a wandering
monster (lines 35 to 43).  From there the program merges into its
original version.  Thanks to Jim Holz, of Millington, Tenn., for
this updated version.

Several other comments on "Time Keeper" were submitted by
Don Welts of Southfield, Mich.  Don said, in part, that line 160
doesn't produce the right kind of random number distribution.
Sure enough, I made a boo-boo.  Line 160 of "Time Keeper II"
corrects the bug (it was originally R=RND(12)).

Don also wrote "I found it interesting that (you) do not use the
uncertain reaction.  (Your) Monsters are quick judges of character!"
I pondered this myself as I was writing the original version
of "Time Keeper."  The Basic D&D manual says "Uncertain, roll
again" (emphasis added).  But the DMG just says
"Uncertain"  This new version of the program reflects the
DMG view. It is, of course, up to the individual on which to use.
For the record, my monsters are quick judges of character.  The
players I'm currently DMing for (all beginners) find it easier to
play that way.  As they become more experienced players, I may
change things a bit.

1 CLS: PRINT MONSTER (LEV. 1-3) / TIME
    KEEPING PROGRAM"
3 PRINT: PRINT "ENTER TIME OF DAY FOR ADVENTURE
    BASED ON 24 HOUR CLOCK"
5 PRINT: INPUT "ENTER AS HOUR (1-24), MINUTES (1-59) - USE
    COMMA": HH, TM
7 IF HH > 25 OR TM > 59 THEN 1
9 PRINT: PRINT "PRESS ONE OF THE FOLLOWING FOR TIME
    KEEPING..."
11 INPUT "S = (1 SEGMENT), R = (1 ROUND), T = (1 TURN)": A1$
13 IF A1$ = "S" OR A1$ = "R" OR A1$ = "T" THEN 15 ELSE 13
15 T1 = 0: T2 = 0: T3 = 0
17 IF A1$ = "S" THEN T1 = 6 ELSE 21
19 SC = SC + T1: IF SC = 60 THEN SC = 0: TM = TM +1
21 IF A1$ = "R" THEN T2 = 1 ELSE 25
23 MI = MI + T2
25 IF A1$ = "T" THEN T3 = 10: TM = TM + T3
27 IF (TM + MI) > = 60 THEN TM = TM - 60: HH = HH + 1
29 IF HH > 23 THEN HH = 0
33 PRINT: PRINT "TIME IN ADVENTURE ";HH;":";(TM + MI);".
";SC: PRINT
35 IF (TM + MI) > 29 AND (TM+MI) < 40 THEN Y = Y + 1
37 IF (TM + MI) > 0 AND (TM + MI) < 10 THEN Y = Y + 1
39 IF (TM + MI) > 10 AND (TM + MI) < 30 THEN Y = 0
41 IF (TM + MI) > 39 THEN Y = 0
43 IF Y = 1 THEN 50 ELSE 11
50 M = RND(6): IF M < 6 THEN 11
60 PRINT: INPUT "LEVEL BELOW SURFACE";L: RESTORE: P =
RND(12)
70 PRINT: ON L GOTO 1000, 2000, 3000
80 Q = RND(12): FOR I = 1 TO Q: READ M$,N,T,H,A,C,D,S:
NEXT I
90 B = RND(N)*T
100 PRINT M$: PRINT "NUMBER APPEARING:";B
110 PRINT "HIT POINTS:";: FOR I = 1 TO B: PRINT RND(H) + A;:
NEXT I: PRINT
120 PRINT "ARMOR CLASS:";C
130 PRINT "MAX. HIT DAMAGE:";D
140 IF S = 0 THEN 9
150 PRINT "INTELLIGENT MONSTER REACTION:";
160 R = RND(6)*2
170 IF R = 2 THEN PRINT "ATTACKS IMMEDIATELY!": GOTO 9
180 IF R < 6 THEN PRINT "HOSTILE REACTION": GOTO 9
190 IF R < 9 THEN PRINT "UNCERTAIN": GOTO 9
200 IF R < 12 THEN PRINT "FRIENDLY": GOTO 9
210 IF R = 12 THEN PRlNT "VOLUNTEERS HELP": GOTO 9
220 END
1000 IF P < 9 THEN 80
1010 IF P = 12 THEN FOR I = 1 TO 192: READ A$: NEXT I:
GOTO 80
1020 FOR I = 1 TO 96: READ A$: NEXT I: GOTO 80
2000 IF P < 4 THEN 80
2010 IF P < 10 THEN FOR I = 1 TO 96: READ A$: NEXT I:
GOTO 80
2020 FOR I = 1 TO 192: READ A$: NEXT I: GOTO 80
3000 IF P = 1 THEN 86
3020 FOR I = 1 TO 192: READ A$: NEXT I: GOTO 80
4100 DATA KOBOLD,4,3,4,0,7,4,1,SEER,2,1,8,0,9,8,1
4110 DATA ORC,5,1,8,0,7,6,1,SKELETON,6,1,4,0,8,6,0
4120 DATA GIANT RAT,4,3,4,0,7,4,0,ZOMBIE,4,1,8,0,8,8,0
4130 DATA BANDIT,5,1,8,0,6,6,1,GIANT SPIDER,3,1,4,1,8,4,0
4140 DATA STIRGE,5,1,4,0,7,3,0,FOOTPAD,4,1,8,0,7,6,1
4150 DATA ELF,6,1,6,0,5,10,1,GELATINOUS CUBE,1,1,2,4,0,8,8,0
4160 DATA HOBGOBLIN,5,4,8,1,6,8,1,GNOLLS,5,1,16,0,5,12,0
4170 DATA GIANT TOAD,6,1,12,1,7,6,0,GHOUL,4,1,12,0,6,3,0
4180 DATA WARRIOR,5,1,8,0,4,8,1,CONJURER,4,1,12,0,9,8,1
4190 DATA SHAMAN,5,1,14,0,5,8,1,ROBBER,4,1,12,0,4,8,1
4200 DATA LEPRECHAUN,4,2,4,0,8,4,1,RUST MONSTER,1,1,
    20,0,2,0,0
4210 DATA PIERCER,6,1,8,0,3,6,0,CARRION CRAWLER,1,1,18,
    1,7,00
4220 DATA BUGBEAR,4,2,18,1,5,8,0,OGRE,4,1,24,16,10,1
4230 DATA WIGHT,3,1,18,0,5,0,0,HARPY,3,1,18,0,7,4,0
4240 DATA TROLL,1,1,36,3,6,6,0,WERERAT,4,1,12,0,7,6,0
4250 DATA OCHRE JELLY,1,1,30,0,8,12,0,DWARF,6,3,8,0,4,8,1
4260 DATA WEREWOLF,2,1,24,0,5,8,0,GIANT TICK,5,1,18,0,4,
    4,0
4270 DATA GIANT SNAKE,2,1,32,0,5,10,0,SHRIEKER,4,2,24,0,7,
    8,0

Keeping time with TI
Dr. James Weisenbach of Shelton, Wash., approached the
time-keeping problem from a different angle with a different
type of computer. The program described below was written to
run on a Texas Instruments TI-58 programmable calculator.

Using the "programmer-defined" keys at the top of the calculator
keyboard, the DM has the option of incrementing the
"clock" by 6 seconds, 1 minute, 10 minutes, or 1 day. The
updated time is then displayed, and the program waits for a new
entry.

The clock display is in the format DDHHMMSS (days, hours,
minutes, seconds) so it will appear much the same as a typical
digital clock. The program keys used are A=10 minutes; B=1
minute; C=6 seconds and D=1 day. Each time one of those keys
is depressed, the clock will advance that amount of time.

The listing follows, in abbreviated key-stroke notation:
 

Lbl A	--	STO 2
10	RCL 10	Op 23
SUM 1	STO 0	Lbl B'
GTO E'	Op 21	RCL 3
LBl B	Lbl D'	x
1	RCL 1	RCL 13
SUM 1	INV	+
GTO E'	x > = t	RCL 2
Lbl C	C	=
6	--	x
SUM 0	RCL 10	RCL 13
GTO E'	STO 1	+
Lbl D	Op 22	RCL 1
1	Lbl C	=
SUM 3	RCL 12	x
Lbl E'	x = t	RCL 13
RCL 10	RCL 2	+
x = t	INV	RCL 0
RCL 0	x = t	=
INV	B'	R/S
x > t	--	GTO E'
D'	RCL 12	-

Registers used: R0 = seconds; R1 = minutes; R2 = hours; R3 =
days; R10 = 60; R11 = 1; R12 = 24; R13 = 100.

Basically, each of the units of time (registers 0-3) are
“bumped” by the functions (A-D) with roll-ever and reset when
the respective limit registers (10-12) have been exceeded. When
this occurs, the next higher level of time is incremented by the
“Op” instruction. The time registers are then merged by addition
and multiplication, and the final total is displayed when the
routine is halted.
 

MAY 1981