Little Computer People
life simulation game for Commodore 64, 1985
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Working late in a computer science laboratory one night, a
group of researchers stumbled across an earth-shattering
discovery. Cute little humanoid creatures living inside
computers!
Despite extensive further research, no-one knows where these
Little Computer People come from. All that is certain is that
most computers have one resident, build a computer, and the
chances are a Little Computer Person - or LCP as they are
known - will move in as soon as you screw the casing shut.
Generally, LCPs go about their business inside a computer
ignoring you. The computer users tend to go on using
their computer without ever coming across the LCP that lives
inside it. But now, with the special House On A Tape, you can
load in software that brings the LCP out of the chip and into the
real world.
Right, there's a cute little house on the screen, isn't there? It
has been specially designed to lure the LCP living inside YOUR
computer out into the open. Type in the current time when you
see the prompt at the top of the screen, and you initialise a
sequence of machine code instructions that act as an invitation
to the LCP - within a few minutes he'll move in, bringing his pet
dog with him.
The Responsibility of Ownership
In dragging your LCP out of his world and into your own
environment, you assume responsibility for him. Just as if you
went down to the pet shop and bought a dog, hamster or a
goldfish. From now on, you are responsible for his health and
welfare - he's lost contact with the world in which he used to
fend for himself.
Like all living creatures, LCP's (and their dogs) need food and
water. Like humans, LCP's need to be entertained, kept happy
and yes, loved. It's up to you to tend to your guest's needs -
and in return, he'll reward you by dancing, playing music or
writing you letters. Observe your new friend, watch what he
does and you'll find out more and more about him.
Caring for Physical Needs
Press the following keys to keep your LCP's larder well stocked.
(CONTROL) and F: delivers food to his front door.
(CONTROL) and W: adds water to the water cooler in
his kitchen.
(CONTROL) and D: delivers dog food to the front door.
Your LCP will feed himself and his dog - providing you don't
starve him to death - but he is not always that good at waking
up. Oversleeping is bad for LCP's so if your chum spends too
long in bed, wake him with the alarm clock.
(CONTROL) and A: rings the alarm clock.
Caring For Emotional Needs
So far, researchers have discovered four distinct moods in
LCP's: happy, content, sad and sick. An LCP's face is the best
clue as to his mood - a grinning LCP is happy, while if things are
okay but not wonderful, his mouth sets in a straight line. Sad
LCP's look decidedly down-in-the-mouth, and sick ones turn
green from lack of food.
LCP's are pretty good at entertaining themselves - they are
tuneful pianists, enjoy exercising, and love playing records,
watching TV, reading the paper and receiving phone calls. Now
and again, though, life can get a bit lonely inside a computer, so
a little intervention on your part can boost the LCP's mood with
a few keypresses:
(CONTROL) and C: makes the phone ring - he'll love a chat,
and you'll be bemused by the strange language he speaks in.
And just who is he talking to?
(CONTROL) and P: strokes your LCP - like all pets (well, except
goldfish then), your LCP loves being stroked. A special device is
used, and he has to be sitting in his armchair for it to work, so
wait until he sits down after you have pressed (CONTROL) and P
once, then do it some more!
(CONTROL) and R: delivers a new record to the door.
(CONTROL) and B: delivers a new book to the door.
Communication
It is possible to 'talk' to your LCP by typing sentences at the
keyboard of your computer. You can make suggestions as to
what he should do - play the piano, perhaps - or you can ask
him to write you a letter. No-one is quite sure how detailed the
communications can be - keep trying new ideas at the keyboard
and watch what happens.
The Mystery
No-one, but absolutely no-one has found out what the LCP's get
up to when they go through that door and disappear off the
screen. No, not the toilet door, the OTHER one...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some useful keyboard shortcuts
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[PAUSE] - stop/continue game
[F9] - quick load game state
[F12] - quick save game state (still stored after leaving the site)
[F10] - toggle performance meter
[F11] - toggle fullscreen mode
[ScrollLock] - quick switch control ports
[PageDown] - make a screenshot (320x200)