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.