There's a nice big jpeg of the 4004 at http://www.4004.com/
which is also permissively licensed.

OK, I stalled on the creation of this game, as I have definitely needed to understand the hardware more. Actually, I have veered into the world of the 65816, because I own one of those, and I'm planning a project (ill fated project? Mais non! Je peux faire un ordinateur! OK, my French language skills are awful!).

But, I did have a chance to take PandaPro to town the other day, and while he and his friend played video games, I hopped on over to the local print-shop. I did not concern myself with licensing that day, as this is a "one off' production, for now, but I got some color copies of die-shots, of classic microprocessors, and had them laminated. They were awesome (no appointment, 9 cards, i.e. one sheet, same day, five minutes, did it right in front of me! Local business rocks, sometimes!).

We were in a rush to catch our ride out of town, so it was good they could accommodate our schedule. I will post a pic, though it might be kind of redundant posting a pic of a pic?

I forget which procs I used? I know 4004, 6502, 8086, 80186, 286, 386, Garrett Air Research (I forget the numbers MP944?), and etc.

Also, I have been thinking of "electrifying" the game, MUCH more! Found some "piano" switches, on Jameco, and thought, "PERFECT"! A Few LEDs, some 7-segment LEDs, and some Hex-knob switches, and you got yourself a game!

I am thinking of blowing up the 6502 die, to board size, and maybe "muting" the colors, to make it "watermark" background for the board.

[urlhttp://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10001_10001_788133_-1][/url], [urlhttp://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10001_10001_2181175_-1][/url]

Also, Pandapro drew me a "patent troll". I gave him some pics to practice on, and he sort of copied it. He did a great job, but I need to spur his creativity next time. I will post his "evolution" as an artist.

The web links require an equals sign between the [url preamble and the URL itself, viz:

http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10001_10001_788133_-1, http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10001_10001_2181175_-1

Load this into a quote window to see how it is done.

Also, note that JAMECO has minimums on both those items.

_________________
x86?  We ain't got no x86.  We don't NEED no stinking x86!

From the data sheet's diagram on what's inside, that particular type of DIP switch looks like it should last through a high number of switching actions, although it does not specify how many. Do be careful of that when planning to use DIP switches in applications that will require frequent switching though, because many of them are not guaranteed to last more than about a hundred cycles. I would also caution that the piano style are probably best used where soldered in. If you put them in a socket and then push up on a switch, it may pull it out of the socket. Rocker types don't have that problem.

_________________
http://WilsonMinesCo.com/ lots of 6502 resources
The "second front page" is http://wilsonminesco.com/links.html .
What's an additional VIA among friends, anyhow?

I thought about a grab bag full of toggle switches, but then that seemed too cumbersome. I would solder them, not socket them. Not sure about the cycles and wear and tear. I'll check price and datasheet, and purchase accordingly.

Also, I saw some nice hexadecimal switches too, and maybe some 7 segment LEDs. I should really start to get serious about 6502-opoly, since, some of the other things I "get involved in" are beyond my comprehension.

PandaPro made us a patent troll for the 6502-opoly, but he sort of copied it from the examples I gave him. Its OK, he can try again. I told him if he has "artist's-block" he can copy the head of one troll onto the body of another. That way, we aren't into "wholesale robbery" of somebody else's ideas!

A TOTALLY NEW design, would be best, though!

Cheers and Happy New Years, from PandaPro and Randall.

Maybe, we'll both get to work on that TTL, 74xx 4-bit computer that Forest Mimms put inside my radio shack digital electronics beginners book!

Did I build the board? Almost.

Next step, playtesting!

(There was a time when you could buy a custom monopoly in a presentation tin box from the real monopoly people - they have a monopoly you know - and we did buy one as a round-number-birthday present for an uncle. But shortly after, the offer closed.)

Yes, BigEd. But complicated.

I must crowd source some knowledge.

I am changing rules SIGNIFICANTLY.

First, to address the Monopoly monopoly. This is de rigeuer.... Par for the course.

I am not a huge "copyleft" or "GNU-Linux FSF/EFF" nut, but I can appreciate the position.

Lizzie Maggie, the REAL inventor of monopoly, was "communitarian" in her bent, at the very least.

But also wise to make a profit, perhaps?

So I won't drag you through the ugly mess of invention, patent, copyright, trademark etc. History ...? Bah humbug? All that stuff is in the past!

It is my contention "monopoly / landlords game" has ALWAYS belonged to the people.

And can't be stopped.

So. If I must I will change the name; and style. "Techvolution". Although an ungainly portmanteau word, it suits my purposes.

The "6502 option" would maybe be called "6502-lution". Even more ungainly. But the inside joke for those "in the know" is that it is 6502-opoly.

So here is what I envision.

3 games in one ( Lizzie Maggie had two games : the landlord game and the cooperation game.). So, game number (I) regular "monopoly style" play. For lazy or non-technical people.

(II) History game. 22 regular properties will actually be "22 timelines", or "22 Intellectual Property" or ,'."22 Invention" timelines.

22 * 16 inventions ( binary 4 bits) = 352 Intellectual properties....

Here is where I must crowd source the historical knowledge ....

I have the 22 categories .... And a preliminary list of WHAT I THINK is the most important tech in each field ....

But I am an imperfect, organic, wet chemistry, computer.

Others know more. I am just a lowly tech obsessed biologist.

So I am presently making the BMP 24-bit files for 352 Intellectual properties. I am a bit slow and cro magnon about it at the moment ... Sometimes opening in MS paint and altering a pixel at a time to clean up the design and make smooth ( which, if I go "Techvolution" instead of "Technopoly" to avoid legal shenamigans, I will alter all color schemes any way).

Now. Needless to say, the set up for such a game ( physical, real world) will be cumbersome. So I have begun to code (mostly copy and alter from a university professor) a random dice roll python program, and another program with pygame to make the graphics: I must merge the random module ( dice roll) with my bitmap fumblings ( pygame) module, but computer coded version is more desirable ..... Just because of complexity .

But I will keep it simple enough where DETERMINED individuals can play the board game. Physical real world.

Rule changes to accommodate the plethora of properties?

The play in game (II) "Historical Technopoly" is significantly different.

There are 12 ages ... I should extend to 16 ... To continue with my "binary / hexadecimal" counting theme?.... But I digress..... Any help on that score is welcome. When I post them please feel free to send suggestions for " four more ages / eras" ....

Now, the "lead player" will pay attention to his or her lead. They get an extra 50$ at go ( or 100$ I dunno? I'm flexible on this point .... For now). The "lagging player" EVERYONE will pay attention to, because they set the pace of the game.

If the lagging player is stuck in the stone age, then EVERYBODY IS and new property will not open up until they pass GO a certain number of times.

( I should play with my random dice roll .... Pseudo random .... Python program and figure out .... For 2-8 players .... How many rolls each player must take to go around .... Say? 5 or 10 circuits? .... And how many times each square has been landed on for each circuit ... A histogram of sorts ....


This will help design HOW MANY CIRCUITS ( times around the board) TO GET OUT OF THE STONE AGE. How many iron age. How many tube era. How many Silicon era.... Etc etc....)

Anyhoo. Not play testing yet. Still designing.

But getting very close to play testing.

I moved from my old living space and am only just now recovering from the trauma. So my science and music survived, but I live on a different coast now, in a different country.

Anyhoo. Game II is shaping up nicely.

I think the back of the IP cards will have a picture of the inventor or invention. To aid in teaching children history and tech.

But game (III), the hand programming of the 6502 ( or 4004 or 6800 or 8086 or Z80 or etc vintage processor ; I envision "nerds" of other stripes will want their own vintage processor games) is a mess and a jumble.

Because I am barely a programmer. And I forgot how far i'd planned since 5 years ago when I started thinking about this.

And my byte dice pennies are lost !!!

I should github the code I have and a copyleft license and /or GNU license , and put a little read me file with my intentions and work thus far.

Can't let Technopoly die with me? Or chase me half way round the world until I get settled and comfortable?

Anyhoo. I will dig out game ( III) concepts ( on a HDD somewhere? And some pictures of the pieces I built? Byte dice? Etc?) and build a "stack envelope" to push and pop data to and from.

And print some op code cards too.

Then the center schematic for the 6502 in the middle of the board will make more sense. Hopefully?

Game III .... I think, can be played simultaneously to game II ....

Maybe with rules like "first to program 2 + 2 = 4 ; wins game II and III !"

Or something like that? Maybe a harder program?


OK : more odds and ends from Game (II) ....

All 16 properties in a timeline must be bought in order. No skipping over ....

If player A buys a stone age property, and the lagging player enters the iron age, thus advancing for everybody, then Player B ( or C or D or etc) can land on THE SAME CATEGORY and now buy the urin age replacement for Player A's IP.

Player A will turn his IP card over. Receive a one time "obsoleted" fee from the bank.

Obsoleted cards are kept, but no licencing fees issued. Player B has the "leading tech" for that category. Player A keeps the obsoleted tech so that, in another era, say "tube era", he can buy the "leading edge tech", and start charging the licencing fees again. But NOW player A holds one obsoleted tech in that category ( remember 22 categories of tech : 16 timeline techs per category). Instead of houses or hotels, obsoleted techs multiply the value of "rent", AKA "licensing fees" charged.

Liquidated techs are the equivalent of mortgages properties.

I am toying with "permanent mortgage", I.e. cannot be brought back into game II ... Once liquidated.

That seems easiest. The rules are already too cumbersome.

But once liquidated, the IP card is kept for game (III).

At the top of each IP card is a 2 Hex ; equivalent 8 bit / 1 byte ; and equivalent decimal number.

So after liquidating the tech is ONLY used to program the center board. It no longer figures into rent / licensing fees, or any other part of Game (II).

So. Soon. I'll get the rules ironed out. And explained more succinctly than above.

THEN BETA TEST !

I'll post in a day or two ... The 22 categories .... The 352 IP technologies of the 22 timelines ...

The "railroads" ( I'm thinking timelines for these too?!!!)... But haven't seriously worked on it yet?

Community chest and chance ... I will alter a bit but keep mostly the same .

I should change some things about jail.

Since it is good now. Research is good.

College is good.

I should make it so people WANT to go there? Some kind if reward?

I thought money? But patents garage / free parking should give money.

Research should advance research in some way? I dunno?

Hers an idea? I just thought of. If you are on "circuit 2" and land on go to college" square; you don't pass go, you don't get 200$; but you DO add 2 to your circuit number!

In a close game that could send you from lagging player to kead player?

But maybe still a penalty of one turn ... Trying for doubles roll ... If not doubles you wait in research.

Research takes time ... Thus penalty.... But benefits in that it advances you in circuits ....

That is such a good idea ... I'll probably keep it.

Einstein " every young person should have their job in a lighthouse" .... Paraphrased ....

OK ... Thanks for listening / caring ... Ttyl ... Soon.

I haven't quite figured out how the game works, but congratulations! It's becoming a real thing!

When it comes to games that introduce programming, the most interesting one I've come across (even though it is not technically about programming) is Baba Is You (link to Steam). It is a puzzle game where (among other things) you get to move words around, and form combinations of words that give you special powers. For instance if you use your avatar to arrange words to say "rock is you", you become the rock avatar... Watch the video as I am not doing it justice by describing it...

Anyway, my hat is off to you

_________________
In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is. ...Jan van de Snepscheut

Thanks for looking. I will update a little and summarize so it makes sense.

(I) Technopoly ; Regular old monopoly rules.

(II) Techvolution. Significant revision. You haven't figured out the rules because I haven't yet. But I've done a board BMP revision and I have the Purples and half the Light Blues done. The IP cards. Intellectual Property Timeline.

So 6502 forum can help. If I get ambitious today I will post the summary of each IP Timelines ... Submit them for vigorous debate.

I want THE BEST tech in each timeline. The most revolutionary. But also, note, I am making a conscious effort to include women and other cultures (and other times !). But as tech timelines approach the present age, post 50s or 60s, I am afraid I drop such considerations in a race to tell the best story about the best tech. So I'll make the apology once, here. After the inventor of assembly language ( forgot her name? Oops), Pickering's Harem, Heddy Lamar, the ENIAC Gals, and Julius Edgar Lillienfeld, I make no special consideration for class, race, or gender (except for my sleight penchant for the underdog and the plucked from obscurity / toiledl in obscurity stories).

And actually, I don't mean to take anything away from those folks, as those ARE really crucial inventions and deserve to be in there anyway. I might have slighted that gal who tested the lunar lander simulator. The one who let her kid drive it and they crashed the computer. So she wrote some safety routines. Apologies. Here. Left her out of the game.

But I digress. I will post two boards. Still not finalized. The graphic of the 6502 in the center has "dirty pixels". I think I opened it as jpeg accidentally somewhere. I cleaned it up some. But I should change it anyway ... For game # (III).

(III) 6502-opoly.

Consists of game (II) Techvolution, AND a game involving hand programming, by cards, the center board ; I.e. the schematic of the 6502.

My board is on hard board now. Covered in clear plastic packaging tape, for soda-bottle-sweat-protection.

But it needs pockets. To tuck the bits and bytes cards into.

Pockets for registers. Pockets for "Op-Code Cards". Pick one up whenever you pass go.

I need to design a RAM/ROM/IO board. With pockets for bits and bytes cards. And maybe a designated stack section.

Again. I don't know the rules to game (III) yet. As I write I am thinking there will be a (III a) and a (III b) game.

One game where you program the computer as you play game II.

One where it is a bonus at the end of game II. If you lose game II but your programm is awesomer than every body elses, you can win extra money and still win the whole game? Maybe.

Just a few thoughts.

I just realized I might have to convert these bmps to jpegs or pngs before I post? I forget which ones the forum supports.

Oh poop. It's not bmp. Be right back with jpegs, below.

I have 3 board example. None is the finished board. I tweaked card location and Technopoly logo.

Another one.

This one is closest to done, except it needs the history era section.

And the op-code card section should be shrunk and moved.

Then I just need a re-draw of the 6502 registers so that it can have pockets to tuck the bits and bytes.

Last one today. Then I'll post pictures of my ingenius IP Timeline cards.

I figured a way to keep them organized so that 352 technologies don't swamp your brain and make you organize like crazy before every game.

Also, note, in game (I) going to college is a "time punishment", just like monopoly jail.

But in game (II) I will tweak the rules so there is incentive to go.

A small time punishment, but increased chances at gaining more intellectual property and money.

Fortuitous purchase. The dollar store ( 2 dollar store) had THE EXACT thing I need.

I almost bought a case to go into volume production !

First things first ... Historical work ... And "elbow grease" ...

There is no dark blue keychain but I can color in the white one for Boardwalk/ ParkPlace, I.e. Integrated Circuits/ Microprocessors.

Also note the completed "Purples" .... Numbers and writing.

Starts with Lebombo bone tally marks ( Swaziland) and the Neanderthal Hands cave painting at Maltravieso.