Computer Bismarck

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Computer Bismarck
Developer(s)	Strategic Simulations Inc.
Publisher(s)	Strategic Simulations Inc.
Designer(s)	Joel Billings, John Lyons
Engine	Custom
Release date(s)	1979
Genre(s)	Wargame
Mode(s)	Single-player
Rating(s)	n/a
Platform(s)	Apple II, TRS-80[citation needed]
Input	Keyboard

Computer Bismarck was the first game by Strategic Simulations, Inc., who developed and published it in 1979. It simulated the Bismarck Chase, with the player commanding the British forces; the relatively simple artificial intelligence opponent (named Otto von Computer) controlled the German battleship Bismarck.

Co-designer Joel Billings says about the AI, “We realized that artificial intelligence would be a real challenge, but in this one all you had to worry about was, ‘I’m the Bismarck and all I want to do is run away.’ Our early AI was more like an expert system. Using our expert wargaming experience, we asked ourselves what should it do in each situation and had it pick path 1 or path 2, and so forth.”

[edit] References

• DeMaria, Rusel (2 edition (December 18, 2003)). High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games. McGraw-Hill Osborne Media, p.158. ISBN 0-07-223172-6.
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