Miscellaneous Atari 2600 Combat Questions (Seriously...)

[Pantechnicon]

1) Does anybody know who actually wrote the game manual for Combat? I know the game itself was written by Joe Decuir but I'd really like to know who wrote the manual.

2) Does anyone know of a subsequent release of the Combat manual which contains a warning indicating that the console has to be OFF before inserting or removing the cart?

3) I never knew that the exact time limit on a game of Combat was two minutes and sixteen seconds (ditto for Air-Sea Battle). Is there some significance to this i.e. - a technical reason, or did the ancient game designers simply feel that this was a lengthy enough duration for a round?

Why the sudden interest in Combat? I have to write a small paper for my Technical Writing class analyzing the design and layout of an existing set of technical instructions. Why not Combat, eh? The paper's due today. I don't necessarily need the information I'm asking for (although I'd really like to work in the answer to #2 if I can), but it would be nice to know if anyone can help. If I get back a decent grade maybe I'll post the paper here. You would not think there's so much one could say about a 30-year-old game manual but you'd be surprised x_x .

[digitalpress]

1) Does anybody know who actually wrote the game manual for Combat? I know the game itself was written by Joe Decuir but I'd really like to know who wrote the manual.

2) Does anyone know of a subsequent release of the Combat manual which contains a warning indicating that the console has to be OFF before inserting or removing the cart?

3) I never knew that the exact time limit on a game of Combat was two minutes and sixteen seconds (ditto for Air-Sea Battle). Is there some significance to this i.e. - a technical reason, or did the ancient game designers simply feel that this was a lengthy enough duration for a round?

Why the sudden interest in Combat? I have to write a small paper for my Technical Writing class analyzing the design and layout of an existing set of technical instructions. Why not Combat, eh? The paper's due today. I don't necessarily need the information I'm asking for (although I'd really like to work in the answer to #2 if I can), but it would be nice to know if anyone can help. If I get back a decent grade maybe I'll post the paper here. You would not think there's so much one could say about a 30-year-old game manual but you'd be surprised x_x .

No way I can get this to you today in time for your paper but if you're still interested and can wait until after CGE, I can ask Mr. DeCuir in person.

[Pantechnicon]

No way I can get this to you today in time for your paper but if you're still interested and can wait until after CGE, I can ask Mr. DeCuir in person.

That's very kind of you. If you can remember these questions until then that would be great. Would that I could ask Joe myself. Sadly there will be no CGE for the Pantechnicon this year .

Concerning question #2, I doubt Joe Decuir would know the answer to that one but maybe someone else with a white covered manual would know?

I have the small black cover manual and there's nothing in it about turning the machine off, although the owner's manual for the machine says you have to do this. I found this interesting because every other Atari manual I've seen has this caveat in it. Atari's technical writers were presumably just hoping that a new 2600 owner would read the manuals in the right order.

It makes me wonder if the VCS in its early days wasn't deluged with complaints from people arguing that the "game tape" packaged with the machine wasn't working right: "I turned it on, stuck the thing in and there was this popping sound and then I smelled smoke and now the thing doesn't work. WTF?"

[Night Driver]

3) I never knew that the exact time limit on a game of Combat was two minutes and sixteen seconds (ditto for Air-Sea Battle). Is there some significance to this i.e. - a technical reason, or did the ancient game designers simply feel that this was a lengthy enough duration for a round?

I remember reading a discussion/analysis of this on AA sometime ago. I'd point you to the thread, but the search feature is busted over there and I can't find it.