This directory contains the well-known Lunar Lander program for the VT11
vector graphics processor, written in 1973 by Jack Burness.  This version
came from Eric Smith's VT11 web page, and can be run on a real VT11, or
under E11 using an emulated VT11 running on an SVGA display.

Files:

gtlem.ini	E11 init file to load and start Lunar Lander
gtlem.mac	source file
gtlem.pdp	binary file

The program can be run under E11 (DOS version) V2.2 or later (Demo, Lite,
or full version).  Start E11 with the following command line:

E11/INIT:GTLEM

Case is not significant.  You'll immediately jump into the game's title screen,
which incorrectly calls itself "RT-11 LUNAR LANDER".  Don't worry about that,
it's a stand-alone program and does not require RT-11, except for building,
and this version is pre-built.  After ten seconds the game starts, and you'll
see a mountain range, with the LEM just flying into view in the upper left
corner of the screen.  Your goal is to control the LEM's attitude and thrust
and make it land softly.  The view seen on the screen is fixed until you are
very close to the moon's surface, at which point the view abruptly switches to
a close-up which shows boulders, craters from previous crashes, and of course,
the McDonald's where you can buy some burgers if you land close enough to it.

The controls are simple, and that's what makes the game hard!  The real VT11
uses a light pen as its pointing device.  E11 simulates the light pen using the
mouse (so make sure you have a DOS mouse driver loaded).  Crosshairs show the
mouse's position, which is initially in the lower left corner of the screen.
In order to register a light pen hit, move the crosshairs to where you would
place the light pen, and then hold down the left mouse button to tell E11
to pretend the light pen is now touching the screen.  GTLEM does a bit of
"debouncing" so a quick click is not enough, you have to hold the button down.

A light pen contains a photodetector which "sees" the CRT's electron beam as
it goes by and causes an interrupt.  Since the VT11 is a refreshing vector
display, it sweeps the electron beam *only* over objects which are actually
illuminated, unlike a raster display which scans every pixel of the screen
(although many of the pixels may be displayed at very low intensity).
Consequently a light pen only works when it's held over an illuminated
object on the screen, so unlike a mouse it's totally useless in the wide
open spaces.  Also unlike a mouse, a light pen can trigger on a near miss,
since the aperture in the business end of the pen has non-zero diameter.

So, E11 simulates this by only registering a light pen hit when the L.H.
mouse button is held down, while the crosshairs are within a small distance
of a vector, dot, or alphanumeric character.

OK back to the game.  The thrust is controlled by a vertical throttle bar in
the upper right corner of the screen.  The bottom end of the bar is 0% thrust,
and the top end is 100% thrust, so you can adjust the throttle by selecting
a position on the bar which corresponds to the percentage that you want.

Below the throttle bar are two pairs of horizontal arrows, a big pair and
a small pair.  The big pair is coarse attitude adjustment, and the small
pair is fine attitude adjustment.  Just hold the mouse button down with the
crosshairs somewhere on the arrow, and the LEM will rotate in that direction
at a rate which is based on how far along the arrow you are.

Finally, the game has four numeric status displays across the top of the
screen.  Normally these display the LEM's height, distance from McDonald's,
vertical velocity, and horizontal velocity.  But you can any of the four
to display any of the parameters listed in the lower right corner of the
screen.  You do this by holding the button down with the crosshairs over
the parameter you want, until it starts blinking.  Then move the crosshairs
up to the displayed parameter that you want to replace, and press the mouse
button again.  That parameter will replace the displayed one.

While you're getting the hang of the game, it would probably be a good idea to
use this feature to make "FUEL LEFT" be one of the four displayed parameters,
you don't get enough fuel to play around much so it's helpful to be able to
keep an eye on it.

John Wilson <wilson@dbit.com>