Text Based Pong:

March 13, 2002 11:01 AM

Text Based Pong: The game doesn't keep score yet, if you want to see who's winning, write it down on a piece of paper. A word is worth 1/1000th of a picture. And yet, somehow I find this a compelling bit o' minimalism.
posted by danOstuporStar (15 comments total)

I don't recall ever having to guess where the ball was coming next while playing pong. It's a bit like playing blindfolded. It's decidedly unpong like.
posted by eyeballkid at 11:26 AM on March 13, 2002

I just went back and reread each screen. Man am I lame. I can't even play text based pong right.
posted by eyeballkid at 11:27 AM on March 13, 2002

It's like a Choose Your Own Adventure book with only three pages.
posted by Kafkaesque at 11:39 AM on March 13, 2002

I am kicking that left paddle's ass! w00t w00t!
posted by RJ Reynolds at 12:04 PM on March 13, 2002

I was getting paddled then I started reading. Now I'm doing the paddling.:)
posted by onegoodmove at 12:17 PM on March 13, 2002

Now, if they could just add some text-based sound effects...
posted by mathis23 at 1:00 PM on March 13, 2002

for some reason, i love the word w00t.
posted by o2b at 1:43 PM on March 13, 2002

If someone ever comes up with a fully-functional text-based version of Battleship, then I'll be impressed.
posted by ZachsMind at 2:25 PM on March 13, 2002

how about text-based mastermind?
posted by meep at 2:52 PM on March 13, 2002

I swear to you -- I laughed for two minutes.
posted by wadner at 4:53 PM on March 13, 2002

Exactly, wadner. Playing isn't the point; sliding off your chair in hysterics just as the boss walks in is.
posted by jilly at 7:51 PM on March 13, 2002

I guess this is good because it evoked such bewilderment from me as to why anyone would think it is good. Circular reasoning? Ah, indeed. Anyway, it totally sucks.
posted by wackybrit at 12:44 AM on March 14, 2002

A bit of self promotion, but I just completed the Pokemon and Star Wars Episode 1 data files for Monopoly for DOS.

http://members.optusnet.com.au/~kris_j/monopaks.html

It's not quite as minimalist, but it's still text-mode and ever so slightly surreal.
posted by krisjohn at 1:57 AM on March 14, 2002

i'm impressed and unimpressed at the same time.
posted by Frasermoo at 4:55 AM on March 14, 2002

Fraser, that comment was both above you and beneath you.
posted by Kafkaesque at 8:41 AM on March 14, 2002