 New strategic multiuser intellectual game  "Continent".

One, two  or more  people can  play this  game  together.
There are also "computer players", with various ranges of
intellect. In  this game  one can  find  application  for
one's intellect  no less than that in playing chess - but
in a  much more  modern, computerized, way. In fact, some
people says  that it's  a best  strategic game, they have
ever seen.

In 1988  I finished a complete version of the "Continent"
for two  players (  both -  humans )  for PDP-11/40.  PDP
version of this game was very popular some years ago. Now
there are so many color-sound-PC games... so it is not so
popular today.
Now  I  have  rewritten  this  game  for  IBM  compatible
computers. One,  two or  more people  can play  this game
together. There are also "computer players", with various
ranges of intellect.

I would  like to  mention in short the main disadvantages
of other  strategic games  as "WarLords", "Civilization",
"Empire"  and so on, from my point of view:
1. There is no hierarchy and subordination in game forces
like in the real army.
2. Groups  of war  units can  execute only  the  simplest
orders.
3. When  some time  pass you  will have a large amount of
war units  and the process of giving orders for each unit
takes a  lot of  time and  interferes with  your thinking
globally.
4. Units are not intellectual. They can not execute usual
army orders.
5. Map is usually restricted by rectangle.
6. Poverty  of weapons  in  comparison  with  the  modern
industry.
7. Computer player strategy is very primitive.

In the  beginning of  this year  I found a friend who was
also interested  in improving  the "Continent", but he is
interested in  it from  the side  of computer  intellect,
because he is a  field.

In "Continent"  I am  going to  introduce  the  following
improvements.
It's necessary to have strict hierarchy and subordination
in the army forces structure.
It will  be interesting  to implement  method of discrete
time simulation  for systems  with hierarchical structure
and limited  level of  intellect. One  of my  friend is a
specialist in the artificial intellect field and going to
implement it in this game. In case of this implementation
every level  of system  has it's  own analog in real army
structure. Levels  interaction can be realized by sending
reports, giving orders and executering orders. With these
improvements there  is a possibility to form subdivisions
( Group  of units  ) and  have real  control  over  them,
because the  method  provides  intellectual  behavior  of
components. In  case of  intellectual subdivisions appear
an ability to realize dynamic version of the game without
any loses in intellectuality of process of game.
It's interesting to mention that the game acquire another
remarkable feature  of real  life -  to make  career from
soldier to Commander in-Chief.
In multiuser version of game there is no any restrictions
for  places   of  players   in  army   system  and  their
interactions.
Of course  one can use any real maps and true weapons and
model real world situations.
In "Continent"  we can  use not only rectangle restricted
but also cylinder and thyroidal maps.

I am strongly interested in following development of this
game and will be very glad to cooperate with you.

About myself.
Two years before I graduated from Moscow Energy Institute
(MEI)  and   now  work,   as  a  network  supervisor  and
programmer,  for  the  software  department  of  Research
Institute of Rare Metals.

   I will greatly appreciate your answer, thankful in
                        advance,
               With the very best wishes,


                                            Nick A.Skokov
