Move new history page into flow

history.md

@@ -4,7 +4,11 @@ title: History of Sopwith
 
 # History of Sopwith
 
-[ **Introduction** \| [Imaginet](history2.md) \| [DOS versions](history3.md) \| [On the Internet](history4.md) ]
+[ **Introduction** \|
+[Imaginet](history2.md) \|
+[Sopwith escapes](history3.md) \|
+[DOS versions](history4.md) \|
+[On the Internet](history5.md) ]
 
 ![Illustration: IBM PC 5150 with Sopwith start screen](img/sopwith-5150.png)
 

history2.md

@@ -4,7 +4,11 @@ title: History of Sopwith: Imaginet
 
 # History of Sopwith part 2: Imaginet
 
-[ [Introduction](history.md) \| **Imaginet** \| [DOS versions](history3.md) \| [On the Internet](history4.md) ]
+[ [Introduction](history.md) \|
+**Imaginet** \|
+[Sopwith escapes](history3.md) \|
+[DOS versions](history4.md) \|
+[On the Internet](history5.md) ]
 
 ![Illustration: Imaginet logo](img/imaginet.png)
 
@@ -133,5 +137,5 @@ recorded for the game's 40th anniversary:
 
 ---
 
-**Next:** [DOS versions](history3.md)
+**Next:** [Sopwith escapes the lab](history3.md)
 

history3.md

@@ -1,202 +1,63 @@
 ---
-title: History of Sopwith: Original DOS versions
+title: History of Sopwith: Sopwith escapes the lab
 ---
 
-# History of Sopwith part 3: the DOS versions
-
-[ [Introduction](history.md) \| [Imaginet](history2.md) \| **DOS versions** \| [On the Internet](history4.md) ]
-
-Sopwith was (originally) an MS-DOS game and several different versions
-are known to exist. These different versions contain different features
-as the game was expanded and developed. This page documents these
-different versions.
-
-Fans have developed their own names for these different versions,
-specifically those known as "Sopwith 1" and "Sopwith 2". However, these
-names are not official, and do not appear anywhere in the program. So
-they are not true "sequels", only different versions of the same game.
-
-## Features
-
-The following table gives a quick rundown of the various features of the
-different versions:
-
-|     | 1   | 1.5 | 2   | Network Edition | Author's Edition |
-| --- | --- | --- | --- | --------------- | ---------------- |
-| Solid ground                    | ✓ |   |   |   |   |
-| Speed depends on CPU            | ✓ | ✓ |   |   |   |
-| Enemy planes drop bombs         |   | ✓ |   |   |   |
-| Oxen and birds                  |   |   | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
-| Explosions leave debris         |   |   | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
-| Novice mode                     |   |   |   | ✓ | ✓ |
-| Missiles and starbursts         |   |   |   | ✓ | ✓ |
-| Wounded planes                  |   |   |   | ✓ | ✓ |
-| Window "splats"                 |   |   |   | ✓ | ✓ |
-| Imaginet multiplayer            | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |   |
-| 640x200 "hi res" mode           | ✓ (`-h`) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |   |
-| Async (serial line) multiplayer |   |   | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
-| Joystick support                |   | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
-| Compiler                        | Computer Innovations C | CIC | CIC | Microsoft C | MSC |
-
-## Sopwith 1
-
-The oldest version, released in 1984, was the original demo for the
-Imaginet networking system.  Its main distinguishing feature is the use
-of solid white ground, which was later replaced by a single line (to
-improve performance). To avoid having to redraw the screen, the "camera"
-only moves sometimes.
-
-Speed is CPU-dependent, so the game runs too fast on machines faster
-than the original IBM XT unless a utility like MOSLO is used (or the
-number of cycles adjusted to a low number on emulators like DOSbox.
-As with later versions, this version supports running the game in 640x200
-CGA "hi res" mono mode, but the command line argument to enable it is `-h`;
-this was changed to `-w` in later versions.
-
-The musical theme to this version is
-[Merrily We Roll Along](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merrily_We_Roll_Along_%28song%29)
-better known as the theme song for the Warner Brothers ***Merry Melodies***
-cartoon. However, the music doesn't play on the title screen unless Sopwith
-is run with the `-s` command line parameter. Interestingly, David Clark
-[does not remember](https://youtu.be/bIoYM_p3HX4?t=1710) the game ever having
-this music.
-
-The multiplayer feature was thought to be unusable without the original
-Imaginet hardware, but has recently
-[been made to work](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxEBEqbuIqI) by
-having multiple instances of QEMU sharing a floppy disk image.
-
-A review was published of this version in the book "Free and user supported
-software for the IBM PC"; you can read it [here](articles/free-ibmpc.md).
-
-* [Download (.zip)](original-files/sopwith1.zip)
-* [Documentation](original-files/sopwith1_docs.txt) for this version.
-* [Play emulated version](https://archive.org/details/msdos_Sopwith_1985) on
-  archive.org.
-
-<img src="original-files/sopwith1_title.png" width="320"> <img
-     src="original-files/sopwith1_001.png" width="320"> <img
-     src="original-files/sopwith1_002.png" width="320">
-
-## Sopwith 1.5
-
-I recently came across this version, which I'm calling Sopwith 1.5 since
-its development clearly sits between the better-known Sopwith 1 and 2. In
-my opinion this is perhaps best described as a beta version of the later
-Sopwith 2 - it is unique in that computer planes drop bombs, a feature
-that never appeared in any other version and does not appear to work
-very well.
-
-Solid ground has been replaced by a line at this point in development,
-and joystick support added.
-However, later changes are not yet present, like oxen and birds,
-or explosions leaving debris. It still runs at the speed of the CPU,
-like Sopwith 1, so the same slowdown techniques are needed to make it
-playable.
-
-By this version the theme music has been changed to
-[The U.S. Air Force](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_U.S._Air_Force_%28song%29)
-(aka ***Wild Blue Yonder***), the official song of the US Air Force.
-This music is used in Sopwith 2 and all future versions.
-
-* [Download (.zip)](original-files/sop15.zip)
-
-<img src="original-files/sop15_title.png" width="320"> <img
-     src="original-files/sop15_001.png" width="320">
-
-## Sopwith 2
-
-Perhaps the best-known of the DOS versions, this was a significant step
-forward over the original. Note that the name "Sopwith 2" is a fan
-invention to distinguish it from the older version, and the game does
-not describe it with that name.
-
-In terms of gameplay the most immediately noticeable feature is the
-addition of oxen and birds to the game. More subtle changes include tweaks
-to how explosions work - debris is longer-lived and provides more of a
-hazard to the player. Speed is now CPU independent, the game supports
-IBM compatible joysticks, and serial line networking, although this
-latter feature is still unusable because it also requires a proprietary
-BMB driver.
-
-The multiplayer feature has recently been made usable through the
-[Imaginot](https://github.com/fragglet/imaginot) adapter program.
-
-* [Download (.zip)](original-files/sopwith2.zip)
-* [Documentation](original-files/sopwith2_docs.txt) for this version.
-* [Play emulated version](https://archive.org/details/msdos_Sopwith_2_1985) on
-  archive.org.
-
-<img src="original-files/sopwith2_title.png" width="320"> <img
-     src="original-files/sopwith2_001.png" width="320"> <img
-     src="original-files/sopwith2_002.png" width="320"> <img
-     src="img/sopwith-4player.png" width="320">
-
-## The Network Edition
-
-Released by the author David L. Clark in the late '90s, the main features
-are the addition of novice mode and wounded planes. Novice mode in
-particular is convenient since it makes it impossible to stall the
-plane, a common stumbling block for new players.
-
-A controversial feature added in this release is guided missiles and
-starbursts (chaff/flares) which are presumably intended to make multiplayer
-more fun (they have to be enabled with the `-x` command line parameter).
-The missiles are dumb missiles when fired by the player but heat-seeking
-when fired by computer planes, making the single player experience almost
-impossible.
-
-Some more subtle changes: oil tank explosions were made much smaller,
-bird strikes no longer result in an explosion, and computer planes avoid
-crashing into oxen.
-
-A cute addition is that of window "splats": bird strikes result in a
-splatted bird appearing on the screen, and getting hit by a bullet results
-in similar broken glass cracks. Perhaps the funniest of all occurs after
-flying through an ox: the entire screen turns pink from blood.
-
-Drivers are available that can be used to play this version and the Author's
-Edition over a serial line; see the download link below. These were
-originally posted by the user "per" on [a thread on the VCFEd](https://forum.vcfed.org/index.php?threads/dos-game-red-baron.14382/)
-forums. These drivers apparently (?) do not work with Sopwith 2. A driver
-file is also included for the original BMB network hardware, but you are
-unlikely to be able to get this to work unless you have original BMB
-hardware. Under DOSbox you will need the
-[DRVLOAD](http://cd.textfiles.com/pier/pier04/010/v12n19.zip) program
-to be able to load the drivers.
-
-* [Download (.zip)](original-files/swnet.zip)
-* [Download drivers (.zip)](original-files/SopwithDrivers.zip)
-
-<img src="original-files/swnet_title.png" width="320"> <img
-     src="original-files/swnet_001.png" width="320"> <img
-     src="original-files/swnet_002.png" width="320">
-
-## The Author's Edition
-
-Largely identical to the Network Edition, but the original BMB networking
-has been removed. This was the basis for the source code release by David
-Clark.
-
-The code was originally released in 2000 under a non-commercial license, but
-was later re-released under the GPL in 2003. There are some
-[very minor differences](original-files/sopwith-orig-gpl.diff) between
-the two source releases. A GPL blurb was added to the program help text (as
-the GPL itself recommends doing), and the copyright year on the title screen
-was updated. The earlier release described itself as "Distribution Version"
-rather than "The Author's Version"; David has specifically requested that
-people do not use that name for their versions.
-
-The Author's Edition is the only version that is **truly**
-[free](https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.en.html) and
-[open source](https://opensource.org/osd/) software.
-
-* [Download (.zip)](original-files/swauth.zip)
-* [Download source code (original non-free license, .zip)](original-files/origsrc.zip)
-* [Download source code (GPL re-release, .zip)](original-files/gplsrc.zip)
-* [Play emulated version](https://archive.org/details/msdos_Sopwith_-_The_Authors_Edition_2000) on
-  archive.org.
-
-<img src="original-files/swauth_title.png" width="320">
-
-**Next:** [On the Internet](history4.md)
+# History of Sopwith part 3: Sopwith escapes the lab
+
+[ [Introduction](history.md) \|
+[Imaginet](history2.md) \|
+**Sopwith escapes** \|
+[DOS versions](history4.md) \|
+[On the Internet](history5.md) ]
+
+Intended as a trade-show demo, it's unclear how Sopwith escaped to the general
+public. David L. Clark didn't even discover [until around
+2000](https://youtu.be/4d0iCQmroMQ?t=1114) that it had "gotten out". Little
+did he know, Sopwith had been circulating for years in collections of early
+games for the IBM PC. Only a couple of years after the first version was
+released, ads were appearing in magazines like PC Magazine advertising Sopwith
+for sale as part of collections of games for the IBM PC:
+
+![Microcom ad from PC Magazine, August
+1986](img/pc_magazine_1986_08_microcom_ad.png) \
+Ad from [PC Magazine's August 1986
+edition](https://archive.org/details/PC-Mag-1986-08-01/page/n89/mode/2up?q=sopwith)
+
+They weren't the only one. Moorshead Publications [boasted in
+1988](https://archive.org/details/ElectronicsTechnologyToday1988198919901991/ElectronicsTechnologyToday1988-09/page/n30/mode/1up?q=Sopwith)
+of Sopwith's "superb graphics" - high praise for a four-color CGA game when PC
+gamers were now enjoying 16-color EGA graphics!
+
+![1988 Moorshead Publications catalog entry for
+Sopwith](img/moorshead_publications_1988_ad.png)
+
+Needless to say, BMB were not getting any money out of these sales and most of
+these distributors were passing off Sopwith as "public domain software".
+Keypunch Software took things a step further by hacking the game to rename it
+"Red Baron" and selling along with several other aviation-themed games as part
+of its "[Strike
+Force](https://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/63910/Strike-Force/)"
+collection. The BMB name was stripped from the title screen and replaced by
+the words "PUBLIC DOMAIN".
+
+## Reviews
+
+Because it had never had any official release as a commercial game, there
+weren't a lot of contemporary reviews of Sopwith. Nevertheless it did get a
+bit of attention. Bob Liddil loved Sopwith's gameplay so much that he [wrote
+about
+it](https://archive.org/details/P100-Magazine/1989-01/page/15/mode/1up?q=Sopwith)
+in his column for Portable 100 magazine:
+
+![Extract from article from Portable 100 magazine](img/portable_100_1989_review.png)
+
+And perhaps most notably of all was [Sopwith's
+appearance](articles/free-ibmpc.md) in the 1990 book "Free and user supported
+software for the IBM PC" where it was described as a "very enjoyable game
+which offers solid entertainment" and received an overall evaluation of
+"excellent":
+
+![Page from the book "Free and user supported software for the IBM
+PC"](articles/free-ibmpc-page2.png)
+
+**Next:** [Original DOS versions](history4.md)