59 lines
3.2 KiB
Plaintext
59 lines
3.2 KiB
Plaintext
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Codewheels are used by software publishers to thwart piracy.
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It's a great system, assuming nobody can read or write. With
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any form of writing, it's possible to transmit the specs for
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the wheel along with the game. Wheels of cardboard are lined up
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according to keywords on the screen, to reveal the password on
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the wheel.
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When I wanna play a game, I wanna play NOW. So spending a few
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minutes figuring out the password from the docs is too long. I spent
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15 minutes making the wheel instead, which will save time in the long
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run and was fun too. Here are some construction tips:
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Paper plates make great code wheels. They're stiff enough to last
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awhile, and easy to write on. Plastic is tough to write on, and cut.
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If you make the circles (where the words go) all the same size, it will
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line up right. To do that, draw them with a compass or use one pencil
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to point the center, with the other held still. Spin the paper while
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holding the pencils still. You also have to devide the "pie" into
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sectors. If the docs have 12 columns, you make 12 equal pie slices.
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360 degrees (circle, remember?) devided by 12 columns is 30 degrees ea.
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Can't guess 30 degrees? Devide a 90 deg into thirds. If you cut each
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wheel (bottom, mid, top) just a little smaller than the last, you have
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a little room for the keyword, at top of column.
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By drawing the sectors first, and labling the columns, you can
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figure out where the windows get cut. After cutting the windows, use
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them to write the codewords in the right places. You can't mount them
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permanently till they're finished. Use a nail or something to fasten
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the bottom plate, which I leave whole, to the second. Fill out the
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code words through the window in the second, so you know they'll line
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up. Then do the same with the third wheel on top. Just copy off the
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docs the Pirate included.
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Now you have to fasten the three finished wheels together.
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you can use a tack or a pin. But to really look slick, find a
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pop-rivet tool, and use the biggest pop-rivet you can find.
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Pop-rivets hold the wheel together tightly, while letting them
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rotate. And it looks great. The bigger pop-rivet spreads the stress
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over a larger area and lasts longer. A smaller screw or rivet is OK
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if you use metal or fiber washers.
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It cost a dozen paper plates to perfect this technique. But I can
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spin them up quick and cheap now.
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X-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-X
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Another file downloaded from: The NIRVANAnet(tm) Seven
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& the Temple of the Screaming Electron Taipan Enigma 510/935-5845
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Burn This Flag Zardoz 408/363-9766
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realitycheck Poindexter Fortran 510/527-1662
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Lies Unlimited Mick Freen 801/278-2699
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The New Dork Sublime Biffnix 415/864-DORK
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The Shrine Rif Raf 206/794-6674
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Planet Mirth Simon Jester 510/786-6560
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"Raw Data for Raw Nerves"
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X-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-X
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