My Life in Games 1: Little Computer People (1987)

Seb was trying to get me to work out my Top 20 video games of all time, and I narrowed it down to 20... but it was too hard to put them into order.  So I cheated, and put them into chronological order.  But then I thought that was actually quite interesting.  It's like my life, told via the games I was playing.  So here we go.  

Though our first computer at home was a Spectrum, my gamer memories really begin with our Amiga.  The first game on this list is "Little Computer People", which was released in 1987.  Some would say it is not a game at all, but I'd say it's a game as much as "The Sims" is.  

"House on a Disk"

The premise of this game is that there is a Little Computer Person in your computer.  You buy this "House on a Disk", put it into your computer, and it lures the LCP out of hiding.  He moves into the "House on a Disk"!  This is all badged as some kind of research project, and you're encouraged to make notes to send back to the developers.

Excerpt from the manual

The LCP has a 'unique' name, and whatever you do you're only going to get that LCP with that disk.  (Apparently if you bought the "House on a Disk" again you might be able to lure another LCP out.)  My LCP was called Terence.

When your LCP arrives, he spends a while looking around and getting settled in.  Once he's living in the "House on a Disk", you can use commands to make certain things happen (food deliveries, fill up water tank, ring the alarm clock, deliver dog food, make the phone ring, send him a book or record, or "pet" him).  You send him food deliveries, fill up his water cooler, make sure he has everything he needs.  Make sure his physical and mental needs are met.  

The LCP in his home

You can suggest to him (by typing simple commands) that he do certain activities, for instance 'please type a letter to me', or 'please dance'.  (He appreciates politeness, so remember the pleases and thank yous.)  And you can play games with him.  There are five games: anagrams, war, poker, blackjack and word puzzles.  He's a pretty good opponent!  I spent some happy hours playing games with the little guy sitting at his kitchen table.

Playing Blackjack

Sometimes you just watch him going about his life.  Maybe he'll play practice the organ.  Maybe he'll watch TV.  Maybe he'll play one of his records.  He'll brush his teeth and do star jumps to take care of himself.  And he has that dog to look after, too.

I loved playing this.  It was just such a happy game.  The terrible thing is that it scarred me for life, and I don't really understand what happened.  One day Terence walked out of his front door and... he never returned.  I didn't even know that was a thing.  I had looked after him as well as I could - why did he leave?  And was that even supposed to happen?!  I have no idea.  It wasn't like you could just google it at the time to see if that had happened to other people...

So there you have it.  The terrible tale of the disappearing LCP.  I just hope his dog was ok after he walked out on us...

Thanks to Abandonware LCP longplay - I took the screen captures from their video.  :-)