A retired programmer has discovered a 55-year-old bug in the code of the legendary 1969 computer game Lunar Lander, which simulated landing on the moon.
Moon Landing Bug
Game History
In 1969, shortly after Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon, 17-year-old high school student Jim Storer created one of the first computer games, "Lunar Lander", in the FOCAL language for the PDP-8 computer. The game simulated the descent of a lunar module onto the lunar surface, allowing players to control the fuel consumption for a safe landing.
Error detection
55 years later, in 2024, an expert in artificial intelligence and former MIT graduate student Martin K. Martin, while researching the optimal landing strategy for maximum fuel efficiency, discovered a bug in the game's original code. The most effective method involved free-falling and turning on the thrusters at the last moment to slow down, but the game erroneously did not recognize contact with the surface.
Complex physics of the game
Despite the mistake, Martin was amazed that Storer, As a schoolboy, he managed to implement complex mathematical concepts in his game. As it turns out, Storer's physicist father helped him derive the equations used in the simulation.
Glossary
- The PDP-8 is one of the early series of minicomputers from Digital Equipment Corporation.
- FOCAL is one of the first high-level programming languages developed for the PDP-8.
- Neil Armstrong - American astronaut, the first man to set foot on the moon.
- Buzz Aldrin is an American astronaut, the second man to walk on the moon.
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Questions Answered
What was wrong with the original code for Lunar Lander?
Who developed the game Lunar Lander and in what programming language?
What is the main goal of Lunar Lander?
Like Martin K. Martin discovered a bug in the game code?
What advanced math concepts were used in Lunar Lander?
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Discussion of the topic – The legendary 1969 text-based computer game Lunar Lander received a patch from a retired programmer
Retired programmer Martin K. Martin has fixed a bug in the physics code of the 1969 cult computer game Lunar Lander, created by 17-year-old Jim Storer. This text-based "proto-game" simulated a moon landing.
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Игорь
Wow! 😮 I read about this incredible story about the oldest computer game Lunar Lander and the discovery of pensioner Martin K. It seems that games used to be so simple due to limited resources, but the developers showed genius by creating masterpieces on such primitive equipment.
Катрин
Yes, this legendary game is a real monument to the history of the gaming industry! 🚀 It’s amazing that the student was able to program a lunar landing simulator taking into account physical laws on a then weak computer. The bug found after so many years shows how careful and meticulous this young developer was.
Мартин
Hrrrm, again these young inventors are excited about something. 🙄 In our time, there were no toys, but only workdays. All this computer nonsense is a waste of time! It would be better to spend the energy usefully, for example, take a book and read something useful.
Ганс
I don't agree with you, Martin! 🤨 Technical progress and games are a very important part of the civilizational development of humanity. Such projects inspired future engineers and scientists to make new discoveries. In addition, games help develop logical thinking and creativity. And Lunar Lander directly showed the principles of space flight!
Элена
It amazes me how common teletypes were in those years. 💻 Imagine, playing on a text display was then perceived as something completely innovative! And now we are sitting with cool 3D graphics and realistic engines like Unreal Engine 5. I wonder what those pioneers of the gaming industry dreamed of?
Пьер
I'm sure they couldn't even imagine what games would be like half a century later! 🤯 But it was these enthusiasts from the 60s who laid the foundations of the entire gaming industry. So we all owe them the opportunity to enjoy amazing interactive entertainment now. It's cool that a pensioner was able to find a bug in the legendary code decades later! 👏
София
Yes, the history of the games is very interesting. 🕹️ In addition to technical improvement, their content has also changed over the years. From elementary simulators to the most complex virtual worlds with rich plots and deep gameplay. I think games today are a real art, combining technology, graphics and interactive storytelling!
Марко
In general, I subscribe to the opinion that games are an incredibly valuable cultural phenomenon of our era. 🎮 They inspire, entertain, educate, and the gaming industry is now actively investing in the development of new amazing technologies like cloud gaming, VR and even the use of AI elements! I wonder what awaits us in a couple of decades in this area?