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Noughts and Crosses anyone ?

PostPosted: Tue Jul 19, 2016 7:21 pm
by Viewmaster
I recently required an early Noughts and Crosses game called, CROSSO, made by Nombrex who normally made
sig generators etc.

This got me searching for more types. Some use relays and more modern ones use programed PICs.

Found one using 18 rotary switches to wire up...........I do like a challenge in wiring. :D
It was in Practical Electronics. Sept. 1965

So if you want a relaxing time from NBTV here is the magazine containing the article and wiring diagrams etc.
...........I'm about to order my 18 switches !!

The article is about 3/4 down the page. (The wiring of the switches is further on down past some adverts.)

http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Arc ... 965-09.pdf

Anyone for Noughts and crosses? :)

Re: Noughts and Crosses anyone ?

PostPosted: Tue Jul 19, 2016 8:03 pm
by Harry Dalek
Hello Albert It looks like you would need a few switches,i like the screen idea its really like a little mechanical computer ,i would of been over the moon to have one of these things in the 1960s ! come to think of it i don't think i had to much back then that worked off batteries or a power supply.Do show if you make it !

Re: Noughts and Crosses anyone ?

PostPosted: Tue Jul 19, 2016 9:09 pm
by Viewmaster
I plan to use 18 miniature 4PDT toggle switches instead of rotary.
Also nine 2 colour LED's.
Red illuminated for crosses and green for noughts.

There is also a Mensa 3D version of noughts and crosses
but so far, not an electronic version.

Some bright spark will no doubt work out how to make it.

Re: Noughts and Crosses anyone ?

PostPosted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 5:52 pm
by Dave Moll
Be aware that 3D noughts and crosses requires a 4x4x4 grid, as a 3x3x3 grid game can always be won by whoever starts first if their first move is the centre square. Incidentally, the 2D 3x3 grid should always end in a draw if both players make the optimal move at each turn.

I still have a set of punched cards with a 4x4x4 game written back in the 1960s in FORTRAN IV for an IBM 1800 computer.

Re: Noughts and Crosses anyone ?

PostPosted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 8:06 pm
by Viewmaster
In 3D it is illegal for any player to start in the centre.

Re: Noughts and Crosses anyone ?

PostPosted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 8:11 pm
by Steve Anderson
I'm out of my comfort zone here, but with a 4x4x4 array how can you start in the centre? OK Albert, I get your point.

Steve A.

Re: Noughts and Crosses anyone ?

PostPosted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 8:47 pm
by Viewmaster
Hello Steve.
You are just the man to design the circuitry for 3D noughts and crosses. :D

...........you design it and I'll wire it up !!

There are over 200 soldered joints in the one I am making, (a piece of cake!),
and you know just how I love thousands of soldered joints :D :D

I'm 83 now but the soldering iron is still hot. :shock:

Re: Noughts and Crosses anyone ?

PostPosted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 9:32 pm
by Steve Anderson
Viewmaster wrote:Hello Steve. You are just the man to design the circuitry for 3D noughts and crosses.

Well, It's an interesting muse. I did get involved sometime in the late 80s with my father and I and this Dutch guy on a similar project. It came to nothing, but we did make a quite good looking prototype. Far larger than the production version would have been. Recall this was in the days of Rubic's cube. How the game was played, no idea, that's gone. It was an 8x8x8 array, how I was planning to do the logic - again don't ask.
Viewmaster wrote:There are over 200 soldered joints in the one I am making, (a piece of cake!)..and you know just how I love thousands of soldered joints :D :D

You're a masochist.
Viewmaster wrote:I'm 83 now but the soldering iron is still hot.

I think mine has only 110V fed to it.

Steve A.

Re: Noughts and Crosses anyone ?

PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 5:47 pm
by Dave Moll
Viewmaster wrote:In 3D it is illegal for any player to start in the centre.

How much difference would that rule make to a 3x3x3 matrix? The first player can then make his second move in the centre and surely still be in an unbeatable position. Such a rule is not only meaningless with 4x4x4, but is also unnecessary.

Re: Noughts and Crosses anyone ?

PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2016 4:11 am
by Viewmaster
I cannot find the exact rules for 3x3 3D but I gather now that each layer is played for first
so there will not be that centre position advantage?

I have bought a hand held electronic 3x3 3D from USA so will see if this is so.