Commodity trading

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How it works
Implementations
History
Variants and combinations
Related
Games
References
Sources

Commodity trading is buying goods where or when they are cheap and selling them where or when they are expensive. Prices vary by place, by day, or both. The player carries a limited load from market to market, and each trip costs time. Many trading games add a debt that grows with interest, a bank, and random events that move a price or rob the player. In Drug Wars, the player has 30 days¹ to trade drugs across New York while a loan shark’s debt grows 10% a day, rounded down².

#How it works

A game repeats one visit after another:

start with cash, a debt, a capacity, and day 1
on arriving at a market:
    for each good g:
        price[g] = base(g, place) + swing          # a new random draw
    maybe a price event: one price × k or ÷ k      # bust, glut, shortage
    maybe a risk event: mugging, police, pirates
    buy and sell, within cash and capacity
travel to another market:
    day = day + travel time
    debt = floor(debt × (1 + i))
    bank = floor(bank × (1 + j))
at the last day, score cash + bank − debt

With buying price $p_{b}$ , selling price $p_{s}$ , capacity $C$ , and cash $m$ , one trip carries $q = \min (C, ⌊ m / p_{b} ⌋)$ units and earns $q \cdot (p_{s} - p_{b})$ . The debt $D$ compounds at rate $i$ per day, $D_{t + 1} = ⌊ D_{t} (1 + i) ⌋$ , so a slow start costs more each day it lasts.

The common parts differ from game to game:

Prices. A price is a base plus a random swing. Drug Wars draws whole steps of a fixed size, the same in every place³. dopewars draws uniformly from each drug’s range on every arrival⁴. Elite adds a term for the system’s economy, so a good is cheap in one type of system and expensive in another⁵.
Price events. An event scales one price. Drug Wars multiplies by 5 or divides by 5 or 7, at most once a day⁶; dopewars multiplies or divides by 4, up to three times a visit^7,8.
Capacity. Drug Wars and dopewars start the player with a trench coat that holds 100 units^9,10. Star Trader’s ships carry up to 30 tons¹¹.
Travel. Each jet in Drug Wars and dopewars takes a day^1,12. Star Trader’s ships travel about 2 light-years a week¹¹.
Debt and the bank. Both drug games charge 10% a day on the loan shark’s debt and pay interest on deposits^2,13,14,15. Star Trader’s banks pay 5%¹¹.
Risk. Drug Wars sends the police only after a player who carries drugs¹⁶. dopewars rolls for an encounter on every arrival, more often for a richer player¹⁷.

#Implementations

	Drug Wars (1984)¹⁸	dopewars (1999)¹⁹	Elite (1984)²⁰
Goods	6 drugs²¹	12 drugs²²	17 goods²³
Price	random steps, plus another drug’s price from the day before^3,24	uniform in the drug’s range⁴	base + masked random byte ± economy × factor⁵
Does the place matter?	no³	only for what is on sale²⁵	yes, through the economy²⁶
New prices	every day³	every arrival⁴	every arrival in a new system²⁷
Events	≤ 1 a day; × 5, ÷ 5, ÷ 7⁶	0–3 a visit; × 4, ÷ 4^8,7	—

#Drug Wars

John E. Dell’s Drug Wars survives only as a compiled MS-DOS program, so the atlas measured it in an emulator. Every day each drug gets a random whole number of steps, the same in all six places³. Cocaine, heroin, and weed also add another drug’s price from the day before²⁴. Since the place doesn’t matter, the trade is in time: buy on a cheap day, sell on an expensive one. On about one day in five an event multiplies one price by 5 or divides it by 5 or 7⁶. The loan shark lends up to twice the cash in hand, less $50²⁸, and the debt grows 10% a day, rounded down².

#dopewars

Ben Webb’s dopewars derives from Drug Wars by way of an MS-DOS Dope Wars²⁹, and its source is public. Each arrival draws every price on sale uniformly from the drug’s range⁴. The place sets how many of the 12 drugs are on sale³⁰ and how often the police attack³¹. A visit brings zero to three events with probabilities 0.30, 0.42, 0.266, and 0.014⁸. An event drug costs a quarter or four times a normal price⁷.

  if (brandom(0, 100) < 70)
    NumEvents = 1;
  if (brandom(0, 100) < 40 && NumEvents == 1)
    NumEvents = 2;
  if (brandom(0, 100) < 5 && NumEvents == 2)
    NumEvents = 3;

dopewars source · src/serverside.c L3213–3219⁸

#Elite

In Elite, the place sets most of a price. Each good has a base price, an economic factor, and a fluctuation mask³², and its price is $(b + (r \land m) \pm e f) \times 4$ ⁵ tenths of a credit. One random byte, drawn on arrival in a new system, sets the swing for the visit²⁷. A negative factor makes a good cheapest in poor agricultural systems, a positive one in rich industrial systems; Food runs 7.6–8.0 credits a tonne in the richest industrial systems and 2.0–2.4 in the poorest agricultural ones, and Computers the other way round, 61.6–62.8 and 100.8–102.0²⁶. That gradient makes trade routes. The arithmetic is 8-bit, and only Narcotics overflows it, so its price can land at 1.2 credits in a system where it otherwise costs about 100³³. Mark Moxon’s documented source makes this code readable.

LDA QQ26
AND QQ23+3,X
…
ADC QQ23,X
…
ADC QQ19+3
…
SBC QQ19+3
…
JSR GC2

Elite source (BBC Micro cassette) · 1-source-files/main-sources/elite-source.asm L20485–20535⁵

LDY QQ28
…
ADC QQ19+2

Elite source (BBC Micro cassette) · 1-source-files/main-sources/elite-source.asm L20785–20822⁵

#Koei’s Genghis Khan games

In Genghis Khan, three merchants travel their own routes, and the player trades with one only while it is in the country^34,35. Prices follow a market rate that changes every season³⁶, and each merchant also has a rate of his own³⁷. Genghis Khan II keeps the rate³⁸ and adds specialty items whose value follows supply and demand and varies by area³⁹.

#History

The earliest known traded good with a moving price is land, bought and sold at a yearly random price, in Doug Dyment’s FOCAL Sumer Game, which DECUS listed in November 1969^40,41, and in David Ahl’s BASIC version, Hamurabi⁴².

Star Trader, which People’s Computer Company printed in January 1974, is the earliest known game here whose markets differ by place^43,44. Its players captain merchant ships between star systems⁴³. They haggle with local merchants⁴⁵, carry up to 30 tons, travel about 2 light-years a week, and bank at 5% interest¹¹. The systems grow over the years and their needs change; the newsletter advises buying raw materials, such as uranium or metals, in less developed, newer systems⁴⁴.

John E. Dell said he wrote Drug Wars after playing a game at a friend’s house about buying and selling goods at fluctuating prices; he couldn’t name it but thought it likely Taipan⁴⁶. Drug Wars carries a 1984 copyright¹⁸, and Elite came out the same year²⁰. An MS-DOS Dope Wars credits Dell’s game⁴⁷, and Ben Webb’s dopewars followed in 1999¹⁹.

#Variants and combinations

Prices by time only: Drug Wars, where the trade is in waiting³.
Prices by place: Elite’s economy gradient, which makes fixed trade routes²⁶.
Availability by place: dopewars, where a place sells only some drugs each day³⁰.
Haggling: Star Trader⁴⁵.
Growing economies: Star Trader’s systems develop as they trade⁴⁴.
Compound interest: the debt that sets the pace in both drug games^2,13.

Games

Game	Year	Note
Hamurabi	1973	land at 17 to 26 bushels per acre, one price a year for buying and selling
Star Trader	1974	six goods priced by each system's stock or need, and haggling over every lot
Drug Wars	1984	six drugs, six places, 30 days; a fresh random price every day, at most one price event
Elite	1984
Nobunaga's Ambition	1986	merchants trade rice and arms at a market price; the computer original sets a base rate each spring that trades then move
Genghis Khan	1987	three merchants and 17 goods; one market rate that changes each season
Genghis Khan II: Clan of the Gray Wolf	1992	four merchants; prices depend on a rate shown beside the season
dopewars	1999	12 drugs, 8 places (6 in antique mode), 31 days; a uniform price per drug on each arrival, 0–3 events at ÷4 or ×4
Animal Crossing	2001	turnips bought on Sunday and sold to the shop on a weekday, before they spoil

Every claim about this mechanic, by game (77)

Hamurabi 1973	Each year land trades at $17 + ⌊ 10 r ⌋$ bushels per acre for a random $r$ in [0, 1), a whole number from 17 to 26.	Code
	The player may buy land at the year's price if the store covers it, and buying any land skips the chance to sell that year.	Code
	A sale pays the same price per acre into the store, and the city must keep at least 1 acre.	Code
Star Trader 1974	Star Trader, which People's Computer Company printed in January 1974, has each player captain trading ships between star systems, buying and selling merchandise.	Publisher
	Star Trader's ships carry up to 30 tons of cargo and travel about 2 light-years a week, and banks, found only in Class I and Class II systems, pay 5% interest.	Publisher
	Star Trader's systems grow over the years and their needs change, and the newsletter's advice is to buy raw materials, such as uranium or metals, in less developed, newer systems.	Publisher
	In Star Trader the player trades with the merchants and haggles over prices.	Publisher
Star Trader 1974	Star Trader's set-up module sets its defaults in code: ships travel 2/7 of a light-year a day, stars stand at least 15 light-years apart, the delay constant `Q`, which a comment calls the probability of a delay, is 0.1, merchants make up to 3 bids, a ship carries 30 tons, the profit-margin constant `X9` is 36, and development grows in steps of 1.25.	Publisher
	Star Trader's profit-margin setting $n$ , asked for as 1 to 5 and usually 2, sets `X9` to $18 n$ , so the default `X9` is 36; the prompt says a higher number gives a lower profit.	Publisher
	Star Trader has six goods, each with a fixed price: uranium 5,000, metals 3,500, heavy equipment 4,000, medicine 4,500, computer software 3,000, and star gems 3,000.	Publisher
	Each Star Trader system makes or needs each good at a monthly rate $G = (1 + L / 15) (M L + C)$ , where $L$ is the system's development level and $M$ and $C$ come from DATA statements for its development bracket; a positive rate means it produces the good, a negative one that it consumes it.	Publisher
	Computed from Star Trader's DATA tables: a frontier system, at development level 0, makes 1 uranium, 0.75 metals, and 0.5 gems a month and consumes 0.75 heavy equipment, 0.5 medicine, and 1 software; Sol, at level 15, makes 1.5 heavy equipment, 1 medicine, and 2 software and consumes 2 uranium, 1.5 metals, and 1 gems.	Publisher
	Star Trader sets a system's fair price for a good from its fixed price $Q$ , its stock $S$ , its rate $G$ , and the profit-margin constant $X_{9}$ : $P = Q (1 - sgn (S) \| S / (G X_{9}) \|)$ , rounded to the nearest 100, so a surplus lowers the price and a need raises it.	Publisher
	Computed from lines 3940–3950: since the stock never exceeds 12 months of the rate, a fair price stays within $Q (1 \pm 12 / X_{9})$ , which is ±⅓ of the fixed price at the default margin of 2, ±⅔ at 1, and ±2/15 at 5.	Publisher
	When a Star Trader player offers merchants more of a good than they need, they bid on at most twice their need.	Publisher
	Star Trader's merchants open each round at 90% of the fair value of the units when buying from the player and 110% when selling to the player, rounded to the nearest 100.	Publisher
	Star Trader's merchants haggle over each good for at most `K9` rounds, 3 by default; when `K9` is 2 or more, they announce the last round as their final offer.	Publisher
	When Star Trader's merchants buy $X$ units at fair price $P$ , a player's bid $Y$ at or under $P X$ sells, one over $(1 + z) P X$ ends the deal, and one between moves the price to $0.8 P + 0.2 Y / X$ for another round; when they sell, an offer at or over $P X$ buys, one under $(1 - z) P X$ ends the deal, and one between moves the price the same way.	Publisher
	Star Trader's price window $z$ is $0.5 / k$ in round $k$ when the player trades at least the merchants' whole need or supply $\| S \|$ , and $X / (2 \| S \| k)$ for a smaller lot of $X$ units, so it narrows each round and is widest for a full lot.	Publisher
	In a Star Trader system with a bank, a player whose accepted offer exceeds the cash aboard may draw on the bank to pay; elsewhere, or if the bank can't cover it, the offer fails as too low.	Publisher
	Each year Star Trader prints every system's prices and each player's cash aboard ships, bank balance, and cargo valued at the fixed prices, with their total.	Publisher
	After a ship's visit, Star Trader raises the system's development level by `G9` (1.25 by default) if no need left there exceeds one month's consumption and at most one good is still needed; it announces a new class at each multiple of 5, and once the average level reaches 10, a new Class IV system appears, up to 15 systems.	Publisher
Drug Wars 1984	Dell said he had recently played a game at a friend's house that involved buying and selling goods at fluctuating prices, and that it was likely Taipan.	Interview
	The instructions list six drugs with their prices per unit: cocaine 15,000–30,000, heroin 5,000–14,000, acid 1,000–4,500, weed 300–900, speed 70–250, and ludes 10–60.	Our research
	The player jets between six places, the Bronx, the Ghetto, Central Park, Manhattan, Coney Island, and Brooklyn.	Our research
	Each jet takes a day, and the jet out of 1/3/84 ends the game after 30 days of trading, with no 12/31 on the calendar.	Our research
	The loan shark, the stash, and the bank are only in the Bronx.	Our research
	The debt grows 10% a day, rounded down to the dollar, so $5,500 left unpaid is $87,198 on the last day.	Our research
	The bank pays 5.5% a day, rounded down, but the status box can show the balance from before the day's interest until something redraws it.	Our research
	The loan shark lends at most twice the cash in hand, less $50; with $2,000 he lends $3,950 and refuses $3,951.	Our research
	Each day every drug gets a new price, a random whole number of steps: cocaine 15 to 28 × $1,000, heroin 5 to 12 × $1,000, acid 10 to 44 × $100, weed 3 to 7 × $100, speed 7 to 24 × $10, and ludes 1 to 5 × $10.	Our research
	Three prices carry another drug's price from the day before, so cocaine adds the previous day's weed price, heroin adds 4 × the previous day's speed price, and weed adds the previous day's ludes price.	Our research
	On about one day in five a price event moves one drug; a cocaine bust or heroin addicts multiply its price by 5, cheap heroin, acid, or weed divide it by 5, and cheap ludes divide it by 7.	Our research
	A mugging in the subway divides the player's cash by a whole number from 1 to 5, rounded down.	Our research
	On arrival the game may offer a bigger trench coat for $200 to $299, which adds 20 units of space, or a gun for $400 to $499.	Our research
	Officer Hardass and one to three deputies chase a player who carries drugs and never one who carries none.	Our research
Elite 1984	Elite came out in 1984.	Wikidata
	Elite's station markets price 17 goods afresh in every star system and stock all but the last, alien items, whose availability `var` sets to 0.	Code
	Each good's price is $(b + (r \land m) \pm e \cdot f) \times 4$ tenths of a credit, from its base price $b$ , a random byte $r$ masked by $m$ , the system's economy $e$ (0 to 7), and the good's economic factor $f$ , all in 8-bit arithmetic.	Code
	One random byte, drawn on arrival in a new system, sets every good's fluctuation for that visit.	Code
	The table gives each good a base price, an economic factor from −9 (Furs) to +29 (Narcotics), and a fluctuation mask from 1 (Food) to 120 (Narcotics).	Code
	A negative factor makes a good cheapest in poor agricultural systems and a positive one in rich industrial systems, so Food costs 7.6–8.0 credits a tonne at economy 0 and 2.0–2.4 at economy 7, and Computers 61.6–62.8 and 100.8–102.0.	Code
	Narcotics' sum can pass 255 and wrap around, so in a rich industrial system its price is either 94.0–100.4 or 1.2–39.6 credits.	Code
Nobunaga's Ambition 1986	The main display shows a current market price, which changes through the year. The PC-98 manual says the year's base rate is set in spring, and that buying rice raises the rice price and selling lowers it.	Manual
Genghis Khan 1987	Three merchants trade in Genghis Khan, Chinese, Islamic, and Uighur, each working independently along its own sales routes.	Manual
	When a merchant is in the country, the player can sell food and specialty items for gold, buy food, specialty items, and weapons, or hire mercenaries, at the current market rate; weapons raise the arms value and cannot be resold.	Manual
	The main display shows the current market rate.	Manual
	Mercenaries are hired at the current market rate; they add soldiers but lower morale, arms, and skill.	Manual
	The merchants deal in 17 goods, from fur and silk to pikes and bombs.	Manual
	Weapons bought from merchants raise the arms value, which falls every winter and whenever new recruits join.	Manual
	The Famicom manual says the base market rate changes every season and governs the merchants' trading rates, so a high base rate means high prices and a low one low prices.	Manual
	The Famicom manual says each merchant has his own trading rate, merchants are not always present, trades follow the market rate of the moment, and the Sell and Buy screens show a table of rates.	Manual
	The Famicom manual says the rise in arms level from buying weapons depends on the whole population, not on the number of soldiers, and that bought weapons cannot be resold.	Manual
	Nintendo Power's screenshots of the NES version show the market rate at 101 on one screen and 150 on two others.	Magazine
Genghis Khan II: Clan of the Gray Wolf 1992	The Market command trades food and specialty items with merchants, or hires mercenaries, only while merchants are in the state; the merchants are Uighur, Islamic, Chinese, and Venetian, and the Islamic and Venetian ones are absent from Scenario 1.	Manual
	The Merchants information screen shows where merchants are on the map, with a house icon at each merchant's base.	Manual
	Selling food or specialty items and buying food, arms, or specialty items both happen at prices that depend on the rate.	Manual
	The main display shows the rate beside the year and season.	Manual
	Each specialty item's value is based on supply and demand and varies by area.	Manual
	The game has 10 specialty items, fur, silk, gems, jewelry, medicine, woodwork, ceramics, glass, textiles, and spices, and each state can produce only certain ones.	Manual
	Gold rises with selling goods and spring taxes, and falls with war, drafting, alms, buying goods, and soldiers' pay.	Manual
	Mercenary costs vary by unit type, and new mercenary units arrive at 50 arms and 20 training, which feed into the army's overall levels.	Manual
	Electronic Games' review describes the computer version's economy as kept up "through mercantile trade on fluctuating markets" and control of production.	Magazine
	Electronic Games' screenshots of the computer version show the rate at 1.0 in spring 1184 and spring 1286 and at 1.4 in autumn 1241.	Magazine
dopewars 1999	dopewars has 12 drugs, each with a price range, from Ludes at 11–60 to Cocaine at 15,000–29,000. Acid, Hashish, Ludes, and Weed can turn cheap; Cocaine, Heroin, Opium, and Speed can turn expensive.	Verified
	Each drug on sale gets a fresh price on every arrival, drawn uniformly from at least its MinPrice to below its MaxPrice; a price event then divides or multiplies one drug's price.	Verified
	Each visit puts a random number of drugs on sale, from the location's MinDrug to one less than its MaxDrug; the rest have no price that day.	Verified
	The eight locations differ in police presence and in how many drugs are on sale, from Manhattan (police 90, 4–9 drugs) to the Ghetto (police 5, 8–11 drugs).	Verified
	Each visit has no price event with probability 0.30, one with 0.42, two with 0.266, and three with 0.014.	Verified
	A price event picks a random drug that can turn; a cheap drug costs a quarter of a normal price, and an expensive one four times.	Verified
	Each jet multiplies the loan shark's debt by 1.10, in integer arithmetic, so $5,500 left unpaid grows to $95,917 over 30 jets.	Verified
	Each jet multiplies the bank balance by 1.05, so $2,000 deposited grows to $8,614 over 30 jets.	Verified
	The dopewars loan shark, in the Bronx, only takes repayments and offers no new loans.	Code
	On arrival, dopewars rolls for an encounter, 24 in 100 below $1 million net worth, 39 in 115 above it, and 54 in 130 above $3 million.	Code
	An encounter is an offer, a random event, or a police attack, and a location's police presence raises the share of attacks. Half of all offers are a helper who carries drugs, or a bigger trenchcoat in antique mode; the rest offer a gun, unless the game is sanitized or has no guns, the player already carries two more guns than helpers, or the drawn gun won't fit the coat, and then nothing is offered.	Code
	One random event in ten is a mugging that leaves 80 to 94 percent of the cash.	Code
	In antique mode, half of all offers are a bigger trenchcoat for $200 to $299, and each one adds 10 to the coat's space.	Code

References

^ a bEach jet takes a day, and the jet out of 1/3/84 ends the game after 30 days of trading, with no 12/31 on the calendar.Our researchDrug Wars (1984), played in emu2
How we know
the DATE field, day by day · archived copy ↗
Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
In the claim ledger
^ a b c dThe debt grows 10% a day, rounded down to the dollar, so $5,500 left unpaid is $87,198 on the last day.Our researchDrug Wars (1984), played in emu2
How we know
the DEBT field, day by day · archived copy ↗
Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
In the claim ledger
^ a b c d e fEach day every drug gets a new price, a random whole number of steps: cocaine 15 to 28 × $1,000, heroin 5 to 12 × $1,000, acid 10 to 44 × $100, weed 3 to 7 × $100, speed 7 to 24 × $10, and ludes 1 to 5 × $10.Our researchDrug Wars (1984), played in emu2
How we know
the day's prices, every day of the passive games · archived copy ↗
Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
In the claim ledger
^ a b c dEach drug on sale gets a fresh price on every arrival, drawn uniformly from at least its MinPrice to below its MaxPrice; a price event then divides or multiplies one drug's price.Verifieddopewars source
How we know
```
810 * Returns a random price not less than bot and less than top.
⋮
814  return (price_t)((float)(top - bot) * rand() / (RAND_MAX + 1.0)) + bot;
```
src/dopewars.c lines 809–815 at d8bb8ee · upstream ↗
```
3248      To->Drugs[i].Price = prandom(Drug[i].MinPrice, Drug[i].MaxPrice);
```
src/serverside.c lines 3245–3250 at d8bb8ee · upstream ↗
```
2411          SendDrugsHere(To, TRUE);
⋮
2417      SendDrugsHere(To, TRUE);
```
src/serverside.c lines 2400–2417 at d8bb8ee · upstream ↗
Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
The numbers come from the run; its author, an AI model, checked the script measures what the claim says, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
In the claim ledger
^ a b c d eEach good's price is $(b + (r \land m) \pm e \cdot f) \times 4$ tenths of a credit, from its base price $b$ , a random byte $r$ masked by $m$ , the system's economy $e$ (0 to 7), and the good's economic factor $f$ , all in 8-bit arithmetic.CodeElite source (BBC Micro cassette) · Moxon, Elite market prices
How we know
LDA QQ26 AND QQ23+3,X … ADC QQ23,X … ADC QQ19+3 … SBC QQ19+3 … JSR GC2
1-source-files/main-sources/elite-source.asm#L20485-L20535 · upstream ↗
LDY QQ28 … ADC QQ19+2
1-source-files/main-sources/elite-source.asm#L20785-L20822 · upstream ↗
price = (base_price + (random AND mask) + economy * economic_factor) * 4
· archived copy ↗
Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
In the claim ledger
^ a b cOn about one day in five a price event moves one drug; a cocaine bust or heroin addicts multiply its price by 5, cheap heroin, acid, or weed divide it by 5, and cheap ludes divide it by 7.Our researchDrug Wars (1984), played in emu2
How we know
COPS MADE A BIG COKE BUST !! PRICES ARE OUTRAGEOUS !!
the event messages and the day's prices · archived copy ↗
Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
In the claim ledger
^ a b cA price event picks a random drug that can turn; a cheap drug costs a quarter of a normal price, and an expensive one four times.Verifieddopewars source
How we know
```
3227      To->Drugs[i].Price = prandom(Drug[i].MinPrice, Drug[i].MaxPrice)
3228          * Drugs.ExpensiveMultiply;
⋮
3233      To->Drugs[i].Price = prandom(Drug[i].MinPrice, Drug[i].MaxPrice)
```
src/serverside.c lines 3221–3237 at d8bb8ee · upstream ↗
```
753  N_("Cops made a big %tde bust! Prices are outrageous!"),
754  N_("Addicts are buying %tde at ridiculous prices!"),
755  4, 4
```
src/dopewars.c lines 751–756 at d8bb8ee · upstream ↗
Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
The numbers come from the run; its author, an AI model, checked the script measures what the claim says, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
In the claim ledger
^ a b c dEach visit has no price event with probability 0.30, one with 0.42, two with 0.266, and three with 0.014.Verifieddopewars source
How we know
```
3214  if (brandom(0, 100) < 70)
3215    NumEvents = 1;
3216  if (brandom(0, 100) < 40 && NumEvents == 1)
3217    NumEvents = 2;
3218  if (brandom(0, 100) < 5 && NumEvents == 2)
3219    NumEvents = 3;
```
src/serverside.c lines 3213–3219 at d8bb8ee · upstream ↗
Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
The numbers come from the run; its author, an AI model, checked the script measures what the claim says, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
In the claim ledger
^A game starts on 12/4/83 in the Bronx with $2,000 cash, a $5,500 debt to the loan shark, and a trench coat that holds 100 units.Our researchDrug Wars (1984), played in emu2
How we know
first day of every game · archived copy ↗
Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
In the claim ledger
^A dopewars game starts on 1 December 1984 with $2,000 cash, a $5,500 debt, and a trenchcoat that holds 100.Codedopewars source
How we know
```
114price_t StartCash = 2000, StartDebt = 5500;
```
src/dopewars.c line 114 at d8bb8ee · upstream ↗
```
87  1, 12, 1984
```
src/dopewars.c lines 86–88 at d8bb8ee · upstream ↗
```
882  NewPlayer->CoatSize = 100;
```
src/dopewars.c line 882 at d8bb8ee · upstream ↗
Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
In the claim ledger
^ a b c dStar Trader's ships carry up to 30 tons of cargo and travel about 2 light-years a week, and banks, found only in Class I and Class II systems, pay 5% interest.PublisherPeople's Computer Company, Jan. 1974revised
How we know
YOUR SHIPS CAN TRAVEL ABOUT TWO LIGHTYEARS IN A WEEK AND CAN CARRY UP TO 30 TONS OF CARGO. ONLY CLASS I AND CLASS II STAR SYSTEMS HAVE BANKS ON THEM. THEY PAY 5% INTEREST
p. 4 · archived copy ↗
Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-20.
Revised after a check by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
In the claim ledger
^Each jet to another location takes one day, and asking to jet on the 31st turn ends the game, so a game has 31 days of trading.Codedopewars source
How we know
```
226int NumTurns = 31;
```
src/dopewars.c line 226 at d8bb8ee · upstream ↗
```
452    if (NumTurns > 0 && Play->Turn >= NumTurns
⋮
462      Play->Turn++;
463      g_date_add_days(Play->date, 1);
```
src/serverside.c lines 452–463 at d8bb8ee · upstream ↗
Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
In the claim ledger
^ a bEach jet multiplies the loan shark's debt by 1.10, in integer arithmetic, so $5,500 left unpaid grows to $95,917 over 30 jets.Verifieddopewars source
How we know
```
108int DebtInterest = 10, BankInterest = 5;
```
src/dopewars.c line 108 at d8bb8ee · upstream ↗
```
464      Play->Debt = Play->Debt * (DebtInterest + 100) / 100;
```
src/serverside.c line 464 at d8bb8ee · upstream ↗
Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
The numbers come from the run; its author, an AI model, checked the script measures what the claim says, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
In the claim ledger
^The bank pays 5.5% a day, rounded down, but the status box can show the balance from before the day's interest until something redraws it.Our researchDrug Wars (1984), played in emu2
How we know
the BANK field after a $2,000 deposit, and a withdrawal on day three · archived copy ↗
Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
In the claim ledger
^Each jet multiplies the bank balance by 1.05, so $2,000 deposited grows to $8,614 over 30 jets.Verifieddopewars source
How we know
```
108int DebtInterest = 10, BankInterest = 5;
```
src/dopewars.c line 108 at d8bb8ee · upstream ↗
```
466      Play->Bank = Play->Bank * (BankInterest + 100) / 100;
```
src/serverside.c line 466 at d8bb8ee · upstream ↗
Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
The numbers come from the run; its author, an AI model, checked the script measures what the claim says, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
In the claim ledger
^Officer Hardass and one to three deputies chase a player who carries drugs and never one who carries none.Our researchDrug Wars (1984), played in emu2
How we know
OFFICER HARDASS AND … OF HIS DEPUTIES ARE CHASING YOU · archived copy ↗
Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
In the claim ledger
^On arrival, dopewars rolls for an encounter, 24 in 100 below $1 million net worth, 39 in 115 above it, and 54 in 130 above $3 million.Codedopewars source
How we know
```
2315      if (Money > 3000000)
2316        i = 130;
2317      else if (Money > 1000000)
2318        i = 115;
2319      else
2320        i = 100;
2321      if (brandom(0, i) > 75) {
```
src/serverside.c lines 2315–2321 at d8bb8ee · upstream ↗
Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
In the claim ledger
^ a bThe title screen reads “Drug Wars, a game based on the New York drug market, by John E. Dell, copyright (1984)”.Our researchDrug Wars (1984), played in emu2
How we know
DRUG WARS A GAME BASED ON THE NEW YORK DRUG MARKET BY JOHN E. DELL COPYRIGHT (1984)
title screen · archived copy ↗
Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
In the claim ledger
^ a bBen Webb's first GPL release of dopewars, version 1.4.0, came out on 27 April 1999.Developerdopewars source
How we know
```
17327th April 1999 
174     First GPL release of dopewars (1.4.0) 
```
NEWS lines 173–174 at d8bb8ee · upstream ↗
Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
In the claim ledger
^ a bElite came out in 1984.WikidataWikidata
How we know
+1984-09-20T00:00:00Z
Q55815, publication date (P577), as data/catalog/games.json records it · archived copy ↗
The quote matches our archived copy.
In the claim ledger
^The instructions list six drugs with their prices per unit: cocaine 15,000–30,000, heroin 5,000–14,000, acid 1,000–4,500, weed 300–900, speed 70–250, and ludes 10–60.Our researchDrug Wars (1984), played in emu2
How we know
The prices of drugs per unit are: COCAINE 15000-30000
instructions screen · archived copy ↗
Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
In the claim ledger
^dopewars has 12 drugs, each with a price range, from Ludes at 11–60 to Cocaine at 15,000–29,000. Acid, Hashish, Ludes, and Weed can turn cheap; Cocaine, Heroin, Opium, and Speed can turn expensive.Verifieddopewars source
How we know
```
719  {N_("Cocaine"), 15000, 29000, FALSE, TRUE, ""},
```
src/dopewars.c lines 714–734 at d8bb8ee · upstream ↗
```
257  price_t MinPrice, MaxPrice;
258  gboolean Cheap, Expensive;
```
src/dopewars.h lines 255–260 at d8bb8ee · upstream ↗
Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
The numbers come from the run; its author, an AI model, checked the script measures what the claim says, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
In the claim ledger
^Elite's station markets price 17 goods afresh in every star system and stock all but the last, alien items, whose availability var sets to 0.CodeElite source (BBC Micro cassette)revised
How we know
```
32542.QQ23
⋮
32544 ITEM 19,  -2, 't',   6, %00000001  \  0 = Food
⋮
32560 ITEM 53,  15, 't', 192, %00000111  \ 16 = Alien items
```
1-source-files/main-sources/elite-source.asm lines 32542–32560 at 6ba1c7f · upstream ↗
```
20798 LDA #0                 \ Set AVL+16 (availability of alien items) to 0,
20799 STA AVL+16             \ setting A to 0 in the process
```
1-source-files/main-sources/elite-source.asm lines 20798–20799 at 6ba1c7f · upstream ↗
Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-27.
Revised after a check by a second AI model, 2026-10-27: Alien items are priced but never stocked.
In the claim ledger
^ a bThree prices carry another drug's price from the day before, so cocaine adds the previous day's weed price, heroin adds 4 × the previous day's speed price, and weed adds the previous day's ludes price.Our researchDrug Wars (1984), played in emu2
How we know
the day's prices, every day of the passive games · archived copy ↗
Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
In the claim ledger
^The eight locations differ in police presence and in how many drugs are on sale, from Manhattan (police 90, 4–9 drugs) to the Ghetto (police 5, 8–11 drugs).Verifieddopewars source
How we know
```
743  {N_("Manhattan"), 90, NUMDRUG / 2 - 2, NUMDRUG - 2},
```
src/dopewars.c lines 738–748 at d8bb8ee · upstream ↗
```
250  int PolicePresence;
251  int MinDrug, MaxDrug;
```
src/dopewars.h lines 248–252 at d8bb8ee · upstream ↗
Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
The numbers come from the run; its author, an AI model, checked the script measures what the claim says, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
In the claim ledger
^ a b cA negative factor makes a good cheapest in poor agricultural systems and a positive one in rich industrial systems, so Food costs 7.6–8.0 credits a tonne at economy 0 and 2.0–2.4 at economy 7, and Computers 61.6–62.8 and 100.8–102.0.CodeElite source (BBC Micro cassette)
How we know
LDA QQ19+1 BMI TT155
1-source-files/main-sources/elite-source.asm#L20502-L20520 · upstream ↗
* 0 = Rich Industrial … * 7 = Poor Agricultural
1-source-files/main-sources/elite-source.asm#L3036-L3047 · upstream ↗
Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
In the claim ledger
^ a bOne random byte, drawn on arrival in a new system, sets every good's fluctuation for that visit.CodeElite source (BBC Micro cassette)
How we know
```
20931.GVL
```
1-source-files/main-sources/elite-source.asm lines 20931–20935 at 6ba1c7f · upstream ↗
JSR GVL
1-source-files/main-sources/elite-source.asm#L21185 · upstream ↗
Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
In the claim ledger
^The loan shark lends at most twice the cash in hand, less $50; with $2,000 he lends $3,950 and refuses $3,951.Our researchDrug Wars (1984), played in emu2
How we know
the loan shark's HOW MUCH TO BORROW question · archived copy ↗
Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
In the claim ledger
^dopewars's credits say it derives from an MS-DOS game of the same name by an unknown author, which was based on John E. Dell's MS-DOS game Drug Wars.Developerdopewars source
How we know
```
1dopewars is derived from the MS-DOS game of the same name (author unknown).
⋮
3This is turn was based upon the MS-DOS game "Drug Wars", by John E. Dell.
```
AUTHORS lines 1–3 at d8bb8ee · upstream ↗
```
44based upon the MS-DOS game of the same name, in turn derived from "Drug
```
doc/index.html lines 43–45 at d8bb8ee · upstream ↗
Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
In the claim ledger
^ a bEach visit puts a random number of drugs on sale, from the location's MinDrug to one less than its MaxDrug; the rest have no price that day.Verifieddopewars source
How we know
```
3239  NumRandom = brandom(Location[To->IsAt].MinDrug,
3240                      Location[To->IsAt].MaxDrug);
```
src/serverside.c lines 3239–3251 at d8bb8ee · upstream ↗
Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
The numbers come from the run; its author, an AI model, checked the script measures what the claim says, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
In the claim ledger

^An encounter is an offer, a random event, or a police attack, and a location's police presence raises the share of attacks. Half of all offers are a helper who carries drugs, or a bigger trenchcoat in antique mode; the rest offer a gun, unless the game is sanitized or has no guns, the player already carries two more guns than helpers, or the drawn gun won't fit the coat, and then nothing is offered.Codedopewars sourcerevised

How we know

2443  i = brandom(0, 80 + Location[To->IsAt].PolicePresence);
⋮
2449  else
⋮
2451  if (i < 33) {
2452    return (OfferObject(To, Force == FORCEBITCH));
2453  } else if (i < 50) {
2454    return (RandomOffer(To));

src/serverside.c lines 2441–2459 at d8bb8ee · upstream ↗

3164  if (brandom(0, 100) < 50 || ForceBitch) {
3165    if (WantAntique) {
⋮
3167      text = dpg_strdup_printf(_("YN^Would you like to buy a bigger "
⋮
3172      text =
3173          dpg_strdup_printf(_
3174                            ("YN^Hey dude! I'll help carry your %tde for a "
⋮
3181  } else if (!Sanitized && NumGun > 0
3182             && (TotalGunsCarried(To) < To->Bitches.Carried + 2)) {
⋮
3185    if (Gun[ObjNum].Space > To->CoatSize)
3186      return 0;

src/serverside.c lines 3163–3186 at d8bb8ee · upstream ↗

Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-22.

Revised after a check by a second AI model, 2026-10-27: The gun offer has conditions, and when they fail nothing is offered.

In the claim ledger

^The table gives each good a base price, an economic factor from −9 (Furs) to +29 (Narcotics), and a fluctuation mask from 1 (Food) to 120 (Narcotics).CodeElite source (BBC Micro cassette)
How we know
```
32550 ITEM 235, 29, 't',   8, %01111000  \  6 = Narcotics
```
1-source-files/main-sources/elite-source.asm lines 32544–32560 at 6ba1c7f · upstream ↗
Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
In the claim ledger
^Narcotics' sum can pass 255 and wrap around, so in a rich industrial system its price is either 94.0–100.4 or 1.2–39.6 credits.CodeElite source (BBC Micro cassette)
How we know
CLC ADC QQ23,X STA QQ24
1-source-files/main-sources/elite-source.asm#L20491-L20493 · upstream ↗
Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
In the claim ledger
^Three merchants trade in Genghis Khan, Chinese, Islamic, and Uighur, each working independently along its own sales routes.ManualKoei, Genghis Khan NES manual
How we know
There are three types of merchants: the merchants from China, Islam and Uighur. These three types work independently of each other, with different sales routes.
p. 15, Command <Trade> · archived copy ↗
The quote matches our archived copy.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
In the claim ledger
^When a merchant is in the country, the player can sell food and specialty items for gold, buy food, specialty items, and weapons, or hire mercenaries, at the current market rate; weapons raise the arms value and cannot be resold.ManualKoei, Genghis Khan NES manual
How we know
If one or more of these merchants is in the country you wish to trade in, you may deal with him at the current market prices. … b) Buy: You may buy food, specialty items, or weapons from the merchant. Weapons will raise your troops' arms value, but they may not be resold.
p. 16, Command <Trade> · archived copy ↗
The quote matches our archived copy.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
In the claim ledger
^The Famicom manual says the base market rate changes every season and governs the merchants' trading rates, so a high base rate means high prices and a low one low prices.ManualKoei, Genghis Khan Famicom manual (JP)
How we know
季節ごとに変動する基本相場。基本相場は商人との取り引きレートに影響し、高いときは物価が高く、低いときは物価が安いことを意味します。
p. 18 (PDF p. 20), main display, item 7 · archived copy ↗
The quote matches our archived copy.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
In the claim ledger
^The Famicom manual says each merchant has his own trading rate, merchants are not always present, trades follow the market rate of the moment, and the Sell and Buy screens show a table of rates.ManualKoei, Genghis Khan Famicom manual (JP)
How we know
商人には中国商人・イスラム商人・ウイグル商人がおり、それぞれ独自の取引レートを持っています。国に商人がいるときには、食糧・特産品の売買と武器の購入、兵士の雇用ができますが、商人はいつもいるわけではありません。取引はそのときの相場にしたがっておこなわれ、⑴売、⑵買では相場の一覧表が表示されます。
p. 28 (PDF p. 30), 5. 商人 · archived copy ↗
The quote matches our archived copy.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.
In the claim ledger
^Selling food or specialty items and buying food, arms, or specialty items both happen at prices that depend on the rate.ManualKoei, Genghis Khan II SNES manual
How we know
Sell food or specialty items. Price depends on the rate. … Buy food, arms, or specialty items. Price depends on the rate.
p. 30, Sell; Buy · archived copy ↗
The quote matches our archived copy.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
In the claim ledger
^Each specialty item's value is based on supply and demand and varies by area.ManualKoei, Genghis Khan II SNES manual
How we know
The value (based on supply-demand) of each specialty item varies depending on the area
p. 18, Specialty Items · archived copy ↗
The quote matches our archived copy.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
In the claim ledger
^DECUS's November 1969 catalog lists The Sumer Game, FOCAL-5, by Doug Dyment of Digital Equipment of Canada, "a simulation program/game which will run on a minimal PDP-8 system".PublisherDECUS catalog, November 1969
How we know
This is a simulation program/game which will run on a minimal PDP-8 system. The economy of a Sumerian city in the year 3000 B.C. is simulated in the fashion of a modern-day "business game."
p. 18-A, DECUS No. FOCAL-5 · archived copy ↗
Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
In the claim ledger
^Dyment's land costs 17 plus a roll of 1 to 5, so 18 to 22 bushels per acre, which matches his write-up's average of "one acre for 20 bushels of grain".CodeDECUS FOCAL8-5 source · DECUS FOCAL8-5 write-up
How we know
03.10 D 6;D 8;S Y=C+17;T "THIS YEAR, LAND MAY BE TRADED FOR 03.20 T Y," BUSHELS PER ACRE;";S C=1
f0005.fc#L18-L19 · archived copy ↗
08.10 S C=FITR(5*FABS(FRAN()))+1
f0005.fc#L54 · archived copy ↗
The price varies from year to year, but averages one acre for 20 bushels of grain.
p. 1, Abstract · archived copy ↗
Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
In the claim ledger
^Each year land trades at $17 + ⌊ 10 r ⌋$ bushels per acre for a random $r$ in [0, 1), a whole number from 17 to 26.Codecoding-horror/basic-computer-games · Ahl, BASIC Computer Games (1978)
How we know
```
22310 C=INT(10*RND(1)): Y=C+17
23312 PRINT "LAND IS TRADING AT";Y;"BUSHELS PER ACRE."
```
43_Hammurabi/hammurabi.bas lines 22–23 at 5301155 · upstream ↗
the price will vary between 17 and 26 bushels per acre
p. 78 · archived copy ↗
Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
In the claim ledger
^ a bStar Trader, which People's Computer Company printed in January 1974, has each player captain trading ships between star systems, buying and selling merchandise.PublisherPeople's Computer Company, Jan. 1974
How we know
YOU WILL TRAVEL FROM STAR SYSTEM TO STAR SYSTEM, BUYING AND SELLING MERCHANDISE.
p. 4 · archived copy ↗
The quote matches our archived copy.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
In the claim ledger
^ a b cStar Trader's systems grow over the years and their needs change, and the newsletter's advice is to buy raw materials, such as uranium or metals, in less developed, newer systems.PublisherPeople's Computer Company, Jan. 1974revised
How we know
AS TIME GOES ON, EACH STAR SYSTEM WILL SLOWLY GROW, AND ITS NEEDS WILL CHANGE. … You buy your raw materials (like Uranium or Metals) on the less developed, newer star systems.
p. 4 · archived copy ↗
The quote matches our archived copy.
Revised after a check by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
In the claim ledger
^ a bIn Star Trader the player trades with the merchants and haggles over prices.PublisherPeople's Computer Company, Jan. 1974revised
How we know
You trade with the merchants and haggle over prices.
p. 4 · archived copy ↗
The quote matches our archived copy.
Revised after a check by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
In the claim ledger
^Dell said he had recently played a game at a friend's house that involved buying and selling goods at fluctuating prices, and that it was likely Taipan.InterviewHuffman, Wired (2021)
How we know
He said that he had recently played a game at his friend’s house that involved buying and selling goods at fluctuating prices. Dell said he could not remember which game, but that it could have likely been Taipan.
· archived copy ↗
The quote matches our archived copy.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
In the claim ledger
^An MS-DOS Dope Wars opens by calling itself based on John E. Dell's Drug Wars and credits the Happy Hacker Foundation.Our researchDope Wars (MS-DOS, Happy Hacker Foundation), played in emu2 · BBS Documentary library, Dopewarsrevised
How we know
Based on John E. Dell's old Drug Wars game, Dope Wars is a simulation of an imaginary drug market. … Dope Wars has been brought to you courtesy of the Happy Hacker Foundation.
opening screen · archived copy ↗
The program recieved an update from the "Happy Hacker Foundation" with the release of "Dope Wars"
· archived copy ↗
Measured by a script. It fails if the result disagrees with the claim.
Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-20.
Revised after a check by a second AI model, 2026-10-27: The start figures come from our run (hhf-start, with the probe); the opening screen stays T2.
In the claim ledger
^The student rules Lagash in Sumer, about 3500 B.C., as Luduga I, and each season divides the grain among food, seed, and storage.PaperWing et al. 1967
How we know
He then assumes the role of Luduga I, priest-ruler of Lagash
pp. 13–14 · archived copy ↗
(1) food for the people, (2) seed for next season's planting, (3) inventory for future needs.
p. 14 · archived copy ↗
Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-20.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
In the claim ledger

Sources

Code

Webb, Ben. 2026. “dopewars source code.” Commit d8bb8ee. benmwebb/dopewars @ d8bb8ee · licence, all uses
Bell, Ian, David Braben, and Mark Moxon. 2026. “Elite source code (BBC Micro cassette version), fully documented.” Commit 6ba1c7f. markmoxon/elite-source-code-bbc-micro-cassette @ 6ba1c7f · licence, all uses
Dyment, Doug. n.d. “The Sumer Game, FOCAL source (DECUS FOCAL8-5).” Digital Equipment Computer Users Society (DECUS). svn revision 6211. original · archived · licence, all uses
Atwood, Jeff and basic-computer-games contributors. 2026. “BASIC Computer Games, updated for 2022 (coding-horror/basic-computer-games).” Commit 5301155. coding-horror/basic-computer-games @ 5301155 · licence, all uses

Primary

Advance, Frame. 2026. “Drug Wars (1984), DRUGWAR.EXE played in the emu2 emulator.” Version drugwars.zip, holding DRUGWAR.EXE: 49,792 bytes, sha256 3f43f9ec88b9379c9ffa22718612bc715bd4c2b4350665ff0e94476e3239c61c. original · archived · licence, all uses
Kaufman, Dave. 1974. “Star Trader.” People's Computer Company, vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 4–5. People's Computer Company. original · archived · licence, all uses
Corporation, Koei. 1990. “Genghis Khan: Instruction Manual (NES-GX-USA).” Koei Corporation (Burlingame, California). original · archived · licence, all uses
Koei. 1989. “蒼き狼と白き牝鹿・ジンギスカン取扱説明書 (Aoki Ōkami to Shiroki Mejika: Genghis Khan, Famicom manual, KOE-GX).” Koei (光栄). original · archived · licence, all uses
Corporation, Koei. 1993. “Genghis Khan II: Clan of the Gray Wolf, Super NES instruction manual.” Koei Corporation (Burlingame, California). original · archived · licence, all uses
1969. “DECUS Program Library Catalog, November 1969.” Digital Equipment Computer Users Society (DECUS). original · archived · licence, all uses
Dyment, Doug. n.d. “The Sumer Game: DECUS Program Library Write-up, FOCAL8-5.” Digital Equipment Computer Users Society (DECUS). original · archived · licence, all uses
Ahl, David H. and Steve North. 1978. “BASIC Computer Games: Microcomputer Edition.” Creative Computing; Workman Publishing (trade edition). original · archived · licence, all uses
Huffman, Zack. 2021. “The Wild Spread of Drug Wars, From Your Calculator to Your Phone.” Wired. Condé Nast. original · archived · licence, all uses
Advance, Frame. 2026. “Dope Wars (Happy Hacker Foundation, MS-DOS), DOPEWARS.EXE played in the emu2 emulator.” Version dopewarsd.zip, holding Dopewars.exe: 66,416 bytes, sha256 7bbd1056163c257b37fe774bedc0e0e7f8ae4f2f52fe55f9f2dec0cf1bcd8983, file date 4 May 1991. original · archived · licence, all uses
Wing, Richard L., Mabel Addis, Walter Goodman, Jimmer Leonard, and William McKay. 1967. “The Production and Evaluation of Three Computer-Based Economics Games for the Sixth Grade: Final Report.” U.S. Office of Education, Cooperative Research Project 2841 (ERIC ED014227). Board of Cooperative Educational Services, First Supervisory District, Westchester County, New York. original · archived · licence, all uses

Secondary

Moxon, Mark. n.d. “Market item prices and availability.” elite.bbcelite.com (deep dive). original · archived · licence, all uses
Wikidata contributors. 2026. “Wikidata.” Wikimedia Foundation. original · licence, all uses
Scott, Jason. n.d. “Programs: Doors: Dopewars.” The BBS Documentary Library. original · archived · licence, all uses