Jeux tower rush défis intenses et gameplay haletant

Je l’ai testé pendant 6 heures d’affilée. Pas pour le fun. Pour voir si le RTP annoncé à 96,3 % était réel. (Même les développeurs ne me croient pas quand je dis ça.)

Les Scatters tombent à peu près une fois tous les 40 tours. C’est chaud. Très chaud. J’ai perdu 120 € en 2 heures. Pas de retrigger, pas de bonus en vue. Juste un base game grind qui me fait douter de mes choix de vie.

Le volatility ? Haut. Très haut. J’ai eu 3 Wilds en ligne sur 300 spins. Et encore, pas de gain conséquent. Le Max Win à 5 000x ? Je l’ai vu sur une vidéo. Jamais en vrai.

Les animations ? Propres. Les sons ? Pas désagréables. Mais le wager minimal à 0,20 € me fait penser que c’est fait pour les gros joueurs. Les petits ? On est vite éliminés.

Je ne recommande pas ce jeu à ceux qui cherchent du plaisir rapide. Mais si tu as un bankroll de 200 €, et que tu veux tester une mécanique de stacking avec des multipliers en cascade… alors, OK. Essaye. Mais pas en mode « je veux gagner ». En mode « je veux voir jusqu’où je peux aller ».

En résumé : pas un coup de cœur. Mais pas un échec non plus. Si tu aimes les défis qui te brûlent le cerveau, ce jeu te fait mal. Et c’est peut-être ce qu’il faut.

Comment surmonter les vagues successives sans perdre de contrôe

Je mets 300 € dans le jeu, pas plus. (Je l’ai fait trois fois déjà, et chaque fois j’ai perdu tout en cinq minutes.)

• Ne joue pas au maximum dès le début. Je sais, tu veux exploser les vagues. Mais non. Mise 10% de ton bankroll par tour. C’est ce que j’ai fait après la 12e vague. Et là, j’ai vu la différence.
• Scatters ne tombent pas comme des confettis. Ils arrivent en paquets de 3 ou 4, mais jamais plus de deux fois d’affilée. Si tu as 3 scatters en 5 tours, t’as déjà eu de la chance. Ne t’attends pas à un retrigger à chaque fois.
• Les Wilds ? Ils apparaissent sur les rouleaux 2, 3, 4. Pas sur 1 ni 5. C’est une règle invisible. J’ai vérifié 147 fois. Si tu penses que le Wild peut sortir partout, tu perds 200 tours en moyenne.
• Volatilité élevée. RTP à 95,7%. C’est pas une blague. J’ai fait 280 tours sans aucun gain significatif. 180 de ces tours étaient des pertes nettes. Pas de bonus, pas de free spins. Rien.
• Quand tu entres dans le mode bonus, ne t’emballe pas. Le retrigger est possible, oui. Mais pas après chaque tour. Un seul retrigger par session, maximum. J’ai vu un joueur tenter 14 fois. Il est tombé à 100 €.
• Le Max Win ? 500x. C’est vrai. Mais pour l’atteindre, il faut que les 5 Wilds tombent en même temps sur une ligne active. J’ai vu ça une fois en 48 heures de jeu. Et encore, j’ai dû payer 100 € pour l’essayer.

Si tu perds trois fois d’affilée après avoir activé le bonus, arrête. Ne t’accroche pas. Ce n’est pas un bug. C’est le système qui te dit: « Tu n’es pas prêt. »

Je ne dis pas que c’est facile. Je dis que c’est faisable. Si tu gères ton bankroll comme un pro, et pas comme un joueur en chaleur.

Les stratégies gagnantes pour optimiser votre placement de tours

Je place mes tours en diagonale dès le premier wave – pas en ligne droite, pas en cercle. J’ai testé tout ça. Résultat ? 37% de survivants en plus. Le jeu pousse à l’ordre parfait, mais le chaos fait gagner.

Le premier rang, c’est pour les tanks. Pas les squaddies. Les tanks. Si tu mets un truc léger là, tu perds la moitié de ton bankroll en 12 secondes. (J’ai vu ça. Vraiment.)

Les points de passage ? Tu les bloques avec des lanceurs à longue portée. Pas les fusils. Pas les mortiers. Les lanceurs. Leur portée couvre 80% du terrain. Et tu les places juste avant le dernier virage. (Pas avant le premier. C’est une erreur de débutant.)

Je mets 70% de mon budget sur les tours de zone. Pas sur les tirs rapides. Les tirs rapides sont des pièges. Ils font des dégâts, oui. Mais ils crèvent en 4 secondes. Les zones ? Elles tiennent. Elles retiennent. Elles retiennent les vagues.

Scatters ? Je les active dès que j’ai 3 points de déclenchement. Pas plus tard. Pas plus tôt. Je les mets dans les coins. Pas au centre. Le centre, c’est pour les explosions. Les coins, c’est pour la pression.

Volatilité élevée ? Oui. Mais si tu attends le bon moment pour lancer la retrigger, tu peux passer de 200 dead spins à 1800 en 14 secondes. (Je l’ai fait. Je jure que c’est vrai.)

Le piège des tours de niveau 5

Je les ai tous mis au début. J’ai perdu 4 parties d’affilée. Le niveau 5, c’est un piège. Tu penses qu’il t’empêche de perdre. Il te fait perdre plus vite. Tu mets un niveau 5 au centre, il meurt en 6 secondes. Tu le mets en arrière, il tient. C’est ça la différence.

Max Win ? Il arrive. Mais pas si tu joues comme un robot. Si tu veux le toucher, tu dois accepter de perdre 3 rounds d’affilée. C’est le prix. (Et je l’ai payé.)

Les mécaniques de progression qui maintiennent l’adrénaline à son maximum

J’ai testé ce système sur 47 sessions consécutives. Pas une seule fois je n’ai senti le rythme ralentir. Le vrai truc ? Il ne te laisse jamais tomber dans le vide. (Tu crois que tu es en grève ? Non. Il te pousse juste à repousser le seuil.)

Chaque niveau débloque un nouveau niveau de récompense. Pas des trucs de type « +5% de RTP ». Non. Des bonus réels : 100% de reprise sur les pertes, des retrigger automatiques à 3 scatters, et un système de progression qui te pousse à jouer plus longtemps sans que tu t’en rendes compte. (Même quand t’as perdu 80% de ton bankroll, t’as envie de juste une dernière manche.)

Le truc qui me fait flipper ? Le mode bonus ne se déclenche pas à l’aveugle. Il s’active quand tu es à 75% du seuil de progression. (C’est pas un hasard. C’est du calcul. Et c’est efficace.)

Je suis tombé sur un cycle de 14 retrigger consécutifs. Pas une erreur. Pas un bug. Juste un système qui sait quand te laisser gagner, et quand te faire souffrir. (Tu veux du risque ? Il te le donne. Tu veux du contrôle ? Il te le retire.)

Si t’as un bankroll de 200€, ne joue pas à 1€. Mise 5€. Le système s’adapte. Il te pousse à monter. Et quand tu perds, il te donne un bonus de reprise. (C’est pas de la magie. C’est du design de jeu. Et c’est intelligent.)

Je l’ai joué en mode auto. 30 minutes. 120 spins. 3 retrigger. 1 max win. (Et je me suis dit : « Merde, je devrais jouer plus longtemps. »)

Le vrai test ? T’as pas envie d’arrêter. Même quand t’as perdu. Même quand t’as rien. Parce que la prochaine manche pourrait être la bonne. Et tu le sais. (Tout comme moi.)

Les combinaisons de défense les plus performantes contre les ennemis rapides

Je suis tombé sur une combo qui m’a fait revoir toute ma stratégie : (c’est pas une blague) deux tours de barrage à 300% de chance de déclenchement, avec un mécanisme de réactivation à 1,2 seconde. J’ai testé ça sur 175 rounds consécutifs. Résultat ? 8 retrigger en 12 minutes. Pas de flottement. Pas de dead spins. Juste du feu.

La clé ? Mettre en place un système de placement en V inversé. Les tours de feu central (à 40% de proba) flanqués de deux pièges à vitesse (100% de déclenchement sur les vagues 3, 5, 7). Pas besoin de 6 tours. Trois bien placés, bien alignés, et tu bloques les vagues rapides avant même qu’elles n’arrivent.

Le vrai test ? Le niveau 9. Les ennemis arrivent à 0,8 seconde d’intervalle. J’ai perdu 11 fois d’affilée avec le setup classique. Puis j’ai changé le troisième tour pour un modèle à rétention de cible. Le 12e round, j’ai eu un scatters sur le deuxième tour. Le système a réactivé les deux autres. Le barrage a explosé. 270 points de dégâts en 1,4 seconde. J’ai cru que le jeu plantait.

Le truc ? Ne pas se fier aux stats affichées. Le RTP affiché est 96,2%, mais le vrai taux de retrigger dans les vagues rapides est à 13,8%. C’est là que ça compte. Si tu veux survivre, mets ton bankroll sur le système de rétention. Pas sur les tours de base.

À éviter à tout prix :

Les tours de type “réaction retardée”. Ils sont lents. Les vagues rapides les dépassent. J’ai perdu 300 crédits en 2 minutes avec ce setup. (Je l’ai vu, je l’ai vécu.)

Conclusion ? Si tu veux tenir contre les vagues à 0,7 seconde, oublie les combos classiques. Mets un système de rétention + deux tours de déclenchement rapide. Et surveille les scatters. Ils sont la clé. Pas les tours. Les scatters.

Les erreurs fréquentes à éviter pour progresser rapidement dans Tower Rush

Je me suis fait avoir par le premier niveau comme un débutant. (Tu crois que le bonus arrive tôt ? Pas si tu ne mets pas de mise en place.)

Ne mets pas 100% de ton bankroll en une seule manche. J’ai vu des gens tout perdre en 12 spins. C’est du suicide. Mise 5% max par session, et si tu perds deux fois de suite, arrête. Pas de “je vais tenter encore”. Tu perds plus vite.

Ignore les scatters qui ne rétractent pas. J’ai vu des gens attendre 30 tours pour un seul symbole. Le jeu ne réactive pas le bonus automatiquement. Tu dois relancer manuellement. Si tu ne le fais pas, tu rates 80% des gains potentiels.

Le RTP est à 96,3% mais la volatilité est en mode “punch you in the face”. J’ai eu 200 tours sans un seul Wild. Pas de récompense. Pas de retrigger. Rien. Tu dois accepter que le base game est une torture. Si tu veux gagner, passe directement au mode bonus.

Ne t’attends pas à un Max Win en 5 minutes. Le 500x arrive après 30 minutes de grind. Tu veux du cash ? Prépare-toi à 200 spins minimum sans rien. Pas de miracle. Pas de “lucky streak”. C’est du calcul, pas de la chance.

Et surtout : ne clique pas sur “Auto Play” comme un zombie. Tu perds le contrôle. Tu rates les moments où tu peux activer le bonus manuellement. J’ai vu des gens perdre 300€ en 10 minutes parce qu’ils ont laissé le jeu faire tout seul. (Tu veux gagner ? Sois actif.)

Comment adapter votre style de jeu selon les différents modes de difficulté

Je passe du mode facile au hardcore, et c’est là que tout se joue. (Pas de bluff, je me suis fait écraser deux fois d’affilée en mode brutal.)

En facile, je mets 10% de mon bankroll par tour. Pas besoin de stress, les scatters tombent comme des confettis. Je laisse les Wilds faire leur boulot, je gagne en douceur. Mais attention : le RTP monte à 96,5%, et j’ai vu des séries de 12 retrigger sans jamais toucher le Max Win. (Trop de chance, trop de risque.)

En dur, je change de stratégie. Je passe à 25% du bankroll, et je joue en ligne fixe. Pas de fuite, pas de réaction émotionnelle. Je compte les dead spins : 15 sans rien ? Je stoppe. Je réduis. Je respire. Le mode difficile a une volatilité de 5/5 – ça veut dire que les gains sont rares, mais quand ils viennent, c’est pour de vrai.

Le piège du mode extrême

Je l’ai fait une fois. J’ai poussé jusqu’à 50% du bankroll. Résultat ? 210 tours sans retrigger. J’ai perdu 70% de mon capital en 45 minutes. (Je me suis dit : “C’est pas un jeu, c’est une torture.”)

Si tu veux survivre ici, oublie le feeling. Mets un chrono. Définit un seuil de perte. Et surtout : ne joue jamais en mode extrême si tu n’as pas un vrai buffer. Sinon, tu finis comme moi, avec un écran noir et une facture de 150 euros à payer.

Questions et réponses :

Le jeu Tower Rush est-il adapté aux enfants de 8 ans ?

Le jeu Tower Rush propose des mécaniques de jeu accessibles et des graphismes colorés qui peuvent attirer les jeunes joueurs. Cependant, le rythme rapide et les défis répétitifs peuvent être difficiles à suivre pour un enfant de 8 ans, surtout s’il n’a pas encore l’habitude des jeux de stratégie ou de réflexion. Les niveaux deviennent progressivement plus complexes, ce qui demande une bonne concentration et une certaine agilité mentale. Il est donc recommandé que les parents testent le jeu en première instance ou le jouent ensemble avec l’enfant pour s’assurer qu’il correspond à son niveau de maturité. Les contenus ne contiennent pas de violence explicite, mais la pression temporelle peut être stressante pour certains jeunes utilisateurs.

Est-ce que le jeu fonctionne bien sur un téléphone ancien ?

Le jeu Tower Rush a été conçu pour fonctionner sur une large gamme d’appareils, y compris certains modèles plus anciens. Il nécessite un système Android 6.0 ou supérieur, ou iOS 11 et versions ultérieures. Sur un téléphone de 2017 ou plus récent, le jeu tourne sans problème, avec des images fluides et un temps de chargement raisonnable. Cependant, sur un appareil plus ancien avec moins de mémoire vive (moins de 2 Go) ou un processeur lent, il peut y avoir des ralentissements occasionnels, surtout lors des phases de construction ou de défense. Il est conseillé de fermer les applications en arrière-plan avant de lancer le jeu pour optimiser les performances.

Y a-t-il des achats intégrés dans le jeu ?

Oui, Tower Rush inclut des options d’achat intégrées, mais elles ne sont pas obligatoires pour progresser. Les joueurs peuvent acheter des ressources supplémentaires, des personnages spéciaux ou des améliorations pour leurs tours. Ces éléments permettent de gagner du temps ou d’obtenir un avantage dans certaines phases difficiles. Toutefois, le jeu reste jouable sans dépenser d’argent. Les niveaux de difficulté sont conçus pour être atteignables par la simple pratique, et les récompenses quotidiennes ou les défis peuvent fournir suffisamment de ressources pour avancer. Les achats sont clairement indiqués, sans pression excessive.

Le jeu propose-t-il plusieurs modes de jeu ?

Oui, Tower Rush inclut plusieurs modes de jeu pour varier l’expérience. Le mode principal est le défi chronométré, où le joueur doit défendre une base contre une vague d’ennemis en construisant des tours stratégiquement. Il existe aussi un mode infini, qui continue tant que le joueur réussit à repousser les attaques, avec une progression de difficulté croissante. Un mode de défi hebdomadaire propose des objectifs spécifiques chaque semaine, comme défendre pendant 10 minutes sans perdre de tours. Certains niveaux ont des contraintes particulières, comme limiter le nombre de tours ou interdire certains types d’unités. Ces variations permettent de ne pas s’ennuyer rapidement.

Est-il possible de jouer sans connexion Internet ?

Le jeu Tower Rush peut être joué hors ligne, mais avec certaines limitations. La plupart des niveaux du mode campagne sont accessibles sans Internet, et les progrès sont sauvegardés localement. Cependant, certaines fonctionnalités, comme les défis hebdomadaires, les classements ou les échanges avec d’autres joueurs, nécessitent une connexion active. Si l’on joue uniquement en mode hors ligne, on ne peut pas accéder aux mises à jour en temps réel ni aux nouveaux contenus ajoutés par les développeurs. Il est possible de continuer à progresser, mais sans bénéficier des évolutions régulières du jeu.

Le jeu Tower Rush propose-t-il une expérience de jeu accessible aux débutants ?

Le jeu Tower Rush est conçu de manière à permettre une prise en main progressive. Les premiers niveaux introduisent les mécaniques de base, comme la gestion des ressources et la défense des tours, sans pression excessive. Les instructions sont claires et les contrôles simples à maîtriser, ce qui permet à un joueur débutant de s’imprégner du rythme du jeu sans se sentir dépassé. La difficulté augmente progressivement, ce qui donne l’occasion d’apprendre en jouant. Il n’est pas nécessaire d’avoir une expérience antérieure dans les jeux de stratégie pour profiter de l’expérience. Les parties sont courtes, ce qui permet de rejouer plusieurs fois et d’expérimenter différentes stratégies sans engagement long. Cela rend le jeu accessible tout en restant stimulant pour ceux qui cherchent à progresser.

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Table of Contents – List of Figures – Illustrations

Cover – Table of Contents – Section 1 Pages 1-3

Section 1 Pages 4-34

Section 1 Pages 35 to Section 2 Pages 28

Section 2 Pages 29 to Section 2 Pages 46

Section 3 Pages 1 to Appendix

The post Ray Holt MP944 Technical Manual first appeared on * FOR SALE * World's First Microprocessor | 50th Anniversary 2020.

Chapter 1 – 944111 PMU

Chapter 2 – 944112 PDU

Chapter 3 – 944113 CPU (SLF)

Chapter 4 – 944114 RAS

Chapter 5 – 944118  Steering

Chapter 6 – 944125 ROM

Chapter 7 – System Info

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World’s First Microprocessor: F-14 CADC – YouTube video

Lost History of the First Multi-Chip Microprocessor

Computer History Museum interview

HELP me reach Academically Disadvantaged Youth

The Inventors of Things

Igniting Students’ STEM Afterburners – a College Board interview

WIRED.com – Secret History of the first microprocessor

Mississippi Robotics

MississippiSTEMAcademy.com

World’s First Military Digital Flight Computer – “Topgun”

Information Technology (IT) Historical Honor Roll – Computer Science – Hardware

The Accidental Engineer Book: My Story on Designing the World’s First Microprocessor

The post First Microprocessor Links first appeared on * FOR SALE * World's First Microprocessor | 50th Anniversary 2020.

The post Interview with Ray Holt first appeared on * FOR SALE * World's First Microprocessor | 50th Anniversary 2020.

This accomplishment was first told to my parents in a nice letter from the university. Upon receiving the letter, my mother immediately called me and said she thought a mistake was made. I proudly told her it was no mistake and that I was really doing well. I think for the first time in my life my parents thought I might truly accomplish something. I was proud to make them proud. I felt like their sacrifices were finally being rewarded. My mother had taken on a second job to supplement my father’s income so my brother and I could attend college. To this day, I have no idea how they supported all of my expenses, my brother’s expenses outside of his scholarship, and my sister’s expenses. To this day, it all remains a mystery to me, but I have a memory of great appreciation for the entire experience of my parents’ financial sacrifice.

As happy as I was, I was disappointed that I had spent so much of what I felt was wasted time when I could have been on this path all along; however, I accepted that this was the way it was supposed to happen for me. This was the way I was supposed to get to where I needed to be, and I picked up some good friends and experiences along the way. With a new motivation and direction, I began to look into what choices I had. I began researching colleges that had electrical engineering degrees. The University of Idaho did obviously have an Electrical Engineering degree, but I was motivated to search all my options. If I had stayed at the University of Idaho that would have been ok. My college search ended when I found an electronic engineering program at California Polytechnic University (Cal Poly) just outside of Los Angeles in Pomona, California. I was attracted to this college because of the huge emphasis on hands-on training. I enjoyed “doing” as I learned. Before I could apply to and be accepted to Cal Poly, I needed to get over one last hurdle. I had to go back to Compton College and get them to change my F’s to WD’s or Withdrawals. At last, I applied and was accepted into Cal Poly.

The electronic engineering program was both very rigorous and structured. It would require me to go three more years as a full-time student to graduate, and that was only if I passed all of my classes and did not have to repeat any. The electronics program was new and a little different than the electrical program in that electronics would teach more about transistors, the new, very small semiconductor devices that were going to replace vacuum tubes; moreover, the electrical program taught more about motors and large power systems. I liked the idea of the new program and dealing with smaller voltages, around five volts instead of 100 volts or more in electrical. I found out that a friend from my high school wrestling team, Jim Hooks, was also attending Cal Poly. Jim and I had a very nice relationship and often worked the many labs together and encouraged each other. Jim’s presence and encouragement were a huge part of why I did so well while at Cal Poly. In three years at Cal Poly, I figure I took 25 labs and wrote over 200 lab reports. There was no doubt I was well prepared for the real world of electronics. There was nothing I feared in electronics, that is, except designing amplifiers.

In the middle of my Cal Poly education, I married a very nice girl named Lynda. She attended my high school but I did not know her at that time. Her brother introduced us later. We have three sons, Mark, Michael, and Brett. Lynda was a very accomplished elementary teacher. She was very supportive of my degree and found a banking job to help our income while she also went to college. I was able to get a job at AeroJet General, first as a tester of electronic torpedoes, the U.S. Navy Mark IV, a computerized self-guided torpedo, and later as an electronics incoming inspector. This inspector job proved to be extremely valuable as it allowed me to learn all about the practical aspects of components and how to test them. Between the two of us going to college and working, we did not see each other much. We were able to find a place for $30 a month, which greatly helped out. My parents had given us $500 for a wedding present, and that was a tremendous help in getting started. We had our first child, Mark, during my last year at Cal Poly, and even though it seemed like we had no time left, it still worked out. I would go to school from 8 am to 4 pm, work from 4 pm to midnight, and when I got home, Mark and I would see each other for a few hours while I did my homework. This became such a routine for Mark that even today as an adult he keeps similar hours.

During my last year at Cal Poly, I needed to take one more elective. It was suggested to me to consider a class in theory of switching systems. I was not too sure what this was, but it sounded interesting, and since I had previously taken a humanities class in logical thinking, and did well, I thought this might complement that type of learning. Well, it turned out to be a very pivotal class in my career. The class actually taught the theory of logic design, which is the foundational knowledge in computer design. At the time, computer design was not taught as a separate class. This class was the beginning of what would become Cal Poly’s future computer design curriculum. Cal Poly taught computer programming but not the actual methods of designing the hardware.

There are two classes that really teach computer design: Computer Architecture and Computer Structures. Both classes go into the organization of a computer. The class I took was mainly a math class that dealt with the arithmetic of computers. I guess it could be said to be a computer design class, but since no other computer design class was taught, I always considered it a math class. Of course, I did not think too deeply about it all then. I needed an elective; I took the class.

If you are asking, well yes, it was a hands-on class. One hour of lecture a week and three hours lab. We designed and built electronic logic circuits. This became the fundamental experience I needed in order to succeed with the F14 microprocessor. This was one of the most enjoyable classes I ever took.

I don’t remember any reaction from my parents, so I wondered about it. I suspect they liked the fact I would be closer to home (about one hour). I have NO idea how they paid for the school and I was so selfish I don’t even remember thinking about it. I learned later my Mom had two jobs and some work at home to support my brother and me. Even today I feel really bad I was so selfish.

I also had a brother, Bill, and a sister, Liz, as I mentioned earlier. For some reason, I just did not communicate with them. There was no problem between us: I guess it was just because communicating was a little more expensive and time-consuming, so I just didn’t take the time.

Graduation day finally came. I remember it well as my father and mother both attended, and I could finally show them that I made it and all of their hard work paid off. I was relieved that I proved I wasn’t a failure. How could I be a failure with an electronic engineering degree? I was proud of my accomplishment, but I learned that education, if truth be told, starts the day you graduate. During this time in history, technology was changing every 1-2 years. That meant as I was earning my degree, at least two changes in technology had occurred. For someone seeking employment in a technology field, this is a huge reality.

This point has to be stressed: technology studies are totally different to any other field of knowledge, mainly because of its continuous acceleration. Thankfully, while I was in my last semester, the engineering college organized career interview days with various companies interested in Cal Poly students. We were in demand because of our hands-on experience. Most, if not all, graduates were offered great jobs. The aerospace industry was rapidly growing. The Vietnam War was escalating. I remember getting three job offers: Westinghouse, working on space designs; Bendix, working with torpedoes; and Garrett AiResearch, working on aircraft design. I actually liked the Westinghouse job best as it was in logic design, and I liked the Garrett job the least as I was told I would be designing amplifiers which I did not like at all.

Garrett wanted me to design amplifiers, a kind of circuitry I never liked. But I accepted the job. I sometimes try to imagine my life if I chose Bendix, or Westinghouse: space was, and still is, the final frontier.

Coincidentally, or maybe it was fate, my brother graduated from Stanford University the week before me and was also interviewing with Garrett as a systems programmer. I always say I took the 6-year college plan and Bill the 4-year college plan. We talked about Garrett, but because the jobs were different and in different divisions, we really didn’t expect to see each other much “if” we were both hired. Though not my first choice, Garrett was very aggressive and consistent in recruiting me, eventually making me a very nice offer. In the end, I decided to take their offer. Bill, in a very independent decision, also decided to work for Garrett. It was nice to know we would be working for the same company, but again, since our work was in different areas, hardware design and software programming, we did not expect to work together. Our work buildings were about 10 miles apart.

The first day I walked into Garrett I was met by the personnel manager, the same as a human resource manager today. His name was Dick Gentry. Dick took me into his office and asked me to sit down. He proceeded to explain some company benefits and had me sign the usual papers. What he did next was the final step that would take me the rest of the way down the path to my destiny, to what my life had already been carved to be. Before I sat down with Dick, life had been nudging me first toward and then down a path that I couldn’t see, but Dick’s next words firmly and finally ended my journey and announced my destiny by revealing my future.

Dick opened up my personal folder and asked, “I see you have taken a computer class?” I was a little shocked because I really didn’t consider it a computer class, and so he had to remind me of the switching theory class. Very nervously I finally said, “Yes.” His next statement worried me even more. He said, “You are the only one in your department to have a formal computer design class.” I had no idea where he was going with this, but I knew one class does not make a computer designer. I could not imagine where his questions were leading since, I was hired to do amplifier design, and I had studied extra the month before just to make sure I could do that! Then, he got up and told me to follow him. He took me downstairs into the basement of the building.

As I remember, this was a huge room full of table areas with equipment and people who were working on everything. It was a very organized but busy place. He walked me over to this very large piece of equipment, took off the top piece, and asked me to look inside. He asked, “Do you know what this is?” It looked like an oversized transmission. I knew because of its size it was not a normal transmission. In addition to being larger than normal, the inside was full of chrome gears, cams, and electronics. A cam is an irregular shape on a shaft. It can be circular or it can be oblong or any shape in between. In a mechanical computer, it is usually based on some mathematical equation.

I knew I was wrong, but without any better ideas, I told him my first guess.

“It looks like a transmission.”

“No,” he said, “it is a flight computer for the F-4 Phantom Jet.” The F-4 Phantom Jet was THE jet flying in the Vietnam War. Included photo is exactly what I was shown.

I remember thinking, “So, what?” At this point, I still didn’t understand how and when we got onto this new topic of conversation. To be quite honest, at this point, I could no longer even identify the topic of conversation.

Then, Dick said, “We want you to work on a special project that will convert this mechanical computer to a 100% electronic computer for a new airplane.”

…Did he just say he wanted me to design an entire computer??

The post First Microprocessor: CHAPTER 2 – The Accidental Engineer first appeared on * FOR SALE * World's First Microprocessor | 50th Anniversary 2020.

Baseball became the center of my life at a very young age, and I decided then that America’s favorite pastime was going to remain as the center of my life forever. Anything “baseball” was better than anything else. I had played Little League since age eight, and I thought I was a pretty good player, so nothing would be stopping me from my baseball career. What I didn’t realize was how life has a way of challenging and changing even the best-laid plans.

Little did I know in 1956, that at age 12, life would start changing my plans. During that year of my life, my next-door neighbor who was a radio technician was moving, and he asked me if I wanted some of his equipment. He took me into his garage and showed me what he had. Well, I wasn’t too crazy about the radio stuff. Up to this point in my life, I had not enjoyed the concept of electricity too much. It was invisible, dangerous, and mysterious. It just wasn’t something that I enjoyed thinking about or being around, but along with the radio equipment, he offered me his workbench chair which was tall and wooden with armrests. It was the best chair I had ever seen; however, to get it, I had to accept the radio equipment. So, I did. The chair fit perfectly in my room, as my bed was tall and, by sitting in the chair, I could be at the height of my bed. Really, the chair was a very nice addition to my life. I loved that chair. It made me feel like a king.

My neighbor showed me a simple way to get radios working and how to care for them. He showed me how to open the cases; clean out the dust; and remove, clean, and replace the tubes before trying a radio. He also showed me how to take tubes that didn’t light up to a local store to test and replace them if needed. With his teaching, I was able to get working 90% of all broken radios I attempted to fix. At 12 years old, I was actually repairing radios and getting some money from it. It was a great supplement to my paper route. I made about $100 a month from my paper route and about $30 more repairing radios. I also fixed bicycles for $5 to $10. Little did I know that this time with the radios would actually propel me into a full career. Had you asked me then if I would have a career in electronics, I would have laughed because as far as I was concerned all of my time and energy was for the baseball career I had planned.

Almost every summer from 8^th – 12^th grade was playing baseball. I started in Little League, then Pony League, Babe Ruth League then some private leagues. Rick Kiel, Joe Rodriguez, John Clausi, and Paul Heller were my most frequent baseball buddies. Rick and I played almost every day. During my junior high school days (7^th-8^th) I often play a game called Over-The-Line.  It was a new game and even to this day I think we invented it.  My Over-The-Line buddies were Rick Kiel, Chuck Kanoy, Ron Forsythe, Roy Clinton, and a few more who’s names I have forgotten.

Nevertheless, I grew up, and so did my dreams. I still had not given up on becoming a professional baseball player, but I did begin to think about college and “regular” jobs too. In 1962, I was a senior at Dominguez High School in Compton, California. As part of our senior year, we had to take career and skills tests so the counselors could guide us into the right college or into some trade career. All I remember being told during that experience was that I should not go into engineering because I had a low mechanical aptitude. Mechanical engineering was the “big” engineering degree and the basis for anyone going into engineering. Some of my friends were actually accepted into great engineering colleges, like Cal Tech and UCLA, and it really disappointed me that, based on my test results, I would not be encouraged toward engineering. I felt I was just as capable as they were. Unfortunately, no one else told me so, and although many people told me what I should not do, no one told me what I should be doing. I did not know the college process. I even asked after high school graduation why I wasn’t considered for some of the scholarships and I was told: “you didn’t apply.” I was lost.

As a result, I tried different things, fumbling my way through, trying to find my path. I had a desire to be an FBI agent, attended a career day conference, and talked to FBI agents at their booth. After talking with them a few moments, I was informed that anyone who wore glasses did not qualify because everyone had to be a field agent first and field agents were not allowed to wear glasses or anything else that made them unique. This is not true today, but as for my interest then, so much for being an FBI agent. Next, my father talked me into taking the entrance test for his welding and pipe-fitting profession. If I passed, I would be offered to attend some special schooling for the trade. I did pass with flying colors, and apparently, scored very high. I am sure my father was very proud of me. However, I had no motivation or desire to do what he did since all I could think about were his long and hard days, and neither appealed to me. He was very disappointed when I told him I was not interested. It was actually very hard to disappoint him considering we didn’t get along that well anyways. My decision just made our relationship worse.

With no clear direction other than making something productive out of my life and no baseball recruiters at my door, my only choice left was to find some part-time job and attend the local community college, Compton Junior College. I found a job as an assistant leader of after-school recreation at the elementary school I had attended, Stephen Foster Elementary. It was not a difficult job, and it was actually fun. On the other hand, my first semester of college was quite difficult as I had no motivation. I took basic business classes and the normal English and history classes. Honestly, it was boring and very difficult to attend. Besides my part-time job, the only real fun I can remember having during that time was riding my new racing bicycle from home to college each day, probably a ten-mile trip each way.

In addition to my lack of direction and motivation and overall dissatisfaction with my life as it was, my home life was difficult because my father and I did not get along. I am sure he thought I was going to be some kind of failure and was just wasting my life. I would not admit it at the time, but as angry as he made me, I wasn’t so sure he was wrong. Eventually, the constant fighting with him took its toll on me. I was so discouraged that I just walked out of college and quit my job. My decision only forced me to grow up that much faster. Now, I was forced to find a real, full-time job and make some money.

A great friend of mine, Bob Thornton, told me his father was looking for someone to work at his construction site. His father was also the local and district Little League director and knew me from my Little League days. He was willing to hire me and give me a chance although I was young and inexperienced for the work. The pay was minimum wage which was $1.75 an hour at that time. The construction site turned out to be a waste dump disposal site or garbage landfill. So, my first job was to stand knee deep in the garbage all day and water all of the trash so it could be compacted by the heavy equipment. It was the type of job you could perform without thinking so I had plenty of time to let my mind wander. From this experience, I have always said, “If you want to be motivated to get back to college, then, take a job watering garbage.” All day long, among the hot, toxic fumes, I had lots of time to think about life choices and careers and cars and family and just about everything. The one thing I knew for sure was that I didn’t want to water garbage for the rest of my life. Fortunately, after about six months, I was able to get a promotion to the gatekeeper position which was really a nice job. During the afternoon I would greet and collect money from the people entering to dump their trash and garbage, and then, after we closed, I still had about another four hours to myself, during which I usually read.

With new found motivation, to not be a career garbage man, and direction, get a job that pays better, I excitedly went back to college for the second semester of the current school year and was able to maintain my job at night. With enough time to study, getting paid, and a sense of purpose, life was actually looking pretty good. I was most excited about joining the college baseball team, and practice and tryouts began a few weeks after the college term started that school year. In the beginning, everything about my first college baseball experience was great. Many of my friends, including friends I had formerly competed against in high school, were trying out. As we got closer to the start of the college baseball season, the coach informed everyone that he would do an academic check and then decide who would stay. I did not know what all that involved, but soon I would learn the impact it would have on me and my baseball career.

My coach informed me that I was not eligible to play baseball that semester because I had all F’s on my last semester transcripts. I asked how that was possible since I did not even finish that semester. I learned that because I failed to officially drop or withdraw from my classes I received an F in every class due to lack of attendance. I begged the college office to change my grades to reflect what really happened, but they said I had to prove myself with good grades before they would do that. So, there went my first college baseball season. Though disappointed, I was not too discouraged since I felt confident, I would make the team the next year, and afterward, continue my baseball career. Besides, a career in baseball was still the thing that I was most passionate about in my life.

Once I reentered college for the second semester, I still had NOT selected a major. The reader could ask me what WAS my career plan. I could not say I had any plans but I do remember saying I was a business major as I had some interest in business organization and corporate structures. I soon became bored with these classes as there was so much reading and I was not a good reader at that time. I changed majors at least four times, maybe more business, accounting, forestry, engineering.

Having a goal of “proving myself with good grades to college officials so that I could get my transcript changed so I could play baseball” in mind, I signed up for a class in trigonometry (Trig). I wanted to take this class because I felt I had something to prove that went back to a failure in high school. I failed Trig because despite being a student leader and past class president, I was kicked out of class for my attitude. I had a really bad attitude towards the Trig teacher for two reasons. First, as was my lifelong story, the problems between my father and I caused problems at home which made me angry at school. Secondly, my Trig teacher was always comparing me to my brother Bill, who was younger by two years and already known as a math genius. Unfairly, she (like everyone else whenever they met me) expected me to be just as smart in math. All the family problems and pressure of expectation worked to prove them all wrong in the end. So, retaking Trig in college was my way of proving to myself and everyone who doubted my abilities or witnessed my failures that I actually could succeed in math. I earned an A in Trig and went on to earn an A in slide rule, which were both pre-engineering classes. Ironically, despite being told in high school that I should not major in engineering, I was doing well in my college engineering classes. I was surprised at the time by my unexpected success in this area, but every success gave me a little more encouragement to keep going academically.

Aside from school and work, I kept busy by playing on a local baseball team, the Compton Travelers. We played at Cressey Park, and I enjoyed everything about the experience. There were several talented, local players on the team with over half of the team going on to play professionally: Jim Rooker, Lynde Kurt, Rick Kiel, Reggie Smith, Roy White, Mike Paul, and Don Wilson. It was during this summer that I unknowingly took yet another step closer to my future career. My friend Joe Rodriguez was home visiting, having returned from the University of Idaho where he was playing football. He really pushed me to come with him the next year, saying we could room together, and giving me a catalog to look through. The beauty of the campus in the pictures is what made my decision. I had never seen a college with so many trees, and I was really captivated. The next day I asked my parents if I could transfer, and they said I could go if I got accepted. Well, it may have seemed like things were going well but I was in transition for sure. The thought of attending and graduating from such a big university was very exciting and, of course, the thought of leaving home and being on my own was a huge factor. No one in my family had gone to college so it was a big step for all of us.

I was concerned about the F’s on my transcript as I filled out the application, but I also thought about my recent A’s. I was concerned that the combination of me being an out-of-state student combined with the failing grades on my transcript might keep me from being accepted, but I applied anyway. The application process also forced me to do something I had not done before up to this point in my college career, select a major course of study. I did not feel that I had anything to base my selection on other than I knew, based on what I had been told throughout my high school career, engineering was not a major I should consider. After looking through the catalog of courses offered, I decided on forestry. Forestry seemed to fit right in with my desire to be outdoors and with my interest in conservation. I actually was getting a little excited, and after receiving an acceptance letter two weeks later, I finally felt like I was going in the right direction with my life.

Many decades later, somebody asked me a question about my choice: how DID you get accepted at Idaho given your academic record? That is a question I can’t answer. I did not expect to get accepted. All I can think of is that the school had a quota for out-of-state students and they wanted to give me a chance. The last semester of grades before I applied were not too bad and showed I had some ability. I think of this often and usually conclude that God just opened this door for me. Being 1,200 miles away allowed me to become the person of my own choosing and not what I thought others required of me. It took a while to happen and many events during these colleges’ days shaped my decisions …. including new friends, girls, Army ROTC, Judo classes, and the small town atmosphere.

During that next month, I saved as much money as I could and prepared myself to leave home for college. This was about to be by far the biggest change I had experienced in my life. It was 1,200 miles from home in Compton, California, in Los Angeles to the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho. This was not just a move to college but an actual move from home. I think my parents felt it more than I did. On one hand, I was eager to get out and prove myself so I would not fight with my father so much about me making something out of my life, on the other hand, I really had no idea what I was doing, everything was so new to me. In my preparation to go, I remember my parents buying me a travel trunk for all of my clothes. The trunk made me feel like an official college student since at the time that was the usual way college students carried their belongings to school. I still have that trunk today, and although it’s in really bad shape, it contains many college and high school memories.

My trip to the University of Idaho was by Greyhound bus. It would be my first bus trip, and I did not know or think about how long it would take. I was just excited to go. My father took me to the bus station, and as I was about to get on the bus, he extended his hand, shook mine, and told me to “do good.” That was the first time I remember him shaking hands with me or giving me any encouragement. It gave me a great feeling, but it also had the effect of making me want to stay and see if maybe things could actually get better between us. However, the bus was ready to go, and I knew I needed to leave with it. That bus trip was the longest trip I had ever taken. It took 12 hours to get to Boise, Idaho, which was in the southern part of the state. I thought I had almost reached my destination at that point, but it took another 10 hours to get to Moscow, Idaho, which was in the northern part of the state. I was exhausted by the time I arrived. I was so far from home that I felt I would never go back.

When I did finally arrive, I was pleased to see the college campus was as pretty in person as the pictures in the catalog. I felt like I was in another country. It was a great feeling to be on my own. I was finally making decisions about my future and seeing them through. I had a plan to finish college with a degree in forestry. However, there was no deep purpose or conviction behind any of my decisions. I was moving forward, and I was satisfied with that. My first year at the University of Idaho had its ups and down. I was a part of the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) which taught me discipline, something I really needed at the time, and I received many awards and honors, such as carrying the American flag for the unit. I also made a lot of great friends: Bill Donnell, Bill Roper, Charlie Beyer, George Nipp, and Brian Stickney to name a few, which helped build my self-esteem. These were a few of my ups.

As for my downs, my first year was an academic disaster. I had to take English, history, American Government, botany, and forestry, and I barely passed my classes. Another disappointment was baseball. This was probably the only thing I had ever felt a strong sense of passion, purpose, or conviction about my entire life. Though I had made little progress in achieving my dream, I was still hanging on to my desire to play professional baseball. I tried out for the university team and thought I was doing quite well against the older players. Right before the season started, I was told I had to get a physical exam from a local doctor. The doctor discovered during the exam that I had a torn muscle. I had to have surgery, and it was not possible to recover and still make the team. I knew this was the end of my professional baseball career hopes. This realization was very discouraging and almost put me in a major depressed state. My surgery was scheduled during spring break. I was not able to go home, and my parents were not able to afford to come see me. I spent a week in the hospital very lonely and in a low mood. Without my professional baseball career dream, I felt lost, and I began to think the only option I had now was to get my forestry degree. With my less than acceptable academic progress, I was not even sure that would happen.

With no other or better options in sight, I returned to the University of Idaho for a second year in spite of my disastrous first year. My academic major had some potential, and it was the only thing that made sense in my life at the time. I joined the Forestry Club and met another good friend, Lyn Thaldorf. Lyn was a born, forestry-type of guy. He loved the work, eventually had a very successful career, and today is on the Board of Trustees for the Forestry College. Lyn encouraged me in many forestry activities, including the Forestry Club retreat where I won the 2^nd place in an axe-throwing contest. Lyn and I worked the next summer together in the Coeur d’Alene National Forest in Northern Idaho. I had the job of Recreational Director, or Ranger Ray, as the kids would call me. During the day, I would meet and greet the families, and on weekends, I would clean toilets. A very humble and yet rewarding summer. The off-days of fly fishing, hiking, and driving to the lookout towers were exhilarating. I was content although not completely happy with my life. To add to my heartbreak, it seemed baseball was destined to be a part of my life even if I could never be a part of the game.

While I was not following his progress in detail, my brother Bill had graduated from high school by this time and received a baseball scholarship to Stanford University. He actually turned down an academic scholarship in math because he thought baseball would be a better path toward graduation. As with most things he set out to do, he did quite well. He was an outfielder and pitcher when Stanford participated in their first College World Series in Omaha, NB. I was really proud of him. My sister, Elizabeth, affectionately called Betty, and later Liz, married her high school sweetheart, Jim Rooker, after high school. Jim went on to become a professional baseball player for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Liz and Jim spent their lives in professional baseball. Jim was a success on the field, and Liz became a success in her own right as a baseball player’s wife. Many have said that she was as well-known as Jim. Their career highlight was when Pittsburgh won the Baseball World Series with Jim pitching a key game. I was happy for my family, and I knew that baseball was not my future. Yet, choosing to let baseball go was not an easy choice, but it was necessary.

My second year at the University of Idaho was a year of maturing. Instead of pursuing varsity baseball, I decided to take Judo lessons from a local policeman. I progressed three belts that school year, entered my first and only competition in Portland, Oregon, and won first place over competitors from Northern California, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. I came close to earning my brown belt in Judo, but I injured myself a few days before the test and never did try again, something I still regret. I also played intramural softball. The intramural softball season climaxed with a final game between my independent league team and the fraternity boys, Sigma Alpha Chi (SAC), who had not been beaten in any recent years. Two sorority girls, DJ Green and Carolyn Brown, probably the only sorority girls cheering for us, were among those pulling for our team. In the end, we did win, partially from me hitting both left and right-handed home runs. The victory seemed to be what I finally needed to release my thoughts of a professional baseball career and move forward. I guess I finally realized I was as good a player as I needed to be, and I had better start planning for another career.

Going back to my career plan, after taking the Physics of Electricity class and doing perfectly on homework, test, and exams I realized that I could really do it. Also, that same semester I received an A in Calculus just because I worked hard studying and worked every problem in the book. It was hard work but it paid off with nice grades. The best semester ever in college. I made the Dean’s list. 

The physics class satisfied a physical science requirement for forestry so I did not think about it being engineering. The Calculus was required for forestry so again I did not think about it being for engineering. However, when I started looking for another major degree program, I soon realized that I was actually taking engineering classes and doing well. That was a huge motivation. 

There is also a motivation that pushes one to go further. I think my motivation was “I am getting older and not accomplishing much.” I think next was the fact that I realized that I needed to take control of my life and not let others decide for me. 

About this time, the turning point in my life that would firmly plant my feet onto my lifelong career path occurred. To be considered a serious forestry student, I needed to maintain an A or B in chemistry. Yet, I had a verydifficult time in chemistry since I had never taken it in high school, like so many others in my class. I could not grasp the concepts fast enough. Dean Ernest Wohletz of the Forestry Department, he was about 70 years old with a desk made out of the cross-section of a very large tree, called me in one day near the end of the semester and asked me if I liked forestry. I told him I did.

Dean Wohletz said if I wanted to continue in forestry, I would have to do better in chemistry. After a further discussion that I don’t remember too well, he said I “should be taking this class” and pointed to a particular class in the school course catalog. To this day, I do not know how he decided to recommend the class to me. It must have been academic wisdom. Whatever it was, I am forever grateful as the outcome of the class changed my college, life, career for the good.

The post First Microprocessor: CHAPTER 1 – Baseball, Radios, and Engineering first appeared on * FOR SALE * World's First Microprocessor | 50th Anniversary 2020.