Automonopoli
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''Automonopoli'', also known as ''Go to Jail'', is an unauthorised computer version of the boardgame ''
Monopoly A monopoly (from Greek language, Greek and ) is a market in which one person or company is the only supplier of a particular good or service. A monopoly is characterized by a lack of economic Competition (economics), competition to produce ...
'', released in June 1983 by
Automata UK Automata UK was a software house which developed and published ZX Spectrum video games between 1982 and 1985. Significant releases included '' Pimania'' (1982), '' My Name Is Uncle Groucho, You Win A Fat Cigar'' (1983) and ''Deus Ex Machina'' (19 ...
for the
ZX Spectrum The ZX Spectrum () is an 8-bit computing, 8-bit home computer developed and marketed by Sinclair Research. One of the most influential computers ever made and one of the all-time bestselling British computers, over five million units were sold. ...
. Although other two-player ''Monopoly'' computer programs already existed, the developer advertised that their ''Automonopoli'' was the first with an
artificial intelligence Artificial intelligence (AI) is the capability of computer, computational systems to perform tasks typically associated with human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and decision-making. It is a field of re ...
strong enough to compete against and defeat human players. Initially released under the name ''Automonopoli'',
Waddingtons Waddingtons was a British manufacturer of card and board games. The company was founded by John Waddington of Leeds, England and the manager, actor and playwright Wilson Barrett, under the name ''Waddingtons Limited''. The name was changed i ...
threatened legal action against Automata, and within weeks of its release the game was rebranded as ''Go to Jail''. Waddingtons, concerned about the potential impact on a forthcoming official ''Monopoly'' video game, began formal court proceedings against Automata in late 1983, and the game was withdrawn from sale in early 1984.


Initial release

''Automonopoli'' was released by
Automata UK Automata UK was a software house which developed and published ZX Spectrum video games between 1982 and 1985. Significant releases included '' Pimania'' (1982), '' My Name Is Uncle Groucho, You Win A Fat Cigar'' (1983) and ''Deus Ex Machina'' (19 ...
in June 1983, written primarily in
BASIC Basic or BASIC may refer to: Science and technology * BASIC, a computer programming language * Basic (chemistry), having the properties of a base * Basic access authentication, in HTTP Entertainment * Basic (film), ''Basic'' (film), a 2003 film ...
, and modelled the board game
Monopoly A monopoly (from Greek language, Greek and ) is a market in which one person or company is the only supplier of a particular good or service. A monopoly is characterized by a lack of economic Competition (economics), competition to produce ...
in every detail of gameplay. Although other versions of Monopoly for home computers were already in circulation for play between human players, at the time of its release ''Automonopoli'' was marketed as the first version of the game with an
artificial intelligence Artificial intelligence (AI) is the capability of computer, computational systems to perform tasks typically associated with human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and decision-making. It is a field of re ...
advanced enough for the computer to play against human players. Rather than display the entire board, only two full spaces (and a section of a third) are displayed at one time during gameplay. The board scrolls from right to left as the player advances following each dice roll, while pressing the "X" key takes the player to a separate screen showing a full list of sites and their current ownership, allowing players to buy and sell properties between themselves, to build houses and hotels, and to mortgage and unmortgage properties. On landing on a property the player is offered the chance to buy it; if the player declines, or they have insufficient funds, the property is put up for auction. The game copies the UK version of the ''Monopoly'' board game in every significant detail, including the exact wording of the property names and "chance" cards. Sold almost exclusively by mail order, the game received limited but positive reviews on its release from the few magazines which then covered ZX Spectrum gaming. A short review in ''
ZX Computing ZX may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Kamen Rider ZX (pronounced "Zed-Cross"), the tenth fictional superhero in the "Kamen Rider" franchise * ''Mega Man ZX'', a video game for the Nintendo DS * ''ZX Tunes'', remastered soundtracks of the "Meg ...
'' at the time of its initial release, praised the "excellent" graphics and the strength of the computer's gameplay, a theme repeated in a brief review in ''Crash''. The only full-length review, in ''ZX Computing'' nine months after the game's original release, also praised the AI's gameplay and said that "the only major complaint I can make against the program is its limited use of sound".


Legal action and change of name

Shortly after its release,
Waddingtons Waddingtons was a British manufacturer of card and board games. The company was founded by John Waddington of Leeds, England and the manager, actor and playwright Wilson Barrett, under the name ''Waddingtons Limited''. The name was changed i ...
, UK publishers of the ''Monopoly'' boardgame, raised objections to the ''Automonopoli'' title, saying that there was a risk purchasers would confuse the two products. Automata changed the name of the product to ''Go to Jail'' in their packaging and advertising, claiming in their advertising that despite being identical in every way, ''Go to Jail'' was unrelated to ''Automonopoli''. Waddingtons was in talks with
Parker Brothers Parker Brothers (known as Parker outside of North America) was an American toy and game manufacturer which in 1991 became a brand of Hasbro. More than 1,800 games were published under the Parker Brothers name since 1883. It remained family owne ...
(the US publisher of ''Monopoly'') over jointly developing an official ''Monopoly'' computer game, and continued to object to perceived infringement by Automata; Waddingtons spokesman Neville Fishwick said "They are riding on the back of a game we have had for 50 years. They know damn well it's not their game, it's ours". In December 1983 Waddingtons began court proceedings against Automata; Automata in turn launched a fundraising campaign with the support of the Computer Trade Association, whose secretary Nigel Blackhurst said "The Waddingtons action represents a major threat to the whole computing industry. If they win about 80 percent of the games software in the market would become challengable". In January 1984, the courts ordered Automata to withdraw the program from sale. In May 1984 Waddingtons announced that the official ZX Spectrum version of ''Monopoly'' would be released shortly by Leisure Genius, although Waddingtons would retain the responsibility for taking legal action against the publishers of other computer games based on the board game. The official ''Monopoly'' video game was eventually released in July 1985, and was described by ''
Home Computing Weekly A home, or domicile, is a space used as a permanent or semi-permanent residence for one or more human occupants, and sometimes various companion animals. Homes provide sheltered spaces, for instance rooms, where domestic activity can be pe ...
'' as "vastly superior to the other non-authorised versions".


Notes


References


External links

*
Automata

Automata UK advert
from immediately after the trial, featuring cartoon commentary on the trial by
Mel Croucher Mel Croucher (born 1948) is a British entrepreneur and video games pioneer. Originally an architect, he moved into computers and in 1977 launched one of the very earliest games companies, Automata UK, as an extension of his publishing business. ...
and Robin Evans {{good article 1983 video games Monopoly video games Unauthorized video games Video games developed in the United Kingdom ZX Spectrum games ZX Spectrum-only games Multiplayer and single-player video games Video games based on board games Video game clones Automata UK games